A Child of Mischief (Loki/Avengers story)

25. Casting Votes

"Thank you all for coming to the feast." Odin begins, everyone looks between one another, most are unaware of what is about to happen.

"As we all know one of our recruits was badly wounded during battle today. I take full responsibility for this happening. I feel that something must be done about the wounded one. So, I have decided to put to a vote her recruit status here on Asgard. Now what this means is that you will all vote on whether or not she is to stay here or leave once she is well enough." Odin says and all the recruits except Peter whisper back and forth to each other.

"Now to begin, Thor. Your vote please." Odin says and looks to Thor.

"She stays." Thor rises and says, Odin nods to Thor, who sits back down.

"Frigga?" Odin looks at his Queen, who stands and looks at everyone.

"She must be sent back to Earth." Queen Frigga says and sits back down.

"Loki, your vote, please." Odin says and watches as Loki gives a devious smile before standing.

"My vote should be obvious. Cora stays." Loki says and sits back down.

"Lady Siff?" Odin asks and looks to Lady Siff, who stands.

"She may not be able to keep up with everyone, I vote for her to be sent back to Earth." Lady Siff says and sits down.

"Fandral?" Odin asks, Fandral stands and looks at everyone.

"She may be slow at first, but she'll be able to catch up. She stays." Fandral says and sits down.

"Hogun?" Odin asks, Hogun takes a deep breath and stands up.

"She'll be too much of a set back. She needs to be sent back to Earth." Hogun says and sits down.

"Volstagg?" Odin asks, Volstagg looks up from his mountainous plate of food and stands.

"She is a valiant young warrior in the making. She needs to be given another chance. She needs to stay." Volstagg says and sits down.

"Miss Sadie?" Odin says and looks at Sadie whose eyes go wide as she stands up.

"She's too wounded to continue on. Send her home." Sadie says, then sits down.

"Mister Andre?" Odin asks, Andre simply stands.

"Everyone deserves more than one chance, keep her here." Andre says and sits down, Ruby and the others look at Andre with wide eyes.

"Miss Ruby?" Odin asks, Ruby deviously smiles as she stands up.

"Send her home, she's a nuisance and should not be here." Ruby says and sits down.

"Mister Peter?" Odin says, Peter looks up from his hands and stands.

"Cora is more of a hero than any of us are. Who knows how that battle would have gone had she not helped us. She stays." Peter says as he tries to keep more tears from falling as he sits down.

"Mister Derek?" Odin asks, Derek stands.

"Send her home. She's done for, no way she'll be able to do any of this." Derek says and sits down.

"Miss Olivia?" Odin asks, Olivia looks at Peter and Andre as she stands.

"Cora saved our butts today. We all owe her our own lives, she needs to stay." Olivia says and then sits down.

"Last but not least, Mister Xander?" Odin says, Xander stands and smiles as everyone looks wide eyed at each other and realizes the vote will be tied seven to seven.

"She shouldn't have been picked in the first place, she messed up too much on Earth. Send her back." Xander says, and sits down.

"Well, if my calculations are correct, we have a tie. And in such an event as this, I am the deciding factor." Odin says, all of those that want Cora to stay look back and forth at each other worriedly. Those that want her to leave smile maniacally at each other.