Labyrinthium Inbox

[amicustenebris]

You have reached Mister Gold. Please leave a message.

Comments

[whose_son_am_i]

Loki slips in quickly, noting that furtiveness too. Speaking while he waved the thanks off. "No, I get it. The network is not designed for privacy. It's more I wanted to be certain we would follow-up."

Crossing his arms, Loki looked the man over again to be certain he was taking in the whole picture. "As I said, I consider you an ally at least. Nor did I mean to invade your privacy, but apparently our dreams are not as secure as we'd like lately."

[amicustenebris]

"Your discretion is appreciated."

But his gaze drops. Back in Storybrooke, everyone knew what had happened. There was no secret to keep when it came to the basics. The specifics? Not so much. But here he had been able to keep everything to himself, even from himself when he didn't feel like thinking about it -- which was often.

The only person that knew about his son was Stolas. As for what led up to his death? Not so much. He had been brief.

"I don't tend to remember much when I'm awake again. Not always." But he would argue that the nightmares didn't come often.

Maybe they come more than he initially thought they did.

[whose_son_am_i]

Loki was quiet while listening to all of this. Clearly thinking about how to approach it. He kept his tone soft, and there was no judgement at all. "I know a repeated panic reaction when I see one. I've seen yours enough times now to have an idea of what the triggers are, on reflection. While I would like to know why, I'm also diving into something private."

Half of his mouth lifted in a wry smile. "And I guard my own privacy jealously, so I expect you do the same." A pause and a breath, and then Loki spoke. "I leave it to you, how much you might want to share. And I am still willing to lay a shield on you, should you like."

[amicustenebris]

"I do not know how to take that offer yet."

Because he is careful about the deals he makes.

He doesn't like hearing that he has been seen panicking. It is something he does his best to control -- even if it is happening, it's not for everyone to see.

"Before coming here, I was -- well, there is no soft way to say it. I was enslaved. Incapable of refusing anything, for more than a year. And the person responsible murdered my son to do it."

So he supposed that wasn't really someone got over. Who was ever really fine, after that? But everyone back in Storybrooke expected him to be. He had decided he would be.

[whose_son_am_i]

Loki nodded, understanding that it would require great...trust in a way. He did not blame the other for being wary and wanting to take his time. Loki also was aware he was the bearer of bad news right now, or at least unwelcome news.

"I see. I presume if they show up here, then you'll claim vengeance. Death is not permanent here, so keep that in mind." Again, no judgement--just understanding and acceptance.

[amicustenebris]

"A matter handled before coming here." Very simple, matter-of-fact. "But good to know, about death." Because the idea of Zelena appearing here places a dark cloud over him every time it comes to mind. An instinctual clench of his insides.

But he also knows he doesn't trust himself.

Most people who know him here do not appear to have the worst opinions of him. That would drastically change.

Because he wouldn't just kill her. He would keep doing it until it bored him.

[whose_son_am_i]

"You're aware people can show up from different times, even in the same universe yes?" A warning, because Loki did get it.

A few moment's pause, then. "Are you simply having it all show up now because you're overtired, or has something brought it all back to the forefront of your thoughts?"

And being enslaved--that explained the brief glimpse Loki had caught of Gold's 'home' in the nightmare part. The silhouette, the cage-like feel...

[amicustenebris]

Gold considers the warning. What if she appears from a time before she had committed her crimes? Part of him wants to not care. She just wouldn't know why he hated her and it wouldn't matter.

But it's only part of him.

"...I want to say recent events are bringing it more to the forefront. But other than someone seeing it for the first time, nothing is really different."

[whose_son_am_i]

Loki crossed his arms casually, brain turning it all over once more. "I'm noted as being extremely perceptive, but I'm sure there are others. So some might pick up on the pattern in your dreams. I'm unsure how to prevent that, admittedly."

[amicustenebris]

"I don't have a lot of experience in stopping instincts formed to defend yourself against something you already killed. As far as I know, you just deal with them."

[whose_son_am_i]

"I don't either, but I'm trying to figure out more if there are ways for them to not be so visible to others for you while you dream." Loki pointed out, as if it were obvious. He wasn't meaning to be snide or imply the other was an idiot...just preoccupied turning the problem over in his head.

[amicustenebris]

Gold shakes his head. There is no offense to take really. "Is it safe to assume these effects are temporary?"

What is he planning?

To just not sleep until it stops?

[whose_son_am_i]

"Hopefully. But I've no idea for how long it'll last." Then an eyebrow-raises. "I don't think you can avoid falling asleep fully if this lasts longer than a week. At most." Entirely matter of fact about that.

[amicustenebris]

Gold misses being the Dark One. You know what he didn't need to do, then? Sleep.

"And simply sleeping when most others are awake is not going to be especially useful when I still have a schedule to keep."

[whose_son_am_i]

Probably not, although Loki doesn't voice that. He could also point out that there's such a variety of people here Gold can't be sure that he'd be the only one asleep at any given time. Instead, Loki switches topics somewhat.

"How did you learn magic? How to use it, to wield it?" He has a point and purpose to this question. Mostly because he is also noting he should check in on Eilonwy to see if she's having trouble with dreams or nightmares right now too.

[amicustenebris]

"...That answer is very complicated. Some trial and error early on. Later a mixture of careful study and feeling it out when parameters changed." Because the rules do change when you traveled to other worlds.

[whose_son_am_i]

A nod, and he appreciated that Gold had answered. "Do I have to teach you visualization and how to do basic shielding, in the sense of focusing one's mind and controlling it that way?"

[amicustenebris]

A sigh. "The only magic that heeds me right now is transformation." This isn't to say he would not welcome new techniques, but at present there's too many locked doors, places where he can feel power is still present but he cannot access.

[whose_son_am_i]

"Fortunately, what I have in mind is not yet fully 'magic' in the way people think of it. More it's a foundation upon which magic is often built or laid." Loki did try to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. "To put it at its most simple and blunt, are you able to build a wall around your thoughts or mind so that another can not pick up on them? Because the same wall can help in shielding your dreams from others."

[amicustenebris]

"It's not something I have ever needed to be practiced in, but that does make sense to me, at least." Being the Dark One afforded him some natural immunities. At least, if no one got hold of the dagger, at least.

[whose_son_am_i]

"Well, time to start practicing that. Use different layers. A wall of thorns for example, over a wall of grating, over bricks, etc. Build it and keep it up at all times, so that it becomes unconscious." Now Loki let a half-smile come to him. "The other thing I can think of, is to perhaps focus intently on something else before you sleep. Tell yourself a story, make something up, but focus on elements of it so intently that they show up in your dreams. So that you're choosing what people see, not just letting it happen randomly."

[amicustenebris]

"...I will start to work on that, then." He reads it well enough to understand Loki is offering alternatives outside of making a deal. It's appreciated. It sounds simple -- some things never are, while others will be when one least expects it.

[whose_son_am_i]

"I also trust you are intelligent enough, and clever enough, to see how this is a foundation for how magic works?"

[amicustenebris]

"In places, yes." Just like knowing anatomy wasn't inherently required for healing magic, but it certainly helped to know what you were healing and how, if you wanted more precise control of it. "...I'm not attempting to come off as ungrateful. It is just an unusual position to find oneself in." Just as the man was more accustomed to being the host rather than the one being hosted: he was very rarely ever a student.

[whose_son_am_i]

Loki snorted in amusement, still with his arms crossed casually. "You're not seeming ungrateful at all. Or you're doing a poor job of showing it if you are. I suspect you're relieved I've offered options that don't involve us making a deal. I can't guarantee they'll work as well as a shield--but there we go."

A pause as blue-green eyes studied Gold again. They were full of secrets and lies and mysteries, searching over him. Then Loki nodded. "I suspect you also won't want this option either, but I've some affinity with mental magics, including memory modification. I'm certain I could simply link you being unconscious and only certain memories. Or block just the trigger perhaps." Loki had been calculating whether to let Gold know that fact about him.