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Its a bagel shop. It seems like a totally normal bagel shop. Because it is. Its just that some not-normal people are in it. Like Gidget. And Reno. And Loki. Loki is lurking in the corner and sipping a coffee, with a paper neatly folded in front of him. But his green eyes are not at all focused on the current events. No. No…there is something far more important on his mind…like which ones of these Midgardians would be the perfect ones for his little mission. He's definitely narrowed it down to a few, when one of them decides to pay and leave, so…now he's down to two. BAH. Time to move on this! He stands up and abandons his newspaper.
*
Standing at that counter she was looking like something straight out of a fashion magazine, standing at about 5'10/5'11 she was dressed in a pair of cream wide leg pants and a flowy matching blouse. Talking to the man behind the counter she'd smile brightly as she pulled off her shades. "Let me just get….an everything bagel with cream cheese….." Tapping her chin she would slowly start to pull some cash out of that black handbag. "And a large coffee would be great….." Taking a deep breath she would look around a bit, blissfully unaware before hearing him tell her her total. "Here you go!" Grabbing her items she would find a table by herself and just sat down, starting to drink her coffee a bit.
*
Reno loved bread. He couldn't help it, it was a bird thing. Ask any pigeon and they'll give you a fake phone number, but will absolutely give you the skinny on where to find the best bagels! For all purposes Reno was a decent guy, he was neither a tall man a strong man, or even a brave man, but he had enough charisma to avoid getting hit most days and taht? Well that was worth something. "Heeeeey! Miss Gidget, que pasa, mamacita?" Familair, yes, but he was just an openly friendly soul. "How's teh coffee here, any good or boiled dirt?"
*
It was convenient, both of them together. Loki approached the conversing pair and smiled. It was a greeting. "Good day. I was wondering…do either of you have anything that would prevent you from being transported by Asgardian magic to another realm in the universe?" SUPER FRIENDLY, cries out his tone, as if he were asking them for the time. He smiles, too, eyebrows lifted with just a hint of spark in those green eyes.
*
Looking over to Reno she would smile and chuckled a bit then. "Que….pasa….." A tilt of her head then grinned a bit. "That's what's up right? I'm good. How are you?" Pointing to the one spare chair she would smile brightly and chuckled. "The coffee? Eh. It's not like the stuff my father gets from France so…" When Loki asked approached them and blinked a bit. A tilt her of head then as she just…shook her head. "I uh….um…no….what?" Now….she looked confused. "…trasnported?"
*
Reno warmed up a smile and pointed a finger at her, "Yeah yeah. Robbie taught you good." He was pleased by this. He turned at the voice and looked very confused. "An ass- what? Guy I don't know what sort of trip you are on but that is not healthy durin the day though that is a niiiiice suit." Looking back to Gidget he looked genuinly concerned, "You think this guy's okay," Looking back to Loki he asked, "Hey, you okay man? You need some help or somehthing?" Words he will regret asking later.
*
Loki reaches out, rather suddenly, to touch both of them, and an instant later, they are no more in the coffee shop. Instead, they are thrust into relative darkness. It can be a nausiating effect. The place smells warm and feels like steam is a regular occurance. The floor is stone. The wall is stone. The ceiling…you guessed it…also stone. At first glance, its a cave, but as the eyes adjust, its an inhabited cave, with little signs of alteration here and there. "Let me thank you in advance for your offer to help. I…and Loki, of Asgard. Asgard is one of Nine realms…of which Midgard, your /Earth/," said with some disdain for the name they call it, "is one. There are eight others under the domain of my father, the King, and we are in a /different/ one. Essentially, I have teleported us to Nidavellir…the Realm of the /Dwarves/…great smiths and forgers…perhaps you've heard some…rumors? Are…the two of you all right? I forgot to ask." A smile lances across his face.
*
When she was touched, she couldn't react fast enough and was hurled into the darkness. Letting out a scream she would feel as if she was about to throw up when they finally did land. Her hand would go to her mouth and her stomach then. "….oh god…." Gagging she would look up to him as she stumbled back a bit. "….what?!" Looking at him as if he had lost his mind, she'd just frown slightly. "Dude! Are you nuts?" Blinking she would look around a bit as she noticed….her purse was gone. Great. "No I don't know anything about this….Nida…what? And…MIdgard and….." Yup…she was a bit feisty it seemed.
*
Reno was a bird. When this happened? Well who could say. But presently there was a large black crow behind Gidget's heel taht might get kicked a couple times trying to hide behind her. In a craw-croaked trembling voice came "Raaaaawk nopenopenopenopenope" and a … was the bird whingng? The bird was activly trying not to soil the stone under it and focusing on hopping from one foot to the other to avoid being stamped on. Protect me tall nice lady!
*
Loki stares at the two…one now a bird, one all feisty. He exercises impressive patience as he just waits for the calm to…sort of settle. Then he tips his head. "Its very simple. These Dwarves are the only ones that can fix my helm, and its currently in bad shape. However, they are holding a centuries long grudge against me, currently, so I need someone else to ask them to do it…" Here he smiles, a gentle, winning sort of expression, "Someone they will /like/, and be interested in." With a flourish he gestures at the two of them. "Let us give a try. We have…man-who-can-change-into-bird, which feels useful to me. And…tall attractive lady with a positive attitude. I think you could truly /sell/ this request to a bunch of shut-in /morons/ who just happen to be the best smiths. What do you say?"
*
Staring at Loki as if he's lost his mind, she didn't even notice that there was a bird near her feet. Looking around she would finally seem to be looking for Reno until she looked down and saw the bird. Blinking she would just stare at him and just muttered something in French under her breath before looking back over at Loki. "Look….." She'd fold her arms across his chest as she shifted her wait, popping her hip. "I don't know what you did to piss them off….I don't know how we can hep with that. Tried….apologizing?" Rolling her eyes a bit she'd look around then frowned again looking back at him. "And what makes you think I can help?" Pointing to the bird she'd raise her brow. "Obviously….he's unique. Me? Not so much so……" Waving her hands around…she was quite animated. "I don't know what you expect me to do….."
*
Reno was still shaking in his talons looking EV-ER-Y-WHERE. Even in Crow-ish he had an accent. It was like he couldn't run from himself. "n-n-n-not true. not exactly. You're brave. Right? That's atrait? We fix this and you take bird, go home to nice warm bagel and absolutely do not trade bird to tiny angry dudes to bake into a pie yeah? Right. I like this plan of yours. Pelase tell me is plan of yours, nice lady."
*
Loki smiles faintly. "Let me put it differently, then." He makes a swirling motion with his hands and summons up his helm, which indeed, appears to have one horn that is REALLY bent. "You," he points at Gidget, "Pretend to be a messenger of Thor. This is actually rather convenient that you are a bird, and a talking one, because those fools will absolutely believe your story. Tell them that Thor has bid you to take this helm to them to fix, so that he may put it in the trophy room. And, if you do not want to do this for me, its /fine/. I will just teleport you to Muphelheim where you can talk to the fire giants to see about a way out." When in doubt, just threaten?
*
Gidget would blink at him and just….shook her head. "You are…..nuts." A tilt of her head as she then blinked at his alternative. "Wait….what?!" Okay….so now she was getting worked up. Her chest started to glow as she tried to keep calm. "Know what….? Fine!" Pointing her finger at him she'd just frown a bit. "If I get hurt….my boyfriend is going to kick your ass!" Oh yeah she was mad.
*
Reno flew up and perched on Gidget's shoulder. On the upshot he only weighed as much as a large bird ought and tried not to get too pokey withthe talons there. Neatly wings and feathers were pinned back behind him careful not to leave any laying around (Pleasedon'tmoltpleasedon'tmoltpleasedon'tmolt). He nodded emphatically! Okay he wasn't brave, but he did believe in the Ghost Rider to…get… well he was pretty pro at being pissed. The crow tilted his head giving Loki the side eye, "Bro, why your helmet all bent up like that? And lemme get this straight, if we don't talk to the tiny angry dudes we have to talk to big on-fire dudes? Whatever happened to talking to just dudes?"
*
Loki offers the priceless helm over to Gidget. "Not as fun. This really will be fun. You'll see." Then he turned to lead the way, acting as if he didn't just kidnap and threaten lives in the last 10 minutes. Onward they go through the tunnel until it starts to widen out.The moment it does widen out, the inhabitants also become visible, though Loki has chosen a tunnel that comes up somewhat above a small working village of them. Perhaps 30 dwarves are in this area, all /different/ and at the same time, remarkably similar in the style of clothing and the beards. The village is made of simple stonework in a larger cavern, and it is sweltering in here for, also, there is a great forge. The forge is being fed by great fires, and on the furthest side of the cavern there is a stream, about a foot wide, of lava running down the wall, and presumably into a pit. Its near to this lava waterfall that there are other creatures. They are taller, grey, slender, beautiful really. They seem to be assisting the dwarves that are over in that direction. The dwarves actively working are easy to spot, further off to the left, hammering away at steel with hammers as large as their heads. "I used an illusion to attack my brother in the form of a dragon as a gift to him and he hit me with Mjolnir and it bent the horn. But, he thinks its funny and refuses to help me get it fixed."
*
Sighing a bit she wold take the helm and frowned a bit as she shake her head a bit. Good thing she wasn't wearing her high heels today…that would suck. Looking around she would follow after Loki with a sigh before holding onto that thing tightly then. Licking her lips she would then frown a bit as she looked to the bird and just groaned. "Let's just get this over with….and it serves you right." More like a scolding mother she would just then looked over to the creatures that are working diligently. Looking to Loki then she would raise her brow. "So….how do I get their attention? Just….call out or….is there protocol?"
*
There was a funny noise. Did hte bird just snicker? Okay it was a little funny looking bent. Hell the story was funny as an image played through his head. On Gidget's shoulder the bird hopped from one foot to the other, "Ooh I got this one." And like a herald of death and all manner of forboding things let loose a resonate, baleful cry! That…will wake up the neighbours.
*
"Confidence is key. Take it to the one known as Glamir. And it was a /present/ to Thor…he should have liked it." Loki nods and then ducks a little, watching, but trying to not be visible to those below. He can manage that well enough. Especially with the nearest dwarves turning to look at the crow.
"Is that Hugin?"
"No, its Munin!"
"Its niether of them you blaggards, its…" That dwarf squints his beady little eyes. Gidget has the floor. She will absolutely be noticable in here, and she's holding the bent helm of Loki.
*
Gidget would go wide eyed as the bird screeched. Just….great. Real smooth dude. Sighing sh would clear her threat as she saw everyone staring at her. It was now are never. Taking a deep breath, she would speak, her accent now no longer New Yorker but French. "Greetings! I am La Couturiere! I was sent here….in the place of my lord Thor!" Looking to the Bird she'd seem to be looking for help but continued on as she smiled. "I was sent to see about having this….repaired. He wishes it to be immaculate when it is added to his collection and put on display…." Lord help her….this is insane.
*
Reno never though having served 2 years in a state penitentiary would have actually taught him a skill worth having. Today that skill was talking one's way out of being ground to a pulp with aplomb…and a healthy dose of ingratiating. Yes, the bird talked, "Great dwarves, is there any other who could craft such a thing and do it justice? They said it is ruined. Forever. Maybe longer. He? HE! said you could repair it when no one else can." He pondered asdding If you could not send us back empty handed to those maniacs we may owe ya a solid but being in the back pocket of angry dudes with hammers was not where he wanted to be.
*
|ROLL| Loki +rolls 1d20 for: 7
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|ROLL| Reno +rolls 1d20 for: 15
*
The nearest dwarves totally buy it. One comes closer, looking at Gidget's odd attire and muses at her and the helm in her hand. "Tis the helm of /Loki/ That TRICKSTER. I still have the yellow paint in my home! Sooo…Thor has defeated him? Tell me…while I fix this for you…how did it happen? I would hear this tale!" The dwarf turns to take the helm to the forging area, where there are benches and molds and shapers, all manner of tools. Its really hot here too.
*
They bought?! They bough it!! Internally she was screaming as she just smiled brightly. "Yes!! The helm of the inferior Loki!!" Grinning she would look to the bird then back to the Dwarf. "Weeelll….." Oh god now she had to think of a story. "In the land of Midgard he thought that it was time for him to show his might against his brother Thor! But we all know that was futile as Thor a much more devastating warrior! I wish I was privy to such exploits up close for I am just a….herald and servant!" Now her French was showing, talking with her hands as she got into it. "Then all I know is that they were battling and the MIGHTY Thor knocked down that puny Loki to the ground, crushing that helm! I suppose that he though he could take Thor might for might but no! He was squashed like a bug and the helm was retrieved for Lord Thor's collection!"
*
Loki runs both hands through his hair as he hunches out of view, up the stairway. He can't even mutter, lest he be heard. AGONY!!
*
Reno puffed UP! Yes, very important- well technically he was a messenger. That part was not untrue. But important! You tell it, girl! "Haaaaw! You left out the part where he had to walk back without shoes. Very angry Loki." He was really, in truth, trying to help. He couldn't be turned into a pie for doing as he was asked to do right? That and if Gidget got squished? well someone else would turn him into a smear. You know, just being an indestructible bird was sounding better and better.
*
Giggling a bit she would then nod as she looked to the Dwarves. "I thank you, kind gentleman! I am sure my lord will value the work that was done to repair the helm. You are most definitely my savior in the endeavor." Oh yeah….at least she was going to enjoy insulting him sense she got threatened. That's what you get!!
*
The Dwarf takes the helm over to the workshop and starts hammering away at it. Its fascinating to watch them work. While the two tell the 'story' of Loki's bent helm, they also witness how the dwarf-smith before them tings at it with a large hammer, then a small one, then strokes the metal with his hand fast enough to make it vibrate, then touches it, then repeats. Its a communication of some sort, a listening, a sonic component to the forging, and at a blinding pace. TONG TING SCHWING, over and over, and the closer the helm gets to being fixed, the louder the schwing sound at the end, like its a tuning fork, near to being at pitch. "Yes? Yes, go on, what did his face look like when he was beaten? Crow, what is your name? Are you the lesser known of Odin's ravens? Fifl? Hugin, Munin and Fifl, that's how I hear it. Are you Fifl?" Now, if either of them are up on their Norse…Hugin-Thought, Munin-Memory and Fifl-Useless Idiot.
Loki, meanwhile, bites on his armor to keep from yelling NONE OF THIS IS TRUE!
*
Gidget would just watch them going to work on that helm and just smiled. Keeping calm she would just seem to zone out until he told her to continue. Blinking a bit she would then grin as she nodded. "Oh goodness I think he was crying. I saw him standing slowly before shuffling off, wounded. I can tell you..I think we heard him weep!" A hand would go to her mouth as she then asked about the bird. Aw crap. Name….name. Well they asked HIM his name. Not her. Don't screw us.
*
|ROLL| Reno +rolls 1d20 for: 2
*
Cuervo was pretty certain that he couldn't give out his name as being at all passable. At being asked his name he puffed up and said "No one ever recognizes the messengers. Eeeeveryone wants to hear from their ancestors, no one thanks the bird." He didn't answer but flapped his wings confirming Loki's state, "There was wailing at the loss of dignity befitting old women at funerals. It was … most impressive."
*
Tong Ting Schwing! The dwarf looks astoundingly happy at this. "Yes! YES! As such he deserves! Why, We still speak of the day he swindled away the ring! Another dwarf yells, "THAT RING!!" in sympathy. One dwarf, smaller than the others…maybe a young adult…says, "Didn't he also sav-" He's promptly interrupted. "NEVER! That was Thor!" "Yes, we love Thor!" The dwarf keeps working away, apparently ALSO totally buying that the crow is a crow and one of Odin's messengers, because…they are hearing exactly what they want to hear. Tong Ting SchWING!!! There is a resounding sound and the horns both appear to be in line again with each other. He hands the helm back over to Gidget. "Messengers…tell the Mighty Thor that he can always depend on the /DWARVES!/" And he pounds his chest once in a salute.
*
"Oh my! So many stories!!!" Beaming she would chuckle a bit, that French accent still prevalent as she then took that Helm in her arms. "I thank you! You are definitely the master craftsmen!!" Giving them a low curtsey with a flourish - her debutante days were paying off - she'd then wave and turn. "Thank you so much! Now I must quickly be on my way!! Farewell!!" And with that she turned on her heels and quickly started on her way back from whence she came.
*
|ROLL| Loki +rolls 1d20 for: 5
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|ROLL| Loki +rolls 1d20 for: 11
*
Reno bowed feathered head and bade, "Well your work says more than I could for you. He will be very pleased." Reno leaned back on Gidget's shoulder like geeeet us out of heeeere… Yeah, his bravado was wearing out. Good news you can't make teh eeeeee! face as a bird so he had that going for him.
*
|ROLL| Loki +rolls 1d20 for: 15
*
As Gidget and Reno return to Loki…who looks like his twitching with the anxiety of those totally fitful stories, he reaches out to try and snatch the helm right out of Gidget's hands, all rudely! "Crying?!" Green eyes widen. "/CRYING/?" A beat. "I only do that when I am REALLY upset. Its different. You would not understand as a mortal. Asgardians have emotions that run incredibly deep."
*
As he reached for that helm she snatched it back. "Oh ho ho….no sir." She'd raise her brow as her voice went back to that New Yorker accent. "You've got some brass to ask for my help and then be /RUDE/!! And hey….I felt inspired…." Huffing, she truly had no idea who she was messing with but the French and New York in her didn't care as she was….miffed. "Now…a thank you would be awesome….emotions deep or not." In fact, she let go of the helm as if to drop it but it only started to float up in the air above them. "First you snatch me out of a bagel shop then you threaten me…..I can at least have….a thank you!"
*
Reno headtilted at Loki, "You said get teh job done. You didn't say how, buddy. Helmet fixed, people not squashed…" When GIdget held out the bird looked afraaaaaaid. He whispered, "ooh ooh ask for a replacement bagel!" Birds man, always thinking of food. hey thinking baout food calmed him down. Birds, being small, really had room for few emotions at a time and hunger was winning.
*
Loki glanced at the bird when he asked for a bagel. Bird. His eyes flicked up at the hovering helm, then the bold woman standing up to him. He can appreciate a little brass. And they did get the job done. "Very well. /Thank you/." His lips slice into a smile.
*
She'd let that helm fall and catching it in her hands she'd reach it out. "….your welcome." When he took that helm from her, she'd fold her arms over her chest as she huffed. "Now….can you take me back to the bagel shop, please and thank you?" A brow would raise as she watched him intently now.
*
|ROLL| Reno +rolls 1d20 for: 12
*
Reno said tentivly, "Th-that was the agreement. Sooner rather than later pref-ferably." He hesitated realizing this was a poorly negotiated contract. His eyes went large and he hesitated. "Please… please don't leave us here for any longer."
*
Loki grasped the helm and set it slowly on his head, then grinned with the satisfaction of a well-balanced protection. "Yes…absolutely. Stand right there, and be ready?" Then he moved to the edge of the wall where he was hiding before, except this time he is standing tall. He lifts his voice and calls out, brazenly, "I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE GENEROUS DWARVES FOR THE DONATION OF THEIR TIME AND EFFORT TO FIX MY GLORIOUS HELM, SO THAT I MAY CONTINUE TO IMPOSE UPON THE FIELD OF BATTLE! OH, AND ALSO FOR BEING TERRIBLY GULLIBLE!" One can pretty much FEEL the entire area get hotter with the sheer and sudden rage in the nearer dwarves. Loki projects confidence towards THEM, but the moment he steps back from the dias, he whispers, "Time to go, time to go!" at the two humans he dragged with him.
*
She'd sigh a bit as she then watched him go to the edge. "…wait…wait!" And then….he yelled. Oh my god she's going to die. When he started moving she started to push him along faster. "Go! Go! I don't feel like dying by dwarves!" She'd look to that bird and just shook her head. "Dude…" Looking back to Loki she would frown. "You just can't leave well enough alone!"
*
Reno was not brave but was loyal. He stayed perched to Gidget's shoulder (sorry Gidget) and extended a wing to cover all of, well only the back of her head. So if htey were hit with a fireball her hair would be okay?! He was only a foot tall. He was working with what he had. Who knew what that sound was. Turns out that off key sound was the sound a bird makes when it wants to play lame so it's not eaten. Very noble. "He didn't even get us a bagel!"
*
Loki teleported them, in a flash, back to New York, just outside the bagel shop. "I am going to get you a bagel! I will buy you each a bagel." He says this…after they are standing on the sidewalk. Loki still looks like…behorned Loki. People start looking. "And you have my /gratitude/." He winks at Gidget, "I used anonymous people to them just so that you would NOT get in trouble with the dwarves. No one was harmed in any way!"
*
Ugh. That feeling of being sick again….great. As they were standing out there again she would blink and then just put her hand to her mouth. How does he do that and not get sick. Sighing softly she would look at him and just shook her head as she raised her brow. "Yeah…." Raising her brow a bit as she just sighed a bit. "Thanks….." Then she blinked. "Oh my god my purse…." And she bolted inside to see if it was still there. Oh good…it was….coming back out she'd look at Loki then. "Gratitude….? Thanks….I think."
*
Reno wasn't changing on the street and at this rate? Hey, being a bird was tons safer. "Just…please… don't get those thingies caught in another revolving ddoor. My heart can't take doing that again." There was a pause and a quieter caw asking "Are we back? Is it over? I'm not looking until it's all over."
*
"Yesss, brave bird, it is over. You have both…been very interesting to me. Careful when you call in that favor I owe you. I do not tend to play precisely by the rules. But, I will help you with one thing. Fair enough? You know I will owe you that bagel another time. I think I should /go/." He smiles elegantly, but there's a shout over his left shoulder and he glances. Angry New Yorker. UGH.
*
Sighing a bit she Ould just shake her head. "Oh don't worry…I'll be quite….specific…." Rolling her eyes she would then turn to head back inside that bagel shop and then stopped to look at the bird. "….I'm telling Robbie…." And with that she headed in, flustered more than anything. Men….
*
Reno says, "Good beeeeecause I have no words for this. I have a bagel, btu no words."