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. ]

Comments

[grunehexe]

[It's all that liquid courage.]

I do believe the question is flawed if you ask me. [Which you areeeee is wagged again with her finger.]

I do not recompense- recognize destroying a world as "saving" it.

[selfimage]

Everyone always claims flaw when they're uncomfortable.

[ he watches her finger with a certain amount of nonchalance. ]

I admit the context is subjective, but if you consider only saving it, I suppose that means the question is answered.

[grunehexe]

What you are actually asking me is "if obeying our orders means destroying a world", not "if saving".

[if you destroy a thing in its entirety... you have saved nothing of it. perhaps you may save a different thing via its destruction, but.. not it.]

And that is an entirely different question.

[selfimage]

It doesn't need to dive into the realm of orders, as some of us don't seem to care what's on the plate of a mission so much as the calculations that may accompany it. [ you know, like him. ]

Though such things are never so clear cut.

You've never heard the death of the individual to save the masses? I thought that had mortal origins.

[grunehexe]

I am intimately familiar with the concept.

[After all... it wasn't a death, but she had been raised one such an ideal. Sacrifice your freedom and personal happiness for the good of the village. She'd have done it, too, except-]

But I do not condone people making such choices rashly, or without all the facts, or in most any circumstance over which they do not have at least partial control or real stake.

It is not the place of this "team" [excuse the hiccup] to make that choice for the death of a world.

[... ideally, anyway.]

[selfimage]

You know, as well as I do, that there's not always time to be given all the facts before we make a decision.

[ it's been that way since the beginning, and they were never really afforded the luxury of it. even when they were, they were boxed into a corner and forced to choose the death of the goddesses over their own judgement. ]

[grunehexe]

Yet people still make choices rather far before the deadline, without any consideration for other angles, do they not...

[She waves her bottle at the video... it might be an attempt at a toast.]

How wonderful to have such confidence... !

[selfimage]

There will always be people who make decisions based on their own perception of morality.

[ and so it goes: someone's wrong, someone's right. ]

[grunehexe]

I suppose there is nothing that can be done for it.

[And isn't that the truth.]

Which makes debate somewhat meaningless, I suppose. Our entire conversation, rendered null- !

[Her "toast" grows a bit more aggressive.]

Alas.

[selfimage]

Not entirely, no.

[ for sneaky, good-for-nothing Loki, the point was exposing the ambitions of others. it worked, to a point.

or, rather, it worked enough. ]

Nothing like this is ever null.

[grunehexe]

For some people, perhaps...

[She's wagging a finger now- maybe at Loki.]

I shall leave you to it!

[selfimage]

I didn't know you were so easily discouraged.

[ he says, watching the finger more than her face. ]

[grunehexe]

Unless you come imbibe with me, I shall be most discouraged indeed... !

[wag wag wag... though Ahad might shut that down]

[selfimage]

I take it you have something other than water?

[ it's a joke, but he finds it funny enough to sound smug. ]

[grunehexe]

Saloon swill.

[No need to dress that up.]

[selfimage]

Vulgar, but carries a level of truth, I suppose.

Don't get too inebriated without me.

[grunehexe]

I would never.