InsaneJournal

Who: Thor, Valkyrie, Loki
What: a decision is reached about New Asgard relocation...and an impending wedding feast.
When: backdated first week of May, after this text.
Rating: Green

Loki sent along a message to Valkyrie to meet in Thor's map room, adjacent to Thor's chambers in the royal quarter. Then he crossed the corridor and entered the map room, dressed in what could only be described as Midgardian attire for goths. It was black on black with a high collar, and didn't show any flesh other than his hands and everything from the neck up.

Fine, the socks were green and had little depictions of his helm all over them. Everyone can blame Japan for that happening.

He draped himself down into a chair next to the table, one hand pressed over his eyes while waiting for the arrival of his brother and betrothed.

Valkyrie appeared, wearing cotton shorts and a flying horse t-shirt, her hands and arms full with a bag of chips, a bowl of salsa, and a bowl of cheese as she sat at the table and laid her food out before her, smiling down at it before looking at Loki. “... I really wanted chips and salsa and cheese again. Sorry in advance for salsa burps.” She was very classy.

"Part of your charm, my dear," Loki joked, smiling under his hand before dropping it to look over at her. "At least it looks as though you brought enough for the both of you."

There was no way in Helheim that he would touch that vile concoction known as salsa. Not even with one of Hela's severed arms.

Thor was worried.

Loki’s message had a sort of ominous tone to it, and the fact it had to do with the relocation made for a more distressing train of thought. There was no sense worrying before learning what actually had transpired though, so when Thor walked into the map room, his face was impassive until he saw how relaxed the Valkyrie was, and the fact that Loki was smiling and joking.

Things couldn’t be that dire.

A relieved smile crossed his face, and Thor visibly untensed. “Is that cheese sauce?” Without asking, he took a chip from Val’s bowl, and dipped before heading to his own chair at the head of the table. “This realm has some amazing food.”

"Some of which is amazingly disgusting," Loki countered, waiting until Thor was done with that chip with cheese on it before he began to get around to the reason for the meeting. "It's good to see you. I hope Jane is resting well, and I apologize for the intrusion. I have news regarding relocating to Edgeøya. You do recall that the entire island is considered part of the Soraust-Svalbard Nature Reserve, and we were granted one small portion along a small southern bay. Yes? Well....."

Loki winced before he continued explaining, "I have good and bad news. The bad news is the ground became unstable due to?" He checked his phone to make sure he was understanding. "Ah, yes. Climate changes due to human influences. The tide rose and the island ate our building supplies. Is that cheese sauce spicy? I can't eat it if it is."

Good Norns. Val had to stop from slapping her palm to her face and instead just dipped her own chip in the cheese, speaking with her mouth full, crumbs flying a little. “There isn’t anything left to be saved, regretfully. And no, it’s not spicy you’ll like it.” She scooted the bowl towards him in encouragement. “I am in the minority that thinks this is a conspiracy. Awfully suspect that they just happen to give us a plot of land that is unstable due to conditions they would have known about but..”

She shrugged before popping another chip in her mouth and eyeing Loki then Thor to sense his reaction.

Thor’s eyes widened at what Loki and Val were saying. Everything gone? It hadn’t been an excessive amount of investment, but their materials...their land...everything...gone?

“I was not aware that humans had such a significant impact on this realm. I am perplexed as to why this hasn’t been addressed if it is truly destroying landmass…” Midgardians continued to be a source of confusion for him.

He drummed his fingers on the table for a moment before nodding. “Alright. So our first plan is gone. I do not imagine you would call this meeting if you didn’t already have several other plans, brother. What do you suggest now? Do we have the funds to replace what we have lost?”

There was, of course, the usual amount of rolling his eyes at the conspiracy theory his betrothed mentioned. The God of Mischief considered that folly, trying to piss off a God of Thunder. Especially when said God of Thunder was rather popular there.

"Between you, I, and what gold Asgard has?" Loki ate a plain corn chip while looking thoughtful, shrugging a shoulder when he was finished. "If you wish to? Although it will set us further back, more so with time. A fair amount of supplies were gathered from other realms, so as to not arouse suspicions from Midgard's governments. Those realms accepted gold, only.

"However! I informed the government contact and they were profoundly apologetic. So much so, they've offered a solution. They're offering to relocate the caregivers of the historical village of Tonsberg. It is on the mainland. In turn, we would become the caretakers, free to build as we see fit. And to make further amends, they are offering free cable and wifi. We can move within the month, if you approve."

Loki lobbed a satisfied smirk over at Valkyrie. Conspiracy theories? Ha.

“Free cable and wifi? That is their agreement? They don’t see fit to pay us back with gold for the things we lost because of their dumbassery?” She quirked an eyebrow and huffed before grumbling as she sat back. “Idiots. Free wifi.” She scoffed. “Better throw in free Netflix and the Hulu as well.”

Thor didn’t bother commenting on the free wifi. Or cable. That wasn’t that important, even if he did enjoy those amenities. He’d already plotted out what it would mean to be isolated again.

And now those plans were out the window. By the Norns, Thor would never understand how his brother kept coming up with endless plans, endless decisions to broken or failed goals. Truly, sometimes he wondered how Loki had ended up with the reputation of being negative -- his brother was always looking at everything. Realism, it turned out, was more important than positivity.

“The caregivers, are they willing to be relocated? I have no desire to take from those who do not wish to give.” Getting up, he walked over to one of his many atlases and scoured the map until he found the location. Southern Norway, and like Loki said, on the mainland. “What are your thoughts on this, the internet issue aside,” he added, giving Val a look . “Is it a good plan? Should we negotiate further?”

Loki also gave Val a look, before shaking his head a little and directing his attention at his phone. He skimmed through the subsequent emails exchanges for the pertinent information.

"Ah. Here it is," he said, reading it over. "They did send a further email after speaking with the caretakers. They've offered them a generous raise in pay for the next five years, and to help with moving expenses. The caretakers seem rather happy with it, apparently."

As to the negotiations, Loki appeared thoughtful, looking up and pondering for a moment, before speaking again.

"I believe it's unwise to push our luck any further," he finally told Thor and the Valkyrie. "The people will grow restless the longer we wait. The city is strange to them, even if the children are fond of Netflix and gaming. The quiet might do us some good, and we are free to build more houses or buildings as needed. They are giving us..." He paused to read what the 'cable' package included. "...whatever Cinemax is, and various sports channels. I've read that such things can be quite pricey. I could inquire about free Netflix and Hulu. Unless there's anything else that either of you think we need ask for?"

Thor still thought it was strange that they’d be getting television or internet with this relocation, but Loki and Val seemed to be all for it, and Loki’s words were true: everyone was bored. Restless was just a nicer word for it, but they were bored. The children wanted to explore, the adults wanted to get settled, and ultimately, they needed a home.

An actual home.

Not a space ship, or a warehouse.

A home.

“How soon can we move?”

"Well, they've already begun making arrangements," Loki replied. "In expectation that you would see it was a worthy offer. They did offer charitable donations of clothing and furnishings as well, but I've not responded yet on that front, either. Apparently Norway has welcomed a fair amount of refugees."

Which, he read, was an unfortunate truth. Everyone on Midgard tended to fight one another over religious beliefs. It would be so much simpler if it was all consolidated under one ruler. Unless it was a bad ruler, and then that might pose a bit of a problem. Or if they were usurped, but really...the worst that Loki did was built a few statues to himself....built a theater that looked like his helm...wrote a play about himself....a parade day....he wasn't responsible for the people making those gold decorative plaques, soooo....

Loki coughed to clear his throat, clearing that train of thought from his mind.

"We can begin relocating after the tenth, as soon as you grant your approval for the offer," Loki finished.

Thor looked at Val who was still eating, and gave a decisive nod. “Yes, I think that would be for the best. We will no longer need to rely on our relocation document, considering that people do not need to be brought over in stages. Having already constructed homes is beneficial...as well their generous offer of assistance.” It was hard swallowing his pride this way, but it had to be done. They did not have a limitless treasury and they would need to be cautious.

“Once we are established and fulfilling the tasks asked of us, our citizens can start making money. Those taxes will then be given back to the Norwegian government until we are re-paid.

"That seems a sound plan, brother. I shall relay this to them, and they will no doubt...fax? Fax a new agreement to be signed and returned to them."

Loki could hear his betrothed crunching on chips and salsa next to him, but was doing a good job of keeping a straight face and not teasing her for a laugh. By some miracle.

"Shall I inform everyone to begin packing their belongings in preparation?" Loki inquired. "If so, I've a request for after we are finished relocating and settling in."

Still looking at the map, Thor nodded. “Yes, I think that would be best. We should hold an audience of sorts, have all our people come together. Perhaps on the roof. Make it a festive event if we can. It might be some time before we will be able to be in the position to do so again.”

Things were slowly coming together, and Thor felt the ever present stress on his shoulders lessen slightly.

“What request are you asking?”

"Well, about that, and that is a fine idea as well? I wholeheartedly agree. I was thinking also, perhaps, of a feast after we're done moving. A very specific feast."

Loki raised his eyebrows at Thor, as though hoping the hint would take hold...and then it appeared that he thought better of it.

"I wish to wed our Valkyrie. But, obviously, not before Stark's impending wedding. I've no wish to..." He cleared his throat again. "...steal his thunder. Afterward, if possible? I mean, if you, as King, will say a few words and wed us. It need not be lavish...."

Loki gestured toward the Valkyrie and her salsa. "Serve that, and ale, and my bride will be content."

Val nearly choked, coughing around her mouth full of salsa.

A wedding?

How could Thor say no when Val was sitting there choking, and Loki was standing there awkwardly? A beaming smile crossed Thor’s face. In a few short strides, he had his arms wrapped tightly around his brother’s shoulders. “Of course you have my blessing,” he said, his joy and excitement visibly etched on him. “If she will have you, of course.”

Thor turned his head back and smirked at Val. “And that, my brother, is debatable at times.”

"You're an ass," Loki said with fondness, closing his eyes and giving his brother a pat on the back as they hugged. In all honesty, which is surprising state for Loki as it is, he hadn't been this happy and content in a very long while. He hoped that Thor would find the same happiness when Jane was better again. "I've advised her against such a foolhardy decision, but she is surprisingly stubborn...."

Since Valkyrie was too busy choking and scrambling for a drink, he told Thor very quietly, "Thank you, brother. It truly means a lot to us both."

And now, there was work to do.