Both Sylvies had their reasons for staying away from the Thors who had arrived. The first and most important was that no matter how much she desperately wanted it, she knew Thor would not remember her. He wasn't the one who jumped in front of a terrified five year old frost giant whose visage had shown through the magic protecting her. He wasn't the one who waved his fists in the air, threatening to hurt anyone who hurt his baby sister. He wasn't the one who said he didn't care if she wasn't related to him by blood. She was his sister, and anyone who wanted to harm her had to go through him first.
It was one of the very few memories that Sylvie carried with her and kept close to her chest. The runes on one side of her sword told a watered down version of the story, meant to remind her of the family she'd had.
The family she'd lost.
And then, Sylvie had lost Valkyrie.
From here, she could see the members of the other Derleth helping one another, digging through the rubble to find friends and items that people wanted. Some were patrolling, no doubt because they had figured out that someone had let the creature loose, and it likely wasn't one of them.
From the outside, it seemed like a much better place to be, but it wasn't because of the campus itself. The campus had nothing to do with it. Everyone was working together. Helping one another. That would never happen here. Even with that campus, it would never happen. Sylvie thought she ought to offer to help. She could move rubble easier than some of those over there without powers, but would they trust her?
She wouldn't.
It seemed like it wasn't worth getting attached to anyone if it meant they could just be taken away. The pink monster's attack on the other Derleth had stirred up something in Sylvie's chest. She'd gone to where their Butler Hall had stood, where Valkyrie had fallen. Where she'd taken her last breath. Crouched on the ground, Sylvie reached out a hand to the spot in the rubble where Valkyrie used to show up, still dead and unreachable, but at least she was tangible. Sylvie knew that it had been real. She swallowed in a dry throat.
Ever since Loki instructed him that lollipops ought to be savored by taking your time and sucking or licking them instead of hastily being crunched and chewed, Thor had one in his mouth, the handle sticking out and moving back and forth as he rolled the candy around. Loki had gone off⌠somewhere⌠honestly Thor already forgot what he told him. Helping with something magic, blah blah blah. Thor was sure it was important, and was more than confident that he could handle any dangerous encounter on his own. It was nice having Lokiâs company, though.
Meandering along the border that divided the two Derleths, some movement caught Thorâs attention. There, on the other side, by one of the monoliths, was a figure. More curious than alert, he kept his slow pace until he got close enough to make out features in the shadows. Sylvie? What was she doing there?
âSylvie! Pssst! Sylvie!â trying to get her attention. It didnât look like she heard. Thor turned his head, looking around if there was anybody else, but finding himself alone, he literally tip-toed across the border to the âevilâ side to get closer. âSylvie!â he repeated in a loud whisper. âWhat are you doing here? Donât you remember what Natasha said? These monolith things are dangerous, one of them can kill you. Come, letâs go back.â He held his hand out for her to take.
Sylvie tried to ignore him, but his voice was like a boombox, even though he was trying to whisper. Maybe it was something in all Thor's that got under a Loki's skin, but she just wanted a few moment's peace to think about Valkyrie and how she was gone. Forever. She thought about how she'd heard that some of theirs had died; Sylvie hoped they were lucky enough to reset. That they hadn't reset from death so many times that it was meaningless to them.
"This monolith took the love of my life from me," she told him, not looking up. "I know how dangerous it is. I know that it's watching me. I just hope that she can see me." She forced a laugh. "Probably telling me to get my arse up, or at least drink a whole lot in her honor."
She finally looked up at him, but didn't take his hand. "I'm not your Sylvie. Or your Loki."
Thor hadnât had enough interaction to recognize one Sylvie from the other, so when she first spoke about losing the love of her life he was disturbed and confused⌠that is until she clarified who she was. âOh,â he said, in an oopsie sort of way, then stood awkwardly, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, but then thought for a few moments before continuing, âWell, she,â he tilted his head in the direction of his Derleth to indicate his Sylvie, âisnât my Loki, either. None of them are. Even the one whoâs closest is very different. So I donât see why it matters much. Youâre still my sister.â
With that decided, he nodded once to show the matter was closed. He glanced over to his side again, and made another decision⌠he was supposed to be patrolling, but being there for his sister was more important. Anyway, he could keep a watch out for danger AND chat with Sylvie, couldnât he?
He sat down on the ground beside her, keeping an armâs distance out of respect. âWhat was her name?â he asked, this time nodding to the monolith.
Thors. They truly were sometimes like golden retrievers, always thinking the best of people. Always wanting to make things right. And gods help the villains who tried to get between Thors and their loved ones. They made for one Hel of a guard dog.
Or so it was said. Sylvie had only watched from the outside. The occasional jaunt to Ragnarok was the only apocalypse that she knew she could see him in.
"Valkyrie." It wasn't her name, but it was what she went by to most people. Saying her name seemed like breaking a promise, so she kept it to herself. "She was the last of them after Odin tried to banish our sister, Hela. She killed them all, but Valkyrie survived. Spent the next few eons on Sakaar. Ended up helping another you with Ragnarok. Survived that. And Thanos. And then came here to die."
Valkyrie. Thor knew all about them, heroic warriors riding winged steeds, fighting battles . He even wanted to be one when he was young⌠before he was told they were an all-girl group. Despite the context, he smiled at the mention of the name, it soon vanished as Sylvie continued to speak. He knew theyâd all been defeated and no longer a thing, but the tales never explained what enemy they faced. A banished sister named Hela? His jaw became slack as he stared at the ground, turning all this new information in his mind.
âRagnarok happened?â he asked, quietly. The prophecies were as well known as the Valkyrie⌠how Asgard would fall⌠but Thor never took it seriously. If it was going to happen, it surely wouldnât be in his lifetime, or at the very least it would be many, many years in the future. Basically, an event he wouldnât have to worry about. The thought of it happening made him uneasy, and he consoled himself by remembering that this was an alternative version of things. Yeah. Thatâs it. This stuff about a banished sister and Ragnarok certainly didnât apply to his universe. Right?
It still made him uneasy.
Swallowing a lump in his throat, he told Sylvie, âI am sorry for your loss. Truly. She sounds amazing. I wouldâve been honored to meet her.â He looked up at the monolith. âWhy did she not return at the beginning of the reset? I was told even the dead survive in Derleth.â
Sylvie hated this version of Thor. He reminded her so much of her brother when he was younger, from the time she could remember, despite his obvious aging. A little funny, a little heartfelt, a little dumb â all the things she missed about her Thor. But none of them ever remembered her. Not this one, and not the one from Ragnarok.
"She knew a version of you. When she was down and drowning herself, that version of you eventually helped pull her out of it." Sylvie thought to add that Thor had even made her King of Asgard, but this Thor wasn't ready for any of that. It was cruel to let that slip, and Sylvie had been forced to be cruel for most of her life. Even here in Derleth.
She shrugged and shook her head. "I don't know. She was in the building when it â " Her jaw tightened. " â the building didn't come back that time, so maybe that's why she didn't."
Thor studied the monolith before them, the energy it emitted causing dread in its presence. If he could, he would use Mjølnir to crush it pieces if it would mean releasing Valkyrie and returning her safely to Slyvie, but he suspected it wouldnât be that simple a solution. He really hated not being able to take action to help, especially one with whom he felt kinship toward. So much grieving and disappointment, it wasnât fair⌠it wasnât good.
Sucking thoughtfully on his lollipop, he then said, âI do not know if it is the same in your Derleth, but in ours we have a system to let us know when somebody has disappeared⌠when they were taken back to their original worlds. Maybe⌠thatâs what happened to her?â It was him hoping for a reason that might restore Slyvieâs hope, even though he wasnât convinced himself.
She didn't want to tell him that Valkyrie's body reset in the rubble for a few weeks before her body just stayed gone. Sometimes bodies did that. Maybe it was part of the horror they had going on here, or it was a special kind of torment. Hel, for all Sylvie knew, it could be one of the other denizens of this Derleth screwing with her. She wouldn't put it past them.
"What's your Derleth like? How long have you been there?"
Changing the subject was a good idea, despite the looming monolith's presence.
Thor wasnât the brightest tool in the shed⌠he didnât need anybody to tell him, he knew that himself. Not because he was a complete idiot, but more because he didnât apply himself. There were others in Asgardâs court to think for him, and it was fortunate that nobody ever took advantage of him. Nobody would dare with Odin and Frigga on the throne, but they would not be around forever, which was why they both wanted him to change his way. Thor understood the importance, but always dismissed his parentsâ worries⌠he was young, and the responsibility of being King would happen far, FAR in the future. Have fun while you can, was his motto.
Which is why it was so particularly heartbreaking to hear about this Slyvieâs plight. It didnât seem fairâŚ. It didnât seem right. The more he learned about the backgrounds of these other Lokis, he was dismayed. Why was the multiverse so cruel? And what made it even worse, was that Thor didnât even know half of everything yet.
When Sylvie didnât comment about his suggestion that maybe Valkyrie had just went home, his instinct told him that Sylvie knew the answer but didnât want to talk about it anymore. Thor shrugged, and looked over to his side of the campus. âNot very long. Last week we were in a place that was so cold, it rivaled Jotunheim. Thatâs when I arrived. There are others who have been there for far longer.â He turned sympathetically to Sylvie. âBut not five years worth.â
"I don't think time really matters at Derleth. Five years or five days. All that matters is here. Whatever you do here will echo on and on." If she sounded desolate or empty, it's because she was. Sylvie had plenty of time and opportunity to tag her counterpart, but what was the point? A new campus that potentially didn't give them horror weeks? Great, but they still had the horrors within. The things had already happened to them to bleaken their outlooks and cast horrors without the weekly adventures.
But if this Thor was like the one in their world â and he was, given their antics the previous evening â then he wouldn't want to sit with these feelings forever.
"I'd like to see Jotunheim. All the worlds I've been to, I've never been to Jotunheim."
For Sylvieâs sake, Thor wanted to make light conversation. There wasnât anything he could do to help, except maybe offer her some company and a little distraction., but if that was all then heâd gladly do so. âIâve been to Jotunheim many times. In my universe, Loki⌠you... were returned to Laufey by my father, Odin, and were raised among the Frost Giants as the crown Prince. Coming here, I find out that is usually not the case with Lokis? AnywayâŚâ he smiled a little, becoming reflective. â...I would oft visit my Loki in his kingdom. Palaces of ice, with majestic towers that reached to the clouds,â he turned his gaze upwards as he imagined the view. âWalls of crystal that caught the light and reflected it in facets of color. And everything is so⌠huge. I was dwarfed in comparison, but was never made to feel unwelcome. All-Father and Laufey had sealed a peace treaty between our realms, and I was their special guest.â
Sylvie smiled a little at the explanation. She hadn't spoken to the Thor here much. None of the Thors ever remembered her, and she was tired of seeing that pitying look in their eyes. The non-recognition. Then hearing about all the differences between her and any other Lokis. She knew them all already.
"That sounds beautiful, and not at all what I expected." Things between Jotunheim and Asgard were nowhere near a peace treaty, more like a hesitant one. "I guess I expected more doom and gloom, the way the stories tell of it. Like Frost Giants were monsters to be feared. I guess that's the difference then." Lokis had to go to Asgard, that was the way the Sacred Timeline worked.
"I knew I was adopted. Mother and Odin told me, but I was still fearful what the people of Asgard would think. Their Princess Loki, a horrible montress Frost Giant."
As far as this Thor was concerned, his Loki was so different from all the other Lokis heâd met so far, it was all the same level, whether they be male or female, adopted brother or lost sister⌠none of them were really Frost Giant version heâd grown up with. But in the end, what did it matter?
âI can only tell you my experience,â he said with a shrug. âThe Loki I know is twice my height and blue, with amazing red eyes. There is some suspicion between our people, I guess, and a skirmish here and there, but nothing terrible that Iâve ever heard. And I never considered Frost Giants monsters.â He smiled, looking at Sylvie. âPrincess Loki,â he said with pride. âI like the sound of that. It always amazes me to think I mightâve grown up alongside a brother⌠or sister.
"You remind me of him, you know." Sylvie hesitated to talk about it because it was so damn long ago, and those memories were so fleeting. It was hard to keep up with everything she had to remember and everything she'd wanted to remember. "I mean, he was a lot younger than you are â I was eight, and he was ten when I was taken â but you both have that â spark of life. I dunno if I'm saying that right."
Loki, Princess of Asgard or Loki, Goddess of Chaos. Either of those titles didn't matter much to her anymore.
"He was very much jumping in front of things without thinking them through. Went with his gut instinct a lot." She looked over at Thor and gave him a tight smile. "I suspect you're just like that too."
Thor chuckled and shook his head, sheepishly. âMother would call me rash.â He then poorly tried to imitate her voice in a horrible falsetto. âYou must learn not to be so reckless.â He chuckled again. Heâd only been away from his universe for a little over a week, and up until he hadnât really thought about it because of all the interesting things that were happening around him, but he realized at this moment how much he missed his mother and father.
How much harder was it for Sylvie, who was torn away from Asgard at such a young age?
Looking at her, he spontaneously reached over and took her hand, holding it tight. âIâm glad we have had this time to talk. The version of you on my side, she⌠hasnât⌠well⌠we havenât really spoken to one another since my arrival. I decided to let her come to me on her own time.â He frowned, thoughtfully. âYou and I, we do not have that much longer together. Before the weekâs end itâs likely our campuses will go their separate ways. We may never meet again. Even so⌠I am glad the fates have brought us together, and I will never forget you, my sister. I hope⌠you find peace.â
He then leaned over and kissed smack dab in the middle of her forehead. He then squeezed her hand, and asked, âDo you mind if I sit with you a little longer? I am charged with patrolling the border of my campus, and I know I ought to return soon, butâŚâ The sentence was left dangling, for Sylvie to fill in the gap. Thor was reluctant to leave his sister, especially in the state she was in.
Sylvie was usually better at gauging when people were closing in on her personal space, but before she knew it, he had her hand and had kissed her forehead, and for a brief instant, Sylvie was filled with affection. She remembered how it felt to be around her family, and how much they all loved each other. Sylvie had never wondered if her parents or brother loved her; she knew it deep down in her gut.
This felt just like that, and it caused her throat to tighten in a way it hadn't in some time. She struggled with her feelings, willing her eyes not to water, but they didn't listen. They were glistening in the twinkling of lights from the other campus.
"Sure, yeah. You can stay for a bit." She nodded her head toward the other campus, toward where the others were pulling together to help one another. "Just don't get in trouble on my account."
Thor scrunched his face up in a ridiculous way to dismissively scoff at her concern. âPft. Iâm not worried. Now if I was going to get in trouble with mother? Now that is another matter altogether.â He smiled. âIf you like, I can tell you about the party I had on Midgard whilst father was in Odinsleep, and how mother found out and almost caught me.â