Of Two Minds

Chapter 1 Part 2: Hunted

AN OUTDOOR COURTYARD AT THE ROYAL PALACE IN ASGARD - before the events of Thor

"BROTHER!" Thor roared in anger as swirls of green magic surrounded him. They enveloped his entire brawny form, winged helm, cape, and all. Within a moment the green of the magic faded to leave a different green object in its wake.

Loki held a frog wearing a helm and cape up by the scruff of its neck, watching in delight as it scrambled in vain to get loose. "Oh come now, brother. A little time as a frog will do you good. Maybe you will learn some much-needed humility." The frog croaked pure indignation and Loki laughed, his green eyes sparkling with unadulterated mischief. "Of course I plan to turn you back... after I show you to Mother."

While Loki continued to taunt Thor, three people in black armor and helmets entered the outdoor courtyard. The leader, a muscular chocolate-skinned woman, addressed him. "You'll turn him back right now, and then you'll come with us."

He didn't even glance up as he gave them his reply. "And if I refuse on both counts?"

The trio pulled out long narrow rods with lit tips and pointed them directly at him. "You either do as we say, or we'll prune you here and now."

At her words Loki looked over at them, recognizing the uniforms and their weapons at a glance. He knew exactly who these outlandish people were and what they wanted... him. "Sorry, brother," Loki grunted at the frog as he tossed him into a nearby bush and bolted. "You're on your own."

"Stop, Variant!"

When the hunters of the Time Variance Authority showed up and called you 'variant', life as you knew it was over. As long as Loki remained free, he still had a chance at survival. He vaulted over the railing and landed effortlessly on the pavement below.

Loki took off on a dead sprint through the side streets of Asgard, hoping to lose them in one of the various alleys of the city. He ducked under hanging laundry lines, dodged colorful street vendors, and hurdled the occasional fruit cart as he ran, seeking a safe place to make long-term escape plans.

At last Loki found a strategic place in a darker side street where he could hide and catch his breath. Once out of sight he made himself invisible to the TVA hunters following him. Cautiously he came out of hiding and leaped to a more advantageous position on a balcony above the action where he could watch yet be out of the way. He crouched low on the balcony, waiting in silence to see what he could learn.

The three hunters halted their pursuit in the alley below. They looked every bit as cross as when they originally confronted him. A rectangular orange portal opened in front of them and a gray-haired man in a brown suit stepped out. "Let me guess," he began as the portal closed. "He got away?"

"No, he's still somewhere nearby."

"That means we still have a chance of catching him."

Fat chance, Loki thought to himself.

The man in the suit turned to address the area as the armored woman walked away from the others. "We know you're here, Loki. My name's Mobius. I want to talk with you." When he received no reply from Loki he went on. "We're here from the Time Variance Authority because you broke the timeline. Normally we'd arrest you and send you to be pruned, but I have another option you can consider instead."

With a wave of his hand Loki created a decoy projection of himself emerging from hiding down below. "The intrepid followers of the TVA, hm? I never thought they would stoop to blackmail."

Mobius shook his head. "It's not blackmail if you have a choice. Either choose to be arrested and pruned, or choose to listen and agree to the other option."