[Video] | Tuesday afternoon

[loveshishammer]

[Hey, look who's found his way onto the network again! Finally! Thor is smiling cheerily, and maybe a little bit like he's going stir-crazy, at the camera on his phone. He's also not in his armor, but a rather nice blue tunic with some gold embellishments. Somebody did some shopping while across the ocean.]

At last, we are again in range! Hello, my friends in the Old City! It is Thor Odinson, and we are on our return trip. Apparently we will be arriving at the end of the week, but we are not to speak of that until we strike land again.

[And Thor, while a bit of an airhead, is still trying to abide by the rules.]

Have we missed anything of import? Is everyone still well? Please, regale me!

[And keep him from being bored. Please.]

Comments

[video]

[hypospraying]

[Regale him? Who is this guy?]

Uh, hello?

[She's looking with uncertainty at the screen.]

I take it you're on the boat trip?

[Video]

[loveshishammer]

Good afternoon, my lady! If it is, indeed, afternoon. The clocks say so, but there are no proper windows on this craft.

But yes, I am on this boat trip. Though I arrived rather unexpectedly into the middle of it. I am looking forward to our arrival on land and this Old City.

[Video]

[hypospraying]

Really? Well, there's not much excitement here, so I hope you're looking forward to being bored.

[Video]

[loveshishammer]

[Watch his face fall right there in realtime.]

Oh. That is quite disappointing. I was led to believe there were monsters, bandits, and a ruthless regime of some sort.

[Which he is fairly certain he's not supposed to poke, but he is still awfully tempted to.]

[Video]

[nodavinci]

You know, usually not speaking about something involves actually not speaking about it.

[Video]

[loveshishammer]

[Aw, Stark, he didn't do anything wrong, c'mon now.]

Apparently we are not to speak about the location of our arrival, nor the exact date? There has been some worrisome news from our previous ship, or so I have been told. I cannot think that a brief mention such as that will be too dangerous for us.

[Look at him, trying to be vague. He's not really very good at it, but he's trying! Subterfuge is not Thor's strong point.]

[Video]

[nodavinci]

[And this is why Tony likes you, Thor. You actually make him look capable of subtlety.]

Sure, if they haven't figured out how to work out the location of your signal.

Wait. You're on a different ship?

[Video]

[pepperspray]

[Pepper's smile is sunny as she looks up from some bit of mild construction project in her apartment. Sisal rope and some bits of lumber are in the process of being turned into a cat tree... or were, before her communicator chimed to her. The cat in question has decided this means it's a good time to bat madly at some stray twine while in the backdrop.]

Hello again, Prince Thor -- or should I call you that? Either way, it's good to see you again. I see you found some trade while you were away?

[The nod she turns on the tunic is briefly assessing and then quietly approving, and a discussion of fashion shouldn't lead him down paths he shouldn't talk about. She hopes.]

[Video]

[loveshishammer]

I did! There was a merchant who required many of his things moved about, and some work done to place stones and lumber for a new expanded showing room to his shop. He was gracious enough to return my labors with this--

[He plucks at his clothing with one hand, looking somehow both delighted and slightly bewildered by the change of appearance.]

--and a few other pieces. It is quite odd to not be wearing my armor here, I must admit. But as there is nothing here to battle, it is only proper. Besides, I believe it was making some of the townsfolk nervous.

[Video]

[pepperspray]

It's a good look for you.

[Pepper's tone is judiciously appraising, although there's a bit of private amusement and the reflection that Thor, like the rest of the Avengers, would probably look fine in a burlap sack.]

The colours bring out your eyes, and the lines flatter you. Very princely.

[voice]

[wisdom_of_hounds]

[Hi Thor, have a very suspicious Druid.]

You certainly seem to be in high spirits, friend. I have hope this means your company has met with success but I will not ask you to break your word and speak of that. [He does his best to mimic Thor's own manner of speech which is not entirely unlike the modern interpretation of Shakespearean language. It's a trick he adopted a long time ago. If you want someone to be at ease with you, talk like them. It makes it less jarring for them, makes you seem familiar when you're not.

He really hopes it works.]

Forgive me, though, I am new to the Old City here and have not had the pleasure of meeting you ere this voyage began. Tell me truly. You are Thor the Thunderer? He of the great hall Bilskirnir in Asgard?

[Voice]

[loveshishammer]

I am Thor Odinson, sometimes called Thunderer, and of Asgard, yes.

[Thor cocks his head at Atticus, but smiles, too. Maybe the similar speech is putting him at ease, or maybe he's just an optimistic sort when he's bored and stuck in a submarine. Either way, he obviously doesn't hold anything against the druid, or even apparently recognize him.]

You have heard of me? Are of you Midgard, or some other Realm?

[Voice]

[wisdom_of_hounds]

Of Midgard and I have, indeed.

[This pleasant man doesn't look like the Thor they slew in Asgard though, similar certainly, but not the same. And the fact that he is so pleasant is rather jarring.]

I admit I am somewhat surprised to find you here of all places though. Are you unable to return to your plane or are you here by choice?

[Asshat or no if this place is so cut off that even a god cannot get back to their plane then he has even more reason to be worried.]

[steamosaurus]

Oh, is the boat returning? I take it everyone's safe and well? If so, that is good news!

[Darwin has momentarily missed the fact that she hasn't met this guy yet. She's just run into so many interesting types here, and... well, monkeys kind of all look the same, at first.]

[loveshishammer]

[Thor takes a moment to peer at the screen in confusion. He manages to remain polite, however, if just because she sounds terribly enthusiastic. Rather like himself, in that regard. That, and the fact that she's speaking at all. Generally the monsters to smash don't talk.

Generally. But he's been taught, at last, to give the benefit of the doubt.]

Yes, we are safe and well, if rather bored. Might I ask, friend... saurian, what is your name? I do not believe we have met.

[steamosaurus]

Saurian? [Darwin's red, feathery crest perks up.] Have you heard of my kind, then? [even if he's not familiar, it would be nice to have someone from home to speak with.]

My name's Darwin. Engineer and a bit of an inventor. Who might you be?

Tuesday Night, Video

[attention_wenches]

[It wasn't supposed to be this way.]

[He'd already decided. Thor would return, explain why on earth he'd joined a diplomatic mission, and sit around being cheerful and unhelpful while Loki got the two of them home. They'd leave behind the uncomfortable place and its strange machines and unfamiliar magic, and he'd even start leaving the temple again, his appreciation for Asgard renewed by this stint in the grim little city on the edge of no world at all.]

[Loki has been quietly regarding his communicator for hours, making himself accept what he'd been trying to deny. There aren't just different Midgards. But he'd know his brother in any guise, and it's better to get this over with. Then, when Thor returns, they can plan from there.]

Circumstances have gone more awry than I had realized.

[Of course he tries to sound aloof and mildly bored, but his voice cracks when he speaks. Loki--this Loki has a bit of a fixation on being both tidy and unremarkable to look at. At this age, it's one of many ways he copes with his place, the shadow to his brother's sunlight. Short hair, modest bearing, and no finery at all, but not a speck of dust or a thread out of place. Looking exhausted and disheveled and not posing to hide any interesting feature says a lot about just how distressed he is.]

[loveshishammer]

[When Thor gets the communicator back from Alenko again, at this belated message, it takes him several long minutes more to reply. Because he's watching the short message over and over again. Yes, that is the spitting image of his younger brother... yes, that is his manner of speaking and even his favorite outfit as an adolescent... but it seems like it has been so very long since he's seen that Loki. A Loki who doesn't have pain behind his eyes and an anger that requires him to ruin everything around him just to get attention.

And what's worse, he's not even sure that this is that Loki, or the old Loki, or a completely different Loki. He finally replies, clearing his throat and looking somewhere between pained, wary, and apologetic.]

Loki... brother. This is not how I anticipated seeing you again, either.

[attention_wenches]

[Loki's unsure whether he'd rather this be his own brother in the future or some other incarnation, but only because he can't decide which would be more disquieting. It doesn't matter too much for practical purposes. For Loki, there was no reason to doubt that Thor would be pleased to see him once the shock wore off, that the sweet oaf would do everything he could to help, and that he probably won't even tease too much if Loki lets slip how upset he is. Thor, after all, had to feel the same way about this mess.]

I've been told there were inadvertent visitors here from more than one strain of reality on Midgard. I didn't realize that might be the case elsewhere.

[Because even if he can count on his big brother not to be too mean to him, he's not going to stop trying to give the impression that he's on top of everything and will have the situation sewn up in short order. It's just habit.]

[Video]

[frostedoverland]

Everyone's fine but apparently your brother showed up and caused quite a few people to freak out.

[Yeah, Jack's not going to sugarcoat it. He's sitting on a tree branch at the moment, outside of the Old City.]

People say he's dangerous, others say he's not the same guy... I'm not sure which is which anymore but I've hung out with the guy. Your brother is pretty cool, though a lot younger than I thought he'd be. Sigyn's going out of her way to try and protect him despite hating him and Mulan and I are just trying to keep everyone else from attacking him until things are actually sorted out.

Probably time you got back.

[Video]

[loveshishammer]

[Thor's countenance droops a little at this message. Well, a little more, given by now Tony has filled him in on his side of the details.]

My brother was once a kind person, if a devious and mischievous one. If this is that person... I do not know, either. I have seen him do much that is terrible, and I am not certain how it could be another person, if he is still my brother.

But I am coming home as quickly as I can. I have very little control over the speed of this vessel, I am afraid, and leaving now to fly there is not possible, either.

[Nevermind that he has no idea where he'd be going. He'd try anyway, if he could!]

[Video]

[frostedoverland]

[He tilts his head a bit at that.]

This is going to seem random but... the last time you saw Loki, did he look like an adult or a kid?

[video]

[girlworthfighting]

Thor Odinson? Then I take it you must be Loki's older brother. He has mentioned you...several times. I'm glad that at last we meet.

My name is Fa Mulan. Forgive me for my abruptness. But there are some matters I think we need to discuss.

[video]

[loveshishammer]

I sincerely hope you are not going to tell me there has been trouble that my brother has caused.

[All the sad puppy looks, Mulan. He's already had Tony telling him his brother is up to no good; he will be sad if someone else is going to tell him the same thing.]

[video]

[girlworthfighting]

No, I am not. Despite many grumblings on his part he has been listening to reason and doing his best to keep his head low. Though I imagine hearing he has kept out of trouble might be news to you.

[She thinks she's taken Loki's measure as troublemaker pretty well. But things are different here for him.]