" LOKI NO! If you must kill, kill me! LEAVE THEM OUT OF-urk!"
Of course, as he is now… Thor can't do anything. It's one thing to know her Prince has been depowered and another to see his powerlessness with her own eyes. The Destroyer doesn't even blast Thor like it did Tony Stark. It just casually backhands him across the face, sending him sprawling with injuries that will surely be his death if they are left untreated for long.
Unfortunately, neither Sif nor the Warriors Three are in any position to render Thor aid. The Destroyer immediately turns on them once it's dealt with the Prince, and they are soon fighting for their lives. The Midgardians do their best to provide covering fire, but funnily enough it is only the archer and his strange arrows that do anything to so much as stagger The Destroyer. The rest of the Midgardian weapons don't so much as scratch its metal. Still, Sif is a warrior. A fighter even. And she will not go down easily. Even if defeating The Destroyer feels impossible, she and the Warriors Three fight with reckless abandon and impeccable teamwork. There's just one problem… there's a gaping hole in the middle of their formations, potentially the most critical piece of the puzzle. Without Thor… it's a losing battle from the very beginning.
But just when all seems lost, something strange happens. The air begins to tingle and Sif smells something on the wind that brings a tired smile to her lips. And then… Mjolnir comes flying out of the Midgardian Base, and slaps into Thor's outstretched hand. A massive bolt of lightning strikes down from the sky and coats Thor in power and in that moment, Sif knows the day is won.
"LOKI!"
The Destroyer does not last long after that. It was only ever Odin's Vault Guard after all, not exactly a machine meant for war. Thor, Prince of Asgard and God of Thunder, dismantles the automaton in just a few harsh strikes, seemingly having little patience now that he has his powers back.
When he's done with The Destroyer, Thor turns to his friends and grins, hoisting Mjolnir over his head.
"My friends! I am worthy once more!"
The Warriors Three cheer, but Sif just gives Thor a pointed stare and a raised eyebrow that causes the smile to drop from his face. She'd intended to remind him of Loki's crimes and the need to get back to Asgard immediately now that he has his strength again… but instead, Thor whips towards the entrance to the Midgardian Base.
"Tony Stark!"
As he begins to race forward, however, Thor is stopped in his tracks by a most peculiar sight. Everyone else turns as well just in time to see Tony Stark being supported by his wife, the Lady Pepper as they come out of the base.
"I'm fine… I'm fine!"
Everyone is agape and Sif raises a brow, wondering if this is when the strange mysterious Midgardian will be forced to reveal his true power. However, right before everyone's eyes, he pulls open his shirt … and reveals a strange metal chestplate underneath, covered in a massive burn mark from The Destroyer's attack.
"Luckily I was giving this thing a test drive today. It's for a project of mine I've been working on for the past year now. Don't worry Coulson, Pierce knows all about it."
The bland Midgardian's mouth shuts with an audible click and there's an expression of frustration on his face. Sif finds herself experiencing a strange sense of kinship with the 'Agent Coulson'. She knows for a fact that Tony Stark was wearing no armor, at least not near his arm, when they'd shaken hands before. His impossible strength was his own.
"Tony Stark of House Stark! It heartens me to see that you are okay! For a moment I had thought you had fallen in battle to the treachery of my sister and I was most bereaved. But now I can do as I've longed to and call you shield-brother in earnest, for we have fought together at long last and defeated a most worthy foe!"
Tony grins lopsidedly and lets out a laugh.
"Sure Thor. Shield-Bro it is."
"Yes! I like it! We shall be 'Shield-Bros'! Alas, I and my friends must depart now. Loki must be stopped, once and for all!"
He's right of course. It's everything Sif wanted when she and the Warriors Three first came down to Midgard. And yet, as Thor steps back and prepares to call for Heimdall… Sif finds herself hesitating as the others gather around their Prince. Instead of going to him…
"My Prince! I request permission to remain here on Midgard for a time… to act as your eyes and ears until you can return!"
The mystery of Tony Stark has caught Sif's attention like nothing else. She cannot simply drop it now, no matter how much she wishes to. Thor looks surprised by this request… but then gives her a beaming smile.
"Of course, Lady Sif! Friend Stark, you will look after Lady Sif for me for a time, won't you?"
"Sure Thor, I can do that. No problem." Hm, there's something in Tony Stark's voice then. Something Sif can't put her finger on.
"Very good then! I swear I shall return as soon as my sister is dealt with! Until then, fare thee well, all of you! Heimdall, bring us home!"
There's a brief pause, and then Thor frowns.
"Heimdall! Bring us back to Asgard via the Bifrost so that I may confront my sister! As your Prince, I demand-!"
Mid-sentence, Thor and the Warriors Three are suddenly hit by a shimmering rainbow beam of light and without another word, the four of them vanish up into the sky. Sif watches them go with pursed lips, already slightly regretting not joining them all in the fight against Loki.
… But Thor would handle things like he always did. He would return soon enough and when he finally did, Sif was going to make sure she had more information on just who Thor's new shield-brother really was. Because something didn't add up with Tony Stark, and Lady Sif was going to get to the bottom of it.
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