thoughtformed | (no subject)

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"Oh Hel," is what he says to himself as he runs. Not much later, there's a number of text messages sent out. He's become good at typing and running.

He was out of time.

-

TO: Kate, Billy, Scott, Homura
FROM: Loki

It may be for the best if you don't let him know that you're affiliated with me. He may not like it, and he doesn't take well to things he doesn't like.

TO: Aradia
FROM: Loki

You spoke briefly of your powers that control the stream of Time. Tell me of them. In summary. A very concise summary.

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[It's a struggle, to try and decide if she should corner him now or let him go away for a little while and try to recover. She needs answers; she trusted him enough to throw in without question, but she needs to know what she's gotten herself into, because if it comes back, if it gets back to Dave, Sollux, Rose, Karkat, everyone else...]

hmmmm
if you say so
you dodged my question

[well, he had tried, he supposed. she was the only one of his acquaintances on this island that could aid him without being seen. but then it was the same, just buying time. his Other-Self would find out, eventually.]

I can't say I'm entirely sure what I am. That was not the exchange that I was expecting. More violence and trickery, though I'm not sure if the pieces haven't already been put into place.

Ah! But he didn't seem to notice the cameras. Midgardian technology does come in handy.

i see
do you feel well enough for that date?

[and that's the second time he's taken off-guard tonight. that had been a bluff, a rather good one, he had to say so, but he still looks surprised.]

I'm .... sure I could muster the strength. I feel a second wind is already coming on, and a soda and a movie would certainly replenish what's left.

[The pieces are already falling into place in her head on how to make this work. He'd said it; why not make it true? It gives her an in, it will put him at ease- it's not even a bluff that she'd want him to feel better and distract him if she could.

She wouldn't get away with half of what she does if it didn't take everybody by surprise.]

ok!

[It's the work of the moment to drop out of the sky, relatively close to his side, pull up at the last second and touch down feet first. And then another second to dispense with her god tier, wings and red clothes disappearing for something much less remarkable.]

I'll even treat you.

[And there's no sign of her serious terseness from her previous messages to be found anywhere on her face. She's good at bluffing, too.]

[for someone with a silver tongue, he does certainly have his gullible moments. he's considerably thrown off by people enjoying his company—something that never happened in Asgard, save a few, who truly enjoyed his presence. many times they were either berating him for something he didn't remember, or they were blackmailing him. there were a few times when he would sigh sufferingly and understand why his former self was so bitter.

he takes a glance back, as if he's making sure that leaving his Evil-Self wasn't part of some elaborate plan, and then puts his attention back on her.]

Treat me? You mean to say that we weren't going to sneak in?

[Meanwhile Aradia's pulling the oversized hood of her coat up, trying to hide her horns in case they are being watched and they are being followed. In the dark it's harder to see her other alien features with nearly everything covered up.]

No, I was intending for us to be honest about it, if that's ok with you. It's not even going to cost you anything either way.

Honesty can occasionally be the best policy, but one that occasionally be ignored. If you wish to do it that way, then I cannot disagree.

[he follows behind her a little ways, as if he's making sure that they aren't being followed. he knew it would be far more difficult to thwart his Older Self... you know, with the whole magic and mage thing going and all. he almost cursed his skills.]

[They'll be better, once they can get indoors, it's harder to follow someone in a brightly lit crowded movie theater, right?]

Well, it's my date, so I get to decide anyway.

[She's trying to not be nervous about the fact that he's still at her back, but they're almost there.]

I don't really think he's going to follow us, Loki.

[not if you're Loki, or the large, sad, bitter Loki.]

I liked him better when he was a bird.

[Oh Loki. She slows a bit, waiting for him to be at pace with her, and then tucks her arm through his to draw him up at her side.]

I think I know the feeling.

[ah! there's a glance of surprise again, but he keeps pace with her this time, keeping his mind from imagining all the terrible possibilities now that he was stuck on an island with himself.]

Your Evil-Self was also a magpie? [there's a quirk of his lips.] Or a frog, perhaps.

No no, all mes were frog, at some point in their timelines.

[She's more than happy to do anything to distract him, even though trolls have never been quite so touchy; the point is to put him at ease so she can catch him off guard again and interrogate him later.]

But I know the feeling, of seeing someone you'd never want to see again, with the power to make your life very difficult. I have a Doc Scratch.

[he's a bit stiff, though it's hard to tell if it's because of his awkwardness with physical affection or the surprise arrival of the other Loki. it's hard to get his thoughts together. the touching is helping, because he keeps focusing on it.]

Yes, the gentleman with the spherical head. I've seen him.

[Stiff or no stiff, she's dragging him into the theater anyway for tickets. They probably stand out a little bit, but they're short enough to blend in with some of the crowd, or get lost anyway.]

Yes, that's Scratch. Don't ever speak to him.

[oh, whoops. there's no change in his expression.]

Then he must also be evil. This island likes to collect them and not let them go.

[he waits with her patiently, trying to figure out how exactly to hold his arm. he hasn't quite figured it out yet.]

[And the only contact she's had since she died was with Equius, who couldn't touch her properly. They're both going to have to be content with slight awkwardness with this.

Paying, paying.]

He could be much much worse. What do you want to see?

That's of some comfort.

[oh, Midgardian film. he hadn't really ever seen one in the theatre—and instead he spent most of his time downloading whatever suited his fancy onto his pad of I. most of the time his brother did not approve.]

We could see something with a happy ending.

[There's a long list of movies, but with the titles so short it's hard for Aradia to know exactly what the movies are all about. Anything that looks like it has a colorful poster should be happy, though, right? This is logical.

And its late, for movies like that, so they'll probably end up with a theater all to themselves to talk in.]

Probably for the best. I don't see any obvious con movies anyway. Do those count as happy endings for you?

[And she hustles him in with tickets to go get snacks.]

[a movie really wouldn't distract him, as much as he would've liked it too. there was a lot on his mind—many questions that remained unanswered, and many emotions that he didn't wish to deal with in such a foreign place. it was scary, he was scared, and what Loki could do scared him.

he follows her to get food, and brightens considerably at the selection. he does eat like the god that he is, so it was a large soda and a popcorn that he could hardly fit his arms around. they were now far away from the prying eyes of a camera, and far from those who would suspect that they would be having any kind of interesting conversation.

of course, everything in the New Moore movie theatre had to be at least ten, fifteen years old... but both of them were none-the-wiser.]

I can't really muster the strength to argue. It's too hard.

[Aradia wouldn't know how old the movies were, or care. Sometimes even just pretending to have a distraction helps, and she's pretty sure she can get him to open up somehow or other. That's the whole goal, and she kind of bullies him and his snacks along to find seats in the empty theater.]

I'm sorry to say that if you tried I would just override you anyway. It's my date. You kind of owe me a bit!

[an odd way to replay someone, but he has no complaints. he sinks back in the seat and lets his shoulders slump, tugging his hood over his face.]

I'm aware. It seems that I owe quite a few people a bit now.

[She lets him sit for awhile, silent. And then she gently reaches out and pulls his hood back down, off his head.]

That's what friends do, Loki.

[there had always been someone who wanted something from him. with those he aligned himself with, there was always an uneasy tension—save two. Thor, who had never asked anything of him, and Leah, who had been his BFF, though their alliance was forced by the hand of Hela. having someone do something for him without asking anything for return, even if their consequence of that action was the satisfaction of doing the right thing, was not something that he was used to.]

Not all of them are so easily sated by my company, m'lady. ...Though...

...

Thank you.

[Aradia smiles gently, getting ready to strike while the iron is hot. Maybe it's a little cruel, to get to him this way, but she means well by it, and her intentions are good, and it never occurs to Aradia to doubt that what she does is wrong.]

You're welcome. You do think we're friends, though, don't you?