Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Hi! I decided to write a fanfic about watching the series "Loki." There haven't been enough of them for me. I plan to write about the first and second seasons.

The heroes are during the events of Thor: Ragnarok, near the end of the film (Thanos hasn't arrived yet), and Thor has been transported along with Bruce into the viewing room. Well, the rest of the characters are pretty self-explanatory.

Let me start by saying that our rest heroes found themselves in a mysterious room after the events of the Civil War. A year has passed since then, meaning we're now in 2017. I want to say that there will be, shall we say, NO "introduction." I'll just write the opening of the "Loki" series, and they're watching.

The heroes are already "behind the scenes," so to speak, having watched films like "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame." So, as you can imagine, they already know about Thanos, his plan, their future "deaths," and more, and so on. This story will only feature the "Loki" series! And nothing else!

Also, note! All the Avengers have made peace over the course of the films and forgotten about the Civil War, because there's a MUCH bigger problem there. They're almost like family again. )

And there's another thing. In "Endgame," they were told, "The past can't be changed, it already happened." They sit there crushed, believing their deaths (Natasha's and Tony's) are ironclad. Something that can't be changed. Not at all. But then a "voice" tells them, "Don't be so sure. No one would show you these movies for no reason. And you wouldn't even be able to watch them if something hadn't happened." And so on. And now they're watching.

Also, after watching the films (Loki's death for Thor) and Thor's stories about what happened to Loki after New York (Helping with the Dark Elves), they became basically neutral towards him.

The series won't strictly adhere to canon either. It won't be exactly the same as the show. There will be some improvements and even cuts. The main plot remains the same, but some details will be different. I'll warn you right now!

There will NOT be Sylvie/Loki in this story. I like Sylvie, but their pairing... just... No. It's not for me. Same with Loki/Mobius. I like that pairing, but it will NOT be here!

Disclaimer! I am not a native English speaker. It is not my first language. There may be errors in the text and special meanings of certain.

Chapter Text

The screen lit up, showing New York City at the end of the battle with Loki.
"Going down to coordinate search and rescue efforts," Steve said, passing the Avengers.
"Going down to coordinate search and rescue efforts," Loki repeated mockingly, transforming into Steve in his suit.
"I mean, honestly, it's a little cramped in here," he said, stroking his suit.

For the first time in a while, the heroes in the room chuckled. The tension from Endgame eased a bit.

"He's copying you!" — Sam laughed, clapping Steve on the shoulder so hard he almost staggered.

Steve rolled his eyes, but the corners of his lips twitched traitorously. He remembered how Loki had irritated him that day.

"I don't talk like that."

"You're talking, buddy," — Bucky grinned. — "Word for word. Even that intonation... commanding."

"Oh my god, he even copied the walk!" — Tony wiped away tears of laughter, feeling a strange warmth spread inside him at the sight of a living and mischievous Loki. — "That's golden! Cap, you really do have such a... righteous walk. Like you're always marching in a parade."

"Shut up, Stark," — Steve responded good-naturedly.

"Well, the prince has a sense of humor," — Rhodey snorted with laughter, exchanging glances with Tony.

"Even a broken Loki can't resist commenting," — Natasha muttered with a smirk. She watched the god of deception's facial expressions closely.

Thor watched the screen with a strange expression. His heart sank. After witnessing his brother's death at the hands of Thanos, this petty mischief seemed incredibly valuable. But something about Loki on screen was... different. Less intense. During the battle, his brother was like a cornered animal, desperate and dangerous. And now...

"Thor?" — Bruce called quietly, noticing his state. — "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's just... he looks different," — Thor replied slowly, his eyes still on the screen. — "Calmer. Like the weight of responsibility for the Chitauri army has finally lifted from his shoulders."

"Maybe because he lost?" — Clint suggested, but his voice lacked the usual malice. Something about this scene seemed... different from what he remembered.

"I don't think so," — Natasha interjected, studying the screen carefully. — "His body language... it's not a defeated pose. It's something else."

"After everything that happened, he's still joking," — Bruce said, shaking his head with a grin.

"Typical Loki," — Steve rolled his eyes, though secretly he was glad to see him like this and not dead in space.

"Shut up," Thor demands, gagging Loki with a metal muzzle.
Loki, Thor, and Tony enter the elevator along with several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Tony sits down on the briefcase with the Tesseract inside, and Hulk starts to enter too, but is stopped.
"Hey! Whoa, whoa, whoa!"
"Hey, hey. Buddy!"
"What do you think? Maximum occupancy reached."
"Take the stairs."
"Yeah. Whoa, whoa."
Tony and Thor speak over each other. The Hulk growled, Loki waved goodbye, and the elevator door closed.

Laughter rippled through the hall again, though Bruce looked slightly embarrassed.

"Wait," — Natasha suddenly frowned. — "Loki just... waved at the Hulk? After the Hulk smashed him to the floor?"

"Bold move," — Rhodey chuckled. — "Either he's incredibly brave, or he completely lacks self-preservation."

"Or stupid," — Natasha added, but her eyes showed respect for such impudence.

"It's not stupidity. It's confidence. He knows that with Thor and the guards nearby, the Hulk won't attack. He's a master at finding moments to poke his opponent, even when he's in chains," — Stephen said, leaning forward with interest.

"You never know with Loki," — Thor sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. — "He could have done it just to see Hulk get angry."

"He actually looks... calmer than he did back then," — Wanda quietly remarked.

"Yeah, I noticed that too," — Sam nodded. — "During the battle, he was like a cornered animal. Constantly looking over his shoulder."

"And now he acts like he's in control. Strange. It doesn't look like a man being transported to prison," — Clint frowned.

"There's a difference between desperation and calculation. I see the latter here," — Stephen said, nodding.

Tony and Thor are now on the ground floor with Loki and several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Alexander Pierce and his men approach the trio, and Pierce orders, "Hand over the briefcase, Stark," and grabs Tony's arm to take the briefcase. "Give it to him."

"That rat," — Steve said, instantly tensing, clenching his fists.

"HYDRA agent," — Natasha hissed, her eyes turning into icy slits. — "I wish I'd known then... So many lives could have been saved."

"We all wish we had," — Clint added grimly, recalling how many orders he'd carried out for that organization, thinking he was serving the law.

Tony began to stutter, dropping the briefcase from his weakened hands and falling to the ground.

Everyone froze, staring at the screen.

"What's going on?" — Rhodey asked, leaning forward in confusion. — "Is Tony having a seizure?"

"No idea, I've never had anything like this happen," — Tony shook his head, though understanding was already dawning in his eyes. — "I remember that day, I didn't fall."

Loki, on the screen, watches all of this, his eyebrows raised in genuine shock.
Thor sat down next to Tony, trying to calm him down: "Stark? Breathe, breathe."

"Ah! That's the moment when future Scott sabotaged Mr. Stark's arc reactor, causing his heart attack!" — Peter exclaimed, jumping up in realization. He remembered the scenes from Avengers: Endgame they'd watched earlier.

Everyone's faces brightened with understanding. The tension gave way to interest in the details.

"Exactly! We saw that, but in a different movie! On the other hand!" — Wanda said, amazed at how events were intertwined.

Ant-Man kicks the briefcase toward the door, while Loki watches in disbelief, watching the briefcase slide. Future Tony, in a special forces suit, picks up the briefcase and walks toward the door, speaking into the comm. "Good job. Meet me in the alley. I'm going to stop by the pizza place."
But before he can reach the door and grab the handle, the door flies off its hinges, throwing Tony and the briefcase containing the Tesseract aside. Hulk bursts out of the doorway with a roar. Meanwhile, the Tesseract slid right to Loki's feet.

Everyone froze. The room became so quiet you could hear breathing.

"Oh no," — Peter whispered, covering his mouth with his hand.

"He'll get him, right?" — Bucky asked, unimpressed, already knowing the answer. He knew all too well how such coincidences worked.

The Hulk emerges from the doorway and roars, "I hate stairs!"
Meanwhile, people run away screaming.
Loki stands and looks around, checking to see if anyone is looking at him. No one is. He quickly picks up the Tesseract, opens a portal, and disappears in a blue haze right behind the two guards.

"FUCK!" — Tony exploded, jumping up from his chair. "Five years! We spent five years planning, and it all went down the drain because someone didn't call the Hulk a special elevator!"

"LANGUAGE!" — Steve exclaimed automatically, jumping up too, though his face expressed the same level of frustration.

"Are you serious, Cap?! LOKI JUST STOLE THE TESSERACT! AND WE HELPED HIM!"

"I know, I saw it!" — Steve rubbed his forehead, trying to comprehend the scale of the disaster.

"It's my fault. If the Hulk hadn't...," — Bruce said dully, burying his face in his hands, feeling guilty for his green half's actions.

"Hey, no," — Natasha put her hand on his shoulder. — "Are these events from the future, or another past? You know, it hasn't happened yet. Don't blame yourself."

"I KNEW!" — Clint slammed his fist on the armrest. — "I knew he'd do something! Give him even a crack, and he'll squeeze through!"

"Well, at least now we know where he went," — Sam tried to find a positive, but even his optimism sounded strained. — "He's not locked away in Asgard, he's somewhere in the universe."

The screen lit up again, this time showing a desert, mountains of sand, and the caption "Gobi Desert. Mongolia" appeared on the screen. A blue portal opens high in the sky, and Loki flies out, landing on the sand with a crash.

"There he is," — Sam sighed, sitting up and resting his head on his hand. — "From New York to Mongolia. Not a bad jump."

"At least there are no people to capture... I hope," — Rhodey muttered.

Loki lies for a long time, covered in sand in a small crater. He shakes his hands, finally breaking the damaged handcuffs, removes the muzzle, and throws it aside in disgust. But he doesn't jump up, just lies there.

"He seems in no hurry," — Natasha noted, watching the screen carefully. — "Like he realizes what he's done. Or maybe he's just enjoying the silence."

He finally rises slowly and looks at someone. A few seconds pass as the natives approach him, looking at each other. Then Loki gets up and runs off to stand on a nearby rock. "I am Loki of Asgard. And I am burdened with a glorious purpose."

A few seconds of deathly silence fell over the room. Tony was the first to break down, laughing, and everyone followed suit.

"IS HE SERIOUS?!" — Tony wiped away tears, doubled over. — "'Burdened with a glorious purpose'?! SERIOUSLY?! In front of shepherds in the desert?! God, what a dramatic idiot!"

"That dude really can't live without drama," — Sam chuckled, shaking his head. — "He should have been born in Hollywood, not Asgard."

"That... that's the most theatrical thing I've ever seen," — Bucky couldn't stop laughing, covering his mouth with his hand.

"Well, he's definitely... confident. Even in Mongolia," — Steve said, covering his smile with his hand.

But Thor wasn't laughing. He leaned forward, almost touching the screen, studying his brother's face. There was worry in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" — Natasha asked, noticing his expression.

"His voice," — Thor said slowly. — "During the invasion, behind all the bravado, there was desperation. Pain. Madness. And now..."

"Now he sounds like he actually believes what he's saying," — Wanda finished, also sensing the difference, — "like escaping has given him his footing."

"Interesting. What could have changed in these few minutes? He just escaped captivity, but he acts like he's on top of the world," — Stephen said, frowning.

"Sometimes freedom changes a person instantly. Even if that freedom is in the middle of the desert," — Vision nodded.

"Who are you? Why did you come to our home?" one of the natives asks in Mongolian.
"I..." Loki tries to answer, but suddenly turns his head. A yellow, translucent rectangular portal opens nearby. Three people in strange, high-tech armor and helmets emerge from it. Loki turns back to the Mongols and says curtly, "Never mind."

"Who are they?" — Wanda asked, peering at the strange equipment of the newcomers.

"I have no idea," — Thor replied, but the worry in his voice was clear. — "Whoever they are, they're clearly not native. I've never seen armor like that anywhere else."

"Wonderful! More wizards with portals! Are we having a sale at a magic store?" — Tony said irritably, waving his hands.

"Technically, they might not be wizards," — Bruce began, analyzing the portal's crisp edges.

"Bruce, they're appearing from portals in the middle of the desert. It's magic to me until I see their source code," — Tony retorted.

Loki approaches them and warns, pointing at the Tesseract: "Don't touch that!" The hunters point their weapons at him.
Another portal opens, and a woman in a uniform (B-15) emerges from it. "Looks like a standard sequence violation. The branch is growing at a consistent rate and angle. Variant identified." Loki looks completely confused: "Excuse me?"

"EXACTLY MY REACTION!" — Rhodey exclaimed. — "A branch? A variant? A sequence? Does anyone understand what she's talking about?!"

"That sounds like something out of science fiction," — Scott muttered, scratching his head.

"Or quantum mechanics," — Bruce added, his scientific brain already trying to model what was happening.

"That sounds like corporate jargon. Very dry, very bureaucratic," — Natasha said slowly, frowning.

"On behalf of the Office of Temporal Change, I arrest you for crimes against the Sacred Timeline. Hands up." The hunters level their guns at Loki again. "You're coming with us."

"WHAT?!" — Thor shouted, standing up so abruptly that his chair toppled over. — "They can't! Loki must stand trial in Asgard!" They have no right!"

"Thor," — Steve said, stepping next to him, placing a calming hand on his shoulder, — "We can't change what's already happened on screen. Let's just watch. We need to understand who they are."

"But he's my brother!" — Thor's voice cracked. — "His life is turning into some kind of absurdity in the hands of these... helmeted men!"

"I know. I know, buddy. Just sit down," — Steve said, pushing him back into the chair they'd lifted up.

Loki looks irritated: "Sorry. Who are 'we'?"
B-15 activates its weapon: "Last Chance, Variant."

"So, 'variant' is Loki?" — Clint tried to figure it out, his analytical mind working at full speed, filtering out the unnecessary.

"Looks like it," — Sam nodded. — "But a variant of what? A human? A god?"

"A timeline, from what they said," — Stephen suggested, his magical understanding of reality giving him a slight advantage.

"It sounds like a military organization. A clear hierarchy, an arrest protocol. They're not afraid of him. Not at all," — Natasha said, crossing her arms.

"Does anyone else feel like we're watching the beginning of something very complex and very bad?" — Peter asked, fiddling with his hands.

"Me," — several people answered in unison.

Loki grins. "It's been a really long day, and I think I'm getting tired of idiots in armored suits telling me what to do, so if you don't mind, this is actually your last chance." He becomes more serious. "Now get out of my way."

"This guy never learns," — Rhodey shook his head. — "Seriously, provoking armed men you know nothing about is his hobby?"

"Looks like it," — Clint agreed. — "He's too used to being the biggest fish in the pond."

"He's definitely not a master of diplomacy when it comes to men in uniform," Natasha added.

B-15 hits Loki in the face with his weapon, sending him flying in slow motion.

"WHOA!" — Peter practically jumped in his chair. — "What kind of technology is that?! It's like Mr. Stark's repulsors, but for slowing down time?!"

"Interesting. Very interesting. It's not just slowing down, it's manipulating the local time field around the target..." — Tony said quickly, narrowing his eyes, stepping almost right up to the screen.

"Mr. Stark, do you think we could..."

"No, Peter, we're not building a time-dilation weapon. It's too dangerous."

"But..."

"No."

"Even if..."

"PETER."

"Okay, okay, I was just asking."

She places the collar around his neck. "Now you're moving at 1/16th speed, but you feel all that pain in real time."

"This... this is torture. Can you imagine what it's like to feel a punch to the face that lasts forever?" — Peter winced.

The silence in the room grew heavy. The laughter had completely disappeared.

"Serves him right," — Clint said quietly, but his voice lacked its former confidence. — "After everything he's done..."

"Clint..." — Steve began.

"What, Steve? He killed eighty people in two days. Attacked me, brainwashed me. Wanted to enslave the entire planet. You expect me to feel sorry for him?" — Clint protested.

"I know. But torture is torture, no matter who the victim is. It's not justice, it's sadism," — Natasha said calmly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"No one deserves to be tortured," — Bucky added quietly. — "No one."

His voice was thick with bitter experience, and Clint looked away.

Thor clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. Seeing his brother being tortured... even knowing all of Loki's crimes, it was unbearable. He felt his brother's pain as his own.

Loki's speed returned to normal, and he fell to the ground, disoriented. The Minutemen roughly lifted him and pushed him toward the portal.
"Reset the timeline," B-15 ordered before raising the Tesseract. They placed and activated the reset charge, while Loki was pushed through the Time Door.

"Wait," — Bruce leaned forward, his face pale, — "Are they resetting the timeline? Just erasing it?"

"Is that possible?" — Wanda asked, alarmed, her magical sense telling her that yes, it was possible.

"If that's true," — Stephen said slowly, — "then the implications... God, if they can just erase entire timelines, people included..."

"Then they can erase anything," — Vision finished. — "And that makes them the most powerful beings we've ever seen."

"Wait," — Clint turned sharply to the screen. — "If they're time cops, then why did they arrest Loki for time travel, but not us? We caused complete chaos there. Everywhere!"

Everyone in the room froze, realizing the scale of this question.

"He's right," — Steve nodded slowly. — "We time traveled too. Why weren't we arrested? Why didn't those people come for us?"

"Maybe they don't know?" — Sam suggested, but he didn't believe it.

"Or they know, but for some reason our journey was... the right one?" — Natasha added, narrowing her eyes.

"That doesn't make sense," — Tony shook his head. — "Either the rules apply to everyone, or..."

"Or someone chooses who they apply to," — Rhodey finished grimly.

"A temporary police force with selective justice," — Tony groaned, leaning back in his chair and staring at the ceiling. — "That's bad. That's really bad. It means there's someone above us pulling the strings."

"Maybe we were already arrested and don't remember?" — Scott looked worried. — "Maybe they wiped our memories? After we fixed everything?"

Everyone looked at him warily.

"Is that... really possible with that kind of technology?" — Peter asked hesitantly.

"Unfortunately, yes," — Bruce sighed. — "With powers like that, they could rewrite reality so we wouldn't even know anything had changed."

B-15, still holding the Tesseract, and Loki emerge from the portal in a light-orange building and walk down a corridor.
She pushes him forward until they reach a reception desk, where Casey is registering a Skrull.
"What kind?" Casey asks.
"Skrull variant," the guard replies, as the green, wrinkled-skinned creature grumbles something in its own language.

"It's a real alien! Green! With wrinkles! Oh my god! Mr. Stark, can you see it?! This isn't CGI, it's real! It's like something out of a fantasy world!" — Peter gushed, almost falling out of his chair with excitement.

"I see it, kid. Calm down, or you'll hyperventilate right here. We've seen the Chitauri before, remember?" — Tony smiled, unable to hold back a smile despite the surreal and dangerous situation, looking at the boy's delight.

"But the Chitauri are different!" — Peter practically glowed. — "The Chitauri were... well, like locusts. And this one in a suit! This is so COOL! Ned will never believe it! I have to tell him! Can I tell him someday?"

"Peter, breathe," — Natasha cut him off gently, though she was studying the alien with interest.

"Skrulls. Interesting. They're known for their shape-shifting abilities. A fairly ancient and intelligent race, though prone to... stealth," — Thor said, leaning forward with interest. He hadn't seen Skulls in a long time.

"A shape-shifting alien!" — Peter said, moving closer to the screen. — "It's like the Pokémon Dito, but real!"

"It's not like a Pokémon at all," — Tony sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"A little like a Pokémon," — Scott disagreed, shoving a handful of popcorn into his mouth. — "Well, you know, transformations, power levels..."

"Not at all..." — Tony shook his head and gave in. — "You know what, never mind. Let's keep watching."

Loki seemed genuinely confused. "What is this place?"
Minuteman and another Variant—a man in an expensive suit—enter through the far door. "My father is on the board of Goldman Sachs. One call and you'll all be thrown out," Variant threatens, trying to break free from Minuteman's grip.

"Even here. Even in a time-travel prison, rich kids think their daddy's money will save them," — Natasha snorted, rolling her eyes with a flicker of disdain.

"Some things are universal across all realities," — Sam agreed with a wry smile. — "Insolence and the belief that the world revolves around your bank account."

Loki looks at B-15 for a moment, assessing the situation. Then he turns abruptly and runs for the exit. But B-15 presses a button on his device—and Loki instantly finds himself where he stood a second ago.

"This is useful!" — Steve marveled, his strategic brain instantly grasping the potential. — "Imagine if we had this during the war. No chases, no risks."

"We'd have won in a week," — Bucky agreed, recalling the endless runs through the forests of Europe.

"Too many potential for abuse," — Bruce remarked darkly, his words instantly cooling the others' ardor. — "Imagine what HYDRA would do with this technology. Absolute control over any person's movements."

A heavy pause fell over the room.

"Yes," — Natasha nodded, looking at the screen. — "We better not have that. Too much like slavery."

He makes another attempt to run in the other direction, but fails again—he ends up back where he left off. He then tries to remove the collar with his right hands. B-15 grabs him and pushes him toward the registration desk. Casey tries to be friendly: "Hello, ma'am, uh..."
"File this as evidence," B-15 interrupts and places the Tesseract on the table.
"Oh... Can you at least tell me what this is?"

"The Tesseract is too powerful to be handled so casually!" — Thor protested.

"Thor, calm down..." — Bruce began, but was interrupted.

"NO! This is an Infinity Stone! It is the heart of spatial magic! You can't just toss it on the table like a holey sock!"

"Thor is right. The Infinity Stones are pillars of reality. One careless move by a being ignorant of their nature, and..." — Stephen nodded at him.

"These people clearly don't understand what they're dealing with," — Clint added, frowning.

"Or," — Wanda narrowed her eyes,— "they understand it all too well and have the technology to store the Stones. And that's what's truly scary."

"It's the Tesseract. Be very careful with it," Loki commands, his voice registering genuine concern for the first time.
"That sounds stupid."

A brief silence fell over the room.

"Stupid?" — Thor's voice wavered with disbelief. — "Does he even know what this is?! He called a world-destroying artifact 'stupid'?"

B-15 pushes Loki toward another door, and she pulls the lever down. "Know this. If you cross me, there will be deadly consequences," Loki threatens her.

Clint rolled his eyes. — "Yeah, right. Because his threats have worked so well so far."

"You have to give him credit for his tenacity," — Sam remarked. — "He doesn't give up even when his dignity is wiped on the floor."

"Or maybe he's just stupid," — Rhodey muttered.

"He seems... calmer than I expected. In New York, he was like a wounded, wild animal. And now, a cold, calculating force has awakened within him," — said Wanda, who had been constantly scanning Loki's emotions on the screen.

"He's more collected," — Bucky nodded, recognizing the look of a man beginning to adapt to captivity. — "Maybe this arrest was the only thing that could bring him to his senses."

"We'll see," — she said, ignoring the threat, pushing him into the room. The door closed, and a robot activated behind him, extending one claw toward Loki's clothes.

"What are they going to do with him?" — Thor tensed.

"So far they're acting quite professional," — Bruce tried to reassure him. — "I don't think they mean any harm. Just... processing a prisoner."

"I hope you're right," — Thor muttered.

Loki instinctively retreated, turning to face the machine. A smiley face lit up the robot's screen.

"WHAT THE...?!" — several people exclaimed simultaneously.

"That's creepy," — Scott shuddered. — "Robots with smiley faces are wrong on some subconscious, primal level. It's like a clown in a dark alley."

"At least he's friendly?" — Peter offered hesitantly.

"A friendly robot about to forcibly strip a prisoner," — Tony quipped. — "Excellent service. Five stars on TripAdvisor."

"The design is terrible. Who even creates machines to undress people? It's degrading?" — Bucky grimaced.

"No way! For all you know, this is genuine Asgardian leather," Loki said indignantly, batting away the robot's claw again.

"How disrespectful! These are a prince's clothes, crafted by the finest Asgardian artisans. They have sacred significance!" — Thor said, frowning.

"Although he's right about the beauty," — Wanda noted. — "You Asgardians do have good taste."

"Thank you," — Thor nodded, but his concern was obvious.

The robot's face changed to a sad one.

"That's even worse than if he were smiling," — Scott cringed.

"He's upset that Loki won't let him undress him...?" — Peter asked uncertainly, raising his eyebrows.

"This is absurd," — Steve said, running his hand over his face.

The robot slowly lifts some device, aiming a beam at Loki. "Don't move," the robot says.
"Now, wait a minute," Loki says, a little nervously, and the beam fires at him.
Suddenly, the floor beneath Loki opens. He falls through with a short cry and lands in another room, now wearing an orange TVA prison uniform with "Variant" written on the back.
Loki quickly looks himself over—new clothes, short sleeves.

"Prisoner's clothes," — Natasha nodded.

"If only we knew exactly why he was arrested," — Thor grumbled, crossing his arms.

He glances at the cat on the floor and looks up to see a bespectacled man at a desk. He pushes a stack of papers toward Loki. "Please sign this to confirm that this is all you ever said."

There was silence.

"What?" — Natasha said slowly, incredulous.

"Are they serious?" — Tony looked unsure whether to laugh or be horrified. — "They're making him fill out bureaucratic forms for every word he says? God, even I feel sorry for him. This is the most exquisite torture in history."

"Welcome to modern justice," — Rhodey remarked sarcastically. — "Where torture is paperwork."

"What?" Loki said, completely confused and incredulous.
Suddenly, a piece of paper was printed, and the man at the desk silently took it and placed it on the stack. "Sign this too."
"This is absurd!" Loki exclaimed.
Another piece of paper was printed. "Sign this too."

"Wait," — Tony said slowly. — "Is that every word he's ever spoken? He's... how old?"

"One thousand forty-four," — Thor replied.

Complete silence.

"But that means..." — Steve began.

"Yes, we live for five thousand years," — Thor nodded, not understanding where they were going with this. — "In human years, I'd be about twenty-six now, and Loki... around eighteen, maybe in the video."

There was a deathly silence.

"Wait," — Tony spoke very slowly, as if each word was a struggle, — "You're telling me that the space terrorist who tried to take over Earth and killed eighty people..."

"...A teenager," — Clint finished, his voice surprisingly quiet and hoarse. — "Oh my god. It was just... a massive teenage rebellion."

"I... I fought a teenager? I almost killed a teenager?" — Natasha breathed, not hiding her shock.

"Emotional instability," — Bruce began listing, looking at the situation from a new perspective. — "Impulsiveness. A huge need for validation." Anger at his father. The constant need to prove his worth... It's classic. His entire world-conquering ploy is a cry for help and an attempt to attract attention."

"And we fought him," — Steve looked shocked. — "We fought a child."

"A child who killed people," — Clint reminded him, but there was no longer the same hatred in his tone. Only a bitter weariness.

"Still a child," — Wanda said softly, remembering her own rage and mistakes at the same age. — "When you have that kind of power in your hands, and a hormonal storm and pain in your head, you don't realize the scale of the destruction."

"A very dangerous teenager," — Sam added, but he, too, looked worried.

"A teenager who was clearly going through some kind of crisis," — Bucky looked at Thor. — "You were saying an identity crisis?"

Shortly before the invasion, Loki learned he was adopted. That he was a Frost Giant—a race we were taught to hate from childhood. That his whole life was a lie," Thor nodded, his expression grim.

"That doesn't excuse what he did," — Clint said quickly, but even he looked less certain.

"No," — Steve agreed. — "But it explains a lot."

"Excellent. We all ganged up on a space teenager in an existential crisis. We're the heroes of the year, no less," — Tony said, trying to process the new information as he watched Loki aggressively sign papers on the screen.

"It sounds absolutely crappy when you say it like that, Tony," — Rhodey muttered.

"Because it is!"

Loki steps back and falls through the floor again.
Loki looks up and points angrily at the ceiling. He pauses to look at the metal detector setup in front of him. A small man with a tablet asks, "Please confirm that you are not a fully robotic being, were born an organic being, and in fact possess what many cultures would call a soul."
"What? 'As far as I know'? Do many people not know they're robots?" Loki asked incredulously.
"Thank you for confirming." "Come on in," the man replied neutrally.
Loki stood in front of the car, clearly hesitant. Various emotions flickered across his face—uncertainty, some kind of internal struggle.

Everyone in the room noticed.

"He's... afraid?" — Clint asked, surprised.

"Not afraid," — Wanda watched intently. — "Unsure. Of himself."

"What if I were a robot and didn't know it?" — Loki suddenly muttered under his breath.

"Why is he so nervous?" — Rhodey asked. — "He's clearly not a robot."

"Like I was saying... when you learn that your nature isn't what you thought for a thousand years... How can you be sure you're even organic? That your feelings are real?" — Thor sighed deeply.

Dead silence.

"Identity crisis," — Wanda said quietly. — "He doesn't know who he is. What's real and what's not."

"So the Reindeer Games are an even bigger mess than we thought," — Tony muttered, but his voice lacked the usual mockery. — "The guy literally doesn't know what he's made of."

"Not knowing what's real in your own nature... that's more frightening than any enemy," — Sam shook his head.

The employee urges him on, mentioning that the machine could "melt him from the inside out." Loki steps through the frame, muttering, "I'm not a robot, everything will be fine." The machine produces a printout of his "temporal aura." Loki finds himself in line for a ticket.
The door opens, and Loki finds himself in another room.
"Take a ticket," asks one of the Minutemen.
"What is this, a grocery store? No," a Variant refuses.

"Is this man from Earth?" — Steve asked, trying to distract himself from his heavy thoughts.

"What makes you think that?" — Bucky responded.

"Only on Earth, in lines for sausage, do people get so upset about numbers. It's just our thing."

"Good point," — Bucky nodded, smiling faintly.

"Take a ticket," the same Minuteman asks Loki.
"There are only two of us here."
"Take it. A ticket."

"What's the problem with not taking a ticket?" — Tony asked, frowning. — "There really are only two of them!"

"So much for totalitarian bureaucracy. Everything has to be done according to the rules. Even, when can this be avoided without any problems?" — Natasha snorted.

Angrily, Loki grabs the ticket and demonstratively holds it in front of the guard, then shoves it into his pocket.
He paces around a bit before shouting, "This is a mistake! I shouldn't be here!"
A female voice says, "Hey, there! You're probably saying, 'This is a mistake. I shouldn't have been here at all.'"

"Who the hell is that?" — Tony straightened, his gaze scanning the corners of the screen for the source of the sound.

An orange cartoon clock with big eyes and a smile appeared on the screen.

"What the hell?" — Tony and Rhodey breathed in unison.

"Is that... am I actually seeing a cartoon clock right now?" — Scott blinked several times, as if hoping the hallucination would disappear.

"Welcome to the Office of Temporal Variance. I'm Miss Minutes, and my job is to catch you before you stand trial for your crimes."

"I hate it," — Clint grimaced. — "Everything in this place. Every second. I just hate it."

"Agreed," — Scott nodded. — "It's creepy. A sweet watch that cheerfully tells you how you'll be tried for 'crimes' you never even knew about."

"At least something will help us understand where my brother is," — Thor said, but his voice sounded broken.

"So, let's not waste another minute. Get comfortable, sharpen your pencils, and watch. Long ago, there was a massive multi-universe war."

A dead silence fell over the room. The word 'war' always made the Avengers tense, but 'multi-universe'...

"The M-multiverse exists?!" — Tony said this more as a confirmation of a terrifying guess than a question. His genius brain had already begun calculating infinite possibilities.

And then something resembling a cartoon began to play. "Countless unique timelines fought each other for supremacy, nearly leading to the complete destruction of... well, everything. Everything,"

Bruce repeated quietly, almost in a whisper. — "They don't mean just one planet or galaxy. They mean everything in every possible reality."

"But then the all-knowing Time Guardians showed up, bringing peace, reorganizing the multiverse into a single timeline, the Sacred Timeline."

"They look like evil versions of Dr. Seuss characters," — Peter muttered, trying to lighten the mood, looking at the Guardians' strange heads.

Despite the tension, a few people chuckled.

"Now the Time Keepers protect and preserve the proper flow of time for everyone and everything. But sometimes, people like you deviate from the path created by the Time Keepers. We call them Variants."

"So Variants are those who disrupt the predetermined path," — Natasha said slowly, a hint of coldness in her voice. — "Who make choices that, according to these 'gods,' shouldn't have been made."

"Free will as a criminal offense," — Tony added sarcastically. — "Fantastic. We fought Hydra because they wanted to control our future, and now these guys have gone one better—they control time itself."

"Perhaps you started a rebellion, or were simply late for work. Whatever it is, by straying from the path, you've created a nexus event that, if left unchecked, could spiral into madness, leading to another multiverse war."

"Late for WORK?!" — Steve exploded, his face flushed with indignation. — "They kidnap people from their families and imprison them for failing to set off their alarm clock?!"

"That's madness," — Sam agreed. — "Complete, distilled madness. It's the highest form of tyranny."

"But don't worry, to prevent that from happening, the Timekeepers created the TVA and all its incredible workers. The TVA intervened to correct your mistake and return time to its predetermined path."

"They kidnap people from their lives," — Wanda said, her face pale, her hands trembling slightly. — "They simply erase them. For the slightest deviation from the script written by three strange beings in lab coats."

"Now that your actions have left you without a place in the timeline, you must stand trial for your crimes."

"'Without a place in the timeline,'" — Bruce repeated. — "That means they have nowhere to return to. Their lives are gone. They've been torn from reality like weeds."

"So wait, and we'll get you to a judge as soon as possible. Just make sure you have a ticket, and the first available officer on duty will see you. Forever. Always."

"So they're kidnapping innocent people just because they stepped on the wrong piece of paper and treating them like criminals?! This... this isn't justice. This is genocide of realities?!" — Steve exclaimed indignantly, pacing the room.

Everyone was furious, but it wasn't like they could do anything about it, so they just kept watching, hoping for more information about the TVA.

On the screen, Loki watches the television with obvious skepticism. "Time Guardians? Sacred Timeline? Who even believes that nonsense?" he sneers.

The camera pans to his profile—and suddenly everyone notices.

"Wait," — Wanda leaned forward. — "He... he looks so young."

"What?" — Tony squinted, studying the features of the "god of deception."

"Look at his face," — Wanda insisted. — "In New York, he seemed... older. Worn. And now..."

"She's right. He looks younger. Almost like..." — Natasha nodded slowly.

"Like a teenager," — Wanda finished quietly. — "Because he is a teenager. By our standards."

"Oh, my God. We actually fought a teenager. I just... didn't see it then, beneath all that talk of 'slavery' and 'kings.' But now that he's been stripped of his greatness..." — Steve said, frozen.

"It's obvious now," — Bucky nodded, his voice heavy with bitterness. — "He's young. A stupid, scared, confused kid. How could we not see it?"

"Because he was the enemy," — Wanda said quietly. — "We saw the monster because it made it easier."

"A ticket, sir?" demands another Minuteman.
"He didn't give me a ticket. I asked for one myself," says the same version as before.

"Couldn't that guard literally see and hear the conversation that guy was having a minute ago?" — Rhodey asked, completely confused. — "They have cameras, recordings, they're 'all-seeing'!"

"A ticket, sir!"
"I tried to ask that guy for a ticket!"
"Sir..."
"Are you raising your voice at me, you idiot?"

"Something tells me that wasn't a good idea," — Wanda says.

Minuteman calmly draws his weapon and cuts down Variant—he vanishes as if he'd never been there.

A complete, ringing silence fell over the room. Even Tony stopped breathing for a second.

"They just..." — Wanda stood up slowly, her eyes blazing.

"They just killed him," — Sam's voice shook with rage. — "For raising his voice. Without a trial, without a sentence. They just erased him, like an eraser."

"For words," — Rhodey added, clenching his teeth. — "For damn words."

"And my brother is at their mercy," — Thor gritted his teeth.

Loki is on the screen. His expression is panicked. His hands are shaking slightly, his fingers clenching convulsively. He instantly, without thinking, reaches into his pocket and pulls out his ticket, showing it to the guard.

"A smart move," — Clint breathed out, but his voice sounded strange. — "I... I can't believe I'm saying this, but... it's good he didn't argue."

"He knows when to obey. When he has no choice. It's... it's a survival instinct," — Bucky said, looking at the screen, his expression grim.

"Look at his face," — Wanda whispered, surprised. — "He looks so... young. Scared. This isn't the Loki we saw in New York."

"Or maybe this is the real Loki," — Steve said quietly. — "And the one in New York was just a protective mask he put on to keep from being crushed."

On the screen, Loki suddenly turns his head, hearing something. His hands reflexively clench into fists. The movement is quick, precise—a fight reflex. But his expression doesn't show aggression, but caution. Fear.

"He's afraid," — Wanda whispered. — "He's trying to hide it, but he's afraid."

"Of course he's scared," — Natasha crossed her arms. — "He's in an unfamiliar place, apparently without magic, surrounded by people who just executed someone for raising their voice. It was strange, not scared."

"And he's a teenager," — Sam repeated. — "A scared kid, pretending to be a god in the face of death."

"Thank you for visiting TVA. Feel free to let us know how things are going," Miss Minutes chirped cheerfully.

"Is it just me, or is this watch the scariest thing we've seen since Ultron?" — Scott asked, shivering.

"You're not the only one, Scotty," — Clint replied grimly. — "The scariest thing is the evil smiling at you from the screen."

Chapter Text

The scene shifts to an ancient structure, and the words "AIX-EN-PROVENCE, FRANCE, 1549" appear on the screen.

"That was a long time ago," — Steve remarked, gazing at the ancient architecture. — "Five hundred years ago... Europe was very different then."

"I was about a thousand years old then," — Thor said, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. — "I remember those times. We visited Midgard often, though France was called something else on our maps back then."

"The Hunter and his Minutemen responded to a routine nexus event. It seems they were outpaced by someone when they arrived." Someone explained.
"You think so?" Mobius asked.
"It was him," Hunter U-92 replied.

"How can they not outpaced the time travelers? The ones who can literally erase people from existence? They have portals, sensors... How can they be caught off guard?" — Steve said, frowning in confusion.

"I have no idea, Cap," — Tony replied, narrowing his eyes. — "But from what we see, this 'someone' knows TVA protocols better than they do."

"Yeah, the stab wounds look consistent with the others. The placement of the bodies indicates they didn't know what the hell hit them. And the charge reset was gone," Mobius explained.

"So the person they're looking for isn't just defending himself," — Rhodey crossed his arms. — "He's deliberately killing their employees and stealing these reality erasers."

"But why would he need them?" — Steve looked puzzled. — "If this killer is against the TVA, why would he help them do their job? Why erase timelines?"

"Maybe he's not erasing them," — Natasha suggested. — "Maybe he's using their energy for something else. Or just hoarding weapons."

"This is the sixth attack in the last week."
"As far as we know," Mobius sighed.
The little girl stopped at the door. U-92 grabbed her weapon.

"Jesus, calm down! It's just a kid!" — Clint screamed. He could almost feel his heart sink, immediately remembering his own children: Cooper, Lila, and little Nate. — "Do these guys even have any brains?!"

Tony glanced involuntarily at Peter, sitting next to him. The thought of someone pointing such a weapon at a child—or his protégé—made his jaw clench with rage.

"Hey! Wait, stop! Stop. It's just a kid," Mobius demands.

"At least that guy with the mustache has some respect for life," — Natasha remarked with relief.

Mobius approaches the girl and speaks to her in Old French: "Sorry, my friend is an idiot."
U-92 snaps back: "Hey, hey! I speak every language in this timeline too. Weirdos," he retorts, the last part also in French.

A few chuckles erupted in the room.

"Is the universal translator built into the brain or the suit?" — Bruce inquired. — "It's very advanced, technologically."

He takes out his Tempad and draws a figure on it. He hands it to her and gestures for her to tap it. She taps it, and the drawing becomes three-dimensional and begins to bounce, making the girl smile.

Most of the heroes were delighted by this spark of humanity in the middle of the gloomy church.

"I could have done better graphics. And 4K. But for bureaucrats from the fifties... it'll do," — Tony couldn't resist commenting.

"Do you know who did this?" Mobius asks in French. She points to a stained-glass window depicting the devil.
"Don't worry, that devil is afraid of us. We'll take care of him. And we'll put you back where you belong."
She smiles, showing her blue teeth.
"That blue thing, what is it?" he asks, pointing to his teeth. She takes out a pack of KABLOOiE gum and hands it to Mobius.

"KABLOOiE?" — Scott asked, shocked. — "I've never heard of such candy."

"I'm pretty sure dyes that could do that didn't exist in the 16th century," — Wanda commented, frowning. — "Nor did chewing gum come in plastic packaging."

"Why would they give candy to a child?" — Clint asked.

"Maybe they felt ashamed for scaring her and wanted to make it up to her?" — Peter suggested.

"Peter," — Tony looked at him seriously. — "Whoever it was, they just slaughtered a squad of soldiers and stole a bomb. People like that don't just hand out candy out of the kindness of their hearts."

"No one is ever completely innocent," — Peter retorted, unexpectedly firm. — "We don't know their motives. Maybe they had a good reason? Besides, not all killers are heartless, Mr. Stark. You know that yourself."

Tony fell silent, struck by the boy's directness.

"The devil bearing gifts. Go ahead and run this for the sequence period and any hints of a temporal aura," Mobius asks U-92.
"You know we'll get nothing."
"Yeah, just try it."
The Hunter takes out his TemPad, which shows a branch of the timeline growing. "The branch is approaching the red line. We need to go."

"What happens if it reaches the red line?" — Peter asked quickly.

"I suspect," — Vision began, — "that at that point, the changes become irreversible." The timeline solidifies in its new state, and it can no longer be simply 'reset.' It becomes part of reality."

"Perhaps," — Tony agreed. — "But for the TVA, that means failure."

"Okay." Mobius turns to the child. "Go wait outside. Everything is fine." He speaks half in French. She leaves the room.
"Plant the release charge," U-92 orders. A time door opens in the middle of the room, and an employee emerges, heading toward Mobius. "Sir, there's something you'll want to see." He hands him Loki's file, which reads "arrested."

"WAIT! Look at the 'Gender' column! It says: FLEXIBLE! Mr. Thor, Mr. Loki is genderfluid?!" — Peter exclaimed excitedly, practically jumping up and down, pointing to the screen, which briefly showed Loki's file.

"What does that mean?" — Steve and Bucky asked simultaneously, frowning in confusion.

"Oh!" — Peter turned to them, his eyes shining with the opportunity to explain, — "It means a person's gender identity isn't fixed! One day they can feel and perceive themselves as a man, and a week or a month later, a woman! Or even something else entirely! It's about their internal sense of self!"

Both veterans nodded understandingly, though Steve still looked a little puzzled.

"Yes, my brother's gender was never fixed," — Thor confirmed with a slight smile. — "His shapeshifting abilities greatly assist him in this matter. Sometimes he prefers a female body, sometimes a male body, sometimes something in between."

"HE CAN SHAPESHIFT?!" — the room erupted. Almost everyone jumped or leaned forward sharply.

"THIS IS SO COOL!" — Peter squealed with delight, causing Tony to wince. — "Like Mystique from X-Men! He can become anyone?!"

"Peter, breathe, or you'll pass out," — Tony warned, though he looked intrigued.

"Yeah!" — Thor laughed, clearly pleased with their reaction. — "I remember when we were kids—well, by our standards, he was about five hundred years old—he turned into a snake. He knew I absolutely adored snakes. I saw him in the garden, went over to admire him, picked him up... And he suddenly transformed right back in my arms and screamed, 'AHH, IT'S ME!' and stabbed me!"

A stunned silence fell over the room. Bruce, who had heard this story before on Sakaar, simply shielded his eyes, reliving the absurdity all over again.

"He... He did what?!" — Steve Rogers looked like his world had completely collapsed.

"Your five-hundred-year-old brother turned into a reptile to lure you into a trap and stab you?!" — Sam Wilson didn't know whether to laugh or call a psychiatrist.

"That..." — Natasha couldn't help but grin, — "is both brilliant and completely psychopathic."

"But mostly psychopathic," — Clint added, glancing sideways at Thor.

"Oh, come on, it was just a kid's prank!" — Thor waved his hands, trying to defend his family's honor. — "The wound healed in just a couple of hours, and we had dinner together afterwards!"

"THOR, THIS IS NOT A NORMAL CHILD'S PRANK!" — several people exclaimed simultaneously.

"THIS IS SO AMAZING!" — Peter was jumping up and down, practically vibrating with delight. — “What else can he transform into?! How big can he get?! Can he transform into animals?! Other people?! What happens to his mass as he changes size? How does conservation of momentum work during matter transformation?!”

“PETER!” — Tony grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him gently. — “Breathe! You’re going to hyperventilate and then have a stroke, and I don’t need more gray hair!”

“Oh, right, sorry, Mr. Stark!” — Peter took a deep breath, but still looked incredibly excited.

“Though I must admit,” — Tony looked at Thor with undisguised engineering interest. — “The ability to metamorphose at the molecular level is pretty damn impressive. Transmuting matter without releasing colossal amounts of energy…”

"Don't start, Tones," — Rhodey warned, rolling his eyes. — "Otherwise, you and Spider-Man will turn this screening into a lecture on Asgardian biophysics."

"But this is so cool!" — Peter howled again, and everyone realized: Loki had just found his most devoted (and very vocal) fan.

"Next case, please!" Judge Rensleer demands, slamming his gavel. Loki is brought into the room.
"Laufeyson. Variant L-11-30, aka Loki Laufeyson, is charged with violating the sequence 7-20-89. How do you plead?"

Thor rose abruptly, his eyes blazing with anger. Lightning sparked around his fingers.

"My brother's last name is NOT Laufeyson!" — he growled, his voice causing the glasses on the table to vibrate slightly. "He is an Odinson, and has been for centuries!"

"Thor!" — Steve stood quickly, placing a hand on his shoulder. — "Thor, calm down. We can't change anything. It's already happened."

"But they're even saying his name wrong!" — Thor's voice cracked, his anger giving way to a sharp, almost physical pain. — "They're taking even that away from him! His family, his home... His identity!"

"I know," — Steve said quietly but firmly. — "I know, buddy. But right now, all we can do is watch and learn the truth. Please, sit down."

Thor exhaled heavily, his shoulders slumped, and he slowly sank back down, continuing to glare at the screen.

"Laufey—is that his biological father?" — Wanda asked quietly, shifting her gaze from Thor to the screen.

"The Frost Giant King," — Thor nodded through clenched teeth. — "But Loki never considered him a father. My father, Odin, found him as a baby and raised him as his own. He's my brother. Forever. He's an Odinson."

"Are they using that name on purpose?" — Sam frowned. — "To humiliate him?"

"To remind him he's an outsider," — Natasha finished grimly. — "Purely psychological manipulation: to deprive a man of his support, to remind him of the most painful truth of his life."

"A cruel tactic," — Bucky added, his gaze turning icy. — "Taking away a name is the first step to breaking a person."

Loki suddenly laughs on the screen. But it's not the heartbreaking, manic laughter they'd heard in New York. It sounds almost sincere. "Ma'am, God is not begging. It was a very pleasant conversation, but I'd rather go home."
His face is relaxed, his posture almost carefree.

"He... he sounds different," — Wanda remarked quietly, listening to his intonation. — "More calm. More stable."

"Yes," — Sam leaned forward, studying the screen. — "Where's all that rage? The despair? He looks almost... relaxed. As if some weight has been lifted."

"Moreover, he looks healthier," — Bruce added, his medical experience informing him. — "In New York, he was tense as a string, ready to snap. His eyes were wild. And now..."

"Now he looks like a normal guy in trouble," — Clint finished, his voice full of wonder.

"This... this looks like my real brother. What he was like before... before everything," — Thor said, looking at the screen with a mixture of pain and quiet hope.

He didn't finish the sentence, but everyone understood.

"What changed?" — Natasha asked quietly, thoughtfully. — "Between New York and now, only an hour had passed. What could change a person so much?"

"Freedom?" — Wanda suggested.

"Or maybe he just got tired of pretending," — Bucky added. — "Masks are heavy. When you take them off... you return to your true self."

"Are you guilty or innocent, sir?"
Loki bowed his head, intellectual excitement gleaming in his eyes. "Forgive me, but before I answer, I'd like to clarify—what exactly is my crime?"

"Oh, he went on the offensive," — Natasha couldn't help but grin approvingly. — "Good move. Taking the initiative from the judge."

"How was I supposed to know about your rules and laws? I've never even heard of the Temporal Change Authority, let alone your timelines and their violations," Loki says, his voice calm and reasonable. He doesn't shout or threaten—he argues.

"Well," — Tony exhaled, clearly impressed, — "that's... that's actually good logic. An excellent defense, frankly."

"He's become much more rational," — Bruce agreed. — "In New York, he was emotional, impulsive, shouting about his destiny. Now he argues like a seasoned lawyer."

"Or like a prince trained in diplomacy and law," — Steve added. — "That's a very reasonable, balanced approach."

"And he's absolutely right!" — Peter exclaimed, throwing up his hands. — "How can you prosecute someone for breaking laws that are kept strictly secret? That's a basic legal principle! Ignorantia juris non excusat (ignorance of the law is no excuse) only works when the laws are published!"

"Peter, are you studying Latin in between rescuing cats from trees?" — Tony asked, surprised.

"Mr. Stark, that's the basic foundation of the rule of law!"

"Fair question," — Rhodey nodded. — "Ignorance of the law is no excuse only works when the laws are published and accessible. And here..."

"Here, a secret organization arrests people for breaking secret laws," — Natasha finished. — "That's absurd."

The judge looks irritated. "Ignorance of the law is no excuse."
"What law?" Loki retorts, his voice almost childishly curious. He leans forward and looks at the judge with genuine interest. "Where was it written down? When was it published? How were the inhabitants of the multiverse supposed to know about it?"

"Oh, my God, he's absolutely raving about them!" — Peter clapped his hand over his mouth to stifle a cry of delight. — "And he does it so politely!"

"It looks almost innocent," — Wanda smiled. — "He asks questions as if he genuinely wants to understand how this madhouse works."

"The Socratic method," — Stephen recognized. — "Exposing the falsity of your opponent's claims through a series of questions. Elegant and very effective. The judge is already losing his temper."

"And effectively," — Rhodey added, pointing to the screen. — "The judge is already losing her patience because she has no good answers. He's picking apart their system piece by piece."

"He sounds like a student in a philosophy seminar," — Scott chuckled. — "So genuinely interested in the truth."

"You know what?" — Sam leaned back. — "He may be a criminal by our standards, but in this particular situation, he's completely innocent. He was arrested for picking up a cube we dropped, breaking laws no one knows about."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"This is an absurd trial," — Clint added. — "They're judging him for the consequences of our actions."

"And he's not even shouting about it," — Vision noted. — "He's not hysterical. He's just calmly pointing out logical contradictions. Which is something new."

"But since you insist on a confession," — Loki continued, a mischievous smile appearing on his lips—not malicious, but almost playful — "then I'm guilty of being the God of Mischief? Absolutely."

"I keep forgetting you guys are actual gods," — Tony shook his head. — "That still sounds weird."

"Guilty of finding all this incredibly tedious?" Loki leans back, his hand gesturing elegantly toward the courtroom. "Absolutely. Guilty of a crime against the Sacred Timeline, the existence of which I only learned today? Absolutely not—you've clearly arrested the wrong man."
His posture is relaxed, almost casual. His back is straight, but his shoulders are relaxed.
"Oh, really? And who should we get?" Rensleer inquired, raising her eyebrows in mock curiosity.
"I suspect the Avengers," Loki replies with theatrical seriousness, but a glimmer of amusement dances in his eyes.

"HEY!" — Steve said, jokingly indignant, though his own eyes were also amused. — "Did he just sell us out?!"

"Technically," — Bruce tried to hide his smile behind his hand, — "he's one hundred percent right."

"Bruce! Whose side are you on?!"

"Logic, Cap! We jumped through time, we changed events, we lost the Tesseract. By this office's laws, we're repeat offenders."

"I only got hold of the Tesseract because they traveled through time—no doubt in a last-ditch attempt to thwart my inevitable ascension to God-King."

"Well, the drama and arrogance are still there. This is definitely my brother. My real brother," — Thor laughed heartily, a wide grin spreading across his face.

"'Inevitable ascension to God-King'?" — Sam wiped away tears of laughter. — "God, that guy can't stop being dramatic, even when facing the death penalty."

"He can't even go five minutes without being dramatic," — Natasha laughed, but there was a strange warmth in her voice, not mockery.

"But how did he even know we were time traveling?" — Bruce frowned. — "Our theories were cautious! We were in suits, hiding! In 2012, no one was supposed to realize what was happening."

"A serious charge," the judge said.
"Oh, believe me," Loki leaned forward, his fingers laced together, his eyes shining with barely contained amusement, "there's a distinct scent of two Tony Starks in here."

A dead, ringing silence fell over the viewing room. Everyone slowly, as if on cue, turned their heads toward Tony.

One second.

Two.

Three.

Then the room exploded.

"WHAT?!" — Tony jumped so high he felt like he'd been electrocuted. — "WHAT DID HE JUST SAY?!"

"AHAHAHAHA!" — Clint practically fell out of his chair, clutching his stomach with laughter. Tears streamed down his face. — "He knew about time travel BY SMELL! BY COLOGNE!"

"Is that... Is that even possible?!" — Bruce couldn't decide whether to laugh or be shocked. — "Determine that the same person from different time periods was in the same room by smell?!"

"HOW SENSE OF SMELL IS HIS?!" — Steve wiped away tears of laughter. — "That's... that's unbelievable!"

"Bro! BRO!" — Rhodey slapped Tony on the back so hard he almost fell over. — "How much of that cologne do you pour on yourself if you can smell it in DOUBLE?"

"And through a TIME PORTAL!" — Scott added, choking with laughter. — "He smelled it through a damn time portal and recognized it as specifically yours!"

"But wait, wait!" — Sam suddenly shouted, wiping away tears of laughter. He looked around at everyone with a conspiratorial gaze and slowly continued, — "The more interesting question is, how does Loki know the scent of Tony's cologne so well that he can identify it among all the other scents in the building?!"

The room fell silent for a moment. Everyone began to grasp the magnitude of the subtext. Then the laughter erupted with renewed vigor, accompanied by meaningful glances at Tony.

"Hey, hey, HEY!" — Tony waved his arms frantically, his face turning an interesting shade of red. — "That's not what you all think!"

"What were we thinking, Mr. Stark?" — Peter asked innocently, his eyes shining with amusement. — "We haven't said anything yet."

"PETER, DON'T! Betrayal in your own home!" — Tony howled.

"Maybe you had a close encounter you didn't tell us about?" — Natasha smirked, raising her eyebrows. — "A really, really close encounter?"

"ROMANOFF, I'LL FIRE YOU!"

"You can't fire me, I don't work for you," — Natasha chirped.

"No, seriously, Stark," — Clint wiped away tears, barely breathing from laughter. — "Do you bathe in that cologne?! Take baths?! Because how else can you explain how an alien god can smell your distinctive scent?!"

"Maybe we should switch to something less... memorable?" — Wanda suggested, trying unsuccessfully to keep a straight face. — "Less... intense?"

"Or less smelly," — Bucky added, smirking. — "I mean, I understand you want to smell good, but this is a bit much."

"Maybe the cologne isn't the problem," — Sam mused. — "Maybe the problem is HOW OFTEN Loki was close enough to Tony to remember that scent so well."

"I hate all of you. Honestly. With all my heart," — Tony groaned, covering his red face with his hands.

Everyone laughed again.

"I can't believe it," — Tony clutched his head, his voice filled with despair, — "that GOD exposed me! BY SMELL! BY THE SMELL OF MY OWN COLOGNE!"

"Technically, the cologne smelled like TWO of you," — Bruce clarified helpfully, his shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter, — "Which means the scent was really, REALLY strong. Intense, you might say."

"Bruce, you're a traitor! You're my best friend, you should be on my side!"

"I'm on the side of science. And science says you're wearing too much cologne."

Wanda wiped away tears, barely breathing. — "That... that's the funniest thing I've heard in months! God detected a temporal anomaly by perfume!"

"Maybe Asgardians just have a much better sense of smell?" — Bucky tried to help, though his lips trembled with suppressed laughter. — "Like wolves?"

Everyone looked at Thor, waiting for confirmation.

"Well..." — Thor tried to remain serious, but the corners of his lips trembled traitorously. — "Yes, our senses are indeed sharper than humans. Sight, hearing, smell. But to smell a specific person's cologne through a time portal, among dozens of other scents in the building... that requires either an incredibly, supernaturally acute sense of smell, or..."

"Either Tony is truly CATASTROPHICALLY overdoing it," — Scott finished, bursting into laughter.

"OR!" — Sam interrupted with a smirk. "Loki spent enough time in close proximity to Stark to memorize his scent in such detail. Which, you must admit, raises questions."

"WHAT QUESTIONS?!" — Tony howled. — "We fought in New York! Of course we were close! I ARRESTED him!"

"Very close, apparently," — Vision remarked innocently, struggling to keep the smile off his synthetic face.

"EVEN YOU, VISION?! MY OWN ALMOST SON?!"

"Sorry, Tony," — he said, clearly not apologizing.

"I'm not involved in this anymore," — Tony declared, crossing his arms and pointedly turning away. — "Watch your show yourself."

But a second later, his shoulders shook with suppressed laughter.

"Okay, maybe it's a little funny," — he finally admitted.

"A LITTLE?!" — the room roared in unison.

Mobius enters the room and sits down on one of the empty benches.
"You're talking about the Timebreakers? They're exactly who you should be hunting. Perhaps you could provide me with a small task force and the necessary resources, and I'll come back and eliminate them for you," Loki offers in a businesslike tone, folding his arms.

"He... he's offering a deal," — Wanda noted, surprised, her expression instantly serious. — "That's surprisingly rational for someone we considered chaotic evil."

"And perfectly logical," — Natasha added. — "If the problem is those who altered time, why punish someone who simply exploited the results?"

"Where's that mad prince who screamed about his destiny to rule us?" — Bucky shook his head. — "This Loki sounds like... well, like a reasonable man trying to negotiate. Rational."

"Look at his body language," — Natasha leaned forward, studying Loki's demeanor. — "He's open, not aggressive. His arms are folded, but not crossed. It's a negotiating pose, not a threat."

"Maybe the prison uniform calms him down?" — Scott suggested. — "Or is orange his color?"

"Scott, please," — Rhodey said, but he was smiling.

"Although he's right about one thing," — Steve said thoughtfully. — "If the Avengers are the true time-travelers, it would be logical to find them, not punish someone who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"But we did it to stop Thanos!" — Peter protested. — "We had a reason!"

"And Loki doesn't know that," — Wanda reminded him gently. — "From his perspective, a group of people interfered with the past for unknown reasons. He only sees the consequences, not the causes."

"And he's smart enough to use that to his advantage," — Vision added.

"We're not here to talk about the Avengers". "Oh, no?".
"No. What they did was supposed to happen. Your escape wasn't."

"And how is that fair?" — Sam protested. — "Who even makes these decisions?"

"Classic double standards," — Steve clenched his fists. — "Rules for some, different rules for others."

"By what principle are some timeline violations acceptable and others not?" — Rhodey shook his head. — "Where are the criteria? Where is the transparency of the process?"

"The arbitrary exercise of power," — Bucky added grimly. — "I've seen it before. It never ends well."

"It's tyranny," — Stephen said. — "They arbitrarily decide who lives their lives by what path, without explanation or justification."

Loki laughed—and the laugh was light, almost carefree. "Right." He paused, his fingers tapping the table. "Uh... 'Shouldn't have happened'? In whose opinion?"
"The Time Keepers."

"So these Time Keepers simply decide by arbitrary decision who gets to live their lives and who deserves punishment?" — Clint leaned forward. — "Based on what criteria? Their personal preferences? Whims?"

"He asks the right questions," — Rhodey nodded approvingly. — "Good, pointed, uncomfortable questions."

"It seems his time at the TVA has driven his madness away and restored his logic," — Natasha noted. — "Or perhaps what we mistook for madness was something else entirely. Which raises questions."

"Oh, the Time Keepers. Of course," Loki nodded with a knowing smile. "Well, perhaps I should speak with these Time Keepers myself. Good heavens, so to speak."

"Well, the arrogance has returned to the chat. Without it, he wouldn't be Loki," — Tony rolled his eyes.

"It would be strange if it did," — Natasha chuckled. — "Arrogance is the hallmark of princes. All princes."

"Hey!" — Thor protested.

"What? You know it's true," — she smirked.

"But look at HOW he says it," — Wanda noted. — "Not as a threat. What a logical proposition. He's suggesting we meet as equals."

"I'm sorry, but they're very busy."
"Oh, them? What are they doing?"
"Dictating the correct flow of time."

"Correct—again, by what standards exactly?" — Steve frowned. — "Their own? That's circular logic. We're right because we said so."

"Exactly," — Sam agreed. — "Where are the checks and balances? Where's the oversight?"

"I see. Correct. And then what do you do?"
"Dictating the correct flow of time based on their dictation. What do you think?" The judge was clearly losing patience. "And I don't have time for that."
Renslayer slammed her gavel on the table, her voice cold and final. "The court finds you guilty and sentences you to reset. Next case, please!"

"Wait, RESET?!" — Thor roared, jumping up. — "What did they even do to that timeline?! They have no right to do this to my brother!"

"Thor!" — Steve and Bruce simultaneously grabbed his arms, trying to restrain him. — "Thor, calm down! We can't—"

"I can't calm down!" — Thor's voice trembled with rage and fear. — "They're going to kill him! For picking up the cube! For being in the wrong place!

On screen, Loki looks confused—for the first time since the trial began, his confident facade cracking. "Reset?" his voice rises. "What does that mean? Is it something bad? What exactly does that mean?"
His young face is filled with genuine fear. He looks neither like a god nor a warrior—like a frightened teenager who suddenly realizes the situation is out of control.

"God," — Tony said quietly, his voice devoid of his usual sarcasm. — "He looks so... lost. Scared. Like a child who doesn't understand why he's being punished."

"Because he is a child," — Wanda added quietly. — "A scared child in a god's body. He just wants answers, and they..."

"They treat him like trash," — Bucky finished grimly. — "Like something to throw away."

"He may have been a criminal," — Natasha stared at the screen, her voice quiet. — "But no one deserves to be treated like that. To be sentenced to death without explanation, without the right to defend themselves. No one."

Everyone nodded in agreement, even Clint, who had always been the most unforgiving toward Loki.

"Hey!" Loki stood up, his voice rising to a shout. "You ridiculous bureaucrats will not dictate how my story ends!"
"This isn't your story, Mr. Laufeyson," the judge said coldly. "It never was."

A heavy, oppressive silence fell over the viewing room.

Thor slowly sank back into his chair, his face pale. — "They... they took even that away from him. Even the right to his own story."

"What the..." — Wanda began slowly. — "Well, considering we're literally watching an entire series about him..." she pointed at the screen, "I'd argue this is definitely his story. His and no one else's."

"Agreed," — Stephen nodded. — "The very fact that we're here, watching this, proves they're wrong. This is his story."

"They're trying to take away his identity," — Steve clenched his fists. — "First his name, now his right to his own story, to his own life."

"It's not just tyranny," — Sam added. — "It's erasure. The destruction of the very essence of a person."

"And he just wants to live," — Wanda whispered sadly. — "He just wants his story to be his own."

"You have no idea what I'm capable of!"
"I suppose... I have some idea of ​​your abilities," Mobius said, rising from the bench.

"Who is he?" — Tony asked, leaning forward with undisguised curiosity. — "And how the hell does he know Loki so well? He looks like he's been solving crossword puzzles while worlds collapse around him."

"He speaks as if he's been studying him under a microscope," — Bruce added, removing his glasses and wiping them with the hem of his shirt. — "There's no fear or awe in his voice. Just... professional interest."

"Maybe, while working with timelines, he's encountered other versions of Loki?" — Peter suggested, his eyes lighting up at the theoretical possibility. — "You know, from alternate realities? From other Variants? There could be a whole zoo of Lokis out there!"

"I don't even want to think about the possibility of there being MULTIPLE Lokis. One of us was more than enough to nearly destroy the planet. Imagine them in the same room... it's instant annihilation of common sense," — Clint said, wincing at the prospect.

"Although if this man has studied other Lokis," — Natasha said slowly, her analytical mind already constructing a chain of probabilities, — "then he could see patterns. Repeated traumas, the same mistakes, methods of manipulation. He sees what happens in the same person's different lives."

"Which gives him a frightening insight into what truly drives our Loki," — Bucky added, his voice low and thoughtful. "He knows his weaknesses even before Loki reveals them."

"Come here," Renslayer said, beckoning Mobius over.
"Hello," Mobius smiled at her, approaching with a friendly expression.
"If you think what I think, then this is a bad idea," she told him quietly, her voice warning.
"Okay, I'm just following a hunch," Mobius shrugged lightly.
"If anything goes wrong, it'll be on you."

"He definitely needs to be careful," — Thor couldn't help but smile faintly, despite his anger. — "A lot can go wrong when it comes to Loki. We were always getting into trouble as kids because of his schemes."

"The snake incident certainly proves that," — Sam agreed, grinning.

"It was only once!" — Thor defended himself, but the smile on his face widened at the memory.

“That one time, when he stabbed you. How many other pranks were there?” — Wanda smirked.

“Uh... a lot,” — Thor admitted. — “He was... a very creative child. Too creative for the safety of others.”

“Okay. I feel like I'm always looking up to you. I like that. It's appropriate,” Mobius flattered her.

“Oh, he's flattering her!” — Tony laughed. — “Classic 'break the ice with fawning' tactic! And judging by her face, it's working. Although,” he sighed, “I never get away with that with Pepper. She sees right through me before I even open my mouth.”

“Because Pepper's smarter,” — Natasha retorted with a smirk.

“Fair enough,” — Tony agreed.

“And who are you?” Loki asked him suspiciously. Mobius smiles, but doesn't respond.

"Well," — Clint muttered. — "If he's asking for trouble... although who am I kidding? The man clearly knows what he's doing. He doesn't look like a victim."

"Yeah, he has a plan," — Natasha nodded. — "And Loki is the key to that mechanism."

The scene cuts to Loki and Mobius walking down the hallway.
"I'll burn this place to the ground," Loki declares calmly, his gaze scanning the surroundings.

"Of course you will," — Clint rolled his eyes, but his voice now held more tired irony than anger. — "We heard that. Five minutes ago he promised to become God-King, now he's an arsonist. He's got a busy schedule."

"I'll show you where my desk is, you can start there," Mobius replies, smiling.

"I definitely like this guy!" — Tony grinned. — "His level of sarcasm almost matches mine. Almost."

Loki paused at a huge window, beyond which a vast, glowing city stretched. "Look," Mobius invites. "Home, sweet home."

"This place is beautiful..." — Wanda whispered, the city's light reflecting in her eyes. It was architecture that transcended the boundaries of physics.

"I thought there was no magic here."
"No."
A larger view of the city was shown.

"Seriously, is it bad that I really want these people to kidnap me if it means getting there?" — Peter asked, his face glued to the screen. "Just look at those flying cars! What kind of aerodynamics are they? What kind of traffic is that?!"

"Yes, Peter. Very bad," — Rhodey said sternly, though he couldn't help but narrow his eyes as he studied the craft's construction. — "Besides, I don't think you'll be as lucky as Loki. If it weren't for that man, he would have been... jettisoned already."

The word "jetted" hung in the air, an ominous reminder that this beauty was built on the bones of erased realities.

"But... flying cars!" — Peter persisted.

"PETER, NO," — Tony and Rhodey chorused.

"But look at this technology!" — Tony pointed at the screen, his eyes lighting up. — "Antigravity engines, quantum stabilization, maybe even space-time manipulation on a level..."

"No, Tony," — Rhodey interrupted firmly. — "Pepper will personally annihilate you if you try to build something like that in Malibu. And you know it."

"You're right..." — Tony and Peter simultaneously slumped dejectedly in their chairs.

"You're both hopeless," — Natasha shook her head, but with a slight smile.

"That's not true."
"That's true, and unfortunately, that's what paperwork is all about."

"I'm so sorry," — Tony said, dramatically pressing his hand to his heart. — "Paperwork is pure evil."

"You don't even do paperwork, Pepper does it all for you," — Rhodey chuckled.

"Shh, Rhodes, I have a reputation to uphold," — Tony chuckled.

"Good tinder for your fire, though. Let's go."
"This place is a nightmare."
"That's another department. Now I'm going to help you burn this department down."

"Considering what we saw in court, I don't even want to know what goes on in 'other departments,'" — Steve grimaced. — "Bureaucracy is scary enough, but when it has guns that erase reality..."

They enter the elevator.
"By the way, I'm Agent Mobius."
"Are you taking me somewhere to kill me?" Loki asks neutrally, his tone almost academic. But his posture is tense. His back is perfectly straight.

"He really expects death every second?" — Peter whispered, his admiration for technology giving way to sympathy. — "Isn't that... how can you live like that? Constantly expecting to be killed."

"Experience has taught him to expect the worst," — Natasha added quietly, her eyes fixed on the screen. — "I know that look. That constant expectation of pain. Betrayal. Death. He's always prepared for the worst."

"Because the worst always happened," — Bucky added, his voice full of bitter understanding.

"No. You were just there. I'll take you somewhere to talk."

"I knew they would hurt my brother somehow," — Thor sighed darkly, his fists clenching.

"Talking doesn't always mean harm, Thor," — Wanda tried to reassure him.

"Always in his life," — Thor snapped. — "If Loki is called upon to talk, it means he'll be judged, scolded, or broken."

"I don't like talking."

"Oh, that sounds so much like an eighteen-year-old," — Sam chuckled. — "'I don't want to talk' is a classic teenage response."

"But you like to lie, which you just did. Because we both know you like to talk. Talkie-talkie." Mobius smirked.

A burst of laughter filled the room.

"Got it!" — Rhodey clapped his hands. — "Score: Mobius -1, Loki - 0."

"How long have you been here?" Loki asks, his gaze scanning Mobius.

Natasha raised an eyebrow, noticing how Loki's eyes were gathering information. During the attack on New York, Loki didn't seem like someone who methodically gathered information—he seemed more like someone who attacked mindlessly, chaotically, without a clear plan. Perhaps this was because he was controlled, broken, out of his mind. But the same should have been true here—he had just escaped, been arrested, and was on trial. Yet he behaves completely differently.

She decided to put this observation aside and focus on the screen.

"I don't know. It's hard to say; time flows differently here at TVA."

"How does that work?"— Wanda frowned. — "Shouldn't time flow the same everywhere?"

"Not necessarily," — Stephen said. — "If TVA is in a quantum pocket or extradimensional space, time there could be static or cyclical. Five minutes there could be an eternity here."

"Magic," — Tony muttered. — "Magic again."

"Technology mimicking magic," — Vision corrected. — "Or magic mimicking technology. The line is blurred."

"What does that mean?"
"You'll catch up." They exit the elevator.
"So, you're part of the courageous and dedicated team at TVA?"
"Yes."
"You were created by the Time Guardians."
"Uh-huh."

"But how do they create real people? Controlling time is one thing, that makes sense, but creating actual sentient life—that's a whole other level of absurdity!" — Steve exclaimed.

"Well, you see, Steve, when two people really love each other..." — Tony began.

"That's not what I was talking about, and you know it," — Steve retorted, causing Tony to chuckle.

"Okay, okay," — Tony raised his hands defensively, laughing. — "But seriously, creating a fully functioning consciousness from scratch, with all its memories, personality, emotions... it requires an understanding of quantum biology, neural networks, the philosophy of consciousness on a level we can't even imagine. It's..."

"Or magic," — Stephen added calmly.

"Always damn magic," — Tony sighed dramatically.

"To protect the Sacred Timeline."
"Right," Loki laughed.
"Is that funny?"
"The idea that your little club is deciding the fate of trillions of people across all existence at the behest of three space lizards—yeah, that's funny. It's absurd."

"Space lizards," — Clint repeated with a bitter smile. — "Can't help but agree with the guy. Sounds like the worst scenario ever."

"But he's right," — Wanda nodded. — "It's truly terrifying. Three beings no one has ever seen decide who lives and who gets 'cast off.' Too much power."

"Too much power for anyone," — Natasha added seriously. — "Absolute power corrupts absolutely."

"I thought you didn't like talking," Mobius said, causing Loki to chuckle.

Most of the room laughed.

"Caught him," — Rhodey grinned.

"Wow, that was something," — Rhodey agreed.

"Yeah, that was it, honey," — Tony patted Rhodey on the back.

"Don't call me that," — Rhodey said irritably.

"After you," Mobius said, holding the door to Loki's new room.

"What a gentleman," — Wanda commented, not without irony.

"Maybe he just can't take his eyes off Loki," — Tony interjected, crossing his arms. — "Our Reindeer is quite famous for stabbing people in the backs of those walking in front of him. That's safety 101."

"Come to think of it, you're probably right," — Wanda laughed.

"Always think about safety, especially when your companion is the God of Mischief," — Sam added.

Loki enters the room and pauses, looking around. "By the way, this does look like the room where I'm being killed," he says almost casually, but his posture is tense.

"Yes, there's something 'special' about this place, isn't there?" — Natasha studied the room on the screen professionally. — "An isolated box, no windows, one controlled exit, a table in the middle. A classic interrogation room. Or one for those procedures after which people never emerge."

Her voice grew noticeably colder as she assessed the architecture of the will suppression.

"You're not a big fan of trust, are you?"
"Trust is for children... and dogs. There's only one person you can trust."

Thor sighed sadly, his massive shoulders slumping. His brother had trusted few people his entire life—Loki had always been cautious, always kept his distance, always had a backup plan. And after he learned the truth about his birth, that his entire life had been a lie... it got even worse. He trusted no one anymore. No one at all.

"So, Steve's a dog?" — Natasha couldn't resist asking, trying to lighten the tense situation with a joke.

"Yeah, go ahead, laugh. I'm used to being a loyal, just-right dog," — Steve sighed, slightly embarrassed, but gratefully accepted the attempt to lighten the mood.

"Woof-woof," — Tony chimed in, and Clint joined in the laughter.

"Yourself? I like it. Put it on a T-shirt."

This time, almost no one could keep a straight face.

"If the TVA really is in control all the time, how come I've never heard of you before?" Loki asked.

"Good question," — Bruce said, nodding. — "If they exist outside of time and control all timelines, why doesn't anyone know about them?"

"Because you never needed to. You've always lived your own path."
"I live the path I choose."
"Of course you do."

"So, essentially, what we've learned from all of this so far," — Steve said slowly, his expression grim, — "is that free will doesn't exist, every action we take can lead to our death, and nothing we do matters."

A heavy silence fell.

Peter looked terrified, his young face pale. What if, in the future, trying to save someone would lead to his kidnapping and murder by these people? No... They wouldn't be so ruthless as to stop him from saving an innocent, would they...? But they executed that guy for raising his voice...

"Try not to think about it too much, kid," — Tony said, not very reassuringly, seeing how frightened his charge was. His own face was pale.

"Okay, I'll try, Mr. Stark..." B— ut they both had the very strong impression that this thought would haunt them for the rest of their lives.

"This is an existential nightmare," — Bruce muttered, removing his glasses and wiping them with trembling hands. — "If everything is predetermined, if we have no choice, then why do anything at all? Why try to be better?"

"It takes away all the meaning of existence," — Wanda added quietly, her eyes filling with tears.

"Okay, go sit down." — Loki tries to attack Mobius, but he rewinds him. "I told you, time flows differently in the TVA."

"I still don't understand what that means!" — Steve exclaimed.

"Maybe," — Peter leaned forward, his scientific mind working despite his fear, — "That device he's using isn't teleportation? It's a miniature time machine?"

"Explain," — Bruce leaned in, interested.

"Well, instead of moving Mr. Mobius through space, the device rewinds Mr. Loki back in time a few seconds, returning him to where he was!"

"Local time manipulation," — Bruce whispered, his eyes widening. — "Oh, my God. If that's true, then TVA technology..."

"Thousands of years ahead of ours," — Tony concluded. — "Maybe even more."

"An interesting theory, young Parker," — Stephen nodded. — "And quite possible."

"Come on, sit down. Let's start with this." He sits down on one of the chairs. Loki approaches him and gestures questioningly to another chair. "Come on, sit down," Mobius suggests. Loki sits, his back perfectly straight. He crosses his arms and looks at Mobius warily. "If looks could kill," Mobius joked.
"What do you want from me?" Loki asked.
"Well, let's start with a little cooperation."
"That's not my strong suit."

"We noticed," — the original Avengers in the room sighed in unison.

"Really? Even when you're courting someone powerful, who are you going to betray?"

Bruce cringed. He remembered Valkyrie telling him something about Loki's time on Sakaar, something he really didn't want to know. Ever.

"What is it?" — Thor quickly asked Bruce, noticing his expression.

"Nothing," — Bruce replied quickly.

Everyone looked curiously at Thor and Bruce.

"It's just... Valkyrie told me that Loki slept with the Grandmaster," — Bruce said breathlessly.

There was absolute silence.

"The Grandmaster?!" — Thor said slowly, his voice strange. — "He slept with the Grandmaster, of all people in the universe?"

Thor suddenly paled, remembering. When they met on Sakaar, Loki had told him with that signature smile, "I have earned his favor." Oh, my. Thor had never considered what that meant. Never wanted to think. And now...

"Who is the Grandmaster?" — Wanda asked cautiously, seeing the reaction.

"It's better for you not to know," — Bruce said quickly, and both he and Thor shuddered simultaneously. — "It's just... he's a very old, very powerful being. And very... twisted."

"Oh, my God," — Natasha whispered, understanding dawning on her face, — "You think he..."

"I don't know," — Thor covered his face with his hands, — "I don't know if it was manipulation for survival, or... or something worse. But my brother said he 'earned favor.' At the time, I thought it was just Loki using his charm. But now..."

"Now it sounds like something a victim does," — Wanda finished quietly, — "something someone who has no other choice does."

A deathly silence fell over the room.

"You don't know anything about me."
"Maybe I'd like to learn." He opens a can of soda. "I specialize in pursuing dangerous Variants."
"Like me?"
"Uh... No, especially dangerous Variants. You're just... a little kitten."

"Damn it," — Scott muttered.

"Kitty?" — Sam repeated incredulously. — "He just called a space terrorist who killed eighty people a kitten?"

"What did this guy encounter that makes Loki just a harmless kitten?" — Clint wondered, his eyes widening.

"Well, for one, there's Thanos," — Steve said darkly. — "He's definitely worse."

"Second, there are probably hundreds of other Variants," — Bruce added. — "Some of them could be... much, much worse. Versions of Loki with no moral restraints whatsoever."

"Imagine Loki without family, without Thor, without any attachments," — Natasha suggested. — "Just pure magic and a desire to inflict pain. Or revenge. Or simply destroy for the sake of destruction."

Everyone shuddered at the thought.

"I have a series of questions for you. Answer them honestly, and then perhaps I can give you what you want," Mobius suggested.

"Why do I have a feeling this won't end well?" — Steve sighed.

"It's Loki," — Clint shrugged, but his tone was more tired than angry.

"You want to get out of here, right?" Loki nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, so let's start there. If you come back, what are you going to do?"
"Finish what I started."

"You mean try to conquer Earth again?" — Steve asked anxiously.

"What exactly?". "Take my throne."
"Do you want to be king?"
"I don't want to be, I was born to be."

"But didn't you say he wasn't an Asgardian?" — Wanda asks Thor, frowning.

"Despite this, my brother is still the rightful king of Jotunheim, even though most of that world was destroyed," — Thor explained sadly. — "Though I don't even know how much is left to rule," he added even more sadly.

"Well, certainly more than Asgard," — Tony joked. Thor gave him a nasty sideways glance, but didn't argue—he was right, and it hurt.

"I know, but king of what exactly?"
"You wouldn't understand."

"Honestly, I don't think even he knows," — Natasha said quietly, squinting at the screen. — "Look at his body language. It's uncertainty hidden behind the bravado."

"Try me."
"Midgard."

"Yes, I was right," — Steve declared with a sigh. — "Wasn't one fight with us enough to tell him he can't rule Earth?" Clint asks.

"Yeah, Earth. Fine. Now you're King of Midgard, so what? Happily ever after?"
"Asgard, the Nine Realms."
"Space?"
"Space?"
"Space is vast. That would be a beautiful decoration for you. 'Loki, King of Space.'"

"I have to admit, it sounds pretty good," — Scott admits.

"How do you even manage space?" — Tony wondered out loud. — "If running one company is too much for me without Pepper, imagine managing thousands of planets! Millions! I'd need an army of Peppers..."

Tony shuddered at the thought of multiple Peppers, all fuming at him at once over unfinished paperwork or missed meetings across all those worlds.

"A bureaucratic nightmare on a cosmic scale," — Bruce shuddered, sharing the horror.

"Mock me if you dare."
"No, I'm not mocking. Honestly, I'm actually a fan."

"...A fan? Of a mass murderer?" — Sam asked, puzzled.

"A psychopathic terrorist," — Clint added, but his voice no longer sounded as confident as before. Something about this whole thing was off.

Mobius leans back in his chair, fiddling with a soda can. His gaze becomes piercing, almost X-ray-like.
"Okay, 'King of Space.' Let's go back to the beginning. New York. You arrive through the portal, kill the guards, steal the cube, and start praising your 'glorious purpose.' Why? Did you really need this gray jungle? Or do you just enjoy watching everything burn?"

"Well, here we go," — Tony sighed, leaning back in his chair.

Loki smiles wryly. It's his usual mask—arrogant, cold, impenetrable.
"Humans are meant to be ruled," he spits, each word like the crack of a whip. "Deep down, they crave slavery. Freedom is life's great lie. I merely brought them clarity."

"This nonsense again," — Clint grumbled, clenching his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. — "I've been hearing this in my head for too long. Tony, tell me he's just crazy. Because if he starts repenting now, I won't be able to handle it."

"Wait," — Natasha suddenly said, squinting at the screen, specifically at Loki's behavior, the way he was clenching his hands into fists under the table. — "Something's wrong here."

Mobius shook his head, not taking his eyes off Loki. He didn't look impressed.
"You know, I've seen thousands of Variations. And I know when a person is speaking from the heart, and when they're quoting from a manual. When you fell into the abyss from the Rainbow Bridge... you weren't alone, were you? Who gave you the scepter, Loki? Who fed you those tales of slavery while you rotted in the void?"

A hush of realization fell over the viewing room.

"And really..." — Steve began speaking slowly, — "Where did Loki get his army and the scepter? Because it wouldn't just be floating around in the void of space."

"Well, he found it himself—" — Clint began confidently, but was interrupted.

"No, Clint. That's impossible. You don't just find a weapon like that with an Infinity Stone lying around in space," — Natasha interjected, shaking her head.

"Someone found him and gave him weapons and an army," — Bucky said after a pause, and silence followed his words.

"I remember!" — Bruce suddenly exclaimed, and everyone turned to him. — "Remember how earlier in Infinity War, the future self told Strange and Stark that Thanos sent Loki to Earth?"

"Exactly! That happened! But no one paid attention to this because there were more serious problems?” — Peter said, looking at everyone.

"The Chitauri army is Thanos's army..." — Wanda whispered. — "We've seen them in battle."

Loki suddenly freezes. His fingers, resting on the table, tremble slightly. He tries to reassume his mask of indifference, but his pupils dilate unnaturally, and his gaze becomes momentarily glassy.

Everyone in the viewing room stares at Loki.

"I... I am the architect of my own destiny," Loki's voice is hoarse, a strange, almost mechanical intonation creeping into it. "Order... through submission. Resistance... is exhausting. Death is..."
He snaps his mouth shut, his teeth chattering so loudly it can be heard through the screen. He gasps for air, as if he's just nearly drowned, and cold sweat breaks out on his forehead. He looks at Mobius not with anger, but with something akin to a deep, primal terror.

A heavy silence fell over the viewing room. The Avengers exchanged glances.

"What's wrong with him?" — Peter Parker leaned forward, his spider-sense practically screaming at him that something was wrong. — "He looks like... like some kind of fuse tripped inside him."

"I remember him in my Tower," — Tony frowned, his mind already beginning to piece together the picture, and he didn't like him. — "When I offered him a drink. He was... jumpy. Too pale. We chalked it up to adrenaline and madness."

"Gamma radiation from the scepter," — Bruce whispered, his face darkening. — "We were all at each other's throats in the lab. We were around that thing for an hour. And he... how long did Thanos have him? Months?"

"Are you saying he was high on his own weapon?" — Clint snorted incredulously, but his voice no longer held the same conviction. — "No, I saw his eyes. He was enjoying it."

"Or he was faking it because it was the only role available to him," — Natasha looked at Loki with a professional squint. — "I saw it in the Red Room. When they drill code phrases into the subject. You can't help but say them. It's like a spasm. Look at him now—he's fighting his own tongue."

On the screen, Mobius takes a slow sip of his soda, his eyes never leaving Loki.
"You didn't even notice they did it, did you? They broke you so subtly that you mistook their whispers for your own ambitions. 'A glorious goal'... That wasn't your line, Loki. Whose was it?"

"Thanos," — Thor growled, clenching his fists. — "Only he could do this to my little brother."

"Even that phrase wasn't his," — Peter whispered.

"Stop it!" — Loki barks, and there's a hint of desperation in his cry. He straightens up again, trying to reassume the image of a formidable god. — "You cannot understand the magnitude of my plan! I have come as a liberator!"

"He's lying," — Bucky remarked darkly. — "He's trying to convince himself. When you do something terrible against your will, the only way to stay sane is to convince yourself you wanted it."

"I remember that moment on the cliff... I begged him to stop. I saw he was suffering. But I was too proud and angry to understand—he wasn't simply mistaken. He... he's trapped," — Thor whispered, watching his brother on the screen as he struggled to regain his composure.

"Wait," — Rhodey raised his hand. — "Are we seriously discussing Loki as a victim? The man who wiped half of Manhattan off the map?"

"We're discussing the possibility, Rhodes, that we were fighting a wound-up doll," — Tony replied harshly. — "Which, if you think about it, doesn't sound so crazy; it explains a lot. Starting with how everyone here noticed that Loki was different at the TVA."

"We beat him," — Steve said quietly. — "The Hulk crushed him to the floor. We stood over him, celebrating victory... But what if, at that moment, beneath all those layers of lies, he just wanted the pain to stop?"

"Look at the screen. Loki isn't opening up to Mobius," — Natasha nodded at the screen. — "He's snarling, he's rude, he's closing himself off even more. He's afraid. He's afraid that if he admits the truth, there will be nothing left of him. Only emptiness and someone else's orders."

Silence falls as Loki tries to quietly compose himself, and Mobius watches him calculatingly. After a while, Mobius sighed. "Okay, let's talk about your escapes. You're really good at doing terrible things and then just walking away."

Thor smiled, despite the gravity of the situation. — "He really... Loki was always the one who got me and our friends out of trouble when we were little. He always had an escape plan. Always. Even in the most hopeless situations."

His voice softened as he recalled more innocent times.

"I remember one time, my friends and I went hunting an ice beast in the forbidden zone of Asgard. We were surrounded—a whole pack, and we thought it was the end. We were kids, foolish and overconfident. And Loki, the youngest among us, created an illusion of an entire army of Asgardian warriors. So realistic that the beasts got scared and fled. “Father punished us for a month, forbidding us to leave the palace, but Loki saved our lives then.”

"It's a little hard to imagine a guy with not a single healthy bone in his body doing that on a regular basis," — Clint tried to joke, but his voice was softer than usual. None of the malice he'd felt before.

"Now I understand why," — Wanda added quietly, her eyes filled with sadness. — "Survival is a skill developed out of necessity. When you're constantly in danger, when you constantly have to be on guard... you learn to always have an escape plan. Always have a way out. It's instinct."

"There's still good inside my brother, I'm sure of it!" — Thor insisted, his voice filled with genuine conviction. — "He's just... been through a lot these past few years. Too much. More than anyone should have."

"More than any of us imagined," — Steve agreed, his face grim, reflecting the weight of all the discoveries they'd made today.

"What can I say? I'm a mischievous rascal."
"That's one of my favorites," Mobius said, turning the hologram back on.

"Does he have a favorite 'Loki runs away rather than face the consequences' moment?" — Sam asked, raising an eyebrow. — "That... that's weird, right? Who's that into a criminal?"

"This guy is definitely a fan," — Natasha confirmed with a grin. — "A real, honest, unabashed Loki fanboy. I half expect him to have posters hanging in his house."

"Or an action figure collection," — Scott added, trying to contain his laughter.

"Maybe he runs a fan blog," — Peter suggested with a grin. — "'Loki's Top 10 Runaways' or 'The God of Mischief's Best Moments'."

"Peter, please," — Tony groaned, covering his face with his hand.

An announcement began playing on the screen: "This is Captain Williams Scott, Flight 305, arriving shortly in Seattle."

Tony leaned forward sharply. — "Wait, that can't be... no, never mind."

A flight attendant appeared and approached one of the seats. "Bourbon and soda?"
"Thank you," said a young man in a sleek black suit and sunglasses. Loki—but completely different. His hair was short and neatly styled. No armor, no green and gold. Ordinary, stylish, down-to-earth.

"Wait, when did that happen?" — Clint asked, leaning forward with interest.

"What the hell happened to his hair?!" — Tony exclaimed. — "And why is he on a plane, apparently on Earth?! In a suit! He looks like... like a businessman! Or an agent! What's going on?!"

Thor simply smiled, remembering that day. A bright, warm smile. He missed such innocent pranks with his brother. The times when Loki's biggest crime was losing a bet.

"Absolutely. Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?"
"I suppose we'll find out, won't we?" Loki pulled a note from his suit pocket and handed it to her with a graceful gesture. Then he winked—playfully, charmingly.

"Okay, what the hell is going on?" — Scott asked, clearly confused by what was happening on the screen.

"He's... he's flirting with the flight attendant?" — Rhodey repeated incredulously. — "Right now? On a plane?"

"And she clearly doesn't mind," — Wanda added, watching the flight attendant's smile.

"Classic Loki," — Thor shook his head with a mixture of pride and a hint of exasperation. — "Always been a charmer. Ever since he was a child. He could charm anyone—from court ladies to warriors, from merchants to kings."

She smiles and starts to turn around. "Uh, miss?"
She turns to him. "Yes, Mr. Cooper?"

Absolute chaos erupted in the screening room.

"HOLY SHIT!" — Tony literally fell out of his chair, his hands flying. — "LOKI IS D.B. COOPER! D! B! COOPER!"

"WHAT?!" — Steve jumped to his feet. — "THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE! THIS CANNOT BE TRUE!"

"WHO IS D.B. COOPER?!" — Thor shouted, trying to be heard above the noise, confused as to why everyone was so excited.

Everyone turned to him suddenly, as if on cue, their faces expressing a mixture of shock and disbelief.

"THOR!" — Steve couldn't believe his ears. — "D.B. Cooper is a LEGEND! One of America's greatest unsolved mysteries! Possibly the most famous unsolved crime in history!"

"In 1971," — Bruce explained quickly, his voice shaking with excitement, his hands gesturing, — "a man named Dan Cooper—we still don't know his real name—hijacked a Boeing 727, demanded $200,000 ransom and a parachute, took it, released the passengers, and then BASED OUT of the plane over Washington state in the middle of the night during a thunderstorm!"

"He was never found!" — Clint added, his voice thick with grudging admiration. — "NEVER! No body, no money, nothing! It was the perfect crime! The FBI searched for him for decades! It's one of the few cases they never solved!"

"And all this time," — Natasha slowly sank back into her chair, her face a mixture of shock and grudging professional admiration, — "all these years, all these decades of investigations... it was LOKI. The space prince, playing a bet with his brother."

"Of course it was Loki," — Rhodey groaned, clutching his head. — "OF COURSE. Who else could commit the perfect crime and disappear without a trace? Who else could taunt the FBI for fifty years?"

"The God of Mischief," — several people answered simultaneously, like a chorus.

"Wait," — Bruce turned sharply to Thor, his eyes narrowing. — "Did you even KNOW he did this? You knew all these years?"

"I..." — Thor looked both embarrassed and incredibly proud of his little brother. — "Perhaps. Perhaps. Yes."

"Perhaps?!" — the entire room roared in unison.

"Perhaps you'd like to see this note," Loki says calmly, his voice completely unruffled. "I have a bomb."
The flight attendant looks at his suitcase with fear, her face pale. But he simply smiles calmly at her—a confident, charming smile.
The real Loki, in the interrogation room, begins to speak, clearly irritated. "I don't see what this has to do with..."
"No," Mobius practically shushes him, raising his hand, his face glowing like a kid in a candy store. "Quiet. This is the good part. The best part."

Everyone in the viewing room leaned forward, not wanting to miss a second.

"He really is a true fanboy," — Natasha whispered with a grin, shaking her head. — "A genuine, honest, unabashed Loki fanboy."

"It's almost sweet," — Wanda agreed with a slight smile. — "Except that he works for a totalitarian time police force that kills people for raising their voices."

"Details," — Scott dismissed.

Loki now dons a parachute. The flight attendant hands him a bag full of money.

"What was he even planning on doing with all that money?" — Scott asked, perplexed. — "Seriously, what was he doing with two hundred thousand 1971 human dollars on Asgard?"

"Maybe he just wanted to see if he could," — Wanda suggested. — "Test his abilities. Prove he could fool an entire planet."

Tony shook his head, his voice thick with confusion. — "This guy just hijacked a plane, threatened the passengers with a bomb—real or not—put everyone in danger... and yet the flight attendant is still SMILING at him. She's literally smiling at the terrorist."

"Well..." — Peter blushed, his voice quieter, — "to be honest, Mr. Stark... if someone who looked LIKE THAT took you hostage, but was polite and charming about it, you'd probably be smiling too. It's... it's just biology. Or psychology. Or something."

There was a moment of absolute silence.

Then:

"PETER!" — Tony clutched his head with both hands. — "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"

"WHAT?!" — Peter raised his hands defensively. — "I'm just telling the objective truth! He REALLY is a very handsome guy! You can't deny it! It's a fact!"

"The kid has a point," — Sam smirked, barely containing his laughter, his shoulders shaking.

"TRAITOR!" — Tony pointed at him.

"Peter's absolutely right, you know," — Scott added seriously, nodding. — "I mean, let's be honest—look at him. Even in his orange TVA prison uniform, he looks good, but here, in a sleek black suit, with his normal hair, with that confident smile..."

"SCOTT, NOT YOU TOO!" — Tony looked betrayed.

"I'm just being objective about the situation! This is scientific analysis!"

"This is NOT science!"

Natasha snorted, no longer holding back. — "Okay, I'll say it out loud, since everyone's afraid—Loki is objectively a very attractive guy. Especially when he's not trying to take over the planet or kill people."

"NATASHA!" — Tony looked as if he'd been betrayed by everyone.

"What? It's an objective fact. Even enemies can be beautiful. That doesn't negate their crimes, but it's true."

"Oh my god," — Tony groaned. — "Even Peter and half the team fell under Loki's spell. Thor, your brother is charming on every level of reality, it seems."

"I know," — Thor grinned widely, clearly proud. — "He's always been like that. Ever since he was a child. Back in Asgard, all the ladies of the court were crazy about him."

"And not just the ladies, I suppose," — Natasha added with a grin.

"And not just the ladies," — Thor agreed, his smile widening.

He lowers his sunglasses and winks at her again. "See you again someday." She smiles as he turns to walk to the back of the plane.
"Brother, Heimdall, you better be ready," he says, jumping out of the plane mid-flight. Bifrost catches him, leaving a pile of money floating in the air.

"THAT'S HOW HE DID IT!" — the entire room erupted in simultaneous cries of understanding.

"OF COURSE!" — Bruce slapped his forehead so hard it must have hurt. — "Bifrost! That's why he was never found! He was never physically in Washington state! There was no body to search for! He was teleported back to Asgard via a dimensional bridge!"

"The police were looking for the parachutist," — Clint shook his head with reluctant professional admiration. — "They searched forests, rivers, mountains. But they should have been looking for a god with access to a cosmic teleporter. They weren't even looking in the right dimension."

"No wonder no one found the body or the money," — Natasha added, her analytical mind quickly processing the information. — "He literally disappeared into another dimension. Another reality. No Earthly police could have found him."

"Brilliant," — Tony admitted, shaking his head. — "Absolutely, fucking, unbelievably brilliant. I'm pissed I didn't think of that first."

"You don't have access to interdimensional teleportation, Tony," — Rhodey reminded him logically.

"Details. Minor details."

Steve stared at the screen, slowly shaking his head, his face a mixture of admiration and disappointment. — "Fifty years. Fifty years the FBI has been searching for D.B. Cooper. Generations of agents have been working on this case. Thousands of investigative hours. Millions of dollars spent. And all that time..."

"It was a teenage space prince," — Sam finished, laughing.

"Life really is strange," — Scott remarked philosophically.

"I can't believe you were D.B. Cooper. Come on!" Mobius smirked.
"I was young and lost a bet to Thor."

Thor burst into laughter—loud, genuine, joyful, and heartfelt. For the first time in the entire show, he truly laughed, without pain or anger.

"Oh, I REMEMBER that day!" — he said, wiping away tears of laughter. — "I remember it so clearly! Loki was so angry when he came back! He didn't speak to me for a week! He just sat there in the library reading, ignoring me!"

Everyone immediately turned to him with greedy curiosity.

"So what was the bet?" — Clint demanded, leaning forward. — "Come on, Thor. We MUST know now! You can't leave us in the dark!"

"No," — Thor shook his head, still laughing, his eyes sparkling with amusement. — "I can't tell you. It's a secret."

"THOR!" — the entire room howled.

"No, I won't!" — he grinned even wider, clearly enjoying the moment. — "It's between me and my brother. Personal."

"Is it embarrassing?" — Wanda asked, tilting her head curiously.

"For which one of you?" — Rhodey added with a smirk.

"For both," — Thor admitted, his eyes still sparkling with amusement and mystery. — "Definitely for both. Very embarrassing."

"That's not fair!" — Peter groaned dramatically. — "You can't just mention something like that without giving details! That's cruel!"

"I can and I do," — Thor crossed his massive arms, looking incredibly pleased with himself.

"You're the worst," — Tony declared with mock indignation.

"I know. And I like it."

"Where was the TVA when I was meddling in these Earthly affairs?"
"We were there with you, just traveling along the Sacred Timeline."

"I still can't get over the fact that they're watching our every move. Always. Even when we're sleeping. Even when we're on the toilet," — Peter shuddered.

"Peter, please don't," — Tony groaned. — "Now I'll be paranoid."

"You're already paranoid," — Rhodey reminded him.

"Fair enough."

"That's creepy on a whole new level," — Scott agreed. — "Like someone's constantly looking over your shoulder."

"Welcome to my world," — Natasha said darkly. — "Only before it was the Red Room, and now it's the space time police."

"Progress?" — Sam suggested uncertainly.

"Definitely not."

"So it's got the approval of the Time Guardians, right?"
"Well, I wouldn't think of it in terms of approval and disapproval. It's sort of... Let's get back to running away... and a little psychobabble. What do you really think you're running from?"
Loki rose from his chair. "Enough."
Mobius uses Time Twister to return him. "Back to his cage."

Despite the gravity of the situation and the tension, some couldn't help but chuckle.

"It's like a kitten trying to be menacing," — Wanda whispered, her lips twitching into a smile.

"And they just pick it up and put it back in its place, like a toy," — Scott added.

"Although..." — Wanda said, her expression quickly turning serious. — "This is getting too personal. Mobius is digging into sensitive areas. Intentionally."

"He's a skilled interrogator," —Natasha nodded professionally. — "He knows how to push the right psychological buttons. How to get a person to open up."

Loki looks upset, his youthful face expressing frustration. "See, I can play the heavy keys too," Mobius says with a slight grin.
"I simply stood up to make a point," Loki retorted, his voice full of dignity.

"Drama queen," — Tony shook his head. — "Though I must admit, he certainly has style. He knows how to create a moment."

"At least he's consistent," — Sam agreed with a smile. — "Always dramatic, in any situation, even in a time police cell."

Mobius grinned. "Sorry, go on."
"It won't matter so much now."
"Okay, stay put."
"I'll do what I want!"
"Of course."
Loki stood up again. "What exactly do you want?"
"I want you to be honest about why you do what you do."
"Liar."
"I'm serious." Mobius stood up too. "All I seek is a deeper understanding of the fearsome God of Mischief. What drives Loki?"

"He really wants to understand him," — Wanda quietly remarked, her eyes glued to the screen. — "Not just interrogate him. Understand him."

"Which is rare," — Bucky added darkly. — "People usually don't care about the 'why.' They only care about the 'what.'"

"I know what this place is."
"What is it?"
"It's an illusion. It's a cruel, elaborate trick, devised by the weak to instill fear. A desperate attempt at control. Now you all strut around like you're divine arbiters of universal power."

"See?" — Natasha narrowed her eyes, expertly studying Loki's body language. — "He's projecting. Everything he says about the TVA is something he's done. Or something they've done to him."

"What do you mean?" — Steve asked, frowning.

"He's someone who uses illusions to appear stronger than he is," — she explained patiently. — "He's someone who creates tricks to control situations. He's someone who sometimes acts like a divine arbiter."

"Psychological projection," — Vision nodded, analyzing. — "A classic defense mechanism. He blames the TVA for what he does or what was done to him because he can't fully acknowledge it in himself. Or doesn't want to."

"Or because he sees them as a reflection of what he was forced to become," — Wanda added quietly, sitting next to him, her voice heavy with sadness.

"Yes, the Reindeer Games definitely needs a good therapist," — Tony attempted a joke, but even his own sounded softer than usual. — "Many sessions. Many sessions. Years of therapy."

"That's who we are," Mobius replied simply, not defending himself.
"You're not like that. My choices are my own," Loki insisted, his voice tinged with despair.

"He's still fighting for his autonomy," — Steve remarked quietly, his voice full of understanding, — "for the right to be the master of his own destiny. After everything he's been through, after control was taken from him... he clings to any illusion of choice."

"Your choice is your own. Okay, let's do that." He turns on the hologram again. "I think this will light you up."
It shows the moment Loki ordered the people to kneel. "The bright temptation of freedom diminishes your joy in a mad struggle for power..."

Everyone in the room fell silent, watching tensely.

But now, knowing the truth—about the brainwashing—those words sound completely, terrifyingly different.

"It hurts to look at it now," — Peter whispered, his young face pale, his voice trembling. — "Knowing he was controlled. That every word was hammered into him by someone else. That he didn't choose to say it."

"Knowing that beneath all that armor, magic, and arrogance was a scared, broken teenager," — Wanda nodded.

Loki groaned and turned away from the hologram.

"He doesn't want to see himself like this," — Tony said, surprised.

"Of course he doesn't," — Clint snorted, understanding Loki for the first time. — "I don't want to watch footage of myself under control either."

"If you hadn't picked up the Tesseract, you would have been locked up in a cell on Asgard."
The hologram showed Loki's "trial." The real Loki seemed confused.

Thor sighed painfully, physically painfully, as he looked at the image of his mother. Her face, her golden hair, her kind eyes. Pain pierced his heart like a sharp knife. Not a day went by that he didn't miss her. And Loki. The time when they were a family.

"Was it after the invasion of New York, Thor?" — Steve asked softly, seeing the pained expression on his friend's face.

"Yes," — Thor's voice was hoarse, struggling to get through his throat. — "I think so. Judging by the chains and the surroundings. I wasn't there myself, but..."

"Wait," — Tony turned to him sharply, frowning. — "What do you mean you weren't there? How is that even possible?"

"The trial was between just my father, my brother, and, apparently, my mother," — Thor explained heavily, his massive shoulders slumping. — "Father wouldn't allow anyone else to be present. Not even me. Said it was a family matter."

"But you were the PRIME WITNESS!" — Rhodey said, sitting up abruptly in shock. — "You were there, in New York! You saw it all with your own eyes! Shouldn't you have been there to testify?"

"Father made the decisions alone," — Thor shrugged his massive shoulders, but his voice was filled with old, unhealed pain. — "That's how he always did it. He was always the final say. The King decides everything."

"It's unfair," — Steve frowned, his face clearly expressing strong disapproval. — "And wrong. Loki had the right to a full, fair trial. With an attorney, with witnesses for both the prosecution and the defense, with the right to defend himself and present his case."

"Asgardian justice works differently than Earthly justice," — Thor said quietly, his voice full of regret. — "But... yes. Perhaps you're right. Perhaps it was unfair to him. To my brother."

"Loki," Frigga called.
"Hello, Mother. Are you proud of me?" he asked with a bitter smile.

Everyone in the viewing room felt a stab of pain.

"Even with his mother, he's sarcastic," — Clint noted, but now there was no judgment in his voice. Only sadness. — "How much pain must be inside to behave like that, even with those you love."

"He's protecting himself," — Wanda explained quietly, understanding in her voice. — "Hurting first, so he won't be hurt even more. It's a classic defense mechanism of the traumatized."

"Especially those who were betrayed by loved ones," — Natasha added. — "He's learned his whole life is a lie." That the family he loved was hiding the truth from him. It's easier to push them away first than to risk being rejected."

"Please, don't make this worse," she pleads.
"What is this? This is nonsense, another trick. This never happened," asks the real Loki.
"Not for you. Not yet. Look, the TVA doesn't just know your entire past, we know your entire life, how things should be. Think of that as a consolation." Mobius turns on the hologram again.

Sam shook his head with a bitter, sarcastic smile. — "In what twisted world is it any consolation to know you're being watched 24/7 by people who can kill you for the slightest mistake, for one wrong move?"

"In a world where you've never had a real choice," — Natasha replied quietly, her voice full of bitter understanding. — "Where predestination at least means you're not personally to blame. That you couldn't have done otherwise. That it's not your responsibility."

"That takes away personal responsibility," — Vision realized. — "And guilt. If everything is predetermined, then you can't blame yourself for your actions. For your crimes. For your mother's death."

"A cruel, cold comfort," — Bucky added, his voice dead. — "But sometimes that's all you have when you're drowning in guilt."

"That's absurd," Loki chuckled.
"Am I not your mother?" Frigga asks.
"You? No."

Two simple words. So short, so simple. But filled with such an incredible amount of pain, betrayal, and despair that everyone in the hall felt it physically, like a blow to the solar plexus.

"Father should have told him of his heritage sooner," — Thor closed his eyes, his hands clenched into fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. — "Much, much sooner. Maybe when he was just a child. When he could have gradually understood and accepted it as part of himself."

His voice trembled with suppressed emotion.

"This secret, this secret, has destroyed our family. It has destroyed my brother from within. If he had known from an early age that he was adopted, that he was a Frost Giant, that Odin had found him as a baby... maybe everything would have been completely different. Maybe he would have accepted it as part of himself."

"Family secrets rarely end well," — Steve agreed, his voice thick with his own bitter experience and understanding. — "Especially ones this big, this fundamental. Secrets about origins, about identity."

"And especially when they're revealed at the worst possible moment," — Wanda added, her voice trembling. — "When you're an adult, when your identity is fully formed, when you think you know who you are, and suddenly..."

"Suddenly it turns out everything—absolutely everything—was a lie," — Bucky finished, his own voice thick with understanding.

Thor sighed heavily again, looking at the screen where his mother was trying to reach her youngest son, trying to reach him through the walls of pain and anger. He missed them both so much. His mother. His brother. The time when they were a real family, when everything was simpler.

"Hmm. You're always so perceptive about everyone but yourself."

"Your mother had too much patience with him," — Tony commented, but his voice held warmth, not criticism. — "A holy woman."

"She loved him," — Thor said simply. — "No matter what. She always loved us both equally."

"And then the dark elves attack the palace, and you think you're sending them to Thor," — Mobius explained.

"So that's how they knew where to look for Jane..." — Thor straightened up abruptly. His voice was quiet, full of realization. — "Even if I wanted to be angry at him for it... I can't. Loki would never have deliberately tried to harm our mother. Never. He loved her more than anyone in the world."

"Dark elves?" — Wanda asked, frowning.

"A race from Svartalfheim," — Thor explained, his voice becoming more monotonous, as if he were retelling a history textbook. — "They recently invaded Asgard in search of the Aether—the Reality Stone, after all."

"Perhaps you should take the stairs on the left," the imprisoned Loki advised.
"But instead, you send them..." Mobius continues his story.
Frigga strangles. "I will never tell." She is stabbed.

Everyone gasped—even those who knew the story. Even Thor, who had witnessed it with his own eyes.

"Sorry for your loss, Thor," — Rhodey said quietly, his voice filled with genuine sympathy.

Thor nodded, unable to speak. Tears streamed down his face.

"And now Loki will blame himself forever," — Natasha added, her voice hard with controlled emotion, — "Even knowing it's not his fault."

"Where do you have her? Where is she?" the real Loki demands.

"So he's not completely heartless after all," — Clint admitted, his voice now tinged with sadness. — "He loved her. He really did."

"You're leading them straight to her," Mobius explains.
"I don't believe you. You're lying. It's not true."

Peter closed his eyes, wincing at the pain he saw on the screen. He knew that particular pain all too well. He knew the unbearable guilt he felt when Uncle Ben died.

When you failed to save the one person you loved most. When your actions—even completely unconscious, even with the best intentions—led to irreparable tragedy.

He wouldn't wish such suffering on anyone in the world. Not even his enemy.

"He's defending himself from the truth, denying it," Steve remarked quietly, his voice filled with deep compassion. "It's too painful to accept right away. Unbearably painful. That his mother is dead. That he, without meaning to, inadvertently led the killers right to her."

"It's the truth. This is the proper course of time, and it happens again and again and again because it's meant to be. TVA is monitoring it."

Anyone who had ever lost a loved one physically winced at those cruel words.

Sam closed his eyes, his jaw clenching. — "The thought of our loved ones dying over and over again in endless timelines... that their deaths, their pain, are repeated endlessly in different realities..."

He couldn't finish. He didn't need to. Everyone understood.

"It's monstrous," — Natasha whispered, her voice shaking despite her attempts at control. — "To know that the pain you've experienced, the worst pain of your life, is repeated in thousands, millions of realities. That your loved ones suffer and die over and over, endlessly."

"And there's absolutely nothing you can do about it," — Bucky added, clenching his jaw. — "Because it's 'predestined.' Because it's 'meant to be.'"

"Where is she?"
"Now tell me, do you enjoy hurting people?"

Thor's eyes instantly flashed with pure, undisguised rage at Mobius. The air around him crackled with power.

"That's truly too cruel," — Wanda agreed, her voice trembling with suppressed anger. — "Intentionally cruel. Using his mother's death as a psychological weapon against him, when he's already broken... it's monstrous. It's torture."

"I'll kill you," Loki said calmly, shaking his head in disbelief at the situation.
"What, like you did to your mother?" Mobius retorted, raising an unimpressed eyebrow.

"IT'S NOT HIS FAULT! HE DIDN'T KNOW SHE WAS THERE!" — Thor shouted, standing up abruptly.

"Thor, calm down!" — Steve tried to reason with him.

Everyone else was also starting to grow increasingly dissatisfied with Mobius's methods.

Loki grabs a chair, throws it angrily, and starts walking toward Mobius, who returns it to where it should have been, causing it to topple over.
"Sorry, Time Twister only loops you, not the furniture. You weren't born to be king, Loki. You were born to inflict pain, suffering, and death.
That's the way it is, that's the way it was, and that's the way it will be. All so that others can achieve their best selves." The hologram shows the original Avengers.

A heavy, oppressive, utterly suffocating silence reigns in the viewing room.

Thor gritted his teeth so hard that everyone could clearly hear the sound. His hands clenched into fists, his knuckles whitened to the bone. Lightning flashed furiously in his eyes, turning them electric blue, and the air around him hummed, vibrating with pure, uncontrollable power.

"How dare he," — he growled, his voice filled with murderous rage. — "How dare he say such cruel, inhumane words to my brother. My little brother."

The five original Avengers present in the room—Steve, Tony, Natasha, Clint, and Bruce—grimaced as the hologram showed the six of them. Seeing their "triumph" in such a context was nauseating.

They never particularly liked Loki. They hated him, in fact. They considered him pure evil, a deliberate threat, a dangerous villain who chose to inflict pain.

But no one—absolutely no one—deserved such psychological abuse, such treatment.

"It's psychological abuse," — Bruce said quietly, removing his glasses with a violently shaking hand, his voice dead. — "Pure and simple, theatrical. Systematic, methodical destruction of self-esteem. Destruction of personality."

"After everything he's been through," — Bucky clenched his fists so hard his metal fists creaked, his face deathly pale, — "and this man, this fucking bastard, tells him that he was born to be a tool for others. That his only purpose in life is to suffer."

"That his only value, his only purpose, is to suffer so that other, 'better' people can succeed," — Natasha added, her voice icy with fiercely controlled rage. — "It's... it's a classic tactic. It's what they tell victims in the Red Room, in the camps, during interrogations, to break them completely and irrevocably. To destroy the last vestiges of their will."

"To convince them they're worthless," — Wanda whispered, Vision tightening his grip on her hand in support. — "That they don't deserve better, happiness, love. That pain, suffering—that's all they exist for. Their sole function."

Loki on the screen sits on the floor, his young face expressing absolute devastation. Disbelief. Pain. He slowly shakes his head. "What is this place? What kind of people are you?"

"I have the same question," — Thor growled, glaring at the screen.

Mobius extends a hand to help him up. "Come on. Get up."
Loki looks at the outstretched hand with disbelief, but after a moment's hesitation, reluctantly takes it. Mobius helps Loki to his feet.
And at that moment, Loki, with a swift, deft movement, pulls the Time Twister from Mobius's pocket. The movement is so fast, so professional, it's almost unnoticeable.

"Even in such an emotionally shattered state, he remains incredibly cunning," — Natasha couldn't help but express a certain professional admiration, despite the entire situation. — "Broken, psychologically scarred, having just learned of his mother's death in horrific detail... and still focused enough to steal the device. That's... an impressive level of self-control."

"That will never be taken away from him," — Thor smiled faintly, very faintly, despite his raging anger and all-consuming pain. — "My brother is a born survivor. Always has been. Even as a child."

The door opens, and Hunter B-15 enters. She asks what he's doing.

"Torturing my brother," — Thor whispered, his voice thick with venom. — "That's what he's doing."

Mobius says that's his job and asks if she has the right to interfere. She says they have a situation. Mobius points at Loki and tells him not to go anywhere. Mobius and B-15 leave. Loki stares at them for a moment.

Despite the gravity, the horror of the situation, some in the room couldn't quite suppress a chuckle.

"Leave Loki alone in a room?" — Natasha shook her head with obvious professional disapproval. — "Really? That's the absolute fundamentals of interrogation, the first rule. Never, under any circumstances, leave a suspect without constant supervision. Especially one widely known for their brilliant escapes."

"A classic, rookie mistake," — Thor agreed, the first real, sincere smile in the last difficult minutes appearing on his exhausted face. — "How many times, dozens of times, have I told my father, warned him: never, never leave Loki alone in a locked room, even for a minute. He'll always find a way out. Always. It's his talent."

"It's like leaving a hungry cat in a room with an open window and a bowl of milk outside," — Clint added with a grin.

"Or me in a fully stocked lab without Pepper's supervision," — Tony chuckled.

"Please don't remind me of that," — Rhodey groaned sincerely, covering his face with his hands. — "I still remember that incident with the plasma cutter and the melted wall. I still have nightmares about it."

Hunter B-15 begins by saying that communicating with this Variant was a mistake.
Mobius tells her that's her position. B-15 wants Loki erased. Mobius thinks she wants everyone reset and that he gets good things from him. She tells him they just lost another squad.
Mobius returns to the room and tells the now-disappeared Loki that they can finish tomorrow.

"He's not there, is he?" — Stephen asked rhetorically, already knowing the answer.

"Of course not," — Clint laughed, shaking his head. — "It's Loki. The God of Escape. Leaving him alone in a room with a stolen time travel device is a personal invitation to escape immediately."

Mobius doesn't see Loki anywhere in the room.
Mobius checks his pockets for the Time Twister, but realizes Loki has stolen it.

"He actually stole a time travel device from a time agent," — Tony shook his head with a mixture of admiration and horror. — "I have to admit, despite all the circumstances, the guy has an absolutely incredible style."

"And the hand speed of a true professional magician," — Natasha added, her professional eye assessing the technique. — "That's mastery of the highest order."

"Because you, like the rest of us, were watching his face, his emotions," — Clint explained, his own skills allowing him to understand the trick. — "A classic, textbook distraction. While you're emotionally focused on his visible suffering, his pain, his hands are working discreetly, expertly. Brilliant, frankly."

Mobius echoes Loki's earlier words: "mischievous rascal."

"Well, what did he expect?" — Tony laughed.

"With Loki, you have to be on guard at all times. You can't even blink," — Thor chuckled.

Chapter Text

Loki uses the stolen Time Twister, spinning himself through time. He materializes in one of the endless corridors of the TVA. A portal opens behind him, and a Minuteman and a female employee emerge, discussing something. Loki quickly presses himself against the wall, waiting for them to pass. Then he notices Casey walking down the corridor with a cart and cautiously, stealthily follows him.

"What's he up to?" — Scott asked curiously, leaning forward. — "He clearly has a plan."

"Nothing good for the TVA, I'm sure," — Rhodey replied with an approving grin. — "But probably something very clever."

"He's looking for something specific," — Natasha narrowed her eyes, expertly studying Loki's body language on the screen. — "He's not just running away randomly. He has a clear goal." Look at how he moves—carefully, but purposefully."

The scene changes to Mobius, Hunter B-15, and several Minutemen walking down the hallway. Mobius regrets interrupting them. B-15 asks if it's her fault.

"Sort of... technically... yes," — Tony chuckled. — "To be precise."

Mobius hopes Loki hasn't gotten too far. B-15 orders the Minutemen to cut everyone down on the spot. Mobius disagrees.
Meanwhile, Loki carefully opens the door to a large workshop lined with shelves and drawers. He sees Casey at his desk and approaches him silently. Casey, without looking up from his papers, says matter-of-factly, "I know who you are."
Loki quickly covers his mouth with his hand, silencing him. "Quiet," he hisses.

"What is he going to do to him?" — Scott asked worriedly. — "Please tell me he's not going to kill him. Casey seems like a nice guy."

"Loki isn't a natural killer," — Thor reminded him, — "Despite everything."

Loki removed his hand, his voice growing menacing. "What's your name?"
"Casey," the man replied, his voice trembling with fear.

"How polite. He even asked for his name," — Tony snorted.

"Loki was always polite and charming, in any situation. With friends and foes alike. Which didn't always lead to anything good," — Thor smirked.

Loki leans closer, his fingers tapping on the table—a soft but ominous sound. "Excellent, Casey. Now you will give me the Tesseract you confiscated from me. Or I will gut you like a fish. Understood?"
Casey blinks in confusion. "What's... a fish?"
Loki freezes, his eyebrows raised in pure bewilderment. "What?"
Casey sincerely repeats his question: "What's a fish? I've never heard the word. I've lived my whole life at this table."

A collective gasp of shock and bewilderment echoed through the viewing room.

"He doesn't know what a fish is?!" — Tony looked absolutely stunned, his eyes widening. — "How can anyone live their life and not know what a fish is?! It's a basic life form!"

"He said earlier that he's lived his whole life at his desk," — Stephen reminded him, his voice heavy with sadness. — "Literally. His whole life. Never seen an ocean, a river, a lake. Not even an aquarium. Never eaten a fish. Doesn't know what it is."

"That's..." — Steve shook his head in horror and pity. — "That's terrible. Tragic. To live an entire life without knowing even the most basic, elementary things about the world. About life."

"Worlds," — Wanda corrected quietly, her eyes filling with tears of sympathy. — "Plural. He doesn't know about worlds at all. The TVA exists outside of normal reality. Outside of nature. It's... it's a cage."

Loki on the screen looks completely bewildered by this revelation. "What difference does it make what a fish is?! Just know that it's a mortal threat!"
Casey stubbornly shakes her head. "But I want to understand what I'm being threatened with. It's important."
Loki rolls his eyes, his patience clearly wearing thin. "Death, Casey. I'm threatening you with a painful death. Is that clear?"

"You better obey, man," — Scott whispered. — "He's serious."

Casey nods nervously and opens a large desk drawer, taking out the Tesseract. He hands it to Loki.
Loki takes the cube, his expression awash with relief—but suddenly his attention is drawn to something else in the open drawer. His eyes widen in absolute shock.

"What could he have seen in there?" — Sam asked, intrigued.

The camera pans to the drawer's contents.
Dozens of Infinity Stones. All colors. Blue, red, orange, green, yellow, purple. Just lying there, like ordinary glass marbles. Several of each type.

A deathly, oppressive silence fell over the viewing room. Everyone's brains literally short-circuited. Jaws dropped.

Everyone just... stared. Unable to believe. Unable to process what they saw.

They stared at the desk drawer, filled with the most powerful objects in the known universe, carelessly tossed there like useless, useless junk.

"Am I hallucinating," — Tony's voice was weak, almost a whisper, — "or am I actually seeing a drawer full of Infinity Stones? Tell me I'm hallucinating. Please."

"No, I see them too," — Natasha said, her face deathly pale, her voice completely flat. — "All six types. Several of each."

"And they're just... sitting in the desk drawer," — Bruce added, his voice stunned, almost mechanical. — "Like paper clips. Like pens. Like... office supplies."

"It's impossible," — Wanda said, covering her face with her hands, her shoulders shaking. — "Scientifically impossible. The Infinity Stones are singularities left over from the Big Bang. There can't be duplicates. Impossible!"

"But they exist," — Vision said quietly, also sitting in shock. — "From different timelines. Different realities. The TVA collects them as trophies."

"Thanos dedicated his entire life to finding these Stones," — Peter's voice trembled, his young face full of horror and incomprehension. — "Killed billions. Destroyed entire civilizations. And they just..."

"Our versions traveled through time to get these Stones," — Steve said. — "And it turns out the TVA had spare Infinity Stones? What the hell."

"Nat died for the Soul Stone," — Clint spat.

"And Tony died because of the Stones, and they're just lying around in a fucking box?" — Rhodey barked. Peter clenched his fists.

Everyone's blood boiled with the realization of the senselessness of their sacrifices.

On the screen, Loki looked at the Stones, his face expressing the same shock. "The Infinity Stones?" his voice hoarse with disbelief. "Where... how did you get so many? It's impossible. Each Stone is unique."

"I guess that's how TVA got the Tesseract from different versions of Loki," — Bruce said, his scientific mind trying to comprehend the impossible. — "From different timelines. Different realities. Every time someone breaks the 'sacred' line with the Stone..."

"They're taking the Stone as a trophy," — Natasha finished, her voice cold with rage.

"Oh, actually, we get a lot of those stones," Casey said casually, shrugging, as if discussing ordinary office equipment. "All the time. Some guys even use them as paperweights. Handy, you know—heavy, they don't roll around."

Everyone gasped in outrage.

"ARE YOU KIDDING?!" — Bucky exploded.

"Are you serious?" — Peter demanded. — "Tony died because of a paperweight?"

"Nat died because of a paperweight?" — Clint roared. — "Stupid orange rock."

"Thanos threw Gamora off a cliff to use her as a paperweight?" — Scott said weakly.

"I've had enough," — Rhodey said, shaking his head, standing up and pacing. — "I can't take this crap anymore. Infinity Stones as paperweights? No, damn it, Other Tony can't die because he used six paperweights."

"I can't believe we fought Thanos twice over office supplies," — Tony said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Loki looked stunned as he picked up the Time Stone.

Stephen's mouth dropped open, not caring about composure. He'd sworn to protect the Time Stone, and seeing TVA casually holding a box full of Time Stones and using them as paperweights had reoriented his entire outlook on life. He'd sworn to protect paperweights?

"I'd be stunned too," — Natasha snorted. She was sure her version wouldn't regret sacrificing himself if it meant keeping her family safe, but a paperweight?

Loki looked around and stood, shock on his face.

"How the hell is it even possible to destroy an organization?" — Sam shook his head, his voice full of bewilderment. — "One that can render the Infinity Stones completely, utterly useless? One that exists outside all known laws of reality?"

"Loki did it," — Thor said, his voice full of conviction and pride. — "My brother found a way. There's no other logical explanation for why we're here, watching this. He burned the TVA to the ground. Destroyed their system." — He suddenly frowned, his brows drawing together. — "But now... now he has no obvious way to escape the TVA if the Tesseract is as useless here as all the other Stones."

"I never, not even in my wildest dreams, thought I'd hear someone seriously say the phrase 'The Tesseract is useless,'" — Steve said bitterly, looking physically and mentally tired. Exhausted.

The Tesseract had been ruining his life since the very beginning of his history. Since 1942. The Red Skull had used it as a weapon. He'd fallen into the ice because of it. Lost seventy years of his life. Woke up in the future, having lost everyone he loved. The only reason Steve even ended up in the 21st century was the damned Tesseract. And now they were calmly telling him he was just... a useless blue cube? A pretty toy? How simple!

Loki walked to the center of the room, Casey at his side. "Is it the greatest power in the universe?" he asked.

"Probably because those damn Infinity Stones are completely, utterly useless there," — Clint said, his voice flat. — "All their power, all their might—means nothing in the TVA."

"Everything we believed about power, about might, about sacred artifacts," — Wanda added quietly, her voice trembling, — "turned out to be a lie. Or at least relative. The Stones are only omnipotent in certain realities. Under certain conditions."

"Power is relative," — Vision agreed philosophically, but his voice was heavy. — "What's omnipotent in one dimension is useless in another."

The elevator dinged. B-15 and a pair of Minutemen entered, carrying their time staves.

Everyone in the room frowned, anticipating trouble, violence.

B-15 went to cut off Loki, but he used Time Twister to escape. B-15 cut off Casey's cart instead.

"HA!" — Thor laughed with satisfaction, clapping his hands. — "My brother's too fast for them! Too smart! They can't even get close to him!"

"Oh, you almost cut me off!" Casey exclaimed. "That's so awful."

"She almost killed Casey!" — Scott protested. — "And he's basically the only normal person there!"

"What difference does it make?" — Rhodey shrugged. — "He works for the TVA. Helps them arrest and dump people."

"Rhodey!" — Steve said reproachfully. — "He's just doing his job. He probably doesn't even realize how wrong it is."

"After everything we've learned about this organization?" — Rhodey turned to him. — "They use the Infinity Stones as paperweights, Steve. Paperweights. They kill people for not following the 'correct' timeline. Everyone who works for them is complicit."

"He's right," — Bucky quietly agreed. — "At some point, 'I was just following orders' stops being an excuse."

"Hydra was full of people 'just doing their job,' too," — Natasha nodded sharply.

Steve opened his mouth to object, but stopped himself. They were right. And it was... uncomfortable to admit.

B-15 and the Minutemen went to find Loki. Loki, meanwhile, used the Time Twister again, materializing in the Temporal Theater—that very interrogation room. The Tesseract was still in his hand. He casually tossed the Time Twister onto the table, where it landed with a thud.
Loki rose slowly to his feet, breathing heavily, and his gaze fell on the still-active hologram—a frozen image of the original six Avengers gathering in a protective circle after the battle in New York. Young, determined, united.

"When things were so, so simple," — Steve said with deep nostalgia, longingly, looking at his younger self on the screen. — "Even despite the alien invasion, the portal in the sky. We didn't know about Thanos then, about infinite timelines, about the TVA, about being constantly watched..."

"We were naive," — Natasha added quietly. — "We thought we'd won. That the threat was over."

"Says the man who literally fell out of the helicarrier back then," — Tony chuckled, looking at Steve, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere with a joke. — "And almost turned into a pancake on the New York pavement."

"I managed to put on my parachute!" — Steve defended himself.

"Which you put on at the last possible second, when you were almost touching the ground!"

"Details. Minor details," — Steve dismissed.

In 2013, Loki sat up and changed the hologram to a dead Frigga.
When he saw this image, tears welled up in his eyes.

"Now I actually feel sorry for him," — Clint admitted quietly, his voice filled with genuine sympathy. All the previous hostility had evaporated completely. — "I'm still angry about what he did in New York." But after everything we learned... after realizing he was under control, and who knows what else... and now to see him mourning his mother..."

He didn't finish, but everyone understood.

"Imagine what it must be like," — Wanda whispered, her own eyes filling with tears at the memory of loss. — "To learn of your mother's death this way. Not being there. Not being able to say goodbye. Just... watching a recording of her death on hologram in a strange place, surrounded by enemies."

"And blaming himself," — Natasha added quietly. — "Even knowing it wasn't his fault, he'll blame himself forever."

Loki changed the hologram to 2017, where Odin appeared in Norway.

"Father," — Thor whispered in the viewing room, his voice breaking.

"I love you, my sons," Odin said. The 2017 Loki looked shocked. "Remember this place. Home," Odin said.
Loki's tears deepened.
Odin dissolves into stardust between Thor and Loki.

"He never heard those words from his father," — Thor realized suddenly, his own voice shaking with mounting emotion. Tears streamed freely down his face, pooling in his thick beard. — "All these long years. All these endless centuries of life. Loki thought... he truly thought his father didn't love him. That he was a constant disappointment. That he was just a foundling, a prisoner of war, kept only out of duty, for political reasons."

His voice broke completely, almost turning into a sob.

"And his father loved him. Always loved him. From the very day he found the infant in the temple. Loved him as much as he loved me. And Loki never, never knew that. Never heard those simple, vital words. Because his father was too proud, too constrained to say them in life. And he died before he could finally say them."

"Family is incredibly complicated," — Bucky said quietly, his own voice full of bitter understanding and his own pain. He thought about Steve, about his sister Rebecca, about his parents, about everyone he'd lost over the decades. — "We so often don't say what we need to say. What's truly important. We keep our feelings inside, hide them behind pride, behind the fear of appearing weak. And then it's too late. And we're left with regrets."

"And then we live with those regrets for the rest of our lives," — Steve added, placing a firm hand on Bucky's shoulder in a gesture of support and understanding.

Loki was crying now. He cut to the elevator scene in Ragnarok.
Thor said he thought they would fight side by side forever.

In the viewing room, Thor was crying now, too. Memories of his brother, of what they had been like, washed over him like a wave.

Thor, Loki, Valkyrie, and Hulk stood on the Bifrost Bridge facing Hela.
The scene changed to the refugee ship. Thor finally admitted that Loki wasn't so bad after all.

Thor's tears grew even louder.

Loki transported the hologram to 2018.

In the audience, Thor's face instantly turned an unhealthy, ashen gray. His entire body tensed. He knew exactly what he would see next. He knew, and there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop it, to change it.

Everyone else in the room tensed too, their faces hardening, their lips pressed into thin lines. They knew, too. They remembered this nightmare.

The Asgardian refugee ship. Bodies everywhere—men, women, children. Blood on the walls. And at the center of this hell, like the embodiment of death, is Thanos.

"Bastard," — Clint muttered through clenched teeth, his hands clenching into fists.

"Monster," — Natasha added venomously, her eyes narrowing to dangerous slits.

"Genocidal maniac," — Wanda hissed, her body beginning to glow faintly with rage. She remembered from the movies how that damn Titan had killed her Vision.

In the hologram, Loki from 2018 is breathing heavily, raggedly. His face is bloodied, broken, his body covered in multiple wounds and abrasions. But despite the pain, despite the knowledge of doom, he doesn't give up. He suddenly makes a desperate lunge toward Thanos, a hidden knife materializing in his hand, the blade aiming straight for the Titan's throat—but his hand is stopped a millimeter from the Titan's throat by the Space Stone's force field.

Everyone winced in frustration.

"He was so close..." — Peter whispered, disappointed.

"It was a lost cause from the start. And Loki knew it," — Tony said, placing a hand on his protégé's shoulder.

"He sacrificed himself for his brother," — Bucky added, his voice filled with a personal, bitter understanding of that choice. — "The last, greatest act of true love."

Loki, watching the footage, clenched his fists. His eyes were filled with anger, not just at Thanos, but at the situation itself.
Thanos told Loki to choose his next words wisely as he strangled the 2018 Loki.

In the audience, Thor roared with helpless, all-consuming rage.

Everyone else stared at the screen, unable to look away, unable to breathe.

Everyone in the audience couldn't help but sympathize with Loki—this young god who, in the last hour, had learned of the death of his mother, then his father, and now was witnessing his own predetermined death. This should have broken anyone. Destroyed their psyche completely.

"After everything, absolutely everything, he's been through," — Peter whispered, his young voice trembling. — "Is this the end? Strangled like an animal? Is this all that awaits him?"

"It's unfair," — Wanda shook her head in anger. — "He deserved so much better. He deserved a real chance at redemption, at healing from his injuries, at happiness. At a normal life."

Loki slowly approached the hologram. "You...will never be...a god."

Everyone present quickly closed their eyes and turned away, not wanting to see the terrible thing that would happen in the next second. But the sound...they still heard the sound.

Loki gasped and turned away, seeing his future self die. The sound of 2018 Loki's neck breaking could be heard.

Everyone felt sick at the sound. Physically sick.

"Thanos will never, EVER have the chance to do this again," — Thor growled, his voice filled with absolute, deadly determination. His body trembled with suppressed, colossal rage. Lightning literally danced across his skin, the air around him hummed. — "NEVER." I swear by all the gods of Asgard. I will find him. I will hunt him to the ends of the universe. And he will die. Slowly. Painfully. He will learn the hard way what it means to kill a member of Odin's kin. What it means to anger the God of Thunder."

"We will all help," — Steve firmly placed a firm hand on Thor's shoulder, his voice full of promise. — "You have my word. Thanos will answer for absolutely everything he's done. For every death. For every pain. For every crime."

When the feed ended, the hologram changed to END OF FILE.

"END OF FILE?!" — Steve exploded with righteous indignation, jumping to his feet. — "This is life! The full life of a sentient, sentient being! With all its hopes, dreams, suffering, love! And they coldly call this just a file?! A data set?!"

"To the TVA, it's just a file," — Bruce said grimly, his voice devoid of its usual warmth. — "Just data to be classified and processed. One of millions, billions of timelines. One of countless thousands of versions of Loki from different realities. Just information in their database. Nothing personal. Nothing human."

"This is absolutely, monstrously disgusting," — Rhodey shook his head in disgust. — "Utterly inhumane. They've turned lives into statistics."

"Loki just learned the full, detailed history of his predetermined life," — Peter said quietly, his young voice trembling with sympathy. — "Including the precise, horrific end. He now knows exactly how and when he'll die. Who will kill him. How painful it will be. This... this is terrible, unbearable information to receive. To know your death in advance."

"He just learned with absolute certainty that he will never have a happy ending," — Wanda added quietly. — "No matter what he does next, no matter how desperately he tries to change, to atone, to become a better person... his predetermined fate is to die at the hands of Thanos. Strangled. Alone. Surrounded by the corpses of his people."

Loki suddenly let out a sound on the screen—a short, bitter, utterly humorless laugh.

Everyone in the room shuddered at the terrible sound—there was absolutely nothing cheerful or joyful about it. Only pain, despair, and a bitter realization.

"That's a terrible, heartbreaking laugh," — Scott whispered, cringing. — "Like someone who has just completely, utterly broken inside."

"Or realized the complete, utter meaninglessness of his entire existence," — Bucky added, his own voice deadened by the realization. — "When you realize your life is just a file. That you're a puppet in someone else's play."

The door opened, and B-15 entered, asking what was so funny.

Thor frowned, his face contorted with distaste. — "I really don't like Hunter B-15. Not one bit."

The door closed. He spoke of her "glorious destiny" and turned to face her.

Everyone tensed.

"There's going to be a fight now," — Tony said, with anticipation, stating the obvious.

B-15 and Loki began to fight furiously. Despite his emotional exhaustion, Loki fought desperately, using every dirty trick in his power. She expertly twisted his arm and slammed his face into the table.
But Loki didn't give up. His free hand darted toward the Time Twister on the table. Grabbing the device, he abruptly pushed it away, using force.
He frantically pressed the button on the Time Twister, removed his own time collar, and with a swift, deft movement, placed it around B-15's neck, snapping the lock shut.

Everyone in the room looked on smugly and with satisfaction.

"HA!" — Scott clapped his hands joyfully. — "Now she gets to try her own damn medicine! What's that like?!"

"Justice has been served," — Natasha nodded with a satisfied, predatory smile.

"Karma works," — Wanda added.

B-15 tried to hit him, but Loki used Time Twister to make her disappear.

"YES!" — several people in the audience shouted simultaneously, jumping up from their seats.

"That was INCREDIBLY nice to watch," — Sam said with a wide, satisfied grin.

"Revenge is a dish best served cold," — Rhodey added philosophically with a smirk.

Loki held his breath, studying the device. Then he handed B-15 back—she materialized with a look of shock on her face. He made her disappear again, experimenting. His head tilted in pure scientific curiosity.

"Wait," — Bruce leaned forward, interested, his scientific mind racing. — "He's going to... play with her? Experiment with her?"

"I know exactly what he's planning. That's classic, typical Loki," — Thor chuckled through the last of his tears, his lips twitching into a smile.

Then, out of pettiness, Loki made B-15 return and disappear several times. He brings her back. He makes her disappear again. He brings her back. He makes her disappear. He brings her back. He repeats this process over ten times.

"Oh, my," — Wanda covered her mouth, trying to hold back her laughter, but her eyes gleamed with amusement. — "He's really just having fun with her. Playing with her like a cat with a mouse."

"Matter and revenge again, huh, little brother?" — Thor smiled, his voice full of love and nostalgia. — "Classic, incorrigible Loki. Vindictive, petty, and absolutely incapable of passing up an opportunity to tease, humiliate, or cause discomfort."

"She totally deserved it," — Natasha said between fits of laughter, — "After she constantly tried to throw him off, to erase him. After all the cold insults and threats."

"Karma," — Sam agreed, his smile wide. — "Beautiful, sweet, just karma in action."

He tossed Time Twister onto the table. In the hallway, Casey was talking to two people about Loki and how B-15 had cut off his shopping cart.

"A cart literally overflowing with priceless Infinity Stones," — Wanda said, shaking her head in disbelief. "I still can't psychologically get used to this absurd reality."

"I never thought I'd hear the phrase," — Natasha added sarcastically, — "'Cut off a shopping cart full of Infinity Stones.' That sounds like a bad, absurd joke from a comedy sketch."

B-15 appeared before him, and Casey told her that Variant had escaped.

"My little brother certainly knows how to effectively cause chaos and panic," — Thor smirked contentedly.

In the Theater of Time, Loki held the Tesseract in his hand. He sat down and rested his head in his hands. The door opened.

"If it's that woman again, I swear..." — Thor began, but stopped when Mobius spoke.

"I can't go back, can I?" Loki asked quietly, his head down, his voice devoid of its usual bravado. "Back to my timeline. To 2012."

"They probably don't fully understand how terrible, how totalitarian, these so-called Time Guardians are," — Sam said bitterly.

"I don't think you can technically go back right now," — Steve said slowly, carefully, his voice full of sympathy.

Mobius said nothing.

"I don't understand how Mobius can think any of this is normal," — Steve shook his head. — "Arresting people for making choices. Erasing entire timelines. Using the Infinity Stones as office supplies."

"Brainwashing doesn't just work through torture," — Bucky said quietly. — "Sometimes it's just... a belief system. You're told over and over again that what you're doing is right. That you're protecting order. That sacrifices are necessary."

"And eventually, you start to believe," — Natasha finished.

"I suppose Mobius truly believes he's doing the right thing," — Bruce agreed. — "That he's protecting reality from chaos."

"I don't enjoy hurting people," Loki said suddenly, his voice shaking with suppressed emotion, almost breaking.

Everyone in the room froze instantly, holding their breath.

Thor jerked upright, his eyes widening with shock and hope.

"I didn't like it," — Loki continued, his voice full of sincerity and pain. He finally raised his head, meeting Mobius's gaze. — "I... I did terrible things because I had to." Because I was ordered to. Because I simply had no other choice. None at all."

A deathly silence fell over the viewing room.

"Here it is," — Thor whispered, his own voice breaking completely with emotion. — "Here is the real, naked truth about my brother. Finally. After so many years of lies, masks, misunderstanding. He never, not for a second, wanted to be a villain. Never took pleasure in hurting the innocent."

"It's part of the illusion. It's a cruel, elaborate trick devised by the weak to instill fear. As you well know."

Everyone was stunned.

"There," — Natasha nodded affirmatively, pointing to the screen. — "I told you he's projecting. An illusion of power, built on fear."

"Self-awareness," — Bruce nodded. — "He understands now. He realizes that what he said about the TVA... was actually describing himself."

Thor's face twisted in pain at this realization. His brother had been screaming for help this whole time, projecting his trauma through the projection, but no one had heard. No one had understood.

Until now.

"A desperate play for control," Mobius said. "You know yourself."
"Villain," Loki breathed, the word escaping like a confession, like a self-inflicted sentence.

One simple word. So short, so mundane. But filled with such an incredible, crushing amount of self-loathing, guilt, and despair that absolutely everyone in the room physically felt the pain, like a blow.

"NO!" — Thor exploded, jumping to his feet so abruptly that his chair toppled over. Lightning danced across his body. — "NO! You're not a villain! You're a victim! A victim of Thanos, a victim of brainwashing, a victim of monstrous circumstances, a victim of a system that methodically broke you!"

"But he doesn't see himself that way," — Wanda added sadly, understandingly, her voice trembling. — "To himself, he's still an unforgivable villain. A monster. Because he personally committed terrible things, killed innocent people, caused pain—even if he was forced to, even if he couldn't control himself."

"Victim guilt," — Natasha said quietly, her voice full of personal understanding. — "The heaviest, most devastating burden of all. To know rationally that you were controlled, broken, that it was not your fault—and yet still blame yourself for every single action, every single murder. To bear that guilt for the rest of your life."

"I see it differently," Mobius said, even softly.

Thor nodded in agreement.

Loki looked down and picked up the Tesseract.
"Have you tried using it yet?" Mobius asked with a grin.
"Oh, several times," Loki said. "Even an Infinity Stone is useless here."

Strange looked physically ill, his face greenish, as he stared at the Tesseract in Loki's hands. He still couldn't—he simply couldn't—fully accept, psychologically process this horrifying truth.

Endless years of arduous training. Years of devoted service. The Ancient One's sacred oath to protect the Time Stone at any cost, even with her own life.

And here, in this place, these powerful Stones are just useless, pretty paperweights for office papers.

"Thanos would definitely have a complete existential crisis and a nervous breakdown to boot," — Tony said, trying to lighten the unbearably heavy atmosphere with a weak joke. — "His entire grand, monstrous plan to methodically destroy exactly half of intelligent life in the universe for the sake of 'balance'... and suddenly it turns out his sacred Stones only work in strictly defined realities, dimensions. That there are places where they are completely useless."

Loki said the TVA is a formidable force.
Mobius says that's his experience and offers Loki something better.

Everyone in the room looked at Mobius with great apprehension and wariness.

"It better be something truly exceptional," — Tony warned seriously. — "Because after absolutely everything this guy's been through today—the humiliation, the death of his mother, his own death—he deserves something truly worthwhile. Not another deception."

"A dangerous, especially dangerous rogue Variant is systematically killing our Minutemen," Mobius began to explain seriously. "Several units have already been completely wiped out. And we need help to stop him."
Loki raised an eyebrow skeptically. "And you need the God of Deception, the God of Mischief, to stop a killer?"

Everyone was stunned.

"Wait, what?" — Steve leaned forward. — "Why Loki? Why not use more of your own agents?"

"Why me? Why not use more of your own highly trained agents?". Mobius paused, then said, "Because the Variant we've been desperately hunting for so long, constantly eluding us... is you. Another version of you."

Everyone in the room simultaneously, synchronously, dropped their jaws in absolute shock.

"You're fucking kidding!" — Peter screamed, jumping up.

"No way," — Bucky gasped, stunned, not believing what he'd just heard.

"Another, alternate version of Loki?!" — Tony asked, completely stunned. — "How many different versions of Loki are there in the multiverse?!"

"The multiverse is theoretically infinite," — Stephen reminded him philosophically. — "Therefore, there could be countless versions of Loki. Each with their own history, their own choices."

"The Minutemen died from multiple stab wounds!" — Thor sat up abruptly, his eyes lighting up with understanding. — "And Loki has always, ever since he was a child, preferred knives! "He loves stabbing people with blades! It's his signature style!"

Bruce looked at Thor warily, apprehensively, still unable to fully believe or psychologically accept that wild story about how Loki had once, as a child, transformed into a completely harmless snake, and when little Thor delightedly picked it up, transformed back and stabbed his brother. Just for fun.

Loki raised his eyebrows, shocked. "Excuse me?"

"That mysterious, dangerous guy in medieval France, in the 1500s," — Steve slapped his forehead in realization. — "That girl was pointing at a stained-glass window depicting the devil, but she wasn't referring to a religious figure at all—she was referring to Loki! They both have the distinctive horns on their heads!"

Everyone let out loud sounds of sudden understanding, of recognition.

"OF COURSE!" — Wanda exclaimed, her eyes widening. — "That explains absolutely everything! Why she was so terrified! Why she called him the devil, the fiend of hell, with such terror!"

"So, Evil Loki versus our relatively less evil Loki," — Tony murmured thoughtfully, his scientific mind already running through the options. — "The God of Mischief versus... who? The more dangerous, more cruel God of Mischief? The God of Malice? The God of Murder?"

"This will definitely be incredibly interesting to watch," — Rhodey agreed with intense curiosity. — "Very, very interesting. Loki versus Loki."

The forest is shown from above, and the caption "Salina, Oklahoma, 1858" appears. A time door opens as Minutemen walk through, time sticks at the ready.

"Oklahoma?" — Rhodey drawled curiously. — "Not the most popular place for time crime. What could you steal there in the mid-19th century? A cow?"

"1858," — Peter looked at the screen with delight. — "The Wild West, the gold rush is almost upon us... That's quite an era!"

"Time heist would be a lot easier if our Variants had access to such doors," — Bruce noted. — "No quantum tunnel calculations required, just step in and you're there."

U-92 spotted oil on the landscape and smelled it. He figured some idiot had found a time machine and returned here to get rich.

Everyone laughed.

"I'd totally do that if I had a time machine!" — Wanda smiled. — "Why fight robots when you can just buy an island with oil money?"

"Tony could build one," — Natasha winked.

"And risk the technology falling into the wrong hands?" — Stark snorted. — "No way. Although the island idea sounds tempting."

"I wonder if Old Steve got rich off his knowledge of the future?" — Bucky mused.

"I hope so," — Steve grinned slyly.

"The first thing I'd do is invest in Apple or Stark Industries!" — Peter added happily. — "I'd be richer than Mr. Stark!"

A Minuteman spotted a figure in the distance.
They readied their Time Sticks. Variant Loki dropped the lantern, and the oil ignited. The Minutemen burned too.

Everyone gasped. The brutality of the scene shocked even the seasoned Avengers.

"It was a trap," — Steve said, his expression darkening. — "He wasn't just hiding. He lured them into a massacre."

"Who was that? Another Loki?" — Thor stared at the dark figure standing in the flames. His voice trembled with tension.

U-92 crawled to detonate the charge, but Variant Loki pulled him away. Variant Loki took the charge release and stood in the flames. All that remained was a silhouette in the flames.

"We were just told Variant was collecting these charges for the drop," — Natasha said with realization, recalling the information.

"If only we knew why," — Tony snorted.

"Well, that was dramatic at the end," — Scott said.

"That's Variant Loki. Apparently they're all dramatic bastards," — Clint chuckled.

Chapter Text

At the TVA, Loki was looking at a glossy photo of a jet ski in his magazine, clearly longing for something more interesting than studying. He sat at a desk in the sterile TVA workroom, his feet casually propped up on the table in a pose of complete relaxation.

"Is he actually reading this attentively, or is he just a master at pretending?" — Clint asked with a smirk, watching Loki's body language.

"Knowing my brother, he's perfectly capable of doing both simultaneously," — Thor replied with a smile. — "Reading and remembering every word, every detail, analyzing the information on multiple levels—and yet appearing completely disinterested, bored. It's one of his many talents."

"Multitasking at the level of a thousand-year-old god," — Tony nodded with professional respect.

"Okay, let's quickly review what we just learned," Miss Minutes voice sounded cloyingly sweet from the holographic projector. "What happens when a temporary event crosses the red line?"

Everyone in the room tensed, leaning forward, listening intently. Everyone wanted to know more about the TVA, about the multiverse, about the mysterious rules that supposedly govern reality itself.

"Very bad things," Loki said monotonously, still staring at the Jet Ski magazine, his face completely indifferent.

The entire room simultaneously snorted with laughter.

"The most evasive, technically correct answer in history," — Tony laughed, shaking his head.

"Give me a more specific, detailed answer, idiot," — Sam added with a broad grin.

"Classic Loki," — Natasha shook her head with a professional grin. — "A completely technically correct answer that provides absolutely no useful, concrete information."

The camera panned to Loki's full form—he was now dressed in a standard-issue brown TVA uniform, a cross between office attire and a prison uniform.

"I hate seeing him in their clothes," — Thor frowned, looking at his brother in those impersonal clothes. — "It's like... like they're trying to methodically erase his identity. Turn him into a faceless cog in their machine. Make him one of them."

"He looks like a prisoner in a work camp," — Bucky remarked darkly, his own metal hand clenching involuntarily at the memory. — "Standard-issue uniform. An identification number instead of a name. A personality completely reduced to the impersonal term 'Variant.'"

"Dehumanization," — Vision added quietly. — "The first step in turning a man into a tool."

Miss Minutes sighed dramatically. "Loki, be a dear and give me the correct, complete answer."
Loki sighed heavily, finally putting the journal down with obvious reluctance. "This is the critical point where the TVA can no longer physically reset, erase a Nexus event from reality. Okay? Satisfied? Boring as hell."

"Wait!" — Tony sat up abruptly, his eyes widening in realization. — "The TVA can't reset a Nexus event after it crosses the red line? The same organization that can render Infinity Stones completely useless? That exists entirely outside the normal flow of time? That seemed omnipotent? POWERLESS after a certain critical point?"

"That's incredibly important, valuable information," — Stephen nodded, his analytical mind quickly processing the implications. — "So the TVA definitely has specific limitations. Limits to their power. They're not as omnipotent as they pretend".

"And what exactly happens after a timeline crosses that red line?" — Wanda asked, her voice filled with growing concern. — "What happens to that particular timeline? Does it just... continue to exist independently? Or does something catastrophically bad happen to it?"

"Something very, very bad, I'm sure," — Thor said grimly, his brows drawing together. — "Otherwise, the TVA wouldn't be making such desperate, systematic efforts to avoid it at all costs. They wouldn't be wasting so many resources."

"Could this really be the beginning of that multiversal war?" — Stephen suggested, his face visibly paling at the thought. — "That catastrophic war their propaganda training tape so dramatically spoke of? Could this be a real, present threat, and not just a scare tactic for control?"

"Or is that just what they desperately want everyone to think and believe?" — Sam folded his arms skeptically. — "Seriously, who even knows if that saccharine video was telling a word of truth? It looked like pure, unvarnished TVA propaganda. Classic 'Trust us, we know best, don't ask questions.'"

"Absolutely right," — Steve agreed emphatically. — "We cannot and should not take their words at face value. Not after absolutely everything we've seen about this organization today."

"That's right, Loki," Miss Minutes continued, her animated face still saccharine. "And if a nexus event crosses the red line, it will inevitably lead to the irreversible destruction of the entire timeline and the complete collapse of reality as we know it."

Everyone in the room physically winced at these apocalyptic words.

"Reality collapse," — Bruce repeated very quietly, his voice almost a whisper. — "Not just one timeline. Not just one world. An entire reality. Possibly multiple realities."

"The multiverse will descend into absolute, uncontrollable madness," — Stephen whispered, his usually steady hands visibly shaking. — "Cascading temporal paradoxes, collapsing realities, endless wars between alternate versions of the same beings vying for dominance..."

"That sounds like a real, literal nightmare," — Wanda added, her face pale.

"If that's true," — Rhodey reminded him. — "A big 'if.' We know the TVA is lying."

Onscreen, Loki asked the hologram, bored, "Miss Minutes, can you actually hear me right now, or is this just a prerecorded educational program that automatically responds to keywords?"

"Most likely an incredibly advanced AI," — Tony said quickly, his scientific mind instantly appreciating the technology. — "But look at the smoothness of the animation, the naturalness of the speech patterns, the ability to adapt to unexpected questions in real time. It's far beyond anything we can currently create on Earth."

"This is a true artificial intelligence, with perhaps the beginnings of true consciousness," — Peter added with genuine awe, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. — "Incredible."

Miss Minutes happily replied, "Both, my dear! I'm both a recording and a living consciousness at the same time!"

Peter and Tony exchanged impressed glances, their scientific minds appreciating the complexity of such technology.

"This is really cool," — Peter admitted sincerely.

Loki studied the hologram carefully, then glanced around, making sure no one was watching. A mischievous expression took on a look of mischief. Then, with a sharp movement, he tried to hit Miss Minutes with a rolled-up magazine, trying to test how physically real she was.

The entire room instantly erupted in loud laughter.

"I can't believe this is the same guy who invaded New York with an army of Chitauri!" — Scott shook his head, wiping away tears of laughter. — "From a world conqueror to a guy who tries to hit a holographic AI with a magazine!"

"People change," — Wanda remarked quietly through her laughter, but her eyes were serious. — "Especially after deep trauma. Especially when they're forcibly shown another possible path. When they see that their old life was a lie."

"Or when they suddenly realize that their old methods of domination simply don't work in the new reality," — Natasha added philosophically.

Miss Minutes jumped deftly, easily avoiding the blow, and said sternly, "Hey! Watch that, young man!"
Loki grinned mischievously and stubbornly tried to hit the hologram again, his movements quick and precise.

Everyone continued to laugh, unable to stop.

"He's like a stubborn child testing boundaries!" — Wanda could barely speak for laughing.

"Stop that right now," Miss Minutes warned, but then her animated face turned to the computer screen and she added under her breath, "Jerk."

"SHE CALLED HIM A JERK!" — Peter was literally laughing so hard he could barely breathe, clutching his stomach. — "A holographic artificial intelligence just called a thousand-year-old god of mischief a jerk! That's the best!"

"I'm dying," — Tony wiped away tears of laughter, his shoulders shaking. — "That's absolutely the best thing I've seen in the last month."

"TVA is morally appalling," — Rhodey tried to catch his breath from a fit of laughter. — "Their code of ethics is disgusting. Their methods are completely unethical. But their technology? Their technology is absolutely, fucking amazing."

"That's a fair assessment," — Bruce agreed, nodding.

The door opened, and Mobius walked in, holding a folder of documents. He approached Loki, eyeing the young god appraisingly. "How's the intense training going, Loki?"

"If 'intense' means philosophically arguing with Miss Minute and dreamily flipping through a magazine about Earth jet skis instead of studying the material, then yes, the training is going just fine," — Sam commented sarcastically with a smirk.

"Yes, excellent," Loki replied, his tone completely unperturbed.
"Is that my jet ski magazine?" Mobius asked, pointing to the table.
"Aha," Loki nodded, showing no trace of guilt.
"Give it back immediately," Mobius took the magazine.
"Good, time to get going. Put this on." Mobius tossed Loki a dark jacket.
Loki stood up, his movements smooth and graceful, and caught the jacket with one hand.

"I have to admit, the TVA uniform suits him very well," — Rhodey suddenly remarked. — "It looks... professional."

"Although I don't like seeing him in their clothes," — Thor muttered.

"There's been an attack. Let's go."

"I'm guessing it's the attack in Wisconsin," — Sam said.

"But they won't find Variant Loki," — Bucky said. — "Variant already left with C-20 as a hostage."

Loki stood up and put on his jacket. Later, Mobius, Loki, B-15, and a couple of Minutemen stood in a circle; B-15 was talking about C-15 and her team going missing after entering the 1985 branch. She said all signs pointed to another ambush.

Everyone winced.

"Definitely another ambush," — Bruce said.

"We've picked up enough of the temporal aura to know it's our version of Loki."

"Aha!" — Clint exclaimed with realization. — "So temporal auras are how the TVA tracks Variants! Because all versions of a single being have the same temporal aura!"

"So all my variants will have the same temporal aura as me?" — Peter asked curiously.

"According to B-15, yes," — Stephen nodded. — "It's like... a temporal fingerprint. Unique to you as a being, but shared by all your versions."

"Amazing," — Peter breathed.

"But which Loki remains unknown," B-15 said.

"Excuse me, which version of Loki? Wait. There's more than one active one?!" — Steve sat up abruptly, his eyes widening.

His voice rose involuntarily, in genuine surprise and growing alarm.

Thor looked both wary and... oddly pleased? Almost exhilarated at the thought of even more versions of his little brother.

Everyone else in the room looked downright horrified by the prospect.

"One was already more than problematic enough!" — Clint exclaimed, his voice rising. — "Now you're saying there are multiple?! Active ones?!"

"An infinite number of versions, technically speaking," — Stephen reminded him philosophically, though even his voice sounded slightly tense. — "The multiverse is theoretically limitless in all directions."

"I absolutely hate to think about literally trillions of different Lokis," — Tony groaned sincerely, covering his face with his hands.

"And I do," — Thor said with a wide, almost childish smile, his eyes lighting up.

"Of course you do," — Rhodey sighed heavily, shaking his head. — "Of course."

Loki said it was a smaller version. B-15 asked to see the back of Loki's jacket. Loki turned his back, and everyone saw that it read "VARIANT."
Mobius and B-15 chuckled. Loki turned and said, "Very subtle. Well done."

"I don't think they were aiming for subtlety," — Natasha chuckled. — "It's a brand. So every guard knows: this isn't a colleague, but a dangerous flaw in reality."

"I don't want anyone to forget who you are."
"Oh, is this your only hope of catching the killer?"
"No. A cosmic error."

Everyone in the room winced at the cruelty of those words.

"Loki isn't a cosmic error!" — Thor shouted furiously, jumping up. — "He's my brother! He's a person! He's not a mistake!"

"That was truly unnecessarily harsh," — Peter agreed quietly, his face expressing genuine sympathy. — "Even for the TVA, who have already proven themselves cruel. It was... a personal insult."

"She really does hate him," — Scott remarked, frowning. — "Deeply, personally. This isn't just a matter of duty for her. It's revenge."

"100% personal, irrational resentment," — Natasha nodded.

Mobius intervened and said that was enough.

"At least someone in this monstrous organization is trying to behave relatively decently and professionally," — Steve nodded with cautious approval.

"He's still working voluntarily for the oppressive Time Police," — Rhodey reminded him, his voice hard and unyielding. — "Actively arresting innocent people for daring to make free, personal choices. Helping erase entire timelines full of living beings. Utilizing a system that systematically violates every basic right of a sentient being."

Thor frowned, looking at Mobius on the screen. He hadn't forgotten—and never, ever would—that cruel, calculated comment about Loki supposedly being responsible for Frigga's death.

It was too cruel. Too personal. Too precisely calculated to inflict maximum psychological pain in the most vulnerable spot.

Thor won't forgive this easily.

"Pretty," Loki said.
"Here's the thing. When we reach the branch, we won't be looking for just any Time Criminal. We'll be looking for Loki. A version of that guy." Mobius points at Loki.

"Dude, just picture it—two completely different Lokis in the same place and time. Double the chaos. Double the problems," — Clint chuckled softly.

"Double the fun and mischief," — Tony added playfully.

"A particular type of criminal we should all be extremely familiar with," Mobius continued seriously, "because the TVA has really, really whittled down the population of these guys over the centuries. Loki variants are easily the most frequently erased category in the entire history of the organization."

Everyone blinked in surprise, processing this information.

Thor frowned sharply, his face darkening with mounting anger. The TVA had methodically, systematically eliminated countless versions of his beloved little brother. Ruthlessly. Coldly. As if they were simply pests to be exterminated.

How many versions of Loki had been completely erased from existence? Forever. How many different timelines were mercilessly destroyed simply because Loki dared to make a "wrong," unapproved choice?

"It's... logical from their twisted perspective," — Clint murmured slowly, his voice thoughtful. — "Loki is naturally unpredictable. Prone to chaos. Multiple versions of Loki acting simultaneously... potentially catastrophic for their 'sacred' timeline."

"A reasonable strategy for eliminating threats," — Sam agreed neutrally.

Mobius activated a large holographic projector, and dozens of different images of Loki from alternate realities appeared in the air.
The first to be shown was Frost Giant Loki—tall, with blue skin covered in intricate frost patterns, and bright red eyes.

Thor looked at this version of his brother with great interest, almost awe, greedily absorbing the details. He had never seen Loki in his true, original Jotun form before—the form his brother so desperately hated and rejected.

Loki looked... striking. Alien, but beautiful in his own way. Thor noticed that the main features of his face remained recognizable—the same high cheekbones, the same straight nose, the same sharp chin. But his eyes had become a piercing, bright red, almost glowing, and looked incredibly expressive, mesmerizing.

"Wait, Loki is naturally blue?" — Scott asked, leaning forward with genuine surprise.

"This is his biological form," — Thor explained, not taking his eyes off the image. — "Jotun skin and the markings of the Laufey royal line."

"This really does look incredibly cool," — Peter said in amazement, examining the hologram in detail. — "Those intricate patterns on the skin, like frost crystals, those bright red glowing eyes... he looks... majestic. Like a prince from an ice fairytale."

Everyone nodded reluctantly in agreement. Even in his blue Jotun uniform, Loki looked striking, captivating.

Next, Cyclist Loki appeared—wearing professional racing gear, riding a racing bike, and holding a trophy.

"Did Loki actually win the Tour de France in some timeline?" — Bucky asked, clearly surprised by this theory.

"Well done, alternate Loki," — Wanda nodded approvingly with a smile. — "Physical activity and sports are very beneficial for mental health. Apparently, in that timeline, he found a healthier way to prove himself the best."

"Of course," — Stephen rubbed the bridge of his nose wearily. — "Naturally. Of course, there's a timeline where Loki is a professional cyclist. Why not?"

"And remember—no two timelines are exactly alike," Mobius continued to explain. "Small differences in appearance, personality, abilities, or... very, very significant differences."

"So, variations of the same person can look completely, radically different from the original version," — Peter realized, his scientific mind quickly processing the concept. — "It's incredibly interesting from a genetic standpoint. I wonder if all my potential variations look roughly like me, or if some look completely different? Maybe there's a tall Peter Parker out there somewhere? Or a female Peter Parker? Or an Asian Peter Parker?"

"Statistically, all of these versions probably exist somewhere in the infinite multiverse," — Stephen replied, his voice confident. — "Every possibility is realized in some reality."

Suddenly, a massive, green, muscular Hulk Loki, wearing a horned helmet, appeared on the projector.
Loki looked at this version of himself on the screen with frank surprise, almost shock.

Everyone in the viewing room did the same.

"HULK LOKI?!" — Bruce looked completely dumbfounded, his mouth hanging open in shock. — "How is that biologically possible? Jotun blood combined with gamma radiation? That's... that's a theoretically unstable atomic bomb on legs!"

"I bet Hulk Loki definitely wasn't humiliatingly crushed by the regular Hulk," — Clint said with a smirk. — "Quite the opposite—a Hulk Loki would probably easily crush the Hulk of our timeline like an insect."

"I... I absolutely don't want to get involved with him," — Tony admitted honestly, his face turning pale. — "Absolutely. Absolutely. Never. Under any circumstances."

"I'm also categorically in favor of peaceful coexistence," — Scott quickly agreed, nodding.— "Preferably in different galaxies."

But the next image made everyone freeze.

A new variant appeared—an apparently young cyborg in black, menacing battle armor with multiple metal limbs. Above the image, ominous text pulsed in bright red letters: "LOKI - CHILD OF THANOS. THREAT LEVEL: CRITICAL MAXIMUM."
The Loki on the screen suddenly paled, his face turning chalky white. He stared at his nightmarish alternate self in a state of absolute, paralyzing shock.

A dead, absolutely oppressive, suffocating silence descended upon the viewing room.

"Oh no," — Thor whispered, his massive face white as death, his eyes wide with horror. — "Oh no, no, no, no..."

His voice broke on every word.

"WHAT IS THIS?!" — Peter pointed at the screen with a trembling hand, his voice breaking into a near-hysterical scream. — "WHAT IS THIS?! This can't be real!"

"Child of Thanos," — Natasha struggled to get the words out, absolute horror reflected in every syllable. — "This... this is exactly what Thanos systematically, methodically transforms his so-called 'children' into."

Everyone stared at the screen in a state of utter, paralyzing horror.

"He turned him into a fighting machine," — Wanda whispered, pressing her trembling hands to her lips, her voice breaking. — "A weapon. A killing instrument."

"This genocidal monster would have methodically, step by step, transformed him into exactly that," — Steve finished, his usually firm voice trembling, his face a look of pure, undisguised horror. — "A completely cybernetic machine for mass murder. A mechanical warrior, completely devoid of free will, personality, or humanity."

Thor clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white to the bone, then began to bleed from the strain. Powerful lightning sparked furiously around his trembling body, the air literally humming, vibrating with colossal, barely contained power.

"This absolutely monstrous titan," — his voice was a low, deadly growl, a promise of vengeance, — "didn't just brutally break my beloved little brother in our particular timeline. He deliberately, methodically turned several alternate versions of Loki into his own personal weapons of mass destruction. His own obedient, soulless Children. Erased their personalities. Replaced their bodies with machines."

"Critical maximum threat level," — Tony read, his voice completely hoarse, barely able to get the words out. — "Even the all-powerful TVA, which can render the Infinity Stones useless... is genuinely afraid of this particular Variant. Considers him an existential threat."

Loki the Necromancer appeared, his empty, lifeless eye sockets glowing with a mystical green fire, and a vast army of decaying undead behind him. The sign read: "THREAT LEVEL: VERY HIGH."

"Good God," — Wanda breathed, her face turning gray. — "How many horrible, nightmarish versions are there?"

No one answered this rhetorical question. The possible answer was too terrifying, too heartbreaking to utter.

"Various powers, though powers typically include…" Trickster Loki and Viking Loki were shown.

Everyone looked with visible relief at these much more normal, safer options after the previous absolute horrors.

"At least these look... relatively normal and safe," — Scott sighed deeply, immensely relieved. — "After all those horrific horrors. I'll take a trickster any day."

"Trickster Loki looks like a peaceful hippie compared to... the Child of Thanos," — Rhodey remarked, desperately trying to ease the unbearable tension with a weak joke. — "I guess this one just plays relatively harmless pranks, playing tricks on people, rather than... turning into a cybernetic god-killer."

"I'll gladly take hippie Loki any day of the week," — Tony agreed wholeheartedly, his voice still trembling.

"Physical shapeshifting, complex illusion projection, and my personal favorite..." Mobius began.
"Duplication-casting," Loki automatically corrected on the screen, his voice confident.
"Illusion-projection," Mobius continued stubbornly, ignoring the correction.

Stephen immediately shook his head with professional magical disapproval, his face expressing mild frustration.

"This is definitely a dubbing-casting," — he said firmly, adamantly. — "Completely different magical techniques."

Loki on the screen straightened, his youthful face expressing disapproval. "These are two completely, fundamentally different magical powers!"

"Exactly!" — Stephen nodded vigorously with obvious approval, his voice full of professional satisfaction. — "Finally, someone actually understands the critical difference between the techniques!"

"And what exactly is the difference between them?" — Sam asked, clearly genuinely intrigued by the magical theory.

"How exactly?" Mobius asked on the screen, clearly confused. Loki took a deep breath, his voice taking on the lecturing tone of a seasoned professor. "Illusion projection technically involves creating a detailed mental image from outside one's body, a visual illusion that is only perceived by the visual cortex of the external observer. Whereas duplication-casting fundamentally involves physically recreating a highly accurate copy of one's own body in its current temporal circumstances and state, which effectively acts as a true holographic mirror of its full molecular structure. The copy can act independently and physically interact with reality."

"OH!" — Peter practically jumped out of his seat with excitement, his eyes lighting up with understanding. — "So, duplication-casting is when Doctor Strange did that super-cool, incredible thing while actively fighting Thanos on Titan! He had, like, ten or twenty arms at once, and he created multiple copies of himself to attack!"

"Absolutely," — Strange nodded with a satisfied smile, clearly pleased that someone had understood, — "I created physical, tangible copies of myself that could act and attack completely independently."

"Hey, stop that right now!" — Tony scowled dramatically, gesturing accusingly at Peter. — "Don't steal my only protégé and turn him to the dark side..." — he winced dramatically, — "...to the side of magic and mysticism."

"Too late, Mr. Stark," — Peter grinned widely, his eyes sparkling. — "Magic really is incredibly cool! Much cooler than technology!"

"TRAITOR!" — Tony pressed his hand to his heart, feigning deep emotional wounding.

Stephen simply rolled his eyes at Tony's perfectly typical dramatics, but couldn't quite hide the satisfied smile on his face.

B-15 looked at Loki with bewilderment. Mobius raised his hands placatingly. "Okay, okay, Professor Loki. Take a breath. No need for a full lecture."
"We'll split into two separate teams," Mobius announced in a commanding tone. "Including myself and our consultant, Professor Loki."

Everyone in the room snorted at the nickname.

"Professor Loki," — Sam repeated with a genuine grin. — "Honestly, I really like that nickname. It suits him."

"It suits him," — Bruce agreed. — "When he's not trying to kill everyone, he delivers information in a surprisingly structured way."

"The explanation was indeed clear and detailed, though," — Wanda admitted honestly. — "Clear and professional. He's definitely a true expert in the theory and practice of magic."

"At least Mobius genuinely values ​​his vast knowledge and experience," — Steve noted approvingly. — "Not everyone at TVA treats him like useless trash or a cosmic mistake."

"Why?" one of the Minutemen asked. Mobius explained what the Variant was; they couldn't find it, so they wanted to bring in an expert.

"Using one Loki to hunt another... that's either pure genius or incredibly stupid strategically," — Clint shook his head. — "It's like putting out a fire with gasoline, hoping it's the right kind."

"Most likely both," — Natasha remarked philosophically. — "Mobius is betting that our Loki's ambition will outweigh his desire to help his copy."

Loki pointed to himself. "That's me."

"At least he's being completely honest about his unique abilities and knowledge," — Thor shrugged, but a deep worry still lingered in his intense eyes.

He physically couldn't forget the horrifying image of the Child of Thanos. The realization of how frighteningly close his beloved younger brother had come to becoming that... soulless cybernetic monster.

If Loki hadn't somehow escaped at the critical moment. If Thanos had been given more time to continue systematically breaking him, methodically replacing his organic body parts with cold mechanics, completely erasing the remnants of his personality and humanity...

Thor honestly didn't know what he would have done in such a situation. How he would have psychologically dealt with such a Loki. Could he even bring his brother back? Or would he have to kill him out of mercy? Could he even kill him...?

The squad prepares for the mission.
"Will they give me a weapon?" Loki asks.
"No."

"An excellent, wise answer," — Natasha said approvingly.

"A perfectly reasonable, logical decision, all things considered," — Steve agreed seriously. — "You absolutely cannot give the God of Mischief even a toothpick unless you want to get it in your back."

"Okay then," Loki chuckled, his face taking on a mischievous expression. "Then I'll just get my natural magic back as soon as we leave the TVA. Doesn't anyone care at all?"
"What exactly?" Mobius asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I will definitely betray you at the first opportunity," Loki stated calmly, almost casually, as if discussing the weather.

The entire room instantly erupted in loud laughter, despite all the tension and horror that had preceded it.

"He's openly warning them of his inevitable betrayal!" — Peter literally couldn't stop laughing, clutching his stomach. — "Who even does that?! What kind of traitor would honestly warn their victim?!"

"Loki does," — Thor smiled through the last of his unease, his voice thick with brotherly love and nostalgia. — "He's always been so strangely, paradoxically honest about his fundamental dishonesty. It's part of his charm."

"I think Mobius has gotten pretty good at handling him by now," — Clint murmured observantly. — "Look—he doesn't seem at all surprised or bothered by that statement."

"An organization that can easily render Infinity Stones completely useless," — Sam noted logically, — "certainly wouldn't be particularly concerned about the natural magic of a relatively young Loki, even a very talented one."

"Though such blunt honesty is oddly refreshing," — Natasha added with a professional grin. — "Most of the people I've worked with swore eternal loyalty before they pulled the trigger. And this one... it's almost respectful. In a very twisted way?"

"Strangely respectful," — Rhodey nodded. — "In a very, very strange way."

"No."
"Why not?"
"Because you already know we can catch you, and how betraying us will bring you closer to the Time Guardians?" Mobius explains.
"Is an audience with the Time Guardians already on the agenda?" Loki asks.
"Focus on that."

"I don't think he'll even be allowed to meet those guys," — Clint chuckled. — "Who would let a 'cosmic mistake' into the inner sanctum?"

"Of course not," — Natasha snorted. — "Mobius is just dangling the carrot. For Loki, the Time Guardians are a new Olympus he wants to conquer. And Mobius understands that perfectly well."

They pass through a time door to "Oshkosh, Wisconsin, 1985," the site of the recent attack.

"Oh, back at the Renaissance fair," — Tony drawled sarcastically. — "Because apparently evil versions of Loki love historical reenactments. It's so... theatrical."

"It's not technically the Renaissance," — Peter began. — "1985 is..."

"I know, Peter. It was a joke."

"Oh, right."

"Nexus signature found, ma'am."

"Wait," — Bucky frowned, leaning forward. — "I thought the Minitemen said there was no Nexus energy in this place? That it would appear later?"

"They said there's no Nexus energy yet," — Bruce corrected, removing his glasses and wiping them thoughtfully. — "That means the actual event that will change history will happen later, but its 'shadow' is already cast on the current moment. Timelines aren't straight lines, Bucky. They're... a dynamic system."

"Time paradoxes are giving me a headache," — Scott groaned.

"Welcome to my world," — Stephen sighed. — "Get used to it, this is just the beginning."

"Let me ask you: why don't we just go back in time, before the attack, when the Variant first appeared?"

"Yes!" — Scott pointed at the screen. — "Why didn't they do that?! It makes sense! Just go back a few hours!"

"Because it's the TVA," — Sam said, rolling his eyes. — "They have a manual for every little thing. Apparently, there's a bureaucratic rule: 'Don't cross your own tail,' or the whole thing will explode."

"The events of the Nexus are destabilizing the flow of time. This branch is still changing and growing, so you need to appear in real time," Mobius explains to Loki. "Did you watch any of the training videos you were supposed to?"

"I don't think he did," — Natasha snorted.

"Definitely not," —Clint agreed. — "Loki and 'manuals' don't mix."

"Well, as much as I can stand. Your TVA propaganda is getting tiresome."

"Exactly," — Steve said, nodding. — "I doubt they're telling the whole truth about anything. It all looks like a totalitarian regime: pretty pictures, smiling clocks, and a complete lack of choice."

"Control through information," — Bucky nodded. — "A classic tactic. If you control the past and the future, you control everyone."

"So what do the reset charges do?" Minuteman asked Loki.
"The reset charges reduce the blast radius of a branching timeline, allowing time to heal its wounds. Which, by the way, sounds like a nice way of saying they destroy everything," Loki explained, chuckling at the end.

"So they literally erase people from existence," — Peter whispered, his young face turning pale. — "Whole lives. Entire communities. Just... disappear."

"The TVA is institutional genocide," — Wanda said quietly, her voice shaking. — "They're wiping out entire timelines. Billions of lives. And they call it 'healing wounds.'"

"Euphemisms," — Stephen shook his head in disgust. — "You're not killing people, you're 'reducing the blast radius.' Classic linguistic manipulation."

"He's doing it," Mobius replied.
"I watched the videos."

"But did he watch all the videos? Or just some?" — Bruce frowned.

"I mean, some of them."

"Yeah, I was right," — Bruce chuckled. — "He scrolled to the interesting parts and closed the tab."

Inside the tent, the C-20 helmet still lay on the grassy floor.
"So he's taking hostages now?"
"Variant's never taken hostages before."

"I wonder why the change in tactics?" — Thor frowned.

"Variant Loki wants information," — Natasha leaned forward, her professional gaze assessing the situation. — "C-20 is a Hunter, she has access to TVA systems, knowledge of protocols. Variant is definitely planning something big. Something that requires inside information."

"Perhaps he's changing his game."
"Or he undercut her."
"Loki couldn't have done that with C-20."

"Mind control?" — Steve straightened. — "Loki can control people without the Scepter?"

"The Mind Stone enhanced it," — Thor explained. — "His own control magic is much more subtle and weak. It requires physical contact or deep suggestion. But if this Variant is a master of magic..."

"I think you're actually underestimating..." Loki said.
"Spread out and search for her," Hunter B-15 commands.

Everyone winced at her tone.

"They won't find her," — Sam leaned back confidently in his chair. — "Variant isn't stupid enough to sit and wait for them in a tent. He's already in another century or another world."

There's a beep. She takes out her TVA device.
"And hurry, we're three units from the red line."
"Come on."
"Come on," Mobius says to Loki.
Loki suspects something. "Wait..."
Everyone stops.

"He's up to something?" — Natasha narrowed her eyes. — "Or is he just stalling for time so he doesn't have to go back to the training videos?"

"He's probably trying to seize the initiative," — Steve noted. — "Loki doesn't like following orders; he wants to be the one leading the way."

"If you leave this tent, you'll end up like them," Loki warns Mobius, approaching him.

"What does he mean?" — Scott asked.

"What do you see?".
"I see a pattern, and in that pattern I see myself. We have a saying in Asgard: 'Where the wolf's ears are, there the wolf's teeth are.' It means to be wary of your surroundings. Which is absurd, because my people are, by nature, gullible fools."

"There he goes again," — Thor grumbled, rolling his eyes. — "We're not fools, we just value honor more than intrigue. But he's right about one thing: his ears were always sharper than ours. He heard whispers where we heard silence."

"A trait I, the God of Mischief, have used time and time again, simply by listening. My teeth were sharp, but my ears were even sharper."
"We don't have much time, Mobius," B-15 declared.
"Wait. Just give him a chance."

"She won't even listen to him," — Clint noted. — "To her, he's just a malfunctioning machine."

"Well, she'll have to deal with that," — Thor chuckled. — "When Loki starts talking, the only way to shut him up is with a gag, and even that doesn't always work."

"You remind me of them. Temporal Change Control and the gods of Asgard are one and the same."

"How?" — Thor asks.

"Drunk with power, blinded by the truth. Those you underestimate will consume you. You underestimate me, just as you underestimate this lesser Loki. That's why you walk into the jaws of one wolf after another."

"Good point," — Rhodey nodded. — "He draws a parallel between Odin's arrogance and the TVA's. Both believe they know the 'one true path.' And Loki is the very chaos that destroys that path."

"The way he just got us..." — Sam muttered. — "'The Lesser Loki will consume you.' Sounds like a prophecy."

The device beeps again. "Two ones. He's wasting our time."
"Okay. Come on, Loki, keep it short," Mobius tells him.
"We need to find C-20," says Huntress B-15.

"Well, good luck finding C-20, which isn't there," — Tony snorted.

"The option isn't waiting for him outside," — Steve shook his head. — "Loki's just bluffing. He's trying to negotiate his way into the leadership of this company."

"That's exactly what Variant wants from you. It's a trap. He's waiting for you outside this tent."

"Uh, no, that's not it," — Steve said.

"Should I ensure the charges are released?" Minuteman asks.
"No. He wants me. I'm the key to his plan. He knows I'm stronger."

"Looks like he's underestimating this other Loki," — Clint said.

Hunter B-15 takes out the device again. "Almost one unit."
"And he rightly believes that together we can overthrow the TVA and control it. But that's not what I want. I have a new goal.". "I am a servant of the Sacred Timeline." He winks at Huntress B-15.

"Oh, I don't even want to know what his 'new goal' is," — Thor said, rubbing his temples. — "Every time Loki says 'I have a new goal,' half of Asgard turns to rubble."

"'I am a servant of the Sacred Timeline,'" — Peter quoted Loki and chuckled. — "He even winked at her! He's such a bad liar when he's trying to be nice."

"And knowing what I now know of his tactics, I can provide you with an Variant," he says, approaching Mobius. "But I need guarantees."

"But what guarantees?" — Scott asked.

"Shh," — everyone hissed, their eyes still glued to the screen.

"Yeah?"
"Guarantees that I won't be completely corrupted the moment the job is done."
"Right..."
"And we need to talk to the Time Keepers immediately. They're in more danger than we thought."

"He's lying, isn't he?" — Steve realized.

"You know, I still don't believe the Time Keepers are real," — Tony said. — "It just seems too absurd."

"What do you find absurd?" — Steve asked. — "Not time travel or six magical stones destroying half the universe?"

"Okay, you're right."

The beeping sounded again. "He's lying. Just playing games. There's no one there."

"I told you he's not there," — Steve said.

"Reset the timeline," Hunter B-15 commanded. Minuteman activated the reset charge, which turned purple and erased everything around it.

Everyone watched, mesmerized.

"That's what happened to the 2012 timeline, right?" — Peter asked quietly. — "B-15 ordered the other Minutemen to reset the timeline in Mongolia."

"The 2012 timeline was a complete mess," — Sam said. — "Besides Loki escaping and Tony's heart attack, 2012 Steve fought 2023 Steve, and then 2012 Steve found out Bucky was alive."

"Don't forget, HYDRA thought Steve was on their side," — Bucky said, shaking his head. — "Fucking idiots."

"Well, at that point, it was the only way to get out of the elevator in one piece," — Steve chuckled, remembering his "Hail Hydra" in the elevator.

"You caught me there for a second. I have keen hearing too." Minuteman activates the reset charge, completely erasing everything that shouldn't be there. The timeline resets. But Hunter C-20 is now declared "missing in action."

"I wonder where exactly that led her," — Bruce mused. — "If she wasn't erased along with the tent, then the Variant is holding her somewhere TVA can't track."

"Or in a place that's already 'burned,'" — Natasha added. — "Our Loki just failed his first mission, but he learned the most important thing: Mobius is the only one willing to give him a second chance."

We're in Renslayer's office now. There are three charters of the Time Keepers in the office.
"Is it just me, or is this office just getting better and better?" Mobius asks.

"I don't know... This office seems sterile to me," — Scott shrugged. — "Like a display room, not a place where people actually live and work. There's nothing personal here except these strange trophies."

"This is a judge's office, Scott," — Steve noted. — "There's no room for personalities here, only the law."

"Where did you get that, the snow globe?" He points to a snow globe on one of the shelves. "I like them.".
"I don't remember returning that case.".
"You're not the only analyst working for me," Renslayer tells him, preparing two drinks.

"Oh, that's her," — Thor growled. — "The woman who keeps calling my brother 'Laufeyson.' She does it deliberately, to emphasize his 'wrongness,' his outcast status."

"She's the embodiment of that system, Thor," — Natasha replied quietly. — "To her, Loki is just a file to be closed."

"But maybe I'm your favorite?" Renslayer prepared the drinks. "And why do you keep all the trophies from my cases here? Don't you think I'd appreciate that roller skate decorating my cubicle?"
"Because I approve of missions."
Mobius nods. "Good point."
"By the way, let's talk about what you just failed."

"I have a feeling Loki was right when he said it earlier. Something definitely happened," — Thor straightened up.

She hands him a drink. "You might need this for our conversation."
He takes it. "I hope it's a double."
"This Variant... 'Defiant, Stubborn, Unpredictable.'" Renslayer leafs through the file.

"That seems about right," — Tony said.

Mobius takes another sip of his drink and sets it down on the table next to him.
"Mobius?". "What? Those rings were already there."

"Of course," — Clint said sarcastically.

"And they're all from you," Renslayer looks at him.
"Maybe it's from your other favorite analyst." He picks up the pad and sets the drink on it.

"Or maybe that other analyst is you," — Tony teased, though his eyes remained serious. — "Mobius is trying to defuse the situation, but he's on edge. He staked his reputation on the god of deception, and now he's paying for it."

"Look, Ravonna. I'm sorry. I understand my, you know, methods with this Loki are questionable, but..."
"Towing a dangerous Variant onto the battlefield is questionable," Renslayer replies.

"Man, I just wish you trusted Loki already," — Rhodey said, looking at the screen.

"Do it and get stabbed in the back," — Clint responded skeptically. — "We've been through this. Trusting Loki is a luxury Mobius can't afford."

"Yes, today didn't go quite as I wanted, but here's what we've learned. A variant likes to stall, and eventually we'll catch another doing the same. Because understanding this Loki helps me get closer to who we're chasing. Right?"

"I mean, yes, there's logic to it," — Bruce nodded thoughtfully. — "Studying one version helps you understand the others. But it's still incredibly risky."

"Look, I know you have a weakness for broken things."
"I don't think so," Mobius counters.
"Yes, you do," Renslayer replies. "But Loki is an evil, lying scourge."

Thor clenched his fists, but Steve placed a calming hand on his shoulder.

"True," — Thor agreed quietly. — "But I think he's more than that. Much more than just the role he was forced into."

"That's the role he plays in the Sacred Timeline."
"Maybe he wants to change things up. Sometimes you get tired of playing the same role. Is that possible? Can he change?"

"I think... yes, people can change," — Natasha said, looking thoughtfully at the screen. — "Even those who have done terrible things. But not that quickly. Not in a few days."

"Change takes time," — Steve agreed. — "And work. And the desire to change."

"Not unless the Time Keepers decree it. And then it will be."

Everyone in the room winced at the totalitarian nature of this statement.

"So there's no choice at all?" — Wanda looked shocked. — "No growth, no redemption, if three space lizards don't approve?"

"Exactly," — Stephen nodded. — "It turns the entire Multiverse into a giant clockwork mechanism, where we're just cogs. No room for error, no room for miracles."

"And how are the old Timekeepers doing?" Mobius looked at one of the statues.
"What do you think?" Renslayer sighed.

"Busy? Stressed? Sitting on their cosmic thrones, judging us all?" — Tony tried to guess.

"I don't know. Because I've never met them," Mobius chuckled.

A shocked silence fell, and everyone stared at the screen.

"So Mobius doesn't know them either? Him? That he literally works for them?" — Steve sat up abruptly, squinting at the screen. — "I thought so. No one actually meets these 'Keepers.' They're like the Wizard of Oz. Voices behind the curtain, manipulated by someone else. Or they don't exist at all."

"Fortunately. Although, I shouldn't say that. This one looks..."
"The Time Keepers are monitoring every aspect of this case. I've never seen them so involved," Renslayer explains.

"I don't really believe that," — Tony grumbled.

"They want to catch this Variant."
"Me too," replies Mobius.
"And this is your last chance with this Loki," Renslayer points at him with a pen.
"Excellent. That's all I need," Mobius tells her.

"The pressure is immense. One failure, and Loki will be gone forever," — Bruce shook his head worriedly.

Renslayer signs his name. They both stand. She hands him a clipboard and a pen.
"Thank you, Renslayer." Mobius signs his name. He looks at the pen. "I don't remember that. It must have been from that analyst you keep on the side."
"Focus," Ravonna advises him.

"That analyst on the side," — Scott repeated. — "She clearly has secrets from Mobius. That pen, those snow globes... Is she living a double life?"

"In an organization like this, everyone has a double life," — Natasha observed.

"Keep your eyes on the road," Mobius hands her back the tablet.
Renslayer takes a deep breath. "Mobius?"
"I almost disappeared."
"Do you truly believe in this Variant?"

"I do," — Thor said confidently into the silent hall. — "He's my brother. Beneath all the layers of pain, anger, and that stupid brown robe... he's still my brother. And I hope Mobius sees the same."

"Mmm... Luckily, he believes in himself enough to last us both. And hey, if this doesn't work, I'll delete him myself." He opens the door and looks back at her. "He really is arrogant." He leaves the office.
Outside Renslayer's stately office at the TVA, Loki sat nervously on the soft couch and stood up abruptly when he saw Mobius approaching. His face took on an innocent expression—too innocent. "You're probably wondering what exactly happened during that field mission."

"Loki was caught in a blatant lie. 100% of it. It's written all over his face," — Clint snorted, shaking his head.

"His body language screams 'I'm lying!'" — Natasha added, expertly analyzing Variant's posture. — "An overly honest look, a forced smile. He looks like a schoolboy trying to explain why a dragon ate his homework."

Loki quickly followed Mobius down the hallway, his steps light. "You want to know? This is your first important lesson in successfully capturing Loki, Mobius."

Everyone in the room chuckled at his confident, lecture-like tone.

"It's obvious Loki's making this all up as he goes," — Rhodey said with a smirk, crossing his arms. — "He's not even trying to hide it."

"Always expect the expected," Loki continued, his voice taking on the tone of a seasoned professor. "You see, half the true joy of being a professional deceiver lies in the paradox that everyone knows you're a deceiver. And besides, many of your most effective tricks may stem precisely from the fact that you know they know your nature."

Everyone in the room looked at him with genuine surprise and growing understanding.

"That..." — Wanda slowly tilted her head, her eyebrows raising. — "It's actually quite clever, psychologically speaking? The complex psychology of deception. The manipulation of expectations and assumptions."

"Meta-deception," — Stephen nodded with professional interest. — "You deliberately deceive people, cleverly exploiting their certain knowledge that you're a deceiver by nature. Level three deception."

"This logic is giving me a serious headache," — Scott groaned earnestly, massaging his temples.

Mobius had clearly run out of patience. He stopped abruptly and turned around. "Okay. Just shut up!"

"Looks like Mobius is getting a little tired of Professor Loki's endless lectures on the finer points of deception," — Tony laughed loudly. — "Imagine listening to the God of Mischief self-analyze for hours on end."

"Can you blame him? Poor guy," — Sam shook his head sympathetically. — "He's probably already dreaming of quietly interrogating some serial killer, just to avoid having to listen to lectures on 'Loki's nature.'"

"Please," Mobius raised his hands pleadingly. "What happened to that guy I first met in the elevator? The one who didn't like to talk much, was quiet and sullen. Remember him? I liked him."

"I was just about to ask that again," — Scott muttered understandingly.

"Now I'm stuck with a completely different guy," Mobius continued with a hint of exasperation, "who won't stop spouting endless nonsense about what exactly makes Loki such a special kind of trickster!"

"Wait a second," — Bucky couldn't quite suppress a grin, his lips twitching. — "But I totally thought Mobius himself said recently that he wanted to know a lot more about what drives Loki? That that was the whole reason he kept him around as a consultant in the first place?"

"Mobius certainly should have expected this," — Thor tried not to smile, but failed. — "He said it himself earlier, Loki loves long, detailed conversations."

"Be careful what you wish for," — Wanda added philosophically. — "You wanted to get inside Loki's head? Now he's the one who cut it open and dumped everything on the table."

"What? Isn't that exactly why I'm here?" Loki asks sincerely, his expression expressing genuine bewilderment.
They both continue walking down the long, empty TVA corridor, their footsteps echoing in the silence.
"No," Mobius shakes his head decisively. "I don't care what drives you on a deep level. You're here solely to help me successfully capture a more dangerous version of yourself. That's your entire purpose!"

"Ouch," — Bucky said quietly, wincing. — "That was harsh. He just told him Loki was just a tool to him, a broken part used to fix a machine."

"And it wasn't the being used that bothered Loki," — Natasha noted. — "It was the word 'dangerous version' that bothered him."

"Wait a second," Loki tilted his head, his tone defensive. "I'm not at all sure 'superior' or 'dangerous' are truly the right, appropriate words to describe him."

"He completely, fatally underestimates his alternate self. A classic tactical error in enemy assessment," — Vision shook his head with professional disapproval.

"Oh, Loki hates the very idea that anyone—even another version of himself—could be smarter, more cunning, or better than him," — Tony said with a deep understanding grounded in personal experience. — "I would also absolutely hate to admit publicly that a smarter or more successful version of me exists somewhere."

"Ego," — Natasha nodded. — "The biggest weak point."

They stop at the elevator. Mobius presses the call button. "See? There it is, the real you. Right there, in your psychology. I foolishly believed, mistakenly assumed, that your deeply insecure need for constant validation and recognition would drive you to find this killer. Not because you genuinely care about the TVA mission or sincerely want to be a hero and save lives, but solely because you know, deep down, that this Variant is objectively better, smarter, more dangerous than you... and you psychologically can't bear it."

"A precise psychological analysis. He completely understands Loki's motivations. An ego the size of a planet," — Natasha nodded approvingly.

"And he uses that ego as a weapon," — Wanda added.

Loki simply smiles slowly in response—but there's something incredibly sharp, calculating, and dangerous about that smile. "Very sweet, Mobius. I mean, it's really sweet..." He takes a step closer and theatrically adjusts the collar of Mobius's suit with his hands. "...that you're so naive that you think you can manipulate me so easily with simple psychology. But I'm ten steps ahead of you in this game. I've been playing my own, entirely separate game this whole time." Loki nods smugly.
"What exactly?" Mobius raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Enchant the Time Guardians with your charm, slyly entice them, and seize complete control of the TVA by force?"

Natasha nodded slowly, thoughtfully, her analytical mind racing. — "Frankly, this is exactly what Loki would classically attempt in a similar situation. The standard tactic—carefully infiltrate the system from within, patiently gain the trust of the highest authorities, then suddenly launch a coup and seize control."

"It's his standard tactic," — Thor agreed. — "I've seen it many times."

"Am I warmed to it? Close to the truth?" Mobius grinned, pressing the floor button. "Deceiving the most supposedly reliable professional liar in all of recorded history."
"Okay, fine." Loki crossed his arms, his young face growing serious. "Then tell me honestly, Mobius. Why are you publicly exposing yourself to B-15 and the others for me?"

"A really good, logical question." — Sam nodded understandingly, — "Because Mobius objectively needs Loki to successfully find the dangerous Variant. Without Loki's help, the entire mission is a complete failure."

Mobius slowly approaches him, his face turning serious. "I'll give you two possible answers, and you're free to believe whichever you prefer. Variant A—because I truly see, deep inside, a frightened little boy, helplessly shivering in the cold of space. And I genuinely feel a certain pity for that lonely, icy little man."

Everyone in the room instantly tensed, their bodies frozen.

Thor frowned deeply, painfully, his hands automatically clenching into tense fists.

"Or Variant B," Mobius continued mercilessly, "I simply desperately want to catch this dangerous guy at any cost, and I'm willing to tell you absolutely anything I need to tell you to achieve that goal. Any lie."
The elevator dinged softly, its polished doors smoothly opening.

"I can clearly see he's very, very tired of working with this particular Loki," — Clint said dryly, shaking his head.

Loki and Mobius entered the spacious elevator at the same time.
"I don't need your pretense of sympathy at all," Loki's voice was cold and defensive.
"Fine, fine," Mobius shrugged, "because I'm rapidly running out of it at the moment."
The doors slowly closed with a soft, mechanical sound.

"That was... truly cruel of him," — Wanda whispered, her voice trembling with sympathy. — "Mobius knows exactly where to hit. He knows Loki's deep trauma, connected to his origins. And he's deliberately, calculatingly using that knowledge as a psychological weapon."

"Professional, cold-blooded manipulation," — Natasha agreed, her voice hard. — "He methodically pushes all the right psychological buttons, knowing which ones will cause the most pain."

Thor stared silently at the screen, his massive face filled with poorly concealed pain for his younger brother.

"Loki never liked to openly discuss his biological origins with anyone," — he said very quietly, his voice hoarse. — "The terrible fact that he was born a Jotun, a Frost Giant. That he was found as an abandoned infant, not born into our royal family. That... that's his deepest, most unhealed wound. His most painful point."

"And Mobius just methodically cut it out with a sharp knife," — Bucky finished, his own metal hand clenching at the memory of such manipulation.

"What is it?" "Loki begins suspiciously, his face wary. "The next step in your calculated psychological manipulation..."
"No," Mobius interrupts abruptly, his voice hardening. "This is your final move in this game. Your absolute last chance not to be erased from existence."

"Until the TVA finally destroys this Loki forever," — Thor said, his voice thick with ill-concealed menace, piercing Mobius with a hard stare through the screen.

They exit and walk down another featureless TVA corridor.
"Oh, and what exactly is required for my supposedly desperate last chance at survival?" Loki asks, his tone thick with sarcasm.

"Something that obviously involves successfully capturing a dangerous Variant," — Scott remarked logically.

"An honest job," Mobius replied simply.
"A job?" "Loki's tone expressed absolute, pure bewilderment and insult, as if it were the most disgusting, humiliating word he'd ever heard in his long life.

Everyone in the room simultaneously snorted at his dramatic reaction.

"He sounds exactly as if Mobius just suggested a brutal medieval torture," — Rhodey laughed, shaking his head.

"For spoiled Prince Loki, the concept of honest work is probably a form of torture," — Thor added with a fond grin, recalling his brother's childhood.

One elevator goes down, the other goes up. We're now in the TVA Archives section.

"There are many, many different floors," — Bruce said, carefully adjusting his glasses to better appreciate the building's incredible scale. — "Hundreds, if not thousands, of levels."

"And even more endless files," — Wanda added, her eyes widening. — "How many files could there physically be? Millions? Billions?"

"Considering the fact that the TVA continuously monitors the entire sacred timeline throughout the history of the universe?" — Stephen shook his head slowly, awestruck. "An infinite, literally infinite number of files and records."

Loki and Mobius walked through a massive archive hall filled with endless rows of shelves. "I need you to carefully review every single dangerous Variant file," Mobius explained, "and then provide me with your... how shall I put this?"

"All the Loki variants that exist?" — Wanda looked completely perplexed, her eyebrows raised. — "But there are literally thousands of them, if not more. Mobius himself said earlier that the TVA methodically whittled down Loki far more than absolutely any other Variant type in all of history."

"Then our Loki has a lot, a lot of homework ahead of him," — Stephen replied, genuinely sympathetic to the task at hand.

"I'd go crazy from such a monstrous amount of reading," — Peter admitted frankly, his young face turning pale at the thought.

"Your absolutely unique expert Loki perspective on the actions of another Loki," Mobius concluded. "And who knows? Maybe we really have missed something crucial in all these years of searching."
"Well, considering you're all complete idiots," Loki smirked arrogantly, "I sincerely suspect you've probably missed a lot, a lot, of important things."

"I'm morally compelled to fully agree with that particular statement. They've been searching for Variant for years, and they've found absolutely nothing," — Rhodey laughed loudly.

"Until the sudden appearance of our Loki," — Sam pointed out logically. — "Who—I'm sure—will brilliantly solve this insoluble problem in just a few hours of intense work."

"Ego really is the size of an entire planet," — Natasha nodded, — "but he's objectively not wrong in his assessment."

Mobius stops and looks at him intently. "Well, that's precisely why I'm incredibly lucky I have you for at least a little while longer before the inevitable cutoff. Let me strategically park you behind this particular desk." Loki slowly turns and looks at the massive desk, literally buried under enormous mountains of case files.

"That's certainly a substantial pile of files," — Steve said, genuinely amazed by the incredible volume of work.

"'Pile' is putting it mildly," — Bruce shook his head with professional horror. — "It's like the entire Library of Congress, but consisting entirely of criminal files on various versions of Loki."

"Poor guy," — Natasha suddenly said with a rare sympathy. — "Reading endless detailed reports about how other alternate versions of yourself systematically murdered innocent people and were themselves brutally murdered... that objectively can't be a psychologically pleasant experience."

"Seeing every possible way your own life could have gone catastrophically wrong. All the worst versions of yourself," — Vision nodded with deep understanding.

"And don't be afraid to immerse yourself in this exciting work," Mobius patted him on the shoulder. "Here's an extremely useful motivational trick. Pretend sincerely that the quality of this work directly affects your life. Because it does." And with these encouraging words, Mobius calmly walked away from Loki, leaving him alone. Loki sighed heavily, resignedly, and looked with disgust at the piles of files before him.

"Now that's true motivation at the highest level," — Clint said dryly.

"Do your best work or die a painful death," — Bucky added with grim understanding. — "A classic, time-tested approach to motivating prisoners."

"At least Mobius is completely honest about the stakes," — Wanda shrugged philosophically. — "Loki is alone." In front of him are mountains of papers and his own past... or future, which he must dissect."

Chapter Text

A scene later showed a young female employee sitting at a desk behind Loki, diligently working, clearly watching him. Loki was intently poring over yet another thick file, his fingers turning the pages with mechanical precision. He peered at one of the printed papers, his expression expressing growing boredom.

"He looks absolutely like a typical student about to take crucial exams," — Peter laughed with recognition, recalling his own experience.

"Oh, my God," Loki said aloud, mockingly, theatrically, as he read another report. "Don't tell me again that the dangerous Variant staged another carefully planned ambush and brutally murdered another innocent team of Minutemen." He turned the page and gasped theatrically. "Oh, how unexpected! And stole their valuable time recharge."

The entire room instantly erupted in loud laughter.

"He's openly mocking their own official reports!" — Sam wiped away tears of laughter. — "Right in their archives!"

"All the cases are absolutely identical," — Wanda realized, her eyes widening with realization. — "The same exact pattern of actions over and over again, without variation. Ambush, methodical assassination, theft of time recharge."

"And the TVA, with their supposedly vast resources, couldn't find an obvious pattern?" — Tony repeated incredulously, shaking his head. — "That literally screams 'Variant has a specific long-term plan!'"

The female observer behind Loki sternly shushed him, demanding silence. Loki slowly turned and defiantly shushed her back, his face a defiant expression.

The viewing room instantly erupted in another round of laughter.

"He just started a veritable childish shushing war with the librarian!" — Peter was practically clutching his stomach with uncontrollable laughter, barely able to breathe. — "This is the most infantile, childish behavior I've seen all day," Rhodey laughed, wiping away tears. "And I truly adore it!"

"Classic, incorrigible Loki," — Thor said, wiping away his own tears of laughter. — "Even in the most serious, dangerous situation, when his life is at stake, he'll always find a way to tease someone just for fun."

The "Librarian" is now seated at the high reception desk, intently typing on a high-tech computer. Loki slowly approaches the desk, an innocent expression on his face. She continues to stare at the glowing screen, completely ignoring his presence.
"Hello," Loki greets her politely.
The woman doesn't answer, not even looking up.
"Hello? Anyone alive?" Loki raised his voice.
Completely ignored.

"Is she physically deaf?" — Sam asked, genuinely confused.

"Or she's just deliberately ignoring Variant," — Steve suggested logically. — "Maybe they have a strict official rule against interacting with prisoners unless absolutely necessary."

"Or she's just genuinely incredibly engrossed in her current work," — Bruce added sympathetically. — "I, too, sometimes completely miss the people around me when I'm deep in complex scientific research."

Loki stares thoughtfully at the small brass bell on the counter. He taps it briefly with his finger, and the bell rings softly, melodically.
The librarian immediately stops what she's doing and instantly turns her full attention to Loki.
"Can I help you with something?" she asks, professionally polite.

"So she's definitely not deaf," — Rhodey laughed with relief. — "Just extremely selective in her attention to certain stimuli."

"The magical power of an office bell," — Tony chuckled. — "It works absolutely every time, without exception."

"Yes, absolutely," Loki leaned toward the counter, his voice formal and important. "I'm on a critical TVA case. An urgent follow-up to a dangerous field mission. You know how it usually goes in such cases." He paused for dramatic effect. "We've crossed the red line of the timeline near the critical apex of the apocalypse, and... well, that, as we know, is never a good thing." Loki chuckled slightly. "I urgently require absolutely every file pertaining to the original creation of the TVA, please."

"You absolutely, absolutely, absolutely won't get those specific files," — Bruce immediately shook his head with absolute certainty. — "I'm 100% certain they're highly classified at the highest level."

"I can't even imagine why he'd even bother," — Wanda added, shaking her head.

"That's highly classified information," the librarian told him calmly.

"I knew it!" — Bruce leaned back smugly, crossing his arms. — "Predictable."

"Naturally classified," — Stephen agreed. — "TVA absolutely doesn't want anyone knowing the real truth about their true origins and goals."

"Okay, I see," — Loki didn't look surprised. — "Then I urgently need every available file dating back to the very beginning of the universe."

"They're probably classified too," — Clint predicted.

"That's also classified information," the librarian repeated monotonously.
"Okay, fine," Loki persisted. "Then the files about the end of the world, the final apocalypse."
"That's also classified."
"Great. What files exactly can I legally obtain?" Loki asked with a hint of exasperation.

"Absolutely every file is classified," — Rhodey laughed incredulously. — "Do they really have no public records at all?"

"Not a single accessible file, probably," — Scott suggested. — "Perhaps they're all classified for system security."

"Typical bureaucratic organization," — Bucky grumbled with recognition. — "Everything truly important and interesting is top secret. Everything completely useless is freely available."

The librarian and Loki were now standing in one of the high sections of the bookshelves. She hands Loki several thin folders. "Enjoy your informative reading."

"So he can at least get something," — Scott said, surprised.

Loki takes the files and looks at the top file. His full name is clearly listed there: "Loki Laufeyson." His face briefly expresses something deeply painful, an old, unhealed wound at the sight of his middle name.

"But only his own personal files," — Steve realized. — "Of course. They gave him access exclusively to information about himself and his variants."

Thor frowned painfully, staring intently at the screen. He clearly noticed Loki's subtle but distinct negative reaction to the name "Laufeyson"—the name of his biological father, Laufey, King of the Frost Giants.

"He still hasn't fully accepted it," — Thor whispered very quietly, his voice filled with pain for his brother. — "His true origins." The fact that he's Laufey's son."

Loki sighs heavily, resignedly. He's back at his desk, buried under files. He opens the next folder and freezes. The cover reads: "RAGNAROK - DESTRUCTION OF ASGARD."

Thor and Bruce simultaneously winced painfully, their faces instantly paling as memories flooded back.

Loki begins reading the text very, incredibly carefully, his eyes quickly scanning the text.
"RAGNAROK [CLASS SEVEN APOCALYPSE EVENT]: Complete and irreversible destruction of planet and civilization."

"So, this shows in detail exactly how Asgard was destroyed?" — Steve asked very quietly, respectfully, looking at the deep pain evident on the tense faces of the Asgardians.

Thor nodded slowly, completely unable to speak. The painful memories of Ragnarok were still too fresh, too painful, too real.

"Codename: REVENGERS"

"Wait a second," — Bruce leaned forward sharply, interested. — "Codename 'Revengers'? Wasn't that the name of your little impromptu team on the planet Sakaar?"

"Yes, that's exactly it," — Thor replied hoarsely, with difficulty. — "Me, Loki, Valkyrie, and Bruce. We were... Revengers. Avengers of Asgard."

His voice broke on the last words.

"[All civilization destroyed]
Casualties: 9,719.

"Nine thousand, seven hundred and nineteen lives," — Wanda whispered, her voice trembling. — "So many innocent Asgardians perished in the fire."

"I'm truly sorry for what happened to your home," — Steve said with deep sympathy.

"Everything is perfectly fine, Rogers," — Thor tried to smile bravely, but it came out weak and strained. — "Asgard isn't a place, not a planet. Asgard is a people, a nation. And many, many survived the disaster."

"But not all," — Wanda added quietly, painfully. — "Far from all."

Loki continued reading the report, his eyes slowly beginning to water with overwhelming emotion. He looked at the single, short, typed sentence at the end of the report. "Zero-point temporal deviation dispersive energy detected." He reread the sentence again, more carefully, and his face suddenly brightened with insight. He stood up abruptly, grabbing the folder.

"He's definitely figured out something critical," — Natasha said, watching Loki's suddenly shifting body language with professional attention.

"He's finally starting to actually help constructively," — Clint muttered. — "And not just sarcastically ridicule useless reports."

"This is much more than just help," — Bruce leaned closer to the screen, his scientific mind racing. — "Look closely at his face, his expression. He's completely solved an insoluble problem. Absolutely completely."

Loki stands confidently and quickly grabs several files. He strides purposefully into the spacious TVA cafeteria and quickly walks to Mobius's table, who is still calmly eating his late lunch.
"I've found something incredibly important," Loki tells Mobius, his voice full of confidence and excitement.
"No," Mobius didn't even look up from his plate. "I made it perfectly clear: don't bother me until you've read every single file."

"Well, that's too bad for Mobius's demands," — Scott said. — "Perhaps Loki really did find something critical to the case."

"Mobius is too fixated on formal protocols and rules," — Sam added. — "Sometimes you just have to listen to your intuition and unconventional ideas."

"I've read them. I have them," Loki insisted.
"Absolutely all the files?" Mobius raised an eyebrow skeptically.
"Yes, all of them."

"Everything?!" — Tony asked in shock.

"Impossible. There were thousands of folders," — Bruce shook his head in disbelief.

"That's Loki. He's very fast at reading and remembering information," — Thor shrugged.

"All the files related to the dangerous Variant?"
"The answer isn't in the useless files," Loki sat decisively across from him, opening the folder. "It's right there on the timeline of history. I've figured out where it's hiding."
He paused dramatically.
"It's hiding in apocalypses."

Everyone in the room froze instantly, tensely processing this revolutionary information.

"Which apocalypse specifically?" — Tony asked immediately, logically. — "There have been literally trillions of them throughout the recorded history of the universe." "Asteroids, devastating volcanoes, genocidal wars, global pandemics, exploding stars, collapsing planets..."

"That's precisely the problem," — Stephen nodded. — "That's still an astronomically vast number of possible locations for a systematic search."

"Which apocalypse exactly?" Mobius asks, leaning forward with interest. "At what specific point in history? There are, like, literally a million possibilities."
"Ragnarok," Loki replied simply. "Are you familiar with that name?"

"He's probably already very familiar with it," — Thor said, his voice noticeably tense. — "The TVA meticulously tracks absolutely every major catastrophic event. The destruction of an entire ancient planet is definitely in their extensive database."

"Yes, of course it does," Mobius nodded. "The destruction of Asgard and the tragic death of most of its people. I am truly sorry for your loss."
"Yes, very sad and tragic," Loki waved his hand dismissively, clearly unwilling to discuss his emotions. "In any case, it made me seriously consider the nature of temporal anomalies. Nexus events occur when someone does something they're supposedly predestined not to do, right?"

"But that absolutely shouldn't be the case!" — Bucky exploded furiously, jumping up. — "Reasonable people should be allowed to freely make their own choices! It's a basic right!"

"Free will," — Steve agreed firmly. — "A fundamental, inalienable human right of every being."

"Which they simply don't have in the totalitarian TVA system," — Wanda added, her tone utterly grim.

"Well, it's a little more complicated philosophically, but yes, basically true," Mobius replied.
"Excellent, wonderful," Loki continued explaining, his voice becoming more animated. "And then what they shouldn't do cascades into a whole series of other things that also shouldn't happen according to plan. And so on and so forth, until eventually a completely new, independent timeline branches off. Right? Correct logic?"

"It's still completely baffling logically how Old Steve Rogers managed to live an entire, long life in the past with Peggy Carter, and somehow the TVA didn't arrest him. By TVA logic, that must be a radical violation of their Sacred Timeline," — Natasha suddenly frowned, her analytical mind caught by the contradiction.

Steve blushed visibly, but diplomatically remained silent, not commenting.

"Perhaps his particular timeline was the 'correct' one, according to plan?" — Wanda suggested uncertainly.

"Or perhaps the TVA simply didn't know he was there," — Sam added logically. — "Steve was very careful and didn't attract attention."

"Exactly," Loki confirmed. "Chaotic changes to a predetermined timeline outcome."

"It shouldn't be rigidly predetermined," — Steve muttered quietly, but with conviction.

"That's exactly how the system works," Loki picked up Mobius's salad bowl and pulled it toward himself. "So, to put it into perspective..." He gestured to the salad. "In this particular scenario, your salad is the planet Asgard."

Everyone stared at the screen with growing surprise and a sense of amusement.

"Asgard is a salad?!" — Rhodey couldn't help but burst out laughing. — "Did he just seriously compare the great abode of the gods to a bowl of greens?!"

"That's the weirdest, most absurd metaphor I've ever heard," — Peter added, bursting into giggles.

Mobius angrily replied that it wasn't Asgard, but his own personal lunch salad. Loki patiently explained that it was a metaphor.

"I seriously don't think he wants his lunch associated with 'Asgard,'" — Tony said, wiping away tears of laughter.

"Poor, poor Mobius," — Wanda added sympathetically. — "He just wanted to eat in peace."

"And I could, theoretically, travel to Asgard just before Ragnarok completely destroys it," Loki continued, "and do absolutely anything I wanted."

Everyone fell silent, listening intently to the explanation.

"This is starting to make some real sense," — Bruce muttered, interested.

"I could..." Loki grabbed the salt shaker. "...say, accidentally push the Hulk off the Rainbow Bridge into the abyss of space."

"Hey, wait a minute!" — Bruce said immediately, looking worried and offended. — "Why is it me who's mentioned in the death example?! Why couldn't they have pushed... well, I don't know, Surtur?!"

Loki shook the salt shaker vigorously, the white salt cascading down onto the green salad. "There he is, the dead Hulk."

"Rest in peace, Dr. Bruce Banner and the Hulk," — Peter said, feigning solemnity as he wiped away a nonexistent tear.

"He's just mercilessly adding salt to Mobius's salad," — Scott pointed out the obvious.

"It's a metaphor!" — Rhodey countered, still laughing. — "Symbolism!"

Mobius simply watches, perplexed, as Loki adds salt to his salad. "Wait... does salt symbolize the Hulk in this strange metaphor?"

"That's a terrible, completely incomprehensible metaphor," — Thor shook his head with a fond grin. — "Completely illogical."

"But it's funny," — Clint added, smiling.

"And I might as well..." Loki snatched up the pepper shaker. "...set the royal palace ablaze for dramatic effect."
Loki vigorously shook black pepper into the hapless salad. "No, just stop this instant!" Mobius tried to protest. "Don't set the palace on fire!"

"No, just stop!" — Thor clutched his head with both hands. — "Don't set the sacred palace on fire! Not even in an absurd culinary metaphor!"

"What Mobius really means is: stop mercilessly ruining my dinner," — Clint said through laughter.

"Understand?" Loki continued, ignoring the protests. "I can do absolutely anything I want during this period, and it won't make any difference to the timeline." He added even more salt and pepper to the salad for emphasis.

"Maybe we should stop sprinkling it already?" — Rhodey suggested. — "The salad is long dead and buried."

"Poor Mobius definitely won't be able to eat his completely ruined lunch after Loki's catastrophic metaphor," — Wanda chuckled.

"But what exactly is he trying to prove scientifically?" — Scott asked, looking slightly confused and bewildered.

"It won't violate the laws of time, because..." Loki put down the salt and pepper, then reached for Mobius's soda can, but noticed it was completely empty. He gave Mobius a quick apologetic wave of the finger—give me a second—and stood up resolutely.

"He better find a soda quickly," — Wanda said. — "Otherwise the whole metaphor will fall apart."

Loki quickly approached Casey's table, who was peacefully eating his own lunch. "You," Casey growled, his expression immediately turning displeased.

Everyone burst into another round of laughter at Casey's immediate negative reaction.

"I totally understand why Casey's so mad at him," — Tony said between fits of laughter. — "Loki just destroyed his precious paperweights!"

"His damn office paperweights shaped like the sacred Infinity Stones," — Clint added, also laughing. — "Which are actually worth... absolutely nothing in this place, cruelly ironically."

"It's so good to see you again, friend," Loki smiled broadly. "I only need this for a second. Thank you for understanding." Loki quickly takes Casey's full drink and confidently returns to the patient Mobius's table.

"Why is Loki suddenly specializing in taking people's lunches these days?" — Clint asked, shaking his head in bewilderment.

"Because he's desperately trying to explain his revolutionary theory metaphorically," — Thor replied. — "Even if that scientific explanation means mercilessly ruining everyone's lunches."

"Science always demands sacrifice," — Bruce remarked philosophically, gravely. — "In this particular case, the sacrifice of other people's innocent lunches."

Loki sat down across from Mobius again. "Because the inevitable apocalypse is coming. Ragnarok is approaching, the fire giant Surtur will completely destroy all of Asgard, no matter what I do until then."

"Now this is really starting to make a lot more sense," — Bruce said, leaning forward with interest.

Loki slowly, deliberately pours the entire soda directly into the center of Mobius's salad.
"No, please, don't..." Mobius sighs in exasperation, resigned, watching his dinner being destroyed.
But Loki relentlessly continues to methodically pour the drink, completely drenching the salad.

Everyone couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the scene.

"Mobius looks so tired," — Bucky chuckled. — "Like an exhausted parent helplessly watching a hyperactive child methodically destroy the entire kitchen."

"I'd feel exactly the same if I had to deal with Loki every single day," — Clint admitted honestly. — "Constant, relentless chaos and drama."

"Now that salad is definitely, completely, irrevocably destroyed," — Scott stated the obvious. — "Completely inedible."

"There's your apocalypse, Mobius," Loki says solemnly, pointing to the ruined salad.
"This... this is the apocalypse?" Mobius looks incredulously at the pitiful remains of the meal.
"Ragnarok methodically destroys salt, pepper, and everything else," Loki explains.
Mobius looks down silently at the ruined meal and shakes his head wearily. Loki grins broadly, triumphantly, holding up his now completely empty glass of soda.

"He looks so incredibly proud of himself," — Wanda remarked with a smirk.

"Because he is genuinely proud," — Thor replied. — "He just brilliantly explained the incredibly complex concept of time paradoxes and apocalypses, using common condiments and soda."

"And completely destroyed someone else's dinner in the process of explaining it scientifically," — Natasha added dryly.

"Ragnarok. Apocalypse." Loki solemnly placed his empty glass on the table. "There it is, in miniature."

"Frankly, I understood absolutely nothing of that convoluted metaphor," — Bucky admitted, scratching his head in confusion.

"I'm completely confused too," — Scott agreed.

"What exactly am I looking at right now?" Mobius asked, completely bewildered, looking at the ruins of the dinner.

"Uh, a salad that now has soda, salt, and pepper," — Scott said. — "And no nutritional value anymore."

"To a completely ruined dinner," — Tony added with deep sympathy. — "I know that awful feeling all too well."

"Okay, I admit, that was a bit of a clumsy metaphor," Loki blushed slightly. "But do you understand the gist of what I mean?"

"He sounds exactly like a nervous student who's catastrophically failed an important presentation but is desperately hoping to at least get a passing grade," — Tony laughed.

"Listen carefully," Loki leaned forward, his voice growing serious. "It could be any apocalypse in history. It could be a devastating tsunami. It could be a giant meteor. It could be a supervolcanic eruption, a supernova." He added even more salt and pepper to the salad of utter destruction for emphasis. "If absolutely everyone and everything around you is inevitably doomed to imminent, inevitable destruction, then anything I say or do out there will simply have no effect on the timeline... because the timeline physically cannot branch. Because it will be completely destroyed by the apocalypse, along with all the evidence."

Everyone let out a collective, loud sound of sudden realization—a long, drawn-out "Ooooh!"

"That's truly brilliant!" — Tony looked genuinely impressed, his eyes lighting up. — "Absolutely, fucking brilliant!"

"And that makes perfect scientific sense," — Natasha agreed enthusiastically, her analytical eyes lighting up with understanding. — "Absolutely everyone will die in the catastrophe anyway, so any deviations from the sacred timeline are objectively irrelevant. They will be automatically erased along with everything else."

"Now I finally understand!" — Clint exclaimed. — "The option cleverly hides itself in catastrophic events that are guaranteed to destroy absolutely all evidence of its presence!"

"It's objectively scientifically brilliant," — Bruce breathed out in awe. — "From the physics of time and causality, it's completely logical. There's no future time period in which an alternate branch could physically exist."

"A perfect, perfect hiding place," — Stephen added with professional respect. — "You can literally do anything you want, and the TVA will never, ever find you, because there will be no temporal deviation."

"Therefore, logically," Loki concluded triumphantly, "the dangerous Variant could safely hide in any apocalypse and do absolutely anything it wants, and we simply wouldn't know it! Zero-point dispersion energy!"
Mobius nodded slowly, understandingly, his face expressing growing respect. "Not a bad idea, Loki. Really good."

"That's not just 'good,' that's brilliant," — Tony shook his head.

"Take me to a real, actual apocalypse," Loki leaned forward, his young eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "To Ragnarok, I'll personally show you and prove the theory to you."

"I don't think he'll like that particular idea," — Wanda muttered predictably.

"Yes, of course," Mobius shook his head. "So you want me to give you a chance to escape back to your home planet? Absolutely not."
"No, you don't understand," Loki insisted. "I absolutely will not go home to Asgard. It's pointless. We can go to any apocalypse, anywhere, to test the theory."
"I'm not going to invite you on a nice stroll along the embankment," Mobius folded his arms, "much less to a truly deadly apocalypse."

"Why absolutely not?" — Scott asked logically. — "We need to objectively scientifically test a revolutionary theory! It's a basic scientific method!"

"Because it's incredibly, extremely risky," — Natasha replied. — "Extremely dangerous with so many variables."

"Oh, Mobius, come on, be brave!" Loki grinned broadly. "What could possibly go wrong?"

"Uh, literally everything?!" — Tony raised his hands dramatically to the ceiling. — "Absolutely anything can go catastrophically wrong!"

"Including the statistical fact that when someone overconfidently utters the phrase 'what could go wrong,' bad things always, always happen," — Rhodey added philosophically. — "It's like a universal law of the universe."

"A classic harbinger of imminent disaster," — Sam agreed.

"We really need to thoroughly test that theory," Loki insisted.
"Well, here's a fun alternative theory for you," Mobius looked at him seriously. "You cleverly lure me into dangerous territory, and then treacherously stab me in the back with a knife."

"Okay, yeah, I completely forgot about that critical point," — Scott muttered. — "Loki has indeed said repeatedly that he would betray him at the first opportunity."

"Countless times," — Clint agreed.

"And that's a specific theory I absolutely refuse to test," Mobius concluded.
"I would never, ever stab anyone in the back like a coward," Loki looked genuinely offended, his hand pressed to his heart.

"Yes, of course we do," — the entire room responded in unison, with maximum sarcasm.

"He's literally done it dozens, if not hundreds, of times in his life," — Bruce shook his head.

"It's such a boring form of betrayal."
"Loki, I've studied almost every moment of your life. You've literally stabbed people in the back, probably 50 times," Mobius tells Loki.

"And attacked from the front, too," — Thor interjected with a wry, loving smile. — "He doesn't discriminate based on the direction of attack. Equal opportunity for all."

"Equal betrayal," — Clint chuckled.

"Okay, I'd never do something so primitive again..." Loki began.

"You know perfectly well that's completely untrue," — Clint said frankly and honestly.

"...because the backstab is an obsolete method," Loki concluded.

"Ah, so he'll just find new, more creative and modern ways to betray," — Natasha added. — "More innovative methods."

Mobius smirked sarcastically. "Okay, sure."
"Okay, listen carefully," Loki leaned closer, his expression serious. "If you absolutely don't trust me personally, you can absolutely trust one thing."

"What 'one thing'?" v Tony asked curiously.

"I love being right. More than anything."

"That's the absolute, undeniable truth," — Thor instantly agreed with deep understanding. — "More than anything, my brother hates being publicly wrong."

"And that's literally the only thing you can truly trust implicitly about Loki," — Natasha nodded. — "His colossal ego."

"Clever," — Steve acknowledged respectfully. — "Using one's own enormous ego as a reliable guarantee of honesty."

"Ego as a psychological guarantee," — Tony chuckled understandingly. — "I deeply, personally understand this concept."

An ancient street was shown, and the screen read "Pompeii, Italy, 79 AD." The sky was crystal clear and cloudless, a brilliant blue. People in traditional Roman togas went about their daily business—shopping in the market, talking, laughing, completely unaware of the impending catastrophe.

The eyes of absolutely everyone in the room instantly widened in understanding of what they were about to see.

"Oh, my God," — Peter exhaled with awe and horror at the same time, his young face turning pale. — "We're literally about to witness a real, historical eruption of Mount Vesuvius?! The very one?!"

"That volcano mercilessly killed every single person in Pompeii," — Steve said, his voice filled with deep pain for the innocent victims. — "Absolutely every single person we see living peacefully on screen right now. Men, women, children."

"Which definitely qualifies as a localized apocalypse," — Sam added with utmost seriousness. — "Not on a planetary scale, but absolute for this particular city and all its inhabitants."

"I can't believe we're going to see a real event from 79 AD," — Bucky looked completely stunned. — "This is real, living history. Almost two thousand years ago. Ancient Rome."

"And we will witness a tragic moment forever etched in human history," — Wanda added very quietly, her voice trembling.

Somewhere in the distance, a rumble was heard.

Everyone in the room flinched at the sound, instinctively tensing.

"It's starting," — Rhodey whispered tensely, his hands clenching on the armrests. — "The volcano will erupt soon. Minutes, maybe hours."

"And they don't even know," — Wanda covered her trembling hand over her mouth. — "All these innocent people... they're completely unaware, have no idea that they have less than an hour to live. That this is their last day."

Loki and Mobius materialized on a narrow side street, unnoticed by the busy residents.
"That's it, Mobius!" Loki said, his voice full of barely contained, almost childish excitement. "Pompeii! Ancient Rome! A veritable apocalypse!"
His bright eyes greedily scanned the ancient city with architectural curiosity, his face expressing an almost childish, innocent admiration for history and beauty.

"He sounds too excited," — Steve remarked with mild disapproval. — "Too excited and ecstatic for someone who is literally about to witness the mass death of thousands of innocent people."

"For him, this is primarily a scientific experiment," — Bruce explained sympathetically. — "Proof of his revolutionary theory. He views this as a scientist, not as a tragedy."

Mobius nervously shushed him and warned that an eruption could physically occur at any minute.

Everyone sat absolutely mesmerized, unable to tear their tense gaze from the screen, awaiting catastrophe.

"I honestly can't believe we're about to see this in person," — Wanda whispered, her voice trembling.

"Until this entire beautiful city is completely wiped off the face of the planet!" Loki says this with such undisguised enthusiasm, so almost delighted, that Mobius gives him an extremely wary, worried look.
Loki continues excitedly, his eyes practically glowing with scientific curiosity: "Just imagine the scale of the disaster! All that molten volcanic ash, temperatures of hundreds of degrees Celsius, deadly pyroclastic flows moving at hurricane speed! The incredible power of nature!"

"He sounds like an overexcited kid at a natural history museum," — Wanda remarked, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Or like Peter when he sees Stark's new technology," — Rhodey added.

"Hey!" — Peter protested, but he couldn't argue with the truth.

"And those bodies, forever encased in ash, transformed into frozen statues," — Natasha added with morbid professional curiosity. — "Frozen, captured in their final moments of life. An archaeological marvel."

"It's both absolutely terrifying and scientifically fascinating," — Bruce admitted frankly.

Mobius sternly told him not to get too emotional and to keep a low profile. "No, it's really cool," Loki nodded vigorously.

"I won't lie, it's objectively impressive," — Tony admitted. — "In a terrifying, but scientifically historical sense."

"But certainly not when you're about to be covered in scorching ash and literally wiped off the face of the earth," — Scott shuddered. — "Perspective radically alters the perception of an event."

"But it's simply utterly tasteless of me to speak of it with such enthusiasm, because..." Loki continued.
"They're all going to die in the next few minutes anyway," Mobius concluded grimly.

No one in the room disputed this statement. They objectively couldn't have prevented the ancient natural disaster, especially if it had occurred nearly two thousand years ago.

"History has long since been written in indelible ink," — Steve said quietly. — "We can't change it. We have no right."

"We mustn't change it," — Stephen corrected sternly. — "Otherwise we'll create a dangerous timeline."

Mobius carefully pulled out his TempPad and gravely stated that he would closely monitor any anomalous deviations in temporal energy.
He warned that they should be extremely careful in case Loki was mistaken in his theory, and the likelihood of such an error was quite high; any careless action here could create a massive, dangerous timeline.

"No, I sincerely believe Loki's revolutionary theory is correct," — Bruce said with scientific certainty. — "It makes absolute scientific sense from a temporal physics perspective. Logically, why would a timeline be necessary if absolutely every living thing within a radius of many kilometers would inevitably die within minutes?"

"The logic is truly impeccable," — Stephen agreed with professional respect. — "The apocalypse automatically erases absolutely every possible consequence and change."

Loki rolled his eyes theatrically, exasperated. "You even manage to make the end of the world, the apocalypse, unbearably boring, Mobius. That's truly a special talent."

Everyone burst into laughter.

"He's objectively right!" — Sam agreed between chuckles. — "Mobius really can make even a real apocalypse boring."

"That requires a very special, unique skill," — Tony added.

Mobius sternly reminded them that they were never destined to be here in the first place, and that absolutely everything they could do or say would potentially influence the sacred course of history.

"The butterfly effect," — Peter said knowingly, recalling his physics lessons. — "A small change in the past can lead to enormous consequences in the future."

Mobius firmly stated that they would start with very, very small, controlled noises, and asked Loki to emit quiet bird sounds as a test.

Everyone stared at Mobius in absolute, utter bewilderment.

"Seriously?!" — Rhodey couldn't believe his ears. — "Bird sounds?! This is his grand, scientific plan for testing his revolutionary theory?!"

"Of all the possible experiments he could have chosen," — Natasha shook her head in disbelief, — "he chose bird sounds. Bird chirps."

"Bird sounds?" Loki repeated incredulously, his expression a mixture of insult and bewilderment.
Mobius began patiently explaining the various bird whistles, but Loki pointedly ignored him completely.
Instead, his face suddenly lit up with a mischievous, almost childish idea. Without warning, he spun around and ran headlong into the main square.
"Loki!" Mobius hissed desperately, trying to stop him.

"Oh no, I know that look on his face very well," — Thor chuckled with recognition and anticipation. — "I've seen it literally a thousand times in our childhood. He's planning something. Something big and dramatic."

"Something definitely unrelated to boring bird calls," — Natasha added with a knowing grin.

But as soon as Loki found himself in the center of the bustling square, bright green sparks of pure magic dramatically enveloped his slender figure in a wave. His featureless brown TVA uniform instantly vanished into thin air, dramatically transforming into an absolutely elegant black Roman-style pantsuit, as if crafted by the finest craftsmen of the time—with gleaming gold buttons and exquisite embroidered details.

"WOW!" — Scott looked completely stunned, his mouth hanging open. — "He just instantly changed right there in the square, in the middle of a crowd of people?!"

"Illusion and transformation magic," — Thor explained, his eyes lighting up with fatherly pride for his younger brother. — "He's a true master of the art. He can change his appearance literally instantly, in the blink of an eye."

"Now this is where it gets really interesting," — Tony leaned forward, intrigued. — "He's clearly planning on putting on a whole big show."

"Oh no, what's he planning?" groaned Mobius on the screen, clearly realizing he'd completely, utterly lost control of the situation and of Loki.
Loki spread his arms wide, theatrically, and released the goats from the wooden cart with a dramatic, sweeping gesture, as if releasing captives. "Go! Be free, my horned friends, be absolutely free!"
The goats bleated joyfully as they scattered across the square, knocking merchandise off the shelves.

The entire room instantly erupted in loud laughter.

"Loki had a horned helmet too!" — Tony laughed, clutching his stomach. — "He must have a special, personal connection with horned creatures! Brotherly solidarity!"

"Is he seriously releasing all the livestock for no reason?!" — Sam couldn't stop laughing. — "Is this his grand scientific experiment?!"

"Mobius is about to have a heart attack," — Natasha added, looking at Mobius's absolutely panicked face on the screen.

Then Loki elegantly turned to the assembled crowd and spoke in perfectly pure, flawless Latin: "My name is Loki of Asgard! We are agents of the Time Variance Authority! I bring you all incredibly dark news!" His voice was loud, confident, commanding. "All of you! Everyone! You are all going to die very soon! This great volcano is about to erupt catastrophically! I would have known for sure, because I come from the distant future!"

Everyone in the viewing room burst into uncontrollable laughter, despite the objective horror of the situation.

"Mobius will be absolutely, absolutely furious," — Thor chuckled, wiping away tears of mirth. — "That's the complete, diametrical opposite of 'little bird sounds'!"

"He's literally declaring the apocalypse like a street preacher or prophet!" — Clint clutched his aching stomach with laughter.

The Romans in the square stopped and stared at the strange young man.

"Wait a second," — Wanda stared at the screen in admiration. — "How does he know ancient Latin so perfectly?! That well?! He sounds like a complete native speaker!"

"Omnilingualism," — Thor grinned, wide and proud, his face practically glowing. — "An ancient gift of Asgard. Magic that allows one to automatically understand and fluently speak absolutely any language in the universe. But I never expected him to use this sacred gift for... this madness."

"Wait a minute," — Peter looked absolutely stunned, his eyes widening. — "It's like a magical Google Translate?! Built right into your brain?! That's incredible!"

"Essentially, yes, that's it," — Thor nodded. — "But far, far better and more accurate than any technology."

"I desperately want such a gift," — Tony groaned earnestly. — "Imagine how much precious time I would save on endless international conferences and negotiations?"

Loki continued his fiery speech, gesturing with an absolutely mesmerizing, almost hypnotic dramatic flourish. "We come from the future, you see? Yes? What's a TVA, you ask? I mean, it's from the future of your world. Sounds incredibly futuristic, doesn't it? It is quite futuristic! You see, esteemed gentlemen and beautiful ladies of the great Pompeii!" He spread his arms wide. "In a few short hours, this majestic mountain," he gestured dramatically toward peaceful Vesuvius, "will explode with such catastrophic force that your entire beautiful city will be buried forever under meters of molten ash! You will all die tragically!"
The crowd gasped, some screamed.
"But don't worry too much!" Loki smiled broadly, raising his hand. "This has already happened in our time, so we know for sure that you will all become incredibly famous in history! Your frozen bodies will be reverently studied by scholars two thousand years from now! You will become legends!"

"He describes their horrific deaths as a fascinating tourist excursion!" — Rhodey couldn't stop laughing, his voice breaking. — "Like an enthusiastic tour guide at a history museum!"

"That's the weirdest, most absurd way to break bad news to people I've ever seen," — Sam shook his head between chuckles.

"Is he trying to console them by telling them they'll become famous archaeological finds?!" — Bucky looked completely dumbfounded. — "That's insane!"

"And they're actually listening to him!" — Scott pointed out, perplexed. — "Look at how they're looking at him! Like he's a true prophet or a divine oracle!"

"He's always been an exceptionally good, charismatic speaker," — Thor admitted with immense pride. — "He knows how to captivate and hold an audience. Ever since he was a child."

Loki leaped onto a wooden crate, using it as a makeshift stage. His body moved with almost childish energy, his arms flailing theatrically.

"He's literally turned into a kid on vacation," — Wanda remarked with a laugh. — "Who's been told there are no rules anymore." Absolute, total freedom. Zero consequences. Pure chaos."

"Look at him!" — Natasha pointed. — "He's jumping, flapping his arms, spinning! Like a ten-year-old on a sugar high!"

"The TVA exists in all points in time simultaneously!" Loki shouted, continuing his performance. He jumped off the crate, grabbed a basket of fruit from a vendor, and began tossing apples into the air, juggling them. "Or outside of time altogether! A concept you can't even begin to comprehend with your primitive minds!"

"He's juggling!" — Tony couldn't believe it. — "During the announcement of the apocalypse! He's juggling fruit!"

"That actually sounds very futuristic to first-century humans," — Stephen said thoughtfully between fits of laughter.

"To the ancient Romans, it must have sounded like pure magic," — Bruce agreed. — "Or like the direct words of the gods from Olympus."

In the background, distant Vesuvius began to smoke. A small column of smoke rose into the sky.

Everyone held their breath, watching the onset of the catastrophe.

"It's starting!" — Bucky breathed tensely. — "It's really, really happening!"

"Oh my God," — Peter couldn't tear his eyes away from the screen. — "We're seeing real history! The moment that changed everything!"

Then Vesuvius erupted violently—the sky exploded in flames and smoke.
The people of Pompeii screamed in absolute terror and began to scatter chaotically in panic.

The group in the hall winced painfully, acutely aware of the tragic reality of what they were witnessing.

"Poor, poor people of Pompeii," — Steve said with utmost seriousness, his voice thick with pain. — "They had no idea, no suspicion. Just living their normal lives, and then suddenly—the sudden end of absolutely everything."

"And all this time, Loki stood there, telling them the truth," — Natasha added quietly. — "Warned them openly. But what could they do? There was nowhere safe to go. Not enough time to evacuate."

"Congealed in ash forever," — Wanda whispered, her voice breaking. — "Turned into stone statues, frozen in their final moments."

"Just on schedule!" Loki shouted excitedly, completely oblivious to the panic around him. He tossed an apple into the air, caught it, and took a bite. "Enjoy this last feast while you can, friends! Eat, drink!"
He began grabbing various vegetables from the market stalls and tossing them into the air like a street juggler. Then, suddenly, he broke into an impromptu, completely chaotic dance right in the main square, his movements wild, uncontrollable, full of energy.
"Nothing matters anymore!" He whirled, laughed, and jumped. "Dance while you can! We'll be gone tomorrow! Have fun!"

"Is he throwing them a death party?!" — Sam couldn't believe his eyes, his jaw dropping.

"This is pure, unadulterated madness," — Peter said, but couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. — "He's turned the apocalypse into a carnival! A celebration!"

Loki grabbed several Romans by the hands and pulled them into a dance. He laughed, twirled, and jumped around the square with absolute nonchalance.

"Look!" — Scott pointed at the screen excitedly. — "Some Romans are actually dancing with him! He convinced them! They followed him!"

Loki jumped onto the fountain in the center of the square, balancing on the edge, waving his arms. "Join me! One last dance before the end!" He jumped down and continued dancing.

"This is the most Loki-esque thing I've ever seen," — Thor laughed until he cried, his voice trembling with a mixture of immense pride, pain, and absurd amusement. — "Even in the face of catastrophe, even knowing for certain that everyone will die, he puts on a magnificent performance! And people believe him! Follow him! Dance with him!"

"He's acting absolutely like... like a spoiled child prince on a royal vacation," — Wanda noted through her laughter, wiping away tears. — "Who's been told for the first time that there are no strict rules anymore. Absolute freedom to do whatever he wants. Zero consequences for his actions."

"Because there really aren't any!" — Tony added logically. — "He can objectively do literally anything, and the timeline won't change in any way!"

Some of the Romans, succumbing to the frantic energy of the moment, actually began to dance along with him. The others simply stood frozen in shock, watching the strange prophet from the future.
Mobius stood to the side, his face a mixture of horror, frustration, and... reluctance to acknowledge, yet a slight admiration for, the chaos.
He nervously checked the Tempad, his hands shaking. He was shocked to see the readings on the glowing screen.

"How are they doing with the timeline?" — Wanda asked, still giggling at Loki's antics. — "Did Loki create a branch with his absolutely insane show?"

Loki, still dancing and twirling like a man possessed, shouted across the square, "Mobius! How are we doing with the readings?!"
"I... I can't believe my eyes," Mobius stared at the device, stunned. "Zero Dispersion Energy. Absolutely zero. No branching in the timeline. No deviations at all."

"INCREDIBLE!" — Bruce was completely captivated, utterly mesmerized, his eyes ablaze with pure scientific curiosity. — "He put on a whole grand performance in front of hundreds of people! He danced! He juggled! He told them in detail about the future, about the TVA, about time travel! He freed all the cattle! He had a blast! And it didn't affect the timeline at all—absolutely at all!"

"The theory works flawlessly," — Stephen nodded with deep professional respect. — "It works completely, absolutely flawlessly in practice."

"Loki was absolutely right," — Thor said with incredible, immense pride, his voice ringing with emotion. — "My brilliant little brother was absolutely right. As always."

"And with such incredible style!" — Tony added admiringly. — "He didn't just conduct a quiet, boring experiment. Oh no. He put on an entire theatrical show! A performance! Classic Loki at his finest!"

Loki heard the confirmation, and his face lit up with triumph. "I TOLD YOU SO!" he shouted to the sky, raising his arms in triumph. "I WAS RIGHT!"
Then he climbed onto the statue of the Roman god. "If it were me in Variant's place," he shouted, balancing on the statue's head, "I'd hide right here! In apocalypses!"

"He's standing on the statue's head," — Wanda covered her face with her hands. — "Like a five-year-old. I can't."

"That's the God of Mischief," — Thor reminded her. — "Mischief is literally his job. And he's very good at it."

"One step closer to catching the dangerous Variant," — Sam said with growing optimism.

"Not so fast, take your time," — Natasha shook her head, her analytical mind already seeing the problem. — "We know where to look—in apocalypses. But it's still an astronomically huge problem."

"Why not?" — Peter asked, frowning.

"Because there have been countless different apocalypses throughout recorded history," — Natasha explained patiently. — "Thousands, millions. And there will be even more in the unknown future. And that's just on Earth alone. There's the entire Ragnarok on Asgard. Literally millions of catastrophes on countless other planets across the universe."

"Like the destruction of Titan," — Tony added grimly, recalling Thanos's devastated home planet.

"Exactly," — Natasha nodded. — "It's virtually impossible to pinpoint in which specific apocalypse, at which precise point in history, on which specific planet a Variant is hiding. It's like looking for a single needle in a haystack the size of the entire infinite universe and all timelines simultaneously."

"And the dangerous Variant has had years to carefully select the perfect hideout," — Bruce added. — "He could hide literally anywhere, anytime."

The molten ash from the erupting Vesuvius was rapidly and menacingly approaching the city and them.
"Oh, shit," Loki breathed, finally realizing the real danger.

"Hey, you both need to get out of there immediately!" — Scott shouted anxiously. — "Right now!"

"Loki's still dancing!" — Rhodey laughed incredulously. — "Even with deadly ash flying straight at him! He can't stop!"

"LOKI! NOW!" Mobius shouted, activating the time portal. Loki leaped dramatically from the statue, landed, gave a theatrical bow to the Romans"It was nice to meet you!" and dove through the portal a second before the first wave of ash reached the square.

"But at least we now know one very important thing for sure," — Tony concluded, still chuckling at Loki's wild antics. — "That dangerous Variant definitely likes to hide in apocalypses. And Loki just proved that brilliantly."

"Yes, that's absolutely true," — Steve agreed.

"And now we also know that Loki can be quite... entertaining and fun," — Wanda added with a warm smile, — "when he's not trying to take over the world or kill people."

"Because for the first time in his life, there were no consequences," — Thor said quietly, his voice full of understanding. — "For the first time, he could do absolutely anything without fear of punishment. Just be... himself."

Everyone thought about these words, understanding the depth of what was said.

Back at TVA, Loki (now back in TVA form) and Mobius exited the elevator. "Doomsdays. The variant was ambushing our soldiers and hiding during the doomsdays to cover his tracks," Mobius said.

"Honestly, it's just genius," — Bucky admitted. — "Cruel, but brilliant."

"Use natural disasters as a way to cover up your crimes," — Natasha added. — "No traces. No evidence. Everything gets wiped out by the apocalypse."

"Your Welcome," Loki said.

"Frankly, the TVA were idiots if they didn't realize that," — Steve said, rolling his eyes.

"But for that theory to be true, the disasters have to occur naturally, suddenly, without warning, and without survivors," Mobius said, grabbing a stack of folders from his desk.

Everyone winced at the last criterion.

"No survivors," — Steve repeated quietly. — "So, only total apocalypses. Where absolutely everyone dies."

"There will be many of them," — Stephen said grimly. — "Too many."

"History is full of such catastrophes," — Wanda added. — "Unfortunately."

"How many could there be?". "I don't know. We'll find out."

"A depressing number, I'm sure," — Wanda said quietly.

"Each folder is a catastrophe where everyone died," — Bruce removed his glasses, wiping them. — "It's... hard to comprehend."

Later, Mobius yawned while reading the report, and Loki slept with his head in his arms.

Everyone giggled at the sight of Loki sleeping.

"Talk about hard work," — Clint said with a grin. — "Reading apocalypse reports is so boring, even the God of Mischief fell asleep."

"Honestly, I would too," — Scott admitted. — "This looks incredibly tedious."

"They've probably been working for hours," — Steve noted. — "Without a break."

Mobius closes the file and taps it on Loki to wake him. "Hey?" Loki wakes up.
"Let's go for a walk." Mobius and Loki get up and leave the TVA archives section.

"Where are they headed now?" — Scott asked.

Loki and Mobius sit at a table in the cafeteria. "By the way, do you have that magazine on your desk?" Loki begins.

"Oh, yeah, what other magazine could he be talking about?" — Tony chuckled.

"Jet skis are back in the conversation," — Sam added.

"Yeah. The one with the jet skis?"
"Yeah. Why do you need that?" Loki asks Mobius.
"Because they're awesome," Mobius replies.

"He's not wrong about the jet skis," — Rhodey agreed. — "They're really cool."

"Who would have thought a conversation about jet skis would become so philosophical?" Scott added.

"I suppose so."
"Yeah. You know, some things... actually, most things in history are pretty stupid, and eventually everything falls apart."

"True," Scott agreed with a serious nod.

"An excellent observation about human ingenuity," Bruce added. "Sometimes we create something perfect. For a little while."

"But in the early 1990s, for a brief, shining moment, there emerged a beautiful combination of form and function we call a jet ski, and no reasonable person can disagree with it."
"Have you ever been on one?" Loki asks.
"No... no," Mobius replies.

"Oh, come on!" Rhodey exclaimed. "He loves them so much, but he's never tried them? That's criminal!"

"He's missing out on the best!" "Sam agreed.

"I think a TVA agent showing up on a jet ski in the Sacred Timeline would definitely create a spur."
"It would be fun, though," Loki said wistfully.

"Can't argue with that," Clint said. "Jet skis are pure fun."

"It's sad he'll never get to try it," Wanda added quietly. "To spend his whole life dreaming about something and never experiencing it."

"Yeah, that would be a lot of fun."
"So why read about them?"
Mobius looked at him. "Just helps me remember what we're fighting for."

Everyone raised an eyebrow at that answer.

"Oh, really?" Tony looked skeptical. "Jet skis remind you of the TVA's mission?"

"That's... an unexpected explanation," Scott admitted.

"But Mobius really believes all of this," Steve shook his head. "Completely, sincerely believes it."

"If the Time Guardians created Mobius for this purpose," Tony crossed his arms, "then obviously he'll believe in the TVA. That's not faith—that's programming."

"You really believe all this, right?". "I don't think on whether to believe or not. I just accept what is."

"You know," Steve leaned back thoughtfully, "after everything I've seen and experienced, I have the same outlook on life. Accept reality, no matter how strange it may be."

"The multiverse, time travel, gods, aliens," Vision listed. "At some point, you just stop being surprised."

"Three magical lizards..."
"The Time Guardians."

Everyone snorted at Loki's description.

"We've seen the Time Guardian statues," Thor nodded with a grin, "and they do look like giant lizards. Or dragons. Reptiles of some kind."

"Magical space lizards who manipulate time," Tony repeated. "Why not? At this point, I'm willing to believe anything."

"...created the TVA and everyone in it?". "Right.". "Including you?". "Including me."

"Well, frankly, that does sound strange," Scott agreed. "Three lizards created an entire organization and everyone in it? Out of nothing?"

"No stranger than many other things we've seen," Wanda countered.

"See, every time I start admiring your intellect, you say something like that."
"Okay, who created you, Loki?" Mobius asks.
"An ice giant from Jotunheim," Loki replied.
"And who raised you?"
"Odin of Asgard," Loki replied.
"Odin, God of the Sky. Asgard, the mystical realm beyond the stars. Ice giants. Listen to yourselves," Mobius said.

"They're completely different!" Thor immediately countered.

But the rest of Earth's inhabitants exchanged skeptical glances.

"Honestly?" Natasha tilted her head. "From a normal human perspective? That's pretty hard to believe, too."

"Gods living in a magical kingdom in space," Clint listed. "A rainbow bridge connecting worlds. Frost giants. It sounds like Norse mythology come to life."

"Because that's what it is!" Thor looked slightly offended. "We inspired your myths!"

"It's not the same. It's completely different," Loki interrupted Mobius.
"No, no, no."
"It's not the same."
"Actually, it's the same thing, because if you think too hard about where each of us comes from, who we really are, it sounds kind of ridiculous," Mobius explained.

"Frankly, it is," Clint admitted thoughtfully.

"Existence is chaos. Nothing makes sense, so we try to make sense of it," Loki said.

"Facts," Sam agreed. "The universe is chaotic. We're just trying to find patterns in it."

"And I'm just lucky that the chaos I found myself in gave me all this... my own glorious purpose," Mobius shrugged. Loki chuckled.
"Because the TVA is my life. And it's real because I believe it's real," Mobius said.

"Fine, believe what you want," Scott shrugged.

"But many people believe something is real," Tony pointed at the screen, "that doesn't mean it's actually true."

"Faith doesn't create facts," Bruce agreed. "Only perception."

"Fair enough. You believe it's real." "Yes."
"So everything is written. Past, present, future. Free will doesn't exist."

Everyone frowned at the same time.

"It has to be!" Steve threw his hands in the air in frustration. "Freedom of choice is the foundation of humanity!"

"Without free will, we're just puppets," Wanda added. "Following someone else's script."

Mobius said that was an oversimplification.

"How? Because the TVA arrested Loki for taking the Tesseract," Peter said. "If there was free will, Loki wouldn't be at the TVA."

"That's the contradiction at the very core of the TVA," Bruce agreed. "They punish choice, yet claim choice exists."

Loki said that only TVA employees were truly free.

A chill ran down everyone's spines.

"That's a truly terrifying thought," Sam shuddered. "That freedom is a privilege, not a right. That entire universes of people live without real choice."

"Totalitarianism on a cosmic level," Steve added, his voice thick with disgust.

"That's why I'm glad Loki burned the TVA to the ground at the end," Steve paused, realizing what he'd just said. "I never thought I'd say those words. 'I'm glad Loki destroyed something.'"

Everyone laughed, despite the gravity of the topic.

Mobius asked where Loki was going with this. "How will this all end?" Loki asked.

"In chaos?" Tony suggested. "Or in perfect order, which, frankly, sounds even worse."

Mobius said the work wasn't finished yet.

Everyone looked at Mobius with confusion. Stephen narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Wait," Bruce leaned forward. "How can the Time Guardians monitor all of time, control every branch, know every event... but not know how it all ends?"

"That doesn't make sense," Stephen agreed. "If they see it all the time, they must see the end."

"If there's an end at all," Wanda added.

"This is giving me an existential crisis. Seriously. My brain hurts," Peter groaned, clutching his head.

"Me too," Sam shook his head. "Time paradoxes are the worst."

"Those lazy Time Guardians. What are they waiting for?"

"Good question," Bucky muttered. "Who knows what they're doing there?"

"No, because while we're protesting what came before, they're toiling away in their chambers, unraveling the epilogue from its endless ramifications."

"Stop the multiverse war," Stephen repeated thoughtfully. "If it really happened."

"Or if they're telling the truth," Natasha added skeptically.

"Uh-huh," Loki replied. "I see. And when they're done, what happens then?"
"Nothing. No more Nexus Events," Mobius said.

"Wait, so the TVA will cease to exist?" Bruce asked, surprised.

"If there are no branches to prune, what's the point of the Time Police?" Tony logically observed.

"It just ends, and we'll meet in the world at the end of time."

"That sounds completely boring," Tony said, rolling his eyes.

"Great, huh?"
Loki sighed silently. "Just order?"
"Mmm-hmm."
"No chaos? That sounds boring."

"Exactly what I thought!" Tony pointed at the screen. "A world without chaos? Without surprises? Without choices? That sounds like a nightmare, not a paradise!"

"One man's utopia is another man's dystopia," Stephen remarked philosophically.

"I'm sure it does for you," Mobius said.

Everyone laughed.

"Yes, the God of Mischief would certainly be unhappy in a world of pure order," Wanda agreed. "It goes against his very nature."

"Loki without chaos is like water without moisture," Thor added. "It just doesn't work."

"You know, you called me a scared little boy."

"Among many other insults," Rhodey muttered.

"I've called you many names."
"You did. But you're wrong."

"What exactly does he mean?" Natasha asked.

"You see, I know something children don't."
"What is it?" Mobius asks Loki.
"No bad person is truly bad. And no good person is truly good."

A complete silence fell over the viewing room.

Everyone was shocked by the depth of this statement.

"Wow," Wanda whispered. "That... that's truly wise."

"Well, he's right," Steve nodded slowly. "No one is purely evil or purely good. We're all shades of gray."

"Yes," Natasha nodded. "After we discovered that the people we trusted were our enemies all along. Good people turned out to be bad. Bad people turned out to be good. Everything got mixed up."

"Exactly what Loki says," Bruce remarked. "Morality isn't black and white. It's complex, nuanced."

Mobius simply realized what Loki had just said. "Scared boy."
"Yes, that was rather patronizing. I think it was a bit much."
Mobius simply looks at him. "You're very smart." He gets up and leaves.
"I know," Loki said, somewhat confused.

Everyone chuckled.

"Even when he receives a compliment, he can't help but agree with it," Clint laughed.

"Classic Loki," Thor added with a smile. "Never misses an opportunity to assert his superiority."

"But he looked confused," Wanda noted. "As if he didn't expect a sincere compliment."

"Because he probably didn't," Natasha said quietly. "When you're used to insults and manipulation, sincerity is disconcerting."

At the TVA Archives, Mobius and Loki paused at a shelf.

"Oh, we're back in the Archives," — Scott said. — "I hope they find something useful this time."

"I hope Loki can read something besides his own file," — Thor added with a slight grin.

"Variant left something at the old crime scene. A cathedral. A candy box. An obvious anachronism. I sent it to Analysis, but they couldn't find anything authentic," Mobius explained.

"Oh, we saw that mission!" — Steve remembered. — "It was the one in France in 1549. Where the entire Minuteman team died."

"And where the little girl got candy from Variant," — Natasha added.

Loki asked why that was important. "Because now we have two variables." "Apocalypse, natural disasters, and..." Mobius opened the box and pulled out a Kablooie gum.

Everyone let out a sound of realization.

"I completely forgot about that gum!" — Peter exclaimed, slapping his forehead.

"Yeah, because none of us have ever heard of it," — Clint agreed. — "It's a brand that doesn't exist."

"It's probably some kind of space gum or something," — Steve suggested, examining the brightly colored packaging on the screen.

"Loki's version gave it to that little girl," — Natasha realized, her eyes narrowing in thought. — "I never thought any Loki would hand out candy to children. That's... weird."

"That's really unusual. Loki never really liked children. Or rather, he avoided them," — Thor blinked in surprise.

"Maybe this Variant is kinder?" — Tony suggested. — "Gentler? The Variant is a different Loki, not the one we know."

"But they still kill people," — Sam countered. — "Dozens of Minutemen are dead."

"They kill TVA agents," — Clint corrected. — "Which, technically, isn't quite the same thing. We already know how terrible the TVA is. Maybe the Variant is some kind of... vigilante? Freedom fighter?"

"Terrorist or revolutionary—depending on your perspective," — Stephen remarked philosophically.

"What is this?"
"Candy. You have candy on Asgard?"
"Yes, grapes and nuts."

Everyone on Earth turned to Thor with expressions of utter bewilderment.

"Sorry to tell you this," — Tony shook his head slowly, — "but here on Earth, grapes and nuts aren't candy. They're just... food. Healthy food."

Thor looked slightly offended. — "Grapes and nuts are delicious! Sweet! They're Asgardian delicacies!"

A brief pause.

"Although Pop-Tarts are definitely better," — he added wistfully.

The rest of the original Avengers groaned loudly in unison.

"Oh no, not about Pop-Tarts again," — Clint covered his face with his hand.

"Good to know you're still obsessed with them," — Natasha added with a grin.

Tony frowned, looking at Thor with mock indignation. — "Do you know how many Pop-Tarts you ate while you lived in the Tower? You ate my entire pantry! An entire room! I had them specially ordered by the case!"

"The only reason I even know Pop-Tarts exist," — Steve couldn't help but smile, — "is because of Thor. He always talked about them."

"Oh, god, yes," — Natasha laughed. — "I remember that time you and Thor had an eating contest. It was... impressive. And a little scary."

Thor and Steve giggled at the memory, while the other original Avengers groaned even louder.

"That was epic!" — Thor defended himself. — "I ate twenty-three boxes!"

"I ate eighteen," — Steve admitted. — "And then I couldn't move for three hours."

"No wonder you're so bitter," Mobius said, nodding understandingly.

Everyone on Earth laughed, but Thor looked offended.

At the table, Mobius placed a stack of files on the desk. "Kablooie was only sold regionally on Earth from 2047 to 2051."

"Damn," — Scott whistled. — "That's more than twenty years from now."

"That's why none of us have ever heard of Kablooie," — Sam realized. — "It hasn't even been invented yet. It won't be around for another two decades."

"I can't wait to try Kablooie in twenty-nine years,"—  Peter said with a slight smile.

Then he paused.

"You know... twenty-nine years ago was 1989. The year my parents were still alive."

A short, heavy silence.

Those who grew up in the '80s—Clint, Natasha, Tony—frowned in unison.

"Kid," — Clint sighed, — "stop making us feel so old. Please."

"1989 wasn't that long ago!" — Natasha defended herself. — "It was... relatively recent!"

"That was thirty years ago, Nat," — Tony shook his head. — "We're old."

Steve and Bucky giggled, clearly enjoying the others' discomfort.

"You mean you feel old?" — Steve chuckled. — "I was born in 1918."

"I was born in 1917," — Bucky added. — "We're veterans of veterans."

Mobius said they needed to match Kablooie with every apocalyptic event, and Mobius decided to make a bet and handed Loki half the files.
"Want to bet?"
"Yes.". "A gentleman's bet. Yeah, let's play for pride. Fine. May the best man win. Go." He hands Loki the other half of the files.
They look through the files. "Anything?" Mobius asks.
"Uh... it's not the 2048 climate catastrophe."

"Climate catastrophe?" — Rhodey frowned. — "That doesn't surprise me at all. We're heading straight for it."

"With our current rate of pollution and carbon emissions," — Bruce shook his head grimly, — "catastrophe is inevitable unless we change course."

"Or the 2051 tsunami."

Everyone winced.

"Well, great," — Scott said with bitter irony. — "Now we learn about future disasters in real time. Thanks, TVA."

"I knew it!" — Peter clutched his head. — "We're doomed! Climate catastrophe is only thirty years away! It's practically tomorrow!"

"It's actually not that far away," — Wanda agreed quietly. — "One generation."

"Climate catastrophe in 2048..." — Tony rubbed his temples, his expression turning serious. — "I need to get these arc reactors to market as soon as possible. Clean energy is the only way to prevent it. Or at least mitigate it."

"2050. Swallow extinction... What's that?" Loki asked, puzzled. "Mobius said it completely ruined the ecosystem."

"Fuck," Sam cursed quietly, but with feeling.

"The future is total crap," — Bucky added darkly. — "One disaster after another."

"Now we know exactly what years these disasters occur in," — Scott looked dejected. — "And that makes them even scarier. They're real. They're going to happen. Great. Just great."

"Krakotoa also erupted in 2049. Kablooie didn't happen."

"Another disaster we now know about in advance," — Tony said sarcastically. — "Yay. Just great."

"God, it's just one damn disaster after another, isn't it? Cyclones, famines, volcanoes, floods..."

"Yeah, those are real natural disasters," — Steve agreed. — "Nature spares no one."

"It's so depressing," — Wanda sighed. — "All those lives lost. All those disasters we can't prevent."

"And we can't even prevent that," — Bucky said miserably. — "Because if we try, the TVA will arrest us."

"Or we'll create a branch that leads to a multiverse war," — Stephen added.

"No, I disagree," — Tony shook his head decisively. —"I can do something. I'm going to implement these arc reactors globally. Clean energy, accessible to everyone. That will prevent at least some of the climate change-related disasters."

"If the TVA lets you," — Natasha remarked grimly.

"The TVA can go to hell," — Tony replied. — "I won't let bureaucrats from the future dictate whether I can save the planet."

"Gotcha," Loki announces to Mobius.
Loki takes the file and shows it to Mobius. "Here it is."

Everyone's eyes widened.

ROXXCART DISASTER [CLASS TEN EVENT]: Planetary body intact, casualties: 10,835, Category 8 hurricane.

"Ragnarok was a Class 7 disaster. "But this is a Category 10? How does that work?" — Thor frowned, reading the information.

"More casualties. Around nine thousand died in Ragnarok—9,719, to be exact. This is over ten thousand—10,835," — Bruce leaned closer to the screen, analyzing the information.

He paused.

"I guess that's how the TVA measures the scale of apocalypses. By the number of dead. A Category 7 is around 9-10 thousand. A Category 10 is over 10 thousand."

"Oh my God," — Peter said with horror, his young face turning pale. — "That's a Category 8 hurricane! Those don't even exist anymore! Category 5 at the most!"

There was a moment of heavy silence as everyone processed the information.

"Yes," — Rhodey finally broke the silence. — "We're definitely doomed. Humanity is heading for disaster, and there's nothing we can do."

"There he is," Loki said. "Alabama, 2050. You'll take my job if I'm not careful," Mobius said.

There were a few chuckles of relief.

"Finally, Loki actually helped! Again!" — Clint exclaimed. — "Really, really helped! He wasn't just making sarcastic comments!"

"He found Variant's hideout," — Natasha added approvingly. — "That's a breakthrough."

Chapter Text

In Renslayer's office, Mobius tried to convince him to approve a mission to Variant's potential hideout.

Anticipation hung in the air in the viewing room.

"I have a feeling," Natasha crossed her arms, "that this is the mission. Where they'll actually find Variant."

"Logically, it makes sense," Bruce agreed. "The puzzle fits together. The hideout is perfect: food, resources, and guaranteed destruction of all evidence."

"Haven-Hills, Alabama, a company town owned by Roxxcart until a hurricane destroyed it," Mobius said.
"All the food and everything he needs. If he likes it, there's no reason he can't come back and just set up camp again and again."

"Makes sense," Stephen nodded. "Why look for a new hideout if the old one works perfectly?"

"And this is all based on the theory of Variant, who just botched your previous mission?" Renslayer asked. Mobius said he was doing just fine.

Renslayer said trusting Loki wasn't the best idea.

"A clever point," Thor agreed. "Trusting my brother is like trying to hold lightning in your palms. But he really is a genius to see what an army of analysts missed."

"But they have no choice," Steve countered. "It's their only lead."

"No. I know. But maybe he's worth it. I mean, he just discovered a huge hole in our security, right?" Mobius asked.

"Yes, that's a huge help," Thor smiled proudly. "My brother has always been a genius."

Renslayer said that was exactly what worried her.

"Paranoia," Natasha commented. "But not unfounded."

"Maybe then the TVA will have a better security system in the future," Wanda added. "If they survive this."

Mobius said he could handle Loki. Ravonna said she trusted Mobius, but not Loki.

"Come on, give Loki a chance," Scott said, almost pleadingly. "Let him prove himself, one more time."

Mobius's every instinct told him this was where they'd find Variant.

"I have a feeling, too," Wanda agreed quietly.

"And that's bad," Thor added darkly, "because I don't want the TVA to capture even one version of Loki. Not one. They all deserve to be free."

Ravonna agreed to the mission, but warned Mobius that she couldn't do anything if it didn't work. "Forever." "Always."

"Frankly, that phrase scares me a little," Tony admitted. "'Forever. Always.' It sounds cultish."

"It's definitely cultish," Rhodey agreed. "Religious worship of time under the guise of office bureaucracy."

Loki waits for Mobius to emerge. Mobius opens the doors. "We're coming."
Loki follows. Mobius and Loki enter another room, where the Minutemen are preparing for a mission. "We're doing a good job today."
"I think so too," Loki replies.

Everyone nodded in approval.

"We learned so much in this episode," Bruce said. "About the TVA, about Variant, about Loki himself."

"It was quite interesting," Rhodey agreed. "Despite the dark subject matter."

"Enough?" Peter looked offended. "It was very interesting! Apocalypses, time paradoxes, the philosophy of free will!"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"I'm telling you. You're actually helping us catch that Variant, and who knows, my friend." Mobius opened the locker.
"What, enough for a personal meeting with the Time Keepers?"

"I think it's too early for that," Wanda remarked realistically. "One successful mission doesn't deserve a meeting with the gods of time."

"I didn't say that. One step at a time."
"Good. One step at a time."
Mobius handed Loki two knives. "Just in case."
Loki looked at them lovingly, his hand gently touching the hilts.

"He missed his knives so much," Thor chuckled, recognizing his brother's expression. "Loki always loved bladed weapons more than magic."

"It's almost romantic," Natasha added with a grin. "The way he looks at those knives."

"Yes, I can feel them..."
Hunter B-15 snatches the weapon from Loki's hands. "No way."

Chuckles and giggles erupted throughout the room.

"Smart move," Natasha approved. "Never give Loki a weapon if you want to keep him under control."

"Poor Loki," Peter couldn't help but laugh. "They gave him knives for three seconds!"

She places the weapons in another locker. "Gather for the briefing." Everyone assigned to the mission now gathers in a circle. "Roxxcart is a massive supermarket common in the area," says Huntress B-15. "It consists of several large sections, including a large warehouse."
"This warehouse is being used by civilians as a shelter, where they're trying to ride out the storm."
"While Variant isn't supposed to know we're approaching, it could be hiding anywhere and should be considered hostile. So stay alert. Every time an attack occurs, Variant steals a reset charge."

"I wonder why Variant needs these charges?" Bruce wondered aloud. "They're used to destroy timelines. Why would anyone collect them?"

"He's up to something," Natasha agreed. "Something big. We just don't know what it is yet."

"He's up to something. We just don't know what it is yet." "So keep an eye on the missing charges, and if you see Loki, cut him off," Hunter B-15 concludes.

"Well, except for that Loki," Thor admitted.

"Bad Loki, preferably," Loki says. He simply smiles. The Minutemen simply look at him.

"Tough audience," Tony commented. "Zero sense of humor. These guys apparently don't have a sense of humor in their program. The 'bad Loki' joke was great, and they look at him like he's a faulty toaster."

"For them, any Variant is just a system error," Natasha noted. "They're not into puns."

"Well then," Rhodey rubbed his hands, "let's find out who this Variant is."

The screen shows a street in the evening, and the words "Haven-Hills, Alabama, 2050" appear on the screen. A hurricane has destroyed a "Welcome to Haven Hills" billboard.

Everyone in the viewing room stared at the screen with growing horror, witnessing the utterly destructive force of nature in action.

"This is total crap," Sam whispered, his eyes widening. "This looks absolutely apocalyptic. Like the end of the world."

"I've never, ever seen a hurricane this powerful in my life," Bucky admitted, his eyes wide with shock. "Even back when I was a kid, before the war. This... this is inhuman. Supernatural."

"Well, it's a Category 8 hurricane," Wanda reminded him, her voice shaking. "Which technically doesn't even exist in our current Saffir-Simpson classification system. A Category 5 is the maximum."

"Oh, my God," Peter said, his eyes wide with horror, his young face pale. "In 2050, I'll be... wait, let me do the math..."

He began counting on his fingers, concentrating on the math.

"Forty-nine years old!" He clutched his head with both hands, clearly experiencing an existential crisis. "I'll be so old! Ancient! Almost half a century old! My back will hurt, and I'll be grumbling at the young!"

"Forty-four is objectively NOT old, kid," Tony said, slightly offended by this statement. "It's quite young, middle age. The prime of life."

"I'll be fifty-six in 2050. More than half a century. Half a century," Wanda gasped in shock at her own realization. Her voice was filled with disbelief at the number.

"Yeah, the math is simple," Clint shrugged with feigned indifference, "I'll be in my seventies. If I'm even still alive by then. Considering our profession."

He said this so calmly, so matter-of-factly, that everyone turned sharply and looked at him with concern.

"What's wrong?" Clint shrugged. "I'm just a realist. Avengers rarely live to see retirement."

"Well, I technically beat you guys," Bucky chuckled with dark humor. "I'll be a hundred and thirty-three in 2050. Officially ancient."

"But biologically, you'll still be in your mid-sixties, thanks to years of cryonics and freezing," Steve snorted, "So technically, you're not that old..."

"Okay, fine," Bucky said, feigning seriousness after a few seconds of thought, "I've beaten all the normal people in age. And I officially want my legal retirement benefits. Social Security. Senior discounts at stores."

"Bucky, you're technically already a pensioner. We both have been for a long time. We're both over a hundred years old. We're well past retirement age by any standard," Steve laughed, despite the difficult topic.

"But I want official recognition of my status!" Bucky defended himself, his smile widening. "A pensioner's ID! A veteran's card! Free travel!"

"You can't get a pensioner's ID if you were officially born in 1917," Natasha chuckled. "They'll ask you how you're still alive."

"Good genes, I'd say," Bucky replied calmly.

Everyone started giggling, and the tension eased a bit.

The time door opened as Loki, Mobius, B-15, and the Minutemen walked through. Near the entrance was a holographic image of a woman greeting customers.

"Wow, the future is really technologically advanced," Peter looked genuinely impressed, despite the apocalyptic circumstances. "Holographic assistants! Just like science fiction!"

"We've been literally watching the future this whole time," Stephen reminded her logically. "The TVA, their advanced technology, those time-traveling missions."

"Yeah, right, but that wasn't that far in the future," Peter countered. "The TVA is outside of time." "And 2050—that's like a specific future. Almost thirty years from now."

Loki glanced briefly at the raging sky, and a deep longing flickered in his eyes—longing for home, for his brother, for the life he'd lost.

Thor's eyes watered, realizing what Loki was searching for in the sky. He missed his little brother so terribly. Seeing Loki miss him too, their connection, warmed his broken heart, at least a little.

The drenched group entered the massive supermarket, completely soaked by the pouring rain within seconds. Their clothes clung to their bodies, water dripped from their hair.
Loki paused at the threshold. Green magic flared around his slender figure for a second—bright, beautiful—and instantly he was completely dry, as if he'd never been exposed to rain.

"What the...?" Clint asked, surprised.

"That was Loki using his basic magic," Wanda explained professionally. "A simple drying spell. Elemental water manipulation."

"What the hell was that?" B-15 asks Loki.
Loki looks at her completely calmly. "I used elemental magic to dry my clothes. So I wouldn't announce my presence with every squeaky, squelching step of wet fabric, like you all are doing now."

Everyone in the screening room laughed at the utterly flawless logic of the explanation.

"Pretty reasonable, actually," Natasha agreed approvingly. "Wet clothes make noise. They leave wet marks on the floor. In terms of stealth, Loki is currently the only professional in this group of 'sloshing' targets."

"Smart idea," Clint added professionally, assessing from a spy's perspective. "I'd do exactly the same thing if I had magic."

"Strategic thinking," Natasha agreed.

The lights flickered and went out.

"It adds even more to the creepy horror movie atmosphere," Steve remarked, expertly assessing the gloomy, endless aisles of the abandoned supermarket. "The perfect setting for a horror movie."

"The perfect tactical location for a well-thought-out ambush," Natasha added professionally, her experienced eyes quickly scanning the screen, assessing the area. "Plenty of cover behind the shelves. Blind spots at every corner. Long hallways with critically limited visibility. If I were a Variant setting up an ambush, I'd attack right here, in this exact spot."

"A classic kill spot," Bucky added grimly.

"Take both teams and methodically comb the storm shelter for Variants," B-15 commanded half the armed Minutemen, pointing in the right direction.
"Yes, ma'am," they responded in unison, saluting. "Loki and I are personally going to thoroughly inspect the Green House—the garden section," Mobius begins to explain, pointing to the map. "We'll meet later at..."
"No," B-15 interrupts sharply, her voice brooking no argument.
Mobius turns around, confused. "No? What do you mean, no?"
"You're going with Hunter D-90 and his team. Loki remains under my personal supervision."

"I thought Mobius clearly told Renslayer he could handle him," Steve looked slightly annoyed by the incompetence. "That he has Loki under complete control."

"Obviously, B-15 doesn't trust him at all," Natasha added. "And she doesn't trust Loki even more."

"She thinks brute force and a stern glare will deter the god of deception," Tony chuckled. "Good luck to her."

"What are you saying... he's under my watch," Mobius replies.
"This is my field operation, Mobius," B-15 tells him.

"Okay, she's technically right," Rhodey admitted, assessing the situation like a military man. "In the TVA hierarchy, she's a high-ranking field commander, and Mobius is a civilian specialist, an analyst. On the battlefield, the one with the heaviest stick commands."

"If he's not a threat, then..."
"Of course he is. Don't you remember the Theater of Time?" Mobius asks.
"Mobius..."
"That's why I want him with me."

"I must admit," Scott leaned forward with a smile, "they really are a great duo. They have a good, natural dynamic."

"Mobius understands Loki much better than the tough B-15," Wanda agreed.

"You can go back to the TVA and file a lawsuit against Renslayer, but right now..."
"We're here. We're not going back. The option is here."
"Mobius, it's okay. It's okay." Loki stops any further argument. "You can trust me." Loki looks at Hunter B-15. "I understand I have to earn it, so I'll do it."

"We'll see how this actually plays out," Clint snorted skeptically, crossing his arms. "I don't believe it yet."

"He sounds surprisingly sincere," Wanda remarked, tilting her head. "After what he saw on the hologram preview, something in him snapped. But you can never be completely sure with him."

"Why do untrustworthy people always say, 'Trust me?'" Mobius asks.

Everyone instantly burst into laughter.

"That's what I'd like to know too!" Scott exclaimed. "Is this some kind of universal rule?"

"If someone actively says 'trust me,' immediately don't trust them for a second," Natasha added as a professional rule. "Basic rule of espionage number one."

"Okay, try to hold on to your Time Collar this time." Mobius agrees and leaves Loki in B-15's care.
"See you in the exhibition hall," D-90 tells B-15, following Mobius. Loki and B-15 take a different route.
The camera pans to the security room, where Variant has just been monitoring the entire event on surveillance cameras.

"Variant already knows they're there, on the premises," Rhodey asserted with absolute certainty. "Watching their every move through security cameras."

"It's a classic ambush," Natasha added professionally. "Variant is deliberately luring them into a trap."

Variant places the TemPad on the counter with a 20-minute countdown. Variant leaves the room.

"She planted some kind of bomb?!" Scott looked extremely alarmed. "Or a timer for something dangerous?"

"Or something significantly worse," Steve added, his voice extremely grim. "Twenty minutes until... something catastrophic."

"Nothing good, that's for sure," Bucky agreed.

Loki and B-15 walk awkwardly and quietly down a passageway filled with various types of plants.

"I can already feel the awkward tension between them," Natasha commented professionally. "They clearly don't trust each other at all. Their body language screams it."

"I, for one, am glad we get to spend this time together," Loki breaks the silence.
"Quiet," B-15 tells him.
A faint ringing sound can be heard from another passageway.

"Was it just me, or did you hear it clearly too?" Scott asked, leaning tensely closer to the screen.

"I heard it clearly too," Thor confirmed, his hands instinctively clenching. "Something's definitely there. Or someone."

"I'm saying we launched incorrectly..."
"Shh."
B-15 and Loki quietly creep down the aisle where they just heard the sound. Some guy is simply checking his plants.
"Hey!" B-15 shouts to the man, readying his pruning staff.

"What the hell is that guy doing?" Clint asked, genuinely confused. "During a deadly Category 8 hurricane, he's calmly... working? Checking his plants? That's not normal."

The man looks at them and raises his hands in surrender. "Wow, wow. Everything's fine. Everything's fine."
"What are you doing?" asks Man B-15.
"Buying plants," the man replies.

"During a Category 8 hurricane?!" Every single person in the room simultaneously looked deeply puzzled and seriously concerned.

"That's completely not normal," Wanda added, frowning. "Not normal at all. No one behaves like that."

"During this storm?" Loki looked confused.
"It's a hurricane sale. Azaleas are 50% off."

A dead silence fell over the viewing room, which a second later gave way to a wave of bewilderment.

"Such a crazy concept as a 'hurricane sale' simply doesn't exist in reality," Rhodey shook his head in absolute disbelief. "Is that so? Please tell me this isn't real. This is pure insanity."

"And what kind of normal store even holds sales during a deadly natural disaster?" Scott added. "When everyone's supposed to evacuate? Who came up with that idea?"

"Capitalism doesn't stop even in the face of the apocalypse," said Tony though even he looked impressed by the brazenness of the futuristic marketers. "'Buy three palm trees, get a free coffin,' right?"

"Is that really you?" Loki asks B-15.
"I mean, I promise I'd wear a suit, but yeah, maybe," Loki whispers.

"Well, let's find out," Sam said, leaning closer.

"If it really is Variant, then he's toying with them in the most ingenious way possible," Natasha noted. "He knows they're looking for something dangerous, and he's slipping them the most harmless idiot in the world."

B-15 moves closer to the man, and Loki follows. The man places his hand on her wrist, and green magic leaves his body and enters hers.

Everyone in the viewing room gasped in shock.

"He was under Variant's complete control!" Natasha exclaimed, her eyes widening. "Possessed by magic! Variant was using his body like a puppet!"

"So that's exactly how this particular mind control magic works," Bruce realized, his scientific mind quickly analyzing. "Mind control through direct physical touch. Bounces consciousness between host bodies."

"Possession magic," Stephen added professionally. "Extremely dark, forbidden magic. Using another's body as a vessel."

The man falls to the floor, unconscious. Loki is deeply confused by what he's just witnessed. His face expresses a mixture of shock and professional curiosity. "He's dead?"
"No. They usually survive." B-15 responds in an unusual way. Loki looks at her. She turns to him. "So, you're the fool the TVA hired to track me down."
Loki now knows she's under the Variant's influence. "Me, I suppose."

"Well, there's no one else within kilometers," Thor said logically. "So yes, it's definitely you, brother. The only candidate."

"Please. If anyone is anyone, it's me," she smiles mischievously at Variant Loki in B-15's body.

Everyone's eyes widened in realization.

"IT'S A VARIANT LOKI!" Scott shouted. "Confirmed! It's definitely a different Loki!"

Loki does the same. "How nice to meet you." The two Lokis look at each other, both smiling identically.

"Okay, wait," Tony shook his head, growing uneasy. "Is this some kind of 'who can do Loki's mischievous smile better' competition? Because I don't like this at all. Not at all. Two Lokis is too many Lokis."

"Two Lokis in the same room," Clint groaned, covering his face with his hand. "It's literally a mathematical recipe for absolute disaster. Double chaos."

"I really, truly want to meet my personal Variants," Peter said wistfully, thoughtfully. "I wonder if we'll get along quickly? Become best friends? Or become rivals?"

Will my Variants and I be the same? Wanda wondered. She wondered if her Variants had all lost it, like she had. Was that a constant throughout the multiverse?

Stephen shuddered. "Meeting my Variants would be terrible," he thought.

Mobius, D-90, and the Minitemen entered Green House. There were people in the room, and a child was crying.

Everyone shuddered at the sight of innocent people.

"All these people are going to die anyway," Wanda whispered painfully. "When the hurricane reaches its peak." They'll all be engulfed."

"And the worst part is, we can't warn them," Steve added, clenching his fists. "By this office's rules, trying to save them is a crime against time. We're just standing there and watching their final moments."

D-90 ordered the Minuteman to check the bags for drop charges.

"Hey! People have rights!" Sam protested. "They can't just barge in and rummage through people's personal belongings when they're scared to death!"

"To the TVA, these people don't exist anymore," Natasha replied grimly. "To them, they're dead people who just don't know it yet. Dead people don't have rights."

The officer asked if the Minutemen were FEMA or the National Guard, and asked if they had transportation. Mobius said they didn't, and the officer asked how they got there.

"Magical time portals," Sam replied with a grin.

"Time doors aren't magical," Steven corrected pedantically. "They're technological. Based on the manipulation of spacetime, not mystical energy."

"For ordinary people, the difference is insignificant," Wanda shrugged.

D-90 aggressively pushed the employee away and peered into one of the bags. Mobius told D-90 that these people were scared, and D-90 replied that they should be, since they were about to die.

Everyone looked at D-90 with disgust.

"What an insensitive bastard," Bucky grumbled.

"This is TVA ideology at its finest," Steve added. "Total dehumanization. If a person is just a glitch in the line, their feelings don't matter."

A frightened Minuteman entered. Mobius asked what it was.

"Probably nothing good," Bucky muttered darkly.

"Something bad," Natasha agreed. "Something very bad."

They entered the security room, where they found C-20 chained up.
She continued muttering, "It's real. It's real. It's real."

Everyone held their breath, staring at the broken C-20.

"What happened to her?" Wanda whispered in horror.

"What does she mean, 'it's real'?" "Peter asked. "What's real?"

Loki and the Variant in B-15's body walked down the aisle. Loki told the Variant that the enchantment was a clever trick, a bit amateurish, but clever nonetheless.

"Yeah, those two particular Variant Lokis definitely won't get along peacefully," Clint predicted with a grin. "Too much inflated ego in one room. An explosion is inevitable."

"Two Lokis, actively competing for the title of 'smartest and most cunning,'" Tony added. "It'll be fascinating to watch. Like a clash of ego titans."

"Almost as cowardly as working for the TVA," B-15 said. Loki said he worked for himself.

"It's definitely better than blindly working for the TVA," Steve agreed. "At least he has the illusion of freedom and his own goals."

"Illusion is the key word here," Natasha added.

B-15 grins. "You really believe that, don't you?"
"Yeah."
B-15 laughs. "And here I was worried they'd found a better version than me."

"Oh, that was cruel," Scott grimaced. "Right in the ego."

"Well, there's a Hulk-like version of Loki somewhere out there in the multiverse," Bruce reminded her thoughtfully. "I don't know what would happen. Loki with the Hulk's physical strength and rage? That could either be absolutely terrifying for everyone, or surprisingly effective."

"Or both," Wanda added.

Randy approaches them. "Hey, are you looking for a disaster shelter?"
"No." B-15 touches Randy and transfers magic to him. She, too, falls to the floor, unconscious.

"Do they always have to fall so painfully?" Scott asked, grimacing sympathetically. "Can't they just... gently, smoothly land? Because I genuinely hate watching people fall like heavy sacks of potatoes onto a hard floor."

"It's a side effect of mind control magic," Wanda explained professionally. "When the Variant's consciousness instantly leaves the host body, all muscles simultaneously relax completely. The body loses all tone. Hence the uncontrolled fall."

Randy is now under control. Loki bends down and checks B-15's pulse.
"Oh, my God. Are you going to call your little friends for help?" Randy asks mockingly.

"Maybe so," Clint shrugged. "He'll call for backup. Reasonable."

"Or he'll try to talk first," Natasha suggested. "Loki loves to talk at length. It's his style."

Randy continues walking confidently down the long supermarket aisle between the tall shelves. Loki has fallen behind, stopping near the shelves.
"What's the matter, Loki?" Randy asks mockingly over his shoulder, his voice thick with provocation. "Are you too afraid to face me in a fair fight?"

"I don't think he should have said that," Bruce warned, shaking his head. "Provoking any version of Loki is an objectively bad, dangerous idea."

"What did he expect?" Thor replied with a knowing grin. "That's Loki. He loves to provoke others. And be provoked in return. It's his game."

"You know, gaining their trust wasn't an easy task," Loki continues.
Randy stops abruptly and turns to face Loki. "Oh, my God. You were undercover."

"Well, Mobius was really insistent, adamant that he be left 'uncut,'" Clint said, still cautiously adjusting to the new situation. "Alive and functional for the mission."

Loki sighed. "If you could just put your theater aside for a moment, I have a proposition for you. That's why I sought you out."

"What proposition exactly?" Scott asked, intrigued.

"Go on," Randi said, clearly interested.
"I intend to overthrow the Time Keepers," Loki declared decisively.

Everyone exchanged satisfied glances, many nodding vigorously in open approval.

"I KNEW IT!" Thor exclaimed, jumping up joyfully. "I absolutely knew my brilliant brother was planning something grandiose like this! He would never, ever willingly work for tyrants!"

"And that's absolutely excellent!" Sam enthusiastically pounded the armrest of his chair with loud approval. "Overthrow of the Time Keepers—that's exactly what we need! Then absolutely all beings will have true free will!

"Freedom for all timelines across the multiverse,” Wanda added, her eyes shining with hope. “The ability to freely choose your own destiny.”

But Steven slowly raised a warning hand, his face extremely serious and stern.

“Have you completely forgotten about the multiverse war?” he asked sternly, his tone like a stern teacher patiently reminding his forgetful students of a critical lesson.

Everyone froze instantly, their enthusiasm evaporating.

“Of course we’ve forgotten,” Steven sighed wearily. “Everyone thinks only of the beautiful freedom, but absolutely no one thinks of the catastrophic consequences.”

“But the multiverse war—it could be a TVA lie,” Sam countered. “Propaganda for control.”

“Maybe,” Steven agreed, “but we can’t know for sure. The risk is enormous.”

Randy stopped dead in his tracks. "And frankly, I'm going to need a qualified lieutenant for this operation."
Randy turned back to him. "And I assume you mean... me?"

"Lieutenant?" Scott looked intrigued. "So Loki is seriously considering a strategic alliance after all?"

"It makes sense tactically," Natasha noted rationally. "He doesn't know any other alternate versions of Loki personally. This one's the only known possible partner."

"What do you say..." Loki winks mysteriously. "Loki."
"Ugh. Don't call me that. You can call me..." Randy looks at the tag on his shirt. "...Randy."

Everyone frowned at this odd reaction.

"Why doesn't Variant Loki want to be called by his name?" Bruce asked curiously. "What happened? What trauma is associated with the name 'Loki'?"

"Maybe he renounced that identity?" Wanda suggested. "Created a new persona to distance himself from the past."

"Listen, let's stop playing games. I was trying to help you. I deliberately kept them vulnerable at the Renaissance Faire." "Oh, my God, and that was so sweet of you, really," Randy nods sarcastically. "But after a few seconds of serious consideration, my final answer is a resounding, unequivocal no."
A short, tense pause.
"I have absolutely no interest in running the TVA," Randy adds coldly.

"Then what does this mysterious Variant really want?" Rhodey asked, puzzled. "If not power over the TVA, not control, then what exactly? Just revenge?"

"Something much more," Natasha suggested. "Something deeply personal."

Randy turns, disappointed, and quickly walks away from Loki. Loki follows. The camera pans to the reset charge sitting on the shelf. Variant carefully connects the device.

"Well, here's one of those stolen reset charges," Clint noted professionally. "Connected to something technical."

"But what are Variant's real long-term plans with them?" Scott asked worriedly. "Just blow up the store? Why would they need that?"

"It's real." "She's not herself." "It's real."
"Look at me," Mobius commands C-20.

"She's injured," Bruce noted.

"It's real." "She's not herself." "It's real."
"Look at me," Mobius commands C-20.
"It's real. I want to go home."
"We'll get you there," Mobius assures her. He turns to the agent behind him. "Call the TVA, notify the infirmary..."
"No, no, no. I gave it away," C-20 interrupts.
They look at her. "I gave it away."
"What did you give away?" asks D-90.
"The Time Keepers, where are they?" replies C-20. "I told you how to find them."

"Oh, shit!" Tony cursed, sitting up abruptly. "The game just went to a whole new level."

"Is that good or bad?" Scott asked, looking at everyone.

"That depends on your perspective," Natasha snorted, narrowing her eyes. "For TVA stability, it's a disaster. But for us... it might be our only chance to find out who's really pulling the strings."

D-90 radio contact with B-15. "B-15, what's your status?"
Hunter B-15 is still unconscious on the floor when she comes to. "B-15, come in. What's your status? B-15, are you copying?"
B-15 sits up and notices that Loki has disappeared.

"Excellent," Thor sighed heavily, a hint of bitterness in his voice. "Now they'll think Loki escaped."

"His reputation is in ruins again," Wanda added. "All the progress, all the trust he's been building with Mobius, could vanish in a second." Even when he was genuinely trying to help and negotiate, it looks like betrayal."

Loki still follows Randy cautiously through the aisles, moving almost completely silently.
"If you're categorically uninterested in running the TVA," Loki asks insistently, "then what do you really want to achieve?"
"That's completely irrelevant to you." Randy responds coolly over his shoulder. "You're too late to the game."

"Too late for what exactly?" Peter repeated tensely. "What has the Variant already irrevocably set in motion?"

"Well, I think you'll soon see that I'm well ahead of my schedule. I've pinpointed the location of your hideout like this," Loki snaps his fingers, the sound echoing through the empty aisle.
"I'd say that makes me superior to Loki, wouldn't you agree?" Loki stops and carefully examines several reset charges arranged on shelves, all carefully wired. "I see. That's your plan. Lure us all here so you can blow this place up."
Loki doesn't see Randy anywhere anymore.

"Please, no jump scares," Scott said nervously, instinctively shrinking in his chair. "I truly hate jump scares in movies."

Loki carefully and slowly turns 180 degrees... and suddenly, a large, muscular man delivers a powerful roundhouse kick, aiming straight for his head with tremendous force.
But Loki, gracefully, almost dancing, dodges at the last moment. He uses the momentum of his dodge to deliver a precise, surgical counterstrike to a vulnerable spot on his opponent's neck. The strike is absolutely spot-on—right on the nerve center.

"A much more elegant, thoughtful fighting technique than I remember from him," Natasha noted approvingly, professionally. "Much less brute force, much more precision, strategy, and grace."

The man staggers from the unexpected blow, but quickly recovers and laughs eerily. "I already miss good old, simple Randy," Loki remarks wryly, retreating into a professional fighting stance.

"I completely agree with him," Rhodey agreed. "Randy was a much less physically intimidating opponent. The flower seller was easier to reason with than that bouncer."

The man again tries to attack aggressively with brute force, but Loki instantly creates several bright, shimmering green illusions of himself, surrounding the opponent on all sides.
As he furiously attempts to strike one of the shimmering spears, his fist passes through nothing, and the real Loki delivers a powerful blow from behind—a combination of pure magic and the physical strength of his arms.

"Now this actually looks like a real fight, classic Loki style!" Thor said admiringly, his eyes shining with pride. "Illusions, cunning, strategy! Not brute force, but brains!"

"Much, much better than just a simple fistfight," Tony agreed, not taking his eyes off the screen.

The man growled in frustration. "Thank you for buying me precious time by chattering endlessly. You really do enjoy hearing your own voice."
Loki dodged another powerful attack. "You're the first person to tell me this to my face. People are usually more tactful with criticism."
"I would never treat myself so rudely and disrespectfully," Loki said, practically dancing around his massive opponent, perfectly blending advanced martial arts with illusionary magic.

"Apparently, this particular Variant treats itself quite differently," Clint observed professionally. "More aggressively. Much less gracefully. More brutal."

Loki creates another complex illusion—three copies at once.
"Hey, here I am," one of the illusions says teasingly.
The man furiously tries to punch Loki, but his fist passes through empty space and hits a large television on a shelf, shattering the screen. Sparks fly.
Loki quickly uses telekinesis to summon a metal tray from a nearby shelf—it floats smoothly toward his outstretched hand, as if drawn by a magnet.

"Wait a second!" Tony practically jumped, nearly spilling his coffee. "He just pulled an object with his hand? Why didn't he do that before in New York? That's damn convenient!"

"Advanced telekinesis!" Thor beamed with pride, as if he'd just performed the maneuver himself. "He's had it since childhood, but Loki always considered telekinesis too 'direct.' He preferred people to hand things over to him under the influence of illusions. Seeing him use it in combat is rare!"

Loki expertly blocks the next attack with a metal tray, then skillfully uses his opponent's own momentum to apply a painful hold, causing them to lose their balance.

"A much more strategic approach," Natasha approved, professionally. "He's stopped trying to overcome a 120-kilogram cabinet. He's using aikido, forcing his opponent's mass to work against him."

"Oh, come on." Loki creates another complex, multi-layered illusion. "Stop cowardly hiding behind other people's bodies. It's boring." Instead of using brute force, Loki strategically utilizes a skillful combination of cunning, multiple magical illusions, and precise combat techniques, gradually and methodically wearing down and disorienting his opponent until they completely lose their coordination.
But suddenly, the man lunges and successfully grabs Loki's arm.
He yanks hard, and Loki flies backward, his back slamming hard against a shelf of heavy merchandise. The impact is loud and harsh. Loki winces but quickly rises to his feet.

"Ouch! That looked incredibly painful," Peter instinctively rubbed his own back. "Glass looks fragile in the movies, but in real life, it's like hundreds of tiny daggers."

"Enough of these pointless games!" the man growls.
He successfully grabs Loki by both arms and hurls her with tremendous force against a glass display case. The impact shatters the glass with a loud clang, sending shards flying in all directions. Loki falls among the shards, wincing even more, but quickly rises again. He uses the shards of broken glass as reflective surfaces to create multiple, disorienting illusions.

"He's definitely taking some serious physical blows," Thor noted with concern. "But he keeps fighting."

"But he still fights smarter, not harder," Natasha added approvingly. "Even wounded, he uses magic strategically."

The robotic dog toy accidentally activates when Loki falls and begins barking loudly right next to his head, creating a comical contrast to the seriousness of the fight.

"Oh, I guess the dog definitely likes him," Wanda couldn't help but smile. The contrast between the "divine" battle and the cheap plastic toy was too ridiculous.

"That's so typical of Loki," Tony chuckled. "Even at the most pompous moment in his life, some absurd nonsense is bound to happen."

A few people chuckled nervously, despite the seriousness of the situation.

B-15 catches up with Mobius and D-90.
"Mobius." "Where is he?"

"He's just finishing up a pretty intense fight," Scott said, watching the screen.

"I lost him." "What happened?" "I..."
"It looks like your beloved Loki has betrayed you," D-90 says.
"Just move!" Mobius commands.
The man connects the TemPad to the circuit. The countdown starts at 1 minute and 12 seconds.

"Someone needs to hurry and stop the countdown," Clint said.

Loki rises with visible effort amid the shards of broken glass, his suit now rumpled, his hair disheveled, and a few small scratches on his face.
He sees a massive man in the distance and approaches him, his movements still full of dignity.
"What do you really want from me?" his voice is firm, demanding. "What does all this even mean?" "Why all this?"

"He looks definitely battle-worn," Rhodey noted professionally, assessing his condition, "but he's absolutely not broken psychologically. Still standing firm. Still demanding answers. His spirit is unbroken."

The man slowly looks back at Loki and rises heavily, letting out that eerie, unnerving chuckle again—a sound utterly inhuman.
"Get ready, Loki," he says in a sinister voice.
The man laughs again—long, eerily—before suddenly falling unconscious onto the cold floor, like a puppet with its strings cut.

"Prepare for what exactly?" Scott asked, worried and tense. "Prepare for what? What does Variant have planned?"

"Nothing good," Bucky replied grimly. "Definitely nothing good."

Suddenly, the mechanical toy dog ​​on the floor begins playing Loki's previously recorded voice on an endless loop. "What do you want from me? What do you want from me? What do you want from me? What do you want from me? What does this mean?" the toy dog ​​says in a recorded voice on the floor.

"What the hell is going on?"—that was exactly what was going through the minds of absolutely everyone present.

"What do you want from me? What does this mean? What do you want from me?" the toy continues repeating mechanically in an irritating voice. Loki turns around and sees Variant approaching, still wearing his hooded cloak. Green magic is visible in Variant's hands.

"What's about to happen!?" Scott exclaimed, jumping up.

"Shh! Look!" several people hissed at him.

Variant very slowly, dramatically removes the hood of his hoodie, finally revealing his face to the bright light of the supermarket.
She is a woman with shoulder-length, almost platinum hair and a determined, steely expression. Her eyes burn with determination. This is Sylvie—an entirely different version of Loki.

A silence so intense that you could cut it with a knife fell over the screening room. Everyone's jaws dropped. Collective shock.

"VARIANT IS A WOMAN?!" Tony's scream cut through the din of the hurricane on the screen.

"WHO THE HELL IS SHE?!" Sam added.

"WHAT THE HELL?! This is Loki?! But he... she..." Clint couldn't find any other words to describe it.

"A female version of Loki?" Rhodey asked incredulously, blinking.

"They're completely, radically different in appearance. Aside from their different genders," Thor squinted, comparing the two Lokis on the screen, "This Variant has light, almost white hair, while our Loki has deep black. And this Variant is noticeably older—he looks to be in his twenties. Even his facial features are completely different, rougher, less aristocratic."

"And that's the only thing you noticed first?!" Clint exclaimed incredulously. "Hair color and age?! Thor, it's a WOMAN—LOKI!"

"I noticed, Clint!" Thor snapped. "But she doesn't look like him at all! If it weren't for magic, I would never have recognized her as my brother... I mean, sister... I mean, Variant!"

"What the hell is going on," Tony breathed, massaging his temples. "Loki's woman. The Multiverse has gone mad. Although, knowing Loki, I shouldn't be surprised. He, as we've learned, has always been... flexible in matters of self-identification."

"It's not you," Sylvie says to Loki.
"I see," Loki drawled, shocked. Loki and Sylvie stood facing each other—two completely different versions of the same person, but radically different in appearance and, apparently, in personality.

"I never, ever thought I'd see anything like this with my own eyes," Bruce said quietly, still in disbelief. "A meeting of two completely different versions of the same person from different timelines in the multiverse."

"Two Lokis from different realities," Wanda added thoughtfully, her voice full of awe. "This is far beyond anything I could have imagined. Even after absolutely everything we've seen and experienced."

"The multiverse truly is full of endless surprises," Stephen murmured philosophically. "Endless, unpredictable surprises."

"And most of them are completely crazy," Sam added.

The countdown ended, and the system launched.

"Oh, shit," Sam breathed out, realizing what was about to happen.

The lights went out. Numerous reset charges throughout the store activated as they opened their mini-Timedoors and stepped inside.

Everyone's eyes widened in horror, and Stephen groaned in pain.

"Oh my God, the reset charges are activating in completely different time periods," Scott realized with horror.

"And in completely different places across the timeline," Tony added, realizing the scale of the disaster.

"TVA will be plunged into complete chaos," Steve suddenly beamed with understanding. "They won't be able to handle that many simultaneous disruptions."

Steven pressed his lips into a thin line; he definitely didn't think this would end well for the multiverse.

Mobius, D-90 and B-15, pay attention.
"Where are they going?" Mobius asks.
Back to TVA, the Sacred Timeline is now branching off.

Everyone gasped at the scale of the disaster.

The monitor beeped. The analysts were now panicking.
"That's impossible."
One of them picked up the phone and dialed. "This is analyst 1182-E, uh, reporting code, uh, 000. Branches are rapidly forming on the slope..."
Another analyst grabbed the phone. "Someone just bombed the Sacred Timeline."

"So that's Variant's real plan?" Steve asked, shocked. "To create chaos on such a scale that the TVA simply can't handle it all."

"Brilliant and terrifying at the same time," Tony admitted with grim admiration.

Renslayer sees it on her monitor. She rises from her chair and heads to the shelf to grab her pruning staff. The Minutemen are heading for various time gates.

No one could speak at the scale of what was happening.

"They don't even know where to begin," Wanda said quietly.

Returning to the Roxxcart, the entire environment is tinged with the ominous red of an impending apocalypse. Loki, still in his tattered suit, glances back at Sylvie, who confidently grabs the TempPad and expertly opens a new Time Door. She pauses at the threshold and waves Loki casually goodbye before disappearing through the portal.

"He has to go after her before she causes more trouble!" Stephen cried desperately, realizing they were witnessing the beginning of a catastrophe.

"But look at his face—he's hesitating," Natasha noted.

Loki resolutely heads toward the closing door, but suddenly hears Mobius's desperate voice.
"Loki!" Loki turns around and sees Mobius, D-90, and B-15 desperately trying to reach him. "Loki, wait!"

"He'll have to make an impossible choice," Thor realized, pain in his voice.

"He can't stay—they'll arrest him, or worse, erase him," Sam added, pursing his lips.

"Wait! Loki, wait!"
Loki looks at the approaching TVA agents, then at the closing door. His face reflects the internal struggle—he realizes he has no choice. "No! Wait, Loki!" Mobius cries desperately, but Loki resolutely steps through the vanishing Time Door.
"Damn it!" Mobius cries in despair, realizing he's lost him.

"What the hell just happened?" Clint asked, dumbfounded.

"Loki just officially became fugitive number one," Natasha concluded grimly. "Along with the one who just destroyed the TVA status quo."

"And now the entire timeline is in chaos," Bruce added.

"This is getting really, really tense," Peter admitted.

"Wait," Thor said suddenly, still processing what he'd just seen. "My brother, he's with another version of himself now. Two Lokis together—it's either the salvation of the multiverse or its utter destruction."

"Given their history, I'm betting on the latter," Clint remained skeptical. "They'll either kill each other in five minutes, or they'll come to an agreement, and then we'll all be done for."

"But they can understand each other better than anyone," Wanda added thoughtfully. "She's his reflection. She's him, just having experienced different pain."

"No one knows Loki better than the other Loki," Stephen agreed. "But that's precisely what makes their duo the most unpredictable force in history."

Chapter Text

C-20 and Variant Loki were at the bar. They were both dressed casually.

Everyone in the screening room tilted their heads in confusion, trying to figure out how the heroes from a post-apocalyptic supermarket had suddenly ended up in a diner.

"Uh, what?" Rhodey was the first to break the silence, blinking. "Did we miss a beat? Or did the player glitch?"

"Is this... a date? Or did they just decide to grab a bite in the middle of reality's destruction?" Sam looked like his head was about to spin.

"We could make potato skins or buffalo fingers..." C-20 began to suggest.
"Or we could eat somewhere else," Sylvie finished.

"Wait, that's her. The blonde, the Loki version," Wanda noted, squinting at the screen. "But what's she doing there?" "And why are they acting like they've known each other for ages?"

No one in the room could answer. The characters exchanged glances, searching for logic in this change of scenery.

"Why do you hate this place?" C-20 asks Sylvie.
"I don't hate it. I'm afraid of it. Do you know how many times the health department has shut it down?"
"Well, the drinks seem fine." C-20 shrugged and took a sip. Her brain freeze began to form in the process.

"Let me guess, good old brain freeze?" Scott asked, wincing sympathetically.

"Oh, my God! Ah, brain freeze!"
"You know what a brain freeze is, right?" Sylvie asks her.

"I'm sure she knows what it is," Tony interjected sarcastically. "But why are we showing this gastronomic thriller? "Where's Loki? Where are the explosions?"

C-20 sighs. "That's it."
"It's when you drink something really cold..."
"Cold-related brain freeze... I get it." "Wait, I'm serious. I mean, it penetrates the roof of your mouth and freezes the synapses in your brain. So your memories literally freeze in place."
"That's completely untrue." "It's true!"

"Actually, it is," Scott interjected, looking very serious. "That happened to me once, and it was... a bit strange. Like the world was frozen, and all I could feel was the cold."

"Could you share your memories with us?" Rhodey asked hopefully.

"No. I won't tell you. It's embarrassing," Scott snapped, blushing.

"Oh, now we definitely have to find out." "Let me guess: you were thinking about a giant ant in a tutu?" Tony grinned.

"Okay. Try it. Everything you're thinking about will freeze in place. I'll ask you a question, and you won't be able to answer until your synapses melt."
"Challenge accepted." C-20 accepts. She drinks most of her drink and pauses. "Okay, go ahead."

"She's about to ask her something personal," Sam guessed. "You know, girl secrets and all that."

"How many people guard the Time Keepers?" Sylvie asks.

"Okay, that's not quite what I expected from a bar conversation," Sam admitted, sitting up straighter in his chair.

"This isn't really what happens in a normal bar," Clint added. "This is an interrogation. But where? And how?"

"Sorry, what?" C-20 asks to repeat the question.
Sylvie smiles. The background changes to a darker sky and brighter lights.

"What the hell is that?!" Clint asked in amazement as the image began to blur.

Upbeat music plays in the background. A waiter passes by. C-20 surveys the room.

"How did this happen?" Wanda leaned forward. "They were just in one place, and now... the sky is different."

"Hey, how long have we been best friends?" Sylvie asks.

"What's going on here?" Stephen Strange looked extremely confused, trying to pinpoint the magical signature, but it defied conventional logic. "It's not just an illusion."

"Too long," C-20 replies.
"Seriously, you know you can tell me everything, right?"
"Of course."

"Well, that needs to change. She already asked her about the Time Keepers," Clint noted, feeling the tension rising. "Variant is leading her."

"So why won't you tell me how many people are guarding the Time Keepers?"

"Because it's classified," Tony joked again, trying to hide his growing anxiety.

"Come on, Tony, this is no time for jokes," Rhodey snapped. "Something's breaking down there."

"Oh, well, there is..." C-20 stopped himself.

"She was about to answer!" Natasha gasped. "Look at her face, her defenses are down."

She looks to her left. "This place, I... I remember, I know this place." She looks at Sylvie. "But I don't know you."

"Then what... okay, I'm completely confused right now," Scott admitted, rubbing his temples. "If this is her memory, then why doesn't she recognize Variant? And where did Variant Loki come from?"

"She's a foreign body in someone else's memory," Natasha guessed.

"It's okay. You're just tired."
Sylvie actually put her hand to her head, forcing herself to stay inside the memory. "Yeah, I'm probably just tired."

"Oh, that makes so much more sense now!" Tony exclaimed. "This isn't a bar in Alabama. This is a 'hack'!" "The idea is in her head, right there in her old memories, while she was unconscious in the Roxxcart!"

"How do I find the elevators?" Sylvie asks.
"They're golden," C-20 replies.

"Please don't tell me this is the way to the Time Keepers," Rhodey muttered.

"There's a 99% chance of that," Clint replied grimly. "That's how C-20 told me where to find the Time Keepers."

Sylvie grins. She stops the spell. She looks at the monitors, and one shows that Loki and Mobius have just arrived.

"Oh. So that's how she knew they were already there," Bruce concluded. "She didn't just wait; she used the time to eviscerate C-20's mind while they were searching the aisles for her. She was several steps ahead of the TVA."

The alarm continues to sound as Minutemen soldiers pass through another time door.
"All Minutemen, to the armory. Secure the timeline."
The time door opens as Sylvie emerges from it. She puts away her TemPad and heads into the hallway. She approaches one of the Minutemen, who is talking on the phone, and attempts to use her magic on him, but it doesn't work. Sylvie is surprised.

"I guess she doesn't know this place is an anti-magic zone," Scott said with a slight smirk. "Welcome to the Ordinary Mortals club, Variant. Your mind tricks don't work here."

Minuteman pulls out his staff and tries to cut her off, but she kicks it against the wall. She grabs the staff and cuts him off.

"Well, she knows how to handle them without magic," Natasha praised approvingly. "Good reaction. She doesn't rely on her own strength—she uses their own weapons against them."

The other Minutemen attack her, but she gains the upper hand, knocking the staff out of one Minuteman's hand and striking another. She dodges one of the staffs and kicks another Minuteman to the ground. She knees one in the head. She cuts off the last Minuteman and drops the staff.

"Damn," Rhodey grimaced.

"Impressive," Natasha nodded.

Loki finally emerges from the Time Door.
Loki starts to leave, but stops. He turns to one of the lockers.

"Oh! "His daggers are right there, in that locker!" Peter remembered, jumping up. "He found them!"

"Well, he could definitely use a weapon right now, that's for sure," Wanda nodded.

Loki walks down the same corridor, holding two daggers. He sees the defeated Minutemen. Sylvie enters one of the gold rooms.
"Hey! Stop!" one of the Minutemen shouts.
Sylvie defeats the Minutemen, kicking and punching them. She twists the arm of one of them while he screams in pain.

Everyone cringed a little.

Another Minuteman accidentally cuts off the wounded one.
Sylvie kicks a Minuteman right in the head, knocking him out. Loki arrives, and Sylvie notices him. Loki throws the daggers into the air and catches them. She draws her sword.
"A few questions". "You really have nothing better to do?"
"That's rather rude," Loki retorted, studying Sylvie.

"That's rather rude," Clint snorted. "She didn't even let him finish his sentence. Loki spent so long rehearsing this encounter, and she just wants to kill him."

Some in the room couldn't help but laugh at Variant's bluntness.

"Well, I like her approach," Wanda said thoughtfully. "Just let her continue destroying this place. Why stop her? Is the TVA worth saving?"

Steven rubbed his temples wearily, his expression deeply troubled. He had a strong, unsettling feeling that he was witnessing the very beginning of a Multiversal War.

"You don't understand," Steven said quietly. "Judging by how obsessively and relentlessly this Variant is determined to get to the Guardians, nothing will stop her. And when she gets to them... what then? Chaos. Uncontrollable branching of timelines. Endless conflicts between all realities at once. We're looking at the end of the world as we know it."

"Steven, with all due respect," Steve raised a skeptical eyebrow, "do you believe every word these 'space bureaucrats' say? We've already seen their cartoons about the three lizards who supposedly saved everyone. What if this whole 'war' is just a horror story?" Another TVA lie to justify their right to erase entire worlds at will?

"Perhaps," Vision said calmly, his voice the voice of logic itself. "The theory that the Time Guardians created the mythology of war to legitimize their control has a rational basis. It's an effective way to control populations—through fear of even greater evil."

Vision paused briefly and surveyed those present.

"However," he continued, "if their words are even one percent true, we're dealing with risks that are incalculable. This isn't just the death of a planet or a galaxy. This is the annihilation of all possible states of existence. The death of the very concept of 'life.' If Variant destroys the dam that holds back chaos, the consequences will be... cosmic. We risk facing an infinite number of threats against which we have no defense."

The room fell into a heavy silence once again. The heroes exchanged glances, their eyes filled with utter confusion.

"So what are we supposed to think?" Scott whispered, nervously fiddling with his sleeve. "Is the heroine the one who brings freedom, or is she the match that sets reality's gas tank on fire?"

"Exactly," Clint added grimly. "We're either looking at liberation, or the beginning of the end. And the worst part is, we don't even know who to root for."

"Are you sure you're Loki?". "You're in my way". "You're in my way."
Loki and Sylvie break into a heated fight. Sylvie pushes him away. "I was thinking maybe we could work together."

"I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to work with you," Stephen remarked sarcastically. "She spent years planning this, and he comes barging in and suggests 'teamwork'?"

Sylvie pushes him away again.
"But now I see you have absolutely no vision," Loki adds sarcastically.

Some in the room couldn't help but chuckle. Even under threat of death, this guy can't help but criticize someone else's leadership style.

Sylvie groans and heads for the elevator. Loki follows her.

"Just get out of her way, Loki!" Steve shouted, realizing that his interference was only angering Variant.

"No, get in her way!" Stephen instantly retorted. "If she gets to the Guardians, we're all dead!"

"So, either you come willingly..." He touches her arm, and she tries to hit him. "Or you don't come. Either way, this way I'll get to the Guardians of Time."
"Oh, God. Shut up!"

Thor burst out laughing, ringing in the room, remembering how many times he'd wanted to tell his brother that. The others started giggling too—the phrase was all too familiar and well-deserved.

Sylvie forcefully pushes herself and Loki to the floor, and they continue to fight, rolling and throwing punches.
They try to continue the fight, but are abruptly stopped. "Hey!" Renslayer and two other Minutemen readied their staves.

"Oh, trouble," Tony remarked. "Looks like the time for philosophical debate is over."

Sylvie pointed her sword threateningly at Loki's neck. "Come any closer, and I'll kill him."

"I don't think they'll care," Clint remarked darkly. "To Renslayer, they're both just trash to be disposed of."

"That's some new meaning to the word 'suicide,'" Sam added. "Threatening to kill Loki to scare those who want to kill Loki... It's a genius plan."

"Go ahead," Renslayer says casually.
Loki quickly pulls out the TempoPad and opens the Time Door. Renslayer rushes to cut off Sylvie, but both Lokis fall through the portal and land hard on a bed in an unfamiliar place.

"Where did they go now?" Clint asked, squinting at the screen.

"Perhaps another year, when another catastrophe occurs?" Bruce Banner shrugged. "That's where the option is."

"I wonder what year and where they really are now," Scott added, carefully studying the strange interior in the background.

Sylvie looks around and finds the TemPad on the floor next to her.

"She better not touch that thing, whatever it's called," Clint warned.

"TemPad," Tony automatically corrected, his memory for technology working flawlessly.

Sylvie reached for the device, but Loki grabbed her leg and pulled her back. "Get your hands off my leg!" Sylvie screamed furiously. She slammed Loki's head hard against the edge of the table and grabbed the TemPad.

Everyone in the room was stunned by the intensity of the fight. It didn't look like a sparring match—they were actually trying to hurt each other.

"Now we've seen Steve and Loki fight themselves," Bucky noted, recalling Cap's clash with himself in 2012. "And Nebula completely killed her past self. It's a trend, though."

"I think most of us would fight ourselves," Natasha remarked philosophically. "I definitely would, just out of curiosity—who's stronger and faster?"

"Not me," Peter Parker countered, smiling sincerely. "I think I'd get along just fine with my versions of myself. We'd probably just be discussing science or web-shooter design."

"Obviously, kid," Tony snorted, softening. "You're one of the kindest people I know. I'm sure your versions would be just as nice as you."

"Goodbye, Loki," Variant spat angrily. She tried to open the Timedoor, but the TemPad was low on battery.

Everyone looked at the TemPad in disbelief.

"You're telling me that a device that can pierce space and time runs on batteries that can die at the most inopportune moment?" Tony threw up his hands, his engineer soul insulted. "Seriously? Stark Industries products are head and shoulders above this junk. I would never mass-produce a device without a proper reactor or at least a solar panel!"

"It doesn't work," Variant said, shocked.

"TVA definitely needs to hire better engineers," Rhodey added, shaking his head. "Going deep behind enemy lines with a dead battery."

Loki rose to his feet. Sylvie drew her sword and attempted to strike, but Loki teleported behind her before the blade could reach its target.

"What? Another ability of Loki's we didn't know about?" Tony asked, his eyes narrowing. "He never did that before."

"I guess he was just holding back when we fought him," Steve admitted thoughtfully, recalling the battle in New York. "Or he just didn't think it was worth wasting so much magic on us."

"Or he just couldn't fight properly after everything Thanos did to him before," Bucky frowned. "We saw him in New York, exhausted and on edge. He's clearly in better shape now."

Everyone fell silent, considering this. Yes, that made sense.

Loki tossed Sylvie onto the shelf and picked up the Tempad. Sylvie stood up. "Give it to me. You don't know how to charge it."

"But how difficult could it possibly be?" Tony asked skeptically.

"Better not give it back," Stephen said warningly.

"Of course I do. You're not the only tech-savvy Loki". "Don't ever call me that". "Tech-savvy?". "No, Loki."
Loki made the TemPad disappear in green sparks.

"Oh, like he did with the Tesseract earlier!" Scott remembered.

"So you're just a real wizard?" Variant asked mockingly. "Okay. For the next trick," Loki dramatically drew his daggers, "I'll make you disappear."

Everyone laughed.

Variant raised her sword, but a meteorite fell through the ceiling.

Everyone's eyes widened.

"Where did they end up?" Thor asked cautiously, feeling anxiety rising inside him.

"Is this one of your powers?" Loki asked, panic rising. "Where did you send us?" Sylvie demanded.

"Oh, damn it!" Sam screamed. "They're in some kind of apocalypse."

Everyone's blood ran cold.

The screen flashed "Lamentis-1, 2077." A veritable rain of meteorites from a neighboring planet was falling from the sky, the cause of the impending apocalypse.

Everyone paled at the sight of Lamentis-1 crumbling.

"2077," Wanda whispered, looking at the purple glow. "That's the very distant future. And it looks... dead."

"Damn, this planet is literally falling apart right now," Rhodey noted with horror. "Look at the horizon, there's not a single living thing there!"

"This is really, really bad," Scott stated, his voice shaking. "They don't have a portal, they don't have magic to stop the falling moon, and they have absolutely nowhere to run."

Thor paled the most. He'd just found hope that his brother was alive, and now he saw Loki trapped in a cage the size of a dying world.

"And the Tempad's broken," he breathed out, barely suppressing a shudder. "He can't... I can't watch him die again. Not this time."

The sky was purple.

"Wow, the sky is purple," Peter breathed, staring at the screen, mesmerized. "You know, it looks eerily beautiful... if you forget that everything around you is about to explode."

"Beauty before the end of the world is the worst kind of scenery," Rhodey responded.

Sylvie and Loki emerged from the ruined hut and looked around. "Idiot! That's Lamentis-1!" Sylvie screamed furiously at Loki.

"Yeah, looking at how this planet is falling apart, I guess Lamentis-1 isn't the best place to be right now," Sam remarked grimly, shaking his head.

"And they don't even have a working Tempad," Thor clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. His voice trembled with despair. "They're trapped in the middle of a disaster without a key to the door."

"I have no idea what that means!" Loki exclaimed in panic. Another massive meteorite crashed into the ground next to them.

Everyone in the room winced and sank into their seats, as if they were physically experiencing the shockwave from the impact.

Both Lokis ran from the falling debris.
Sylvie explained as she ran, "The moon! This planet is about to collide with the moon and be completely destroyed. Of all the apocalypses stored in that TemPad, this is the worst! No one will get out of here alive!"

There was a painful moment of silence.

"Well... this is really, really bad," Tony said quietly.

Thor's stomach clenched with fear. He desperately hoped that Loki and Variant could somehow escape Lamentis I, because he simply couldn't bear to see Loki die again.

"They'll both die unless they find a way to charge that TemPad," Wanda realized with horror.

"Or another way to leave the planet," Bruce added, but his voice didn't sound reassuring.

Sylvie warns Loki to be careful and abruptly pulls him away from the spot where a massive meteorite is about to fall. Loki irritably replies that he didn't have time to look at a tourist brochure about the place.

"Well, yes, because Renslayer was just about to cut them," Natasha reminded him, smiling slightly through the tension. "Moments like these aren't usually the time to read guidebooks. You just pick the first place in the device's memory and jump."

"But he chose the worst," Stephen noted. "Or perhaps the only place Variant ever preserved as a refuge. The irony is that this is now their shared grave... unless they learn to act as one."

Loki and Sylvie briefly duck under an overturned truck, escaping the falling debris. Loki suspiciously thinks Sylvie wants him dead.

"Yeah, I just thought the same thing," Scott nodded, nervously drumming his fingers on the armrest. "She looks like she's ready to push him into the next meteorite the moment he's no longer useful."

Sylvie cynically explains that she needs Loki alive to work on the TemPad.

"Good point. But I hope you still don't get that TemPad back," Wanda said firmly.

Sylvie spots an abandoned mining hut ahead. Loki cautiously asks if they're a team now. Sylvie categorically denies it.

Despite the mortal danger, a chorus of laughter rippled through the room. This exchange was all too typical.

"Even in mortal danger, they can't stop arguing!" Wanda noted with surprise. "The planet is literally bursting at the seams, and they're still figuring out their duo's social status."

More meteorites arrive at terrifying speed. Loki and Sylvie deftly dodge them. They successfully reach the hut and enter.

Thor exhaled loudly, his shoulders finally slumping a little. As long as they were under cover, they had a better chance of surviving for a few more minutes.

They were both out of breath from all that running. Suddenly, Sylvie closed the distance. She walked right up to Loki, almost touching him, and slowly placed her hands on either side of his neck, looking deeply into his eyes and trying to charm him.

For a moment, everyone else thought they were about to kiss or something.

"Well, this is incredibly awkward," Clint said, raising his eyebrows in shock. "Is she... serious? Right now? Then it wouldn't be 'right now.'"

"I feel uneasy watching this," Peter added, blushing furiously and looking away from the screen.

"Seriously, what's going on?" Wanda muttered, completely confused. "Is she trying to seduce him, or kill him? Or both?"

"This looks... very intimate," Bruce noted awkwardly, wiping his glasses, as if that would help him understand the logic of what was happening.

Thor sat there, his expression completely sour. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes showed an utter reluctance to even consider what everyone else had seen. Because, well, no, this is his brother.

"What are you doing?" Loki asked warily. Sylvie, without removing her hands, replies, "What are you doing?"

"No, no, no! Answer his question first!" demanded Tony, looking like he was about to vomit from the on-screen chemistry. "We all want to know what that was!"

Loki asks point blank if she's trying to enchant him and says it won't work. Intrigued, Sylvie asks why. Loki confidently replies that his mind is too powerful. Sylvie aggressively draws her sword, and Loki gracefully draws his daggers.

"Are they really doing it again?" groaned Wanda, covering her face with her hand.

"Well, that's not surprising," Bruce shrugged, returning to analytical mode. "Two Lokis in the same place. Their natural state is conflict and a struggle for dominance."

"Seriously, they can't go five minutes without fighting?" Clint protested. "The moon is falling outside! THE MOON! Get to work, you idiots!"

Loki wearily asked if they were going to do it again. "What are you suggesting instead?" Sylvie asked sharply. Loki diplomatically suggested a truce, and Sylvie sneered.

"Maybe we should try not to kill each other? At least until lunch?" Scott added sarcastically. "This is a survival base!"

"Loki had a good, reasonable idea," Natasha nodded. "A temporary truce is the only way to survive." "It's strange that he's the voice of reason here."

"Listen, none of us are getting off this cliff unless we activate the TemPad," Loki said logically.
"Where did you hide it?" Sylvie demanded angrily, aggressively pointing her sword at Loki's throat.
"In my heart."
"Well, then I'll cut it out."
"Sweet. Very funny."

Everyone in the room was shocked at how dark and cruel Variant could become. The atmosphere in the room instantly grew heavy.

"She's seriously ready to cut out the heart of another version of herself," Wanda said with horror.

"It just hurts," Thor added, his voice thick with pain.

Loki firmly stated that he had the TemPad, but he wouldn't give it to Sylvie if she continued to try to kill him. Sylvie cynically said that Loki had only saved her because she needed her to recharge her TemPad. "That too," Loki agreed honestly. "Or we could have killed each other here, in this abandoned mining hut."

"Understood," Natasha nodded. "Honesty for honesty. Sometimes the strongest alliances are built on that foundation, even if they begin with attempted murder."

"I'm lucky," Sylvie said sarcastically.

Everyone snorted at her cynicism.

"That plan you interrupted was years in the making," Sylvie said furiously. "Years! And the second I turn that Tempad back on, I'm immediately heading back to the TVA to finish what I started."

"Well, good luck with that," Clint said sarcastically.

"Then I'll kill you," Sylvie promised. "Or I'll kill you," Loki countered calmly. They rushed at each other again, weapons drawn, beginning another fierce fight.

"Again?! Seriously?!" Peter exclaimed in utter despair, throwing up his hands. "They've got meteorites pounding the roof, and they're drawing knives again!"

"Is it really too much to ask them not to kill each other every two minutes?" Thor asked pleadingly, looking at the screen, hoping for a miracle.

Everyone else snorted at the naivety of the question.

"Thor, they're both Loki," Clint reminded him, folding his arms. "Asking them not to fight is like asking fire not to burn or water not to be wet. It's their nature."

"Problem children," Stephen sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose in irritation. "As if one temporal catastrophe weren't enough, we now have two divine egos in one small hut."

"Honestly, this is ridiculous," Tony added, leaning back in his chair. "They fight more than they talk. If I negotiated like that, I wouldn't sell a single suit."

"And all the while, the planet is crumbling around them," Natasha pinpointed the crucial point. "They spend their last moments figuring out who's the better dagger master while the moon falls on their heads."

After another brief but fierce fight, they parted, breathing heavily. Loki asks where Sylvie is going. She explains that this moon contains energy that will recharge the TemPad. Sylvie determinedly walks out of the hut, and Loki reluctantly follows her. They are now outside the large crater they just entered. Several more massive craters are visible in the area.

"Damn, these craters are huge," said Scott, his mouth hanging open in shock at the scale of the destruction.

They walk along a shattered road between the rubble. Loki asks what their plan is. Sylvie rudely points out that there's a city nearby and tells him to shut up.

"No need to be so rude now," Steve said reproachfully, shaking his head. "They're in the same boat; it's time they started trusting each other."

"They can't even walk next to each other without bickering," Sam observed with genuine surprise. "This is some new level of toxic partnership."

Loki tells her to slow down. Sylvie aggressively asks what exactly about her impending death bothers Loki, and sharply tells him not to call her Variant.

"Then what should we call her?" Clint asked practically. "If she's not Loki and not Variant, then what?"

"I suppose we'll see what name she's chosen for herself soon enough," Wanda suggested, watching the screen intently.

Loki replies that he doesn't call her "Loki."
Sylvie says that's good, because now they call her "Sylvie."

"Sylvie," several people chorused. Variant now officially had a name.

"It suits her," Wanda said approvingly.

Loki notes that she simply changed her name. Sylvie corrects him, saying it's a pseudonym. Loki criticizes that it doesn't sound like Loki. Sylvie defiantly asks what exactly Loki does—Loki. Loki lists: independence, style, and authority.

"And Mischief," Thor added quietly, with a wistful nostalgia. "He forgot the most important quality of his nature."

"So, naturally, you went to work for the boring, oppressive Time Police," Sylvie said sarcastically.

Everyone laughed at the accuracy of the observation.

"She's absolutely right," Rhodey admitted through his laughter. "Calling yourself 'independent' while wearing a jacket that says 'Variant' and working for bureaucrats—that's the ultimate irony."

Loki defends himself, saying he didn't work for them, but was a consultant.

"I was a consultant to the Avengers, too, and look how that ended for my peace of mind," Tony remarked wryly, recalling his early days on the team.

Loki explained that Sylvie's long-standing plan was to destroy the TVA, create a complete power vacuum, and then simply leave.

"Sounds like a good plan to me," Bucky said, nodding. "Remove those who dictate everyone's fate."

"A plan that will lead to a multiverse war, so definitely not," Stephen retorted firmly. "That's not liberation, Bucky, that's lighting the fuse on a powder keg. It's a very bad plan."

"I would never do that."
"Yeah? Well, I'm not you."
This exchange led to another furious clash—they were grappling again, pushing and shoving each other.

"They're fighting again!" Peter screamed in utter despair, throwing up his hands. "How much longer?!"

"This is getting absurd," Clint groaned, covering his face with his hand. "They're acting like ten-year-olds fighting over a toy in a sandbox."

"They literally can't finish a single conversation without fighting," Natasha noted wearily. "It seems that's their only way of communicating. Physical contact instead of words."

Loki and Sylvie finally entered the abandoned and dilapidated city, still bickering.

The Avengers looked on unimpressed by their endless bickering. It had become a kind of "white noise" to their journey. But when the camera revealed the extent of the city's desolation, everyone in the room felt a sinking feeling.

Loki sadly noted that all the inhabitants had already fled. Sylvie gloomily remarked that it was pointless.

"Because no one gets off Lamentis alive," Thor remarked grimly.

Loki worriedly asked how much time they had. "Twelve hours or so," Sylvie replied indifferently. She added that the situation would only worsen due to increasing meteor showers, gravitational earthquakes, and the collapse of society in the face of inevitable annihilation.

A heavy silence fell.

"Shit," said Tony.

"Twelve hours until the planet's total annihilation," Bruce repeated quietly. "And they're left with a useless piece of plastic instead of a working Tempad."

"This is truly a hopeless situation," Natasha added, her voice lacking its usual confidence. "We usually have a plan B, but here... there's not even a plan A."

"And they're still wasting precious time arguing," Steve sighed, shaking his head sadly.

Loki and Sylvie approached the building, and Loki asked if they could charge the TemPad.

"What, a nightlight?" Rhodey asked. "What's it going to do?"

Sylvie said "maybe" and ran up the ramp. Sylvie confirmed he could connect and told him to hand over the device. Loki simply burst out laughing.

"That wasn't subtle at all," Tony laughed, appreciating Sylvie's "subtle" attempt to get the device. "Did she seriously think Loki, a master of deception, would fall for such a cheap trick?"

He said she'd just have to work harder to fool him.

Everyone in the room nodded in agreement. Fooling Loki was like trying to steal a wallet from a professional pickpocket.

Sylvie asks him to stop giving her his "tech-savvy" ideas and says the TemPad needs a powerful power source. They head out of the city into the open.

"I never thought an apocalypse ending in a moon collision would cause such a purple effect in the sky," Tony said, gazing at the psychedelic landscapes of Lamentis-1. "The physics of this place are just insane, but I admit, it looks pretty damn stylish for a mass grave."

They approach the hut. Loki tells her brute force isn't necessary. Sylvie kicks the door open and receives a shockwave.

The entire room bursts into laughter at the irony of the situation.

"And that's why sometimes it's worth listening to advice," Tony chuckled, wiping away the tears of laughter. "Plan A—walking in—is officially a failure."

"It's amazing you even made it this far," Loki said. Loki apologized for Sylvie, and she said she actually liked it.
Loki assured her they were just travelers, but she wasn't convinced. Loki looked at the photo of her with her husband and transformed completely into him.

"Impressive!" Peter Parker breathed in admiration. "He even copied the folds of her clothes!"

The others were also amazed by the realism of the transformation. Thor looked genuinely proud. He'd always had a soft spot for his brother's ability, even though it had caused him a lot of trouble in the past.

"This magic is simply incredible," Wanda added, appreciating the purity and speed of the transformation. "No artifacts, just pure will."

Loki approached the woman, who asked if it was really Patrice. Loki nodded and said it had been a long time before he was shot and became himself again. Sylvie laughed at Loki as she stood up. The woman told them that Patrice had never said anything so nice in thirty years of marriage.

The room erupted in laughter.

"He got caught being too nice!" Tony giggled, clutching his stomach. "Loki, rule number one of espionage: study your target's character before you pretend to be the perfect husband!"

"He was trying too hard to be charming," Natasha added, smiling. "That's Loki. He can't just transform; he needs to put on a show."

"What was that?" Sylvie asked, feigning surprise. "Diplomacy? Or..."
"No need. Just don't."

Everyone giggled at the exchange.

"Sylvie and Loki are so funny together," Tony remarked with unexpected admiration. "They have the dynamic of an old married couple."

"When they're not trying to kill each other," Clint interjected, but his voice no longer held his earlier skepticism.

The woman asked what they wanted from her. Sylvie asked where everyone was. "The Ark. The evacuation ship," the woman replied.

Everyone in the room sighed with relief. The oppressive feeling of hopelessness eased a little.

"So there's a way to escape!" Thor rejoiced, a spark of hope igniting in his eyes once again. "They just need to get on that ship!"

"At least some clue," Bruce agreed. "The plan is taking shape: the Ark will power the TemPad, or they'll just fly away on it."

Sylvie said that would be enough to recharge the TemPad. "How do we get there?" Loki asked. "The train station is on the outskirts of town. But you'll never get a ticket," the woman said.

"So she's waiting to die? Because she doesn't have a ticket?" Bruce asked quietly.

"It must be terrible, sitting and just waiting for the moon to fall on you," Wanda said, her voice full of sympathy. "The whole world is unfair, even in its final hours."

Sylvie and Loki walked to the train station. There was a long line of people waiting to board the train.

Everyone winced at the sight.

"Look at all these people," Steve said quietly. His voice was hollow; he'd seen similar lines in the 1940s, and the sight always brought a lump to his throat.

Loki and Sylvie walked along the line. "We can't get on this train," Loki said.
"Who said anything about fighting?" "Sylvie asked.

"What are they planning to do next?" Wanda asked curiously.

"Probably use magic tricks," Scott guessed.

Loki said all of Sylvie's plans involved fighting. Sylvie said this one didn't, adding, "I'm going to enchant a guard, make him lead us through the crowd, and if anyone gives us trouble…"
"Kill all the guards and hijack the train?" Loki asked. Sylvie said that was the guards' problem.

"They're just doing their job," Steve immediately interjected, frowning.

"Trying to help people evacuate in the midst of total chaos," Sam added. "Sylvie is too quick to throw away the lives of 'little people.'"

Loki said they'd do it his way. Loki transformed into a guard and asked Sylvie what he looked like. "Like someone with a shitty plan," she said.

The room burst into laughter at this quip.

"She's not sparing his feelings at all," Tony laughed. "But honestly, her honesty is refreshing."

Loki insisted it was a great plan, but Sylvie remained unconvinced.
"Follow me," Loki said, grabbing Sylvie's hand. Sylvie rolled her eyes at the theatrics. They successfully passed the guards, who had assumed Sylvie was Loki's captive.

"His plan might work," Clint admitted, watching Loki's movements closely. "In this chaos, a confident demeanor and proper uniform mean more than any pass. The main thing is not to screw up on any little detail."

"So far, so good," Bruce agreed.

"They're only giving tickets to the rich!" the woman screamed.

Everyone in the hall flinched at the cry, and the atmosphere instantly shifted from ironic to oppressive.

"That's why that woman stayed in her hut," Bucky realized, his expression darkening. "She wasn't lazy or stupid. She just knew there's no point in trying to storm the station if you don't have a bank account." She chose dignity over being crushed in that line."

"It's nice to know that even on other planets, even in 2077, the government is still crap," Sam concluded bitterly. "They save those who can pay, and leave the rest to the meteor shower."

The guard asked two richly dressed people in front of Loki and Sylvie to show their tickets. They showed them and boarded the train.

"It's so unfair," Scott protested, clenching his fists. "People there are willing to stand on their heads for a chance to survive, and these guys walk by like they're just going on a weekend getaway."

Loki and Sylvie tried to walk past, but were stopped by a guard who asked for their tickets.

"Oh, no," Peter gasped, gripping the back of his seat.

Loki said he would take Sylvie to Shuroo, because that was the order from above.

Everyone looked at Loki incredulously.

"This is completely unconvincing," Stephen Strange stated, raising an eyebrow. "No paperwork, no specifics. Too vague, even for corrupt security."

"He's clearly improvising as he goes," Tony added. "His acting this time is a C-grade. Too much pathos, not enough bureaucracy."

The guard didn't believe it and started calling his superior, but Sylvie quickly cast a spell on him before he could raise the alarm. The enchanted guard let them through.

"Excellent rescue," Clint praised. "When words fail, mind control magic is the best argument."

"So far, everything's going according to plan," Vision added cautiously. "Although their 'plan' looks more like a series of lucky accidents."

Someone was pouring drinks on the train.

"People are dying outside, and in here they're calmly serving drinks," Steve chuckled wryly.

"The rich live in their own world, even during the apocalypse," Sam added with undisguised disgust. "For them, even the end of the world should be comfortable."

Sylvie and Loki found seats on the train; Loki said he couldn't ride backwards, and Sylvie said she never sat with her back to the door.

Natasha could understand that. She, too, never sat with her back to a door or window—it was too vulnerable.

Loki pointed out that there were doors on both sides, and Sylvie told him to just sit. Sylvie dismissively said that disguising himself as a guard and boarding the train was just luck, not a real plan.

"But it worked, didn't it?" Thor defended his brother. "In Asgard, we often relied on luck, and it rarely failed us!"

"Results matter more than method," Rhodey agreed. "They're inside, that's all that matters."

Sylvie yawned, and Loki suggested she take a break. Sylvie growled in response, and Loki looked surprised by her reaction.

"Two Lokis irritate each other to the core," Tony Stark said admiringly. "The multiverse is absolutely amazing! Watching the god of lies suffer under his own character in female form is the best show of the year."

"They're like oil and water," Scott added. "They seem the same, but they don't mix."

"I can't sleep in a place like this."
"You can't sleep on a train?"
"No. I can't sleep next to untrustworthy people."
"Is that me?"

"Definitely you," Wanda chuckled, looking at the on-screen Loki.

"Considering you've only known each other for a few hours and you fight constantly, her suspicions are well-founded," Natasha added. "I wouldn't fall asleep next to someone who tried to throw me out of a hut two hours ago either."

"I'm not going to waste time looking for a TemPad when someone taught you some pretty decent magic."

"Mother," Thor thought.

"My mother". Sylvie chuckled. After a moment, she softened and asked what she was like.

"She was the Queen of Asgard. She was good. Perfectly decent."

"She was exactly that," Thor confirmed, looking at the screen with endless love and longing.

"Are you sure she was your mother?". "Oh, no, not really". "I was adopted. Is that a bit of a spoiler for you? Sorry.". "No, I knew I was adopted."

"What?!" Thor exclaimed in shock, nearly jumping out of his chair. "They told Sylvie that right away?"

"Loki didn't know about the adoption, did he?" Wanda asked Thor.

"No, he didn't. Although Mother and Father should have told him," Thor said bitterly, gripping the armrests. "They should have told us many things..." he muttered, remembering Hela's hidden history and his own mistakes.

"Yes, they definitely should have. Odin's secrecy always led to disaster," Natasha agreed.

"So the TVA arrested Sylvie?" Steve asked, returning to the topic. "So she deviated from the timeline right then."

"What? "They told you?"
"Yes. They didn't tell you?"
"No."
"I mean, they did in the end."

"And it ended terribly," Thor said grimly.

Loki asks Sylvie to tell him more about her mother. Sylvie says she barely remembers her.
Loki explains that when he was little, Frigga used to do a little magic and tell him he could do it too, because he could do anything.

"She must have been a wonderful mother," Wanda said warmly. She, more than anyone, understood the value of a mother's faith in a child.

"She was," Thor confirmed, feeling the warmth spreading in his chest at the memory.

Loki opens his palm, and small fireworks burst into the air.

"Amazing," Peter breathed in admiration, mesmerized by the play of light.

Sylvie says that's not bad.
Loki stops the magic and says it was his mother who believed in him.

Thor nodded silently—it was the bitter but honest truth of those years.

Sylvie agrees. Loki tries to ask her how she learned to do magic. Sylvie says she taught herself.

"Impressive," praised Wanda, who knew the value of self-training on the battlefield.

"It takes incredible willpower and natural talent," added Stephen with professional admiration. "Learning magic without a mentor is like navigating through fog without a map."

"Would it be easier if I just..."
"Enchanted me, took the Tempad, and jumped out of the train? No, thanks". "Well, don't ask then."

"Those two really are a funny couple," laughed Scott, feeling the tension in the room ease slightly.

"When they're not trying to kill each other," added Rhodey with a grin. "At those moments, they seem like just two very lonely people who found each other at the end of the world."

The waitress approached them and offered them champagne. Loki took a glass, but Sylvie declined, so Loki took hers as well. Loki rejoiced until the end of the world.

"Are you sure you should be drinking in this situation?" Natasha asked skeptically, crossing her arms. "You need to be on your guard, not looking for the truth at the bottom of your glass."

"It's a shame the old woman decided to die, don't you think?" Loki said.

"She knew she wouldn't get a ticket," Clint said. "She didn't see the point in trying."

"She was in love". "She hated him". "Maybe love is hate." Loki conjured parchment and a quill out of thin air to write down what Sylvie had said. Sylvie told him to fuck off.

Everyone in the room couldn't help but laugh.

"Is it just me, or did he actually conjure stationery out of thin air?" Scott blinked, trying to process what he'd seen.

"Not just you, Scotty," Tony chuckled. "We're discovering more and more of his abilities."

Loki smiled as he made the parchment and quill vanish. Loki asked if she had a lucky date.
"Yes, indeed." "She managed to maintain a rather serious long-distance relationship with a mailman while running through time from one apocalypse to the next."
"With such charm, who could resist you?"
Sylvie said that people were quite prepared for their inevitable demise, adding that it was only done so she could live.

"That's... rather sad," said Tony.

"And what about you? You're a prince. There must have been suitors for the princess, or maybe another prince." "A bit of both. I suspect the same thing you do."

"He... he just confirmed he's bi? And she too?" Scott asked, looking from the screen to Thor.

"Yes, that's true," Thor replied, a soft, understanding smile playing on his lips.

"But nothing ever..." Sylvie began.
"Real." they finished speaking together.

Thor looked sadly at his brother on the screen. He knew how many masks Loki had worn throughout his life, and the realization that behind them lay only total loneliness struck him with a wrenching pain.

The other Avengers tried to avoid looking at the screen. The moment was becoming too intimate, too personal.

Loki nodded and took a sip of his drink. Sylvie said love was evil. Loki denied it, saying he might need another drink to think. He finished his drink.

"Oh, really?" Rhodey chuckled. "Or is this just another excuse to knock back a few more freebies?"

"Don't drink too much, Loki," Bruce warned quietly. "Alcohol and magic are a lousy combination when survival is at stake."

"You realize we're going to try to seize the power source of civilization's only hope?". "I understand."

"It's okay," Natasha said.

Sylvie said they should rest, and Loki decided to relax in his own way.

"Oh, I have a strong feeling this is going to end very badly," Stephen remarked darkly. As a Master of the Mystic Arts, he knew that when Loki began to "relax," disaster awaited.

Thor sighed heavily. He simply hoped Loki wouldn't drink himself into oblivion.

"He needs to be sober," Thor muttered, clenching his fists. "In the situation they're in, the slightest mistake will be the last."

Chapter Text

On the way to Shuroo, the train passed through Lamentis. When Sylvie woke up, she saw Loki singing and dancing. He was no longer in shape. Sylvie sat up in shock.

"I'd do the same if I saw Loki sing," Clint said. "First we see Zemo dancing, and now Loki singing. Then we see Thanos handing out candy to his kids or something."

She waved at Loki, and he waved back. She asked where his uniform was and looked around anxiously. "When she sings, she sings: come home," Loki sang. Loki shushed the passengers. A man stood up, looked at Loki strangely, and left.

"Oh, no," Natasha sighed.

"Here we go. He's attracting too much attention now," Tony said, pursing his lips.

Loki continued singing, and Sylvie looked at him strangely. Loki sang the chorus, and everyone else sang along.

"This won't lead to anything good," Wanda shook her head.

He finished his drink and smashed the glass on the ground. "More!"

Except for Thor, the other original Avengers groaned.

"Is this some kind of Asgardian custom or something?" Natasha asked. "I thought it was just Thor's thing, smashing dishes in diners."

"Imagine living on a ship full of Asgardians," Bruce grumbled, covering his eyes.

"You know you're an honorary Asgardian, right, Bruce? They love you very much!" Thor responded cheerfully.

Bruce was clearly stunned by this confession, but deep down, he was touched.

"I knew you were brothers, but it never occurred to me you were actually that alike," Clint said, shaking his head and returning to the topic.

"Thor must have broken hundreds of glasses while we lived in the Tower," Tony recalled with feigned irritation.

"You all lived together?!" Peter asked excitedly, his eyes widening with delight.

"Yeah, about a year while we were looking for the Scepter," Steve replied, a warm smile tugging at his lips. "It was like living in a really weird frat house."

"Looking back, the hunt for the Scepter was pretty funny," Tony added fondly.

Sylvie stood up and told Loki he was drunk. Loki said he was just full and wanted Sylvie to try Figgy Port.

"What's Figgy Port?" Scott asked, peering at the strange dish on the screen.

Sylvie asked where Loki's uniform was, since they were supposed to lie low. "Nobody cares. It's the end of the world," Loki replied.

"Uh, what about that guy who was looking at you earlier?" Clint remarked.

"That's because Loki didn't even know that guy was looking at him weird," Stephen sighed.

"I think something's going on." "Uh, that planet's about to crash into us."

"Why does Loki remind me of Val?" Bruce muttered. "He drinks in really terrible situations. Val was drunk during Ragnarok!"

Thor just snorted, remembering his battle-hardened friend.

"Don't be stupid. I've seen some people look at you strangely."

"Yeah, like that man who got away," Sam snorted.

"What?" Loki said, dropping his Figgy-Port.

Everyone in the room giggled at his awkwardness.

"Loki's so drunk," Clint laughed. "He's lost his coordination and his disguise."

"When did you become so paranoid?" "It probably started when I spent my whole life running from the all-knowing fascists you work for."

"Yeah, that'll work," Rhodey nodded.

Loki looked at the Figgy Port and said it was a shame it was going to waste.

"As much as I hate wasting food, I think Loki has more pressing problems to solve," Steve said, shaking his head.

"Yeah, like how not to die in the next five minutes," Thor growled, his amusement instantly vanishing.

Sylvie was deeply irritated. Loki said he knew the answer to her question.

Everyone froze on the edge of their seats, expecting great wisdom, but hearing what he said next, the result was... peculiar.

"Love is a dagger," Loki said, conjuring one.

"So that's why he likes stabbing me all the time?" Thor grinned broadly, a glimmer of tenderness in his eyes. "Is that what he says he loves me? "I love you too, brother."

Everyone in the audience who didn't have siblings looked at Thor like he was crazy. But the Avengers' "family unit" was completely supportive.

"That's complete nonsense," Steve, who had always been an only child, said skeptically.

"You don't understand anything, Rogers," Natasha shrugged, looking perfectly unperturbed. "Elena and I once tried to strangle each other with a curtain. And that was after she smashed a plate over my head, and I threw it into the closet. That's how siblings communicate. It's the language of love."

"That's absolutely true," Sam agreed, nodding. "When we were younger, Sarah and I communicated exclusively through slaps, kicks, and elaborate insults. If you haven't tried to kill your brother, are you even related?"

Loki, barely able to stand, continues his drunken philosophy: love is a weapon, it looks beautiful from afar, but the moment you reach for it, it disappears because it's not real.

"Oh..." Thor breathed, his smile instantly fading.

The metaphor was strange and awkward, but he understood the point all too well. Loki wasn't talking about daggers; he was talking about his life, where every expression of affection ultimately turned into pain or deception.

"He really doesn't believe in love?" Wanda asked quietly. Having lost so much, it hurt to hear such words from a man who had physically embodied his pain in the form of a bladed weapon.

"It's heartbreaking," Natasha added with genuine sympathy. "He protects himself with metaphors because the truth stings too much."

"Love is an imaginary dagger," Sylvie said, but she looked at him with pity. "Doesn't make sense, does it?" "No. A terrible metaphor." "Damn. I thought I had something there."

"Reindeer Games, you're terrible with metaphors!" Tony said, trying to lighten the mood. "First he says Asgard is a salad, and now love is a dagger."

The doors opened, and guards entered the room.

Everyone groaned in anticipation of trouble.

A guard asked Loki if he could see his tickets.

"Couldn't he just conjure up some fake tickets?" Wanda asked. "It should be a piece of cake for him."

"Yes, it can," Thor confirmed, but his voice was uneasy. He knew what alcohol did to Asgardian concentration.

Loki made a pompous gesture, but instead of hefty tickets, only celebratory fireworks flew from his fingers. "Oops," giggled the drunk Loki.

"Oh, you're kidding..." groaned Stephen, covering his face with his hand. "A master of illusion turned into a magician at a children's birthday party. Alcohol is a sorcerer's worst enemy."

The guards grabbed Loki, and he asked if this was really necessary. A guard roughly placed a hand on Loki's shoulder, but he pushed him away and started a fight.

"And here we are again," Tony sighed. "Not a single trip without a fight."

Sylvie smirked and joined the fray.

"Sylvie looked like she was itching for a fight," Natasha noted with a slight smile. "I can respect that. Sometimes a good fight is the best way to wake up."

Sylvie used her horns as a weapon against a guard, while Loki used magic with incredible precision and force.

"Wait... He's fighting much better again than he did in New York," Cap noted. "His movements are faster, his blows are heavier."

"Much more brutal and effective," Clint added with obvious surprise. "He's not showing off anymore, he's just breaking them."

"In New York, he was... more reserved," Natasha mused. "Almost like he was holding back. Or..."

"Perhaps he was exhausted back then after everything Thanos did to him," Bruce suggested grimly. "We still don't know all the details of what happened between the fall from the Rainbow Bridge and the invasion, but I have a very dark guess. He's recovered somewhat now and is showing more of his abilities."

A heavy silence fell over the room. Everyone exchanged sad glances, realizing that the "villain" they had fought in 2012 was likely just a shadow of the warrior they saw now.

Loki and Sylvie fought fiercely with the guards, and Loki slammed one of them headfirst into a table. When the guard grabbed Sylvie, Loki threw his dagger but missed.

"That was a terrible throw," Clint said with professional disapproval.

"That was a terrible throw," Sylvie said. Loki tossed the guard out the window and waved him off cheerfully.

Everyone in the hall burst into laughter at the absurdity of the gesture.

In retaliation, the other two guards threw Loki out the train window.

"NO!" everyone screamed in horror.

"How are they going to charge it now?!" Sam exclaimed in despair. "They're stuck in the middle of the desert, and the train's leaving!"

Thor paled. His fingers gripped the armrests so tightly that the skin on his knuckles was stretched white. Watching his brother's body slam against the rocks over and over was more than he could bear.

"TemPad," Sylvie realized. She grabbed her sword and jumped out the window too.
Both Sylvie and Loki fell roughly to the ground next to the train.

"So that's what Loki looked like when he was falling for thirty minutes in my portal," Stephen tried to joke, but caught the team's harsh stares and immediately fell silent. There was no time for irony now.

"At least they're both alive," Wanda breathed, but her voice trembled.

"For now," Thor added grimly.

They rose from the ground after the hard fall, and Sylvie let down her hair, shaking off dust and dirt. Loki staggered to his feet, clearly still feeling the effects of the alcohol. "Well, that's not exactly ideal," he muttered, clutching his head and swaying on his feet.

"He looks really bad," Natasha noted with concern, watching Loki struggle to regain his balance. "Something's wrong with him. And not just because of the alcohol."

Sylvie pointed the sword straight at Loki's throat and furiously demanded, "The Tempad. Give it to me immediately."
Loki hesitantly conjured the device, but it materialized already shattered into several pieces.

Everyone sucked in a sharp breath in horror at what was happening.

"Oh no," Peter whispered.

Sylvie looked utterly devastated as she looked at the wreckage of their only hope. "You're a complete idiot. You killed us both."
"Maybe we can fix this somehow?" Loki suggested hesitantly, swaying. But the TemPad had completely disintegrated in his hands.

Everyone winced at the hopelessness of the situation.

"Well, it's definitely beyond repair now," Tony stated gloomily.

"Sylvie's definitely going to kill Loki," Sam predicted.

"Maybe we should, since they're doomed anyway," Thor said hysterically, covering his face with his hands. "Lamentis I is the worst apocalypse, and now they have absolutely no way to get off the planet."

Loki sank heavily to the ground, resting his head on his knees. "You know what... I don't care anymore," he muttered wearily. "If I die here, at least I managed to drink something normal before the end." "For the first time in over six months, I've had anything decent to drink."

The room was so silent you could hear their hearts beating. Those words rang out louder than the moon exploding over the heroes' heads.

"Wait... what?" Peter Parker was the first to break the stupor, his voice trembling.

"Over six months, haven't had anything at all?" Wanda gasped, her eyes filled with horror.

"That's impossible," Scott babbled in panic. "The body shuts down after three days without water! How did he..."

"Do you understand what this means?" Bruce interrupted quietly but firmly. His gaze swept over the room. "This isn't just speculation. We thought Thanos was simply mind-controlling him with the Stone. But this... this is just the tip of the iceberg. A huge, black iceberg, which Loki still won't talk about."

A depressing pause followed as the understanding of the situation grew. Tony, who had been trying to maintain cynicism until that moment, now simply stared into space, remembering how he'd offered Loki a "drink" in the Tower. Now the offer seemed the height of cruel irony.

"Who could keep someone without drink for that long?" Sam asked, his face pale with understanding.

"Keeping someone in a state of severe dehydration for six months..." Steve spoke slowly, taking in every word, clenching his fists. "That's not just torture. That's the methodical destruction of a species. Thanos didn't just want to subjugate him; he burned the life out of him, drop by drop."

"But he looks... alive. How does he even function?" Clint wondered.

"Asgardian physiology..." Thor began, his face pale, only just beginning to comprehend the scale of his brother's suffering. "We're tougher than mortals. We can endure hunger for long periods. But this... It probably helped that he had the blood of the Frost Giants; his magic could hold the frost within his tissues, preventing his organs from drying out completely. But at what cost? It's constant, second-by-second agony!"

He finished, his voice shaking. Thor blinked hard to keep from bursting into tears over it all.

"And all this time... in New York, in chains, here... he never showed it," Thor whispered with heartbreaking bitterness. "He jokes, he makes sarcastic remarks, he plays god... God, Loki..."

"That explains why he turned to alcohol so desperately on the train," Natasha said quietly, her eyes reflecting the horror of a seasoned interrogator. "He wasn't just 'celebrating.' His body was craving fluids so badly that he lost all control. He was literally falling apart from the inside out this whole time, holding on only by the remnants of his magic and sheer will."

"And that's why he doesn't care about death," Wanda added. "After six months in Thanos's dungeons without a sip of water... death for him is just a long-awaited sleep where he doesn't want to drink."

"I don't understand how he's still standing," Rhodey said, shocked.

"You're not serious," Sylvie growled, pointing her sword at Loki.
"You're right. I am a god," Loki replied with bitter self-irony, not even trying to rise. "A shallow, half-dead god of deception who now doesn't care at all."

"He says it so calmly..." Wanda whispered. "There's no fear in his voice. Only icy emptiness."

"It's as if he's finally reached the point where he can stop pretending to be alive," Peter added, his voice trembling.

"This isn't normal," Bruce said, his face expressing professional anxiety. "Such indifference to his own life... it's a symptom of complete personality disintegration. He's burned out."

Sylvie and Loki began arguing about which of them was the more hedonistic. Sylvie said she was more of a hedonist than Loki, but never at the expense of the mission. "Oh, mission? Mission? What, your glorious goal? Give me a break. You can't defeat them," Loki countered drunkenly and indifferently, still sitting on the ground.

"Now I understand why he says that," Rhodey said grimly. — "After everything he's been through... What 'glorious goal'? What 'saving the world'?"

"He's lost the will to fight," Steve observed, a visibly painful ache in his heart. He knew what it was like to persevere, but he also understood that anyone would break if the life was systematically drained from them for a year straight.

"It's more than just pessimism," Natasha agreed. "It's complete exhaustion of the soul. When you're up against an organization that's turning the Infinity Stones into garbage, and you've had a year of hell behind you... It's hard to find a reason to get up."

"You can't blame Loki for feeling this way," Rhodey said. "It's hard to fight an organization that can render the Infinity Stones useless."

"Well, they somehow got past the TVA, since we're here and haven't been arrested," Steven said.

"But how could it have been Sylvie and Loki if they're on Lamentis?" "Bruce asked, "I don't know how they're going to get off Lamentis without the Tempad."

"What about the evacuation ship?! The Ark!" Peter suddenly exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with realization.

Thor's eyes widened. How could he have forgotten about the evacuation ship?

"Yes!" he shouted, his voice booming through the hall. "Sylvie and Loki are going to take that ship! They won't die! They'll find a way!"

Sylvie screamed in frustration, and powerful green magic exploded around her, striking the ground and creating a crater.

"Whoa!" everyone exclaimed at the power of the spell.

"Was that... really necessary?" Sam asked, impressed by the scale of the destruction.

"Only if you're so angry that your magic literally spills over," Vision replied.

Loki looked at the crater and slowly, with visible effort, rose to his feet. "Yes, it's worth a try," he muttered and raised his hand. Green energy began to shimmer around his fingers, and he directed a powerful blast at the nearest rock, completely incinerating it into dust.

"Oh my god..." Wanda gasped. "This isn't just a trick. This is concentrated, primal power."

"Their magic is incredibly destructive," Stephen said admiringly. "See how he did it? No gestures, no incantations, just a pure release of will. Even in that state, he's incredibly dangerous."

"And that's a little scary," Scott added, swallowing nervously. "If they both unleash that power on the TVA... I don't envy those guys in uniform."

"What now?" Sylvie asked wearily.
"I don't know. I broke the Tempad. And that planet is about to hit us," Loki replied. His voice sounded as if he were discussing the weather forecast rather than the end of his own life. Complete, frightening indifference.

"But the Ark!" Thor cried in despair, leaning forward. "Please, Loki, think of the Ark! Remember, you always found a way!"

Thor hated that tone. For a thousand years, he'd seen Loki angry, treacherous, hurt, mad... but never defeated. Seeing his brother simply give up was physically painful.

"What about the Ark?"
"The Ark never leaves us because it's destroyed."

Everyone froze at those fateful words.

"NO!" Thor screamed in despair.

Loki said they were never there in history. Sylvie smirked. "So what? We steal the Ark and make sure it leaves this moon?"
"Honestly, that sounds like a good idea to me."
"Okay."
"Really?"

"It's not like they have much of a choice," Bucky pointed out reasonably. "Either try to change history, or just wait for the moon to hit them over the head."

"At least Loki has some purpose now," Sam added with cautious hope. "When he has a plan, he stops thinking about how much he wants to die."

Everyone in the room nodded in agreement. At some point, the heroes realized something strange: they, who for years had considered Loki the number one threat, were now sitting and sincerely praying for his survival. The news of his torture at Thanos's hands had erased the last vestiges of hostility, leaving only sympathy for the crippled creature.

Sylvie and Loki headed to Shuroo. Loki walked along the tracks, his gait still unsteady—the effects of both the alcohol and the terrible exhaustion he'd let slip earlier, the one he'd grown tired of hiding. He could barely stand.
"You know, I don't think I've ever walked so much in my life," he complained, stumbling over the rubble.

"In his condition, it's no wonder," Clint chuckled, but his voice no longer held mockery, only sympathy. "His muscles must be on fire."

"Well, he never liked walking much," Thor agreed, trying to smile at the memory. "Always preferred magic, horses, or the backs of others... But now..." Thor's voice wavered with worry again. He watched Loki twist his ankle and struggle to right himself.

Sylvie said it was a pretty good life.
Loki, trying to defuse the tension, offered to enchant him—then he would walk on autopilot, and Sylvie could "walk for both of them."

Several people in the room couldn't help but snort, appreciating the god of mischief's audacity.

"Sounds convenient," Rhodey chuckled. "Loki, even in death, doesn't forget about comfort. If you can't ride in a carriage, you can at least try to shift the responsibility of your own legs to someone else."

Sylvie said that wasn't how the spell worked, and Loki asked how.

"Oh yeah? Then how does it work?" Clint asked curiously.

Steven and Wanda listened attentively, intrigued by the magical techniques.

"Never mind." Loki said he'd told Sylvie a lot about himself, but knew nothing about her. "Are you worried?" "I just need to know if I can trust you."

"Well, good luck with that," Natasha said skeptically.

Sylvie explained that she needed to establish physical contact and then grasp their minds. She said most minds were light, and she could instantly grasp them, but the stronger ones were more cunning, so she created a fantasy from their memories.

"I see," Wanda nodded understandingly.

"Impressive, but a bit creepy," Natasha added.

Loki was stunned. "And you call me a wizard?" Sylvie said C-20's mind was clouded and confused.

Bucky tensed at the mention of mind control.

Sylvie explained that she had to extract memories from events that happened hundreds of years ago, before C-20 began working for TVA.

The group froze in shock.

"Excuse me, did I hear that correctly?" Sam froze, his hand halfway to his face. "Memories before working at TVA?"

"How is that possible?" Scott scratched his head, puzzled. "But they clearly told us in that cartoon: the Timekeepers created all the employees. They're bio-robots or something."

"Ha! I knew that whole 'divine creation' thing was complete nonsense," Tony said triumphantly, but angrily. "Nobody creates bureaucrats from scratch. It's too expensive and inefficient. It's easier to steal them."

"Makes you wonder what else TVA lies about," Steve grumbled.

Loki stopped, sobered by the shock. "Before she joined the TVA?" Sylvie confirmed that C-20 was an ordinary human on Earth.

"Why is everything always connected to Earth?" Peter shuddered. "The universe is infinite, and they all seem to be from the next block."

"Earth is a crossroads, Peter," Thor replied quietly, his gaze fixed on Loki. "But knowing these people are prisoners... that changes everything."

"I was told that everyone who works at the TVA was created by the Time Keepers." "That's ridiculous. They're all Variants, just like us." "They don't know that."

The room held its breath. The atmosphere in the room turned chill.

"Those bastards," Steve growled. His shield had once protected freedom, and the thought of an entire army of people living in slavery, believing themselves to be the "chosen ones," made him sick.

"So they're all brainwashed?" Bucky clenched his metal palm, the sound of the mechanism echoing in the silence. His voice was filled with cold fury. "Erase their identities, give them a false purpose, and force them to serve... It makes them easier to control, doesn't it? No one asks questions if they don't remember who they are."

Everyone looked at Bucky sympathetically. He, more than anyone, knew what it was like to be a tool in someone else's hands, unable to access your own memories.

"So Sylvie killed those Minutemen knowing they had no choice," Bruce said bitterly. "They're not villains. They're victims forced into a uniform."

Everyone winced at the thought. The bloodstains on Sylvie's hands looked even more sinister.

"Mobius," Rhodey said, his eyes wide. "That means Mobius is actually from Midgard."

"That means there's a high probability that the Sacred Timeline version of Mobius is currently living on Earth," Natasha added, already weighing the possibilities. "If, of course, he's still alive in 2018 or his own timeline."

"I hope the real Mobius is out there riding a jet ski somewhere," Scott said, trying to lighten the mood. "After his Variant was locked in this office hell for eternity, he deserves it more than anyone."

It was announced that the Ark would launch in ten minutes.

Everyone's eyes widened with urgency.

"They need to get to the Ark!" Thor shouted.

When Sylvie and Loki arrived in Shuroo, Sylvie asked if they trusted each other. "We do, and you can too." "Good. Because that's going to suck."

"I bet you will," Rhodey sighed deeply, his military background telling him that when the plan was "fight through chaos," casualties were inevitable.

Loki and Sylvie walked through the crowd and spotted the ark.
The crowd chanted. Loki said they'd let all those people die.

"Because they're selfish," Steve muttered. "It's the same in every world: the powerful save their own skins first."

Sylvie said they needed to get in there.

"How? They're automatically outmatched by the guards," Natasha remarked skeptically, seeing the dense cordons. "They'd just be shot as they approached."

"We need to get inside and make sure it takes off," Sylvie said. "How?" "We'll go around," Sylvie decided, grabbing Loki's hand and dragging him along. They ran through the chaos.

"The end of the world," Natasha remarked grimly. "What a mess."

"Because the government on Lamentis I is terrible," Scott added.

More meteorites fell. One of them landed in front of them, knocking them both back.

Tony, Peter, and Stephen's lips formed a thin line. The image—the falling sky and the rain of fire—was too reminiscent of Titan. It reminded them of Thanos throwing a moon into their Titan versions.

Loki helps Sylvie to her feet. They head inside the ark when a guard grabs Sylvie.

"Why the hell are the guards still fighting them? Don't they have better things to do?" Bucky asked, confused and furious. "The whole planet is about to blow up! Put down your weapons and run!"

"They have orders, Bucky," Sam replied quietly. "Some control systems work even when you're a step away from the grave."

Sylvie fights off the guard. Loki enters the fray. He no longer conserves his strength. He uses telekinesis and energy blasts so powerful that the guards are literally blown out of the way.

"It's a good thing he never used that kind of magic on us," Clint remarked with visible relief.

The original Avengers nodded in unison, recalling their skirmishes. What they saw now was the power of a god who had stopped playing around.

Another guard entered, but Loki punched him. Sylvie and Loki ran away as explosions erupted around them.

"They need to get to the ark as fast as possible," Wanda said tensely.

Sylvie yelled at Loki to run. They paused for a moment, then ran to another area. Part of the building began to collapse.

"Oh, shit," all the heroes thought.

Loki and Sylvie dodge falling debris. Another part of the building nearly crushed them, but Loki telekinetically pushed it back without even raising his hands to concentrate.

"Wow!" everyone exclaimed in admiration.

"How did he do that?" Rhodey marveled. "That's hundreds of tons!"

"Telekinesis," Thor explained proudly. "Loki has always been a master of telekinesis. It's very powerful. He just rarely used it."

They're racing toward the finish line. The Ark is close, the hatches are open, the engines are warming up. Victory seems inevitable. And then the sky splits. A giant, red-hot meteorite crashes directly into the center of the ship.
The flash was blinding. The Ark—their only chance—disintegrated into millions of flaming pieces. Sylvie and Loki stared in horror at the destruction.

The room drew a sharp breath. The silence became absolute.

"Fuck," Tony cursed under his breath.

"They're going to die," Thor covered his face with his hands, his shoulders shaking. "I'll have to watch Loki die again. Right here. On this damn moon."

"You don't know that!" Sam exclaimed, though his voice was unsure. "We know the TVA eventually collapsed. How could it have happened without them?"

"We don't know they did it. It could have been any one of countless other possibilities," Steve snapped bitterly. "The TVA captured hundreds of versions of Loki."

Sylvie stepped back, completely broken. Loki simply stood there, staring at the blazing horizon. His face was blank. No anger, no fear. Only the final, icy understanding that this was the end.

There was complete, dead silence.

"Well, this is fucked," Tony breathed out again.

Steve didn't even look at him. He didn't correct Stark. In this situation, any other word would have been a lie.

Chapter Text

The scene opens in Asgard.

"Wow..." the audience gasped.

"Is this Asgard?" Rhodey asked, unable to tear his eyes away from the city's grandeur.

"Yeah," Thor and Bruce confirmed simultaneously, but Thor's voice held a piercing longing for a home that was no more.

"It's beautiful," Wanda quietly admitted.

Alone in the room, young Sylvie plays with toys.
A time door opens behind her. Ravonna, as the Huntress, walks through the time door with the Minutemen. She checks her TemPad and tells them it's their Variant.
The Minutemen detain young Sylvie.

Everyone's eyes widened.

"That was when they arrested her..." Wanda whispered, covering her mouth.

"But what did she even do?!" Tony exploded, jumping up. "She was just playing in her room! She didn't steal the Tesseract, she didn't try to take over the world. She just existed!"

Ravonna says Sylvie is being arrested for crimes against the Sacred Timeline.

"I'm so tired of hearing this pathetic line," Scott growled, glaring at the screen with hatred.

"She's a child!" almost everyone screamed. Steve looked like he was ready to throw a shield at the screen to protect the girl.

Ravonna orders the Minutemen to reset the timeline. Ravonna pulls young Sylvie through the time door. The Minutemen plant a reset charge. When it activates, it destroys Sylvie's toys.

Everyone's heart sank when they saw this.

"What did she even do?" Wanda asked.

"It's so horrible..." Clint shook his head, remembering his children. The thought that some organization could simply come and take a child away for "being on the wrong path" infuriated him.

Steven shifted uncomfortably. Obviously, he didn't want a multiversal war, and the TVA claimed to prevent it, but arresting children for not following the Sacred Timeline? He wasn't heartless; he knew it was wrong. There had to be another way to prevent a multiversal war than arresting children. Did the ends justify the means in this case?

Ravonna and Sylvie pass through the time door at the TVA. Another man struggles.

"What did he do?" Steve asked, witnessing the TVA's brutality.

Ravonna pulls Sylvie away. Sylvie is processed, dressed in processing clothes, and has her temporal aura scanned. Ravonna accompanies her to the courtroom. As Ravonna leads Sylvie forward, Sylvie bites her and grabs the TemPad.

"Well done, girl," Natasha praised, pride shining in her eyes. "Fight to the end."

The judge wants to hear the next case. Ravonna shouts that she's here.
Sylvie opens the time door and escapes. In the present, Ravonna takes a deep breath and steps out of the golden elevators into the chambers of the Time Guardians. The doors open, revealing three gigantic, glowing beings seated on thrones in a foggy hall.

Everyone held their breath.

"So these are the Time Guardians..." Tony said, studying them closely through his glasses. "They look like oversized gods."

"And they're going to die," Thor growled. He clenched his fists, and furious lightning danced between his fingers.

"Hmm, so they're real," Sam mused. "Honestly, part of me thought this was all a hologram or a hoax meant to scare office workers. But here they are, in the flesh."

Steve squinted, peering at the Time Guardians. Something about this majestic scene seemed false. Too much fog, too many still faces, too much forced grandiosity.

"It's too much of a show," Steve said quietly. "Like we're watching the Wizard of Oz hiding behind a curtain. If they're so powerful, why are they hiding in this dark room and sending others to do their dirty work?"

Mobius was waiting for Renslayer when she emerged from the elevator. Mobius asked if she was okay, and Renslayer replied that she wasn't, because the circumstances weren't ideal.
Mobius said they couldn't blame Renslayer, but Renslayer said they could, since Sylvie had been there and escaped with Loki, whom she'd allowed to come with her.

"Loki's smarter than them, that's why," Thor chuckled.

"Do you have any idea how impossible it is to maintain a consistent timeline? "The Time Keepers are all that stands between us and a full-blown disaster," Renslayer said.

Steven's eye twitched at the reminder of a multiversal war. "That's why I don't want the Time Keepers to disappear! I know the TVA is terrible, but there has to be another solution."

"The entire TVA needs to be burned to the ground," Thor said. His breath caught as he remembered what they'd done to his brother. "Everything needs to disappear."

Steve nodded in agreement.

"I don't completely disagree, but there has to be something else to prevent a multiversal war. The Time Keepers must remain alive until it happens. If a multiversal war starts, it doesn't matter whether we have free will or not. The consequences will be horrific, and who do you think will deal with it? Me! And I don't want to deal with a multiversal war!" Steven exclaimed. He froze, realizing that the only reason they hadn't been arrested yet was because Loki and Sylvie had somehow done something to the TVA. A chill ran down his spine. It seemed like a multiversal war was inevitable at that moment.

Everyone else winced.

Mobius said he needed access to Hunter C-20. Renslayer said it was impossible and refused to meet Mobius's eyes.

They all narrowed their eyes.

"What did they do?" Clint demanded.

Mobius said he wanted to know what C-20 meant by "It's real," since she might have more information. Renslayer told him C-20 was dead.

Everyone in the room sank in fear and outrage.

"But how did she die?!" Rhodey threw up his hands. "She was disoriented after Sylvie's spell, but she didn't look like she was dying! She was conscious!"

"How much do you bet the TVA 'terminated' her?" Tony asked venomously. "It's a classic: witness talks, witness is eliminated." "It seems the TVA isn't above purging its own."

"How?"
"Variant: she enchanted C-20, messing with her mind."

Wanda and Stephen exchanged glances. They were experts in magic.

"I've done worse," Wanda said sternly, "but it doesn't kill you physically. The mind may be damaged, but the body lives on."

"Charms can be dangerous," Strange added, "but a 'sharp decline' to death right after she started telling the truth? That's not magic. That's poison or a bullet."

"I knew it! They're lying! Again!" Tony exclaimed triumphantly, though there was no joy in his voice.

"Is that even a surprise?" Natasha grinned, crossing her arms over her chest. "They stole these people from their lives, brainwashed them, forced them to believe the creation story... Killing one agent to preserve the great lie—for them, it's just a statistic."

Mobius didn't understand, as C-20 seemed fine.
"At first, yes. But by the time she got here, she could barely speak. After that, the decline was more dramatic," Renslayer explained.

Everyone in the room rolled their eyes in unison.

"Lies," Clint snapped. "The cheapest, dirtiest lie I've ever heard."

Renslayer claimed no one knew because they didn't want people to panic.

"You don't want people to panic," Steve Rogers looked at the screen with icy disdain, "or are you simply afraid that if they learn the truth that C-20 learned, your 'Sacred Time' will end in a riot?"

Renslayer ordered Mobius to keep this between them and find the Variants, because if he didn't, they would all be in danger.

"I think the Variants are in danger solely because of you," Bucky muttered. For him, this woman was the perfect example of a functionary who justified murder with the "greater good."

On Lamentis-I, meteorites were falling at an alarming rate.

Everyone turned pale. Thor gripped the armrests so tightly his knuckles turned white. A muffled sob escaped his throat.

"Loki and Sylvie can't get off Lamentis," Rhodey said, shaking his head. "They don't have a TempPad, and the Ark is destroyed. They can't do anything. Sylvie said no one got off Lamentis."

Sylvie sat on a rock, waiting for death.

"It must be a strange thought, knowing the exact time of your death and just sitting there waiting for it," Bucky said quietly. He'd been close to the end too many times, but never so consciously.

"It's pathologically terrifying," Scott added, fidgeting nervously.

Loki comes over, sits down next to her, and apologizes. Sylvie says she remembers Asgard, but not much.

"Well, you were just a child then," Natasha said softly.

She says the universe wants to be freed so she can manifest chaos, like her, born the "Goddess of Mischief." She explains that this created a large enough hook for the TVA to emerge, erase her reality, and take her captive.

"That was very cruel of them," Wanda said.

She says she was just a child and ran away for a very long time, which was terrifying because wherever she went, it triggered a nexus event, since she shouldn't have existed.

"She must have had an incredibly difficult life," Scott felt a lump in his throat. "Hiding in fire and ashes her whole life, just to avoid being erased..."

She figured out how to hide, and that's where she grew up, and that's where she'll die. The analyst says there's nothing. Mobius says even the increased threshold should work.

"Well, that's not true," Steven said.

Another analyst says that wherever they are, they're not sure anything will survive. Mobius says they shouldn't underestimate them and asks B-15 if she saw anything in the Roxxcart. She says they're gone and asks if there's any news on C-20. Mobius says no. B-15 says they need to find them, and Mobius says they will.
Huge chunks of the planet begin to disintegrate and fall onto the moon. Sylvie asks him what Loki is doing – Loki is saying they're destined to lose.

"No," Thor replied firmly. His voice boomed. "My brother is not destined to lose."

Loki replies that they may lose, but they don't die – they survive. He points out that Sylvie did just that when the TVA took her in as a child, and that she nearly destroyed the organization that controls time itself.
Sylvie, touched, places her hand on Loki's shoulder in a moment of understanding.
At the TVA, an analyst suddenly says they've detected something. A timeline begins to grow on their monitors.

"Um, I thought a branch couldn't grow during an apocalypse," Rhodey said, puzzled. "But everything's predetermined!"

"I thought so too," Steven looked extremely confused. "That contradicts everything we've learned about TVA metaphysics. To create a Nexus of that magnitude at the moment of destruction... it must be something impossible."

Loki looks at the ground in front of him, makes a gesture with his hand, and a soft blanket appears. He wraps himself in it, rests his head on his knees, and begins absentmindedly digging in the sand.
"Are you okay?" Sylvie asks, a little awkwardly, observing Loki's strange behavior.
"Of course, everything's great," Loki replies sarcastically, turning his head and casting a tired glance at her from his knees. "It's just that innocent people are dying because of my selfishness again. Otherwise, everything's great."

"He blames himself for everything..." Wanda whispered. She knew that feeling—when every step feels like a mistake, bringing pain to others.

"After everything he's been through, he still sees himself as the main culprit," Steve added with deep sympathy. "He's not a villain who wants power. He's a man who desperately wants to atone, but doesn't know how."

A massive meteor crashes right in front of them, and a powerful shockwave descends on both gods. Sylvie takes Loki's hand, who squeezes it tightly in return, and they sit, watching the approaching destruction with a kind of grim determination. In the TVA, a screen shows an anomalous branch beginning to grow on Lamentis-1.

Everyone's jaws dropped even further at the impossibility of what was happening.

"Are you serious?!" Steve exclaimed in shock, leaning forward so far that he nearly fell out of his chair. "A Nexus event is forming on Lamentis-1? I thought the TVA couldn't detect Nexus events in apocalypses! That's their main rule!"

"Based on what we've learned about how the TVA operates, this makes absolutely no sense," Stephen added. His magical senses were practically screaming that something extraordinary was happening. "A Nexus event is a change in the future. But on Lamentis, there's no future; everyone's dying. So... the anomaly isn't in their actions. The anomaly is in them."

A huge meteorite struck Lamentis, creating a powerful shockwave.

Everyone held their breath, awaiting the inevitable.

Loki and Sylvie held hands and looked at each other for the last time, as if looking back at the shockwave. The TVA screen showed the anomalous Nexus event.

"We've never seen such a powerful branch," Bruce whispered, mesmerized by the instrument readings on the screen. "It's growing at an alarming rate. It's like a supernova's energy surge."

"What could have caused such a surge?" Natasha narrowed her eyes in confusion. "They didn't do anything. They just... linked arms."

In Lamentis-1, two Time Doors opened behind Loki and Sylvie moments before their deaths.

The entire room collectively exhaled. The tension that had been building for the last half hour erupted in a single sigh of relief.

"We made it..." Peter breathed.

"But now they'll return to the TVA and be 'cut off,'" Bucky reminded them grimly, his words instantly dampening the team's joy. "They escaped the meteorite only to fall into the hands of executioners."

"Mobius won't abandon them," Scott said uncertainly, though he himself hardly believed it.

Thor buried his face in his hands in despair. He just wanted his brother to be safe. Was that too much? Apparently, for this universe, it was. It just wouldn't let him rest.

At the TVA, Loki and Sylvie were wearing time collars and were accompanied by Mobius and the Minutemen.

Thor frowned at the sight of the humiliating time collars.

Mobius and Loki bickered as he was escorted through the corridors. Loki found it insulting that he didn't have the same enhanced security as Sylvie.

"It's really unfair," Scott Lang chuckled. "The guy just held the building's rubble together with magic, and he's considered a 'minor threat.'"

Mobius and Loki were yelling at each other that one of them had betrayed them.

"Ah, Mobius and Loki are back to bickering like an old married couple," Rhodey sighed wearily.

Loki yells at him to grow up. Mobius tells Loki he needs to grow up.

"It's high time you both grew up," Clint grumbled, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "One of you is playing with the fate of the universes, the other can't seem to shake off his teenage rebellion."

They entered the Theater of Time. Mobius declared Loki not the God of Mischief. Loki responded sarcastically, knowing the banal, simplistic insults would follow.
Loki asked if he was then the "God of Self-Destruction" or the "Knife in the Back." "Just an asshole and a bad friend," Mobius replied.

"Oooh, that hurts..." Tony and Peter winced simultaneously.

"Mobius knows where to hit," Natasha said quietly. "For Loki, who's only just begun to truly value someone's trust, hearing that from the only 'friend' in this place is worse than any torture."

A red time door opened before Loki. "What is this?"
"You'll see."

Everyone raised an eyebrow at the ominous omen.

"This door... it's red," Thor's voice broke into panic. "Why is it red?! This can't be a good sign! In Asgard, red is the color of warning of eternal exile or damnation."

Loki told Mobius that the TVA was lying to him, but Mobius clearly didn't believe him. He chuckled and told the Minutemen to lock Loki up.

"The saddest thing is that this time Loki is telling the absolute truth," Natasha shook her head. "For one of the few times in his life, he's sincere because he cares, and he's being mistaken for a liar because of his reputation."

"That's Loki's greatest tragedy," Steve added. "When you build your life on lies, the truth becomes your weakest weapon. No one will believe the boy who cried wolf, even if the wolves are already gnawing at the fence."

Loki was pushed through the red time door. He found himself in a beautiful courtyard and looked around in confusion.

Thor and Bruce frowned in recognition.

"Home?" Thor asked, puzzled. "The TVA said they wouldn't send Loki back home. What is this place?"

"Asgard?" Bruce repeated, confused.

Sif entered, half her hair cut off. "You," Sif growled, lifting strands of hair.

"Who is this?" Wanda asked curiously.

"Lady Sif," Thor recognized her with growing concern. "One of Asgard's greatest warriors... and, apparently, she's furious."

"Wait! That myth about Loki cutting off Sif's hair turns out to be true!" Peter Parker's eyes widened. "I read about it in a mythology book!"

"He actually cut her hair?" Bucky asked, surprised. "Why?"

"It was a joke... Well, that's what Loki thought. It didn't work out very well, to be honest. Sif valued her hair almost as much as her sword," Thor shrugged apologetically.

"So, if the myths about Thor's wedding dress and Sif's hair are true, then is the horse myth true too? Are you sure he didn't father an eight-legged horse?" Sam narrowed his eyes suspiciously, trying to contain his laughter.

The entire room erupted in laughter. The tension of the last few minutes eased slightly, replaced by comic shock. Thor blushed to the roots of his hair.

"Yes, I'm absolutely certain he didn't father a horse!" he hastily assured his friends. "I think I would have remembered that!"

"Then where the hell did that story come from?" Tony persisted, wiping away tears of laughter.

"I was really mad at him that day," Thor grumbled, hiding a smirk. "Perhaps I embellished the events a little when I told them to the minstrels..."

Loki turned and cried out excitedly, "Sif!"

"How is Sif now?" Thor asked worriedly. "Do you think she was kidnapped for the TVA, too?"

"I don't think so," Vision replied, analyzing the flickering reality at the edges of the frame. "She's simply a reconstruction of a person's memory. She's not real, just a projection created by loop technology."

"You're a treacherous, cowardly, pathetic worm," Sif said, stepping closer to Loki. "You did this."
She slapped Loki hard. "I hope you know you deserve to be alone, and always will be alone."

Everyone in the room instantly fell silent. The cruelty of Sif's words struck harder than her hand.

"Well, that's rather rude..." Bruce said with obvious disapproval.

Thor frowned. He knew they often argued, but hearing his brother predict eternal loneliness was unbearable. Loki didn't deserve to be alone, and he never would be as long as he lived.

"A prison of painful memories? How original," Loki remarked sarcastically. Sif kicked him in the stomach and then punched him in the face.

The heroes instinctively winced, as if they'd felt the blow themselves.

"I certainly wouldn't want to be in Loki's shoes right now," Rhodey grimaced.

Loki fell to the floor, and Sif left. Loki muttered that he remembered having a nice hot bath and a glass of wine after that joke, and never thought about it again because it was just a bit of fun.

"Sif was very upset then," Thor recalled, "I remember that."

"Of course she was upset!" Scott exclaimed, throwing up his hands. "Loki cut off half her hair!"

But then the door opened again. Sif entered. With the same strands of hair. With the same anger. "You're a treacherous, cowardly..."

Everyone stared in shock at the repeating scene.

"What is this place?!" Scott was completely confused.

"A time prison," Tony replied, his voice turning serious. "A looping fragment of reality. An endless cycle of physical pain and psychological humiliation."

Stephen winced. He'd once been caught in a very painful time loop with Dormammu. He wouldn't wish that on anyone.

Loki asked Sif to wait, but she ignored him and dealt the same blows again.

"Oh, that's painful..." sighed sympathetically in the room. Seeing a god who had just displayed true heroism on Lamentis being turned into a wraith's punching bag was unbearable.

Sif repeated that Loki deserved solitude, kicked him in the stomach again, and left.

"And how long will this go on?" Tony asked worriedly. His engineer's mind was trying to calculate the limits of mental stability under such conditions.

"Probably as long as the TVA wants," Stephen Strange replied grimly. He recalled the endless deaths at the hands of Dormammu. "The loop doesn't just wear down the body. It erases the personality, forcing you to believe what your tormentor says."

"So Loki's going to be getting punched in the stomach and face for a very long time," Sam said, shaking his uniform. "Poor thing. Even for a god, that's too much."

Loki groaned in frustration and sarcastically remarked that time loops were simply wonderful.

"It could have been a lot worse," Clint remarked philosophically, trying to lighten the mood. "At least Mobius didn't think to put him in a loop where he gets crushed by the Hulk every minute. It would have been a short, but very effective cycle."

Bruce and Thor simultaneously winced, remembering the "meeting" at Stark Tower and on Sakaar, while the others chuckled nervously, imagining the scene.

Sif reentered, but Loki tried to explain to her that she was a reconstruction of a past event created by the TVA, asking her to trust him and help her escape.

"She's unlikely to agree to that," Thor remarked skeptically. His heart bled. "A program can't empathize. To this Sif, Loki will always be the one who insulted her."

Sif placed her hands on Loki's shoulders, kicked him in the stomach, punched him in the face again, and called him a pathetic worm.
Mobius entered Renslayer's office. Ravonna said he was supposed to interrogate Variant Loki. Mobius replied that Loki was softening in the Time Prison and asked permission to interrogate another Variant—Sylvie.

"Yes, Loki is definitely 'painfully softening' in this torture chamber," Rhodey snorted with heavy irony. "They have very strange terms for beating."

"They think torture will break him," Steve clenched his fists until the skin on his knuckles turned white. "But after everything he's been through... Thanos has done worse to him, that's for sure."

"This can only embitter him further," Natasha finished grimly. "If they destroy the last of his faith in Mobius, they'll have an enemy no collar can keep out."

Renslayer ordered Mobius to stay with his Loki and find out what caused the timeline. Mobius said he could get there faster if he used them both together. Renslayer said she was too dangerous, and no one would talk to her.

"Because Renslayer is afraid," Natasha narrowed her eyes, studying the judge's face on the screen. "She doesn't want anyone else at TVA to know the truth about the options. Sylvie is the bearer of that truth, and if she speaks up, this whole house of cards will collapse."

Mobius said he didn't consider Loki the mastermind. Renslayer said he'd be easier to break and reminded Mobius that the Time Keepers were watching him.

"It's a little creepy," Peter shuddered. "Can you imagine having three giant lizard gods at work, looking over your shoulder as you fill out reports?"

"The whole TVA concept is one big nightmare for those who like privacy," Tony retorted. "But Mobius... he looks depressed."

"They're always watching," Mobius muttered.

"Poor Mobius," Steve shook his right hand. "He lives under this surveillance for eternity, not even suspecting that he's a person like us, who once had his own life."

Mobius approached B-15 in front of the locked door and asked if Variant was still there.
Mobius mentioned that they'd attracted the Kree, the Titans, and the vampires.

A heavy, icy silence fell over the room at the mention of the Titans.

"Titans... like Thanos?" Tony said, almost whispering, his voice visibly trembling.

"Oh my God, the Thanos variant," Scott clutched his head. "As if one wasn't enough, now there's a whole assembly line of them?"

"We've already seen the Thanos variant," Natasha reminded them of the battle. "He came from a different timeline—from 2014—and nearly wiped us all out. Apparently, this is just a routine Tuesday for the TVA."

Everyone groaned in disappointment.

"Wait. Didn't you hear? Mobius mentioned vampires. Now vampires are real? Seriously?" Bucky said, looking at the others incredulously.

A long moment of silence followed. The Avengers exchanged glances, trying to digest this information.

"I'm not even surprised anymore," Steve sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose wearily. "After talking raccoons, Norse gods, and time travel... Sure, add vampires to the list. Werewolves are around too, I'm sure."

"I hope there aren't any on Earth," Sam Wilson crossed his fingers. But a second later, he added, "Oh, who am I kidding? With our luck, there's bound to be some caped Count on Earth."

"How do they even arrest them?" Rhodey asked thoughtfully. "We know Mobius and C-20 are human. How can a mere human with a stun gun arrest a Titan or a Higher Vampire?"

"I don't think they fight fair," Steven replied, rubbing his amulet. "They probably just use the element of surprise: they emerge from the portal, activate the reset charge, and leave. Titan muscles are useless against time-erasing technology."

He asked why two orphaned demigods were such a pain in the ass.

The entire room couldn't help but laugh, appreciating the irony.

"Fair question!" Clint chuckled, wiping away a tear. "An entire staff of trained agents, futuristic technology, lizard Guardians... and all of them were turned upside down by two disgruntled, heartbroken gods. It seems mischief is the only thing the TVA can't figure out."

"And yet it was your idea to bring another one," B-15 replied.

"That was better than a cut," Thor said.

Mobius said he was happy to share the credit and started to leave. B-15 asked Mobius if Loki had told him anything, and Mobius replied, "Yes. He said the TVA was lying to me."

"Because they're lying!" Steve shouted angrily, leaning forward. "Every word they say is a script written for slaves."

"Look at B-15," Natasha narrowed her eyes, studying the huntress's expression on the screen. "She's not just listening. She's looking for confirmation of her own nightmares."

"The TVA is complete crap," Bucky shook his head. "A system built on lies begins to rot from the inside out the moment one person asks the right question."

In the Asgardian time loop, Loki was sitting on the ground. Sif entered again and began insulting Loki.

“Ah, we’re back to that,” Rhodey sighed. “You know, watching Loki get kicked around was funny the first couple of times—karmic justice and all that. But now... now I actually feel sorry for him. This isn’t punishment anymore, it’s sadism.”

“I’m a terrible person. I get it. It’s true,” Loki admitted.

Thor looked like a kicked puppy at that moment. He shrank back in his chair, his formidable figure seemingly diminishing. He knew Loki was difficult, envious, and often insufferable... but he never imagined Loki hated himself so much.

Loki admitted he cut off Sif’s hair because he thought it would be funny, but it wasn’t. He craved attention because he was a narcissist and afraid of being alone.

“Well...” Natasha nodded her head understandingly. “The first step to healing is admitting the problem.” It's good to know he's at least aware of his motives."

"Classic childhood pranks for lack of attention," Clint added, his father's experience evident in his voice. "Many children break things or tease their peers just to be seen. But Loki was stuck in that state for a thousand years. He grew up to be a great mage, while still being that abandoned child inside."

Sif extended her hand to Loki, and he took it. "You are alone, and always will be." She left.

"Well, he's not alone," Thor said very quietly, almost a whisper. Tears welled in his eyes, but his voice was as hard as steel. "He will never be alone, as long as I draw breath. Even if he doesn't believe it."

Loki and Mobius exited the Timedoor and returned to the Time Theater. Loki said he was in his own loop, referring to the bizarre technology and threatening interrogation tactics.

"It seems those two are going in circles," Wanda remarked with a sigh, crossing her arms. "Mobius stubbornly refuses to listen to the truth, and Loki is trying to shout through his wall of loyalty to the TVA."

Mobius asked Loki to explain how the TVA had lied to him or if it was simply a cockroach's survival mechanism.

"It's not!" the Avengers shouted almost in unison.

"Just listen to him for once, you stubborn bureaucrat!" Thor clenched his fists so hard the air smelled of ozone. "He's the only one telling you the truth in this building of plastic and lies!"

Loki said he'd tell Mobius if he stopped beating him up. Mobius asked how long Loki had been working for Variant. Loki scoffed at the idea.

"They literally just met!" Sam agreed, shaking his head. "Half the time on Lamentis, she was trying to stab him, and the other half, they were trying not to burn to death. Wake up, Mobius!"

Mobius asked if they were partners back then. "Absolutely not. She's difficult and annoying, and she keeps trying to hit me."

"That sounds like a typical first meeting with any Loki," Tony chuckled. "If you're not willing to kill your doppelganger within the first five minutes, then you're both not trying hard enough. What kind of partnership is that? They're just forced to tolerate each other."

Mobius guessed that Loki didn't take partners unless it benefited him, and he intended to betray them at some point. Mobius asked what caused the nexus event on Lamentis.

"I still don't think that makes sense," Stephen frowned, mentally reviewing the laws of the Multiverse. "At the moment of an entire world's destruction, the actions of two mortals should be irrelevant to the Timeline. It's an anomaly at the very core of their existence."

Loki said he wouldn't tell him, as he'd be immediately cut off.

"Logical," Thor nodded. "It seems that in this place, destroying the 'undesirables' is the only way to solve problems."

Mobius said they were at an impasse, and Loki agreed. Mobius stood and told Loki to give his regards to Lady Sif.

Everyone's eyes widened in outrage. This was a bit much.

"This torture loop again," Sam shook his head in disgust.

Loki panicked a little and told Mobius to wait. "Of course, I've been pulling the strings this whole time," Loki said. Mobius sat back down.

"Mobius won't believe this for a second," Natasha shook her head confidently. "He's already figured out Loki's way of lying. Loki's too quick to portray himself as a 'great manipulator' to hide his confusion."

Loki said Sylvie was a pawn, and that something big was about to happen, and then he would get rid of her. Mobius said the TVA had saved him the trouble, since Sylvie had already been cut.

Everyone's hearts sank in fear.

"No," Wanda whispered fearfully.

Loki narrowed his eyes suspiciously, peering into his face. "You're lying."

"That can't be true," Natasha narrowed her eyes as well. "Weren't B-15 and the other Minutemen guarding the room Sylvie was in? Mobius is definitely lying."

Mobius said no, and Loki still looked incredulous. Mobius explained that Sylvie had been heading to her temporary cell and had broken free, so B-15 had intervened and cut her off.

"A lie," Thor hissed through his teeth.

Loki remained silent, his expression neutral. "Good riddance," he said, a little unconvincingly.

"He's trying to keep a straight face," Vision quietly remarked. "But this news has him hooked." He just found an ally who understood his essence, and it was taken away from him."

"What? What's so funny?" Loki snapped, his anger beginning to boil.
"Look at your eyes. You like her. You're horrified at the thought of her being dead."
"What nonsense are you talking about?!"
"Oh, you like her. And she likes you. No wonder you have no idea what caused the Nexus Event," Mobius continued with a venomous grin. "You're both in awe of each other!"

Everyone turned slightly green with disgust.

"WHAT?!" almost every hero in the room shouted in shock at the same time.

"Where did he get this nonsense?!" Scott grimaced. "This is complete nonsense! They were just surviving together!"

"Where did he get this?!" Thor hissed, grimacing. He didn't even want to think about it, not even the idea. Norns, he had no words to describe it.

"Two variations of the same being, especially you, forming such a sick, twisted romantic relationship."

"Yes, 'sick and twisted' is true, but only in relation to Mobius's fantasy!" Rhodey grimaced with obvious disgust. "He's trying to label Loki as a madman to devalue their union."

"Where did he get this?!" Thor covered his face with his hands and let out a muffled cry. "This is just... how did he even come up with this?! It's an insult to our entire kind!" Loki could be anyone, but isn't he that insane?!"

"This is pure chaos. It could destroy reality. Right now, it's destroying my reality."

"It's against every law of nature," Bruce added with horror and disbelief. "Mobius is simply trying to unsettle him with the most vile lies he could come up with."

"What an incredible narcissist. You've fallen in love with yourself."

Everyone winced; this was too bizarre a situation, even for them.

Loki jumped up abruptly, his face literally contorted with rage and profound indignation. He looked as if someone had just thrown mud at him. "First of all, are you a complete idiot?!" Loki growled, leaning forward. "What 'in love'?! Can you even hear yourself?! She's my Variant! It's as if I... it's simply impossible, it's disgusting! Secondly... her name is Sylvie!"

"He's genuinely furious about these accusations," Peter noted cautiously. "And I understand. Hearing that about yourself is like being accused of something completely unnatural."

"Loki is defending his honor," Steve Rogers nodded. "His indignation is entirely justified. Mobius has crossed all boundaries of decency."

"Ah, Sylvie. Nice," Mobius said with a smirk.
"She's alive?" Loki asked impatiently. Anger still simmered within him, but concern for the only person who knew the truth about the TVA outweighed everything else.

"Wow... he's really gotten attached," Rhodey said, raising his eyebrows in surprise.

"As an ally!" Steve quickly interjected, trying to maintain a shred of decorum. "We all bond with those we've shared a life with. It's a brotherhood in arms, nothing more! Anything else is Mobius's sick fantasy."

"For now."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Mobius asked if infiltrating the TVA had always been a grand plan, and Loki said their interests aligned. "To overthrow the Time Guardians?" "Maybe they should be overthrown."

"Yes, damn it, that's right!" Peter exclaimed decisively. "They're not gods, they're kidnappers!"

"And let's hope that instead of the TVA, another solution to protecting time is found," Stephen Strange sighed. "But this regime of 'sterilizing' realities must end."

Loki asked Mobius to listen because what Sylvie had told him about the TVA had affected them all. Mobius said Loki had told him fifty lies in the last ten minutes, while Loki denied it.

"He's not lying!" the Avengers shouted almost in unison.

"Listen to him just once!" Thor pleaded, his voice shaking with despair for his brother.

Mobius said he had to believe Loki's terrorist girlfriend now.

"Sylvie isn't a terrorist," Steve said. "She's simply trying to destroy the organization that kidnapped her, erased her reality, forced her to hide for over a thousand years, and then grew up in the apocalypse."

"She's not my girlfriend!" Loki nearly screamed.
"Call her whatever you want. What, your feminine side, the one you're so madly in love with..."
"YOU ARE ALL VARIANT!" "Loki interrupted him furiously.

"Thank you!" Steve exhaled with immense relief. "He finally spat it out. Now Mobius will have to live with this."

"Everyone who works at TVA. The Timekeepers didn't create you. They kidnapped you from the timeline and erased your memories."

"Fucking idiots. Just like Hydra," Bucky hissed in anger. His fist clenched involuntarily, and his eye twitched with rage.

"Memories she can access with a spell. So you had a past before this, maybe a family, a life."

"And the jet ski," Scott Lang added, trying to lighten the thick gloom. "Don't forget the jet ski, it's his dream."

"I hope that Mobius from the Sacred Line is truly happy," Sam mused.

"I wonder what he was like?" Peter mused. "The equivalent of an agent? Maybe in the FBI or the police? He's a natural investigator."

Mobius looked down. "Nice try."

Everyone in the room groaned in disappointment.

"Mobius doesn't believe in the truth because the truth would destroy his world," Thor said dejectedly. "But he's lying to himself, I can tell. He's trying too hard to appear indifferent."

"What a pair you two are! Wherever you go, only death, destruction, the very end of the world awaits you."

The Avengers' eyes widened in shock. This was beyond brutal, even for an interrogation.

"Okay, wow..." Rhodey shook his head. "That's too much. It's too mean to hit Loki where it hurts—to bring nothing but trouble to his fear."

"Mobius knows how to break him," Natasha's expression darkened. "He's using Loki's psychological profile against him."

Mobius said he'd close the case because he no longer needed Loki.

"They're going to cut him off, aren't they?" Thor whispered, his powerful shoulders slumping. He looked as if he'd just been hit himself.

No one answered. Everyone understood: in the TVA system, "unnecessary" meant "dead."

The Minutemen burst into the Theater of Time and captured Loki.

Thor clenched his jaw in rage as he watched his brother being grabbed. He was tired of seeing Loki treated like this all the time.

Loki said Mobius was the biggest liar in the TVA. "Why? Because I lied about your girlfriend?". "Oh, no. I can respect that. I mean the lies you tell yourself."

"Exactly. Right on target," Steve Rogers nodded sternly. "He hits the nail on the head. Mobius knows Loki is right, and that truth frightens him more than all the Alternatives combined."

Mobius activated the ominous red time door. The Minutemen began to roughly drag the struggling Loki toward the glowing torture portal.
But before he could be pushed into the noose, Loki spun around, wrenching his arm free.
With an utterly cold, terrifying grin, he said slowly, "Oh, and Mobius? One last farewell."
He paused for a long, dramatic moment, his green eyes glowing dangerously.

Everyone in the room tensed, feeling the energy shift on the screen. Loki's green eyes glowed dangerously, feverishly.

"If you truly, sincerely want to break me psychologically, you're going to have to try very, very hard." "To make absolutely every effort possible."
His voice grew quieter, more dangerous, more deadly.
"Because even true professional experts in sophisticated torture couldn't definitively do this in the long term. As you well know from my detailed dossier. Do you know why that is?"
His smile grew even wider, more terrifying, completely insane.
"Because it's impossible to break something that's long since been completely shattered into tiny pieces. Turned to dust. There's nothing left to break in me. Nothing at all."

Everyone instantly froze at these horrifying, heartbreaking words. Absolute, deathly silence fell over the room. It seemed even the air grew heavier.

"My God, have mercy on me..." Wanda whispered, and a chill ran down her spine. She, who had known the pain of loss, was struck by the depth of this abyss.

"This is the first time he's spoken openly about Thanos's torture," Steve closed his eyes, his voice breaking. "About what they did to him methodically for months. The systematic destruction of his soul."

"And he's smiling while doing it!" Tony stared at the screen with morbid admiration. "As if he's defying the entire universe. 'I've been to hell before, you wouldn't surprise me.'"

"It's not pride, Tony," Natasha shook her head, her voice quiet and hoarse. "It's a defense mechanism. When you're completely destroyed, you either disappear or transform your ruins into a fortress. He made his pain armor."

"Laugh at the pain to keep from going crazy," Bucky added. His metal hand clenched involuntarily. He knew what it was like to have nothing left but function and pain.

Thor couldn't take it anymore. He closed his eyes, and tears rolled down his cheeks. His body shook with silent sobs. The realization that his younger brother—that same mischievous boy—had been reduced to dust by his carelessness and the Titan's cruelty cut Thor deeper than any sword.

"How I wish..." he whispered through tears. "That I could have protected him then. That I wouldn't have let go of his hand over the abyss."

One of the Minutemen grabbed Loki roughly by the shoulder and aggressively pushed him toward the portal.
"Perhaps we should add a little physical torture to the psychological?" he suggested cynically to his colleagues. "If he's so brave? Let's see how long he lasts."
Loki suddenly burst into loud, hearty laughter—the sound echoed throughout the Theater of Time.
He laughed heartily, doubled over, clutching his stomach. He laughed so hard that tears welled up in his eyes.

Everyone in the room froze in shock at this unexpected reaction.

"What... what's going on? Why is he laughing?" Peter stared at the screen, completely confused.

Loki finally stopped laughing, straightened up, and wiped away his tears.
"Physical torture?" he repeated, genuine amusement in his voice. "You call THIS physical torture?"
He pointed at the hinged door.
"Slaps? Kicking? Good heavens!"
Loki laughed again, shaking his head.
"If THAT was physical torture to you, then you haven't even begun to try! You haven't even come close to real torture!"
His voice grew colder, more mocking.
"It will be very, VERY difficult for you to come up with anything truly worse than what happened to me before. You'll have to try really hard and use your imagination just to impress me."
He yawned theatrically.
"So go ahead. I'm curious to see your pathetic attempts."

Everyone sat in absolute shock, unsure how to react.

"He's laughing at them..." Wanda whispered in awe.

"Because anything they can do is child's play compared to what the Mad Titan did to him," Natasha clenched her fists. "When you've been turned inside out on an atomic level, a slap from Lady Sif seems like a mere caress."

"He's been through hell," Bruce added. "And he came out of it. Broken, rebuilt, but alive. And now nothing in this sterile office can frighten him."

"The worst has already happened," Tony finished quietly. "That's the most terrible state a person can be—when they have nothing left to lose and nothing left to fear."

Thor stared at the screen, his gaze filled with a mixture of pain and pride that was beyond words. His brother was a monster in the eyes of many, but now he was the most powerful being Thor had ever known.

The Minutemen exchanged glances, clearly not expecting such a reaction.
"Into the cell. Immediately," one of them ordered sharply.
Loki stopped laughing, but a smile still played on his lips—cold, victorious.
"As you say," he bowed theatrically. "Have a good day. I hope you find good entertainment in watching your pathetic noose."
The Minutemen roughly pushed Loki, still smiling coldly, through the red door and back into the torture noose.
The portal slammed shut behind him.

"He doesn't give in," Wanda whispered, her eyes shining with tears of admiration and unbearable pain. "Even when he's being dragged to hell, he still has the last word. He continues to resist the very idea that he can be subdued."

"Because that's all he has left, Wanda." Natasha stared unblinkingly at the closing portal door. "Resistance. A mockery of his own pain. It's not just character, it's his armor. The only way to keep them from seeing that inside, he truly is 'broken to pieces.'"

"But at what price..." Bucky added. His voice was hoarse and full of bitter understanding. "When you turn yourself into steel to stop yourself from being hit, you stop feeling everything else. You become a living monument to your own pain."

Thor was silent. His hands, capable of crushing rock, trembled slightly. He stared at the screen, and images of their childhood flashed before his eyes: golden halls, laughter, shared pranks... How had his brilliant, talented younger brother turned into this? A shadow that laughed at torture because the Mad Titan had already burned away everything in him that could feel fear?

"I will find a way to help him," he vowed so quietly that only those sitting nearby could hear. "Somehow. Someday. I will pull him out of this darkness and help him heal. No matter the cost."

"We will all help, Thor," Steve said firmly, placing his heavy hand on Thor's shoulder. "We were wrong about him. We only saw his sins, but not his scars. Now everything will change."

The others nodded silently in agreement.

On the screen, Mobius stared at the closing door, his expression unreadable. Something changed in his eyes. Doubt? Understanding?

"Then let's return to the Time Loop," Tony Stark said grimly, settling more comfortably in his chair. "We need to see what happens next."

"But now we know the main thing," Natasha added with deep, grim respect. "He won't break. The TVA can beat him forever, but they'll never get the Loki they want. He belongs only to himself."

B-15 was in the hallway, gathering her courage. She activated her Time Staff and ordered the Minutemen guarding the door to open it.

"What's she doing?" Scott asked, intrigued.

Sylvie was inside, sitting in a chair.

Even though they knew Sylvie was fine, they all breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing her.

Sylvie stood up, ready to fight B-15.

"I love how Sylvie's always ready to fight," Natasha laughed.

"Considering how she's been raised, I'd be surprised if she wasn't," Clint said. "A thousand years on the run builds character."

B-15 deactivated her Time Staff, opened the Time Door, and told Sylvie to come with her.

"B-15 will soon find out she's a variant," Wanda realized.

"It must be awful to find out everything you thought was true turned out to be a lie," Peter said sympathetically.

B-15 walked through the Timedoor, and Sylvie followed her. In Renslayer's office, Renslayer and Mobius signed the file, closing Loki's case.

Everyone winced at the formality of the verdict.

"Loki and Sylvie will be cut off," Thor rolled his eyes sadly.

"If you could go anywhere, anytime, where would it be?" Renslayer asked. "I can go anywhere, anytime. Why don't you let me interrogate Sylvie?" Mobius asked.

"Because Renslayer doesn't want him to know the truth," Sam said.

"B-15 will learn the truth," Bucky added. "Hopefully she can tell the other TVA agents."

"Sylvie?". "That's what Loki calls her, I suppose."

"Yes, because that's her name," Wanda said irritably.

Renslayer said they couldn't risk her escaping again. Mobius said she wouldn't have. Renslayer reminded Mobius that Loki had escaped during his first interrogation.

"It's not his fault Loki's such a mischievous rascal," Tony said with a grin.

Renslayer repeated her question about going anywhere in the timeline. Mobius said he enjoyed being with Renslayer, doing work.

"He's avoiding the question," Steve said knowingly.

Renslayer said the Time Guardians wanted to personally oversee the pruning of the options and wanted Mobius to be present. "It's time," Mobius said.

"Mobius called Loki a bad friend, but now he's the one who'll watch him die. Mobius is the bad friend, not Loki," Thor chuckled bitterly.

He asked when Renslayer first noticed what was happening to C-20.

Everyone sat up in surprise.

Renslayer asked what happened. She said the Time Guardians were happy and had accomplished their mission.

"Those idiots," Bucky grumbled in disgust.

Mobius said C-20 seemed fine, a little scared, but fine. "Well, she quickly stopped being fine," Renslayer said, asking why he was asking all these questions.

"I think Loki got through to him," Bruce said. "Mobius probably senses something's wrong."

Mobius said something was wrong.

"See?" Bruce confirmed, satisfied.

Renslayer said the truth was that she was trying to protect Mobius. She agreed that he usually interviewed Sylvie, but Sylvie scared her, and she didn't want the same thing to happen to Mobius as happened to C-20.

"Sylvie can't even charm anyone at the TVA," Natasha said logically. "Magic doesn't work there. How could what happened to C-20 happen to Mobius?"

"Renslayer just doesn't want Mobius to know the truth," Steve said. "At least make the lie believable."

"Is that what you wanted to hear?" "Yes, if it's true."

"Oh," Wanda said sympathetically.

Renslayer said that Mobius spends too much time with Loki. Mobius chuckled and agreed.

"Honestly, I don't know how he's not crazy yet," Clint said.

Renslayer said that what they did at the TVA mattered because they were fighting for the fate of the Sacred Timeline, as well as for their friendship.

Everyone narrowed their eyes.

"Bullshit," said Peter.

"Renslayer is just lying to Mobius," said Sam. "That's what great friendship is."

"I knew I was your favorite analyst. Is it so hard to admit it?" Mobius said. He asked what Renslayer would do with the trophy, pointing to Sylvie's sword. Renslayer picked it up and placed it on a shelf where many other trophies were kept.

"This is fucked up," said Bucky. "Trophies from Renslayer's previous missions. These aren't trophies, these are someone else's things."

While Renslayer turned away, Mobius quickly swapped his Tempads.

They all grinned.

"Mobius really has been spending too much time with Loki," Bruce laughed.

Mobius said he looked perfect. He stood up and said he'd see Renslayer later. Renslayer asked if he was okay.

"No, he just wants to get away from you," Peter said.

Mobius said he was tired of dealing with Loki.
Renslayer looked convinced. "Forever." "Forever," Mobius finished. He thanked her for the drink and left.

"Cultish behavior," Scott muttered.

A time door opened outside Roxkart, and Sylvie and B-15 stepped out.

"Oh, because Sylvie can work magic here," Wanda realized.

It was pouring rain, and they were both soaked. Sylvie said she respected B-15's desire for a fair fight. B-15 asked what Sylvie had done to her when she was in her head.

"Showing you her life before the TVA erased it," Bucky smiled sadly.

"I showed you your life before the TVA." "It's a trick. It's a lie. The Time Guardians created me."

Everyone looked at B-15 with sympathy.

Sylvie said she couldn't create memories and could only use what already existed.

Wanda nodded. She had used the same thing.

She said the Time Guardians took the lives of all of them because they were Variants.

"That's why TVA needs to be taken down," Steve growled.

"And there's still more to do," Steven added.

"Show me," B-15 said, holding out her hand. Sylvie took it and enchanted B-15. "I looked happy," B-15 said tearfully. Sylvie smiled sadly at her.

Bucky's mouth tightened into a thin line. It was painfully familiar, and he hated seeing it happen to another person. He shuddered at the thought of everyone at TVA having their memories wiped.

"God, TVA screwed up so badly," Steve said. "B-15 was kidnapped from her timeline!"

Mobius walked through the Archives and opened Renslayer's TemPad. He clicked on the C-20 mission report.

Everyone leaned forward to hear better.

C-20 claimed her memories were real and that she had a whole life on the Sacred Timeline. The interrogator told her to calm down.

"How the hell can she calm down?" Sam asked. "She just found out she was kidnapped, her memories erased, and that everything she knew was a lie."

"Calm down? I'm a Variant. Just like you. Just like every person in this place."

"Thank you! Now Mobius will know Loki was telling the truth," Thor said.

Renslayer said she'd end it.

Everyone's eyes widened in understanding.

"So she knew!" Tony said, shocked. "Renslayer knew the truth all along!"

"How can Renslayer still tolerate the TVA lying to her, knowing she's a Variant?" Peter asked, bewildered.

"Maybe she's clinging to the only thing she knows," Natasha suggested darkly. "The fear of the unknown is stronger than the truth."

"Or she's benefiting from this system somehow," Tony added cynically. "Power corrupts."

"She'd rather be the executioner than the victim," Steve remarked with disgust.

Chapter Text

Loki finds himself back on the cold Asgardian courtyard floor. He looks like a shadow of his former self: his clothes are rumpled, his face shows signs of fatigue that no magic can hide. He doesn't even try to get up when Sif enters again.

Everyone winced at the sight of his exhausted figure.

"Oh, man... how many times has he been beaten already?" Rhodey asked, his voice so full of sympathy that it surprised him. "This isn't interrogation anymore, this is pure sadism. Trying to squeeze a confession out of a man who's already confessed everything."

"I've heard it once. I've heard it a thousand times. 'You're a treacherous, cowardly, pathetic worm. You did this.'" His voice was completely neutral, lifeless.

"Psychological torture in its purest, most distilled form," Bucky muttered, clenching his jaw so tightly that his jaw muscles tensed. "Forcing a man to relive the worst moment of his shame over and over again until it becomes his only reality. It breaks a person more effectively than any whip."

Suddenly, a red Time Door opens behind Loki. Mobius steps out. He looks less like a warden than like a man who's just seen a ghost—or, more accurately, realized he's one himself.

"He's going to help?" Peter leaned forward, gripping the armrests. "Now Mobius knows! He saw the C-20 footage; he knows the TVA is a lie!"

"Finally..." Thor sighed with relief, his shoulders relaxing for the first time in a long time. "At least someone in this place had the courage to believe Loki."

He still tries to play the skeptic, asking if Loki truly cares about Sylvie.

A collective snort erupted in the room.

"Yeah, I think so," Clint laughed. "At least as the only ally who doesn't try to erase him from reality every five minutes."

"They're the only two people in the entire Multiverse who truly understand each other," Wanda added quietly. "Both are exiles, both have been through the hell of loneliness."

Mobius asks, "Do you really think you deserve to be alone?"

Many of the heroes looked away. It was much easier to see Loki as just a New York villain, a cardboard cutout to be defeated. But now, seeing him broken in this loop, knowing the truth about mind control and how the TVA manipulates destinies...

"No one deserves what he went through," Steve said, very quietly but firmly.

"Thanos first destroyed his mind, turning him into a weapon, and then the whole world—us included—blamed him for the actions he committed in his delirium," Bruce added with undisguised bitterness. "We judged him by the tip of the iceberg, not seeing the darkness that was drowning him."

"I don't know."
"You better figure it out quickly, because the bonding event you two caused, whatever that bond is, could destroy this entire place. So we better understand..."
"We?" Loki asked, confused.

They all smirked at his genuine surprise.

"Oh, Mobius has officially defected to the rebels!" Peter clapped his hands in satisfaction.

"Better late than never," Sam grumbled, though his eyes also showed approval.

"You swear she didn't implant those memories in Hunter C-20?" Mobius asked. "I believe Sylvie. She didn't do it," Loki said.
"So I'm just left to take the word of two Lokis?"

"A scary thought, isn't it? Trusting two Gods of Mischief with the fate of the universe?" Clint chuckled.

"Though these two have so far been more honest and humane than the entire TVA bureaucratic machine," Natasha retorted.

"And what about the word of a friend?"

Thor beamed with joy, his eyes even moistening. Loki had made a true friend!

"Mobius is a truly good man," Steve said with deep approval. "Admitting your mistakes and risking everything for the sake of an 'option'—that's true heroism."

Mobius said Loki was right about the TVA, and if he wanted to save Sylvie, Loki had to trust him. "Can we do that?"
"Yes," Loki answered immediately, without a trace of his usual guile.

The Avengers blinked in surprise at such an easy agreement. No conditions, no traps.

"Loki has truly changed," Steve nodded to himself. "Before, he would have haggled to the bitter end, trying to get his own way. Now, he just trusts."

"Desperation and the first true friendship in life work wonders," Bruce remarked.

Mobius helped Loki to his feet and uttered the words that became the final chord of this scene: "You can be anyone you want. Even someone good. I mean, just in case anyone ever told you otherwise."

A hearty laugh rang out in the hall, mixed with admiration for this unexpected wisdom.

"Mobius said that..." Peter was surprised. "The guy who read his file thousands of times and knew all his sins. If he believes in Loki, then who are we to doubt him?"

Thor looked at the screen with an undeniable tenderness. He'd always known there was a light within his brother, it was just buried under tons of pain and hurt. Mobius was right that Loki could be good. He always could.

The Loki on the screen smiled tenderly, almost childishly, at Mobius.

"When he smiles like that..." Wanda quieted down, "you can see who he could have been if it weren't for all these wars and prophecies. He's just a man who wants to be believed."

The red Time Door opened in the Theater of Time, and Loki and Mobius stepped out to see only Renslayer and a group of Minutemen.

Everyone's heart pounded with a sense of foreboding.

"Fuck..." Tony cursed, involuntarily gripping the armrests of his chair. "We're done for."

"What are Renslayer and those guard dogs doing there?" Scott asked anxiously, his voice shaking. "It's an ambush. She knew everything."

"I think you have something of mine," Renslayer said.

Everyone's eyes widened in understanding.

"Oh no..." Bucky muttered, his face darkening. "She's talking about the TemPad. The one with the truth about the C-20."

"She knows he stole it," Natasha whispered in horror. "Even thoughts seem to be controlled in this office."

Mobius tries to play his part to the end. He gives a weak, hesitant smile and says he probably just mixed up the devices when he came to see her.

"Mobius is a terrible liar. Totally unconvincing," Natasha grimaced, feeling her stomach tighten. "He gives himself away with every twitch of his eyebrows."

"He's an analyst, Nat, not a seasoned KGB field agent," Bruce quietly defended himself. "He's used to trusting the facts, not hiding them."

Mobius asked what the problem was, but Renslayer didn't answer.

They all exchanged worried glances, sensing impending disaster.

"Her silence is worse than any threat," Clint muttered. "It's the look of an executioner who's already raised his axe."

Mobius dropped the pretense and said that if he could go anywhere, he'd go back to where he really came from and the life he had before the TVA. "Maybe I'd have a jet ski. That's what I'd like to do. Just ride my jet ski."

"Mobius deserves his own jet ski," Scott said with a sad, broken smile. "Just the simple human desire for freedom. The wind in his face and the spray of water instead of this gray concrete."

"He speaks like a man who knows he's about to die," Natasha observed, her voice breaking. "This is his last wish. His confession."

"Cut him," Renslayer ordered. D-90 cut Mobius.

"NO!" the Avengers all shouted in unison. Peter jumped to his feet, Wanda covered her face with her hands.

"That bastard!" Thor roared, lightning dancing furiously across his body, reflected on the screen. "Renslayer killed him! Just like that!"

"She killed the only decent person in that damned organization," Tony muttered, his eyes showing genuine pain. "The one who dared to ask a question."

"It was cold-blooded murder," Steve stared at the screen with boundless disgust. "No trial, no chance. Just deleting an inconvenient file."

Loki froze. His face swept with a gamut of emotions: shock, disbelief, and then crushing grief. His only friend, the only person who believed in him, had vanished right before his eyes. A tear rolled down the god of mischief's cheek.

The Avengers also shed tears. Seeing Loki—usually so reserved and sarcastic—in such a state of raw, naked grief was unbearable.

"He lost his only friend," Wanda whispered sympathetically. "The only thread that connected him to the hope of a normal life."

"Mobius believed in him when no one else would. Not even us," Peter added, sniffling.

He steeled himself as the Minutemen grabbed him. The Minutemen led Loki out of the room. Loki walked with a murderously cold expression. The Minutemen, seeing his face, grew a little nervous and backed away from him.

The Avengers were stunned. Loki genuinely cared for Mobius, and his grief had turned to cold rage.

"They're afraid of him," Bruce remarked, a grim satisfaction lacing his voice. "And rightly so. Loki's a loaded bomb right now."

"Grief can make a person incredibly dangerous," Natasha agreed. "And Loki wasn't exactly a harmless guy before. Now he has a goal—vengeance."

"Look at their faces," Sam pointed at the screen. "Even these trained killer robots understand: this isn't just a 'variant' they're dealing with. This is a god who just had his heart ripped out, and he's willing to burn everything around him to numb that pain."

Renslayer and D-90 entered the room where Sylvie was being held. Sylvie's hair was now wet.

"Renslayer will immediately know Sylvie left the cell," Thor commented nervously, leaning forward. "She's too smart to miss such an obvious detail."

"Too obvious," Clint agreed, shaking his head. "B-15 is a soldier, not a professional deceiver. She left too much evidence."

"Who was here with her?" Renslayer asked. "B-15," one of the Minutemen replied.

"She's regained some of her memories," Bucky said with satisfaction. "The truth has a way of spreading."

"B-15 finally learned who she really is," Wanda added.

Renslayer ordered them to put B-15 on alert, as Variant had compromised her.

"And good thing she compromised her," Sam said approvingly. "It's time for the others to learn the truth."

"I hope B-15 gets the TemPad and escapes the TVA," Wanda said. "She can hide in the apocalypse until Sylvie and Loki destroy that organization."

"Or gather an army of other agents who will discover the truth," Steve suggested.

Sylvie smirked at Renslayer.

Everyone snorted. Sylvie really was Loki.

Two Minutemen escorted Sylvie to the elevator where Loki was. Renslayer followed them.

"That's it, huh? Loki and Sylvie are going to be cut," Thor's face darkened, like a storm cloud.

They all looked at Thor sympathetically, understanding his pain.

"After everything they've been through," Rhodey muttered, "It's not fair."

"Are you okay?" Sylvie whispered, frowning. Loki only nodded slightly.

"How can he possibly be okay after his only friend was ground to dust before his eyes?" Bucky said in a choked voice, still pale from the scene of Mobius's death.

"He's trying to hold on for her," Wanda noted. "He doesn't want to show weakness in front of the enemy."

Renslayer dismissed the Minutemen and entered the golden elevator alone with Loki and Sylvie. Sylvie asked Renslayer if she remembered her.

Everyone frowned, remembering the first time Sylvie and Renslayer had met.

Renslayer said yes, and Sylvie asked about her Nexus Event.

Everyone in the room held their breath.

Renslayer asked why it was important.
"It was enough to take my life, to lead to all this. It must have been important. So what was it?" " Sylvie asked. Renslayer smirked. "I don't remember."

They stared at Renslayer, while Thor's lightning ran up and down his arms.

"Sylvie was a child when Renslayer kidnapped her," Steve said, throwing Renslayer an angry glare.

"Renslayer isn't just an enforcer, she's a heartless machine," Tony shook his head in disgust. "There's no other explanation. To her, it was just another file in the archives, one she'd trashed."

Sylvie's face crumpled.

"Poor Sylvie," Wanda whispered. "To spend her whole life running from the ghost of a reason that may never have existed."

The elevator opened, and the three stepped out to meet the Time Keepers.

Everyone froze in complete silence, as they could get a better look at the Time Keepers.

Renslayer introduced Loki and Sylvie. "After all your struggle, you finally arrived before us," said the middle Time Keeper.

"The struggle they forced upon them," Bruce noted indignantly.

"They talk like it's a game," Sam added with disgust.

"What can you say for yourself before you meet your end, Variants?" the Time Keeper on the left asked. Loki asked boredly if they'd been brought here to be killed. "I've lost count of how many times I've been killed, so go on."

Thor's eye twitched. He knew perfectly well how many times Loki had "died." But then he froze abruptly, remembering that this Loki was from 2012 and hadn't faked his death yet.

"Weren't his 'deaths' after New York?" Bruce asked cautiously, frowning.

"Why does he talk as if he's been through thousands of deaths?" Bucky exchanged a puzzled glance with Steve. "That doesn't sound like his usual bravado."

"I... I don't know," Thor's voice wavered. He felt a lurch of foreboding. "Maybe that's just the way he phrased it?"

No one knew that everyone had a terrible suspicion about where it could have come from. But no one wanted to talk or think about Thanos's torture—it was too painful. Better to think that it was simply the way he phrased it.

"He sounds... completely burned out," Wanda quietly remarked. "Like a man who's been tortured for so long that death itself has become routine."

"You and your bravado are no threat to us, Variant," said the Time Guardian on the right.

Everyone chuckled at the Guardians' confidence.

"Oh, how wrong they are," Clint chuckled, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "They think they're in control, but they just locked two of the most unpredictable beings in the universe in a room."

"Oh, no, I don't think you believe that. I think…" Sylvie stepped forward, but was knocked back by Time Seeker Renslayer. "I think you're afraid."

They grinned approvingly.

"Sylvie hit the nail on the head. The Timekeepers are definitely nervous," Tony smirked.

"Fear makes people cruel," Steve remarked.

The middle Timekeeper said Sylvie was simply a cosmic disappointment and ordered the Minutemen to remove her.

"How rude to call them a cosmic disappointment," Peter said indignantly. "The Timekeepers created this situation themselves!"

"They're blaming the victim," Natasha said with disgust.

"No, I'm not done with you yet," Sylvie said and walked forward. Rensleer tried to use the Time Seeker, but was unable to do so as B-15 entered and removed the collars from Loki and Sylvie.

Everyone blinked in surprise, but then burst into loud applause.

"FINALLY!" Thor jumped up, raising his fist in triumph. His joyful cry seemed to shake the walls of the theater.

"That's where B-15 was!" Scott jumped up and down with delight. "The best timing in cinematic history!"

"Forever and ever," said B-15. She tossed her sword to Sylvie.

"Kill the Time Keepers, Sylvie!" Wanda screamed.

Stephen shifted uncomfortably. If Sylvie killed the Time Guardians and destroyed the TVA, the multiverse would descend into madness. It would be chaos! But... who knows if the TVA was telling the truth about the multiverse war? Almost everything else they said turned out to be a lie.

The guards began fighting B-15 and knocked her unconscious.

The Avengers in the hall flinched as one.

"Oh, no! Not B-15!" Peter exclaimed, almost jumping out of his seat. "She risked everything!"

"Protect the Time Guardians!" Renslayer shouted. Loki and Sylvie protected each other's backs, fighting the guards who wielded the Time Staffs.

"What a sight!" Tony leaned forward, his eyes fixed on the screen. "Now we'll see what they're capable of when cornered."

The real battle began. Despite his lack of magic, Loki moved with the grace of a seasoned warrior, dodging the blows of the Staffs of Time and delivering precise strikes. Sylvie fought like a wildcat, her movements more chaotic but no less effective. She spun and leaped, seizing every opportunity to attack.

"Look at their coordination," Clint breathed in admiration. "They didn't agree, they didn't train together, but they fight as one. Like one soul in two bodies."

Loki asked for a little help, and Sylvie threw her sword.
Loki caught the blade in his hand without the slightest hesitation, instantly adapting to the new weapon.

"Perfect teamwork," Steve said admiringly.

They continued fighting, and Sylvie grabbed the Staff of Time and struck a guard with it.

"That's very Loki," Thor said proudly, watching their coordinated actions. "Using your opponent's weapon against them."

Sylvie glared at Renslayer. Renslayer took the Staff of Time and said that this time she would finish the job.

Everyone frowned at the malice in her voice.

"Sylvie must win," Natasha said decisively. "Renslayer stole her childhood, her family, her entire life."

"It's personal," Bucky agreed grimly.

Renslayer and Sylvie began to fight while Loki was still battling the guards. Renslayer almost cut Sylvie off, but Sylvie punched her in the face, knocking her unconscious.

Everyone grinned with deep satisfaction.

"EXCELLENT!" Thor jumped up, nearly knocking over his chair. "Take that, you bureaucratic snake!"

"Justice has been served," Sam leaned back with satisfaction. "At least one part of it."

Meanwhile, Loki stabbed the guards and won. Loki returned Sylvie's sword.

"They did it," Wanda whispered with relief. "They made it to the end."

The Time Keeper said that Sylvie was also a child of the Time Keepers.

"No, that's not true!" Thor growled.

She threw the sword and decapitated the middle Time Keeper.

They all fell silent and stared at the screen in shock. A deafening silence fell.

"Well... that was surprisingly easy," Tony said first, his eyebrows raising.

"Something's wrong here," Steve shook his head, his expression filled with extreme suspicion. "Too simple. Beings who supposedly control every second of existence can't just be decapitated."

"Where are their powers? Where's the magic? Where's even the force field?" Clint narrowed his eyes in disbelief.

The other two Time Guardians started laughing, then passed out. Sylvie lifted the Time Guardian's head and saw that it was made of wires and machines.

Everyone's jaws dropped, their eyes wide in absolute shock.

"ARE THE TIME GUARDIANS A FAKE?!" they screamed in utter disbelief.

"But who's in charge of the TVA then? Who created this entire system?" Thor clutched his head with both hands.

"There's something far more dangerous going on here," Steven said in shock; this wasn't what he expected at all.

"As if it weren't complicated enough," Wanda added, clutching her head.

"That means the entire TVA propaganda video about the Multiverse War is a complete fake," Scott said, stunned. "Then why did they even create the TVA?"

"For what purpose?" Peter added, confused.

Loki and Sylvie were stunned. "Fake. Mindless androids," Sylvie whispered.

"I told you, damn it!" Sam exclaimed with grim satisfaction. "It's always the Big Three: robots, aliens, or wizards!"

"But who's been giving Renslayer orders all this time?" Bucky asked, puzzled.

"Who defines the Sacred Timeline if not the Time Guardians?" Peter asked, throwing his hands in the air in frustration.

"We've been hearing for so long about how powerful the Time Guardians are, and they turned out to be just advanced androids," Tony said, frowning deeply.

"We should have known," Natasha said, annoyed with herself. "Absolutely everything else about the TVA turned out to be a fake. Why should the Time Guardians be any exception?"

"We had no way of knowing," Rhodey countered conciliatorily. "Who could have imagined such a level of deception?"

"Whoever created the TVA must be incredibly intelligent," Bruce said thoughtfully, "to create such complex androids, all that technology, an entire temporary organization..."

"And probably a completely fucking psychopath," Clint added darkly.

"Definitely that," Sam agreed with disgust.

"Then who created the TVA?" Loki asked.

"What we all want to know!" Sam screamed.

"I thought that was it," Sylvie said, throwing her head to the ground.

"The TVA's lies literally never end," Sam said disgustedly. "Every answer begets ten more questions! All they ever do is lie!"

"Like a nesting doll of lies," Tony added darkly, "one lie within another."

Loki looked at Sylvie, but she said she didn't want to hear another pep talk. Loki said he had to tell her something, and they'd figure it out.

"Loki's optimism is something completely new," Thor remarked with surprise and a hint of pride.

"He's certainly changed," Steve agreed. "Before, he would have just left or blown everything to hell."

"How do you know that?" "Because, uh... Mobius said something stupid..." Loki turned to face her.
"Yeah? What was that?" Sylvie asked, intrigued. "He said that..." But before he could answer, he vanished in a flash of sparks. Renslayer was visible from behind, holding a pruning stick. Renslayer cut him off.

Peter and Wanda clapped their hands to their mouths in absolute horror, Thor cried out in shock, and everyone else gasped in utter shock.

Thor's face turned deathly pale, and he felt everything inside him collapse. He still couldn't fully process what had happened. "Did I... did I just see Loki die for the fourth time?"

"BITCH!" Natasha roared, jumping up. "That damn bitch snuck up on me from behind!"

"NO, NO, NO!" Scott screamed, clutching his head. "Not after all this! Not when they were so close to the answers!"

"She killed him! Right when Loki was about to tell Sylvie something important!" Wanda started crying, her eyes glowing red.

"Renslayer is an absolute monster," Bucky growled, his metal arm creaking with tension. "First Mobius, now Loki."

"She killed him in the back. Like a coward." Steve stood, clenching his fists, his face contorted with rage.

"Now Sylvie is alone. All alone against the entire TVA system." Tony closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Mobius told him he could be something good," Thor sank back into his chair, looking utterly broken. "And now... now we'll never know what he could have been."

"Just when it seemed like they could win, that truth would prevail..." Sam didn't finish, shaking his head in disbelief.

"The TVA is always one step ahead," Rhodey finished grimly, "As if they know their every move in advance."

"Sylvie must get revenge. For Loki, for Mobius, for everyone the TVA killed," Clint said, clenching his fists.

"But what can she do alone?" Peter asked desperately. "Against this entire system, against those who are really behind all of this?"

"Whoever created the TVA, they're playing a game on a level we can't even begin to fathom. And now Sylvie is the only one who can get to the truth," Stephen shook his head, his expression grim.

Renslayer tried to cut Sylvie off, but Sylvie grabbed the Staff of Time and pointed it at Renslayer. "You'll tell me everything," Sylvie growled, her eyes watering.

"Yes, that's right!" Thor growled, wiping tears from his eyes. "Loki's dead, but I can't watch Sylvie get cut off too. Make that bitch talk!"

"Sylvie deserves answers," Natasha said furiously, "after everything TVA took from her."

"I hope she beats every detail out of Renslayer," Clint added grimly.

Chapter Text

Later, Loki opened his eyes and sighed heavily.

Everyone's jaws dropped in utter shock.

"LOKI ALIVE?!" Tony exclaimed, jumping up. "Cutting doesn't mean death?!"

"Loki survived again?" Thor asked incredulously, between relief and amazement. "How is that even possible?"

"Where is he?" Natasha asked, peering closely at the screen. "This place looks... strange."

"Damn, is this Hel? Am I dead?"

"If Loki's in Hel, he's in for an interesting family reunion with the sister he's never met," Bruce muttered, and Thor snorted nervously.

"Hela will be thrilled," Thor added sarcastically.

"Not yet," a voice rang out. Loki quickly stood up and froze in utter shock.

"Why is Loki acting like this?" "Steven asked cautiously, frowning. "What does he see?"

"I don't think I can handle any more surprises," Scott groaned. "Today has already been enough of a shock."

"But you'll be there if you don't come with us."

"What the hell is going on?" Sam muttered.

Loki was confronted by a group of Loki variants—child Loki, classic Loki, show-off Loki, and alligator Loki.

Everyone's eyes literally bulged.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Tony screamed in utter disbelief.

"So many Lokis," Clint said in horror. "This is my worst nightmare."

"MORE Loki variants?!" Bucky exclaimed, alarmed. "Two were hard enough to figure out, now there's an army!"

"More Lokis!" "Thor said, and despite the absurdity of the situation, he was genuinely pleased. He pointed at Little Loki, "Look, that's Loki as a baby! How small he was..."

Natasha's gaze fell on Classic Loki and she pointed at him in confusion. "How can this Loki be old? Thanos killed the Loki from the Sacred Timeline. How did Old Loki even survive?"

"He's aged somehow. Much older than he should be." Thor narrowed his eyes, studying Classic Loki.

"He's lucky he even lived to be old," Natasha remarked grimly.

"That... that's true. Most Lokis apparently don't live to be old," Thor winced painfully.

"Uh, is that alligator Loki too?" Bruce asked, pointing to the helmeted reptile. "He has Loki's horns."

A deafening silence fell.

"What?" Thor asked, blinking in surprise. "After everything we've seen today, I wouldn't be surprised by anything anymore," Steve said, rubbing his temples from the absurdity of Loki. "The Multiverse is a strange place."

"Well, he likes to shapeshift into animals," Thor remarked thoughtfully. "Maybe he's stuck in that form? Or is this his natural form in that world?"

He tilted his head, noticing another detail. "And Loki has Mjolnir?" he pointed at Boastful Loki. "Although it doesn't look quite like my Mjolnir. More... golden?"

"I hate the Multiverse. It's too complicated to understand." Steven rubbed his temples and groaned.

The Void was filled with ruined and dilapidated buildings, including the Sanctuary.

Steven's jaw dropped, while everyone else held their breath in recognition.

"SANCTUARY?!" Stephen exclaimed, stunned. "How did it get there? What kind of place is this anyway?"

"I'm guessing that's where everything that was cut or destroyed ends up," Natasha replied logically. "If Loki ended up there after the cut."

"So it's a timeline dump," Bruce realized. "Everything the TVA destroyed ends up here."

There was also a building there, similar to Avengers Tower, but called "Keng."

The Avengers' eyes widened in shock.

"Uh, that's Avengers Tower," Clint pointed out incredulously.

"But it says 'Keng,' not 'Avengers' or even 'Stark,'" Tony said, puzzled. "Who the hell is Keng? And why is his name on our tower?"

"Maybe that's why the building was destroyed?" Wanda suggested. "Someone took over the tower?"

"Or maybe this Keng is the owner in that timeline," Steve added grimly.

A giant purple cloud was visible behind them.

"That purple cloud is definitely moving," Peter said nervously. "And it looks completely unnatural."

"I don't think Loki is safe right now," Thor said, visibly pale. "Whatever it is, it looks dangerous."

Loki stood and turned to his options. He asked who they were and where they were.

"Well, obviously they're different versions of Loki," Steve said wearily. He groaned at the thought of even more Loki-Variants. "God, as if two weren't enough."

"At least they can understand each other," Sam remarked. "Who would understand Loki better than other Lokis?"

Classic Loki said they were in the Void. He pointed to the purple cloud monster and said it was Alioth, and they were his dinner.

"That's terrible news! Some cloud monster wants to eat my brother!" Thor clutched his head with both hands.

"It just keeps getting worse," Rhodey groaned. "First the TVA, now some space predator."

"What place is this?" Wanda asked worriedly.

Classic Loki told Loki to follow them.

"I think Loki's group is our Loki's best chance of survival," Natasha said practically. "They know this place and how to survive here."

"Her experience with other options might be useful," Clint agreed.

Aliot's roar echoed in the background.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Sam exclaimed, jumping.

"Yeah, that's definitely not an ordinary cloud!" Bucky added, tensing up. "Clouds don't roar!"

"That sounds like something very hungry and very angry," Scott muttered, cringing.

"I hope the other Lokis know how to hide from him," Peter added anxiously.

In the TVA courtroom, Sylvie took Renslayer's TemPad and demanded to know who was really behind the TVA.

"That's what we all want to know!" Tony exclaimed.

"And Sylvie will find out," Wanda said. "She's determined to destroy the TVA and will stop at nothing and no one."

Renslayer said she was simply in the dark, just like Sylvie.

"Renslayer believed in the Time Keepers so much, it must be devastating to find out they don't exist," Peter said.

Sylvie stepped on Renslayer's shoulder and asked what it was like to be on the other side.

"I'm not going to lie, it's really nice to see Renslayer like this," Steve said. Thor agreed, staring at Renslayer.

"Especially after she told Sylvie she didn't remember her nexus event," Clint noted. "Wild move."

Sylvie glanced around the courtroom. She asked Renslayer if this was where Renslayer had dragged her after she ruined her life.

Everyone glared at Renslayer, remembering that.

"Renslayer must be heartless to arrest a child and think it was justified," Bruce noted. "None of the arrests are justified, not even Loki's," Sam said.

Sylvie said that would be a fitting place to end Renslayer's life.
"What if I told you Loki isn't dead? At least not yet," Renslayer said.

"So Renslayer knows about the Void," Natasha said. "Interesting."

Sylvie thought she was lying.

"I'd think the same thing after so much about the TVA turned out to be false," Tony said. "Is the Sacred Timeline even real?"

"Why was the TVA created? Who created it?" Sam asked.

"Maybe. Or maybe we want the same thing," Renslayer said.

Everyone chuckled.

"I doubt it," Wanda said.

"No, I think Renslayer really wants to know who's behind the TVA, just like Sylvie does," Sam said. "But I think they have different reasons. Sylvie wants to destroy the TVA, and Renslayer believes it."

"I think you're right," Thor replied.

Sylvie asked how Loki was still alive and how saving her would bring them closer to who's really behind the TVA. Renslayer said it was complicated, and she readily confided this to Sylvie.

Everyone narrowed their eyes.

"I don't believe her," Thor said.

Renslayer wanted to know who was in charge of the TVA because she wanted to find out who was lying to her.

"It must have been a shock to me to learn that Renslayer was actually following orders from a robot," Rhodey said.

"But robots had to take orders from someone," Steve said.

"When we prune a branching reality, it's impossible to destroy all its matter. So we move it to a place in the timeline where it won't continue to grow," Renslayer explained.

Peter, Bruce, and Tony gaped.

"That makes so much sense," Bruce slapped his forehead.

"Basically, the branching timeline doesn't reset. It moves."
"Where?"
"Into the void at the end of time."

"The void looks like a nightmare," Steve said.

"Especially with Alioth," Wanda said.

"And all those Loki variants," Bruce added.

"We know Sanctuary and Avengers Tower," Rhodey said.

"Keng Tower," Stephen corrected.

"Right, Keng Tower was torn down and ended up in the Void. Who knows what else is out there?" Rhodey finished.

"Where all manifestations of existence collide at the same point and simply stop," Renslayer explained.

"From a scientific standpoint, it's just astounding," Peter said.

"But at the same time, it's so terrifying," Sam said.

Sylvie asked why, and Renslayer said she didn't know.

"And she believed it?" Scott asked incredulously.

"It makes them easier to control," Bucky clenched his fists.

"The dogma states that the end of time is still being written, that the Time Keepers are turning it into a utopia," Renslayer said.

Everyone snorted.

Sylvie chuckled. "Very plausible." "Whatever the real reason... nothing ever comes back from there."

"Because of Alioth, huh?" Steve asked. "Old Loki said they'd become Alioth's dinner if they didn't leave."

"Excellent," Thor said, throwing his hands in the air. "Now my brother's stuck with a crazy cloud monster who wants to eat them."

Renslayer said she could help if Sylvie trusted her.

They all chuckled.

"I don't know what Renslayer's doing, but I doubt it's anything good," Natasha said suspiciously.

A moment later, Sylvie handed Rensleer her TemPad.

"Sylvie, no," Natasha groaned.

Back in the Void, we saw a destroyed ship and a UFO.

"I'd be a lot more excited about seeing a UFO if I hadn't seen myself flying a real spaceship in space," Peter said.

"And the fact that we know aliens are real, and we're friends with all sorts of aliens," Tony said.

Loki's group moved quickly.

"Preferably away from Alioth," Wanda said.

Loki said she wanted to take a break and ask a few thousand questions.

"What part of 'Alioth will eat you for lunch' doesn't he understand?" Thor hissed. "Questions can be asked safely!"

Classic Loki said they needed to keep moving to avoid dying. Loki asked about the plan. "Don't die," Classic Loki replied.

"A good plan," Bruce agreed, "Simple, clear, achievable."

"Although not very detailed," Steve added.

Loki said it wasn't a plan, but a general requirement of life. "If you're Loki, you must always have..." He was interrupted by the squawking of headless birds.

Except for Stephen, everyone blinked in surprise. Stephen had seen stranger things in other dimensions. The refrigerator in the basement contained numerous dimensional beings.

"Was Loki going to say that Loki must always have a plan?" Thor asked incredulously. "This is the same man who created the most convoluted plan in the history of plans to impress Father?"

"His plans were indeed... complex," Wanda agreed diplomatically.

"Will someone please explain to me what the hell is going on?!" The other possibilities looked at him with growing interest. Loki said it had been a very difficult few days or months, as he didn't know how long it had been since he had been in New York.

"The TVA is outside of time," Stephen explained. "Time is a complicated thing, especially when it comes to things like time loops." He shuddered at the memory.

"We know how complicated time can be," Thor said, gesturing at himself and Bruce. "Time moves completely differently on Sakaar."

"I never want to go back to Sakaar," Bruce grumbled with a shudder. "This place is cursed."

"All I know is that I got cut off, and I woke up here, and now I'm surrounded by Variants of myself, as well as an alligator, which, unfortunately, didn't seem all that strange to me."

Everyone sighed understandingly.

"We've gotten used to the absurd, too," Steve said wearily. "It's become our new normal."

"The 21st century is so damn weird," Bucky agreed, "And it's sad that I've gotten used to it so quickly."

"I guess you get used to weird things pretty quickly when half the universe disappears," Natasha added philosophically.

Loki said he needed to get back to the TVA.

"Yeah, but maybe you should get away from the giant cloud that wants to eat him for lunch first," Bruce said sensibly.

Somewhere in the distance, a rumble was heard.

Everyone tensed at the ominous sound.

Little Loki summoned Laevatein, his sword, and pointed it at Loki, who retreated in shock. "Stop crying, or you'll signal Alioth."

"I told you!" Thor exclaimed alarmedly. "It's extremely dangerous out there!"

"Little Loki is quite aggressive," Clint noted warily.

"You mean the monster in the sky?" Loki whispered. Little Loki looked irritated, put away Lævateinn, and helped Loki up. He explained what the Void was and that Alioth ensured nothing would ever return.

"Then how will he get out?" Thor asked worriedly. "He has no Tempad or way to contact anyone."

The boastful Loki explained that Alioth was a living storm, consuming matter and energy, as the TVA sent entire branching realities to be consumed in an instant.

A chill ran down everyone's spines as they stared at each other in horror.

"That's horrifying," Tony whispered. "Entire realities, just... consumed."

"How many people died like that?" Wanda asked in horror.

"Genocide on a cosmic level," Steve added grimly.

"We're in a shark tank. The shark is Alioth," Classic Loki explained. Alligator Loki growled.

"Alligator Loki can understand them too and clearly has an opinion on the matter," Sam raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I don't know why that surprises you so much," Rhodey said. "We're friends with a real talking raccoon and a tree."

"Rocket hates being called a raccoon," Peter reminded him. "He shoots people for it."

"Oh, there's no such thing as an alligator tank. Besides, it's the best metaphor," Classic Loki said smugly.

"Looks like Loki's gotten better at metaphors with age," Bucky said.

Classic Loki told Loki that Alligator Loki was overly sensitive, just like everyone else. "Wait, that thing's Loki too?" Loki asked, shocked. "Oh yeah," Classic Loki confirmed.

"Honestly, I'm not even surprised at this point," Steve sighed. "Alligator Loki—it's not that weird compared to the variations, the time travel."

"Don't forget the Infinity Stones are now paperweights," Natasha reminded him.

"Oh, how could I forget that delightful fact?" Steve said sarcastically.

"Loki's alligator is probably just Loki stuck in alligator form. His mom always told him that could happen," Thor replied.

"Okay, fine. I'm willing to accept that. Why are there so many of you?" Loki asked.

"Seriously, the Void is some kind of Loki dumping ground?" Bruce asked.

"Do you think our versions would have ended up in the Void?" Peter wondered.

"I was probably eaten by Alioth long ago," Natasha replied with a shrug. "I wouldn't have survived as long as they did."

"My version probably would have tried to befriend Alioth," Scott noted, "and would have been promptly eaten."

Then they passed even stranger objects: a shattered blue Statue of Liberty, the remains of some golden throne studded with gems, and even part of what looked like Captain America's giant shield, but purple.

"Is this... is this my shield?" Steve asked, stunned, pointing to the purple fragments. "But why is it purple?"

"A shield version from another timeline," Stephen explained. "Where you might have chosen different colors."

"Or where they called me Captain Purple," Sam joked.

"The Blue Statue of Liberty is interesting too," Wanda remarked. "I wonder what happened in that reality."

"Perhaps they have different ideals of freedom there," Natasha suggested.

"Because Lokis survive. That's exactly what we do," Classic Loki said. "Great. So how do we escape?" "No. We were all arrested by the TVA and cut off, just like you."

"That's terrible!" Scott exclaimed.

"So much for the TVA," Steve muttered in disgust.

Classic Loki said they, too, made bad plans that never came to fruition.

"Obviously, the first thing anyone would do in a place like the Void is try to find a way out," Tony said.

Loki suggested using the Tempad. The boastful Loki sarcastically pointed to the debris everywhere. The other Lokis laughed.

"This is just creepy," Clint said, wincing.

Loki proposed creating a Nexus event.

"I think Alioth's presence there would have been perceived as an apocalypse, so I don't think the TVA would have known what would happen in the Void," said Stephen.

A boastful Loki claimed the TVA didn't care what happened there.

"Or they just don't know," said Steve, "Because I get the feeling TVA agents don't know much about the organization they work for."

Old Loki said the only thing to do was survive.

"That's a pretty depressing philosophy," Scott noted sadly.

Little Loki said they were done talking and told Loki to do whatever he wanted.

"Is Baby Loki the leader of the group?" Bucky asked. "I thought it would be Old Loki, since he's the oldest."

"Perhaps Baby Loki has been in the Void the longest," Natasha suggested.

The other Lokis began to leave. Loki glanced around the Void and ran after Loki's group.

"A wise decision," Thor approved.

Loki asked Classic Loki why he wore horns when he allowed a child to boss him around. Classic Loki told him to respect Baby Loki, as it was his kingdom.

Everyone raised an eyebrow at this statement.

Loki asked Baby Loki what his connection event was. "I killed Thor."

Everyone sucked in a breath and looked at Thor, who had turned an unhealthy shade of gray.

"Yes... I understand that would definitely be a Nexus event," Tony said in a choked voice.

"Baby Loki killed his Thor," Bruce repeated in complete shock. "A child... killed his brother."

Loki looked at baby Loki with pain and pity in his eyes.

"My... my little brother..." Thor looked as if he'd been struck with a hammer.

"Our Loki could never have done that," Wanda whispered. "Even controlled by Thanos, he fought against him."

"Each version is unique," Stephen reminded him softly. "Their stories are different."

In the Void was Yellowjacket's giant helmet.

"Yellowjacket's helmet? What's that doing here?" Scott's jaw dropped.

"It looks like Ant-Man's helmet," Peter noted.

"Because it is. Sort of. Ant-Man's suit and Yellowjacket's suit were based on the same technology." Scott wondered if Cross had been arrested and cut off by the TVA. Or if someone else had worn Yellowjacket's suit.

The Lokis passed a helicopter with the word "THANOS" written on it.

Everyone made a strangled sound, and some pinched themselves to make sure they were seeing it.

"I actually see a helicopter with the word "THANOS" written on it?" Bucky asked, incredulous.

"What the hell?" "Clint cursed, "Seriously, am I supposed to believe a Thanos variant was in that helicopter?"

"That's why his helicopter ended up in the Void. It got cut off too," Natasha snorted.

Classic Loki used his magic to open the door to the bunker. All the Lokis descended.

Thor sighed with relief. There was a safe place in the Void where his brother could stay away from Alioth.

Mjolnir was stuck in the mud. Next to it, a toad croaked from a jar, jumping to reach Mjolnir. The jar read T365.

Everyone's eyes widened in astonishment.

"Mjolnir? My hammer is here?" Thor's jaw dropped.

"THAT'S what you noticed?" Steve said incredulously. "And not that your variant is a frog?"

"Loki's turned me into a frog before. It's not that surprising," Thor shrugged, as if nothing had happened.

"Hey, maybe Frog Thor and Alligator Loki are brothers from the same timeline," Tony suggested.

"If there are animal versions of Loki and Thor, maybe there's also a Peter-spider version? A real spider?" Peter mused.

There were also trays and juice boxes from the TVA.

"Hmm, I guess the TVA agents were lazy and just decided to get rid of their trash," Bruce guessed.

Loki descended the stairs and found himself in an underground shelter filled with cut-up objects. Classic Loki asked Loki why he wanted to return to the TVA so badly.

"Because his ally is there and there's unfinished business," Clint replied confidently.

Boastful Loki asked if he'd left his glorious goal behind.
"Something like that," Loki replied evasively. He looked at Loki's palace. It was in disarray, and in the center stood a throne with an "L" above it.

"Definitely Loki's lair," Thor remarked with a pained smile, "As chaotic as he is."

"At least with style," Natasha admitted, examining the decor.

Back at the TVA, Renslayer asked Miss Minutes for access to restricted files from the archives.

"Access to restricted files?" Steve asked. "I like the sound of that."

Miss Minutes asked what about.

"The beginning of time. The founding of the TVA," Renslayer replied.

Everyone sat up straight.

Sylvie asked about the end of the world.

"Thinking about the end of the world gives me a headache," Scott said. "All of this gives me a headache."

Miss Minutes holographic image scrolled through the files.

"Miss Minutes is the most advanced AI I've ever seen," Tony said. "I hate to admit it, but I don't think the technology is currently available to create an AI like that."

"It's just a void."
"What if the Void isn't the end? What if there's something beyond it?" Sylvie asked.

They all gaped in surprise.

"I think Sylvie's onto something," Steven said.

Renslayer nodded to Miss Minute to continue. Miss Minute opened a file where the Sacred Timeline had stopped in the void.

Everyone rolled their eyes.

"Like I'm going to believe anything the TVA tells me," Bucky chuckled.

Sylvie said the cover-up during the apocalypse shielded her from the TVA, since she couldn't create a branch there.

"And that was a brilliant idea," Natasha said.

"So if all this is still being written, then whatever happened is just a new timeline. It would be impossible to start a Nexus Event there. You could be completely undetectable."

"Old Loki was right," Bruce said.

Sylvie asked how to navigate the Void. Renslayer said it was impossible, since there was no destination for the TemPad to target.

Everyone groaned in disappointment.

Sylvie suggested they go through with it, but Renslayer called it suicide.

"Unfortunately, I think that's true for Alioth at the Void as well," said Tony.

"Then I guess my need for you has passed," said Sylvie. Miss Minutes suggested The Void spaceship.

Everyone looked at Miss Minute and Renslayer, unimpressed.

"That's not true at all," said Sam.

"Yes, a prototype," said Renslayer, wide-eyed.

They snorted.

"That's completely implausible," said Natasha.

Miss Minutes said she'd get the file. Renslayer said it was a spaceship designed to withstand the temporal void, which could transport them to the end of time.

"I think that's complete bullshit," Bucky said.

"Find Loki.". "Find the man behind the curtain."

"The man behind the curtain? That line is literally from The Wizard of Oz," Steve rubbed his temples.

"It's weird you're making pop culture references now," Tony said.

"Pop culture references that happened what seems like an eternity ago," Peter noted.

"And kill him." "Together," Renslayer said, extending her hand to Sylvie for a shake. Sylvie shook it and asked Miss Minutes about the Void files. Renslayer looked nervous when Miss Minutes said she was still watching.

"And Miss Minute will never find the file because it doesn't exist," Steven said.

"Renslayer is stalling," Natasha realized. "Damn."

Sylvie raised her eyebrows. "Nothing?"

"Because it's fake!" Thor shouted. "Sylvie should just take the TemPad and run from TVA."

Miss Minutes said it was buried pretty deep when she was flipping through the files. Renslayer said she might not have security clearance because it was so limited. Sylvie said she would have security clearance if it were true.

Everyone grinned.

"What time is it?" Renslayer asked.
"Any second now," Miss Minutes replied.

"You mean any second until Renslayer gets reinforcements," Natasha corrected.

The Minutemen burst in.

Everyone groaned.

Sylvie pushed Renslayer aside, grabbed her TemPad and Time Staff, and jumped behind the judge's table. Renslayer told the Minutemen that Sylvie had taken her TemPad. She told Sylvie they would find her if she ran away, and it must be very grueling.

"Don't talk to her like that!" Thor shouted.

"It's only grueling because TVA made it grueling," Steve said. "It wasn't supposed to be this way. I don't even see the point of TVA, since it all turned out to be a hoax."

Sylvie admitted Renslayer had deceived her for a moment and asked if Renslayer felt betrayed by her beloved TVA. Renslayer asked Sylvie to leave so they could talk about it.

"As if she's going to leave," Wanda laughed. "Sylvie's not stupid." This is the same man who successfully learned magic, grew up in the apocalypse, and nearly destroyed the TVA."

She gestured for the Minitemen to move forward.

"Even if they take out Sylvie, she'll just end up in the Void with all the other Lokis," Steven said.

"That's not a bad idea," Sam said.

"What happened to the man behind the curtain?" Sylvie asked.

Steve pinched the bridge of his nose. The Wizard of Oz.

Renslayer said that if Sylvie surrendered, she'd put her in a time loop so Sylvie could live out her days with fond memories.

"First of all, Renslayer wouldn't do that," Steven said. "Secondly, time loops aren't fun. Trust me."

"You've been in a time loop?" "Peter asked. "You speak as if you know from experience."

"Yes," Stephen said after a pause, sighing.

"When?" Wanda asked.

"I've dealt with multiversal beings before," Stephen swallowed. "The Ancient One told me that an infinite multiverse involves the study of infinite dangers. What makes you think I don't want a multiversal war?"

"But what happened?" Tony asked.

"At the end of 2016, a being named Dormammu..."

"Dormammu?" Wanda screeched. "But you mean Dormammu, the being of infinite power and ruler of the Dark Dimension? Was he here?" she asked, worried.

They were all alarmed.

"The Dark Dimension?" said Scott. "That doesn't sound good."

"It doesn't," Wanda and Stephen said simultaneously.

"Dormammu tried to conquer every universe in the Multiverse, including this one," Stephen said.

Everyone paled.

"And you said you met him?" Peter paled. "What the hell happened? How were you able to stop a being of infinite power?"

"I went to the Dark Dimension and made a deal with him," Stephen turned away.

"What the hell?" Clint said, "And he listened?"

"No, he didn't listen," Stephen snorted. "He definitely didn't listen, since he killed me a thousand times."

The room fell silent, and everyone stared at Stephen in disbelief.

"You're here," Thor said flatly.

"Let's just say Loki isn't the only one who knows how to survive," Stephen remarked.

"I think we need to know how you defeated him," Wanda said. "If not everyone else, then I need to know."

Stephen clenched his jaw. "I used the Time Stone to create an infinite time loop until he was ready to make a deal. He killed me a thousand times, but eventually he despaired and gave in. I told him to leave Earth and never come back."

"Oh my God," Peter said in horror. "You've died a thousand times."

"A small price to pay if everyone on Earth is protected," Stephen said. "You didn't see what happened."

"Because you used the Time Stone," Steve said. "That's why we never knew about it."

There was a moment of silence, and everyone looked at Stephen with respect.

"Do you have any good memories?" "Only one, really."

Thor clenched his fists. Sylvie didn't deserve to live her life like this. She didn't even do anything but play with her toys.

Sylvie pocketed the TemPad, activated the Time Staff, stood up, and cut herself off.

Everyone's heart skipped a beat.

"Well, that's one way to do it," Bruce said.

"She cut herself off," D-90 said.

"That must have been a shock to the Minutemen," Scott said. "They think cutting you off kills you."

Renslayer said Sylvie was dead.

They all rolled their eyes.

In Loki's palace, Alligator Loki was drinking RoxxiWine.

"Straight from Roxxcart," Tony frowned in disgust. "Fucking Roxxcart. They're involved in everything, even the multiverse."

Loki, Classic Loki, and Boastful Loki sat in a circle. "So, after I defeated Captain America and Iron Man—" said Boastful Loki.

Steve and Tony gasped in shock.

"What the hell?" Bucky exclaimed, while the others were speechless.

Loki looked at him incredulously. "—I took my prize, all six Infinity Stones," Boastful Loki finished.

Everyone stared at Boastful Loki, completely baffled.

"This is like our worst nightmare," Natasha whispered, turning pale.

"All six Infinity Stones?" Clint asked weakly. "How did he even get the Soul Stone? It requires a sacrifice!"

Alligator Loki growled. Classic Loki said that Alligator Loki had called Boastful Loki a liar.

"Oh, that makes so much more sense," Clint sighed with relief. "I thought we were doomed."

"Alligator Loki is smarter than he looks," Wanda remarked respectfully.

"At least my nexus event wasn't eating the wrong neighbor's cat," Boastful Loki retorted.

Everyone couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity.

Alligator Loki growled and leaped up to bite Boastful Loki on the arm.

Everyone looked slightly intimidated by the reptile's aggression.

Loki and Classic Loki pulled Alligator Loki away while Baby Loki sat on his throne and giggled.

"This is a complete mess," Natasha groaned, shaking her head.

"What did you expect when you put a bunch of Loki versions in one room?" Thor asked understandingly.

Classic Loki threw Alligator Loki back into the kiddie pool.

"It's sad that we just accept the fact that Alligator Loki exists," Sam said philosophically. "What have our lives become?"

"Total nonsense," Rhodey agreed.

All the Lokis sat back down. Kid Loki asked Classic Loki to tell his story. Classic Loki said no one wanted to hear it.

"No, I do," Thor said. How did Classic Loki survive Thanos?

Classic Loki looked at Loki carefully. "What would have happened to your version? The one who was supposed to die a week after Thanos's attack?"
Loki said that Thanos killed them after Ragnarok.

Thor winced at this painful reminder. The others winced; they'd heard this story and seen it at the beginning of the screening.

Classic Loki explained that his entire life had been going well until Thanos attacked their ship in his timeline.

"Just like our Loki," Thor said sadly.

"So you didn't try to stab him?" Loki asked. Classic Loki smirked and said no, as blades were useless against Loki's sorcery.

"Exactly!" Thor exclaimed approvingly.

Boastful Loki said the magic looked amazing.

"It is," Thor agreed. "Loki's magic is incredible."

"Oh, yes. Especially when the knives clatter to the ground right before your neck is broken," Classic Loki commented.

Everyone winced, and Thor paled.

"He's not wrong!" Thor said. "I still can't believe Loki tried to kill Thanos with a butter knife, when he's one of Asgard's greatest sorcerers!"

"And Thanos had two Infinity Stones at the time," Tony noted kindly.

Loki said quietly, looking at his hands, "My version of him was exhausted after Ragnarok. After the loss of Asgard, all the chaos, the escape... He simply didn't have the strength for complex magic. But Thanos was obsessed with his idea of ​​half the universe." He shrugged indifferently. "Of the two princes of Asgard, one had to remain—it fit perfectly into his plan for balance. That's why he attacked with a knife. Not because he was stupid."

Silence hung in the air. Thor looked as if he'd been struck with a hammer and his entire world had been turned upside down.

"He never planned to survive," Loki continued calmly. "It was an attempt to die with honor, protecting his brother. The death of a warrior, not a helpless victim."

"Oh my God," Steve whispered, shocked. "He knew it was suicide, but he tried anyway."

"That... that's actually heroic," Natasha said, her voice tinged with pain. "He chose how to die."

"Thanos and his damn obsession with balance," Bucky growled. "One prince out of two—perfect math for a psychopath."

"He tried to protect me," Thor closed his eyes, fighting back tears. "Even knowing it meant his death. And I... I was angry at him for his stupidity, and he was willing to die for me."

"He was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice," Bruce added quietly. "That takes incredible courage."

Classic Loki explained that he had created an incredibly real projection that Thanos believed in and then faked his death, hiding behind inanimate debris.

Thor frowned and took a deep breath. "Are you kidding! Again? Loki faked his death again?"

"So the Loki of the Sacred Timeline is alive?" Scott asked hopefully.

"No, the Loki of the Sacred Timeline is dead," Stephen said. "His TVA file ended there. The old Loki is not the Loki of the Sacred Timeline."

He drifted through space, moving away from Thor.

Thor's frown deepened.

He considered his place in the universe and realized that pain followed him everywhere, and he decided to remove himself from the equation.

Everyone looked sympathetically at the screen, and Thor wanted to hug his brother.

"Depression can destroy even gods," Bruce remarked quietly, understanding the feeling all too well.

Classic Loki had landed on a remote planet and remained there in isolation for a long time.

"He must be very old to look so old," Wanda said sadly.

Thor's face twisted at the thought of his brother spending centuries without a soul.

Loki asked how the TVA had found Classic Loki. "I felt lonely. Honestly, I missed my brother and wondered if he missed me, if anyone else."

Tears filled Thor's eyes. He cleared his throat. "Of course. I always missed you. You've died many, many times, and I always missed you."

Classic Loki said the TVA arrived just as he was taking his first steps to leave the planet, because Loki can only play the role of the God of Outcasts.

"Damn, that's depressing," Sam said, pained.

"And that's why the TVA must be destroyed," Peter added decisively.

Loki shook his head and stood up. He said he was going. Classic Loki asked where.

"Most likely back to the TVA," said Bruce.

Loki answered TVA, since they were as good at escaping as they were at surviving, which gave Loki a good chance.

"I don't think they'll just cut you off this time; they might just stab you and be done with it," said Clint.

Classic Loki said they'd kill him. "So what? It was my destiny all along," Loki said, completely indifferent, as if he were commenting on the weather. "So be it," Loki continued, waving his hand dismissively.

Everyone froze at his indifferent tone.

"Loki..." Thor began in horror, tears welling up in his eyes at his brother's words.

"He talks about his own death as if it means nothing," Wanda whispered, shocked.

"As if he doesn't care whether he lives or dies," Steve added painfully.

"He's lost the will to live," Bruce said quietly. "It's a dangerous condition."

Little Loki said Loki was different. Loki said he wasn't like that, and he was just like them.
Loki explained that Sylvie wanted to destroy the TVA, and she needed her. Loki said Alioth was a shark, so they had to figure out what to do with him.

"He's quite funny when he's not planning his own death," Tony couldn't help but laugh.

The other Lokis exchanged glances and burst out laughing. Loki left, calling his ideas idiotic.

"Loki is quite lucky," Peter said. "I'd give anything to meet a version of myself."

Loki climbed the stairs and opened the latch. To his horror, Loki came face to face with multiple versions of Loki, including President Loki, who looked identical to the version of Loki from the Sacred Timeline.

Everyone gaped in amazement.

"There are so many of them," Thor said, completely astonished.

"And there's another version that's exactly like our Loki," Bruce noted, looking at President Loki in the center of the group.

"How many versions of Loki are there, anyway?" Steve asked, surprised.

"TVA wasn't lying when they said they'd cut more versions of Loki than anyone else," Bucky said incredulously.

"The Void is literally teeming with Loki," Stephen said. The Multiverse was a headache he didn't want to deal with.

"Our versions would have ended up in the Void too, right?" Scott asked.

"Yeah, and they were probably eaten by Alioth long ago," Tony replied grimly.

Everyone shuddered at the thought.

Trickster Loki was there too.

"Oh, we've seen this Loki before. Mobius showed us a hologram," Natasha recalled.

"Please don't tell me Hulk Loki is in there," Bruce groaned.

"Oh, hi," President Loki greeted, a smirk on his face. "This is a nightmare," Loki said, running his hand over his face.

"Obviously," Natasha agreed. "What an incredible mess."

Sylvie opened her eyes and found herself in a car.

"Oh, right, Sylvie would be in the Void right now," Wanda noted.

Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled outside.

"Ah, that must be Alioth," Sam said. "Wonderful."

Sylvie kicked the windshield and climbed out. Alioth dissolved the bus Sylvie was on. Sylvie escaped Alioth and enchanted a portion of it, allowing her to see the Citadel at the End Times.

Everyone's jaw dropped.

"What the hell was that?" Clint demanded.

"Sylvie was right," Stephen said, stunned. "There's something beyond the Void."

"Maybe that's what Alioth protects," Wanda said thoughtfully.

"But Sylvie just enchanted Alioth," Bucky noted.

"So maybe Sylvie can enchant Alioth, and she and Loki can find that castle, whatever it is," Scott remarked.

"I think that's where whoever created the TVA is," Natasha said confidently. "Beyond the Void."

She continued to run from Alioth and heard a car honk and pull up next to her. A pizza was on top.

They looked at the car in disbelief.

"I didn't expect to see that," Rhodey said.

"The Void is full of weird things," Sam said. "Thanos's damn helicopter."

"Not to mention the Thor-Frog variant," Tony said.

Sylvie quickly realized that Mobius was driving the car.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, seeing Mobius safe.

"I'm glad he's okay," Bucky said. He knew it wasn't easy living after being brainwashed.

Mobius asked her to close the door, as they had an emergency.

"Holy shit," Rhodey said. "There's a giant cloud monster that wants to eat everyone."

"Watch out!" Sylvie exclaimed. "I see it, I see it," Mobius replied. "Really? You're driving straight at him." "Oh my god, you really are one of Loki's."

Everyone laughed at this exchange.

Mobius drove past the clipped Great Sphinx of Giza and the Great Pyramids of Giza. The Sphinx's nose remained intact.

The earthlings gazed in fascination at the familiar monuments.

"The pyramids and the Sphinx were cut off?!" Bruce exclaimed in amazement.

"The Sphinx's nose is still there," Peter noted. "In our timeline, the Sphinx doesn't have a nose. It was destroyed long ago."

"Maybe that's why this Sphinx was cut off," Steve suggested logically.

"And again, why are there so many Earth-related things here?" Tony asked, puzzled. "Is Earth a particularly problematic planet?"

Back at Loki's palace, Loki's group encountered Classic Loki, Baby Loki, Alligator Loki, and Boastful Loki.

Thor couldn't help but laugh at the chaos.

Everyone else watched, mesmerized, as Loki's showdown loomed.

"I know this won't end well," Sam predicted. "Too many Lokis in one room is a recipe for disaster."

"Of course it won't end well!" Natasha said irritably. She'd rather kill herself than be in this room.

President Loki smirked, standing in the center.

"President Loki, huh?" Steve said thoughtfully. "That's an interesting thought."

"There must be a timeline where you're president," Bucky snorted.

"No, thanks," Steve balked. "I don't want to deal with all this bureaucracy. I think I'll go crazy."

"You're a fool! You brought wolves to our door," Classic Loki said to Loki, who was standing off to the side.

"He didn't even do anything," Thor defended himself.

President Loki said they prefer snakes.
Baby Loki said he'd eaten both, and they died the same way.

"Damn, that kid is really cruel," Rhodey said with respect and horror.

Boasting, Loki held his Mjolnir to Baby Loki's neck and declared that he had betrayed him, and now he was king.

They were all unimpressed.

"Ah, so there's the betrayal," Bruce said predictably.

"So predictable," Thor said, rolling his eyes.

President Loki stepped forward. "About that…"
Loki's group pointed their weapons at Boastful Loki.

"DOUBLE BETRAYAL?!" they all shouted in unison.

"That's the most Loki-esque thing I've ever seen," Tony said, his eyes wide. "The multiverse is pure madness!"

"You can't be serious," said Boastful Loki.

"Boastful Loki can't be surprised that Loki would betray someone?" Bruce said incredulously. "He just betrayed someone."

"What did you expect?" President Loki asked.

"Exactly!" Thor agreed.

"Mobius was right," Stephen remarked, "Loki really does like to stab you in the back."

The boastful Loki hissed that it wasn't a deal. "I gave you our location. In exchange for supplies, you give me your army, and I take the throne." TVA Loki looked annoyed by this circus.

Everyone else giggled at his reaction.

"This is hilarious!" Clint laughed. "He looks like he regrets ever meeting them."

President Loki said it was a bad deal. "How about this? My army, my throne?" Half the other Lokis pointed their guns at President Loki.

Everyone was stunned by the speed of the betrayals.

"No way," Peter said, shocked. "Triple betrayal?"

"This is better than any show I've ever watched," Bucky grinned, not looking up from the screen.

President Loki insulted them and said they had a deal.

"As if he ever kept a deal," Thor muttered.

Loki rubbed his temples, disbelieving the absurdity of it all.

Everyone chuckled, understanding his frustration.

Alligator Loki growled. "What the hell is an alligator doing here?" President Loki asked. "He's Loki!" exclaimed Baby Loki and Classic Loki. Alligator Loki jumped up and bit off President Loki's arm.

Everyone's jaws dropped.

"What the hell," said Sam. "Alligator Loki bit off his arm!"

"Alligator Loki needs to stop biting people's arms," ​​said Natasha. "First Boastful Loki, and now President Loki."

"Alligator Loki is clearly Loki's superior," said Tony.

President Loki let out a piercing scream.

Everyone couldn't help but laugh at his suffering.

The Lokis began fighting, using their weapons and magic.

"It's chaos," Bruce said, amazed.

"That's what happens when you put a bunch of Lokis in one room," Thor remarked philosophically, like an expert.

President Loki was shoved into a popcorn machine, and it ended up covered in blood.

Everyone cringed at the cruelty.

"Well, I certainly wouldn't want to eat that popcorn," Peter said in disgust.

Classic Loki created illusions of himself, Baby Loki, Loki, and Alligator Loki. The illusions also participated in Loki's battle.

Everyone laughed.

The Baby Loki illusion threw the Alligator Loki illusion at the other Loki.

"Helped!" Thor said, delighted. "Baby Loki really helped!" Well, something like that."

Classic Loki created a portal, and the group departed. In the Void field, Classic Loki called them all animals.

"Agreed," Natasha said, crossing her arms. She'd never seen anything like it.

"We lie and deceive, we slit the throats of anyone who trusts us, and for what? Power. Glorious power. Glorious purpose! We can't change. We're broken, every version of us. Forever."
"And every time one of us dares to try to fix ourselves, we're sent here to die," exclaimed Baby Loki.

"That's why the TVA must be destroyed!" said Steve.

"People deserve a second chance to be better," Natasha said. She got a second chance because Clint gave her one; who knows how many more people want to change but weren't given the chance?

Loki said that was precisely why he needed to leave, because nothing would change until the TVA was shut down.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"The TVA needs to be dismantled," Sam stated firmly.

"And they need to stop brainwashing people," Bucky added.

"Sylvie and Loki can do it," Wanda said confidently.

Steven still hoped that something else would be created in the TVA's place.

Classic Loki asked if Loki trusted Sylvie. Loki hesitated. "She's the only one I... sort of... trust? Although, honestly, I don't even know what trust really is."

Everyone fell silent at this admission.

"God," Steve whispered, "He doesn't even understand the concept of trust."

"After all the betrayals in his life. Both from him and from others," Natasha said quietly, understandingly, "I know that feeling."

"My brother doesn't know what it means to truly trust," Thor said, his voice breaking at the end.

Loki never fully trusted anyone; ever since childhood, he'd always been cautious, even with Thor. The older he got, the worse it got, and no one helped him with it: not his parents, who lied to Loki his whole life about who he really was, nor Thor himself, who took his brother for granted his whole life.

Classic Loki and Baby Loki agreed to help, but Classic Loki said that approaching Alioth was tantamount to a death sentence, so they would only help them get there.

"Okay, that's fair," Bruce said understandingly. "I can understand not wanting to get close to a creature that eats entire realities."

"Any help is better than none," Wanda said hopefully.

In the car, Mobius said he truly believed they were the good guys.

Everyone looked at Mobius through the screen in disbelief.

"Are you serious?" Rhodey asked, stunned. "How could Mobius think the TVA were the good guys after everything he'd seen?"

"They were brainwashed and mind-wiped," Bucky reminded him sympathetically. "They just didn't know the truth. Once B-15 and Mobius found out, they switched sides pretty quickly."

"Decades of brainwashing don't disappear in five minutes," Natasha added gravely.

"Destroying entire realities, orphaning little girls—classic heroic acts," Sylvie said.
Mobius believed the ends justified the means, so there was nothing he wouldn't do.

Steven's heart sank. He thought so too, exactly, but he'd seen what TVA had done and knew it was wrong.

He noted that Sylvie had also been involved in destruction.
"I did what I had to do." "Yes, me too." "You chased me like a dog."

Everyone winced.

"That's awkward," Bruce said.

Mobius apologized. Sylvie said she thought she could find Loki, but the storm must have taken him. Mobius asked if Sylvie truly believed that. Sylvie said it didn't matter because all she did was get out of there and find out who was behind it all.

"It's a mission," Natasha said. "It's what Sylvie has wanted since she was a child, and she will stop at nothing until whoever is behind the TVA is defeated."

Mobius asked how, and Sylvie said they needed to turn around, because the cloud might be the answer.

They were all equally cautious and excited about what would happen if they approached Alioth. They knew Alioth was the key to discovering the truth about the TVA, but they also knew Alioth was dangerous.

Mobius turned the car around. Loki, Classic Loki, Baby Loki, and Alligator Loki passed through the Void. Classic Loki said it felt strange to approach Alioth and asked Loki if he had a plan.

Everyone snorted at the predictability of the question.

"Oh, please," Thor chuckled, "We've all seen Loki's plans, and they usually end in disaster."

"Frankly, I don't have a plan. But I'm sure something needs to be done about Alioth. He needs to be out of the way."

Everyone looked at the screen in surprise and horror.

"Amazing plan," Clint said sarcastically. "'Do something'—that's a strategy."

"He's going to improvise against a cosmic predator," Stephen groaned.

Little Loki thought he had a plan, but Loki said he just needed to figure out how to deal with Alioth without dying. "That doesn't mean it's a plan either," Little Loki said, staring at him.
The Alligator growled. Classic Loki informed him that Alligator Loki was praying because he thought they were going to die.

They burst out laughing, despite the gravity of the situation.

"Even Alligator Loki thinks this is a bad idea," Bruce said wryly. "When a reptile is smarter than you, you might want to reconsider."

"Alligator turned out to be the smartest of them all," Natasha agreed.

The USS Eldridge appeared in the distance.

"No way!" Peter's eyes widened. "That's the USS Eldridge! Is the Philadelphia Experiment real too?"

"An explanation for those of us who don't know what it is," said Wanda.

"During World War II, they said the USS Eldridge was equipped with generators that made the ship invisible. But when the generator turned on, a blue-green glow surrounded the ship, and then it disappeared completely."

Everyone's eyes widened—a green-blue glow. It's the same color you see when something is cut.

"Everyone thought it was a hoax, just another urban legend, but the experiment turned out to be just TVA agents cutting the ship! Ned and MJ will be shocked when I tell them!" Peter rattled off.

Loki conjured a large illusion of a ship. The soldiers panicked. They were dressed in World War II uniforms.

"World War II soldiers," Steve said with interest.

"Alioth, like any animal. He'll go for the big meal first," Loki said. Alioth moved toward the ship.

Everyone looked at Alioth warily. This didn't bode well.

"And while he's doing that, we can sneak up behind him and..." The soldiers fired at Alioth, but it was no use. Alioth killed the soldiers instantly, and the ship rotted.

They all stared at Alioth in horror.

"Oh my God," Wanda clapped her hands over her mouth.

"Maybe Loki should come up with a completely different plan," Bucky said, turning pale at the sight.

"I don't like this at all. Not at all," Thor nodded quickly, looking ill.

"That's how dilapidated Keng Tower, the Sanctuary, and all the other buildings are," Tony realized with horror. "It was all Alioth's doing. He's literally wasting time."

Loki was stunned. He said maybe they should think about it some more.

"What a revelation," Rhodey muttered.

"It's good he can admit when a plan needs some tweaking," Sam remarked.

Baby Loki spotted a pizza truck in the distance. Loki asked if that was bad news.

"No, it's good news this time," Thor said.

Baby Loki said that usually meant cannibalistic marauders or cannibalistic pirates.

Everyone froze, watching this information.

"The Void is a truly wonderful place," Sam said, rubbing his temples. "Cannibals, giant monsters... a dream resort."

Loki watched as the car slowed to a stop. Sylvie got out. Loki noticed her and walked toward her.

"Someone's definitely happy," Rhodey remarked with a smirk.

"I don't get it. Is he a coward or is he showing courage?" Classic Loki asked.

Everyone giggled.

Baby Loki said he wasn't sure. They approached Sylvie and Mobius. Loki asked if Sylvie was okay. Mobius also came out. "Mobius!" Loki exclaimed excitedly.
"We thought you could use some backup," Sylvie said. Loki smiled.
Sylvie noticed Classic Loki and Baby Loki and prepared to fight them.
Loki stopped her and said they were his friends. Sort of.

Thor beamed. Loki had friends! Even though he was her friend, she still had friends! He felt a little better knowing that the versions of Loki had each other. It was a reassuring thought.

"We're kids, we're the future, and we're alligator form," Loki offered his versions.

"If I didn't know the context of that sentence, I'd send Loki to a psychiatrist," Bruce said, shaking his head.

"That sounds like the beginning of a really weird joke," Scott added.

Sylvie looked at Loki incredulously. Loki told her it was best not to ask questions.

"That's truly the best advice," Steve agreed. "Unfortunately, at some point you get used to this madness."

"Once aliens start falling from the sky, you realize anything can happen," Natasha remarked philosophically.

"Throw a rock here and you'll hit Loki," Mobius said.

"A pretty accurate observation," Peter laughed. "The density of Loki per square meter here is off the charts."

Sylvie asked if they were hunting Alioth. Loki replied that they hadn't yet decided how to get past him.

"At least she's thinking about how to get around him instead of attacking him directly," Thor sighed with relief.

"Go on again? Get around him?"
"Yes, we have to get around Alioth. I sense he's the problem."
"Oh, my God. That was your plan." "Yeah, I'm not stupid," Loki said, rolling his eyes and folding his arms.

"Well, technically it's an improvement over 'do something,'" Tony remarked sarcastically.

Sylvie asked Baby Loki and Classic Loki if they agreed. They said they had their doubts.

Everyone burst out laughing at the diplomatic answer.

"'Doubts' is an understatement," Clint commented.

Loki asked Sylvie's plan. "I think, as you do, that the person we're looking for is outside the Void at the end of time. And if that's true, then this thing is just their guard dog, guarding the only way in."

"Brilliant analysis," Tony said approvingly. "Get past Alioth, find whoever created the TVA, and destroy them. It's brilliantly simple."

"That's a really good plan," Thor agreed, "logical and straightforward."

"Easier said than done," Natasha noted practically, "But the concept sounds reasonable."

"I have a feeling they can pull it off," Steve said with conviction.

Loki asked how to get past the guard dog. Sylvie said she'd enchant it. Loki laughed, and Sylvie rolled her eyes.

"Sylvie can definitely handle it," Thor said confidently. "She's already partially enchanted Alioth before."

Loki called that madness, but Sylvie replied that it was better than nothing. Loki said he'd been there longer than Sylvie, but she interrupted, saying she'd enchant Alioth. "She's quite confident," Mobius said.

"And it will work," Bucky said decisively. "It has to work. Sylvie is determined to destroy the TVA and will stop at nothing."

"I'd take that risk too if I had to go through what Sylvie did," Sam agreed sympathetically.

"Over a thousand years of preparation for this moment," Wanda added. "She's ready."

"Besides, what other options do they have?" Rhodey asked practically. "Sit in the Void forever?"

At the TVA, Renslayer entered the Theater of Time and dismissed the guards stationed in the room.

They all frowned upon seeing Renslayer.

She walked to the wall, pulled out her TemPad, and opened it, revealing B-15 in the chamber. B-15 asked why she was there. Renslayer said she'd freed Variant and was disloyal to the TVA.

"Disloyal?" everyone exclaimed incredulously.

"TVA is bullshit," Bucky chuckled.

"Renslayer knows the Time Guardians don't exist, and yet he spouts such nonsense," Rhodey said.

"Renslayer also knows that everyone who works at TVA is a variant," Peter noted. "That means she knows she's a variant too, and she doesn't seem to be angry about it."

"Her entire worldview has been upended," Natasha said. "She no longer knows what's true."

B-15 asked who she was disloyal to because the Time Keepers didn't exist. Renslayer asked why that changed anything.

Everyone looked at Renslayer with disbelief.

"Is Renslayer serious?" Tony asked.

"If the Timekeepers are fake, that means she doesn't even know who created the TVA, and we know Renslayer wanted to know who lied to her," Steven said.

B-15 claimed that this changed everything because people needed to know the truth.

"Exactly!" Bucky exclaimed. "They deserve to know the truth!"

"No, the TVA needs stability. And until we figure out what's going on, that's what they'll get," Renslayer replied.

"First, the TVA doesn't need stability; it needs to be destroyed," Sam said. "Second, Renslayer can tell everyone the truth and go live a quiet, peaceful life on the timeline."

She asked B-15 to tell her what motivated the Variant.

"Revenge," they all said at once.

B-15 explained that Sylvia was driven by revenge, but since the Time Guardians were fakes, she would search for whoever created them.

"Well, they're already pretty close," Scott said.

"Renslayer shouldn't have cut Loki," Thor laughed. "Now all the Lokis are in the Void, one step closer to finding whoever created the TVA."

B-15 realized that Renslayer also wanted to find whoever was behind all this.

"Doesn't everyone do that?" Tony asked wryly.

She chuckled and said that Renslayer wouldn't find them because that's all Renslayer wanted, and that's what Sylvie needed.

Everyone grinned.

"That's why Sylvie is determined to find whoever created the TVA before Renslayer does," Natasha said.

Renslayer emerged from the Theatre of Time. She called Miss Minute and asked her for the files on the founding of the TVA and everything from the beginning of time.

They all held their breath.

"Are we finally going to find out?" Tony asked.

"Did Renslayer even have access to this information?" Bruce asked. "It's probably highly classified, considering she didn't even know the Time Guardians were a fake."

Renslayer said whoever created this place was in danger, and she needed to find them.

"It's good they're in danger," Natasha said.

"Why does Renslayer still want to protect them? Or is she lying?" Scott asked.

Miss Minutes agreed and disappeared.

"Will Miss Minute help Renslayer?" Peter asked.

"Who created Miss Minute anyway?" Rhodey replied. He paused. "That's a stupid question. It was probably whoever created the TVA."

In the Void, Loki and Mobius sat in the house. "You really don't remember him?" " Classic Loki asked. Mobius said the TVA had arrested many Lokis, but he didn't remember the alligator.

"How can you not remember the alligator variant?" Sam asked incredulously. "That's the weirdest variant we've seen."

"Maybe, but remember there's also Hulk Loki," Bruce noted thoughtfully.

"I mean, who said he was even a variant of Loki?" "He's green, isn't he?"

Everyone laughed at the simple logic.

"Excellent point," Thor agreed. "Green is practically Loki's trademark."

"Your sister Hela wore green and black too," Bruce said to Thor. "Are you sure you're not adopted?"

Thor hesitated, realizing for the first time that Loki and Hela were indeed similar in style. Even in appearance.

"I don't know, he could be lying. It's a long con. Of course, that just makes him more likely to be Loki."

Everyone laughed at this logic.

"Loki's ability to deceive is the true test of his authenticity," Tony laughed.

"You guys always have a game within a game, and I respect that," Mobius said.
Little Loki asked Mobius what he was getting himself into when he returned to the TVA.

"I hope there won't be any problems," Rhodey said.

Mobius said he wanted to tell people the truth.

"Right," Bucky said firmly, approvingly.

"Do you think they'll believe him?" Sam asked skeptically.

"Mobius didn't believe Loki at first, and B-15 didn't believe her own memories until Sylvie showed her the truth," Natasha reminded him. "Mobius will have a hard time convincing the other agents."

"So that's how you give up on what you've dedicated your life to," Classic Loki said.

"What Mobius was forced to do," Bucky corrected.

Mobius said it's never too late to change.

"He's absolutely right," Clint said, looking meaningfully at Natasha. "It's never too late to be better."

Tony blinked, suddenly remembering. It was essentially the same thing Yinsen had told him in that cave.

Old Loki paused. Baby Loki said he hoped Loki and Sylvie knew what they were doing.

"I don't know about Loki, but I think Sylvie definitely does," Wanda said confidently. "She's completely focused on her mission."

Near the house, Loki and Sylvie were sitting on the grass. Sylvie said Mobius wasn't so bad.

"No, he's not bad," Thor agreed. "I didn't like him at all at first, especially when he blamed Loki for Mother's death, but then I realized he simply didn't know the truth."

"Or so well. I think that's why we get along," Loki said, twitching his fingers slightly.

Everyone laughed at his honesty.

"He cares about you," Sylvie said.

A soft smile played across Thor's face—he was glad to know there was someone else in the multiverse who cared about his brother.

Sylvie brought up Mobius's theory about their Nexus Event and called it nonsense. Loki agreed. Sylvie said she didn't mean it to be a bad moment, but it sounded like another TVA lie.

"I think Sylvie's right," Stephen said analytically. "Based on what we know about Nexus Events and apocalypses, what happened on Lamentis shouldn't have created a Nexus Event. It doesn't make logical sense."

"I have no friends. I have... no one," Sylvie said.

Everyone looked at her sadly.

"It's a tragedy," Rhodey said.

"Well... there are more important things, right?"
"Really?"
"Yeah. Like shooting down the TVA."
"Even saving the universe."
"Well, no need to be dramatic, but yeah, sort of."

Everyone laughed at their attempt to downplay the mission.

Sylvie asked how she knew Loki wouldn't betray her at the last moment.
Loki paused, his hand clenching into a fist. "I betrayed everyone who ever loved me. I betrayed my father, my brother... my home. I know what I did. And I know why I did it. And I'm not the same anymore. Well, I hope so."

The rest of the Avengers were stunned by the sincerity of his words.

"Wow, he's really changed," Clint said, impressed.

"That's all any of us can do," Tony said knowingly. "Most of us have done terrible things and will probably never fully atone, but we're trying to be better."

"Loki's not so bad, once you get to know him," Bruce said thoughtfully. He recalled his time in Asgard and on the refugee ship—back then, he'd been surprised that Loki had even communicated normally; even the Hulk hadn't reacted aggressively to him. Knowing about mind control now, a lot of things became clear.

"Are you sure? Because if we do this, and the TVA disappears, maybe a timeline will emerge where you rule."
"Ah," Loki smiled sarcastically. "And then I'll finally be happy."
Loki asked what Sylvie would do when all this was over.

"Find me, please," Thor pleaded.

"I don't know." "I don't know either," Loki said. He suggested they figure it out together, and Sylvie agreed.

Thor smiled tenderly. That was already a start.

Later, Loki and Mobius stood on the cliffside. Dark Astra was to the side.

"That's Dark Astra!" Thor sat up abruptly, recognizing the ship.

"What is Dark Astra?" Scott asked, intrigued.

"Ronan the Accuser's ship." "He was working for Thanos until the Guardians killed him," Thor explained.

"Oh yeah, Quill distracted him with a dance," Sam remembered. He paused. "I can't believe I just said those words."

"Like in the movie 'Footloose,'" Peter chuckled.

Sylvie said the TVA had to be destroyed. They didn't know who created it or where they were, but Alioth did.

"And Alioth is the key," Steve said.

She said she connected with it and caught a glimpse of something, so she should enchant it if she could get close enough, and that would lead her to whoever was behind it all.

"And finally end the TVA once and for all," Sam said with satisfaction.

"And give everyone freedom of choice," Steve added decisively.

Steven's mouth straightened into a thin line. Multiverse War.

Sylvie handed Loki the Tempad, but Loki said he'd stay.

Everyone beamed at his decision.

Though Thor believed in Sylvie's enchanting abilities, he couldn't help but worry for both of them. He'd seen what Alioth had done to the ship.

"Loki, I don't know if this will work." "You go, I go."

"Loki's decided to start a new life," Rhodey said approvingly.

Loki handed the TemPad to Mobius. Mobius said he'd say hello to Renslayer. "Oh, please," Sylvie said with a smirk.

Everyone chuckled at her tone.

"Renslayer certainly deserves it," Scott said maliciously.

"I hope Mobius gives her a good dressing down," Wanda added.

Mobius asked Classic Loki and Baby Loki if they wanted to leave the Void, but they declined, saying it was their home. Alligator Loki growled in agreement.
"Are you sure? What about Alioth?" Loki asked.
Classic Loki said they knew what they were doing.
Little Loki gave Loki Lævateinn and said he'd need it.

"Oh, how sweet," Wanda said, touched. "He's giving her a weapon for good luck."

Loki took the sword and looked at it, and a scabbard for it appeared behind his back, magically conjured. Loki nodded gratefully. Classic Loki, Little Loki, and Alligator Loki left.
Mobius opened the time door. "Looks like you managed to escape after all."

"Another escape for Loki," Steve said with a smirk.

"I always do this," Loki smiled, but it was a predatory smile. He asked what Mobius would be doing at the TVA.

"I hope Mobius will be okay," Peter said worriedly.

"He will be," Bucky said confidently. "Someone needs to tell the other agents the truth."

"Burn him to the ground."

Everyone grinned, but with a hint of alarm.

"Thanks for the spark," Mobius said with a smile. Loki grinned at him.

"Spark is an understatement," Sam muttered. "He's more like the flame of vengeance."

"See you later, Loki," Mobius said, extending his hand to Loki. Loki hugged him instead. "Thank you, my friend."

Thor beamed, and everyone else smiled warmly at them both.

"Those two have had quite a journey," Tony said.

"You're my favorite," Mobius whispered to Sylvie, who rolled her eyes at him. Clearly, he liked Loki better.

Everyone chuckled weakly.

Mobius passed through the Time Gate. Loki and Sylvie took deep breaths as they encountered Alioth.

Everyone sighed tensely, watching the two figures.

"They're ready for the final battle," Bruce said nervously, "but I'm afraid we'll see what happens after Loki gets to the creator of the TVA."

Sylvie explained that when the branch appeared, Alioth focused on it, and then she cast a spell on it.

"Sounds like a plan," Peter said. "I really think it'll work."

"At least one Loki is good at planning," Thor grumbled.

Classic Loki looked at Alioth with concern.

Thor's stomach twisted. It was bad enough that Loki and Sylvie had encountered Alioth; he didn't want to see another Loki encounter Alioth.

Sylvie and Loki waited for Alioth to get closer. A helicarrier bearing the HYDRA logo was visible in the distance.

Everyone on Earth paled at the sight of the HYDRA logo.

"What the hell?" said Steve, Bucky, and Tony.

"The HYDRA logo on the helicarrier?" Natasha asked worriedly. "Does that mean Project Insight was successful in some timeline, and HYDRA won that day?"

At the thought, they all paled even more, and Steve and Bucky felt their stomachs churn.

"Well, I'm glad that timeline was cut," Bucky said.

"Uh, Strange," Steve said slowly, "Do you know what Project Insight is?"

"Yeah, it's a HYDRA assassination algorithm. Is that what you, Romanoff, and Wilson stopped in Washington? I heard about it on the news," Stephen nodded, not understanding where this was going.

"Yeah. I don't know if now is the right time to say this, but you should know that you were one of Project Insight's targets," Steve informed him, wincing slightly.

"Sorry, what?" Stephen stared at Steve in shock.

"Yeah. The rest of us were targets too. All of us, I think," Steve winced.

Stephen was stunned. It was strange to think he'd been so close to death and not even known it.

"But I wasn't even a sorcerer back then. Did they know about the Masters of the Mystic Arts?" he asked, confused.

"No, S.H.I.E.L.D. "And HYDRA never knew about you guys," Natasha replied. "I'm guessing it's because you were a renowned neurosurgeon and were asked to consult on something if needed, and HYDRA wanted you out."

"If Bucky hadn't gone to Wakanda and you were still a neurosurgeon, you probably would have been asked to consult on his condition," Steve added.

Stephen and Bucky blinked in surprise.

Loki asked what to do if they didn't have time to wait for the branch, and Sylvie replied that they'd have to create a distraction somehow.

"What the hell is going to distract that giant cloud monster?!" Sam exclaimed.

Loki placed a hand on Sylvie's shoulder and nodded.

"He's going to sacrifice himself, isn't he?" Thor groaned. Loki had retreated a short distance when Sylvie began to enchant Alioth.

"Come and get me!" Loki shouted, waving Lævatein. The sword was ablaze with magic.

"I think Loki has a death wish," Thor groaned in frustration.

"I hate to break it to you, buddy, but he has a death wish. He practically said so," Tony said cautiously, but was immediately slapped on the back of the head by Natasha. "HEY!" he cried, clutching his head and looking at Natasha.

"Tony!" she hissed, glancing at Thor. Tony looked back.

Thor sat there, sadder than a thundercloud, his lips pursed at his words. Thor had forgotten even how Loki had spoken of her death, so casually.

Sylvie tried her best to charm Alioth, but it was barely a success.

Everyone looked at Sylvie with concern.

"Oh no," said Peter.

Loki's eyes widened as he ran and tried to get Alioth's attention. Alioth nearly devoured Sylvie, but he was distracted by Classic Loki, who created a life-sized illusion of Asgard.

Everyone's jaws dropped when they saw the illusion.

"This is amazing!" Scott shouted.

"Asgard..." Thor said, his eyes wide. Sadness flashed across his face as he realized Classic Loki must have been creating the illusion of Asgard to remind himself of home during his isolation.

Loki and Sylvie ran towards each other. Sylvie asked how Classic Loki did it. "I think we're stronger than we realize," Loki replied.

Everyone nodded; it was obvious he was very strong, but didn't know it yet.

Classic Loki strained, maintaining the illusion, and shouted at Loki and Sylvie to leave.

"I don't think Classic Loki can handle this for long," Tony said worriedly.

Sylvie took Loki's hand."What are you doing?"
"We're going to enchant him."
"I don't know how."
"You know! Because we're the same!"

"Sylvie's right," Thor said. "If Sylvie can do it, then so can Loki."

Alioth tried to absorb the illusion of the Asgardian Royal Palace, but it passed right through.

"That's quite an impressive illusion," Stephen reluctantly praised. It took considerable skill to create illusions of such precision and scale.

Loki and Sylvie grabbed hold of Alioth's branches. Sylvie managed to enchant her branch, but Loki resisted.

"Come on!" everyone muttered.

"They need to enchant Alioth," Clint said. "They're so close!"

Loki finally managed to partially enchant the branch.

Everyone cheered.

Classic Loki's illusions began to crumble as he collapsed.

Everyone looked at Classic Loki with concern.

"A glorious goal!" Classic Loki shouted, coming face to face with Alioth. He laughed maniacally as Alioth consumed him.

"NO!" everyone screamed in horror.

Classic Loki's horns fell to the ground.

Thor suppressed a sob. How many times was he going to watch Loki die?

Alioth was on its way to absorb Loki and Sylvie. They closed their eyes and successfully enchanted Alioth.

Everyone's heart skipped a beat.

"Did it work?" Scott asked hesitantly.

Sylvie opened her eyes and smiled at what she saw. "Open your eyes," Sylvie said.
Loki opened his eyes as the cloud parted, revealing the Citadel at the End of Time. A blue and white line was visible in the background.

Everyone gasped and stared at the Citadel in shock.

"That's exactly what Sylvie saw when she enchanted Alioth," Peter said, his eyes wide.

"They did it," said Scott, stunned. "They actually went through Alioth."

"That's where the one who created the TVA is," Steve said, staring intently at the mysterious Citadel.

"One step closer to destroying the TVA," Tony added with grim satisfaction.

Steven squinted, studying the blue and white line. What could that be?

Chapter Text

The screen showed Loki and Sylvie walking across a gray, cracked bridge toward the mysterious Citadel at the End of Time. They walked confidently, looking only ahead at the Citadel.

"They look... incredibly strong," Wanda said quietly, admiringly. "Despite absolutely everything they've been through."

"But at what a terrible price that strength came," Steve added grimly, gripping the armrests.

"Outer strength often conceals inner wounds," Natasha whispered, her own experience in the Red Room echoing with painful understanding.

Sylvie suddenly cast a worried, searching glance at Loki walking beside her, and frowned gravely.
"Look, I know perfectly well this isn't the best time for personal conversations, but... something is definitely wrong with you. Seriously wrong."

Everyone exchanged surprised glances.

"What exactly did she notice? Sylvie isn't the type to ask such questions without a good reason," Natasha frowned.

"You'll have to narrow your search for problems a little more," Loki replied with dry, bitter irony.

Several people chuckled darkly, humorlessly.

"How many things can be 'wrong' with one person at once?" Clint asked rhetorically.

"Apparently, too many," Rhodey replied quietly, shaking his head.

"The list will be long," Sam added painfully.

"Your mind," Sylvie paused, clearly hesitating, choosing the right, non-hurtful words with extreme care. "When I enchanted Alioth and accidentally touched the edge of your consciousness... there was something very, very wrong. Something terrible and wrong."
She paused heavily. "It's like your mind was violently torn into tiny pieces and then roughly, crudely glued back together. Wrong."

Everyone in the room instantly tensed, froze, and straightened.

"What exactly does she mean?" Peter whispered with growing alarm, his young face turning pale.

"Nothing good," Wanda replied, her own experience with mental magic allowing her to understand the seriousness.

Steven immediately leaned forward, his face becoming extremely serious and focused. As a Supreme Mage and master of the mystic arts, he understood the meaning of these words better, more profoundly than anyone else.

"Damage to the structure of the mind," he whispered. "That... that's very bad. Very."

"Ah," Loki nodded with a detached, frightening understanding. "You saw it then."
His tone was completely neutral—too neutral for such a topic.
"I didn't realize what I was seeing before, when I tried to influence you magically," Sylvie continued cautiously. "Your mental defenses were incredibly, abnormally strong. The strongest I've ever seen. But with Alioth, when we combined our powers, everything became crystal clear. I saw deeper."

"A network of scars on his mind," Bucky repeated hoarsely. "We understood, of course, that he was under the control of the Mind Stone, but like that? It was broken, then."

"Methodically... these aren't random injuries. Thanos must have been deliberately and systematically destroying his psyche over a long period of time," Stephen realized with growing horror.

Thor sat motionless, his face chalk-white, as if he'd stopped breathing.

"You don't have to tell me," Sylvie noted her silence. "I just... didn't understand what it was at first."
Loki stopped and turned to her. "It's not that I don't want to talk. It's just... it's hard to explain something you don't fully understand yourself." He paused, choosing his words.
"There's a complex network of mental scars there. Old and new. Layered on top of each other. As if someone methodically, systematically broke your mind over and over again. Over and over. For months," Sylvie said quietly.

A deathly silence fell over the room.

Even their breathing stopped.

"Mental damage of such catastrophic proportions..." Bruce turned chalky white, his hands shaking.

"It's irreversible," Stephen finished quietly, his voice shaking. "Scars that deep are forever. You can mend a mind, but the cracks will remain."

"Like a broken vase," Wanda whispered, tears already glistening in her eyes. "You can mend the pieces, but she'll never be the same. Whole."

Everyone tensed a little in anticipation, knowing something important was about to happen.

"He's ready to talk. After all this time... he's ready to talk," Natasha whispered.

Sylvie thought for a moment. "You know, I never got a chance to ask what you meant when you told the Time Keepers you'd been killed earlier. Does that have anything to do with it?"

Everyone perked up; they remembered that moment.

"Yes, it sounded very strange then." "We thought he was just trying to scare them, or just his choice of words," Bruce said quietly.

"But now it becomes clear he was telling the truth after all," Sam added grimly.

"Were you really dying?" Sylvie asked cautiously. Loki on the screen shrugged with such chilling, icy indifference that several people in the room shuddered. "Honestly? I don't know for sure. The line between reality and illusion has been blurred for a long, long time. Blurred completely. But the sensations of death were... quite physically convincing and real. So I consider it true reality. Death."

"Killed...?" Thor whispered almost soundlessly.

"What do you mean, 'I don't know'? You either die or you don't," Clint frowned.

"Not necessarily," Stephen countered. "There are ways to force the mind to experience all the sensations of death while leaving the body alive." "It's... a special kind of torture."

"Psychological torture. To push him to the brink, but not let him die," Vision realized with disgust.

"Good God," Wanda whispered, her own experience of losing touch with reality a sharp pain.

"He doesn't know what's real and what's not," Bruce closed his eyes. "The Mind Stone. It completely destroyed his perception."

"The last time was when I got cut off," Loki continued indifferently. "And before that... I saw a recording of my death by Thanos. Not the most pleasant sight."
"But that's only two times," Sylvie pointed out.
"Three," Loki corrected, his voice quieter. "The first was much earlier. After the Bifrost."

Thor's head snapped up, his eyes wide with horror.

"What happened on the Bifrost?" Sylvie asked quietly, dreading the answer.

They all leaned forward, tense. This was that crucial part of the story they didn't fully understand. A gap in the timeline.

"We know he fell," Clint whispered. "But we don't know how."

"We'll find out soon enough," Rhodey replied, his expression grim.

Loki slowed. "I let go of Gungnir. By myself. Not because I slipped or couldn't hold on. I just... let go and fell into the Void."

At these words, the room falls into deathly silence.

"He... he killed himself," Steve whispered in horror.

"Oh my God... Loki..." Wanda choked, pressing her hand to her mouth.

"I thought... I thought all this time, hoping that he'd slipped," Thor covered his face with his hands, "that I could have saved him if I'd been faster..."

"He didn't want you to save him," Wanda said quietly. "He wanted... to disappear."

"My brother... decided that life wasn't worth living," Thor said in a broken voice.

"Time flows completely differently in the Void," Loki continued, his voice completely monotonous, dead, like a robot. "Or it doesn't flow normally, linearly, at all. I fell through endless darkness... weeks, months, maybe even centuries. It's completely impossible to tell. No landmarks. No light. No sounds."

"He was alone in that abyss. Alone with absolute nothingness." Tony looks at Thor with deep sympathy.

"Total sensory deprivation... coupled with the sensation of an endless fall... it must have completely broken his mind." Bruce leaned forward, his voice trembling.

"This is worse than any torture," Natasha whispered. "This is pure, concentrated madness."

"How did he even retain his sanity?" Wanda asked, aghast.

"He didn't," Vision replied quietly. "He said it himself—his mind is crumbling. He lost touch with reality out there."

"Damn. I remembered," Stephen suddenly turned pale. "My home. New York... when he fell through my portal... it was like... that abyss. I... I made him relive it. And I was proud of what I did to him. God..." Stephen turned deathly pale.

"No wonder he was so furious with you afterward," Rhodey said, trying to lighten the mood. But Stephen only pressed his lips together.

"I used his worst nightmare against him. And I didn't even realize it at the time," Stephen whispered with growing horror.

Thor sobbed openly, unabashedly, his body shaking with inconsolable grief.

"He was alone in the dark," he repeated through his tears. "All alone. Who knows how long. My little brother..."

"And then what?" Tony asked, though his face showed he was afraid of the answer.

Loki spoke slowly, quietly, as if pulling the words out of himself. "And then... a sudden impact. A physical, painful impact against solid ground. Against the rocky surface of the planet."

"It was... after the Bifrost. My brother vanished into nothingness." Thor frowned, leaning back.

Everyone exchanged glances, curious and a little horrified. Because they would finally know where Loki had been and how he had come to meet Thanos during all of this.

"And then I woke up not where I expected," Loki paused and looked at his hand with detached calm. "A camera." Walls without doors, without windows. And he was there. Thanos."

A ringing silence descends on the room.

The silence explodes.

A burst of shouts shook the room.

"THANOS?!" Peter screamed. "He got to Thanos right after he fell from the Bifrost?!"

"So, all this time...?!" Rhodey clutched his head. "He's been holding onto it from the very beginning? From that very moment?"

"We knew he met him somehow before New York," Natasha said quietly, "but right away? And he found it himself? Damn it."

"He fell right into the clutches of the monster," Wanda whispered, tears glistening in her eyes.

"At first, he just talked," Loki's voice grew even quieter. "Asked questions. Where's the Tesseract? What do I know about Asgard? How strong are our armies? I laughed in his face."

"He didn't betray us," Thor breathed out, relieved and proud at the same time. But also horrified, knowing that Thanos certainly didn't like that.

"He didn't betray Asgard," Wanda slowly raised her eyes. "He protected you." Even then, even after everything.”

“Laughed in Thanos’s face. Gods… how brave he is,” Steve shook his head in admiration and horror.

“And how stupid,” Tony added darkly. “Thanos is not one to forgive disrespect.”

“I tried to lie. But he wouldn’t listen. He began to break me.”

“No,” almost everyone exhaled in disbelief, though deep down they knew what that meant.

“Torture. He tortured him,” Bucky said in a choked voice, all too familiar with what monsters were capable of.

“First… physically,” Loki took a shuddering breath, as if each word was a struggle. “They burned me. Alive. Melted my skin with acid. Frozen me until my bones crunched. Cut me apart and waited for me to regenerate so they could start over.”

"No... he... was burned alive?" Peter covered his mouth in horror, holding back his nausea.

"Those bastards..." Thor paled and clenched his fists until his knuckles were white.

"Acid... freezing... oh my God," Vision turned away; even his synthetic consciousness couldn't easily accept such cruelty.

"They were experimenting on him. Testing the limits of his endurance," Bruce realized, removing his glasses with trembling hands.

"Everything they could think of, they did. But I kept quiet. I... didn't tell them anything."

"He didn't give up," Tony said with both respect and horror. "After all that nightmare, he didn't give up."

"Protected us, not knowing if it would help anyone," Steve added hoarsely.

"He was tortured, and he still didn't betray anyone," Natasha added, admiration in her voice.

"And we would never have known about it if it weren't for now," Sam realized bitterly.

"Then Thanos realized that physical pain wouldn't break me. And he took the Mind Stone," Loki's voice grew even quieter, but remained just as even and emotionless.

"No," Thor breathed out in horror. "Not that. Anything but that."

"He got into his head," Wanda whispered. "It's worse than any physical torture. Much worse."

"Not just torture—change. Break the very soul," Bucky said with the understanding of a mind-control victim.

"It was... an invasion." A violation of my very essence. He didn't just read my thoughts. He rewrote them. Replaced my memories with nightmares. He showed me Thor throwing me off the Bifrost with a smirk. My father telling me I was a mistake. My mother turning away from me in disgust.

"Loki... I would never..." Thor said, pale as death. He remembered his brother's words: "I remember how you threw me into the abyss!" He hadn't even realized what that was then. He'd called it a made-up problem. Thor wanted to sink into the ground with shame.

"Thanos turned his love for family into poison," Stephen realized. "Every good memory became a source of pain."

"He twisted everything sacred to him. Family, home, love," Wanda added, barely holding back her sobs.

"This is mind rape in the most literal sense," Bruce said, his voice shaking with disgust.

"And Thanos continued to work on my mind. He showed me visions of Asgard burning, of the earthlings begging for mercy. He said that only through conquest could I bring peace. That I was born for the throne, not for the family that rejected me."

"Pure brainwashing," Wanda said, nodding. "He turned his pain into a weapon against us all."

"Thanos used his trauma to mold him into the perfect soldier," Vision realized.

"Every day he broke him, and then he told me we were to blame for his suffering," Stephen added bitterly.

"By the end, I didn't know what was true or false anymore. My mind was... rewritten. I believed Asgard had betrayed me, that Earth deserved to be conquered, that Thanos was the only one who understood me."

"And we never asked," Steve said quietly. "When he attacked New York, we saw an enemy. Not a victim."

"We fought a victim who'd been tortured and brainwashed for a year," Sam realized with horror.

"And we even sent him to prison after that," Clint added, self-loathing in his voice.

Loki and Sylvie walk along the gray, rutted path to the Citadel. Silence. And then—he speaks. His voice is muffled but firm. His eyes stare off into space.

"God, I can't take any more revelations," Tony groaned, rubbing his eyes. It's too much, even for him.

"Midgard was... a performance. I knew I couldn't truly conquer the planet—some part of me still resisted. So I made it all deliberately theatrical, silly. So they'd stop me."

"Wait, what?" Natasha sat up abruptly. "He deliberately lost New York?"

"He sabotaged his own mission," Steve realized, slumping heavily into his chair. "We thought he came to conquer, but he..."

"And he was trying to save us from himself," Peter finished, stunned.

"Thanos sent him with an army, and we thought it was his idea," Rhodey added.

"He was resisting the mind control from within," Wanda realized. "Fighting for us, without even fully realizing it."

"If I wanted to... with the strength and anger I had... I could crush them all."

"I believe you," Steve said tensely, recalling their fight. He was barely winning, and it turns out he was holding back? They had no chance back then.

"Yes, he had both the resources and the intelligence. He just... didn't use them properly," Tony nodded.

"He was holding back. All the time," Natasha realized.

"God, and we thought he was weak," Sam muttered. "And he just didn't want to kill us."

"But I... I wasn't myself. I was what they molded. A prisoner. A tool. A shadow of myself."

"It's so similar to what happened to me," Wanda said quietly. "Losing yourself, becoming a weapon in the hands of others."

"I know what it's like to be a tool," Bucky added sympathetically. "When your body is acting, and you're screaming inside."

Loki pauses for a second. His voice is barely audible. Sylvie is silent next to him, but her gaze is filled with understanding. "The scepter helped control his mind, but I... I was still there, inside. Screaming, trying to break through Thanos's poison. Wanted someone to simply ask—why? Why am I doing this? And help."

"We didn't ask. We didn't even think about it," Steve said tensely.

"We could have stopped it all back then, if we'd just... talked to him," Bruce said, his voice tinged with pain.

"And we thought he just... wanted power," Tony added bitterly.

A pause. Thor put his head in his hands, as if the world had collapsed on his shoulders. "Forgive me, brother. We all failed you."

God, he wanted to take it all back and help his brother, to see that something was wrong with him.

"And no one asked. No one saw. Mobius told me that I would have been brought to Asgard later. Broken, poisoned by lies, filled with hatred. And everyone saw only the villain. No one asked what happened to me, as if I had always been this mad, and no one noticed the difference."

"We didn't ask," Thor repeated through sobs, his voice filled with unbearable guilt. "For all the years that have passed since. I didn't ask. I didn't see that you were different. Broken. I'm sorry. Forgive me, forgive me..."

Tears streamed down his face without stopping.

Everyone was silent, understanding that this truth applied to everyone. Without exception. Almost everyone had a dark past, but they were given a chance, while Loki was given nothing—he was simply a "monster," and that was that.

"We all got a second chance," Clint said quietly. "Natasha, Wanda, Bucky... but no one reached out to him."

"Because it was easier to see him as evil," Sam added. "Than to figure out the reasons."

A heavy silence fell over the room. Everyone understood—they had missed their chance to save him back in New York. All of them.

"Loki." "It's okay."
Sylvie stops him, frowning at him. "You're shaking."

"God," Peter whispered. "He's actually shaking at the memory."

"It's okay," Loki replied, trying to compose himself, his voice neutral again. "I mostly... I don't even think about it usually, really."

"He says it like it's nothing," Clint tensed.

"Did she keep all this inside? All this time?" Peter asked, shocked.

"Of course she did," Bucky said understandingly. "When no one listens to you, you stop talking."

"What's the point, anyway? He did what he did because the TVA wanted him to. And in the Sacred Timeline, he... did kill me in the end. But I'm here. So... maybe it doesn't mean anything."

"No, Loki," Steve said firmly but quietly. "It mattered. All of it mattered."

"He doesn't even allow himself to feel the pain," Rhodey whispered. "He just erases it as unnecessary information."

"It's a defense mechanism," Bucky explained. "I know that well. When there's too much pain, you shut down your emotions."

"But you can't live like that," Wanda added painfully. "I tried the same thing after Pietro died. It destroys you from the inside."

Sylvie turned sharply to him, her voice hardening. "Look, when I tried to enchant you, you barely felt it. I'm thousands of years old, and this... has never happened. If it's because of what they did to your mind, then it's definitely not just 'something.' That psychic scar tissue in your head is damn real."

"He was a puppet," Wanda whispered. "And none of us even thought to ask who was pulling the strings."

"We saw he was angry—that's all," Tony said bitterly. "No one asked where all that rage and pain came from."

"No one asked what they did to him," Sam added heavily.

"I should have known," Thor clenched his fists in anger at himself. "I was there. I saw him fall from the Bifrost, how bad he looked when he arrived on Midgard, not using his full powers. But I still didn't understand what was happening."

Loki, still staring into the distance, answered quietly, almost mechanically. "The Mind Stone took a long time to work. And yes, perhaps it still affects something deep down. But... I don't think anything will help completely now. I've restored the defenses as best I can. But the scars... they'll probably be forever."

A heavy, oppressive silence fell.

Thor rose slowly, his eyes blazing not with anger, but despair. "He was alone. I didn't come for him. I believed he was dead, or that he had chosen his path. But all this time, he was..."

"A prisoner," Tony finished quietly. "A broken toy in the hands of a monster."

"And we beat him, chased him, accused him," Clint added quietly. "Without even asking, 'What happened to you?'"

"We lost the Battle of New York... long before it even started." Steve sat up slowly, clutching his temples.

A pause. Loki continued walking. He didn't speak anymore. But that silence held everything.
The inside of the Citadel was made of the same material as the outside. Miss Minutes appeared out of nowhere. "Hey, all of you!"

Everyone in the room let out a small gasp of surprise, though most later vehemently denied it.

"Oh, my God!" Tony exhaled, clutching his chest dramatically. "My heart hurts after all that horror we just heard from Loki! Don't scare us like that!"

"And yet, she deliberately keeps giving me a slight arrhythmia with her appearances," Peter said, irritated but subdued. His voice sounded subdued after Loki's harsh revelations.

"Sorry, but after such shocking revelations, absolutely any normal person would be terrified of a sudden appearance," Bruce added wearily, still mentally processing what he'd heard about the torture.

Everyone looked mentally drained after Loki's story.

Loki and Sylvie immediately pointed their swords at her. "Welcome to the Citadel at the End Times," said Miss Minutes.

"So this is what awaits us at the very end of time," said Bucky, staring tensely at the eerie Citadel on the screen.

"Then what's at the beginning of time?" Sam asked, desperately trying to distract himself from the heavy, oppressive thoughts.

"After everything we've learned," Rhodey added gloomily, "I'm not at all sure I even want to know."

She congratulated them, as they had an incredibly long journey ahead of them.

"The journey the TVA forced them through!" Steve exclaimed, but now his voice carried not only anger at the TVA but also guilt for not understanding the truth about Loki sooner.

"He's impressed."
"Who's impressed?" Sylvie asked.

Everyone exchanged worried glances, still processing what they'd just heard.

"He Who Remains."

A long moment of tense, heavy silence followed.

"That... sounds incredibly ominous?" Peter said, extremely hesitantly.

"Am I even supposed to know who that is?" Scott asked, though his thoughts were far from cryptic names.

"What kind of stupid, pretentious name is that?" Clint said, but his usual sarcasm was greatly muted by the gravity of the moment. "'The One Who Remains.' Like something out of a cheesy movie."

Steven frantically tried to remember if he'd ever read about the One Who Remains in ancient texts. He searched through his memories and realized he'd never heard such a name anywhere near it. He would have remembered it, but no.

Loki asked who it was.
"He created everything, and He controls everything. In the end, only He remains."

"That's pretty bleak," Scott muttered, but right now it seemed as if their entire reality was bleak.

"Created everything?" Steve asked sullenly. "Including Loki and Sylvie's suffering?"

Miss Minutes said that He Who Remains wanted to offer them a deal—to return them to the Sacred Timeline.

The group collectively held their breath.

"Back to the Sacred Timeline," Thor said with a painful melancholy. He thought about how his version of himself from that timeline would never know the truth about his brother. Never understand the hell he'd been through.

"Loki and Sylvie together in the same timeline?" Wanda asked, puzzled. "After everything they both had to endure apart?"

"This is clear proof that the Sacred Timeline is complete nonsense and a fabrication," Peter said, surprisingly grim for his age. "If he can change it at will, like a construction set."

"Then what was that strange blue and white line outside the Citadel anyway?" Rhodey asked, but that seemed less important than everything else.

"I want to know the main thing," Stephen said heavily. "Why did He Who Remains create the TVA in the first place? Or does he have even darker, more sinister plans?"

Loki and Sylvie exchanged glances. "TVA can continue to do its important work, and you can live the lives you've always dreamed of," Miss Minutes said.

Everyone narrowed their eyes in disbelief and disgust.

Loki asked what they'd always wanted. Miss Minutes said Loki knew how he got into this mess.
"What?"
"The Battle of New York, stupid. You against those smug Avengers. How would you like to win?"

The Avengers listened with a complex mixture of amazement, horror, and deep guilt.

"Smug," Clint repeated bitterly, his voice thick with self-accusation. "We really were smug, blind idiots back then."

"But can He Who Remains really do that?" Scott asked. "Make Loki win that invasion? Change the past?"

Now the question sounded ominous, terrifying.

"Of course he can," Steve clenched his jaw painfully. "We now know for certain that all our heroism was simply part of his pre-written script. And Loki was a victim from the very beginning. A pawn."

"He was never a villain," Wanda whispered. "Never."

"But not only that. You can kill Thanos," Miss Minutes continued. Loki's face contorted with pain and rage.

Everyone paled at his reaction.

"After everything Thanos did to him," Wanda whispered. "Of course he wants to kill him. And he's not alone in that desire."

"I'd like to tear that bastard apart myself," Thor muttered through clenched teeth.

"But it's bait," Natasha realized. "She's using his trauma against him."

"You want the Infinity Gauntlet? Yours. The Throne of Asgard? No problem."

Everyone's jaws dropped at the cynicism of the offer.

"The Infinity Gauntlet," Bruce repeated, quietly, shocked. "He talks about it like it's a cheap trinket. A toy."

"Miss Minutes talks about the Gauntlet so casually, like it's a toy from a store," Steve said, pain in his trembling voice. "And our friends, our family, died for her..." His voice broke.

"But why?" Natasha frowned suspiciously. "Why is He Who Remains so generously offering Loki absolutely all of this? What does he want in return?"

"Nothing good," Sam said grimly. "Definitely nothing good. There's always a price."

Miss Minutes told Sylvie about a life full of happy memories.

Everyone sucked in a breath, and Wanda forced a watery smile. She wondered what it was like to have a lifetime of happy memories; she had only a few of her parents, Pietro, Vision, and the other Avengers.

"Pure manipulation," Natasha said with disgust. "He's playing on their pain."

"Two Lokis in one place."
"We're both... together on the timeline," Loki explained, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"I still don't understand how it all works technically," Thor said, but he couldn't think about that now.

He was thinking only about how he'd betrayed his younger brother in the past. How he'd failed to see his pain.

"Because absolutely everything the TVA says is a complete lie," Bucky replied sharply and angrily. "Everything, without exception, is manipulation and propaganda for control."

"If he truly can completely control time," Stephen realized, "then the rules don't matter at all. He can do whatever he wants."

Miss Minutes said that with The One Who Remains, everything could work out exactly as they wanted.

"Then why the hell did he arrest Loki and Sylvie in the first place if he was going to offer them all this?" Sam asked with growing suspicion. "There's absolutely no logic to it."

"Unless..." Stephen slowly realized, his eyes widening, "he wants them to refuse the offer. To first show them a tempting alternative, and then psychologically force them to choose the worse, more dangerous path."

"Or he's just a complete sadist," Clint added darkly, "who loves to play with people like dolls. Enjoys their pain."

"First methodically break the victim, then generously offer healing," Natasha said with professional understanding. "Typical, classic abuser and manipulator tactic."

Sylvie's eyes yearned for it. "It's fiction."

Everyone looked at Sylvie with understanding and sympathy.

"She's right," Natasha said quietly. "No one gives you what you want most for nothing."

"Especially not the one who created the system that ruined her life from childhood," Wanda added.

"Sylvie is smart enough not to believe that nonsense," Tony said approvingly.

Loki said they were writing their own destinies now.

Everyone nodded with grim approval, but now it sounded like an act of desperate resistance.

"They're right," Steve said firmly. "After everything Loki and Sylvie have been through, they deserve to choose their own path. Even if it's dangerous."

"Better dangerous freedom than safe slavery," Bucky added with deep understanding.

"He's suffered enough from other people's decisions in his life," Wanda said quietly.

"Oh, of course you will. Good luck with that," said Miss Minutes and disappeared.

"Miss Minute needs to stop doing that," Sam said irritably.

"Not to mention she sounded rather condescending," Wanda noted.

"Well, Miss Minute works for someone named He Who Remains," Stephen reminded him. "So her attitude explains a lot."

"The master's arrogance has rubbed off on the servant," Rhodey added grimly.

In Renslayer's office, Renslayer was downloading files onto her TemPad, browsing through them.

They stared at Renslayer.

"She's the worst," Scott said.

Miss Minutes appeared, and Renslayer asked what was taking her so long.

"Nothing special, just casually offering Loki the fucking Infinity Gauntlet!" Tony exclaimed, rubbing his temples.

Miss Minutes said some things still needed to be sorted out, but she was downloading the files Renslayer needed.

"Renslayer's getting the files now?" Bruce asked.

"Who knows if they're real?" Steve chuckled.

Renslayer took the TemPad and looked at it. "That's not what I asked for."
"I know, but he thinks it'll be more useful."
"Who?"

Everyone groaned.

"He Who Remains," Scott replied.

"Why did he offer Renslayer the files?" Peter asked, puzzled. "Why now?"

"Nothing that man has done makes any sense to me," Bucky said, crossing his arms.

"Enjoy reading," Miss Minutes said, and disappeared.

Back at the Citadel, Loki and Sylvie walked past, swords at the ready.

"He Who Remains" Loki said. "Not for long," Sylvie replied.

"Exactly," Thor said firmly, but now his support sounded different—not like revenge, but like justice.

They entered the atrium. There were three statues of the Time Keepers and one ruined statue.

Everyone blinked in surprise.

"There's a ruined statue of the Time Keeper," Rhodey noted. "That's kind of weird."

"Nothing about this place makes sense," Clint said grimly.

Loki noticed the dust and asked if he was still alive.

"He should be," Bruce said tensely.

A door to the side opened, and they saw He Who Remains. He held an apple in his hand.

Their hearts leaped into their throats with alarm when they finally saw the creator of the TVA.

A long pause.

"But... he's just an ordinary man," Stephen said, completely baffled. "Not a god. Not a cosmic being. Just a man."

"Yes, with such a grandiose name as He Who Remains," Peter added, clearly disappointed, "I expected something far more impressive and grandiose... not just him."

"He could be from some other advanced alien race," Natasha suggested cautiously. "Asgardians look human on the outside, but they're completely inhuman at their core. Who knows what species the One Who Remains truly is?"

Loki and Sylvie pointed their swords at him. The One Who Remains stood up with a smirk. He said it was weird—two people who were once one, and a bit unnatural.

"Only because he made it possible! What blatant hypocrisy!" Sam threw his hands in the air furiously.

"He created the system, and now he criticizes the result," Steve added with disgust.

He took a bite of his apple.

"Where does the One Who Remains get his groceries?" Tony muttered.

"He probably just opened the time door and went to the grocery store whenever it suited him," Clint suggested.

"He Who Remains," Sylvie said.

They all glared at He Who Remains.

"I'll enjoy watching Loki and Sylvie take him down," Bucky said with a predatory grin.

Everyone else nodded in agreement. Stephen still hoped for another solution to prevent a Multiversal War—if that was even true—but he agreed that The One Who Remains wasn't the right person for it.

"She still calls me that? Creepy, huh? But... I like it," said The One Who Remains. He invited them into his office to talk.

"Honestly, I expected a big fight," Rhodey said. "Not small talk."

"The One Who Remains is so calm," Natasha said, narrowing her eyes at The One Who Remains. "After everything he's done, it's unnatural."

"What's natural about that, anyway?" Tony snorted.

"That calm... it's more frightening than any threat," Vision added.

They all entered the elevator. He Who Remains was in front, still chewing his apple, and Loki and Sylvie were behind him, their swords pointed.

"Why the hell is he eating an apple so calmly?" Scott protested.

"It's like he doesn't have two people with swords standing behind him," Peter added nervously.

"Not what you expected, huh?" said He Who Remains.

"Definitely not," they all replied in unison.

"You're just... human," Loki said, his voice almost disappointed.

"Honestly, from the way Miss Minute described him, I was expecting someone like Thanos," Bucky admitted.

"Flesh and blood," He Who Remains confirmed. "Don't tell me I'm a disappointment." "No. He's just a little easier to kill," Sylvie said, swinging her sword at He Who Remains. He Who Remains had used a device to warp time, so he ended up behind Sylvie.

Everyone groaned in disappointment.

"Of course," Tony said sarcastically. "Of course He Who Remains will have the same time machine as the TVA."

He Who Remains chuckled. Sylvie tried to hit him a few more times, but He Who Remains warped time to escape.

"How are they going to kill someone capable of such a thing?" Rhodey asked cautiously.

Finally, he was no longer in the elevator.

They all exchanged wary glances.

"Where did he go?" Scott asked.

The elevator dinged and opened, and He Who Remains appeared smiling.

Thor frowned and clenched his fists.

He invited them in, brewed tea, and offered them a seat.

There was a moment of silence as they stared at He Who Remains in disbelief.

"He's offering them tea?" Sam asked incredulously.

"You've come a long way, filled with pain, running, and loneliness," He Who Remains said, looking at them with an almost tender smile.

"He talks about all this like it was just a regular workout at the gym!" Thor barely contained his rage, his voice hoarse with emotion. "And meanwhile, my brother was falling into the endless Void, being systematically tortured..."

"He calls their personal hell simply 'the path,'" Steve added darkly, his fists white. "A cold-blooded bastard. A sociopath."

"Pain, running, and loneliness... and he still smiles while saying it," Wanda said with undisguised disgust. "Enjoys it."

"And you still don't understand why you're here."

"It's not just control—it's mockery," Natasha said with disgust.

"He wants them to doubt everything, even their own pain," Bucky realized.

Sylvie gripped the hilt of her sword, her gaze never leaving her opponent. Loki, opposite him, looked at the floor, his expression neutral.

"Look at him," Tony said quietly. "This guy's been through hell. And now he has to calmly listen to people tell him, 'It was necessary for the plan.'"

"He doesn't look at him at all," Wanda noted with pain. "It's... a mental defense mechanism. Dissociation."

"But I desperately needed you," He Who Remains continued convincingly. "It was you two—because only you could reach me here. Only you were broken enough... and at the same time stubborn enough to see it through to the very end."

"Broken... intentionally, methodically broken by him," Sam repeated slowly.

"He purposefully made them perfect pawns," Clint said with disgust. "Tailored them to his pre-written script. Like machine parts."

"'Broken enough...'" Bruce whispered. "God, how cynical and inhumane that sounds."

Loki looked up at him, his gaze cold as ice. He simply stared at him, unblinking, his hand tightening slightly.

"Brother..." Thor whispered, his voice shaking.

"That look... there's so much pain and rage in it," Wanda said, barely holding back tears.

"You thought you were making a choice. That you were fighting for freedom. But everything you wanted was already written. Every scene. Every step."

"Like my orders from HYDRA, only wrapped in a pretty package," Bucky said grimly.

"He turned Loki and Sylvie's pain into a line in the script. Without even flinching," Tony said, pursing his lips, realizing Afghanistan was also a line in the script.

Sylvie suddenly whispered, "He used us."

"Yes, yes! She understands!" Peter said rapturously.

"But what now? If everything is already written?" Clint said dejectedly.

"I gave you a purpose," He Who Remains said calmly. "Without me, you would have continued to fall, run, hide... die."

"He gave us no purpose! He took it away!" Thor exploded.

"No one has the right to decide who lives and suffers," Steve said grimly.

Loki slowly straightened, his voice dangerously quiet. "Such generosity. You didn't save us—you controlled us. You watched us crumble and applauded the performance."

"That was a blow. Yeah!" Tony said admiringly.

"A god-like opponent, but Loki almost devoured him with one sentence," Rhodey smirked.

"He found words for what we all feel," Natasha said proudly.

"This isn't salvation—it's a cage. And you called it order," his voice grew even colder, each word cutting like a dagger.

"That's his truth. And it's stronger than any magic," Sam said, nodding.

He Who Remains laughed, but fear flickered in his eyes. The most fleeting. The most genuine.

"He's afraid. He's afraid of Loki!" Peter said, raising his eyebrows.

"Because a broken but living person is more terrifying than any machine," Bucky said understandingly.

He Who Remains pulled out a few more pages. He calmly said, "That's all that's going to happen." There's only one way this can go."

"Only one? It's a lie. It's chains," Steve said tensely.

"Script, script, script. Enough!" Tony said sarcastically, throwing up his hands.

"What about everything we choose? Is everything an illusion?" Wanda asked, a little lost.

Sylvie turned to him sharply. "So everything we did... was predetermined?"

"He's methodically breaking their minds," Bucky said with the understanding of a victim of manipulation. "Making them doubt reality."

"He's a control freak!" Rhodey said furiously. "He twists and twists everything to suit himself!"

"No!" Thor said through clenched teeth. "I don't believe his path was entirely predetermined. He fought with all his might. He made choices!"

"Lamentis. Emptiness. The Citadel," continued He Who Remains. "Every step. I paved the way. And you just... walked."

"He thinks he's the creator. But he's just an observer with a pen," said Steve.

"He's not a god. He's a screenwriter, locked in his own pride," said Sam.

"But... what if he really does know everything?.. What then?" Peter said quietly.

Loki looked at the pages, then at Sylvie. He exhaled, his voice thick with confusion and anger. "You think you can write us like characters? You don't know us."

"Even now, after everything, he continues to resist," Wanda said admiringly.

"He's right," Vision added. "No one can fully predict a living soul with free will."

"You came here because you had to change. Only that made you ready for the endgame," He Who Remains explained, as if giving a lecture.

"Psychopath!" Clint exclaimed. "He manipulated their souls for years until they were 'changed' enough for his plan!"

"And what will happen to them after the 'endgame'?" Bucky asked grimly. "Disposal, like spent soldiers?"

"'Ready for the end...'" Tony remarked grimly. "Sounds like a death sentence."

Sylvie gritted her teeth. "So this was all for your end?" Loki stepped closer. He spoke quietly, almost in a whisper. "It's a game. Manipulation. The illusion of choice."

"And yet she sees the point. Amazing," Wanda said.

"And if we have no choice... then why fight?" Peter asked, confused.

"Because fighting is a choice," Steve replied firmly.

He Who Remains laughed. "Interesting that your mind would go that far. Sylvie, do you think you can trust this guy?"

"Don't you dare!" Thor shouted furiously. "Don't you dare pit them against each other!"

"Classic tactic: divide and conquer," Steve said, closing his eyes.

"The scoundrel uses them against each other," Rhodey added with disgust.

Loki turned sharply to her. "Don't listen to him."
He Who Remains smirked. "Do you think you can trust anyone?"

"Despicable. So despicable," Rhodey narrowed his eyes.

"He's hitting her where it hurts," Wanda said, pained.

Sylvie didn't answer. She looked at Loki. And he looked at her.

The silence stretched.

"Here it is," Tony said tensely, staring at the screen. "The moment of true choice. And no piece of paper with a script will suffice."

"If only... she could see the truth," Thor said pleadingly. "That Loki isn't lying to her. He never has."

"It's all about to be decided," Natasha added quietly. "Will Sylvie trust the one who's always been honest with her, or the one who's ruined their lives since childhood?"

The tension was unbearable.

Back at the TVA, Mobius declared that people were ready to hear that the TVA was a lie.

"They are," Bucky said firmly, "and they deserve to hear it too. They deserve to know the truth and know that their entire lives were taken from them."

"But what if it's necessary? Someone created the Time Keepers. They created this entire place. They gave us all a purpose. I have to believe they had a reason," Renslayer said.

"I don't think being stranded in the Void and eaten by Alioth is even necessary for something as trivial as going to work late," Sam said furiously. "It's horrific!"

"No, because I've seen the horror that awaits people when they're circumcised, and there's nothing necessary about it," Mobius replied.

"Exactly!" everyone exclaimed.

"I don't know how Renslayer can still support the TVA, knowing she's an option and that they stole her life," Steve said.

"People are comfortable with what they know," Natasha replied. "Renslayer has been working for the TVA for centuries. Or maybe she's trying to cling to something familiar when everything she thought was true turns out to be false."

"Do you know what happens if we don't clear the Timeline?" "What?" "Chaos. Death."

"And that somehow makes everything okay?" Rhodey asked incredulously.

"Free will?"

"Everyone deserves free will!" Bucky exclaimed. "People deserve to have a choice!"

Renslayer chuckled and said that only those in charge get free will. She continued packing her bag.

Everyone chuckled bitterly.

"It won't last long," Wanda said with a smirk.

"Friends through time, allies to the end." "It was so wonderful. And then you sent me to die. What happened to you?" Mobius asked. "Nothing, Mobius. I haven't changed."
"You haven't changed? You betrayed me."
"No, no. You betrayed me!"

They all winced.

"Well, I can understand why Renslayer would feel that way, they've been friends for centuries, but she couldn't seriously believe Mobius would stay with the TVA after learning the truth?" Peter said, frowning.

Renslayer said she was looking out for Mobius, and he turned to these Options when he was going through a crisis of faith.

"A crisis of faith, huh? Interesting way to put it," Bruce raised an eyebrow.

"Centuries of friendship. And you threw it all away because of a couple of Lokis."

"Well, Loki would have been a much better option than staying with the TVA," Clint said, grinning.

Natasha's lips curled into a smile.

Mobius said they can't take away people's free will.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Renslayer activated the time door, and Mobius asked what she was doing.
"What do I need to do?"

They all looked at Renslayer with apprehension.

"Whatever she's planning, it can't be good news," Scott said, clasping his hands.

Mobius said that maybe together they could turn the TVA into something better.

"No, the TVA needs to be burned to the ground," Steve said. "All of this needs to be gone."

"And something new in its place," Stephen added.

Renslayer shook her head and apologized. Mobius said he wouldn't let Renslayer go and activated his Time Staff.

Everyone grinned.

Renslayer said he posed no threat to her. She quickly overpowered him, took the Time Staff, and kicked Mobius.

"Well, your efforts are appreciated," Sam said.

Mobius groaned. "Yes, you were right. Here again." Renslayer pointed the Time Staff at Mobius, who ordered her to go forward.

"He'll just end up in the Void, where he'll emerge again," Stephen noted, rolling his eyes.

A moment later, Renslayer deactivated the Time Staff.

"Hmm, I guess she really cares about Mobius," Sam said thoughtfully.

"She ordered the Minutemen to cut him down the first time," Tony snorted.

Mobius asked where she was going. "In search of free will," Renslayer replied, stepping through the Time Gate.

Everyone frowned.

"So she's going to find the One Who Remains?" Scott asked.

"Well, he did give her those files," Tony noted.

At the Citadel, the One Who Remains stated that he understood their moral objections to the TVA's actions.

"Then why the hell does he still allow TVA to operate and cut people off?!" Rhodey asked indignantly.

"And my methods are certainly deceptive, cruel," He Who Remains admitted with a shrug. "But the mission itself was never like that. Without me, without the TVA… absolutely everything burns. The entire multiverse."

Everyone exchanged tense, uneasy glances.

"Everything burns?" Tony asked skeptically. "He Who Remains can't be that important to the entire universe."

"The classic line of every dictator and tyrant in history," Steve added grimly, crossing his arms. "'Without me, chaos will reign. Only I can save the world.'"

"We've heard that a thousand times," Natasha agreed. "From everyone who wanted absolute power."

Loki asked who he feared so much. "Me," He Who Remains replied.

Everyone held their breath.

Stephen's heart leaped into his throat.

"His own Variant," he whispered understandingly. "He's deathly afraid of himself. Other versions of himself."

"What could be worse than just one He Who Remains?" Bucky realized with growing horror. "An entire army of them."

"An endless army," Bruce added, turning pale.

Sylvie asked who he was. He Who Remains said he'd been called many things by many people, including ruler, conqueror, and idiot.

"He's definitely the latter. Idiot is putting it mildly," Thor frowned, clenching his fists.

"Conqueror?" Scott asked, concerned. "That doesn't sound good at all. Alarming."

"If he calls himself a conqueror," Wanda paled, "then what do his truly evil versions do? What horrors do they create?"

He activated his round TempPad, and a clay-like substance formed on the table. "Eons ago, before the TVA, a version of me lived on Earth in the 31st century."

There was a long moment of absolute silence. Everyone looked at the One Who Remained, completely bewildered and shocked.

"The 31st century?!" Steve said, his voice weak and shocked.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Tony screamed, his eyes widening. "The 31st century! That's why Miss Minute was so technologically advanced! She was created by someone from the 31st century in the future!"

"The 31st century sounds like pure science fiction," Peter said, stunned. "I physically can't wrap my head around it."

"That completely explains the TVA's incredible technology!" Bruce realized, his scientific mind racing. "They're thousands of years ahead of us technologically!"

"Time doors, reality truncation, time control," Tony listed. "All of it—future technology."

"He was a scientist, and he discovered that there were universes superimposed on his own."

"The multiverse," they all groaned in disappointment.

"Of course he was a scientist," Steven said gloomily, shaking his head. "It always starts with scientific curiosity. And ends in disaster."

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions," Natasha added.

"Meanwhile, other versions of us were learning the same thing. Naturally, they made contact."

"My head is splitting. The concept of the multiverse is too confusing and complicated," Bucky clutched his head in his hands painfully.

"Imagine the scene," Natasha tried to visualize, "dozens, hundreds of versions of the same person meeting for the first time and deciding to share knowledge and technology. What could possibly go wrong?"

"Absolutely anything," Steve replied gloomily.

The clay from which the version of He Who Remains was molded meets another version, emerging from the Time Door.

"That's why Stephen said they weren't magical," Peter said. "They were technological, because He Who Remains is from the 31st century."

He Who Remains explained that there was a world, and they shared technology and knowledge. The clay transferred into variants of He Who Remains, creating Tempads and Reset Charges.

"Of course," Vision nodded understandingly. "He Who Remains is a brilliant scientist from the future by trade, so it's logical that he invented all of the TVA's weapons and technology."

"This technology, no matter how morally horrific," Tony admitted, "is objectively scientifically improbable."

"Control over time," Bruce whispered reverently. "The Holy Grail of physics."

"However, not all of my versions were so pure of heart. For some of us, new worlds meant only one thing—new lands to conquer."

Everyone clenched their jaws.

"Of course," Steve chuckled bitterly. "It's so typical of humanity. Give people power, and they want it."

"History repeats itself," Natasha added. "In any century."

The victorious version of The One Who Remains stood atop the bodies of his versions, holding the Staff of Time.

Everyone looked at the victorious version with fear and disgust.

"I definitely don't want to ever meet the victorious version of The One Who Remains. He looks and sounds like a nightmare," Scott shuddered involuntarily.

"I'm sick of this stupid multiverse," Peter admitted, his young face pale. "At first, the concept sounded cool and exciting, but now it's just terrifying."

"I'm tired of it too, kid," Stephen agreed wearily, rubbing his temples.

"The world between realities..." The One Who Remains mimicked an explosion, "...erupted into an all-out war, with each version fighting to preserve their universe and destroy the others."

Everyone in the room turned chalk white.

"The Multiverse War was real," Stephen whispered in genuine horror. "The TVA didn't lie about this historic event. It's true."

"This is catastrophically bad," Wanda said, her face white. "Very, very bad for everyone."

"A war for the very right to exist," Thor whispered, shocked. "Every universe desperately fighting for survival. A genocide of realities."

There were many versions of the One Who Remained, fighting each other with the Time Staffs. The One Who Remained said it was the end of everything and everyone.

Everyone's stomachs sank with icy fear.

"A normal war between countries is bad enough," Scott said, his eyes wide, "but an all-out war between entire worlds and universes? It's beyond comprehension."

"How could anyone win such a massive war?" Sam added, completely shocked. "Against infinite versions of yourself?"

"No way," Stephen replied quietly. "A war like that doesn't end in victory. Only in destruction."

"And then the Time Keepers showed up and saved us all," Sylvie said.

"But the Time Keepers are fake," Bruce said. "They're not real."

The One Who Remains agreed, saying that was where they differed from the dogma. "That first version had a being created from all the tears of reality, capable of consuming time and space itself. A being... you both know."

They groaned in disappointment when they realized who He Who Remains was talking about.

"Alioth," Loki realized.

"Fuck," Tony breathed out.

"Of course it was Alioth!" Clint said, sounding extremely tired. "Of course, that giant monster was the key to absolutely everything from the very beginning!"

"That cloud demon that almost devoured them," Sam added.

"Bingo! I harnessed the beast's power and began experimenting with it. I weaponized Alioth and ended... ended the Multiverse War."

"How?!" Tony was shocked, his face turning ashen. "How did He Who Remains even manage to weaponize Alioth? We've all seen with our own eyes what Alioth is capable of! It's living entropy!" How can such a creature be controlled and turned into a weapon?!”

“A creature that literally devours time itself,” Vision realized with genuine horror, “like a weapon of mass destruction for entire realities. This... this is monstrous and immoral.”

“The one who remained,” Natasha whispered in shock, “was the victorious version that won the war. He was the only one left alive in the end. The last one.”

He Who Remains could be seen standing atop an asteroid surrounded by a circle.

"That's where the Citadel will be built, and that's where Loki and Sylvie are now," Rhodey noted.

"The last man in the universe," Peter whispered. "That must have driven him crazy."

"Once I isolated our timeline, all I had to do was manipulate the flow of time and prevent further ramifications. Hence the TVA."

"So, the true purpose of the TVA is simply to prevent the birth of any version of He Who Remains," Wanda said.

"That's why so much is tied to Earth," Tony noted. "He Who Remains is human, and he's trying to prevent the birth of his own version."

"And there were other species that also had a lot of contact with Midgard," Thor said, his eyes wide. "Skrulls and Asgardians."

"And apparently vampires," Scott said.

"And that's also what the red line on the TemPad means," Stephen realized. "It's when the TVA can no longer reset the Nexus Event because a variant of He Who Remains has been born."

"Damn," Tony said. "That's exactly how Old Steve was able to live his life in an alternate timeline and avoid being seized by the TVA. Theoretically, we have free will; it's just..."

"That just can't lead to a variant of He Who Remains," Bruce said, understanding Tony's point.

"Exactly. In an alternate timeline, Steve could have made all the changes he wanted, like preventing Barnes from becoming the Winter Soldier, destroying HYDRA and the Red Room..."

"...Give you a better childhood," Steve interrupted.

Tony shuddered at the thought of growing up with Steve as an uncle. What a nightmare.

"Yes, and I'll have a better childhood. Old Steve could have done all this in an alternate timeline, but as soon as any of those changes lead to the He Who Remains scenario, he and the timeline will be cut off."

"You're right," Stephen said, stunned. "The Sacred Timeline was never a single timeline. The Multiverse has always existed; He Who Remains simply wanted to prevent the creation of other versions of Himself."

"Essentially, the Sacred Timeline would be like a rope," Peter said. "Dozens of timelines could exist simultaneously—like Old Steve's—until it creates a version of He Who Remains. All the fibers and threads exist together, forming the Sacred Timeline."

"Hence the Timekeepers and the highly efficient bureaucracy. Hence the centuries and centuries of cosmic harmony. Hence... please."

"That still doesn't justify the situation," Steve said, shaking his head. "He took lives. Every time someone tries to win a war before it starts, innocent people die. Every time. None of the versions deserved to be ripped from their timelines and thrown into the Void just to prevent a Multiverse War.

"Innocent people die during a war," Tony said. "This whole situation is a complete mess."

"But how many lives did he save by preventing a war?" Bruce wondered. "It's terrible math, but..."

The One Who Remained said he was protecting them. "And if you think I'm evil, well, just wait until you meet my versions." Loki and Sylvie exchanged glances.

A chill ran down everyone's spines.

"Yeah, I really, really don't want to meet his evil version," Scott said, horrified. "I'm perfectly fine without it."

"If that's considered the 'good' option," Wanda whispered, "then what are the truly bad, evil versions?"

He Who Remains spread his arms, as if opening a curtain. "And there it is, the gambit. Stifling order... or catastrophic chaos."

"He's making this into a theatrical performance," Stephen said, pursing his lips. "But literally everything is at stake. Every living thing."

"A typical binary choice trap," Bruce said coldly. "All or nothing. Black or white. A classic manipulator's tactic."

"He speaks as if we're choosing between hell and... another, even worse hell," Clint added grimly.

"You may hate a dictator," he continued, "but something far worse will fill the void if you overthrow him."
He raised a finger, like a professor before an important formula: "TVA is the only way out. I've lived a million lives, experienced every possible scenario."

"A million lives—and not an ounce of conscience or empathy," Bruce said, rolling his eyes.

"Even I, with the Time Stone, haven't seen every possible scenario!" Stephen exclaimed. "But to force only one path? That's neither wisdom nor knowledge. That's pure tyranny."

"Perhaps he did see a million possible scenarios," Wanda added, "but he clearly missed the most important fact—that reasonable people have the inalienable right to choose their own destinies."

Sylvie didn't look away. "Or you're a liar." "Or I'm a liar," he agreed easily.

"He's agreeing too calmly," Natasha narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "As if he's mentally prepared for both outcomes."

"He's already replayed this scene in his head a thousand times," Bucky realized. "He knows every possible reaction."

"Or maybe he really is a pathological liar and just hides it professionally," Rhodey added.

Loki stepped forward, his eyes narrow, his voice muffled. "So you're just going to continue... cutting off innocent timelines?" "No. You'll do that."

"He's cynically drumming guilt into them for his own crimes!" Steve snapped, indignant.

"Classic manipulation," Rhodey added. "Like, 'You pulled the trigger, not me.' Shifting responsibility."

"He seriously thinks they'll just accept that?" Peter asked, shocked.

He spoke again, calmly, but with a glint in his eyes. "Two paths. Kill me—destroy TVA—and open up endless branches. And with them, endless variations of myself." He smiled wryly. "Or... you take power. And run TVA yourself."

"It's the perfect temptation," Stephen realized. "Power without visible consequences. The lure of power."

"Rule the entire multiverse?" Tony smirked. "He knows exactly who to offer it to."

"Seize the moment, Loki," Bruce said tensely. "This is that critical moment where everything either collapses—or everything changes dramatically."

"He's literally offering them the chance to become new all-powerful gods," Vision realized reverently. "It's... incredibly tempting for anyone."

Loki narrowed his eyes and asked in a low, hollow voice, "Why would you give up control?" "Because I'm tired. I'm old. This game is for the young. For the hungry."

"Oh, yes, of course!" Clint said sarcastically. "All this time, he's just wanted to retire peacefully! How touching!"

"He's a professional at playing generosity and weariness," Steve said. "But this is definitely the last desperate gamble."

"'Power hungry'..." Natasha observed shrewdly. "He knows perfectly well that Loki has craved power and recognition his whole life. Or at least he thinks he knows him."

He glanced at them. It was as if he could see behind their eyes—everyone watching. "I considered hundreds, thousands of options. And only one was suitable. He came not alone, but together." He pointed a finger at them. "You"

"He chose them?" Sam narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Or did he methodically mold, create suitable candidates?"

"That's completely irrelevant," Bucky replied grimly. "They're here. And he—he's mortally afraid of his own creation."

"He recognizes..." Thor said quietly, looking down, "that Loki is worthy of greatness. Worthy of the throne."

His voice trembled with mixed emotions.

"I always believed my brother had far, far more potential than anyone saw. But this... this is a whole other level, even for me to understand."

He rose from his chair. "So... No more lies. Kill me, and the Sacred Timeline will crumble. The Multiverse War will begin. Or... you will take power. Return to the TVA. Become its benevolent rulers. Tell everyone who they are. Why they do what they do."

"Lies masquerading as truth," Vision said, squinting at the screen. "He's a professional deceiver, even when he's revealing the truth."

"He's forcing them to become gods," Natasha added. "As if they can't just be ordinary people, living their lives."

"What if they…" Peter began hesitantly. "They don't choose either option? They just leave?"

Everyone looked at him, but no one knew how to answer that question.

He said they were all villains because they'd done terrible things, but now they had a chance to do it for a good reason.

"He's cynically playing on emotions again!" Steve said sullenly, crossing his arms. "It all comes down to guilt manipulation and the illusory possibility of 'atonement.' It's a psychological trap. A chance like that doesn't just happen."

"But technically, he's not lying about that," Steven noted doubtfully. "Or at least he doesn't even need to lie, if the truth itself is more terrifying than any possible lie."

"He's brilliant at turning their past mistakes and sins into the perfect qualifications for a new job," Tony realized cynically. "A manipulative, but incredibly effective psychological approach."

A distant rumble was heard, and He Who Remained looked around warily. He said they had just crossed a threshold. He Who Remained admitted he had lied earlier when he said he knew how everything would turn out. He said he knew everything up to a certain point, and that point was a few seconds ago."

"What threshold?!" Clint frowned, worried. "That sounded threatening, as if they had crossed an invisible line after which everything becomes irreversible."

"This is a moment of uncertainty," Doctor Strange said quietly, not taking his eyes off the screen. "The point where even he no longer knows exactly what will happen next. The limit of his predictability. A very... dangerous critical point in time."

"That's it," Bruce muttered, sinking into his chair. "The multiple reality theory has entered an active phase of de-layering. We're literally watching the stability of the most fundamental structure of space-time crumble."

"I naively thought it couldn't get any worse," Wanda said grimly. "But it's much worse. Catastrophically worse."

"He's no longer in control," Rhodey realized with horror. "We're all in free fall through the absolute unknown."

Beyond the Citadel, the Sacred Timeline began to branch.

"It looks like..." Peter whispered reverently. "A giant tree. A flaming tree with endless branches stretching into the void. It's... incredibly beautiful. And terrifying at the same time."

"A beautifully poetic way of saying 'everything has gone to hell,'" Rhodey grumbled.

"The multiverse is being born right before our eyes," Stephen said, awe and horror all at once. "We're witnessing the creation of infinity. The birth of chaos."

The One Who Remained said he had no idea how it would all play out.

"Whether he's a liar or not, I know one thing for sure," Thor said sharply. "I don't trust those who first gamble with the fate of millions and then suddenly declare themselves 'tired.'"

"The problem is, everything he said might now be true," Stephen sighed. "And Sylvie sees nothing but revenge."

Honestly, he doesn't know what he'd choose, but he definitely needs to think it all through very carefully first. Very long and very carefully.

Loki asked, "So, that's it? This is what happens at the end of time? And now you're just going to sit there with all this freedom and... let us decide your fate?" "Yes! What's the worst that could happen? Either you prevail, and my life's work continues, or you plunge a blade into my chest, and an infinite number of me starts a new Multiverse War. And I'll still come back here. Reincarnation, baby."

"Even at this critical juncture, he sounds absolutely insane," Bucky grumbled. "He knows perfectly well he'll be killed soon, yet he's not resisting at all. So either he's absolutely certain he'll return one way or another, or... he genuinely wants that to happen."

"A vicious cycle," Stephen said darkly. "He's locked his own inevitable death into an eternal time loop. This isn't just paranoia. This is suicidal control over his own destiny."

"'Reincarnation, baby'?" Wanda grimaced in disgust. "Really? He's talking about his own violent death like it's a funny joke."

Sylvie claimed it was another lie and manipulation, but He Who Remains said it wasn't. He removed his round TempPad and placed it on the table. He pushed it toward Loki and Sylvie. He said he appreciated all this honesty, and it felt like a new start.

"This is definitely a trap!" Tony said emphatically. "He didn't just give up! He's psychologically testing them to see who they'll ultimately choose—themselves, each other, or the authorities." It's all a complex psychological game of survival."

"They can't both be right at the same time..." Natasha noted, watching tensely, "and they definitely can't leave this room alive and happy."

"He's literally placing the weapon of absolute power between them," Rhodey realized, "and patiently waiting to see who grabs it first. A classic divide-and-conquer tactic."

Suddenly, Sylvie stood up and lunged at He Who Remains, sword raised. But Loki instantly darted forward, stepping between them. Sylvie's blade, aimed at He Who Remains's heart, slid across Loki's neck, leaving a red line.

"NO!" Thor cried out desperately, seeing the crimson blood on his brother's pale neck.

"He put his body between them!" Peter exclaimed in shock. "He's protecting him with his life!"

Sylvie spun around in rage and held her sword to Loki's throat. "What are you doing?!"
Loki touched the wound on his neck, his fingers stained with blood. "Wait. Just... let's talk about this."

"Hell, no..." Peter breathed out, tensing. "They're about to get serious. Please don't fight. Not you two..."

"Too much pent-up pain for both of them," Sam said quietly. "Sylvie can't psychologically stop now. This isn't just a choice for her. It's the end of a long road of revenge."

"And Loki..." Steve added, his voice thick with pain. "He's willing to die right here, just to keep Sylvie from making a fatal, irreversible mistake."

From behind, He Who Remains looked pleased, watching the scene.

"He knew they'd start fighting!" Bruce said angrily. "He totally foresaw their inevitable fallout! He set everything up from the start so they'd be physically unable to reach an agreement! He methodically laid out all the pieces on the board and just patiently waited for them to butt heads!"

"Well, how about finishing the job and killing him?"
Loki used his magic to pull Sylvie back, and they began to fight.

"Oh, my God!" Clint barked furiously. "They could have just come outside and had a calm conversation! Why does everything always end up in a fight?!"

"Again!" Tony groaned. "Again, they're fighting instead of uniting against a common enemy! I'm so tired of watching them tear each other apart!"

"This damned cycle of violence will never end," Wanda added desperately, "unless they learn to trust each other."

"Because they're both deeply broken inside," Thor said dully. "But Loki... he's desperately trying to stop Sylvie. To save her from making a mistake. And that's the crucial difference between them. Before, he would have simply let the sword pass right through him."

"What if he's telling the truth?". "So what?". "I believe him.". "Believe what? That countless horror stories will emerge just because we give people free will? He's a liar, Loki," Sylvie spat.
"Neither am I. And I don't think he was lying. Not about that. Insane? Yes. But maybe he was telling the truth," Loki said.

"This..." Tony said slowly, leaning back, "is the only time in all this time that Loki has openly said he believes in someone. Not himself. Not his plans. But... in something greater than himself. He chose faith. Not cunning and deceit."

"But Sylvie can't stop, psychologically," Wanda whispered. "She's lived for too long solely for this moment of revenge. She's deathly afraid that if she lets go of it, she'll be left with an emptiness inside her."

"Loki has changed dramatically during this journey," Steve realized. "And Sylvie... Sylvie is still psychologically in the same rage she was thousands of years ago. Frozen in hatred."

"Better hurry. The timeline is already branching," He Who Remains noted.

"These aren't just physical battles," Doctor Strange said grimly. "This is an ideological war of worldviews." If Sylvie wins, the multiverse will unravel chaotically. If Loki wins, the TVA will become a new totalitarian Empire under their control. This isn't a victory. This is a choice about which specific kind of hell we prefer."

Loki and Sylvie argued about what to do. "Didn't you listen to what he said? This is a gambit. Remove the dictator, and what will fill the void?" Loki asked.

"Now that's... an absolutely valid question," Bucky said hoarsely. "Because we all know from history: if you abruptly remove a dictator, someone even worse can almost always take their place. Human history knows countless examples of this. We all know it."

"Ah," Sylvie realized. "You want the throne?"

A deafening, ringing silence fell over the room at these words of accusation.

"WHAT?!" Steve flared, jumping up.

"What damn throne?!" Thor screamed furiously, frowning. "He never really needed it! Never!"

"After everything he told Sylvie about his suffering," Peter said, confused, "Sylvie still thinks he needs a damn throne?!"

"She didn't hear a single word," Wanda said painfully, tears glistening. "Not a single word of truth."

Loki said that wasn't it. Sylvie didn't believe him. Loki said the universe was in balance. "Everything. I know the TVA has harmed us both. But what if removing it risks unleashing something even worse?" He offered to think about it for a minute and promised it wasn't about the throne.
"What was I thinking, trusting you?" Sylvie hissed. "Was it all a scam?"

"Damn..." Clint exhaled heavily. "This is about to get really painful for both of them. They've both accumulated too much pain over their lives, and there's catastrophically little trust left."

"Do you hear him speak?" Steve said tensely, watching Loki's every movement. "That's not a lie, it's pure fear. He genuinely understands that what's at stake isn't just an abstract throne. He's deathly afraid of the unknown that might replace this familiar nightmare."

"For the first time in his life, he's not speaking for himself!" Tony muttered doubtfully. "He genuinely doesn't want power now! But I'm not at all sure Sylvie cares. She came here with one intention. And damn it, they're going to tear each other's heads off now."

Sylvie pushed Loki away with fury. Magic howled in the air, and they collided like two meteors blazing on the brink of destruction. Loki's green flashes clashed with Sylvie's green wrath. The sword in her hands slashed through the air, and Loki barely managed to block the blows with his magical shields. He leaped back, summoning a projection, but Sylvie cut through it without stopping. She lunged at him with a scream. Loki raised his hands, creating a blast of energy, throwing her back.

"Wow!" Peter exclaimed, jumping up and down in excitement. "Magic against magic! It's like a tornado of power! And Loki's desperately trying not to kill her, but simply to stop her..."

"He's only defending himself," Rhodey slowly shook his head. "He's not even throwing the first blows... He doesn't want to fight Sylvie. He just desperately wants Sylvie to hear him." Understood".