[Third]

[midgardserpent]

Jormungandr has been cheerfully informed by his drone wife that he has a job and he'd better get to it or there could be trouble. After some very frustrated one-word questioning, he was able to get the information he needed: where and what it is. It sounds completely pointless, but he's decided to at least go check it out.

It's office work. It's even more pointless than he thought it would be. But he's stuck with it, and if what he hears is correct, he has to do it or there are consequences. He is not happy.

So this afternoon/evening Jormungandr can be found in one of the following places:

A. The Park. [Jormungandr has discovered a small pond. He's barefoot, but an observer might notice that the shoes sitting nearby are soaking wet, as if he walked into the pond before taking them off then changed his mind. He's just standing there, staring at the water.]

B. Walking Around Town. [He doesn't look particularly happy. In fact, he looks pretty angry. He wants out of this town, even if it means going back to being trapped underneath the ocean. At least there he knew who he was and what his purpose was. The more he learns about this place, the more pointless, inane, and frustrating it becomes. He's got a foul look on his face as he wanders aimlessly.]

C. Phone Call. [He's watched the drone woman chatter on the phone enough that he thinks he understands what the purpose of it is. So this evening he's decided to try it himself. He picks up the phone, dials a random number, and waits. When you pick up he'll be quiet for a moment, a little astonished at how it works, but then there will be a quiet hiss. He's not good at talking, he can only manage a word or two at a time, and he still has trouble with hard sounds, especially the t sound. Also he hisses. It's a comfortable sound. He likes it.]

P-urposse. Job. Ssay purposse.

[Why yes that is his way of asking what the point of the jobs are. Give him a break, he's never had to talk before.]

Comments

C

[volcanoes]

...What?

[Is this guy asking about jobs here or jobs at home or purposes in life or what?]

[midgardserpent]

[Jormungandr growls in frustration.]

P-urposse. Of job. Ssay.

[volcanoes]

The ones here? I don't know, I guess to make it seem like a normal town.

[midgardserpent]

Pointless.

[He growls the word. He's really not happy right now. At all.]

[volcanoes]

A lot of stuff here is.

[midgardserpent]

[He hisses again, a wordless agreement. After a moment's silence he decides he wants to know who this is.]

Who.

[volcanoes]

Me? Iceland. You?

[midgardserpent]

Jormungandr.

[It's a long name but he's mildly proud of himself for being able to say it.]

[volcanoes]

...The World Serpent.

[His tone is one of "why not?"]

[midgardserpent]

[Oh good. He doesn't doubt him. That's good.]

Yess.

[volcanoes]

...This is kind of weird.

[midgardserpent]

[Jormungandr snorts. He thinks this is weird? Try waking up in a puny mortal body after encircling the world for thousands of years.]

[volcanoes]

I would have noticed if there was a giant serpent here.

[It's not a doubting tone, more of a "so did Mayfield make you into something else" tone.]

[midgardserpent]

T-own. [Gods he hates that t sound, he could never get it quite right.] Made me. Human. [He growls out the last word in disgust. It's clear what he thinks of humans.]

[volcanoes]

It might turn you back later.

[midgardserpent]

[He's shocked into silence for a moment.]

Really?

[volcanoes]

It gives things back after things happen, I guess. I got something after everyone was telling the truth.

[midgardserpent]

[He's silent, pondering this. Of course, the town turning him back to his proper form would be entirely ridiculous, he would crush the town. He snorts at the image.]

[volcanoes]

I don't know how they decide what to give back, though. I got my normal body back, but it's not like they asked me what I wanted.

[midgardserpent]

[Normal body? That suggests...]

...no-t human?

[volcanoes]

Nation. I look human, though.

[midgardserpent]

[He's silent for a moment.]

Sstrange.

[volcanoes]

My people wrote stories about you.

[So this is strange to him too.]

[midgardserpent]

[He wasn't entirely aware of this. UNDAH DA SEA and all.]

...really.

[volcanoes]

[Jörmungandr would have been an interesting addition to that song]

Yeah. You're one of Loki's children. Odin threw you into the ocean. You don't show up a lot until the end though.

[midgardserpent]

[The song would've been ten times more epic.]

...yess.

A

[how-right-i-am.livejournal.com]

Oh! It's you.

[Suddenly, someone coming from behind...even if chances are Jormungandr heard her approach. She was on another walk, sword at her side, when she recognized the man as the strange one she had met earlier in the month. That makes him worth stopping for, so she does, sword at her side and a smile on her face.]

I was wondering what you'd been up to. You do remember me, of course, don't you?

[midgardserpent]

[He turns his head to look at her, not particularly pleased at the unwelcome interruption. He stares at her for a moment. Does he remember her? He thinks for a moment. Yes, she seems vaguely familiar. So he'll nod slightly.]

[how-right-i-am.livejournal.com]

[Unwelcome is Lilly's middle name, right along with "annoying" and "clueless" and a few others. She can't tell he's displeased and is quite content to keep talking.]

At least this time nothing seems going on with this town...as I don't believe I got your name last time. My name is Lilly, if you've forgotten. Lilly Pendragon.

[midgardserpent]

[Fine. Whatever. He'll let her talk.]

Jormungandr.

[how-right-i-am.livejournal.com]

Well, then...Jormungandr. It's a pleasure to officially meet you.

[She extends a hand. Clearly, she expects him to shake it...or not so clearly, rather.]

[midgardserpent]

[He stares at it, looks back up at her, and then back at the hand. He doesn't move.]

[how-right-i-am.livejournal.com]

[That hand is going nowhere. She takes a step closer.]

Well? Is there something wrong with my hand? Go on.

[midgardserpent]

[He vaguely recalls seeing people doing the weird hand-shaking thing, but it looked stupid and pointless and he's not going to repeat it now because some human wants him to. Especially since she wasn't wanted in the first place. He snorts softly and looks back to the water.]

[how-right-i-am.livejournal.com]

[Did he just...but he just...but she's Lilly Pendragon and that...that's only ever happened to her once.]

Was it something I said? I was only trying to be friendly. I certainly wasn't trying to offend you.

[midgardserpent]

[Oh for... what is it with these humans? They take everything so personally. A leaf falls from a tree and they'll find a way to get worked up about it. He glances back to her and shakes his head. He's not offended he just doesn't want to shake her hand, okay? Be reasonable and go away.]

[how-right-i-am.livejournal.com]

[Lilly can get the hint, fortunately. It just takes her far longer than a normal person would take. She shakes her head right back at him.]

Well, then. I'll take my leave. Enjoy your...whatever it is you're doing in that pond.

[And very much true to her word, she'll turn and leave. But she's not happy about it.]

[midgardserpent]

[Sorry Lilly, he's just not the sociable type. And he thinks you're annoying. So he's actually a bit pleased you've left. Maybe you'll catch him at a good moment some other time.]