"So," said the oldest Loki offering the group more wine after an awkward few minutes of introductions. "You're here so you can enchant Alioth, get to some supposed dictator beyond the Void, kill them and stop the TVA from dumping any more of their rubbish here."

"Yup," said Sylvie. "Do you have a problem with that plan?"

He shook his head chuckling then the grin left his face. "It's not a plan, it's suicide."

All the Loki's nodded in agreement.

Some sort of truce had been conceded, after a fight regarding who would rule this particular piece of the Void. The Variant's walked around, filling each other's cups and staring intermittently at Mabel. It was positively annoying. She sat in the middle of them on a green chair. Kid Loki was on the floor next to her, his head resting against her leg. Out of all of them, her heart went out to him the most. His presence in the void made her hate the TVA all over again.

On her other side, she could feel Zabu's tension on high. His fur was prickled, and a low rumbling growl vibrated in his throat. His eye was constantly on the alligator in the pool.

Mabel scanned the room again, avoiding the Variant's eyes. Scarlet was having the time of her life, toasting and giggling with two of the Loki's. She was showing them her tarantula. She pushed on one's shoulder, and they blushed. Mabel smiled. Scarlet had never gotten a chance to be her true outgoing self in the stifling world of the TVA.

Mobius was chatting with another two of them, doing what he did best: listening intently and offering sage wisdom without meaning to.

"I'm not resigned to live in this decaying wilderness like the rest of you," said Sylvie. "I have a mission, and I'm going to complete it."

"You're different," said the kid at Mabel's feet, lifting his head. "Maybe because you're a woman. Do you think that men's ambition is always tied to conquering?"

The Loki's all grew quiet at this question and turned their gaze on Sylvie. "I don't care about what others do. It's what I do that matters," she said. "Call it revenge, call it glorious purpose. Getting here, to this moment is all I've ever known."

The Loki's looked at Mabel. The Boastful version sat beside her, leaning close.

"When I betrayed you, it was never anything personal. I hope you can forgive me," he said.

Mabel narrowed her eyes. Another with pink hair kneeled on her other side. "I hope you don't hate me," he said.

The copy of her Loki with the presidential button on it came up behind Boastful Loki. "No hard feelings eh?" he said, holding a rag over his missing hand.

Yet another with bicycle handles on his head walked up to her and opened his mouth to speak.

That was all she could take.

"Enough!" she cried, standing abruptly. "I'm not here to offer absolution. I'm here to find Loki. You all know what you've done, and you've offered nothing in the way of penance." Her accent was changing, and she could feel a warmth spread through her limbs to her hands. "If you were truly sorry, you'd help me find him. Help Sylvie in her quest. There are bigger things afoot than your petty squabbles. I'm done being asked for forgiveness from those who aren't truly sorry."

With her last words, a blue light burst around her, pushing out to fill the bowling alley. They all stared at her, as her eyes lit in an otherworldly bright white.

Mabel's white-blonde hair fanned out and grew long down to her waist. Blue sparks traveled down from her head to her toes, outfitting her in her white Valkyrie armor.

"Mabel," breathed Scarlet when the light finally died down.

She could feel the light flowing through her limbs, ready to be pushed out, ready to help those who needed it. It was glorious.

She looked around at the stunned faces gazing up at her. "Are you helping me or not?" No one said anything. Mabel huffed. She went to the hatch and began to climb.

Once outside, the coldness hit her like a brick to the face. She walked down the hill and sat on the grass hugging her newly armored knees. She missed Loki like oxygen. So short a time in knowing him, and yet, their love was ancient. Not the Loki from her timeline. The one she'd given her heart to. "Where are you?" she asked the void. Nothing came back.

"Where are you?" she said louder.

She closed her eyes, her mind drifting out to the field from her youth. The one she could see only sometimes. It was a constant battle to fight through the mind wipe the TVA had done.

"Sigyn, Mabel," came a quiet voice in the back of her mind. She opened her eyes. It was almost audible.

"Loki?" she said. Her heart leapt. He was alive.

"It's so cold."

"Loki!" She stood up. Somehow, he was calling out to her. Their connection was real. She couldn't just hear him, she could feel his consciousness inside her head. And it was him. Her Loki from outside of time. She looked around desperately. "Tell me where you are."

"It's cold. So cold without you."

"Loki!" she screamed.

"Down here, the concrete. It hurts. It hurts without you."

"Please! Tell me, I'll find you!" She could feel his consciousness slip away. "No, please, don't leave." She sank to her knees, her eyes pinching shut. What she wouldn't give to have him in her arms again so she could hold him close, keep him warm. Keep him safe. She felt hopeless and hopeful all at once. At least he was alive. For now. But where?

"Where did he say he was?" said a voice behind her. She swiveled her head as a hand rested on her shoulder. The child stood next to her.

She wiped her eye. "He- He said he was cold. Something about concrete."

Kid-Loki sighed. "He's probably being held by the other army in the city ruins." He pointed to the amalgamation of buildings from different timelines, all crumbing together.

The others had joined her, sans the Loki army currently healing in the bowling alley. Scarlet helped Mabel to her feet.

"More suicide attempts," said the oldest Loki Variant, swallowing.

"I'll go alone if I have to," said Mabel. "And after I find him, we get Sylvie beyond Alioth, and stop the TVA once and for all."

"I'll help you," said Kid Loki. "He's a Loki after all."

She smiled at him and stroked his head as he grinned at her.

"We go now," said Mabel. She saw a shimmering blue light coming from behind her and felt the weight of the sword that had conjured on her back.

Zabu growled beside her and Scarlet gave her a thumbs up.

"Sylvie, can you put your quest on hold for a little while longer?" she asked.

Sylvie sighed. "Oh what the hell. For him, yes."

….

Loki felt a searing pain on his forehead. He'd awoken from a dream where Sigyn was calling out to him, her sweet voice longing. He'd called back. Hearing her voice in his head was almost real. Having realized it was just a dream was worse than the physical pain he was in now. To be apart like this tore at him. He needed her. He needed her nearness. Even if he could never touch her again, as long as she was close by, life was worth living. He looked up. There was a long snaking pipe above him. Some sort of acid dripped onto his temple from it and he grunted.

"What is this?" he asked weakly.

"Incentive. Are you ready to join our band?" came his own voice echoing back to him. His double in lime green stood a little ways away, hands in his pockets, full gold helmet on.

"And if I refuse?"

"You won't. You're one of us."

Loki thought about Sigyn. He could join. He could go back to scheming, lying. But he didn't want to. That wasn't who he was anymore. He didn't want to rule, and he'd be damned if he be subject to this version of himself.

"Piss off," he said, quoting Sylvie.

The Variant lowered his head. "So be it," he said.