Pearl's New Friend Is Definitely Not Evil At All, Okay

[foolyoutwice]

It takes a fair amount of open space to cut down one flying ship in order to repair another. In the end, Pearl and Loki had set up shop in the grass outside the garage. His skiff--scorched, dented from bullets, gashed along one side, crooked-winged--sits next to a larger Asgardian craft, one built on similar lines but considerably more ornate. Even by Asgardian standards. The hull is covered with inlaid twining patterns that work themselves out into serpents and wolves and falcons.

It's splendid. Beautiful craftsmanship in the style of two thousand years ago. And Loki is gleefully marking off portions of it to chop up. With a flaming torch thing that he certainly hopes is adequate to the task. Pearl had thought it might be.

"Do you think we'll need to replace the entire wing? Or just the damaged section?"

Comments

[ownerless]

Oh! Ha.

"Well of course it will!" Pearl declares. "We're going to fix it."

[a_conversation]

Oh. Pearl is fixing things again.

"For what purpose? Where do you fly, in this skiff?"

Just, you know, out of curiosity. Her tone is as casual as she can make it.

[foolyoutwice]

"Mostly the lake and mountains here." He smiles a bit. "It's not entirely unlike home, and not entirely unlike the better parts of Midgard. Except of course for the peculiar physics."

His smile brightens. "May I offer you both a tour, when the repairs are complete? We'll want to test it, naturally."

[ownerless]

"Ooh, yes, we'll certainly need to test it."

But she knows better than to speak for Garnet. "--right, Garnet?"

[a_conversation]

"...right," Garnet says. "A ride would be...nice."

It would be! If this human-looking nonhuman is okay and all.

[foolyoutwice]

He's totally okay! Garnet's future-vision probably turns up only a few very remote possible timelines in which Loki makes contact with the gem homeworld and sells out the Earth gems in exchange for great power. Or attempts to take over Milliways. Or becomes a multiversal threat to their particular Earth.

Really, they're very remote, these possible timelines.

And look, right now he's just grinning cheerfully at the two of them, full of childish enthusiasm for his little boat. "It really is an excellent craft, the Asgardian skiff. Wonderfully maneuverable. I promise you, you'll enjoy the flight."

once they fix up all these bullet holes and stuff

[ownerless]

"I do always like learning how to fly something new," Pearl says. "...or fix it."

[a_conversation]

(Garnet will be invoking her future vision very shortly, oh yes. But not just yet--she needs a moment to put her head in her hands and concentrate.)

"Yes," she says, instead. "What happened to it? Why does it need fixing?"

[foolyoutwice]

"Mm. I was helping a friend with something in his world and found myself having to fly a bit--recklessly." Wince. Don't you hate it when that happens? "But my friend is all right, and my skiff's in one piece, so no real harm done."

[ownerless]

"It'll be easily fixed," Pearl adds reassuringly.

[a_conversation]

Flying recklessly, hmm? "Were you in a space battle?"

...no, that's not the only situation in which one would have to fly recklessly, in space, but it's a common one.

[foolyoutwice]

"Ah--heh. No, this vessel isn't capable of breaking atmosphere, so not a space battle. But unfortunately there were a few attacks from the ground." Unfortunate-face! "It took some creativity to lose them."

He steers a hand through imagined dangers. (And shoots a grateful look at Pearl. Thanks for the reassurance, Pearl! He was worried about his boat!)

[ownerless]

"Why were they attacking you?"

She... probably should have asked that sooner.

[foolyoutwice]

"I only know what my friend told me about the situation," he says carefully. "So--heh." Wince. "I may have walked into something--volatile."

Loki hates it when that happens!

[a_conversation]

"Oh," says Garnet. Thoughtfully. "What did your friend tell you?"

[foolyoutwice]

"...that it was a matter for discretion?" His smile is apologetic, but with a bit of an edge. You're not asking him to betray a confidence, are you?

[a_conversation]

Why, of course not. "Oh. I see."

A pause.

"Well. I'm sure you and Pearl will have it up and running again in no time."

[ownerless]

"We certainly will!" Pearl chirps. "...but you really should find out what a fight's about before you join it, don't you think?"

[foolyoutwice]

"Mm." Loki doesn't quite hang his head, but he does look rueful. "It's safe to say this was a learning experience."

It was. He's still digesting some of the lessons, but it was definitely a learning experience. And as you can see, Mom, Loki is a good boy who is receptive to guidance and good advice.

[a_conversation]

"We all need those sometimes." Here Garnet smiles, though it may look more like she is baring her teeth.

[ownerless]

"Yes, we certainly do," Pearl agrees. Garnet's obvious wariness is starting to make her more visibly nervous.

[foolyoutwice]

Hm.

They're looking more uneasy than reassured. Pearl, in particular, is looking more uneasy--more uneasy, especially, now that Garnet is here. Which is somewhat interesting!

He shouldn't push those buttons, he really shouldn't, it's counterproductive, but-- "Well. I've had my share of learning experiences since coming here," he answers. "Meeting you Gems has been a revelation, for instance. Sparring with Pearl, trying out her spear..."

[a_conversation]

Garnet's head swivels in Pearl's direction.

Trying out her spear? But Garnet won't ask about that, not here. Not yet.

"How was the sparring?" This is directed at either of them, and it means multiple things: why did you let him do that, why is he so trustworthy, and also how did you manage to spar with Pearl and not get crushed, just how powerful are Asgardians anyway.

[ownerless]

...does it help that she regretted that as soon as it happened? No, that never does help.

"We were very well-matched!" Pearl cries. She's gone a bit shrill. It was fine! Everything is fine!

[foolyoutwice]

"It was an honor. And a pleasure." It really was, and Loki almost half regrets needling at an obvious insecure spot. He taps his fingers against the hull of the boat he means to cut down for scrap. "And do you fix up damaged craft as well?"