[Day 2, Night - A House South of Town]

[direstnews]

[Written into the ground alongside one of the houses to the south of town tonight are a series of strange letters, forming a rough circle near the wall. A figure of approximately Loki's build, not there during the day's exploration, leans against the wall at the corner. The door to the house is open.]

[Some hours after the sudden switch from day to night, Loki stands in front of the door, a candle before him, a kitchen knife in one hand and a spoon in the other. He checks the mirror set carefully in the darkness, nothing yet visible in its surface. Then he strikes the knife with the spoon's handle, and he holds his breath - and he waits.]

Comments

[direstnews]

[...what? What?]

[Really?]

[nyanotech]

[Yes, most definitely really. It's smearing all over her white lab coat and everything.]

You've been worried since you've got here. It's okay to be worried, and it's okay to be scared—but there's people here who care about you.

If you're worried enough to summon something that would mean you harm, if you're brave enough to do that even knowing it may come at a cost . . . why not talk to us, too? None of us can be quite so scary as that.

[direstnews]

It wasn't meant to do me harm. It was only meant to bring me answers.

[But he's holding on tight, now that he's over the initial surprise.]

None of you are like to have those.

[nyanotech]

[Yesss, good. Hugs are good.]

Demons who won't do you harm don't need circles to hold them fast.

And how will you know, if you don't ask?

[direstnews]

Have you a means, then, of knowing the tales of others?

[nyanotech]

You're really new to having people to talk to.

[direstnews]

I'd plenty of people to talk to.

[It's just the reactions that are completely different.]

[nyanotech]

[That's a different kind of talking to then.]

Mmhmm~

But if you're looking for answers, wouldn't it be best to share the questions, too? Jumping right to omnipotence is a big step.

[direstnews]

They're scarcely answers you're likely to have.

[nyanotech]

And?

[direstnews]

And so asking the questions, were I to craft a diagram of Venn to illustrate the situation at hand, would be in a circle whole and apart from getting them answered, with a great gulf of white between the two.

[nyanotech]

And that's why you're new to this.

[Pulls back just enough to look at him, wrists still resting on his shoulders.]

What happened to you before you came here?

[direstnews]

[Waves a hand and moves to pull back the rest of the way.]

A great many things. Rebirth, intrigue, London, bacon... nothing so terribly remarkable.

We'd best head back. If that music begins again, we shall be spending the night upon the ground.

[He toes the black gunk for emphasis.]

[nyanotech]

[Rebirth . . . files that away for another time.]

Good point. It's late already . . . let's go.

[direstnews]

[Off we go!]