Fic: Around the Marvel Universe in 31 Days #14
Title: Around the Marvel Universe in 31 Days
Author: JoeHundredaire (joehundredaire@tthfanfic.org)
Rating: PG-13/FR15.
Disclaimer: Right, I actually went and checked to be sure this time… Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel: the Series, and all associated characters belong to Fran and Kaz Kuzui. With a myriad of writers, artists, and editors, actual rights are a nightmare when you go near a comic book universe. Suffice it to say that Marvel Entertainment LLC owns all of the property printed in their comics, along with the television and movie adaptations of said same property. Not mine, don't sue, and so forth and so on.
Summary: Dawn decides to disregard the Scoobies' advice and have a heart-to-heart with a vengeance demon. Adventures ensue.
Joe's Note: It's not Heimdallr, but it is forward movement on the story and so I think I'll count this as a win. Mostly because I was busy all day doing a photo shoot of Angel from Borderlands (the Facebook friend that Dawn references in the chapter with Warren, actually) and didn't start working on this until 11PM EDT. That'll teach me not to plan ahead, I guess. Also, I'd originally wanted to keep everything from Dawn's perspective from start to end, but then I realized that certain scenes wouldn't work without her either becoming a master spy, telepathic, or a seer. Since none of those appealed to me…
"And you say that he at no point told you why he wished to speak with the Midgardian?"
"Correct, My Lord." Charisse Kennedy found herself wringing her hands nervously as she stood a step behind Odin and to his right. When Brynhildr and Kára had approached her about assisting with their current mission, citing her comparatively current knowledge of Midgard as an asset, she honestly hadn't thought to question either the source of the mission or its specifics. After all, the gatekeeper was among the most trustworthy of the Æsir and Odin allowed him to operate with a level of autonomy unparalleled on Asgard. But now, Kennedy was starting to wonder if she should have asked a few more questions before getting involved. Because Odin sure was. "With that being said? He didn't say much to me period. Most of what I know came through the others: we were to travel to Midgard, locate Dawn Summers, and bring her to Asgard. So we did."
Staring off at the golden dome that housed the reconstructed - and inactive - Bifröst, Odin let out a soft hum. "And upon your return?"
Kennedy opened her mouth, paused, closed it, and then thought back to the brief period in question. After a few minutes of very careful consideration, she finally spoke. "Nothing, sir. He didn't even speak with us. He nodded toward the bridge back to the city while standing there staring at Dawn. No thanks, no warnings not to speak of what we'd seen, nothing. Oh! And his facial expression, body language, et cetera… I couldn't pick up anything off him. Absolutely nothing. And you know how good I am that."
"As do all of the valkyries who attend your… 'strip poker nights', I believe you call them?" Odin peered back over his shoulder and chuckled as Kennedy's jaw dropped. "There is very little that happens in these halls that I am unaware of. Especially when my son's friend enjoys speaking loudly of his luck at catching young women leaving your quarters in significantly less clothing than they arrived in."
Scoffing, Kennedy rolled her eyes. "Fandral's merely jealous of my ability to… forge close working relationships with some of my fellow valkyries."
"And if work was what was actually on your mind, young lady, then Sif and Brynhildr might someday have competition for their roles in the hierarchy of the my valkyries. Fortunately for them, we know otherwise." Winking, Odin turned his attention back to the sprawling city before him, and then abruptly jerked his head to the left. Kennedy followed his gaze as his head slowly turned, tracking a rainbow streak as it raced across the clear blue sky. "Dare I ask how a Majesdanian came to be among us?"
Kennedy debated how to answer that before mentally shrugging; evidently, backstabbing and the like was as much a part of life here as it was on Earth. Might as well throw her boss under the bus before the blame somehow got shifted onto her. "Brynhildr was a bit too eager to return and didn't properly clear the Bifröst site before invoking Heimdallr. Faith got swept up into the beam and brought with us."
"Ah. Well, a splash of color never hurt anyone. Please ensure that she is sent back to Midgard in due time, though."
"Yes, My Lord." Hopefully, 'due time' wouldn't be until after this week's poker night, Kennedy thought, because this version of Faith was a lot cuter than the Slayer she'd met through her ex-girlfriend…