"Mobius!" cried Mabel.
She ran to him and he wrapped her up in his arms. Scarlet did likewise, and he held the two close.
"I thought you were dead," said Mabel, wiping her eyes.
"Me?" he said chin bumping her. "Never."
Mabel let go and looked over at Sylvie. "Hello."
"Hello Sigyn," said Sylvie.
Mabel bit her lip. "How did you know?" she asked.
Sylvie looked her up and down. "The Sigyn I knew had the same eyes. She was my childhood best friend. You're the one Loki kept making ridiculous metaphors about aren't you?"
Mabel blushed. Sylvie was definitely quicker on the uptake than her Loki if she recognized her right away. "Where is he? Have you found him?"
Sylvie lowered her eyes and pointed to the cloud monster in front of them. "I think he was swallowed up. I'm sorry."
Mabel felt the world spinning out from under her. Zabu rubbed his head against her leg.
"If there's one thing I know," said Mobius putting his hand on her shoulder. "It's that this Loki shouldn't be underestimated."
Mabel nodded. She knew she'd tear through this whole Void in order to find him, there was no way he'd been killed. He was too clever.
"We need to look for shelter. It's getting dark," said Scarlet.
"What was your plan in coming?" asked Sylvie.
"Look for Loki, destroy the TVA. I don't know anything else," said Mabel.
"It's not a plan, but it's a purpose. Bringing down the TVA is all I've ever wanted. Maybe you can help me. Did you ever perfect the Light of Victory magic?" asked Sylvie.
"I did in my timeline, but I don't know now…"
"I'm going to enchant that thing and get to what's beyond it and kill it. I could use a little Victory to help me succeed."
Mabel sighed. "I can try."
"Meanwhile," said Scarlet. "I'm freezing, and hungry."
"We saw a hatch not too far from here," said Mobius. "We can give it a shot for shelter before that cloud wakes up. Gather some strength and think of a plan."
"It's as good an idea as we have," said Mabel.
They followed him up the hill.
…
"Where am I?" asked Loki. It was dark, the sound of dripping echoed in his ears. He tried to move, but found his arms and legs strapped. He was against a large piece of broken concrete. As his eyes adjusted, he saw he was in the basement parking garage of one of the buildings. It was wet and stretched out with cement pillars and pipes. He was freezing and shivering with cold. The place was outfitted with dilapidated furniture, old couches with springs sticking out and broken chairs. Variants of himself were drinking stale beer and cheering themselves. There were about twenty or so. A fire in a trash can in the middle of the room flamed. And just beyond was the other identical Variant of himself, lounging on a La-Z-Boy recliner lifted high on a pile of trash like a throne, one leg draped over the armrest.
"Ah, our guest is awake," he said, sipping off a martini glass.
The heads of all the Variant's turned toward him, and the chatter died down.
Loki groaned and pulled at his bonds. "What do you want from me?" he asked.
His Lime green double, jumped from his mountain of rubbish and slid over to him on the smooth concrete. He stuck his face in his. "I want you to swear fealty. Everyone who wanders into my kingdom must."
Loki spat in his face. The double reared back and laughed wiping his cheek. The other Loki's laughed with him.
"We've all done what you're doing now. Even I in my Asgardian leather was in the same position once before I rose up and overthrew my predecessor. You'll come around."
"My glorious purpose is grander than ruling over a crumbling garage."
His double grabbed him by the collar. "There is no glorious purpose in this place. Only survival." He let go and walked away with disgust on his face. "Boys, let's go hunting, and leave our new friend to marinate."
They grabbed their daggers made out of various objects and left him alone to watch the fire start to die. He'd never missed his brother so much in all his life. But all his loves were out of reach.
…
Mobius, Sylvie, Mabel, Scarlet and Zabu stood over the ominous hatch on the top of the hill. Sylvie swiped at it with her magic, and it unlocked. Mobius pulled it open and they climbed down. Zabu was surprisingly spry and shimmied his tail inside and climbed the ladder like the rest of them. Mabel helped him off the rungs and turned around to something no one could have predicted.
Fourteen Loki's, all laying over the furniture in a dilapidated bowling alley, holding ice packs to their various foreheads and knees, sewing up wounds and drinking wine from a box. And was that? An alligator in a pool with golden horns…
Zabu growled at the reptile.
All heads swiveled in the newcomers direction. They jumped up, weapons in hand.
"My worst nightmare," said Mobius.
Mabel surveyed the room, her eyes landing on a copy of her Loki in a green suit, knowing immediately it wasn't him, but feeling a tug of heartache.
"Sigyn!" cried a voice from the back.
A boy in a gold crown ran through the Loki's, up the alley, and plastered himself against Mabel, hugging her around the middle. She looked down at the child and back up at the Variants.
"Sigyn," they all said together.
Her heart dropped. "Oh Lord," she said.
