Chapter One: Preparation
Thor waited in the one place he knew his brother would show up. The library. After weeks had passed since the agreement he made with Odin, Thor had enough. He wouldn't let his brother escape his presence this time. He had allowed time of separation between them in hopes Loki would want to come to him. However, waiting has proved fruitless – Loki was avoiding him. He was avoiding everyone. No one had interacted with the second prince since his release and fewer had seen him in the passing days. This couldn't wait any longer; Thor needed to discuss their journey to Midgard and their stay.
Sitting at the desk he heard Loki having been spotted at in the past few days, Thor waited with hands folded across the top as he contemplated how he would get Loki to stay once he arrived.
/
/
Loki flipped through the pages of his book, re-reading the same passage ever over, wondering if there was anything he missed. Alas, he was wrong. He didn't miss anything. Of course, he didn't – he always read writings thoroughly especially when they express import attention to detail. That was what he was afraid of.
It had been a few days since the first encounter and since then Loki hadn't tried to contact his person again. Needless to say, the person he connected with was startled and wondered if they were going insane. It was as the book said though – Loki had no idea if his person was male or female. Their voice was so distorted, but he could make out the words clear enough. He idly wondered if they heard him the same way, but that was a passing thought. What he really wanted to know was where his person was. How far away were they from each other? How strong was the connection they made? He couldn't ask the questions though – his person was too in shock to concentrate on what he was saying and was more concerned about whether or not they were going insane. Loki shut the book with a sigh. As he suspected – there was no way to somehow find his person through their connection. He would have to find out the old-fashioned way – speaking to them. Once they got their nerves back in order.
The connection was holding up, however. Occasionally, he received half-thoughts from his person randomly. He wasn't sure if this was a flaw in the experiment or if his person was trying to reach him again. The thoughts were never coherent though, so he doubted the latter and worried it was the former. If he received random thoughts, then who was to say his person didn't also receive some of his thoughts? That was disconcerting. He certainly didn't want anyone to hear his private thoughts. The whole point of this was because there was a guarantee no one would. Reminding himself that it didn't matter – the person was a stranger who'd never discover who he was anyway – he started pondering over the connection. Would it drop? If it did, would either of them notice? When he connected with his person, he blacked out – had his person also blacked out when they connected? Once his person calmed down, he'd have to ask. That was, if their connection lasted that long.
"… why is he…"
The thought didn't disturb Loki. He was used to them by now. Every once in a while, a stray thought filtered in with no context and he'd deftly ignore it. He'd worry about it later. For now, he needed to return to the library. There were more tests to be done.
/
/
"Loki, do not run."
He frowned. He had not intended to run. Though, sneaking away unnoticed was out of the question now. Why was Thor sitting in his seat? Loki, rolling his eyes, sat across from Thor and said, "I am not a child. I will not flee from you. What do you want?" Smiling cynically, he asked, "Another rousing story of our childhood you wish to relate to me?"
Thor grimaced. "Brother-"
"Not brother."
"Brother," Thor emphasized, ignoring the callused look he was receiving and continued, "We need to discuss our travel to Midgard."
Loki grinned. "What is there to discuss? You are taking me to a little realm with little people, so that I may come to know them and become endeared with their traditions, all the while learning some heart-warming lesson. Did I forget anything?" His eyes drifted down as if he was in thought before they darted back up and he said, "Oh, right, and all of them hate me. What could go wrong?" He leaned against his palm, resting his elbow on the table and draped his other arm across the back of his chair, grinning at Thor. "Whose plan was it again? Yours? Odin's?"
"Loki, this will be good for you," Thor said firmly.
"Yes, send me back to the realm I waged war on."
"We are going to a place not many people will recognize you. It is safe. Father-"
"Not my father."
"Father, has already secured an area of refuge."
Loki straightened up, leaning back in his chair, and folded his arms across his chest. "What do you need to talk to me for? It sounds like you already have it all worked out. Whether I want to or not, Odin will send me one way or the other."
"We need to talk about preparation and how you will act down there."
"Lessons in etiquette. Are you sure you should not be the one refreshing yourself on these?" Loki grinned maliciously.
Thor gave him a stern look. "Loki, you cannot harm any Midgardian while we are there. You cannot threaten any."
"Why do you not just take all my fun away?"
"Loki," Thor warned. "This is your only chance to redeem yourself. If you cannot do this, you will be placed back in the dungeon for the rest of your life. Would you rather rot in there?"
"Of course not," he spat. "But, what do you expect of me? Mortals are worthless, Thor. You are better off leaving them in their squalor until they bring their ultimate destruction upon themselves." Loki leaned heavily into his chair. "This is a mistake."
Thor shook his head. "The mistake is how you view them."
"They are ants."
"They are mighty and soon you, too, will see that."
"Ragnarok would sooner come than the day I value the life of a mortal."
Thor and Loki sat, staring at one another in a beat of silence before Thor said, "Let us begin preparations for our travel."
Loki sighed. Nothing good would come of this journey.
/
/
Loki walked down the hall, intent on returning to his room and forgetting all that Thor had told him. He didn't need to be told how to act. He did what he wanted. If Odin was foolish enough to send him back to Midgard than that was his problem and he was going to have to deal with the repercussions.
"Are you still there?"
Loki halted. That did not sound like a half-thought. This one was directed right at him. He decided it was time to answer. I never left.
There was a pause. Then, "I'm not crazy, am I?"
Loki sighed. No. I am very much a real person communicating with you.
Another pause. "How is this happening?"
He wondered if he should tell his person the truth, then reasoned there was no harm since they'd never see one another, let alone recognize each other if they were to ever meet. I have experimented with something called 'mind binding'. It is a form of communication that connects two people's minds – the only problem is that it is random and I seem to have connected with you.
"Mind binding? That sounds like something from a book."
It is.
"You should be more careful with what you dabble in, Sir…?"
How do you know if I'm a sir? Loki for half a second panicked, wondering if his person could hear his voice more clearly.
"You sound as arrogant as a man. A woman wouldn't have her mind connected with a stranger."
Loki smirked at that. I believe you have given yourself away, Milady.
"I'm not giving anything away. If my voice sounds half as distorted as yours, I doubt you can figure out my gender. That is beside the point – drop this connection. It's creepy having someone in my thoughts."
I have no control over it. I am afraid the connection stays unless it drops on its own.
"You aren't serious."
He was. I am.
A pause. "How much of my thoughts can you hear?"
Loki pondered if he shouldn't trick his person into believing he'd hear everything. Then he decided it'd be easier for him if he'd tell them how it worked, that way there'd be no trouble communicating later on if their conversations continued. Only the ones you want me to.
Silence fell on him. A full minute passed with no sound. Loki wondered if the connection dropped suddenly. Hello?
"I'm here."
Where did you go?
"You didn't hear anything?"
No.
"Good. I guess this is okay. It's weird, but manageable."
Loki was about to make a quip, but was interrupted as the person continued.
"Where are you? Are you around here?"
Loki smirked. The game begun. You tell first.
"Seeing how we don't know each other too well, I don't think I'm comfortable with letting you know."
Scared of letting me find you?
"Incidentally, yes and no - I'm not scared of you finding me. Whoever you are, this sounds like an accident. You have no plan or course of action. So, there's no motive for you to find me. Right now, you're faceless – a total stranger. And I kind of like that better than knowing who you are."
Faceless. Loki's person was right. As of that moment, to each other they were clouded mirrors with no images to go by. They could be anyone. Agreed. For now. He'd find out more about his person later. As of the moment, he had a few more tests to run through before his journey to Midgard. I must leave you now. Perhaps we will talk later.
"Alright. Think to you later. That was awful. Sorry."
Loki smirked. An awkward person. Yes, it was. Good-bye.
/
/
On her couch, Jane sat curled up in her blanket with notebook in hand. Her eyes scanned over the scribbles several times, but she couldn't get much out of it. After having written down what she could remember of her conversation with this 'mind binder', she didn't come up with any supporting evidence about who this could possibly be. A member of S.H.I.E.L.D. using a new technique to acquire her work? This didn't seem like S.H.I.E.L.D.'s usual style. Who else would have the technology?
Jane placed her notebook on her coffee table with a sigh. She stood up, tightening the blanket around her small frame and walked over to her window, peering up at the night sky. Clouds. No sight of stars tonight. The sky was a vague, formless shape. She wondered if whoever was connected with her mind saw the same stars or if they were in two entirely different parts of the world. Whoever it was, she wouldn't worry about it now. It was harmless enough. Only thoughts she allowed would get through. What could happen?