8558/Assistance is Futile

Assistance is Futile
Date of Scene:	05 November 2021
Location:	Central Park
Synopsis:	Loki is obnoxious to Phil in the park.
Cast of Characters:	Loki, Phil Coulson

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Loki has posed:
"Order ready.... Uhhh. Phil," the man at the taco stand calls out. He had to take a second to remove the greasy smudge from his fingers to properly manipulate the little paper reciept to read the name. But he got it, setting down the small red basket containing the order that Phil Coulson asked for not long ago, and turning to the next ones.

But then.... the order of tacos starts to inch away, as if it had sprouted legs under it, and scuttles along to one side. Phil's food is making an escape!

Phil Coulson has posed:
There's nothing better than a greasy taco; the quality of the creation is gauged by the amount of amber colored oil that finds its way to the end of the taco and invariably onto clothing. Phil is experienced in the way of the taco, thankfully; his suit remains spot-free, at least for the moment.

Reaching for the red basket, it shifts, no longer under his hand. A brief frown creases the Agent, er, Commander's face, and he reaches for the basket again. No earthquakes, right? Nothing that would logically make the thing move, though Phil does do a quick glance around as he reaches to capture the food.

Not his first rodeo when it comes to 'strange'.

Loki has posed:
The basket stops moving, but the strange reason of it's propulsion appears... and swats back at Coulson's hand! A swat of palm and fingers in a 'no, mine!' expressiveness.

Much like something out of the Adams Family, it is a disembodied hand... a 'Thing'. And it is intent on the basket!

After sort of pausing, perhaps to intimidate Coulson with the possibility of another light swat -- It then once again, partially hidden behind the basket, makes to try to tug the basket along and towards the side of the cart- presumably to abscond with the meal.

Phil Coulson has posed:
A.. a disembodied hand?

At least it's not //his// hand. This he can deal with.

Phil glances around again quickkly before he returns his attention fully on the 'hand'. It's not his natural hand, no, but his left hand, the replacement, that he reaches out to swat at the basket, while swinging in with his 'good' hand in order to take hold of the basket. The food is getting cold, after all!

"No, no you don't.." Should this continue, Phil is more than happy to blame the likes of Dr Strange. After all, even he has to have some sort of sense of humor?

Loki has posed:
The hand grabs it but has no real leverage, and Phil will find it easy to take hold of the basket itself. A tug of war ends quickly, but the hand does try to cling to the edge of the basket, as if just determined not to lose the prize.

"Behave," comes the soothingly relaxed tone of Loki's voice, in admonishment of the hand-creature.

Loki's dressed to blend into the city, in sleek dark colors and a broad-lapel coat suitable for the November day, his long dark hair loose but shiny. He's recognizable to someone that can quickly assess an appearance even without horns and Asgardian finery. His manner is relaxed, lightly amused.

The hand flips Loki off.

Phil Coulson has posed:
The basket tug of war ends in what is probably more like a draw than a victory. Phil has 180 pounds on the hand, so it's not really a fair call. Still, at the very least, the hand doesn't suddenly let go so he's wearing it. Small mercies.

It's that voice, however, that voice is what surprises the man such that he spins around to face the voice, dropping the basket (and the hardfought taco), and is reaching for his pistol.

"Suddenly, I've just lost my appetite."

Loki has posed:
"Oh? That was easy," Loki observes, with a quirk of his brows upwards, a relaxed indifference to the amusement shown. It isn't nasty, more observational than anything else.

The disembodied hand fumbles the taco basket a little, not having expected the sudden release, but manages to save the food from falling out!

"You really want to escalate with me right here in this public park, risk some wrath with all these bystanders? Stick to diplomacy, I'd recommend," Loki suggests in his calm, often infuriating manner, though he's relaxed most of the arrogance out of his voice.

Phil Coulson has posed:
"You.."

Phil slowly removes that hand from within his suit jacket and straightens it in a single, fluid motion. Eyes flicker around the park before he slows down to scan the same area, seemingly casual. His voice is low, and there's a theatric half-smile on his face, or at least the edges are turned up just a little.

"Yes, well.. I wouldn't want any danger to come to those around. So, if you'd be so kind to come with me to that car over there so I can take you into custody."

Loki has posed:
Loki wrinkles his nose with a tilt of head, allowing a whistle of sound to come in through his teeth as he considers the unimpressive offer of going into custody.

"Hmmm, unfortunately I have other plans that do not involve a ride to wherever it is you'd love to take me, so I will have to decline," Loki answers. He clicks his tongue, then, to accentuate how unfortunate it is. "If you absolutely have a need to handcuff /someone/, or something, you can take that extra hand," Loki offers generously. "You seemed in need of a spare."

Loki lids his eyes partially, with a sly little self-satisfied smile. He then tilts his head, smirks, and steps back... liquidly vanishing into nothing. Or perhaps he was never there - nobody seems to react.

Though the hand is still present, waving good-bye to Loki.

Phil Coulson has posed:
"You don't really have that option." Empty threat? Absolutely. Still, this is Phil, and he's used to going toe to toe with 'the big guys'. After all, all those big names he can call on! "So let's.."

Go?

Handcuffing the hand doesn't seem viable; not at this time.

The comment regarding his hand, well... he's still a little sensitive about it. That whole 'not his hand' is still months in, and months 'new'.

".. right. Next time," he says to the air.

In the next breath, Phil turns around to see if he can't retrieve his taco, or barring that? Getting a new damned taco.