Paul's carving is well underway by the time Loki and the children show up. Their arrival is heralded by Una asking all and sundry for whatever fresh pumpkinseeds they're not keeping, like an audacious junior vegan trick-or-treater. But they all like roasted pumpkinseeds anyway, and waste not want not, right? (Loki encourages this; Hazel would approve, and he still wants to curry favor with the Spirits, whether they choose to show themselves or not.)

Loki himself just sits down near Paul and tosses a fun-size candy bar into the mouth of the worm costume, heedless of whether the youth can catch it or whether it will bonk him in the head. "Trick or treat, bratling!" It's meant to be a friendly greeting.

The whole group of them, children and Loki alike, are dressed up as Captain America.