Hey guys, my latest Tasertricks extravaganza. This will also be a serial, but albeit at a much more sedate pace. It'll be a mystery once we get going, and suggestions are always welcome via reviews. I've been reading up heavily on the mythology, and a bunch of it may make appearances. That being said, I've taken some liberties with a few realms, and the, uh, terminology for their citizens and such.

Enjoy.

Darcy was just turning from the espresso machine, a lovingly-handcrafted, foamy cappuccino nursed in both hands, when the burst of rainbow light flooded through the windows of the London condo she was sharing with Jane. And Intern Ian. And the often-pantsless Erik Selvig. And, now, Thor.

It was super cramped, and she coveted these quiet moments of solitude like no other time, often abandoning her studies to enjoy a nice mug of coffee or tea by herself, reading out on the patio.

As luck would have it, this particular day was marked by a torrential downpour that had driven her inside, just before the patio was used as a landing pad for the extraterrestrial form of a subway. She was far too busy dropping her caffeinated confection to be relieved she wasn't squished like a bug, far too busy gaping in slack-jawed amazement at the pair of assumedly-Asgardian warriors who were attempting to fit through the patio door simultaneously.

A broken mug, steaming mess on the floor, and shattered doorframe later, Volstagg and Fandral were in the condo's living room.

"That door was locked," Darcy muttered, oblivious to the fact that whipped cream and caramel syrup were covering her new leather boots, and that hot vanilla cappuccino was now nourishing the linoleum.

"Ah, perhaps that was the difficulty, Fandral! We certainly fit two abreast in the corridors of Asgard!" Volstagg exclaimed. "Greetings, Lady Darcy!" He immediately lunged towards her for a bone-crushing hug before he started to poke around in the living room, lifting a vase and nearly stopping Darcy's heart when it slipped in his grip. He easily caught it up again with a booming laugh, unaware of her alarm.

"No one fits two abreast accompanying you anywhere, my friend," Fandral muttered with a grin in Darcy's direction, stopping her heart all over again. "Hello, my good Lady Darcy!" Blushing, she accepted his very touchy-feely hug, pulling away only to spot the wreckage of her drink on the floor. With a squeal, she grabbed a dishtowel, swiping at the shards of her mug and trying to mop up the coffee at the same time. She was flashing back to New Mexico already. Why did so many mugs break around Asgardians?

"So, uh, what brings you guys here?" She managed as she worked, popping her head up over the kitchen table to see what they were doing. Volstagg had found the cookie jar and was working his way through a stack of oatmeal raisins, which was perfectly fine with Darcy; it was her least favorite flavor. Fandral had sedately leaned himself against the edge of the wall dividing the kitchen from living room. Somehow their costumes - er, wardrobes - looked less ridiculous. Maybe it was the context, being in the land of Shakespeare or something.

"We have come to invite Thor to Lithasblot!" Volstagg boomed, through a mouthful of cookie, half of which crumbled to fall straight into his vast beard.

All Darcy heard was "We hff cmm Tor Lifflesboat!" Arching a brow as she rose from her crouched cleaning position, she aimed it at Fandral, who gave another award-winning smile that had, she was sure, lured many a maiden to his chambers.

"It is our harvest festival, held annually in celebration of a bountiful season, and also in support of the magic that helps maintain our realm," the dashing warrior explained, a hand on the scabbard at his belt as he explained. One of the sexiest explanations ever, Darcy thought idly. "It is a favorite time of Thor's, and we thought perhaps he might be persuaded to attend; Asgard has not had his company in so long…"

Indeed, it had been months and months since Jane had returned, Thor soon joining her, since Darcy's living quarters had become a jar of sardines. This could be a chance to get both of them out of the house to do their extremely-loud canoodling, Darcy thought.

"When is the lifeboat festival?" She asked, and the two warriors laughed at her terminology.

"Lithasblot," Fandral corrected kindly, "is in two days' time, at the end of…Jewel-eye, I believe, for Midgard?" It was Darcy's turn to chuckle at pronunciation, retrieving her phone and shooting Jane a text to come home immediately and bring her seven-foot tall golden retriever. An answering text said they'd be there within ten minutes, and Darcy relaxed back against the counter, folding her arms and content to wait.

"So there's, what, singing, dancing, a ton of mead, a goat sacrifice at the end or something?" She asked, genuinely curious and slightly interested in attending, herself. A vacation couldn't get more exotic, at least distance-wise.

"Ah, or something," Volstagg replied slyly, jabbing an elbow in Fandral's direction, who bowed. "Of course you must attend as well, Lady Darcy, for we could not possibly describe the festival in its entire glory to you!"

Darcy cocked her head to the side, thinking it was about time she got a reprieve. Jane had been working nonstop all summer, trying to grasp how the convergence worked, and if it could be either imitated or prevented, Darcy was never sure which. She just scribbled numbers down, only to type them into the computer, print them, and then have that piece of paper have even more number scribbled upon it. Her life was a hard one, and she wasn't paid for any of it, except in the golden currency of "experience". Time off paid in enjoyment would be nice…

And she doubted there was a ticket booth to Asgard; free food, free booze, probably some free awesome dresses to prance around in, and if everyone looked like Fandral and Thor…Count her in.

Jane and Thor chose that moment to return, Thor thundering out a greeting from the foyer to which Darcy responded "In the kitchen!" When the pair entered, Jane paused, Thor nearly bowling her over at her abrupt stop. He was then distracted by the sight of two of his best companions.

"Volstagg! Fandral!" He cried, catching up both somehow in an elaborate three-way hug that still managed to look very manly. That was Thor to a tee, his actions that were often reminiscent of a puppy looking completely suave when it was a six-foot-plus tall thunder god doing it.

When the three had extracted themselves from the embrace and only broken one chair, Darcy clapped her hands, bouncing on her feet as she looked to Jane. "We're invited to a two-day long party!"

Jane arched a brow, looking to their Asgardian guests for explanation, which Volstagg jovially supplied. The astrophysicist was shaking her head by his fifth syllable, causing Darcy to bound to her side, latching both hands onto Jane's folded forearm. "C'mon boss lady, you can make science when we get back! Isn't there some Asgardian constellation you wanna document, or, or something…"

Darcy raised her brows at Thor, who jumped in. "Jane, I think it would do you good to visit Asgard on a trip of leisure. The festival is always enjoyable, and perhaps you could consult my father's library more when we are there." At the mention of books and research, Darcy could have sworn she saw Jane's ears perk up.

"I suppose, if it's only a few days…" Jane mumbled, biting her lip as she unfolded her arms to brace them against the chair in front of her. She was silent for a moment, then looked up. "I don't see why we can't have a bit of fun." Darcy shrieked in excitement, hugging Jane, then Thor, then managed a sandwiching hug with both Volstagg and Fandral from which she may have escaped with only two broken ribs.

"Come pack with me!" Darcy squealed at Jane, tugging the reluctant scientist into Darcy's cramped room and shutting the door. Jane perched herself on the edge of Darcy's bed, eyes wide as her intern and friend started pulling clothes out of her wardrobe and flinging them on the bed.

"What does one bring to a hip cosmic pagan party?" Darcy wondered aloud, coming to a stop as she surveyed her closet, a hand on her hip.

Jane shrugged. "I hardly had time to plan my wardrobe when I went, but I do know this: anything we bring will be insufficient and inappropriate, Darce. I gathered that much." She rolled her eyes at the end, muttering something about goats and banquets that Darcy couldn't quite catch.

"'Kay, well, I'm gonna go with hooker couture then," the intern declared with a grin, snatching up some heeled boots and skinny jeans and tossing them on top of the bed's other contents. "Rattle their boots a bit." Jane dodged a hurled scarf, grimacing. "Now I'm not so sure about going…" She cut off as Darcy whirled around, shaking a finger in her face. "Jane Elizabeth Foster, if you even mention me not going again, so help me, you will incur the Wrath of the Intern." With that, she turned back to her dresser, rifling through her bras.

"Push-up or…" she muttered, and Jane chose to escape the room, favoring the destructive Asgardians over Darcy on a packing high.

On Asgard, tensions were running high in the Council Chambers. Envoys from Vanaheim, Muspelheim, and even Jötunheim were in attendance, courtesy of a formal invitation from Odin to attend this year's Lithasblot festivities.

The Allfather was in a particularly good mood, it seemed to his advisors, grinning widely as he surveyed the ambassadors crowding the room. No one else shared his enthusiasm; the Muspels had declared they would not stand or sit within ten paces of the Jotuns, who glared at the Vanites in turn, and Asgardians were strewn between each clan with no small amount of anxiety in their visages.

"Enough!" Odin called with a boom of his staff against the flagstone flooring, calling the meeting to order. Finally, the bickering and curses quieted, and eyes turned to the Allfather.

"I have called you all here under the banner of peace, with the hope that we may negotiate anew for harmony amongst our realms. Though we are at peace, we are very much separate, and that distresses me. Even as we celebrate a bountiful harvest due to Urda's graces, I wish to introduce new regulations for commerce between our realms. In two days' time, there shall be a grand feast, and I bid you all remain here in Asgard to enjoy the fruits of our year's labor. In the meantime, let us discuss business." A gloved hand gestured to his right, to his first advisor, who opened the discussions with concerns about skirmishes in the wilds of Vanaheim.

The Jötuns were restless, suspicious glances shooting up and down the council table throughout the meeting. Odin smiled at that, curious where their doubts would lead them.

Hours later, the meeting was adjourned until the following day, while contracts could be drawn up for further debate and, hopefully, signing after the festival.

Odin retired to his chambers for the night, waving off his servants as he banged his staff against the floor to close the heavy double doors to his room. Nothing happened, and he sniffed, annoyed, sending the staff thudding against the floor once more, and the doors cooperated, banging closed with force that rattled artwork on the walls closest to them.

A single eye scowled in displeasure at the disobedience of Gungnir, and as "Odin" turned towards the double doors leading to the balcony, the illusion fluidly dissolved. Gone was the eye patch as golden armor darkened to bronze, silver robes' woven fabric turned to black and leather, and the staff was hurled aside, its bearer snuffing out all lights in the room with a flick of his wrist. The double doors opened with a phantom breeze as Asgard's king slipped out onto the balcony, cloaked in the soothing darkness of night as he sorted his thoughts.

It was a daring move indeed, bringing potentially-hostile beings into his very council chambers, and then letting them roam loose as "honored guests", but it there was strategy among the madness. Loki was completely convinced the Lithasblot celebrations would go off with quite a hitch, and he couldn't wait. All that would remain was armoring up for the war that would inevitably follow. He would revitalize the Allfather's wartime prowess, make all other realms cower again before Asgard's might. The Aesir had grown far too lazy.

A rapping at his chamber doors startled Loki from his reverie, and he turned with a frown, flicking his fingers over his throat before Odin's gruff tones escaped his lips. "What is it?"

"Allfather, we have received confirmation that Thor will indeed be attending the festivities." A guard spoke hesitantly through the door, though they had been told to notify him as soon as the thunder god accepted the invitation of his friends.

Loki smiled. It had really been his invitation, his suggestion in the banquet hall one night that Volstagg and Fandral slip off to invite the buffoon to Lithasblot. It had been months since Odin's reluctant abdication of the throne had taken placed, and the trickster was now secure in his rule. No one was the wiser, and Thor would not be either. The mortal he paraded around amused Loki, and he'd like to see how she interacted with the Allfather. Having the hammer-happy idiot around for backup was not a poor idea, either, if these precarious negotiations did not go as planned.

"Also, I am to notify you that he is bringing several...guests." Loki could hear the wince in the guard's voice towards the end, at the potentially-unwanted changes made to the invitation, but he merely smiled.

"Very well. Dismissed." Odin's voice sent the guard away, and Loki retrieved his own voice, turning back to the balcony's view and sighing contentedly into the wind. All was going as planned so far.

Thanks for reading! ~Bon