A Child of Mischief (Loki/Avengers story)

11. Mind Over Reality

As the recruits stand in the middle of the throne room, a slight awkward silence fills the air. Everyone just takes in all that is around them.

"Welcome to Asgard, young comrades. I am Odin. This is Queen Frigga, Loki, and you've already met Thor and the warriors." Odin stands from his throne and welcomes the recruits looking at each of them with his one good eye.

Unthinkingly, Cora lightly takes hold of the skirt of her dress, and begins to curtsy. Peter sees Cora about to curtsy to the royals and bows at the same time she finishes curtsying. All the recruits begin to snicker at them.

"What idiots." Olivia whispers to Xander, Xander chuckles. Thor steps in front of the recruits and stares them down. They all quiet down, Cora and Peter both look at the floor.

"There, that is the kind of disrespect I was talking about. You are not only disrespecting your fellow recruits, but also yourselves and my family. Peter and Cora were doing exactly what you all should have done, showing respect." Thor tries to calmly say, but fails and yells the last part.

"Brother?" Loki asks, Thor straightens up and turns to Loki.

"Yes." Thor answers as calmly as he can manage.

"Not to interrupt your exceptional job of reigning in these children. But, the one that curtsied, why does she wear a limitations cuff?" Loki asks and gestures to Cora's bracelet.

"Yes, Thor. Why does this child wear a cuff?" Odin asks curiosity coating his voice.

"She has multiple powers, and is unable to fully control all of them. The cuff is merely a safety precaution." Thor says and turns back to the recruits.

"Safety precaution my butt, she should just be locked away." Sadie says a bit too loudly to Andre, who gives her a wide eyed look of shock. All the recruits except Peter and Cora begin to snicker again.

"That is it, once we are done here. The six of you, will be tending to the stables." Thor says and points to each of the recruits that had been disrespectful. The six recruits groan in agony.

"I do not want to hear anymore, from any of you." Thor says, and walks over to a stone slab that is off to the side away from the thrones.

"Now, from what I've just seen, it is pretty clear how this exercise will go." Thor says and places the mighty Mjölnir on the stone slab.

"One at a time, you will come and try to pick the hammer up off the stone slab. The person and or persons who are able to either fully lift it or slightly move it will get a special treat tomorrow." Thor says, and the first six recruits all but jump over each other trying to be the first one to try and wield Mjölnir. Cora and Peter look at each other, and then gracefully walk over to the other recruits.

One by one, the first six recruits try to lift Mjölnir, but they each fail. Some of them try more than once to try and lift Mjölnir, and the same result happens, they can't. Peter walks through the group and up to the stone slab. He stands in front of everyone and stares at the ones watching him. Looking to Cora, he sees her give a quick thumbs up.

Peter places both hands around Mjölnir's handle and tries to lift it with all his might. To everyone's surprise, as Peter attempts to lift it, he ends up shifting it ever so slightly. All eyes go wide except for Cora's, who just looks ahead.

"Alright, well it looks like Peter will be getting a special treat tomorrow. Since he slightly moved the hammer." Thor says proudly. Looking to Cora, Thor gestures with his head for her to come and give it a try.

All of the recruits turn and look at Cora, as she begins to walk up to the stone slab, Derek slightly sticks his foot out in front of her. Cora trips over Derek's foot and falls to the floor. All the recruits except for Peter begin to laugh. Cora looks at the laughing faces of her recruit mates and gets up off the ground and continues to walk toward the stone slab. Once she reaches it, she looks at Thor who gives her a concerned look.