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[dusk_and_dawn]

If I needs must live with this Midgardian technology, I would better understand it. Being surrounded by machines I know not the purpose of is discomfiting. [He sighs. Why must things change?] Happily, the library is more straightforward, although a bit overwhelming in its breadth. The history of this place appears quite different from that of our Midgard, and does not seem to include the rest of the Nine Realms. They seem to be spoken of only in mythology.

I am spending most my days at the training hall. Any who would seek me may find me there. Those whom I have promised to spar with or to train may join me at any time.

Comments

[whatsupcroc]

( Gaping. )

Oh... oh! I'm glad that's all changed! What made it change?

[dusk_and_dawn]

My brother. He has broken the cycle and put our fates into our own hands.

[Strangely enough, Balder doesn't sound all that happy about it.]

[whatsupcroc]

( Indeed she finds it odd, and since she's gifted with the sensitivity of a falling bull when it comes to some things, Collette goes ahead and asks; )

Why don't you sound happy about that?

[dusk_and_dawn]

Ah. [He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly.] 'Tis somewhat hard to know what to do with one's life when one has always done the same thing.

[whatsupcroc]

I guess not everyone's excited at the idea of being able to do anything they want... within reasonable limits.

[dusk_and_dawn]

I would be excited if I had some notion of what to do, perhaps. But my whole life has been defined by fighting Ragnarok, and now it no longer exists.

Nor have I found any success in my ventures since ...

[whatsupcroc]

What sort of ventures? I mean... wasn't Ragnarok this thing that was supposed to happen once? Or do I have that confused with Armageddon?

[dusk_and_dawn]

No, Ragnarok was our cycle of life and death. The death part, specifically.

And since then I have been king ... but not a good one.

[whatsupcroc]

( Sounding pretty weird to Collette. She stops trying to figure out, accepting it as the fact it was for Balder. In any case, she's more curious about why he thinks himself a poor king. )

What makes you think you've been a bad one?

[dusk_and_dawn]

[Balder looks uncomfortable at that.]

I ... am simply a man of battle, not a man of politics. I make poor choices and am ill suited for the throne.

[whatsupcroc]

Oh, I know what you mean. Like me, I'd be a terrible leader! I don't have the head for it at all. People do best when they stick to their strengths and all!

( Wait, she doesn't think that's terribly reassuring. )

I mean, and then the things you're not so good at, you try and learn and figure out and practice until you are. I bet you've got people around who support you! You might not have wanted to be king, and you may be better on the battlefield than the, uh, political field... but it can also mean you're more likely to listen to people's opinions and stuff too.

( Maybe... she's not sure. )

Everyone makes mistakes. Have you been learning from them?

[dusk_and_dawn]

The problem is that I listen to the wrong opinions. I ... a king must still judge.

[He shakes his head.] I am afraid I believe I have learned nothing at all.

[whatsupcroc]

Eh, if you realize you listen to the wrong ones, doesn't that say you're starting to learn? If you really hadn't, you'd still think those opinions were right.

[dusk_and_dawn]

'Tis more complicated than that. 'Tis a matter of loyalties and lack thereof.

[whatsupcroc]

( She thinks on that, nodding after a moment. )

Are you the one loyal to the people not loyal to you, or... what's up with that?

[dusk_and_dawn]

[He sighs.]

My brother is a remorseless villain. Always he is forgiven and always he betrays us. Even now he pledges his earnestness despite his plots against us all. He thinks us such fools he does not even give us the respect of declaring his hatred, but simpers before us as though we were blind.

But my brother will always forgive him. [...and what is Balder to do?]

[whatsupcroc]

( Wooooah okay that doesn't sound good at all. )

People do all kinds of desperate and dumb things for family. I guess love is like that, but... if your one brother does that all the time, why does your other brother keep forgiving him? When it hurts everyone else so much? He can't let go of a chance of that changing?

[dusk_and_dawn]

[Balder just gazes at the ground.]

I do not know. I do not know if he truly believes Loki will ever change or if he simply loves him too much to bear a life without him, good or ill.

[whatsupcroc]

That's sad, for your brother and for Loki.

( Wait. Pause. Collette straightens up, shaking her head and looking to Balder. )

Wait, you're talking about Loki? Guy who got lost in a storm Loki? ShamWow king?

[dusk_and_dawn]

[???]

ShamWow?

[whatsupcroc]

Yeah! It's this super-absorbent cloth that's about this big -- ( she demonstrates with her hands, holding them apart and squaring her fingers off to suggest the general size of the cloth ) -- and is bright yellow! The Loki who was here before our current Loki really was into it, so when he disappeared, I kept it just in case he came around again. He hasn't, but your brother seemed interested enough that he took it off my hands again.

But didn't take my hands off, which... the first Loki did to someone who stole from him. That was a bad move. ( She frowns. ) It wasn't funny at all.

[dusk_and_dawn]

... ah. This explains some things.

My brother is indeed the Loki who is here at current.

[whatsupcroc]

Wow, I had no idea... he's really that bad? It's not just melodramatics?

[dusk_and_dawn]

He is extremely fond of melodrama, yes, but he is also a powerful and amoral sorcerer. 'Twould be best to be careful 'round him.

[whatsupcroc]

Is it still okay talking to him? Not trusting that he means much of what he says, but... he's kind of fun to talk to.

( Sounding like she's really, really asking Balder this. Her tone is more subdued; family knows family best and worst, after all. )