Across All Time

Chapter 4- Terms and Conditions (Loki)

("I don't really care."

-my sister after telling her how much I love lokius and how pumped I am writing this)

I whirl back at him, angry and desperate.

"What do you mean?! I have only 10 days, stop wasting my time!" I snap. I try to break free, I grab onto my cape and attempt to wrench it from his grasp.

"You really think you could just run back into time? No no no... there are... terms and conditions if you may," I stopped fighting and then dropped my cape.

He Who Remains raised his eyebrows in amusement.

"Oh so I have your attention now? Well to begin with, if you just ran into the tree it by no means would have gotten you into time, and it probably would have destroyed the entire thing, so that is a big no no." He let go of my cape. He inspected me for a moment and I crossed my arms and glared. He chuckled and reached into his purple robes. Out from the folds of fabric, he had a temp pad.

"You get back into time the old fashion way. You can go anywhere, try to find anyone," he said pointedly, "but no matter what, avoid the TVA."

"What?!" I spit, "everyone I want to see will be there!"

"Oh Loki, I think the one you really want is having a good time on the timeline."

Mobius is on the timeline? He must mean Mobius, he's gotten all my other thoughts correct already.

Mobius actually went back to the timeline?

He Who Remains smiled broadly. "Oh just look at you, not so tough and stabby after being away from your love for an uncountable period of time huh?"

I involuntarily blushed. Love might be a bit strong.

"Now, you behave yourself, and you watch this timer," He pressed something on the temp pad and a big hologram of a 10 appeared "or everyone will suffer. We don't want all this time away to be worth nothing right?" He clapped my shoulder.

"Here, I'll get us out of here." He said as the hologram disappeared and he tapped the temp pad again. An orange portal appeared beside them.

"After you m'lady, or are you something else right now?" He asked not unkindly, genuinely asking. I was breathless, and turned to face the portal, gazing in wonder at the open door to anywhere.

"No, that works" I said distractedly as I stepped into the time door.

The sun is bright. I'm back at the spot in front of Don's house. No one appears to be home, and the yard is a mess of toys. He Who Remains steps through the door a moment after I do, and then the time door closes.

My limbs feel so stiff all of a sudden, and I almost fall over. He Who Remains laughs.

"Well you have been sitting for a very, very long time. Here," he snaps his fingers and I wince, but all of a sudden that pain is gone. I let out a sigh of relief.

"Well don't be too relieved, that just took a day off of your time." I pause and let it soak in.

"I beg your pardon?" I say horrified as I slowly look at him.

"My game, my rules." He shrugs.

"Your game...How is that fair-?!"

"Life is not fair, Loki," he says roughly, "I thought you out of everyone would understand that by now. " he stares harshly at me, and then his expression fades into amusement. "I thought I should stop here as you might recognize it. I will give you the temp pad now but first we must be clear of some things, ok?"

I nod, but am not happy. Few beings have ever had this kind of power over me.

"Ok, you have to behave. Just because you are the god of mischief doesn't mean you have any right to go mess things up, ok? You follow what I told you, and be back at the tree in nine days." He holds out the temp pad and I grab it, hesitantly at first, wondering if it's a trap. I hold it in my hand for a moment and feel a smile spread across my face. I can finally see him again. I just have to find him.

"One more thing," He Who Remains said. "I have a fair idea of who you are looking for, and I have some bad news..."

I looked up from the temp pad and at him.

"What?

"Well, the exact variant you are interested in, isn't exactly available anymore. You can only wait so long until you find someone else, but happy travels nonetheless. Bye bye."

His figure flickers away, looking shockingly like he was pruned. I just stood there staring at where he was a moment ago.