justdontgiveame | Labyrinthum Inbox

Puck gave Loki a pointed look before he sat back again. "So you're into bullying- I'm not that surprised." His cheeks were red and as good of an actor as Puck was, he hadn't figured out how to control literal blood flow yet. "I give you a good reaction, you do it again because it's entertaining, like re-reading a book of poetry."

Puck grinned. "How fitting- it's a quick dose of mischief, and all you have to do is talk."

Loki chuckled again, but would have mercy for now. "If it really bothers you, I'll stop. Or at least not do it quite so often. Out of respect." Which was very telling there, if Puck would catch it.

Puck caught it and genuinely smiled. It was touching, cute, and slightly unexpected. It was also impressive. "It doesn't. If anything I'm more amused that I'm so reactive to it. But you're good at it, and If you enjoy it so much then go ahead. If I were actually bothered by it, you would have known by now. Your display of mercy and understanding was quite cute, though. I'm touched!"

Puck winked back with a playful grin.

That made Loki chuckle more, but he was inwardly quite touched himself. And glad that Puck had picked up that it wasn't normal for Loki. Honestly, he viewed the other as a peer, which was high praise from Loki.

"Shall we go back to our theorizing and discussion? Were you ready to here my thoughts?" To signify that they were from the personal part of the notebook. The coded and hard to read for anyone else part.

It was an interesting dynamic they had going on. That both he and Loki understood that just added to the fun of it all.

Puck nodded, sitting forward attentively. "Let's. My reactions can happen easily as you've seen, there's no need to stay focused on them right now. What do you think has been going on?"

Loki flipped a few pages in his notebook, and if Puck caught any of it... The text was now in rune script. Even if someone could read it, Loki had further made it difficult to decipher, in his own way, but that wasn't needed now.

"I think we need to find out for certain how the contracts work. Is it conditional, like with you, or is the wording important? Spirit? Letter? I also think we need to get a copy of our own, although that's just an aside so we know what they say. More importantly, why do only some of us remember? The common consensus seems to be that we're all approached while either asleep or otherwise unconscious, if not close to that state. My next plan is to see what, if anything, we DO all remember."

Making sure Puck was following so far.

"Those of us who've been here the longest have been here a little under a year. So what happened. Why that time frame? It seems to be winter to winter. Also why is he doing all of this. Why allow us to regain our abilities too?"

Puck saw snippets but nothing he recognized. He could read ancient Latin with the best of them, but not what was being shown. Which didn't matter as Loki started explaining things. He nodded.

"If he knows how to reach out when someone or something is asleep or unconscious, that's.. It's not old magic by my understanding. But it's something I don't see being used often."

Puck gave a hum and considered before he spoke again.

"If he doesn't think we're a threat, why would he be bothered if we have our powers? If he's trying to present as a generous ruler, that ties into what we mentioned about gifts. If my discussions with Luz hold water, then Vaeros could be acting as a director. But I don't think it quite goes down that path. Winter to winter.." Puck frowned.

"Hibernation would be my guess. Oberon's own version of sleep magic is very advanced and only requires a single command. If Vaeros is as young as I'm thinking or as inexperienced, he would probably have to wait for that to happen on its own. Say when someone or something is going to bed, instead of forcing it to happen whenever he wants to bring someone new to the area. If this world either metaphorically or actually went to sleep in the winter, leaving Vaeros alone, I could see him wanting company. Kings don't do well in empty kingdoms."

"All good thoughts, and I'll note them in a minute--but sadly there's still too much we don't know to do more than speculate." Loki mentally taking notes so he could add them in a moment.

"My personal theory is that Vaeros is a Usurper to the throne, but how he's doing it, or why--beyond power, is what we need to figure out. My best guess, is likely that the dragons are somehow the traditional power in this place considering there's a lot of dragon symbology around Somnius, but no one seems to know why. Some of the Gelflings also worship the Moon, and a dual deity cosmology isn't uncommon across realms. So a companion to the Moon wouldn't be unlikely. Further, 'Somnius' itself is a bit too close to latin for my comfort, and means 'a dream'."

There's a wry twist to Loki's mouth as he speaks again. "I might have to look up that play about you and yours, accurate or not. Among other works dealing with dreams. There's too much here that is similar to not be a thread--but how important it is, I couldn't tell you."

"Speculation is better than nothing, but not by much." Puck agreed. It was frustrating-- he could come up with theories for days easily, but the lack of confirmation was irritating.

Puck blinked at 'sominus' being translated and shook his head. "I'm getting rusty with recalling Latin. How embarrassing that I didn't pick that up faster! But no, a dual deity is very common in a lot of human mythology. A King and Queen of the fae, if you can believe it-- though we're not actually gods. But humans being human assigned us the roles." Puck drums his fingers against his leg before he speaks again.

"My guess is that it helps them understand us in a way that doesn't cause permanent damage. A dragon and the moon. Hm..I know of Selene from the Greeks, but that doesn't mention a dragon, or anything else that sounds like Somnius. A dream, the moon, a dragon.. Beings that worship the moon.." Puck shook his head. "No, none of that matches besides the moon itself being in both."

Puck grins. "It's very sanitized, I'll warn you now. But speaking of performing, that brings me to another topic. Still related to me, but not about this in particular."

Again Loki was making a mental note. He'd have to do some searching in the library soon most likely. "So we start with the moon, and see what we can that comes further." It had been good to share though, and get the other's thoughts on more than just Fae.

Putting the notebook aside for now, Loki raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And I'd expect a play to be fairly sanitized. But it's still might hold a clue."

"That's fair enough. I'll work on keeping my notes updated as new information is found. Quite a network we all have going here, honestly. A bit impressive."

"Sure-- if anything I know it's entertaining. Even if it makes me wince at how some of the characters are written compared to how they are in reality. Myself included. But I suppose there could be worse things in one's life besides being inspiring. But to other things. I can't fully demonstrate this yet, because the magic hasn't returned to me fully. But when it does, I will. Do you wonder how I know so much about humans and their pop culture?"

"I'd be doing this even if no one else was, but it has been gratifying to see others already doing so. I'm aware that you and I are coming in to all of this a bit late in comparison. That's part of why I'll be attending the Council Meeting."

The mention of magic though, and a demonstration, had Loki's attention and curiosity. "I did wonder a bit, although not as much as you might suspect. I thought perhaps you were simply more interested in them than most. I look forward to hearing why."

"I'm planning to also. If just to see who's on the council and how the meetings feel first. I'll share enough of what I know but nothing about cold iron. Enough so everyone is comes close to the same page, but without the risk to myself."

Puck sighed. "Unfortunately there won't be a light show with all of this, so I don't get to say what I'd originally planned with this demonstration." He made a face and then rolled his shoulders. Inhaling, he focused on slipping into Owen's mannerisms, temperament and voice. More businesslike, lower in pitch but not enough to be jarring when matched with Owen's form. But hearing it come out of his own mouth was amusing. Even if Puck wasn't smiling about it.

"That thought serves you well enough. But I know as much because I work among them in a human disguise. While in the form I answer to the name Owen Burnette-- usually simply Owen, and serve my employer as both a personal assistant and a bodyguard. You need to know this so when 'Owen' finds himself on the device's communication network, or at a future council meeting, you aren't wondering who he is."

Loki nodded at the 'need' to know. "And yet I shall treat him as a stranger barring any prior meeting of him." He easily saw what Puck was doing and why. It could be very useful.

A thought struck him though. "Until you regain your own magic, should you need it--I specialize in illusions and manipulation thereof, along with conjuration as you've seen. It wouldn't be hard to make an illusion of your chosen persona if you need it sooner. Nor would it be difficult for me to change either."

Standing, Loki grinned and let a wash of green flow over him. Where he'd stood before was now a soldier. On par height-wise with Loki, but broader and with clearly different features. His manner of standing and voice were even changed. "Something like this. One of Thor's friends, a very righteous defender of truth, justice, all that."

Puck, in Owen's voice, actually laughed a bit. Nothing loud, more of a chuckle. Like he remembered something funny but didn't want to get into the details. As Loki shared his offer and then demonstrated it, Puck kept his expression neutral. If he was going to demonstrate Owen, he needed to stay in the mannerisms. Otherwise the disguise had a higher chance of failure.

"Thank you. I don't think I'll need that specific one, but I might need myself or Owen to be elsewhere depending on the task I'm performing. But in the case of you assuming either of those forms, is there some sort of condition around matching my voice? Or do you assume it automatically?"

"I'll have to get an idea of what Owen looks like, but for you-yourself my friend?" It still looked like Steve, sounded like Steve, but the speech pattern was more Loki's normal. He let a wash of green shimmer over him again and Puck was looking at himself as he usually was.

"I'm sure I could mimic your voice, or Steve's--the person I was before-- in my usual form too, but the complete illusion helps." Which wasn't exactly an answer, but was all Loki was going to say. "It's easier when I know someone well. I spent four years playing my father in secret, while he was on Earth in a home."

"Of course, I don't expect you to know just based on his voice. And I don't want to draw a photo of him for the same reason I don't announce this to every Dreamer in the area." Puck watched as Loki transformed again and slipped out of Owen's voice and mannerisms with his next sentence.

"So that's what I look like with extra confidence. How fun!" Hearing that Loki pretend to be his father got a more open laugh from him, as Owen's mannerisms had been shelved for the time being.

"That's quite a long time performing a role. But I can't really comment on things. I've played Owen for at least.." he trailed off and thought back. "Fifteen years? Time flies when you're working, I suppose."

"I needed Father out of the way, really. So a little memory modification and amnesia magic, put him in a nice home, and took over." Loki shrugged, but was grinning while still changed to resemble Puck. "You have plenty of confidence yourself, so this is easy."

But a moment later he did let that shimmer of green wash back over himself to return Loki to how he had been. "I wouldn't expect you to, either. But once I've met the man, I can help should you need it. Or we can figure something out if necessary and an emergency."

"I should, I've had years to build it up." Puck deadpanned. But as Loki shared what he'd done, Puck made some notes. If Loki didn't know the magic he was talking about, he at least could get access to it. The moral dilemmas of what he'd done, if there even were any, were ignored by Puck.

"Good, then that's another ace in this little card deck we're building. Once I've got the ability back, I'll show him to you properly." And after a second, Puck gave a wink and a grin.

"I'll look forward to seeing it." Loki said with a return grin. "Illusion manipulation, including duplication casting, is a specialty of mine. You've seen me conjure stuff already and return it as well." Loki hmm'd to himself for a moment, before making a decision. "I was also able to regain another thing besides my magic. My heritage--I'm not actually an Asgardian though I was raised as one. I'm a jotun, a frost-giant."

Waiting to see if and what questions Puck had about that. Of course he wouldn't share all of his secrets with Puck. He didn't expect the other to share all of his secrets with himself either. But there was healthy respect there, and a form of trust as both were united in certain goals as well as had the beginnings of a friend and partnership.

"I have, yes..?" As Loki felt comfortable enough to share some more about himself, Puck's eyes widened a bit. He knew of giants, sure, but they weren't in Avalon often except for the Gathering. The closest he knew as giants were the gargoyles, but they weren't tied to what sounded like a specific branch of weather.

In the spirit of healthy respect, Puck smiled. "I'm glad your heritage came back to you-- it must feel very familiar." But as far as questions, Puck didn't have a lot of them. Giants existed, he wasn't thrown by the revelation. But the remark that he was raised as an Asgardian caught some of his attention.

"Did you move to Asgard, then? Or do the jotun live in the same area?"

It felt good to be learning more about this entire mischief god, even if Puck played up some of his more comical reactions to Loki in general. Being able to laugh at things and find common ground was always a strong foundation. But sometimes Puck could find himself still thrown by what other beings just decided to do with themselves. Xanatos had certainly done that when he welcomed Owen to his company, and Loki was doing it by being as open as he had been. Overall, it was entertaining and gave Puck things to focus on. Even if it was a healthy mix of planning to take down a common enemy and this entire relationship they'd entered with each other.

Loki was still willing to share, but it wasn't exactly a fun topic. His hands came together in front of him, right hand fiddling with the left. "I was adopted, but I did not find out until about 6 years ago. Are you familiar at all with the Norse cosmology as presented on Midgard?"

Puck noticed the hand movement but didn't remark on it. "Some of it, yes. Each culture seems to have its own idea on how the world came into being."

"This is less about the world being created specifically, and more a section of the cosmos. Midgard categorizes it in their myths as a great World Tree, Yggdrasil. Nine realms, that is planets, sit in the branches of this galaxy. Asgard is near the top, just below Muspelheim, with Vanaheim almost on the same level. Just below that lies Jotunheim. Midgard is near the middle, as are Alfheim and slightly below that, Svartalfheim. Nidavellir is in this region too, and at the bottom lies Niflheim." If need be, he'd make an illusion of it for Puck but hopefully this explanation would suffice.

"The Jotun, along with the Svartalfhar--that is, the dark elves--are actually some of the most ancestral enemies to the Asgardians. They've tried to conquer the other realms before, including notably on Midgard about 1000 years ago. They were repelled by Midgardians, but mostly with Odin and the army of Asgard's aid."

Puck followed easily enough, picturing it. A tree stretched out holding worlds. It wasn't impossible to imagine.

He arched an eyebrow at the comment about the battle on Midgard, and tilted his head forward slightly in question. "You were there?" Puck struggled not to make an assumption but the specificity of the time mentioned coupled with Loki's given age had him unable to picture anything else. "Or were your ancestors?"

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