“You are and always have been in my domain.” said the person made of letters and snapped it's fingers shifting Loki's characterization back to mythological. The clank of the bracelet hitting the ground went unnoticed and neither did anybody care for the scepter he put down before the confrontation even began. “Nari and Váli say “Hello”.” the letter being, which currently read 'Ragnarök', added and Loki's screams filled the air as the legendary punishment followed the form.
It looked mighty pleased with itself which alone was an achievement 'How can a bunch of letters even look smug?' and then disappeared.
The light on the bracelet looked dim as Verity waited holding her metaphorical breath. The thing however didn't return for a while so she felt safe to appear in her ghostly form and prod the light on the scepter:
“Hey! Jerk!”
“Well, that's not even a halfway proper summoning of ancient evil.” observed the form in the light.
“Can we help him somehow?” she asked
The light grew brighter and then dimer and let out a low hum as it surveyed the surroundings. “Classic mythological punishment... When will people ever learn that we are the bona fide expert on escaping them? He'll get out.” it hummed a bit more “The characterization regression is interesting though.”
Verity looked thoughtful “How could it even do that? He categorically refused to.”
“What?”
“But he's (as in not evil you) not coming back, because I'm not going backwards. We move forward.” she quoted.
“So going against canon I see. With a story written but incomplete. I can work with that.” the form in the light grinned. “Wanna help? How do you feel about being other people?”
She took a deep breath “I don't like the sound of that...”
“Oh, I kid. I don't care. You drive, I navigate! This will be fun!”
“Fun? Drive wh…”
A wave of the scepter's magic washed over them...
In the darkness of the cave Sigyn held the bowl over Loki's face to catch the serpents venom as she did and will do for all eternity only moving when she needed to empty it again. The bowl glowed slightly and she felt something was not right.
Things shifted…
And somehow remained the same. She still held a bowl, albeit it was a more ornate one now, and she was clad in an exquisite golden gown with green cape and wore an incredibly fancy gold headdress.
“Well, that's impractical.” she observed sarcastically while trying to do her job of easing her best friend's... wait... husband's pain. NO. That's not right “Best friend.” she whispered and knew it was true.
“You're fast, oh Lady of Truth.” The light of the bowl spoke and she almost dropped it in surprise. “I didn't expect you catching on until some more shifts.”
And with that things 'shifted' again…
Gone was the cave, as were Loki's bounds and the snake and the darkness so now she could take a good look at him for the first time in what felt like ages... and he looked classic. As in if you asked some random denizen of the Marvel universe 'What's that?' this is what they would described him: Dressed in green and gold with big horns on his helmet, evil and ugly 'That's wrong on so many levels!'. 'What about me?' she, who was Sigyn just before but actually wasn't really Sigyn ever, wondered, absentmindedly playing with a lock of hair.
“Blonde. Blondest of blondes and reputedly the most beautiful.” said a burly man beside her in a voice she somehow identified with light emitting inanimate objects. “In green novelty tights and miniskirt, I might add.”
She frowned “Heteronormativa. Just my luck.” she paused “What an odd name. Why do I remember myself by something obviously” she sounded unsure despite the choice of words feeling right “meant as an insult?” she side-eyed the other speaker. “And you? How?”
“Well, apparently Skurge can't get any respect. Not even here and now.” he smirked, an expression woefully out of place on his face.
The next shift waved through...
She was sitting in a chair in a quite spacious living room “What now?” she asked looking suspiciously at the little bottle filled with glowy green mist in her hand because she could swear she heard a strangely familiar voice whisper “So much mischief wasted...” followed by a faint sigh from it. Also she was apparently a redhead now in something like a light blue and gold short dress with long gold fringes of questionable taste.
Loki smiled at her warmly but calculatingly from the other side of the room. He changed too. He was more muscular more handsome, had no horns just little wings on his helmet, and somehow reminded her of a snake despite those details.
“Now my dear... 'Melodi', was it not? Or just for my brother?” he asked sarcastically “We'll discuss our... let's call it 'partnership' further...”
Some more shifts went by quickly almost as if the canon magic itself was ashamed of them...
The three hooded women stood around their loom at the roots of Yggdrasil. The unknown magic stole them some seconds of frozen time before the God of Thunder's hammer comes down and ends fate and Asgard.
But something was not as it should. Their loom emanated some strange light. It almost looked alive, pulsating for a lack of better word giddily “Quick! Weave Loki as rightful ruler of Asgard and all nine realms now and for all eternity!” it said.
“NO!” they proclaimed being too annoyed to be startled.
“I'm beginning to think that most of our relationship centers around that two letter word.” sighed Loki's head dangling from Thor's belt. It was beyond strange. That he was also in this bubble not that he was a literal talking head, mind you.
“You know, I could just leave you two stuck.” the loom threatened.
The women frowned “No you couldn't. You're lying.” it was true they knew but how? Why? And... “Wait a minute. Two?”
The world shifted again...
“Well, people say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, my dear child.” said Loki smiling which 'again?' reminded her of a snake, despite the horns, and the fur coat. “I'm quite pleased with how my plans are progressing.” she... 'no, still he no matter of that stolen body of his', HE continued uninterrupted. “But dare I ask what's with the glitter on your cape, my dear? I never thought that you would fancy something like that. This midgardian life must be getting to you.”
'Now he is deliberately mocking me.' she thought 'Looking better in a dress than I ever will is not enough it seems. Jerk.' but she knew him well enough to watch what she was saying “You're playing a dangerous game. You do know that?”
“You've no idea.” whispered someone or something close to her ear.
Magic shift forward...
Why should she live in a cave. It's dark and cold and... what else? There was something more... but what was it? She poked the fire with a stick in annoyance. Suddenly a patch of green light flew over her head. A bird shaped one. Which she was reasonably convinced she shouldn't see... because only Loki could see the damn creature. 'Or hear it for that matter' she thought as it cawed “Well, this is certainly an improvement. I hate being a tool... object.” But if the 'pet' was here, then...
“Hi! Did my BFF miss me?” Loki's voice was young and cheerful and it filled her with an awful sense of foreboding. He was a boy, just a boy, maybe around twelve, with wings on his circlet.
“I'm not your BFF. Whatever that is.” she snapped, oh god her voice was that of a child too. Also that was a lie. Whatever BFF might be she totally was and that thought just made her heart heavier. “And I did not!” she added indignantly yet another lie.
“Aren't you two precious.” cawed the imaginary bird.
“I brought you a gift.” Loki said smiling brightly and handed her a little mirror. “I wanted to get you a StarkPhone but I know you don't want one so...” he just chattered on and on. 'Is he stupid?' She wondered as she felt tears swelling up in her eyes 'damn dusty caves' she thought, but from deep inside her own mind she felt a voice, she was sure should be hers, whisper “Lie...”
Everything shifted…
“You are an arrogant, manipulative, untrustworthy little jerk!” she yelled at Loki, still a child... but children shouldn't have such hard and calculating eyes. “I really should kick you chico right up to orbit!”
“Hey! Not my fault!” he looked awfully guilty for a second “This time anyway. Also me and our sparkling leader have a plan!”
“I'm so over any plan of yo...” She began but was rudely interrupted by his phone ringing again.
“Video call. Strange.” He held it so she could also see the it and pushed the call accept button.
“Oh hi, BFF. Missed me?” said the young woman in green on the other side of the line. She couldn't shake the feeling that she saw her face somewhere before but couldn't place it. Also BFF? She is lying.
“I can't miss you if you don't go away.” told her Loki coldly. “You just called some minutes ago...”
“You sure?” she asked with green sparkles around her eyes and laughed. “Mirror mirror in my hand who is the trickiest in all the land?”
The abrupt shift hit them again...
“Oh yes. This is what I was waiting for” cackled King Loki, the Loki who could have been, as he held the knife to his young self's throat.
“You can't kill me.” Loki explained in an annoyed voice “I. Am. You.” he explained slowly to his mad future self.
“I know. And this happened already. Several times actually.” he smirked “But if someone offers yet another chance on a silver platter, who am I to not accept their kindness?” he looked mock innocently.
Loki for the life of him couldn't fathom why he would have a problem with a speed dating event of all things... unless... something interesting had to happen here.
The woman at table six 'nexted' away the last suitor, looked at her watch, and sighed. So much for her promise to her mother she thought. 'This is not true.' her accursed instincts told her as they did all her waking and sleeping minute since she could remember. She missed someone she needed to find him... she got up and began to walk out.
“Well, there goes your salvation, little girl.” the old one observed, and then…
...
There was a loud clang as the fire extinguisher connected with King Loki's head.
“Ouch! That hurt my feelings.” he snarked but looking down he had to realize that it was enough distraction for his captive to slip away.
“Hi. My name is Verity. How was it?” said the woman “I drive. And I know the way from here.” she smiled at Loki “Are we cosplaying?”
And the canon shift came one last time...
Loki the God of Stories picked up his bracelet that held his best friend's soul and put it on his wrist. “Thank you.” he whispered to her ghostly apparition “You saved me one more time.” He also got his scepter “Thank you too, old man.” he said smiling. “Even if you tried to double cross me as usual.”
“What do we do now?” asked Verity.
“We observe.” answered Loki with overplayed seriousness. “As knowing is half the battle.”
“Oh, shut up!”