One moment I wasn’t. Next moment I was. Such it is with dreams and events in dreams. Sometimes there is a long backstory that had led up to this moment. Sometimes it’s like turning on the television in midseason. I had no idea why I was here, or even where here is. But here I am. Very well then. On with it.
“It” was a minimalist cafe. A minimalist table. A minimalist chair. Just enough light above me to see that I was as a very small table sitting on a very bare chair. Just beyond the cone of light were shifting shadows. None of the shadows wanted anything to do with me.
“Hey. She looks familiar.”
“She should. She’s gets around.”
“Probably through Tumblr. What’s her username?”
“ThatBitch.”
“You answered that too fast, Loki. Come on, she is very, very familiar.”
“Keri! No, wait… I forgot your preferred pronouns… HEY BITCH!” He chuckled. “Come take a seat. If you would please.”
God fucking dammit. It’s Loki. I look over my shoulder to see another minimalist table with four minimalist chairs sitting under a bare cone of light. Three of the chairs are taken. The fourth is pulled out and held by the Loki Laufeyson that I know. I look to see who is sitting with him and my eyebrow threatens to leap off my face.
Loki is sitting with Loki and Loki. In better description, Loki Laufeyson is sitting with the fictional Loki as portrayed by Tom Hiddleston, and with a three dimensional representation (but still flatly colored) of the fictional Marvel comic book Loki character. Okay. I’m curious.
“Loki.” I came to the chair but didn’t sit down. “I’m not here to start, or finish, any shit.”
“Good. Neither am I. Sit, girl. There is no warring here.” Hiddleston’s Loki chuckled, and so I shall call him “Chuckles” for this post. Comic book Loki regarded me with disgust. “Grumpy”, he shall be.
“I take the hospitality you show me. Lead well.” As I sat, he produced a cup of tea and placed it before me. He placed a small strawberry shortcake on the table, and laid four forks around it. At the sweet, I could not hold aggression, but laughed.
“She is from Tumblr!” Chuckles grabbed a fork and dug out a big chunk from his side. “Sweets for the Sweet!” He toasted us all and gulped it with glee. Loki also dug out a chunk and toasted us as well. I thanked Loki for the tea and the offer, but refrained from indulging in the dessert. Grumpy just crossed his arms and grumped at the dessert in disgust.
“So, pleasant company and eats aside, there is still the problem of how much Loki must a Loki be before Loki is too much Loki to handle.” Chuckles’ serious statement jarred with his jovial demeanor.
“Excuse me. There is a conversation in progress. Are you sure I should be sitting here? I mean, I know enough about the Marvel comic books to know this guy is not going to be sociable.” I jerked a thumb towards Grumpy. “And while I do adore your presentation, there is a question of who is under that charming exterior.” Chuckles smiled and bowed. “And you. Loki [Wildfire]. It is for [a particular person’s] sake that I am even being civil to you right now, because you have done well for her. Are you sure I should be sitting here?”
“It is because you do not lap up my words that I personally brought you here, Keri. If I wanted [someone to suck dick], I have plenty to choose from. But not many are willing to stand flame for flame with me. And even less have a chance of surviving that. But then again, your scars are almost trollskin by now, and what isn’t will be if that damn svartalf has any say. No. You will say all that you see, and without adjusting for reputation, yours or others. And that is why you are here.”
They resumed their conversation while I allowed my tea to get cold. From what I could gather after jumping in mid-stream, the Pop Culture Paganism controversy is starting to get on the nerves of all three. To them the issue was settled long ago. And by being settled, I mean it never was a controversy. Instead, the actions of those involved are making it more trouble than it ever was.
“I’m all for fun and games and temporary escape from one’s issues, but they’re taking it too far and injuring themselves in the process.”, said Chuckles. “I do adore my fandom, and the cosplayers are great to ride, and it’s nice to get nods from Laufeyson’s people and chaotes, but I am an amalgam of mixed notions. My fandom recreates me with each post and cosplay. I am unique to each one that adores me, even if they all claim to love me the same.”
“I was written to be evil, and hilariously so. I’m a strawman set up for the express purpose of making the readers feel good about themselves. I can barely stand my own self, and frankly I’m fucking tired of this shit.” Grumpy banged the table. “I don’t want fans. I don’t want to be this buffoon. But folks keep pouring power into me, blowing me up more and more, and not realizing my whole existence is dependent on the singular drive to wipe theirs out! Does no one read!”
Loki started laughing hard at Grumpy. “No. No one reads. Those that do only read and remember those portions that justify themselves. There are Asatru that will completely ignore the blood brother bond I made with Odin, because that goes against their carefully constructed straw house. And then there are humans that will ignore that I am the embodiment of a destructive nature, and it is my nature to burn whatever I hold. Isn’t that right, Keri.” He smiles broadly at me showing his sharpened teeth and ripping the scars on his lips anew. It took holding the tea cup tightly in my hands to keep from burying my fist in his face. I didn’t realize the tea in the cup was boiling from my barely restrained anger until it boiled over.
“What the fuck you want me here for, bitch. Answer truthfully and without deceit.” I swallowed my anger and stopped boiling the tea. I never looked away from Loki.
“I needed a witness. Like I said. And you’re available.”
It was a short pause, but it was long enough for me to completely regain my composure. “I don’t have any sway in the Pop Culture Paganism wars. I’ve been silent intentionally. Not my monkey, not my circus. Two of you know exactly where I am about this.” I released my grip on the cup. My flash of anger was over. I’ll be okay.
Chuckles reached out and patted my hand. “We know. But you’re going to start seeing fallout soon.”
Loki flicked strawberry jam on Chuckles’ hand. “Tell me, Keri [Mask-wearer], how is it you can tell us three apart?”
That was easy. “Y’all each feel different. And y’all each want me to see the difference. But if Laufeyson decides to wear the mask of the Hiddleston’s portrayal, there is shit I can tell.” I looked at the three of them in turn. “Loki Laufeyson is a shapeshifter, and a damn good one at that. Something that gets mixed with the pop culture version of Loki to the point where the two can cosplay each other pretty damn well.
Loki [Wildfire] Laufeyson leaned in close. He smells of flowers and burnt wood. “And if something else wants to wear those masks? You might be able to tell, but then, you know me… [well]. Could your fellow Tumblrites see the difference? Could those that lie to themselves about what I am capable of see anything amiss?”
My face paled as I realized the implications of what he was saying. “… Shit.”
Loki leaned back, stabbing a large portion of strawberry shortcake in the process. “That’s all I needed you to see. Good day, Keri.” He stuffed the portion in his face. Chuckles leaned over to him and wiped an errant smear of jam from the scarred lips and licked it.
I finished off the now cool tea in two gulps, because hospitality does matter, excused myself and left the table. As soon as I left the cone of light around the table I saw they were surrounded by hundreds more shadows than before. But now I could see them clearly. Each one wore at least one mask, mimicking one of the Loki’s at the table. None of them fucked with me. It was clear none of them wanted anything to do with me, still. But it still concerned me. There is something here in plain sight, and I’m missing it. But if I publicize it, it’s going to throw a match in a methane pit.