The Carnival
Thor's time with the TVA was nothing like her life in Asgard. She had traded her hammer for a pen and spent most of her days researching and combing through fine details on the Loki attacks. When she wasn't doing this she could be found in a small cubicle listening to the orange clock. Ms Minute she discovered her name was, drone on and on about the terrible nature of varients and how they should be removed and erased to purify the sacred timeline. Thor felt personally attacked.
In the evenings, when she retired to her room, she would sit on the edge of her bed and hold out her hand calling for Moljnir. She felt nothing. She could not draw the slightest bit of lightning of energy. This lack of power left her feeling breathless and empty. When she asked Mobius about this lack of power he told her that the space in which the TVA was built was designed to stop her calling gon her powers. Thor, again, felt personally attacked.
Thor had spent just under a week with the TVA but it had felt like much longer. Already she had settled into the rhythm of her new life, eating in the cafeteria and shifting through file after file on the variant. Thor again found herself scanning through another endless stack of files when a shadow loomed over her. Looking up with bleary eyes she caught sight of Mobius staring down at her "There's been another attack."
"Really?" Thor asked in shock as she stood quickly and shrugged on her new jacket.
Mobius lead the way out of the library "Buckle up buttercup, we are going into the field." Thor scampered behind him like an excited puppy. Her whole body itched to fight. She hadn't had a moment to train since she arrived, something she used to do daily. Now the moment had arrived, she would prove herself and finally gain the trust of the TVA. At this thought, her collar itched irritably over her skin.
Mobius lead her to what looked like a locker room. Minutemen strapped on their weapons and fastened their armour. B-15 stood in the middle of the room gesturing for everyone to join her.
Mobius elbowed Thor and smiled slightly "Congratulations Thor, this is your big moment." he whispered. B-15 still heard him.
"Time to see if you are as useful as Mobius says."
"Come on, she can have this one." Mobius joked but quickly turned serious as he spoke to Thor "Remember though, we are watching you."
Thor met Mobius's gaze and tried to look sincere "You can trust me Mobius, and if you truly doubt my allegiance to you and the TVA then put your trust in this." Her hand graced over the black collar.
Mobius frowned slightly and looked as if he wanted to speak but B-15 called in the rest of the troops "Gather round. The variant Loki was active in this location mere minutes ago. I want you to all be on high alert. If you see Loki, do not hesitate to take them down." She shared a meaningful look with her team, her eyes lingering on Thor. Once she was sure her words had landed she nodded "Let's move out."
Blurred rectangles popped into existence and the soldiers filed through. Thor, not wanting to be left behind, walked confidently towards the box. Unsure what to do, she took a deep breath and pushed through. A familiar warm itch spread over her body and seeped into her skin. She remembered this sensation from when she fell. It was over just as it began and Thor stepped into a meadow soft fresh with evening dew. In the middle of the meadow, a carnival dominated the space. A laughing clown face was set up as the entrance and inside there was ride after ride throwing brightly coloured lights into the evening sky. Voices called out in fear and joy as humans wandered around the carnival. It was chaos.
"Spread out around the carnival," B-15 ordered, "we start on the edges and meet in the middle."
Mobius tapped Thor's arm and gestured to the entrance. "Thor you stay with me," he instructed. Thor followed him through the mouth of the clown and into the bustling crowd. It was nearly impossible to single in on any one moment as the crowd jumped and swarmed around them with quick steps.
Thor lead the way into the fray and scanned the assembled humans. Her eyes lingered on the dark corners and the allies between rides. If her brother was to hide, she decided, it would be away from the chaos of the crowds.
Beside her, Mobius was growing restless "See anything you recognise?" he asked "Anything classically Loki."
"I am looking but..." A flush crept up Thor's kneck "But often you don't realise his deception until it is too late."
"Well for your sake, figure it out this time."
They continued to stalk the crowds looking for anything out of the ordinary. Once Thor thought she spied a familiar flash of green magic but it was only the lights from the haunted house. As they moved closer and closer to the centre of the showground Mobius's radio crackled to life "We've found the sight of the attack, clean up is underway." A silence fell after that. If there was any chance of finding the Loki it was near the attack and they were running out of time to find them. In fact, they probably already had, they had spent so long looking around for their target that they had more than enough to run away.
Thor was beginning to feel more than a little bit useless when a dark figure moved. Out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed the figure disappear into a purple tent and out of sight. Thor's hands slowly balled into fists, wishing she could call on her hammer, instead she felt the familiar crackle of lightning responding to her call "They are still here."
Mobius snapped to attention "Where?" his eyes scanned the thinning crowds.
Tor lifted her hand "Over here, behind those rides." She stalked forward feeling the call of battle building.
Mobius jogged to keep up "Wait for back up Thor." he scolded.
Thor shook her head "He hasn't noticed me, I am certain."
"B-15 what is your location?" Mobius spoke into the radio.
B-15 didn't hesitate "Coming to you now." Thor didn't know how to feel about that.
Mobius stood for a moment, cogs whirring behind his eyes. He slipped the radio away and met thors eyes "Go, we'll follow behind."
Thor couldn't suppress her smile. Years of training locked as moved towards the tent. Stopping before the entrance of the tent she felt a shift in the air. Magic lingered in the fabrics of this tent. If she was to come out victorious then she must tread carefully. Carefully she drew back the drapes. It was dark, the only light came from a lantern placed on a rickety old table in the middle of the tent. Thor stayed deathly still as she listened to the shuffling of footsteps outside the tent. Suddenly another presence became apart behind her.
She whirled around, fists raised and shoulders squared. The figure behind her was still wrapped in shadow, but the silhouette of their crown was unmistakable, she faltered "Loki?" she called. The Loki before her lunged forward attempting to sweep Thor to the ground. She sidestepped the attack easily and threw a hand out and onto the attacker's arm. This was her mistake. Before Thor could stop them the variant whirled around in her grasp and faced her. Loki's cool fingers snaked toward her temples, taking hold of her "Sister." they murmured. A green light flashed and the world turned dark.
Asgard in the spring is truly the most beautiful thing Thor has ever seen. The last of the snow slipped away and fed the newly blooming flowers. Birds called to each other and fruit shone from their branches. In the first week of spring Asgard held the festival of life, in which they celebrated the new growth and the new season. The streets were laced with flags and flowers to celebrate. The streets were painted in pastel chalks dyed with the newly formed flowers. For a very young Thor, it was almost too much excitement to bear.
"Thor stop moving!" The maid scolded "I am not yet done with your braid. Where are you hurrying off to anyway?"
Thor leaned away from the furiously working hands of the maid and leant towards the windows "I heard the trumpets outside. The entertainment has arrived - I want to see!"
The maid tugged on Thor's hair pulling her back into her seat "They'll still be there when I have finished with you. Now sit."
Thor crossed her arms and slouched "How much longer?" she groaned.
The maid forced her shoulders back and made her sit tall "Stop your wiggling and it won't take long."
Thor grumbled under her breath and kicked her feet along the floor. As much as she loved the festival she always hated how long it took to get ready. Mother insisted that she actually brush her hair and put on freshly washed clothes before big events, Thor always kicked up a fuss at this. The door to her room creaked open and Loki ducked his head in "Loki?" Thor called, catching sight of him in the mirror "Come sit, she can do your hair too."
The maid's hands froze in Thor's hair "Are you sure your brother would like that?" she questioned.
"Of course, we can match. Can't we brother?" Thor turned around to look at her brother who didn't know what to do with himself. Carefully he walked to Thor and sat beside her. Thor beamed and wiggled out of the maids grasp "I'll go get more flowers!" Thor left the room and ran to the flowerbeds outside the palace walls. As she collected delicate little blue flowers in her hands she felt a shadow fall over her. Looking up a cloaked figure stared down at her, face masked by shadow. She raised her hand a soft green glowed from her hands, abruptly is disappeared and with it the memory.
Thor trampled through the forests of Asgard calling insults after the boy darting along the dirt path in front of her "Loki, get back here!" she shouted startling a family of swallows.
Loki laughed and proceeded to run faster "You will have to catch me." a moment later he disappeared and Loki reappeared running away from Thor in a completely different direction - he had duplicated himself again!
Thor screamed in frustration and whipped around "That is not fair!"
Thor had been playing in the palace grounds when Loki had stolen her new wooden sword and dashed off with it. Not stopping when she had called him back. Thor followed her brother all the way out into the woods nearby where their chase continued.
Loki called over his shoulder "You are too clumsy to keep up. " he said simply "Everyone says so it."
Thor ran faster gaining ground quickly "No one has said so! Why are you being so rude?"
Loki threw his arms in the air as he ran "I am not! I'm just being honest."
"Well, I don't like your honesty."
Loki laughed again and cast a glance over his shoulder, he slowed slightly as he saw Thor stop and rest her hands on her knees "Given up so quickly." he quipped and watched her sink to the ground "Sister?" He sounded concerned now and slowly inched towards her "Are you okay? When Thor didn't respond Loki walked all the way to his sister and knelt down next to her. He turned her shoulders so that he might see her better. Unfortunately, he wasn't quick enough to catch her smile as she lunged forward and tackled the toy sword out of her hands "That's not fair! That was cheating."
Thor stood and held the sword aloft "No, it's called being clever." She fled from her brother taking the lead "Your turn to catch me now brother."
"Slow down!" He cried.
"Your magic isn't so good anymore, is it." Thor teased her brother as she rushed through the shallow waters of a gentle stream. She turned just in time to see Loki step on a mossy rock protruding from the surface of the water "No, wait!" Thor yelled as she watched her brother slip and crash into the water. She raced over to her brother as he tried to pick himself up "Loki! Are you okay?" Suddenly the Loki in front of her disappeared and she was pushed down and into the water from behind. She called out in anger but the screams were swallowed by the water.
When she rose from the water her sword was gone. Loki sat on the bank of the river laughs so hard he had to gasp for air. Thor stood dripping and unamused "I can't believe you actually fell for that!" Loki laughed. Thor stomped out of the water, grumbling all the way. When Thor looked back up to her brother she found him gone and in his stead the cloaked figure from before. Behind her the river grew and engulfed the memory, washing it away.
The cave shook with the outraged roars of the creature lurking within. Thor, Loki, Sif and the Warriors Three had ventured to the cave hidden at the foot of a mountain to slay the beast inside. They were young warriors now and eager to prove themselves to their king and tutors. The creature inside had been feasting on the farmer's sheep for months now - so not only would this victory bring honour but it would also be a great gift to the citizens of Asgard. However, the battle had quickly gone from hopeful to desperate as the creature lived in pure darkness and quickly stamped out all light and snuffed their torches.
Thor heard the cries of the beast and the whistling of blades. Holding her hammer aloft she called from lighting and sent a burst of white-hot energy and light into the scaly flesh of the animal.
Thor heard a cry and could only hope it was the animal and not one of her friends. She called out "Where are you?"
"Thor?" Sif's voice echoed in the cave "Thor stand by me!" Thor moved until she felt another presence and grasped the hand of the warrior next to her.
"Watch out it's going again!" Hogan's voice echoed through the cave and the warriors threw themselves to the ground as the creatures barbed tail swept through the cave. Thor began to rise again ready to fight when she was pulled back down by Sif.
"What are you doing" Sif called.
Thor was forced to shout as the creature cried again "We need it distracted."
"How?" Thranduil called back "I can't see a damn thing!"
The walls of the cave shook again "Volstagg move!" Thranduil commanded and grabbed his friend throwing him towards Sif and Thor
Volstagg looked around at his friends, using the faint glow coming from Moljnir he counted them. One of them was missing "Where is Hogun?
"Here!" Hogun coughed as he emerged from behind a pile of rubble.
Thor felt the energy sapped from their friends in the few hours they had been battling. If they were to defeat this beast they needed to do it now. Thor yelled over the screams of the animal "We strike together." She turned to her brother, catching his eye "Loki distract it and everyone else... dive!" At her command, they raised the weapons and brought them down with all their might on the creature blinded by Loki's magic. It thrashed around as it tried to find the source of the attack but was too overwhelmed.
"I can't hold it!" Loki gasped as he felt his magic slip away.
"Just a little longer," Thor begged. Taking a position on the beasts back she brought her hammer down onto the creature's skull and felt it crack. It threw itself around desperately trying to get its revenge "We need to go, it can't survive this." Thor called and leapt away from the fight. As she moved away the creature clipped her legs sending her tumbling to the floor.
Sif had already made it away from the battle and beckoned to her friends "To the mouth of the cave!"
Thor struggled to stand on her shaking legs. A gloved hand moved into her field of vision "Take my hand." she grasped the hand and looked up into the face of its owner. As the cave fell in the memory went dark.
The world warped as if she was underwater. Lights swirled and waved in and out of focus. Voices called from beside her but they sounded far off and drowned. Her head felt full and stuffed with cotton. Thor blinked her eyes furiously as she tried to regain her senses. Minutemen filled the tent illuminating every inch of it. Abruptly the world shifted and Thor found herself pulled outside of the tent. As the world swam she stumbled forward and collapsed outside of the tent.
Mobius's face swam into view, kneeling down in front of her "Thor? What are you doing? They were right there!" Thor opened her mouth to speak but simple words failed to form on her lips. Mobius frowned and clicked their fingers in front of Thor's face "Are you listening?"
B-15 appeared over Mobius shoulder, fists clenched "We failed today." She gave Mobius a pointed look before fixing her gaze on Thor "Next time actually fight back."
Thor's reality stopped whirling and shifting and she forced herself to stand. Mobius stood back arms crossed watching the stumbling God "What happened there?"
Thor's legs trembled and she felt a flush of embarrassment creeping up her kneck "I do not know..." She'd felt the familiar presence of magic and was helpless to stop it. It was almost as if she had welcomed it. Searching for a fragment of home.
Mobius looked down at his hands considering them for a moment before speaking "How are you going to fix this?"
Thor's embarrassment morphed to a firm determination. She would emend her mistakes and make this imposter Loki regret ever making her look like a fool. She couldn't afford to fall into the traps of sentimentality. She had a job to do "They caught me off guard this time but I promise you, I will not fail again."