→ FOURTEEN!

◜ get help ◞

"WHAT DO YOU SAY?" Thor asked, standing between Bruce and Amber who both looked up at him with innocence. "Uncharted metagalactic travel through a volatile cosmic gateway? Talk about an adventure."

Thor held up his fist, and Amber quickly followed. Bruce smiled, slapping Thor's fist with his palm in a high-five attempt. Amber's smile quickly faded as she lowered her fist, trying to slip away from the two boys.

She went to go talk to Valkyrie, when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning, she saw Thor tower over her, holding up his fist. "You really think I'd leave you hanging?"

Amber suddenly beamed again, bumping fists with him. Thor nodded confidently at her, smiling. "We need a ship."

Valkyrie lowered the bottle from her mouth, swallowing the mouthful of alcohol. She swayed slightly. "There are one or two ships. Absolute top of the line models..."

"I don't mean to impose―" Loki said in a calm voice, but was cut off by Valkyrie hurling her bottle towards him. It smashed on the wall behind him, raining glass down on Loki's back. Loki flinched, closing his eyes. Valkyrie propped her hands on her hips, licking her lips in anger. Thor, Bruce, and Amber stared at Loki with blank faces. "...but the Grandmaster has a great many ships." Loki continued after a slight pause.

He smirked. "I may have even stolen the access codes to his security system."

Valkyrie raised her eyebrows at him sassily. "And suddenly you're overcome with the urge to do the right thing."

Loki shook his head dismissively. "Heavens, no. I've run out of favour with the Grandmaster in exchange for codes and access to a ship. I'm asking for safe passage through the Anus."

Amber couldn't help but giggle at the name.

"You're telling us that you can get us access into the garage without setting off any alarms?" Thor asked, stepping forward. Loki nodded.

"Yes, brother. I can."

Bruce then stumbled forward. "Can I, just―just," he whistled, bringing everyone in. "a quick FYI?"

When everyone was huddled together, Bruce bowed his head as Loki stared out the window. "I was just talking to him just a couple minutes ago, and he was totally ready to kill any of us."

"He did try to kill me." Valkyrie added in.

Amber shrugged. "Not me."

Valkyrie glared at Amber, and Thor nodded. "Yes, me too. On many, many occasions." he glanced at his brother. "There was one time when we were children, he transformed himself into a snake and he knowns I love snakes. So, I went to pick up a the snake to admire it, and he transformed back into himself and was like 'Yeah! It's me!' and stabbed me. We were eight at the time."

Amber threw back her head, laughing loudly. Upon seeing this, Loki stared at her, smiling subtly.

"If we're boosting a ship...we'll need to draw away some guards away from the palace." Valkyrie added, once Amber was done laughing.

"Why not set the beast loose?" Loki suggested and Amber smirked. "Kinky."

Thor shot Amber a look, who didn't see it before turning to Loki and pointed a finger at him. "Shut up."

Valkyrie smiled widely. "You guys have a beast?"

Bruce and Thor looked at one another before shaking their heads. "No, no we don't. He's just being stupid." Thor looked back at his small team. "We're going to start a revolution."

Bruce shook his head. "A revolution?"

"I'll explain later." Thor whispered to Bruce.

Valkyrie raised her eyebrow at Thor. "Who is he again?"

"I'll explain later."

⌁ ⌁ ⌁

"LISTEN, I THINK WE SHOULD TALK." Thor said, leaning against the doorframe to the ships.

Loki paused typing in the code, momentarily glancing at his brother. "I disagree." he turned to the keypad. "Open communication was never our family's forte."

Amber, leaning beside Thor, looked up at him. "I don't think I should be present when you talk to your brother."

Thor smirked, playfully bumping into her. "Why not? You're practically family now."

Amber blushed, looking away. As the door slid open, the two Asgardians went through first. "You have no idea." Thor said to Loki, "I've had quite the revelation since we've last spoke."

Amber peaked through, seeing a pack of guards stand in their way. The two brother lifted large guns as Thor smiled. "Hello!"

The guards turn as Loki tipped his head. "Hi."

They blast down the guards in a matter of seconds. As they tried to fight them off, Loki, Thor and Amber dove behind shelter.

"Odin brought us together." Loki said. "It's almost poetic his death would split us apart...not to mention the passenger he added on." he said, glaring at Amber, who glared at him back. "We might as well be strangers now. 'Two sons of the crown' set adrift."

Loki quickly typed in the password to the next door. When he was about to step through, Amber cut in front of him, skipping into the next room.

Loki looked at Thor with a slight glare. "Is she always like this?"

Thor nodded, stepping forward with a proud smile. "Yes, she is."

Amber quickly backed into the room, bumping into Loki with her hands held up. "Woah, woah!"

Thor steps forward, quick to take out the guard. He glanced at Loki before walking forward with Amber following suit. "I thought you didn't want to talk about it."

Loki lifted a finger, chasing after the two. "Here's the thing..."

The three entered an elevator. Amber stood behind the two, respectfully trying to give them "space" to talk. Loki nodded at Thor. "I'm probably better off staying in Saakar."

Thor turned to him. "That's exactly was I was thinking."

Loki gave Thor a double-take, taken back by his answer. "Did...you just agree with me?"

"C'mon, this place is perfect for you; it's savage, chaotic, lawless. Brother, you're going to do great here."

"Do you truly think so little of me?"

Thor pauses, almost studying Loki for a moment. "Loki, I thought the world of you. I thought we were gonna fight side by side forever. But, at the end of the day, you're you, and I'm me. I don't know, maybe there's still go in you. But, let's be honest, our paths diverged a long time ago."

Loki slightly frowns, hurt by Thor's willingness to discard him. Amber looks at Loki with sorrow, noticing Loki quickly mask his pain. "It's probably for the best that we never see each other ever again."

"It's what you've always wanted." Thor gives a tight-lipped smile, patting Loki on the back.

The elevator filled with silence before Thor smiled at Loki. "Let's do Get Help."

Loki blinked at Thor. "What?"

"Get Help."

"No."

"Aw, c'mon, you love it."

"I hate it! It's humiliating."

"Do you have a better plan?"

"No."

"We're doing Get Help."

"We are not doing Get Help."

Amber leaned forward between the two. "What's Get Help?"

While Thor smiled at Amber, Loki's face was filled with slight trepidation.

⌁ ⌁ ⌁

THE ELEVATOR DOORS OPENED, REVEALING THOR CRADLING LOKI CLOSE AND AMBER RUSHING OUT. "Somebody!" Amber cried, close to tears. "Get help!"

Amber looked back at the two. Thor was playing the part; looking scared and tripping a few times, while Loki looked bored and unamused. Amber pieced together that they have done this many, many times as children. Thor stepped in front of Amber as the guards raised their guns.

"Help him!" Thor growled, hurling Loki over his head. Loki's body clashed with the group of guards, successfully taking them all out.

Thor chuckled triumphantly, throwing an arm around Amber. Loki jumped to his feet, smoothing down his leather armour.

"Classic."