Daddy's Little Girl (Father)

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Hel had been looking forward to seeing her father. He was the real reason she was even at this school. She had spent little time with him in her childhood and had not seen him in many years. There were few who dared to enter Niflheim. She wanted to spend time with her father; get to know him better. He was her only father and as far as she knew she was his only daughter. At the very least she was the only daughter he had that was not mortal.

Ever since she had found out that he was teaching here she had wanted to come. She had rearranged everything to work out and she hoped Odin would not mind that she had forsaken her duties to the dead for a time. He was the one who had cast her out after all. She would be powerless if she came to this school to bring her back to Helheim and her hall.

Her father was a teacher here at this school too and it seemed that every teacher had an office. So that was wear Hel went to look for her father. She was not sure if he used his office often or would even be there, but it would be a start. She knocked at the door, then waited for an answer.

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Inside the office and blissfully unaware of who stood outside it, Loki rolled his eyes. All this knocking and waiting nonsense, it was so... ordered. It wasn't that Loki didn't like to be shown respect, of course he did, but he much preferred to see his students causing a little chaos.

"You're probably here for something really boring, in which case I don't care, go away." He called out. His tone was dismissive, but he had a mischievous smirk on his face as he said it.
Maybe they would actually go away and he wouldn't have to be bothered by anybody expecting him to be a responsible adult.

"Unless you're bringing me alcohol, then maybe I'll be interested." He added, not out of any current desire to get drunk, but out of the reaction it might elicit in some of his more uptight students.

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The answer that Hel received as she stood patiently in the corridor was not the answer she had expected. However, her father was quite unaware of who was knocking. He could not possibly know that she was not some student standing upon the threshold, but his daughter. It was entirely understandable, but she would not leave merely because she had been bid to leave. She had a purpose and one she was meant to fulfill.

Hel turned the knob and crossed the threshold in a single step, then stood before her father, her hands clasped in front of her. Her father looked very much the same and just as how she remembered him though it had been a very long time since she had seen him. She wondered if he would recognize her.

“I regret to inform you that I have brought no alcohol and I hope you will not find me boring.” There were few people she cared about in the world. Her mother, father and brothers were at the top of her very small list. “I am glad to see you, Father.”

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Had it been anyone else, literally anyone else in the entire universe (except, perhaps, some of his other children), Hel's answer would have made Loki roll his eyes, made him do something to try and get a less dull response. Instead of resorting to sarcasm or tricks, instead of despairing at her formality, Loki leapt to his feet and actually jumped over the desk.

"Helly!" he greeted, with far more enthusiasm than he'd shown, well, anything else in this entire school - it wasn't that he tended towards not liking things, it was just that he was usually a lot more laid back in his appreciation. There was nothing laid back about the way he threw his arms around his daughter, pulling her in tightly "What are you doing here?"

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Her father did not appear to be much changed. Hel was not surprised when her father jumped over the desk. There was little about her father that would surprise the goddess. He was unpredictable at the best of times, though she did not remember such enthusiasm. She assumed that he was glad to see her. He had called her Helly, which was a good indicator.

Her thoughts were confirmed when her father hugged her. She stood rigidly for a moment before putting her own arms around him. She closed her eyes, taking in the moment. Odin had ripped her family apart and for that she would never forgive him. Though this was not her whole family she had the peace of mind knowing that she was with her father again. She was remembering what is felt like to feel loved and appreciated.

“I heard you were here, Father,” she told him feeling very much like a child again looking for his approval. “I have come to teach these mortals so that I may be close to you.”

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"Of course you did!" Loki beamed, and he was pleased for several reasons. Not least because she had come looking for him, but also that she had come at all hinted of disobeying Odin, and he always liked to foster a little rebellion in his children (even against him, if needs be, though obviously he preferred it if that wasn't the case).

He stayed holding her for a moment, enjoying the chance for some closeness with his little girl, and revelling in the fact that he was probably one of few people, if not the only person, that she'd consent to hug back.

"So!" He said, pulling back and holding her at arm's length to get a better look at her - not that it did much, since gods could change their appearance at will "How are you?"

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Hel was very glad that her father was pleased, though she showed no outward signs of being glad. She had never been one to show emotion. And for a very long time she had had no need or any true emotions. She had been trapped down in the underworld without anyone she cared about, or who cared about her.

Her father’s approval was not something she had had for a very long time and now it seemed that he approved of her plans for coming here. She had been unsure of how he would receive her, but now she felt relieved. He had been excited to see her and for that she was grateful. She had missed her family greatly, but being here with her father helped to ease that ache.

“I am well, Father.” She wanted to tell him so much and yet there was little to tell him. Her job was much the same from day to day. However, that feeling of being a child came back to her as she wanted to tell him everything, but she refrained. She would most certainly bore him. “You look well. You have caused mischief here I suppose? You are happy here?”

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"You are well? That's all I get?" Loki shook his head despairingly, Hel wasn't really the chatty type, sometimes he couldn't understand how he'd managed to raise such a quiet, serious child - not that he'd trade her for the world, of course.

Then he remembered why he loved her, because she brought the subject back around to his favourite thing - himself, and the trouble he was causing.

"You know what Helly? I really am, this place is great, full of foolish mortals just waiting to be tricked, and other gods even, Greek ones, they're hilarious, you have no idea how easy it is to wind them up. There's this one, Apollo, it's like shooting fish in a barrel, he gets so mad! The kids are a lot of fun, and they're always having these huge gatherings where it's so easy to cause chaos."

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Hel sometimes did not understand how it had come to be that she was the child of Loki. She was so very different than her father. Her simple answer had not satisfied him. He had expected more from her. She did try to please him as any good child would, but for the first time in a very long time she experienced disappointment.

However, her father was quick to look pleased again and had quite a bit to say as well. It was not at all surprising that her father would find a way to stir up trouble where ever he happened to be. He quite enjoyed chaos and chaotic environments, though this was hardly a surprise to anyone to who knew Loki.

Greek gods were here at this school as well. Hel found that interesting as well. Other immortals lingered around this place. Obviously there was something special about Trenale. “I am pleased that you are so at home here, Father. You have found much sport in this Greek named Apollo then? And of the other Greeks? What are they like?”

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"I haven't met many of them... saw them at Halloween, but they weren't really themselves..." He smirked, particularly pleased with himself for his halloween antics, that had been supremely entertaining. It would take something good to top that, but he was sure he'd think of something.

"But yea, Apollo is easy pickings, he's hilarious." He grinned "Some of my students are as well, this whole authority thing makes it easy, but not too easy. There's one you'd like, Beowulf, he's a viking, the serious sort, I was going to have fun with him but I'll leave him alone if you like."
He'd pretty much do anything for Hel, even if meant withholding his hijinx - as long as he didn't have to withhold them altogether, of course.

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Hel nodded. She was not surprised that the chaos and unpredictability of the Halloween party could be attributed to her father. He did so love to toy with people. He found it highly amusing to cause trouble, so this was no surprise to the goddess. “I see.”

Hel listened as her father talked on, taking it all in quietly, as was her way. He seemed to find teaching agreeable. And the students were agreeable as well it seemed. But she had not expected to find a Viking at this school. She was quite pleased. It was not rare to meet a Viking in her position, but there were few men in her mead hall. Most men, if they were lucky, died in battle. And those a little less fortunate died at sea. Only the ill and the elderly came to Hel. It was rare that she met young warriors.

“I would like to meet this Viking,” she stated with a decisive nod. It was rare to come across a Viking that was serious instead of boisterous. “Beowulf is a good name.” It was a Norse kenning referring to a bear, which were ferocious beasts. Vikings were known for their ferocity. He had been named well. “What were you planning to do with this Viking?”

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"Oh I hadn't decided yet," Loki waved his hand dismissively "I thought he deserved a little more care and attention while I decide what to do with him, and I just haven't had the time to put my mind to it. He has been somewhat useful to me, though, so I'll at least hold off until you've met him."

Sometimes, Loki thought of mortals something like pets, things to be played with for his own amusement, occasionally looked after perhaps, although he was less interested in that part. It meant he would consider leaving Beowulf alone if Hel became interested in him, because it would be like giving the young viking to her to play with instead.

"You should visit my class one day, I'll introduce you." Much as he enjoyed the authority, Loki couldn't always be bothered to do the teaching thing properly, so interrupting his class for something like this was perfectly fine with him.

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Hel liked Vikings as a rule, though it was rare to find a living Viking that liked her as well. Most were respectful because one never knew for certain how one was going to die. However, Hel took good care of the souls that came to stay with her. There was no reason to fear her despite the reputation she seemed to have garnered among the living.

“I should like that,” she said decisively. She would very much like to visit her father in his classroom as well as meet this Viking. It seemed that she had much to look forward to here, much more than she had initially thought.

“What is it that you teach, Father?” Hel was quite curious. She had never thought of her father as the type of god to teach. She could not imagine much teaching would get done in his class. He did not seem the sort. However, she would give him the benefit of the doubt. He was still her father after all.

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Loki didn't mind staving off whatever he was going to do to Beowulf, because he hadn't really decided what it was yet, and if Hel ended up liking him, it meant he didn't have to think of anything, which was a lot less hard work.

"I teach drama." he grinned "A good trickster's got to know how to act, after all, people have to believe you up until the moment you con them." That was, of course, only because it had been the most suitable lesson available, because they didn't actually run 'con artistry' or 'pranks 101'.

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Hel nodded. It made sense that her father would teach a drama class. He was an actor at heart truthfully. It was how he got away with half of the tricks and trouble that he tried. He was good at what he did honestly, which was why he was the god of it.

“Of course. I should have known. That is what you are best at after all.” She was not surprised at this at all, however she was curious about the students. “How do your students respond to your teaching? Besides the Viking, do they even know who you are?” Moreover would it even matter to them? The mortals here were not Vikings. Perhaps they would have little regard for the gods. If that were the case she would have to build their respect from the ground up. It would be a mild hindrance, however, in her plans to teach at this school.