Lokius

I dont enjoy hurting people

"I don't... enjoy.. hurting people."

He'd been here before. On the floor. Helpless.

"I do it.. because I have to- because I've had to. It's part of the lie. Part of the lie that.. I'm in control. I'm.. a villain." He could barely look Mobius in the eye, so afraid of telling the truth, but even more afraid of being pruned.

"That's not how I see it." Shocked, Loki glanced up, surprised to find Mobius smiling. They smiled back, and hesitantly took Mobius's outstretched hand. He pulled a little too hard, bringing Loki a little too close to his face, and they both immediately turned away, pretending to fix their clothes and hair.

"So... now what?"

"Now? Well now you help me get inside the mind of a Loki."

"Yes, but I'm not this Loki. This Loki could be anywhere in the entire multiverse, in any year."

"Good we have you then, huh?"

Loki raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Just how 'all knowing' do you think I am?"

"You're a god, aren't you?" Mobius chuckled, walking past Loki and lightly hitting his shoulder with the folders in his hand. Loki stayed back for a second, smiling to himself. Realizing he had stayed back too long, he ran to Mobius, asking a question every other step.

"So, this.. variant. How long exactly have you been trying to catch them?"

"Ever since we brought them here. They were a variant who had forsaken the timeline, just like you. But.. they got away a little easier."

Loki scoffed. "I could escape any second."

"Then why haven't you?" Mobius stopped for a moment, eyeing him. They shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, pausing for a moment.

"The only reason I'm not back on Asgard right now is because I want a word with the timekeepers. I think they have some explaining to do, don't you?" Mobius just smirked, and walked over to a small cubicle with an even smaller desk.

"You'll be able to find pretty much everything you need in here.. all kinds of research and timelines and books to answer all those obnoxious questions you have. I'm going to have lunch. Remember: your life is on the line." He pat Loki's shoulder on the way out, and Loki looked back as he left.

"Howdy!!"

"Agh!" Loki twisted back, seeing miss minutes standing on his desk.

"Let's get started."

CHP. 2: Pompeii

"So you're saying, he's been hiding in different apocalypses? Hiding in nexus events?"

"Yes!"

"You're a genius!... but you didn't have to ruin my salad."

"Ah.. yes, sorry about that. I would very much like to prove my theory."

"How do you mean?"

<~~~~~ ⎊ ✇ ⍟ ϟ ➳ ⧗ ~~~~~>

"BE FREE MY HORNED FRIENDS!"

"This is madness.. there isn't a single branch.."

Loki danced about, throwing food and making a fool of himself. It may be 79 EC, but Mobius still covered his face and pretended not to know him. Every now and again he'd peak up through his hands, and chuckle at what minutes ago was a scary god trying to kill everybody, and what is now such a light hearted and.. might he be so bold to think, adorable person. Still not actually human of course, but Loki had been more human the past couple of days than he'd ever been back on Asgard, much less Misgard.

"So?"

"Huh? Oh! Oh, um.. I'm .. I'm shocked. There isn't a single branch, nothing! We.. we have to go tell everyone. Now!" Just then, dust rolled off the hills, and the two barely escaped through the portal.