Vol 2 Ch 26

Loki used Kamui, and transported them all to Loki's retreat. Something he was calling his little slice of paradise.

They had all shown up in the main dining room where Loki had been eating breakfast some moments before.

Loki had gone to the living room and settles down. Pointing his hands to one of the couches, he had told Bruce.

"Take a seat. This is gonna take a long time to explain." He had told him.

Loki had proceeded to slowly take off his mask before Bruce.

As he reveled his face to Bruce , a single phrase escape Bruce's mouth which set Loki off.

"The Naked Viking"

"Your mothers the naked Viking." Loki had proceeded to retort to Bruce. His face was completely livid. He had sued people who had called him that. Sometimes, even when he was losing more money then he was gaining. He did not care, There were consequences for some actions. And he would be damned if he allowed anyone to escape from them.

"So your name was ...." Bruce had tried to recall his name. But the only thing that came to his name were the words, The Naked Viking.

"Loki" Loki had said in an exasperated tone.

"That is certainly a unique name." Bruce had looked at him.

Loki had sighed and said. "All I can say is that there is more to myths and legends. There are always certain truth." Loki mentally patted himself on the back. A lot of half truths there.

"So, there was the matter of you giving birth to a horse, a snake, the goddess of death." Bruce began to look through his mind and all the children Loki had given birth to.

"Those are all false." Loki had said. His face red. These humans keep on coming up with various stuff. Stuff, he would not even have imagined. Apparently, he had married an ice giant. Gave birth to Hela is the father of a serpent which surrounds the world. And is the father of Fenrir a wolf who will cause the Ragnarök. There was so much wrong with that. It was the Fire giant Surtur which had been prophesized to cause Ragnarök. Hela was his sister, well in actuality adopted sister not his daughter.

Bruce had started to look at him closely. "You denied that too quickly." He had gained a horrified look on his face. "Wait, how old were you when you got married. You look 17."

"I was never married." Loki yelled out while waving his hands around.

Bruce had started to laugh at that point.

"Did you just prank me?" He was looking incredulously at Bruce.

"Maybe" He had answered. Bruce then had proceeded to become serious and stared at Loki. "So, what's the story behind the girl."

Loki became serious. Putting Ace in his lap. He had taken off her mask.

"You know, the usual."

Loki had said as he had proceeded to explain the entire situation to Bruce barring the fact about the resurgence of Hydra. He could visibly see that Bruce was straining to hold himself back at the moment.

Bruce was livid at the moment. Alot of the barriers that he had created between the Hulk and himself. He had stripped down in the past few months of training. Hulk saw what he saw. And at this moment, both of them were very mad. His eyes had turned green. These people had no right to do what they did with a child. It was fine for him, he was dangerous. But that was not true for the girl in front of him. Instead of helping her, they had decided to repurpose her as a weapon. Bruce wanted to smash.

He heard a cough. He turned to Loki who coughed to catch his attention. He looked at the girl within his arms and saw her trembling. Seeing this, both he and the hulk calmed themselves.

"So, as you can see. I need your help. Both to raise her and to protect her." Loki was patting Ace's back to calm her down.

"So, Ace this is my friend Bruce. He turns green sometimes bit don't be decieved. He is a big softie." Loki voice had turned soothing.

Bruce smiled, he got up and approached Ace. Getting on one knee to make sure that he was eye level with her. He said with a friendly smile. "I am Bruce. What's your name?"

Ace had replied shyly. "My name is Ace Lokadóttir."

"Well Ace, will you be my friend." He had asked her in a friendly tone.

She had held his hand and nodded.

"There is someone else who wants to meet you as well." Bruce had said. "Do you wanna meet him."

Ace eyes started to sparkle as she nodded.

"Not here. You will destroy my tiles." Loki attempted to stop Bruce but he was too late.

Bruce turned green, his muscles bulged and he began to grow. Soon, he was towering over them.

"My tiles. My beautiful tiles. I need to redo everything again." Loki had cried out seeing the damaged tiles under Hulk's feet.

Hulk had gotten on one knee as well, he had to bow a little bit to get on Ace's level. He took a deep sniff and breathed out at her. Ace was worried seeing the effect on her clothes.

"Ace like Hulk. Hulk friend." Hulk had extended its arms, his palm opened before her.

Ace nodded with a steely look in her eyes. "Ace friend as well." As she held his forefinger and attempted to shake it.

Hulk had looked at Loki. "Hulk hungry. Hulk wants food."

Loki sighed. This place was not giant accessible. He dreaded the doors and the hallway that would be broken if Hulk began to walk here. There was a dining hall that he had made outside for this exact situation.

So he used Kamui, and teleported everyone towards the mess hall. There were seats over here that were Hulk size so Hulk had settled in one of them. He had proceeded to take out a summoning scroll. Loki had unfurled it and after placing it on the table. He had activated it. Dozens of burgers were on the table arranged in the form of a pyramid.

Hulk had proceeded to start devouring them. Throwing them down his throat one after another. Taking one out of the pile, he had given one to ace. And smiled at her. His teeth still having meat stuck in it. She had looked at Hulk for a moment before she had started eating it as well. Loki shrugged and took one and began to eat as well.

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(After some time)

After the feeding frenzy was over. And Loki had put Ace to bed.

He and Bruce were sitting together.

"So, what do you plan to do about her education while also keeping her hidden."

"Well, I have a solution. I devised a seal which will change her appearance and yours as well. I am also working on a transportation system as well." Loki was explaining.

"Let me show you." Loki had placed a seal on Bruce. His hair colour changed, as well as a few more details about his face.

Bruce had gotten up and stared in the mirror. "This may work. And about her and my identity."

"I know a guy, he can hook me up with some new identity cards with a full background behind them" Loki answered.

"So, where is the school." Bruce had asked him.

"Metropolis." Loki had answered. "And now about Betty."

Bruce pointed to his ears. "Don't worry, she was listening. She says that she can get a job in metropolis. If your transportation system works, she can live here."

"Wonderful", Loki had nodded.

"So, how do you do all this stuff." Banner had asked.

"Magic." Loki said with a flourish bow.

"Someday you need to explain it to me." Bruce had taken a few sips of the beer that he had opened

"I won't be able to. There is some old hag who can explain it better then me. I have no doubt about that." Loki had replied to him. When in doubt, just invoke the name of the ancient one. And put all the responsibilities on her head. Loki was not gonna admit that he was still pissed about the deal that she had made with him. Not at all.