ostro_goth | RP post: sandbox side continuity with reindeer-games!Loki in -- in the forge

RP post: sandbox side continuity with reindeer-games!Loki in -- in the forge

Teja is in the forge, cleaning up shelves and throwing away notes of past projects, and broken things.

Paper goes in the fire, metal goes into the crucible.

While he does so, the Goth is deeply worried, and broods. There has never been such a dangerous being in the cells as Loki is. If Teja could only hate him, then there would be much less reason for this gnawing dread in his heart. But Teja respects Loki still, as a god of his people, and one that the tales have dealt a harsh and unfair deal, at that.

Teja would see him redeemed, and stand out in the sun and know that he is free in this place: - not a god and ruler, but free from his bonds, like any other.

But chances are, if any takes down the magic barrier, and opens that cage, then this place is doomed yet again from the uncontrollable rage of a completely crazed god.

Teja would give him a chance, but cannot risk endangering all whose safety is his duty.

At least, the god was reading the last time Teja checked, from afar.

There is none here that Teja knows of, none! that might tell with any certainty when it may be safe to let Loki go. For what healer of broken minds may gauge a god??

Teja sighs deeply, his heart filled with pity, and throws another page of provisional book-keeping upon the fire.

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Charles is tired, his talk last night with Loki has stayed with him and he found himself worrying at everyone. When he found a door, he quickly slipped through it and then out to the back as he doesn't want the press of minds.

As he walks, he hears Teja's thoughts and comes over to the forge and looks in just as it starts to rain, "I hope I'm not bothering you, but its raining."

He came out in just shirtsleeves as he had been heading towards his room when he found a door.

Teja turns around. The forge is messy; there are stacks of things everywhere, boxes emptied upon the workbench, and a bucket of sudsy water with a rag hanging out upon the floor.

"One hopes you do not mind the mess," Teja says, "and you are welcome. I am un-messing the pace wherein I dwell, as one does from time to time."

The worry in his heart is deep and gnawing, but he would not bother Charles Xavier with it, so he tries to still it.

Still, the image of Loki's enraged face behind the clear barrier is not that easily wiped from his mind. If only there was a way to help both the prisoner, and this place, and preserve them from each other!

"No, I don't mind it at all. Cleaning always requires a mess at some point," The mental image of Loki is striking and quite familiar from last night and Charles mentally winces as he steps into the forge.

It feels like Teja is holding a lot in and he's one of the few here who would consider Loki as something more than an alien but perhaps a god.

"Have you had a chance to speak with the newest prisoner in the cells? I was thinking that you must be one of the few here who sees him as he thinks of himself, a god above men."

"As I am part of Security, I have," Teja says, sighing. "And indeed, he is a god of my people, and it grieves me to see him thus."

Long pause, deep sigh.

"All the gods of my people I met in this place are not entirely sane, but they listen to the rules, and will accept that they are not the end-all, be-all of this place. Loki has obscured the world with his own image, and he is as sane as a starved wolf with an enormous tooth-ache."

"He's in pain and doesn't know what else to do with it except lash out. I've offered to listen to him but was rebuffed. I hope though that in time he might ask for me,"

As it was clear that Charles broke through something when he was able to speak in Loki's mind.

Hopes threatens to rush into Teja's soul like the water through a broken dam; but he holds it at bay, for he prefers doubt to disappointment.

"Are you perhaps a healer of souls, that you may listen to him in ways that can heal his wild and addled soul?"

"I'm a telepath and I try to use that to help others as I can. Here I can do it openly which I can't do at home,"

Though he's working on that aspect of things but its hard.

Now hope rushes with strength into Teja's heart, and it might even have cause him to almost smile at Charles.

"That would mean you can tell what he truly thinks and feels, not only guess from all you see and hear?" Teja asks. "It would be good to be sure of him, ere I let him go. As of now, he threatens and spews forth hatred and that which one might call a genocidal mania."

"Yes, I can, though it doesn't take much to see that he's hurt and hiding in his own anger. He does have strong shields but something in the cells helps me to get through them,"

As Loki's shields are on the edge of what Charles can penetrate.

"The small purple god, that used to keep the magic library, came in to look something up the other day, and sensed Loki's magic has he was trying to freeze me and crowd me with illusions of himself; and then, that god came and put up a magic dampener of his own devising and tradition," Teja explains. "That might even dampen Loki's own shields around his minds, if they are made of magic?"

He shrugs, and sighs.

"And indeed, Loki's pain and anger are so clear for me to see; and from the stories of my people I know how cruel his fate was. It is painful to see him reduced thus, and I would gladly find a way for him to have the freedom of this place: - but only if I may make sure that none other are endangered by him! I would not unleash the anger of Loki upon this place I am sworn to protect."

"I think it will take time before he's willing to accept help, but I do believe its possible. No one is lost forever."

"No, none is," Teja says. "Some only take very long to find themselves again. Some take six months of deepest peace to finally take off their armour."

He is speaking of himself, with the wistful irony of hindsight.

"Yes and his armor is anger that's become how he defines himself. It will take a long time but I think his anger can be softened and his pain healed,"

Loki has centuries of anger and pain built up and that doesn't go away easily.

"He blots out the world with his ow image of himself," Teja says, shaking his head. "Grandiose and furious. He kept threatening me so impotently to let him out, when any one with two thoughts to hit against each other would have seen that it was all to now avail: - painfully pathetic!"

"He is used to shaping the world around himself, it takes time to adjust to not having that work. He needs time to realize what's changed and from there he might be willing to acknowledge his pain."

"And then, slowly, he may open his eyes and see what is there, instead of his own shadow," Teja says. "It may happen in this place: - I think the purple one who wrought the magic shield came that way, also."

"Yes, I plan on continuing to talk to him as I have a good friend who lives in anger. I know there are ways through and no one should be alone."

"Did he at least not foam with rage when you left?" Teja says. "For that was what he did the last time I spoke with him. I left, then, and have only looked at him on a screen, for I feared he might still damage himself in his limitless rage."

"He yelled at me a few times but there was no foaming at the mouth."

"The foaming was mere in his eyes, and not literal," Teja says. "He did spit at the barrier with shouting, though."

"I see, no, he didn't spit at me,"

It was an interesting conversation as it was clear that Charles wasn't what Loki expected.

"Indeed, if he did not spit, there is hope," Teja says. "It eases my heart to hear that."

Charles considers the fire before he answers, that seems a weak difference to focus on,

"Good, but it will be long and difficult work and he has to want it. I know he's slightly more open now but its up to him."

"I am greatly thankful that you try," Teja says, quietly.

Charles can probably feel his intense relief.

"None can be healed against his will, as that would mean breaking him utterly -- and that is not what I would wish to do to the Loki of legend, the trickster god of my people! I wish to see him hale and free, and maybe startling the mermaid."

If she tried to eat Loki, then whatever followed would be something you might give out tickets for, as in the Roman circus.

"I'll keep trying and I would recommend that you do as well. Show him he's wanted and not alone as that will make a difference,"

Its those simple acts that can do more than all the words in the world.

"I shall bring him magazines showing the beauty of the earth, and apples," Teja says, "as I have done already; and perhaps not speak much, as that seems to anger him and make him spit again."

"I'd recommend actually bringing him more complex works. Books on philosophy and science, show him what humanity has gone, get him thinking beyond himself."

"Science," Teja says. "Is that wise? He would see the nuclear bomb, and revel in it."

Not something anybody would like to see Loki know about. Unless he already does.

"Then don't bring him books about nuclear science. I think its wise to show him the complexity of humanity."

"I shall do so," Teja says, nodding.

He does not say aloud 'You are the expert', but the sentiment shows in his tone of voice, and in his mind clearly.

"Yes, I hope that will do some good. He clearly thinks of us as simple and showing them we're not might be useful."

"I would wish to make a difference for him," Teja says. "He is a god of my people, and it pains me to see him so far out of his water."

"Yet, he is also a man in pain. Can you see him as that first and the god second? I think it will help."

"No mere man is ever that dangerous," Teja says, "not even I was. But yes, I can see him a a creature that suffers, not a god that should be strong and godlike for the edification of others. He is Loge -- one would not expect much divine justice from him, in any case."

Charles sighs and rubs his face before saying,

"I'm a quite powerful telepath, humanity is not as weak as you think. He is only as dangerous as you give him power to be."

"My determination did not stop his madness, while he was still able to use magic," Teja says. "He is only contained now."

"I was able to make it through his mental shields and his mind is still the mind of a man. Yes, a man powerful in strange and different ways but he is not that different from you or I. If he knows you hold him above yourself, he will use that."

"I do not hold him above myself," Teja says, "or I would have knelt to him when he first demanded it: - which I did not!"

"Yet you consider him a god and thus expect more of him than you would of a man. Treat him as one or the other but I recommend the former if you wish to help him."

"You are the expert," Teja now says aloud.

He suspects that Loki would take any attempts to treat him like a man as a personal affront to his massive ego.

"Yes, that's the idea. To show him that we are not cowed by him, which will create respect enough that in time he might wish to speak to us on a different level."

"Creating respect would be a good aim," Teja says, "for if he respects us, and that which we can do, then he would not so easily spread mayhem and destruction."

Pause.

"Not quite as easily -- it is still in his nature!"

"True, but the scale and scope of that can be changed. He's in pain and full of anger and needs to be shown there are other ways to approach relationships."

"I know not that relationship is the right word here," Teja says. "He does not see any others in relation to himself, except so far down he can hardly see them."

"There is no other word to use. All interactions are at their heart relationships, which require building connections and trust."

"We have bitten off a thing that will take quite some time to chew," Teja says. "But yes, that should not deter me or you."

"Yes, as I said before this will take time but I think he can change."

Teja nods.

"Would you have tea, as long as the rain lasts?" he offers.

"Thank you, yes," Then he'll go inside and face the problems waiting in his world.

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RP post: sandbox side continuity with reindeer-games!Loki in -- in the forge

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