#bergen_county

“Maybe it’s on human skin.”

"How would you hold me back? You're my best friend. If it's shopping, maybe.. maybe Sylvi would be better than me, anyways."

A gummy grin. He doesn’t believe that... but he might be lucky

"Well if you want to... then hey"

“I’m just- I’m a morlok. We hunker underground and prey on the surface folk. But I guess even Gollum went on an adventure when there was a prize cool enough in it...”

Dagmar shrugs, deflated.

Symon gives Vali a glare as though this is HIS fault. “This could be cool after all. You are muggle-named after one of the hero’s of the fellowship after all. Even if he was a bit of a stick in the mud, I’d take Samwise over whiny Frodo or foolish party kids any day.”

“He never was fooled by Gollum’s bullshit neither. So we need each other to keep on track.”

Vali looks amused

But also nods

Then a sudden worried look. “You’ve read the trilogy, right? Not just the movies?” To Dagmar.

"Read it? No."

"I saw the movies. I liked Eowyn."

He gives Vali a LOOK. Maybe as a teacher he understands?

Vali winces a bit

“The movies didn’t even get the rights to the Silmarrilion. No one knows about Ungoliant!”

A huff. “Maybe I’ll bring a copy with us.” He has a sluagh, after all!

“On kindle, so we’re not weighed down.” Sigh.

"The Ungo-what?"

“Now SHE’S a strong female character. Think of all the time we’ll have walking to discuss... “

"Uh..." A blink, looking between Symon and Vali.

"Ah.. I have read the books and I STILL Prefer Eowyn"

But she is distracted from whatever gloomy thought she was having, so Symon is pleased. “Eowyn at least had personality. “Arwen was like a elf-shaped cardboard cut out. And she stole Glorfindel’s bits.”

"Yes. And Don't get me started on Tom missing." A sigh

"And they left out the Scourging of the Shire. it was the coming of age full circle for our Hobbit boys turned men and they dropped it" He grumbles

"Who is Glorfindel?"

"..Tom?"

"..is that a Hobbit?"

“Tom Bombadil was as bad in Tolkien as sticking Father Christmas in Narnia-“ he starts to get started on just that.

And catches himself with a sheepish look to Dagmar. “Sorry, nerd.”

Indicating himself.

"Yeah, but, like - smart. You're good at finding things and figuring out clues. All I do well is hit stuff."

“That’s not true. You’re good at taking hits too.” A snicker. But he continues. “And animals like you, you can command the very thunder of the sky and truth from liars tongues...”

“Useful quest shit, that too.”

"You're hardly dim, Dagmar. Folks underestimate your own brains" Vali assures her.

"But I'm not gonna be anyone's first choice for, like... smart quests."

“And I’m not a choice for strong, fast, or honest. Your point?”

"You two make a good team" Vali says "So is this a yes?"

A crease between her eyebrows.

“You’re not STUPID. I don’t hang out with morons. And you said yourself I’m smart, so that means you have to believe me.” A smirk.

"Hey!"

Okay, now Vali snerks. It would appear Symon entertains

“Really, if you were dimwitted or a dullard, you think I’d hang out this much? I can stay at home and do addition flash cards with Dirk for that. So even if you don’t trust in yourself- hey, you can believe me, right?”

He DOES have a point.

"I guess..."

“I’m in if Dagmar is.”

“But if you try to bait n switch me to go with someone else, no dice.”

"I wanted to go on a quest with you."

Vali nods "Okay. So you two are on each other's must have by my side list. Noted" Vali says seriously

He winces a bit, abb Nd moves closer to Dagmar. Vali may still hear, but it’s not intended for him. “ Sorry I’m hard to find sometimes. People... even fae... even family can get to be a whole lot. But I don’t mean to shut YOU out. Sometimes I just gotta go be alone in the dark.., yknow?”

"So... we need to find four map pieces, and that'll get us where we need to go in the end?"

The whisper gets a flicker of a reassured smile.

"Five." he says