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[seeingscarlet]

[The camera's pointed at the ceiling at first, and for a few seconds there is only Wanda's ragged breathing. When she finally gets it centered on her face, it's obvious she is terrified and near tears. If Elizabeth hadn't been there...]

I saw it. That thing...

It-- he was like us and he changed and he can't go back. Doesn't want to go back.

[She buries her head in her other hand.] How can I make you understand? It would drain us all, kill us all if it can because it can. Because it likes the pain and the fear and...

[There's no hiding the rising note of panic in her voice and Wanda needs a few breaths to try to sort of compose herself again. It doesn't work.]

I felt it kill them...

Stay out of the dark.

Comments

[seeingscarlet]

[The tone is helping more than the words are. It's something else to focus on that's not the lingering presence, even if certain word choices don't quite register properly. She's visibly coming back, just slowly.

And it's really starting to frustrate her that neither language she knows is equipped to describe telepathic insights.]

But was the monster always there? There were never two but...I saw things I can't explain. [Panic is giving way to a quiet numbness. Finally Wanda looks back at the MID.] I could show you.

[She knows this is getting into questionable waters again, but of everyone here Loki is most likely to both understand and emotionally handle sharing the full memory.]

Recent videos? Who else has been hurt? [Please don't be anyone she actually cares about this time.]

[realitywarped]

Whether born or made, a monster is what he is now- and not one likely to find himself suddenly feeling much remorse, by the sounds of it.

[Really, what it was once is really a puzzle for after it's taken care of. Loki can sympathise with fellow monsters, sometimes. But he's pragmatic about the fact that doesn't mean they don't sometimes need stopping, in whatever way possible.]

Can you share without reading anything? I'd hate for you to compound your current headache by adding my thoughts to the mix.

[There's a lot in his head he really wouldn't want her to see, both unpleasant and entirely personal. Loki doesn't do well with people knowing what's important to him- or who.]

Merely Captain Manasseh and now you. But we found Captain Tipota dead with much the same markings- and Manasseh talked about Crewman Farin. But as no-one was found with them, and no-one realised they were missing until they were found, alone seems the likeliest bet.

[seeingscarlet]

If you do not pull me in. [She wouldn't have tried to read Loki anyway. Wanda knows better than that.] But it will not be fun. I would not show Billy or Bruce or most of the people on this ship.

[Three dead/seriously hurt is significantly better than she was expecting. That thing might have been able to keep up with Pietro.] It disappeared when Elizabeth tried to hit it...but it was not afraid of me. [She sighs, more of the usual Wanda coming through.] Don't tell me the monster is shy.

[realitywarped]

I'm hard to read, I'm told. Too slippery, unless you force your way in. But- yes, I am probably the best equipped for it, at least in this particular crew. Master Wiccan has nightmares enough of his own- and I suspect the less than jolly green giant does too, at the moment.

[Not that he particularly wants to. The memories of someone so very close to how Loki was might well end up fuel for the fire, so to speak, or even the spark that sets him alight- but they need the information and perhaps Wanda needs to feel a little less isolated with the memories.

He's a little glad to hear a less strained tone coming through, though, and he pulls up a very crooked half-smile.]

It certainly would seem so. Perhaps a weakness, of sorts.

[seeingscarlet]

I know. [She's seen some Things and it's not just those two, although they're literally the last people on the ship she'd want to experience that. The captains might have earned it if they knew about the threat all along, though.] I will try to keep the worst part if I can, but I was not taught to be gentle in this.

[Anyone can be hurt, after all, and even if Loki has likely seen worse Wanda doubts it's been in quite the same way.

She shudders, settles further back into the pod.]

Shyness will not stop that hunger. Not for long.

[realitywarped]

There... was a Loki before me, you know. And he was entirely and utterly insane. I've seen- and felt- scattered fragments of his memories before. Trust me, don't struggle, if keeping that part back will be difficult.

[It's half-truth, something Loki's gotten very good at, but still close enough. He doesn't have the same emotional connection to his memories as the old Loki would have had, lacks the hatred that characterised the Loki that was. But he remembers how it felt to feel that way, at least.]

No, but it does make it harder for it to find victims if we know its hunting patterns. And perhaps easier to find a solution to it, too.

[seeingscarlet]

[Wanda can't help but wonder why he's telling her that. Does he mean it, or is he only saying it so she'll make an extra effort? It doesn't matter, really - someone on this ship has to try to be responsible.]

I know it is something you can handle, but that is not a reason for me to be careless. There is enough of that already. [Potshot at the captains? Yep.]

But together I think we can help the others understand.

[realitywarped]

[Save him from stubborn Maximoff/Kaplans and their refusal to accept help offered and their knee-jerk reactions to be responsible for everything.]

You really are far too like Billy, in some ways. That's only half a compliment, by the way.

[But arguing with someone panicking doesn't seem like the best solution, really, and he spreads his hands, tacitly giving up for now.]

At least there'll be two of us to try, that way. Where are you now, Wanda?

ahaha that face

[seeingscarlet]

[This is a weak smile due to the situation, but a smile nonetheless. Sorry Loki, apparently it runs in the cross-dimensional family.]

Mero 12. Sixth door on the right.

How far away are you?

[realitywarped]

One day, we'll have to sit down and have a chat about master Kaplan. I'm sure there's things he hasn't told you, that you haven't managed to skim from his head. Or possibly things you have learnt you'd like explained, perhaps.

[He smiles back, sharp and cool, although mostly he's relieved to see some kind of reaction that isn't panic.]

Oh, bare minutes now. We're almost through the mess-hall, then down a floor and find the right room. If the lights start to flicker, I'll expedite things, but it's tricky when I've never been somewhere before.

[seeingscarlet]

I try to stay out of his head now that I know. But your world is different, confusing, and there are other things I can't ask... [Wanda shudders. She only saw fragments of hell(?) since it wasn't what she was looking for at the time, but what she did catch was horrifying.

She looks like she might be slipping again but catches herself - this time, anyway. That's definitely a talk for another day.]

Expedite it how?

[realitywarped]

Ah, yes, the wonders of multiverses. Well, I can't promise all the answers, or that they'll be pleasant but... some of them, certainly, if you want them.

[He wiggles his fingers at the camera, glowing green.]

Teleporting is tricky when I'm not sure where I'm going, and- rather a heavy cost, magically speaking. If it's truly an emergency, though, I'll get us there now.

[He looks sideways slightly. It's not entirely a lie, teleporting is a bit of an energy user, but it's also one of his big red button spells when he's not prepared and teleporting blind. And he does like not burning.]

[seeingscarlet]

One day when we're not being hunted.

[These are good thoughts: a day when things are whatever passes for "normal" in space, pretty magic. But her expression barely reaches a smile before quickly reversing into fear and worry.]

Don't, not unless you have to - he will notice. He would feel it. I will be all right for a little longer if I do not do anything.