( video: open, both courts. )

[gameplaying]

[ appearances are important, he knows — everything, almost — and fairies and their ilk aren't known for any dedication to being either honest or straight forward.

so: he's been here long enough to have worked out how the locket works, and to have decided on how he wishes to appear. "as himself" — in a manner of speaking — is easy and simple enough, and this is not the place for tantrums and demands. that had all occurred earlier, when he'd realised where he wasn't and that he could not leave. that he'd lost — again, momentarily — what was, finally and rightfully his. he's not willing to commit to an assumption one way or the other as to the presence of thor or any of the so-called "avengers", so—

there's a drawn-out silence, whilst loki's gaze runs pointedly over the locket, eyes narrowing briefly; he looks very much as if he's considering something and, at length, he lets out an audible, almost defeated sigh. it's punctuated by a brief raising of his shoulders in a lazy, almost arrogant shrug of sorts. ]

The Realm Between Realms. [ the corners of his lips twitch upwards in a brief facsimile of a smile. the utterance itself is dry, but with the barest hint of mocking, although who or what that's directed at isn't made clear. ] I admit, it's not quite where I expected to find myself, but given the alternative, I can't really complain. Perhaps one small act of redemption can do much more than one imagines, although— [ a momentary pause, hesitation gracing his features before giving way to another brief twitch of a smile (faintly amused). ] —it's no Valhalla. [ deliberate caution. after all, for all that anyone knew, after all, loki had died; only odin and thor now live.

silence again, and a fleeting glance away from the locket. ] There have been a few words, but Fair Folk tend not to be known for their dedication to honesty, and one has to be careful with what they say and how and to who, do they not? So if any truth [ wry, fleeting smirk. ] can be spared: it would be appreciated.

[ impressions can and often do tell more about a place than simple facts, and above even that, they speak more of the person holding them than anything else, and it's that that has loki's interest for the moment. ]

Comments

[baseborne]

It seems to me that the most of men ration their truth-telling the same way. [Honesty can get you killed, just ask Jon's dad. But hey, since he was new once too:] But if you've some questions, ask them.

[gameplaying]

Do they? [ uttered simply, with the mildest, blandest of interest. ] I'm yet to meet a man quite so capable of deliberate trickery. [ beat. ] It requires a cunning they so often lack.

[baseborne]

[Jon's eyebrows go up at that.] Have you not met many men, then?

video;

[boutant]

Loki!

[ While he's likely used to hearing his name cried, this one is definitely one of pleased surprise, followed up by Ariadne wincing. She hadn't quite been able to stop herself from saying it, even if it's fairly obvious that Loki doesn't remember being here before. ]

Um- [ and now she's flustered, wringing her hands once before shaking her head. ] You were here before, though it sounds like you don't remember.

video;

[gameplaying]

[ there's a moment, brief though it is, where his expression freezes , eyebrows knit slightly together. it's less the being known — there would be countless humans, after all, who'd know who he was if not by name but by image from New York, but it's pleasure. he can't place her — not a surprise, given what she says next — but instead of speaking immediately), he lifts his chin a touch to look down at her, carefully and cautiously, though his expression reflects more entertained curiosity than it does anything else. ]

Appearances are easy to fake. [ pointed, level, probing. ]

video;

[boutant]

Mannerisms are harder, [ she retorts, eyebrows raising slightly. She may be human, but she is incredibly stubborn. ]

video;

[smithwork]

[ Not one other person here has spoken a word like that, so Hiccup's interest is immediately piqued when he browses the fairy network. His gaze rakes the dark-haired figure, flicking to any armour and trying to discern any patterns on it, because above all Hiccup has to adhere to fact in this realm; but the video is too brief, and all he can conclude is this is probably someone from his world, or like to it. ]

I can help you, or try to, but first ... I'm sorry to ask this, but did you fall in battle before you got here? You mentioned — [ here, he forces his own language to eclipse that of the Drabwurld's, ] — Valhöll. 'Valhalla'?

[ An older word is what he offers, but the coincidence of language parodying itself and the tone in which it was used seems too great to ignore. ]

video;

[gameplaying]

[ not asgardian, loki's certain — he'd have been recognised if the boy were, and he'd not have stumbled over the word. of the nine realms, then, and whilst asgard had done well to influence much of the realms at large, there were limited few that had adopted the language and the terms and changed them to suit their own. mortal, clearly, but his term is outdated compared to loki's own, but—

a flicker of a smile and a raise of his head (a nod for all intents and purposes) and then: ]

I'd been expecting Hel. [ uttered lightly. ]

video;

[smithwork]

[ Oh, shit. Definitely not a fan of the way that's mentioned so casually, Hiccup hesitates before continuing, purely for he sake of unearthing more information. ]

It's sort of like the Dökkálfar and Ljósálfar fused their realms together here, they're at war.

[ Mentally making a note to avoid anyone, Viking or not, who isn't bothered about belonging in Hel. Because bro. ]

video;

[desperate_times]

[The Pearl made it back to Caer Scima in time for the feast where a lot of new people appeared. Chloe assumed she'd hear a lot of these confused network relays over the next few days. She did the same when she arrived not so long ago.]

Crazy as it sounds, this place is pretty much as it seems a lot of the time. You just sort of roll with it, handsome.

video;

[gameplaying]

Is it? [ uttered mildly, almost uninterestedly. nothing is ever as it seems, and that she states it is marks her as someone of little interest but, equally, of potential use.

a breath and a smile. ("handsome.") ] That certainly makes things simpler, does it not?

video;

[desperate_times]

In a way. What it seems is that this place is entirely unexpected, so that's what you should anticipate. Don't try to make any sense of something completely bonkers.

You can fret about it or just understand that sometimes little shadowy critters want to nibble your boots. I recommend not letting them, in case you needed to know.

[She's serious about the shadow critters, even if she does make light of it.]

video.

[metalica]

I doubt anything done here will be counted as redemption.

[ A shrug, then. Erik himself is looking rather fine, considering his helmet looks ridiculous ninety percent of the time. Oh well. ]

I'd like to think of myself as honest. Ask your questions.

video.

[gameplaying]

[ a dismissive, disinterested wave. ] Before here.

[ the helmet needs horns. then it'd be a fine helmet to go with a fine man. let loki show you the way, erik. even thor's helmet has wings.......

there are numerous questions loki would like the answer to, but few he's interested in outwardly asking: there are better ways to get the answers one wants; a little care in the way one speaks (or doesn't, as the case may be) tends to ensure a little less care on the part of the answerer — mostly. nevertheless: ]

I'm curious [ a pause, deliberate and thoughtful and considering in appearance. ] as to whether it's known what hold the courts truly have over life and death. [ a flicker of a smile, a bit too sharp to be entirely disingenuous. ] A personal interest, as you can see. One's a little wary of any with that power.

[ evidently, it's not true in his case, but the answer will lend him more of an idea as to the exact nature of the courts. ]

video | private

[metalica]

Redemption is a tricky matter no matter where you are. At least here there are gifts to tide us along.

[ Erik flexes his arm and there's a glint of scarlet; red gauntlets that cover his wrists. Of course he knows Loki has no idea what, exactly, they do, but they're handsome enough to be shown as prizes well earned. He's quite proud of the fact he barely did any work to get them, too, which is more than can be said for others he'd seen.

He leans back, switching the filter and tilting his head, watching this other man with a curious and interested gaze. Such fascination with how life and death might work here would, probably, worry other people -- it just makes Erik wonder. ] I'll admit I have no experience over their control of life, death or otherwise - no one I know, personally, has come back from the dead. [ Which is a good thing because if Shaw returned, came back and waved his smarmy fingers at Erik, he might lose control and destroy half the castle. ] But they have power.

[ This makes him pause. Admitting weakness is hardly his forte, exactly, but he purses his lips and leans forward, into the camera feed. ]

They can take and give powers beyond any imagining. This Queen ripped my gift from me and tried to crush my skull with her fingers and nothing else. They should be watched.

video.

[thunderful]

[ His locket is quickly, hastily switched on to the video function. He is torn between disbelief and something closer to joy, despite himself and all they have been through, with no room left for the caution he would usually and rightfully employ in all matters concerning Loki. He doesn't even remark on the irony of a plea for truth coming from such a master of lies.

He is all but speechless, in the end only able to manage a single word: ]

Brother.

video.

[gameplaying]

[ there's surprise — part of it is genuine, part of it is feigned. he hadn't known thor was here, had heard no word, seen no sign, and though he ought to have expected it (given everything, given the way he'd left asgard—), he'd not imagined this — the locket — would be their first encounter. ]

Thor. [ he sounds more level, less full of disbelief and joy than thor, naturally, although there's a degree of earnestness to the utterance. he exhales once, audibly (a moment to think). ] What of Asgard? The— [ a minute quirk of his lips. ] Æther? I trust wrongs were made right.

video.

[mixcds]

I think asking for honesty from two courts full of strangers is incredibly optimistic.

[don't you know people lie, Loki, god. ]

What they've said about the shards and the war, that's all true.

video.

[gameplaying]

[ a quirk of his eyebrows at the answer, though, and a quick, darting smile. ] And despite this supposedly misplaced optimism, you give to me the truth?

video.

[mixcds]

I'd say I'm a terrible liar, but I think I'm alright at it.

[Oh, but -- ]

No wait, don't they say dead men tell no tales? I'm Kieren. I promise I'm not lying, almost everyone here can verify the war and the shards.

voice;

[silmarils]

Redemption and their acts are, at best, a tricky matter, I expect. [ he doesn't know-- he's never tried. there's never really been a point, given the oath. ] You were already familiar with this world?

voice;

[gameplaying]

Not intimately — but all worlds have their stories, do they not?

voice;

[silmarils]

And stories of this world exist in your own? [ that's.. interesting. ] You said that these so-called Fair Folk are known for dishonesty. [ not remotely surprised there. ]

Video

[starspangled]

Loki.

[He's been practicing his bitchface for just such an occasion.]

Video

[gameplaying]

Captain. [ have a broad smile in response, cap. ] It's been a while. How's New York?