Mischief and Enchantments

Chapter 22: Doubt

Hunter B-15 walked down the halls of the TVA, but her mind was somewhere else.

The Variant had done something to her. She scrambled her mind when she enchanted her. She had filled her mind with false memories and ridiculous fantasies.

They seemed to be B-15's memories. She was in them. B-15 knew that was ridiculous. She was created by the Time-Keepers. She knew that for a fact.

But...

Why did those memories seem happy? Peaceful? If the Variant was truly against her, then why would she show her good memories instead of bad ones?

That was a trick! A voice in her head said. Only, it wasn't her mental voice talking to her. These weren't her thoughts. It sounded like a man's voice, harsh and commanding.

Would you believe a Variant over your own home? He hissed. The people that created you? The people that gave you a PURPOSE?!

B-15 gasped, her head exploding from pain. Was this a warning? A warning that if she even thought about going against the TVA, there would be dire consequences?

"Who are you?" She whispered.

The voice fell silent.

B-15's breath shook as she got her bearings and she came to a resolve.

She knew what she needed to do.

Mobius was in Ravonna's office, waiting for her to sign the papers that would officially end the Lokis' cases. He was happy. This was finally going to be over.

You're all Variants! Loki's voice echoed in the back of Mobius's mind. Everyone who works at the TVA! The Time-Keepers didn't create you, they kidnapped you from the timeline, and erased your memories.

Another one of his lies.

Yet...

Loki seemed genuine. Like he actually cared what happened to the people working at the TVA.

He was just trying to get into his head. Trying to manipulate him to get to the Variant.

It would be better if he just put all this behind him.

"Mobius?" Ravonna's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked at her, then down at the case file that was awaiting his signature.

"Oh, yeah," Mobius said, scribbling his name down on the paper.

"You okay?" Ravonna asked.

"Yep," Mobius replied. "I'm good."

"Case closed." Said Ravonna as she took the case file. She set it aside and held up a glass. "Cheers." She said. "To putting all this behind us."

"Amen." Mobius sighed, but something tugged at the back of his mind. He still had some questions. He was still lingering on what Loki said. You're all Variants!

"If you could go anywhere, anytime, where would it be?" Ravonna asked abruptly.

"I can go anywhere, anytime." Mobius pointed out.

"You know what I mean." Said Ravonna.

Mobius thought for a moment, but instead of answering her question, he asked, "Why wouldn't you let me interrogate Sylvie?"

"Sylvie?" Ravonna repeated, confused.

"The Variant," Mobius clarified, "that's what Loki calls her. Why wouldn't you let me, you know, question her?"

Something tugged at the back of Mobius's mind. A tiny voice telling him that calling Sylvie "the Variant" was wrong. But she was a Loki variant, wasn't she? She couldn't have been Sylvie.