Beta Ray Bill

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Even though time was different on Sakaar, Ana felt like the weeks she had been stuck on the strange planet went by in a blink of an eye. That meant her birthday already passed. Ana Michaels was twenty seven. She had unknowingly spent a birthday in one of the worst places in the entire galaxy. Alone. And usually, she would be annoyed at herself because she didn't have any cake, but she found that she didn't really mind, and believed she could still share her birthday when she got out of Sakaar.

In order to keep her identity a secret, and for Brunnhilde to keep her mouth shut, Ana was forced to fight back against gladiators who were pitted against her in the Contest of Champions. Every time she entered that arena, she would fight at twelve percent. She didn't want to hurt anybody. To avoid scrutiny, Ana would make a deal with an opposing gladiator beforehand to let them win as long as she got a few hits in. Nothing too serious, but enough to pass as trying. Although, the Grandmaster was still pushing her to battle beings that were unfortunate enough to fall into his trap. He was sick. He had a twisted idea of fun and games. He wished to see people kill for his own pleasure. Ana had told him this many times, but all it did was make him laugh until tears were running down his cheeks. He was an old man. He probably heard it millions of times from millions of people. Her response was ignored, as expected.

There was a part of her, that she didn't want to admit, that felt bruised. Ana felt insignificant. She was used to being the one to stand up and fight. She was used to being relied on. On Sakaar, no one needed her. They were fine to fall in line and be treated like scum. They didn't need a hero.

Brunnhilde was losing money. The Grandmaster was displeased. And Loki was soaring. His plans were solid. He climbed to the top, and held on. Ana was surprised at how quick he joined the Grandmaster's inner circle. Now, Loki was a lackey. He did as the Grandmaster asked without question to show his loyalty. Ana suspected they had something else going on behind the scenes, but she dared never to bring it up when they saw each other.

Ana had developed a friendship with Korg and Miek. They would eat lunch together after battle practice and cheer each other on when they were sent into the arena. Ana even went along with Korg's failed attempt at a revolution. It didn't go far. She remembered the face off they had with the guards. There were hundreds against a handful of gladiators. These days, they took it easy. They didn't cause any trouble and strayed from attention. It was going well, but Ana had a felling something was about to happen that would shake things up.

Ana stood in the centre of the room she was forced to share with Loki, a miniaturised electromagnetic pulse in her hands. She had arranged a deal with a local engineer after catching him sabotaging aircrafts on purpose to get better business. He was willing to do anything to avoid the Grandmaster interfering with his work. Ana asked him to build an EMP that could hopefully remove the obedience disks from her neck so she could be set free.

Loki sat on his bed in the corner, breezing through a book. He looked up from the pages when he noticed Ana start to walk down the middle of the room. He scoffed to himself when he realised what she was doing. Being confined in the same space with a person who wanted nothing more than to shove his face into molten lava wasn't exactly fun. Sometimes, he would sleep with one eye open, just incase.

"That won't work." Loki spoke up from behind his book.

Ana spared him a side glance. "You don't know that." She muttered. She had tried prying them off with her bare hands, used a blade to cut them off, and dunked the disks into water in hopes to fry the tech. It was difficult to remove them since they were attached to her neck. Any wrong move and she could hurt herself real bad.

Ana brought the device up to her eye level, and swallowed thickly, sending a silent prayer for it to work. She hovered her thumb over the detonator, and shakily exhaled, before closing her eyes and pressing down. She held her breath when she could hear the device send out the pulse. Loki watched, curious to know if it actually worked. He smirked to himself when all it did was activate a warning shock from the disks. Ana dropped the useless EMP and grabbed her throat, groaning at the pain. She gritted her teeth when it died down, and turned around to face a chuckling trickster.

"Something funny, asshole?" Ana questioned with hostility, eyes narrowed.

"Give up, Ana. We aren't going anywhere." Loki told her, leaning back on the bed. He raised the book over his face and continued to read in silence. "When will you see that?"

"When you tell me what happened after you fell from Asgard and before you invaded New York. Was it Thanos? Did he catch you? I've heard rumours he gave you the sceptre. Aren't the Chitauri his attack dogs?" Ana pressed, edging closer with every word that escaped her lips. She could see how much her persistence to understand what had driven him to invade Earth annoyed him, from the way his jaw would set.

"I think I'll read somewhere else." Loki said firmly, getting up and walking towards the door. Ana watched him leave, arms open at her sides.

"Fine, go away. I'll find out the truth one way or another."

"'Sup fellas."

Ana plopped down in her usual seat at Korg's table, sending both the Kronan and Miek who were seated across from her a small smile in greeting. The tray of food she set on the table jiggled around when she carelessly slid it away from her. She hated the food on Sakaar. Sometimes it moved, sometimes it made noises, and this one time, Ana caught the sludge of brown increase in size. The more elite Sakaarians had much better quality food, and when they weren't looking, Ana would swipe a whole plate full of it when she had the chance.

"Ana, guess what." Korg began, knees bouncing up and down in excitement.

Ana blankly stared at him when he didn't elaborate. "What?"

"Another gladiator turned up last night. His whole ship ended up here." Korg told her, leaning in to whisper it to her. He looked around at the other gladiators on the tables scattered around in the mess hall just incase any of them were eavesdropping. "Rumour is that he's gonna face off against the Grandmaster's champion. Something about having to leave in order to keep his people alive."

"How is that I have never seen the Grandmaster's champion everyone talks about?" Ana asked.

"I really don't know." Korg shrugged, scooping a heap of his food into his mouth. "Just unlucky, I guess." Miek threw his head into his food and slurped it, since he was unable to use his blades for hands to use a fork or spoon. Ana picked up the fork on her tray and played with her moving food.

Ana squinted when her ears picked up Loki's bullshit. She tilted her torso to the left until she could spot him over Korg's shoulder, at the table across the room. He was sitting on the table with his feet on the bench in a relaxed position. His smile was wide as he watched those around him burst out laughing. She had heard the words invasion, Earth, brother and stabbed all in the one sentence. It wouldn't take a genius to get what he was saying.

"That little asshole is making jokes about the Battle of New York..." Ana trailed off, voice trembling with anger. Her metal fork snapped in two when her grip flinched. Korg was wide eyed.

"Please, no more food fights. I lost like... three pebbles last time." He tried to grab her hand when she stood abruptly. He recoiled when Ana's glare intensified in Loki's direction.

"Where's the trash chute again?" Ana asked him.

"Beyond the door to the kitchen on the right. Why?" Ana didn't answer Korg and he twisted in his seat when she started marching towards Loki. He put the two together and laughed. "Oh, you're gonna take the trash out. I gotcha. Remember to lock the door so you don't get sucked in too!" He called after her.

Since they landed, Loki and Ana would argue and fight over the smallest of things. They would punch each other, scream and on special occasions, Ana would fling him around. The Grandmaster was still trying to get the holes in the walls of his palace fixed because of them. Ana stood behind the God of Mischief, hands on her hips. She tapped Loki on the shoulder softly. Just before he could see who had touched him, a fist collided with his jawbone. Immediately, he knew it was Ana. He cried out from the unexpected hit while she dragged him off the table and stood him up, gripping the lapels of his shirt tightly.

"You think that's funny?" Ana asked.

Loki smiled at her, caressing his throbbing jaw. "Which part? The one where I hijacked your archer, or the one where I shot you with the sceptre?"

Ana slowly backed into the door that lead to the kitchen. Loki's hands were glowing with his magic at his sides. "You know that it pisses me off. So why do it anyway? Are you looking for another fight?" She asked.

Loki rolled his eyes, completely aware of where she was leading him. "Oh, Valhalla, no. I'm merely sharing stories with my new friends. How was I supposed to know you were in earshot?"

"We walked into the mess hall at the same time." Ana scoffed.

"Did we?"

Ana raised her foot behind her and slammed it on the lever that opened the chute. On cue, the chute opened and the air around them was drawn into it. Ana nudged him in front of the trash chute and watched as he fell inside. She grinned when she heard screaming and turned back around to go back to her table. As she stepped forward, she felt something tug at her foot. Ana frowned and looked down, seeing a mystical rope around her ankle. Loki had conjoined them so she would get dragged into the chute as well. Ana was forced to dive into the chute and yelled after him.

"Loki!"

Brunnhilde caught Loki smiling as soon as he walked into the holding area behind the arena. She would rarely be caught on the side where gladiators roamed the grounds, but this was an important event. She had just finished speaking with the Grandmaster on the subject of Ana's place in his contest. He wasn't happy that Ana would forfeit in the first five minutes, and made Brunnhilde promise that if she didn't go all out on this last fight, Ana would be 'excused' from the competition.

Loki strolled towards the wielder of Ana's obedience disks, grinning gleefully. Yes, he did fall into the trash pile at the base of the building, but he did so by dragging Ana down with him.

"Why are you smiling?" Brunnhilde questioned, eyes squinting.

"Can't I smile because I feel like it?" Loki shrugged.

Ana joined them, shaking her short hair with a clean towel. She had just gotten out of a much needed shower and glared at Loki when he waved his fingers at her. "He dragged me into the trash." She told Brunnhilde.

"Whatever. You're up." Brunnhilde slapped Ana's silver helmet against her chest, causing the half human to grunt. Ana's hands encased the object that she never put on, and glanced down at it. Brunnhilde sauntered past her, and Ana followed after the mysterious woman, lips pursed.

"Me? Again? Doesn't the Grandmaster get tired of seeing me lose?" Ana questioned.

Brunnhilde spun to face her, arms crossed over her chest. "As a matter of fact, this is your last chance. He said if you don't beat your opponent this round, he'll have you killed before midnight. And to give you extra motivation... you win, you're free."

Ana's eyes widened at the last word. "Free?" She whispered. It sounded to good to be true.

"Yes. Special event and all that." Brunnhilde shrugged, taking out the device that controlled Ana's obedience disks. Ana tried to snag it from her hands, but Brunnhilde was quicker, and lifted it out of her reach. "I'll do you a favor this once. I'll disable the disks when you're in the arena. Give them a show. Get me money. Win, or I'll namedrop you and you'll wish your fake death was real." She demanded, eyes expressionless. Ana stepped away from her, focusing on the device in her hands. She backed into the crowd of the gladiators, bemused, as Brunnhilde wagged the device, smirking.

"Do me proud, Marcy."

Ana stood in the arena, accepting the boos and yells of hate the crowd gave her. She knew they were sick of her by now. She had her head down, eyes on the helmet in her grip. It wasn't new, she could tell from the scratches and dents all over it. She turned it over in her hands, and just as she went to put it on, something on the inside caught her eye. For all she knew, it could be a coincidence. The initials M.M. were etched into the metal along with a symbol of an eight-pointed star. Marcus Michaels. Ana swallowed when her throat felt dry all of a sudden. She looked up at the horde of aircrafts hovering over the arena, trying to spot one in particular. Brunnhilde was in the same spot, off centre in the air, bottle of booze in one hand as usual. She realised that Ana had found the initials inside the helmet, and suppressed a smile, deactivating the obedience disks.

Ana ran a hand over the disks as they clicked off, closing her eyes from the relief she felt. She couldn't help the grin that spread across her face when she placed the helmet on her head. It was a little big for her, but she didn't care. It was another possession of her father's she now carried with her.

"Good evening, Sakaar!" The Grandmaster cheered into a microphone handed to him in his VIP box that had the perfect view of the arena. "I know, I know. You guys didn't ask for another disappointment, but this time I gave her an offer she couldn't refuse! Tonight, we get the entertainment we deserve. Please give a warm welcome to a new contender, Beta Ray Bill!"

Beta Ray Bill, the bioengineered Korbinite, walked out from his side of the stadium, dressed clad in a red and silver styled armour and cape. He carried a weapon he was supplied with, a hammer, by his side. Ana could only describe him as a humanoid. Light orange skin that was muscular and hairless. His face resembled a horse, something that made a few people in the crowd snicker. Bill could hear the laughs aimed at him, and growled. This was the last place he wished to be.

Ana frowned at him when he stopped in front of her. "Wait, you're the one whose ship crashed here?" She asked, lowering the sword she was supplied with.

"Skuttlebut." He corrected. "My people are in cryostasis inside of it."

"Why?" Ana asked.

"My home was destroyed by the Fire Giant, Surtur. My people chose me as their leader and entrusted me with seeing to it that I guide them away from extinction." Beta Ray Bill informed.

"What did the Grandmaster promise you?" Ana tilted her head.

"Freedom for me and my people. Please forgive me, young lady, for I wish there was another way."

Before Ana could ask what he meant by it, he struck first. The crowd yelled their support when Beta Ray Bill swung his weapon at Ana's face, hitting her so hard she crashed into the boundaries below the seats in the stadium. Ana grabbed her jaw, thankful for the helmet that protected the rest of her face. Korg was underneath the arena with his fellow gladiators, and he reached outside the bars that kept him inside to place a hand on Ana's shoulder.

"Go get 'em, pal." He encouraged.

Ana turned to look at him, eyes wide with a dumbfounded look on her face. "Korg, we're both fighting for our freedom."

"Oh..." Korg grimaced, "Then if you get the chance, run like hell."

Miek slapped Korg's thigh in protest at his words, chirping angrily. Korg shrugged at him, muttering, "I doubt Ana will kill a horse with a hammer."

Ana sighed, noticing how Bill started to walk towards her when she made no move to get back in the ring. "Well, for one, you're right. I won't kill him. I've got an idea..."

"Is it a good idea?" Korg asked.

Ana hesitated for a second, before forcing a smile. "I'll get back to you on that, bud." She said quickly, before standing and dodging another hit meant for her.

Bill had thrown his hammer at her, only for it to embed itself in the wall when it missed its target. Ana backtracked to the centre of the arena, and waited for Bill to come to her. He had collected his hammer, and dashed at her, raising his weapon in the air. Ana discarded the sword in her hand, and lifted her hands, timing it perfectly to grab the hammer before it could collide with her skull. Bill struggled to lower it completely, and snarled. Bill was still attached to the handle of his weapon, and didn't think to let go before Ana swung him around, realising her hold on it and making him fly up into the air.

Ana stepped back, grinding the sand underneath her shoes. She opened her palms, and spelled mystical mandalas to appear. The Grandmaster gripped his armrests at the sight of her magic, and glanced at Loki who was watching Ana intently.

"Who deactivated her disks?" The Grandmaster asked him, trying to keep a calm demeanour.

"Scapper-142." Topaz answered before Loki could, sending him a sly look. Loki only waved it off, knowing she was just jealous of his relationship with her boss, sending her a smirk before he continued to watch as Ana fought against Bill. Topaz stood beside the Grandmaster, arms behind her back. He looked up at her, scoffing out a laugh.

"That's not possible. She wouldn't..." He faltered at Topaz's eyebrow raise, "Would she?"

Topaz nodded, "You want me to hunt her down?"

Grandmaster waved his hand, dismissing her. "Go. I need to speak with her."

Ana yelled as she slammed her fists against Bill's chest. He wouldn't stop advancing on her. He was quick to recover, an attribute that Ana would respect if she wasn't the one fighting against him. Her lungs were burning as her chest heaved up and down for air. She tugged at her uniform, groaning when her body temperature started to rise. She wiped a hand across her sweaty forehead, exhaling.

"I must save my family..." Bill told her regrettably, raising his hammer once again.

Ana eyed the obedience disk on his chest, and lit up with an idea. She ducked and knocked his feet out from underneath him with a spin kick. He fell over and landed on his back, his hammer abandoned out of arms reach. She darted up and planted her legs on his arms before he could climb to his feet. Bill was unaware of her objective when she began spelling an Eldritch Whip in her hands. He withered around, unable to free himself from her grip.

"Don't move." Ana told him, pursing her lips. "It'll hurt more if you do."

Beta Ray Bill's eyes enlarged when she sawed through the disk on his chest plate with the mystical whip. The energy interfered with the disk, therefore sending a wave of pulsing electricity throughout his body. Ana clenched her jaw, ignoring the guilt she felt from causing him pain, and continued to remove the disk from his armour. Bill was lucky, the obedience disk wasn't attached to his skin which meant it could be removed. She wondered who had tagged him in the first place, and if they placed the disk away from his skin on purpose.