Mockingbird | Loki | 043

[counterterrorism]

[Bobbi is tired of being launched from one part of spacetime to another, that's all she's got to say to this situation.

Seriously, there's no reason for this nonsense. She's not being haunted by vengeful ghosts (who are seriously the epitome of the Nice Guy syndrome, what gives?) and she's not in any recent trouble. She's pretty sure, anyway.

So...why the sudden appearance in a heavily forested area? The sound of waves crashing makes her think island, but it's hard to believe they're on Earth when the sky is purple and the leaves on the trees are blue.

Seriously.

H u f f.]

What gives?

Comments

[counterterrorism]

[She just flicks him an amused glance. If only he knew why she was off the Avengers team.

Not so Superhero.

But she just pauses at the silence, and then shrugs and kicks the door open easily. And she stares.]

...Looks like that's about as much as it was willing to give me.

[Beyond the door is just...white blankness.

Not even a room. Just--blank.]

[hashtagging]

...now that is interesting.

[ Loki reaches into the room, but there is no substance. Just nothing. ]

Had you ever seen the inside of this apartment?

[counterterrorism]

[And she just offers a shrug, vaguely eloquent.]

Never any need to. Which means that this place is recreating what we ask for from our own memories.

[hashtagging]

Means we could be nowhere but our own heads. One of us hallucinating...or we could be stuck in a communal dreamspace by something like the nightmares.

[ Huff. ]

How annoying.

[counterterrorism]

I definitely wouldn't be hallucinating you--which makes the second option seem more viable.

So "waking up" isn't a good enough solution, I suspect.

[hashtagging]

You wound me.

[ But he shrugs. ]

Most likely not. Definitely not if it's the Night Mares. They've got a truce with Asgardia, though, so I doubt they are looking for Thor to turn death metal again.

[counterterrorism]

...Well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

[And she steps into the utterly white apartment.

.......and suddenly the apartment is gone, and there's just white, and it's extremely uncanny, and even Bobbi has to repress a shiver.

Her voice echoes.]

Ugh, not exactly what I wanted to happen. Still here, kid Loki?

[hashtagging]

I have to say, that was not the smartest move ever made.

[ But Loki is there, right near her shoulder. He is looking back the way they came. No door back into the strange dimension they had stepped out of. Just nothingness, all around.

He raises his voice, as if whatever is toying with them might have a harder time hearing them where they have wandered. ]

I would rather like a door out!

[counterterrorism]

Better than wandering the land of the hypercolors and wish fulfillment.

[yeah she's unnerved but not lacking in sass.

and in response to that, a door pops up. Just. A door. No wall--just the door.

She walks around it. Yep. Still just a door.]

...That sure is a door to somewhere. "Out", I suppose. Aren't you supposed to be the god that's good with words? "Out" isn't very descriptive.

[hashtagging]

We have already seen what asking to "go home" is like.

[ Loki's tone is dry, his lack of humor betraying how displeased with the situation he really is. ]

I doubt we have much choice at all where we are going, whatever we say.

[counterterrorism]

[...and she just sighs, rolling her eyes.]

The illusion of control--great, my least favorite villain trick.

[But without any further ado, she opens the door and steps on through.

Into New York.

...???

And then there's an alien, and it's pointing a gun at her, and she reacts automatically, flipping over its head, sweeping her pole out and smacking it once hard on the head, knocking it to the ground, unconscious.]

[hashtagging]

...then again, I guess I could have tried for "somewhere where nothing is trying to kill us."

[ Lesson learned. Loki carefully hops over the alien, careful not to get any extraterrestrial cooties on his boots. He shades his eyes and looks to the sky, which is full of, well, epic badness. ]

Looks like there is an invasion going on.

[ Huh. ]

[counterterrorism]

[She just arches an eyebrow at him, very much trying to be not amused but somewhat amused despite herself.

And sighs.]

You don't say.

[She glances around, frowning, and then points down the street--past a lot of aliens.]

Stark Tower should be this way. Even if Iron Man isn't there, it'll serve as a good vantage point.

[hashtagging]

[ Loki smiles at her -- and then the air around him shimmers until he is a perfect mockery of the alien Mockingbird had just knocked out. If Bobbi looks down, she will find herself similarly changed, peach skin turned grey. Loki waves his hand down the street. ]

Let us go mingle with our fellows, then.

[counterterrorism]

[She is admittedly surprised by this, having been prepared to have to fight for every inch of the way to their destination.

Instead...

Well, she just shrugs (a weird gesture on the alien) and loots the body of the other, taking his odd gun.]

I like this plan better. [That's about as close to "good job" as she's willing to give Loki.

AND ONWARDS DOWN THE STREET as the battle rages around them.]

[hashtagging]

[ He throws her a grin, which is downright creepy considering the face he is wearing at the moment, and strides on down the street, occasionally chatting the aliens they pass. ]

Nice shot! -- Oh, yes, rawr, weak Earthlings. Grr, argh, destroy. -- Fancy blaster belt you got there. Very slimming!

[counterterrorism]

[dear god loki you're going to blow their cover so badly--

Thankfully, the aliens seem more focused on causing as much destruction as possible than worrying about them. Judging by the occasional flash of armor she sees, she suspects the Avengers are, in fact, on it.

(She sees an arrow once too, but just sets her teeth and keeps walking. If this is an alternate universe Clint, they don't want to meet anyway.)

And finally, finally, they make it to Stark Tower. She sighs, uses her authorization code, and--]

Authorization code does not exist.

[.......]

Well, that's vaguely ominous.

[hashtagging]

[ Though Loki could quite possibly subvert even Tony's security system, he is no longer paying attention to Bobbi. He is looking up into the sky again, but this time his gaze is focused. ]

That jerk is wearing my helmet.

[ Which only gives him a terrible feeling about all of this. Damn it, how many universes did he have to end up in where he was doing stupid shit like killing everyone? ]

[counterterrorism]

[She reluctantly pulls her eyes from where she was hacking Tony's systems (and Stark systems are such a pain to hack--

and blinks.

...]

So he is. Black hair, love of green, horned helmet, check, check, check.

[And she arches an eyebrow at Loki, but doesn't actually look too bothered or angry.]

Feel the need to bring any alien armies to earth lately?

[hashtagging]

-- there might have been an interdimensional parasite, but that got fixed!

[ Okay, so maybe that was not the best defense in the world, but he was a bit distracted. He quickly waves his hands in front of him. ]

Ignore that. Let's get in the door.

[counterterrorism]

[...she's not going to forget about that, mister.

But for now she just huffs, returning to her work at hacking, since apparently she's not an avenger in this universe.

or doesn't exist.

Either way, after a moment longer, she manages to get the door open, grabbing his arm and dragging him in.]

Let's go greet your alternate, big bad self, shall we?

[hashtagging]

We should probably not be aliens for that.

[ Loki lets the illusions drop, trying not to feel disturbed, and certainly not to look it. He remembers the one universe, his own skeleton presiding over that of his brother and mother's --

No. Stop thinking about it. Thinking about it was the way to angst. Angst was the way to whining. Whining was the way to the dark side. ]

Up we go!

[ He quickly made his way to the elevator, false cheer in his voice. ]

[counterterrorism]

[She very clearly senses the falseness of that cheer, giving him a skeptical look, but otherwise remaining silent about that. But she holds onto the alien gun, despite the fact that it hardly fits her current appearance, bracing it on her shoulder in a practiced movement.

Yes, this will work.]

Up we go.

[skeptical looks and all.

AND SO UP THEY GO-- but by the time they get there, Loki and Tony have had their brawl, from the looks of it; the glass is shattered, the penthouse deserted.]

Looks like we missed the party.

[even as she looks around, though, she's keeping a close eye on Loki. He doesn't seem to be taking this universe well, and for some reason, she thinks it's because his alternate self is wreaking havoc--again. It doesn't make much sense at face value, but when she takes into account his reaction when she called him a villain...

...]

So? I expect you won't spill your guts, but it's worth asking. What's wrong?

[hashtagging]

Wrong?

[ Loki pastes on a completely fake smile, even if inwardly he is cursing overly observant humans. ]

Oh, nothing aside from the being trapped in another dimension thing. And, believe me, I've been in a lot worse dimensions.

[ Except that he can see this dimension going the exact same way. He sees Mjolnir soar through the air, causing his gut to twist. He has no idea who he is rooting for: his brother or his other self. ]

[counterterrorism]

[...yeah she's onto you.

But at the same time, she's not sure why she cares. If Loki is plotting, well--Loki is always plotting. But somehow...this feels more like identity issues than plotting issues.

Hm.]

I'm sure. [She steps out onto the ridiculous terrace, looking out over the city.]

The Avengers clearly have this under control, so why are we even here? [She just props her chin on her hand, leaning out over the railing.

....and it's just a mutter to herself--]

Looking good, Captain America.