Interlude Stella
Stella sat across from Peter and watched him. He was just eating a cream ice cream and was smiling shyly at her. You could see that a little he feel uncomfortable in her company.
Somewhere inside, Stella was afraid. It was a bad idea that Owen wanted her to take Peter. She murdered children like him. Because they were variants. Because that was the order of the great The Time Keepers. What would Peter have thought of her if he knew she didn't care about crying and screaming the children she took to TVA. It was an order. They were variants. An abomination in the eyes of The Time Keepers. Stella licked mint ice cream. She could really cry. But she was strong. She must have been. She could not be carried away by remorse. Owen blamed himself enough for both of them. Really, she was grateful to Sylvie and Loki. They saved them. TVA no longer exists. Nobody can hurt them like that anymore. No one won't erase the memory. No one won't say they were created to protect the Sacred Timeline.
"Mrs. Stella, why are you sad?" this lovely boy asked.
How was she going to explain it to this innocent child? Peter Parker, Spider-Man. One of the most sacrificial heroes in the Sacred Timeline. Murdered by Vulture in the street. Destroyed by public opinion, forgotten by other heroes, he was not even 18 years old yet. Owen was right that he wanted to take Peter out of the house, but she was uncomfortable with him. She thought she could do it. She was no longer a Hunter C-20! She was Stella Wilson! However this was still strange. Unknown. Her own name was foreign!
Her family were just dim memories.
Loki and Sylvie didn't understand what it was like to be a TVA agent. Sylvie had run away from them all her life and Loki was going to betray them at the first opportunity.They looked at her and Owen not as torturers but as victims. They were partly right. They were victims. But they were still torturers. They did not oppose never to TVA methods. They considered them right! God, what a moral mess. She didn't know how much they were guilty of. Owen accepted of course the worst version. His family was Catholic and he himself had a Bible at home. He kept reading about sinners. He kept blaming himself.
Only the presence of Loki and Sylvie saved them somehow.
Sylvie with a sly smile who kept watching Disney and watched suspiciously as to whether they see her too childish.
Loki with a fascinating tongue that kept telling them about his travels, distracting them from evil thoughts.
Stella remembered seeing Loki and Sylvie watching "Aladdin" once by accident.
On screen, Jasmine and Aladdin were flying on a flying carpet.
Loki and Sylvie were holding hands. Their arms were covered with a common green blanket. Dirty dishes stood in front of them.
Sylvie was blinking hard. Apparently, she didn't want to cry in front of Loki.
Loki sang.
Shining, shimmering, splendid
Tell me, Princess
Now when did you last let your heart decide?
I can open your eyes
Take you wonder by wonder
Over, sideways and under
On a magic carpet ride
A whole new world
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no
Or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
These two beings had defeated The Time Keepers and now they were just watching a children's movie. These two beings smashed the Sacred Timeline to dust. They could take the place of The Time Keepers. They could destroy, burn, rule. Whatever they wanted.
"You've understand that, too," Owen surprised her.
"Don't sneak up on me," hissed Stella.
"Sorry. I studied Loki. I'm a specialist on Loki. And I'm still so surprised that they were born with hearts of gold like you," said Owen.
"They realize there are no more powerful beings than them? And they at the top?" Stella asked.
"They are not stupid. They are brilliant. Maybe if they had focused on this truth, they would actually get this truth, but all their lives they wanted only love, acceptance, friendship. They are very sensitive despite their masks, "Owen replied.
"They never wanted power. Anyone else would immediately seize the opportunity. Think, Owen. Strange or Maximoff!" Sylvie sighed.
"Yes, they are. I don't know why, but Time Keepers have always been very lenient with them," Owen replied.
"As far as you can call it indulgent. After all, Maximoff and Strange didn't have a happy life either," said Stella.
"Oh, don't pick on words, Stella. Strange and Maximoff were still on the verge of becoming variants because of their amateurishness in magic, despite warnings of Mordo and Agatha Harkness. Even so, Time Keepers continued to favor them, "said Owen.
Stella stopped mentioning. She had to answer this child somehow.
"I was just a bit worried about Loki," she said.
"I'm worried about him too. Can we get Mr. Loki ice cream now and come back?" Peter asked.
"Of course," Stella replied and stood up. They walked slowly over to the seller to ask him to pack ice cream for Loki.
Suddenly, an unknown man appeared next to her. Pretty strong for a human. Clearly trained. However, he had a soft smile. Stella wanted to snort. Loki and Sylvie had much better false smiles. What did this man want with them? Stella tried a little hide Peter behind her. If a fight occurs, he must protect the child at all costs. Sylvie and Loki would be devastated if anyone hurt Peter.
"Excuse me, madam, is this your child?" the man asked.
"Yes, why are you asking?" Stella lied. Peter wisely didn't deny it, but squeezed her hand tightly.
"A child like this has been missing recently. So I'm asking abou it. Sorry to bother you," the man smiled and walked away.
Stella immediately took Peter out of there. She tried to look natural. Like a mother who rushes her baby somewhere. She even pretended to be someone called to her on the phone. The man was still in sight. If Stella hadn't been trained by TVA, she'd never noticed him and five more near them. She was still pretending to be a rushing mother. She must have lost them if she was going to use her TimePad. Owen saved it with his TimePad. It could always come in handy.
"Maybe he really confused me with other boy? And yet I felt bad when he looked at me! You think ..." Peter kept talking, nervous in front of her.
Stella checked her TimePad, which would look like a normal cell phone from a distance. She searched until she found it.
Brock Rumlow. Variant L2288. Agent of Hydra. Crossbones.
What did Rumlow want with Peter?