( semi open )

[dothelokimotion]

Who: Loki Odinson (dothelokimotion) and People Trapped in Arcadia
What: it's a SCHEME
When: Early July, idk time
Where: Inside Arcadia
Content Warnings: N/A

[ if you are trapped in arcadia and musing on a way to take down the authority and bust your way out, then you may notice a green magical butterfly in your vision. it's beckoning you. somehow. don't ask how magic works. you end up following it through arcadia until you set into a room.

a room unlike those in arcadia. it's all golden with red drapes and torchlights. even the view from the windows seems starry, unlike anything on earth. and there's loki, dressed in a black suit, tapping his foot impatiently. ]

Finally. Let's get to business, shall we?

( MEET AND GREET | PLOTTING )

Comments

[vaudevision]

[ well. vision recently has had some issues with the difference between captivity and restricted freedom of movement. he just nods to the point and says, ]

The ... cult? The facility as a whole?

[dothelokimotion]

They're linked. Take one down and the other will follow.

The cult takes priority so they don't go underground.

[vaudevision]

What more can you say on the cult? Their goals, any estimation as to size or reach ...

[dothelokimotion]

[ he shakes his head. ]

I have had no interaction with the cult. This was passed onto me.

[vaudevision]

So the hope is to defeat a mysterious force only rumored to be concentrated in this facility, whose strength and goals are unclear?

[ robot doing some math here ]

[dothelokimotion]

It is a religious cult with a hatred of Metas and based around a shining god. They've infiltrated the Alliance.

But other than that, yes, it's unclear.

[vaudevision]

Oh, we were both being literal.

[ not quite annoyance but maybe, like, the ruefully contemplative ah-i-see tone he’d use if his kids had an excellent thesis on the merits of dessert before dinner.

well, natasha remained. it’s not like he was gonna let her do this by herself. ]

Very well. In similar circumstances I’ve deferred to Agent Romanoff for direction, so unless there are objections I’ll continue to do so here. In all likelihood that work will involve accessing communications among non-Starfallen in the facility, monitoring unusual inbound and outbound electrical or network activity, and doing personal reconnaissance.

[ the words spill out smoothly, one after the other: chill manbot cadence. a man who’s been in few dozen debrief meetings and is used to either taking orders or charting a course based on previous orders received. ]

Do you have any objections, or anything you’d suggest doing or looking out for?

[dothelokimotion]

[ his eyes narrow again once more, taking that in. ]

I suppose I have no objections currently.

[ better romanoff than stark, at least. ]

[vaudevision]

Very good. You’ll have my contact information.

[ as in vision’s contact card will upload itself onto loki’s phone, probably. like right now. ]

Don’t hesitate to let me know if you need support while you investigate this place yourself.

[dothelokimotion]

[ hm. ]

And what kind of "support" can you offer?

[vaudevision]

Oh, you know. The usual ...

[ ... dad air punch

... ]

Why? Do you need another kind?

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki gives him a long look that is positively scathing. ]

Yes, I don't think we need that kind of . . . support

[vaudevision]

Well, far be it from me to presume.

[dothelokimotion]

You presume that the best kind of support is the violent kind?

How very Avenger of you.

[vaudevision]

Oh, come now. I can provide varied forms of intensive support to colleagues depending on the work at hand. But you and I aren’t colleagues, and, you know, “stranger danger”— [ he does hand quotes, even, HE USED TO BE A DAD ] —so the help I can offer you specifically is for now limited in scope. With apologies.

[ he starts to push up from his seat, smoothing down the front of his dork sweater ]

I wouldn’t see you come to harm, regardless. Whatever else I’ve known of you from historical record in our home universe, you seem to do good work here.

[dothelokimotion]

[ what the fuck is wrong with this person.

in the driest of voices, loki responds. ]

Thank you, but I don't require your support.

[vaudevision]

As it suits you.

[ a haze of the distortion field here, a molecular adjustment there, and—cranberry manbot, the vague opaque cape settling on his shoulders, a stone glinting eerily from his forehead. ]

As regards the investigation I’ll be liaising primarily with my colleagues so long as they remain in Arcadia. Once they leave I don’t know how long I’ll stay. But do let me know if there’s anything you need until then.

[dothelokimotion]

[ the stone. loki pales for a moment because how can the stone still be here? but his magic tells him it's not his stone. it's some sort of . . . copy. lacking in its power or ability.

that being said, it still makes his hackles rise. ]

Are you reliable or do you only listen to the Avengers?

[vaudevision]

[ yeah it’s a weird one alright. definitely has mind stone ... vibes. but no, not quite the real thing. none of him is, actually. he’s got strong magic tingle all over ]

... I don’t know what you mean by reliable. I can’t presume to assure you. But my priority is life and its protection. I have no more important allegiance. And I can be neither compelled nor controlled.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki eyes it warily, unable to shake off his feelings of unease. ]

Hm. We shall see. There is a reason why you are all called Avengers rather than defenders or protectors.