12975/Resonants: Put A Ring On It

Resonants: Put A Ring On It
Date of Scene:	05 October 2022
Location:	Verdant - Nightclub
Synopsis:	Thea has been gifted the One Ring. Okay, a ring. But gifts from former enemies usually aren't good things. Plans are made to consult Loki. Separately, there will be a movie night with ice cream in Felicity, Thea, and Sif's future. Blame the Ring.
Cast of Characters:	Thea Queen, Sif, Felicity Smoak
Tinyplot:	Resonants

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Thea Queen has posed:
Afternoon at the Verdant. The calmness before the storm of the evening when the doors are still close but there's that vibrant feeling in the club that tells it's going to be a full night tonight.

It was the time Thea decided to send that message to Sif so they would meet. 'Something big.' so she said on the message sent. And considering the time she had set for them to meet it probably meant it required some discretion. Another message had been sent about the backdoor being open and for her to come in through there.

And so, messages sent, preparations done. It was time for Thea to wait for Sif to come by. And of course dressed to 'kill' in a pair of low-cut, bellbottom jeans. Sleeveless top and high heeled boots. The heiress was ready for her managerial role at her club for later. She was sitting at the bar, spinning a ring on the counter quietly and watching it go, bright blue eyes lost in thought..

Sif has posed:
Upon receiving the message, Sif was actually not far from the club. She had come over to pick up a few items at a specialty shop in the area. Thus she was able to type she would be over in about fifteen minutes.

She arrived late. By two minutes. Traffic had been heavier than she'd expected. She headed around to the back of the club and in through the unsecured door.

"Thea?" she called out as she entered, making sure that she was announcing herself. She didn't want an arrow to the forehead. Even though Thea was expecting her, better safe than sorry.

Her dark hair was finally falling below her shoulders again, eventually it would get back to where it had been before an explosion burned much of it off a while back. Dressed comfortably in a pair of jeans and a white, button-up blouse. A pair of stylish little black boots on her feet. She had a light jacket over the shirt, black leather but thin and not overly heavy. More style than substance. And allowing for her to hide weapons underneath cause she preferred to have something pointy at all times, even if it was just a dagger at the small of her back.

She entered the club proper and spotted Thea, walking toward the woman as she smiled brightly. "It is good to see you but I hope all is well?"

Thea Queen has posed:
No arrows come calling! Just a Thea-smile to greet her friend and waving her over. "Come in, come in." she calls, spinning on her seat to look at Sif, the ring continuing to spin until it finally comes to a stop.

And what does Thea do first? Check out Sif's dress-up, OF COURSE. "Wow, going full on midgardian style.." she praises with a grin, "Vin would be proud." she slips down from her seat to get up, stretching her back a moment. "Things are .., okay." a little hesitation there in which she might not be fully sure on that. "But that's part on why I called you over." she goes around the counter, "Can I get you something to drink? I even got a little Asgardian mead stashed away if you are really thirsty.." most likely smuggled by Vin!

Sif has posed:
"Is there such a thing as Midgardian mead? If not, then I would like Asgardian mead." Sif wasn't sure on that one. Likely it wouldn't be as good as Asgardian but she was rather curious about it. After all, she was going full Midgardian style!

At mention of her outfit though, she did glance down and then gave a little shrug. "I have attempted to embrace the style a bit more. I have found it draws less attention than wearing Asgardian garb on the street. Though I do not understand this 'fashion'. I have seen some things that I do not believe are actually clothing yet they are on display during designer shows."

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Probably not the best time of year for Felicity to do any sort of work, but when friends and someone that she considers virtually family calls, who can resist the urge? She'd gotten a chance to get to the Yom Kippur service, so at least that's out of the way and she can feel just //that much// better about herself.

Drinking and doing some real partying, however, is not in the cards. Instead?

Felicity emerges from the door leading to the basement, a tablet in hand, and her blonde hair wisps pulled back behind her ears. She's wearing a dress, long sleeved this time thanks to the cooling of the weather and some sensible wedges. "Thea, I think I might have found--" and seeing the newly arrived, she pauses in her words, changing them over to, "Oh, hi." It's friendly enough, just the presence of the newly arrived Sif surprises her.

Thea Queen has posed:
"I am glad you asked..." Thea waggling her eyebrows at Sif and wandering over to a shelf on the far end, having to get on all tiptoes to get that darn bottle back down, "One midgardian mead coming up." and she seems to have gotten a few bartending skills now that she actually owns a club, nimbly serving up the mead up on a mug before sliding it across the counter to Sif. And then Felicity comes walking in? So another mug is served.

"Hey, Fel. Come in." She tells her friend, "We were just talking of fashion." one of Thea's favorite conversation topics! Well, the old Thea that was still a drug addict at least. The new one is a bit less frivolous, but can still enjoy it. "And I was just about to say that to truly understand fashion one needs to delve right in the midst of it. And that means going on a shopping spree. Yes, we will have this happen soon." it's settled apparently.

"But .., I also have something else to talk to you about, Sif.." she places a finger atop the ring on the counter and slides it across to the Asgardian, "Someone came by and gave me this." it's clearly not midgardian, probably some alloy from Asgard. But closer inspection will be able to find troll runes set on the inlay..

Sif has posed:
At mention of shopping, Sif makes a face of distaste. Then it shifts to something that seems like embarassment. "I am unsure I will have need of shopping for some time. There was some confusion on my part involving Amazon." In that she had thought it was helping /the/ Amazons. And she bought a ton of things from them, to support the warrior women of Themyscira. Only, it turned out that Amazon had nothing to do with actual Amazons!

Midgard was a strange place.

As Felicity arrived, she gave a smile to the other woman and a brief nod of her head. "Well met. I am Sif, war--." She paused, pursing her lips and thinking better of adding everything else. "Sif will do."

She did move to the bar and eyed the ring, picking it up to look it over. Hopefully if it was cursed, it had already hit Thea. She examined it curiously. Until she saw the runes. Then it was set back on the surface of the bar as she frowned. "Trollkin. That is of concern. Who gave you this ring?"

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Sif... Sif? Where had Felicity heard that name before? Thea's been in the company of one or two from Asgard, or at least //from// there initially, so perhaps...?

Oooooh, Sif.

Felicity tucks her tablet up and against her, cradled in her arm as her right hand comes out in offrance as she crosses the distance in the room, heading to the bar. "A pleasure to meet you. I've, um.. heard of you. I'm, uh... Felicity Smoak. Friends call me 'Felicity', or 'Fel'.. or," and she shrugs a little self-deprecatingly, "'Hey!', when they really need to get my attention."

Shopping? Did someone (Thea!) mention shopping? "Can I be behind by one fashion year so I can finally wear all the clothes that we bought last year?" So. Many. Clothes.

It's a request that is distinctly asked with tongue firmly in cheek, but as the topic shifts a little, and the ring is brought out and pushed across the bartop slowly, Felicity finds herself trying to peer at it. "You didn't try and put it on, did you?" Runes on rings are BAD. Just ask any fantasy movie junkie!

Thea Queen has posed:
"Need..?" There's an amused grin that appears on Thea's expression. "Need has no bearing where it comes to shopping. It's all about having fun and looking good while doing it. Worry not, you will see." she does arch a brow at the mention of Amazon. "Oh dear, we will need to solve this..." the heiress will let NO ONE be dressed on Amazon clothes apparently. "Soon.." there's no escaping the shopping spree. It will be a thing. "And you will come too, Felicity Smoak." using both names to really get the point across to her hacker friend and partner in 'crime'.

"It didn't seem to me like the.., person.., that gave me that ring was wanting to curse me." She says, "And of course I have put it on, Felicity." head-on into danger. That's Thea! "I am still me.."

Sif's last question about who it was that gave her the ring has her sigh. "Corey. Or at least that was he was calling himself here. It was Korek." a small pause for Sif to take that in. ".. he had some .., strong opinions about you and Thor."

Sif has posed:
Shopping was beginning to sound a little like a threat. Sif wasn't sure what to think of that. But she wasn't going to argue. It would be good to spend time outside of visiting other worlds or battle with Thea. Even if it involved shopping for things she truly did not need. Though she might keep the information from Jimmy. He had been there at the house to find the hundreds of packages. Only to have the situation go from bad to worse thanks to Loki 'helping' so she would be surprised what she opened, duplicating the gifts but altering them so she ended up with far more than she had actually ordered. It had been a whole thing.

"It is my pleasure, Felicity," Sif said with another of those smiles. When Thea mentioned she had put on the ring, Sif looked at her sharply then shook her head. Back to examining the ring while trying /not/ to touch it.

At mention of Korek, she let out a little hiss of air between her teeth. "I have strong opinions about him as well," she practically snarled. "Why was the ring gifted? Or did he say?"

Felicity Smoak has posed:
"I.. will come, only to try and keep you in check," Felicity returns, and she sidles up a little closer to the bar, her free arm reaching out to lean, all the while craning her neck a little for a better view. Her hand is thus retrieved from the greeting, and look, no drink has found its place there. (No, not tonight!)

"All these names I don't know," is sighed, but that's okay. "Why would you even..." Sigh. Because it's Thea, and no other reason. "We really should talk about that at some point, your habit of just..." Never mind. It actually runs in the family.

"This sounds like someone I don't want to meet." Felicity looks to one woman, then the other.. and back at the ring. "Have you done any research on it? Done an analysis?"

Thea Queen has posed:
"I haven't yet. That's why I called the experts." A wink from Thea to Felicity as she simply seems to brush past the ACCUSING looks of her having tried the ring on. But she had a feeling Korek wasn't trying to be a filthy deceiver. She's good at reading people like that (and trolls!).

Sif's question get her pondering. She knows what Korek told her but there's also how she interpreted it. "I believe ..." a pause, " .. he was trying to make amends. In his own way." she says, "About all that happened when he got to face off against you and Thor."

"He has heard about what you were doing, the gathering of artifacts so he brought the ring in an attempt to aid the effort." A beat, "But also to become part of the saga. Or at least have Trollheim become part of it." she explains.

Sif has posed:
To Felicity, Sif gave a sage nod. "Tis true. If you are able to avoid Korek, that is for the best. He is half-troll and I believe half-elf though I could not swear to this. We last met when he usurped the throne of the king in Trollheim." Because of course there is a Trollheim out there with all the other -heims. "He terrorized the people, using dragons."

Her grin turned a little odd for such a statement. Pleased and perhaps a touch of feral to add to the mix. "There were many songs sung after that adventure. Though the beasts escaped, despite our best attempts. I can only hope they perished."

Then back to Thea as she cautiously picked up the ring again, turning it over to look at the runes. "His wishes have already been granted. He already has been immortalized. As the villain." Which probably is /not/ what he is hoping for in this case. "You believe he was sincere in his apology?"

Felicity Smoak has posed:
"Closing the barn door after, yes..." Felicity reminds, though now she takes a pen from a pocket and is ready to pull the ring towards her. Sif gets to it first, though, and she politely waits for a chance to look at it.

The story thus given by Sif sounds, oh, about right. The proper amount of myth and legend with the 'don't want to run into him', with that side order of DRAGONS. "Uh.." Felicity pushes up her glasses with the free hand, pen still held lightly, and eyebrows rise almost to meet her hairline, "The beasts escaped. The dragons, you mean."

Thea Queen has posed:
"Yes, uh .., he had a few songs he wanted to sing about you too..." Lips pursed together, pondering whether she should say it or not. Thea decides for the DANGER which is to actually share, "Something about a fire-breathing harpy.." look it's not her words, okay?! She even raises her hands defensively. "I am not here to judge anyone of course." Of course. Yet there's just the hint of amusement on her features.

"BUT..., dunno. He seemed like he was really trying you know? Sometimes that's important too." Thea would know. The former drug addict who took so long getting out of that. "And yes, I believe he was being as sincere as he could be, he looked a touch confused about what he was figuring out about himself. Think that's a good thing.."

Blue eyes watch the ring dance around as one tries to go for it but Sif picks it first, "It was the first time I saw a dragon..." this said to Felicity, then leaning closer to her, "At least a dragon that didn't become one for eating one of my brother's chili dishes.." the infamous HOT dishes.

Sif has posed:
Seeing Felicity had her pen out in hopes of examining the pen, and that she had picked it up, Sif offered it to Felicity for examination. Which may mean holding it out so that Felicity could snag it with her pen or putting it down on the surface so she could drag it toward herself. Sif would follow her lead there.

But she considered the words from Thea. An arch of a dark eyebrow. "Fire-breathing harpy?" A tiny pursing of her lips as she shook her head. "He had the fire-breathers in this situation. Perhaps I did manage to fatally wound the dragon before it flew off. That will make the story even better!"

But she was weighing the sincerity of a half-troll and finding it lacking. Though she did trust Thea so where did that put this situation?

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Felicity looks between the two women and finds that she's quite probably missing a //whole lot// of the story. Half trolls, saga songs... harpy? The blonde looks over at Sif to see if she can't determine how //that// was going to be taken. No one, not even she, likes to be considered that. Granted, it's a little archaic, but it is an underscore of exactly how one feels about another.

"Trying?" She gets that. Everyone tries, and a lot of the time, fails. "I think something like that should be seen through their eyes? I mean, as much as a troll, um.. elf.. thing can?" She screws up her face and doesn't even want to consider that sort of pairing.

The comment about Oliver's chili gains a laugh from Felicity, and she waves her pen hand, "So far, I've managed to avoid it. He thinks I'm not eating it because it's not kosher." Ha. When Thea's brother figures out the basics of kashrut, she's doomed.

The ring! It's lifted in the air between Sif and Fel, and for a long moment (which is only a couple of heartbeats in reality), there is some real thought that goes into the 'should I, shouldn't I?' mental gymnastics.

She should.

Felicity takes the ring gingerly, a couple of false starts as if it's going to burn her. Looking at it closely, she shakes her head slowly. "Why am I afraid of this? Too much bingeing on Lord of the Rings? I feel like there's going to be a giant eye open up in the corner of the club at any second."

Thea Queen has posed:
"I mean, was he angry with you? Yep! Not sure if angry enough with 'you killed my dragon' kind of angry. But ..." Thea lifts her shoulders in a small shrug as if that's not really in her wheelhouse to comment much. She had only been part of the scouting after all! "Do you think it can help with what we are doing? The gathering of the items?" she then finally asks, a brow arching as Felicity comments about the refusal on eating Oliver's chili.

"I just tell him I don't want to die.." Because smaller sisters exist to torment and be contrary to old brothers.

And then there's that look from Felicity. She's being such a Bilbo.. It has Thea arch a brow, bit of a cat grin appearing on her features as she notes that debate inside Felicity. The temptation!

"Do it, Sam.." She whispers. Wait, does that mean she's Frodo with having tried it before?! Well, she's constantly teased about being a hobbit because of her VERY NORMAL size for a girl like her. Might as well own it.

And when Fel takes it she blinks. "Wait, where did you go..?" looking right through Felicity! She does eventually wink at her.

"We can't do this with Sif, I am sure she hasn't seen lord of the rings. Which REMINDS me. You are still owed a viewing of the 13th warrior Sif. You know, when we went to Alfheim." then a grin at Felicity, "Or should we get her to cry with some good ol' romantic movie?" Clearly Thea is already arranging a movie night after the shopping spree.

Sif has posed:
"I do not cry at movies," Sif says a bit stiffly, as though the idea of such was an affront to her. But all this talk of Ring Lords and Warriors was admittedly confusing. Particularly when Thea called Felicity 'Sam'.

She looked back and forth between the two, her brow knitted slightly at the center as she tried to understand. It was beyond her and she finally did give that nod. "I have not seen the Ring Lord. This is a film as opposed to a real person? Pity." Because a Ring Lord might be able to help them with the ring in question! "Perhaps we should seek a troll to read the runes. Though I doubt Ulik would be pleased for us to visit again. Though that little one maybe." The girl who thought she was a troll. If she could read runes. That was the question.

"What is this 13th Warrior? That you are determined I should see it?"

Felicity Smoak has posed:
"I'd be kinda mad if someone killed my pet dragon," Felicity mumbles, but of course she's thinking a whole lot more of 'Pete's Dragon' rather than flying, fire breathing, eat someone in one bite sort of dragon. It's not on her either to really concern herself with the ways of dragons. Wasn't there a quote about Meddling in the affairs?

Something about being small and delicious?

A grin comes to Felicity's face, and she laughs soon after. "YOU can get away with that. I have to use other methods so I don't hurt his feelings." Besides, somewhere in there, she can quote a law! Maybe the beef isn't kashrut? There's always a way.

Nothing is lost on Thea, and blue eyes behind lenses look from her friend to Sif, to the ring. She knows the reference, of course she does. "I'm not sure.." but when Thea says something about her disappearing, Felicity puts the ring back down on the countertop //quickly//. "Noooo."

A breath is taken, and a flat hand goes to her heart, adding, "Don't ever do that again." A quick glance around the room is enough to give her the feeling that the Eye isn't making an appearance. Yet.

"13th Warrior? Maybe we should do a Lord of the Rings. My place, with ice cream?" There is always ice cream.

Looking between the pair again, brows rise, "Maybe someone else? Trolls, at least the way I see them in my head, might not be a good idea?"

Thea Queen has posed:
"Look, I hope you aren't dissing on Banderas along with twelve viking hot bodies all bundled up in a mess but also delightful movie, Felicity." Thea says about Felicity suggesting LOTR INSTEAD of 13th warrior. "It was part of my uh ..., investigation on Asgardian dash viking ways after I met Sif.." oh dear. "And exactly, it's a great movie that you will love, Sif. And then we do the Ring Lord. And after ..., who knows?" because now she wants to get Sif to cry watching a romantic comedy.

Challenge accepted.

"I am glad we are settled on what movie night will be." then a nod to Felicity. A very solemn nod. "You are in charge of the ice cream."

But lets not forget the actual meaning of this meet, which was that ring. "Well, maybe Loki knows?" she suggests, looking between them. "He's always seemed very smart, and this may just be up his wheelhouse."

Sif has posed:
Sif continues to look between the two women, considering this movie night and how it is panning out. Shopping. Movie night. Ice cream. "I will bring Asgardian ale. The one that is not dangerous to Midgardians." Because the non-watered down version tended to knock out most humans before they finished a pint. It was just one of those many differences between the two species, despite them looking alike.

At mention of Loki, there is that moment of annoyance but Sif has to nod. "Loki would be a good choice. Though he is a trickster..." Thus the self-duplicating-but-changing-slightly packages she'd had at her house when he found out she felt it was like receiving gifts since she couldn't remember what she had ordered. SO he felt the need to 'help'. His words. Giving her a gift by making more boxes! Though there had been one gift that was true and the alcohol within had been amazing.

"We should seek him out and get his opinion. Though I know not where he is at this moment, I can ask at the Embassy."

Felicity Smoak has posed:
What movie night will be and where. She's the only one with a comfortable, cozy apartment, perfect for movie night, after all! "Right. Depending on which day will determine the ice cream." The girls had worked out what each flavor meant, and when it was to be eaten, and with whom.

Felicity quiets down once more, and setting her pen back behind her ear, she is more than happy to listen. Until, of course, a name is mentioned. "Oh, oh.. I know that name." After all, who doesn't? It's one that'll live in infamy, truly. Battle of New York. Even here in Starling, they'd felt the fear of aliens. It could have easily been them, but not. (Starling isn't anywhere near as 'big' as NYC.)

"Is that such a good idea?" The question is raised in a quiet voice, brows rising.

Thea Queen has posed:
"Of course it isn't a good idea." This about bringing Loki in to investigate the ring. "But I don't really know any other expert in Asgardian languages." Thea leans both her elbows on the counter.

"So, you want to keep the ring Sif? Or should I? I am good with anything.." Yep, she has no compulsion to keep the One Ring like Frodo did! Maybe they are all safe from it being a trap.

Sif has posed:
"You can keep it. If it is cursed, it likely is already bound to you anyway."

Sif is ever a ray of sunshine. But she is a realist in such things. Though she may not know this Ring Lord or how it applies here, she does know about curses and the dangers thereof. After all, she wasn't always a brunette.And while that had been minor in the grand scheme of things, it proved that curses were real. And sometimes forever.

"Though Loki is a trickster, he does have the good of Asgard in his heart." Now. Not always. "We simply have to let him know this helps Asgard, not simply Midgard." Simple, she says.

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Or, she's a hobbit that hasn't fallen sway yet! Regardless, it's admitted that Loki(!) isn't the best choice, but it's seeming, slowly but surely, that he's the //only// choice. Within reason, that is. Felicity exhales in a sigh and pulls away from the counter, the tablet still cradled in that other arm. She has work to be done getting the measurements and specs for the basement if they ever hope to get some good wiring and hardware down there!

Talk of curses, of course, brings blue eyes right back around to Thea, and she exhales again in a long, drawn out breath. "Thea, if you are cursed.." there's a pause before, "I should go back to work. With.. more normal things." Like tech. Computers. Wiring.

"I'll be up later."