Misadventures in the Multiverse

Chapter 37: Lion's Day Out

Loki wakes up when his alarm goes off. He rises with a smile on his face ready for a new day. He gets dressed going to his bathroom to finish getting ready The Physician is there brushing her teeth. "Morning handsome." She says winking at him finishing up herself. "Right back at you." He says grinning. "You remember our plans later today right?" She asks him in a slightly less cheery manner it seems she is already expecting he might have forgotten. "What? Of course, I remember the thing." He sweats a little nervously because he had forgotten whatever it is he promised. "Ok good. See you at three then." She smiles leaving the room. He sighs trying to remember what it was as his phone starts to blow up. He opens it to see messages from Marcel, and other people all asking where he is or if he was still coming later. "Oh, dear." He says to himself.

Despite being very under-prepared he makes his way to Marcel first he had promised that he would model for him. As Marcel measures him, and gives him clothing to wear Loki explains his dilemma. "What a pickle you've got yourself into. Can't say you don't deserve it though." He seems amused by Loki's plight. The Lion man puts on the outfit he set out for him posing for Marcel as he takes notes. "Deserve it? Enjoying people is kinda my whole thing." Loki says boastfully. The tailor sighs "I don't think you get it sweetie. Think about all the heartbreak you must surely bring. There is only so much of yourself you can share with people, and I'm not just talking about your time hun."

Loki shakes his head. "I couldn't disagree more! I'll show you, Marcy boy." Loki proclaims storming out of the building. Marcel just shakes his head "I'll be here for you when it all goes wrong." Loki opens his phone to see who is his next appointment. Only to see that he promised a girl and a guy that he would meet them for a coffee date at the same time. "I can make it work." He considers asking them both to sit at the same table together but realizes a lot of people might be upset by that idea. Instead he ends up meeting the girl first.

"Sorry, I'm late dear. I got tied up." He says sitting down. She warmly smiles at him. "It's alright I'm just glad you agreed to join me today." Just as she says that he sees the man he was also supposed to go out with on the other side of the shop looking at his watch no doubt thinking he had been stood up. "Oh right me as well. Pardon me I need to go to the little boy's room." He gets up heading to the other side of the store hoping she doesn't notice. "Sorry friend. I know I'm a bit tardy." Loki says trying to stay out of the girl's line of sight. The guy's eyes light up as he begins to speak. "Yes! I was afraid something might have happened, now about..." The man started to say only for Loki to Nod sipping the coffee the man already ordered for them both not paying attention and trying to make sure the girl doesn't find out. She looks like she is beginning to get annoyed with her phone tapping her foot. After about five minutes. Loki interrupts the guy mid-conversation. "Yes that's very interesting, but I do need to relieve myself. That Coffee... went right through me." Loki said getting up. He looks disappointed but seems to understand.

He makes his way to the other side of the store again sitting down. "Sorry about that," Loki says. "Is everything alright you were in there a while." She says out of concern. "Oh, I'm fine no need to worry." He says laughing nervously now concerned the man will notice. "That's good I hope you don't mind me ordering for you." She smiles brightly. "That's just fine." He says leaning back and relaxing a bit more. Just as he starts to think that he can pull this off his phone starts to go off like crazy. He checks it to see more people asking where he is. He stands up nervously unsure of himself now. "Sorry to cut this short, but it seems something has come up. Don't worry you were wonderful. If you ever need anything do not hesitate to ask." He bows reaching his hand out for a side hug. She accepts the hug seeming to understand. "It must take a lot of work to run a whole universe I get it." He does a sigh of relief quickly leaving the restaurant. He texts the man more or less the same thing not affording him the luxury of an in-person explanation he just didn't have the time.

Furthermore, he meets up with one of the assistants that showed Clyde around the square. "Great you are finally here! I'm ready to learn some magic." He excitedly explains only for the other girl assistant to show up behind him. "What? But Master Loki said he was going to teach me how to break-dance." The two of them start to argue over it as Loki stands there unsure what to do, but before he really can a blonde girl comes around the corner spotting him. "There you are did you forget that we had a date today?" She asked a little annoyed. Loki seems a bit overwhelmed unsure what to do. He wishes he could do all of it, he ends up running away. All of them chase after him.

Another one of his promises blocks his path wondering what he is doing, he runs in the opposite direction. It snowballs, and snowballs till there is a huge crowd of people. Loki hides in a back alley as they pass by not seeing him. He stops to catch his breath checking his phone to see it is now four he missed the deadline to meet up with Lucy. He slowly puts his back on the wall slinking to the floor. "Marcel was right. I let everyone down." A man in rags that was sitting in the corner unnoticed till now raised his head. "Son? Is that you?

This really is HEL." The man says stepping out of the shadow to reveal it's his father. "Dad? What the hell happened to you." Loki says concerned he still had plenty of reasons to hate his father, but he looked like he was homeless and had not eaten in a while. His facial hair was a mess, and he was dirty. "This place happened. The sissies are everywhere, and I can't even beat them up. A bunch of hippies with their peace, and love. No violence whatsoever." Dave explained. Loki sighed. "I see you haven't changed at all." He expected his dad to get over it eventually or at least not be hiding in some back alley there were plenty of places he could go. "Whatever what fucked up shit did you do to get stuck in this horrible place?" Dave asked.

Loki thought about it not sure how to explain it or if he would even care. "I suppose I tried to please everyone and ended up pleasing no one." He explained. The former War Master laughed. "And you say I'm the one who hasn't changed." Loki thinks about it for a moment. "That's fair, though I never thought we would have a conversation in this manner." "That's about as deep as I'm going to get with you." He said scoffing. "Have you learned your lesson." Lucy walks toward them seemingly knowing what happened she reaches her hand out to him. He grabs it as she pulls him to his feet. He lowers his head in shame. "Yes." She raises her eyebrow. "Well explain it so I'm sure." "I need to clone myself, so I'm capable of helping everyone." She frowns. "That joke is in poor taste." He smiles softly. "Fine, Fine. I should know my limits." She smiles back at him "Close enough let's go home." She holds her hand out to him as he takes it they both walk away from his father. "Wait don't leave me here!" Dave demands. Loki doesn't pay him any attention but doesn't stop him from following him either. "So what exactly were our plans again." Loki asked her. "I'll let you figure that one out." She says to him.

Clyde, and Raleigh quickly enter the ship shutting the door though it's a bit difficult considering they are flattened like an actual pancake. They take a deep breath slowly regaining shape. "That was terrifying." Raleigh said to him. He nods in agreement. "Not my best idea." Clyde said disappointed things didn't work out. "Well there are plenty of other fictional characters we can try." Raleigh grips his arm tightly. "For the love of all things in the Multiverse please pick something more grounded in reality." Before he can respond a cartoon cat appears behind them. "What are you guys talking about?" He asks they turn their heads slowly before fleeing in terror.