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

[wingedman]

How about Ceiling Cat and Basement Cat?

[ Sam idly wonders for a moment what Wakandans would think of this belief system. But then Loki's falling, and while it's apparent that she's at least mostly unhurt, Sam's still concerned for her safety out there.

(Can gods even die? He doesn't know, but he's not sure he wants to find out, either.) ]

I'll be there in- well, shortly. [ Can't exactly give an estimate when you don't know where someone is, but he's already moving to get into his gear. ]

[ikols]

[ Ceiling Cat and Basement Cat sound like gods she could respect, Meme Gods if you will, but nothing of the sort happens just now. That sort of hipster worship will have to wait.

Connecting a call mid-run, Loki screws up her nose and huffs. ]

I have this under control!

[wingedman]

Uh-huh. What sort of control might that be?

[ It's still on the video setting, but the phone is clearly on Sam's bed, and he's busy pulling on his gear somewhere nearby. ]

It's not the kind where you end up as lunch, is it?

[ikols]

[ Falcon, more like the Stubborn Gnat. ]

More than you'll have if you swoop in and make it angrier!

[wingedman]

I'm not gonna take potshots at it, that's just goddamn dumb.

[As for the stubborn part...he'd like to say he picked that up from being around Steve too long, but that would be a lie.]

[ikols]

Stephen is taking care of it on another line, stand down!

[ Maybe military speech will slow Sam's roll!!! ]

video; un: d.grayson

[fingerstripes]

[ There's no real sign of recognition there, just a look somewhere between bemusement and genuine concern. ]

Pretty sure I caught the part that said "curiosity killed the taco cat."

[ But more importantly: ] ...You gonna need a hand, or-?

[ikols]

[ Points for the pun to be expanded upon later, most definitely. ]

Nope! If I'm good enough to Skype while outrunning my doom, I'll manage. Hi! Dee Grayson.

[fingerstripes]

You sure? Cause it kind of sounds like the doom is about ten steps away from turning that into a moot point.

[ This is also probably one of those conversations that would be a hell of a lot more appropriate in a mask.

After an awkward pause: ]

I'm, uh- I'm with the police department.

[ikols]

Can the police quiet a guardian totem? If not, let's meet up later and I'll regale you with the dazzling tale of how I escaped this day!

[ How about a date instead, give her something to live for!! As she races down a river, green sparks flying from her bootheels to buoy her over the rushing water. ]

[fingerstripes]

Alright, you got me there. My weight class taps out right around standard issue totems. [ The public weight class, anyway. He drums his fingers, feeling... more than a little thrown by how unsure he is about how much second-hand anxiety he should really be feeling just now. And that username- ]

So when you have a minute to chat- [ While, sure, he'll pretend he knows what the hell she's talking about in the hopes of gleaning more information. ] -what makes you so sure it's a guardian totem?

[ikols]

[ A laugh breaks through as she runs, Loki holds up a finger. ]

Can I call you back in, like, five minutes? Need to deal with not getting pancake'd on the jungle floor. Yes?

[ Since Stephen is currently on a separate line attempting to fix the problem remotely, containment of wild magical elements being His Thing. ]

[fingerstripes]

Uh- sure. Don't let me stop you.

[ Oh dear god. ]

[suckstobestrange]

Did you and Dolly need a pickup then?

[Not the weirdest thing he'd ever seen to be fair, but he can't help but be a bit worried because whatever is coming Loki's way sounds pretty nasty, and he's not entirely sure how much damage it can do.]

[ikols]

Guardian totem! Unbind it from its magical duty of protection post-haste!

[ Crashing through the trees after her, the monster bellows and Loki picks up speed, racing over a river in her Seven-League boots to keep some distance between herself and the bank. This call in particular is answered over a private line. ]

Post-haste, Stephen!!

[suckstobestrange]

[Lucky for Loki that's a spell he's familiar with in a million different iterations, so coming up with a new one on the fly? He can do that. If they're especially lucky it'll even work astrally, instead of Stephen having to hustle his ass out there and hope to get there before Loki is getting chewed on or something.]

Thirty seconds and I should have something. [It'll be rough and one time use, but one time is all they'll need right then.]

[ikols]

Thirty seconds and I'll be the god of pancakes, Stephen.

[ Skidding down a hill and trying to stay on her feet, the tree-line behind her flattens with the weight of her pursuer. ]

[suckstobestrange]

At least they go well with bacon.

[But he's working as quickly as he can. Sorry everyone, he's not sure if this marker will wash off the counter, but he doesn't have time to go find something else, so everyone will just have to deal. Muttering an incantation under his breath as he worked up the fastest circle he could manage. A nick of a thumb to draw blood to finish the casting and if Loki cared to take a peek astrally, she might see the spell taking effect, rough and unpolished as it might be, to rip apart the older magic binding the creature to it's duty.]

[ikols]

Don't take potshots, make spells!

[ Too busy avoiding the crashing foliage, Loki springs up onto a set of boulders just in time to see the fire in the monster's eyes die down as Stephen's casting ensnares it; or rather, releases it. The heavy resonance cloaking the beast's limbs lifts and growls turn to grumbles as it stops chasing Loki to sniff the air, like there might be something far more interesting to do than try to eat a lanky godling.

Sighing in relief now that the danger has passed, she trots along after her former pursuer (from a safe distance) to see where it goes, whispering into the camera. ]

A thousand thanks ... or maybe a dozen, realistically. It doesn't seem to want to gobble me up anymore.

[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.