"Well... If I was Loki and we had split up like this, I wouldn't ever let the other team actually see us when we meet back up. So we should watch for something like that."

Hmmm... "I can do something to increase my sensitivity to magic."

"What are the downsides to that?"

"Loki could - effectively blind me by overwhelming the sense, but that'd be difficult and costly to do. It gives me a headache if I keep it up too long, otherwise."

"Seems worth it, then."

"I think it will be." That doesn't take her much time, fortunately. 

Seems like they're ready, then.

Chirp!

As they can be.

Then let's go!

Their opponents meet them.

- And neither Gamora nor 9S can detect any active magic use from Loki. She's definitely there, and very magical as a person, but it doesn't look like she's got an illusion or anything running. 

Very suspicious.

Is she so sure there's going to be trickery?

If there isn't, she'll be disappointed.

She'll have to keep her eyes open, then. 

And: is everyone ready for the fight?

Fuck yeah.

Rocket's barely waiting for the start signal before firing her guns - at everyone on the opposing side. 

2B ducks gracefully out of the cone of fire, closing rapidly with Ash and delivering a flurry of blows.

Whereas Chewie rushes Rocket, to try and disrupt her -

And Gamora moves to keep Loki busy. 

9S hangs back, keeping an eye on the battle as a whole, where best to put her weight on the scales.

And, of course, whatever trickery Loki's cooked up.

That trickery seems to involve...

Disengaging from Gamora, trying to close with 9S -

And then everyone's vision very briefly being obscured by dark smoke.

What happens next?

Gamora counter-spells, quickly and fiercely - the smoke clears -

And their opponents are mostly in the same places and positions...

Except Loki is nowhere to be seen, and now there are two copies of 9S, neither exactly where the original stopped.