3611/Can't 'Let it Go'

Can't 'Let it Go'
Date of Scene:	28 September 2020
Location:	Ice Palace
Synopsis:	Nessa runs afoul of a pissed off Loki.
Cast of Characters:	Loki, Nessa Donovan

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Loki has posed:
The Ice Palace has returned! Not entirely to it's former glory (yet), but sections of it are now showing, restored. It isn't 'better', not really, but it is /something/, and perhaps some time can be given. Seated out on the front entrance is a young mage, Tristan, legs folded, having what looks like a steaming mug of something or other. He's relaxed there, with a small ice fox sitting nearby, apparently keeping the boy company, by appearances.

In Tristan's other hand he seems to have a phone, looking at pictures taken of the Ice Palace on various social media.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Given that Tristan and Kaylee had been working to restore the ice palace, Nessa figured now that the whole ordeal was over that it might be good to come check it out. Better or not, it's a project she can certainly get behind--beyond the interference of anything else, it was something that allowed her to see just what sort of things she might have a chance of achieving one day.

So when she shows up, Tristan is offered a wave, though her hand slowly lowers when she notices he's sitting next to a /fox/.

Loki has posed:
"Hi," Tristan greets, spotting her as she gets closer. He lowers the phone; looks like a picture of part of the entry stairway, with some woman making a stupid duck-face in the foreground of the picture.

"What do you think?" Tristan calls, with a vague gesture around him at the progress of the palace. The fox seems indifferent to Nessa's approach at all, as if it couldn't really care less.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Since the fox isn't paying Nessa any mind, she'll do the same for him... for now. She moves over towards the entryway, taking a glance at the progress being made. "You know, this is pretty good, I'd say. Kind of a neat project to be doing. A lot of people seemed to enjoy the palace... something fun to just see and escape to in the city. Someone wanted to have a dance party in there at some point, I believe."

She peeks over at the picture on the phone, comparing it to the stairway. "This'll take a long time, though, I'm sure. But it's good practice. A good way to work on control. I'd be more than happy to help."

Loki has posed:
"You don't want to... destroy it?" Tristan asks, thoughtfully, looking back at it. "I mean, would it be better to collapse everything that he built?" Tristan asks, in a tone that suggests a deeper question there than just perhaps literal blocks of ice that are arranged.

Tristan turns his body, putting the phone away in a pocket, and transfers his cup to his right hand, watching the steam on it for a thoughtful moment, then looking at Nessa.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"I mean, really, you could destroy everything and make something of your own if you wanted. Might be more fun that way. If you're asking if I think he's got some kind of magic in this that needs to be destroyed... no. It's ice. As far as I can tell, there's nothing malicious about it."

Nessa takes a good look at it, then over at Tristan. "I think that we learn a lot from things in the past, but it's up to us to figure out what to do with that knowledge in the future. To get stronger." She nods towards the ice. "Plus we can put up wards and things to make sure it's safe. I can do some research on that." The fox is mostly ignored, though cautiously.

Loki has posed:
"Stronger... I guess," Tristan agrees, more slowly. He looks at what's still remaining of the palace. There's a LOT there that hasn't even been touched. It's like a movie set right now -- as all the things are just front-facing, and the whole back is a mire of melted and black rubbish! Maybe the facade is what counts?

"But I mean. I had a god for a teacher. Didn't I? Do I?" Tristan probes her uncertainly with his gaze. "Did he help at the end? With Kaylee? ...What happened?"

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"No," Nessa says, firmly. "He didn't help. He offered advice, but we didn't take it. I'm fairly certain he had his own reasons for doing what he did. His 'help' probably would have meant Vega could be a problem in the future rather than what happened. Vega is..." She's not sure she wants to describe /exactly/ what happened to a kid.

"Let's just say he won't be a problem anymore. As far as if he's a god and if he's your teacher? I can't say I know a lot about deities, there's a lot about magic I don't understand. He's got a lot of magic, certainly, but I am starting to think titles like 'god' are relative. He uses magic and is strong, which is good enough for me." She shrugs a shoulder.

"But I would be careful, in the future. I can't stop you from learning from him, he does what he wants, but I can warn you that if you do learn from him, you'll always be questioning if it's something you want to learn... or something /he/ wants you to learn. I'd find a better teacher if I were you. Zelda might know a thing or two, and I am certain there are others that could teach you."

Loki has posed:
"Is it safe to go counter to what he wants? Are you safe?" Tristan asks, frowning. He also looks down and aside at the fox. He grins a little. "He's not this fox; I just made this fox," Tristan assures her, moving a hand to push the fox over and rub it's tummy. Clearly nothing a god would tolerate even for a moment.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
There's a bit of a sigh of relief at the fact the fox /isn't/ Loki, but Nessa nods a little bit. "I suppose I'm as safe as I can be. I can't stop him from doing what he wants, I don't have his level of magic. But it doesn't mean he can make me do what he wants. You do get some choice in the matter."

There's a slow sigh. "To be honest, I'm not sure how to deal with the situation fully. I do know that I'm not about to owe him any more favors, and that I don't trust him. He lies when it suits him and that seems to be often enough. Warping the truth. That doesn't suit /me/."

Loki has posed:
"Can't make you do what he wants? I heard he has mind control. And worse," Tristan says, moving to shift to put the cup down, and pick up the fox across his lap. He pets the creature fondly, strokes across the ears, then the neck, looking up and across at Nessa over the pet. He weighs her, rolls his eyes a little with a half, smile.

"She thinks she's safe, yes she does," Tristan observes to the fox, before moving it to the ground in front of him. The fox suddenly begins to expand; it grows and grows into a massive, slavering, horrifying frost-wolf-beast.

All of the world seems to warp along with it, as a twist of frost magic and illusion comes into bear, strongly. Shapeshift magic is here, an exotic blend of churning forces. "Guess we'll go with a lesson /he/ wants to teach, then." Snide.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa is about to reply to the comment about mind control, but she's realized too late that it's not the fox she needs to worry about, it's 'Tristan'. "Crap," she mutters under her breath. She takes a half-step backwards, but with the world shifting, it's hard to understand what exactly is happening--or going to happen.

"Uh, what lesson is that exactly?" It's a situation of poking the bees nest with a stick, and the bees don't seem too happy. She is trying to put some distance between the wolf-beast and herself, but she's not certain if that actually makes things /safer/.

Loki has posed:
"Simple lesson. Respect," Loki says. Tristan is gone - he wasn't ever there - and Loki's relaxing on the steps. He stretches and slides to stand, and advances, while the whole of the world twists in terrifying illusion, until Loki seems as huge as a giant, her body as big as his shin.

"And realize that kneeling to a god, such as Loki, is /always/ advised," Loki adds, haughty, as the wolf-beast also advances on her small self. "Pitiful little humans should do as they are told, and /appreciate/ anything I deign to do for them. And to not /involve/ other gods." Loki is pissed she pulled in others to block him! That was... painful to his pride. So he's taking it out on her.

Transformation magic, strong and biting, settles around Nessa, churning, weird -- and then releases. The spell on her is done. She might feel ... fuzzy? And why does her pack next to her look SO HUGE?!

"Run away," Loki advises kindly. "And enjoy this lesson on ... holding your tongue about your betters."

To the fox-wolf? "Eat her if you catch her." With that, Loki fades away, and the fox-wolf looks at her.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
While she isn't entirely sure how much of what's going on around her is illusion, Nessa is certainly aware of the magic being used on her. That's not illusion. So when Loki seems to get larger as does her bag, she figures she's shrinking. It isn't until she realizes that things feel different that she's more aware that she's not just small... she's something else.

Her gaze flicks over to her now much larger bag before she focuses on the fox-wolf. Oh no. That's not good. The bag is forgotten in favor of a desperate scramble to find cover. Or a hole to hide in.

And all the world sees is a small white rabbit doing her best to not become prey.