Misfits

There was a tense silence in the room, Thor watching Loki take in their surroundings. His dark hair was sleep disheveled, which only added to Loki's panicked facial expression. Two guards were being carried out of the room as Thor and Loki stood quietly. The guards were dead. The thick, clear wall that had once separated Loki from everyone else was destroyed. The window had been shattered, and in some parts melted, and the ground just under the hole of the clear barrier had been cracked and smashed. For a moment, Loki recalled being beaten against the ground by the massive green beast in New York as he looked at the demolished rubble.
"She was already gone by the time someone responded to the commotion," Thor said quietly as Loki stared at the scene.
"She could have broken free any time she wanted," Loki said, half to himself. "She was just waiting," he added.
"Have you any idea where she may have gone?" Thor asked. Loki finally turned to Thor.
"No idea. You're sure no one saw her?" he asked. Thor nodded. Loki turned and left the room, Thor following closely behind. "Go get dressed, Thor. We're going to Heimdall," he said over his shoulder.
The two found themselves on horseback, racing down the colorful bridge as they had together so many times before. They reached Heimdall, and Loki spoke as they approached the Gatekeeper.
"Have you any news of Taryn, or is she still lost to you?" Loki asked.
"I cannot see her," Heimdall answered. "I cannot sense the darkness that had enveloped her as I could before. She is no longer in this realm, but I know not where she is now, or how she managed to leave," he added.
"She's not in this realm any longer?" Loki repeated incredulously.
"That is correct. Wherever she resides now, I cannot tell. She remains dormant for the time being."

"How could she have possibly left Asgard? The Bifrost is broken and there is no way Heimdall wouldn't have noticed the Tesseract being used," Thor questioned as the pair walked quickly through the halls of the House of Odin.
"There are other paths out of this realm that not even Odin or Heimdall know. If Yggdrasill is, in fact, the World's Tree, then there are more than just nine branches connecting all of the realms. It takes immense power and strength to open the portals, but if that power is harnessed correctly, one can go unnoticed, but it is extremely draining," Loki explained. The pair stopped outside of the vault where Odin kept weapons and artifacts for safe keeping. Thor gained the pair access to the vault, and Loki was glad to have the thunder god around for once. Had he been alone, the guards at the door would have denied him the entry he needed.
"What do we need from here?" Thor asked quietly once the doors were closed behind them. Loki said nothing and continued walking. The pair reached a stand that held the Chitauri scepter, shining golden and dreadful before them. They were quiet for a moment, eyes on the ever glowing blue orb fitted into the sharp, glinting end of the weapon. Loki was very hesitant to reach for the spear full of awful memories. Thor's voice only stalled his decision.
"Brother, are you sure this is the right thing to do?" the blonde asked, eyeing the scepter cautiously. Loki turned to Thor.
"What other choice do I have?" he replied.
"Loki-"
"It is a risk that must be taken. I know what is at stake, but..." Loki hesitantly reached his slender fingers for the golden handle. "It is a risk I'm willing to take, if it means stopping this madness and saving Taryn," he finished, wrapping his fingers around the handle and lifting it off of its stand. He turned to Thor and the pair watched each other stiffly for a moment.
"Are you sure?" Thor asked one last time. Loki looked at the glowing blue orb momentarily.
"Madness may be the only power strong enough to stop madness," Loki said. Thor gave a short nod.
"Do we even know where we are going?" he asked as the pair began to exit the vault.
"Whatever possesses her only craves destruction and chaos. It's in her eyes. That monster does not want to rule over anyone, or make any sort of plan. It only wants to see weak, helpless beings burn. Where do you think such a force would start, Thor? There is only one realm where such weakness is teeming. We are going to your beloved Midgard," Loki explained.
"Father should know of this-"
"There is no time to tell Odin anything, Thor. We must go now," Loki interrupted. With these words, the pair found themselves, with Heimdall's assistance, using the Tesseract's power to travel to Earth.

It was a typical day in New York. The city streets were crowded full of cars and pedestrians, stores and restaurants had a constant flow of people and money, and the warmth of the afternoon sun broke through the cool breeze enveloping the city. There stood a tower in the city, one recognizable to anyone throughout the nation, and most parts of the rest of the world. On the top floor of this tower, an elevator door slid open to reveal the man whose name was engraved into the side of the building. He was headed for the bar to make himself a drink when something in his peripheral vision caught his attention. He turned to see a face he hadn't seen in three years.
"What, did you come back for that drink?" Tony Stark asked before continuing on his path for the bar. Loki smirked at the quick remark, and stood from the couch to approach the billionaire.
"No, actually, I didn't," he replied, standing on the other side of the counter, watching Tony prepare a drink.
"So why are you here? Did you miss me so much you had to come back?" To Loki's surprise, Tony had poured two glasses and slid one over to the god before walking around the counter.
"I came to warn you," Loki said, picking up the glass and taking a sip of the dark liquid. He held his hand up before Tony could make another remark. "It is not me you have to worry about this time, Stark. Do not speak, just let me explain my purpose here," Loki said. He then went on to explain everything leading up to the monster that took over Taryn's mind, and the girls uncertain fate, and how she was in hiding somewhere in Midgard.
"Okay. Why should I believe you?" Tony asked after Loki finished explaining.
"Thor accompanied me. He is currently speaking with your friends, telling them exactly what I just told you. You've no idea the power she possesses. We have come to warn you and your team of the danger she is about to put your world in. Believe it or not, I aim to help stop her before she tears Midgard or herself apart," Loki said. Just then, Tony's phone started ringing. He gave Loki a look before answering, and Loki waited patiently. Tony and whoever was on the other end had a short conversation about, what Loki could gather, the situation Loki had just explained.
"Well then, you were actually telling the truth," Tony said, putting his phone away. "That was Nick Fury. You remember him, I'm sure. Said your brother had gotten a hold of him," Tony said, heading back toward the elevator. "You and I have somewhere to be. Come on, Reindeer Games," he finished.