An alien autopsy

[shiftedshape]

Passengers: Loki and Claire
Location: Infirmary
Date: 4/14 (one week post sim)
Summary: Loki allows Claire to perform a medical experiment exam on him in exchange for forgiveness.
Warnings: Nudity (maybe?), shapeshifting



This is. Far more awkward, after the simulation.

It was already going to be awkward, of course. Loki had worn her clothes, and now she was going to treat him like a specimen to investigate. They didn't need to add merging into one being to all that.

At least they waited a week?

Still, when Loki arrives at the infirmary he hovers in the doorway, hesitant, before fully stepping inside. He clears his throat to get Claire's attention, nodding politely when she looks his way.

"Good morning, Claire. How are you?" He smiles, spreading his arms out at his sides. "I'm ready whenever you are."

Comments

[nineteenfortyfive]

She hums in amusement at that comment.

"I used to think magic didn't exist. That it was a thing in stories and movies," she says, and it's back to the exam as she regards his appearance with the knowledge that even this isn't really real. But it looks it. "Then, I found myself in another time because of magic, or at least something like it, and I'm constantly accused of being a witch in a century where witches are killed. It's a little beyond me, but I can... envision it. Gods and mythical giants are things that aren't real in my world. I think."

She pauses. She's traveled through time more than once. She's seen ghosts. She has something to her. And she's pretty sure she saw something in Loch Ness, once.

"Actually, hell if I know anymore."

[shiftedshape]

Loki laughs softly. "You'll feel more and more that way, the longer you stay aboard, I'm afraid. But it sounds as if your own world was surprising you just fine as it is."

He's gathered that Claire is from Earth, but as always it's hard to say whether it's anything like the one he came from. As it is, he's not certain Barnes is from the same dimension as him, so he doesn't even really know where to start on that. And with her mentioning witches, he can't help but wonder if her world might have more in common with Misty's, at the end of the day.

Which, well. "So, are you?" He cocks his head to the side. "A witch, I mean."

[nineteenfortyfive]

The question gets a grimace, and she resists the urge to (playfully) smack the side of his head. It's a fair thing to ask. So, she gives it a moment of thought before she does.

She can only really speak about it so openly here, where she's not that strange, comparatively.

"I've been called a fairy. A witch. La dame blanche, a white which, and kings have asked me to judge whether men should live or die. I was told when my hair turns white I'll have wisdom beyond time. A little on the nose with that one, I thought. I don't really know what I am," she admits with a shrug, because if she tries to focus on Loki, knowing there's something keeping his true form hidden from her, she still can't tell. Can't sense it.

"I do often have a broom in hand and talk to a little cat," she says thoughtfully, tapping her chin in thought. "But that's mostly for sweeping the porch, and the cat keeps mice away from my surgery."

[shiftedshape]

Loki's expression goes wistful as she speaks. The listing of titles alone would remind him of Asgard just fine, but those particular titles, that power wrought from wisdom. It makes his chest ache, he recognizes it so clearly.

He laughs at her joke and it gives him the chance to glance away, blinking rapidly to keep himself under control. But he's still smiling when he looks back.

"Some called my mother a witch. She was a great seer. She taught me everything she knew of magic, but her Sight was a gift I couldn't inherit."

He holds a hand palm-up and releases a shower of sparks that give off no heat. With a soft chuckle, he let his hand drop back into his lap. "Besides, I was always far more talented at illusion."

[nineteenfortyfive]

The little display has her eyes going wide for a moment, more surprise and wonder than anything unpleasant. She laughs at her own reaction before giving Loki a nod. "Indeed. That's what the myths in my world say about the god, Loki."

She opens her mouth--don't ask about the horse--shuts it, then tries again. Maybe feeling a little too comfortable with him, after what they experienced and now seeing how fondly he speaks of his mother, but maybe she doesn't want to imagine the horse thing. Ahem.

"Your mother taught you magic, but maybe I'll be able to teach you something about your biology and physiology. With some luck and no accidents along the way," she teases. "I've never paid much attention aside from when sleep wasn't happening at all, but do you generally believe you eat and sleep like us mere human folk do? Share the same senses such as vision, hearing, so on and so forth?"

[shiftedshape]

Loki doesn't comment on it, but he does note Claire equating herself with his mother. It puts into words a sensation he's had since meeting her. A sort of...belligerent caring. It's nice.

"I need to eat and sleep, but can survive with far less of both than a human could, not that it's pleasant. And I need plenty of both to keep my seidr strong." Pause. "Seidr means magic, by the way."

As for the senses, he has to consider that for a moment. "I believe my senses are generally a bit stronger? But I can't see through to other planes of existence or hear people speaking on the other side of the ship or anything." Not that he's sure it counts as a sense, but he adds, "My reflexes are far better than the average human, though. And I'd wager I'm stronger, though not so much as the best of our Asgardian warriors."

[nineteenfortyfive]

"Remarkable," Claire says after taking note of what Loki says. Claire's no mad scientist--just genuinely excited to be given the opportunity to examine someone like Loki. It's a great distraction. And if something terrible happens down the road, perhaps she'll be better equipped to help him out.

"Mind if I give your heart and lungs a listen?" She asks, "I'm curious."

[shiftedshape]

Loki's brow furrows slightly-- perhaps that's something a Soul Forge does, but he's never thought about the use of hearing someone's heart. But he nods, sitting up straighter as she guides him through taking breaths. His heart rate is quite a bit faster than the average human's, and it speeds up just a bit more as she listens.

With Claire this close, he can feel how much cooler her skin feels. This isn't the first time he's noticed he seems to run hotter than others. He'd always hated the summers in Asgard, far more than his peers ever had.

As she draws away, he observes, "I think my body temperature is higher than yours. Which I suppose makes sense. Jotunheim is largely made up of glaciers and ice floes." He hums, shakes his head. "I guess I'd always assumed frost giants were cold because they can freeze you with a touch, but that must be magic, if I'm warmer even in this form. That's..."

He licks his lips, clears his throat. Shrugs. "Good to know. I'd always assumed I'd be a danger, if I was forced into my frost giant form."

[nineteenfortyfive]

Nerves. Claire doesn't comment on the quickening of his pulse, finding it endearing, but not wanting to embarrass him by drawing attention to it.

But Loki can't mention temperature without Claire instinctively pressing a palm to his forehead. Just to properly confirm that he does seem to run warm. She gives him a small smile, a touch of something playful in it, always hoping to lighten the mood.

"You are warm, but I think you're very cool."

Get it. Cool. Frost giant. Claire grimaces for the both of them as she drops her hand.

"I'm the first to make that joke, surely."

[shiftedshape]

Loki laughs, his expression somewhere between delighted and incredulous. "You might be, actually." And he clearly doesn't mind, given how his cheeks are flushing pink.

"I haven't known about my actual heritage very long, myself. It's... almost easy to forget. I suppose the few who do know probably let it slip their minds as well." His smile turns self-deprecating. "It doesn't help that I look--"

Loki freezes, eyes going wide as it hits him. This isn't technically his natural form. Maintaining it likely draws from his magic. Which means--

Holding his hands out in front of him, he stares as, quick as a blink, his skin fades into that blue he's only seen a handful of times. Swirling lines raise and dance up under his sleeves, and seconds later, he's in his Jotun form.

Loki lifts his eyes, now red, back to Claire. "I...suppose my shapeshifting hasn't been completely suspended." In truth, he hasn't tested it. Which is its own little shock.