Video; thunderer [Thor 3 Spoilers]

[worldsaway]

[You can tell from the moment Thor's face appears on camera, he's been through hell and back. His hair is almost entirely buzzed down, save for the tufts on top, with markings shaved into the sides. His eye is covered by a black patch, indicating an injury that he isn't happy to talk about.]

I've made some changes. [Bluntly, as if he consented to any of this.]

What else.. Some things have happened at home that may be of interest to some of you. [He hums, considering.] Odin is dead. I have another sister? Her name is Hela. Mjolnir is destroyed. Banner is alive. [He feels a little guilty revealing that one, but he thinks someone deserves to know.] I fought the Hulk. I won. I met a real, live Valkyrie- And Asgard is.. [A people, not a place, but..] The realm has been destroyed. My people are seeking refuge, I suppose I understand now what displacement feels like.

I have the remains of Asgard in a ship, floating through space. If a portal could open for them, that would be extremely useful to me right now. I'm a king with no land or people, now. Very poetic. [Does he seem terse? He's kind of tense.


And then Loki comes barging in, looking very much the same and carrying a large parchment. He glances at the recording with a frown. He places the map of Earth on the wall, pinning it with a single dagger.]

Must you reveal everything? Put that away, I have work for you.

Comments

[dothelokimotion]

[ No, it wouldn't. The few perks of a terrible reputation, at least. ]

Thor was never adept at gambling.

[dothelokimotion]

Why are you saying that? I don't understand.

[ What is happening? Had Loki said something wrong? Was the ring a mistake? His voice goes an octave higher despite himself. ]

It sounds like you're stepping away.

[ragnarsson]

Only with his life, apparently. [He pauses.] I am shocked to see you both still alive after such an event.

[After all, just about all the gods and the entire universe were supposed to perish in one final glorious battle. Such a shame it would happen in the future. Ivar would have welcomed it in his own time.]

[divulsion]

Yes, when your people are gone there are only memories left to sustain you...

[She gives him a wry smile.]

I'm glad that you don't have to single-handedly repopulate your people, however. Have you considered reaching out to the local government about your predicament at this point? Perhaps they could make managing the portal a higher priority to get your people here?

[livingsymbol]

I-

[ Steve hesitates, because he is stepping back, but it's not really away. Not as far as he sees it. It's not as if he's planning on leaving Loki, so he doesn't want to agree with him, but he feels an awkward sense of intrusion, the way he felt after Bucky and Tony both reacted by retreating from him. ]

If it bothers you, I don't want to make things worse. I know it's hard. And maybe there's not much I can do. I don't really like to think that. I've always been able to do something.

Talking about it seems like it's upsetting you.

[divulsion]

[Wanda bristles a little. The reminder of the robot invasion is not one that she welcomes.]

No, not that. International politics spiraling out of control. [Don't make her go into specifics. Please.] None of it matters right now, however. Are you and Thor intent on moving your people to Earth or here?

[dothelokimotion]

Thor is. I am still undecided.

[ For obvious reasons. But Thor is king and Loki is . . . here for now. ]

[dothelokimotion]

[ It takes him a few minutes to fully parse that. Neither of them were talking to the other properly, in the way they were used to. And to be fair, they rarely communicate over the network anymore. And things have changed dramatically, ring or not. Loki is again, glad that he locked this feed. He doesn't want Thor hearing this. ]

You are not making it worse. I know Thor would appreciate your help, more than he would say. I am . . . I don't know, Steve.

[ He doesn't know if he's upset or not. Many weights have been lifted from his chest and it's exhilarating and terrifying all in one solid blow. ]

I don't have the answers and neither does Thor and right now, Thor needs someone who can give answers.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki shrugs loosely at that. ]

It was touch and go for a moment. Our sister was . . . persistent.

[divulsion]

[The reasons aren't quite so obvious to Wanda.]

Would you act differently?

[livingsymbol]

I would do whatever you asked. You know that.

[ If he could, he would follow Loki to help rescue his fellow Asgardians, if only to be able to protect him. He wants to provide comfort, even if that is something that isn't really possible at the moment. There are no ready words of solace for losing your home. He knows that, but he keeps pulling at the limits of possibility, trying to give more to them. ]

I didn't mean to upset you. I wish I did have answers. I know what we would do at home.

[ He feels like it would be easier to take them all with him. He goes quiet, looking down at his hand. ]

I think going to Earth is a good idea.

[dothelokimotion]

[ He blinks, his words being weighed before answering. ]

Perhaps. There are Eight other realms. Though only five are truly suitable.

[ Jotunheim and a few other notable mentions were no place for the last remains of the Asgardians people. ]

Earth, I find, is always in a constant state of flux. Which brings its suitability in question.

[wingedman]

Tony's the one who's...well, I'm not sure how much he's still in the good graces of the planet's governments. But you might talk to him about it. If nothing else, he probably has enough money to buy land for all of you to live on.

[Sam may be vastly overestimating Tony Stark's wealth. Or he might not.]

Or, like I told Thor, you might talk to the man some of us are staying with now, T'Challa, king of Wakanda. I don't know if there's room for all your people in his country, or if his people would welcome them, but he might have ideas nonetheless.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki doesn't want to go to Earth, he wants to go home, but he manages to bite back that response because it's childish and silly and all the things that made Asgard home was gone a long time ago. Hela had nothing to do with that. He blinks away the wet sheen behind his eyes. ]

Earth it is then.

[dothelokimotion]

[ He blinks. Loki had assumed the age of monarchies had long passed Midgard. How had he not heard of this before? Another king would make things much easier. Loki would know how to bargain and even Thor would know how to handle diplomatic proceedings. Still that leaves far more questions than answers.

Maybe they should just find an island and Loki can cast an illusion and they can all pretend the rest of the world doesn't exist. That is his Plan A. ]

I do not think any king, wise and benevolent would take such an offer very readily. But it would be interesting to speak to another monarch.

[ Loki isn't talking to Tony though. That seems like the opposite of a good decision for Asgard. ]

[divulsion]

Normally I might argue a case for Earth's suitability but it may be difficult to find a welcome there in light of the recent climate. You might talk to Thor about the other five realms, or here.

[And if things go terribly on Earth she may find herself asking Thor whether he'd like a teammate as a subject of his kingdom.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ He shrugs. ]

Or I'll find ourselves an island and put up a nice strong illusion over it.

text, @jb.barnes

[anotheroldsoldier]

[Bucky is still mostly avoiding everybody he knows, and he doesn't want to let on to his current location, so text it is. Better this way, then no one has to see or hear how run down he's feeling, out past the fences.]

Asgard was destroyed in our universe too. I never had much to do with that part of the world, but... Thor brought it to Earth. A floating chunk of land outside of Broxton, Oklahoma. It's an idea, for when you get back.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Who the hell is Barnes. Also why a floating island? That seems like a very good way of getting attacked by all sides. Obviously it was Thor's bright idea. ]

There is nothing left of Asgard. No land, not even an atom. And there is no one left who can sustain that kind of magic on an island for Asgard.

[anotheroldsoldier]

He bought the land in Broxton. I don't know how the Asgardians back home made it float.

Like I said, it was an idea.

[Look he just said he didn't have any involvement in any of this. He wouldn't have replied at all if it hadn't been Thor, whom he's come to consider a friend.]

[worldsaway]

There's nothing left of Asgard to bring except the people, so I don't have any chunks to float.

But this is good. Oklahoma welcomed us, then?

[worldsaway]

I think we did.

[Thor, for the first time in a while, smiles quite brightly. Trust a viking to make him comprehend how important survival truly is.

His smile, of course, falls when Ivar mentions his hair.]

It was shaved when I was sent into battle for my freedom.

[dothelokimotion]

It is a decent idea.

[ Better than condolences anyway. But even Loki, who might very well be the last sorcerer on Asgard, cannot sustain a floating island. ]

[anotheroldsoldier]

I don't think there was much land left back home either. I guess he bought it there in Oklahoma. Can't say how they floated it. I figure as long as you've got people, the material stuff isn't as important. Things can always be replaced.

Far as I know, they didn't mind it all that much. Did wonders for the local economy.

[worldsaway]

I considered seeking an audience with them, but Loki is skeptical about what will come of it. Admittedly, there's not much faith to be had when they still don't seem to understand why we're here.

[Riverview is a good and peaceful place, but the portals do worry him.]