Loki

Chapter 2A: The Variant

Oshkosh, Wisconsin

1985

Things were lively at the Renaissance fair, with upbeat music playing loudly in the background and a healthy crowd of individuals all dressed in costumes depicting knights,

monks, etc. The TVA Time Door emerged behind one of the buildings; Hunter C-20 and her squadron of Minutemen emerged from it.

A woman dressed in a tavern uniform took notice of the soldiers and their uniforms. "Hi!" She waved. "What's going on? You guys aren't dressed right."

"Variant detected, Commander." One of the Minutemen said to C-20, ignoring the woman.

"Let's move." C-20 ordered, heading towards the tent up ahead.

The woman sighed as they departed. "Some of us need, this you know."

The squadron entered the tent. And began surveying the area.

"No Nexus energy yet, ma'am." One of the Minutemen reported to the Commander.

The four of them continued to scour the tent until a loud noise began blaring over the speaker. The Hunters looked up in shock.

"It's a trap. Watch your backs!" C-20 shouted.

"My lords, my ladies, welcome and thank you for joining us here at the castle." The announcer spoke from the speaker. "Please, settle into your seats for a great battle is about to commence. The prize? Our princess. Will evil prevail, or are we holding out for a hero?"

A sillouetted figure in a hood stalked from behind C-20. A hand reached out to touch her face and suddenly a flash of green light shimmered from the Hunter eyes. Her eyes turned pale as the posession took her over. Unbuckling the strap to her helmet she placed it and the Time Stick on the ground. She proceeded forward attacking the first hunter unaware from behind, kicking his knee and twisting his neck in one fell swoop. She then approached the next officer.

"Commander?" The other Minuteman asked, readying her Timestick, uncertainly.

C-20 grabbed one of the wooden javelin props and approached the other officer, jabbing her with the prop and sending her backwards. From behind, the hooded sillouette slitting her throat from behind with her weapon. C-20 looked to the final officer. With a quick succession of jabs C-20 overpowered him easily, pulling him into a grapple.

"What are you doing?" He exclaimed.

"Having some fun." She replied, before the green light in her eyes faded and she collapsed to the ground. The Minuteman in confusion, knealt down to the officer, checking her pulse. He turned at the sound of footsteps behind him before sprinting towards the sillouette. Before he could even respond the figure stabbed him with their blade, causing him t fall to the ground in defeat.

The hooded figure produced a tempad from their cloak and pressed a few buttons on it. A Time Door suddenly emerged from it. Then without further due, the cloaked figure grabbed the belt of reset charges from the Minutemen, then grabbed the limp unconsious body of Hunter C-20 and dragged her through the Time Door.

***

"Okay, ya'll. Let's review what we've learned." Miss Minutes said, hovering in the air. "What happens when a nexus event branches past red line?"

"Very bad things." Loki uttered with disinterest. He sat at the cubicle with his legs kicked up on the desk, absorbed in a magazine. Power. Performance. Quality, it advertized while depicting a man on a jet ski.

"Come on, Loki." Miss Minutes urged. "What is it?"

Loki sighed then glanced up from the magazine for a moment. "It's when the TVA can no longer reset a Nexus Event. Okay? Boring." He said before looking back down at the magazine.