Loki and Ashley were snooping, as one tends to do when drama is unfolding and you want to spectate, but not participate. They had both been in the library, trying to find any other texts mentioning how to better find anchors for her and growing abilities, after finally escaping the terror that was Friggas seamstress. The woman had made her strip down to practically nothing before taking measurements of every single inch of her, stabbing her lightly with a quill every time she figited or moved, as well as muttering under her breath the entire time about taking time out of her busy schedule to measure a woman whose hips were too wide, and needed to lay off the baked goods so her work doesn't go down the drain because Ashley decided to gain a couple of pounds before the celebration.

When informed of this, Loki started laughing out loud, partially at his friends pissed off expression, but mainly for the fact that the particular seamstress thought anyone not his adopted mother wasn't worth the extra work, and used to tell him that he was too skinny with knobby knees and boney ankles. Thor she actually refused to work with, as he had a habit of tearing every piece of clothing she made for him somehow with his roughhousing. Her work was Par none, however, so as horrible as the woman could be, it would no doubt be worth the trouble, and would just enhance her best features.

They had actually made good headway into the anchor situation, for what little they found. One book described a sorceress who had trouble controlling her abilities, until she met and married her husbands. As long as they were in contact with her while she performed her greater magic's, ofton chanting and focusing along with her, she could perform without major risk to her person. Of course, the book skimmed a bit on the fact she was performing mainly sex magic, but the concept was still there. Loki assured her that she wouldn't need to marry multiple people for the same effect when she freaked out about possibly needing a reverse harem just to survive, especially when he reminded her of the fact that at the battle of New York he had seemed to help ground her when maintaining the shield, just by gripping her hand. This seemed to molify her, though he did maintain that they would need to be powerful in their own right to help balance her, as well as have some sort of connection with her., else it likely wouldn't last or even work.

Frigga actually led them to another possible route, after mentioning the connection she had with music because of Lucifer and her own love of it, telling Loki to look up a book buried in the Vanheim archives. It detailed a warrior who had recieved a major head injury, making it hard for him to focus on nearly anything, but when there was music playing around him he was practically back to normally, the music calming his mind and his soul back to simpler times, practicing his swordmanship with an ease that defied logic at times. While he didn't think it would work quite that way for her, they both decided to see if music would make it easier to focus while practicing using the grace, perhaps bringing the shield back up.

They had been sitting there in the library, discussing the fact that music in Asgard was sadly lacking in variety, when a message had came from one of the archivists that Thor had just gotten back from a last minute trip to earth, Heimdall having noticed that his love Jane had completely disappeared from his view, leading Thor to rush after her in worry. What was even more worrisome was the fact that Jane had been brought back with him and was currently on the Medical viewing table, which is what they were now peeking in at.

They knew it was serious when King one eye himself came down to assess the situation. Apparantly, a portal had opened up on earth(midgard, whatever) and when Jane had investigated it, she accidentally went through it and interacted with something called the Aether, which you could hear the capitalization of the word, that was how big a deal it apparantly was. Somehow Jane had absorbed the Aether into her body, which was a big uh oh, and now Odin was talking about some kind of prophetic catastrophe. Oh, and that it would eventually kill the panicking astrophysicist.

"Are you kidding me? " Ashley quietly murmered to Loki next to her, both trying to not be seen by the monarch fuming in the healing room. "I just got finished with an Apocalypse, am I really watching another one start? And did he basically just call her a goat?"

"Odin doesn't have the best view of Midgardians, which is something coming from me. "Loki whispers back, staring into the room thoughtfully. There is a raised overview of Janes body in the room, the bright red of the Aether coursing through it. Thor is pacing slightly inside, glancing over at Jane every turn, worry etched into his face, and Frigga glances between her son and her husband, a calm face among high pitched emotions. "Hopefully we can circumvent whatever the all-father is speaking of, however, I tend not to trust prophecies that he speaks of wholly. It could be nothing, it could be just a little catastrophe, but either way that, whatever it is, needs to come out of Thor's paramore before it kills her and breaks Thors easily loving heart."

"Are you saying, Prince Loki, that a man as learned as yourself doesn't recognise what you're seeing?" Ashley barely keeps herself from yelping, mainly due to Loki slapping a hand over her mouth to keep her from making a noise, as they both twist around to face the elven Lord Thranduil, leaning against the pillar they are hiding behind, looking at both of them with amusement. "Surely you have read a book describing what that is? I find that hard to believe. Though, if you did, you might understand Odins worry. "

Loki glares at the elf as he takes his hand off of Ashley's mouth slowly, and she glances over at the room before bringing her eyes back over to Thranduil, body language speaking of nonchalance. "I have read many books, you are right in that, but it does not mean I know all, nor will I pretend as such. And do you have a reason to be roaming the palace? Shouldn't you be lounging around the gardens, speaking with trees and such with the other elves, and the few fairies already here?"

Thranduil gives a sardonic smirk at him, hands clasped behind his back as he stands to his full height. "True, I could be, but I'm around the others so often, I thought I would see if I could enjoy another's company for a change, and there is apparantly great entertainment inside at the moment, wouldn't you agree? Though I suppose if you aren't interested, I can look elsewhere. "

As he turns to leave, Ashley inturupts Loki before he can retort back, walking forward and grabbing his sleeve lightly, not wanting to mar the clearly expensive fabric. "Wait please, what is it exactly that we are seeing? Because if it's that dangerous, I feel like we need to know. "

Thranduil stops moving forward at her words and turns back, leaning forward and down until his eyes are at the same level as hers and he stares at her questioningly, unblinking. "Are you asking me to tell you what I know little ...midgardian? Because what I have to say comes with a price. Are you willing to pay it? "

"She most certainly is not! " Loki hisses at him, surging forward to grab her and pull her back, but she raises a hand up, still staring the elf Lord in the eyes pleadingly. "You don't have to do anything for him Ashley, we can figure it out ourselves without this self loving elfs help, he simply wants to see us struggle."

"That's a fine thing to say about your guest, Prince Loki. " Thranduil says, still looking at Ashley. "One would think you aren't happy for me to be here in the slightest."

"What was your first clue?" Loki mutters under his breath.

Ashley wants to fidgit very badly but she holds her own, not willing to be afraid of the elf Lord in front of her when she has faced down much worse, and much more dangerous, though she can sense despite his lazy demeaner that he is dangerous in his own right. "What exactly would the price be? " She asks warily. "I'd like to at least hear it beore I decide. If you dont mind. "

"Nothing major or life threatening, despite what your companion might think. I simply want to sit with you at dinner tonight so I might get to know you better. Surely you can grant me that at least? We can exchange stories of our homes, and I can verify if some of the rumours about you are true. Is this an acceptable bargain? "

She looks at him incredously. Stories while letting him sit next to her at dinner? That didn't sound too bad, strangely tame in fact, but she wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. "I accept, it doesn't sound too bad of a deal to make in exchange for information, and at least for a deal with you I don't have to kiss anyone." She squints at him suspiciously after saying that, seeing the humour in his eyes. "I... don't have to kiss you, right? "

"Why, is that how you seal deals on Midgard?" Thranduil asks, eyebrow arching at the idea. "I can't see that being too popular of a sealant to be honest. Even with as fair as most elves as, I wouldn't want to kiss most, if any, of them just to confirm a bargain. But if it is your way.. "

"No! " She yelps, before remembering where she is and quieting down, Loki fuming behind her as he stares the elf Lord down. "It isn't really a midgardian way, it's how demons seal their deals, and not something I apply to everything. Or anything that doesn't normally go along with kissing normally. So, no kissing, but yes to the deal. Dinner with us in exchange for information. " She puts her hand forward for a handshake, which he stares at for a couple of seconds before taking it gently in his, shaking it for a brief moment before letting go.

"All of us will be dining around Seven in the hall, I will see you then. And as to the information you are wanting... the thing inside the poor woman, while known as the Aether, also goes by a far more well known and dangerous name. You would most likely know it as the reality stone, one of the six infinity stones formed by cosmic entities and a very, very dangerous thing to use or be used by. From what I have heard, you have been in contact with several as of late, Prince Loki. " He drawls, looking towards her friend, and as Ashley looks over she sees understanding and horror come over his face. "Enjoy your research. "

As Thranduil turns to walk away, Ashley watches him go around the corner before turning back to Loki, who in the meantime starts muttering to himself. "He's right... the Other must have kept me from really thinking about it, but the tesseract and sceptor both held stones... why didn't I think of that?"

"Loki? " She asks softly, putting a hand on his arm and bringing him back to reality. "How bad is it? What are the Infinity Stones exactly? "

Glancing back over to where the elf Lord had wandered away, Loki grabs her hand and drags her back to her room, neither of them talking until the doors are closed and Gwen is cuddled in her lap, Ashley herself sitting cross legged on the bed while Loki paces slightly, before finally plopping down in a chair he pulls up in front of her, face serious. "The stupid elf Lord was right, and I was a fool not to recognize it earlier. Do you remember the scepter you had your Angel lock away in a box, so that it couldn't corrupt anyone further? Housed inside that scepter was one of the infinity Stones."

Ashley frowns, hand rubbing Gwens head softly as the hellhound burrows into her lap, tail wagging happily. "Thranduil mentioned that name... Infinity stone... but what are they exactly? Because stones created by a cosmic being doesn't explain much."

He gives an exasperated sigh, running his hands through his hair. "It is a very basic explanation, yes. Expanded, the stones are remenants of six singularities that exsisted before what you call the big bang, each embodying and controlling an essential part of the universe. They were compressed and formed into gems by a group called the Celestials, a race that predate even the Asgardians. Not long after they were formed, they were spread to every corner of the universe, as even though only they could use the Stones in direct contact without permanent damage, together they could unmake everything, or mold it to another image. Even seperately, however, they can do massive amounts of damage."

"OK, thats nerve-wracking. Why would they make them in the first place if they were that dangerous?"

"No one really knows. What we do know is that many years after, there were whispers of someone trying to collect them all, sending out shards of a prototype mind stone to different planets to first search for others, and then slowly infiltrate and destroy said planet. They managed to seal him away for a time on his own prison planet, but considering what I fell into after the bridge... there is no doubt he escaped. "

"Destroying planets? " Ashley shivers, bringing Gwen closer to her and cuddling her to her chest, the hellhound nuzzling her back as she senses her discomfort. "Once again, I can't stress enough how happy I am that we got you out of the clutches of whoever it was who was controlling you. So we have... what's this guys name? "

"Thanos. Thanos the mad Titan. "

"Great name, rolls off the tongue. So we have this mad Titan destroying planets and looking for all powerful stones, stones that normal people can't touch without probably dying. Why? What does he want? Because it doesn't seem smart to send off one of them with you if he is trying to collect them."

"He thought it was a good choice in the long run, as he would gain not only another stone in the form of the tesseract, but would be able to send in his army to decimate the planet. As to his reasoning... " Loki stops for a moment with a dark look. "He thinks to win the advances of Lady Death by causing death on a wide-spread scale."

He starts as Ashley, after giving him an incredulous look, starts laughing hysterically, even causing Gwen to look at her quizzically.

"I fail to see the humour in this. Might you share the unknown joke? "

"I'm sorry. " She wheezes, wiping the tears from her eyes as she settles down. "I just assumed you were the one joking. Does he not know Death is a guy? Well, sexless being if you want to be technical, but takes the form of an older male gentleman with a love of good pizza."

"Are you sure of this? "

"Pretty damn sure, since I've met him. Gave me his ring in case I needed it to trap Lucifer back in hell. Unless Death is playing some sort of joke, which I doubt he is, it's not Death Thanos is supposedly in love with"

"Huh. " Loki says, leaning back in his chair. "So, something is playing with his mind to make him think a Lady Death wants him to cause mass murder? Not a happy thought. It doesn't help our current situation, however. "

Ashley frowns, bringing herself back to the situation that had sparked the conversation in the first place. "Right. Jane has one of these Stones inside her, and we need to get it out without killing her. Any ideas? "

"None at all, unfortunately. There are few that do. Odin likely knows who can, however getting it out before she dies is another matter. "

Ashley and Loki stay silent for a moment, thinking about the situation, Gwen on her back begging for belly rubs unabashedly. It really, really didn't sound like something Death would do. Not even one of the reapers, unless they had a grudge. It wasn't even on Gabriel's level of revenge or just deserts, but someone wanted the universe to burn. She sighs heavily after a while. "I guess I really do have to eat with Thranduil now, don't I? "

"You don't have to, I would have eventually realized without the blonde ponces meddling. "Loki replies sulkily, to which Ashley gives a chuckle.

"I promised, so I'm going to, no matter if we both end up insulted the entire time or not. I'm... not going to cause some sort of worldly international incident if I say the wrong thing to him, am I? Because I'm sarcastic and will talk back. I may get on to Stiles for it all the time, but I am literally just as bad."

"No more so than myself. " Loki says with a dark chuckle. He himself, in his younger days before he could gage how far was too far, had created a bit of strife between him and the dwarven race, though it was all in the past now after making it up to their ruler. Though not as badly, he and the twin elf lords had caused quite a bit of mischief that angered both sides, one of the reasons they had been encouraged not to keep each others company as ofton. "If it helps, not only do most know how irritating Thranduil can be at the best of times, a great many will expect you, as a lowly midgardian, not to know most of the social nicities of the upper class. Don't give me that look... " He remarks with a cutting grin at her pronounced scowl. "You heard the all father speak about Jane with her in the same room, you know I speak the truth. You can either prove them right, or let them all know you don't give a damn their opinion and show them you aren't to be trifled with. It's what I do, after all, as well as mother to a different degree."

"See, I know you're right, but I also know if someone calls me a farm animal I'm going react badly." She replies, but drops the scowl, instead placing Gwen on the bed and standing up, stretching her arms above her head. "So this will be the first time I actually eat dinner out there instead of hiding in my room with you or Frigga. Do I need to dress up? Casual? War paint? White dress of the virgin sacrifice? "

He snorts loudly, leaning back in the chair and relaxing just a bit, talk of Thanos off of his mind for the moment in exchange for a different type of battle. "Don't try hard just yet to impress them, save it for the dress mother is having made for you at the celebration. What do you usually wear for dinner at home? "

"Comfy pants and a soft teeshirt, maybe some fuzzy socks. And, not that I don't have all of that with me, but I don't exactly think they would approve."

Loki's eyes crinkle with amusement at the thought of the all fathers face if she came to dinner dressed down so much, but not able to say anything in public lest he lose face." Maybe not quite to that level, but I say you dress in a way that shows you as a midgardian. Maybe more along the lines of what you were wearing when we met? As you have noticed, the few women not wearing dresses, wear armor, and you wearing neither would place you apart in a large way, especially next to the elves and their robes. "

It's not a bad idea as she thinks about it. Not as relaxed as her usual relax outfit, but just as easy to move around in, in case she needs to get out of the way fast of some drunk idiot. Pursing her lips, she walks over to the duffelbag she brought and unzips it, pulling out dark grey leggings, a long fitted mauve hoodied sweater, and lays it out with the boots she had been wearing anyway. It was one of her few hoodies without a logo or saying on it, so no weird questions about the meaning behind it, but it was insanely soft and stretchy. "This should be perfect then. I brought it in case I got bored at some point and wanted some exercise or to spar with someone, but dinner sparring works too I guess. "

Loki gives her a strange look as he eases out of the chair. "You thought you might end up sparring while here? In that attire?"

"We don't train in full armor back home. " She replies, chuckling to herself as she walks him to the door. "And I wasn't too sure how long I would be here. Sure, I might have just ended up exercising in here, since sparring with Thor would likely be a horrible idea, but you never know. Now out, I'm going to change and mentally prepare myself for dinner."

Loki met her at her door for dinnertime, escorting her through the hall as a united front for whatever came. She truly appreciated it, no matter how much of a brave front she may show, nervous energy making her wish she had something to do with her hands. At least she was comfortable in her own clothes, clothes meant for moving, stretching, whatever would be needed, including sitting at a table for who knows how long among people assured of their superiority over her. Loki had actually found similar clothes, though much finer and no hood, of soft grey leather pants and a long sleeved green tunic. "If I am to be firmly in your camp," he said when she gave him a questioning look, "why not dress in a similar uniform?"

""You just want to annoy Odin as much as possible. " She said, locking her arm through his, and he doesn't bother trying to deny it, giving a little smirk as they walk through the hallways towards the large, open dining area. There were very obvious stares as soon as they walked through, Ashley having had all of her meals so far in either her room, Friggas or the library with Loki, so everyone who hadn't been at the trial, some who had, just wanted a better look at her. Ashley figited under the scrutiny, Loki gripping her arm gently as he led her forward, eyes landing on Odins table first where he sat with Frigga, two of the elf lords, and a couple of others who she hadn't met yet, but who were likely high up on the food chain.

Odin glances over at the two of them, his one eye narrowing at them as he continues to speak with his tablemates, and Loki gives a jaunty wave at Frigga before turning them both towards another table, one where she could very easily see Thrandiul lounging as if in his own home. Hiding a grimace, Loki steers her around the elf Lord and onto the plush seat next to him, plopping himself on her other side. As platters full of food are set in front of them, he cocks an eyebrow at the goblet of wine that Thranduil pours for Ashley, pushing it closer and sipping on his own. "I would take care to drinking that, in my experience our spirits are quite a bit stronger than yours on Midgard, hard as Tony tried to convince me otherwise. " He pours her a glass of water in another goblet, pushing it next to the wine and then pushing the wine a little bit away, back towards Thranduil.

Ashley hides a chuckle at the one-upmanship displayed, though a smirk does pop into the corner of her mouth as she places some of the more easily recognized foods on her plate. "Come now Prince Loki, live a little, or should I say let her." Thranduil says with a laugh, taking another sip of his own. "She has guest rights, nothing will happen to her here. The most that might happen is she has too much and either falls asleep or makes herself sick, it would-be a shame to not let her try what the other worlds have to offer. "

"Or I mouth off to the wrong person." She breaks in after swallowing her bread and cheese. "Which is very likely to happen knowing myself, and that's without involving alcohol." The grin on Thranduils face says that he wouldn't exactly mind seeing that, and even Loki has the corner of his mouth turn up.

"As enjoyable as that might be, we might save that for another night."

"Indeed" Thranduil agrees, glancing over the two of them. "I am glad to see that you decided to come in comfort at least. Dinner should be a relaxed event between friends, don't you think? "

Loki mutters under his breath about 'ridiculous elf robes', while Ashley cocks her head at Thranduil, contemplative look on her face. "Are we friends, then? Is that what we are?"

He takes his time enjoying a slice of fruit she doesn't recognize, with a blue edge bleeding into pink and orange, followed by a tiny fried fish, washing it down with a deep swallow of wine before answering, eyes boring into hers. "Well of course we are, it's why we are eating together after all. Besides, friends share information with one another, and I seem to remember sharing a good bit of that with you earlier. Did it lead you to what you needed, Prince Loki? "

"It did. " Loki seems to grumble, and Thranduils smugness intensifies. "I would have thought of it on my own, you know."

"Of course you would have. It was just faster for me to help you along. "

"How do you know about the gems? " Ashley breaks in before Loki can retort, and he takes an aggressive bite of meat. "Is it just something everyone except for Midgard knows about?"

"Not at all. Mostly only the higher up on each world know about them, as well as any guardians. Even then, if you are the guardian of one, you are supposed to only know of that one. However... " His face turns dark, and she finally sees an expression on it other than smugness, a mix of sadness and.. was that regret? It was a look she didn't think fit him at all. "I assume the Prince told you about Thanos? I was on the last planet Thanos infiltrated and destroyed before they sealed him away. Luckily, we managed to get several off the planet right beforehand due to some emergency travel measures, including most of the elves you see here, my son, a handful of dwarves, and others. It gave me a good reason to look the Stones up after that."

"What did you use to travel? " Loki asks after a moment of silence, food for a time forgotten. "I didn't hear of any rainbow bridge use during that time, and as far as I knew there were no major ships on the planet. "

Thranduil gives a dark smirk at the Prince. "You correct, there were none. We used a series of travel mirrors that were put there so that we might more easily visit with our Kin. Unfortunately they weren't meant for mass amounts at once, so they shattered before too many could escape. We lost many great people that night, of many races, and it was truly a tragedy."

"I'm sorry for your loss. " Ashley says, placing a hand on his large, very slightly trembling hand. "It sounds like you knew a lot of people who were left there, and any death is tragic, even when it it their time. I deal with a lot more death than I would really care to admit, so believe me when I understand death hurts, whether you were close or not." She lets it linger for a moment longer before squeezing and letting go, Thranduil never moving his eyes from hers. Only when she finally goes to take a sip of the wine and starts coughing at the taste does his expression change, going back to his original smugness.

"I did warn you. "Loki says, patting her on the back gently as she eyes the wine like one would a snake. She pushes it away with a grimace and he laughs, signalling a serving girl and grabbing another cup, this time of a mead she recognizes, just as potant but much better tasting. "The wine he drinks could fell a horse, much less a human."

"Noted. " She wheezes, taking a gulp of water to get the taste out of her mouth. "I would prefer whiskey straight to that mess, and rotgut at that."

"Enough of the depressing nonsense. " Thranduil says once she starts breathing normally again, taking a long gulp and finishing off his wine, setting the goblet aside for the moment. "Tell me about yourself. I have heard you are a hunter of some sort, as well as a teacher of music? Consider myself intrigued. I have been know to hunt on occasion." Ashley rolls her eyes and folds her legs beneath herself, getting comfortable, as she prepares to answers all the questions the elf Lord could possibly have.

( )*

Crowley and Eve finish looking over the bodies of her dead children, the latest being an Alpha shifter, taking into account which parts are missing, a grimace on both their faces as they wipe off the blood. They finally had a name for the being doing the majority of the kidnapping and killing, or at least what the being was. It made sense, since the spell they uncovered required the blood of a native from purgatory, and there were few beings that could travel there, reapers being one of them.

The only other option was blood from Eve, and she was being kept fairly well hidden, not to mention only phoenix ash could kill her.

"At least we know, what the culprit is, if not who. " Crowley says with a heavy sigh. "Fat luck it does for us. I would say we could summon Death and ask if any of his reapers seem off, but after the last summon and seal by Lucifer, I'm fairly sure he warned us against summoning him again by pain of permadeath." He leads her out of the blood covered room and into his office, handing her a glass of whiskey as they both sit down. "Poppet might be the only one who could get away with it, but she is regrettably off the planet at the moment. "

Eve takes a tiny sip, eyeing the height inclined demon speculatively. "For a human she is oddly wrapped up in all of this nonsense. Why exactly is that? What is her draw, that the powerful gather around her?"

"You've been in her head, haven't you?" He asks, cocking an eyebrow at her as Growley presses against his leg. "What is your first, honest opinion? "

"Other than naivity and youth, compared to us?" She contemplates the glass I her hands, thinking on the memories seen in Ashley's head. "Trust. Trust in you, for some reason, trust in those around her, until that trust is broken. Compassion for those around her, whether it it deserved or not. Fiercely protective of those in her family and care. A lack of care for power for the sake of having power. I would almost think she was one of gods special projects, if I hadn't met the Winchesters, though I would expect something horrible to happen if she is. He does enjoy his little tragedies and plot twists."

"Exactly, except for the something horrible part hopefully. The person you just described handed Death his Scyth back without a second thought, and in turn he gave her his ring in case they needed to trap Lucifer back in Hell. I'm not sure he actually took it back, however, and we may need to talk to him in order to put an end to this. The last thing anyone needs is for someone to absorb all the souls in Purgatory, and as someone who likes souls to stay where they belong, he is our best chance to find that reaper and stop it. "

"I just want my children kept safe, anything else comes second." She says dismissivly. "This route just so happens to be my best chance, and as she has offered a safe Haven to any of my mistreated children she comes across, it is in my best interest to get involved."

"Right. Now we just have to wait for her to return, I suppose. At least we have the amusement of watching Lucifer freak out about her being surrounded by pagans. "