Loki: Goose is dead

[moonshadows]

Loki strode into the room where Tony Stark was relaxing with a drink like a panther approaching a rival, a large bird hanging from his hand by its broken neck. The billionaire didn’t react until with a snarl, Loki swung the bird overhand slammed it down on the coffee table next to Tony’s crossed feet.

“What the hell, Loki? What-” The look of fury on the Asgardian’s face stopped him cold. “Loki?”

“Cougar or Goose, Tony?” Loki crossed his arms, radiating menace.

“I don’t…what? Why is there a bird on my table?”

“What you did today was stupid and reckless.”

“Yeah, and it worked.”

“We could have found another way.”

“Mine was faster.”

“You almost got yourself killed!”

Stark shot to his feet. “But I didn’t!”

“Do you so despise my company, then?” Loki asked in a low, tense voice. “Are you so eager to make Pepper a widow, to leave your child without a father as you were left without yours?”

Uncomfortable, Tony’s eyes dropped to the dead bird.

In a tone of pure steel, Loki informed him, “It’s a goose. And it’s dead. Goose is dead.”

The color drained from Stark’s face as the association hit him.

“Are you going to be Cougar, Tony? Or are you going to be Goose?”

“Cougar,” he half-babbled, backing towards Loki as if seeking protection from the dead waterfowl. “Definitely Cougar. Yes. Cougar is good. Where did we leave the profiles of those potential successors?”

“I have them right here, sir,” JARVIS interjected helpfully. Every screen in the room lit up with a different profile.

Tony glanced around. “I’ll be honest, I only kind of skimmed them. Loki, have you…?” He turned to his friend, the question trailing off in an excuse to gauge the lanky Asgardian’s mood. To his relief, the near-hostility was gone now that he’s resigned from-

-he’d resigned from being Iron Man. That was going to take some getting used to.

“I’ve spoken with each of them,” Loki answered, calm again. “I’ve looked into their hearts and tested their reflexes. Any one of them would be a worthy successor, although you will need to decide if they should be required to choose their own colors and title, or if you intend for Iron Man to be a dynasty.”

“I gotta say, I like the idea of a dynasty. But you’re the one who’s going to be working with the next Iron Man; I just build the suits now. Who do you suggest?”

Loki gestured; all screens but one blanked out. The remaining profile was a young woman whirling around a pair of uneven bars, blonde hair pulled into a high ponytail.

“Penny? Really? I’m never going to not think of her as Inspector Gadget’s niece. Then again, Penny was the brains of the operation…” he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Alright. Call Fury up, let him know I’ve turned in my wings, and Penny gets to go to Top Gun.”