9115/Something Something Here Ice Palace

Something Something Here Ice Palace
Date of Scene:	16 December 2021
Location:	Ice Palace
Synopsis:	Loki and Thor have a drink and talk.
Cast of Characters:	Loki, Thor

---

Loki has posed:
The Ice Palace has been around for well over a year - and has had a mixed bag of history. Originally a beautiful, strage site of exteme ice magic that lived through the summer in a somewhat overblown show of magical prowess. Summer? Heat? NOPE.

The spires and beautiful icy forms were beautiful -- until they were taken over by ice skeletons and necromancers --- ...

But that was a while ago. The ice palace has stood pristine and unmarked by skeletons for quite some time. Tourists were free to come and take their selfies, to enjoy the ambiance. Oddly, the palace seems relatively empty, except for scattered white woodland creatures that hop and tottle about as if dizzy or confused. A small white squirrel tries to leap up a banister and falls off entirely, miscalculating the jump.

Loki himself is seated on an upper tier of the palace's main entrance, in a spiraling, dizzying array of elegant ice filigree that is part of the railing. Loki isn't immediately recognizable as who he is to a common passerby - as if he's behind a slightly odd frosty beauty filter -- but someone familiar with him will have little trouble in identification. Particularly due to his vocal timbre, which has no alterations to it.

"Try not to break the stairs, please. They house intense evil beneath," Loki says, by way of 'greeting,' with a lofty flip of hand - one that is almost a wave.

Thor has posed:
Skeletons. If Thor was suspicious, now would be the time. Entering, he looks left. Then right. Pauses. Smiles, and grins. No skeleton monsters this time! Huzzah! With a push forward, Thor moves into the place completely now, with no more pause!

It was a rare occurrence...okay, never, that Thor enters an establishment quietly. With a boisterous laugh, and a raise of his hand, Thor announces himself! "Hello! Is anyone here?"

Used to a more "loud" arrival, Thor notices the place was not as full as he remembers from the last time. His eyes are drawn to the seemingly inebriated white woodland creatures falling off banisters. "Huh."

Moving towards the centre of the room, Thor hears a familiar voice. His eyes move in that direction. Could it be? "Hello brother." Seeing through the disguise was tough but not impossible. Especially that voice. "Winter suits you."

Loki has posed:
While there are thrones (hardly a palace without a large throne with a few others next to it), Loki is nowhere near them - instead doing his languid posture up by the rail, to be able to look down upon anyone that arrived - even Thor. For the moment, anyway.

"It was /far/ too noisy here, mortals making it their personal photography backdrop, but I found an excellent solution. It is much more pleasant now," Loki observes, in a way that suggests he may have murdered everyone and buried them under the stairs.

Fortunately the stairs are see-through and show no corpses.

Loki considers whether the Winter statement is a compliment or not -- decides it is enough of one -- and smiles serenely. "I think so, too. Certainly makes it easier to maintain a treasure such as this when it isn't the height of summer."

Thor has posed:
Looking up at Loki, Thor crosses his arms across his chest. For a moment, you might have thought Thor would take issue with looking "up", but he doesn't. He's Thor after all. "Noisy is good, brother! It means that people are enjoying themselves! You know me, I am all about noisy! That is why I am here."

Looking through the stairs, Thor decides to stay on the main level. Not that he didn't trust the stairs to support his weight, he didn't trust...other things.

Strangely enough, the winter comment was a compliment. "Yes! This is, indeed a treasure! I have heard from others that it was a place to be. You could sell this as a great landmark. All you need to do is provide a place for refreshments, and you would do well! I am proud of you, brother. Helping the community to see the beauty of the ice!"

Loki has posed:
While Thor is talking, it seems all the little critters have looked at him uncertainly, and are starting to get more brave. A rabbit hops over, and tries to paw at Thor's foot. A few beautiful white doves do the same, fluttering down to try to subtly get Thor's attention. It's a little bit Disney Princess, really -- there's a small white spotted fawn, squirrels. It's maybe a dozen different creatures. The fawn has hidden behind Thor, though.

Loki scans Thor, as if checking for the mockery in the words, but it doesn't seem to be there. Loki tentatively smiles, but his brows are skeptical. Loki won't just accept praise without questioning it and motives. As a liar, he looks for others to be dishonest, of course.

"Asgardian refreshments, I have. Ale and wine. Just past the door there," Loki gestures to the side loftily - a winter king in his own castle. But amiable, when treated well - and willing to offer ale to show his approval of Thor's pleasant words towards him.

Thor has posed:
Thor ignores the animals, for the most part, but doesn't do anything to scare them. After all, he was descended from an Earth Goddess in some form or another. A smile and a nod and a wave, and thor moves slightly towards Loki by a step or two.

Thor had been and always would be honest with his brother. His sincerity actually got him in trouble, which he usually had to swing his way out of. "I am proud of you brother. It is good to see you do some good here on Midgard."

Smiling at those words, Thor waves towards his brother. "Join me then! I would drink and sup with my brother!" Thor moves towards where Loki gestures. "If I know you, you have the finest from the halls of Asgard itself! Thank you for your warm welcome!"

Loki has posed:
"As always, you never fail to condescend," Loki sighs in grumpy response to Thor's statement of pride. But Loki is more just put out by it, and not actually reactive. It marks Loki's mood as reasonably mellow or tired - which can suggest he's spent some magic recently, and isn't trying to find a fight.

No, just the usual grumpy pricklepuss factor.

"The finest that have not even found the halls yet, yes. I've procured several vintners for my personal flavors," Loki brags, but does slide to his feet and come downstairs. The animals clear out as if a predator was among them, immediately. Loki does come along, but leaves Thor to do the actual tapping of the keg. He'd hardly be one to take that pleasure from Thor.

Thor has posed:
Thor doesn't respond to Loki's mood or his comments, knowing how "moody" the God of Mischief can be, even when Thor tries to be "nice" to his brother. It is a constant source of frustration for both of them. Ah brothers. It was the way of the Universe.

As Loki slides to his feet, and joins him, Thor hesitates for a second, almost putting his right arm around Loki, but stops, and thinks better of it. Instead, his smile widens, as Loki describes the treasure he has.

"Ah brother, I knew you would only select the best!" And Thor does just that! Tapping the keg, and pouring the first stines from the keg, Thor hands Loki the first mug, overflowing with froth!

"I am honoured you let me, brother. Thank you. I give you the honor of first drink!" Holding his mug forward, Thor waits in anticipation...

Loki has posed:
Loki does an adjustment of his free hand across the mug-- tapering all the froth to not get all over him. Thor is the messy one - Loki's pristine, unwilling to have a slosh of liquid on his shiny gauntlets. He doesn't make any move to suggest the ale is anything but perfectly acceptable - its probably not poisoned, or Loki would have monologued around it or wasted some time. The fact that he hasn't means it's safe.

Loki doesn't down the whole thing, he only has a sampling, but smirks and observes Thor doing what he will with it. The drink itself has a tart, almost blackberry aspect to it, but carries the full blow and strength of an ale meant for Asgardians. A little goes a long way.

"If you want to be unconscious quickly, this could do it," Loki laughs.

Thor has posed:
Well, Thor downs it in one gulp. Or two. It is hard to tell. He wipes the froth off of his mouth with the back of his hand, holds the mug up, and says, "Another?" Thor was being polite, as he was already pouring another.

Drinking the second mug, Thor says, "Well. It will take more than a keg to knock me unconscious, but I take your meaning! It is very good!"

After taking another long drink, Thor wipes the froth once more from his lips, smiles, looks Loki straight into his eyes and says - almost too softly to hear. "It is good to hear you laugh brother."

Loki has posed:
Loki gives a very slight, almost petite little flex of hand to convey that Thor should go ahead and refill his mug as much as he wants; Loki's barely tapped into his own. But that shouldn't slow Thor down a bit, once given the go-ahead to partake!

Loki lifts his head back in a motion that suggests he was reflexively dodging something coming at his face, as Thor gives that soft comment.

"I would look better if I should smile more, is that it?" Loki asks, dry, but it lacks venom under it. The words are one thing, but Loki is saying something closer to '...well, okay.' "I suppose we'll see if the world gives me good reason to do so." Translates to, 'I admit you made me laugh, but we'll see if it continues.'

Loki lifts his ale a bit, smirks, and drinks most of the rest of it.

Thor has posed:
Thor pauses at Loki's reaction, only for a brief moment, and finishes his second. Then pours a third. He knows that Loki will be a "bit" more conservative, as he has been for hundreds of years.

Thor stifles a sigh, and then adds a smile. "The world has many reasons to do so, my brother. But I am glad we had this moment. I miss this, between us. We should do it more often, just you and I, like old times!"

Thor raises his mug, drinks, and nods once more. It was a moment in time.