If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks...

[coldsong]

It's customary to have a Wake after the subject thereof dies. Even Loki knows that. But this is a special occasion. Ego-death is coming to his alternate, and the idea of letting him go off to perish alone, uncertain he will even be mourned, is too dark a proposition even for a flawed and callous person to contemplate.

That, and this Loki has been in a melancholy mood since speaking to the spirit of Frigga. He anticipates a dark choice of his own, sooner or later, and where the fates will send him after that, he can't know. Maybe oblivion, although even at that rate there may be worse places.

What's important right now is that no one dies unremembered. And honestly, any excuse for mischief a party. The first text rolls out to Harley, an innocent enough invitation to join them for milkshakes. Cricket is next, because it occurs to him that Cricket has plenty of liquor, which is good for a reckless celebration.

Things snowball from there.

As long as they don't destroy too much property, they'll call the night a success.

Comments

Milkshakes

[coldsong]

At the start of the evening, there are two Lokis at the corner table of the Cafe. Pretty much anyone who joins them is inevitably going to be asked whether he or she can tie a cherry stem into a knot with his or her tongue.

[websnextdoor]

Who let this child in?

Probably the owner since this is an all ages establishment and Peter Parker has a habit of getting himself into places he shouldn't be. But this seems nice enough. A quiet place to do his homework and hang ou--both of his friends named Loki are here. Well what do you know?

That's not intimidating or anything. He waves when they catch sight of him. Can he join...?

[magpiemythos]

"Peter!" Loki waved enthusiastically, before he was gesturing for the spiderchild to join them, with a beaming smile. Homework? Who did homework anymore that's boring!

[coldsong]

Hi Peter! You're just in time to see the other Loki spit out two halves of a cherry stem into a napkin.

This is not his night, okay?

[lovesuwithknives]

You know, Azwel wasn't even thinking of showing up here, mainly because he had no idea there was going to be any kind of a party happening at any time. But here he is, because there's a very strange confluence of interdimensional energy here and he can smell it.

And the reason becomes patently obvious once he notices there are two of the same being in close proximity to one another. Spacetime ripples around them like sound waves in a tray of water, spilling excess energy into the surroundings. It's enough to make one giddy. Or maybe just Azwel, as he's made himself all-too-sensitive to such things over the years.

Excuse him, he's just going to sidle up to these folks.

"I couldn't help but notice," he says. "I've never seen two of the same being in the same place before! This Nexus truly is a wonder, is it not?"

He seems so... delighted.

[coldsong]

Ice-green eyes look up at the newcomer, scanning him curiously but without any sense of hostility or intimidation.

"Ah! That wasn't half bad, but if I may make a suggestion? You're meant to phrase it like this--" Loki clears his throat, leans his elbow on the table, and says in a lower, more suggestive octave: "'What are two nice, identical boys like you doing in a place like this'?"

He's terrible. Someone stop him.

"But do sit if you like. Tonight is for company."

[sweetcandygirl]

"Hi again!" That is Harley's arm that is suddenly around his shoulders. "Let me guess... you missed me?"

[smartass_captain]

"You get used to that kind of thing in the Nexus. They don't even look identical. There's a few of us out there with mirror duplicates running around."

And yes, Jim is one of those folks. He tips his drink toward Azwel and smiles ever so slightly. You get used to it.

[outpostcook]

Kinner's still not too sure what's going on with the Lokis, but he's not opposed to a night out on the town. So a small, scar-faced man in polar clothing shuffles in, carrying some popcorn shrimp if anybody wants them. Besides, he's in the mood to try out milkshakes. As a cook, he feels obliged to sample a variety of foods.

"Evening, Loki," he says, "and Loki. I brought shrimp, if anyone wants some."

[magpiemythos]

"Kinner!" Loki gestured him in with a smile, expression brightening when he heard there was food to be had. "Shrimp? You're a delight, really!"

[lovesuwithknives]

Azwel spits out another tied cherry stem and grins. "Ah, hullo, Kinner. What is that delightful scent?"

[coldsong]

"Hello! And welcome. I grew up." Loki tells him pleasantly.

"Did you cook them yourself? The salmon you made for CJ looked very good."

[nomoreroom]

And from riiiight over his shoulder, descends one sharp clawed hand, snagging just one little shrimp as the hiss and pop of that goddamn radio breaks the air.

"Don't mind if I do, Kinner!" Look how nice he's being, not using your adorable new nickname.

He's here to make sure the cafe doesn't burn to the ground

[icebearforpresident]

Ice Bear works at the cafe and normally he's all for people having fun. But there's something wild about the Loki duo, something that keeps the ursine on his guard. Katsuya has already been informed as well.

He's only here to deliver milkshakes and cherries to the table, then calmly walk away. Getting him to stick around might be easier said than done...

[sweetcandygirl]

"Ice Bear..." Harley smiles at seeing the familiar friend. "Do you need any help with serving today?"

as he should be

[coldsong]

Loki isn't trying to be overbearing, but he's a lot. Just in general, he's a lot, and tonight he's more a lot than usual. After probably the seventh bowl of cherries, he stands to follow Ice Bear a couple steps and clears his throat for his attention.

He doesn't want to just touch him. That might not end well with a bear.

"Thank you," he says quietly. "Just...no, I won't even try to explain. But this is a much needed relief."

[outpostcook]

Kinner looks up. Well, this must've been the polar bear he'd been told about. But he's delivering milkshakes and shows no interest in eating people, so Kinner cautiously looks up from the milkshake and says a shaky hello.

"Howdy there. Ice Bear, I take it?"

[alittlehinky]

That sure is a bear. A big, white, fuzzy bear, like Cricket hasn't ever seen outside of a picture book.

He's seen plenty of black bears, but they're smaller. And they look more timid, and they don't cook, as far as he's aware. Ice Bear may catch the young man staring at him, but the look on his face isn't fear. It's more of a 'he's so fluffy I'm gonna DIE' kind of expression.

[chiron_survivor]

Adia arrives at the café, and she's not alone. There is a man with her, dark-haired and tight-lipped, wearing a nice suit. When he steps in and sees both Lokis at the corner table, he looks at her with a raised eyebrow. "There's more than one of him?"

"...oh. I guess so?"

"I don't like this," the man says flatly, but Adia shakes her head.

"He asked me to come here. We can stay for a little bit..."

The man sighs, but lets himself be led over. "If he starts asking me to solve puzzles, we're leaving."

[coldsong]

Loki more or less lights up when he catches sight of her. He's got no idea who Caspar is, and he almost doesn't care. Obviously he is someone of importance to her, which is fine, but it's Adia that Loki is focused on.

Which could be construed as very creepy, actually, but it's in no way lascivious. Just maybe inordinately interested.

He murmurs something to his alternate and rises to come greet her and her partner. "Hello! I'll buy you each a milkshake if you like. We're attempting to tie the cherry stems in a knot with our tongues. So far my success has been limited. Cricket thinks I'm biting them, but he is mistaken. I'm only folding them with my teeth, and that should not make them break."

Haha, Caspar, the puzzles tonight involve cherry stems.

"Also," his voice drops lower, and he glances at Adia uncertainly, "I encountered a stranger in the Nexus not long ago. Very tall, sharp teeth and hooves. I am not suggesting you seek him out. More the opposite. But if your rune gives you any warnings, they may be related to him. His name is Alastor."

And if he wasn't full of dark magic of some kind, Loki is the more deceived.

[to_the_wolves]

Adia's entrance into the cafe almost goes unnoticed by Marie, who's huddled up near the back of the cafe with a glass of wine and a change of wardrobe. Gone are the usual suits and glasses, replaced by aviator sunglasses, contacts and a crushed velvet jacket with a few Pokemon stitched into it. Even her red hair is pulled back in a ponytail. She's here to observe this random party, nor be a part of it.

However, there's something magnetizing about Caspar Millen, and slowly Marie's eyes drift over to the entrance, spotting the loving couple. He should make her mad, but the feeling of confusion wells in her body. Both him and Adia have acted strangely around her before, so engaging them directly is futile.

Instead, she flags down Ice Bear and has him take two drinks over to the couple. Their usual, since Ice Bear knows these things. The only message the ursine is given is that if they ask who the drink is from to let them know. If the question never comes up, then she'll let it go.

Either way, there's a familiar polar bear approaching, a tray full of wonderful drinks and treats in his fuzzy paws.

[smartass_captain]

Jim is likewise not here alone, though he will be when Adia and Caspar arrive on scene. It's incredibly hard to keep an eye on Felix during these kinds of things.

"You know, Caspar, I was just looking over this warp coefficient and I--" He cuts himself off with a chuckle. "Kidding. Good to see you guys again."

[nomoreroom]

It's been.... a while. Since Alastor's had a milkshake. Somewhat unsurprisingly, Hell wasn't terrifically big on them. A bit too pure an image to enjoy, perhaps?

Whatever the case may be, this little party's door is soon darkened enough, Alastor no doubt having picked up on it being a thing through the grape vine and just decided to invite himself.

Because really, who's going to tell him to go away?

Of course the first person he's going to head straight for is Loki, why wouldn't he? He'd so far been one of the more... interesting people he'd met here. Again, wasn't every day someone could play by the demons unspoken rules, he found that pretty intriguing.

"Well hey there, stranger! Heard you had a bit of a shindig goin' on here, thought I'd stop by to visit! This seat taken?" If it was, it's his now anyway, hi.

[coldsong]

Loki would not have texted Alastor to invite him, honestly, even if he had contact information for him. In general, he feels the more the merrier, but he's just wary enough that he wouldn't want to expose his alternate to this individual. He's sure that he is very, very dangerous to a human. Whether he's powerful enough to be a danger to a god, he can't tell yet.

So sue him, he's a little protective of his poor, doomed twin. Harley, too, although really they can both handle themselves.

But there's no harm in having a milkshake. He'll just be keeping a close eye on Alastor for the duration. In fact, when he sees him approach, he stands and beams like he was expecting him. "Hello, yourself," he says. "It's an informal celebration; no assigned seats. By all means."

He resettles in his previous place. His milkshake cup is long since empty, but he's got coffee he's nursing, now, and a pile of broken cherry stems, one of which is in a very bent-up approximation of a knot.

[courtofmurk]

Not everyone in the Cafe is supposed to be there. Certain people might be less welcome owing to their behavior the last time they got in. Well, make that the last few times.

There's a flash of black beneath the tables, a whirr of wings up to the back of an empty seat nearby. A small dark head peers over a Loki's shoulder at their table. They have a lot of small, red, glossy foods. The Knave of Rooks doesn't have to know what cherries are to decide he wants them.

Anyway, the featherless wizards are busy... pulling faces? How peculiar yet convenient. He can wait until they seem distracted. Then he dives for the edge of the table, claws digging in and wings a-flapping. He snatches as many of the shiny tidbits from the plate as he can stuff in his beak, all set to take off with them. It's daylight twilight robbery!