The Variant's Shadow - LokixOC - ONGOING

* Special talents *

Ophelia liked OB’s explanations better. They didn’t make more sense, but he was much less condescending and in love with his own voice. She wasn’t sure it wasn’t her anger talking, but she couldn’t wait for this variant to be done. Somehow, if all his variants were all so full of themselves, she was beginning to be glad he sent her away when he gave ‘the talk’. 

“I do not want to light a city,” he replied to a man who was questioning his Loom. “I aim to light… to power… the entire planet !”

“That’s disappointing,” Ophelia scoffed. Next to her, a man gave her a very disapproving look. She smiled at him. “Why not the entire Universe, right ?”

The man turned away from her. She took a second to check on Renslayer and her bag, who didn’t seem to be talking. There had been times she could’ve sworn she’d seen the judge leaning in to say something, but Renslayer was mostly listening to that Timely man. 

As he turned his Loom on, everyone in the audience was hanging to his words. This time probably didn’t have what he needed to create a fully functional Loom, but it worked. He lit up all of his little bulbs, and everyone was hooked. They gasped, some even clapped. Ophelia silently waited. 

His device overloaded with power. The explosion was nothing like they were expecting to happen at the TVA but again, Victor Timely wasn’t playing with raw time. He quickly walked off the stage. Renslayer finally moved from her spot. Ophelia moved closer to the wall, ready to jump and steal her bag. 

“Mr Timely,” she said when she stopped Timely on his way out. “A moment please. We need to talk about your future.”

He looked at her. “Take as many moments as you need,” he said. 

Ophelia rolled her eyes. Everything around them was crumbling, and it seemed that the only thing on everyone’s mind was romance. She would’ve been more than happy to remind them of the endless list of issues at hand, but a new man decided to interrupt Renslayer and Timely’s conversation. 

She hid further back when the judged walked away from what looked like a standard business transaction. But when the buyer offered Timely to be partners, something changed. His posture, maybe something in his eyes, Ophelia couldn’t quite put her finger where but for a split second he was a different man. 

“No,” he simply replied. “I don’t do partners.”

Ophelia frowned. Despite his stutter, he’d said it with confidence. He was either too proud to accept that he needed help, or he didn’t want to share the glory when his invention would be governing Time. If he was anything like He Who Remains, Ophelia deemed that option more likely. 

Instead of taking any interest in the bidding happening a few feet away from her, Ophelia focused on a task that didn’t require any money from her and looked back at Renslayer. She was leaning in again, talking to her bag. 

She walked around a group of audience members, slid behind a column, avoided a massive man’ arm as he was talking to someone, and smiled when she ended up right behind Renslayer. She turned her back to her and drew her plan out from her handbag, glad to have found a distraction. 

“That is the man who’s destined to become He Who Remains ?” she asked. “You’re sure your plan is gonna work ?”

“I told you, it’s not my plan,” the bag replied. It took all of Ophelia’s strength not to jump and take it. “More like team work. And quit your worrying,” Miss Minutes added. “He’ll be all he’s meant to become.”

As soon as the Loom was sold, Renslayer walked away, following Timely back to the exit. Before she left the Great Hall, Ophelia clearly heard Mobius’ voice but didn’t think twice and got out. She’d find them, but she couldn’t lose Miss Minutes and her future boss.