Most people would avoid entering Hel. Most people knew it would result in their death. Most people, however, do not have the goddess Hela as their sister. Most people would not count on her protection. Leif is not “most people”.

He wondered over the rugged rock surface of the realm, searching for subjects for his scheme. Which is, for once, remarkably simple. Gather a small undead force, small enough to escape his sister’s attention, bring it to Midgard. Set the army loose with one instruction: ”Destroy”.He knew the rest too like the back of his hand, but the army need know no more. Besides, Hel contains magical beats, and inevitably some will read his mind- or try to- and enough are loyal to Hela that such thoughts would be relayed.

Reaching the top of a crag, a valley opens out below revealing a pack of hellhounds. Normally the beasts would steer clear of each other, but these have an obvious reason for proximity. Two of their number are tiny pups, barely a half metre tall. One is pubescent, around the height of the average human. One a young adult; roughly twice the size of this. The other three are fully grown, hulking beasts, drooling profusely, the smallest five metres tall, covered in a hide like plate armour, and a face like a gargoyle.

A family unit. Rare. Leif knew not to directly approach the huge beasts with her plan. Unfortunately the dísir do not know not to interfere, and Leif can hear their rattling cries not far behind him.

“I smell trickster! Hlock kills trickster!” comes one voice. “murder, murder, tear tear TEAR!”

Not the most subtle reporters. Still, they are too close to be ignored, and he could have a worse force than six hellhounds. Hela would likely be grateful for the missing monsters, as it was not enough to deplete her power but still ridding a pest, while this small group would likely still be terrifying to a mortal audience.

Leif wished he could go on and find a larger force, but this would have to do.

<”Elsewhere! With my squad!”> Too small to really be called an army. He saw green light appear around the hardly-sentient creatures. This would likely not work in Midgard, at least, not all at once. Hel was far more magically charged.

Leif seemed to cut through the fabric of the realm with a single step sideways, allowing space to fold around him as he stepped out onto a familiar site. It was close enough to his target to be just about practical, not close enough to raise suspicion as to why he had landed here. Half-way North through central park, at the Eastern side of the park. The hell hounds land in a lush field, while Leif steps neatly into a small copse of trees.

The mortals had already started screaming. The puppy was tearing at a business man’s trouser leg. The young adolescent hound had attacked a group of picnickers’ dogs, brutally pulling the hilariously under-sized Frisbee off of a Labrador. The young adult pulled out a light with her teeth and trotted around happily, head lowered, smacking the mortals square in the heads; just hard enough to make them rub their skulls.

The adults, however, are a more serious source of destruction. One landed on top of a young woman, and Leif suspects that the licking is not entirely affectionate. One had already eaten a hot dog vendor’s wares- including the wagon itself- and was proceeding with the other stands. The last had charged off over the roughly fifty metres to the edge of the park, had slammed into a car, and was disturbing traffic efficiently.

This seemed just about satisfactory.

Leif noticed a teenage girl taking photo. He assumed female form before running over, held out his hands, grinning. A massive smile saying “oh my goodness, this is amazing.” Pretending to be as air-headed as most mortals was a huge challenge.

”Can I borrow your phone? my mum is totally not gonna believe this unless I take shots?” He actually did tone his voice exactly like a question. ”I’ll give it back in a minute!” Without waiting for a response, he grabbed the phone, took a few snapshots of the destruction, then a few selfies while reverted to male form (the shock from the girl made that worth while). He was grimacing in one, gesturing the destruction in another (hiding a massive grin), now including a large hole where the pubescent had tried to bury her lamp-post under a tree.

Leif entered one of his numerous email accounts, and sent the entire set of photos everywhere where he knew that a hero would see them. The IP wouldn’t be addressed back. He put the topic as “Urgent help required!” and the entire message read “I didn’t intend to let loose an entire pack of hellhounds. Father has a thing for making people prove themselves by taming particularly vile beasts- have you seen toothgnasher?- and I thought I could tame these guys. Apparently not! They’re in central park and I’m busy trying to restrain them, and as much as I hate to admit it, I think I may actually be in dire need of assistance. Sincerely, Loki Jr.” Within a half second, the various messages are sent. He knew one would go directly to the Avengers’ tower, and that was all the more reason to escape now.

Leif chucked the phone directly back at the girl, who was absolutely fuming. She had her phone back, however and calmed down enough to realise her biggest concern was probably the rampaging adult hellhound who had gotten bored of plastic meat.

Enough people were running that Leif could slip unnoticed into the crowd. His armour and coat seemed to melt off into nothingness as they were magically dismissed, and the jackdaw who had left her master earlier now re-emerged from the spinney where she had hidden before Leif’s trip.

The bird had the decency not to directly follow Leif as he ran, nor to call out in greeting, instead trailing a red-headed man about a dozen metres over. Leif paused in the undergrowth a fair distance from the chaos he had wrought. He grinned as he looked back
.
”Misdirection, how beautiful you are.”

With that, he was off running again in the direction of a highly familiar New York building. One which was probably emptying now, and whose evacuees would not be searching for a young man in a t-shirt and jogging bottoms. Avengers’ tower.


((OoC: sorry for going on a bit but this was ridiculously fun and I don't even know how I would start editing it down.))

T'Shan was working out, or as best he could without harming himself. His father had rarely used it, however it was readied for him. T'Shan was on a heavily, HEAVILY re-enforced bench lifting 100 tons. Skugga meanwhile was perched on the very middle of the bar, cleaning himself.

"Do you really have to do that now Skugga?"

I had an itch. Midgard pests bother me.'

T'Shan meanwhile rolled his eyes and went back to lifting. He was nearing the end of this set and was going to go onto some 50 ton curls when his phone beeped. He placed the bar back on its stands and sat up, wiping his brow. Skugga flew over and grabbed his phone, dropping it in T'Shan's lap. He examined his phone, trying to remember for to work it. Eventually he got it, the phone groaning in protest to his strength. Perhaps Ginnie could get him a better one, or at least stronger. He began flipping through messages. Rayne, Aileen, JJ but then he saw the pictures of Central park. He dropped the phone and held his hand out, Mjolnir flying to him.

"Skugga, cousin Leif is at it again."

'What has he done this time?'

"Hellhounds in central park."

They both took off for the door. T'Shan threw the top of his 'armor' on as he ran out the door. Using Mjolnir he took to the air, landing in Central Park on no time.

"Skugga, find Cousin Leif."

'Aye.'

He ran up to some police, trying to maintain order and firing at the hellhounds with obviously no reaction.

"You, law man. Get the people out of the park and ensure no one else enters. Leave the hounds to the professionals."

He said as a crack of thunder echoed through out the once clear day. Clouds began to move in and T'Shan examined the situation. He needed to draw back the adults. The only logical way was to go after the pups, as much as he hated it. T'Shan rushed over to the hound that was chasing after the people. He quickly picked it up, ignoring its snapping jaws. He held it high and the pup let out a whine. This had the desired affect. But now he had two angry adults and two other larger Hellhounds closing in on him. He pressed a button on his belt. A sort of 'Call All' button that would alert any hero and SHIELD nearby. He threw the pup toward the father and ran over to the mother, swinging Mjolnir into the hound's jaw before the teenager jumped onto his back.

Virginia was sitting at her desk in Stark Industries, her back to the window and a glass of whiskey in her hand. "Isn't it a bit early to be drinking, Miss Stark," she could hear the computer saying from her wrist. How did it even know? Well, that was a dumb question. With it always on her, it could constantly check her vitals. Meaning it would easily be able to tell when her blood alcohol content was staring to elevate, even if it was only by a little so far. She took a sip from the glass, making a small face before just swirling the ice around in the glass. The soft 'clink clink clink' of the solidified water against the chilled glass was melodic enough that it wasn't really bothering her.

"I have a meeting in an hour with the board. I doubt i'll last long in it if I'm not at least buzzed," she admitted to JARVIS. She was sure if the AI had a physical form it would have just rolled it's eyes at her for saying something like that. Taking another small sip, she licked her lips before putting the glass down on the table. She was about to turn towards her window when she heard a small beep from her computer. "Huh?" She turned her focus to her computer and looked at the message that had just popped up in her email. She read the text with slight comfusion but when she saw the pictures, she was already up and out of her seat to get her suit on. She didn't have the time to get on her proper suit so, rather, she grabbed the red and gold suitcase and, as she got into the elevator, she took the moment to get it on. It took about the same amount of time to get from the top to bottom floor for her to get the suit on and prepared enough for her to literally fly out of the building.

"Three. Two. One." The second the door opened, she kicked off the wall and launched herself forward so that she flew out the building's revolving front door. "Sorry!" she had called back to the secretary as her papers went everywhere. The lady likely didn't hear her but oh well. She flew to central park, already half way there when the call from T'shan came through. Flying over head, she dove down to blast one of the hellhounds before she landed on the grass. "You know, for demonic little hellhounds, they sure are cute," she mused.

Edward had been surprised to see Celeste Belmont waiting for him when he returned to the school. Not unhappy and definitely not disappointed, but surprised. What had surprised him even more was the thanks. Celeste didn't strike him as much of a girl who did please or thank you. Again, not like he was complaining, and honestly, he was happy to see her again. For somebody who'd snapped his arm and then spent the next hour taking the piss out of him and helping him kill things, she was actually pretty alright. Since then they'd moved to the canteen, where Edward was trying to find something to eat. He stopped when his phone buzzed, and he opened it to see an email. But not addressed to him, but to the Jean Grey Academy as a whole. He frowned, and read it.

When he saw pictures of the mangled people, and the dogs, his face went pale and his blood ran cold. Well, now he had even more reasons to be okay with Celeste being here. He read and re-read the email, trying to establish what was going on. So there were...well, something that looked like Celeste would be able to deal with it. Or at least something to do.
"Celeste..." He said, sounding uncertain and wary as he handed her the phone. He probably shouldn't be handing his emergency panic button phone to people he only knew through violent situations, but he figured she'd want to know about this. As she read, he grabbed her arm to try and get her moving, but he didn't pull. He figured she'd be pissed enough for grabbing, and he didn't want to give her more reason to hit him by pulling, but they really didn't time to waste.

"Looks like something you'd know what to do," He commented, feeling the spaces between his fingers itching. "They look suitably...monsterish. And I'll just...Well, you can tell me how to kill them." He figured it'd be like most things: slash it enough and it dies, but he was sure Celeste could give him some tips. "And don't say I should stay behind or anything, you've seen that I could handle myself." She could deny it all she wanted, she'd looked impressed when he was fighting the vampires. She'd almost looked...other things as well, but he tried mainly to think about her being impressed. 

Now usually Celeste wasn't big on the idea of thanking people but her mum had taught her etiquette for a reason. And she wasn't about to be that rude. Sure, it was a few days late but she would be heading home soon and, well, better now than never, right? So she had found out where the boy stayed and was waiting for him in the foyer of Jean Grey's School. The boy had had some guts doing what he had. Granted, he was still a bloody imbecile but he was at least a gutsy imbecile. And she figured, if he was going to be stupid and fight things outside if his pay grade, she had figured she would at least help teach him the basics before disappearing for good.

She had been following him to get some food, having been offered, when her phone went off in her bra. The buzz had been a shock to her but she buried into it to grab the phone out and check it. It hadn't occured to her that the lamp strapped to her back side under her coat was glowing. You see, she didn't bring much to this visit. Just her lamp, her guitar case and, of course, her guitar. Why would she have needed guns to visit a kid, after all? However the occasional flask of holy water was always tucked away in her jacket. She had looked at the images sent to her at the same time that Edward started to speak. This sense of child-like wonder took over as she stared at the images.

"They're so cute..." she whispered, almost in a daze as she looked at the pictures. Oh wait, no... bad? She shook her head and looked at Edward with a smirk, slipping the phone back into her bra. She wanted one of those monstrosities. She didn't know why, didn't know what had come over her, but she wanted one. She took his phone anyway, even though she had already seen the creatures in her own messages. The message in and of itself was a laugh. She should have been taking this seriously, she knew tht, but she just couldn't!

She tugged her arm out of his grasp. "First off, don't touch me," she ordered. She listened to what he said and sighed. Well, even if she did leave him behind, she would no doubt find him at central park in an hour or so anyway. Oh whatever. She reached behind her to grab the lamp out of its case, its orange glow growing brighter and brighter. Taking Edward's hand, she placed it lightly on the lamp before putting hers over top of it. "If you die, that's your own fault, then," she told him before she focussed on her lamp. "I wish to be where the trouble is." The glow from the lamp spread around them and, in a flash, the two were gone, reappearing in the middle of Central Park.

This was brilliant! She grinned wildly as she slipped the lamp back into its case and then kneeled down to get her guitar our. "Cover me for a tick, will you?" she asked of Edward as she got the guitar out. It was a shame. This guitar was going to need to be replaced after tonight, wasn't it? Oh well! She left the case where it was, a plan in her head of what she was going to do. She was going to knock one out and take it home with her. "Fore!" She yelled as she stood and swung the guitar with as much strength as she could muster at the hellhound that went to pounce at her. This was going to be just wonderful! "Teeth, claws, smells like wet dog. Look, Edward, i think we found you a friend!"

As Edward had been going to show Celeste the pictures, he'd heard a similar buzzing, and seen Celeste jump slightly, which caught his eye for reasons, and then he saw the phone in her hand. Which meant several people would be getting this email. That was ominous, at the very least. Then as he closed the distance he heard what they say.
"They're not cute," He replied, faintly amused, "From the look of it, they're vicious, violent and tearing apart Central Park," He paused, and sighed, "You find that cute, don't you?" It would be the sort of dog Celeste wanted, wouldn't it? Then Celeste returned her phone to her bra, and he put a few things together, and was interested again. He returned the smirk, and tried very hard not to follow where her phone went with his eyes. Well, not until she looked away, at the very least.

Edward backed away a step as she pulled her arm out of his grasp and told him not to touch her. Which was fair enough, but he certainly wasn't complaining as she grabbed him, and laid his hand on the lamp. 
"Is this necessary? We should probably start..." Then suddenly they were in Central Park, "...Going." He finished, looking around. "Well that was...unexpected," He said with a faint grin on his face as he looked around, "And yes, if I die, it's my fault, yes, yes." Sure, Edward hadn't fought giant dogs before, and he didn't have the faintest clue what was going on, but he could handle himself. 

"If I have to," He replied, his claws sliding out of his hand as she crouched. "Is the guitar bloody necessary?" There were two hellhounds rushing them, and he was groaning and preparing to fight both of them if he had to, when Celeste straightened up and slammed a guitar into one of them. He almost made a comment, but then other one pounced, and instead of trying anything complicated, he twisted, slashing at it as it knocked into him. He was bowled over as the hellhound mostly overshot, but rolled back to his feet quickly enough, standing slightly unsteadily. The hellhound didn't seem particularly hurt by the slash, so he kicked it in the face, knocking it away a bit. Then heard Celeste's comment and he snorted.
"I think that one was a girl," He responded, "Which makes her a bitch, like you." He flashed her a grin as the hellhound got to her feet again and he darted forwards, slashing again as it leapt. 

The police were awfully good at making a single head inconspicuous in a crowd. Dozens of people crowded around the exit where Leif was. He was less noticeable than usual just to the merit of wearing normal civilian attire. This was how he knew that the disappearance of a single black-haired man would have no real effect.

Somehow the hawk seemed to head in the direction Aatsuk and Leif had agreed to feign travelling in. Aatsuk knew he probably hadn’t seen Leif’s little show, but a hawk’s eyes should not be underrated. Aatsuk was not overly familiar with her pet’s cousin’s hawk, but she could recognise he was not a normal bird by a long shot.

”I see flying chicken” she sent psychically.
 
”Ignore him.” Aatsuk decided to ignore the command instead.

”Chyak chyak!” That tone was clearly a greeting even if the hawk couldn’t understand her. Aatsuk swooped over, taking a detour over a man who could just pass off as an illusion-manipulated Leif, before landing in the branches of an oak tree, shadowed near the trunk. ”Come on, Leif. The Mighty Drizzler has arrived now, and a little hvolpur or two to fight the hundar. There’s enough back up now to be able to take the hounds down and send them back to Hel.”

Leif rolled his eyes, unsuprised. The first obvious thing about Leif’s presence in the crowd was the sudden streams of thin green mist; by which time it was already too late for spotting him to make any difference, and the implication was that he had gone to help.

***

Leif teleported onto the roof of the Avenger’s tower, summoning his distinctive black coat and armour even as his foot stepped out onto the roof. He faced empty sky and a long drop, and if his step forwards for the spell had been more than a few inches longer, he would have fallen down to the street below. He had little fear for his own safety, but the crater he would make in the street would defeat the point of misdirection.

Leif had done as much research as he could on the tower. Schematics had proven elusive (probably because of people trying stunts like this). He had managed some hacking, but he still hadn't managed to break through much from outside the actual network without risking detection.

Now that he was here, with the shortcuts he had found in the programming, hopefully what he had planned would take only a few minutes. The best bit was he didn't even plan to sabotage any of their major systems. With only a little care his trace should be minimal, and with damage on a few more suspicious files the rest of his course in the system was unlikely to go noticed.

Leif tried to feel out the territory beneath him, to determine where to aim his spell, but he found no obvious latch and knew that staying on the rooftop would draw the AI’s attention as much as teleporting in unannounced was likely to- or a lot. Thus, doing his best to set up a stealth spell – not his strongest spell- he muttered <”Elsewhere”> and let the latter spell choose the location on the floor below.

”If demigods may pray to gods, let them not have a hulk, and certainly may I not have to meet him,” he whispered.

As Iron maiden arrived T'Shan looked up at her. The teenage hound was still on his back, trying to gnaw on his head. Its teeth couldn't penetrate his skin so he wasn't concerned about that. However it was extremely annoying and would ruin his hair. Sure he wasn't too shallow, but he also did enjoy looking good.

"They are not cute Maiden. They are cruel evil creatures who only want to destroy. We need to destroy them or send them back to Hel, no other...options."

He groaned and got his hands and feet under him and used his strength to push himself up high into the air. The hound went flying, landing in a tree. He landed on his feet and held his hand out, calling Mjolnir to him. He saw a couple people arrive but they seemed more interested in each other and fawning over the pups then dealing with the actual threat. He'd done the job he wanted though. He'd fought two of the pups and angered the parents. The mother lunged at him and he held his arm up, its jaws latching onto his arm. He yelled and began to wail on her with Mjolnir, feeling blood begin to trickle down. There was another crack of thunder and lightning came down on the hound as he hit her again.The mother flew back and he ended up with his arm hanging at his side. It would heal soon enough, but in the mean time it was annoying.

"I have got this b*tch, Maiden take the father. The rest of you keep the pups cornered. I suggest breaking the jaw. But given my current bite wound I may be biased."

He said as lightning came down onto Mjolnir. He hurled the energy at the hound before rushing at it, Mjolnir raised.