"Not looking for a rematch I hope? I may be of Asgard, but I have no particular inclination to grudge matches. You'd want my brother for that." Loki began as I touched down on the catwalk outside the tower, while Stark got his armor removed.
"Can't let you go invading my planet Loki. I haven't been here too long but I've gotten pretty attached to the place."
"Oh, I beg your pardon. I didn't realize someone had already claimed it. I didn't think that your kind were capable of subtlety- no offense." He said, with what I assumed was sarcasm.
"None taken. I thought about the direct approach, but you know. So many little stumbling blocks. Figured I'd take it easy on them for a few years, lull them into a false sense of security before I went full Tyrant." I shrugged, as we walked for the entrance.
"Did you now? I must confess I'm somewhat impressed that you'd have the patience. Given my nature I would have preferred to arrange things a bit more carefully, but I'm afraid I'm on a timetable. You don't have to fight for them you know. You're clearly a cut above these simpering mortals, I could use a right hand man if I'm to govern these rebellious provinces properly." He offered blithely.
"Thanks for the offer, but I'm not the type who'll take any poison apple you offer. And I don't cancel a contract before I complete it."
"A Troll with principles. I never thought I'd see the day. A pity you shall die for them." Loki said with a smile.
"Well that makes two of us I guess. I'm offended that I didn't get a job offer by the way." Tony spoke up from the bar- seriously dude, now of all times?
"The Chitauri will be here at any moment. Your world is mine for the taking, and you can't defeat me. I'm curious how it is you managed to see through my illusion; but I suppose I can tease the answer out if I don't kill you too quickly." Loki said, tapping his staff against his hand. "Or better yet." He decided, taking a sudden thrust for me that nearly punched through my armor; if I hadn't kicked back at the last second; flicking out a ki blast that exploded the tiles beneath Loki's feet and sent him into an agile backflip. He gave me a glare, and opened his mouth to say something witty, before he was knocked sprawling by a rocket propelled something or other that Stark grabbed, and began to assemble around himself- An Origami super suit. I swear the guy is just showing off with some of these things.
"I advise you surrender Reindeer Games. You had a good run, but you gotta understand there is no version of these events that play out with you sitting on a throne." Tony said, hopping the bar and stepping past me as Loki dusted himself off.
"I'll just have to build one." He grinned; as behind him the machine flared bright; and a column of light shot skyward.
My scouter chimed; and Stark and I both looked up. All kinds of weird exotic radiation, of course. And beyond it, thousands of power levels. Millions. Most of them under a hundred; but for a normal human they might as well have been untouchable. And there right in the vanguard, the point of their spear, a 1200. The number was bad enough; but the feeling behind it... sensing power, you learn that every person is just a little bit different. Nat feels like oiled silk, hard to pin down even when I'm looking right at her. Steve's is like a warm firelight. Thor's is crackling energy like a coiled spring. Loki's a prickly ball of ice. This one... fury and joy and the tang of moonlight. God damn it all.
Both of us took off hard; blowing more chunks out of Tony's floor. He went out the balcony; I just shot straight through the ceiling, brushing dust off myself as I flew right for the center of the falling swarm. Aliens got in my way; nasty, shrieking things riding weird looking hoverbikes; they didn't matter. I swatted them out of the air, sending them careening away into buildings, or the street. Floating in the midst of them was a sight that shocked me right to my core.
"Raditz!?" I demanded, stopping fast in midair as Stark took on the bulk of the job of mowing down the invading aliens. Not enough of them; but some.
He looked back at me with surprise evident on his face. He wasn't a one to one match with the anime; but it was close enough; that huge mane of hair and his ugly brown armor sent the message. "Well now, I heard there were other survivors, but I hardly thought I'd find one here. You know my name, but I don't think I remember you." he said, tapping his scouter and arching an eyebrow as he gave me a scan. "That high? Why in the world were you in recon with a power level like that? You at least rate foot infantry. Was there something wrong with you or something?" He wondered, before shrugging. "Not that it matters much I guess. Your claim on this planet is forfeit, so tough luck there. But you can always join up, I'm sure our employer wouldn't mind another soldier to fill out the ranks."
My mind was still racing with the implications of him even existing, let alone here, with these people. What the hell had happened to Goku if his big brother was here? I had to stall... wait for backup. Thor would be appreciated. "Before I answer that, there's one thing I want to know. Where are Vegeta and Nappa?"
He tilted his head. "Hm. I'm not really sure myself. I hear they're still alive, but we got separated a long time ago, and I never felt any need to go back. Why, feeling some kind of loyalty to the crown? You can forget about it. The Saiyans are going nowhere fast. Better to just fall in line behind me. Don't worry, I'll put in a good word for you- what's your name anyway?"
"Charud. Of Earth. And I'm afraid I'm gonna have to decline." I said, sweat beading at my brow as I clenched my fists and took a fighting stance, still hovering in front of him. "Not that it's anything personal, but your pet army is shooting up my city, and all my favorite restaurants are here."
He threw back his head and laughed with a familiar, obnoxious cadence. "You can't be serious. A saiyan of your caliber is throwing his lot in with these insects?"
"You're the one hanging out with bugs. Sorry Raditz. You want this planet, you're going to have to go through me." I said.
You know how in an anime when somebody goes "He's fast!" after they've made a big dramatic flashy dash? It hurts a LOT worse in real life. Raditz planted his knee into my gut so hard I nearly lost my breakfast, and then grabbed my beard and headbutted me.
"I think that can be arranged." He said, flashing his teeth, a sickly pink wad of Ki growing in his palm before it exploded through me like a wall of pain.
I felt the world spinning around me rapidly, until it came to an abrupt stop as I smashed through the roof of a building. Somebody nearby was screaming, as I hefted myself out of the rubble and spotted a cowering office worker; and a buggish alien turned toward me, pausing to aim a jagged looking weapon in my direction, before I backhanded him through a nearby copy machine. "Are you o-" I managed, before Raditz smashed in through the ceiling and roundhouse kicked me through the wall. And the one after that, and the one after that. When I bashed through the glass windows I managed to right myself, lifting my arms on instinct before he axe-handled me down toward the street. Every single blow felt like a sledgehammer... but there was something about them, I thought, as he threw the next punch, and I slipped it; barely. Fast. Strong. But not sharp. Like a caveman swinging a club.
We hit the ground and I dashed back. Stars flared in my vision when he clipped my chin with a blow, but I stayed upright. I brought up a hand with a gathered ball of Ki in it and he smacked it aside. But I wasn't going for that; my other hand shot up and slapped him straight in the ear; smashing his Scouter into his head hard enough to make it explode. He howled in pain and shock, and hit me, smashing me through several of his own allies and into the side of a bus, knocking it over onto it's side and nearly folding it in half around me. I hauled myself up; pain still ringing in my bones, but I was grinning as he flew overhead.
"You bastard! I can't replace that!" he blustered, lifting his hand to finish me off; when a giant brick of a hammer suddenly caught him in the chest and sent him flying.
Thor yanked me out of the wreckage and I cracked my neck a few times, spitting a tooth out onto the ground. "Thanks. But I can take it from here."
He looked at me skeptically. "Are you sure about that? You seem to be on the losing end of this fight."
"Had to let him get a few in or he'd never forgive himself. But I can beat him. I have to beat him." I said as I snarled, teeth painted pink with blood. I hadn't felt like this in so long; the pleasure that humans forgot so easily, the thrill of seeing someone who needed to be beaten, and giving them a beating.
Thor nodded, and held out his hand, taking his hammer back. "I must intercept the Chitauri coming through the gate."
"See to your brother while you're at it. He's in Stark's compensation tower." I said, cracking my knuckles as I felt Raditz approaching again. I pulled my scouter off and tossed it aside. I'd pick it up later. He needed to see this. Thor flew off, and Raditz looked up after him, interrupted in his counterattack by the sudden change in direction, he left himself wide open. I planted my fist in his face and followed through, knocking him straight through a storefront. He popped back, untroubled by the blow, but I was already taking off, sending him a one fingered salute and the biggest shit eating grin I could manage.
"COWARD!" He shouted after me, already in hot pursuit.
I jerked and juked between buildings; I'd only lived here for a few months, but I already knew New York better than he did; and keeping out of his line of sight was no big deal. I had to trust that he was mad enough at me personally that he wouldn't just start blowing up buildings; but unlike Goku I hadn't given him the hint that he could just hold the planet hostage. My plan was almost interrupted when I ran headlong into a huge cybernetic... sky... whale.
"What in the-WOOPS!" I shouted, feeling something big building up behind me. I launched straight upward, and barely got out of the way as Raditz shouted over the din of battle;
"DOUBLE SUNDAY!" He screamed, a pair of beams ripping into where I'd been moments before; blasting the huge creature to pieces that began to rain down on the street below, buffeting me with hot wind and shrapnel.
"Jesus shit!" I yelled in the aftermath. That looked a LOT less impressive in the show. I dove again, jerking aside to let another blast miss me; and flying just barely out of arm's reach of Raditz, catching sight of his enraged face; and along the way I dropped off a swarm of little balls, before clenching my fists hard and shouting back at him; "FIFTY COUNT BLACK CAT!"
The ki charges detonated in my wake, each one collapsing with an ear-splitting snap that piled up to assault him from every direction. He howled, covering his ears tightly and shaking his head; trying to clear the ringing from his ears. Stage two, complete.
I landed, taking the time to take a breath and keeping my eye fixed on Raditz as he attempted to shake off my attack. I had... maybe three more like that in me. And all I'd managed to do was annoy him so far. Oh well; go big or go broke... sorry New York.
I lifted my hand up high, and just as Raditz attacked, I slung a compressed ball of my inner force for a building I could feel was thoroughly evacuated; straight for the foundation where it would do the most damage, before it detonated, and began to collapse on top of me.
--------------
AN: To all the people who wanted no more dragonball, I am sorry.
