Loki's POV

"What in the norms are you doing, Sister?" Thor groaned out. He was looking directly at Sammee. She, herself, was oblivious.

"What do you mean?" She asked him with furrowed brows. "I'm making you stronger. You've got to get all sparky before we can leave."

I froze. 142 quickly put her hand over Sammee's mouth to keep her from saying anything else. Slowly, I looked at Grandmaster for his reaction. He acted like he didn't hear her, but I knew he did. His eyes narrowed slightly at Thor in suspicion and anger.

"Set up the fight for tonight. I want him in the ring with my champion as soon as possible." Grandmaster said to someone on the right side of 142. A man bowed his head before quickly making it out of the room.

"We've located your cousin." Topaz interrupted, walking passed Thor and to the other side of the room where a man was sitting in a chair, cuffed down, like Thor was.

"Uh, oh, good!" Grandmaster said before standing, grabbing Sammee's hand, and tucking it in the crook of his arm. "Ya, come on. I think you're going to like this." He told Thor as Thor's chair moved on its own to follow them.

I made my way to see what was happening, but I didn't have a good look at Thor or the other man since their backs were facing me.

"We almost didn't find you. What, you been hiding?" Grandmaster asked nonchalantly. I heard Thor whisper a small 'hi' to which the other man squeaked a small greeting, too afraid for words.

"Hmm, so..." Grandmaster continued and let Sammee's hand fall as he took some kind of staff from Topaz. It had an large, orange ball at the top with copper coils spiraling under it.

"Please," the man whimpered when he saw it. It must hold some kind of power to provoke such a reaction. "I'm sorry."

"Ya," Grandmaster nodded in faux sympathy, "Carlo," he paused and raised two fingers, "I pardon you."

"Oh, thank you." Carlo breathed out.

"You're officially pardoned... from life." Grandmaster added and touched Carlo with the orange top of the staff. Sammee jumped and yelped, shutting her eyes tightly and turning away from Carlo as he screamed in agony. A blue flame covered Carlo's body as a foul smelling smoke filled the air.

"Oh... my god!" Thor yelled, trying to lean away from Carlo's melting body.

"Oh, look what you did!" Grandmaster sighed and turned to hand the stafff to Topaz before hugging Sammee close to him.

"Oh, the- the smell." Thor had to turn his head away since he was the closest to it.

"What does it smell like?" Grandmaster asked Topaz curiously.

"Burnt toast." She simply told him. Which made him chuckle and look back at Thor.

"What happened to my manners?" He asked himself and stepped away from Sammee, opting to taking her hand again. "I haven't properly introduced myself. Come on. Uh, follow me."

Grandmaster lead Sammee to the room where I was supposed to be, where my clone currently was. Thor's chair trailed after them into the loud party music and lights. I slipped in behind Thor and quickly walked to where my clone was, easily taking its place on the couch, finally back to looking like myself again.

"My name is Grandmaster." He introduced, stopping at a digital music table. "I preside over the little harlequinade called the Contest of Champions. People come from far and wide to unwillingly participate in it. And you, my friend, are part of the new cast. What do you say to that?" Grandmaster asked.

"We're not friends and I don't give a shit about your games. Now, what did you do to Sammee?" Thor demanded, struggling agains the restraints again. Sammee had wondered off to watch a machine with flashing rainbow lights. 142 was next to her, watching to make sure she didn't need anything. I almost went to Sammee, but knew I had to time it. After seeing how Grandmaster responded to her saying we were leaving at some point, I didn't want to risk being put in the games as well.

"Do to her? Oh, nothing. I've been keeping her save here on Sakaar and in return she keeps me company." Grandmaster answered.

"What company would that be?" Thor hissed between ground teeth. I was happy to know that Thor was protective of her as well.

"Relax, we have fun here! No lousy stress. She stays by my side during the day and leaves with 142 when she gets tired. Then, it repeats!" He explained joyfully. He wasn't answering the correct question and he knew it. It made me wonder if he had ever tried something with her. I had to force myself to stay seated and act as if I wasn't listening, talking to the others seated on the couch with me.

"And why isn't she in her right mind?" Thor questioned. Grandmaster shrugged and looked over at Sammee.

"Like I said, we have fun here. She's having fun. Now, back to..." he trailed off and looked down at the table. He turned a few nobs and electronic notes started mixing with the music, filling the room.

"Loki?" Thor asked when he finally turned his head and saw me. I was relieved to finally have an excuse to get up and be closer to Sammee, but I was worried Thor would screw everything up. "Loki! Loki!" Thor yelled with a relieved smile. "Over here." He added as I got up. "Over here."

"Excuse me one second." I said quickly to the others I was chatting mindlessly with and fast walked over to Thor. "Shhh!" I shushed him.

"What?" Thor hissed.

"You're alive?" I asked, slightly relieved. It had been a fear that the wormhole could have torn him apart.

"Ah, yes, of course I'm alive." Thor told me, his features shocked.

"You've got to keep it down." I scolded him. The last thing I needed was Grandmaster to get suspicious of what we were discussing.

"What do you mean 'keep it down'? I'm stuck in this chair! Where is your chair?" Thor asked me accusingly.

"I didn't get a chair." I explained.

"Well, get me out of this one."

"I can't." I shook my head.

"Get me out." Thor told me again.

"I can't."

"What?" Thor's brow was furrowed in pure confusion.

"I've gained Grandmasters favor and need to keep it that way if I'm going to get Sammee out of this." I explained. "I won't risk that for you."

"Sammee, what's wrong with her?" He asked me, glancing at her. I did the same.

"She's been here for months-"

"Months!" Thor said a bit too loud.

"Shhh!" I scolded and put my hand over his mouth. "He's drugged her with something called O-X and she's hooked. I need to get her out of this."

"Then, release me and we can do it together." Thor suggested once I put my hand down.

"I can't." I repeated.

"You can't? Why can't-"

"What are you whispering about?" Grandmaster snuck up to us and whispered. I jumped back while Thor yelled in surprise. "Time works real different around these parts. On any other world, I'd be, like-uh, millions of years old. But here on Sakaar..." He smiled. "In any case, you know this-uh, this- uh, you call yourself Lord of Thunder?"

"God of Thunder!" Sammee corrected as she slipped her hand in mine and leaned into me. "He's the God of Thunder."

I squeezed her hand as warmth spread through me. I could fix us, I knew I could.

"God of Thunder, right, right, so, how do you know this God of Thunder." Grandmaster continued and asked me.

"I've never met this man in my life." I told him with a fake smile. I expected Sammee to scold me, but she burst out in a fit of giggles instead.

"He's my brother!" Thor admitted to Grandmaster. Damn... worth a shot.

"Adopted." Sammee and I said at the same time, causing her to go into another fit of giggles.

"Right," Grandmaster nodded before snapping his fingers, "Scrapper 142, could you please take Sammee to go get a drink. I'll join you in a moment." He told her. 142 stepped up to Sammee and took her hand. I glared at her as she pulled Sammee away from me. 142 glared right back. Once they were gone, Grandmaster spoke up. "The only way you can leave is if you beat my champion." He explained. "If you do that, we'll even provide you with a ship." He added.

"And what about Sammee, we're not leaving without her." Thor asked. Smart.

"Her, too. She told me you were coming and I always said she could leave with you once you got here, but you still have to follow the rules, and my rules say that you have to beat my champion, first."

"Fine. Then point me in the direction of whoever's ass I have to kick!" Thor frustratedly yelled.

"That's what I call, contender." Grandmaster smiled excitedly. "Direction would be this way, Lord." He told him and hit a button. Thor's chair started moving and he yelped.

"Ah! Loki!" He yelled as he moved out of the room.

"Let me be clear," Grandmaster turned to me once Thor was gone, "only one gets passage out of Sakaar, the one that defeats my champion. You can not go with them."

It was clever. He knew Sammee wouldn't leave without me, but I'd find a way. I always did.