A Strange Afterlife

[ginger_firebird]

 It had to be impossible. He could feel his skin. A pulse beat under his neck. He stood in front of a store window and regarded his reflection in the glass. Same black leather outfit. Same brown trench-coat. The fabric weight down on him and he rubbed his arms as he tried to figure out what was going on. A wandering spirit had doors to enter and exit when it came to the world of the living, but he'd never achieved something like this. It was alien and wrong and he had no idea where anyone was.

Mantis sighed, marveling quietly at the way his chest rose and fell with his breathing. It didn't matter. He'd keep moving and hope for the best. If this was some punishment for a misstep, he knew exactly who to take it up with.

"Sorrow!" Even his voice carried an echo. Mantis pointed himself into a new direction and began to walk. "What did I do this time, old man?"

Comments

[ginger_firebird]

He was about eight when it happened, so plenty to be traumatized about. It stole his physical and mental ability to talk for a while after. Maybe if there's enough time to relax, he might take on a new mask or at least alternative ways to hide his face.

"Popsicles." He's going to afford that a blank stare. "You do not look like the kind of person who would make a business selling any kind of ice cream."

With all the respect he can muster, of course. He wants to see this shop now. It sounded incredibly interesting.

[tr1ckortreat]

"Indeed. I knew I would have to adapt to be able to fit into this world. So, popsicles were a viable option since I can use my magic to create them."

Easy when you're half-frost giant. Yet, no one knew that except maybe the other Lokis and Thor. It was much like Mantis' mask; he kept it a deep secret since being one of the Jotunn was often a taboo subject on his world. The Asgardians had been at war with the ice giants for hundreds of years. Loki was just a bi-product of that war and he preferred to keep his real identity a secret.

"Of course you can have one for free. Pick your flavour for I have many."

Was it a selling tactic? Maybe. Loki was skilled with the powers of ice so making popsicles was a piece of cake for him. An easy way to make some currency and some friends along the way. Allies? Definately.

[ginger_firebird]

"I might have gone for a florist if that were a power I possessed." He's not judging the inclination to sweets at all, but there's something silly about the idea of a nobleman type running an ice cream parlor.

Loki wouldn't have any trouble if Mantis truly dug deep enough to discover such a secret. No one outside of his coworkers and Liquid Snake needed to know his telepathy wasn't fully controlled. That said, a Jotunn is something Mantis has never seen before. He'd like a chance to see such a wildly different appearance.

"I like lemon. I learned to appreciate lemonade and lemon in tea while living in the United States, so it makes me think of warmer weather."

[tr1ckortreat]

Truth be told, if you asked Loki about running a popsicle stand perhaps a few months ago or even a year he'd laugh it off and think you mad. How times change a person and it seemed now the Nexus had mellowed a rather angry and bitter man. Oh, the hurt and hatred was still there, just buried for the time being.

The regrets and failures were still heavy in his heart and those would probably stay with him for the rest of his life. It was more the fact he was trying to fit into the land without making too many enemies on the way. He was alone and far from home with no bridge to easily cross back into his own world. Tactful thinking was a must.

"Lemon? A good choice. I have to admit I haven't much admiration for Midgardian beverages."

Mostly due to the part that Loki had not spent as much time on Earth as his brother had. Thor often came back to Asgard after one of his visits, explaining to Loki what an "iced coffee" or "donut" was. Most items eluded him entirely.

[ginger_firebird]

Everyone who makes bad choices involving hurting others veers into some odd hobby or pastime that couldn't be further from the actions taken previously. Mantis errs towards plants on account of his past, but Loki... Well, it was either the cold, the flavors, or both.

Thinking of things he liked, he had to wonder how he would get back home from this weird place. Maybe he'd bring Liquid back here to enjoy food again. Make a Foxhound outing.

"It's very tangy, but you can temper it with the right balance of water and sugar. I liked it as a way to stay healthy when the sun was out."

Midgar. It was a European word, but more from the west and heading north. Loki must come from somewhere very different if he had a word like that for Earth.