Forthright (Sequel of Silenced)

Chapter 14

Leidi

I look through a strange tube. It's no observatory. It's far too small. And this points downward. Strange red particles float around with traces of green. "What are they?" I ask not taking my eyes off these strange things. "It's blood," he says. I move back instantly, "Whose?" "Don't be afraid. It's mine," he chuckles. "How did you get it?" I say, somewhat frightened. "With this," he holds up a pointy object, "would you like to try?" He taps it with his finger.

"How does that collect blood?" I say. He grabs my arm and I pull back, "What are you doing?" "Wouldn't you like to see your blood?" He says, "I mean if you don't, it's fine." I look at him. He appears to be a man of truth. He has no intention of harming me. I can see it. One needs not read minds to see that. I slowly extend my arm. He takes it and plunges the small needle into my arm. I try not to pull back. "Don't you inject medicine into your bloodstream on Asgard?" "Nay my friend. We injest our medicines." He nods.

He sticks a small piece of plastic near the small pool of blood where he broke the skin. He places a small piece of cotton over it and then uses an adhesive strip to keep it in place. He then slides the plastic under the strange tube. "What is this thing." He sticks his eye against the small observatory, "it's a microscope. It allows us to see small things."

"Can't you just make them bigger?" I say. "How are we supposed to make things bigger?" He laughs. "Magic," I state. He laughs again. "What? It's not uncommon on Asgard for this type of research," I defend. "That's amazing," he exclaims. "What? The magic?" "No. Not the magic. Your blood." "I beg your pardon?" "It's ice! Your blood freezes as soon as it touches air!" "Uhm, I do not follow your fascination. It's supposed to do that," I scoff. "Wait, what?" He looks up, "It's supposed to?"

"Well I am a frost giant. I assumed Thor had told you," I say. He looks at me in utter confusion. "Forget it," I say, "what else do you Midgardians do for fun?" "Uhm, we watch TV. What do Asgardians do?" "I asked first," I pout. "Yes, but to you we are strange. In our eyes you're strange." I laugh, "how are we strange?" "Well for one thing, your brother smashes things on the ground when he likes something," he says. I laugh again, "That's only him. And Volstagg maybe."

"Wait, what's TV?" I say. "It's an entertainment system," he says, "you don't have tv on Asgard?" I shake my head, "I wish to see this system of entertainment!" He laughs again.

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I fiddle with a strange device that Bruce had handed to me. I wasn't sure what it did, but I soon learned that it controlled this strange magic mirror that he called a TV.

I pressed another button, and the picture on the mirror changed again. "Why are there little people in there? Are they trapped?" I say. "No. It's a live feed from some recording studio," he says. "Are you sleepy?" I ask, "I don't want to keep you awake against your will." "Nah, I don't sleep as it is," he says.

"What's going on out here?" A very sleepy Tony walks out of his room, rubbing his eye. "Bruce has shown me the most fascinating of devices!" I exclaim. "That's just the TV," he says, looking at me strangely. "It is amazing! He told me the most fascinating of tales about people in a recording studio!" My excitement can't be contained.

"I thought that was cute when Thor did it, but when she does it it's adorable," he smiles. "What is 'it'?" I ask looking between Tony and Bruce. "Your cluelessness," Tony says, "it's so cute." "On Asgard, women are appreciated for their intelligence. Are you saying I'm not intelligent?" I look at him.

"No! Not at all! You're very smart. I think it's cute that you don't know a lot- I mean our ways- uhm technology- I'll shut up now," he says scratching the back of his head nervously.

I laugh at his attempt at redemption. "How'd you get stuck with Reindeer Games anyway?" He says, taking a seat next to me. "I'm not sure I need to hear this," Bruce says, "I'm going to bed. Yell if you need anything. But not literally. Like call." He leaves me with Tony.

"Do you like not know what he did? Like a little over a year ago?" Tony asked in disbelief. "I've not been to Midgard before I met him," I state simply, "but I know he has the blood of many mortals on his hands. I assure you that he has changed."

"He lead an army against defenseless people," Tony argues.

"He was compelled to," I shot back.

"He tried to take over Asgard," he said.

"A lot of people try," I say.

"Does none of this faze you?"

"I've seen worse than what he has done,"

"Like what?"

"My parents dropped a baby frost giant in Muspelheim,"

"I don't see how that's-"

"An ice baby in a land of fire,"

"Damn," he says finally.