Brothers United

Loki helped Nissa up. Gently lifting her from the floor. She was unsteady on her feet. This was after all her first trip from Midgard to Asgard. The sphere was particularly unmercifully the first time you used it. She swayed, then lent into him, her body pressed close to his. Her head resting on his shoulders. She moaned lightly and lifted a hand to her head. She rubbed her forehead and looked up into Loki's smiling face.

"See he said. I told you it wouldn't be so bad", he smirked 

"Liar!" she retorted, pushing herself away from him. As she did so the room began to swim and her legs buckled beneath her. Loki caught her before she fell to the floor and held her close again. She felt his arms wrapped tightly around her, supporting her. She was greatful Loki was there. Then reality set in. She wondered why she had agreed to do this. 'Oh God why?!' Her head felt like it would just roll off her shoulders. She rested it on Loki's shoulder. Couldn't she just stay here? Like this for a few hours, just until her head cleared. She tried raising her head again and looked woosily at Loki.

"Just take it slowly and steadily" he said quietly, brushing back strands of hair from her eyes. 
"It takes a while to get used to the journey."
"Is your head clearing?" he asked, smiling gently.

"A little." said Nissa. "Could I just sit down a moment? I need to get my bearings and catch my breath." She smiled weakly at him. Loki gently lowered her onto a fallen stone column. She sat lent over clutching her head.

"I hope you really do appreciate this Loki. What I am doing for you." Nissa sighed and looked up at Loki. She couldn't help but smile. For Loki stood infront of her, a very large grin on his face and a twinkle in his eye.

"You know how much I appreciate what you are doing for me." he smiled warmly, then added quickly, "If you have rested sufficiently we must go now. I do not know what has happened since I left. They may have realised I have gone. Are you ready?" There was an urgency in his voice now.

Nissa blinked her eyes a couple of times and sat up straight ready to get up. 
"A little hand would be appreciated right now Loki", she smiled and raised her eyebrows at him.

"Ah my apologies." said Loki, going to help her up.

Nissa stood up straight holding on to Loki's arm for support. Her head was more or less clear now and she felt a lot better.

"Ok then", she said. "I'm ready. You better do your sorcery bit. Should I close my eyes?" she said nervously.

Loki chuckled, "You may feel a gently tingling but nothing more than that."
"Ready?"

"Ready", Nissa nodded firmly

Loki took in a deep breath, and began to whisper an incantation under his breath. He then closed his eyes and was silent. Nissa watched his face as he began to concentrate. 

She looked down at her feet. They began to tingle and throb. Slowly the feeling rose upwards through he legs and up not her body. She raised a hand up infront of her eyes and watched as the tingling reached her fingers. She watched wide-eyed as her hand started to pulsate and change shape. Her long slender fingers grew shorter and thicker and older looking. She automatically reached up to her face an felt her cheek. She should not have done that! It wobbled under fingers. She felt queasy. She closed her eyes and pulled her hand away and thought of anything she could except what Loki was doing to her.

The tingling started to subside. That part of the transform was not the problem part. Once the tingling had gone, she opened her eyes to see Loki grinning back at her.

"Did it work?".... Nissa stopped a put her hand to her mouth. She screamed in alarm! The voice which spoke was not hers! It was deep and masculine.

"Loki you've turned me into a man!" She shouted at him.

"Ok course, you are a guard of Asgard." replied Loki

"Are there no female guards?" She shot back at him, glaring at him. Furious.

"Well...yes...but" said Loki. "Besides it is more convincing if you are stronger looking than me. Easier to believe you could have over powered me."

"I need to see what I look like! "
"NOW LOKI!" demanded Nissa.

Loki's face fell. He look around the sphere room in a mild panic. Nissa was upset. He had not meant for her to get this upset. Shards of mirrored tile lay scattered on the floor. He picked the largest one and held it out to Nissa.

She snatched it from his hands and stared at her reflection. She was a man! Her long auburn hair replaced with a short blonde cut. Her cheekbones high, her jaw square. She did look quite handsome she thought. Man this was weird!

"Ok", she breathed deeply, closed her eyes and sighed. Nissa turned to look at Loki. "I am fine with this. Yes it's a shock, but we can't change things now. So what's the plan?"

Loki smiled and turned towards the door. He spoke as he walked.

"We head for the courtyard, keeping out of sight to begin with. If everything looks ok then you can escort me to me cell. I will wait there. You meanwhile will go to the guard room and listen for any informat..."

"Guard room?!"
"Loki you mentioned nothing about the guard room. What am I supposed to do there? Surely someone will realise I am not a guard!"

"You'll be fine." re-assured Loki. If you stick to what I told you earlier back in Migard there will be no problems. You know the plan. Come back to the cell towards dusk. We can then use the shadows as cover. You can tell me if you overhear anything. You rembered the layout I showed you yes?"

"Yes" replied Nissa.

"Excellent" smiled Loki.

******
There were no major problems reaching Loki's cell. Loki though they must have discovered he was missing by now and raised the alarm. There had been a few guards in patrol duringbtheir route to the cells, but Loki used his sorcery for diversions and they swiftly found their way there. As Loki's escape had been discovered the cells in the lower chambers were unguarded. loki smiled and  slipped into his cell. Nissa clanged the door shut and locked it. She looked back through the bars at Loki.

"I guess this is the point of no return." She caught her breath and swallowed hard. Loki reached out his hand and touched hers through the bars.

"Everything will be fine. Trust me." he replied

She smiled weakly then turned and left the cells.

She walked slowly up the winding staircase until she reached the open doorway at the top. She paused in the doorway looking out into the starlit night sky. It looked just like the night sky at home, but Nissa knew she was not at home anymore. Her new body felt strange and ungainly. It took her a while to steady her walk. Sshe was bulkier, carrying more muscle and the way she walked was different. She worked her way across the courtyard and could make out the lights of the guardroom ahead to the left. As she reached the midway point she noticed two shadowy figures talking quietly to each other. She kept looking ahead and strode purposefully as if she knew exactly what she was doing. Not indicating to the figures that she knew they was there. Her cloak flapped in the breeze as she walked. And her armoured feet echoed across the empty courtyard. She carried a staff with her. The two figures stopped momentarily as she passed by, then continued their hushed conversation once she had gone past.

Nissa soon reached the guardroom door. She turned the handle and walked in. This could be...interesting, she thought...