[video]; thunderer

[worldsaway]

[The video begins in the swampier edges of the jungle. Thanks to the flooding, the water is up to Thor's waist and he has mud up his arms and on his face. He holds the camera up at a selfie angle, smiling into it and waving with a muddy hand.]

If anybody happens to know where a big, fat crocodile went, let me know. He's got a scar over his eye and his legs are very stumpy. Embarrassingly stumpy.

[Thor looks about him, holding the camera out so the audience can really appreciate the view of the overflowing river and not the fact that he's wearing a wet singlet.]

And if you've lost anything in the floods, let me know and I'll keep my eye out for-

[He cuts himself off when he catches sight of something making ripples on the water. His arm whips out of camera, snatching the tail of a snake that he brings into view.]

Look at this! Did you know snakes could swim?



[The snake hisses, flicking its tongue at Thor even as it coils around Thor's arm in a lithe, slow crawl. When Thor's hold lessens though, the snake rears back slightly like a mirage before vanishing and revealing a grinning Loki who very casually slides a small dagger into Thor's side.]

Oh dear. Was that me?

[Thor grunts, mostly in surprise but there's pain in it. The little blades sting, and it's a miracle that he can hold onto his camera (lopsidedly) when he drops to his knees and grips his side.]

You've done it now, brother. [Thor growls, with a clenched jaw.] It's all going dark. Dark and cold. I see a light, it's calling me. I'll bleed out before they find me.

[And with his final breath, he musters the strength to try kick Loki into the mud along with him.]

Comments

[bottombitch]

[ NOT HELPING HIS NERVES, Aoba scoffs and tries to act like he's not nervous but he's kind of sweating... ]

Are gods really this extreme about everything? And what's the deal with everyone having this ability to change from a snake to a human form? I feel kinda left out.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Huh. ]

Everyone? Other than one other boy, I know of no others.

[bottombitch]

[ Okay, so maybe it's just two people. Why there are so many mf'ing snakes in this mf'ing quarantine. ]

A boy? I wouldn't really call him that, he's too, um. Big. And he doesn't look old but he kind of acts like he is, if that makes sense.

[dothelokimotion]

I am afraid I am unfamiliar.

For me, it is a magical skill I learned when I was very young.

[bottombitch]

Mm. I think he was born that way, or well. He said his goddess made him.

[ Long story. ]

A skill?

...So someone taught it to you? At school?

[dothelokimotion]

[ Fascinating. Perhaps Loki will look him up. ]

I taught myself. We did not have many sorcerers, though magic is commonly used.

[bottombitch]

[ Unwittingly, Aoba has brought Aeacinos to the attention of a god of pranks. Surely nothing could possibly go wrong. ]

...Could you teach it to someone else?

[ Aoba no. ]

[dothelokimotion]

[ He frowns slightly. ]

Do you possess magic?

[bottombitch]

[ Honestly, he's run into a lot of things here that make him question the definition. ]

I don't know, honestly. It wouldn't know how to check that.

I think some people would call what I can do magic. But I think it's more of a physiological thing related to modifications on a genetic level.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki shrugs. ]

Similar things can be said about magic. Unfortunately, I have never taught before.

1.3

[bottombitch]

Mm. That's what I mean. It's all kinda relative?

In my world there's this concept of magic and miracles? But... well -- hang on.

2.3

[bottombitch]

[ Aoba reaches off screen and then brings up a dark blue japanese spitz. ]

Take Ren, for example.

[ A tinny, but comically deep voice emits from the dog from a hidden speaker: ]

Hello, Trickster God.

3.3

[bottombitch]

[ And then Aoba continues where he left off, this time holding Ren close to him. He clearly adores his Allmate, even though he's a machine. ]

He's my Allmate. He's got all the functions of one of our comm devices plus some additional stuff, and a sophisticated AI so I can interact with him. Someone from another world might think he was magic, even though in my world he's an older model of Allmate.

[dothelokimotion]

[ . . . This is so weird. ]

I . . . see. An Allmate?

[bottombitch]

[ Yeah, it's pretty weird. ]

He's a machine. He's not like a normal dog. Allmates are usually animal companions, but some can be humanoid too. That's kind of rare, though.

[dothelokimotion]

An interesting mix. I don't think I've ever heard of such a thing.

[bottombitch]

And I don't think I've heard of a credible report of an actual sorcerer in my world. Obviously there are people like you and Taako who can definitely do that stuff.

So how did you learn you had magical ability?

[dothelokimotion]

My mother told me.

[ His tone is conversational. ]

She thought it best that I learned the magic arts.

[bottombitch]

[ Aoba's smile widens for a moment, he thinks about Granny and misses her but... for a moment he forgets about Thor's storm-powers and Loki's shapeshifting and rests his chin on his hands. ]

I guess if gods can have siblings, then they have mothers too.

That's pretty cool.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Cool is not the word he'd use but . . . Loki lets it pass. ]

Is it that surprising?

[bottombitch]

[ He could have phrased that better, so have another attempt! ]

You just stabbed your brother as a joke, that's not exactly normal.

...So it's surprising in a good way to see your heart, you know?

[dothelokimotion]

He had it coming.

[ His heart, huh? ]

Did you doubt I had one?

[bottombitch]

Maybe a little bit? But that's because you and your brother easily outclass anything I've ever known. It's intimidating, obviously.

But when you say you learned magic from your mother, I can't help but feel like... [ He waves vaguely. It's hard to describe. It's just this feeling, like somehow he's more approachable. ]

I guess it's comforting for humans to feel like they can relate to someone. Maybe that's it.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Hmm. ]

I'm not sure Gods are meant to be relatable.

[bottombitch]

Sorry, you're probably right.

If you'd prefer, I can just keep those kinds of comments to myself.