Thank you to everybody who read or left kudos for the last conversation. You are all wonderful.

This chapter really draws a lot from Thor: Ragnarök. I actually had to rewatch part of the movie to get the scenes in Sakaar just right. I misremembered. I forgot that Loki saw his brother before the arena. I had to rewrite everything. I should have watched before writing the rough draft.

Because the events of Thor: Ragnarök are deeply removed from the nexus event that created the beta timeline, things played out very similarly to the sacred timeline. How will Daisy's presence change stuff in the gamma timeline? We will just have to see.

What If gave me many interesting ideas about how these characters behave under different circumstances. I did the rewrites for this chapter after the party Thor episode.

Emails 2: Greetings from Earth

Message to UN Avenger member Agent Daisy Johnson from Wakanda/Malta Avenger Natasha Romanoff

So good news, your messages have made it to earth. Unfortunately, we're kind of in the middle of multiple Apocalypses. Avenger Ana has put together an executive summary of what's going on. It's a mess. However, there are some things I want you to find out for me. Even though I know Ana will put together the most well-written and comprehensive summary possible.

You should probably know that you haven't gotten any messages back from us until now because you landed two weeks in the past. That's why Ana's calendar translation didn't make sense to you. Fitzsimmons Junior believes you didn't cause a branch because time is a stream. Considering this is his third timeline, I am inclined to trust him on this.

Did you meet Fitzsimmons's kid from the future before getting bounced? Check out page 3 of the executive summary for more details on that. It's a long executive summary. Sorry, it's been a weird two days.

Anyway, his theory is time is more like a river, and it's okay to throw a twig in occasionally. Just don't create a dam. You just didn't do enough to cause the river of time to shift. The princess believes that you were in a stable time loop. I got to listen to these theories over dinner with the kids. They miss you too. Especially with their mom MIA. (Read page 1 of the executive summary for details on that.)

Despite the time travel, I'm glad you're safe. Or as safe as you can be with Loki as your travel companion. I regret you're not there with Thor because I don't trust Loki. I can't trust him, not after what he did to Purple Arrow. If you're willing to forgive him for killing your dad, you're probably a better person than I will ever be. You already knew that coming into this relationship. Just be careful. Also, please look at page 4 of the executive summary.

As I mentioned before, we're dealing with multiple apocalypses. Complete with numerous alien invasions, time travel refugees, and data from other timelines. Including what happened in Leo's original timeline on the planet you're currently on. Again see page 4 of the executive summary, which includes another reason I don't trust your travel companion. Loki wanted to leave Asgard to fry the first time around while he and big brother took over for the Grandmaster.

Unlike you, Leo did create a timeline branch. But thanks to our time-traveling guests and AIs, we now know for certain that if you want to make it to Asgard, you're going to need to go through the portal referred to as the anus. From what you told me of the Grandmaster, that name doesn't surprise me at all. He seems to be that creepy.

We got a lot of information from the other timeline, as you'll see in the executive summary. I only attached the relevant information so you can get yourself home. Or at least to Asgard. Because we're Dealing with multiple Apocalypses, we can't come to get you no matter how much I really want to. Basically, you need to pick up your own ring.

Actually, we need to follow up on your jewelry store suggestion. We now know two locations where we can find the rings we need. Robbie and I will check out one of them with the newlyweds. Wanda has finally agreed to let Stark pay for a wedding set. Something to match her husband's birthstone. We think we can find something from the same designer. If not, some of Fitzsimmons Jr.'s friends will check another location for us. The one you recommended.

I'm not mad that you had to kiss another person, even if it is Loki. Although I'm sure that them being in a different body makes it a little easier. I have done much worse on a mission. You do what you have to do to complete the mission and stay alive. That's all I ask of you. I need you to come back to me. I'm going to do the same.

Although if you can quake Loki a little bit, I would appreciate it. I am still mad at him for mindfucking Purple Arrow. If he was mind-controlled too, I am somewhat inclined to forgive him eventually, just not today. I understand that too well. You know where I came from.

Just be careful and come back to me. You already did the hard part and got the codes. Now you just have to get off the planet.

PS: If things are the same as they were in the other timeline, you're going to have to pick up some extra guests soon. You will need them.

PSS: Your real dad misses you. Unfortunately, due to the events covered on page 2 of your executive summary, he's Acting Deputy Director and really busy. Basically, the general is dead, and your number one fan girl is free.

XXXX

Goddess of stories: It looks like your friends managed to get a message to you after all. Although please ignore most of page 4 of the executive summary. I have no desire for the Grandmaster to have an accident and take over this place. Well, I have no desire to take over anyway. I wouldn't say no to an accident or three.

Quake: How are you texting me? You don't have a phone. Unless you just got one from your sugar daddy. You already read the executive summary? How? I barely had time to read the message from Nat.

Goddess of stories: Magic. Also, please don't call him that.

Quake: We are currently at court drinking champagne and eating the local equivalent of caviar. I feel like sugar daddy is the best thing I can call him. As long as he likes you, we won't end up in the chair. He's going to kill someone again today, isn't he?

Goddess of stories: But hopefully not us. The local equivalent of caviar would be the slugs. You don't want to eat the slugs.

Quake: I'll take your word on that.

Goddess of stories: Per one of the more chatty members of the court, the execution just happened. It was his cousin.

Quake: We live another day.

Goddess of stories: What did your girlfriend say?

Quake: Shouldn't you already know since you read the executive summary? I haven't even read that yet.

Goddess of stories: Ana wouldn't let me read the letter from your girlfriend. I'm sure that would contain the plan for your rescue.

Quake: They're not coming to get us. They are following up on the tip I sent along with another potential location. Although they did send some info.

Goddess of stories: Which is good if the visions of your seer do come to pass. Maybe your seer knows which portal to take to get out of this place. I don't want to be in the service of the purple one again.

Quake: They do come to pass, in one timeline at least. You should know that, considering you read the executive summary. I need to read that now, especially page 4.

Goddess of stories: Page 4 is completely unimportant. Besides, I only read that page because Ana wanted to know my intentions. You're little AI is very protective of you.

Quake: Do not call Ana little.

Goddess of stories: The Grandmaster just arrived from his latest execution. He seems in high spirits. Which might mean we will get the good spirits. At least something better than the champagne.

Quake: And apparently has someone trapped in the chair. You know that usually means we will get a second execution today. Go flirt with your sugar daddy, so I can figure out how to free the prisoner.

Goddess of stories: He is not my sugar daddy. Try not to free any prisoners until we know which portal to take.

Quake: I have the info from Nat now. He is definitely your sugar daddy. We are wearing something quite expensive and made of silk despite it being ridiculously low cut.

Goddess of stories: It is a nanotech synthetic.

Quake: Oh, fuck. Is that your brother? Why is he tied to a chair?

Goddess of stories: The Grandmaster is really into bondage. So is Thor, actually.

Quake: It was definitely easier to knock him out with him tied to the headboard.

Quake: The Grandmaster, not your brother. I'm not going to ask how you know the God of Thunder likes bondage. We have to get Thor out of here.

Goddess of stories: This isn't the time yet. You need to at least read through everything your friend sent you. If you use your earthquake powers now, we are just going to end up fighting in this contest of champions ourselves. You are a spy; act like one.

Quake: I hate when you have a point. Your brother is calling my name.

Goddess of stories: Why does he recognize you and not me? Good thing I introduced you as daughter of Philip.

Quake: Because you're Lady Loki of Asgard right now. He got it when I told him that I was dating his less evil sister. Also, we got confirmation of this weird time loop thingy here.

Goddess of stories: I didn't want the Grandmaster to know that. I can't believe I'm the less evil sibling. The Allfather always had his secrets.

Quake: Sorry. I think it just made things worse by saying he's a champion on our planet.

Goddess of stories: At least none of us got melted. Did you have time to explain what's going on?

Quake: Not much. I couldn't exactly tell your brother that we have a plan to get out of here that doesn't involve him fighting. None of us feel like getting melted today. Maybe Ana can help us get to where he is. We have the master codes now. Perhaps we can sneak in there and talk to him while Ana disrupts the security feed?

Avenger Ana Remote: I can find that information and will help.

Goddess of stories: We can't use the master codes just yet. We need to save that for the ships. I'll just convince the Grandmaster to free him before facing the champion. We will be fine. You know I can.

Quake: Normally, I wouldn't want you to have sex with the guy again. However, per the court, nobody has actually survived the champion. Doug, the last guy who tried, is now really, really dead. I don't think you want more dead family members.

Avenger Ana remote: Per the history of the other timeline, Thor survives his encounter with the champion.

Quake: Okay, good to know. See, you don't have to have sex with the Grandmaster again.

Goddess of stories: He's not the worst person I had sex with. I've done much worse for less altruistic reasons.

Quake: I prefer it if you didn't. We won't use the codes, but I really would feel better if we could check on your brother. Since obviously, we're going to have to wait and formulate a plan. It might be easier to do so if he doesn't do something stupid in the meantime.

Goddess of stories: How am I going to do that?

Avenger Ana remote: You used your magic to cast a projection of yourself in the other timeline. It seems reasonable that you can do the same.

Goddess of stories: I can do that. Besides, I'd rather not go to a dirty dungeon in person. This is a new dress, after all.

Quake: See, Ana has a plan. I'm going back to our room to read.

Xxx

Quake: Bruce is here, and he's the champion?

Avenger Ana remote: Yes.

Quake: That's just lovely. I really did not plan to run into my girlfriend's almost ex-boyfriend. Thor will have to fight him so we can rescue him too? Without using the master code.

Avenger Ana remote: Most likely yes.

Quake: Lovely.

Quake: What else do I need to know?

Avenger Ana remote: To defeat Hella, Asgard had to be destroyed.

Quake: And there's not another way for us to be able to do that? I really don't want to destroy a whole planet. Could my being there provide a different option?

Avenger Ana remote: It does not appear so. Her power source is directly connected to Asgard.

Quake: So we basically have to destroy the power source to destroy her?

Avenger Ana remote: Yes.

Quake: Wonderful. Apparently, in what you're referring to as the beta timeline, they sent Loki to do that. He couldn't leave without taking the Tesseract. Which honestly doesn't surprise me. Robin drew something similar. So is he supposed to still take it, or do I let it be destroyed?

Avenger Ana remote: It can't be destroyed that way. Actually, you need to retrieve it and then take it to the planet where your sister spent her summer vacation three years ago.

Quake: That's not going to be hard at all. Do I have to do this on my own? I really wish Simmons was here right now.

Avenger Ana remote: You'll have those with you but no outside assistance. However, the team on earth is trying to get you more details on what happened from the other timeline. Also, Dr. Fitzsimmons is on light duty due to her pregnancy.

Quake: I'm going to be an aunt?

Avenger Ana remote: Yes, and I have been authorized to tell you this.

Quake: Okay, I definitely have to get back home. What is the team trying to get more details on?

Avenger Ana remote: The team is trying to determine if Thanos followed the Asgardian ship because the Tesseract was there, or Loki was there, or if he was just following the Asgardian survivors.

Quake: Which is going to impact our strategy. What happened to the ship?

Avenger Ana remote: Half of the refugees on board were able to escape. Loki was killed by Thanos as he protected his brother. Thor survived because of Loki's actions.

Quake: Ana, restrict access to that file and delete mention of it from the executive summary. No one else but me reads that. Not Loki and definitely not Thor. That's not going to happen this time.

Avenger Ana remote: Of course, Agent Johnson.

Xxx

Goddess of stories: My brother is an idiot. He doesn't want me to sleep with the Grandmaster to free him either. He would rather face the champion, so he can get back to Asgard.

Quake: We're planning to go back to Asgard.

Goddess of stories: Yes, to get the stone. Which we will do without getting the attention of psycho sister. I'm only doing that to ensure I don't end up subjugated to the man who tortured me again. But my big brother just had to run in headfirst, always being a hero. He doesn't have a self-preserving bone in his body.

Quake: You're more like that than you think you are.

Goddess of stories: No, I'm not. I'd rather not die.

Quake: I would also prefer that. Ana will give you a rundown of what happened in the other timeline.

Goddess of stories: Beyond page four of the executive summary?

Quake: Yes. You need to know what we're getting into.

To be continued