Chaos - Sequel to 'The Lonely Widow'

Part 4 - For All Time

Once Loki finished telling Absantine everything they sat in silence for a moment while she processed this new information.

"And they have no idea?" Absantine asked which was confirmed with a nod from the god. "And they pruned the variant?" "Sylvie, and yes that's what Mobius claims anyway" "sorry, sylvie, you don't believe that she's dead" he sighed letting out a slight laugh "I don't know what to believe anymore" Loki admitted running his hand across his face.

They were startled out of their daze when another time door opened. "I swear of one more person tries - " began the infuriated assassin but she stopped when a disheveled looking Mobius fell out "Loki, Absantine" he exclaimed "that's us" replied Loki flatly.

The agent ignored the bored tone and turned to the god "Do you care about her?" He asked Loki "Sylvie? I'm not sure if it's the right word. We've covered this back in there" he replied "Shut up!" Exclaimed Mobius, exasperated "Do you really think you deserve to be alone?" No answer.

"Loki!" "You told me to shut up." Absantine rolled her eyes at his immaturity "Do you believe you deserve to be alone?" Persisted the analyst "I don't know" Loki admitted "You better figure it out quick, because the nexus event the two of you caused, whatever that connection is, can bring this whole place down. So we better understand." "We"?

"Do you swear she didn't implant those memories in Hunter C-20?" Asked Mobius "Mobius, no. I believe her." Meanwhile the widow continued to silently observe the conversation "So, I just have to trust the word of two Lokis?" The TVA agent asked, uneasy.

"How about the word of a friend?"

"You were right, about the TVA. You were right from the beginning. And if you wanna save her, you need to trust me. Can we do that? "Yes."  "Okay. You could be whoever, whatever you wanna be, even someone good. I mean, just in case anyone ever told you" Loki smiled at the comment as the three stepped back through the time door.

Only to find Ravonna and a team of minute men waiting, pruning sticks activated and ready to eliminate anyone who dared defy them.

"I think you have something of mine." The judge declared stiffly "Yeah, I got all the way down there before I even realized I picked up yours." Mobius said trying and failing to lie.

He glanced around and began to notice the cold demeanor of the so "What's going on? What's the problem, Ravonna?" He was getting nervous now, Absantine noticed but she couldn't have predicted what happened next.

"You know where I'd go if I could go anywhere? Wherever it is I'm really from. Yeah, wherever I had a life before the TVA came along. Maybe I had a jet ski. That's what I'd like to do. Just riding around on my jet ski." Mobius began in one last desperate attempt to get one last word in.

"Prune him."

The minute man raised his weapon and pointed it at Mobius. He dissolved into a pained gasp of sparks. Loki watched the scene with a mixture of regret and pain as his friend was so mercilessly killed.

Absantine kept her face blank of emotion, the perks of her training, but she was equally shocked the impression that she had gotten was that the two agents were friends but apparently not. Not for all time, not anymore.

Absantine and Loki were immediately dragged to an elevator where a woman stood, restrained dressed in black and green, Absantine could only assume this was Sylvie, the variant.

Sylvie and Loki began whispering as the assassin attempted to look anywhere but them, it felt like an invasion of privacy for some reason.

Suddenly sylvie spoke aloud to Renslayer "Do you remember me?" She asked quietly. Absantine didn't know much about Sylvies past, Loki had told her how she was taken as a child but even he didn't know to whole story.

"I do, what do you want to say to me variant" asked The judge "What was my nexus event, why did you bring me in?" asked the variant "What does it matter" "it was enough to take my life from me, to lead to all of this, must've been something important, so what was it" take her life from her, now that hit home from the widow.

Ravonna was silent for a moment and Sylvie let a glimmer of hope slip onto her face until the Judge smirked "I don't remember" Absantine was now sure, if she hadn't been before, that Ravonna was bitch.

The elevator doors opened and they were brought to a chamber full of smoke, at the top of it sat three figures on floating thornes.

The Time Keepers.

"Gracious Time-Keepers, as promised, the Variants." Declared Ravonna. "After all your struggle, at last, you've arrived before us. What do you have to say for yourselves before you meet your end, Variants?" Said one of the timekeepers "is that the only reason you brought us here? To kill us? I've lost track of the number of times I've been killed, so go ahead. Do your worst." Spoke up Loki "You and your bravado are no threat to us, Variant." The timekeeper replied "Your not as mighty as you think you are" commentedthe Russian "I beg your pardon" "yes, please do beg it would be hilarious" deadpanned Absantine in reply "How dare you speak to us that way variant, you are no cause for us the fear" snapped back the ruler.

"Oh no, I don't think you believe that." Said Sylvie "I think, I think you're scared." "No, Variant. You're nothing but a cosmic disappointment." "Rude" muttered the spy.

"Delete them" "No, I'm not done with you yet."

Suddenly the doors burst open and B-15 stood there triumphantly. Sje tossed a blade to Sylvie who caught it with ease "For all time. Always." She claimed, Ironically.

A fight ensued with Ravonna desperately yelling to "Protect the timekeepers!" Though no body was really listening to her.

Finally, the fight died down as the enemies weakened. "Come on. This time I finish the job" Sylvie said with grim determinationin evident her voice.

"You're a child of the Time-Keepers too, Sylvie. We can talk." Reasoned the keeper, Absantine snorted at thier sorry attempt.

"Oh, yeah?" Sylvie tossed the bladeand cut off one of their heads. The head rolled to the trio's feet as the time keeper laughed before powering down. Sylvie reached down to pick up the dismembered head despite Loki warning her not to, only to finger words spilling out.

"Fake. Mindless androids." Sighed the Goddess "It never stops." "Then who created the TVA?" Questioned Absantine "I thought this was it." Admitted Loki.

Absanthie walked away from the two and began inspecting the bodies of the androids.  Loki took his moment alone with Sylvie to speak.

"Sylvie... " he began before she interrupted him "Not another pep talk, please." She sighed. "No, I have to tell you something" he insisted "We will figure this out" "How do you know that?" "Because, uh... Well, back on Lamentis... This is new for me. Um..." "What? What is it?" Absantine began to move back to the group just as Ravonna appeared behind her, she felt a burning sensation before it all went black.