Princess of Asgard

Chapter Two

The two girls sat next to each other. One held a beautiful pearl necklace in her hand. It was enlaced about with silver, and the strand it was on was also of pure silver.

Clarisse admired it very much. "Where did you get it?" she breathed.

"It was my mother's necklace," replied the other girl, Rebecca Tiland.

"Where did she get it?" asked a very curious Clarisse.

"I don't know. She gave it to me soon after I was born. I have always had it, but you know, I haven't always had parents."

Clarisse sat silent. She remembered that her best friend had no parents. They had been killed in a very horrific car accident. Rebecca now lived in a foster home. The foster parents were very nice, and very rich. Both girls were put through a very nice, private, all girls school. They practically lived together. As Clarisse looked at the neckalce, she grew a little jealous. She wondered why Rebecca had brought it out. Especially today. Today was her birthday, they were supposed to be happy!

Rebecca looked at the necklace one last time. "This is your birthday present, Clarisse," she said.

"But...I...I can't take your mother's necklace!" Clarisse exclaimed.

"Yes you can," said Rebecca.

"What will your parents think?" Clarisse tried again.

"They don't know about it. I just said the box was a little keepsake of my biological parents, and it was. It was this. Besides, I have another piece of jewelry which I love better than even this," said Rebecca.

"Well, alright," said Clarisse, dubiously. She looked at Rebecca as she put it on. "What is the other piece of jewelry?" she asked.

"It is a pure gem, called the Moonstone. Imagine all gems combined, and you would not get this stone." Rebecca pulled it out. It was a large stone that was larger than the palm of her hand. It was like a small, round globe. It shone a bright, white light around the girls. The center shimmered like none other. "It was given to me at birth. My parents never said who gave it to me," explained Rebecca. "I would never part with it for the world......."

Clarisse woke up from her dream. She went over to her dresser and opened up a small box on it. Inside was the necklace that Rebecca had giver her so long ago. She missed her friend and wondered where she was at in this day and age. They had parted ways at college. Little did she know she was closer than she knew.

~

A FEW MONTHS EARLIER

Rebecca Tiland walked with calm into Nick Fury's office. He was sitting on his desk, waiting for her.

"Rebecca, there you are," he said. "You know why you have been called in here?"

Rebecca grinned. "Let me guess. Barton and Romanoff are going to attempt the unbeatable level again."

"Yes sirree."

"And Mystery Woman needs to be on hand when they need help."

"Correct again. Can you get her for us?" asked Fury.

"Of course," replied Rebecca. She smiled again to herself. Fury still did not guess that she herself was Mystery Woman. After all, Mystery Woman was widely accepted around S.H.H.I.E.L.D. She was accepted as something real. Agent Tiland was not. Sometimes Rebecca thought this was a little wrong, but then her identity would not be secret if she asked why they weren't equals.

Rebecca was a beautiful girl. She had long, blond hair and blue eyes. They looked just like gems caught in place of her eyes. She was tall and slim, and in all reality, looked a lot like Clarisse. Much like her old friend, Rebecca remembered very little of her childhood, just the time she spent with her friends and adopted family.

Rebecca swiftly went down the stairs. She went to her house for two hours changed into her mystery Woman costume, and went back to S.H.I.E.L.D. Fury was waiting by the door.

"They just went in, mystery Woman," he said.

"Thank you for letting me know. Rebecca is finishing up a job for me," replies Mystery Woman.

"That is fine," returned Director Fury.

They went to an observation deck to watch the proceedings. Widow Maker and Hot Guy, as Rebecca secretly called them were warming up. Then it began. The unbeatable level was so called because no one but herself could pass it, but then she had done it so many times it was too easy.

Thirty minutes later, Widow was shot. She grimaced in pain, but continued on. Soon it was too much for them to handle. Mystery Woman stepped in to help. Once the unbeatable level was started, it would not stop until conquered. Rebecca scooped Widow in her arms and carried her out. Clint she could not help, so she merely finished the level, getting shot several times protecting Clint from shots. She was badly wounded, and she lost consciousness. When she woke up, she knew they knew who she was.

"Why didn't you tell us?" asked Director Fury.

"Because you wouldn't have let me prove it," replied Rebecca. She was too tired to fight it. So she was taken to their private hospital they had inside S.H.I.E.L.D.

Rebekah was there for many days. Fury didn't talk to her. He was too angry. Rebecca managed to escape from the hospital exactly three months after the accident, Rebecca left S.H.I.E.L.D. And was not heard from. The day she reappeared was the day Clarisse went into Stark Industries to help out.