THE ARCHIVES - THE TIME VARIANCE AUTHORITY - TIME UNKNOWN
"And you're sure this variant is connected to me?"
Loki raised a brow, glancing up from the report he had been skimming. He was now fitted in TVA uniform which was far better than that awful, drab jumpsuit. And that blasted collar had been removed - wise and foolish at the same time.
Although, it could do with something a bit more... refined. And the colours are still extremely dull.
Mobius had asked him to go over the case files, the reports of the ambushes, to see if he could spot anything the TVA couldn't. But it seemed whoever was on the warpath against the TVA was well versed in covering their tracks. Sneaky and stealthy it seemed.
"I mean, how can you even be sure?" Loki threw the document down, leaning back in his seat, looking over at the agent sat opposite him who was also looking through the files.
"Loki, we're the TVA, it's our job to be sure." Mobius replied lowly in return, closing the file he had been staring at for the last few minutes.
"Well, you don't even know who they are-" Loki pointed out, shrugging lightly. "Which is why you needed my help in the first place." He paused. "You're hoping our elusive variant will catch wind of the God of Mischief aiding the organisation they seem so intent on disrupting, making them slip up, assuming they know me well enough for it to rattle them." He tilted his head slightly as Mobius raised his brows, letting out a wry huff.
"You're quick, I'll give you that." The agent wagged a finger at Loki as the God's lips twitched.
"Mobius, I'm a God." He replied, tone turning mocking. "Of course I'm quick." His brows furrowed, hand lifting from the table in a gesture of 'duh, obliviously'.
"Yeah, yeah, I know." Mobius conceded, eyes rolling faintly. "Except, not quick enough it seems." He added with a sigh, waving a dismissive hand towards the stacks of files. "I mean, it's bad enough when it's another you we have to deal with, but whoever this is really is taking the biscuit." He shook his head. "They're giving you a run for your money."
"Oh, I assure you-" Loki huffed out a dry laugh. "They are no match for me." His tone held his signature air of cockiness, arrogance.
This variant most certainly won't outsmart me.
"Yeah, I thought you'd say something like that." Mobius muttered, reaching for another file. "Keep up that bravado, helps with morale." He quipped, smirking faintly as Loki sent a quick glare his way.
Bravado. The nerve.
ROXXCART, HAVEN HILLS - ALABAMA - 2050
Finally. The hunt has led to this moment. Time to find out who you are, variant...
After a lot of searching and theorising, Loki and Mobius had managed to find out where the variant had likely been hiding. Loki had discovered apocalypses were the most likely answer, a place where no matter what the variant did, it wouldn't cause a branch. No nexus events could be created.
Clever. I'll give them that.
Stepping into the eerily silent, dimly lit superstore, Loki eyed their surroundings, taking in all possible hiding spots and escape routes their variant could take. Letting out a sigh, he swiftly let a shimmer of magic travel over him, drying his clothes from the storms rain as B-15 frowned at him, stepping back.
"What the hell was that?" She asked, tone a mix of surprise and irritation. Loki raised a brow, pursing his lips as he turned to look at her, hands in his trouser pockets.
"That was magic." He replied simply, glancing at the group. "Drying my clothes." He shook his head slightly, shrugging. "So I don't announce myself with every squeaky footstep like the rest of you." He paused. "At least one of us has to be sneaky to match our variant, not simply barrel in with all the grace of a bull in a china shop." He said wryly, as Mobius let out a slow breath, shaking his head at B-15 to drop it. He had come to realise it was best to just let Loki say his little comments and leave it at that, otherwise it would quickly become a battle of barbs. Loki's whole stick was to see if he could rile people up, get them to react, have them give him attention. Unfortunately, for Mobius, it worked most the time, but now was not the time or place for quips and jabs.
It wasn't long until B-15 and Mobius had a disagreement about who Loki should go with. Loki watched, lips pressed in a thin line. He was too eager to get on with the chase than to stand around and watch the pair argue about who got babysitting duties.
"It's okay." Loki held up a hand towards Mobius, raising his brows. "Trust is earned, I understand that." He said sincerely, holding the agents gaze. "So, trust that I am far too curious to find out who this vexing variant is to do anything that a uh..." He smirked faintly. "-mischievous scamp would do." He recounted Mobius' earlier words when describing him, looking at him beseechingly. Mobius sighed, shifting on his feet as he glanced at B-15, who was definitely not going to back down from her stance that Loki should stay with her.
"Fine." Mobius reluctantly conceded, before turning to Loki, pointing at him. "But first sign of trouble-"
"And I will ensure B-15 here reports straight to you." Loki finished for him with a small nod. With one last glance between them all, Loki moved to stand beside B-15, hands still in his trouser pockets, radiating a sense of calm and collected. He wasn't at all worried about this variant. In fact, he truly believed he could get them on side. Not the side of the TVA, of course, but his own side. The side where he overthrows the Time Keepers and ascends as God King.
Let the games begin.
This was it.
Everything she had been waiting for. All the years spent endlessly planning, thinking of every possible outcome and trouble that could arise.
Her hands twisted together the last two wires, her figure hidden in the shadows as she finished up the rig. Reset charges littered the shelves around the superstore, thunder clapping outside as the rain pelted down, wind hitting the building, only getting stronger as the storm drew closer.
Activate the charges, send them to disrupt the timeline causing chaos, get to the TVA and find the Time Keepers and make them pay. Easy.
Taking a breath, she slowly stood from her crouched position, stepping back from her handiwork to survey it. With a small nod to herself, she reached round to her holster to grab the TemPad, steadying herself for what was to come. However, her head snapped up as she heard hushed voices and footsteps slowly walking down a nearby aisle. Her eyes narrowed, putting away the TemPad safely as she listened to the footsteps. Two people. Moving to the end of the aisle silently, she kept to the shadows, peering round the corner of the shelving unit to see the familiar figure of a minuteman. Her jaw clenched, hands curling into fists as she watched from nearby.
However, when the second figure came into view, her breath caught in her throat.
"I think we got off on the wrong foot earlier-" Loki spoke lowly, peering at B-15 who was very intently staring ahead, keeping her mind on the task.
"Shh!" B-15 hissed at Loki, timestick in her grip. Loki blinked at the woman, brows furrowing.
"Well, hang on- I was trying to make-" Loki tried once more, only for the woman to send a glare his way, once more shushing him, irritation evident in her face. Loki let out a slow breath, pursing his lips about to open his mouth once more, but a noise nearby stopped them in their tracks. Loki's head turned towards the direction of the noise, brows twitching as he instantly became alert.
Shit.
She pushed herself back behind the aisle, staying out of sight as Loki's head snapped towards her direction. She tried to calm her racing heart, breaths coming out quick and shallow.
How can he be here? This wasn't in the plan. This wasn't- I hadn't even accounted for... this.
Letting her back rest against the shelving unit, her mind raced. What would she do now? She couldn't... She couldn't just stop her plans. She had to finish this. Finish what the TVA had started. This changed nothing. Although, even as her mind told her that, her heart said otherwise. This changed everything.
No. Do what you have to.
B-15 shared a look with Loki, before the God held up a hand, signalling for her to wait as he took a few cautious steps forwards. His sharp blue eyes scanned the area, looking for any sign of someone, keeping his steps quiet and light, ready to defend them at any moment if needed.
"I know you're here." Loki called out, keeping his voice low and smooth, not wanting to scare off whoever was hiding from them.
Patience is key.
When silent met them, Loki narrowed his eyes slightly, before continuing. "They think you're connected to me."
Perhaps this will get them to show themselves.
"So tell me..." Loki paused, raising a curious brow, sending a quick glance B-15's direction. "Are they right?" He paused, a few more beats of silence passing. He let out a quiet sigh. "From my timeline... Past, present or future?" He took another slow step forwards, stepping under a flickering light. "I do really hate not knowing."
"This is getting us nowhere-" B-15 muttered under her breath, moving to take a few steps forwards, brushing past Loki as she headed towards where the sound had come from, activating her timestick as Loki went to protest, holding a hand out to try and stop her. But to his surprise, the woman was met with a blast of violet energy, flying backwards to crash into a shelving unit a few feet away, timestick clattering to the floor. Loki's eyes widened, as he quickly snapped his head towards where the blast had come from, summoning his own magic as his hands glowed emerald.
B-15 fell to the floor, unconscious, as Loki wasted no time in stalking towards the aisle that the violet blast had come from, fingers crackling with magic. However, as he approached, he was swiftly met with a blast of his own, flying backwards as his back hit the store floor, sliding a few feet before coming to a stop. His face scrunched in pain from the impact, letting out a sharp breath as he lifted his head. But as soon as he did, he was met with a cold blade at his throat, a weight on top of him as his eyes widened.
He took in whoever was holding him down, slowly raising his hands in surrender, magic dissipating from his fingers. His eyes scanned the woman above him, taking in her narrowed brown eyes. From what he could see in the flickering lights, she was young, appeared mortal, maybe around the age of thirty at most if he had to take a guess. Long raven hair framed her face, slightly mussed, errant strands on her cheeks. She had faint dark circles under her eyes, lines in the corners from past smiles and laughs, and there was a sadness in her eyes, along with rage and something else as she looked down at him. She was pretty, he found. But also, someone he didn't recognise.
"Forgive me-" Loki began smoothly, letting out a quick breath. "It seems you've got me at a bit of a disadvantage." He raised his chin slightly, trying to put distance between him and the blade she held at his neck.
It really is him.
She looked down at Loki, keeping her eyes narrowed into a glare as she kept her blade at the skin of his neck. Her mind was in turmoil, heart racing in her chest. It was clear he didn't know her. So, he was from before they knew one another. The thought sent a pang of disappointment though her chest, but she kept her outward appearance hardened. As Loki spoke, she raised her own chin slightly, pursing her lips.
"What the hell are you doing?" She hissed out, voice low as her eyes flickered to the TVA emblem on his jacket. "So the TVA think that just because they bring you in that it'll stop me?" She huffed out a wry laugh, disbelief evident in her face as she shook her head. "They've got you playing the loyal lapdog?"
She watched as Loki bristled slightly at her words, brows creasing as he narrowed his eyes. "I think you'll find I'm only loyal to myself." He quipped in return, making the woman roll her eyes.
"Of course you are." She muttered as Loki blinked up at her, sensing the exasperation in her tone.
"And I actually haven't come here to hand you over, in fact, I thought perhaps we could work together." Loki continued, as she looked down at him, watching his face closely. "It seems our goals align... Taking down the Time Keepers..." He paused. "Perhaps we could come to some arrangement." The woman let out a scoff at his words, removing her dagger from his neck as she pushed herself off of him, her hand pressing against his chest as he let out an 'oof' at the pressure.
"Why is it when you say 'taking down', I think what you actually mean is 'overthrow them' and 'take their throne'?" She asked, raising a brow as she gave him a knowing look.
He must be young. If he doesn't know who I am... And still is vying for a throne...
Loki watched as the woman pushed herself to her feet, blinking as he too pushed himself up, letting out a breath as he flipped his head back, hands by his sides. The look she gave him made him feel uneasy... Something about the knowing glint in her eye. The fact she knew his motivations without him even saying it... Unnerving to say the least.
"Am I really so predictable?" He asked wryly, smoothing back his hair.
"Yes." The woman answered without hesitation, Loki opening his mouth in faint offence, hands moving to rest on his hips. "Oh, don't give me that look- You've spent half your life trying to convince yourself you want a throne, why would it be any different now?" She continued, shaking her head.
Who... Who does she think she is?
"Uh, hang on just a minute-" Loki raised his hand, lifting a finger as if to make a point, but he was surprised as the woman simply turned on her heel, walking away from him. Loki blinked, hand moving palm up in a 'what is happening' gesture.
Okay... So someone from my future clearly.
"I'm not done yet!" Loki exclaimed after her, quickly moving to follow her as she walked down the flickering aisle. Loki reached out to grasp her shoulder to stop her movements, but she was quicker, swiftly grabbing his wrist as she ducked under his arm, once more bringing her dagger up to his neck, eyes narrowed fiercely.
"Stay out of my way." Her voice was low, warning evident in her tone. Loki's eyes twitched, narrowing faintly as her blade once more hovered near his neck.
"Tell me who you are." Loki demanded, holding her gaze. He wasn't afraid of her. Something told him she wouldn't actually hurt him. Maybe that was stupid to think, but there was something in her eyes when she looked at him that gave him pause. The woman seemed to take a moment, before leaning forwards slightly.
"I'm the woman who's going to burn the TVA to the ground." Her voice was full of conviction, certainty. Her eyes only backed up her sentiments as Loki tilted his head ever so slightly.
So, she doesn't want to take over... She wants to destroy it. Interesting.
"Whilst I applaud your confidence, I highly doubt you are capable of bringing a whole organisation to their knees on your own." Loki replied, a mocking smirk pulling at his lips. He watched in amusement as the woman seemingly bristled at his words, her grip on her blade faltering for a moment.
Ah, there it is. And Mobius was worried she could out do m-
Loki didn't get to finish his thought before he was flying backwards, the woman having used her boot to kick him in the gut, sending him tumbling back onto the floor once more. Loki let out a wheeze, coughing lightly, blinking harshly at the ceiling.
Well, I didn't expect that. She certainly has quite a kick on her, I'll give her that.
"Stay out of my way." The woman repeated once more, stalking off down the aisle again. "Idiot." Loki heard her huff under her breath, causing his brows to crease, hand moving to lay on his stomach, giving himself a moment to catch his breath.
Arrogant idiot.
The woman thought to herself with a shake of her head.
Clearly, very young. Maybe... New York young? If that's the case, god help us all.
She once more grabbed the TemPad from her holster, putting her dagger away, moving to the device she had waiting to set the reset charges off in tandem. Kneeling down, she began to set it up, placing the TemPad into the slot.
"Who are you!?" She heard Loki's voice echo down the aisle, glancing back to see him striding towards her, anger clear on his face that she had managed to best him twice, once without magic. She clenched her jaw, quickly activating the device as the reset charges began to light up around them on the shelves, causing Loki to pause in his steps, head snapping to look at a nearby reset charge. "So that's your plan? Blow the place up?" He almost scoffed. The woman rose to her feet, turning to face him as he stood a few metres away.
"No." She told him simply, causing him to look back at her. "It's called a distraction." Just as she said that, time doors opened under the reset charges, making them disappear through them as they went off throughout the sacred timeline, creating branches for the TVA to deal with. "Now, if you're quite done, I'm rather busy."
Loki kept his body tense, his eyes watching her closely when she reached to grab the TemPad, taking a few steps to the side as she fiddled with the device. "You know me." Loki said lowly, unable to hide the curiosity from his voice, a time door opening before the woman.
"No, I know the future you." She replied coolly, looking up at him with an arched brow. Loki let out an exasperated sigh at her smart quip.
God, she is vexing.
"Loki!" The God turned at his name being called, seeing Mobius rushing down from the other side of the store, minutemen in tow. Loki pursed his lips, glancing back at the woman, torn between what to do. The woman simply lifted her hand, giving a mocking wave before stepping through the time door, out of sight. "Loki, wait!" Mobius exclaimed.
I don't trust her. But I also don't trust the TVA...
Loki clenched his fists in frustration, his plan to work with the variant clearly out the window now. All he could do... Was follow her. Get answers. And maybe... Use her to get to the Time Keepers himself. Without wasting another moment, Loki took long strides towards the time door, stepping through as it snapped shut behind him, leaving behind Mobius and the others.
Time for answers.