14312/A Midgardian and an Asgardian

A Midgardian and an Asgardian
Date of Scene:	14 April 2022
Location:	Rockefeller Center, Midtown Manhattan
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Saoirse Flynn, Loki

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Saoirse Flynn has posed:
In a huge expo center there are a variety of different booths and a large amount of activity. Saoirse leads Loki by the hand through the crowds. It seems that this is a memorial remembrance of Loki's attack on New York. There are a number of different things set up, including representatives from Stark Enterprises showcasing some of their technologies available to the world. National Robotics with Bionic girl, in full battle armor with their team including a ridiculously huge sword doing demos and meet and greets. Their motto is 'We are putting the technology to better yourself into everyone's hands, not just the elite'. Showcasing nanotechnologhy and limb replacement in the experimental phases. Different memorials to the victims, people selling rembrance pieces. The entire expos is abuzz with activity.

Saoirse is dressed in a black and white shoulderless dress - https://medias.spotern.com/spots/w640/189/189395-1553585192.webp to where they are signed up in the UltraPuff Marshmallowed sponsored remembrance childcare area. It's a daycare set up to do fun activities for those attending, and specifically the children that were orphaned, injured, or otherwise hurt by the attack on New York. The area is comprised of volunteers, with several small groups talking about how the attack made them feel and affected them with psychologists. There's a huge coloring section, a couple of different pastors overseeing some activities. And even a puppet show showing how the Avengers thwarted the attack in a silly and caricature-style way.

Several of the hundreds of children in the large area look up "Saoirse!" And run over to hug the woman. "It's good to see you again!". Saoirse waves to those that greet "Hey Kiddos! This here is L. He's going to help out! Make sure you give him a hug when you stop by!" She smiles at 'L' brightly. "I think we'll start at the Marshmallow creation station. You can lick marshmallows, put them together, and they will stick. So the children can make whatever they want to make. It's our job to encourage them." Leading him to a several large tables put together she begins opening bags of marshmallows and putting them onto bins. "These children were all affected by the Loki attack on New York. Some lost their families, parents, limbs, or have horrible psycholgical problems. These are just a small amount of them. But every one of them needs help. In some way they can't even understand or know. That attack affected many in very lasting ways. Some parents lost the ability to work, or their jobs because things were destroyed. Some lost brothers, sisters. It was not a casualty-free attack. And it had very lasting affects. So. Occasionally these rememberances are done. Partially to pay rememberance and respect to those that were victims. ANd partially to showcase weapons, technology, or other things that could help keep something like that from happening again. By making the event helpful and informative we bring resources to help the people affected who need them. Our job today is to give these children a fun time. Because many of them just may not have that fun when they go home. Some are adopted, some are not. Some are just miserable. And some can forget and move on. But no matter what. Each one of these children were affected deeply, and personally. And I'd like for you to just take that in and understand that as we interact with them."

Loki has posed:
Arriving to meet Saoirse, Loki is too pre-occupied with his "date" and talking idly about himself and his adventures to even notice what the expo center signs proudly proclaim as the purpose for the event. It is not until they arrive at the pit of children, and Saoirse explains, that a look of dawning recognition appears on his face. And instantly, his expression is one of anger, bordering on rage. A solid go to emotion.

"What is this?" he demands, facing glowing red as he turns on Saoirse. His response belies the fairly civilized look he is wearing - an earnestly tailored green suit with a gold pocket square, in reality dressing the part of a human. His must be disguised, as no one has batted an eyelash despite his clear resemblance to the face of the perpetrator of the crimes displayed throughout the hall. He looks around and sees his face staring back and him, here and there - with red X's across it, or various other slogans printed on it. He balls up his fists, as he seems to suddenly feel the overwhelming anger aimed at _him_ specifically within the room. If he were not feeling so betrayed by having been brought here under what he assumes are false pretense, he might have taken pride at how much space he owned in the heads of all present. But he cannot see past that. Not now.

"These things happen, and no amount of cloying manipulation is going to change the fact that it did, and that I did what I did, and now, yes, there are many who suffer the consequences. But the same was done to my people, many times throughout history." He is making no attempts to keep his voice quiet, which attracts attention from some of the children. "I have seen heartache, and pain, and misery, and that is what has driven me, and given me strength." He waves his hand around to indicate the gathering. "Sitting and taking stock of loss does nothing to prepare one's self, it is merely allowing you to mire yourself in a past that cannot be changed, and from there you cannot go forward." He points over at one of the signs. "You celebrate failure, and that is what you will stay - FAILURES."

He is nearly shaking now as he looks around, deep within the chaos that he himself created. Raging against that chaos itself, as if detached from the role that he played in it.

"It's ok to be angry." The quiet voice comes from far below Loki's raging one. A child barely taller than his knee.

The Trickster looks around, not yet stowing the sneer that was on his face. "What did you say, child?" he asks in a voice that does little to mask its scorfn and disrespect.

The child is undaunted however, looking up at the God of Mischief. "You're angry. It comes from feeling powerless. But you're not. You can choose not to be angry. Forgive who hurt you."

Loki shakes his head. "That's just it, child. None of this can be put back the way it was. It's done, and that's that. And you must suffer the consequences of someone else's actions, someone you were and still are powerless to stop."

The child shakes his head. "It can't go back. But we can go forward." He reaches up and brushes back some of his hair, showing a deep scar running along the line of his scalp. "Being angry at Mr. Loki won't make this scar go away. But forgiving him makes this one go away." The child pats his chest, where his heart is.

The rage seems to drain from Loki as he watches the child. "But how can you forgive someone who gave you that hideous deformity?"

The child blinks for a moment, but shakes his head. "Mr. Loki was just angry, too. Maybe if someone had forgiven him, he wouldn't have done the things he did."

"Maybe he didn't deserve to be forgiven," Loki says quietly.

"Everyone deserves to be forgiven. Even Mr. Loki." The child looks up at Loki, and impulsively reaches out to hug his leg. "Even you."

Saoirse Flynn has posed:
Saoirse is not usually one for anger, but the thought goes through her head to slap Loki. She's glad she doesn't though because besides causing a scene, it would have kept Loki from a little one that is teaching a lesson far deeper than one that a hand could do.

Instead of action Saoirse continues to set up placemat play areas for the kids and set up seats, small ones for them, regular ones for her and Loki. And she continues to empty bin after bin of marshmallows, and has edible markers out with chocolate flavors for drawing, red cheery, orange..well, orange. Etc.

"These children, these people didn't attack anyone. They did nothing wrong. Things happened. You don't get to say the words and not understand the turmoil wrought. There are consequences. And understanding some of those consequences can lead to a better understanding."

Saoirse smiles at the touching moment from the little one. "Looks like we have our first customer." She settles down to her knees "Hey there." A soft smile and soft words for the little one. "What kind of marshmallow construct would you like to build?" She puts up a card, which explains in pictures you lick the marshmallows and stick them together. There's large ones, jumbos, smalls, white, chocolate, strawberry, and there's still even different flavored bits and candies for decoration. "This is L." She introduces the hug-ee. "He's going to be helping me here today. If that's okay with you that is."

Loki has posed:
The Asgardian would-be conqueror of Earth is not quite sure how to react. He looks down at the child, and certainly there are flashes back to his own childhood. One that was in some respects loving, if based on a foundation of lies - abandonment or theft, depending upon who you talked to. But certainly not without its own trials, which of course led to several actions. In a way, perhaps plotting the course to this child's own heartbreak. Although truly, the invasion of Earth would have happened without his presence - one thing that he was unlikely to ever admit was just how much his role in that was more stooge than architect. Maybe that helped him reconcile what he saw about. It would do little to ease the people present.

He reaches down to ruffle the child's head, mumbling something quiet as he does so. "Thank you, child." he says, his words sounding of the pain that he feels, unmasked. "I am sure that Mr. Loki appreciates it, too." It won't be now, or today. But tomorrow, the child will wake up and the physical scar will be gone, with only the slightest reminder in the form of a small dot where its center currently is.

He turns to look at Saoirse, and there is tension in his face. And pain. It is unclear how he feels about the trick, the betrayal. So much anger and hurt underlying those eyes, but at least for the moment, it is restrained. "I will help, in any way that I can."

Saoirse Flynn has posed:
The little one gives a squee and giggle when his hair is ruffled. He peeks out at Saoirse and nods. "Yes! He can help.". He climbs up to sit in the child-sized chair, and several more curious children wander over to settle in. They begin taking marshmallows. "Okay children." Saoirse starts. "Try to get an idea of what to build, then we'll all build it together okay?"

One child says "I want to build a marshmallow racecar!" Another one says "My mom, my birth mom - she didn't make it. So I want to build her so I won't forget anymore.". Another says "I'm gonna build Marshie-Thor. He can shoot sweets out of his magical thunderhammer!"

There's a hushed giggle coming from Saoirse as she lets the children get started. "L. Make sure everyone gets access to the marshmallows. And help them with the things they need."

She'll take a step back as they get started helping when the children need help. But they seem to help one another pretty well. Softly she'll lean towards Loki to whisper "These are the innocents. The ants. These are the ones that are harmed the most. These are the kinds of people that could turn into the next Tony Stark. Or Captain America. Or any number of people. Even though I have been through perhaps a bit more than most, I don't like to think that my life is any more or less important than any one of the children here. Though forever is a long time to live. Sometimes children stumble and fail. Sometimes they can surprise you. They can heal, or they can become singularly focused. There is a magic to them unlike any other. But they too lose their luster if they are ignored and not allowed to shine. As you can see sometimes they need a little help. Sometimes they can act on their own, or they can help others. They can really surprise you when you least expect it in unexpected ways. And unless you witness it - you would never understand. Watching these children play can teach you many things you would never think of otherwise."

Loki has posed:
It appears as if Loki is going through the motions well. Despite the age and size of the children, he is first and foremost an entertainer, and despite the subject matter he is adept at putting on a show. He engages with the children, assists in their creations. He also wows in wonder as the marshmallow myew myew starts spitting out tiny M&Ms when the child swings Marshie-Thor around. He does it while maintaining a smile on his face, although it is clear to Saoirse that it is a struggle. It seems far more natural to everyone that he is able to use his gifts to make it land more convincingly.

After some time at play with them, he straightens up and moves over to stand just slightly behind Saoirse, lowering his voice to a whisper. "You have made your point," he says quietly. There is no trace of anger left in his voice, just a tinge of sadness. "I apologize that my initial reaction was...unkind."

Saoirse Flynn has posed:
Saoirse makes a 'Stay Puft' Marshmallow man and plays with the children, where stay puft gets demolished a few times during play. A couple of volunteers come over eventually to give the two a break. Saoirse leads Loki to an overview area for volunteers where they can see the entire convention at a stand-only table. They are offered a drink, in which Saoirse elects to induldge in a hard strawberry lemonade.

"Actions have consequences. For all you see here, there are thousands like them from one event alone. In a way this event is all about Loki. But the moment is not about him. The moment is not about Loki but instead about trying to appeal to others so that they can heal and take a step forward, even if it's a little one. Each person. One of yours. One of mine. They all have meaning. There are no ants. Those that have such mindsets are foolish because those ants band together. Rise up. And eventually challenge, and crush. But it doesn't have to be that way. By all means. You can be better. I believe you can."

She points towards the Bionic Girl display. "Well I'm just glad things didn't escalate. Because Michelle there is not a fan of Loki. And in full battle dress that would have been uncomfortable. That said - I am very much not my sister. She tackles problems head on. Directly. And that aftermath is what it will be. I prefer to understand a problem and it's effects before I approach it. I like to think that anyone can be a hero. It doesn't mean wearing power armor like my sister. It doesn't mean you have to be the Iron Man. Or Thor the mighty. Or even Loki the crafty. I like to think that a hero is someone who steps into someone else's life to make it better without expectation of repayment. Like donating your time to make disadvantaged children's lives just a sliver better, even if for only a day."

Saoirse leans against the stand-up table taking a sip from the bottle of her hard strawberry-lemonade. "So can you be my hero L? Or am I just an ant? Because there isn't enough about me that would differenciate me from the other ants down there."

Loki has posed:
His gaze out over the people moving back and forth, ironically much again looking like ants from their vantage point, Loki considers Saoirse's words. He nods at some of the beats, indicating that despite not saying anything in response, he is actually listening along. At her question, he turns his gaze back towards her, looking at her now with not so much a critical eye, as he previously had, but with an appreciating one. "You would have me be your "hero", Saoirse?"

He walks back over towards the table she is leaning against. "You do not need a hero of any kind. You are not only strong of heart and mind, but clearly..." He waves his hand around to indicate everything around them. "You are clever enough to trick the God of Mischief himself. And perhaps even convince him that he has a heart, too." A soft chuckle. "What could you possibly need me for?"

Saoirse Flynn has posed:
There's a soft giggle from Saoirse. "Well. It's not that I need you to be my hero... as much as I think you could be better than what has been presented. I do know something of what it's like to live in a sibling's shadow and having shady circumstances. I approach things with compassion and heart. That is just the person I am. By all means there are times when the direct approach is better, that's where my sister is much better. I'm terrible at those kind of approaches."

There's a shake of her head. "And no, I've never doubted that you had a heart. But sometimes beings of power can forget things, or things get out of focus. Maybe you just have to be reminded from time to time that there are things that surround us and it's not just our narrative that matters. I'm not a superhero like my sister, I'll never be a superwoman, or wonder woman, or anyone like that. But if I can get you to think of those around you - then I've done my duty. People don't love you because you can give them things. They love you because you make their lives better in some way. If you entertain them, make them feel better about themselves or others. If you give of yourself to make them better. That is one way people can like you. However you might find that the most difficult person to sway to love you is yourself. Accepting yourself - really loving yourself is the hardest of all. Seeing shortfalls in yourself can lead to jealousy, anger, resentment. A whole myriad of things. I'm not any different. I push myself to be better, but I often fail. But that's part of life. Every tomorrow we have, is a tomorrow we have another chance of trying to do things better. And eventually, little by little. If we keep at it we get there. Even if we don't really realize it at first."

Loki has posed:
A slow nod from the Trickster. "I see your point. You are trying to make the world a better place, by inducing me to look towards the brighter side of things." Loki regards her quietly. "It is a worthwhile effort, I will give you that." He turns to look out at the expo center floor, and then back to Saoirse. "And you have given me such to think about, so I thank you. But."

His face slowly twists for a moment, the easy smile that has been resting there converting into something of a disappointed frown. "It is not so simple as that, for me. To love myself. To be loved." A soft chuckle. "I have long been told that I am someone for whom love is simply absent. I have neither felt it towards me, nor felt it towards any others." He turns his gaze on her again. "You were doing so well, Saoirse. You almost had me convinced." A shake of his head. "You should have left out the part about love." His words drip bitterness.

Saoirse Flynn has posed:
Saoirse says, "A better place? I'd like that but there are far too many beings. Even with living for infinity I can't affect that many people at the rate I move at. But if I can improve the lives of those around me perhaps I can sway those near me enough to make a difference in their lives." Saoirse takes another sip of the malty-lightly alcoholed beverage.

"Absent doesn't mean incapable." There's a pursing of her lips for a few moments. "Love can have a direct effect. It is more than romantic or lustful. My father created a clone of me, fully mechanized. He couldn't copy my technology exactly since it's closed off. So there was a clone of me doing his bidding and it was a lot deadlier than I was. It did many things I imagine. I think it even resented me being the original model viewing me inferior. It had an artificial intelligence but was nothing like me. In the end I fought her, and it lead to my dying. There was a weapon in space that fired and struck her and me. A large portion of her was melted off, and she fell. I fired a malfunctioning weapon with my reactor core, overcharging it. While I was successful, the heat damaged my brain permanently. It damaged my body. And my reactor core - the way for me to heal, melted down from the stress and went out of my body. I also fell."

"I was not able to recover. However the other version of me could. My sister ripped out her reactor core and put it into me so that I would recover. I don't know where her remains are, but they probably put her in a box under ground somewhere, since she could recover with solar energy eventually. I imagine there were some repercussions from that event. She did effectively kill someone. It couldn't have been easy for her, she had my face. My body. I live essentially with the heart of someone that is quite literally heartless. Does that make me unable to love? Unable to feel?"

She looks genuinely curious "Really, does it? I don't know. Oh, um. Don't tell anyone about that story though okay? I'm not supposed to really talk about it.""

Loki has posed:
Loki remains attentive through the story. He always does, when Saoirse speaks. "That must be quite conflicting for you," is all he says at the end. He did absorb some of the messaging, it seems.

"I will not reveal your secrets, just as you have not revealed mine." Indeed, as much as they may be ants, calling out that Loki was at the anti-Loki expo would still result in significant unpleasantness. Loki sighs. "What is it that you are looking for, from me, Saoirse?" He tilts his head, studying her again. "Truly. What do you expect to see happen? What do you _want_ to see happen?"

Saoirse Flynn has posed:
Saoirse reaches out to try to give Loki's cheek a little pinch with the softest of giggles. "Well. I don't think there's anything I want to see happen. What I wanted to do was only to introduce you to the fact that actions have very real consequences. Including the ones we've made in the past, including ones I've made. Ones that you've made. For better or worse, sometimes both good and bad, positive and negative. I wanted you to see that there is a real cost of living with the decisions we make. But also the choices we make don't have to define us forever. We can make better decisions, choices, and also help. I don't believe that you are evil. You might get bored and make some poor decisions maybe. But I wanted to show you that they aren't ants. My people any more than your people. If you don't nurture them, they will swarm you violently. But having a presence in those around you can be beneficial. To them. And to you. I think you might find that the more you believe in others, the more that they will believe in you."

Loki has posed:
A smirk. "You realize if I truly wanted to I could snuff them all out, nearly with the snap of my fingers?" Loki turns his gaze to the people. There is that menace to his voice again, that Saoirse had heard once or twice from him. Then he looks back to her. "How might any of this benefit me? I see how it gives them something to believe in, and why not improve their lives with worship of me?" He throws his arms out to either side, pausing as if indicate that he is accepting of their adoration. "But tell me, what benefit does this hold for me?"

Saoirse Flynn has posed:
A shake of her head and Saoirse responds "You would hurt innocent people for no reason other than they exist? No. I don't think that sounds like you. Stories tell of callousness sure. But that would seem to be punishment without reason."

"Noone of worth will believe in you, if you are not willing to believe in them. If you show someone power to draw them to you, if that power falters they will only abandon you because they don't love you. They clamoured to your banner only because of what you had to offer them, to give them. If you look at relationships as what they can give you, and what you can give them then your going to have a very shallow materialistic relationship. I have a feeling that you have a difficulty letting people in. You've probably been hurt before. Maybe a lot. It can be difficult to trust that's for sure. But. Sometimes, maybe even just once in a while. It's worth letting someone in. Because it's nice to have someone to talk to."

She looks out over the crowd, resting her head in her palm. "I worry. Someday, someday sooner than not, my body will be completely mechanized. I'll be a nanomachine. If something happens where I die again. I lose my memories. Will I no longer be human? Will my body know how to be human? Will I be a uncaring thing without a soul? I can't really rely on anyone for something like that. In fact I'm a bit scared to have interpersonal relationships, to get too close to people because..what happens if I do change? If I hurt them? I hurt my previous lover, Sierra. Because I died, and I'm not exactly the same person. Even if I'm very close. Life is a wonderous thing to have while you have it. It's something to cherish and enjoy and to chase down leads, to follow things of interest. Certainly, L, I would say to you - live it. With abandon. Enjoy it. But enjoy it at your expense and not upon others. Life can be many things. You can be a hero. You can be a villian, or a monster like what I fear I may be someday. I guess what I would say is - live your life, but don't prevent others from living their best lives either. It can be both compelling and fun to help others live their lives to their full potential. Maybe try that a time or two and see how it goes. Who knows. You might just like it."