3 Interlude Owen/Mobius
Owen was very pleased to be in contact with Nova Prime. He respected her. She was an exceptional woman. Particularly sensitive to the fate of the citizens of Xandar. However, he didn't hesitate to lie to her that he himself was one of them. For Loki, he would do almost anything. His friend. The person who changed his fate and saved him from TVA hell.
He still remembered finding a room with Stella where his memories had been taken and his life stolen.
It was like his life had been broken.
It was probably the first time he really understood Loki. His breakdown when he learned that he was not the biological son of Frigga and Odin. Owen remembered countless hours watching a movie of Loki's life. Another TVA mission. Nothing personal. Just information to catch the dangerous variant.
And yet, under the shell of the TVA's manipulation and cruelty, there was a human part in him that really saw Loki. The broken boy who wanted to be loved. When Loki asked him in front of elevator why he was putting himself in danger for him, Owen, then in that moment still Agent Mobius told the truth in both options.
I'll give you two options, and you can believe whichever one you want. A, because I see a scared little boy, shivering in the cold. And you kinda feel bad for that ice runt. Or B, I just wanna catch this guy, and I'll tell you whatever I need to tell you "he said to Loki
Loki hid himself immediately. He tried to pretend he didn't care. But it did. All the nature of being Loki. Desire for love, acceptance, friendship. A desperate attempt to control. An attempt to be loved by the family, to have friends. And it all ended the same. Failure.
To this day, Owen couldn't forgive himself for using Frigga's death and lying to Loki. He tried to explain to him that it was just manipulation, but Owen knew Loki didn't believe him.
He really still blamed himself for his mother's death.
Owen had to fix everything. He had to do it. Loki deserved it. He was his friend. Owen had all the information and tools he needed to torture Thanos, and he was going to do it.
To become the ruthless Mobius again for a moment.
And destroy the Mad Titan without mercy.
And then do the same with Malekith.
He didn't care about morality. He was a sinner. He killed so many innocent people. And he will never be redeemed for it. And yet, if his ruthlessness can protect Loki, he will do it with pleasure. Loki deserved happiness.
He was still wondering how Thanos had obtained the Infinity Stone. And there was only one plausible option. Loki gave it to him. Probably as part of the plan.
Owen understood Loki's emotions.
However, Loki's mind was a more complicated puzzle.
The Time Keepers gave him an enhanced intellect, but that wasn't enough.
Loki was brilliant.
His mind ran in countless directions at once, and he could easily deceive anyone, even with his own emotions.
God of Lies.
Nobody could mix lies and truth like Loki.
I've been playing a game of my own all along
It was always true. Loki loved, he suffered, he cried. But he never gave up the game, being the smartest god of Asgard, being the God of Mischief, tangling the truth and deceiving and having a thousand masks.
Owen himself had to admit that when he first studied the movie about Loki's life, he really believed Loki wanted the throne and Thor's death. He was shocked when the truth was revealed.
Loki wanted his father's love.
Owen then repeated these events dozens of times, looking for a small clue in Loki's behavior.
Half the fun of being a trickster is knowing everyone knows you're a trickster, and then, many of your tricks can come from exploiting the fact that you know that they know ...
Loki revealed it to him. He opened up to him.
Owen remembered not understanding Loki in the tent. He immediately dismissed it as a lie. And yet, in retrospect, Owen knew Loki was doing almost three things simultaneously! Or even more that Owen hadn't noticed.
Loki was telling the truth about wolf ears, about TVA's arrogance, about the trap (which was in Alabama, not literally in front of the tent).
Loki wanted to see if he could summon the Nexus.
Loki wanted to see how Owen perceives his thinking.
Only one being was immune to Loki and found solace in his company.
Forseti.
The God of Truth.
Fandral's grandfather and an old Asgard adviser.
If anyone were to know about TVA without contacting them it would be Forseti.
His gaze was seeing to the very structure of reality. Owen doubted even TVA could hide from him.
Not a single variant of it has ever been caught.
Any other god, yes.
Countless variants of Loki, as well as Odin, Frigga, Thor, Hela and so on.
Everyone except Forseti.
A mysterious loner who liked the presence of Loki before his death, who was responsible for the release of Jormungand and the creation of all events in the Sacred Timeline in connection with it.
Loki can learn about many things.
About being the son of Laufey, about Hela, about Odin's past.
However, he could never learn about Jormungand. Owen knew how hiding the truth from Loki worked. However, Jormungand was information that would break Loki more than information about Laufey.
Owen remembered Variant of Loki having found out about it. This was after taking power from Odin. Loki found access to Hela's prison. Hela told him.
Owen remembered that.
Variant of Loki laughed and cried at the same time. He seemed to burn with magic himself. When Owen told to his Loki during the interrogation that he wasn't really dangerous, he was right. Because Owen still remembered that Loki.
Magic was raging. The Asgard burst into flames due to the madness of Loki's variant and his uncontrollable power. The whole of Yggdrasil seemed to tremble and collapse within itself.
TVA agents broke protocol.
They didn't take Loki's variant to TVA's headquarters, they just killed him, immediately. He was considered too dangerous to be captured. This variant of Loki continued to laugh, even while dying. His teeth were set, his eyes flashed with colors. From dark green through poisonous yellow to black. The tangled hair of Loki's variant whirled. His hands burned with magic. And he was still laughing when he died. Owen will never forget that laugh. As if only pain, bleeding helplessness remained, and beyond it only emptiness without hope. As if bitter laughter were the only answer.
Owen knew lying to Loki was a bad idea, but he didn't want his friend to do the same. He was going to see to it.
Owen himself was just coming back to the hotel, he had a new haircut (short cut hair) and a new outfit for Agent Xandaru. He's already earned their trust as their Agent. It was easy. He chose his heritage well, no one was surprised by his new appearance because of the Skrull heritage.
Owen didn't find Sylvie in her room, so she must have gone to Peter.
When Owen saw Sylvie and Peter, he was stunned at first. They both cried. He didn't understand what happened. He slowly walked over to them, and his mind began to analyze.
He watched them.
And he understood.
Sylvie doubted herself because of her inability to comfort Peter.
Peter himself had a fairly typical appearance for almost every Peter Parker.
I don't deserve it.
Owen had to talk to them separately. It will be two difficult conversations because Sylvie and Peter have been quite stubborn about making assumptions about themselves. Loki was similar, but different about one thing. He could use his emotions or turn them off completely if he wanted to. He was partially in control. The specificity of living in the royal court as the second son of the Allfather. Sylvie didn't need this because she had spent her entire life on the run. Neither did Peter. Loki was not only the God of Lies by birth. He learned this through practice.
Sylvie was different. She hardly spent any time with people. She stole, watched movies, killed and fought. She practically never used her power as the Goddess of Lies.
Owen sat down beside this adorable baby, who was excited to hear about him as specialist of Loki, but sad and blaming himself for Sylvie leaving.
"Specialist of Loki means I understand him in a special way," said Owen.
"Are you also a Sylvie's specialist? But why did you mention Loki?" asked interested Peter.
Owen understood. Sylvie and Loki did not inform Peter that they were variants of the same being. They should tell this to their adopted child themselves.
"Sylvie and Loki have very similar souls. Knowing one, I know the other," Owen replied.
"Souls? They are probably real if the Norse gods are. Do humans have souls too, or only gods?" Peter was excited.
"All living things have souls. Not only gods. But I wanted to talk to you about something else. The reason for your crying," Owen replied. At that, Peter blushed and was looking for an excuse.
"I know why. You don't think you deserve to be part of the family. Can you tell me why?" Owen used a calm tone of voice and lightly patted Peter's hand.
"I didn't mean to be ungrateful," muttered Peter. He lowered his gaze and clearly felt uncomfortable. Owen gently lifted his head with his right hand.
"I never suggested that. I just wanted to understand why you feel you don't belong to us. Me and Stella are friends of Loki and Sylvie. And you were adopted by them. We are family together. And I want to understand why you feel insecure," Owen replied. .
"Sylvie claimed Loki adopted us. Me and her," Peter said.
"It's true Loki has a tendency to do that. But let me tell you honestly, Sylvie has adopted you as well. She doesn't like most people and tried to cheer you up, she wouldn't bother with it if you weren't important to her," Owen said to Peter. The cute boy looked at Owen with obvious hope
"Why didn't Sylvie know who I was to them? I'm just Peter Parker from Queens, and they ..." said Peter shyly.
Owen hugged the boy. One of the greatest hearts among heroes, doomed to cruel fate by The Time Keepers. Peter Parker who lost both families.
"Never doubt that we love you. Me, Stella, Loki and Sylvie. Sometimes we can't express it, but we do. And I understand, you are just Peter and we are special. Loki and Sylvie are gods. Me and Stella. We're not normal either, "Owen said.
"Why me? There are others, better than me," Peter asked.
"Peter, my child. Your parents and your uncle and aunt loved you just like that. You don't love someone for something. Then it's not love anymore. Love is patient, Love is kind. Love is not boastful or envious or arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. " Owen was quoting.
"St. Paul, First Letter to the Corinthians Chapter 13 verses 4-7. I read the Bible and the Koran last year. I have always liked to read," said Peter shyly.
"I know that. You're a brilliant kid. You just love someone, you not do it for gain something" Owen said.
"But mom and dad and uncle and aunt were my family. So they loved me. I belonged to them, and you ..." Peter said.
"And we chose you and you belong to us too. Loki loves you. Sylvie loves you. Stella loves you too, and she kept you safe from Hydra at all costs. I love you too. Maybe we know each other briefly, but we are already family" Owen said.
"I belong to you," Peter repeated and hugged Owen. He seemed to be finally at peace.