Tidal Wave [Peter Parker]

Part 9- Training with Loki

They raced to the lab where Mark 42 was waiting. Tony set to work on retrieving the files while Sage went to put on her suit.

Sage put on her suit for the first time and was amazed at how good she felt with it on. Her muscles didn't feel like they were being shocked and she felt like she could breathe again. It was as if her body finally relaxed. She ran into the lab to see Tony and thank him but when she got there, she saw a dark haired tall man talking to her dad. Tony saw her and smiled, "It looks great! How does it feel?"

"I feel better than I have in a long time. The Vibranium Reactor is working," Sage said.

The man turned around, "Wonderful, does that mean it's time for a lesson?"

Sage took a step back when she saw the man's face, it wasn't a man at all. It was Loki, the god who orchestrated the attack on New York. Loki laughed, "Calm down Sage. Stark has told me all about you and he has asked me to assist in your training."

Tony shot Loki a look, "If you dare," he mumbled.

"Yes yes I know, you'll kill me. I believe there is a line," Loki said. "Now, shall we see what you can do?"

Tony held up a hand before anything happened, "Not in here please. The swimming pool should work."

Sage's breath hitched until she remembered that Vision said it was empty. "Okay, I'll be back in an hour."

Tony shook his head, "When you're done just head to bed. I have a feeling that this will take a while." He watched the loading bar edge across the screen.

With that, Sage followed Loki to the elevator and down several floors.

***

Loki was not at all what Sage had expected. He was dressed in Jeans and a grey hoodie for starters. He seemed nervous, like he was afraid to say the wrong thing because Sage would tell her dad.

They got to the pool and she finally saw the empty Olympic swimming pool. She hadn't been swimming since the accident and thought that when she saw the pool she would freak out but that wasn't the case. She felt a strange longing to get back in the water, she didn't realize how much she had missed it.

Loki interrupted her thoughts, "Let's start simple. Fill the pool with water."

"That's simple?" she said.

"Well I don't know how to dumb it down from that." He started to climb down the ladder into the deep end of the pool.

She watched him until he was standing in the middle of the deepest part of the pool. "Well come on then," Loki said.

Sage quickly joined him in the pool and stood opposite him. "Now what?"

"Now," Loki said as his clothes began to glow and change into a classic Asgardian tunic. "I want you to try and fill the pool." He twisted his hands and two daggers appeared, "While I try and kill you."

"Excuse me?" Sage said, suddenly scared.

"You might want to hurry Sage!" Loki said before he threw a dagger at her head.

She dodged it and felt her pulse rushing, "Stop!" She shouted.

"Defend yourself!"

She shut her eyes and felt the ground start to shake. In seconds there was water touching her feet. Loki threw another dagger but Sage was ready this time. She was angry and she let that anger flow through her veins. Water rushed up around her on all sides and stopped the blade from touching her. "That's it Sage!" Loki said.

She opened her eyes and Loki saw that they were glowing, suddenly a small part of him was afraid. The water around her started to glow too and the knife reversed directions.

"Sage?" Loki said. "What are you doing?"

She didn't hear him. The suit was protecting her from the usual pain she felt when using her powers for too long. Electricity lept from the tip of the dagger and danced in front of Loki. The water forced its way forward and swallowed Loki whole, stabbing his shoulder and electrocuting him.

She came out of the trance-like state and saw what she'd done. Her legs nearly collapsed under her when she heard a slow clap coming from the rim of the pool. She looked up and saw Loki standing safely on the edge of the pool. Sage looked back at the Loki that was laying in the water, twitching and bleeding; then he disappeared in a gold mist. The real Loki was still utop the pool in his sweatshirt and jeans, "You didn't really think I'd be so foolish as to let you attack me? No, not with how unstable your emotions are." Loki gestured for her to come join him utop the pool. "I wanted to provoke you to see how you would react. I needed to know what I was dealing with."

Sage climbed up the ladder and sat down on a nearby wooden bench. "So what's your analysis?"

Loki sat down beside her, "There is hope for you. You just need to be open to it."

"Oh, like you are?"

Loki flinched before composing himself and saying, "Do you believe that the people in this tower want what's best for you?"

"I believe that some of them do."

"Well believe me when I say that I do and so does your father."

Sage took a few deep breaths before she held out her hand and summoned a drop of water the size of a soccer ball. She separated it into different streams and shapes that intertwined and danced with one another. Loki watched in awe. "I can control it, to a point," Sage said. "It just takes over sometimes."

"That's why we're here." Loki said. "What else can you do?"

"I can basically manipulate water molecules. So I can slow them down," she froze the tendrils of water. "Or I can speed them up." She melted the water and turned it into a vapor.

Loki started to think of the possibilities, "Have you heard of Njǫror?"

Sage shook her head, "No, why?"

"No reason," Loki said. "Let's be done for today. I'll find you tomorrow and we'll try again."