#bergen_county

He nods. "I think you should get first pick. No need to let Vali know, but, you know, I already got a treasure. I'd say, go for the rain stick. I really think it would make for killer bunks on the magic stuff you've been working on."

"I guess..."

"You want the drum?"

A rasp of amusement. "Animals don't like me. Real ones, you know. Nah, I'm a spooky fucker and should take the scythe."

"You didn't want the scythe, did you?" He checks.

She rubs at her neck. "I kinda like the drum."

"Cool. Take what feels right. You're the one who earned it."

"Hey, not without you!"

He grins. "And we got magic boots." He reminds her. "So now you can keep up with me for once."

A grin. "True!"

"You ready? I saw a Dr. Pepper in there. It's probably still cold."

"Ooo..."

Dag re-enters with Symon.

"...Sorry."

"So am I" Vali says "I mean this to be something you guys would enjoy." A nod to the items "if they all suck I can trade them in for something else. I know a guy who might have a magic sword he can spare or maybe a music box that plays a playlist of folk music when you leave it in the sunlight.." Thinking it over

Tiffany holds up "Ice cold Dr Pepper. Yuck . Who wants that?" She offers

"...they're all really nice."

"yes, but the important thing is you like at least one of them, becuase they're meant to be rewards" he assures

"Thanks." She takes the Dr. Pepper. Subdued.

Vali notices "If none of them feel right, it's okay to say so" He assures her. "I once got a sword that told jokes whenever drawn. Surprisingly sold that one fast"

Tiffany says "Dog nada" at the thanks for the drink

He listens to the alternate options, and shrugs. "Go ahead, Dags." He nods towards the table.

She picks up the drum again. "Calls animals, you said?"

"Yeah, you play it, and it takes abit ..but animals are drawn to it" he says "They gather around and listen..which is weird because you can have like a fox next to a chip munk and they're both cool with it while you play . Obviously you're not going to get say, a camel if you play it in New Jersey, not far from a zoo, but deer have shown up."

Tiffany wrinkles her nose "Takes all the fun out of the carnivoring"

Dag smiles a little. "Sounds nice."

"Yes it's very unsporting to use it that way" He admits

"You decided then?" Symon checks. Eyeing that scythe.

"It's nice. The magic is you don't even have to know how to play a drum, just thump on it lightly for awhile. Even I can do it, and I am not musically inclined" Vali admits

"Yeah." A pause. "Imagine what Tove could do with it?"

"Stampedes?"

He laughs at stampedes "Maybe. It's yours if you want. If you regift that's your call too."

She nods. "I like this one."

"Enjoy" he says, then looks to Symon "You got a prefer3ence out of the remaing two?"

He thinks.

"The scythe is cool. Turn it one way, and you can feed Dirk on a quest. Lend it to Anne Marie, and she can feed the hungry, or guilt the rich at a fundraiser into feeling what it actually feels like to have an empty stomach." He nods. "Can I come pick mine up before Yule so I don't have to hide it or find a way to wrap it?"

"Oh sure" he says "Not a problem. You guys were patient enough with me" he nods

"Thanks, Vali."

"Let's go test out that drum on the goats before seeing if you can get wolves n shit." He grins to Dagmar.

"Oh, yeah. Thanks, Vali."

A belated, but still, meaningful.

"Ha!"

"You're welcome guys. If you want to stay for movie night you're welcome. Tiffany insists we watch its' a wonderful life followed by The Dead Poet's society for some reason"

A desperate look at Dagmar. "We have that... thing."

"I dunno... we gotta... "

Nod!!

"The thing!"

"Yeah!"

Tiffany says "Oh my god yes. Totally forgot. Thanks guys" She starts to push them out "Nice of you to help me out like this"

"Help out with what?" Vali says