Entry tags:

active: torunn thorsdottir, inactive: tim drake

Torunn & Tim
WHO: Tim & Torunn
WHAT: Run-in
WHERE: Disney World
WHEN: Backdated to Disney Plot
STATUS: Completed

Torunn had no idea what to expect from Disney World. She didn’t know the characters and she certainly never rode any rides back home. She’d ventured out alone to explore, figuring she’d hold back anyone who joined her. However, as she stood in the middle of the Magic Kingdom holding a map, she grew overwhelmed. “They should have a start on this map,” she muttered.

“They do,” a voice from behind her said. Tim hadn’t been to a theme park in forever, there wasn’t generally much time for it after he took on the role of Robin (and before, when he was sort of stalking Bruce and Jason, taking pictures of them from fire escapes like some eight year old stalker). Even beforehand, his parents had been too busy working and doing their own thing. But he’d been once or twice.

He’d seen the girl around, knew she lived in the Villa but hadn’t ever spoken to her. He’d been intending on doing a quick scout around, making sure the place wasn’t about to explode or anything before texting Conner and Cassie to see if they wanted to come hang with him (or, y’know, together without him, whatever), but he was a sucker for trying to help people when he could.

Or not. It had been a long few days and he was tired. But maps, maps he could do.

“Do you mind?” he asked, coming a little closer and looking at the map over her shoulder. “Here’s the entrance, technically,” he said, pointing at a section near the bottom. “We’re…” he glanced around, “here.”

Offering her a small smile, he held out his hand. “I’m Tim.”

Of course the entrance was the start. Torunn felt stupid. Tony would be so disappointed. Well, her Tony back home anyway. She should be able to read a map at the very least. However, she didn’t have much time to dwell on her idiocy because the person who spoke was introducing himself. “Oh, hi, Tim, thanks. I’m Torunn.” She didn’t add “daughter of Thor” - she was getting good at leaving that out not because she was ashamed, but because she realized people her age didn’t go around introducing themselves that way. “So basically we are at the entrance and I can go…” She pointed at the map. “Pretty much anywhere from here.” It was completely overwhelming.

“Nice to meet you, Torunn,” he said, picking up the edge of the map and tipping his head at it. “You can go anywhere you want. Up here, here and here,” he pointed at spots on the map, “are some of the rollercoasters, and here are some of the tamer rides, if you wanted to start with those. Anything with this mark on it,” he pointed at the food icon, “indicates that there’s food.”

He glanced at her, and then up at the area around them. “Did you want to go somewhere in particular?”

“I don’t really know,” she admitted. “I’m not from around here.” She was literally from another planet although she didn’t remember it well, but, mostly, she was referring to the world Ultron destroyed. “Not here,” she added, “like Goodland, but not really this world, you know?” She shrugged. “I didn’t have places like this. Have you ever been?” Maybe he’d have some good suggestions or maybe she would just fold up and go home. Navigating the huge place alone felt daunting.

“I’ve never been to Disney,” he admitted, “but I’ve been to similar parks so we can probably use that as experience?” Glancing at the map again, he glanced at her. Torunn carried herself like a fighter, her shoulders were broad and she looked strong. He wondered if she was a meta-human, there seemed to be a lot of them here, and magic users. Most of the Titans would have fitted in fine. “If you’ve never been on a rollercoaster before, you really have to try those. And there are some of the tamer rides too if you don’t want the adrenaline rush of a rollercoaster.”

He glanced at his phone, thumbing quickly through the network. “And I’ve seen people talking about churros and Dole Whip, so if you’re hungry we can try those? Churros are pretty good, I’ll admit.”

“You’d stick with me for a while?” she asked, genuinely surprised at the offer. “You definitely sound like a good leader.” Leader was perhaps the wrong word, but how Torunn thought of people given where she was raised. Followers and leaders. “Everything you said sounds good, especially the roller coaster and food.”

Tim nodded, “Yeah, I’ll stick with you for a while.” Something in him warmed brightly, flaring to life when she said he sounded like a good leader. The smile softened even more, became something genuine that lit up his whole face. He glanced at his watch and then around. “Well, it’s getting pretty close to the time everyone’s gonna go looking for food, so we can get in there first and then when people leave to get lunch, we can hit up the rides? Might be less wait times that way.”

He added, a moment later, “Thanks, Torunn. I haven’t been a leader for a while. Nice to know I haven’t lost my touch. C’mon, churros or Dole Whip? That’ll guide us as to which way we go.” She didn’t seem like she was much older than Damian, but she was definitely less of a tiny murder gremlin. He wouldn’t mind sticking with her for a while.

“I hear a lot about Dole Whip,” she replied. “Want to start there?” She was so out of her element that it unnerved her, but she didn’t want to let on more than she already had. Tim seemed genuinely okay with hanging out, which she was grateful for, but she still wasn’t the best with people. Small talk? What was that? “So,” she said, attempting to make conversation, “Where are you from?”

“Me too,” he told her with a nod, glancing at the map again - more out of habit than any need, he’d already identified the most efficient way to move through the park and avoid most of the rush to make the most of the time he spent hanging out with Torunn before they went their separate ways. “Let’s head straight up this way.” Fastest route but also took them past a few rides they could put a pin in later.

Leading the way, he walked them up through main street towards Adventureland, keeping close to Torunn as they moved through the people there, keeping a gentle hand on her shoulder so as not to lose her as he nudged her up towards the part of Adventureland that looked a lot like Agrabah from Aladdin. He’d not really paid much attention to Disney, he’d been too busy chasing after Jason and Bruce but he was aware enough because. Bart.

“Uh, a place called Gotham City,” he said, “before I came here, I was at my d- Br- my dad’s company. I’m the boss.” He missed Wayne Enterprises. Without their R&D department to tinker in and make his equipment in he felt like a loose end. “Sort of. What about you? Your name’s… Norse?”

She nodded. “I’m from Asgard. It is in space. My dad is Thor, the god of thunder.” She followed him through the park, scanning her surroundings so she’d remember later. She didn’t like depending on other people, even if Tim seemed nice. “He is here,” she added. “Not really my dad. Different realities and all, but...still. You know, a version of my dad.”

“...Thor’s here? As in the Norse God, Thor?” Tim’s eyebrows lifted. He hadn’t heard many weirder things than people claiming to be directly related to the Gods of Old, but hey. This was a weird place and who was he to say that wasn’t real. “Can he control lightning like in all the stories?” he asked, “Can you do that too? That would be a really neat power.”

“He can and I can,” she admitted. It was weird confessing her powers to a relative stranger, but everyone seemed open about it here. “He’s better at it, but I am getting the hang of it. What about you? Any secret powers?” She teased.

“Wow,” Tim said, sounding suitably impressed. “I always heard that no mortal weapon could hurt him too. I’d love to be invulnerable. What’s it like?”

He shook his head with an exaggerated, disappointed sigh. “No, I’m just a normal, regular human.” Exceptionally trained by the greatest detective the world had ever known but still. “Definitely not able to control lightning or survive being shot.”

Torunn laughed. “It is not always what it is cracked up to be,” she told him. “Saving worlds and all that. Tough business.” She nodded toward people with Dole Whips. “I think that is it.”

“I think you’re right,” Tim said, sliding into the queue and gently tugging Torunn with him. “I mean, saving worlds sounds tough but also rewarding. You must be really strong to be able to have your powers. Do you have a hammer like your dad?”

He fished into his pocket for his wallet, getting ready to pay as they moved through the queue which was quicker than he was expecting, but he supposed the people here weren’t even a fraction of the ones at the actual park.

Torunn beamed. “No, but I have my sword. I couldn’t bring it here, but you have to see it! She is a beauty.” Fighting? Swords? Those were topics she was comfortable with. She added, “You should meet my dad sometime. He likes meeting new people.” Tim seemed into the gods and he was being kind to her so she was sure Thor would like to meet him.

“You have a sword?!” Tim asked, “I’m pretty good at throwing shurikens and I like to train with a bo staff, do you know what one of those is? It’s not as cool as a sword, though.” He lit up a little himself; the conversation drifting into an arena he was comfortable in. “I’d really like to meet your dad, if you think that’d be okay.”

“You fight?” she asked, nodding when he mentioned her dad. “So you aren’t totally normal, Tim,” she teased.

“Well, I know some self-defence, but you asked me if I had any superpowers and I don’t.” He bumped her shoulder playfully and then stepped up to the counter to order two of the pineapple Dole Whips, paying for them before Torunn could argue with him.

Handing her one to her, he offered her a sheepish look. “Still gonna be friends with me even though I’m a normal human that happens to know how to fight?”

“Thanks,” she said although accepting the kindness was unsettling. She only had Tony and her siblings at home so accepting things from people was still difficult for her here. “Well…” She pretended to think. “I guess I could be friends with a normal fighter,” she replied, grinning.

“Sweet,” Tim replied, “c’mon, the rollercoasters are this way and we’ll be finished with the Dole Whip by the time we get there.”

Today, at least, he could try and shrug off Tim Drake-Wayne and try and enjoy his time at a magically provided theme park with someone almost close to his own age. It’d be a nice change. Sticking his small wooden spoon into the Dole Whip and taking a mouthful, his eyes widened in life-changing surprise.

“Oh, we’re coming back here for more of this later.”