Chapter 87: So You've Discovered One of Your Parents Is a God
"Aunt Hela?"
"Hela?…wait, the HELA?!" Denki gasps, jumping behind his father.
Yaomomo hasn't moved a centimeter, standing as stiff as a board until she finally finds her voice. "A-A-Aunt?!"
Hela saunters up to them, an amused smirk on her face as she takes in every person in the room. Izuku gulps when her eyes land on him, an unfamiliar chill running up his back. It wasn't the cold he was feeling. Something darker. Something much more ancient. Something so entrenched in his biology, it's like he instinctively knew not to challenge her.
Because doing so would be like challenging death itself. And very few had escaped it.
Hela takes a deep breath. "You are all here. Just as I had hoped." Her smirk drops to a sneer. "I am Hela, Goddess of Death and rightful heir to Odin's throne." She looks down at them, malice oozing out of her words. "Kneel."
Thor yanks Izuku back to Denki and points his umbrella threateningly at Hela's neck. "Loki, what have you done?!"
"That is no way to greet your future queen," Hela spits.
"If you believe that Asgard would ever acknowledge your rule-!"
A snort in front of him cuts Thor's incoming tirade short. As quickly as it had appeared, Hela's maliciousness is gone, replaced by her stifled laughter. "It appears you were right, Loki. Riling up Thor is a good bit of fun."
"As I said, you have been missing out."
Thor looks back and forth between the two gods. "Explain yourselves!" he commands.
"A joke, brother," Loki answers for them. "A simple jest to break the tension and demonstrate that Hela has indeed changed."
"You believe now is the time for tricks?!"
"You were so serious and stoic. It was the perfect time."
While Thor looks ready to disembowel his brother, Hela leans over to get a better look at him and his cousin. "Izuku. Denki. It's so lovely to finally meet you." Izuku can't figure out what freaks him out more. The fact that the Asgardian boogeywoman is physically in front of them or just how casually she's greeting them. Wait, she's heard of them?! "Loki has gushed so much about you both. And I greatly enjoyed your bout at the Sports Festival. If my Momo couldn't be in the finals, I was pleased it was you two."
Yeah, he doesn't process any of that. He's still trying to wrap his head around everything. Meanwhile, Hela glances at Loki. "How was that? Since you were so concerned with my entrance."
Loki hums indifferently. "It could have used more spectacle. It appears you've lost your touch."
"We both know I've lost more than that," Hela chuckles along. She takes a step closer to Izuku and his cousin, but Thor repositions himself firmly between them. Instead of being offended like Izuku expected, Hela seems more entertained than anything. "Style isn't everything, Loki. Witness, if I had been any more aggressive in greeting the boys, Thor would have surely attacked me."
"A risk worth taking in my opinion." Loki casually leans against the wall, seemingly not worried at all that his brother is ready to fight at the drop of a hammer. "Believe me, I have plenty of experience in that area."
"Oh, I trust that." The Goddess of Death looks Izuku's uncle up and down. "Hello Thor, it has been a while, hasn't it? When was the last time we saw each other? When you visited me in prison perhaps?" She tilts her head. "No, that can't be it, because you never did."
"Aunt?!" It seems Yaomomo's brain can only process one word right now.
"Hela…" Loki warns. "You promised to be pleasant." Despite his warning, he doesn't move. Whether it's because he trusts Hela or just wants to stay out of Thor's blast radius is unclear.
"This is pleasant for me," Hela counters. "You assured me that Thor knew I would not attack."
"He does," Loki groans, looking back and forth between the pair. Thor's jaw is set and his muscles tense, a sickeningly sweet grin from Hela meeting his intense glare. "And while he claims to trust me, that apparently does not include my word."
"I do trust you, brother," Thor interjects. "But she has tricked Asgardians before." He narrows his eyes at Hela. "I remember the last time I saw you. It was while I fought hordes of the undead as you laid waste to Asgard."
Yaomomo gasps.
Hela strolls forward, and Thor braces. "You do remember. I'm relieved." She peers down at his umbrella. "Do you feel safe behind your weapon? As I recall, it wasn't very effective last time."
The mansion rattles from the roar of thunder outside. "Is that a threat?" Thor challenges.
"Wait! Wait wait wait wait!" Denki is the next teen to speak, but it seems he knows as many words as Yaomomo right now. "Dad, this is really Hela?" Oh, Izuku stands corrected. "Like, THE Hela from those books you had me study?!"
"Unquestionably."
Denki counts on his fingers as he lists off everything he remembers. "So she's Odin's first daughter?"
"That is correct." Denki squeaks in fright when Hela addresses him.
"T-the one who helped him conquer the Nine Realms?"
"Those were wonderous times."
"But then you wanted to like, conquer the whole universe, and Odin didn't. So, you got mad and he banished you to Hel?"
"Those were less wonderous times."
"Then you escaped and tried to take over Asgard. But lost again and then got sent to that special purple-glowy prison we put Gorr in?"
"A rather crude and oversimplified version of my life's events, but you have the basics at least."
"Y-yes, I- well- thank you, ma'am!" Denki stutters and, not knowing what else to do, salutes her.
"If you can remember all of that, then how are your test grades not better?" Izuku giggles.
"Are you insane?!" Denki grabs the front of his shirt, shaking him. "Our super powerful crazy villain aunt-" he clears his throat, looking nervously at Hela. "Not villain." When she doesn't do anything, he goes back to yelling at his cousin. "Our not-villain aunt is not only out of jail but Yaomomo's mom and the first thing you do is tell a joke?! Are you kidding me?! How are you not freaking out?!"
"I raised him well," Loki congratulates himself. His smile turns at least a little sheepish when Thor's glare turns on him.
"Denkiiiii!" Izuku manages to say through the shaking. "I made a joke because I am freaking out! I don't know what else to say!"
"That's a weak excuse and you know it! We both know that you'd be making a joke even if you had something to say!"
"Touché!"
"Aunt?!"
"What do you want from me?" Izuku gets Denki to let go of him. "I'm still trying to make sense of all this myself!" He turns to Hela. His uncle Thor being in front of him makes addressing her a little bit easier. "Hello, uh, ma'am."
"That's certainly nicer than, what was it you said Denki? Your super powered crazy villain aunt?" Hela smirks.
Denki squeaks again, attempting to hide behind Izuku now, but the green-haired boy shoves him forward. It leads to the pair shoving one another over and over in an attempt to stay farther back than the other. "N-not villain, ma'am! I said not villain!"
"But you're fine with leaving the 'crazy' part in, hmm?"
Denki groans, banging his head against Izuku's shoulder and muttering something that suspiciously sounds like 'kill me now.' Loki's son shakes his head, keeping a good grip on the blond boy leaning on him. "So, ma'am, you're really our aunt?"
"I am."
"And my dad and uncle are your brothers?"
"Your uncle may not see it that way but yes."
"Which means you were Odin's first born?"
"Correct."
"And you helped him take over-"
"WE JUST DID THIS IZUKU!" Denki shakes him again.
"It's not my fault for trying to get everything straight! Our Aunt Hela being here is like a myth walking right off the page!"
"Technically, to humans, that's what we would all be," Loki adds.
"That's not helping, Dad," Izuku replies flatly, pinching the bridge of his nose. Denki seems to enjoy him getting a taste of his own medicine. "What exactly is going on?"
"Mother…" The room quiets down as Yaomomo utters a new word. The good news is that she isn't so stiff anymore. The bad news is that she has moved on to trembling. Her dark eyes are wide in horror and shock as she stares at Hela. "Is everything they've said true?"
"Come now Momo, I know I taught you to recover more swiftly than that," Hela lightly chastises her. When her daughter says nothing, still looking lost and confused, the goddess continues. "Yes, it's true." Her voice is more comforting, "I am the Goddess of Death." Loki uses his illusions to create a haze of specters that drape over Hela, accentuating her powers. "Thank you," she rolls her eyes at his antics. "And that would make your true name Momo Heladottir. And like your cousins, a demigod. Or demigoddess, if you prefer."
For the first time since the conversation began, Yaomomo's eyes meet both Denki's and Izuku's. "Cousins…"
"Oh COOL!!" Denki cheers, tugging Izuku close to him with his arm. "The alien duo now becomes a trio!" When he notices Yaomomo's still wary look, he calms himself down. "You know, if you're okay with that."
His hesitation pulls her from her thoughts. "I- no, please Kaminari, it's not you. Or Midoriya. It's- well it's me. I am… I am part extraterrestrial?! How could I not realize this?! Surely there were signs-"
"Your languages!" Izuku shouts, cringing when he realizes he scared Yaomomo by accident. But he presses on, pulling himself away from Denki. "In class, you told us how other languages always came so easy to you! That's because you have All-Speak like us! You can understand and speak any language!"
"Oh my gods I'm an idiot." Denki slaps his forehead.
"We know that, but what happened?"
The blond shoots Izuku a look that promises pain later, but he explains. "Last night, when everyone was just trying to chill before the exam, do you guys remember how we were all hanging out in the living room?" The other teens nod. "Okay well Izuku, while you were in the bathroom, Kirishima came down looking for you. He wanted some info out of one of your notebooks but since you weren't there, Yaomomo gave it to him instead!"
"Wait, she did?!"
"Yeah!"
Yaomomo is clearly befuddled over why they are so excited, so Izuku helps her out. "You read from my notebook, yeah?" She nods cautiously. "Yaomomo! I write my notebooks in Asgardian!"
She gasps yet again, covering her mouth with her hand. "I hadn't realized…"
"See? It's because you're like us!"
"Not to mention your 'quirk' darling," Hela chimes in. Yaomomo looks up at her, almost as if begging her mom not to blow up everything she thought she understood even more. Too late. "Don't look at me that way. Did you really believe you could consume some cake and produce a cannon because of it?"
"Magic…" Yaomomo whispers. "I have magic?"
"Welcome to the club!" Izuku congratulates her. "First lesson, changing your clothes magically!" He demonstrates, using his powers to rapidly switch through outfits.
"You think he's kidding but he's not," Denki grumbles. "He wouldn't stop bothering me about it until I learned but…" Izuku looks at him expectantly. "Yeah okay, it's pretty handy."
"Told you!"
"My quirk is magic…" she extends her hand, creating a Russian nesting doll in her palm. "It all feels obvious when pointed out to me. It makes me wonder what else I missed."
"You may not enjoy what I am about to tell you," Hela warns her. But long gone is the confusion in Yaomomo's face. She's determined to learn as much as she can. "Do you recall the voices you used to hear growing up? And how you'd run into my room because you thought your room was haunted, and I'd tell you it wasn't?"
Yaomomo's face morphs from determination to dread.
"That was a lie. They were the voices of the dead."
"Ghosts!" Denki jumps into Izuku's arms, frightened.
Unlike her new cousin, Yaomomo is less afraid, more relieved. "Thank you for telling me that. I was always certain I had heard something, but because you insisted they weren't voices, I could never determine what. So instead, I did what you taught me to do and blocked them out."
"That was a lesson I couldn't afford not to teach you," Hela cackles. "If I hadn't, you'd be hearing voices all day."
"Actually, I do still hear voices every now and again," Yaomomo confesses.
"Yeah, whenever that happens, I'm going to need you to not tell me," Denki shudders, not wanting to know if any given room he's in has ghosts or not. Unfortunately for him, his fears have given his prank-loving cousin holding him a batch of fresh new ideas to scare him.
"You still hear voices?" Hela asks Yaomomo, curious.
Her daughter hums. "Yes, but not often. The last time was- today, actually. Although, I highly doubt it was a spirit. You see, after our friend Tenko rescued Midoriya from being kidnapped, I thought I heard a man complimenting him on his quirk. I even agreed with him! But when I arrived, no one else was there."
She laughs a little to herself. "I apologize. I know that doesn't make sense. Why would a ghost be concerned with how Tenko uses his quirk?" Behind her, Izuku and Denki glance at one another. "I most likely just barely missed another hero on the scene."
"Indeed," Hela agrees. "Now, what other questions-"
"Why did you not tell me?" The mood had been slowly getting lighter as the conversation had gone on, bolstered greatly by Izuku and Denki's antics. But with a singular question, Yaomomo had sunken it once again. She blinks away the wetness in her eyes. "Why did you lie to me for so long?"'
Hela sighs, brushing some hair out of her eyes. "I was wondering when you would ask me that." She steps in front of her daughter, kneeling down to look at her.
Izuku had seen many images of the Goddess of Death over the years. Usually from textbooks and almost all of them on a battlefield. From what he could tell, Hela always seemed so confident. So sure of herself in whatever decision she was making in that moment. But as he looks at her now, face filled with regret, he doesn't recognize the woman at all.
"You have to understand, Momo. To be associated with Asgard brings challenges that you cannot prepare for. And not only that, but to be related to me, to share my blood, comes with its own weight. Just take a look for yourself." Hela gestures to Thor, who had yet to lower his guard around her since she arrived. "I had been hoping to spare you from that as long as possible.
"But Loki and I spoke," Hela glances at him. "And we agreed. The world is changing at a much faster rate than we ever anticipated, and if you are to thrive, you must know the whole truth."
Before Yaomomo can answer, Izuku pipes up next. "Dad, how could you not tell anyone either?! You met my class, you knew I had another cousin as a classmate!"
"That's not fair, Izuku," Loki defends. "I keep secrets all of the time. This is hardly new for me."
"That's not an excuse!"
"I agree." Thor's voice rumbles through the hall. "While I can understand not telling the children for a time, it was foolhardy and arrogant of you to not inform me that someone as powerful as Hela was on Midgard. The humans would have been completely unprepared for-"
"Oh, I'm mostly powerless."
"-the untold damage and despair she could have caused- excuse me?" What Hela said finally catches up with Thor. He turns to her, taken aback. "What did you say?"
"Your ears did not deceive you, first Son of Odin. Ever since the Allfather stripped me of my powers, most of them remain lost." Hela's hand glows, much in the same way Yaomomo's does when she uses her quirk, and she produces a sword. She gives it a few test swipes, slicing through the air with grace before stopping the blade centimeters from Thor's eye, but he doesn't flinch. Hela chuckles, retracting the weapon. "And I'm afraid that's the extent of it. The rest of my godly abilities could not be restored."
"But…" Thor looks around, perplexed, as if any of them can fix whatever's confusing him. As it turns out, one of them can. The God of Thunder's eyes become murderous as they lock onto his brother. Loki shakes, not in fear, but in an effort to keep his laughter contained.
In a move faster than lightning, Thor has Loki pinned to the wall by his neck. "You told me you had recovered all of Hela's powers!"
Unable to help himself anymore, Loki laughs through his brother's attempts to strangle him. "I may have stretched the truth on that part."
"We swore to have an honest conversation!"
"Which made it the perfect opportunity to prank you!" Loki cackles. "You should've- you should've seen your face! So earnest yet so anxious! It was fantastic to see you squirm- urck!" Loki is cut off by Thor squeezing his neck harder, but the God of Mischief continues to laugh.
Laughter breaks the silence from the rest of the group as well. Laughter from none other than Izuku. "Pffft that was a good one, Dad!"
"A good one?!" Denki resumes shaking his cousin like he did earlier. "My dad freaks out, nearly making me shit my pants, all because of your dad and all you have to say is 'good one?!'"
"Yeah, it was funny."
"I'm going to show you funny you pompous little-"
"That's a big word for you, Denki!"
Before the Son of Thor can introduce Izuku's face to the floor, Yaomomo is there, attempting to seperate them. "That is enough! You are both being immature!"
"He started it!" they both shout.
"I do not care how it began." With the adults, Hela has the same conversation with Thor and Loki. "You will cease your fighting at once! I will not have you destroying my halls for some petty rivalry! What example would that set for your niece?"
Her words calm Thor down, the god sighing in frustration as he slowly lowers Loki back down. "As much as I don't want to, I will concede that you are right."
Loki's grin widens as his brother releases him. "See? Her wit is just one of the many reasons I released her."
"If you wish to pummel him, you may do so in one of the designated rooms."
Loki's grin is wiped straight off his face. "I beg your pardon?"
"Who am I to deny a man his battle?" Hela explains. "Especially I, a goddess raised in the blood of Odin's enemies. I am many things, but a hypocrite is not one of them." She waves her hand toward the doors. "I had rooms built for this very purpose. If you wish, you can resume there."
"I- you- that's not-"
"I would prefer that option personally," Hela confesses. "It has been some time since I've seen some proper bloodshed, and I do miss it."
Loki gulps when a heavy hand drops on his shoulder. Thor is now the one grinning at his brother. "Yes, I can see why her wit interests you, Loki. But I prefer her eagerness for battle." He squeezes the God of Mischief's shoulder much harder than he has to. "Perhaps there's hope for her yet."
"I offer you my gratitude for the chance," Hela thanks him.
"Make no mistake." Thor's cheeriness subsides as he steps toward his newly found sister. "Had it not been for both my trust in Loki and the existence of your daughter, I would have returned you to Asgard the instant I learned of your escape." Hela nods in understanding. "Even now, I stay undecided."
The teens stopped fighting long enough to watch the conversation. "I am confident we could take care of Ms. Yaoyorozu in your absence. So." Thor stamps his umbrella on the ground. "Why do you deserve to still walk free?"
"I think it's time." Loki steps in between them. "To explain how all of this began."
"I cannot thank you enough for allowing me to do this."
"Your fake pleasantries will not fool me. I am not doing this for you. I'm doing it so you'll owe me."
Loki chuckles, looking over at Tyr as the huge man places his one good hand against a panel on the wall. "And what can I do for our esteemed warden?"
Tyr stares him down without a hint of fear. Not something many could replicate. But for the god who had faced down some of the most terrifying creatures in the nine realms, this is most likely child's play. Tyr lifts his hand from the panel. "When you figure out where Fenrir is, I'm coming with you. He may have been your son, but he was my friend."
The God of Justice brushes past him as the wall to the cell slides open, filling Loki's vision with fog. It gives him just enough room to pass through before sealing him shut inside. Unlike his own prison, this room is barren. No furniture. Not even a bed. Whereas his walls are white, these are dark blue, almost black. It bathes the cell in darkness, with the exception of the purple glow that keeps its occupant trapped.
"Have I really fallen so low that Odin himself won't see me? Instead, he sends his pet," Hela spits the last word out with distaste, appearing from the shadows of the cell like a spectre in front of Loki. He doesn't react. "Oh, my apologies. You aren't his pet. That abomination of a horse you birthed is. Or was it the snake? Again, I am so sorry. You have been mother to so many atrocities, it is difficult to keep track."
Loki scoffs with an empty smile on his face. "You know, I enjoy a good barb as much as the next god. But you should be careful who you mock. According to the myths of humans, you are one of my atrocities as well."
Hela laughs, leaning against the cell's back wall and sliding down to the ground. "Are we really allowing credence to any tales written by the humans? Every few hundred years, they invent some new deity to use as an excuse to slaughter one another."
"At one point, we were among those gods the humans 'made up,'" Loki points out. "But be that as it may." He crosses his arms. "As much as I would enjoy listening to the many insults I'm sure you have thought up for my children, unlike you, I have somewhere to be."
"Do you? And here I thought Odin had found a new way to torture me." She waves her hand at him off-handedly. "Make me share a cell with you."
"Afraid not."
"How are you here then, hmm?" Hela questions. "The last I heard about you, runt, you were rotting in a cell same as me."
"I have been afforded a rare opportunity." Loki begins to pace back and forth. "I have been assisting my brother and his merry-band of heroes, and in doing so, slowly reducing my own prison sentence. And now, with the completion of one more assignment, I will have earned my freedom-"
"Get to the pooooint." Hela dips her head. "By the Allfather have I fallen. No longer am I Odin's executioner, but a chew toy for his dog. I suppose that is the standard for Father, is it not? Keeping Frost Giants such as us under his care until we are no longer useful. I should know, since my mother was the first." Loki opens his mouth to respond, but Hela cuts him off. "Please get to your point quickly, so I may return to my isolation in peace. Your constant circumlocution is monotonous. And if I am to die, I would rather not have to do it while listening to your prattling."
Loki stops. "You know, I believe I do have some time to spare here. Perhaps instead, we can adjourn our conversation until this evening and enjoy our time together instead? Play some board games? I usually enjoy chess, but for you, I can stomach checkers. When does room service arrive?"
Hela chortles. "You pretend to be so smart, but under your fancy words and expensive leather, you are a child playing god." She grins, satisfied. "At least I am spared to only being half a Frost Giant and was rewarded this cell when my usefulness reached its end. I wonder what he'll do to you? A full-blooded monster, just like my mother."
"That is the second time you've mentioned her," Loki observes. "A sore subject?"
"My only solace about my mother's death is that I no longer have to witness her crawl back to Odin's side when he whistles like a bitch in heat."
"A sore subject indeed." Loki begins to pace again. "But very well, I'll spare you from any more of my blathering. The assignment I've been given is to arrest Fenrir." The mention of her former second-in-command gets Hela's attention. "We have a lead, and I believe, with your help, we can track him down."
"Awwww, did Odin's dog lose one of its puppies?" Hela taunts him.
"I am only trying to correct your actions," Loki responds with a bit of a snarl. "You are the one who set him down his current path."
"Don't you dare." Hela stands. "Don't you dare put any of your son's actions on me. "Who taught him to fight? Who taught him how to trick and scheme? Who filled his head with impossible dreams of a glorious purpose? Who sat idly by while he was mistreated for the crime of being part Jotun? And who denied him his opportunity for revenge?! To help change Asgard for the better?!"
Hela points right in his face. "You betrayed him and set him on his path to freeing me from Hel." She sighs, lowering her hand. "But I guess he took to your lessons a little too well, since you convinced him to turn on me too."
"Then why are you resisting?" Loki asks, flummoxed. "I am offering you revenge on the one who foiled your conquest of Asgard."
"Revenge on you, I assume? Since we have already established that Fenrir's actions were because of you?" She scoffs. "It was all your fault, and I venture you were rewarded greatly anyway."
"I was," Loki boasts. "In fact, my actions earned me a great deal of trust with both Thor and the Allfather. Which is what led to my being here today."
"I believe I was wrong." Hela turns around and slumps back against the wall. "The Allfather is trying a new torture method. Forcing one trapped son to cage another in exchange for his freedom. How despicable."
"I will grant you that Fenrir's faults are my own to carry," Loki admits. "And I will always have to live with that. But I would rather make my amends to him in person and where I know I can find him. Now, will you help me or not?"
"What do I get out of it?"
"Is revenge not a good enough reward on its own?" Loki queries. "I thought you would jump at the chance."
"Once again, you think you're smarter than you are," Hela cackles. "You are getting ahead of yourself, God of Mischief. But, I will allow you a chance to remedy that." She tilts her head back and forth in a ridiculing manner. "If you're so intelligent, then tell me, what do I want if not revenge?"
"You wish to be useful." Hela goes still. "You insult me for desiring Odin's acclaim, but is that not what you want as well? It is why you were banished to Hel in the first place. You are so desperate for more battles, for more victories because you know it was the only time you felt useful to the Allfather." Hela doesn't respond. She's not even looking at him even more. "And you have my condolences, because it is not something I can give you."
Hela's voice cracks a little when she speaks. "You're wrong-"
"I wasn't finished," Loki interrupts. "You want to be useful, and how will you accomplish that? With the restoration of your powers. That is what you want."
Hela jumps up, more animated than ever. "What did I say about the rambling?! And why didn't you just answer my question directly from the beginning?! Your analysis on my desires was not needed nor wanted."
Loki smirks and leans in, whispering. "It is as you said. I enjoy proving how smart I am."
Hela groans, walking away from him. "Very well. If the Allfather agrees to restore my powers, I will help you locate Fenrir."
"That's impossible." Hela whirls around, incensed by Loki's answer. "I already approached Odin with the offer before coming here, and he would not allow it. He wouldn't even offer reducing your sentence if you agreed to cooperate."
"Then your entire purpose here was to waste my time?" Hela's words drip with irritation. "Because if you are even half as smart as you claim, runt, then you know I would never agree to help without anything in return. So you can crawl back to Odin with your tail tucked underneath you and tell him I am nothing like my mother. I do not serve him on his every beck and call. So you can either leave or kill me, because I am not helping."
Loki studies her for a few seconds, his expression impossible to read, even for Hela. "You are wrong in one aspect of your assessment. It is true, I came here today with nothing to bargain with. But that is because my purpose was to find something to offer you."
"There is absolutely nothing you could-"
Before Hela can react, Loki has his hand over her forehead. It glows bright, showering the dark cell in green momentarily, before moving away. Hela falls to her knees, shaking. "What-" she feels her face, ripping her fingers away when she feels tears. "What did you do?"
"I think we're a lot alike." Loki moves back to give her space. "We both know what it feels like to be a pawn of the Allfather. To only have our mothers to rely on for support. For love. And as I thought about it more, I discovered the real reason you were so desperate for your powers back."
"What did you do to me?!!" Hela lunges at Loki, but she passes through a clone, with the real god appearing behind her.
"I showed you a memory." Hela stops her next attack in its tracks. "The mind is a powerful thing. Able to store years and years of memory. Unfortunately, very few have the power to access it." He lifts his shining hand. "I do. With my power, you can relive any memory of your mother that you wish. Tell me where I can find Fenrir, and you need only ask."
It's silent for a long while after. Loki doesn't bother trying to keep track of how much time passes. He stands silently as Hela lies on her knees, staring at the floor. Eventually, her tears dry, but she remains still for a little while longer. Until her head finally lifts.
"After my failed subjugation of Asgard, I kneeled just like this at Odin's feet. And just before he removed my powers, he told me that those who do not appreciate life, do not deserve dominion over death. At the time, I did not understand what he meant. Not until later, when I realized in my darkest moment, I could no longer hear my mother's voice."
Hela starts to choke up as she talks. "Communicating with the dead had always been second nature to me. So much so, I failed to recognize death for what it truly was. And why would I? I could speak to anyone who died, even raise their spirit. I did not know what it meant to have my mother comforting me until I lost it."
The cell becomes quiet again. But like before, Loki gives his sister time to recoup. She recovers much quicker this time. "Jotunheim. You'll find Fenrir on Jotunheim."
"Thank you. I will return soon so we may begin our memory sessions properly." Loki turns around to leave, but Hela stops him.
"I know your own mother doesn't have much time left." Loki doesn't turn around, but Hela can tell he's tense. "I hope you enjoy every moment you can still have with her."
Loki begins to tremble but catches himself, still refusing to turn around. "I plan to."
"I spent the next few years visiting Hela and keeping up my end of the bargain," Loki confides in Thor and their children. "And once I obtained the Reality Stone from the Collector, freeing her was a simple task. The Hela that resides in the prison now is merely a copy. A husk to fool the wardens."
He looks to Hela with regret. "Restoring her powers in their original state however, requires much more than the Reality Stone can provide on its own. As such, I could only restore her ability to conjure swords."
As the God of Mischief finishes his tale, the others are left too engulfed with new information to form words. All except for Thor. "While I can't say I agree with it, I can at least see your reasoning in setting Hela free. But brother, even without her powers, releasing her on an unsuspecting Midgard is, at minimum, reckless."
"Like I said, I took a risk."
Yaomomo clears her throat, getting everyone's attention. "I am sorry, but I need some time alone," she announces, before slipping back through the double doors she had originally entered from. Izuku and Denki share a look and, without words, agree to follow her.
Momo collapses on the couch in one of her home's several living rooms. In the home she shares with her mother, the apparent Goddess of Death. Now, Momo had already known about the existence of Hela. Myths had always interested her, even as a child. And finding out some of those myths are real made her dive into the subject of Norse Mythology even more.
So naturally, of course she had run across Hela's name in the text of several of her books and web articles. But every story she had seen about the woman ended in the same way. With her locked away, never to see the light of day. And because of that, Momo had decided to prioritize her study on gods she may actually meet, such as Balder or Sif.
Maybe she should've been paying closer attention to Hela. Or that's just wishful thinking. As if knowing a little more about her legends could somehow prepare Momo for finding out Hela is her mom. That she had been lied to all her life about who she is. If her mother could keep this from her, what other secrets could she still be hiding?
It's clear Hela has lived a life of committing reprehensible crimes to anyone in her path. Did she want the same for Momo? Is this what she was groomed for, with her training and quirk study? If that's true, what else has she missed? Momo knows there had to have been signs as she was growing up that something was wrong. But for some reason, she didn't see them.
Or what scares her more. She didn't want to see them.
"Realizing you're an alien and you have no idea what to make of yourself anymore?" Momo jumps, startled by Denki as he leans against a doorframe. He walks in and plops down on the couch next to her, handing her a pamphlet. "First time?"
Momo takes it, bewildered. She turns it over and reads, 'So you've discovered one of your parents is a god-'
Despite all of the dark thoughts plaguing her mind, Momo can't help the little giggle that escapes her. "Yes, it's my first time." Midoriya sits on the couch across from them without saying a word, much to her surprise. She has a feeling the pamphlet was his doing. "I hope you aren't implying I will be going through something like this again?"
"I hope not," Kaminari groans, letting his head hit the back of the couch. "I can only handle so much life-shattering news about myself." Momo agrees. "So how are you doing?"
"Honestly? I'm overwhelmed." Momo's shoulders sag. Years of practice over maintaining proper posture in front of company scream in her head, but the rich girl just can't find herself to care right now.
"I get that. I was too."
Momo looks over at the blond next to her, her disheveled hair covering one side of her face. "How did you get through discovering you were a demigod?"
The question seems to trigger something within Kaminari as his carefree attitude suddenly becomes more guarded, his body language turning defensive. Momo raises her hands to apologize, but he beats her to it. "No, you're fine! I swear. I'll talk about it. I mean, we are family now, yeah?"
"You don't have to-"
"But I want to." It's rare for her to hear Kaminari sound so sure about something, so she allows him to continue. "Besides, it's only fair after you helped me during our train ride to Kamino." Momo wants to say she doesn't think she did much, but Kaminari keeps going. "It was… different for me. Like yeah, finding out I was part alien was huge for sure! But the craziest thing to me was having my dad back in my life."
Kaminari doesn't seem to be expecting a response from her. Which is good, because Momo has no idea what to say. "Which I know sounds dumb, but that's how I felt!" Kaminari admits. "I've thought about it since, and my best guess is being told I was an alien didn't really affect my life at first. But having my dad suddenly living with us again? That did. So was I overwhelmed? Yeah. But I got through it by playing video games."
Momo's sympathy and thoughts come to a screeching halt. "Eh?"
Kaminari doesn't seem to realize what he's said until it's too late. "Well wait! No! I didn't mean that! Or I sorta did, but I didn't mean it in that way! I meant it in another way! Like in the way you eat a bunch of junk food, play soccer, or watch a lot of TV! Am I making sense?"
Momo's brain fires up just long enough to shake her head. She had short circuited from Kaminari's 'logic' long ago.
"I think Denki means he did things to help him relax and not feel so overwhelmed." Midoriya speaks up for the first time in this conversation. "To help whelm himself."
"Yeah that!" Kaminari agrees excitedly. "So what do you like to do, Yaomomo?"
"Read," Momo answers almost instantaneously. "Write. Study. Particularly any new molecular formulas that I can take advantage of with my quirk- or I suppose my magic now…" She laughs awkwardly, her shoulders rising in a pitiful attempt to shield her face. "I'm sorry, I know how terribly boring that must sound."
"No, it's really not!" Kaminari is quick to reassure her with Midoriya agreeing.
"Thank you, but it's fine," Momo sighs. "Because if I'm being honest, I am unsure if being overwhelmed is at the core of what's bothering me."
With both boy's rapt attention, she elaborates. "You see, before tonight, I was happy with the progress I had been making this year. Progress… on myself," she reveals. "At UA, I found myself becoming bolder, more confident, and not agonizing over every decision like I used to. I felt as if I was starting to finally figure out who I am and who I wanted to be. But now…" she stares at her hand as what she used to believe was her quirk glows. "I don't know what I am."
It's silent for a minute, not that Momo could blame either of the boys. It's a lot to take in. But in fact, she prefers it this way. Normally, she doesn't think she would've divulged any of her feelings just now to anyone, but with her entire sense of self flipped on its head, Momo doesn't think she could've kept it in either.
"Huh. You know, I think I felt the opposite." Speaking of being flipped on its head, Momo turns, dumbfounded at Kaminari's words. "Not that what you're feeling is wrong! But before I found out who my dad was, I thought I was just some normal guy with your run-of-the-mill electric quirk. I wasn't special and I'd never stand out.
"But man, when I found out I was a demigod? I was ecstatic!" Midoriya snorts at the use of 'static.' "Like, for me, that helped me figure out who I was! I wasn't just Denki Kaminari, lovable goof. I was Denki Thorson! Extra lovable goof! I felt unique and- and-" he stutters a little, face going red at what he was about to say. "For the first time, I actually felt cool." He grins sheepishly. "I hope that made at least a little bit of sense."
When Kaminari becomes brave enough to look at her, he's relieved to see an appreciative smile on Momo's face. "Thank you, Kaminari. I hadn't thought of it that way before. I guess I was so focused on what being a demigod would take away from me, that I failed to take into account everything it was adding as well."
Kaminari beams. "Yes! I may not be good at memorizing textbooks, but I knew I was good for something!" Momo shakes her head at him, rolling her eyes fondly. "You know, for a long while, I thought I was the only demigod. Until Izuku used his expert deduction skills and years of training to just barely figure that I-"
"I'm not the only bad liar in the family."
"But!" Kaminari pushes through the green-haired boy's interruption. "Because we're related, I decided to be gracious enough to share the spotlight with him-"
"I knew I was a demigod before you."
"Would you just-!" Kaminari yells in frustration, causing both Momo and Midoriya to giggle. The blond groans. "Nevermind him. What I was going to say is that if you want, we wouldn't mind sharing the spotlight with you either. We don't mind another person in our cool aliens club."
Momo looks down, twisting some hair around her finger. "You really think I, the girl who prefers to read and study in her spare time, is cool?"
"The coolest," Kaminari and Midoriya reply at the same time.
"Thank you for the reassurance. I appreciate it," Momo says genuinely. "I'm feeling better already. It was just too much to process." She wrings her hands. "And not just about how I feel about myself, but my mother as well. I always knew she had some level of shrewdness to her. You do not rise to the level she's at in the business world without it. But to think of all of the people she killed in her previous life…"
Kaminari nods along. "I sorta get that too with finding out my dad's killed a bunch. But most of his were during wars, and he never went to prison for it, so I guess it's not really the same and I don't know why I'm still talking…"
"Yours wasn't, but mine was." Momo peers up as Midoriya speaks up, leaning forward from his own couch. "My dad killed people too. And not just bad people, but a lot of good people. Heck, It was so bad that the greatest hero team in history had to be formed just to stop him! But… I try not to hold that against him."
Momo tilts her head. "That's surprising. Especially given the lengths you'll go through to save someone."
"That's just it, Yaomomo. It's not just good people I want to save, but the bad ones too. At least, the ones that are willing. Because I think almost anyone can change. Just look at us. The three of us are a lot different than when we started UA. And I know none of us would like it if someone judged us based on who we used to be, not who we are right now. So I do the same with my dad. Does your mom seem like the same person she used to be?"
"No… but it also feels as if I never knew her."
"Then wouldn't you like the chance to get to know her?"
Momo hums. "I suppose I can't argue with that. Or more accurately, I do not want to. She is still my mother after everything is said and done." She takes a deep breath. "Thank you both once again. I know I keep repeating it, but I feel you deserve it with how much I have put onto you this evening. It's clear I still have much to learn in navigating being a demigod." She takes another breath before lifting her head. "And I would like it a lot if my cousins were to help me."
Midoriya looks touched while Kaminari jumps up, pumping his fist. "Then our duo is now a trio! No taking it back Yaomomo! You just called us cousins, which means you're stuck with us!"
"Forever!" Midoriya adds with a sinister voice while laughing. "I mean, you've seen me blue, Yaomomo! You were stuck with me either way."
"Wait… she's seen you blue but I haven't!" Kaminari points out. "How is that fair?!"
"It was an accident, Denki!"
"Okay, well accidentally do it now!"
"That's not how it works!"
"Either turn yourself blue or I'll choke you until you do!"
"Like I'd ever let that happen!"
Momo may be regretting her decision to ask them for their help.
Kaminari notices the look on her face. "Don't pretend you're not happy! I remember you telling me you always wanted siblings growing up!" Midoriya yelps as the blond yanks him to his feet. "And now you've got us, alien sis!"
She does, doesn't she? Like her mother, Momo would hate to be called a hypocrite. And after months of lecturing Midoriya to rely on others, she would be one if she didn't do the same. Especially family.
"We should celebrate!" Kaminari exclaims. "With, like, an initiation or something! Izuku, do we have an initiation? What did we do when we found out we were cousins?"
"We got our butts handed to us by a Kurse."
"Oh right… we should do that again! Except this time, I think we can win! We've all gotten stronger and we'll have Yaomomo with us! That elf wouldn't stand a chance!"
"Denki, that thing threw us around like ragdolls and we only won because All Might and Doug were there!"
Perhaps Midoriya has changed more than Momo thought.
"So?" Kaminari raises an eyebrow.
"So?! So we should totally do it! It'd be a great test to see how far we've come!!"
Perhaps not.
"I can start doing research on where we can find more Dark Elves and-"
"Absolutely not," Momo cuts in with a scolding tone, separating the boys. "Celebrating my demigod status is a nice gesture, but I would like an activity that does not risk serious bodily harm or death to you."
"But that's what makes it worth doing!"
"Yeah, Yaomomo! We-"
"Momo."
Midoriya stumbles over his words. "What?"
"Momo," she repeats. "You can both call me Momo," she says with a smile.
That smile turns into laughter at the stunned look both boys share, before they join her in her amusement, all three teens laughing. There isn't so much an exact reason but to let the night's events drain out of them. There are more hardships to come, but right now? This is a moment to enjoy.
"Then call me Izuku!"
"And me, Denki!"
What Denki said earlier was true. At a young age, she had hoped for the news of having a younger sibling. And if she had been asked at the beginning of the year, these two boys would've been far from her first choices. But she thinks back to her talk with the son of Thor on the way to Kamino.
Denki laughs. "Just look at our class! You're practically the big sister of 1-A with how you make sure we're all taken care of."
"Your theory holds true, especially if you consider the amount of times I have to keep two certain boys out of trouble."
Momo had made her choice and she hadn't even realized it. Not that she can say she's totally upset about it.
At least until Izuku speaks up again. "Hey, since we're cousins now and on a first name basis, is there any chance you'll let me get away with a few more pranks-"
"No. In fact, I believe with the level playing field my new powers will afford me, I will destroy you."
Denki laughs at Izuku's expense, showing the green-haired boy no mercy in his ridicule. Once they've all calmed down a bit again, the blond gets their attention once more. "Well I guess there's only one thing to do." Both Izuku and Denki quickly raise a finger to their noses. "Not it!" They both call.
"Not it?" Momo asks. "For what?"
"You have to be the one to tell Mina you're an alien." Laughter erupts again from the boys as Momo groans.
"Will she be alright?" Thor questions as the three gods watch their kids leave the room.
"Of course," Hela replies like it's obvious. "She's strong. Always has been."
"If she even has half the strength she does from Izuku's stories, I believe you." Loki turns a weary eye to the God of Thunder. "So what do you think? Will you still be dragging her back to prison?"
Instead of answering him, Thor stalks up to Hela, staring right into the Goddess' eyes without a word. Loki manages to keep a straight face despite his worry, and for her part, Hela stares back at Odin's other child, willing to take whatever judgement he passes with her head held high.
"My brother is not the only person who misses our mother," Thor says in a low voice.
"Does this mean-"
"I do not trust you," Thor makes his feelings clear. "Were it not for your greatly depowered state, I would have no qualms with telling father to send as many warriors as it took to facilitate your capture, consequence with the humans be damned." Thor's voice vibrates with such a threat, that it's as if a thunderstorm was forming right in the hall.
The air is as heavy as it is silent, as if in anticipation for a fight to break out at any moment. It is ready for one of Hela's swords to slice through it with ease. Or for Thor's hammer to surge with electricity. Loki charges magical energy in a hand behind his back, readying an energy blast to break them up if he has too.
But the fight never comes. "But Loki trusts you. And I trust him." A pressure on all of them that they had not been aware of begins to lift. "I will allow you to stay with-" he stresses the last word as Hela is about to speak. "With my supervision. I allowed Loki to regain my trust, and it would be dishonorable to not allow you to do the same."
"Wonderful!" Before anything can happen that could change Thor's mind, Loki claps his hands. "We should celebrate such a momentous occasion! Hela, you wouldn't happen to have anything to drink, would you?"
She keeps an eye on Thor as she takes a step back. "Wine for when I'm entertaining guests. "Beer and liquor for when I want an actual drink."
Thor rolls his eyes. "You're becoming lazy with your manipulations, brother. Filling me with mead won't put Hela in my good graces any sooner."
"Does that mean you don't want any?"
"Don't be ridiculous."
Hela leads her brothers to the main kitchen of the estate, its modern style somewhat ironic with the older gods stepping into the space. Hela touches the refrigerator, where a screen with a menu of drinks and foods lights up. She scrolls down the menu to the alcohol section. "I have a feeling on how you take it." She taps one of the choices and holds a glass under what would usually be a water dispenser, but now it dispenses her drink of choice.
Once they all have glasses in their hands, Thor with his mead and Loki with his champagne, Hela raises her vodka. "To our mothers." She swiftly downs her drink, with Loki and Thor doing the same. Unlike her however, they do something different.
"Another!" both men shout cheerfully, slamming their glasses down on the nice floor, shattering them.
"Yes, that hit the spot," Loki says, satisfied. "What of you, Thor? Was she correct with your mead?" He grins. His brother mumbles a few indiscernible words under his breath, much like a child. "What was that? It isn't like you to mumble."
"If I were Inko, I'd poison your tea."
"If you were Inko, I'd drink it."
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Hela demands, startling the other two Asgardians and stopping them from continuously hurling insults at one another. She kneels over to clean up the glass.
"It is a traditional Asgardian toast?" Loki answers, unsure of the problem. He glances at Thor, but he is lost too. "Surely, this isn't your first time seeing one? You dwarf Thor and I in age."
"First, you do not speak of a woman's age," Hela chastises him, standing and throwing the glass shards away. "Second, my life has been spent in prisons or conquering realms with Odin. I never had time for such frivolities."
"Maybe so, but it is still a common sight when commemorating victories after battle," Thor points out. "You could not have missed it then."
"I never attended those," Hela responds off-handedly, retrieving more glasses. "While those drunkards were busy becoming cock-eyed, I was strategizing for our next battle, studying our enemy's tactics and tendencies, or training. A drunk executioner was not a good executioner."
"All fair points, I'll give you that. But allow me to retort." Loki pours another drink for Hela, holding it out to her. "You are no longer Odin's executioner nor at war. Conceivably, you could partake in a few more Asgardian traditions. I know a couple of good teachers. Thor-" His brother makes a noise of disagreement but doesn't actually stop him. "Thor has spent more time celebrating his victories than actually achieving them. I am confident he could help." He places the glass into Hela's hands.
Hela still doesn't seem convinced. "Do you know how expensive this is?"
"I am sure I can cover the cost. Now." He motions to Thor, who tries to argue against him with his eyes alone.
When Loki doesn't budge, Thor sighs, stepping forward. "Very well." He crosses his arms, staring Hela down once again. When nothing happens for a few seconds, he shrugs his shoulder at her. "What are you waiting for?"
"If you insist." Hela gulps down her alcohol and haphazardly drops her glass on the ground. "Was that satisfactory?"
"Was that- no!" Thor becomes much more animated, seemingly appalled at her indifference. "That was horrific! Our ancestors would be offended and probably banish you based off that action alone!" He pours another drink. "Try again."
Hela does, slurping the liquid and throwing the glass down with just a little more feeling this time. Still, Thor shakes his head. "Unbelievable." He hands her another glass. "If you deign to call yourself my sister, then I will not allow you to embarrass me with that disgrace of a display. Now, again."
Glass after glass, Thor instructs Hela to keep hurling them to the ground with more and more force. The God of Thunder is, of course, quick to join her in drinking in order to give her proper displays in such a hollowed tradition. Neither stop, even as it becomes increasingly difficult to step on the floor without touching a shard of glass.
Loki leans against the wall, sipping his Champaign and watching the two with a small smile on his face.