9276/Asgard's Requiem: The Grassy Knoll

Asgard's Requiem: The Grassy Knoll
Date of Scene:	21 September 2019
Location:	Fields of Asgard
Synopsis:	Loki sends Steve back to New York, after he completed his 'favor'.
Cast of Characters:	Loki, Captain America
Tinyplot:	Asgard's Requiem

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Loki has posed:
This grass is different. It isn't sweeter. It is more like GRASS than grass usually is.

Maybe it's magical grass. It's so very green, and the soil is so very earthy.

This is a hill overlooking Asgard. The sky is different, the trees, the mountains, and the jaw-droppingly golden and silver city in the distance? That's not something from earth.

Asgard.

To the left, if one can tear a gaze off of the city, is the structure of more mountains, sweeping rocks, and a castle, further away. But a few dozen paces is something far more recognizable as a threat: Loki is seated on a rock, cross-legged, his helmet next to him, the green strands warm in the late afternoon sun.

Captain America has posed:
It's warm -- warm and bright, with what must be sunlight making his eyelids red to stare at -- oh, his eyes are closed. Wincing, Steve grunts as he takes account of his limbs. Lying on his back in what must be the softest, most greenly-redolent grass he's ever experienced, he twitches each limb. His left ankle doesn't want to play nicely, but he moves it nonetheless and lets out a slow hiss. That'll be a limp for a few days. Still in what feels to be the impossibly light-weight and sturdy borrowed armor, he slowly makes his way to sitting upright. Even his shield is still on his arm.

It takes him a minute to look away from the city, truly, it does. Thor's described the architecture before, but words rarely do a thing justice when it has substance. It's the wind moving the grass in his peripheral that makes him glance over. Ah, yes. Loki. The expression of awe is slowly replaced by a mask of rueful mulishness...as he always wears around the Trickster God.

"So. You did it." His voice sounds rough, as if he'd taken a hit to the throat. "Needed an audience to appreciate it?"

Loki has posed:
"Yes, what TRULY drives me is to hear obnoxious comments about something I am very proud to have accomplished," Loki says darkly, tone drenched in sarcasm. "I'll send you home in a few minutes, if it's within you to behave. If not, there are some pits of death a lot closer."

Loki stretches his back, and closes his eyes, as if in a quiet meditation. Soft little flutters of pink magic move in a subtle way near his hands resting on his knees, betraying some sort of magical activity.

Captain America has posed:
"Gosh, you drive a hard bargain," the Captain deadpans back, unable to help himself. Leather-clad knuckles wipe resentfully at his broken lip and he frowns down at the semi-fresh blood. With his nose wrinkled, he looks away from Loki after a second, though not with ease. The Asgardian mage has very firmly stamped himself in Steve's mind as a danger at all times, even if the Trickster God appears to be lazing about as easily as a panther on a limb.

He takes in the gleaming towers and the mountains beyond, marking where the snowline ends. A minute or two passes before he can't help himself. "Is Thor down there somewhere?" Another side-look is flat. "And what are you doing?"

Loki has posed:
"If you want to go sooner, it will be a favor," answers Loki sleekly, tongue passing over his lower lip /just so/. There's a smile there, too. Loki can't help but salt the wound more.

Loki somehow rolls his eyes even if his eyes are shut. It's a magical thing the snide magician does - snide when he shouldn't even be able to be! SIGH. "I'm not my brother's personal assistant or keeper," Loki snaps.

"Yes, he's there. Go take a walk, if you like. I'm busy answering stupid questions for an impatient human."

Captain America has posed:
Steve gives the reclining Asgardian a grade-A glower and just for a second, he weighs a comment about sticking that forked tongue back behind his teeth.

"God, you are a sack of cats." Armor sounds against itself as he then begins making his way to his feet. He trembles, his torso flaring up in agony from where Wonder Woman slammed into him as hard as a school bus, and he momentarily falls to one hip with a half-gasp. Teeth grit, somewhere Bucky sighs at bullheaded behavior, and then he tries again. Leaning heavily on the edge of his shield briefly planted into the beautifully-green grass as a crutch, he sighs when he makes it all of the way to his booted feet.

"Bet Thor'll get me back home...without more goddamn favors," he mutters to himself as he begins to try walking away of his own volition. A palm presses to his side against his pride and sweat springs up on his temples. The helmet, with its proud top-arches gleaming gold, is left behind.

Loki has posed:
Loki slants one eye open, still continuing the mild spell that he's working on. He was not thrilled that Steve ended up piggybacking along, but he allowed it. It was hardly a problem, things have progressed past where Loki thinks Steve could possibly change things.

And now, Steve is providing entertainment. The clear physical pain, the griping mutters: it's great fun.

Loki settles some more, reclining partially now, watching Steve's sauntering struggle of physical pain. It's great fun when it isn't LOKI in pain, of course.

"Wah wah, life is so hard," Loki mocks dryly. "I could ask for things but uhhhh, no; I am Captain America, and suffering builds character," Loki says, moderating his voice in excellent mimicry of Steve.

Captain America has posed:
Pausing at the beginning of the knoll's slope, Steve lets out a slow sigh. Cautiously, as to keep his footing (because a tumble would be not only riotously loud, but unbearably painful), he completes his turn to face the mage and gives the Trickster God a gimlet stare.

"I would rather walk all the damn way to that castle," and he points a gloved hand at the distant golden towers, " -- than ask you for more help, Loki. No more favors. None. It's not happening. You can //dream// about me asking you because it'll be a cold day in //hell// before I do."

Loki has posed:
"Would you like me to tell you exactly where the loophole is on that one, or would you rather be surprised later?" Loki asks, silver tongue in full use, suddenly. There's no hints of snideness, it's just a nice quality, now. Friendly.

Loki releases a soft sigh through his nose and gets up, one hand dropping to pick up his helmet at his side, and then flings it away -- with a flash of magic. It's just gone. Loki didn't feel like carrying it or wearing it, is all.

Loki approaches the edge of the knoll, looking down at the city below. "I don't feel like having a fight with anyone right now, honestly. Old habits, is all," Loki says, in apparent mood swing. "What is the point of all that, when I have this," Loki asks, with a nod towards the whole of the area around them. "I can be benevolent. You are just fun to tease."

Captain America has posed:
With a scoff at the suddenly kind tone of voice, Steve turns away. He's already berating himself -- yes, he sees the loophole now, and he firmly shoves away the thought to one side...and hopes that hell never goes cold. Each placement of his foot is careful at the diagonal angle of descent and he inches about as fast as he can manage. Loki's approach from higher up on the grassy slope has him pausing and bringing up the shield in a knee-jerk reaction before he too sighs out a wince.

"You've got a twisted sense of fun, but I bet your brother tells you that on the regular." He pauses to level a toothy smile, probably a bit discombobulated still with the tidal sweeping of magic that deposited him here in Asgard. "'nd I bet you couldn't be completely benevolent, without loopholes, to save your life."

Somewhere, Bucky's also wondering why Steve won't keep his mouth shut.

Loki has posed:
"Are you going somewhere with this? Did you want that pit of death option?" Loki teases, in a tone that suggests he's /just kidding/, don't worry. Which is a perfect time to worry, when it comes to Loki.

"Give me a good reason to be entirely benevolent, and I'll honestly consider it as a career change. Although God of Helpfulness just sounds like such a drag. Always being asked for things all the time. /I/ don't get bothered."

That's hardly a shock, nobody bugs the person that sometimes puts them in the pit of death because it was amusing. Loki clears his throat, though, and looks more directly at Steve. "Shall we do Maui again?"

Captain America has posed:
The pit of death option does get a silent swallow out of Steve, even if he keeps up the expression devoid of amusement at the reminder. By the way his eyes narrow at the offering for the tropical beaches of Hawaii and how his mouth works silently for a second, his shoulder-angel is reminding him about his misplaced common sense. Wherever he left it, the Captain finds it again. Licking at his split lip and grimacing, he mutters,

"Sure, Maui sounds great. Completely benevolent. You want the armor back now or later? 'm not keeping it because you'll try 'nd turn it into a favor." Apparently, even if it torques the growing half-body bruise blossoming from collarbones to hip along his left side, Steve will attempt to shuck the Einherjar-like armor here on the grassy knoll.

Loki has posed:
"We've already done Maui, silly me. No need to repeat," Loki adjusts, with a snap of fingers. "I'll just surprise you, then." Because that's so much safer.

When the comment about the armor removal comes up, Loki gestures, and magic immediately erupts in and around the armor. Though if Steve wasn't wearing much under it, this may be an interesting change of attire, since Loki's just removing it, not doing anything else: dispelling the magical relics back to where he keeps them, presumably.

"All right. Just step like -- this," Loki says, suddenly moving towards Steve and angling a hard shove of one hand, intending to push Steve backwards off balance -- into the portal he didn't know was there. Loki's an Asgardian: he's surprisingly strong, when he uses it: which is so rarely. Loki's more fond of finesse. But sometimes there's a time when it's most surprising to do what is unexpected.

The portal isn't Maui.

Captain America has posed:
Steve's eyes go wide. "Loki, no -- no more surprises -- " It's as if someone suddenly stuck a leaf blower beneath his armor in combination with electrified Jello being shoved between the metal and his skin. He shudders to feel the magic so close to his body, shocked to a wordless state and trying to regain his questionable balance on the slope. Back to his motorcycle jacket and jeans, with his vibranium shield patriotically-hued once more, he has a moment to process the incoming shove before it takes him completely off-balance.

Wheezing for air, the Captain turns and grabs onto the nearest object -- which happens to be a mound of fake snow. He slides down a pebbly slope for a second before his boot dips into cold water. "Loki, f -- godDAMMIT, the South p -- "

Wait. The penguin nearby tilts its head at the Captain lying on his side, his shield at a crooked angle, and Steve realizes that he's looking at a mural. And then glass walls. And then the shocked expressions of patrons behind them.

Slowly, with a groan, he puts his head down on his shoulder and closes his eyes.

"...just the zoo." The curious penguin waddles over and plucks at the zipper of his jacket. Another long-suffering sigh leaves Steve.

At least it wasn't truly the South Pole.

Loki has posed:
"/Benevolent/," Loki's voice comes from nowhere -- no, from the portal Steve fell through -- along with a good-natured laugh.

Mostly good-natured.

Well, somewhat.