VIDEO. UN: LOKI.

[selfimage]

Hello there.

[ Loki's standing on the porch of the ashen saloon, black bones against a dusky horizon. ]

Another day saved, another mission over ... [ he says it in an "all in a day's work" sort of tone. a finger twists and he gestures outward. ]

As the story continues! [ the drawl comes from his lips slowly, as if for dramatic effect. ]

We've met our arch-foes, saved a part of the fractured multiverse from apparent destruction and preserved the integrity of the timeline—erm, hopefully on the last two, anyway. In light of current events, and while we all cool down, I thought we'd play with a little fun hypothetical to stimulate conversation. Call it something that's been on my mind. So, riddle me this, Audentes ...

If saving a world meant destroying it—you know, kind of like a hard reset—what would you do? Would you do it, let it die and get coffee instead, or would you fight with tooth and axe for its survival, despite all odds? All methods in between, of course, feel free to be creative.

[ sometimes, some things remind him all too much of Ragnarok. ]

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audio | username: xXx_trueblue_xXx

[competing]

[ the last time they had a conversation like this, things had been different. simpler.

(god, had it really only been a couple of days ago? it feels like ages now.)

had this cropped up before, lance might have had a ready answer on his tongue, all confidence and bravado and every other thing that's carried him this far, none of which are actual experience or wisdom or insight. all guts, all show. back then, saving the universe had been easier. back when he thought he knew what saving meant. the longer he stays here, with alastair, the more he's beginning to think it's all just a matter of perspective and semantics and a bunch of other things that are, admittedly, not lance's forte.

so what does that leave him with? how far can his gut take him now?

they're all thoughts he can't quite articulate yet, which is a feat for someone who normally doesn't have much of a problem speaking whatever comes to mind, but a lack of filter doesn't necessarily mean a great command with words (isn't the opposite more the case?) so in the end he's left voicing the only other thing his mind can latch onto in this moment... which may or may not be what loki had intended for at all. ]

...That dragon stuff's still bothering you, huh?

AUDIO.

[selfimage]

[ damnit Lance, why do you have to be like this? the dragon stuff always bothered him, not because of the world dying, but because they had been stripped of autonomy, and Loki never liked making decisions that weren't informed to the catalytic sort of outcome that he so enjoyed.

there's a long, suffering sigh. ]

Not in the way you think, if you must know. It's all in the past.

[competing]

[ and lance, projecting, thinks it's all bravado answering him in turn. ]

Dude, I get it. What they made you guys do — that really sucked. You literally nurtured the very thing that wound up destroying that world, and from the sounds of it, none of you had any idea! Pretty sure that gets you a first class ticket to Bittersville, maybe even the scenic route through Whattheheck City and Notcoolyo Town.

[selfimage]

[ easily, and all irritatingly put-together: ]

Are you going to answer the question?

[competing]

[ wow, fine. ]

Maybe if I had more details...

[selfimage]

I'm beginning to think you don't want to.

Ah—that's all right, it gets difficult to run in circles with it, if you ponder too hard.

[ one that's more than personal, not only because of Anwick, but because of other bits and pieces of a former existence. ]

[competing]

Oh come on — you can't just treat a question like that so simply.

Besides, you don't want to do what I want to do.

[ you were having a moment, loki!

don't tell keith. ]

[selfimage]

No, I don't, but that's the point.

It's a hypothetical, and you may need to make the decision sometime or another, best not ignore ugly truths.

[ he's leaving Keith anonymous messages. ]

[competing]

[ he frowns at that, but thank goodness for the audio feature amirite. ]

Well your hypothetical is faulty. There's too many details you're leaving out that can affect what decision you make. [ at least, that's how he hopes it goes. this kind of thing... shouldn't be an easy decision, right? ]

[selfimage]

Have you ever had the full details of anything you've needed to make an important decision? Time is a luxury in cases such as these, and information given is never a constant.

[ for Loki, who defines himself by defiance, knows that there's far more to it than "more information" and "good decision making." ]

I would think it the other way around.

[ you're just uncomfortable, bruh. ]

[competing]

[ only because you delight in making him so.

and lance is starting to realize it. ]

What's your deal, anyway? Is this really to try and prepare us for the future?

[selfimage]

You have the opinion of your fellow associates, and then there's Zymandis running abouts with their own—possibly moral, possibly nefarious—goals. Walking in blind to anything never really worked out for anyone.

We're on a team, aren't we?

[competing]

You tell me, you'v been here longer.

[selfimage]

I believe I derived that from something you told me.

[ sorry Lance, can't escape. ]

[competing]

[ wow don't throw his own words back in his face! ]

You didn't even agree with me then!

[ or... acknowledge it... at all........ ]

[selfimage]

[ TEAMS ARE HARD, SHUT UP. ]

You're not taking it back, are you? This is part of it.

[competing]

Of course not!

It's just pretty messed up to expect people to be truthful around you when you barely wanna talk about yourself. What kinda "team" is that?

[selfimage]

You want to know about me?

[ yes, that's what he got out of this. ]

[competing]

You're killing me, man.

[ can they possibly stay on one topic for longer than two seconds. please. ]

[selfimage]

Most people think they know enough about me and don't really want to know much more.

[competing]

[ sounds like a pretty lonely existence to lance, and he's about to say as much before he's suddenly hit with a very strange case of deja vu.

... ]

Maybe they aren't trying because they think it's all they're ever gonna get.

[ a thoughtful pause. ]

All that dancing around you do, are you sure you even want other people to know you?

[selfimage]

...

[ would you still like me, if you did? ]

If you want to know the answer, ask me again face to face with a drink in your hand.

I'll tell you.

[ he still sounds casual, as if this is how all conversations like this go. he won't answer that on the network, not with so many people (along with ALASTAIR) possibly leering in on the conversation. Lance may be a little reckless with his communicator, but Loki meant to keep things more private. ]