Chapter Text
She came to him in a dream.
A nightmare, he believed at first, seeing his cursed sister appear to him.
Thor was already battle-scarred and war-torn from his encounter with her and of Thanos. The pain of losing his family and people were still fresh wounds. He had put in every ounce of strength he had left in trying to govern the rest of his people in their new home and this cruel vision was threatening to throw him overboard.
“Why are you here? Is this an apparition or just my mind playing a cruel joke on me.” Thor said.
“I’m the goddess of death, I cannot die and I am no ghost.” Hela sneered, “I may not have Asgard but I still have Helheim, idiot.”
Thor rolled his one eye at her, silently willing to wake up and be rid of her.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I thought you’d be interested in the state of being of our dear younger brother.” Hela said.
That immediately got Thor’s attention, “Loki? Is he okay? How is he?”
“He’s alright, all things considering.” Hela said, “He’s gotten on my nerves though. I was hoping you would come and retrieve him. I believe you two to be close, considering the murals of you two he’s painted over the one of mine. I thought perhaps you would be the one to bring him back.”
“Is there something wrong with him?” Thor continued to question, “What’s the catch?”
“Oh, enough talk!” Hela let out a groan, “I’ve already been annoyed enough by our brother, I don’t need you to add into it, come with me.”
“But what of my physical body? You are communicating to me through my consciousness, right?” Thor questioned.
“No matter, I’m confident you will be back with him before morning rises in Midgard.” Hela assured, “Come on now.”
A small boat appeared below Hela’s feet and the scenery around them changed to a snowy landscape. The boat was pushed into the wide lake next to them. Hela stood at the end of the boat with a paddle, she gestured to the other end of the boat where Thor could sit.
He probably shouldn’t trust her. After all, she tried to kill him. But the thought of reuniting with Loki was too tempting, Thor craved to see a member of his family again and he knew out of everyone, Loki would not be resting easy…
The boat ride was silent at first. Thor took the time to gaze at his surroundings, the landscape was dull and snowy. Thor couldn’t feel the cold, he suspected it was because he wasn’t truly physically there.
“This is not at all how I pictured Valhalla.” Thor said.
Hela glared at him as if he was stupid.
“That’s because we’re not in Valhalla, we’re in Helheim.”
Silence filled the air once more.
“Did you really believe he would be in Valhalla?” Hela questioned, “He’s a Jotun.”
“I had hoped that, at least, in the afterlife, we could be together again.” Thor mumbled under his breath, “I was sure that his last act alive would deem him worthy of a noble warrior’s final resting place.”
“All Jotuns go to Hel.” Hela said, “I have yet to see one go to Valhalla. Even a Jotun posing as an Asgardian.”
“How did you learn of his origins?” Thor asked.
“I discovered it on my own. I’ve seen his true form.” Hela said, “I was surprised at first, I never thought Odin would bring a Jotun into his own home, but then I saw his markings…Laufey’s markings. I understood why.”
“Laufey abandoned Loki as an infant, just because he was born small. He left him to die a slow and cruel death at barely a few days old.” Thor said, feeling filled with anger as he remembered the rough start of his brother’s life. Odin had told Thor the story not long after Loki jumped off the Bifrost.
“You give our father too much credit. It may appear to be a selfless act but he always had a plan no matter what he did.” Hela said, “Still, I am glad Odin kept him around. His is a charming boy, I’m quite fond of his mischief, as long as it’s not perpetrated against me that is.”
Thor chuckled, “Yes, I’m sure you would have loved to see the time he turned into a snake to trick me and then stabbed me afterward.”
“That’s hilarious, I would have praised him.” Hela let out a laugh, “How much of an idiot do you have to be to pick up a snake.”
“We were young!”
“Where did he get the knife?”
“He conjured it, apparently it was a new self-defense trick my mother taught him. He was banned from magic for a week after.”
They were left in silence once more, except this time, it felt more comfortable.
“Maybe if things were different, if father didn’t do what he did, we could have all gotten along.” Thor said.
“I believe we would have.” Hela told him with confidence, “Damn, our old man.”
The boat wavered as it slowly came to a stop. Ahead of them was a great big castle, the exterior was undeniably black, Thor could tell that much even under all the sheets of ice layering it. Long thick icicles hung off of the roof, Hela took a sword and started breaking them off, revealing a very frozen door.
“Is this where you live?” Thor asked.
“It was where I lived. Our brother has taken over the entire place.” Hela let out a heavy sigh, “Now go on in and bring him out already, I never knew younger brothers could be so annoying until I started living with him.”
“Did he cause this place to freeze over?” Thor felt the ice around the door, it was surprisingly very cold. He recoiled his hand, of course, his brother’s ice would be the one thing he felt in this realm, even if he wasn’t truly physically there.
“Yes, the little shit.” Hela groaned, “When you get in there you better get him out quick. I’m sure he’ll do it again.”
Hela herself cut through the ice and kicked the door open.
Thor expected to see his brother there, either standing at the entrance ready to make a snarky comment or moping in a corner.
Instead, Thor found many sets of eyes glaring at him, and all belonged to his brother.
Two little Lokis, one very much the child he remembered growing up with and the other a blue jotun.
“Brother! Brother, you’re here! You’re really here!” The boys cried happily as they hugged him.
Thor stood frozen still. Eyes darting around the room at all the other Loki’s. One Loki was dressed in what looked like a full body green leotard covering even his head, there was a fake blonde ponytail hanging from the back. Another Loki resembled that of a homeless mortal, stubble on his face dressed in shanty clothing with a hat and scarf. There was also a Loki as big and green as the hulk, only recognizable through the trademark horns and black hair. Then there was a Loki who was just Loki…With a cat head.
Thor looked down at the two little Lokis who were so happy to see him and returned the hug, he looked back at Hela with a confused expression.
“I should have mentioned, there are many Lokis now but there was just one at first. I have no idea where that one went.” Hela spoke as if any of this was something normal.
“What happened?” Thor asked, “How did this- There are so many!”
“Our brother is a very prominent figure in this universe and in many other universes and timelines. Therefore, there are many forms of him, some created by himself unintentionally.” Hela explained, “Perhaps it’s the damage caused from the void, but once he arrived in Hel he broke. They’re all broken, I believe the children are the only versions of him that are truly happy.”
“But where is he, the real Loki?”
“These are all Loki, but the one you and I know is here somewhere. Some of the more hostile Lokis have hidden him, perhaps they know that if it were he who gets brought back to life order will be restored and these Lokis will cease to exist in this dimension.” Hela said, “You see, I believe the Loki you know brought all these Lokis here unconsciously. Layers to hide his anguish, shattered identity, something unintentional of the sort.”
Anguish and shattered identity were strong words. Thor knew very well that his brother had issues but never imagined they could be so severe that other variants of Loki would arise. He had hoped and prayed that Loki could be at peace but it seems that death did not spare him.
“No matter what I do I can’t get through to any of them. I may be their sister but they just aren’t close enough to me.” Hela said, “A lot of them talk about you. You two grew up together, I’m confident you will be the one to save him, all of them.”
“Of course, I won’t stop until I find him and bring him home.” Thor said with confidence, Hela smiled.
“Make his life a good one. I’d hate for an incident like this to happen again once he dies a natural death.” Hela said, “Good luck, I will see you once it’s over.”
“You won’t be staying?” Thor asked.
“Some of the Lokis won’t allow me onto the second floor of my own house. Only you can help him now.” Hela said as she left the door.
“Then I’ll do my best! Maybe I’ll even be able to bring him to Valhalla with me one day!”
“That’ll be the day!” Hela said as the door closed behind her.
Almost immediately after, Thor heard a feminine voice speak up, “Finally, that bitch is gone. Man, I hate her.”
A woman walked in wearing golden horns, a fur cape, and black lipstick. She looked mysteriously like his brother except she couldn’t be his brother…Could she?
“Oh look, our dear brother is here.” She said, her heels clicking against the frosted over floorboards of the dark living room, “Sure is refreshing to see your face around these parts.”
“Who, who-“ Thor tried to speak.
“We call her Lady Loki.” The Homeless Loki gestured towards her from where he sat slouched on the living room couch, “She decided she’s in charge.”
“That’s because I get stuff done.” She spoke back to him.
“How?” Thor could still only spit out single words.
“I’m just as much of a Loki as all these boys.” She said “I suppose by the look on your face you had no idea that your Loki could transform into a woman, has, and felt comfortable doing so. That’s why I’m in charge, I’m the only confident one here.”
“I’m plenty confident! You just humor yourself too much!” Leotard Loki spoke up.
“My brother is also my sister too.” Thor said, “How come he never told me!”
“You’re an oaf, that’s why. Probably figured you couldn’t comprehend the concept of being gender neutral.” She shrugged off Thor’s comment.
“I can understand plenty of stuff! Why do all Lokis take me for an idiot!” Thor shouted.
The group of Lokis laughed, Lady Loki sighed, “Oh, I’ve missed you, brother. Being around so many versions of myself is terrible company.”
“I plan on getting you all out of here, back to whatever reality you came from, I just need to find where my Loki is.” Thor said.
“He’s talking about the one that got choked…” Little Jotun Loki whispered to Lady Loki, as if that subject was deeply cursed.
“Oh, that one…He’s rather bothersome, I’d love for him to be gone.” Lady Loki said, “Alright brother, I don’t know where he is exactly but I do know he’s somewhere on the upper floors. This house is big, I have no idea how far up he is. He could be as far as the very top floor. I can guide you far but not all the way, Kid Loki could probably escort you further. No one really has any problems with him.”
“I still don’t understand this weird hierarchy thing going on, why are some Lokis not letting Hela in? Why are they keeping you trapped in this level?” Thor asked.
“They’re just jerks. Especially King Loki, he’s the biggest jerk.” Kid Loki explained, “Everyone got in fights at first, it was easier to keep the peace once everyone decided which rooms and floors were their territory.”
‘No wonder Hela wants him gone’ Thor thought to himself, ‘Wait, there’s a King Loki?’
“Come on now.” Lady Loki gestured for Thor to follow her up the stairs, “We best make haste.”
Behind her Hulk Loki started to tag along, Thor backed up a bit to let the green monster through.
“Hey…Hulk Loki.” Thor greeted him timidly.
Hulk Loki said nothing, he grabbed onto the railing of the stairs and smashed through another frozen over door. He then left without a word as Kid Loki rushed to follow them.
Once they were on the second floor, Lady Loki instructed Thor on where the nearest stairwell was. They were confronted by another Jotun Loki, this one was much taller and had very real horns on his head in comparison to the horned helmet that Loki wore. Thor suspected this Loki is what his Loki would have looked like if he had grown up in Jotunheim.
“What are you doing here?” Full-Grown Jotun Loki hissed.
“I’m just guiding our brother through the house, is that so wrong?” She sassed him right back. Now Thor was starting to understand why all the Lokis weren’t fond of each other.
“That’s Thor, huh.” Full-Grown Jotun Loki looked back at Thor, who waved awkwardly back at him, “That’s not at all what I expected him to look like.”
“Anyways, I’ll be leaving. I rather not get poked in the eye with those wretched horns of yours.” Lady Loki walked gracefully back down the stairs without looking back.
“You wished you had horns like me!” Full-Grown Jotun Loki yelled back at her, then he turned back to Thor, “It’s nice to meet you. I don’t really know you as the others do. I was never adopted.”
Thor shook his hand and felt Full-Grown Jotun Loki’s icy touch burn him. Thor winced a bit but continued to be polite.
“How are you doing, Little Loki?” Full-Grown Loki asked Kid Loki with a fond expression.
“I’m good! We’re looking for the Loki that Thanos choked!” Kid Loki replied cheerfully.
Full-Grown Jotun Loki looked visibly upset, “Oh…Him.” He looked at Thor with sympathy, he knew that his brother he never knew was there for that Loki, and in a way, for himself as well.
“I hope you find him. He causes a lot of trouble here without meaning to.” Full-Grown Jotun Loki said and then retreated.
Thor stood still for a while, Kid Loki caught onto this.
“I think he’s a little sad because he doesn’t fit in with most of us.” Kid Loki explained, “He has Jotun brothers, I think their names are Helblindi and Býleistr. They aren’t as great as you.”
Thor smiled down at Kid Loki, “I’m glad you think so.” Thor ruffled his hair.
It was heartwarming to see a Loki who still had light in his eyes. A Loki who was untouched by the horrors of the later years, a Loki from the days where mischief was all he caused and his lies petty, a Loki before he disowned himself, a Loki before Thanos, a Loki who was happy.
“Let’s find your Loki.” Kid Loki held Thor’s hand and walked him down the long icy hallway. Every door had to be checked, every corridor, every nook and cranny that his Loki could be hidden.
With determination, Thor said to himself ‘I’m coming to bring you home brother’.
He opened the first door…