background: so, ages ago I had a Hunger Games/Thor/Avengers fusion idea, in which Loki, when he's young and naïve, visits Earth to spread Odin's advice, forgets about the project for a few centuries, and returns when he's jaded to find that Panem's been established. basically, think Thor, but with Panem instead of America.
so, have an idea that struck me while walking to class that had me laughing far more than it should've
"My brother... He is to blame for your strife and your Games. When he was but a boy, he began sowing the seeds of megalomania into the minds of your rulers." Thor stared down at his hands, brow creased in sorrow. "By imparting the very wisdom our father passed to us. After centuries' of growth, this is the result."
"But what was his control?" Jane stood firm as everyone turned to her; Darcy let out a strangled noise of disbelief.
Thor blinked at her. "I know not what you mean."
"A control. A way to test a null hypothesis. He should've had another planet that he visited but didn't otherwise affect, or made snide comments to its ruling class, or—something. Just don't dare tell me all of this"—she gestured sharply, her arm almost clipping the wall—"is from some kid designing a flawed experiment." She spat the phrase out as though it mortally offended her. "Not to mention—even if he had designed this mess properly, this would only prove a correlation! There are far too many variables for him to go around claiming that he caused all this. Your brother may claim to be a genius, Thor, but so far, all he's managed to destroy is the scientific method."
Thor blinked again. All was silent, except for Jane's angry, loud exhales.
Until Darcy promptly burst into laughter.
"Do you not see what his teachings have wrought, brother?" The disgust dripped off Loki's lips and burned deep into Thor's chest, corrosive and insidious. "He caused this—this cruelty, this death, this suffering. He is not fit to rule the wastes of Jotunheim, let alone—"
"But he did not cause this."
Loki's eyes narrowed to slits. "Are you intentionally playing the fool? Or are you truly this dull? The very wisdom he wields as King caused—"
"This was but correlation."
Loki's jaw shut with the sharp sound of bone striking bone.
"I have learned many lessons while among this land's peoples. One such lesson is in regards to experimental design. This exercise proved nothing, brother. You lacked a control."
