Asymmetry: Role-Playing: What If: Over the Rainbow


Over the Rainbow	25

Crossing the bridge.

    Dumas looked around the area to make sure no one was coming. "I have the optional ability to run also." He smiles.
    The Captain smiled warmly at the small joke and continued "Emerald, you mentioned...a friend of your father. Did he say anything about how friendly the dwarves might be? I figure either they're allied with the creeps we've met- in which case we don't want to tip them off that we're here- or they're not and the Vikings treat them about as well as they do New Yorkers. If that's the way it is, we'd probably have some eager help on our side."
    Victor replies. "I think that sounds like a fine idea. An ally would suit us well. Though if no ally presents itself to us, then maybe we can grab a disguise. I know the good Captain here.." He motions towards Captain America. "...is about their size and I'm sure not everyone is as big as their warriors. We could probably all fit in."
    He looks around at everyone as if judging their sizes in comparance to the the image of the Vikings.
    "I'm not sure how well striped capes, black wings, and green bandanas will blend in, but..." Cap pauses with a deep breath, his eyes realigning as if suddenly realizing something, "...I guess we'll find out, won't we?"
    Union had started flying cautiously around the island, maintaining his upright posture, testing the air-fields. "That sort of thing only works for Eroll Flynn, Doctor. This isn't a Republic serial here."
    "One must never count out every possibility Union." Dumas holds his finger pointed upward as if to make his point. He smiles as he is doing it.
    "As for the flying under the bridge idea, I can bring a few people with me in phased mode. I know Captain America is plenty strong to carry those of us who do not fly."
    "These are options," Aegis says briskly. "We'll see what we have to work with once we get there." Thinking that while perhaps Dumas has no qualms about having his face known to all, others of their group might not be so sanguine about the prospect. But that's a bridge to cross later.
    "Under the rainbow, then, if we can, and see what might be living there. If there's no way in, we'll knock on the front door and threaten to blow it down," she adds in an amused tone. "Who needs a lift?" She glances around the group, waiting for any objections or counter-suggestions.
    "I think all of us can fly except the Doctor and Delta V. Delta, I can rig up a way to carry you, bit I think Emerald might find it easier." Union heads over to the edge of the bridge and glances under it, "I just hope there aren't any trolls under this particular bridge..." *and that no one has seen us yet—but there hasn't been an alarm...*
    "Aegis, I'm ready to go when you give the word."
    "Well then lets go!" Dumas phases out of reality and walks off the edge of the island and sinks below the bridge without ever actually laying a foot on it and continues on his way towards the underside of Asgard.

Dumas floated onwards towards the city lost in his thoughts. He wondered why Aegis didn't seem to like him. He knew she was just some employee for Stark, but he couldn't figure out why she had such a bad attitude towards everything. Victor decided to chalk it up to lack of a good upbringing in this modern age of theirs. Then he thought about Union. For a moment back there, he seemed to have an older voice. He too had been nearly unfriendly to the doctor and he wondered if it was professional jealousy or some other reason. It was too bad, because he admired the man's work and had asked if they could get together after all of this was over with to compare notes. Victor now questioned if Union would want that or not.
The others, for the most part, seemed better. Though overall they had rubbed him a bit wrong. It must have been the fact they had all gone through a lot the day before.

    By no means inclined to let her irritation at this persistent grandstanding get the best of her in the middle of a crucial mission, once Dumas is out of easy earshot Aegis murmurs to Union, "Nice try." Not very subtle, admittedly, but still she appreciates the thought.
    "Shall we?" Aegis inquires of the group at large—no sense letting Dumas get too far ahead, who knows what he might run into. The unearthly light glimmers from the armor's intricate interwoven design as she moves smoothly to the edge of their island and takes flight.
    Emerald also takes to the air. A green tendril of energy reaches out and picks up Delta Vee. As soon as the man is close enough Emerald covers the older man with his force field as they also drop below the bridge.
    *Why that arrogant, stupid, grandstanding...! His cocky self confidence is going to get us all killed.* Union pushes off the islands weak electromagnetic field, following Emerald and Delta V under the bridge, now half hoping that there was some magical menace under there, just to put that European posturer in his place.
    *Calm down Adrian—we can't afford distractions with people's lives on the line. Better to hope we run into nothing until we get those women safely home than call something down on us just to see Dumas get his cumuppance.* Union kept close to the bridge's underside, wary of any magical effects or a sudden lack of air. He also kept close to the trio ahead of him, trusting DarkAngel and the Captain to provide read guard support. *Though it would be nice if I had communications gear to link with Aegis' armor—I wonder what she's thinking right now...*
    Up ahead, Aegis trailed fifty feet or so behind Dumas *Boy, I'll be glad when this little trip is over. Can't say I think much of Tony's taste in friends....*
    And so, after much deliberation, the newly forming superhero group leaps off the smaller floating island into the trackless blackness of space, flying into position under Bifrost, the rainbow bridge, that leads to Asgard. As the group approaches the halfway point without incident, some of the tension begins to dissipate, but certainly not too much. The alien universe itself is enough to fray nerves, not to mention the possible presence of an unknown number of hostile, super-powerful enemies.
    Suddenly, there is a blast from a horn, a single, almost painfully loud note. Standing where he was not standing just an eyeblink before, inverted on the underside of Bifrost, his feet in the air, is a single Viking warrior. He appears to be about forty years of age, with long, light brown hair and a thickly braided beard. His sharp blue eyes lock onto the heroes. In one hand he holds a curling ram's horn; in the other, a straight-bladed sword.
    "Halt!" he commands. "None shall passeth across Bifrost without first passing her guardian, Heimdall! Ye are not Asgardians and hath no business here. Speaketh with care. Anon!"
    Dumas halts in mid air a few feet away from Heimdall with his arms crossed.

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