He's decided to dig his claws into Ren. And with his own court ability relating to mind control, he doesn't seem to care whether Ren consents or not. Which he does not. Vehemently so.
I need to keep him safe.
...I admit, the chances seem slim. But you were the only one I thought of. If anyone might or even had the ability, I thought it would be you.
[Loki pauses, trying to decide whether they should leave it at that joke and refuse to help. Ugh, they're gonna hate themselves later for this bit of vulnerability.]
their magic overwrites mine. i can doodle in the margins all i like, but i cannot hope to erase their words in favor of my own.
for this to have a chance of working, we would have to play by their rules. see what protection spells exist in this realm and test their limits.
i'd much rather burn an effigy of him or pull some other prank
[Who knew text on a screen could deliver such a gut punch? The very idea of giving up his persona, of ripping Loki and Robin Hood from within him and living with the void they'd leave behind fills the boy up with dread. Weren't his abilities the one thing that ever made him special? The sad, little orphan no one wanted handpicked by the very gods over everyone else?
Still, Akechi's answer is immediate. Shaken to his core or not, he doesn't hesitate.]
good, we'll have that if we run out of options. the fae love deals, especially ones stacked in their favor. sacrificing a part of yourself to save one dear to you is a romantic concept too, one they're unlikely to resist.
I assure you, there’s nothing boring about working with me. You’ll find that luck is oftentimes against me, so I can promise you it will be a fight no matter what we do.
(ooc: Hi! Laurent and Akechi were discussing whether the dragon could have been sent through a portal in this thread, and Akechi namedropped Loki. While Laurent is poking at this to see how far he can take it, feel free to pm me/reply in tags/etc. if you prefer to handwave anything or aren’t interested. This may also need some mod feedback and we can also discuss whether you prefer to contact them or if I should, when the time comes!)
Official Liaison! How’s the liaising going?
I’ve been thinking about that dragon attack and where that dragon’s gone. While I am not the only one, the consensus is that we know too little about magic to move forward. I have heard that you like a good story. Would you be willing to humour some of my questions?
it is going, as they say! i'm expecting someone to ask me another question i've heard a million times! i suppose i should've expected this with how helpful i've been as of late, but yes ask away
I wish to draw from your charity (or boredom, what have you) first, so please tell me if any answers will come with a price. I'm not agreeing to any extra payment yet.
It's been suggested that the dragon may have been sent through a portal. Do you know of any way to access the portal after the fact, or create an identical one?
Is it possible to track down the dragon now or is there some magic that one could use to make a next beast trackable?
the price will be thus: you must ask better questions
if it is a more permanent sort of portal, it likely could be summoned into existence again. think of an empty doorway with no physical door, you could always place a door in it, yes? but there are more flippant portal types too, the kind you create and destroy on a whim. my magic is akin to this, and i can create a portal to nearly anywhere in this realm. but i would need to know WHERE i am going
as for tracking, it may be possible so long as you have remnants of the dragon. scales, blood, i know there were a few scavengers who scurried after its remains. we could perhaps place a tracking spell on a future beast before it is reduced to such pitiful leftovers, but that's not my speciality nor my interest.
[Loki could portal to this hypothetical Beast Hammerspace but needs the location. They can get a location tracking a future beast (if there is one), if he finds someone who actually does tracking spells. Okay, the dots, he's connecting them.
Kind of sad that his questions are being judged, but oh well. That's the price for skipping Introduction to Magic in the library.]
no one ever asks about me :( it's always "loki how does basic teleportation work" and never "loki what's your astrological sign" "loki how do i charge a phone" and not "loki what is the best way to utterly destroy someone emotionally" "loki if you were in the trolley problem what would you do"
[Loki that's because the two people currently in your inbox hate personal questions and also love pretending they have no friends. I'm so sorry.]
That may be a side effect of you declaring yourself god and liaison on the first day.
Loki, have you made any friends? Do you want myself and maybe Checkmate, though we are quite friendless ourselves, to spend a day trying to net some of that for you?
Alternatively, are you interested in wrestling in the nude? Someone in my life is looking for sparring partners.
for the record, you're making it worse i have plenty of friends and do not require your help in that matter! unlike you two i am quite sociable and very fun!
i only mean to point out that yes i am a god and a liaison, but i am not google
everyone's plans and theories are also the most extremely basic hero shit you need to think outside of the box, think of what the fae may not have accounted for because they surely have accounted for the plots anyone would think of
rather than wait for another boss battle, why not create our own? transform someone into a dragon and see where they end up!
[Damn. Rejection hurts, but he decides that if he's not interesting enough for Loki right now he's not going to try and force it. It would be pandering, at best, and because he doesn't have a good idea what Loki likes it would probably also be bad pandering.]
I'll look into the dragon idea.
[He's stopped being chatty, so Loki is free to either follow up or simply leave the conversation as it is.]
well i've never really had a proper one! fortune tellings sure, but a horoscope requires an astrological sign and my birth was long before humans had agreed on a calendar system
i think it sounds rather fun though, a bunch of vague statements that could be applied to anyone but that feel special and important when applied to you
[There's some delay between replies, as Laurent does in fact take a whack at becoming a dragon. It's actually possible to become a small dragon, but at his level Laurent is just becoming some kind of dog-sized lizard and dropping the phone.]
fje
Dk ; 9
Ignore the above, was transformed
Isn't it based on the position of the stars? I suppose it doesn't much matter.
Thoughts on picking one? It could be by chance or some other metric, if you can't calculate a birth date equivalent to one of the calendars.
it's based on the position of the stars above midgard, surprisingly enough my parents in jotunheim didn't think to go and check another realm for their runt of a son's astrological sign. they were much too busy being disappointed with my size after all!
i think if i picked one... perhaps sagittarius or aquarius? or gemini for obvious reasons
okay bestie, i need your help. my ship is going canon irl and i need to send them a magic strap-on as a congratulations gift. but it's gotta be obnoxious too.
my secret identity?! hmmm you drive a hard bargain, but for my ship...
i'm willing, but only after we hash out the details,
because i need this dildo to sing when he thrusts so he never wants to top again and jizz rainbows. it's gotta look his aesthetic so it lulls him into a false sense of security and then won't let him take it off until he finishes, for the ultimate bottom making humiliation.
oh and you have to keep it secret of course. i'm dead if akechi ever finds out who i am
rude but fair i am still curious to know your method though! i'm doing a great deal of work for you, so it follows i should know the full extent of your plans
fiiine it shall take me a week or two to prepare the enchantment something visually appealing to akechi, with singing and rainbow jizz mechanics as well as an auto-lock feature was there anything else?
[While there is a part of them that longs to stand outside the door, they sit on their bed instead. It shall make the knock more exciting that way. They're almost like a child waiting for it to be an appropriate time to wake up on Christmas Day and check for presents.]
[When Sumire arrives, she knocks on the door and waits. She's a shy, rather quiet but cheerful 15 year old girl with a bright smile and very sad, traumatized eyes. But the thing is, she comes over very often to check in on Yusuke and bring him food and make sure he's alive, deliver messages from Ren or Akechi. So, seeing her at the door might not be shocking at all. Might even be disappointing at first.
Still, when the door opens, she'll smile, cheeks warm, and give a bow, ever polite. But instead of asking after Yusuke, she addresses Loki.]
[The knock! Yes! Loki jumps to their feet and answers the door, and there is...
This girl. Their excitement disappears into something more akin to this, but as they think it over, it does make sense. Someone would have to be fairly close to Ren and Akechi to write the fanfics the way they did, and to even want to write them.
When their brain recovers from the adrenaline rush that amounted to nothing, they open the door fully for her to enter,]
Loki is fine. [No honorifics necessary. Their eyes narrow at her, still considering the situation.] Are you truly going to deliver it yourself? That could backfire on you, you realize.
[She steps in and moves to sit on Yusuke's bed, she knows he wouldn't mind in the least.]
I do, though not right away. I was thinking either an accidentally cursed object or finding a package at my door addressed to him.
[Looking at Loki, she smiles, something warm and friendly and maybe a little mirthful. It's hard not to note the disappointment but she's not bothered in the least by it. It's not as painful as the disappointment of failing to qualify with her gymnastics or something.]
You're disappointed. I am rather the obvious answer, huh?
[They sit across from on their own bed, kicking their legs in the air absentmindedly, trying still to get that energy out.]
You are, but I suppose I don't know what I expected. I didn't make any guesses, thought I would let myself have fun with the surprise.
[Which meant the excitement built into something not at all proportional to the actual event. Whoops!
Loki holds out a hand and a green glow overtakes their palm, quickly replaced with the as requested strap-on. It is reminiscent of Akechi's Loki, with wild black and white stripes in an abstract and dizzying pattern. Other than that, though, it's completely ordinary.]
You'll have to handle the gift wrapping yourself, whatever story you end up going with.
OH! He will love that so much more than he'll ever admit. Even if it doesn't do anything, he'll give me one of his tsundere insults.
[She takes it and examines it with only a bit of shyness she's feeling poking through. Loki can probably tell she wants to die a little inside seeing and handling her first dildo.
Mostly she's seeing that it's average, proportional, good heft. Akechi will like it and be sorely disappointed when it does something disastrous. But really, what else does he expect from a Loki themed dildo? The onus is really on him.]
I have a few ideas. Either in person myself or anonymously. Either way, I think Senpai will have fun. I'm thinking after the next fic when I don't write about BenRoro. Allow him some healing before I do more.
[She pauses and then looks at Loki with wide eyes.] I do love him! Like dearly as a friend, I just... think he could use some sibling energy to soften the shell he has around himself.
[If they're embarrassed by any of this, there's no tell in their expression. If anything it's not the fact they're handing a dildo to a teenager, that's whatever, it's that her reaction makes them feel... old. The same way Billy makes them feel old. They had not felt old in some time before arriving here. Nostalgic, sure, but it's a very different feeling.
Akechi makes them feel like a mother hen, so perhaps it's only fitting.]
I try to tease him myself, of course, but I imagine the effect will be greater when coming from a peer. He thinks of me as above you all, for some strange reason.
[says the literal god]
By the way, you're welcome to write stories about me, if you wish. So many others have.
[Placing the dildo in her bag, she secures the flap before looking at Loki again for a long moment. She wonders what it's like to be a god, to be powerful like that. To be beautiful and acceptingly chaotic, they seem so otherworldly and ethereal. What she and the others must seem like to them. Maybe they are above everyone but...
Loki not only likes her stupid bad writing, but even allows her to write about them. It makes her expression soften into something fond and warm. Maybe treating Loki like they are above everyone else is making them feel other? So Sumire decides not to.]
I don't see why he treats you as above the rest of us, you share a room with Kitagawa-kun of all people and I bet you're no better than Akechi-san is at braiding hair.
[That gets Loki to burst into a peal of laughter, their laugh a witchy and rough sort. Eventually they calm down enough to address the matter,]
Heh, Sumire dear... I'm an Asgardian. A god of the Vikings. I'm an expert at braiding hair.
[True, their own hair is messy and free, but that's because that what fits this particular story. They're the trickster, not bound by rules. Still, pretty much every Asgardian child knows how to braid hair. And you can bet Loki's braided Thor's into ridiculous shapes and knots.]
Hmm, I don't know. Akechi-kun is pretty good at braiding hair, he might give you a run for your title.
[She giggles, clearly poking fun. Akechi is middling at braiding hair. But then she gives Loki a curious look, as if trying to decern something about them but clearly not too hard since they are an enigma even to the people have known them for years.]
Are you really a god? Or are you believed to be a god by people who were lesser in power and age? [A pause.] It's just, I knew a man who thought himself able to shape the world like a benevolent god, but he wasn't even if he had the abilities to back up his claim.
You lie to me, Loki, God of Mischief?! How dare you!
[They giggle as well, continuing and upping the ante.
As she shifts gears, though, Loki mirrors her, their expression more thoughtful. There is a simple answer they could give to this question that she wouldn't like, that isn't necessarily what she's asking. A man could very well become a god, if enough people believed him to be one. So, they'll go about it a different way.]
My father created humanity. That's standard godhood stuff, yeah? Suppose you could start arguing we're simply another species, get into all the alien theories and the like. And that's one story. One story amongst many others. Above all, we are beings of story.
It's possible then, that we did not exist until someone told our tales one day. That it was humans who created us, and we sprung to life from their belief, filled with memories of all the years prior. That's another story.
It doesn't really matter, though, does it? The fact of the matter, if you can call it a fact, is that I am a frost giant born in one realm and raised in another by a man who once slept with the Earth herself. I have memories that stretch back to the invention of the wheel. I wield magic strong enough to shape reality itself. I have witnessed the end of the universe, and its rebirth. Am I a god then?
What do you think? And would I lie to you? That is, after all, what you're claiming.
[Sumire listens, but isn't intimidated by any of it if she's honest. Sure that means Loki could very much really be a god, but maybe in her universe they don't exist. Maybe Dr. Maruki was as close to a god as one gets in her world. Maybe there are gods beyond that that she doesn't know about.
It's all very curious to her and she listens intently. She does feel a bit bad about Loki thinking she was claiming they there lying but then-]
You would absolutely lie to me, you're the god of mischief afterall. [She's not offended, instead she giggles. But she sobers quickly with the topic.]
Still... I suppose those things would make you a god in many ways, yes, I think. At least in my book, but they all sound like amazing stories to me too. Not lies, just stories. Maybe it's because I come from a world with man made gods that I find it all... difficult to believe that someone plain like me could have a conversation with a real god.
[A pause...]
Or maybe it's because one of those men who thought they were a god took everything from me and in my grief, I let him. I wanted him to kill me and make me someone else. And then when I didn't want it anymore, he still tried to force that on me. So, now I find the concept of godhood to be... a crutch for those who think they know better, to toy with other people's lives.
[Loki sticks their tongue out in a cute little etto bleh expression.]
Guilty as charged!
[But after that, they might as well be a different person, the shift is so drastic.]
From what you’ve described… that is godhood functioning as intended. Think of all the stories you’ve heard. So many of us view human lives as our playthings, myself included from time to time. We do not use it as a crutch, to support us. We simply are.
I’ve known men who’ve chased godhood. One I helped to obtain it. He tried to kill the gods, as recompense for how they had treated him. Like a doll thrown away when the game was over. He lived in a make believe world, an idealistic life we had granted him in favor of the alternative. And it drove him insane.
As you said, we thought we knew better.
Unlike the man in your story, I did not force this existence onto him once more after he had broken free. No, I gave him a different tale.
For a human consumed by a false reality, what title would be better fitting than the God of Lies?
Thing is, godhood has its caveats too. The fate of the God of Lies is to be shackled in his son’s entrails as venom drips ever so slowly into his eyes, forced open to bear the pain eternally.
The gods are cruel, Sumire Yoshizawa. Sounds like your villain was merely playing his part.
Everyone is cruel in the end, it's about finding the people in life who cherish you enough to spare you their cruelty really. Even I can be unkind in how I ignore people I don't know. I don't stop to help someone crying out in pain because what if it's a ploy to hurt me?
I know being selfish isn't cruelty, but only to oneself. It's cruel to the other person regardless.
[She pauses and thinks about it.]
Then does it make me a potential god that we not only will overcome him but steal his heart and change his ways entirely? Stop him and force him to see the fault in his actions and choose to change them? Doesn't that in turn make us more powerful than him when we do so?
[She asks sincerely.]
Or is it how I already know I forgive him, even if we fail? I already forgive him now.
[They lean back, fully lying down on their bed now. Their scary persona has left, replaced again by the more fun sleepover Loki.]
Why are you asking me? I don't care at all if you're a god, potential one or not. And I don't really care if you forgive him either.
[Well, perhaps not fun, but at least more casual.]
I have no say in your status, and that will be even more so true when you return to your story. If you're looking for some sort of validation, best to find it in yourself or from your comrades. None of this has anything to do with me, yeah?
[While it's true Loki has taken some interest in these kids, their approach to relationships is rather different than an ordinary person's. Not necessarily because they're a god, but because they're Loki.]
Hm. You're not wrong. I guess then, in a way, you being a god wouldn't matter to me too.
[She looks up in thought. Looking for validation outside of herself is a bad habit she hopes to break one day, so getting called out on it kind of stings, but she's used to bearing the brunt of such call outs now.
One cannot be a professional competitor without critics and people who will be harsh afterall. ]
On another note, how do you feel about Akechi having Loki as one of his personas? Ren has Thor too. I have Vanadis.
[She can't help but wonder how they feel about her having Freyja as a persona.]
[Which is why their own answer was kinda a non-answer. They could definitely be interpreted as a god! Especially when considering the facts of their existence.
But more importantly, they are Loki.]
I think it's cute. I've seen lots of versions of myself and my family, but yours seem relatively harmless in the grand scheme of things. They're sorta like Pokémon from what I gather?
Huh.... I never thought of them like that. Hm, I think it's less pokemon and more... her dark materials? I mean, other than Ren and Akechi, the rest of us only get one, though it does evolve, so I suppose.... more like digimon. Only get one, but it's a part of your soul so it's more like a daemon in that way.
[Hm, yeah that's about the best way to explain a persona.]
They are us and not. Like I'm not actually Vanadis, but within my soul are aspects of her that fit and manifest as her. Where she's the closest representation of who I am in that moment.
[She thinks about it for a long moment, then nods.]
[Loki's technically only seen Akechi in action, and he was quick to stress that he had another one and that it wasn't like that because well, probably a little embarrassing in front of the actual Loki.
Just another thing to tease Akechi about, it seems. And one to tease Sumire about as well.]
Oh? And in what ways are you similar to my mother? Do you feel the urge to lecture me? To scold me?
[She laughs at that, because she thinks it would be funny if she started to do that just because of Vanadis. But she knows they aren't the same person or god or whatever. Hers is just a representation and theirs is the real deal.]
I mean, I could if you really want, if that's missing from your life, I'll step up to the plate.
[For a moment she thinks about it.]
But I don't even actually understand it. I guess because I'm a fighter, I'm strong, but I am someone who loves and guides. How does a persona choose? Because I don't pick it. It... it picked me. So really, in what ways is your mother like me that she would choose me?
Is it missing from my life? Yes. Is that what I want? Absolutely not.
[Loki enjoys being ungoverned!! But also the idea of Sumire trying to scold them is hilarious.]
I can't say I know you well enough to say for sure, but... my mother is stubborn.
Her marriage was a political one, ending a war between the Aesir and the Vanir. Her first child was lost to her, spirited away to another realm until time forgot her. And the whole reason you get married like that is to produce a proper heir, right? Kind of a bummer.
Thor and I, neither of us were born of her womb. Thor from a dalliance Odin had with Gaea, and myself born in Jotunheim. Still, she raised us as her own. Thor has never doubted her love for him, and he knows that they are mother and son regardless of blood. Someone who loves and guides... aye, that's about right for her role in his story.
My take might be that she guides a bit too much. Like any mother, she thinks she knows what is best for all. She ruled Asgard accordingly, and while she presented herself as less brash, less violent than my father, her decisions were sometimes crueler.
She's the God of the Hunt now, and I'd say it suits her, being wild and free and not tied down by marriage or politics.
Someone she'd choose... I imagine is someone as stubborn as her. Someone who's faced hardships and continued on, for better or worse. Acting from a place of love that reaches beyond the self, focusing instead on the good of everyone, sometimes to their detriment. The seemingly contradicting love and war, fertility and death. And a uniquely feminine energy all the same.
[Sumire listens with intent, curious about the reality of one universes version of the god her persona is shaped from. It's all really rather interesting, it makes her wonder about a great many things, about herself, about others, about the form of her persona. Really, it's all so beyond her, but whatever she can learn, she's eager to.
Guides too much, huh? Maybe Sumire does that too, with her fics and meddling. Even thinking about it she was already coming up with excuses why it was okay and for their good. Maybe she can relate to that too. Too much of all of this really.]
Yeah, not to gas myself up, but that feels right. And good, I'm glad she's free and wild now. [Her tone is empathetic, because she understands so much about what it's like to be tied down in a way.]
Well, I think I've taken up enough of your time, thank you, especially for the conversation, it's been very... thought provoking.
[It's strange, having to consider Freyja outside the confines of a single story. Part of them felt as if they portrayed her too kindly, remembering how happy she was to lock them in the narrative's cage for all eternity, so long as Asgard and Thor were safe. And then too, there's the grief they felt in the face of her death. Loki was the one who had killed her, of course, it's what the story demanded but still.
Ugh, it's frustrating making sense of all these various plotlines. Perhaps that's why everyone else is content to ignore the fourth wall.
Loki tucks a strand of hair behind their ear, remembering the time and place as they offer a small smile to Sumire.]
Oh! Yes, thank you. I should go before Kitagawa-san sees me leaving here. That would be an awkward conversation, even with him.... maybe especially with him.
[ for one horrifying second, she thinks they’re serious. but reality kicks in and she snorts a laugh, crossing her feet at the ankles under the covers of her bed. ]
I know, I know! It was terrible of me. How do I make it up to you?
is that what you want to do? for that to be a decision we can make, as opposed to a simple fact, it implies you have doubts about the extent of the magic's effects.
it's perfectly acceptable to admit you fell for me. many people have. you would be amongst the ranks of morgan le fay and hercules. that's not so embarrassing, is it?
[A vertical comic book panel appears suddenly in the pub, a rectangular blank white canvas. From it steps Loki and once they are firmly in the space, it disappears behind them. Spotting Jane, they give her a small wave as they head over,]
I presume you've already ordered mead for me as well?
Um, no. I can't say that I have. Yet? [ That last bit comes out more of a question as Jane squints into her mug. Her brow furrows, then a look back over to Loki ] Seriously? All three of them?
All three. Personally, I think it's hardly a challenge as I can drink my brother well under the table.
[By cheating. But that's part of the fun. Thor barely ever catches them too.]
I believe they were trying to test her capabilities as Thor, arguing that she could not possibly keep up with them, that she was a poor replacement for the Odinson. Apparently she proved them wrong.
[ HUGE SPOILER LOKI but it's fine, it's fine. It's super fine, all good. ]
I'm worthy of Mjolnir. [ somewhere, in space and time???
That's a lot to swallow, but there's something inside of her that fills with a quiet, burning pride. She’s always known herself to be strong - brilliant, determined as hell, unwilling to back down when she knows she's right. She's a doctor of physics, she's written numerous papers and is published in several extremely prestigious science journals, created that whole Foster Theory thing...
But worthy of Thor's hammer? That’s something else entirely. That’s the stuff of myths and gods and impossible destiny.
And okay, it may not be her destiny (yet), but it's still amazing, still makes her smile, hands reaching out to pull her mug close, eyes fixed on Loki. ]
So what happened to her? Is she still out there, swinging that hammer around?
[... Oh. Right. They can roll this back probably? Make it seem less special and less of a huge spoiler that they shouldn't have shared?]
... so am I, for the record.
[Being worthy is way less special if Loki's considered worthy too. Technically they're only worthy when under an inversion spell or if Thor's deeming worthiness, but- she doesn't need to know that!]
And she's a Valkyrie now. Pitches in when we need more Thors, still has her day job too, I think.
That doesn’t surprise me. You did totally risk your life for me on that… creepy planet. Or. One of you did, anyway.
[ that weird planet where the other him had died, not the variant but the other-other one. The Sacred timeline one, or something. She’s getting mixed up, it’s fine. ]
[This isn't what they expected either. They stick their tongue out,]
You're not under any spell, you need not lie about my supposed heroics. If a version of me did risk his life, it was for his own purposes, I promise you.
[Lokis aren't nice! They aren't! Speaking of weird universal differences-]
She's a doctor, actually. Was your Donald Blake a physicist too then?
[ She hides her chuckle by taking a long sip of her drink before setting it back down. ]
Maybe. [ Maybe not. Hard to say, it all happened very quickly. But she likes to think there’s some good in people, even when they’re done really… really bad stuff. ]
…Nnnnoooo. No, he isn’t. He’s a doctor, just a doctor I used to date. [ She runs her fingers through her hair, an anxious tic. ] Just an ex. He’s an ex, and just…wow was he bad with relationships.
Well, I did have Erik get Thor out of SHIELD’s custody by saying he
was Donald. But they totally… totally knew it was bullshit. They let
him out to see what he’d do, I guess.
[ It had been dumb to try but it….sorta…. Worked? ]
[They are sorta trying to figure out how Odin's plan to humble Thor would work without him being properly humbled in a human body but. That's some screenwriter's problem, not theirs.]
Does it help to know I had the alternate version of your ex tortured in my place, the whole venom dripping into the eyes deal? He so desperately wanted to be a god, you see.
these kinds of jokes are intentionally bad. very simple puns, the sort you tell young children. there are those who then find it funny that they're not funny.
Secondly... Kinda need a guy to practice my fairy magic on. Someone who knows how to resist it. And you seem like you know your way around this bullshit.
[ He's not going to ask, but he is going to strongly imply he wants Loki to be the "guy" in question. ]
[True to their word, Loki will be waiting for Tony in the common room. They're lounging on a chair in an absurd way that cannot possibly be how chairs were meant to be sit on. When Tony enters, they give him a lazy wave, though the intent behind their eyes is more focused, attempting to size him up.]
Are you certain you're ready to play in the big leagues, Tony Stark?
[ With a sigh that's more resigned than annoyed, Tony's shoulders drop slightly when he spots Loki. ] Honestly? [ Because the longer he's here, the more he understands magic, or at least understands that he doesn't understand a fucking thing. ] No, not really.
But I'm not exactly spoiled for choice at the moment, so I'll take what I can get.
Tony takes a few steadying breaths to calm himself. He stands a little straighter on the final inhale; the air feels warmer, like dew being warmed by the early morning sun. Tony can practically taste a hint of something floral, like a rose or a dandelion, as he speaks. ] Tell me: Are you going to give away the next thing I make you? [ Yes, he's still pissy about that. And because he's hardly expecting this to work, he'll tack on something fun and funny for himself, too. ] If you are, I at least want you to blow me a kiss to make up for it.
[They smile, but they do not move to blow a kiss or otherwise. Oh, they're charmed, for sure. From the beginning they decided they would allow him to do so, which they know he's not expecting. It's not what Strange would have done.
But there's things to learn here as well. All the loopholes Tony has left for Loki to escape into.]
[ The truth, so plainly stated from Loki of all people Asgardians, disarms Tony. Enough that the mystical charm stutters and falls away. ] Oh. [ He almost sounds... Disappointed. Like he thought he might actually get to see the inner workings of some grand plan. ]
So you just did it because it was... [ He seems to remember then, that he has a magical muscle he was supposed to be working out. ] What? Convenient?
A whim. [ He echoes with a scoff. Tony hates that he can relate.
A whim, like Strange's dandelion-fueled lust for him. Tsk. ] Sorry to disappoint, but I'm no Narcisso. [ Is it possible Tony's actually learned a lesson about not using his powers for evil? ] The only thing I wanna charm outta you is intel, anyway.
[ A beat, and something he might be able to use Loki for pops into his head. ] Do you know what a symbiote is? [ Tony inhales deeply, turning the magical charm back on. After all, he was here for practice. ] The other me that's running around, he said his armor had the same properties as one-a those. Some kinda alien. What can you tell me? [ Something about it had never sat completely right with him; like a pebble in his shoe he was having trouble finding. And maybe this Loki came from a universe where that was more common knowledge. ]
[Before gathering intel. Since that's what they're doing. They sigh and back off, honestly a little offended Tony's using his charm on this. Questions they would answer honestly anyways! Sure, he's getting a chance to stretch his magic muscles, but it's no fun on their end.]
Aye, I do. They're alien beings created by the god Knull. You're likely better off asking a spider-person about them, they tend to have more frequent crossovers. I would think you're capable of putting together the context clues as well. Symbiote. Symbiotic relationships. Symbiotes bond with a host and the two become a sort of enhanced being. It's very gloopy gloppy.
I imagine the other Stark has synthesized his suit to interact with its host in a similar manner, like a second skin. Streamlined intuitive biotech. Impressive, but not my style.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
[text] un: checkmate
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As much as I'd love to gut him.
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and why do you think i would be able to help you in this endeavor?
cw: talk of brainwashing / lack of autonomy
I need to keep him safe.
...I admit, the chances seem slim. But you were the only one I thought of. If anyone might or even had the ability, I thought it would be you.
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so
which is it?
are you asking whether i have the power to prevent this from happening again? or are you asking whether i will assist you in enacting your revenge?
i will admit one of those is easier than the other.
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The first.
He's more important than revenge.
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care to pick again?
[Loki pauses, trying to decide whether they should leave it at that joke and refuse to help. Ugh, they're gonna hate themselves later for this bit of vulnerability.]
their magic overwrites mine. i can doodle in the margins all i like, but i cannot hope to erase their words in favor of my own.
for this to have a chance of working, we would have to play by their rules. see what protection spells exist in this realm and test their limits.
i'd much rather burn an effigy of him or pull some other prank
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I'm willing to do whatever it takes.
[And that is a promise.]
And if that means playing by their rules, so be it.
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would you give up your powers?
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Still, Akechi's answer is immediate. Shaken to his core or not, he doesn't hesitate.]
I would.
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the fae love deals, especially ones stacked in their favor. sacrificing a part of yourself to save one dear to you is a romantic concept too, one they're unlikely to resist.
still, i'll work on some other ideas
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Thank you. You’ve kept me from making a fool of myself trying to kill them again.
We can discuss how I pay off this debt to you at a later time.
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i keep ending up the clear winner in my exchanges and i'm getting rather bored of it
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I’ll make it worth your time.
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well, not all i ask. as i said it will depend greatly on my involvement but that doesn't sound nearly as cool
i'll let you know when i make any progress
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We'll speak again soon.
text | un: charls
Official Liaison! How’s the liaising going?
I’ve been thinking about that dragon attack and where that dragon’s gone. While I am not the only one, the consensus is that we know too little about magic to move forward. I have heard that you like a good story. Would you be willing to humour some of my questions?
all sounds good!
i suppose i should've expected this with how helpful i've been as of late, but yes ask away
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It's been suggested that the dragon may have been sent through a portal. Do you know of any way to access the portal after the fact, or create an identical one?
Is it possible to track down the dragon now or is there some magic that one could use to make a next beast trackable?
[Can they airtag a dragon]
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the price will be thus: you must ask better questions
if it is a more permanent sort of portal, it likely could be summoned into existence again. think of an empty doorway with no physical door, you could always place a door in it, yes?
but there are more flippant portal types too, the kind you create and destroy on a whim. my magic is akin to this, and i can create a portal to nearly anywhere in this realm. but i would need to know WHERE i am going
as for tracking, it may be possible so long as you have remnants of the dragon. scales, blood, i know there were a few scavengers who scurried after its remains. we could perhaps place a tracking spell on a future beast before it is reduced to such pitiful leftovers, but that's not my speciality nor my interest.
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Kind of sad that his questions are being judged, but oh well. That's the price for skipping Introduction to Magic in the library.]
I don't know any children here.
What would be a better question?
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it's always "loki how does basic teleportation work" and never "loki what's your astrological sign"
"loki how do i charge a phone" and not "loki what is the best way to utterly destroy someone emotionally"
"loki if you were in the trolley problem what would you do"
really i would welcome anything beyond magic 101
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That may be a side effect of you declaring yourself god and liaison on the first day.
Loki, have you made any friends? Do you want myself and maybe Checkmate, though we are quite friendless ourselves, to spend a day trying to net some of that for you?
Alternatively, are you interested in wrestling in the nude? Someone in my life is looking for sparring partners.
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i have plenty of friends and do not require your help in that matter! unlike you two i am quite sociable and very fun!
i only mean to point out that yes i am a god and a liaison, but i am not google
everyone's plans and theories are also the most extremely basic hero shit
you need to think outside of the box, think of what the fae may not have accounted for because they surely have accounted for the plots anyone would think of
rather than wait for another boss battle, why not create our own? transform someone into a dragon and see where they end up!
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I'll look into the dragon idea.
[He's stopped being chatty, so Loki is free to either follow up or simply leave the conversation as it is.]
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fortune tellings sure, but a horoscope requires an astrological sign and my birth was long before humans had agreed on a calendar system
i think it sounds rather fun though, a bunch of vague statements that could be applied to anyone but that feel special and important when applied to you
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fje
Dk ; 9
Ignore the above, was transformed
Isn't it based on the position of the stars? I suppose it doesn't much matter.
Thoughts on picking one? It could be by chance or some other metric, if you can't calculate a birth date equivalent to one of the calendars.
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it's based on the position of the stars above midgard, surprisingly enough my parents in jotunheim didn't think to go and check another realm for their runt of a son's astrological sign. they were much too busy being disappointed with my size after all!
i think if i picked one... perhaps sagittarius or aquarius? or gemini for obvious reasons
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Did you have any bigger siblings to be around for you?
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my siblings do not matter in this part of the story, but i will inform you that my father was maybe ten times my size.
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Is size a reflection of anything, then? What was your father a god of?
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[And Loki frowns, realizing now why these questions are continuing.]
this wasn't what i meant when i said i enjoyed talking about myself. this truly is obvious flattery as you said
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[He's not going to work on it]
text || un: MISTIE
i know you get me
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i'm willing, but only after we hash out the details,
because i need this dildo to sing when he thrusts so he never wants to top again and jizz rainbows. it's gotta look his aesthetic so it lulls him into a false sense of security and then won't let him take it off until he finishes, for the ultimate bottom making humiliation.
oh and you have to keep it secret of course. i'm dead if akechi ever finds out who i am
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[They are turning around several options for mischief in their head, which include several targets for their mischief as well.]
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if you deliver it, he'll know something's up
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i am still curious to know your method though! i'm doing a great deal of work for you, so it follows i should know the full extent of your plans
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it shall take me a week or two to prepare the enchantment
something visually appealing to akechi, with singing and rainbow jizz mechanics as well as an auto-lock feature
was there anything else?
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just have fun with it, i know you understand chaos better than anyone, i can't think of anyone else i would want to be my partner in crime
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one week then. i'll give it to you in person and put this mystery to bed
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thanks bb rly
~one week later~
where shall i meet you for the exchange?
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-> action
[While there is a part of them that longs to stand outside the door, they sit on their bed instead. It shall make the knock more exciting that way. They're almost like a child waiting for it to be an appropriate time to wake up on Christmas Day and check for presents.]
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Still, when the door opens, she'll smile, cheeks warm, and give a bow, ever polite. But instead of asking after Yusuke, she addresses Loki.]
Um, it's a pleasure to work with you, Loki-sama.
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This girl. Their excitement disappears into something more akin to this, but as they think it over, it does make sense. Someone would have to be fairly close to Ren and Akechi to write the fanfics the way they did, and to even want to write them.
When their brain recovers from the adrenaline rush that amounted to nothing, they open the door fully for her to enter,]
Loki is fine. [No honorifics necessary. Their eyes narrow at her, still considering the situation.] Are you truly going to deliver it yourself? That could backfire on you, you realize.
Sorry for the delay
[She steps in and moves to sit on Yusuke's bed, she knows he wouldn't mind in the least.]
I do, though not right away. I was thinking either an accidentally cursed object or finding a package at my door addressed to him.
[Looking at Loki, she smiles, something warm and friendly and maybe a little mirthful. It's hard not to note the disappointment but she's not bothered in the least by it. It's not as painful as the disappointment of failing to qualify with her gymnastics or something.]
You're disappointed. I am rather the obvious answer, huh?
you're fine!!
You are, but I suppose I don't know what I expected. I didn't make any guesses, thought I would let myself have fun with the surprise.
[Which meant the excitement built into something not at all proportional to the actual event. Whoops!
Loki holds out a hand and a green glow overtakes their palm, quickly replaced with the as requested strap-on. It is reminiscent of Akechi's Loki, with wild black and white stripes in an abstract and dizzying pattern. Other than that, though, it's completely ordinary.]
You'll have to handle the gift wrapping yourself, whatever story you end up going with.
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[She takes it and examines it with only a bit of shyness she's feeling poking through. Loki can probably tell she wants to die a little inside seeing and handling her first dildo.
Mostly she's seeing that it's average, proportional, good heft. Akechi will like it and be sorely disappointed when it does something disastrous. But really, what else does he expect from a Loki themed dildo? The onus is really on him.]
I have a few ideas. Either in person myself or anonymously. Either way, I think Senpai will have fun. I'm thinking after the next fic when I don't write about BenRoro. Allow him some healing before I do more.
[She pauses and then looks at Loki with wide eyes.] I do love him! Like dearly as a friend, I just... think he could use some sibling energy to soften the shell he has around himself.
[A pause.]
And a little chaos is always fun.
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[If they're embarrassed by any of this, there's no tell in their expression. If anything it's not the fact they're handing a dildo to a teenager, that's whatever, it's that her reaction makes them feel... old. The same way Billy makes them feel old. They had not felt old in some time before arriving here. Nostalgic, sure, but it's a very different feeling.
Akechi makes them feel like a mother hen, so perhaps it's only fitting.]
I try to tease him myself, of course, but I imagine the effect will be greater when coming from a peer. He thinks of me as above you all, for some strange reason.
[says the literal god]
By the way, you're welcome to write stories about me, if you wish. So many others have.
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[Placing the dildo in her bag, she secures the flap before looking at Loki again for a long moment. She wonders what it's like to be a god, to be powerful like that. To be beautiful and acceptingly chaotic, they seem so otherworldly and ethereal. What she and the others must seem like to them. Maybe they are above everyone but...
Loki not only likes her stupid bad writing, but even allows her to write about them. It makes her expression soften into something fond and warm. Maybe treating Loki like they are above everyone else is making them feel other? So Sumire decides not to.]
I don't see why he treats you as above the rest of us, you share a room with Kitagawa-kun of all people and I bet you're no better than Akechi-san is at braiding hair.
[A tease, good natured.]
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Heh, Sumire dear... I'm an Asgardian. A god of the Vikings. I'm an expert at braiding hair.
[True, their own hair is messy and free, but that's because that what fits this particular story. They're the trickster, not bound by rules. Still, pretty much every Asgardian child knows how to braid hair. And you can bet Loki's braided Thor's into ridiculous shapes and knots.]
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[She giggles, clearly poking fun. Akechi is middling at braiding hair. But then she gives Loki a curious look, as if trying to decern something about them but clearly not too hard since they are an enigma even to the people have known them for years.]
Are you really a god? Or are you believed to be a god by people who were lesser in power and age? [A pause.] It's just, I knew a man who thought himself able to shape the world like a benevolent god, but he wasn't even if he had the abilities to back up his claim.
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[They giggle as well, continuing and upping the ante.
As she shifts gears, though, Loki mirrors her, their expression more thoughtful. There is a simple answer they could give to this question that she wouldn't like, that isn't necessarily what she's asking. A man could very well become a god, if enough people believed him to be one. So, they'll go about it a different way.]
My father created humanity. That's standard godhood stuff, yeah? Suppose you could start arguing we're simply another species, get into all the alien theories and the like. And that's one story. One story amongst many others. Above all, we are beings of story.
It's possible then, that we did not exist until someone told our tales one day. That it was humans who created us, and we sprung to life from their belief, filled with memories of all the years prior. That's another story.
It doesn't really matter, though, does it? The fact of the matter, if you can call it a fact, is that I am a frost giant born in one realm and raised in another by a man who once slept with the Earth herself. I have memories that stretch back to the invention of the wheel. I wield magic strong enough to shape reality itself. I have witnessed the end of the universe, and its rebirth. Am I a god then?
What do you think? And would I lie to you? That is, after all, what you're claiming.
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It's all very curious to her and she listens intently. She does feel a bit bad about Loki thinking she was claiming they there lying but then-]
You would absolutely lie to me, you're the god of mischief afterall. [She's not offended, instead she giggles. But she sobers quickly with the topic.]
Still... I suppose those things would make you a god in many ways, yes, I think. At least in my book, but they all sound like amazing stories to me too. Not lies, just stories. Maybe it's because I come from a world with man made gods that I find it all... difficult to believe that someone plain like me could have a conversation with a real god.
[A pause...]
Or maybe it's because one of those men who thought they were a god took everything from me and in my grief, I let him. I wanted him to kill me and make me someone else. And then when I didn't want it anymore, he still tried to force that on me. So, now I find the concept of godhood to be... a crutch for those who think they know better, to toy with other people's lives.
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Guilty as charged!
[But after that, they might as well be a different person, the shift is so drastic.]
From what you’ve described… that is godhood functioning as intended. Think of all the stories you’ve heard. So many of us view human lives as our playthings, myself included from time to time. We do not use it as a crutch, to support us. We simply are.
I’ve known men who’ve chased godhood. One I helped to obtain it. He tried to kill the gods, as recompense for how they had treated him. Like a doll thrown away when the game was over. He lived in a make believe world, an idealistic life we had granted him in favor of the alternative. And it drove him insane.
As you said, we thought we knew better.
Unlike the man in your story, I did not force this existence onto him once more after he had broken free. No, I gave him a different tale.
For a human consumed by a false reality, what title would be better fitting than the God of Lies?
Thing is, godhood has its caveats too. The fate of the God of Lies is to be shackled in his son’s entrails as venom drips ever so slowly into his eyes, forced open to bear the pain eternally.
The gods are cruel, Sumire Yoshizawa. Sounds like your villain was merely playing his part.
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Everyone is cruel in the end, it's about finding the people in life who cherish you enough to spare you their cruelty really. Even I can be unkind in how I ignore people I don't know. I don't stop to help someone crying out in pain because what if it's a ploy to hurt me?
I know being selfish isn't cruelty, but only to oneself. It's cruel to the other person regardless.
[She pauses and thinks about it.]
Then does it make me a potential god that we not only will overcome him but steal his heart and change his ways entirely? Stop him and force him to see the fault in his actions and choose to change them? Doesn't that in turn make us more powerful than him when we do so?
[She asks sincerely.]
Or is it how I already know I forgive him, even if we fail? I already forgive him now.
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Why are you asking me? I don't care at all if you're a god, potential one or not. And I don't really care if you forgive him either.
[Well, perhaps not fun, but at least more casual.]
I have no say in your status, and that will be even more so true when you return to your story. If you're looking for some sort of validation, best to find it in yourself or from your comrades. None of this has anything to do with me, yeah?
[While it's true Loki has taken some interest in these kids, their approach to relationships is rather different than an ordinary person's. Not necessarily because they're a god, but because they're Loki.]
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[She looks up in thought. Looking for validation outside of herself is a bad habit she hopes to break one day, so getting called out on it kind of stings, but she's used to bearing the brunt of such call outs now.
One cannot be a professional competitor without critics and people who will be harsh afterall. ]
On another note, how do you feel about Akechi having Loki as one of his personas? Ren has Thor too. I have Vanadis.
[She can't help but wonder how they feel about her having Freyja as a persona.]
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[Which is why their own answer was kinda a non-answer. They could definitely be interpreted as a god! Especially when considering the facts of their existence.
But more importantly, they are Loki.]
I think it's cute. I've seen lots of versions of myself and my family, but yours seem relatively harmless in the grand scheme of things. They're sorta like Pokémon from what I gather?
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[Hm, yeah that's about the best way to explain a persona.]
They are us and not. Like I'm not actually Vanadis, but within my soul are aspects of her that fit and manifest as her. Where she's the closest representation of who I am in that moment.
[She thinks about it for a long moment, then nods.]
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Just another thing to tease Akechi about, it seems. And one to tease Sumire about as well.]
Oh? And in what ways are you similar to my mother? Do you feel the urge to lecture me? To scold me?
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I mean, I could if you really want, if that's missing from your life, I'll step up to the plate.
[For a moment she thinks about it.]
But I don't even actually understand it. I guess because I'm a fighter, I'm strong, but I am someone who loves and guides. How does a persona choose? Because I don't pick it. It... it picked me. So really, in what ways is your mother like me that she would choose me?
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[Loki enjoys being ungoverned!! But also the idea of Sumire trying to scold them is hilarious.]
I can't say I know you well enough to say for sure, but... my mother is stubborn.
Her marriage was a political one, ending a war between the Aesir and the Vanir. Her first child was lost to her, spirited away to another realm until time forgot her. And the whole reason you get married like that is to produce a proper heir, right? Kind of a bummer.
Thor and I, neither of us were born of her womb. Thor from a dalliance Odin had with Gaea, and myself born in Jotunheim. Still, she raised us as her own. Thor has never doubted her love for him, and he knows that they are mother and son regardless of blood. Someone who loves and guides... aye, that's about right for her role in his story.
My take might be that she guides a bit too much. Like any mother, she thinks she knows what is best for all. She ruled Asgard accordingly, and while she presented herself as less brash, less violent than my father, her decisions were sometimes crueler.
She's the God of the Hunt now, and I'd say it suits her, being wild and free and not tied down by marriage or politics.
Someone she'd choose... I imagine is someone as stubborn as her. Someone who's faced hardships and continued on, for better or worse. Acting from a place of love that reaches beyond the self, focusing instead on the good of everyone, sometimes to their detriment. The seemingly contradicting love and war, fertility and death. And a uniquely feminine energy all the same.
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Guides too much, huh? Maybe Sumire does that too, with her fics and meddling. Even thinking about it she was already coming up with excuses why it was okay and for their good. Maybe she can relate to that too. Too much of all of this really.]
Yeah, not to gas myself up, but that feels right. And good, I'm glad she's free and wild now. [Her tone is empathetic, because she understands so much about what it's like to be tied down in a way.]
Well, I think I've taken up enough of your time, thank you, especially for the conversation, it's been very... thought provoking.
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Ugh, it's frustrating making sense of all these various plotlines. Perhaps that's why everyone else is content to ignore the fourth wall.
Loki tucks a strand of hair behind their ear, remembering the time and place as they offer a small smile to Sumire.]
Good luck with Akechi.
okay so what's it do? :eyes:
[She smiles and grabs her bag with a hum.]
It was lovely to talk to you.
[With a bow, she slips quietly out the door.]
text; un - dr. foster
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But no, I know it wasn’t you. It happened... a couple times to me.
[ but honestly it was the nicest with Loki and someone would probably have to waterboard that information out of her ]
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I know, I know! It was terrible of me. How do I make it up to you?
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i would think you've tired of playing the damsel in distress by now.
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How about I get you a drink and we chalk it all up to fae magic?
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for that to be a decision we can make, as opposed to a simple fact, it implies you have doubts about the extent of the magic's effects.
it's perfectly acceptable to admit you fell for me. many people have. you would be amongst the ranks of morgan le fay and hercules. that's not so embarrassing, is it?
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[ oh my goddddd ]
You know what I mean. It was weird, okay? Weird. I can never look Clint in the face again.
So yes, me throwing myself all over you at that party was super embarrassing and I, personally, am going to the pub to have a drink.
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if you want to have another date, you need only say so. this posturing is unnecessary.
are you headed there now?
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-> action
I presume you've already ordered mead for me as well?
Re: -> action
That was fast.
[ ah, there they are. She shifts in her seat a little to return the wave, then gestures. A big ol tankard, just for them. ]
It’s all yours.
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Free drinks always taste better.
[It seems they've mostly dropped the jokes about her being into them because well, they were jokes. And jokes can get stale.]
I heard tell that the Jane Foster of my universe once outdrank the Warriors Three, have you yourself managed such a feat?
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[ Something about a guilt free beverage...yeah. ]
Um, no. I can't say that I have. Yet? [ That last bit comes out more of a question as Jane squints into her mug. Her brow furrows, then a look back over to Loki ] Seriously? All three of them?
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[By cheating. But that's part of the fun. Thor barely ever catches them too.]
I believe they were trying to test her capabilities as Thor, arguing that she could not possibly keep up with them, that she was a poor replacement for the Odinson. Apparently she proved them wrong.
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Wow.
[ Although, wait a minute. ]
Her capabilities as Thor? What do you mean? [ what the hell does that mean. ]
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[They share this information very casually, forgetting that it might be a potential spoiler for her universe.]
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[ HUGE SPOILER LOKI but it's fine, it's fine. It's super fine, all good. ]
I'm worthy of Mjolnir. [ somewhere, in space and time???
That's a lot to swallow, but there's something inside of her that fills with a quiet, burning pride. She’s always known herself to be strong - brilliant, determined as hell, unwilling to back down when she knows she's right. She's a doctor of physics, she's written numerous papers and is published in several extremely prestigious science journals, created that whole Foster Theory thing...
But worthy of Thor's hammer? That’s something else entirely. That’s the stuff of myths and gods and impossible destiny.
And okay, it may not be her destiny (yet), but it's still amazing, still makes her smile, hands reaching out to pull her mug close, eyes fixed on Loki. ]
So what happened to her? Is she still out there, swinging that hammer around?
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... so am I, for the record.
[Being worthy is way less special if Loki's considered worthy too. Technically they're only worthy when under an inversion spell or if Thor's deeming worthiness, but- she doesn't need to know that!]
And she's a Valkyrie now. Pitches in when we need more Thors, still has her day job too, I think.
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[ that weird planet where the other him had died, not the variant but the other-other one. The Sacred timeline one, or something. She’s getting mixed up, it’s fine. ]
A physicist and a Valkyrie? Man, I am awesome.
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You're not under any spell, you need not lie about my supposed heroics. If a version of me did risk his life, it was for his own purposes, I promise you.
[Lokis aren't nice! They aren't! Speaking of weird universal differences-]
She's a doctor, actually. Was your Donald Blake a physicist too then?
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Maybe. [ Maybe not. Hard to say, it all happened very quickly. But she likes to think there’s some good in people, even when they’re done really… really bad stuff. ]
…Nnnnoooo. No, he isn’t. He’s a doctor, just a doctor I used to date. [ She runs her fingers through her hair, an anxious tic. ] Just an ex. He’s an ex, and just…wow was he bad with relationships.
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Donald Blake was my brother's mortal persona. Well, his first one at least. That was how he met Jane Foster, through their shared line of work.
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Well, I did have Erik get Thor out of SHIELD’s custody by saying he was Donald. But they totally… totally knew it was bullshit. They let him out to see what he’d do, I guess.
[ It had been dumb to try but it….sorta…. Worked? ]
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[They are sorta trying to figure out how Odin's plan to humble Thor would work without him being properly humbled in a human body but. That's some screenwriter's problem, not theirs.]
Does it help to know I had the alternate version of your ex tortured in my place, the whole venom dripping into the eyes deal? He so desperately wanted to be a god, you see.
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A little bit.
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[Just to make it clear they didn't punish him for being Jane's ex.]
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Well.
[ Loki gets the full breadth of her smile now, a little wry but there nonetheless. ]
That’s alright, then.
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[They take a long sip of their mead.]
... Any fun stories from your timeline? Ones where I don't die preferably?
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[ She thinks back, because everything used to be semi-normal, and now everything is crazy. ]
There was the thing with the dark elves and the aether. You ever deal with something like that?
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[As Thor's villains are like to do.]
No "aether" involved, as far as I remember.
text; un: eleven
but I only liked one of them
do you want to hear them?
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go ahead, little jester
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What do you call a magician who's lost all his magic?
Ian.
This one is bad because that's not how you say the words. vash said it needs wiggling rooms, which sounds gross, and is also stupid.
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I only know 25 letters of the alphabet.
I don't know y.
I don't like this one either because I'm still learning things and I don't like to feel stupid
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i suppose in general then you won't like wordplay
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did you know a nose can't be 12 inches long?
you know why?
because then it would be a foot.
I don't like this one because I don't like math
maybe the person telling the jokes is just bad at jokes
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here's the last one:
Which one's faster, hot or cold?
Hot, because you can catch a cold.
this one is very funny, I like it a lot, and I will tell it to everyone I know.
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is your leaf running?
(running can mean working, ie is your leaf working)
un: iamironman
Hi.
First of all.
Secondly...
Kinda need a guy to practice my fairy magic on.
Someone who knows how to resist it.
And you seem like you know your way around this bullshit.
[ He's not going to ask, but he is going to strongly imply he wants Loki to be the "guy" in question. ]
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Technically yes.
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what have you and strange been doing so far? i don't want to retread old ground.
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Nothing out of the ordinary.
[ Uh huh... ]
I've mostly just been trying to get past his mental defenses at this point.
And he taught me how to do his shield thing.
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my magic's rather different from his, but i suppose it's best you learn that firsthand
where you would like to meet? are you free now?
ahhh how forward of me! (,,>﹏<,,) ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚
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Meet me in the common room in an hour?
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[True to their word, Loki will be waiting for Tony in the common room. They're lounging on a chair in an absurd way that cannot possibly be how chairs were meant to be sit on. When Tony enters, they give him a lazy wave, though the intent behind their eyes is more focused, attempting to size him up.]
Are you certain you're ready to play in the big leagues, Tony Stark?
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But I'm not exactly spoiled for choice at the moment, so I'll take what I can get.
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Charm me.
[It's a challenge. They want to see what he'll do, especially after how he charmed Thor.]
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Tony takes a few steadying breaths to calm himself. He stands a little straighter on the final inhale; the air feels warmer, like dew being warmed by the early morning sun. Tony can practically taste a hint of something floral, like a rose or a dandelion, as he speaks. ] Tell me: Are you going to give away the next thing I make you? [ Yes, he's still pissy about that. And because he's hardly expecting this to work, he'll tack on something fun and funny for himself, too. ] If you are, I at least want you to blow me a kiss to make up for it.
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But there's things to learn here as well. All the loopholes Tony has left for Loki to escape into.]
I don't know.
[The truth.]
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peopleAsgardians, disarms Tony. Enough that the mystical charm stutters and falls away. ] Oh. [ He almost sounds... Disappointed. Like he thought he might actually get to see the inner workings of some grand plan. ]So you just did it because it was... [ He seems to remember then, that he has a magical muscle he was supposed to be working out. ] What? Convenient?
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[Which is why they don't know if they'll do it again. It depends entirely on what he makes for them and if an opportunity presents itself.
They move to get up from their seat and approach Tony properly, leaning in with a curious and goading expression.]
Is that all you want from me, Stark? I had hoped for more.
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A whim, like Strange's dandelion-fueled lust for him. Tsk. ] Sorry to disappoint, but I'm no Narcisso. [ Is it possible Tony's actually learned a lesson about not using his powers for evil? ] The only thing I wanna charm outta you is intel, anyway.
[ A beat, and something he might be able to use Loki for pops into his head. ] Do you know what a symbiote is? [ Tony inhales deeply, turning the magical charm back on. After all, he was here for practice. ] The other me that's running around, he said his armor had the same properties as one-a those. Some kinda alien. What can you tell me? [ Something about it had never sat completely right with him; like a pebble in his shoe he was having trouble finding. And maybe this Loki came from a universe where that was more common knowledge. ]
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[Before gathering intel. Since that's what they're doing. They sigh and back off, honestly a little offended Tony's using his charm on this. Questions they would answer honestly anyways! Sure, he's getting a chance to stretch his magic muscles, but it's no fun on their end.]
Aye, I do. They're alien beings created by the god Knull. You're likely better off asking a spider-person about them, they tend to have more frequent crossovers. I would think you're capable of putting together the context clues as well. Symbiote. Symbiotic relationships. Symbiotes bond with a host and the two become a sort of enhanced being. It's very gloopy gloppy.
I imagine the other Stark has synthesized his suit to interact with its host in a similar manner, like a second skin. Streamlined intuitive biotech. Impressive, but not my style.