As soon as the clock struck seven o'clock, I kissed Morgan's forehead before leaving her, I knew I was going to regret leaving like that, but that thought got in my head when I was already walking down Central London.
Anthony texted me his address, got a bit lost on the way, but I eventually hit the department.
After knocking I heard Roper’s hoarse voice on the other side, clearly shouting “Its open” from the distance, and as soon as I pushed the door to step in, I was received by quite a sight, Anthony setting up his bulletproof vest, and he was only wearing that.
- Now that’s sexy – I spoke making him jump, while leaning against the door frame, - Hey! don’t you knock? – Anthony shouted from the other side of the room, in which I turned around and knocked the door mockingly, - I did, but here, happy? – Roper went out of his room with a dark pirate aesthetic outfit.
- Look at you, all dashing, you look fantastic – It took so much for me to just walk closer to the pirate, - You think so? – Anthony was laughing with anticipation because he knew what I was about to say, - Abso-loot-ley – bad puns were the very foundation of our friendship, we used to humor the other whenever one was feeling low, usually mocking Anthony’s uptight attitude or Roper’s lingo, all to make the time go faster.
- Ha, ha, ha, very funny, I got something for ya’ Tess – he stepped back inside the room and got out holding a garment bag, - I know you don’t like him, lassie, but I managed to create a suit that reassembles his essence, but with your style – it looked like Black Widow’s suit but with a green and golden cape that was exactly the same as Loki’s.
- Roper, I love it, but – “Uncomfortable” seemed an appropriate term to explain how I was feeling, but it wasn’t strong enough. The cape was too much, so I unbuttoned it leaving the golden shoulder pads, - That’s better, I have the scepter so it has his essence, don’t worry – he understood, that was one of Roper’s best qualities.
No, we weren’t going to go and burn the facilities down, that would be something the Avengers would do, and to our knowledge, that caused a bit of troubles for legal and moral reasons. We instead alerted every possible authority about an illegal armament trait, and I used my magic to teleport them faster.
You may think “Ugh!, where’s the action?”, well, while the police and the seals were attending the basic problems at the three laboratories we intercepted, I was walking down a hallway hoping to find the “mastermind”.
- Hello, are you busy? – My mother taught me that no matter the situation I had always to be polite, and that scenario was no exception.
- Sarah, I don’t care how much you bitch about it; you are not getting another raise – I entered the office despite of the aggressivity in her tone, - I don’t know this Sarah person, but that’s no way to speak to an employee – I closed the door behind me, making sure to turn the lock.
- Save me the lecture, child, your “good kid” shit is annoying as it is – She adjusted her glasses before actually looking at me, - Pleasure to meet you as well, Senator Oppenheim –.
- Who are you? What do you want? Security will come in no time, so you have around sixty seconds to take your sorry ass out of my office – she was scared, well the suit was indeed intimidating, so I tried to correct my posture in order to look less menacing.
- Oh believe me, it’s more than necessary, my name is Tessa Jörmungandr, and I came to collect what’s mine - Anthony tried to give me a script with an intelligent speech, however, in front of her I froze with nerves and forgot, so I was forced to improvise.
- Wait, you are the child that destroyed the Tower Bridge in London – Of course it would still be a piece of news, but after the time travel, I felt like I was living months, perhaps years after my release, I wished I could just erase those five years from history.
- A minor setback. Ma’am, you look like a successful intelligent woman, let’s talk business – Slowly I walked towards one of the white chairs in front of her dark wood desk, and sat down.
- Go ahead – She made a gesture with her right hand, her dominant hand apparently, with the other she adjusted her glasses again, her nervousness was apparent. I turned my gaze to the clock, only two minutes until the authorities came through the door with a lot of weapons and fear. I was supposed to get this over with as soon as possible, but it made words difficult for me, so I just got to the point, bluntly.
- When they called you to set up this operation, someone told you about the source of the material, you tell me who gave you the information and I will prevent them from putting you in prison for trafficking illegal weapons, not to mention the terrorist attacks that you and your boss have scheduled for this year, that's my bargain you-…ma’am – I looked down and noticed I had my hands on the desk, my claws clenching to it, making holes in the wood.
- What makes you think I’ll tell you? As far as I’m concerned you have no business in this, since you’re apparently “innocent” – she made the air quotes with her red acrylic nails, my cringe sense was above the sky line.
And then she pushed all my buttons with one single line, - Besides, this – she pointed my suit, and the horned crown hanging on my belt, - Is pathetic, not to mention sad, the fact that you’re here attempting to be like Loki to take info from me – the air felt damp and warm, - Is laughable – and then…I lost it.
- I was hoping you would cooperate, usually I don’t work like this, but time is running out – I didn't even have to move from the chair, my tail slid silently under the desk and I stung her on the heel, bad day to wear open heels. She jumped out of surprise but fell down on the chair after seeing my scales.
- A tiny taste of my venom will cause you the following symptoms, nausea, red rashes in hands, neck and legs, that will burn just as much as touching boiling oil, your nervous system will start collapsing, causing you lack of mobility, and – Her face paled, as her throat slowly tightened, her wrists began to turn red. The veins in her eyes began to widen, full of blood threatening to force their way into her cornea.
I rounded the desk to get closer, I ended up cornering her in the chair when the last stage was about to begin. - The last and most painful stage, suffocation, you will be only able to inhale air, then just like a balloon, pop! –.
- Give me the name, and I’ll give you the cure – I began to despair, there were better ways to obtain the same result without the need for violence, I suppose it did not cross my mind to bewitch her to spill the beans faster, the Loki in me, I suppose. But it wasn't just that, even if she still refused to tell me I was going to give her the antidote, the only thing in my body that only I can voluntarily give, blood.
- Gallio, Selene Gallio – she said on the verge of utter suffocation. I bit off a piece of my tongue and kissed her, opening her mouth wide enough for the cold red liquid to run down her throat, instantly counteracting all the symptoms of her poison.
- The Dark Priestess – The next thing I did was out of sheer flirtation and to play with her emotions for a while, I pulled my long tongue out of her mouth and licked her lips with the sharp tip. I was calm listening to her breathing, how it returned to her normal state and her heart was pumping clean blood to her system.
- Thank you, ma’am, I would take exit C if I were you - I walked away from her, ready to go, but first adjusted the chair so that it was straight and parallel to the desk.
- Monster, bitch! – I heard her yell as soon as I closed the door.
As soon as I left the building, I was surprised by how calm Anthony and Roper looked despite seeing the ridiculous number of cops apprehending idiots in lab coats, not to mention the mountain of boxes filled with scales and bullet-resistant dead skin.
- This is beyond unsatisfying - Anthony pouted, - For the first time, I agree, who’s up for a drink? - They looked at each other confused, then Roper took the first word, - Sure, but have you had a drink before? - I shook my head, - It’s ok, we’ll take care of you – I could never ask for better friends, those two set the bar far too high.
- So, where to? - I opened a portal, - Vanaheim -. Now, you would imagine the realm of Vanaheim as a vast and fertile land where everything is so alive and green, it is, but we went to the tavern called “Vanaheim” instead, located in the beautiful city of Galway, Ireland.
- I love how we can just travel to different places for free and without the hours, and hours of flight – Yeah, having powers is sure an advantage. - Tessa, did the hag told you who was behind all of this? - I hummed in response, pushing the oak wood door, - And? - The strong smell of roast beef, beer, and rusty metal hit my nose, somehow making me feel very nostalgic of Norway.
- We’re here to find out – The group of bards in the stage were playing a cheery tune, to that Roper grabbed my hand and spun me around playfully. - Ten shots of Vodka, please – I asked the stunning barwoman as I sat on a bar stool. - Slow down, love, if It’s your first time you need to try something, you know, with less degrees – Roper sat beside me, watching the woman place the tiny glasses and filling them with the transparent liquid.
- Vodka is the only beverage that won't painfully pierce my insides, cause’ it doesn’t freeze, and also, I’m going to need them to sing – Anthony almost laughed, if I hadn't hit him on the shoulder, he probably wouldn't have held back.
Well, in the end he did mock me, - You? Singing? No! Wait I have to get a camera, that way I can show your lover how well you shake it – yeah that was Anthony trying to be funny, - First, not my lover, she’s a friend, and second, that’s how I know this witch works – I got up from the stool - And I definitely don’t want to remember this embarrassment - whispered one last thing before getting close to the band to ask for a song I knew she would recognize.
↢❉↣
Tessa walked up to the stage and starting to what’s commonly known as mouth singing, which it was a very characteristic thing in Celtic songs, while moving her hips ever so slowly to the rhythm she was making.
After a brief golden glow her clothes turned a dark brown, a green ribbon that looked like a snake came down from her hair and encircled her waist, nodding her curves. The half-drunk men of the place could not stop looking at her, much less when a golden veil flew all over the place until it rested on her shoulders. Tessa continued singing, a simple gesture made all the people in the tavern begin to support her with their palms, clapping while the Jotun danced and filled the air with small spheres of light.
Tessa stopped singing when she heard another female voice coming from the opposite side of the tavern. A woman, her eyes blazing with a violet fury that made Tessa's hands shake. They began to sing in unison, the band followed with the drum and later, when the barista joined the singing, the violin.
(Song: Téir Abhaile Riú, by Celtic Woman live in 2013)
Tessa: Look how the light of the town
The lights of the town are shining now
Tonight, I'll be dancing around.
I'm off on the road to Galway now.
Selene and the barwoman: Look how she's off on the town
She's off on a search for sailors though
There's fine fellas here to be found
She's never been one to stay at home
Home you'll go and it's there you'll stay
And you've work to do in the morning
Give up your dream of going away
Forget your sailors in Galway
All in the tavern: Téir abhaile riú, téir abhaile riú
Téir abhaile riú Mhearai
Téir abhail gus fan sa bhaile
Mar tá do mhargadh déanta
Selene: Come now and follow me down
Down to the lights of Galway where
There's fine sailors walking the town
And waiting to meet the ladies there
Tessa and the barwoman: Watch now he'll soon be along
He's finer than any sailor so
Come on now pick up your spoons
He's waiting to hear you play them WHOOO!
Here today and she's gone tomorrow
And next she's going to Galway
Jiggin' around and off to town
And won't be back until morning
All: Téir abhaile riú, téir abhaile riú
Téir abhaile riú Mhearai
Téir abhail gus fan sa bhaile
Mar tá do mhargadh déanta
The barwoman: Off with a spring in my step
The sailors are searching Galway for
A young lady such as myself
For reels and jigs and maybe more
Selene and Tessa: Stay here and never you mind
The lights of the town are blinding you
The sailors they come and they go
But listen to what's reminding you
Handsome men surrounding you
Dancing a reel around you
Home you'll go and it's there you'll stay
And you've work to do in the morning
Give up your dream of going away
Forget your sailors in Galway.
All: Téir abhaile riú, téir abhaile riú
Téir abhaile riú Mhearai
Téir abhail gus fan sa bhaile
Mar tá do mhargadh déanta
The music started to fade in Tessa’s ears, everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. Selene with her graceful and beautiful dance, the crowd laughing and clapping, even her friends dancing and drinking in the back.
After only blinking, Tessa saw that she was no longer in the tavern, but on a train. The lights and movement felt so real. She nearly fell from the sharp turn the wagon made.
Something hit her on the shoulder, so she turned around, at that same moment another melody began to sound, the same as in her dreams, with it a voice that ended deep in the frozen heart of the snake inside her.
- I stormsvarte fjell, jeg vandrer alene. Over isbreen tar jeg meg frem, I eplehagen står møyen den vene. Og synger: “når kommer du hjem?” - He was wearing a shirt, not his trademark leather suit, not wearing his horns and wearing a tie. To top it off he was drunk. Tessa couldn't help but smile, - You're alive - she said, wiping a tear that fell from her cheek.
- To Sylvie everybody! - the smile Tessa had vanished when she saw the woman with the broken horns, she turned to see Loki watching that woman with lovely eyes, and a clear glow. Instantly, Tessa’s stomach clenched, tracing every single centimeter on that woman’s face not to forget it.
- I hope you’re enjoying yourself now, cause’ you won’t anymore when I find you – the train view faded into smoke, and she went back to the tavern, the movements and the music started to sound normal, as Tessa continued singing.
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