Chapter song: Andromeda by Weyes Blood

Ronan

The sky was still dark in the early hours of the morning when Ronan found himself back on C-53, walking down the empty, quiet streets of what was called Monaco. Before departing the Dark Aster, Nebula activated the Terran's tracking beacon hidden inside her arm allowing Ronan to pinpoint her exact location. Given what had happened during their last encounter, Ronan hadn't bothered disguising himself in Terran attire this time. Instead, he adorned his full armor along with his Universal Weapon and nitrogen cloaking device.

Despite having used the cloaking device many times before, Ronan still found it discomfiting to watch his blue skin slowly transform into the same shade as the pale-skinned Kree. In Kree society, skin color was a trait that differentiated the noble Kree from the common Kree, and Ronan despised feeling anything close to common.

Nevertheless, it was a necessary change in order to walk amongst the Terrans. It was not difficult going unnoticed as most were asleep at this time of night. The tracking beacon led him through a maze of alleyways and streets, each leading him a little closer to his target – Silvia. Judging by the repugnant smells which seemed to be growing stronger, he determined this was not an area any respectable Terran would be caught in.

As he came to the end of the final alleyway, the tracking beacon alerted him that he had arrived. Despite decades of training and serving as an Accuser, Ronan could not quash the restlessness he felt in that moment. His steps grew silent against the wet, stained cobblestone as he approached the end of the alleyway. Before he could reach the opening, a shrill laugh broke the silence of the night. It was a young Terran woman, and judging by the sound of it she was joined by several others. There was a loud, steady beat in the background, which Ronan assumed to be what the Terrans called 'music'. He remained motionless with his back pressed against the brick wall, waiting patiently as the group passed him by.

There were two women and three men, though from Ronan's judgement they had only recently left adolescence. Their appearances led Ronan to determine they were an unintelligent group, void of any decency or sense. The women were scantily clad, their hair and skin glistening with sweat. Their faces were masked with excessive makeup and various jewels while the men wore what appeared to be antennas on their heads. All of them were slightly out of breath, their clothes damp with exertion. Ronan grimaced at the foul stench. It did not take him long to decide they were intoxicated and possibly on some form of hallucinogen.

His mood continued to sour when the group remained where they stood, choosing to stay and speak in a semi-circle. After a few seconds of listening to them speak, he activated his Universal Translator as he did not recognize the guttural noises they made.

The garbled nonsense immediately became recognizable. Of course, this was only possible due to Silvia's assistance all those months ago. Her translation of various Terran documents resulted in the addition of two more Terran languages into the Universal Translator. If she had known then what her cooperation would entail, he doubted she would have been so willing to assist.

She was not so useless after all, Ronan thought bitterly, observing the young Terrans before him.

" – but it's time to go," said one of the men, stumbling towards the women.

The shorter of the two women was now retching loudly off to the side. "I don't want to go," she cried drunkenly, drool dripping from her mouth. "Everything is free!"

The other woman who was now holding her friend's hair back, sighed deeply and groaned. "Just because it's free doesn't mean you need it. Come on, he's right. Let's go home." After a moment of struggle and protest, the two women and the man continued their walk down the street and disappeared out of sight.

The remaining two men lingered behind for a moment, smoking something which smelled highly toxic. If he remembered correctly, it was called a cigarette and it was highly addictive – something no Kree would ever go near. The expression of disgust on Ronan's face twisted into one of contempt as the smell enveloped him. He grimaced from the harsh odor, choosing to hold his breath rather than inhale the toxic fumes. From what he had seen thus far, Terran culture was far beyond repair and in dire need of extermination. As his patience began to thin, the two men began to speak.

"I still can't believe it. Who was that girl?"

"Seriously?" his friend scoffed, smoke escaping his mouth. "Who else would throw away money like that?"

"I don't know," the man said with a shrug. "A lot of people?"

"No, you idiot," he quipped. "It was Silvia Alamanni. That mask wasn't fooling anyone – well, except you, moron."

Ronan stiffened ever so slightly where he stood, listening intently now to the two men.

"No way!" The man exclaimed, his lips parting in shock. "I had no idea." The surprise on his face quickly morphed into confusion. "What the hell is she doing here? Weren't her parents just murdered?"

His friend exhaled another cloud of smoke and threw the remainder of the cigarette on the ground, putting it out with his foot. "Yeah," he said nodding. "She didn't seem torn up about it though. It's fucking weird." He paused for a moment. "Did you know she was a… you know…"

The other man quickly shook his head. "No," he said, his face falling with disappointment. "It's a shame, man."

His friend nodded hesitantly in agreement before sighing. "These fucking freaks are popping up everywhere now. You can't trust anyone anymore."

"They're not all bad," the other replied, shrugging drowsily. "She did pay for all our drinks tonight."

His friend laughed once and patted him on the back, leading him down the alley. "I suppose you're right. Let's get out of here. I should've been in bed hours ago."

Ronan watched with disgust as the two men staggered down the street, clutching onto one another for support. In that moment, it suddenly became clear as to why Silvia desired him as much as she did. He was everything these Terran men were not. Disciplined. Competent. Accomplished. This revelation gave him a new sense of hope, because despite her chaotic, frivolous nature, he knew deep down she desired a life of law and order.

He stepped out from the dark alleyway and into the dim light of the street, following the deep, rhythmic beats which echoed across the brick walls. He followed the noise until he came to stand outside an unimpressive, red brick building. There was a single red door on the front, and as far as he could tell there were no windows or alternative entrances. As he stepped forward to enter, the door swung open and out walked another group of young, inebriated Terrans. Upon seeing him, they paused and gawked stupidly at his armor. Then, much to Ronan's surprise, they smiled.

"Nice costume," said one of the men, holding the door open for him. "You're definitely going to win."

The man's words made little sense to him, though he hid his confusion well behind a mask of contempt. Without a word, he stepped past the young Terrans through the doorway and entered a dank, dimly lit hallway. Immediately upon entering the building, he found himself overwhelmed by the sounds and smells surrounding him. The air was thick with a combination of Terran sweat and musk - neither of which Ronan found appealing – and the excessively loud music was already beginning to make his ears ache. Wincing, he lowered the output volume in his armor and saved himself from the deafening noise.

Eager for this night to be over, he advanced forward with more determination. At the end of the hallway stood a balcony and a set of stairs which overlooked a sea of Terrans. Despite decades of travel and studies of various cultures, nothing prepared him for the truly depraved nature of Terrans. There was no hiding his disgust as he looked down at the deplorable scene. Colorful lights flashed sporadically across the room, illuminating hundreds of sweat-covered Terrans who danced wildly about the floor. Hanging from the ceiling were large, colorful orbs, each painted to resemble different planets. Some of them he recognized to belong to the Terran's galaxy, though their depictions were hardly accurate.

In the center of the room hung a broad banner which read 'Out of This World' according to his Universal Translator. After scanning the crowd, he noticed many of the Terrans were dressed in bizarre fashion, similar to the Terrans he had seen earlier outside. Many had their skin painted various shades of blue and green, and their hair and makeup were exaggerated to the point of being obnoxious. The Terrans' feeble attempt to mirror other species' cultures could not have been more pathetic. He found their ignorance of the universe to be embarrassing.

No longer needing to blend in, he turned off his nitrogen cloaking device and felt relieved to watch his skin return to its normal shade of blue. As he descended the stairs, his eyes vigilantly scanned the large Terran crowd in order to locate Silvia. Much to his frustration, it was rather difficult to locate a single woman in such circumstances. Nearly all of the Terrans had their faces covered or painted, and their erratic movements obstructed his scanners from working properly. The old methods would have to be relied on.

Halfway down the stairs, he paused momentarily as the crowd erupted with screams of excitement. A new song was beginning to play over the speakers. Their excitement over music frustrated him even further. Music was something Ronan never learned to enjoy. There were more important things to relish in life than pointless noise. However, despite his better judgement, he found himself listening to the song as he made his way through the Teran mass.

I've been everywhere, man
Looking for you babe
Looking for you babe
Searching for you babe

Due to his height he was able to see quite clearly over their heads. Every inch of the room was covered in Terrans, all sweating and dancing rather foolishly, some more crudely than others. Next to him, the Terrans appeared tiny and childlike, swinging their arms and hips in rhythm with the music. He marched forward, ignoring the dozens of eyes he could feel watching him as he broke roughly through the crowd. A gentle tug on his arm caught his attention, and as he peered down at the unfamiliar woman holding onto him, he could not hide the disgust and frustration he felt in that moment. The embarrassed woman immediately retreated back into the crowd, allowing Ronan to continue his hunt. The music reverberated through the walls and floor, shaking his very being as the lyrics pulled him in yet again.

Where have you been?
'Cause I never see you out
Are you hiding from me, yeah?
Somewhere in the crowd

The words were far too coincidental to his liking. He paused where he stood and frowned suspiciously at the Terrans surrounding him, seeking out the one responsible for the song.

Then he heard her.

Silvia.

You can have me all you want
Any way, any day
To show me where you are tonight

Her laugh, as light and gentle as a feather, carried itself across the room and settled deep within his chest. He felt beyond relieved to hear her voice. With more determination than before, he pushed through the worthless Terrans surrounding him and followed the sound of her laugh. A sense of urgency overcame him as he drew closer to her, desperate to locate her before she disappeared yet again. There was a flash of shining, blonde hair in the corner of his eye. He eagerly turned to look and was met with a purely satisfying sight. He had found her.

Although he could not fully see her face due to the mask she wore, there was no mistaking her smile. Bright and gleaming against a canvas of creamy, pale skin, he had forgotten how radiant it could be. It was a beautiful sight, as well as unnerving. The mask rested just on the height of her cheekbones and reached to the top of her brow, leaving her eyes just slightly exposed through two small, narrow slits. The mask itself seemed useless considering there was no chance of disguising such a remarkable sight. Even with nearly half her face covered, she was far more attractive than any other women in the vicinity, and it was obvious she knew it.

She stood on the outer skirts of the crowd, sipping on a drink as men and women alike hoped to win her affections. It was a pitiful scene to watch unfold, and he was eager to end it before it escalated any further.

"I wouldn't if I were you."

Ronan stopped, facing the woman who slowly approached him. Upon first glance he recognized the aura of mystery surrounding the tall woman with hair as dark as night. She was unmistakably beautiful, though there was an obnoxiously dignified manner in which she held herself, and it annoyed him greatly. With a quick glance of his armor, she came to stand in front of him and paused in thought. She was taller than most women, and judging by her muscle tone she was significantly stronger as well. Though, Ronan had already determined she was no mere woman.

"I imagined you to be taller," she said smirking, her eyes alight with mischief. "Though from her height, I suppose everyone is. Memories tend to be a bit deceiving." Her gaze wandered to Silvia, who was still conversing with the horde surrounding her. Much to his irritation, one of the men managed to elicit another laugh from Silvia.

The woman in front of him smiled again, though Ronan knew it was no kind gesture. "She's quite fun when she's not a whimpering mess." She paused, regarding him coolly. "I gather this is the first time you've seen her truly happy."

"Tell me, Asgardian," sneered Ronan, eager to end this charade. "Is it common practice on Asgard for the nobility to conceal themselves amongst the commoners?"

The woman whom he knew to be Loki laughed with delight. "You are smart," she mused. "I suspected no less from a Kree."

"That is Kree Emperor to you, Asgardian. You will address me with respect."

"Of course," she chuckled bitterly. "You Kree demand respect yet offer none in return. The girl – " she said, nodding slightly towards Silvia. "Does she deserve your respect?"

Ronan glowered at Loki. "Of course," he answered, his teeth clenched tightly into a grimace. The woman's face whom Loki had stolen was truly beautiful, but her attitude repulsed him far more than anything else in this place.

"Prove it," jeered Loki, her smile widening by the second.

Ronan stepped forward, glaring down at Loki with swelling fury. "I have nothing to prove to you, Asgardian. Step aside, now," he hissed vehemently. Much to his annoyance, Loki did not move. "Thanos may have given you his scepter, but you are by no means my equal. Heed my warning, Asgardian – I will destroy you if you come between the Terran and I."

"Oh, yes, I know all about the power stone," said Loki, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she stared at his hammer. "It seems a waste for it to end up in a Kree's hands."

His grip instinctively tightened around the hammer in his rage. Several of the Terrans surrounding them had begun to watch apprehensively, their eyes darting back and forth between Loki and Ronan.

"I will gladly end your life if you so wish. However, now is not the time nor place," he said quietly, not wanting to attract any more attention. He stepped around Loki, trying his best to ignore the haughty smirk she still maintained.

As Ronan approached Silvia he contemplated what he would say to her and how she would react, but as he came closer, he was astonished to see her genuinely smile at him from afar. He came to a halt and glanced to each side hesitantly, assuming her smile was directed towards someone else behind him. Much to his surprise, her attention was squarely focused on no one else but him. It was not the reaction he had anticipated after their last encounter. There was no outburst of tears. No heated exchange. It was as if she had entirely forgotten the incident. His apprehension only intensified when she waved at him encouragingly, urging him to approach her. It was enough to make him cease his approach.

Loki slowly came to stand at his side, feigning disappointment. "It's no use," she said with a sigh. "I'm afraid she has no idea who you are."

The words penetrated him deeper than any blade ever could. The cold dread which had filled his veins was quickly replaced with white, hot rage as he looked upon the Asgardian's smug face.

"What did you do?" he snarled.

"I did nothing without her consent," said Loki, still smiling. "She wanted this."

"You've taken away her memories?" he growled.

"No, no, no," Loki quickly replied, wagging a finger at him. "I've taken away her memories of you – and her unfortunate dead parents. The girl you see now is free of the cruelty and terror inflicted upon her. Look at her, and tell me she's not happy." As Ronan laid eyes on her again, a trickle of doubt began to fill his mind and it made him annoyingly uncomfortable. She did indeed appear happy, but he knew well enough that looks were more often deceiving than not.

"Your tricks paint the illusion of happiness, but it is still an illusion," said Ronan, still observing her. "She cannot truly be happy running from her past."

"Really?" coaxed Loki, raising her eyebrows. "Speak to her yourself, and then you can be sure."

Ronan silently pondered what to do next. If he killed Loki there was no guarantee her memories would return. Attracting the Terran's law force was not a viable option either, and he knew crushing Loki's head on the dance floor would do just that.

He eyed the Asgardian bitterly, realizing he had lost nearly all control over the situation. "Does she know who you are?"

Loki's smile deepened in thought. "She's under the impression that we're dear, old friends from university."

"It was unwise to bring her here," he said quietly, glancing around the crowded room. "Her government is actively searching for her. She could be recognized at any moment."

Loki tilted her head to the side in thought. "I suppose the mask takes care of that," she said mockingly.

Ronan suppressed the urge to strike the woman, and instead clenched his fists at his side. "How long before her memories return?"

"Another twenty hours or so," answered Loki, her attention focused on Silvia now. "It's a simple day spell, really, any amateur could cast it." Though, her overly modest tone suggested that was far from true.

Although Ronan was relieved to hear her memory loss was not permanent, he felt more confused than ever. There was no reason to believe Loki was helping Silvia from the pureness of his heart. He was planning something and Ronan needed to discover the truth behind Loki's tricks.

"Only a day," he said, eyeing the Asgardian suspiciously. "What exactly were you planning with the girl? If recent reports are true, I must assume Thanos is somehow involved." Loki only smiled, toying with the straw in her drink. "I will not allow anymore harm to befall her, Asgardian. It would be in your best interests to leave the girl with me, lest this ends with your demise."

Loki laughed once, appearing both amused and annoyed. "That's twice now you've threatened to kill me. Third time's the charm?"

"It is no threat, it is a promise." And he was only a few seconds away from fulfilling it. At this point, he did not give a damn how many intergalactic laws he would be breaking. The blatant disrespect and impertinence the Asgardian demonstrated was infuriating. Fortunately, he was prevented from starting a war between the Asgardians and the Kree with a simple greeting.

"Hi," said Silvia, waving her hand gently in the air.

Ronan looked down at once to find her smiling up at him, eyeing his armor thoughtfully. Her black, one-piece suit clung tightly to her body, revealing a liberal amount of cleavage down its center. He found it far too revealing to his liking, especially in a place crowded with lewd men and women who paid far too much attention to her whereabouts. Even as he resentfully eyed her provocative clothing, he could not help but admire her curvaceous figure and the confidence in which she carried herself.

She laughed once again, pulling his attention away from her overflowing bosom, which seemed to happily bounce with very little movement. "I like your costume," said Silvia, cupping her hand around her mouth in order to amplify her voice. "I bet it took you a long time to make it! It looks so real," she said, reaching out to touch the armor on his arm.

Ronan watched with confusion as the words she spoke did not align with her voice. It was then that he realized she was not speaking her primary language, and his Universal Translator was converting her words into an intelligible language.

She paused, her smile faltering for a brief second before realization dawned on her. "Oh! I didn't realize you were American!" she said excitedly. "Can you understand me now?" Ronan stiffly nodded, glancing at Loki who was now laughing into her drink. "I was saying I like your costume."

"It is no costume," he said, unable to hide his irritation. "It is my uniform."

"Oh," she meekly replied, flashing a worried glance at Loki. "Sorry."

Nothing seemed to go according to plan on this pitiful excuse of a planet. Although small talk was by no means his strong suit, he needed to maintain her interest before she decided to leave his company. He feared what would happen if she were to disappear with the Asgardian again. Loki had managed to swipe her memories in a few hours. He could not fathom what he was capable of if given more time.

"It was a joke," said Ronan, gauging her reaction. Her smile immediately returned in all its glory, and he felt his breath momentarily stop in its beauty. The sight of it left him yearning for more.

"So, I see you've met my friend, Sif," she said, gesturing towards Loki. "What brings you to Monaco?"

As an Accuser, deception and lies did not come naturally to him. Given his lack of training and experience in undercover work, he ultimately decided to tell the truth whenever possible. "My job," he said, stepping closer to her.

Silvia raised her eyebrows and nodded encouragingly, apparently impressed with his answer. "Lucky you. Must be a nice job to bring you here," she said, finishing the remainder of her drink. She glanced over her shoulder at the bar and turned back towards Ronan. "I'm going to get another drink! You want anything?"

"No," he said, suppressing the urge to scold her.

"Oh, come on, have some fun! It's my treat," she urged, her lips stretched wide into a hopeful smile.

Rejecting her offer would surely lead her to search for another more eager individual. If he hoped to get her away from the crowd and away from Loki, then he would need to play along with her childish antics for the time being. Not seeing any other alternative, he reluctantly nodded. "Allow me to escort you," he said.

Her eyes widened with surprise. "Well, sure, escort away," she said smirking.

"I'll come too," said Loki, now standing next to them.

Silvia turned to look at her so-called friend and there seemed to be a silent exchange between the two women. Although Ronan was unable to see Silvia's expression from where he stood, he could sense the irritation in her movements and the excitement in her breath. Out of curiosity he increased the volume on his armor so he could hear their heated exchange.

"Just a few minutes, I promise," said Silvia, taking ahold of Loki's hands. Ronan grumbled unhappily at the sight, but refrained from intervening. "You got your alone time with him – now it's my turn. Look at him, Sif - he's so hot."

Although Ronan was unfamiliar with the Terran slang, he gathered it was some form of a compliment judging by the desire in her voice. A moment later, she spun around with a joyous smile while Loki sulked behind her, now visibly agitated.

"OK, let's go," she said, gently pushing Ronan towards the bar.

The crowd was growing evermore restless around them, and it did not take long for them to get separated. Behind him, Silvia was being pulled and prodded by the crowd in various directions. Without a moment of hesitation, he swiftly reached behind him and grabbed ahold of her small, delicate hand, holding it tightly close to him. As they arrived at the bar, Ronan was surprised to see her cheeks burning a pleasant shade of rose. With a shy smile, she released her hand from his and leaned across the bar, waving gently at one of the men across the counter. Despite there being dozens of Terrans waiting before them, Silvia was served her drinks with the upmost promptness and it took virtually no effort on her part. Next to them a woman was struggling to maintain her place in line and Silvia immediately took notice. She approached the woman and led her to the front of the bar, nodding once again at the man behind the counter.

"She's on my tab," she said, pointing to the woman beside her. The woman attempted to refuse the offer, but Silvia insisted with a drunken smile and happily walked away, leaving the woman visibly confused and grateful.

Ronan felt as confused at the woman appeared and as Silvia joined him once again, he could not help but question her motivations. "Why did you do that?" he asked as he reluctantly accepted the drink she handed him.

"Huh?" she replied, her voice muffled by the straw in her mouth.

"The woman," he said, watching her curiously. "Do you know her?"

She glanced over her shoulder at the woman and shook her head. "Nope."

Ronan became even more confused. "Then why did you help her?"

"Why not?" she replied with a shrug, grinning up at him.

Ronan frowned in response, unable to understand her intention behind the kind gesture. On his planet, Kree-Lar, strangers did not usually assist one another without some form of agreement between both parties. Watching Silvia selflessly help the woman left him feeling unexplainably proud, despite the fact that he himself would never have acted in such a manner. Still, it was extraordinary to discover her altruistic nature amongst a crowd of self-indulgent cretins.

"Do you enjoy spending your time in such places?" he asked, looking hesitantly around the room. He could recall only one other time he stepped inside such a reprehensible establishment, and it was several jump points away on the filthy, meager planet called Sakaar. This was only slightly better.

Silvia laughed wholeheartedly, gaping at Ronan with amusement. "Could you sound anymore judgmental? Lighten up, pal."

"My name is not Pal," he corrected sternly. "I am Ronan."

Silvia continued to smile up at him, taking yet another healthy sip of her drink. "OK, Ronan," she said thoughtfully, savoring the name in her mouth. "So, tell me, are you always the life of the party?"

He did not need to understand Terran culture to appreciate her sarcasm. "I fair better in more secluded confinements," he said quietly, enjoying the blush which now spread down her neck and chest. It had been too long since he watched her squirm, and he had forgotten how much he cherished the sight.

"I guess coming to a nightclub wasn't the best decision then, was it?" she asked with a smirk.

Ronan returned the smile. "Sometimes, poor decisions lead to happy endings," he answered smoothly.

With a shy smile, she looked away and laughed, seemingly at a loss for words. "Aren't you going to ask me for my name?" she asked, shaking her head impatiently.

"I'm more curious as to why you've chosen to cover your face," he said, watching her smile falter slightly.

She played with the edge of her mask, running her thin fingers along its border in thought. "It's a costume party." She shrugged nonchalantly. "A lot of people are wearing masks."

"Yes," Ronan agreed, his eyes remaining fixed on hers. "But I do not care about the others – I want to know why you chose to cover your face."

"Why else do people wear masks?" she asked coyly. "Because they don't want people to know who they are."

Ronan eyed her thoughtfully for a moment. "I would like to know you."

Her eyes danced excitedly across his face, apparently absorbing every detail there was to observe. "Maybe you'll get your wish," she replied quietly with a smile.

Not a second later, two young, female Terrans approached Silvia with obnoxiously cheerful smiles, each standing on either side of her. "Can we take a picture with you, please?" asked one of them, holding a thin, square device in front of their faces. Silvia hesitantly nodded before portraying her own rather ridiculous smile as a bright flash of light reflected across their faces. When it was over, the two girls walked away speaking to one another in excited tones, while Silvia's face returned to a neutral expression, neither happy nor sad. It looked rather unnatural and Ronan wanted nothing more than to wipe it from her face.

She stared off into the distance, gazing at nothing in particular. "It's weird," she said quietly, her brow knitted with confusion. "People have been doing that all night." She shook her head slightly and the thought appeared to have been shaken away as well. All Ronan could do was watch as Loki's spell prevented her memories from resurfacing.

Only a day.

The bright smile returned to Silvia's face as if nothing had occurred. "How do you like it?" she asked, eyeing his untouched drink.

Ronan hesitantly took a sip from the glass, grimacing as its harsh odor burned his nostrils. It was poison. Far from the pure, refined wine of the Kree, the clear liquid had an obtrusive taste which lingered in the back of his throat, urging him to cough.

"It's fine," he muttered, clearing his throat.

Silvia bent over in laughter, spilling some of her drink as she did so. "It's not that bad, is it?" she asked, grabbing ahold of his drink. She took a sip and immediately recoiled in disgust, struggling to swallow the remaining liquid in her mouth.

"Oh no," she groaned, shuddering with repulsion. "That is awful. He must have given you the wells." Her face twisted with annoyance as she glanced at the bar. "Here, you can have mine." She eagerly held out her drink to him with an embarrassed smile.

"Keep it," said Ronan, though judging by Silvia's expression she was not taking no for an answer. "I prefer wine," he said, hoping that would be the end of it. He did not know how much more Terran alcohol his stomach could tolerate.

Much to Ronan's dismay, her face brightened instantly. "Well why didn't you say so?" she asked enthusiastically. "Wait here. I'll be right back!" He watched with disappointment as she disappeared once again into the crowd, heading back to the overcrowded bar.

The moment Silvia slipped away, Loki was once again at his side, looking up at him with a rather curious smile. "Well what do you think?" she asked.

Ronan watched Silvia from afar for a moment before forcing himself to look away. "My thoughts have no say in the matter," he said, eyeing the Asgardian resentfully. "You have erased the girl's memories. There isn't the faintest trace in her mind of who I am or where her powers come from."

"Oh, she has no idea about her powers," said Loki, taking a lengthy sip from her cup. "She wanted to forget everything about her time abroad. In her opinion, nothing good came out of it – including you, it seems." Ronan glared at the Asgardian with loathing. "Trust me, I've seen inside her mind. It is not a pretty place," she muttered, finishing with an exhausted sigh. "In fact, let me show you."

As Loki grabbed ahold of Ronan's forehead, a sharp, splintering pain burrowed its way deep into the back of his mind. All of his senses were briefly stolen as he was swept into a deep pocket of space. Unable to see, hear, or touch anything, Ronan felt truly vulnerable for the first time in his life and it terrified him. Then, slowly, he was able to feel his legs once again. He stood alone in a black, empty space, void of any walls or floors and with no ending in sight. It was a truly blank slate.

"This may be hard to stomach," said Loki, appearing at his side in his natural, male form.

The Asgardian looked sickly with his pale complexion and sunken, green eyes. Despite being nearly equal in height, Ronan was significantly larger than Loki in all other aspects. He knew without a doubt he could snap Loki like a twig, though, there was a madness in his eyes which Ronan found unsettling. His thoughts were interrupted by a terrible scream. A scream he immediately recognized.

The two of them were no longer in the Terran bar, but now standing inside a white, dank room which he immediately recognized to be Mac-Varr's interrogation quarters. In front of them, Silvia hung limply from the ceiling in restraints, her naked body covered in blood and fresh wounds.

No.

"Yes," said Loki, grimacing at the scene before them. "You deserve to see this."

No matter in which direction he turned, he would always face the same filthy room. Her screams could not escape him, even as he muted the volume of his armor and covered his ears. They were piercing his soul, each and every one of them. He could do nothing but watch in horror as he witnessed the atrocities committed against her. His pure, innocent Silvia.

She was being torn apart, both from the inside and out as Mac-Varr violated her in the most egregious ways. The room was laden with the unpleasant smell of iron, a distinctive component of Terran blood. There were several other scents in the room he did not wish to identify, though he knew they would linger with him for the rest of his existence.

She screamed for help which he knew would never come, while Mac-Varr laughed mercilessly in her face. There was never a time in his life when he felt such pure, terrifying rage as he did in that moment. Watching Mac-Varr continuously taunt and torture Silvia in the cruelest ways nearly broke him. Before now, he believed he understood what she experienced, but reading her medical report was far different from witnessing her trauma firsthand. He could not have been more wrong.

Just as he thought he could not bear another second of it, the scene vanished before him and he was standing once again in the Terran bar, his chest rapidly rising and falling with exertion. Despite not having moved an inch, the ordeal left him feeling unusually tired both mentally and physically. Loki stood by his side, once again disguised as the mysterious woman. She was no longer smiling.

"Do you understand now?" she asked.

All Ronan could manage was a slight nod as his eyes found Silvia in the crowd. The radiant, laughing woman before him was nearly unrecognizable after seeing what she had become in the Kree dungeons. That miserable, hopeless woman was a long-forgotten nightmare tonight. Her memory loss granted her freedom from the pain and suffering which plagued her night after night, and now he was witnessing the true, untainted Silvia.

Before the anguish Ronan brought into her life, she was a happy woman. That was beyond clear to him now. A heavy stone settled in his stomach as he considered the fact that perhaps she was better off without him.

Despite it all, he could not simply leave her unsupervised due to her unstable nature. She was still his responsibility and if she were to cause a disturbance in the galaxy, it would undoubtedly lead back to him. As a half-Kree, she was subject to Kree law and belonged under his jurisdiction on Hala – not on this pitiful joke of a planet. His method of extracting her had yet to be determined. He had hoped she would come willingly with him, but with Loki's meddling that was proving to be near impossible. In her eyes he was naught but a stranger.

"Tell me what your intentions are with her," he said, still observing Silvia at the bar.

Loki tilted her head and paused in thought. "I only want her to be the marvelous woman she's destined to be."

"Even in my quarter of the universe we have heard of Loki Silvertongue, the Prince of Lies. Do not take me for a fool, Asgardian. I know your intentions are far from pure," he replied, suppressing the urge to strangle the truth from her.

Loki scoffed with feigned indignance. "Why bother asking if you never intended to listen? You Kree are so exhausting," she muttered before sipping casually from her drink.

There was no time for him to respond due to Silvia's return. She glanced uneasily between Ronan and Loki, coming to stand between the two of them. "Everything OK here?" she asked, her smile waning with every passing second.

"Of course, it is," replied Loki in a cheerful tone. "Ronan was just telling me how excellent of a dancer he is."

The ridiculous statement broke Ronan's indifferent façade and in his moment of weakness, the drink in his hand was instantly crushed into a thin sheet of plastic. It was just the reaction Loki was hoping for, and he felt like a fool for giving it to him. Silvia gasped with surprise and began to laugh nervously as the drink's cold contents dripped from his hand onto the floor beneath them. Ronan grimaced at the scene before him, expecting her to run away along with the other Terrans around him, but he was surprised to see no one had noticed his sudden outburst.

"Oh my God," she said, now openly gawking at him. "You just crushed that like it was nothing." The admiration in her voice sparked a deep, forgotten flame inside of Ronan and he felt the urge to smile, though he refrained from doing so.

"I apologize," he said, shaking his hands dry. "I hope I did not frighten you."

Silvia's neck and bosom were radiating with heat, her pale skin now covered with a healthy shade of pink. The scanners of his armor also detected her pulse had risen dramatically and her breath was shallower than normal. Beside him, Loki stared at Silvia with growing curiosity, apparently detecting the change in her body as well.

Silvia softly shook her head and swallowed, the fascination in her eyes still present. "No, not at all," she said weakly, her chest rising and falling with excitement. "Accidents happen."

By now, it was beyond evident to Ronan that her physical changes were not rooted in fear, but rather desire. As the scent of her arousal blossomed in the air, he felt himself genuinely smile for the first time in months. It filled him with a sense of pride he found himself lacking as of lately, especially given his recent troubling with the Kree civil war and Skrull uprising. He had forgotten how easily Silvia could erase the troubles from his mind without any conscious effort on her part. He wanted her at that moment more than ever before, but he knew such a wish was futile. She did not know him as he knew her.

"Here's your wine," said Silvia, extending her hand to Ronan. She held a small cup filled with a deep, red liquid, nearly full to the brim. "Perfect timing, I guess."

As he accepted the cup from her, he gently grazed the tips of her fingers with his own, knowing the effect this would have on her. This small action on his part led to a most gratifying sight. Her blush spread from her fruitful bosom to her soft, round cheeks in a matter of seconds.

She continued to watch him as he brought the cup to his lips and tasted the Terran wine. It was by no means good, but it was tolerable compared to the drink she had previously given him. Not wanting to disappoint her, he nodded with approval and her face instantly relaxed with relief.

Loki loudly cleared her throat, causing both of them to look away from one another. "Shall we go home now? It's getting rather late."

Silvia glanced at Ronan and shook her head. "No, I'm going to stay out a little longer. You can go on without me, I'll get a taxi."

This did not please Loki. With a thin smile, she tapped her drink and sighed quietly to herself. "No, I'll stay. Don't mind me."

As Silvia directed her attention away from Loki and onto Ronan, Loki continued to glower at the two of them from behind her back. Watching the Asgardian's feeble attempt to pull her away was a satisfying sight to behold. If Ronan were a weaker man, he would have happily gloated before Loki, but alas, he was the Kree Emperor and needed to act accordingly. Now was not the time to bask in glory.

Silvia smiled up at him and motioned with her finger for him to follow her, and so he did. The crowd reluctantly parted for them as they navigated their way once again through the maze of bodies. Ronan trailed closely behind her, careful not to fall more than a step behind her. More than once he was forced to push aside Terrans who refused to move for him, but he was careful not to draw any unneeded attention. They truly were the most slow, inattentive creatures he had ever encountered before.

A few minutes later, they reached the edge of the crowd and Silvia glanced over her shoulder and pointed to a narrow hallway before them. From where they stood, he could see dimly-lit red walls and a single black door at the end of the hallway. At its entrance stood a man whose physique was far superior to the Terrans surrounding him. Ronan thought to himself how easily the man could have passed for a Kree, but quickly dismissed the thought as nonsense.

The closer they came to the hallway, the stronger his curiosity grew, but he refrained from questioning her because he did not wish to spoil the excitement. After trailing behind her, he was able to sense her excitement even better than before. The level of pheromones radiating off of her was enough to make him growl with frustration. At the moment, it was becoming rather difficult for him to restrain himself within her proximity.

Finally, they reached the man who stood guard of the hallway. With a simple nod, he pulled the single, corded rope which blocked the entrance and allowed them through. Ronan suppressed a scoff as he regarded the man and the rope, seeing both as useless. If the Terrans considered that some form of security, he could only imagine how easily their military could be demolished. It was a miracle their feeble planet had not yet been invaded.

He felt more at ease as they walked deeper into the dim, warm light of the hall. It was far quieter here than where they stood before, and for the first time that night he did not need his armor to hear her. Silvia slowed her pace and glanced once again over her shoulder. "Have you been here before?" she asked, continuing her walk down the hallway. Ronan shook his head. "My friends and I used to come here a lot during summer break. When the crowd would get overwhelming, I'd come back here to get away. I think you'll like it." She gently pushed open the heavy black door at the end of the hallway to reveal a small, lavishly decorated room. Once inside, Ronan was delighted to find the room vacant.

At long last, they were alone.

As the door closed behind them, a heavy silence replaced the deafening mayhem and he instantly felt himself relax. It was a joyous sensation to have her all to himself. He followed her further into the room, observing the many details surrounding them. Its walls were painted a rich shade of red and its wooden floors were covered with woven rugs of various shades of orange and red. The warm colors made him feel as if he were back home watching Kree-Lar's magnificent sunset.

It was far too dim for his standards, but the intimate atmosphere was a pleasant change. Decorative lanterns covered in colorful, glass beads and jewels hung from the ceiling in clusters, casting their geometric patterns of light around them. In the heart of the room sat a circular, wooden table, and surrounding it on the floor were soft, thick cushions of red and purple.

"So," said Silvia, softly breaking the silence. "Do you like it?" The nervousness in her voice made her all the more appealing.

Instead of immediately answering her question and further delaying the inevitable, he chose to bypass the courtesies and idle talk. He closed the space between them and gently raised his hand to her face, tracing the edge of her mask with his thumb. When she didn't pull away, Ronan took this as a sign to continue. With a simple motion, the thin paper mask was quickly discarded of and Ronan was rewarded with the best sight of all.

"Yes, I like it," he said, soaking in every inch of her magnificence. "Very much so."

Silvia blushed and briefly looked away, smiling nervously to herself. "That was a bold move." She held out her hand to him and chuckled quietly. "Well, it's nice to formally meet you. I'm – "

"Silvia," answered Ronan with a smile.

She tilted her head quizzically, confusion evident in her eyes. "I – um," she said, laughing awkwardly. "No, nice guess though! I'm Carol."

It was Ronan's turn to be confused, though he dared not show it. He reluctantly accepted her handshake and maintained his smile, though it no longer held its sincerity. "Carol," he confirmed, watching her intently.

He even took away her name.

The same lost stare from earlier returned as she continued looking up at him. "This is going to sound odd," she began hesitantly. "But have we met before? You look so… familiar."

Ronan paused, contemplating his next course of action. At the moment he could discern three very distinct options, neither of which would give him the result he desired. He could play along with Loki's plan and wait for his spell to wear off, but this plan was full of too many irregularities and unknowns. The Asgardian obviously had something far greater planned, and Ronan was no closer to discovering it. If he remained here on this planet with Silvia, he feared the Asgardian's plans would prove to be sinister and irreversible.

Or, he could take Silvia with him now while he still had the chance. However, this plan was complicated due to the fact that Silvia had no memory of him. She would surely protest and cause a scene if he attempted to run away with her, and that would of course cause Loki to intervene and most likely result in the Terran's law force to get involved as well. On the other hand, if Ronan was successful in kidnapping Silvia, there was no guarantee her memories would return.

Lastly, he could kill the Asgardian and be done with it. This option, despite being his favorite, was the least sensible. Loki's actions had not yet warranted the death penalty and Ronan did not desire a war between the Asgardians and the Kree. Despite being a favorite amongst the Kree noble and government, he highly doubted they would take his side on such a matter – especially over a half-blood. However magnificent she may be, a half-blood such as Silvia was still regarded as inferior amongst the Kree.

But then, Silvia was kissing him and none of that mattered any longer. Feeling her lips upon his once again broke his disciplined mind and he found himself kissing her back. He had missed her. Truly, deeply, missed her. Sweet and gentle, it was a kiss that took his breath away. She tasted like a sweet reminder of home, and he craved more of her with each passing second. He pulled her closer, holding her small body firmly against his own, and was rewarded with a delicious moan. The sound alone nearly drove him mad with lust. Their hands roamed across each other's arms and backs, growing more boldly as their passionate kiss intensified. It could not have been more perfect.

The door to the room roughly swung open, hitting the wall behind it with a loud bang. Silvia and Ronan, both startled and flustered, pulled away from each other to inspect the noise. He watched in dismay as a dozen Terran men and women stumbled in drunkenly with Loki in tow. As their eyes fell upon Silvia, whose face was no longer shielded by a mask, their mouths immediately parted in shock as they recognized her. Up until that moment, Ronan had not fully comprehended her role in Terran society. In an instant, the room erupted with chaos. There were flashes of light as both men and women fought their way to Silvia, each pushing and pulling one another to reach her first.

"Oh my God! It's Silvia Alamanni."

"Silvia! I love you!"

"Can you really fly?"

"Please, take a photo with me!"

Silvia stumbled backwards behind him, shielding herself from the flashes of light which now overwhelmed the room. "I – I don't understand," she mumbled incoherently. "My name is Carol! I don't – I don't understand…"

This night is becoming more unusual by the second.

It was by far the worst scenario Ronan could have predicted. Loki stood by the door, smiling triumphantly as the Terrans ran towards Silvia, each holding their devices proudly in their hands. Ronan stood protectively in front of her, preventing the Terrans from reaching her in their hysterical state. In his fury, Ronan used his hammer on those who dared try to slip past him. Regrettably, the force of the power stone proved to be too much for them. Several of the Terrans went spiraling into the nearby wall and landed unconsciously on the floor. They were an embarrassingly fragile species.

There was an audible gasp amongst the remaining men and women as they gawked at Ronan, now directing their devices onto him with their annoyingly bright lights. There was a silent pause before the crowd transformed into a furious mob, each one shouting profanities at Ronan in their drunken rage.

"Fucking asshole!"

"He's a mutant!"

"Freak!"

"Someone call the police!"

" – no, call an ambulance!"

He turned to Silvia, who was now beginning to slowly back away from him, her eyes wide with… fear.

No. Not you too.

"Come with me," urged Ronan, holding out his hand. "Let us get out of here."

His efforts were to no avail. In her frightened state, she ran away from him and joined Loki in the crowd. Despite the general public being aware of Silvia's unnatural abilities, they happily welcomed her into their madness with open arms. Perhaps it was her social status which spared her from their harsh judgment. He supposed it did not matter as long as she was safe.

It felt almost cruel to watch her flock to Loki, though he could not be upset with her given the circumstances. Without her memories, she was but a blank canvas of the woman he had grown to care for. It was not her fault.

Still, he found himself furious, and he knew exactly who to blame. Loki. She continued to smile triumphantly at him, her eyes gleaming with euphoria as she watched the enraged Terrans circle around him. She was elated, and the chaos only further fueled her madness. Ronan felt ashamed as he realized he had yet again succumbed to another of Loki's schemes. The Asgardian had been planning this moment all night long.

But why?

The scanners of his armor alerted him of an impending arrival outside the building. Judging by its velocity, he determined it was an aircraft of some type and he was left with little time to act. He would first need to reach Silvia in order to teleport off this damn planet. With a simple flick of his hammer, he forced away the remaining Terrans who stood between them. Unfortunately, Loki was already in the process of teleporting with Silvia, who was now looking more confused and terrified than before.

"No!" roared Ronan, aiming the hammer for Loki's head. It soared across the room with impressive speed, but he already knew it would never reach its target. He was too late. They were gone. Feeling defeated and frustrated, Ronan sank to one knee and growled, slamming his fist angrily into the floor.

Above him, an explosion ripped through the ceiling as a man adorned in red and gold armor landed before him. Ronan slowly stood from where he knelt, recognizing the man immediately. It was the mouthy Terran from Silvia's home whom she called Tony, and this time he was unaccompanied. Ronan wondered if his insolence would persist without the protection of his friends.

The mask of his armor receded, revealing the man's neatly trimmed face, smirk and all. "You're a long way from home, eh Papa Smurf?" he asked casually.

Ronan stepped over one of the unmoving Terrans and grabbed ahold of his hammer. "I gather you are a friend of Silvia's," he said, ignoring the question.

Tony paused, raising his eyebrows. "I'm sorry, was that a question?"

He regarded the man silently for a moment, his patience at an end. "If you care about her, you will leave me be. I am trying to help her."

"Right," said Tony, his voice laced with sarcasm. "You know… I'm having trouble seeing the part where you're helping. This – " he stopped, pointing at an unconscious woman " – is not helping. In fact, it is the opposite of helping."

Exhausted and annoyed, Ronan decided to end the conversation and leave before he changed his mind and killed the man. Silvia could forgive him for many things, but murdering her friend was likely not one of them. "I have no need to explain myself to you," he said, placing the end of his hammer on the ground. "You've been warned to stay out of my way."

Tony stepped forward, aiming his palms at Ronan's chest. "Don't even think about it, buddy," he warned, nodding at the hammer. "You're not going anywhere."

If he were in a better mood, he would have outright laughed at the Terran's idle threat. Their childlike ignorance never ceased to amuse him. With a smirk, he tapped the hammer on the ground once, activating the locating beacon of his hammer. This of course prompted the man to attack him, though Ronan felt no need to defend himself. He watched with mild curiosity as the Terran's repulsion beams merely bounced off his armor, leaving no mark whatsoever. The man's shocked face was the last thing he saw before teleporting back to the Dark Aster.

Author's note: Hello my loves! I've missed you. I think I'm going to stop giving estimates on when I'll update... I feel so bad when I'm not able to update as quickly as I promised! Like I've said many times before, life is crazy. I love you guys so much for the support. You honestly don't know how much it means to me 3

Anyways, what did you think of this chapter? This chapter was very different from the last one. Silvia - Carol? - is no longer a crying mess. Yay?! It was fun seeing her and Ronan interact as 'strangers.' I was excited to finally give Ronan a taste of Terran society... imagining him in a French nightclub when everyone is dressed up as aliens had me cracking up while I was writing this. If you didn't catch it, the song playing in the club is 'Where Have You Been' by Rhianna. I thought it was very fitting. I felt really bad for Ronan after their kiss got so rudely interupted... Loki has no chill.

I've had many of you asking for another hot scene between Ronan and Silvia - I get it. Ronan is hot. The timing has to be right though... all good things come to those who wait ;)

The next couple of chapters are going to be intense, full-on action, so be ready for it! As always, I appreciate your feedback and look forward to hearing from y'all! :)