Of Numbers and Strange Friendships

Chapter 40

Loki led Peter straight to the practice courts. He felt that was the safest place to start the hunt for the girls, especially if Lady Sif was looking for Wanda to evaluate her skills. Loki could have found them by magic, but where was the fun in that? Especially when he got to show the arachnid more of his home in the hunt.

Or so he thought.

The girls were in the outdoor practice courts. They'd been caught by Lady Sif, it appeared. Thor was standing nearby, watching. When Loki and Peter approached, Sig was being dragged into the sandy practice circle by Sif. Sig was groaning and whining and generally complaining that she didn't want to spar against Sif. Thor chuckled and dragged Wanda away from the practice circle, where she'd be safe on the sidelines.

"Isn't Sig a healer?" Peter asked Loki softly as Sig drew a dagger in one hand and her magic shimmering around the other to face off against Sif. Sig at least looked ready to face down the warrior.

Loki inclined his head. "Sig is a healer, but she is also a lady of Asgard. All ladies of Asgard must learn to defend themselves, at least well enough to hold off an attacker long enough for a proper warrior to come to their aid," Loki explained. "Sig and I trained together as children. She is plenty skilled with that blade and she graduates from the Academy tomorrow. She has the physical and magical skill to take on Lady Sif and win if she is careful," Loki added, sounding proud of his love.

They watched from the sidelines as the girls sprung into action. Sif was at an immediate disadvantage for fighting entirely with weapons, while Sig had magic to aid her. Sif was a skilled fighter and both of their blades were blurs as they moved. It was clear that they were both skilled fighters. It was equally clear that Loki had trained with Sig when they learned how to fight. The two fought identically.

It was a difficult battle, even with Sig's magic. Sif was fast, but Sig was faster, especially with her spellcasting. Loki would be hard-pressed to match Sig's spellcasting speed and ability. It was a long battle, and Sig barely scraped a win.

Wanda was looking apprehensive as she watched, despite her earlier bravado. Her confidence was shaken seeing how skilled Sif was and now she was doubting her abilities. Loki wasn't going to stand for that. He and Peter made their way over to Wanda.

"What's wrong, little sister?" Loki asked her gently, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him.

Wanda leaned into him, looking nervous. "Lady Sif is so good!" she whined nervously. Peter placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, though this reassurance was more Loki's area of expertise than Peter's.

Loki chuckled and Wanda relaxed a bit just from that. If Loki could laugh over it, then it couldn't be too terrible. "Lady Sif has been studying weapons and combat for centuries," Loki reminded her. "But if you are careful and remember what I've taught you, you will be able to defeat her," he reassured her with such faith in his voice that Wanda didn't dare really disbelief him.

Even if he was the god of lies.

"Are you sure?" she asked in a small voice, though she didn't really doubt him, not with how much faith he had in her abilities.

Loki laughed. "I'm sure, little sister. I have trained you to fight after all. I know your skills better than most, and I know Lady Sif's as well. Keep your head and temper and you can prevail," Loki reassured her. Sif had cooled off from her battle with Sig and gestured for Wanda to take her turn. Loki gave Sif a look not to truly harm his student before he let Wanda go out to spar her.

"Choose your weapon, little witch," Sif bid her, gesturing toward the practice weapons.

Wanda took her position in the practice circle and gave Sif a smirk worthy of Loki. "I have my weapons," she replied. Sif raised an eyebrow at the seemingly unarmed teenager. Loki chuckled and settled back to watch the show, summoning a bag of popcorn from... somewhere.

No one questioned where Loki summoned things from.

It was safer that way.

"Got a hot dog in that dimensional pocket of yours?" Peter asked with a grin.

Loki rolled his eyes. "That is hardly food," he grumbled at Peter, but provided him with a hot dog as requested. "We have got to introduce you to real food, Arachnid," Loki continued his grumbling while Peter laughed. Wanda was relaxed at hearing them laughing. They had to believe in her if they were comfortable enough to laugh and joke.

The match began, Sif wary of the girl with no weapons. Wanda's magic glowed red around her hands. Sif rushed in to attack and Wanda ripped her sword from her hands, throwing it out of the ring before she grabbed Sif with her magic and held the woman upside down. Sif threw a blade at her. Wanda dropped her as she rolled out of the way. She threw a bolt of magic at Sif as she fell. Sif rolled back to her feet, but Wanda caught her again with her magic, holding her immobilized in the air.

"Yield!" Sif finally called when she realized she couldn't move and Wanda had incapacitated her. Wanda put her down with a grin.

Loki chuckled. "I told you that you could take her on if you were smart," he told Wanda and hugged her tightly while she beamed with pride. Sif groaned that Wanda had cheated by using magic.

"Mages who cheat survive the battle," Wanda replied obediently. Loki had drilled that line into her numerous times as he taught her magic and combat skills. Using magic in battle was considered cheating to the Asgardian warriors.

As Loki said, and as his beloved Mama had taught him: cheaters survived to battle another day.

All was fair in love and war after all.