video » un: LOKIOFASGARD

[ikols]

[ The video cuts to the godling racing up a wall of vertical stained-glass laced with vines, picking her way carefully; the green sparkles on her boots only seem to work when she touches the window. It's old, part of a ruined temple, and creaks a little here and there. Loki, however, seems to know what she's doing. Panting hard, she grins widely when she reaches the top of the ancient dome, windswept in her triumph. All around her is an incredible view of the seemingly endless jungle canopy. ]

South-west of the waterfalls there was a Taco Cat religion here some time ago. At least, that's how I'm interpreting the leftover hieroglyphs. Taco-eating-a-Cat? Could be a grim clam. I'm on my way back to some murals I think folk might be interested to see, but first —

[ Freezing as an angry roar rises in the distance, Loki continues. Out of her pocket she takes a stone artefact the size of a large Rubix's cube, carved with odd designs, showing it off for the camera in her gloved hand before tilting the view away as she taps it in a certain pattern to open it up; inside is what looks like liquid opal that emits a blue pulsing glow. ]

Wait for it ...

[ The ancient music-box tinkles out a matching version of Christina Aguilera's DIRRRTY as Loki hums, laughing delightedly when it does. ]

Isn't she lovely? I'm naming her Dolly after Parton. Lots of animal etchings, especially this Taco-Cat. I think it was also a god of — [ Shiiiiiiit! Not a God of Shit, no.

The dome shatters when a second roar blasts up through the temple's dome and Loki drops through the ceiling, grasping wildly at vines. Her phone and the cube crash through the canopy as they slip into the jungle, leaves and branches lashing at them until they all hit the dirt with a whumph that would indicate a mortal's immediate demise. But Loki is fine (dirty, not dead!) as she curses Skrymir's frosty balls and hisses Norns damn this soggy moss, finally snatching up her bright Starkphone to seek out the cube and stuff it in her coat. ]

Ah, anyway ... [ The growling rises for a third time, now in ground-level proximity. Loki scrabbles to her feet, horns skewered and clothes muddied. ] Never mind, archaeology later!

[ Which is when she makes a hasty exit and ends the feed. ]

Comments

[livingsymbol]

Loki.

[Now what is she up to? She, apparently, which should surprise Steve, but doesn't.]

What's out there?

[ikols]

[ She replies after Stephen sorts out the business of her pursuer, so when the video clicks on the godling stands innocently some way ahead of the monster now docile as it munches on bushes. ]

Doggo the Fearsome, amongst other beasties. No fear! All is well.

[ And the temple she turned Tomb Raider on, stealing its best artefact, but never mind that or the location. Look at the big scary dog burping up berries! ]

[livingsymbol]

Is it? What were you doing out there?

[ikols]

Exploring! Our new government encourages adventuring and I've taken those ideals into my heart, a devoted citizen of the realm. [ She bites her lip, troubled. ] There is so much of the moon left to explore, I ... I only hope that my meagre efforts can cover enough of it.

[livingsymbol]

It's not our government.

Shouldn't you have brought help?

[ikols]

Of course it is, now. I'm fine, all pickles were gotten out of, as I said.

[livingsymbol]

No, it's not.

Stay out of trouble.

[ikols]

Don't start a coup because you're salty. I've read the wiki pages of what happens when you do that.

[livingsymbol]

Are you trying to say something, Loki?

[ikols]

I've never said anything in my life.

[livingsymbol]

We're visitors. It's not our anything.

And, no, that doesn't mean I'm not willing to do what I'm asked to do. I'm making that clear now. I just don't like lies.

[ikols]

Not yours. How unpatriotic! I'll take it, then.

[ Scrunching up her nose. ]

I'm not overly fond of the colours red, white, and blue, but you don't see me kicking up a fuss about it. Besides, who's lying?

[livingsymbol]

It's not the same. And I'm not going to pretend it is.

The better question is, when are you not lying?

[ikols]

[ Wow, now she's going to be offended on principle. ]

An even better question is, how do any of the Avengers put up with such a faithless leader?

[livingsymbol]

I don't know what you're talking about.

[ikols]

Trust me.

[livingsymbol]

Why?

[ikols]

Why not? Exactly how nefarious have I been lately?

[livingsymbol]

Exactly how good have you been? We haven't been here that long, and you have more history against you than you have for you.

Trust isn't something you can just demand.

[ikols]

That's not my history, that guy was a psycho. I'm a well-adjusted individual now! Totally none-crazy.

[livingsymbol]

History isn't something you can pick through and decide to keep certain parts of. If you haven't learned that, then it doesn't matter if you decide to change or not.

It's not crazy that makes the difference.

[ikols]

[ I can change whatever I want, she doesn't say. That had been the entire point of scrubbing the Avengers' files on the Old Loki, to give herself a new start so old stories wouldn't drag her down with them. She can be herself and be Loki too.

On a darker note she agrees; she could never forget what she did to The Boy. But! This isn't about that. ]

You can't put people in boxes forever.

[livingsymbol]

And you can't make excuses either. If you want me to trust you, give me a reason.

[It is, for Steve, as simple as that. The past is a lesson that can't be ignored. People do change, which is why he's holding this conversation at all, and he respects Thor's personal business. He's not going to move in when he doesn't have a place to. But if Loki asks for trust from him just like anyone else, he or she will have to earn it like anyone else. Playing the exemption card just proves how the same she really is. It was never Loki's fault to Loki.]

[ikols]

[ Frustrated, she growls and huffs, ] But I didn't — [ Then cuts herself off. Arguing with what she perceives to be a narrow-minded opinion is pointless. How can she hope to explain an existential crisis when she literally fights with herself to let herself live? That she made herself to foil herself and be new but old? ]

Give me a reason to feel like I should care that you don't trust me.

[ HOW BOW DAh and the line cuts off. ]