fiction | Part of the journey is the end

5. Lamentis - 1

C-20 and the Loki Variant were at a bar. They were both dressed casually.

Everyone tilted their head in confusion.

"Uh, what?" said Rhodey.

Loki narrowed his eyes at the Loki Variant.

C-20 suggested the dishes they could eat, but the Variant wanted to go somewhere else. C-20 asked why the Variant hated this place, and the Variant talked about the poor hygiene.

"The Loki Variant is manipulating C-20's memory," Wanda realized. It was similar to what she — or her variant — had done to Agatha.

C-20 said the drinks seemed fine, took a sip, and got a brain freeze.

"Brain freezes are the worst," said Scott.

The Variant explained what brain freezes were. "So, it permeates the roof of your mouth, and it freezes the synapses in your brain. So, your memories are literally frozen in place."

Everyone chuckled.

"That's not true at all," laughed Thor.

"That is absolutely not true." "It is!" The Variant said she could ask a question, but C-20 wouldn't be able to answer.

"This is an interrogation," Natasha realized.

C-20 accepted the challenge, drank most of her drink, and told Variant to ask her a question. The Variant's demeanour changed. "How many people are guarding the Time-Keepers?" the Variant asked.

"Ah, there it is, there's Loki," said Clint.

"She is manipulating C-20's mind," said Peter.

Bucky's eye twitched.

C-20 was confused. "I'm sorry, what?"

Everyone looked at each other with confusion.

"C-20 doesn't know who the Time-Keepers are even though they're the ones who made her?" Bruce asked.

Bucky clenched his jaw. "Her mind must be messed up."

The Variant smiled. C-20 and the Variant were now in a different area with a darker sky. C-20 looked around in shock.

Everyone blinked in surprise, and Loki looked slightly impressed.

The Variant asked C-20 how long they've been best friends, and C-20 replied, "Too long." The Variant asked how many people were guarding the Time-Keepers again.

"Please, tell us," Sam pleaded.

"Oh, well, there's—" C-20 stopped herself. She looked around and said she knew this place.

"But how?"

She looked at the Variant and said, "But I don't know you."

Everyone winced.

"C-20 is becoming more conscious," said Stephen.

"It's okay. You're just tired," the Variant said firmly. At Roxxcart, it was shown that the Variant was enchanting C-20.

Loki sat up straighter. He wanted to know how his Variant was enchanting C-20 and the others. It wasn't something his mother taught him.

The Variant asked how she could find the elevators. C-20 said they were gold.

Loki looked smug.

The Variant smiled in satisfaction and stopped enchanting C-20. Her smile fell off her face as she saw Loki and Mobius through the security cameras.