Two Sides of a Coin (Sigurd/Freyja)

There's nothing better than a catastrophe. Leave it to someone, or something, else to create the perfect opening. Everyone should be feeling a sense of duty right now, running to save lives and protect what is salvageable, but there are those who see things in a different light. There are those who have long since lost that shining desire to help, and now they simply hide in the shadows doing what they must to survive. Sigurd is such an individual, and his target isn't the hole that's opened up and swallowed Vastime. His goal is what remains of the nation: its secrets, wealth, and wonders. It did not take him long to reach his destination, a lone complex that sat between the line of stable Earth and empty void.

His bike revved right outside, making as much noise as possible to ensure no one was around. If they were, they'd have come out by now. It seems all of Vastime's remaining forces have moved to engage the threat to their very existence. That's perfect. Turning off his bike, he got off and placed his helmet atop his head, nearing the facility's door. The power's out, but he easily dealt with that by cutting the door down. He's only here for a few things. It's a field day for him. There's nothing he can do to help those that are already dead, so he might as well help himself.

To be certain, Freyja held a neutral stance towards the state of chaos the banner of Vastime had currently found itself in. The City of Lights simply held a greater degree of importance than the country she was currently traveling through. Even so, she had been out of commission for far too long to simply ignore the series of events unfolding around the abyss. Therefore, she had resolved to prove herself worthy of handling the task. She was the sword and shield, after all. A war maiden, the valkyrie of the battlefield. A coordinator in the Vandenreich. It would be unbecoming of her to overlook her duties simply because of her bias towards her own kind. Her current objective was simple. Maintaining stability, culling weaker hollows, and striking down any obstacle that stood in her way. There was no need to complicate matters here. Go in, complete the mission, and return to the Vandenreich to report what she found, what she learned about, what she discovered...

Striding forward, her movements amplified by the quincy's vaunted high-speed movement technique, Freyja roamed the ruins of Africa until she eyes noticed a man entering a lone complex. Following a momentary pause in her stride, the sternritter coordinator tilted her head, quietly observing the armored warrior as they entered.

Who was he? What was his purpose here? A survivor? A man on a mission? Clad in obsidian armor, his appearance certainly piqued her curiosity. As such, Freyja felt compelled to wait things out until he entered the building. Once he did and she felt the distance was far enough, she slipped in through the building, using soft footholds of reishi to maintain an airborne position, to figure out his purpose here. Time to find out. If he was a survivor, she'd simply instruct him to go to one of the camps protected by the Quincy and Shinigami who had taken temporary residence to ensure the safety of others. If he was here to be hostile, however, then she would simply respond in kind.

There are far too many corridors in this facility, and most of them probably lack anything of sufficient worth. How many living quarters or break rooms have he passed in the last few minutes? There were a few storages, but in due fashion, most proved full of broken trash or worthless boxes of old toys. What he's after is something precious, something Vastime would never let loose, and he'd eventually run into another door. This one's something of interest, with its massive frame and steel makeup. Now, something of worth should be behind this, and with the high-tech security strewn around, it's only logical to think this the entrance to the command center or something similar. There's only one way in.

The latch on his shoulder was undone, the large sword on his back falling until its edge hit the ground. With one swift motion, he took hold of its handle and spun it over his head before taking hold of it with both his hands. Perpendicular with himself, he jabbed the blade forward, its head jamming into the steel with an audible screech. Energy built up around him and through his weapon as its edge grew hot and began to cut through the metal slowly. Unlike before, he'll need to add a bit more effort into getting through this, but it'll be worth it.

With measured gait, Freyja continued to follow the trajectory of the obsidian knight's footsteps, walking on reishi footholds to avoid eliciting his immediate attention, though perhaps he had already sensed her and simply chose to ignore her, viewing whatever this complex housed of far greater import. He traversed countless corridors of the complex, walking with a purposeful sense of direction, as though he were wholly aware of what he desired in this building. From her point of view around a corner, he pulled a large blade from his shoulder, striking at the large door that stood out from the others. As though he were cutting away at wood, Freyja observed the man slicing through the door, her azure gaze curiously observing both movement and action.

By now, she had already concluded that he was no survivor. If he was, he had certainly earned his right to live. From appearance alone, he was clearly capable of handling indiscriminate hollows on his own. Was he an enemy of vastime who sought to acquire important information? Or was he merely a vagabond in search of whatever spoils came his way? What was his purpose here? That one question dominated her mind as she quietly observed the obsidian knight.

'Thunk.'

The door fell, the makeshift hole leaving room for Sigurd to step through. Replacing his sword, he made his way into the room. All around, computers sat vacant. The power's off, of course, but he quickly remedied that by turning on the emergency power. Generators whirred to life as the room lit up, overhead lighting flickering on. Each computer rebooted itself due to their unexpectant loss of power. His eyes were focused on the large screen ahead though, watching as the latest conversation before the hole formed appeared, showing him schematics and plans that were being discussed. The first thing to catch his attention was the small print of a handheld device. That seemed interesting enough to begin with.

So, he went to one of the computers and began to browse it, using a device to hack into the system. No one's going to stop him. There's no one left to stop him. Slowly, he began to put file after file into a larger file before moving that file into a hard drive. Due to the size, it began to work slowly, downloading all the information he needs. He may only be interested in one thing, but everything else is still sellable. An easy buck, he'd say.

The moment the obsidian knight steps through the opening carved by his own blade, Freyja quietly glides through the air, maintaining her balance on each foothold of reishi as she approaches the door, her head canting to the side as she quietly observes him. Perceptive azure eyes observe the room filled with computers. His intentions, even now, remain elusive. A large screen displays a conversation that was held before the abyss manifested in this continent. She cannot determine if the information he is looking for has any bearing on the Vandenreich as a whole, of any potential involvement. Would such information prove beneficial to Cyrus? Each file that he collects simply exacerbates her curiosity. To be certain, she highly doubted this man was approachable enough to pose the question to begin with, his body hidden beyond armor, his face difficult to discern. Thus, she remain silent, observes each piece of information as it is transferred to his own personal hard drive. Did he even serve anyone in particular? Was he once an enemy of Vastime? Such are the questions that occupy her mind in observational silence.

"Stay quiet long enough, and you'll leave here as you entered. Empty."

Some don't appreciate being followed, and some especially find it rude to not even say a word. For the righteous type, someone's allowing a bit too much theft. However, thinking every Vandenreich member righteous was probably the wrong way of thinking. Either way, Sigurd has had enough of being watched, but he didn't bother turning his attention from the computer screen. If the person has no other intentions here, he has no intention of giving her one. He'll just finish his task and be on his way.

Well, he finally acknowledged her. Her sneaking suspicion had been confirmed. A long silence followed before she simply stepped through the door, observing the series of computers as her eyes glanced towards the main screen. Well, if he acknowledged her existence. Surely, he'd be willing to divulge his purpose in being here, no? Freyja approached with graceful footsteps, maintaining a distance of a few meters. She could materialize her spirit weapon in an instant, but he hasn't displayed an intent to attack, simply an annoyance at being watched. As a matter of course, she simply formed an arrow between her fingers.

"Indeed. That statement does ring true, though what I seek are merely answers. You seem to be taking everything of value that catches your eye. What do you intend to gain from this information? Were you once an enemy of Vastime or are you a mere wanderer seeking to pillage resources while this nation is at it's most vulnerable?"

She considered the act detestable, but her loyalty didn't lie with the Vastime. It lied with the Vandenreich. If this had been her own base, she would've attacked him without second thought. Even now, that is a possibility but if this information is of no use to her or her peers, conflict seemed unnecessary.

"Better question: What do you gain by asking questions? Go home."

Not even batting an eye at the woman, he removed the flash drive from the computer and walked towards the hole he made. He has no reason to say anything. She'll know his purpose here when someone's firing a nuke in her direction with the schematics he sold. He could care less what's going on in her head, what she's trying to assess, or how he should act before her. The only thing important here is his work.

"You'll live longer," He added as he stopped right at the door he made, turning his helmeted head her way for a mere second. Was that a warning, a simple threat? He'll not entertain her further before turning and heading out the way he came.

"Depending on the information you've transferred to that flash drive? I stand to gain a lot, or perhaps nothing at all. It depends on your answers."

Forming a reishi barrier around the door as he attempted to walk away, Freyja turned towards the obsidian knight. Were his words a warning or a veiled threat? None of it matters. Her willpower wasn't something easily shaken by baseless threats. Even if he forces his way through the barrier, Freyja follows behind, tailing the man like a bothersome fly. The nameless knight will find that she is not a woman so easily swayed when she is determined to get to the root of her curiosities. Answers hold great worth here. For all she knows, this information he holds might well involve the Vandenreich. As such, his answers are more pertinent than he may imagine.

"Thus, I will repeat this again. What is it that you seek to gain from this information? My loyalty does not lie with Vastime, but neither do I intend to let you leave without confirming my own curiosity. As a coordinator of the Vandenreich, it is my duty. Consider it due diligence, Black Knight."