#byleth \ / hi24

[mischiefmodig]

@fellstcr \ / It's you ... Hypnum Insomnum pt. I

... this was not a part of the plan. Not that anything ever truly fell into Loki's design. He was a master of the ever-changing, constant flow that was Chaos. It was not something to control. All you can do is watch, listen, then follow. From there you may yet find the outcome you desire.

But this was not the outcome he wanted at all.

He had grown frantic as of late ( damned moss, wretched disgusting clouds of pink dust ) a helpless, evil feeling of knowing what he was supposed to be and unable to rise above it all. While his magic was still locked away... he needed a way to gain control fight back.

At the time ... the most straightforward solution ... was to acquire a weapon. Daggers had always been his primary selection ( the ability to stay nimble and light with accuracy and flexibility suited his style best ) and thus a stroll toward a secluded weapons location ( dark, quiet, criminal it seemed ) was in order. Unfortunately for him, he had no coin to his name.

But what was he if not someone willing to do whatever it took for his survival? The weapon was stolen, though it seemed his sleight of hand was not as clean as he had thought. A fight had broken out over the dagger, and he kept to his own well enough ( a few scrapes, bruises, bloodied nose and fingers ) ...

Until she showed up.

From out of the darkness itself, the green-haired fiend ( he knew her, how could he forget the heel that dug into the snow. ) emerged from hiding and brought upon the scuffle new attacks. Loki held his own for as long as he could, but she seemed to him a master of combat herself. It was as if she could read his movements before he even could - something that not even Sif or most of Asgard's finest had ever done.

Following her appearance were the annoying androids of the police department, and thus the illegal weapons deal had been put down as swiftly as it had ever gone up.

And that was where he was now. In a cell. Two pairs of cuffs on his wrists in the front ( he had already slid out of several pairs from the back, he was petty ) he sat on the "bed" in his holding cell, staring at the grey stone floor nursing his wounds. Nothing but quietness, a chair, table, and iron bars in front of him. His thoughts raced, but his sleep-deprived mind struggled to form much of anything except to admonish himself for being caught at all.

The preferred outcome in this place? Escape.

[mischiefmodig]

This game was getting tiresome. It seemed the creature would not be swayed by any sort of logic or reason ( this was proving to be a repeated fact. one he did not approve of. ) Then again, he was stretching the facts of his arrest... on purpose, of course. Frankly, he found the scenario to be pointless considering the circumstances.

Why she chose to focus on a singular criminal versus the hundreds of losing souls outside.

❝ I'm the one wasting time? ❞ He questioned. ❝ I frankly, do not need your input on what it is I choose to do or not. ❞ He leaned back against the concrete walls, legs came up and crossed under his body. it seemed he was going to be here for a long time. Might as well get comfortable.

❝ Regardless. I have no desire nor need to summon, the man called Thor son of Odin. Nor will you be convincing me otherwise. ❞ Much like the night on the ice, except he would keep his ground this time.

⚔️ // "you'll be more than welcome to state that case to the man who is pressing charges." curt and to the point. if for nothing else than for the express reason of cutting through this man's APATHY of the subject at hand. whether or not the objects were already stolen was an investigation for the rest of her squadron. as it stood , " even if it may be different where you are from , HERE , you would still be charged with possession of stolen property regardless. the apparent nature of the weapons' ownership still doesn't change your current position."

eyes closed. enlightened one , suddenly feeling the stark weight of the ongoing crisis ( not to mention the strain of loki's hostility ) breathed out through her nose in a long , slow , thin exhale. clearly appealing to his sense of logic was a waste. . . . but maybe not his sense of kinship.

"a position that i'm trying to tell you is a waste of your own time." the words were said more quietly then. "at times like this , you'd do much better not to squander it."

[mischiefmodig]

Loki for as long as he had existed, he kept no heart upon his sleeve nor blush upon his face. He maintained composure because his lies depended upon it. However, upon the retort, he rolled his eyes in as much of a dramatic fashion as possible. his displeasure seeping out in waves.

❝ I hope this is far more entertaining than the drone of the machines 'reading' one's rights. ❞ In a swift motion, he took the papers up to him and then began to read.

Others may be swift in simply signing whatever is handed to them, but Loki was not prone to fall for such a trap. He read every detail of these records, pleased they had very little apart from his full name though it was baren of his titles what good those did to a deadman.

He was not keen on this being in the hands of the law, however, it was only a matter of time before he would fix that.

❝ I see little reason as to why such information is required. ❞ He comments. ❝ But... upon my honor, I can indeed attest that the records are correct. ❞ Following a short bow, he leans back against the wall, cuffed hands still clutching to the papers. ❝ The consideration has been noted, however, will not be necessary. Thank you. ❞

⚔️ // "you'll get the pen once you've bothered to read it over," she replied , nodding to the paper. she knew full well by now that this man - LOKI ODINSON - her records indicated , was perfectly capable of getting out of handcuffs. and at minimum , perfectly acrobatic enough to finagle his way into a more comfortable writing position with them on or off.

fortunately , byleth was nothing if not patient.

"it's a copy of your incident and arrest report. you'll need to attest that you are who our records say you are." she paused , then tapped a finger against the top of her pen, pale talon scraping gilded gold with a tink. "it may also be within your best interests to consider BAIL."

[mischiefmodig]

He stopped himself from rolling his eyes again. Tried. For of all things robbery. ( treason at least had power behind it. Though, it was rather in his best interest to keep that detail hidden. ) Assault was, in his mind, really more self-defense. She was the one who lept from shadows - not that he was able to do much.

Every strike was met with a precise counter. Every counter was made with a harder blow. Frankly, he felt he ought to be the one pressing charges to her, not the other way around. The story came to his mind soon enough.

❝ Ah. I don't believe I will, actually. ❞ He commented. ❝ I believe it's well within my right to defend myself. Afterall, I was the one who was assaulted by those men first. ❞ He leaned forward as he spoke, elbows resting on his knees. He continued to stare her down, showing no signs of budging.

❝ Furthermore, whose property is it that is on trial for being stolen? I think you'll find the dagger certainly did not belong to the gentlemen there. ❞ he gestures with his hands, cuffs rattling in response.

❝ None of the weapons were of the same make. Each carried the unique signatures of the one who likely did, thus the property was already stolen. It seems of little consequence here, when my weapons were stolen from myself by this world's "protectors." ❞ Would not a trial for murder be far more important?

⚔️ // so they were brothers. and by the looks of it , maybe even close. which meant that either this man was clueless as to the nature of byleth's proposal , or staunchly defiant of it. byleth could well assume from his current track record it was most likely THE LATTER.

what byleth didn't understand was why.

"— it's because you'll need someone to help you bail out. you're to be tried for burglary of a weapon. you also now have a record of attempting assault of an officer." ( time had healed the bruises to prove it past the droid's footage. ) "it's safe to say you aren't entirely trusted to be set out on your own right now."

[mischiefmodig]

That's because they're being consumed. They're out there while two people who in all likelihood could do something more, have a battle of stares between them. He loathed the type. People who stay loyal to the law over hearts were no allies of his ( they were the ones who would turn on you more than the outlaws. )

But as quickly as anger had swelled in his chest, so had it subsided upon the mention of 'that' name.

❝ Thor... ❞ he breathed, quietly. In his mind, he struggled to subdue the swell of new emotions ( anger. annoyance. panic. a history that was outside of time but it was all he ever knew ) but recovery was needed. He continued to stare, but the expression softened.

❝ Yes. I do have that familial relationship with the man. ❞ He attempted a casual sidestepping of the mention. He knew where she intended to go, but he had zero intention of following. ( how was he to snap at him and then come crawling back to him like a dog? Loki would not have that. )

❝ I see no reason why the information is relevant to this useless topic. ❞

⚔️ // "i don't see anyone else here."

like stabs with tiny needles against the flesh of her hands , discomfort prickled beneath byleth's skin. still , beings made of stone did not waver , for they hadn't the heart made to falter beneath the wind of a venomous breath. so it was that neither did byleth blink , for he was a foolhardy man , and let it be the will of the goddess that his needles only bent and did not scrape.

"it says here you have a relative on the isle." gaze fell only to glance over the overview of loki's file , printed pages tucked into a manilla folder upon the desk at which she sat. "a brother."

. . . faintly , eyes widened . she knew this name. recognized it from the guild . ( something in her TWISTED . )

"it says his name is THOR."

[mischiefmodig]

And what little respect indeed she had for him. Though he returned the stares she offered, it was obvious enough she did not receive the hint. Indeed war had begun, much like it had upon the iced lake. But she had the advantage, the power. What was he but a fool in cuffs ( that he could break whenever he pleased ) who was caught.

❝ I'm well aware of the circumstances. ❞ He said. There was little in life he loathed more than to yield to those who were so high and mighty in their positions, that they cast judgment upon those who sought other paths. ( he was more content here than in his own mind. A constant never-ending loop of his demise. even he could connect the dots; the moss was infecting his memories. He simply chose not to sleep, and yet it did not stop the rising sense of fear paranoia in his chest )

❝ But frankly, I have no other place to be. Nor means of whatever cost this 'bail' would require for a rather simple weapon obtainment. ❞ he continued to stare. ❝ Surely you have better things to do. People to risk your own being for? Or does the law hold a deeper place in your heart than innocent lives? ❞

⚔️ // hm. so he was capable of feigning manners after all. duly noted. still , the enlightened one sensed a turbulent wind that blew within the confines of the man's person. different from dimitri's growling bite , and so much more like the rattling of a snake's tail. he was wary of her , and in truth he had every right to be. was it not she who secured his place behind bars in the PRESENT MOMENT ? wise , he was — at least when it came to that much... but byleth knew more than the general public about the truth of the situation. she knew that he was also short-sighted.

"with all due respect , LOKI ODINSON , it just might be."

byleth's voice cut through the air like the blade of a flaming sword. her stare pierced and pinned like an arrowhead upon a battlefield. unblinking and unyielding , BYLETH REMAINED.

"given the isle's ... present circumstances ... you would continue to be held here until further notice." she could release him on grounds of personal recognizance , but she was not DAFT enough to trust a burglar to come back by virtue of his word. "bail would allow you to leave the station legally to return to trial later."

[mischiefmodig]

Direct and ever so pragmatic. He expected no less from the woman whose name he had not yet the pleasure of knowing. He made no movement in regard to her first commentary, except for a huff of laughter through his nose. He really did find it amusing. ( breaking out of such trivial devices was a game he'd play as a child )

it did not take much longer after that for the grey-blue of his own eyes to meet hers. The bright green shone in the abysmal glow of the light above, but he was not to back down from this newfound staring contest-

Until the paper hit his boot with a light thud.

❝ I would be glad to. ❞ He smiled. In fact, he would be as cooperative as pride allowed him. The sooner he was released, the better. But he was not keen on submitting to anyone - let alone her a second time.

❝ If I had such a utensil to execute the order by. ❞

⚔️ // click . click . click .

the arrival of the woman was heralded long before she showed up on the other side of the cell. in her hands was a small bundle of papers regarding this echo's incident. and although it was only herself on the job this day , byleth no less walked with purpose. rounding the bend , she barely looked at her charge in the holding cell before she had deposited most of her newfound paperwork at the desk across the room from him.

"if you're going to break out of your cuffs , you could at least put them to the side for someone else to use after you," byleth announced. green eyes darted up and pinned him pointedly. she drummed a pointed finger atop her desk. only once he had returned her gaze did byleth step forward and slide the document between the bars of his holding cell. the paper skid across the tile and bumped against his boot.

a copy of the incident and arrest report. highlighted at the bottom:

"i suggest that you sign it quickly," she continued, "the sooner you're processed the sooner you can be released from here."