The Avengers: Finding Young Loki

Many Long Years

Loki skateboarded down the avenue, dodging the pedestrians and cars expertly.  People shouted at him, but he was used to it.  Instead, he did wild tricks over cars, down stairs and railings, and even off walls.  Some people clapped, mostly kids his age.  His age.  In Midgard terms, Loki was 16-years-old again.  He had disappeared from Avengers Tower six years ago, and he still was not ready to go back.  Loki had been living a great life since then.  Traveling the world, Loki often used his incredible powers to help people in need.  At present, he was a magician in a large circus, the youngest member there.  He was getting tall, but his skin was still pale.  His black hair was still thick, but he had cut it a bit to fit in more.  His emerald eyes always sparkled with mischief and good humor.  At that moment, the circus was traveling through Frankfurt, Germany, and Loki had gone into the nicer part of the city to visit a renowned bookstore.  He had haggled the store keeper, until he got a book for just the right price.  The precious artifact was in his backpack, waiting to be devoured the moment he returned to his trailer.

Loki did one final flip as he arrived at the trailer park where the circus was staying.  Kicking up his skateboard, Loki walked towards his camper.  “Hey!  Voodoo!” a voice called and Loki turned around.  He saw the ringmaster, Maynard Tiboldt, walking toward him.

“It’s the Raven in public,” Loki responded as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

“You know I don’t want you out and about before the curtain goes up for the first time!” Maynard said.  Loki simply used his hand and began to mouth what Maynard was saying.  The Ringmaster crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Loki.  “You’re lucky that you’re the main event, otherwise, I would have Bruto teach you the meaning of manners!” Maynard told Loki.  Loki glanced over at the strong man.  He was big, about the size of Volstagg, only without the unsightly weight.  Bruto sensed that he was the topic of conversation and he looked over at Loki and cracked his knuckles.  Loki waved a hand, and a bucket of water fell onto Bruto’s head.  Ringmaster gasped and turned to Loki, but the teenager had a black raven feather pressed against his neck.  It felt like nothing at first, but Loki turned it, and Ringmaster felt the blade. 

“Let’s just remember who has the real power here Ringmaster!  This is my last rodeo.  After this show, I’m out!” Loki hissed in his ear.  Loki spun around and entered his trailer, closing and locking the door behind him.  Bruto removed the bucket from his head and stood next to his boss.

“If he doesn’t do what he’s supposed to do, I’ll let you have him,” Ringmaster said before he walked away.  Bruto stared at Loki’s trailer for a couple of seconds then went back to his room. 

Loki put his skateboard in a corner and climbed into his bed.  He pulled the book out of his backpack and studied the cover.  It was old, dark brown leather, with golden lettering.  The title of the book was “Norse Myths & Old Germanic Tales.”  Loki kicked back on his bed and opened it.  One of the first stories he read, was how the great wolf, Fenris, was bound by a simple thread.

The Avengers all sat around a table on the SHIELD hellicarrier and were debriefed by Fury on their latest mission.  Steve’s one arm was in a sling, and two of Clint’s fingers were in splints, but other than that, they were all pretty unmarked.  “And that’s how it all finally went down,” Tony finished with a huff.  Of everyone there, he despised debriefing the most, but then, he was the most rebellious. 

“Very good team.  That was done with little to no casualties on both sides.  Now, how’s our other affair going?” Fury asked.  You did not need to be a psychic to know what Fury was hinting to.

“No Fury.  We have not made any progress in tracking Loki down,” Thor said in a dejected tone of voice.  Fury raised an eyebrow, but he knew that Thor was telling the truth.  Six years.  Six years of not knowing where Loki was.  He said he just needed some space, but this was a bit much.

“We’ve been trying to track all these weird events that have been happening in small towns all over the world.  The most recent, was a fishing village in Thailand seven months ago.  A tsunami would have destroyed everything and killed hundreds of people, but someone stopped it.  We talked to Professor Charles Xavier and the mutants, but it was not one of their own.  He scanned and no mutant was in that area at the time.  Jarvis scanned and he found traces of Loki’s magic.  He saved those people,” Steve said.  Fury nodded then glanced at Agent Coulson.  The SHIELD agent pulled out several folders and handed them out to the Avengers.

“If you want to sit this one out Agent Barton, I think it would be best,” Fury said and Clint shot him a look.  Of course, as soon as he saw who they were after, he growled something.

“The Circus of Crime?” Bruce asked with a slight smirk.  Clint glanced over at him with a strange expression on his face and Bruce became quiet.

“Don’t let their name fool you.  They are expert thieves, pulling off jobs and heists in the middle of their shows.  Barton used to belong to them, before he went straight,” Fury said.  A few of the Avengers had known that, but those that did not, Bruce, Thor, and Steve, glanced over at him.

“They are currently doing a show in Frankfurt, Germany.  Their last show is going to feature an incredible magician, only known as the Raven.  He’s been on the show before, but his performance is apparently the grand finale.  While he does his final act, they pull off the job.  The curtain goes up tomorrow night.  Whatever their target is, you have to go in and stop them.  The sooner scum like that are locked up, the better,” Coulson said.  The Avengers nodded and studied the files on all the members of the Circus of Crime.  One file was devoted to the Raven, just to be sure. 

“We believe the Raven is a mutant, and uses hypnosis of sorts to convince people they’re seeing magic,” Maria Hill said. 

“But, he’s not our target?” Bruce asked uncertainly.

“Ringmaster is our primary target,” Clint said as he examined SHIELD’s latest photo of his old boss.  The expression on his face was one of repressed anger and hatred.  Tony’s hand went out and lightly touched Clint’s shoulder.

“Maybe you should sit this one out buddy.  Your fingers are broken-” Tony said before Clint interrupted him.

“And Cap’s arm is in a sling, but he’s allowed to go?!”  Nobody said anything, and they knew it was pointless to argue.  If Clint wanted to come, he would go with them.  Fury shrugged his shoulders and then showed them the brochure for the event. 

“The curtain goes up tomorrow night.  You all are going to be there,” Fury told them before he had them dismissed.

“So, who’s going to be in the audience?” Natasha asked as they walked back to their Quinn Jet. 

“I was thinking you and Steve could be the audience,” Tony said.  “If Clint were to walk in, they would know something was up.  Same holds true with me.”

“I’ll be in the audience too!” Thor told them enthusiastically.  Tony kind of gave him a look but the Norse God just shrugged.  “I’ve always wanted to see your circus.  Jane said we should go to one, but we haven’t had time.”

“Isn’t she coming to visit soon?” Clint asked Thor with a mischievous smirk.  The god blushed a little and nodded.  Tony punched him in the arm and they all started laughing as they flew off.  Little did they know that it would be a reunion in more ways than one.  The paths of the Avengers, and Loki were going to cross again.