Lost and Found

Chapter Fifteen: It's Magic, You Know

New chapter! Yeah! I am also planning on posting another collection of short stories soon as well. If you are interested in cute family adventures featuring the exact same people in this story, then search for "A Thousand Little Things."

Chapter Fifteen: It's Magic, You Know

The sun had risen just above the horizon as Bucky pulled the rented car onto the dirt road that led to New Asgard. Gravel and dust got kicked up by the spinning tires, only settling when Bucky pressed on the brakes in front of the hill that they had camped on earlier. Thor and Pietro were already standing there, waiting patiently for the other two to climb out of the car.

"Got everything alright?" Pietro asked. "You never replied to my texts."

"Sorry," Loki apologized. "We were a little preoccupied with other matters."

Pietro waved it off and dug the quartz out of the bag he was holding. Thor set down the juniper plant and container of sand onto the grass. Bucky unfolded the map and set it down next to the other items. Loki unzipped his jacket pocket and did the same with the horn and silver coin.

"So, we got everything, right?" Bucky asked.

"Yes," Loki said. He handed Bucky a slip of paper. "The spell is on here. All you have to do is read the words out loud. Thor will help with the pronunciations while I'm preparing the spell."

Loki looked expectantly at Thor, who had a brooding expression on his face.

"Thor?" Loki asked. He waved a hand in front of his older brother's face. "Thor!"

Thor blinked, his eyes resting on Loki. "What?"

"Is there something wrong?" Loki asked.

Thor took a deep breath. "You are not going to like this, but we met someone while we were eating lunch yesterday."

Pietro shared a suspenseful look with Thor, both of them looked uncomfortable. Loki watched the exchange with a suspicious expression.

"Who?" Bucky asked for Loki.

Thor took another deep breath before explaining, "Doctor Stephen Strange met us. He said he noticed that someone attacked New Asgard and probably investigated. There was a large spark of energy that he was worried about and wanted to know if we were aware of it."

"DOCTOR STRANGE?!" Loki shouted. Rage flashed in his eyes and green smoke curled from his clenched fingers. "Who in the name of Asgard does he think he is?! Always making matters a lot more complicated than they need to be! That bas-"

Further cursing was cut off as Thor grabbed Loki's wrists and harshly yanked them up in front of their faces. His grip was so tight that Thor's fingers were sure to leave bruises.

"The energy that he discovered was most likely yours! If you keep letting your emotions take over you, then he will find us and send you straight to the Raft!" Thor scolded harshly. "Calm down and try to think before you do anything brash."

It seemed like the world suddenly decided that it was 'opposite day.' Usually Loki scolded Thor for acting before he thought things out, but now it was the other way around.

Loki glared at Thor, his jaw tight and his fists clenched so hard that his nails dug into his palms. Nevertheless, Loki's stubbornness lost against Thor's piercing gaze. The green smoke faded until it disappeared. Loki deflated and hung his head. Thor let go of Loki's wrists and stepped away from him.

"What now?" Loki muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

"We finish the spell and then continue from there," Thor stated matter-of-factually.