Beyla ~ (Loki)

38

I open my eyes feeling the weight of Loki's arm stretched over my body. I turn to my side looking over his calm expression. "You're staring." He mumbles with his eyes closed. I place my hand on his cheek, running my finger over his cheek. "No, I'm admiring." This Loki has fewer marks, scars, and bruises. Proof he hasn't yet adventured his foretold future. I sigh laying on my back, "Do you think we will ever get out of here?" Loki opens his eyes scootching closer to me. He pulls me close to his chest, the coolness of his skin comforting. "We will." "And then what? I can't return to 2012. There can't be two of me." Loki sighs, "We don't have to think about that right now, love."

A knock on the door ruins the morning. "Get up! We've got work to do. I have clothes for both of you to wear." Mobius opens the door quickly, setting the folded clothes on the floor, then shutting it back. "Get ready!"

I roll out of bed retrieving the clothes. "Ooo, office man." I laugh throwing him his getup. I pull the black jeans up my legs and throw the gray shirt over my head, the pocket stating TVA.

Loki stands dressing before looking in the mirror. "Mh, not bad." I nod sliding in front of him. "I do like the pants." Loki smacks my butt chuckling, "I do as well."

Loki and I sit at Mobius's desk. Loki looks at a jet ski magazine while I spin in my chair. A bell dings. A projection of Miss Minutes stands on the desk. "Okay, y'all, let's review what we've learned. What happens when a nexus event branches past the red line?"

Loki continues to read the magazine, replying blankly, "Very bad things." Miss Minuets taps her foot. "Come on, Loki! Beyla, what is it?" I smile sitting up straight, "It's when the TVA can no longer reset a nexus event." Loki rolls his eyes, "I knew that! Boring." Miss Minuets continues, "And that would lead to the destruction of the timeline and the collapse of reality as we know it." Loki leans up in her clock face, "Can you hear me? Are you a recordingWhere'ree you alive?" Miss Minuest thinks about it before replying, "Uh, sorta both." "Ah," Loki nods before rolling up the magazine and swatting at Miss Minutes. She jumps out of the way just in time. "Loki!" I say holding back my laughter.

"Watch it! Where's your manners? Oh! Hey! Quit it! That is not nice. Jerk." She digitizes herself and goes into the computer screen. Loki leans to the screen, "You can't hide..."

Mobius walks up, "Training goin' well?" I raise my hand, "For me." Mobius nods, "I expected that. Is that my jet ski magazine? Put it down. Gear up you two. There's been an attack. Let's go." Mobius hands up both matching jackets. "Cool!" I put mine on doing a spin. "I like it!"

Loki puts his jacket on as well, Mobius straightens out the sleeves, " Good. Yeah. Smart."

He leads us to a hall where hunters are gathered. Hunter B-15 speaks, "C-20 and her team went dark shortly after they jumped into the 1985 branch. All signs point to another ambush. We've grabbed enough temporal aura to know it's our Loki Variant. But which kind of Loki, remains unknown."

Loki jumps in, "They're the lesser kind, to be clear." Hunter B-15 smirks, "Let me see the back of that jacket." Loki turns, showing the word "VARIANT" printed on the back. "What?" I turn around catching the words on my back. "Mobius!" He shrugs, an amused grin on his face. "Very subtle. Well done."

Hunter B-15 looks upon us with distaste, "I don't want anybody out there to forget what you two are." "Your only hope of capturing a murderer?" "No. A cosmic mistake." Mobius separates her from us. "That's enough."

"Here's the deal. When we get out on the branch, we're not just looking for a Time Criminal. We're looking for a Loki. A variation of this guy." A projection comes up showing other Loki variants: L1247/L6792 a Jotunn Loki with blue skin, L1247 Loki in athletic clothes holding a trophy, L6792 A giant Loki, L8914, L5681, L7803... SEVERAL MORE. "Difference is we have his counterpart this time." Mobius gestures to me as I wave politely.