Chapter 136
Arc 9 - Ch 3: Ren Faire
Location: Time Variance Authority
Miss Minutes materialized above their workspace. "Okay, y'all, let's review what we've learned."
Loki slouched at the desk, his elbow brushing against Tyson's muscular arm. He flinched back in disgust. The desk was barely wide enough for both of them, covered in scattered papers. "Why couldn't I get my own desk?"
"Because both ya'll need the training." Miss Minutes bounced in place. "What happens when a Nexus-Event branches past red line?"
"Very bad things," Loki muttered, examining his nails.
"Come on, Loki. What is it?"
Loki released a dramatic sigh. "It's when the TVA can no longer reset a Nexus-Event. Okay? Boring."
"Right. And that would lead to the destruction of the timeline and the collapse of reality as we know it."
"Wait, how does that account for our timeline then?" Tyson worked through the logic. "If it's an entirely separate timeline running parallel with the Sacred Timeline, then it can't be reset, right? It's existed for years. And the Sacred Timeline has neither been destroyed nor collapsed."
He left the question hanging.
Loki straightened in his seat, boredom evaporating. His fingers drummed once against the desk before stilling. "That's actually a fair point."
Miss Minutes' cheerful expression flickered. "Well now, that's a mighty complicated question."
"Is it?" Tyson crossed his arms, the motion making his biceps strain against the gray jumpsuit. "Seems pretty straightforward to me. Either your rules apply universally, or they don't."
The cartoon clock's smile tightened. "The Sacred Timeline is maintained through careful pruning of—"
"You just said any branch that crosses the red line destroys reality," Loki interrupted. He gestured at Tyson. "Our entire timeline has existed for what, at least my lifetime, centuries, millennia? That's well past any red line I can imagine."
"Y'all are gettin' ahead of yourselves."
"Are we?" Loki stood, pacing the narrow space between desks. "Because it sounds like your precious TVA has some rather glaring inconsistencies in its operational logic."
Tyson watched Miss Minutes carefully. The animated character's movements had become jerkier, less fluid. "You said Nexus-Beings are crucial to their timelines. What makes them different from regular variants?"
"That's classified information, sugar."
"Classified." Loki barked a laugh. "Of course it is." He spun toward the hologram. "Let me guess, the Time-Keepers decide what's classified?"
"The Time-Keepers maintain the Sacred Timeline for the good of—"
"Yes, yes, all of us." Loki waved dismissively. "You've mentioned that. Repeatedly." He planted his palms on the desk, leaning toward the projection. "But you haven't explained how a timeline that's supposedly destroying reality has existed without consequence."
Miss Minutes' pixels stuttered. "The situation with Nexus-Beings is unique."
"How unique?" Tyson asked.
"Real unique."
"That's not an answer," Loki said.
Tyson exchanged a glance with Loki. The god's expression mirrored his own suspicion. "So the rules don't actually apply universally. There are exceptions."
"Special circumstances require special considerations."
"Which means the Time-Keepers can decide when to enforce their own rules." Loki resumed pacing. "How convenient."
"Now hold on—"
Loki leaned forward, squinting at the orange figure. "Can you even hear me? Are you a recording, just spitting out prearranged answers? Or are you alive?"
"Uh, sorta both."
The question burning in Tyson's mind as he watched Loki attack Miss Minutes with a jet ski magazine was simple.
Would Loki betrayed them? or him specifically?
Not would he betray the TVA, because Loki was fundamentally incapable of loyalty to any institution, particularly one that strong-armed his cooperation. The God of Mischief was behaving, playing along with the TVA training protocols and mission briefings, and that cooperative attitude was more telling than any outright rebellion would have been.
Because cooperative Loki was plotting something.
Should Tyson let it happen, or would stopping whatever scheme Loki was building just make everything worse? Sure, he remembered the Loki show, remembered that Loki's variant was Sylvie, remembered they eventually took down 'He Who Remains' together. And everything had followed the script so far. But how long could that last? Tyson's presence was bound to change things as they went along, as it always did, even when he didn't take overt actions, which meant that he couldn't wholly rely on his knowledge of the original timeline.
Would Loki betray him along with the TVA, use or work with Tyson as part of that betrayal, or something else?
But the biggest question was, what happens after He Who Remains dies?
"Ah!" Miss Minutes flickered. "Watch it! Where's your manners? Oh! Hey! Quit it!" she yelled, as Loki continued swinging. "That is not nice. Jerk." She jumped into the computer screen where her face became digital.
"You can't hide..." Loki raised the magazine again.
"Training going well?" Mobius appeared in the doorway.
"Yeah," Loki said innocently.
And there it was, that perfect false sincerity that meant Loki was absolutely up to something. Which led him back to the question. Should Tyson let events play out and hope his interference didn't make things worse? Or change up the script.
"Is that my jet ski magazine? Put it down. Gear up. There's been an attack. Let's go." Mobius tossed Loki a jacket. "Put it on."
"Where's my coat, and when can I get this collar off?" Tyson pointed at the restrictive metal band.
"No can do."
"I'm not going to beat Loki in a fight as a normie."
"I don't need you to beat Loki. I just need you to think like one. I've got other people for the beating part."
They were led to a locker area where B-15 was running a briefing. She addressed the assembled team.
"C-20 and her team went dark shortly after they jumped into the 1985 branch. All signs point to another ambush. We've grabbed enough temporal aura to know it's our Loki Variant. But which kind of Loki remains unknown."
"They're the lesser kind, to be clear."
B-15 turned. "Let me see the back of that jacket."
Loki turned around, revealing the word "VARIANT" emblazoned across his back.
"Hmm."
"Very subtle. Well done." Loki faced the group again.
Tyson folded his arms across his chest. "Now I know why I didn't get one. I'm not a Variant, 100% original here. So can I get a jacket that says Nexus—"
Mobius spoke over him. "Here's the deal. When we get out on the branch, we're not just looking for a Time Criminal. We're looking for a Loki. A variation of this guy." He gestured toward Loki. "A type we should all be very familiar with, because the TVA has pruned a lotta these guys, almost more than any other Variant. And no two are alike. Slight differences in appearances, or not so slight. Different powers, although powers generally include shape-shifting, illusion-projection, and my favorite..."
"Duplication-casting." Loki frowned. "Illusion-projection? No, they're two completely different powers."
Mobius raised an eyebrow. "How?"
Loki straightened. "Illusion-projection involves depicting a detailed image from outside oneself, which is perceptible in the external world, whereas duplication-casting entails recreating an exact facsimile of one's own body in its present circumstance, which acts as a true holographic mirror of its molecular structure." He paused. "But you already knew that."
"A holographic mirror of its molecular structure? Does that mean it's actually alive in a sense?"
"Okay, let's table that, it's not important right now. But the difference is noted." Mobius turned back to the group. "We're gonna break into two teams, including myself, Tyson, and Professor Loki."
Loki smiled slightly at the nickname; half pleased, half mocking, entirely self-aware. The God of Mischief appreciated wit even when it was aimed at him, especially when it acknowledged his intelligence.
One of the Minutemen raised a hand. "Why?"
"Because whoever this Variant is, we haven't been able to find him. So let's bring in a pair of experts."
"That's me." Loki pointed at himself.
As everyone began to suit up, Loki and Tyson followed Mobius across the room.
"Do I get a weapon?"
"Nah."
Of course not. Why would they give the Nexus-Being-turned-semiwilling-TVA-consultant a weapon when he already represented enough of a threat without one?
"Well, I'll have my magic back. Is no one concerned about that? Of me betraying you?" Loki asked.
"No. Because you know that we can catch you. And how's betraying us gonna get you any closer to the Time-Keepers?"
Loki's expression shifted. "An audience with the Time-Keepers is on the table?"
"Keep that focus," Mobius encouraged.
Tyson fingered his collar. "So what about me? I don't have my magic, my powers, or a weapon. I can't even defend myself."
"You don't have any magic anyway," Loki scoffed.
"Not true. I'm decent with blood magic. Which I can't use because of this collar. I'd kill myself trying to use my blood to draw runes without my healing."
Mobius waved a dismissive hand. "Hang tight, there'll be enough minutemen around that if this Loki shows up, you'll be safe."
"Show of hands, how many people here have actually fought a Loki before?" Tyson announced.
B-15 raised her hand. None of the other Minutemen did.
"Well, looks like I've got more experience fighting Loki than almost all these soldiers."
Mobius clapped him on the shoulder. "You can stick with B-15 then."
"Thanks for that." Tyson fell into step beside Loki as they followed B-15 through the TVA corridors. "Hey, before we go, I'm curious about something you said, Professor Loki."
Loki turned to him. "What?"
"You said illusion projection involves depicting a detailed image from outside oneself. What about the illusions I use? They're psionic-based. I don't create anything in the outside world. How do you categorize that?"
"I'm not here to be your instructor." Loki had spent centuries mastering his craft. Tyson had shortcuts through borrowed powers and experiences. If he could actually learn something from Loki, it could only help.
"Come on, you just gave that whole lecture about the difference between duplication casting and illusion projection. And I was the only one who cared about the nuance. So, as I was saying, my illusions override people's senses directly. No external projection needed."
"That's not illusion magic at all. That's crude mental manipulation. Like a child drawing with crayons compared to fine art."
"Fine," Tyson said, keeping his tone light. "Call it what you want. But my 'crude mental manipulation' has kept me alive this long."
"Has it?" Loki's smile was knowing. "Or have you survived despite your limitations, not because of them? There's a difference between effectiveness and mastery. One makes you competent. The other makes you dangerous."
"Says the guy who needs external props. I can make you see, hear, smell whatever I want just by thinking it."
"Amateur parlor tricks. True illusion craft requires precision and finesse. What you do is simply... mental vandalism."
Mobius cleared his throat. "As fascinating as this magic theory debate is..."
"At least I understand the fundamental superiority of true illusion craft." Loki straightened his TVA jacket. "But please, continue explaining how your mutant tricks compare to centuries of magical study."
"Enough." Mobius stepped between them. "We've got a Variant to catch. You can compare magical resumes later."
"Fine. But I will say, what he can do is not entirely useless. Limited in scope, certainly, and lacking the artistry of proper illusion work, but I can see strategic applications. Particularly against those who haven't trained themselves to detect external manipulations."
It was probably the closest thing to a compliment Tyson would get. "See, when you're not being an insufferable snob, you almost sound like you know what you're talking about," he said, matching Loki's dry tone.
"Careful, Valravn. I'm almost starting to tolerate you. Let's not ruin it with premature optimism." But there was a glint in Loki's eye that suggested he was tolerating more than he let on.
"You're right, we should focus on finding your evil twin."
"Lesser variant," Loki corrected automatically.
B-15 checked her temporal device. "If you two are done, we need to move. The Nexus-Event won't wait for your egos to finish measuring."
They stepped through the orange doorway. The smell of roasting meat hit Tyson first, followed by the sound of period music and merchants hawking their wares. Colorful tents stretched across the fairgrounds, people in elaborate costumes wandering between them.
"A Renaissance Faire?" Tyson gestured at their TVA uniforms. "We're totally dressed wrong, you guys look like lost Star Trek cosplayers. And I look like I just got out of work from a nearby dead-end office job. This outfit screams near-retirement middle school principal."
Mobius sighed. "Are you done?"
"No. This level of preparation is unacceptable. No wonder you haven't caught this Loki yet."
Loki watched a juggler toss flaming batons nearby. He turned to Mobius. "Let me ask you this, why don't we just travel back to before the attack, when the Variant first arrived?"
"Nexus-Events destabilize the time flow. This branch is still changing and growing, so you gotta show up in real time. Did you watch any of the training videos you were supposed to?"
"Well, as many as I could stand. Your TVA propaganda is exhausting."
"I disagree. I welcome my new lizard overlords," Tyson said.
Loki rolled his eyes.
One of the Minutemen held up a cylindrical device. "And what do these do?"
Loki recited in a monotone, "Reset charges prune the affected radius of a branched timeline, allowing time to heal all its wounds. Which sounds like a nice way of saying disintegrate everything in its vicinity."
Mobius nodded. "He's on it."
"I watched the videos. I mean, some of them."
B-15 consulted her temporal device, leading them toward a large tent at the far end of the fairgrounds. The air was thick with the competing scents of roasting meat, leather, sawdust, and the distinctive tang of period-accurate livestock management. A lute player's approximation of medieval music mixed with the crowd's chatter; historically inaccurate but atmospherically perfect. Somewhere nearby, someone was demonstrating blacksmithing, metal ringing against metal in rhythmic percussion. The woman at the flower cart was wearing modern sneakers under her medieval skirts. The "meat pie" vendor's product smelled suspiciously like hot dogs.
The entire faire was an elaborate lie, people pretending to be from a time they'd never experienced, and everyone involved knew it and participated anyway. It reminded him uncomfortably of his own situation; pretending to be with the TVA only so far as it served his goal of saving his timeline and returning with Loki and the Tesseract, and hoping, like the faire attendees, that no one looked at him too closely.
Tyson stopped walking. "There's something I don't understand. If Nexus-Events destabilize the timeline and we have to show up in real time, what is real time? What the hell does the red line even mean? Why should it matter to the TVA, since it seems to be outside of linear time? What would it matter if we came here now, or in a perceived year from now?"
Mobius kept walking, not breaking stride. "That's above your pay grade."
"I'm not getting paid."
"Exactly my point."
Loki had stopped as well, turning to face Mobius with renewed interest. "Actually, that's a rather astute observation. The TVA exists outside of time, yet operates according to temporal constraints that seem entirely arbitrary. If time is merely another dimension to be navigated, why the urgency? Why the red line at all?"
"Because that's how it works," B-15 said, not looking up from her device.
"That's not an answer," Tyson pressed. "That's deflection. You're telling me the TVA has existed for eons, pruning countless timelines, and nobody's ever questioned the fundamental logic of your operational parameters?"
Mobius finally turned around. "The Time-Keepers established the protocols. We follow them. That's all you need to know."
"Is it though?" Loki circled back toward them. "Because from where I'm standing, the entire system appears designed to create artificial scarcity. Urgency where none should exist. Control through manufactured crisis."
"We don't have time for this," B-15 said.
"Don't we?" Loki spread his hands. "We have all the time in the universe, apparently. That's rather the point of this conversation and this organization of I understand it correctly."
Tyson watched Mobius's jaw tighten. The analyst was good at deflection, at redirecting conversations away from uncomfortable truths, but this question had teeth. "You said the branch is still changing and growing. But if you can travel to any point in time, why does growth matter? You could let it grow for a thousand years, then go back to the moment it started."
"The temporal aura degrades," Mobius said.
"Does it?" Loki asked. "Or is that simply what you've been told?"
One of the Minutemen shifted uncomfortably. Another checked his weapon, suddenly very interested in the reset charge's mechanisms.
"Look," Mobius said, his voice taking on an edge. "You want to question TVA protocol, fine. Do it on your own time. Right now, we've got a Variant to catch and a missing team to find. C-20 and her people are out there somewhere, and every second we waste philosophizing is another second they're in danger. The apex of the Nexus signature is coming from in there." He pointed to one of the tents.
The interior was dimly lit with oil lamps. Bodies lay scattered across the floor.
Mobius scanned the area. "Spread out, check everything. The Variant was here."
Tyson moved around the perimeter. "What exactly are we looking for?"
"Anything out of place. Anything that doesn't belong in a 1985 Renaissance Faire."
"Anything beyond the bodies lying around the tent, you mean… I assume."
B-15 checked behind curtains and under tables. She paused suddenly, crouching near the back.
"I found something."
The others gathered around her. On the ground lay a TVA helmet.
"That's C-20's," one of the Minutemen said.
"So he's taking hostages now?"
Mobius frowned. "The Variant's never taken a hostage before."
"Maybe he's upping his game."
A Minuteman shifted nervously. "Or he pruned her."
"A Loki couldn't have gotten the jump on C-20."
Loki cleared his throat. "I think you underestimate, actually—"
"Fan out and search for her. And hurry up, we're at three units until the red line."
"Let's go. She's right."
"Come on." Mobius motioned toward the exit.
"Wait..." Loki interrupted. "If you leave this tent, you'll end up like them."
The group paused, turning back.
"What do you see?"
"I see a scheme. And in that scheme, I see myself." Loki began pacing. "Think about it. What would I do if I were this Variant? I wouldn't waste time at a Renaissance Faire unless it served a greater purpose. This is clearly a diversion, a sleight of hand to draw your attention while the real plan unfolds elsewhere."
He continued his monologue, but Tyson stopped listening after a few sentences. Loki was just stalling. The god's transparent attempt to delay their departure was almost embarrassing. The others were catching on too, exchanging glances as Loki droned on. He wasn't wrong, this was just a diversion, there wasn't anything important here.
Tyson found his attention drawn to the abandoned helmet. This was an opportunity. With Loki making himself look less useful, Tyson could position himself as the helpful one. Maybe they'd remove his collar.
He needed to use his metaknowledge without revealing too much or changing upcoming events.
"Hey Loki," Tyson called out, interrupting whatever nonsense the god was spewing. "Can you do illusions like mine?"
Loki paused, annoyed. "I fail to see how that is pertinent to walking into the wolf's mouth."
"I don't know what that means, but the answer is important."
Loki sighed. "I would never lower myself to such pitiful tricks, but yes."
"Why is that important?" Mobius asked.
"Earlier, you called it 'mental vandalism.' Did you mean that literally? Vandalism is only one step away from theft..."
Mobius's eyes widened. "You think this Loki abducted C-20 to steal from her mind?"
The Minutemen looked at each other. B-15 frowned. "This is the best we've got, but we don't know what he's after, so it's not a great lead."
Tyson bent down and picked up one of the time sticks. He hefted it, testing its weight. "Good enough of a lead to earn a weapon?"
Mobius shook his head. "No, put that down before you prune yourself. Let's go."
"Reset the timeline," B-15 said.
The Minuteman placed a reset charge in the center of the tent. The device began to pulse with blue light.
Mobius turned to Loki, disappointment evident. "You had me for a second."
They filed out. B-15 activated her TemPad, creating an orange doorway. One by one, they stepped through, returning to the TVA as the timeline was pruned.
— Rogue Redemption —
Loki and Tyson sat on a bench outside Judge Renslayer's chambers. Mobius had entered fifteen minutes ago, leaving them to wait like schoolchildren outside the principal's office.
Loki drummed his fingers against his knee. He glanced sideways at Tyson, who sat with a relaxed posture.
"You must think yourself so clever for offering a little insight."
Tyson shook his head. "Nah. You did most of the work. I just tied the threads together." A TVA employee walked past, clutching files, not even glancing at the pair.
Loki leaned closer, lowering his voice. "They're never going to take that collar off you. You're too dangerous. This place is made of metal."
Tyson ran his fingers along the smooth edge of the power-dampening collar, feeling its weight. The metal was a constant reminder of his vulnerability, though in truth, it was self-imposed. He could use his claws to tear through the collar at any moment. "I was born a mortal, lived most of my life as a mortal. This is just a temporary return to normal for me."
Loki scoffed. "Your optimism is almost endearing."
"The difference between us is that I understand my position here. You still think you're playing a game you can win."
"Every game can be won if you understand the rules well enough."
"Why try to give them the runaround? You had to know it wasn't going to work." Tyson gestured at the hallway. "Sure, this place looks like a human bureaucracy, but you have to know it's just a facade. They're on to you. You can't just play them."
A muscle twitched in Loki's jaw. "You presume to lecture me on strategy?"
"I don't get it. Compare the TVA to Asgard. If your goal is to get a meeting with the Time Keepers, why act the way you do? Would that work on Asgard if you were a nobody there and wanted to get a meeting with Odin?"
Loki's eyes narrowed. "Asgard operates on clear hierarchies. The path to Odin is well-established through formal channels and protocols."
"And you think the TVA doesn't have its own hierarchy? Its own protocols? You're not going to trick your way to the top here."
Loki leaned back against the wall. "Perhaps not with the methods I've employed thus far."
"Then what's your angle? Because from where I'm sitting, you're trying to make enemies."
"The TVA isn't Asgard, but it isn't entirely dissimilar. Both are institutions built on lies." The mask of the trickster slipped for a moment, revealing something sharper beneath. "All institutions are built on lies. The lie that they are necessary. The lie that they are just. The lie that they are immutable. But the greatest lie is always the one they tell themselves."
"Which is?"
"That they understand what they're protecting." The words came out quiet, almost contemplative. "Asgard believed it understood the Nine Realms. Yet when I met Angela, I learned the truth. There are ten realms. The TVA believes it understands time."
Tyson watched him carefully. This wasn't the performative Loki, this was more honest. "And you understand better?"
"I understand chaos. And beneath all this order, that's what truly exists."
Loki shifted closer, his voice dropped. "They're not going to allow our timeline to continue. As soon as we help them catch this Variant, they'll prune it just like the one we just visited." His gaze locked onto Tyson's face, searching for something. "What will you do then, Valravn? When their 'order' brings the downfall and death of everything you hold dear?"
Tyson's fingers traced the collar again, but this time the gesture held a different weight. His jaw tightened, and when he spoke, his voice was harder than before. "You said it yourself. I'm too dangerous, and they know it." A smile spread across his face, but it didn't reach his eyes. There was something cold in the expression. "If they stop playing nice, so will I."
Loki leaned back, studying Tyson with newfound interest. "And here I thought you were content playing the dutiful soldier."
"I protect what's mine." The words came out flat, final. "I won't let anyone threaten them, not even the self-proclaimed guardians of time."
"Finally, a crack in that righteous facade."
"I wouldn't say I'm righteous." Tyson's fingers curled into fists. The knuckles went white, tendons standing out against his skin. "The TVA might control time, but they don't control me. Not really."
"No?" Loki gestured at the collar. "That device suggests otherwise."
"This?" Tyson tapped the metal band. "It stops my powers, sure. But my powers aren't what make me dangerous." He turned to face Loki fully, and there was a cold certainty that made the god of Mischief pay closer attention. "Last year, six of my enemies, none who could beat me alone, banded together to attack me. They wore anti-magnetic belts, so I couldn't use that power on them. They hit me with a weakening poison to nullify my strength, and they took potions to protect their minds from my illusions. I was effectively powerless from their perspective." His voice dropped lower, taking on a darker edge. "Two are dead. Two are in prison. The last two work for me now, and one of them is my lover, even though her previous lover was one of the men I killed."
The words settled into the air between them like stones dropping into still water. Loki's expression shifted, the amusement fading into something more calculating. He was reassessing, recalibrating his understanding of the man sitting beside him.
"Now you're getting it." Tyson's smile grew sharper, more predatory. "I'm playing along because it serves my purpose. The moment that changes..." He left the threat unspoken, hanging there like a blade.
"Perhaps we understand each other better than I thought."
"Then understand this." Tyson leaned forward, his voice still quiet but intense. "I'll work with the TVA as long as it benefits those I protect. The moment that equation changes, no power in any timeline will stop me from doing what needs to be done."
Loki nodded, but in acknowledgment rather than agreement.
The door to Renslayer's office opened, and Mobius emerged.
"Having a nice chat?"
"Delightful. Your colleague here was just explaining how I should behave more appropriately if I wish to advance my position."
"Is that right?" Mobius turned to Tyson. "And what wisdom did you impart?"
"That if he wants to meet the Time Keepers, antagonizing everyone might not be the best approach."
Mobius nodded slowly. "Not bad advice." He gestured for them to stand. "The judge has made a decision regarding your continued involvement with the Variant case."
"And?" Loki prompted.
"And she's allowing it, conditionally. One more stunt like the one you pulled at the fair, and you're both reset. No exceptions, no appeals."
"How generous."
"It's more than generous. It's unprecedented. Don't make her regret it. You're here to help me catch the superior version of yourself."
Loki's head snapped up. "Hang on. I'm not sure 'superior' is actually quite the right word."
"See? There it is." Mobius pointed at Loki's face. "Right there. I believed, stupidly, that an insecure need for validation would motivate you to find the killer. Not cause you care about the TVA mission or being a hero, but because you know this Variant is better than you, and you can't take it. I mean, it is adorable that you think you could possibly manipulate me. But your plan is transparent. What, charm your way in front of the Time-Keepers, hustle them, and seize control of the TVA? Am I getting warm?"
Loki's jaw tightened. "Why are you in there sticking your neck out for me?"
Mobius straightened up, adjusting his tie. "I'll give you two options, and you can believe whichever one you want. A, because I see a scared little boy, shivering in the cold. And you kinda feel bad for that ice runt. Or B, I just wanna catch this guy, and I'll tell you whatever I need to tell you."
Tyson watched the exchange with interest. Mobius's assessment clearly unsettled Loki, though he tried to hide it behind indifference. The agent gestured for them to follow. They turned a corner and entered an expansive area. Rows upon rows of shelves stretched upward and outward, filled with countless files.
"What's this?"
Tyson looked over the edge of the balcony. Multi-story was an understatement. Like most open areas in the TVA, this one seemed to go on forever in all directions.
"Your last chance." Mobius led them toward a table positioned near the railing.
The table was already laden with stacks of files. Mobius gestured toward the chairs. "I need you to go over each and every one of the Variant's case files, and then, give me your..." He paused. "How do I put it? Your unique Loki perspective. And who knows? Maybe there's something that we missed."
"Well, you're idiots. I suspect you probably missed a lot."
Mobius smiled. "That's why I'm lucky I got ya for a little bit longer. Let me park ya at this desk. And don't be afraid to really lean into this work. Here's a good trick for you. Pretend your life depends on it." His voice dropped. "I'm gonna get a snack."
As Mobius turned to leave, Tyson called out. "Hey, this is nice and all, how about taking the collar off, so I can channel some of my enhanced intellect?"
Mobius paused at the entrance, looking back. "You're doing great as is bud. Keep up the good work."
He disappeared around the corner, leaving Loki and Tyson alone with the files in the unending vastness of the TVA archives.
Loki sighed, pulling the nearest file toward him. He flipped it open, revealing detailed reports and timeline analysis.
Tyson settled into the chair opposite him, reaching for his own stack.
Even sitting at a table in the archive, flipping through files, Loki made it look cinematic. His fingers trailed along page edges with unnecessary grace, head tilting at angles designed for maximum dramatic silhouette. It was compulsive, Tyson realized. Loki couldn't not perform, even when the only audience was Tyson and a couple of files.
He watched Loki trace a finger along a passage, and the movement was almost tender.
"You do that on purpose, don't you?" Tyson asked.
"Do what?"
"Move like you're on stage. Like every gesture is made for aesthetic effect."
Loki's smile was sharp. "If one must exist, one should at least do so with style."
Fair enough. Tyson couldn't argue with that.
— Rogue Redemption —
After who knew how long, Loki cleared his throat. "Oh, my goodness. Don't tell me the Variant ambushed and killed another team of Minutemen. And stole their reset charge as well."
"Shh!" another TVA agent sitting nearby hissed.
Tyson had taken to standing in the middle of the walkway, the one overlooking the vast open space of the archives. He moved through a series of flowing movements, feet shifting in careful patterns, weight transferring smoothly from one stance to another as his hands punched and feet kicked. The kata was one he had performed countless times at Chikara Dojo. Each movement connected to the next in an unbroken chain, a low block transitioning into a strike, a pivot leading to a sweeping defensive posture. His breathing remained measured as he executed a perfect spinning kick. His muscular frame moved with surprising grace, each position held with perfect balance before flowing into the next. The familiar routine centered him, muscles remembering what the mind had learned through months of repetition.
As the final movements brought him back to center, Loki asked, "What are you doing?"
Tyson rolled his shoulders. "Staying sharp and in shape. They took off your collar. They didn't take off mine. I'm just a man now. If I don't stay fit, I'm going to start losing everything I've built up." He paused. "I don't know if I truly need to, though. How long have we been here? Days? Longer? I haven't gotten hungry or eaten anything, or slept. I've been in timeless spaces before. Your body doesn't change, meaning we could potentially go endlessly without food or sleep, and my body won't decay. But I'm not going to sit around waiting to find out."
"How preciously mortal of you. Do you have any insights into this case?"
"Nope, just got these mortal soft brainmeats up here." Tyson tapped his head. "With this collar on, I'm just a high school graduate. I can't compare to your godly intellect."
Loki rolled his eyes. He stood and walked away. Tyson followed him to a woman who looked like a librarian.
"Hi."
She continued typing.
"Hello?"
Finally, Loki pressed the small bell on her desk. She stopped typing and looked up. "Can I help you?"
"Yes. I'm on some important TVA business. Follow-up to a field mission. You know how it goes. We red-lined near the apex, and... Well, it's never good." He chuckled softly, trying to charm the 'librarian,' but it didn't appear to be working. "Um, I'd like all files pertaining to the creation of the TVA, please."
"Those are classified."
"Okay. I'd like all files pertaining to the beginning of time, then."
"Those are classified."
"Okay, the end of time."
"Those are classified."
"Okay, what files can I have?"
She finally stood and led him to a shelf. Pulling a few additional files, nothing nearly as dense as what they'd been going through previously. "Happy reading."
She turned back to her desk, but Tyson interrupted. "I'm sorry to bother you, but since you're up, I was hoping to retrieve some files as well." She stopped and looked at him but didn't answer, waiting. "I believe that since both of us are involved," he pointed between himself and Loki, "that knowing the history of the Avengers and Loki is pertinent. But we're from a branch timeline and don't have the complete picture. I was hoping to see the files on the sacred timeline itself and the sequence of events. It might give me some insights or fill in some missing pieces."
She considered. "I'll lead you to the section pertaining to the Avengers on the Sacred timeline."
Tyson thanked her and called over his shoulder to Loki, "I'll catch up with you later."
Loki narrowed his eyes, recognizing that Tyson was up to something. Before he could walk away, Loki caught his arm. The grip was light, but it stopped him.
"A word of advice," he began, his voice pitched low enough that only Tyson could hear. "Whatever you're looking for in those archives, whatever truth you think will make your choices clearer, it won't. Knowledge is a burden, not a comfort. The more you learn about what could be, the less certain you'll feel about what should be."
Tyson met his eyes and saw not manipulation or schemes, but genuine warning. Maybe even concern, though Loki would probably deny it if asked.
"Speaking from experience?"
"Always." Loki released his arm. "I spent centuries studying magic, learning secrets, acquiring power. I thought if I just knew enough, understood enough, I could craft myself into whatever I needed to be. The perfect son, the worthy king, the powerful sorcerer." His smile was sad. "All that knowledge just gave me more ways to fail spectacularly. And would have led to my death, regardless."
It was the most honest thing Loki had said to him, devoid of performance or artifice.
"So what," Tyson asked quietly, "I should stop learning? Stop trying to understand? You aren't the only one burdened with knowledge of the future."
"No." Loki's expression shifted, something complicated crossing his face. "Just... remember that you're not just the sum of what you know or what you can do. Those memories you've absorbed, those powers you've stolen, they're tools, just like the infinity stones, not your identity. Don't let them consume who you actually are."
"Thanks," Tyson said, meaning it.
Loki's mask slid back into place instantly. "Don't mistake momentary sentimentality for friendship. I'm still planning to betray you at the most dramatically appropriate moment."
"Wouldn't expect anything less."
The librarian led Tyson through the archive. Finally, after what felt like ten minutes, she stopped at an intersection of two massive aisles. She gestured with a sweep of her hand.
"This section begins with the birth of Thor." She pointed down the aisle. "Four intersections down is where Tony Stark is captured and creates his first suit."
Tyson blinked, taking in the sheer scale. Each shelf contained hundreds of files.
"Is the archive actually organized like this? The Avengers have their own entire section?"
The librarian adjusted her glasses. "No. But events surrounding them cause branching timelines so often that they have an area of copies dedicated to them for brevity."
Tyson nodded slowly. The Avengers created countless possibilities that the TVA had to monitor and prune. "So this area has the Sacred Timeline information for every Avenger?"
"Yes. Is there anything else?"
Tyson shook his head. "No, this is perfect. Thank you."
"Happy reading."
As the librarian left, Tyson smiled. This was a chance to search for information he was missing or had forgotten, or things that were never shown in the movies. While his timeline was different than the one seen in the MCU, there were so many similarities, and they'd just given him access to a wealth of information.
He began scanning the files. The organization was meticulous, each significant event carefully documented and cross-referenced. He pulled out a file labeled "Thor's Banishment" and flipped it open. Inside were detailed accounts of the events leading up to Thor's arrival on Earth, including conversations between Odin and Frigga that had never been depicted in the movie. He moved methodically through the shelves, noting files that caught his interest. "The Asgardian Royal Family," "The Warriors Three," and "Lady Sif." He moved on to the section about Tony Stark, finding files that documented not just the public events of his life but private moments as well. There was a detailed account of Tony's relationship with his father, Howard, the distance between them, Howard's obsession with finding Captain America, and the complicated legacy he left his son. A file labeled "The Avengers Initiative: Origins" caught his eye. Inside was the complete history of Nick Fury's plan, including an accounting of the events involving Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel, and assessments of potential candidates who had never made it to the team.
While all this was neat, it wasn't why Tyson had searched out this section. There were things he needed to know. The Battle of New York was over, and it was time to start looking forward. He continued walking until he came upon the files relating to Ultron. Tyson knew how Ultron was created and what would happen, but there were a few pieces of information he was missing. He grabbed several files and made his way to a nearby table.
The Ultron files were extensive, documenting everything from Tony Stark's initial concept to the AI's final moments. He spent hours sifting through information until he discovered several bits that he was seeking. Tyson looked over his notes.
VIBRANIUM SOURCE:
Ulysses Klaue - South Africa location confirmed Largest stockpile outside Wakanda Vessel name: Churchill, Location: Salvage Yard, South Africa (Gotcha Bitch!)
Erik Killmonger:
Current Location: Iraq Global missions, difficult to pin down HELEN CHO: Current location: New York City Returns to Seoul, South Korea after Battle Leads medical research group U-GIN Creator of the Cradle tech (Vision)
AMADEUS CHO:
Helen's son Age: 14 Genius-level intellect Oxford (scholarship recipient) Publications in theoretical physics and computer science work Psych eval suggests potential = Stark/Banner level
TIMELINE DIVERGENCE NOTE:
Sacred Timeline: Amadeus → Oxford scholarship My Timeline: Gwen Stacy → Oxford scholarship
He'd written down the location of Ulysses Klaue in South Africa, which was significant because this was where the largest stockpile of Vibranium outside of Wakanda was located. Killmonger was a different story. Tyson wasn't sure what to do about the man. Should he interfere or not? Additionally, he knew exactly where Killmonger was, as of the moment he'd left, but the man moved around a lot. Pinning him down would be far more difficult than Klaue.
He also noted the doctor who created the artificial Vibranium body that would become Vision. Helen Cho. It took some searching, but he found her file. Her son was a genius as well, and Tyson realized that in the Sacred Timeline, he'd gotten a scholarship to Oxford at the age of 14. He put the pieces together. Amadeus Cho, Helen's son, was the one against whom Gwen competed for the scholarship to Oxford. In his timeline, Gwen had won that scholarship, but in the file, Amadeus had taken it instead. The difference was subtle but significant. He'd speak with Felicia when he got back and try to get them both involved with House of M. Helen's expertise in synthetic biology, combined with Amadeus's genius, could be invaluable.
Tyson closed the files and leaned back. The pieces were falling into place.
The archive was quiet, his section empty of any TVA agents. Tyson sat alone with his metaknowledge and his choices, and strangely, he wasn't the only person in the room who knew what was coming. Everyone in the TVA had access to the same knowledge of the 'Sacred Timeline' that he himself possessed.
He would be making decisions that would affect lives, hoping like hell he was choosing correctly.
The irony wasn't lost on him. He feared the TVA for its ability to play god with the timeline, for deciding which realities deserved to exist and which should be pruned.
And here he was, doing exactly the same thing on a smaller scale.
Deciding which people to save, which events to prevent, which futures to allow, and which to abort before they begin.
Maybe that's what power did to people. Give them knowledge and ability, and eventually they convinced themselves that their choices were righteous, their manipulations justified, their control necessary.
The TVA thought they were protecting the one true reality.
Thanos thought he was saving the universe.
Magneto thought he was liberating mutants.
And himself? What did he think he was doing?
Saving people. Preventing disasters. Using his knowledge to make things better.
But wasn't that what they all thought?
The collar was still tight around his throat, a physical reminder that he was a prisoner, an anomaly, someone who didn't belong in this universe.
Maybe the TVA was right.
Maybe his existence was a threat to the Sacred Timeline, his interference more dangerous than the disasters he was trying to prevent.
Or maybe he was overthinking this. Maybe sometimes the right choice was just to try, even if trying was arrogant, even if it might make things worse. Because doing nothing while people suffered or died felt worse than any amount of hubris.
And he'd already taken the first steps. With the Mind Stone secured and away from Hydra, the creation of Ultron should be impossible. But the vibranium situation nagged at him. He had tried negotiating with Klaue before, but once he'd acquired Magneto's powers, the arms dealer had balked, likely sensing that someone who could control metal wasn't an ideal trading partner for his precious stockpile. But now Tyson knew exactly where to find him. The Churchill, in that South African salvage yard.
No vibranium and no Mind Stone meant no Vision or Ultron, and no destruction of Sokovia.
That disaster had led directly to the Sokovia Accords, which marked the beginning of the Avengers' fracturing. They needed to be united when Thanos came, not scattered and distrustful of each other. He could stop Ultron's creation and the events of Civil War at the same time.
Tyson pulled more files, this time focusing on the Maximoff twins. That was another issue he'd need to handle. They were still out there somewhere, escaped after the Battle in Times Square. He was just getting into the files on Wanda and Pietro when Mobius came by with Loki.
"What are you doing?"
Tyson gestured to the papers. "We're not from the Sacred Timeline, no one bothered to fill us in on what actually happens beyond the 'Loki is killed by Thanos' thing."
Mobius glanced at the files. His expression remained neutral, but there was a flicker of concern in his eyes. "Loki has an idea we're going to test. He thinks the Variant might be hiding in apocalypses, since anything they changed wouldn't be affected because everyone and everything would be destroyed anyway. It's a sound theory. You coming?"
Tyson closed the file he was reading. "You taking off my collar?"
Mobius shook his head and smiled apologetically.
"It's a good theory. I think he's right. Score one for the god of Mischief." Tyson said, "But I'll pass on the theory testing in an apocalypse. With this collar, I have no powers. An apocalypse is the last place I want to be when I'm just a regular Joe. Think I'll stay and keep researching, but grab me when we go after the Variant, I wanna get a look at the superior Loki."
"Suit yourself. Let's go, Loki."
As Mobius walked away, Loki leaned down. "I realized something. I never told you how I'd die."
Tyson looked up, meeting Loki's suspicious gaze. "Valravn, remember. Prophecy and all that. I wasn't lying. I've seen the future."
Loki appraised Tyson with suspicion before following Mobius.
Tyson dove back into the files about the Maximoff twins. He compared what he read to what he knew from his metaknowledge and Magneto's memories. The file detailed that the Maximoff twins' parents died when they were ten, when a mortar shell hit their apartment building. They were trapped inside with an undetonated Stark Industries missile for two days before being rescued, which ignited their hatred of Tony Stark.
In his absorbed memories, he recalled Magneto meeting the twins. He learned of their backstory and concocted his own story to match theirs, claiming that they were his children and that Iryna and Olek Maximoff agreed to raise them because Magneto was a wanted man. The twins' parents weren't mutants, and they were young when their parents died. It added credence to Magneto's story, and there was no way to disprove it; they quickly latched onto him as a father figure.
Tyson's issue now was that he needed to find some kind of proof that Magneto was lying. The twins, at the moment, thought Tony had killed their adopted parents, and Tyson had killed their actual father. With Magneto dead, there was no way for him to convince them otherwise. Anything he said would seem like a manipulation, especially since he had Magneto's memories.
Flipping through more pages, he searched for any inconsistency or detail that might help. There were medical records, school enrollment forms, and even neighborhood census data confirming the Maximoffs as a biological family. Magneto had exploited their vulnerability, their grief, their rage. But there was no way to prove this was how it happened in his world. There was no guarantee this applied to 'his' timeline. The twins were driven by a hatred built on lies. Eventually, he'd need a way to show them the truth.
The problem with knowing the future was that it made the present feel like watching a slow-motion car crash. Tyson stared at the information spread before him, Klaue's location, the twins' trauma, Ultron's inevitable creation...
He knew people would die. Knew cities would burn. Knew that relationships would fracture and heroes would fall if he did nothing. He'd have to manipulate events, guide people toward better choices. It was exhausting and morally questionable and exactly the kind of thing that Magneto would have done. The Maximoff twins especially bothered him. Their pain was real, their trauma valid, their anger justified. And Magneto had exploited all of it, had lied to them about being their father, had weaponized their grief. Tyson had his memories of doing it, could remember the cold calculation, the targeted manipulation, the way their desperation made them easy to control.
He remembered being Magneto in those moments. Remembered caring only so far as it met his needs.
The idea that Tyson, like Magneto, had used others and would continue with manipulation and exploitation for the greater good gnawed at him.
But saving the universe, well, at least half of it, justified some moral flexibility.
Didn't it?