Human beings were certainly a repetitive bunch of idiots, creating one war after the other with not so much as a single glance towards their history books to learn that what they are doing is wrong and will change nothing. They learn nothing from their ancestor's mistakes.

Asgardians are the same.

Perhaps that is why she felt a little bit at home here on Midgard.

Banished. Stripped of her powers. On a foreign land that had barely gotten to the point where it now was with the help of other realms, even if it didn't know it.

Trapped here until to show remorse.

Loki pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear as she watched the scene in front of her.

She had to rely on her words and mind more than ever now. In a land that scoffed at women that wanted more than what was set for them. In truth the only reason she was in a position in the American Army at the moment was because one of the generals had decided to amuse themselves and in a moment of whimsy allowed her to enter.

Although why she had decided to enter the military when she despised fighting in itself was a mystery to her as well. Perhaps it was because the military would be the best place to offer her protection and a steady income.

A daughter of Odin and Frigga brought down to this humiliation.

It could've been worse, she mused to herself as the scientists; as they called themselves, she could have been placed in a different country that would bring her down the moment they saw her.

She tore her attention from the man in front of the room that was giving the others instructions, Abraham Erskine a healer and scientist (the word felt a bit wrong on her tongue), and focused it on the man and woman next to her.

"I still don't think this is going to work." the woman, Margaret Carter, said.

The general, Chester Phillips, snorted. "Well Schmidt wouldn't have kept the man alive unless he knew what he was doing."

"He hasn't told us anything." Loki said softly. Her use of words and sly manipulation were of use to the military in its own way. She had been the one they sent to talk with Erskine about his formula, despite knowing that she knew nothing of modern medicine and science, she persisted on calling it magic in her head. She had spent hours manipulating the conversation and talking around words and in the end Erskine had told her nothing, nor did the soldiers listening in understand what he was going to do, and Loki had a headache at the end for her troubles.

Erskine refused to answer anything about the formula, he never wrote any part of it on paper as well. He said that the only reason Schmidt hadn't killed him was because Erskine had the entire formula in his head and if he died the formula died with him.

When Loki had mentioned, without meaning the formula or anything that had to do with it, how dangerous that was to keep the knowledge only in his mind he had scoffed.

"Better to die with me than to be used in the wrong hands." Erskine had said.

She didn't argue, she saw the point he was trying to make.

"What of the men?" Loki asked General Phillips. "Did he approve of any of them?"

Phillips shook his head in disgust. "Twenty-five of Americas finest men. Top physical conditions. Strong as an ox all of them. Rejected each and every one of them after seeing them train once."

"Perhaps it is not an American he needs." Margaret murmured. Her accent coming out a bit heavier.

Loki bit back a chuckle at the look that crossed Phillips face.

"We haven't showed him all of our good boy's yet." he declared.

Margaret and Loki shared a look. Loki's own accent, although she had never thought it had anything in common of any part of Midgard, was classified as British. A quick glance in a book and towns she quickly agreed and claimed to be part a part of Leadworth. Because of that Margaret, who often insisted on being called Peggy, had chosen to form a bit of kin-ship with Loki.

Phillips turned and started to walk out of the 'lab', another word Loki still wasn't familiar with, and Margaret and Loki followed him.

"It is his formula and he is the only one who knows it." Loki reminded him. "We need to follow his guidelines."

"Not if he keeps rejected each candidate." Phillips said. He glanced at Loki over his shoulder. "Try to find out what he is actually looking for."

Loki stopped and nodded before turning back and walking back to the lab. Why she obeyed, she did not know. Perhaps it was because she understood her position in the military and knew the ranks of Asgard and those who needed to be obeyed and those who gave orders. However she rarely was the one who obeyed orders unless her father or brother was giving them. Most of the time she was the one issuing the orders.

However she wished to stay in this military and she knew she had to follow her orders.

Suddenly a hit of homesickness struck her at that moment, so abruptly that her knees buckled and she grasped the wall she had fallen against as best as she was able to.

The glorious vision of Asgards castle. The rainbow bridge. The gardens she and her mother had loved so much. Her room that was filled with the artifacts she had gathered, her notes, her books, her clothing. The warmth of her brother's hug. The silence of the library filled with books she has still yet to read.

Home. Mother. Father. Brother.

An arm went around her waist and a hand on her arm. Looking up she saw the concerned gaze of Erskine on her.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice still carrying his own accent.

Wordlessly Loki nodded as she righted herself. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"A mere moment of dizziness." she lied. "I am fine."

Erskine didn't look completely convinced however he nodded and let go of her.

"You came back, that means you have questions." he sighed. "I will be with you in a moment, let me finish this."

Loki nodded as she stepped back to avoid becoming an obstacle, her eyes obtained a faraway look as she thought.

It had been two years on Midgard. Two years since her banishment. Two years since she had last seen her home.

Two years was, actually, nothing to her and her people. More of a blink of an eye than anything. However even a year was a long time for Midgardians, so much happened in a simple year. War had broken out over the seas and now the America, where she was currently living in, was joining.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and refused to think of Asgard. There had been no definite amount of years in her banishment, which meant it was up to her to break it and return home.

How, she had no idea.

She hesitated for a moment before she gave into the image of her brother Thor in her mind. She remembered how he looked in the sunlight and on the battlefield, glorious and the proud son. Proud first born son. Heir to the throne. She remembered how he always smiled at her and praised her, teased her as an older brother did. His over protectiveness when a man showed interest in her.

The look of disgust and disappointment at the moment Odin had banished her before sending her through the rainbow bridge down to Midgard.

Erskine came to her now and when he looked at her he rummaged through his pocket for a moment before pulling out a handkerchief.

Seeing her confused expression he whispered, "You look as if you are about to cry."

She glanced to the side where the contraption had a metallic surface to see her reflection and saw her eyes were filled with tears. She realized her lips were trembling and she could now feel her eyes watering.

She quickly shook her head and ducked it in order to secretly wipe at her eyes. Erskine nodded and pocketed the reflection.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Loki nodded before she pasted a smile on her face.

"General Phillips wishes to know a bit more about the candidates that you are interested for the experiment." she said. "We need to know what to look for when we are picking soldiers."

Erskine shook his head and waved his hand for Loki to follow him as he walked along the wall of the lab.

"My formula." he started in his soft voice. "My formula is…a creation. It doesn't simply affect what is on the outside, the physical body. It affects the person mentally and emotionally, perhaps even spiritually. The DNA is simply the body chemistry and" he continued speaking of what the formula was able to do and what he planned to create with it.

Loki nodded in the parts she was meant to. This worlds magic, they called it science, was still a foreign topic for her and not one that she easily understood.

Erskine, perhaps sensing her confusion, backtracked his words. "In conclusion, it can turn, morally, good into great. And evil into worse."

"And that is why you don't simply want one who is physically perfect." Loki said.

Erskine nodded. "The serum, mostly the Vita-Rays, will do that regardless; bring a person to the height of the human beings perfection in body. What I am most afraid of is what that person will become because of who they are inside."

Erskine was silent for a moment as he watched the men run around the room, placing whatever needed to be placed in its proper position.

"Tell General Phillips that I will not bow down to his wishes and use those that he wishes to use." he finally said. "While the machinery is in place he still needs the actual serum, which I have not yet created it physically. Even if I must wait years I will not use the serum on someone that I do not have one hundred percent confidence that they won't turn into a monster." His eyes withdrew into his own memories. "Not again."

Loki nodded and turned to leave. General Phillips wouldn't be happy however no one was able to go against Erskine's wishes.

Although her main residence of 'home', so called, was the military base she still found reason to go out into the more populated part of the town. City, she reminded herself. The hustle and running around reminded her of the most busy days in the towns square where merchants would be clambering over each other in an attempt to sell their goods.

It was still slightly fascinating to her to watch the Midgardians go about their everyday lives. She dodged certain people pickpocketing, powers or not she still knew the most subtle of gestures and how to either create them or avoid them.

Occasionally she would walk a few blocks and then stop, always out of the way of the people walking, and simply watch.

The fast metallic vehicles that were called cars still amazed her at times. Faster than a normal horse and at times more convenient than a carriage. Stores that were dedicated to selling of various goods rather than a single one. Quantity and mass production of everyday needed items.

She shook her head. There was no need to get too comfortable here on Midgard, she would be leaving soon.

She hoped.

A commotion in between buildings caught her attention. She didn't see the people however she heard the unmistakable sound of someone being punched. There was a clash of metals against one another that slightly reminded her of two swords swinging and meeting.

Curiosity getting the better of her she walked into the alleyway to a sight she hadn't expected. A larger almost man was punching a smaller boy. The smaller boy looked malnourished and sickly; he was barely standing on his legs.

"You just don't know when to give up, do ya?" the bigger boy asked, almost sneered.

The smaller ones entire body was shaking however he persisted in bringing his hands up. "I can do this all day." he insisted.

When Loki saw the bigger one turn his body backwards in order to punch the smaller one again she immediately strode forward and grabbed his hand before he was able to bring it forward. Grabbing his arm she whirled him around and slammed him against the brick wall.

The boy struggled for a moment until he saw who had slammed him into the wall.

"A dame?" he said incredulously.

"A woman." Loki corrected as she let him go. "Now what the hell was going on here?"

The boy's eyes shifted to the military uniform she was wearing for a moment before he slid his hands into his pockets. "Nothin'."

Loki glanced to the side where the smaller boy was still breathing heavily as he watched them in surprise.

She then pushed the boy away. "Leave before I do something worse."

With one last withering look, which Loki blankly met his glares had nothing on Sifs, the boy walked away with his back straight and shoulders down.

Loki shook her head in annoyance. "Pride of man." she murmured as she turned to the other boy. "Are you alright?"

The boy nodded as he closed his eyes and leaned against the wall breathing deeply. "I'm fine. Thank you."

"Do you need any help?" Loki asked.

He shook his head. "Don't think so." he said as he tried to take a step forward. His knees buckled suddenly and he started towards the ground with a cry.

Loki caught him with her arm around his waist and set him down on one of the crates in the alleyway.

"Follow my finger with your eyes." she instructed placing her finger in front of him. When his eyes followed she nodded in satisfaction before reaching up with both hands to feel his head. "I don't think there's a bump."

The boy was smiling slightly. "I told you, I'm fine. Dizziness just…sometimes happens."

"Rest for a few more minutes, and then you'll be off." Loki said.

The boy nodded in agreement as he leaned back against the wall. Loki spotted a piece of paper on the ground identical to ones that she saw just this morning.

She leaned forward to take it and opened it.

'Steven Rogers' it read.

A smile came onto her face, this was a military application. She glanced at it and flinched lightly at the list of ailments the boy went through; no wonder the military had refused his service. When she spotted the date of birth however she chuckled.

"You do realize that it is a crime to lie on this, correct?" she asked him.

The boy gave her a sheepish grin. "How did you know that I wasn't from Paramus?"

Deciding not to mention that she had no idea where Paramus was she instead tapped the date of birth with her finger. "Stating that you were born in the year 1922, that would make you about twenty years old."

The smile had slid off of Steve's face. "I am twenty years old, I didn't lie about that."

Loki froze for a moment before she ducked her head. "I apologize; I overstepped."

"It's fine, I'm used to it." Steve said truthfully. He stood on shaking yet solid legs. "I think I'm good now."

Loki stood as well and handed the folder to him. "You are sure?"

Steve nodded. "Thank you again. For that…" he motioned with his head to the place where the other boy had been punching him.

"Not a problem." Loki said as they walked out of the alleyway. "You asked how I knew that you weren't from…Paramus. So you lied of your residence?"

Steve nodded.

"Why is that?" she asked.

The sheepish grin came back as well as a hand to the back of his head. "Well…I already submitted an application with my name saying I'm from here. So I needed something different."

"You submitted it before and were rejected?" Loki asked. When Steve nodded she continued, "Why do you persist on attempting to join? I have seen men trying their best to get out."

He eyed her uniform for a moment. "Because I want to do what's right." he said softly. Somewhere in the distance a bell rang to tell the time was close to three. "I need to go; my friend is waiting for me."

Loki nodded. "Farewell then, Steve Rogers, unless we should meet again."

Steve waited in place for a moment. "Can…can I get your name?" he asked as his face reddened.

Loki smiled, noting how the red in his face deepened. "Loki Odinsdottir."

"Loki Odinsdottir." Steve repeated. "Where is that from exactly?"

"Leadworth, England." Loki immediately said.

Steve smiled. "Well then…hoping I get to see you again." he said before running off.

Loki mused for a moment on his answer to her question: that he wanted to do the right thing. Foolishness honestly, Midgard or Asgard it didn't matter nor did it matter what the warrior, soldier she corrected herself as she walked back to the base that served as her home for the time being. In this world where women were pushed down men were more than eager to show their talents off onto the world and come back home victorious and glorious from war. Despite his physical weakness Steven Rogers was a man still and no doubt he had the same yearnings.

All warriors merely wanted to fight and kill, none cared for the exact reason. They only wished to prove themselves better than the rest.

Loki shook her head however her smile didn't fade. There was little chance that they would meet again.

I do not own anything Marvel related.

And if anyone has ideas as to why Loki is banished then by all means tell me.