video. username: ilikehorses

[shoplifter]

[There is a mildly anxious child on the feed, sitting on the edge of the community building roof as she munches down on some potato chips; this child's diet is 1000% on point. But more importantly, she flashes the video feed several stories below toward some of the trees. The little accent is full of confusion:]

They are dying. What are they sick with?

Shouldn't someone do something to save them? ¿Dónde está el jardinero?

[Seriously, nobody seems concerned about the leaves all falling off. Or them turning odd colors.]

Comments

[dothelokimotion]

They lack the technology for it. Asgard probably has a way of siphoning extra heat dispersion and using it for energy but I cannot recall how.

[shoplifter]

Asgard must be very -- advanced.

[dothelokimotion]

It has been around for eons. A realm married to science and magic, a golden city.

[ A trace of fondness enters his voice. ]

There is no other like it.

[shoplifter]

A golden city sounds like it would hurt your eyes.

[ruining your fondness with blunt commentary]

[dothelokimotion]

[ And yet. ]

Well, the palace mostly. It's an expression.

[shoplifter]

[Oh. Alright. That seems legit.]

It sounds like a nice place to live.

[dothelokimotion]

[ He smiles faintly to himself. ]

At the very least, we do not have global warming killing our trees.

[shoplifter]

And the people there -- treat each other well?

[dothelokimotion]

[ His expression flickers briefly. ]

For the most part. We rarely have internal conflicts.

[ Loki is an aberration in that, but Loki isn't Asgardian. He doesn't count. ]

[shoplifter]

Even if people are different from each other?

Different species?

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki has to pause for that. Long memories of Asgard's brutal war with the Frost Giants, commemorated and spoken even now rings in his ears. ]

For the most part. Asgard has enemies, but they are few. Not entire species.

[ Not anymore. ]

[shoplifter]

Good. Everyone should have a place they can belong, without getting hurt.

This place... It seems better, too. At fitting everyone in.

[dothelokimotion]

That is unsurprising. It is a realm in between points of the universe. A waystation for all lost souls.

[ He hesitates briefly. ]

Are you happy here?

[shoplifter]

... I'm not sure yet.

[Don't worry, Loki, you're not alone on hesitating.]

It's hard to figure out. I am not... unhappy.

[dothelokimotion]

Ah.

[ Loki smiles faintly. ]

But the absence of sorrow and pain isn't necessarily happiness either. It takes time, I'm afraid, to learn the difference.

[shoplifter]

But you have.

[Yes???]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki pauses at that. Has he? Certainly he's better off but Loki can't always tell if he's happy or not. ]

I believe so. For the most part.

[shoplifter]

Did you learn it around the time you learned how to wash out bloodstains?

[dothelokimotion]

[ Okay, he chuckles at that. ]

No, that's a skill we learn at an early age. Asgardians are warriors. Being able to take care of our clothes and armor was necessary.

[ Even for princes. Frigga never believed in letting their servants do all the work and Loki preferred to learn as well. ]

[shoplifter]

[She considers him, thoughtful.]

You grew up very differently. We had to imagine our own armor.

[dothelokimotion]

There are all kinds of armor. Yours is stronger than most.

But difficult, I think, when you are alone.

[shoplifter]

... I guess I'm not alone here.

People annoy me about my diet and teach me interesting curse words.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Hmm. ]

An interesting statement. But a relief to hear.