Episode 4 ( Interlude) ; Thor , Hall of Loki . ( Timeline ) , outside time.
Thor stepped into the Ether, the space between the Multiverses of their Leyline... the fae child staring at him in glee.
"You want me to eat your destiny?" The boy bounced eagerly. He was the mortal spawn of General Luna. A royal fae... a cosmic parasite / living pocket dimension. However, he was closer to a demigod, with a mortal Origin. Although this child was more then even just your average mortal fae... for he had Time Lord blood.
"I have been searching for a loophole, for more then a Midgardian year." Thor informed. "A way to break the chains of fate that bind my actions. And learned of you. You literally feed on Destinies. I'm told you take pleasure in preventing the cruelest designs."
"I'm happy to outwit the Fates." The boy agreed. "But the real question is, what would you like in return?" The boy eagerly asked.
"I desire nothing from you," Thor glared at the abomination. He would not normally trust a fae... but the Cosmic Forces of free will, insisted this one was honorable.
"I'm not nearly that rude," The boy rolled his eyes. "I can feel it on you. You've actually seen the fate you wish to change. That would be quite... filling for me. I can't just let you buy me such a fine dinner, and not give you a gift in return. My Pran-Mother would have my hide!!!"
Thor sighed, "I do not seek to make a deal with you. I just want you to unbind me from Fate's Chains."
"Tempting... very tempting... but I must insist on giving you a boon," The fae charged forward, before Thor could argue. "I could get you in touch with Loki."
Thor stopped, "Deal." shooting out his arm. The fae shook the offered hand... and Thor could feel the magic bind, as fate's chains broke.
Once they parted, the boy smugly informed, "I never said which Loki."
Thor growled, having his hope shattered. "This is why people don't trust the fae!" he accused.
"Nonsense," The boy waved off. "I might not know where your Loki is, but I can introduce you to a few that would be eager to help you track him down. They may even introduce you to other interdimensional councils."
Hall of Loki.
Loki... as a royal fae. A bloody Fairy Prince. Whom collected his interdimensional counterparts, like a child collects pretty stones. All throughout the Styx Leyline, this fae stole himself from "unworthy" homes.
"You dare bring a Thor into my realm," The proper God, glared down at them, from his massive throne... even sitting, he was 30 feet tall. "I find myself over-whelm."
"He's looking to save his brother from certain Death," the boy explained. "I might have released him from that fate, but it still awaits his world."
The fae Loki groaned, rubbing his head. "Do not mince words with no tongue. What realm is he from?"
"Midgardian Prime, the Supers multiverse." Smartholomew smiled.
fae Loki gaped, "Long have I sought a footold, in the realm that will not grow old. An opportunity I see, you have brought me."
The boy shrugged, but said nothing. So the royal continued. "You are a puzzle. One I'm often tempted to muzzle. But this his a chance, to advance. A fine boon you have given me, one I count not free."
"We'll discuss that later," The boy shrugged. "For now, let's call it a favor."
"A fine attempt to speak in tongues, but don't mock the ancient ones," Loki lightly scolded.
The mortal fae boy bowed his head, looking properly chastised. Thor didn't even register, the boy had been teasing the royal fae... Loki, it seems any Loki, was better at battles of wit and word.
The true god then turned to Thor. "An invitation I require. To help you in this hour. One you will gibb but don't fibb. Beerus may choose to destroy, your favorite toy. We must fight, for the right. You must duel, to not be a fool. So let me in. So I may sin."
Thor gulped. "I don't believe I want you to sin in my favorite realm."
"The sin of which I speak," Loki grinned, "Is quite unique. One may say Magnifique.
"Beerus descends this day, there is no other way. I spit on the fates, let them be crushed on the coming dates. I intend to sin against destiny. There shall be no mercy. Your world needs saving, will you not be having?"
Thor gulped not truly following... but he believed he found the gist. "The Fates have employed the god of Destruction to destroy Midgard?" he asked for clarification.
"You think to itty bit. You little shit. Listen, muscle head, all your multiverse will soon be dead. The fates don't dare confess, but they have cause too stress. Such glorious chaos is at foot, but we don't know its root. To scrap and start again, the fates intend. Burn burn baby, the rest is hazy."
The child fae interrupted, perhaps realizing fae Loki was getting worked up. "The Prince desires to save your multiverse, you wish to be saved. Seems a win win. There are a few Million Lokis here, from all over the Omni-Verse. And all you have to do... is let them in.
"You are the son of your multiverses Grand Supreme Kai. You have the authority to let interdimensional beings into every corner of your multiverse... they can help."
The Loki's actually arrived 100 years ago, from Thor's perspective. And summoned thousands of other interdimensional Councils too stop Beerus. The Infinite worlds were destroyed and fused together, creating 42 Infinite universes. Forcing the fates into the Shadows.
Then... the Lokis started in-fighting, attempting to conquer the worlds themselves.
100 years after The Crisis on Infinite Earths. Later in the day, after Spike learned he can never go back home.
Loki, formerly of the MCU verse, rolled his eyes.
His species were not true immortals. Merely holding a life expectancy of 10 thousand years... and being extremely hard to kill. Though once they died, their spirit moved on to an afterlife.
However, due to his deal with the Royal Fae version of himself, this Loki would never grow old... nor would he ever die a true Death. He would merely respawn in the Loki Dimension... although with a power boost, making him mighty enough to destroy a third of infinity. Which as we all know, is still infinity.
Loki walked the streets of New Asgard, a floating city in the skies of Norway... where the mortal Asgardians called home. Admiring the view of the gravity defying city, as the successor to Shazam conversed with him.
Captain Marvel had requested an audience and, as the successor to the Grand Wizard Shazam, Loki felt obligated to grant it.
Loki actually liked to keep active in magical circles of this world. Hell the entire reason he tried to conquer this planet, so long ago, was because of the sheer magical potential of it's population. They were ignorant but they had the raw ability and just required the opportunity for a proper education... many of his interdimensional counterparts still felt that way.
The various "Superpowers" this race was evolving into, combined with their magical potential, made them extremely desirable to galactic tyrants like himself, formerly of course. The idea being, conquer them before they become a threat, and then use them to conquer others... Loki wasn't... entirely proud of that chapter of his life.
People like himself, were the reason this system had 4 personal Green Lanterns. Where normally a single green lantern was assigned to look after an entire Star Cluster.
Still, he found he actually enjoyed speaking with the magic users of this world. They might be more on the primitive side of the evolutionary scale, but they made up for that in raw power and ingenuity. Human ambition was something he whole heartedly admired. It had led to them defeating gods like himself (alright so he wasn't truly a divine being, but his home universe had no such thing).
They came up with ways of crafting magic not even the greatest Asgardian mages thought of. It was hard not to enjoy getting in an academic debate with them, and he loved all to hell when he was asked to consult on their magical endeavors. After all, for all their ingenuity, he still understood the laws of the universe far better then they did.
"And why, exactly, did you think I would be interested in an apprentice," MCU Loki demanded.
The man-child beside Loki shrugged, "He'd be more of a ward then an apprentice." Not answering the question. It might have been just a result of Captain Marvel being clumsy with his conversation skills. He was still young after all. He might be imbued with vast knowledge of magic, but he was still just a boy.
"That sounds even less appealing," Loki scuffed, walking a little faster and hoping the mortal would take the hint. If this was all the young wizard wanted his help with then he shouldn't waste his time. "I can have the boy put into one of our orphanages if Midgardians lack the means to handle a dragon spawn."
"He's not any ordinary dragon," Captain Marvel gave his goofy grin, as if he had a secret. "He's kinda... Purple."
Loki immediately stopped and turned to face the man-child. "Spyro has been orphaned?... Again!?"
Captain Marvel laughed, "Nope. We got ourselves a new one."
Loki just stared at him like he was an idiot, "A purple dragon can only be born once every ten generations, and we already got him."
"Kid's from another dimension," The man-child shrugged.
Loki stared, and slowly smiled. A purple dragon? They were the pinnacle of power. They weren't limited to only one transformation. They could turn into any type of dragon, of any shape or size! They could manipulate all magical elements, even channel magic itself in it's rawest, most brutal, form. If Loki had to have an apprentice, that would be worthy of him.
"Maybe you can see why we can't trust him to just anybody," Captain Marvel smiled. "If this kid fell into the wrong hands, it be pretty devastating for our world, maybe even the galaxy,"
Loki frowned, "Since when am I the right hands?"
The man-child continued to smile, and with a shrug answered. "Since you started asking questions like that. It took some convincing, but the League agreed. You're the best guy to look after the kid. It won't be year round. Just on the weekends and holidays. Until then he will be attending a boarding school for meta humans. The League was pretty insistent on that."
"They want to limit my access to him?" Loki guessed.
"More like want to make sure the kid grows up with a healthy attitude and outlook of the world. The whole point of the school is too make sure super powered kids don't turn into villains. Most of the League don't even want them to join us, even when they grow up. They want them to live normal lives and forget the hero gig."
"Champions lose much in their quest," Loki reminded. "They see the worst of Sapient nature. Most of your League long for a normal life. They romanticize it. You'll understand, when you're older."
"I'm NOT a child!" Captain Marvel snapped defensively.
Loki rolled his eyes. Then whacked the boy upside the head. "You're 12. Don't let your disguise delude even your senses."
The boy blushed, "It's not a disguise, just... what I turn into when I use my powers." he shrugged.
"Really now? And it has nothing to do with the fact the Justice League would kick you out and ship you off to this school if they-"
Captain Marvel quickly interrupted, "They do know... well some of them..." he looked uncertain until blurting out. "Superman knows! If the others found out I'm sure he'd stand up for me!" the boy insisted.
"Then why keep it a secret at all?" Loki pressed.
The man-child squirmed, "Well... it's embarrassing, is all. Both Superman and Cyborg have been treating me different ever since they found out. I'm nearly as powerful as Superman!" When Loki started laughing Captain Marvel insisted. "I totally kick his butt in training!"
Loki laughed at that, "Superman has a weakness to magic, and is constantly holding himself back. Trust me kid, if it wasn't for that, you wouldn't stand a chance against him."
The boy just pouted.
"Let's move past your delusions of grandeur, shall we?" Loki teased, "Tell me more about my new ward."
Spike sneezed, all over the pizza the group was about to munch on.
"Damnit!" Gar yelled, "Now it has lizard cooties!"
Spike nervously laughed, "Sorry."
Luckily Starfire came to the rescue. "I can just make another from the matter converter," she informed. Then gathered up the sneeze pizza, and taking it with her to the matter converter. dematerializing the contaminated food, then conjuring a sneeze free pizza.
"Got to love Kryptonian tech," Peter grinned.