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[Today is a good day for serious business, apparently. There's a certain something he's been putting off for a while, and after one-too-many dreams interrupting his sleep, he's had enough: this morning when Billy wakes up, the first thing he does is jot out a note in the journal-]

[Private to Ben Grimm]

Hey, would it be okay if I swung by to ask you a few things?

[He'll work through his morning routine until he gets a response, after which he'll go for a visit and get a hell of a lot more than he bargained for.

After that, his mood for the day is drastically altered; he'll skip out on school, trying to sort out his feelings on the matter. Tommy's still AWOL, and he's trying not to worry Teddy, but what he's just been told has really got him thinking- about people, and heroes, and the unfairness of mankind in general. And eventually he'll just go ahead and return to his journal for it. He's kind of in over his head here.]

[Open to All]

I know Luceti's full of heroes- seems kind of a standard trait for most of us, for whatever reason. Back on my world, super-humans aren't that uncommon, and in general they're revered for everything they do for the world. Some of them were born that way, and some of them are from other planets, and some were altered to get their powers, and some have a lot of talent or skill instead of powers. But they're all considered to be super heroes. There's bad guys, too- just as diverse and unique as the heroes they fight. People fear them and celebrate their defeat.

There's another group, though... humans who got their powers because of evolution. It's much more natural, in a lot of ways. Some are heroes, some are villains. Some are just trying to get by without becoming one or the other. But regular humans fear them, and hate them for it, even if they save the world just as much as the heroes they love. They're called criminals or monsters, no matter how innocent they might be.

[He hesitates- it's probably obvious to some, what he's talking about, and he's not sure if he should lock it from the mutant population, or apologize, or something, but it relates to them even if it's not by name. Hiding it wouldn't be right.

In the end he just leaves it be.]

...Sorry for the ramble. But it's not fair, and... I just can't understand why. Why hate one and love the other, when they're basically the same?

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But not Earth.

[If that's the case, he can't say he's surprised, even if it does make him a little uncomfortable. It's hard to think of Loki as a nice guy when he insists on playing up the villainy.]

[He is silent for another long moment.] I did not feel that I had a choice, on Midgard. There is no turning back.

But I do not believe in heroes and villains the way that you do.

...Yeah, I know.

[And it still bothers him-the idea that there's no turning back, no way to redeem oneself after doing something terrible. But he's not sure how one convinces someone like Loki of it. He just seems so resigned.

He just hates the idea of giving up. Especially in light of what he's just learned.]

People who feel forced into doing something bad, though... they're not automatically villains. I always kind of knew it, but... I think I understand that better now.

[Loki considers pointing out to Billy that he also does not believe in good and bad the way Billy does. That he considers economies of scale. That he thinks it's quite pathetic that the humans obsess about an invasion from outside that killed relatively few of their number when every day they are murdering each other in far greater numbers through a combination of ignorance, hatred, and uncaring neglect.

No, this is not the time for such discussions. Billy is simply trying to frame this conversation in a way he thinks will include Loki, he surmises. He will let it go for now.]

Oh?

[Billy's quiet for a moment at that, debating how to respond. He knows it would be wrong to explain what he's now aware of to someone completely unrelated when even the other mutants of the world don't know, so he's really not sure how to proceed.

Maybe it's best to just ask the biggest question of all first.]

...What do you know about mutants?

I know there's a great deal of conflict between mutants and the larger part of humans, who follow the age-old pattern of hating and abusing that which they do not understand.

Edited 2012-12-14 05:34 (UTC)

Rogue told you about it? [It's only half a question; he can't imagine anyone else explaining such things, especially since they're apparently so chummy.] ...Well, I'm-

[And then he stops, clamping his mouth shut and setting his jaw, grabbing his coffee cup and abruptly standing up.]

...Come on, let's talk in my apartment.

She may have had cause to mention such things. [He is really getting uncomfortable with admitting even this much to Billy. Probably it would have been better to just pretend ignorance and let Billy tell him all over again.]

All right.

[He rises to his feet, taking up his coffee cup.

That Billy seems to feel there's insufficient privacy in this area leaves him feeling rather nervous as well.]

[Billy doesn't speak until they're well into the apartment, leading the way through the kitchen door he'd set up in the far wall to avoid having to go all the way around the hall, then into the living room, where he slumps onto the couch in front of the fireplace, gesturing vaguely for Loki to help himself to whatever unoccupied seat he wants. Only then does he explain the sudden relocation.]

Sorry about that. We've got a neighbour that likes to spy on conversations. The kitchens in this building are never private.

[Loki finds a chair to lounge in, coffee cup balanced on one knee.]

Ah, I see.

[He frowns slightly.]

Perhaps we ought to have moved into here sooner.

I forgot about it, or I would've suggested that. [He pauses, then adds with the slightest quirk of a smile,] Teddy and I like to play a game of finding where he hides his tech and making a lot of noise right in front of it. Our little way of getting him back for spying on us.

Ah. Well. I hope my presence won't cause you trouble.

The only trouble he can really cause with us is a little aggravation, so don't worry about it.

[He shrugs; he doesn't want to make a big deal about it, even if there's still a bit of underlying irritation; he hasn't forgiven Robin for trying to interrogate Teddy, and he knows that he's apparently not trusted for his magic - and for his association with Loki. At this point he doesn't really give a damn what Robin thinks about Loki coming over like this.

Back to what he was saying, though...]

...I'm one of them- a mutant. That's why I've got powers. But I'm also related to two of the most dangerous and hated mutants in the world.

[See why he didn't want to be overheard?]

Hm. Interesting. [He hadn't thought that a mutation would allow Billy to do what he does, but then again it's not something normal humans can manage. So it may follow. And he's also forced suddenly to wonder about himself, since the Jotun are not known for their magicians by any stretch of the imagination. He is a bit of an aberration no matter what way one slices it.

He nods, mouth curving in a bitter smile.]

Being different or having bad taste in parentage is normally enough invitation for abuse. Having both factors is quite terrible.

[He has reason to know this.]

It's funny... when I first found out about it, I was excited. I used to think I was just some random kid who got powers, but then I found out my mom - my real mom, I guess you could say - was an Avenger. My favourite.

[Sometimes being adopted is cool, bro. Isn't that a delightful knife twist?]

Something happened, though... something bad. And I'm pretty sure it was because she lost us. Now I don't know what to think...

[It's still exciting, yes, but there's a level of worry and uncertainty he hadn't felt before. What caused it to happen? Could it happen again? Could it happen to him?

Is this why Tommy seemed so unsure of him when he'd first arrived, despite the fact that they'd found her? So many questions, and now Tommy isn't around to ask.]

[Loki nods slowly.

Some of that, he can identify with, like the truth making certain things become clear. But it was never a source of delight for him.]

What happened, exactly?

[Billy hesitates at that, fingers twisting awkwardly together as he mulls over how to respond. He's still not sure whether he should explain the story. It's a powerful one- and while it's true that it has nothing to do with their universe, it still could have a significant effect on the mutants living right here and now, in Luceti, most of whom aren't aware of what he's talking about at all. And if Wanda were ever to appear in Luceti, if she had no memory of it- if his family or other friends showed up, or anyone who wasn't aware of what had happened, and he ever got on Loki's bad side somehow...

That's a lot of power to place in the hands of someone he's grown up viewing as a super villain.]

...If... if I tell you this... it means I'd be trusting you not to tell anyone else about it. No one. Not ever.

[His lifts his head then, focusing on Loki, his expression uncertain and faintly pleading.

Can I trust you?

It's a bit scary, actually- that it's even a question. That the answer isn't automatically "no".]

[Loki smiles slightly.]

Above all things, I love secrets.

[He's not sure if that answer completely satisfies him, but after a moment's pause, his gaze fixated on Loki to gauge his sincerity, apparently he decides that it's enough. Ducking his head again, he curls his fingers tightly around his coffee mug, watching the steam rise to avoid looking at anything else.]

My power... it's the same as hers. She's so strong, though- she has the power to change the world, literally. And back home... she did. Something happened to her, and with just a few words, the entire planet was remade just the way she wanted it.

[Loki is silent for a long, thoughtful moment. His first, automatic thoughts are much the same he had when Rogue finally told him of her powers: interesting and dangerous and potentially useful. Those sorts of thoughts, he will consider later. Now, it would do no good. And now, such a strange sensation that he's not entirely certain how to deal with it, he feels as if Billy needs him in some way. Perhaps somewhat like Rogue did.

And like Rogue (though not in the same way), he rather likes Billy, feels a certain almost kinship with him for all that he's mortal.]

I see.

[And then he thinks, it's a good thing he's trying to teach Billy better control. Because that's not the sort of thing anyone wants happening higgledy-piggledy.

He doesn't seem in the least bit frightened or upset by this revelation, though. Just the same curiosity as always.]

Did it eventually get put back the way it was?

Eventually. The Avengers and a group of mutants were able to remember what the world was supposed to be like, and got her to fix things. She got upset, though... she blamed her father, a mutant terrorist who always thought that mutants were better than humans. He thought they should either die or serve us, so she made it so they did, in the alternate world. But that wasn't enough, I guess. There was still so much fighting. People died.

[He fidgets, twisting his fingers together a bit.]

She said, "No more mutants." And nearly all the mutants in the world lost their powers, just like that.

Hah. So she changed the nature of reality's events, but not the nature of humanity itself.

[He nods again.]

Another thing that many would find frightening or alternatively seek to control, I imagine.

[Quietly, the thought of someone yanking his magic from him is a terrifying one, but he hides that effortlessly. That is not an issue here, and his will is quite strong, as is his grasp on reality.]

Yeah, no kidding.

[Hence the acceptance of lessons from a certain master of magic...]

She went missing after that. No one's seen her since. There's so many questions I wanted to ask her before- about me and my brother, how we were born, what happened to make her lose us, how we even exist now... and now there's this. I'm not sure what to think anymore.

[Another slow nod.

Loki turns his cup meditatively in his hands.]

I would think that there is always more to a story such as this. But you already seem quite aware of that fact.

[One corner of his mouth pulls slightly.]

People like us are... not understood. We do not see the world in the same way others do.

Edited 2012-12-22 10:08 (UTC)

[People like us. There's a lot of meaning to those words, and it's enough to give Billy reason to pause, though after a moment he does nod. It's a truth that he's not sure he can rightly deny; the words resonate with him more than he cares to admit.]

I used to wish for that, sometimes. Years ago, when I was getting crap from kids at school, or trying to figure out the whole "I like guys" thing, or seeing how many people in the world are suffering all the time... I used to think, "I wish I could change this." Shift everything into how I thought it should be, change it to make it right... lots of people want that.

[He clutches his cup tightly enough to make his knuckles go white, and he's lucky he doesn't have super-strength like Teddy- he'd probably have broken it.]

No one should have this kind of power. Even good people. It's... too heavy.

Edited (billy be more specific) 2012-12-24 01:34 (UTC)

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