#vash \ / hr23

[mischiefmodig]

@epilvgue \ / Hearths Rising Starter

He was growing restless. Answers were coming no faster to him in his own research than in any other subject he had studied in the past. He knew the legends of this place almost for heart by this point, but everything was as infuriatingly vague as it was back on Asgard.

Further still, he'd become distracted by the dawning of another evil that watched him from afar.

Dwyrnokk. A familiar creature of his own world though not identical ( he recognized the name as soon as he eyes fell upon it. ) A terror had taken through him when he remembered the way it stared upon him. He was a master of lies, a trickster, of course it was after him. He had too many secrets he needed to bear.

He would certainly not be forced into participating in this world's frivolous activities. He simply would not allow it. And now that he had made up his mind, he had plunged himself into his work.

For days...

He'd lost track of them, searching for answers to escape. To have power restored, anything to make it make sense to him. He was so caught up in his studies at the Archives, he failed to notice a familiar figure approach him.

A tap upon his shoulder brought him out of his stupor, a hand reaching for the nearest book to become his weapon. Only to recognize the man who approached. The person he was forced to share a roof with.

❝ What are you doing here? ❞ He asked curtly, though perhaps for Vash's benefit, he was rather more exhausted than usual. He hadn't been to the Villa in a few days ( curse this mortal body. )

[mischiefmodig]

Alive. That made Loki scoff to himself. The book was lowered quickly once again, knowing that Vash was of little threat to him ( at this time ) at the very least he was not a stranger. He would not address that further anyway, he assumed it was his attempt at humor.

❝ Dwyrnøkk. ❞ His accent was perfect with the Norse tongue. Fluent and clear as he corrected Vash. He sat back down at the table, staring at the images. ❝ An old legend tells of creatures who lure people to the water and drown them within it. This is not that, but something close to it. ❞ Loki picks up the open book, handing it over to the intruder to read.

❝ Apparently, it seeks those who feel some level of estrangement from the world and those who won't participate in the frivolous holiday, and drown them after it stalks them for several days. ❞ People like Loki who did not desire to be told what to do. He laughed half-heartedly at the notion. He was so tired, keeping himself within the walls. His truth was his own, regardless of what this world thought.

❝ I have found nothing in which that will kill the creature, yet. Everything says the same thing and I want no part in this little game. ❞ How cruel was it to send a creature upon people who would obviously feel estranged when forced away from their world. He feared more than anything a second death.

「𝔟𝔞𝔫𝔤 𝔟𝔞𝔫𝔤!」- To go for days on end without seeing someone was nothing new to Vash. He hardly gave it much of a second thought when Loki vanished for a time. Vash was known to do the very same, wandering off for day, weeks - years, sometimes. It just depended upon luck and fate and when he really had a chance to get back without (hopefully) causing too much of a ruckus.

His track record wasn't the best.

At the moment he was walking, cold but somewhat comfortable in his duster.

...Through the haze of the winter months and the fog of falling snow, blue eyes glimpsed something strange again. Not his usual visions, but a horse. It sent a shiver up his spine although he didn't really know why. - It made him squirm. A low guilt surged beneath the skin. Everything was complicated. The walls remained high and up as he guarded himself against even his own brother.

He blinked and the white horse had disappeared. Just like the other times he had seen it.

Although he had been participating aplenty in the festivities of the month, there was still part of Vash that wanted to try and figure this all out. He didn't want to get too comfortable despite his own words. They had a second chance, No Man's Land was probably much better off without him. Even so he was walking to the Archives. He wanted to learn more about this place, he wanted to see if there was any way to get back at least a little of what he had lost. Just his gun even. Something familiar, something he knew how to wield and operate with.

White horse wasn't exactly the best start, but perhaps he could look up the apparition there. Unless it was all in his head as well...

Vash wandered the halls and shelves and expanse of the Archives, simply trying to find what he was looking for on his own until he stumbled upon a small area of tables and chairs. And seated there was an at least moderately familiar figure surrounded by books. Vash hurried over to his roommate.

Sure, tapping his shoulder probably wasn't the best idea, but it was too late to re-think that decision as a book was brandished at him. The gunman threw his hands up to protect from it being flung at him and took a step back.

"Sorry, sorry. Just doin' some lookin' around. Good ta see yer still alive though..." It was almost flippant the way he spoke of death and life - then again, where he came from death was as easy to come by as anything. Often times it was the most mercy the desert planet could give. As he spoke, he saw the book open behind the other man. He poked his head around Loki's shoulder to peer at what he was reading. "D... Duweirnock?"

Dwyrnokk.

His gaze glided over the page, only seeing words here and there. He saw the drawing. And his voice grew perhaps startlingly low. Soft blues hardened as he looked back at Loki. "I've seen that thing. A couple'a times. What is it?"