An idea of oneshot a friend shared on tumblr~

I hope you'll enjoy it~ :D

FANFICTION

THOR (MARVEL) : The Taste of Victory

ONE SHOT

Loki fell loudly on the sandy ground of the training yard. His breath was cut short from shock and for a moment, he didn't hear anything, eyes closed tightly from the pain across his back. Then, he heard them. Laughing. His heart hardened and he felt a cold feeling taking over it, a bitter taste that wasn't blood invading his mouth. He slightly opened his icy cold green eyes and he glared at Sif who smirked down at him.

"Another lost spar, Loki?" Volstagg exclaimed loudly, heard by everyone around.

He laughed even louder, followed closely by the two other Warriors Three, Thor and quite a lot of Einherjar who were training in the same time as the Princes.

"Give up, Loki! You will never win against Lady Sif!" Fandral added, still smirking from seeing his friend beating the Prince.

"None of you could ever win against me," She intervened, sending the men a feral yet amused look.

"Sif is right," Thor said, stepping towards his brother still down on the ground, "She is a much fiercer warrior than us. We have much to learn from her skills!" He exclaimed, offering his hand to his younger brother.

Loki glared at him before sighing angrily and taking the hand offered by his brother who pulled him up without effort. The black haired boy started to wipe off the dust on his clothes while Thor threw a challenging gaze at the Lady warrior.

"Although, I'm pretty sure I could take you on and win, Sif!" He exclaimed.

"I'd love to see that, Thor," she replied with a proud smirk, swinging her double sword around with the same defying look.

Loki stared darkly at them as they kept on chatting and joking about his poor skills with a sword. He stopped listening to their annoying voices and his eyes fell on the long sword still lingering on the ground. He didn't like fighting with a sword, an axe or a spear like most warriors of Asgard. He much preferred daggers and knives that were much easier to manipulate. It was a swift, piercing and ruthless weapon – just like him. But as a Prince of Asgard, he had to master other weapons. Plus, his father and usual opponents didn't appreciate that he used his seiðr during fights – "cowardly and not fitted for a warrior" according to Thor.

They're just scared to be beaten by me… He thought bitterly to himself.

But his line of thoughts was cut by Fandral who suddenly put an arm around his shoulders. Loki immediately stiffened, angry and insulted that this stinking philanderer would act so friendly with him, a Prince, after mocking him openly.

"If only you were stronger, or more skilled, like your brother, then I'm sure you might be able to keep up with us, Loki!" The blond haired Asgardian exclaimed cheerfully, oblivious to the exasperated look on the raven haired god's face.

Loki rolled his eyes in annoyance, used after all these years to being considered lesser than his brother, the Mighty Thor. He casually pushed away the arm from his shoulders but Fandral didn't seem insulted by the gesture.

"No matter how skilled you can be, a battle is never won solely by mere strength." He said coldly, glaring at Thor, the Warriors Three and Sif.

"Then how come you never win any battle?" Fandral asked genuinely, still smiling widely.

Loki snorted, glaring at him and wishing he had his daggers with him to throw them at his throat. Thor laughed loudly and surrounded his friend's shoulders, grinning like a fool.

"Now, now, I'm sure my brother can win all the battles he'd want if he was giving himself a chance! He is still more skillful than many and he knows more about the art of victory than any of us!" He exclaimed, patting Fandral's shoulder happily.

"Then, why isn't he showing us his knowledge of victory? Even though he never tasted it himself?" He continued before turning towards a stiff angry younger Prince, "Loki, let's fight the next spar together and we'll see which one of us is more skilled with a sword!" He exclaimed light-heartedly, unsheathing his own rapier and stepping towards the dark haired man.

"I'm willing to bet I already know the victor!" Volstagg exclaimed before bursting into more laughs.

Hogun gave a little nod, his lips barely smiling while Sif smiled, too busy taking care of her blade to really participate into the conversation. Thor and Fandral joined the auburn haired man into his loud laughter.

Loki snickered and smirked mischievously. He lifted up slightly his right hand, his long fingers moving swiftly. Suddenly, Fandral's sword started to move slightly, attracting everyone's gazes on it. The silvery blade turned brown, sparkling under the light while the snake it now was turned towards the blond haired man, hissing in a threatening way at him. He dropped the weapon and stepped back while the blade, back to its usual self, clicked on the ground.

Fandral swallowed hard, his face a little pale before looking up at Loki who was smiling broadly before chuckling lightly at the astonished expressions his friends were showing.

"A-another one of your illusions… I knew it…" The blond haired man murmured, trying to appear confident.

"It was but a joke, really…" Loki answered, still grinning mischievously, proud of his little prank.

"You think your tricks could save you into battle?" Sif asked, frowning at him while Fandral took hesitantly his sword and sheathed it another time – but not before checking it was very much made of metal.

"I think so," he replied fiercely.

"This is nothing but mere cowardice!" She said, staring at him darkly.

"You think your skills are worth more than my tricks?" He asked, tilting his head slightly on a side.

"Obviously!" She exclaimed.

"Let's prove it then," he said suddenly, "All of you against me. No holding back, just the weapon of our choice."

Sif's brows furrowed even more while the Warriors Three hesitated, turning their gazes towards Thor who shifted uncomfortably from one foot to another, not knowing what to do.

"Loki…" He started, unsure of how things turned out, "Why go so far?" He asked before tilting his head on a side and shrugging lightly, "We only laughed a little, we were joking. We know you are a skilled and powerful warrior…"

"Who is a coward now?" Loki asked, snickering in a mocking way at his brother who frowned, "I thought you were always one for battle, Thor?"

Thor clenched his jaw before lifting up his chin in defiance.

"When you'll be defeated on the ground, remember you wanted this, brother…" He murmured angrily.

Loki only grinned as answer while they all prepared themselves for the fight. As for the choice of weapons, Sif kept her double sword, Fandral his rapier, both Volstagg and Hogun chose axes while Thor decided to take a double-edged long sword. When they were ready to fight – and at this point, the entire training yard had stopped their training to watch this promising match and most of the Palace had heard and went to see – Loki just stood very calmly in the centre while the five other warriors were around him. They glanced at each other uncomfortably, wondering why he was unarmed.

"Loki, what weapon did you choose?" Fandral asked, glancing another time at his rapier, fearing it might turn into a snake another time.

"You'll see in due time," he replied.

"Hiding your chosen weapon isn't going to give you any advantage, brother!" Thor exclaimed, giving a half-hearted laugh followed by the Warriors Three with even less enthusiasm just thinking at what the trickster had planned – he seemed much too peaceful and confident, which made him look suddenly dangerous.

"I don't need any advantage, but you should know by now that my ways are cunning and mischievous."

Thor tried to smile confidently but even he was shaken. Loki preferred his books and pranks over battles and beer; he was never much enthusiastic for training. But now, he seemed much more confident than usual, so confident it was shaking off his opponents' bravery and strength. But Loki was all about using his cleverness and wile as his most powerful weapon – he was probably just faking confidence to throw them off enough to win.

Clenching the handle of his sword, he positioned himself to be ready for the fight. His friends followed his example and everyone on the training yards or the people of the Asgardian Court fell silent to watch this fight between the second Prince of Asgard and five of the most powerful warriors the Nine Worlds had known.

For a short moment, nothing was heard, even the animals turned silent and the wind stopped blowing, as if the Nine Worlds had stopped working just to turn its whole attention to this match.

Then Volstagg shouted his battle cry, lifting up his axe high above his head and jumping towards Loki. The latter smirked at seeing fear dancing in the blue grey eyes of the warrior. Swifter than a biting snake, the Trickster God took out from his sleeves several black knives and hurled them at Volstagg. One of the blades hit so strongly the axe that it made it waver just enough to unbalance the warrior who then received two other daggers – one in his shoulder, the other in his leg. It didn't hurt him, but it was so well aimed it had penetrated the fabric of the clothes and made him topple backwards, his weight finishing the job of dragging him down on the ground.

Hogun and Fandral then attacked in the same time. Loki lowered to avoid Hogun's axe. It gave the momentum he needed to jump forward, hitting strongly the Vanr into his stomach and throat, making him almost fall on his knees.

Fandral tried to attack the Prince with his rapier but suddenly, the silvery blade turned once again into a snake and the blond haired man jumped, gasping. He almost dropped his sword like earlier but forced himself to convince his own mind it was just an illusion, a trick from his opponent. But when he looked up after the short moment he had stared with wide alarmed eyes at the snake hissing at him, he stopped breathing, not seeing Loki – but at last a dozen of the Prince. The illusions that made his head turn around laughed at his expression and suddenly, he was hit at the back of his legs. It made him fall on his knees and he didn't have time to gasp that the real Loki who had went behind him, invisible among his other selves, used his elbow to hit strongly the back of his neck. Fandral fell on the ground, defeated.

Loki heard Sif shouting before he could have a glance at her. He avoided her sword with a quick step behind before sensing another enemy in his back. Hogun, back into the battle, lifted up his axe while Sif attacked once again. The Prince leaned down, using his momentum to go under the Warrior Lady's blade. He grabbed her wrist, making her gasp in shock while he quickly pushed her away, turning on himself and throwing a little knife that hit the Vanr's wrist. He screamed and dropped his weapon, taking a step away. Loki then pushed Sif against him violently. He toppled backwards and his feet hit his own weapon then he hit the ground.

Sif only wavered before throwing a hard look at her opponent. Grabbing firmly her sword, she pushed the button that turned it into a double sword and attacked him with yells of bravery. Loki had taken out his dagger and was stopping the two blades with quick effective hits of his own. With his other hand, he took out a small knife he threw towards her. She avoided it by turning slightly away but it still cut lightly her cheek. During the short moment she wasn't looking directly at him, the Trickster took the opportunity to hit her into the stomach. She bent forward, gasping but already swinging her sword towards his head. He jumped away, behind her and she turned around but she only saw a dozen of Loki smirking at her. Not wanting to fall into the same trap as Fandral, she turned around, her double sword hitting through the illusions that gave a slight glimmer of green before disappearing. She swore under her breath and turned towards the other illusions of Loki. The real one came forward from her left, hiding in her blind spot but she sensed him before he could hit her with his dagger. She avoided the weapon by diverging backwards but he grabbed the handle of her double sword and twisted it suddenly until she let it go with a scream of pain. He hit the back of her legs with his foot all the while pulling her backwards with a firm hold of her plastron. He used so much strength she bent backwards, flew around and landed on her stomach, a cloud of dust raising around the downed warrior.

He threw away the double sword while he turned around, welcoming his brother, who had attacked him with stormy blue eyes, with his dagger raised to block the long double edged sword. The two blades hit with a cold sound before sliding against one another. When the two guards block each other, Loki used his free hand and other dagger to hit his brother swiftly on the cheek.

Thor growled and jumped backwards, feeling the thick and warm drop of blood sliding from his cheek down his chin. He glared at his brother before surging forward once again. They exchanged a few hits, battling with the same level, sword against dagger, strength against trickery. But at some point, Loki took some distance from his brother and while he was charging with his sword high above his head, the younger brother threw one of his short knives that hit his brother's hand. The Thunder God yelled and dropped his weapon and suddenly, Loki was in front of him. The blond haired warrior stepped backwards but the illusion that had just appeared in front of him vanished and he tripped on something. He fell with a gasp, hitting the dusty ground with a loud thud. He growled, closing his eyes, a little thunderstruck for a moment before his heart sank at realizing he had lost. He blinked open his eyes and stared with a mouth hanging open in shock at Loki who still had his hands calmly crossed behind his back and his foot casually advanced forward – he had made the powerful, mighty Thor trip with one foot just behind him. The simplicity and idiocy of his fall made Loki's victory all the more satisfying.

Once again, silence fell on the training yard, the entire Asgardian Court staring with wide impressed eyes at the last standing man: the younger Prince Loki who had used his wit and tricks to win against the five best warriors of Asgard.

The Warriors Three, Sif and Thor all stared at him with hanging mouths and astonished eyes. They had stayed on the ground, too shocked after being defeated so quickly to be able to do anything else but watch Loki's deadly dance of daggers and illusions.

Loki smirked down at his defeated opponents, pride and delight flowing into his veins and making his heart beat warmer.

"Well, it looks like the joke's on you all?" He finally said, breaking the silence.

For a moment, no one answered but then, the defeated warriors started to pull themselves together, Volstagg and Fandral still groaning while Sif glared angrily at Loki, getting up.

"I don't see how this is a victory at all!" She exclaimed, earning some hesitant looks from her allies who were starting to get up as well.

Loki's eyes turned feral as he stared coldly at the warrior who remained unflinching. Thor pulled himself up, glancing between the two as Fandral checked his sword, making sure it wouldn't turn into a snake another time before sheathing it and turning his attention towards the two warriors, furious electricity sparkling between them.

"A victory should be earned with pride, strengths and skills! Not lies and illusions! This is the most dishonourable way of winning a fight!" She exclaimed viciously.

Loki frowned at her and stared right into her eyes with so much strength behind his green eyes that she flinched lightly, even though she tried to hide it.

"I don't care about honour, I only care about winning." He said with a firm voice.

She swallowed, still staring at him in anger before Thor stepped between them, lifting up his arms and smiling broadly:

"Now, now, my brother is right: what matters in a battle is winning – even though honour is an important value of it! My brother's victory was splendid and undeniable! Let's celebrate!" He exclaimed, obtaining nods of agreement from the Warriors Three.

He tapped his brother in his back, laughing proudly while Sif snorted and took back her sword, turning away from Loki despite his grin.

As they were walking towards the closest tavern to celebrate his victory, receiving congratulations from everyone he walked by, the only thing Loki could think about was that from now on, he wouldn't fight with anything but the weapons of his choice: his daggers, his tricks and cunning. No matter how much others claimed his ways to be cowardice; he'd rather be a victorious coward than an honourable loser. After all, victory was such a sweet taste…

I hope you liked it, don't hesitate to share your thoughts about it! :D

Yours Truly,

May