Someone's Lawn, the New Side of the Island, Thursday Morning

[fjordicswagger]

"Yep, it's a gnome."

Tamsin held it up in front of her face, then wrinkled her nose. "Ugly one, I'll give you that." She dropped the thing to the ground and turned around to face the terrified-looking NPC townie. "What?" she said. "It's a stupid lawn gnome."

To demonstrate, she slammed her foot down on it, smashing it easily into several pieces. "It's just plastic. Cheap plastic."

Beat.

"Seriously? You're still scared?"

The townie - whose name, she would later find out, was Tiny - nodded at her. Of course he did.

"Fine," she sighed, annoyed. "Call the station if it pops up again. Or tries to kill you or whatever." She brought her foot down on the remains a second time, leaving even less recognizably gnome-y behind. "There. Dead. Though what I'm really wondering about is how this guy managed to fit a lawn gnome on a lawn this small anyway."

She tilted her head.

"Huh."

[[ open for passers-by, yep. ]]

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[abitlowkey]

A magpie took a moment from its flight to swoop back around toward Tamsin. Because things of note on island always drew his attention. First Doom and now this?

Interesting.

It landed on the remains of a yard gnome, cawing at her once.

[fjordicswagger]

Tamsin ignored it. It was just a bird, cawing at her-- wait. That was a very specific kind of cawing. She turned her back on Tiny and faced the magpie.

"Well, well," she said.

[abitlowkey]

Excuse you, he was but a simple magpie. Completely normal. Look how normal it was to stare back at her like it was a matter of honor.

"Ah, this is where you have gotten off to," Loki said, looking at the new woman with the type of curiosity that killed cats. Ikol took flight again, circling around before landing on Loki's outstretched forearm. "How interesting."

[fjordicswagger]

Please. Tamsin was a Valkyrie. She knew there was rarely such a thing as just a magpie to begin with.

She crossed her arms. This kid... there was something about him that pinged her oddly. "Nice bird."

[abitlowkey]

"He is a troublemaker," Loki admitted, letting the bird hop on up to his shoulder to whisper in his ear.

[fjordicswagger]

"Really," Tamsin said, tilting her head at them. "So what kind of trouble is he up to now?"

[abitlowkey]

"Bothering the newest addition to the police!" What else? God, Tamsin!

[fjordicswagger]

"It's a pretty interesting choice in pet," Tamsin said, tilting her head. "A lot of little boys running around with magpies where you're from?"

[abitlowkey]

"I would not say so," Loki replied with a quick smile. "Might I ask your name?"

[fjordicswagger]

"No, but I'll give it to you anyway," Tamsin said, stepping forward again and reaching for the bird. "Tamsin. Now who are you?"

[abitlowkey]

Ikol fluttered over to the other shoulder, cawing at her again. "I am Loki, son of Laufey. Formerly of Asgard as it resides on this earthly realm. Are you here for my brother then?"

[fjordicswagger]

"I'm not here for anyone," Tamsin said. She pulled her arm back. Then took a step back. "Just your friendly neighborhood detective, Loki."

[abitlowkey]

"Is that what you are?" Hey, who was he to tell her otherwise?

[fjordicswagger]

"Right now, for all you need to know? Yeah," Tamsin said. Which was as much of an acknowledgement as Loki was going to get about whatever he was suggesting here.

[abitlowkey]

"Then I wish you all the best."

You know, Loki. It sounded ominous when it came from you. Blame the reputation.

[fjordicswagger]

Just a little.

Tamsin wouldn't be Tamsin if she let it show on her face, though. "Thanks," she said pointedly. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about these lawn gnomes, would you?"

[abitlowkey]

"That is a very... boring sort of mischief," he replied slowly. "If you wish to follow the news I suggest preparing offerings of rum for the squirrels."

[fjordicswagger]

Oh, look. There were the crossed arms again, though the bitch, plz smile remained. "What?"

If this was you being you, Loki...

[abitlowkey]

He wouldn't lie! About this. This time.

Probably.

"I swear on the All-Father!" he protested. "They are quite ingenious. You may be forced to read their notes."

[fjordicswagger]

Tamsin had met Lokis before. She had even seen the one who called himself the Loki-- yeah, she wasn't going to put anything past him.

"Squirrels," she said flatly, "are going to force me to read their notes."

[abitlowkey]

"Occasionally." A beat. "I read with the Ares-son for many a Saturday."

[fjordicswagger]

"Do these squirrels happen to fly, or are they just the skittering in treetops variety?"

[abitlowkey]

"Skittering," Loki assured her. "They will doubtless report on this meeting as well."

[fjordicswagger]

"Riiiiight," Tamsin said, drawling the word out. "I'll be sure to keep an eye out for that one, champ."

[abitlowkey]

"Listen to the radio tomorrow morning," Loki replied, undeterred. "If you value your privacy, dearest detective."

[fjordicswagger]

Tamsin wrinkled her nose, then she held up a finger. "You know, word of advice for the growing boy," she said. "'Dearest' makes you sound really creepy."

As did being a Loki, but hey, if a Dark Fae couldn't be Dark Fae around other Dark Fae, then what?

[abitlowkey]

Hey now! He was a Jotun! Not fae.

"I find that people will find me creepy or charming based upon their belief of my nature," he replied. "My Twitter followers love it."

[fjordicswagger]

Did you really want to battle it out between universes here, Loki?

"Oh god," Tamsin said, pausing in her retreat. "You're a Twitter troll. Of course you are."

[abitlowkey]

Only if he had a chance at winning. Lets be real.

"It is the very best humanity has to offer." He also trolled on message boards.

[fjordicswagger]

"This," Tamsin said, spreading her arms out. "Better not be an elaborate hoax for your Instagram page."

[abitlowkey]

Loki gave her a deeply offended look. "My lies are more finely crafted than this."

Because he mostly told the truth. It confused everyone.

[fjordicswagger]

"Pull the other one," Tamsin said. She groaned. "Four days here and I really need a drink."

[abitlowkey]

That earned her a sympathetic look. "It is a unique island. Try not to go mad."

[fjordicswagger]

"So far, it's boring, with some real patches of whatever the hell this is," she said, half-turning... and spotting Tiny creeping towards a quarter of a gnome.

[abitlowkey]

"One time we all ended up in a horrible dungeon while we slept." Did that help?

[fjordicswagger]

Tamsin shrugged one shoulder. "Who hasn't had that happen to them at least once?"

[abitlowkey]

Loki had to give it a thought. "Humans?"

[fjordicswagger]

Tamsin's expression clearly questioned Loki's judgement in even bothering to mention those.

[abitlowkey]

But they were so much fun! And brought you things like Cheetos. "The island is mostly human."

Mostly.