Looking Through New Eyes [Sequel to Better Than You]

He Who Remains

             Darkness. Was her eyes closed? It didn't feel like it. That's when she started to hear something. It was music, soft music from the late 1950's mixed in with people talking. She couldn't make out what all of it was, but she heard bits and pieces of it. It sounded like some of the Avengers;

* "Let me put you on hold"

* "He's a  friend from work"

* "I can do this all day"

        It all started to jumble together, throbbing in her head started to grow stronger. She finally saw something. The sun, glowing bright and big, zooming out to see the whole solar system. The chatter changed from the Avengers and other to inventors and other influential humans. Neil Armstrong, Alan Watts, Greta Thunberg, etc. It zoomed past many other systems and galaxies, going faster with every second. It all stopped with it being inside a tiny blue sphere for a second, until it exploded out into a new thing. The Big Bang? Everything got louder and louder, she couldn't hear herself think anymore. More music, more people talking! Make it stop, it's too much! The last thing she heard was from Sylvie, "Open your eyes." 

      There were 2 people looking down on her, Loki and Sylvie, looking worried as they kept waiting for (Y/N) to respond back to them. "(Y/N), can you speak? Talk to us," Sylvie begged her. (Y/N) slowly sat up, looking over to Sylvie's hand held out to her. Growling, (Y/N) slapped her hand away and got up on her own while glaring at Loki. Walking a few steps away from them, there was a large castle like building in the distance and looking at it she felt as if someone wanted her there. Conjuring up two pistols in her hand, she walking ahead of the other two. 

       They all finally got to the front doors, it was black with gold cracks all along the surface. It looked kinda pretty actually. Sylvie slowly walked up to the door as (Y/N) and Loki stood behind her. "Aren't you gonna tell me not to kick the door in?" She asked Loki. "It never made a difference." "Well, if you think it's a bad idea, I prefer you to speak your mind." He declined as (Y/N) waited silently for one of them to open the door. While they were bickering a bit, the door opened for them by itself, making the air more tense. The inside was just like the outside, just more empty with statues by each wall, a similar feeling to an abandoned church. The door closed behind them loudly as they slowly walked in on guard. The feeling of someone wanting (Y/N) here grew with every step, taking a few more steps ahead of the other two because of it. Out of nowhere, Miss Minutes popped up, "Hey y'all!" Weapons were pointed at her head. "Welcome to the Citadel at the End of Time," She announced to them. Loki and Sylvie started to walk to the side, but (Y/N) walked closer to Miss Minutes as she continued, "Congratulations. Y'all had an awfully long journey to get here, he's impressed." Sylvie asked who, and she replied with 'He Who Remains.' She went to explain that created and controls all, and at the end it is only He Who Remains. Turns out this person had an offer for the group.

       "He's been making a few creative adjustments," Miss Minutes smiled. "He's worked it out so we can insert all of y'all back into the Timeline in a way that won't disrupt things." A way...to live again? "The TVA can keep doing it's vital work, and y'all can live the lives you've always wanted," She said. Of course, Loki questioned this, but Miss Minutes scoffed at that. She kept smiling, "Now, don't play with me now, mister. You know how you got into this mess. The Battle of New York, silly. You versus those self righteous Avengers. How would you like to win?" Win the battle? (Y/N) saw quick flashes of the very first time she met Loki, better times, when she said that. Loki could have it all, even kill Thanos, if he wanted to. She then moved to Sylvie, telling her she can finally have a happy life filled with good memories. The last one was (Y/N). "I can't forget about you, (Y/N)," She laughed. "You could your Loki back. Finally have that grand wedding you both wanted, spend your lives together, and for once die together in peace." Her expression didn't change as she walked close to Miss Minutes. (Y/N)'s eyes turned back...with purple lighting flashes everyone once and a while flashes by, "My Loki...is dead. That world is dead. I will never have that life back. Sylvie will never have that life back. This Loki will be just as tortured as the others Loki's I've met! Min tolmíseis na milíseis gia káti pou den tha écho poté xaná. Den tha gyrísei poté. {Don't you dare speak of something I will never have again. He will never return.}" She quickly turned around to walk into the other rooms, leaving the rest behind.

         It was more statues, but more dusty and one was even broken. The other two finally walked into the room to look around. (Y/N) looked at the dusty stands of one of the statues, "Is this person even still alive?" Noise filled the atmosphere, behind a door the same color as the rest of the walls. The 3 huddled together and pointed their weapons at the door, ready for whatever was going to happen. It sounds like an elevator. The door pulled back to reveal...just a guy. A man with dark skin wearing purple robes and green pants, and his smile wasn't even evil...it's was playful. He took a few steps towards them after standing up, "This is wild. The two of you...same person. I mean, it's a little unnatural. But...wow, wild." His eyes went to (Y/N), seemingly getting a bit more brighter, "And seeing you again, (Y/N) is a blast from the past....wild." Again?

         Loki and Sylvie looked back at (Y/N) with confusion, she shrugged her shoulders to them. "He Who Remains?" Sylvie asked cautiously. This person took a large bite of their apple, "She's still calling me that? Creepy, right? But...I like it." He urged them into the elevator with him to go up to his office and talk more. It seemed like the group had no choice in that matter. Sylvie even tried to kill him a few times, but he evaded it everytime with a little disk on his hand that acted like a Tempad. It stopped, the door opening once more to reveal his office. The walls lined with books and chalk boards of information, in the middle was his desk covered in paper. The group slowly walked in as he started to pour tea for Loki and Sylvie, "Two sugars." Grabbing a mug, he pour something different from something else. The man smiled, "I know tea isn't your top favorite, so I went with something more hearty." 

        His hand held out the mug, and (Y/N) slowly took it. Smelling it, the drink was....delightful and sweet. Quickly drinking a sip, ignoring Loki's talk of not to trust it, she seemed surprised, "It's....French hot Chocolate...my favorite." "Why would I forget your signature drink of choice? Take a seat." Loki and Sylvie sat down, and before (Y/N) could say anything else the man conjured up a chair for her behind those two. Time for questions to be answered.