king-of-ancient-winters-blog

[king-of-ancient-winters-blog]

//I’m SO sorry for not being active on here for like the past week. I’m gonna try to rectify that this weekend, but I just want you guys to know that I’m not intentionally neglecting you guys or anything. My Loki muse has just been fickle. 

Also, if any of you guys see me making a fucking Hela blog, please slap me, because of all characters, older sis is the one I’ve been in the mood for lately, and I’m hoping that’ll transition back over to the little shit I actually have a blog for, lol.

[king-of-ancient-winters-blog]

//A word on Loki in The Avengers/Potentially Unpopular Opinion from the analysis of someone who roleplays as Loki because I keep seeing this theory passed around and I don’t agree with it.

Ahem.

I don’t think Loki was mind controlled or in any way coerced into trying to conquer Earth or any of his “You were made to be ruled” stuff.

I mean, I’ve never liked that theory, because it takes away his agency and because my favorite Loki is Avengers Loki, but especially as of Infinity War, I’m convinced that it is absolutely not the case.

For one thing, it doesn’t make any sense that Thanos would care at all about Earth being conquered. Thanos wants to cut the population of the universe in half with the Infinity Stones and then sit back and relax. That’s his goal. He doesn’t care about conquest at all. The Earth is nothing to him.

Hell, the Other, Thanos’s servant, says point blank in The Avengers, “Your [Loki’s] ambition is little and full of childish need. We look beyond the Earth to greater worlds the Tesseract will unveil.”

They’re not interested in who rules Earth. All Thanos and his cronies want are the Tesseract and the scepter to be returned to them once that’s done. Conquering Earth is what the Other describes as being Loki’s ambition. That’s his plan. It’d be much more convenient for Thanos to just send Loki, grab the Tesseract, and then come back. And if Thanos were controlling Loki, Loki would’ve done exactly what the Black Order did: showed up, grabbed the Stone, left. But that’s not what happened.

Yes, the Other did threaten him if he failed, but his exact words were “You will have your war, Asgardian. If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he cannot find you.” It’s all about if he fails to get them the Infinity Gem that they want. And we see that sentiment echoed in GotG with Thanos telling Ronan: “I will honor our agreement, Kree, if you bring me the Orb. But return to me again empty handed, and I will bathe the starways in your blood.” In both instances, Thanos is working tit for tat, with the threat of violence concerning the deliver of an Infinity Stone.

It’s also important to note that Loki is the only one on Team Evil who cares about Earth at all. Earth is one of the Nine Realms, and it’s specifically the world that Thor loves. And, as Loki himself says in Dark World, “I went down to Midgard to rule as a benevolent god... just like you [Odin].” He’s very obviously trying to fashion himself after Odin in a manner. After all, where else have we seen that same type of “Kneel before me” mentality?

Oh, right, Hela. Odin’s partner in colonialism. And it’s noteworthy that Loki justifies his mass murder, not by saying “I wasn’t in control,” but, rather “a mere handful compared to the lives Odin himself has taken.”

And rewind back to the first Thor movie:

Thor: “Why have you done this?”

Loki: “To prove to father than I am a worthy son.”

And that’s what it’s always been about. Daddy didn’t love him, and so he tried so hard to become exactly like him to prove himself the worthy successor. It’s not a coincidence that Dark World ends with him LITERALLY becoming his father. There’s a very deliberate equivalency that the MCU writes with regards to Loki and Odin, right down to Hela’s first words to Loki being “You sound like him [Odin]”.

Thor may have been Odin’s favorite, but Loki is the child that most took after him (and I’d argue that’s the actual reason Odin didn’t care for him: he saw so much of his own follies and guilt in Loki). And trying to paint the events of The Avengers as just being puppetmaster Thanos requires deliberately ignoring the parallels to Odin that are central to Loki’s character.

... That’s what I got out these movies anyway.

[king-of-ancient-winters-blog]

bxnnxrxd:

Monster. He was used to that by now, or he thought he was used to it. It didn’t matter what he did, or what the big guy did. Hulk was a monster, and Bruce was a monster too. As soon as he was insulted his eyes averted instead of staying strong. However, he clenched them shut and forced himself to stare at the man behind the glittering barrier. In this confrontation, Loki could not gain the upper hand. The Avenger needed to hold it up above the two of them, he needed to stay in control. .. But didn’t he look ever so darling in lavender and silver?

“ No. No, Loki.. I have not come for that. “

At the moment he didn’t inform him of his work on his traveling machine, preferring to give him honest truth about why he came down to the dungeons. “ It was against Odin’s and Thor’s wishes and demands but I came down anyway. “ He lowered his head. “ You will believe what you want to believe, but seeing as how long your life spans are, I find it a cruel and unusual punishment to keep you trapped and caged up for the rest of your eternity. “

Even though Bruce knew that the barrier may have hurt his hand, that it may have given him one hell of a shock, he still lifted his palm and placed it on the frizzling electrical-like current. It burned, it stung. Yet, Bruce Banner had been through so much pain in his life some things never bothered him anymore. And perhaps, the big guy helped numb it out. He slowly pulled his hand back, using it to hug himself.

“ I know what it’s like to be caged. – To be denied your freedoms, to be treated as if you’re less than nothing. To be treated like an animal, to be tortured—“ Hold on now, Bruce. Loki was probably not tortured. Doctor Banner was rather sensitive about parts of his life, and he had to sniff so he wouldn’t blatantly sob.

“ It’s just not right, Loki. “

Pity. That’s what this was about. Or was this empathy? Loki never truly learned the difference, nor did he much care to. The emotions were the same to him. Though Banner’s gesture to touch the barrier surprised Loki. Why this Midgardian would make such a gesture was beyond Loki, but it intrigued him, as did Banner’s words.

Loki watched Banner’s eyes intently, looking carefully for any creeping shade of green. As long as the monster remained Banner, Loki had little to worry about. After all, it hadn’t truly been Banner to toss him about like a ragdoll. Banner was mortal... one with a heart. And perhaps that heart could prove advantageous to Loki.

“No, you’re right. It’s a cruel fate indeed. And you should see it for what it is.”

With a flick of his wrist, Loki dropped his illusion, revealing his dishevelled appearance. Loki was careful not to drop the glamour hiding his various attempts to magically escape. While Banner wouldn’t know what they were, the guards would, and that would not bode well. Without his illusions, Loki was a pitiful sight. Gaunt, unwashed, eyes bloodshot, and worse.

“This is how I am to spend eternity. All thanks to you.”

Guilt, after all, could be as useful a tool as pity.

Monsters Inside Us

[king-of-ancient-winters-blog]

i-am-lost-in-my-own-mind :

“Two first names? Like Billy Ray Cyrus?” Verity asked, grinning mischievously. Extending her hand to offer to shake his, she said, “Hi Victor Norman, I’m Verity.”

Growing serious for a moment, she asked, “So how does it feel to get noticed by the hottest girl at the party?”

“No, Norman is a last- Oh, nevermind,” Loki sighed. “Just Victor will suffice, thank you.”

He looked over this rather forward woman with a critical eye. She was certainly beautiful, and she obviously knew that fact very well. However, Loki wasn’t one easily swayed by a pretty face.

“Are you indeed the fairest here?” Loki asked. “I hadn’t noticed. There are quite a number of other beautiful women in attendance.”

[king-of-ancient-winters-blog]

Frigga had done her best to ensure that Loki would be comfortable, but no matter how nice the funiture or how many books she brought, a cell was still a cell. Loki knew quite well Thanos would be coming to collect what was owed to him eventually, and he had no intention of being pinned down like some butterfly when that happened.

Loki kept up an illusion of him reading or sleeping or pacing in order to keep the guards ignorant to his true actions. Complex magicks and wards kept him trapped within the prison, and Loki was working day and night to break them. But all magic comes with a price. Weeks of little sleep and little self care combined with the physical toll of near constant conjuring left Loki a grizzly sight. Loki counted his blessings that he had no mirror in his cell capable of showing him his true state of misfortune.

He hadn’t been paying any attention to who might be entering the prison until Bruce spoke. Loki was confused as to why one of the wretched Avengers might be on Asgard, let alone here in his cell. He could hear pity in Bruce’s voice, but he thought little of it. After all, it was Bruce’s brutal alter ego who injured him grievously enough to be successfully captured in the first place.

“So the monster comes to visit me,” Loki spoke through his illusion. “Why? Come to finish what you began? Hmm? I believe I do have some bones you didn’t manage to shatter.”

Monsters Inside Us

After the attack on New York, everyone in the world was well enough aware there were aliens in the universe, and that there were hostile ones. Those Chitauri were led none other than the infamous brother of his fellow Avenger, Thor, who did nothing but attempt to persuade his brother into taking another path. In the end, though, the invasion was halted, the world was saved, and everyone went on their way. – That is except Bruce. Now that there were alien travelers mucking about, he knew out of all of the Avengers that they had to master space travel and hopefully time travel as well. The time travel bit had thrown even Tony for a loop, but he was so sure of it, so positive. Thor traveled by a Rosenbridge, the Chitauri came differently – and so, the man began work on a monstrous machine in secret.

Not even Tony could know what was going on until it was complete. He had run some tests, sent some objects that way with panoramic cameras and the like, but nothing was like going through the gate he had created. If Tony did find him, he left a note as to where he was going and why. Banner thought it necessary that the Avengers not need to depend on Thor, who they could never even get ahold of when they needed him! Holding a homing beacon, the “strongest Avenger” stepped through the glittering gate, only to fall forward into the sunlight of Asgard. Before he stood the towering palace of gold and even the great Doctor with his many PHDs was lost for words. Thor was correct, Asgard was beautiful.

In only moments were the two reunited, and Bruce explained his situation about travel, about the machine, and about how he needed to build the second one there. He was reassured he would be given the best of everything and the pair were led to dinner. But not before changing. Thor decided since Bruce Banner was in Asgard, he had to blend like the natives. He chose him a lavender tunic with silver embroidery, something quite complimentary to his skin tone, but a tad feminine. He might have been poking fun, but Bruce felt comfortable. Over dinner, many things were shared, including the fate of his brother. This deeply bothered the man. It bothered Hulk. “ You just.. are going to cage him for all eternity? “ When Thor shrugged and admitted basically, he shook his head in defiance. “ That’s wrong, Thor. I don’t care what he’s done, even you thought he was just confused, that he was badly influenced. How could you allow such wretched torture? “

A back and forth was held, and the next day Bruce even appealed to Odin himself. He was quickly rejected as nothing more than a simpleton. He was human, and therefore he was less than a god. Even though Banner was rather positive he could dance circles around the man when it came to mathematics and physics. But what was science to them was math to him. After carefully listening in to a conversation Thor had, Banner easily found the deep dungeons of Asgard. He got past the first gate easily enough, but now he was standing in the lit, windowed rooms. Staring around at the various aliens and beasts, he quickly found Loki. He looked all right, he looked fine. But Loki was a trickster. He could make you see what he wanted you to see.

“ Oh, Loki.. “  Said in a mournful fashion, lifting a hand to the barrier between them. He had not even seen what a real wreck he was. “ This.. this isn’t right. “  Still sporting that lavender outfit.

[king-of-ancient-winters-blog]

The smirk™

[king-of-ancient-winters-blog]

Loki briefly mused that Odin had far greater disappointments from his “children” than Baldr working as a stripper, but he kept that sentiment to himself for obvious reasons. Still, there was something invigorating about seeing this man who could very well be Baldr feel as if he were a disappointment. After all, Baldr and Thor were always the favorites growing up.

“I’ve been to a strip club once or twice, but never any place with men as handsome as you.”

Loki flashed a smile at Baldr. The Captain’s charming face was as good a weapon as any.

“I’ll bet you’re terrific up there... the type of guy you want to kiss under the mistletoe at Christmas time.”

Loki made sure to work in a reference to mistletoe so that he could watch Baldr’s reaction. Baldr had reacted with apprehension at the mention of “Loki,” but that wasn’t unusual on Midgard. This could be telling.

open rp

Baldr noticed him staggering a bit with his words, but didn’t think too much to it. He nodded. “Yeah, i know what you mean. Before i started working here, my.. family, would’ve never accepted this. Infact, they still don’t know about this, but frankly, i don’t care what they think.” He shrugged.

Odin would never accept his son working as a stripper. Thor wouldn’t understand and Loki.. Well, Loki would either make fun of him or would not give a damn. Baldr was guessing more for the latter.

When Steve mentioned his younger brother, he frowned and lit up a cigarette. “Yeah.. Good luck finding him..” He mumbled.

Even though he still held a grudge for Loki getting him killed and for not weeping for him, to bring him back to life, he still considered Loki as his brother. He cared about his brothers.

“Have you ever been to a strip club before? If you would’ve come a couple hours earlier, you would’ve seen me up on the stage.” He grinned.

[king-of-ancient-winters-blog]

@i-am-lost-in-my-own-mind:

It was apparent that he had not noticed that she had Found a party hat that matched her own atop his head. A small, glittery green top hat was placed carefully on top of his raven locks using apportation. It was light weight and she had a very deft touch. Sucking in her cheeks to keep from smiling, Verity nodded seriously.

“I’m sure you’re right,” she said softly, looking up at him with a mischievous light dancing in her green eyes. “You do appear to be different from all the rest. And you have at least a foot on me in height, probably twice my weight, our hair couldn’t be more different… but your eyes are very like mine, I think.”

Examining him thoughtfully, as though considering a work of art, she pinched her bottom lip between her thumb and forefinger. Desperately she wanted him to notice her little prank, but wouldn’t acknowledge it on her own. It was taking every ounce of her limited self control to contain it.

Unable to keep it all in, she smiled playfully and asked, “You got a name? Or should I just call you an easy mark?”

Upon hearing her comment, Loki became aware that there was something on his head, and upon reaching up, felt the party hat. He sneered and removed it.

“Amusing.”

There weren’t many who could sneak up on Loki, much less place something atop his head without his knowledge. The level of subtlety involved earned Loki’s admiration, albeit he wouldn’t show that to Verity.

“I am-”

He very nearly went into the familiar declaration of his identity, but upon remembering his need for a low profile, he corrected his course without allowing his vocal cadance to indicate any backtracking.

“-Victor Norman. And who might you be?”

[king-of-ancient-winters-blog]

“Pleasure to meet you, Don.”

Loki caught the quick correction of his name. Whether Baldr or not, “Don Cicero” was an alias, and Loki was intent on finding out the name behind the alias. It was fortunate he’d chosen the most trustworthy face among the Avengers. He hadn’t expected to be instantly recognized as the Captain, but it worked to his advantage.

“Well, you know, I’m here to blow off some steam. Back in the-”

Drat. Mortal eras all ran together for an immortal. What time period was the Captain from again? The nineteenth century? The twenties? Best to avoid it all together.

“Er, back in my time, men couldn’t really come out to places like these. There were lines you just couldn’t cross. It’s... it’s nice being able to see young people so free to be who they are now.”

Laying on the Captain’s moralistic drivel was amusing enough, but it was time to start prodding the issue at hand.

“Besides, it’s good to unwind after a full day of chasing cold leads to find Loki.”

open rp

“Sorry, i’m off the clock. So if you want a lapdance, ask me again tomorrow, or someone else in here.” Baldr said and looked over at the other. “But if you just want company, i’m up for that.”

[king-of-ancient-winters-blog]

Loki detested having to keep a low profile on Midgard. After all, he meant to rule this world, not burrow in it. However, equipping low life criminals with dark magic kept Thor and his companions on their toes, and Loki could never resist the thrill of making mischief of this calibre. And while he was in the neighborhood, he figured indulging in sensualities was as good a way as any to pass the time before he could see the fruits of his labors.

He entered the club and scanned the crowd. Yet what he saw, he could not have prepared for... a face he hadn’t seen since he murdered the one it belonged to: Baldr the Beautiful. Loki ducked into the crowd before he could be spotted. Was this indeed Baldr returned from death, or was it merely a Midgardian twin of the beautiful god? Loki had to know for certain.

He couldn’t risk Baldr seeing his true face... not yet, anyway. With a flicker of magic, Loki’s image faded away and was replaced by that of one of Thor’s new companions. 

Loki approached Baldr and grinned at the charade. 

“That’s okay. Company sounds good.... You remind me of someone who I knew... long ago.”

open rp

“Sorry, i’m off the clock. So if you want a lapdance, ask me again tomorrow, or someone else in here.” Baldr said and looked over at the other. “But if you just want company, i’m up for that.”

[king-of-ancient-winters-blog]

“The indignity you must feel....”

What's your favourite mythology?

Greek, hands down.

[king-of-ancient-winters-blog]

“It hurts, doesn’t it? Being lied to. Being told you’re one thing and then learning it’s all fiction…”

[king-of-ancient-winters-blog]

Have you ever felt as though you had to compete for someone's affections with a clock? Would you ever put up with that in a relationship?

“… I do not understand the relevance of such an inquiry.”

[king-of-ancient-winters-blog]

@perfectly-balanced:

“Yes, Onyx, it is indeed best to let me handle these matters, as my wisdom and experience far surpasses your own." The hefty cloud of suspicion refused to lift itself from the darkness of the Titan’s mind, but he was still interested to see where this would go.

He knew quite well that Loki would never make a move without first deeming it to be in his best interest, and allowing himself to be captured and brought before Thanos to face his wrathful punishment did not seem to fit the trickster’s usual motive of self-preservation.

So then what game was he playing, and why? Thanos felt fairly confident he would be able to detect this information soon enough, but he wasn’t sure he had the patience to deal with Loki any longer. It would be so much easier to simply eviscerate the God of Lies on the spot, and prevent any future trouble for himself.

This possibility tempted him greatly, but it was not like the Titan to be hasty like that and not hear his enemy out. Rushing into an action without fully understanding the truth surrounding it was always a fool’s move. Though Loki would need to have some pretty considerable leverage to avoid his current dismal fate, because Thanos was not in the mood to accept any excuses or begging today. There would be no mercy without proper cause.

He then addressed Loki directly. "Forgive my rudeness, Asgardian. Considering our calamitous history, I was simply not expecting to see you again so soon. With your head still attached, that is.” A nasty and false smile splayed itself on Thanos’ usually heavy face.

“It is rare for you to crawl out of the shadows so brazenly and allow yourself to become vulnerable like this, I thought I would have to drag you out of some murky hole myself. And yet here you stand before me, the picture of humility. I wonder what could have led you here."

Loki scanned the area around him, only partially paying attention to Thanos’s monologue. Long winded tyrants like Thanos and Odin bored Loki, though his lack of interest was not for lack of listening. Thanos was terrifying, and rightfully so, but Loki knew that showing any ounce of fear would be to surrender any advantage he could gain.

“Let it never be said that Loki was one who’d hide away in some dismal hole. I am many things, Mad Titan, but cowardly is not one of them.”

Loki held out his hand and in a shimmer of green light, the Tesseract took form.

“From the treasure vaults of Asgard: the Tesseract, delivered to you as promised long ago.”

Loki stretched out his arm towards Thanos before pulling back.

“But... then again... It seems that between the two of us, I am the only one with an Infinity Stone. Now, now, do not fear, I have no intentions of withholding the gem. However, I do require... assurances. Our initial deal was the Tesseract for the Earth, was it not? I’ll not accept any price lower.”

@jcmorrigan

[king-of-ancient-winters-blog]

“See? We’re exactly the same.”

@i-am-lost-in-my-own-mind

This Midgardian’s statement caught Loki’s attention upon realizing that she was speaking to him. Loki knew his face had been all over Midgardian news channels following the Chitauri invasion, but he figured that few would recognize him out in public if he kept a low profile. On one hand, this woman seemingly recognizing him validated his egotistical desire to be seen and be be known, but, on the other, such a thing could complicate matters.

“No, I’d hardly think you and I had anything in common.”

Loki walked up to Verity, slowly but rather seriously to convey that he was in no mood for games.

“Whatever you might think you know, or whomever you might believe me to be... I suggest you put it out your mind, and return to party.”

[king-of-ancient-winters-blog]

This doesn’t have to get any messier 

Of course it does. I’ve come too far for anything else

[king-of-ancient-winters-blog]

A devious smirk cracked onto Loki’s face and eventually grew into a full out laugh. The mental image of Thor being beaten around by the hulking green giant was certainly pleasurable for the trickster god. It was good that Hulk was off on a tangent about smashing Thor. That meant he was far less likely to turn to smashing Loki.

“Thor is rather puny isn’t he? And, you know, he foolishly claims to be the strongest Avenger. What nonsense…” 

Loki paused for a moment, as if he were lost in thought.

“Though I suppose he does have that hammer you couldn’t lift. Maybe there is some truth in that boast.”

Loki made sure to mention that last part. If he could get the Hulk at Thor’s throat, it would certainly benefit him. The two oafs had their long running need to surpass the other, and that provided Loki with an excellent window of opportunity. 

“It’s not nice to throw people!”

“ Loki not nice to Hulk! Hulk not nice to little tiny Loki!! “

@king-of-ancient-winters