Why was the closest vending machine on a whole other floor? Nothing made total sense in the TVA, but I guess that's what's so charming about it. Like, we have access to all of time, yet our technology is way out of date.
Once I reached the machine, I pressed the button and inserted the money required. The vending machines here are cool, because you can have any snack or drink, but they're priced with the currency of that era. The dollar spit back at me. I took it back, smoothed it out, and tried again. Again, it spit it out. So that's how it's gonna be? I took it back, smoothing it, and flipped it over, inserting it once more. This time, it took it, dispensing the Josta's.
On my way back to the viewing room, I run into Casey with his cart. He was struggling a bit with it.
"Casey," I greeted.
"Ma'am," he greets back. I hold open the door for him before continuing on my way. I passed by a team running, probably off to some mission to correct the timeline. I thought about our case on the way, how mysterious this missing Loki variant is. They've been jumping between different times, attacking our fleets.
I finally reach the room, opening it with my back instead of my full hands. I see Loki in one of the chairs, but Mobius no where to be found. On the ground is the Tesseract, making me furrow my brows. How did he get that?
His back his facing me as he looks to the front of the room, watching the video. He fast forwards the clip, all the way to something I don't recognize.
END OF FILE.
THE NEXT CLIPS ARE FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY.
Probably just some clips for students, but I let it continue. The scene it shows is Loki in a room, no, a cell, talking to a woman. The woman is facing away from the camera, making it hard to recognize her. He looks happy, enjoying the conversation.
I stay at the back of the room, letting the variant have this moment. He hasn't noticed me yet, which isn't a bad thing.
"So there we are, me and Clint, in the vents above the living room. Fantasy by Mariah Carey is playing on full blast, and Stark is singing it! We tried so hard to not laugh, but we did get it on video," the woman says. That's strange, there weren't any other women in the Avengers tower beside Natasha Romanoff. Who was this? Loki seemed equally confused, with his head tilted.
"Please tell me you have this video with you," Loki in the clip responds.
"Of course!" She shows him the clip before they bust out laughing. After they calm down, Loki looks to the woman again. This time with such admiration in her eyes. Almost like he loved her. The clip changes view, now showing the woman.
I drop the drinks in shock. Loki turns to me immediately, not knowing I was there with him.
"What the hell is that!?"
"This was the tape you put in!" He pauses the clip, stopping it on my face.
"No no no, that's not possible! I'm not in your timeline!"
"Well then how are you in this?"
The door opens, showing B-15. "What's going on in here?"
I go back to the video player, taking the tape to look at in more detail. I walk through the door, leaving Loki and B-15 to themselves.
I take myself to another, smaller, viewing room. I put the tape in, resuming it to the part we left off.
There I was, sitting with Loki in a cell. It just didn't make sense. I've always lived in the TVA, how could I be in Loki's file? It must be some misunderstanding. Yes, that's it. Just a big ol' mistake. Nobody needs to know, though. Why worry others about it?
I pick up my things, stuffing the tape in the pocket of my jacket. My uniform was the same as anyone else's; white dress shirt with a TVA tie, brown suit jacket, and plain brown pants/trousers.
On my way back to the room, I run into Mobius. He has a pruning stick.
"What's that for?"
"Loki escaped, this is just as a precaution," he replies. I nod my head before we open the door, seeing Loki sitting on one of the steps at the side of the room. We walk in slowly, Mobius tightly gripping the stick in his hand.
"Loki?," I start.
"Nowhere left to run." Silence stays for a moment.
"I can't go back, can I?," the variant questions. "Back to my timeline." I look at him, shaking my head. He looks back down. "I don't enjoy hurting people," he says, genuinely. "I don't enjoy it. I do it because I have to, because I've had to."
Mobius nods his head, lowering his hand. "Okay, explain that to me."
"Because it's part of the illusion. It's the cruel, elaborate trick conjured by the weak to inspire fear."
"A desperate play for control," I mutter, understanding somehow.
Mobius starts walking toward the god. "You do know yourself."
Loki sighs, embarrassed. "A villain."
"That's not how I see it," I say, shaking my head.
Loki picks up the tesseract from beside him. "You try to use that?," Mobius asks.
"Oh several times. Even an infinity stone is useless here." He scoffs, starting to play with the cube in his hands. "The TVA is formidable."
"That's been my experience. Listen, I can't offer you salvation, but maybe I can offer you something better." Loki stands up as Mobius looks to me, unspokenly asking me to explain.
I nod my head. "A fugitive Variant's been killing our Minutemen."
"And you need the God of Mischief to help you stop him?," Loki asks sarcastically.
"That's right," Mobius responds.
"Why me?"
"The variant we're hunting is-"
"You," I interrupt.
Loki looks at me with raised brows. "I beg your pardon?"
I saw eternals today
YOU ARE READING
For All Time. Always!
FanfictionCONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE SHOW 'Loki' STREAMING ON DISNEY+ You have been warned :) You were a shield agent who was tasked with interviewing the infamous god of mischief and lies after his attack on New York. The two of you bonded, soon growing feeli...
