( ✈ first flight; VIDEO, both courts — forward-dated to 1st, post-feast )

[smithwork]

[ What the viewer first witnesses is a foot. Not a real foot, thank goodness, because it happens to be detatched from its wearer and currently being stolen; that is, until a book is thrown at the thieving imp, lamping it on the head, and the locket is placed down on a table as a young man hops over to retrieve his prosthetic, muttering as he does so. ('Steal my foot, will you? Nasty little ... Yeah, you just enjoy your time-out, bud.') Pegleg re-attached to a left leg, the tall man picks up the imp by the scruff of a leathery neck, strides out and tosses it into the arms of its awaiting (disappointed) companions. ]

Try it again and I'll show you what the ice-pick is for!

[ He sits back down with a sigh, twiddling the locket around. ]

Anyway, hi. Sorry about that. My name's Hiccup and apparently, monsters aside, this necklace can help me find people without cursing me or also trying to steal my limbs. Great! So.

[ Hiccup has very clever green eyes, almost too many freckles to count, and a slight gap in his front teeth; as well as being weedy slender, you wouldn't think he was the sort of person to be so confident with an unknown audience, but he certainly is. If anything, he's eager to talk, at least five years older at twenty than he was the last time anyone in the Drabwurld saw his younger incarnation ... not that he's aware of that. Baby boy grew up and then some.

Those of a keen eye will notice he's broadcasting from an Unseelie princely estate room, contrary to the state of the battered leather armour he now wears. ]

I'm looking for a girl about my age, tall and blonde. [ Wait. ] Not just any girl! That would be weird. Really weird, like ... girl-shopping, or something. Sorry, let me rephrase; I'm looking for a tall, blonde girl called Astrid, whom I happen to actually know. [ THIS IS GOING SO WELL, ahhh. ] Don't just call me back if you happen to randomly fit that description. [ Okay, fuck it, moving on.] I'm also looking for my mother, and she's ... [ He rubs the back of his head with a chuckle. ] Uh, she's an unforgettable sight, just tell me if you see a masked, armoured person with spikes poking off their helmet. Oh! They'll also have their dragons with them.

[ Casually throwing that out there as a genuine afterthought. ]

If you see a black dragon with big green eyes, looking sort of nocturnal? That's Toothless, my Night Fury. Tell him Hiccup is at Caer Scima, he'll understand. He won't hurt you if you don't hurt him first — obviously attacking a dragon is a phenomenally stupid thing to do, under any circumstances, so hopefully no one will opt for that course of action.

[ Sitting back, he puffs a breath that ruffles an auburn fringe and raises his brows invitingly. ]

I'd love to get to know more about this place, I've never even dreamed of being anywhere this incredible. Magical. Does anyone know where the nearest dragon nest is? I want to find something to ride until I can find my own and horses aren't really my thing. Stirrups, hard ground, you can see where I'm going with that. These lockets are incredible, has anyone opened one up and looked inside? Uh, and lastly — I promise I'll shut up soon — where can I get some decent, detailed maps of the terrain?

Thanks in advance! Nice meeting ... whoever you guys are.



( ooc: forward-dated to the 1st after the welcome feast, after which he'll lose his optimistic verve as he gets to know the world a bit better. )

Comments

video;

[greywater]

I'd imagine Caer Scima would have maps. [Because in this she can be helpful, but wait--]

You have a dragon?

video;

[smithwork]

Yeah, but it's huge, and the imps aren't exactly as obliging as I'd like.

[ Stealing his foot, giving him directions to the outhouses (which are inside and super clean, whoa), etc. Generally they're an unpleasant lot.

He nods to the latter, leaning forward. ] I do, I'm trying to find him. We were taking a nap and the next thing I knew, these little monsters are dragging me here in a sack yesterday. Have you seen anything like what I described? I'd appreciate any help.

[ If it wasn't already obvious, he's anxious to find his bud. More so, perhaps, than his girlfriend or mother. ]

video.

[mixcds]

You're really enthusiastic about all of this. I haven't seen your dragon or your - erm. Astrid. They might show up a bit later though?

video.

[smithwork]

Isn't it amazing, though? You could fly to the edge of the world, drop off it and not find anything like this. [ It's fucking magic, bro!!

HAHA, His Astrid, thank goodness she hasn't heard that. Although she is. ]

Thanks, I hope so. What's your name?

video;

[scinlae]

[ aithusa is a the one who speaks up first, a friendly rumble calling out to a familiar face. they both recognized him from before, though he was considerably younger, the white dragon padding over to nose the locket, since her arrival she has healed somewhat but the damage of the pit still remains. her eyes are brighter, at least, and scales have gained a glossy sheen. ]

If there is a dragon nest in this land I imagine it has long since been abandoned. [ morgana is had to see behind her dragon's head, but her voice comes through fine. ] As far as I know there are only two that still live, and both are too young to ride.

video; 1/2

[smithwork]

Well, hello there.

[ He speaks first to the white dragon, smiling reflexively with a chuckle, then green eyes flicker to the dark-haired woman barely in view behind the beast — ]

video;

[smithwork]

[ And he frowns as he hears 'only two that still live'. ]

What happened to the rest?

video;

[notyetlegend]

An' is there a problem with horses or a little hard ground?

[Gruffly spoken with a thickset Scottish accent, there's a young woman on the other end of the feed with wild red hair and fierce blue eyes, crossing her arms over her chest with a sour look on her face. She raises an eyebrow at the whole 'dragons' spiel, but she's heard of them enough to believe him.]

Does th' wee lamb have a problem with walkin'?

video;

[smithwork]

Yes? I'm missing a foot, it's a little difficult to ride something that bounces around madly on the dirt.

[ That accent. He knows of Scottish accents through Trader Johann's impersonations, but he's never heard one in person; or as close as the locket brings him to it. It's thick and ... sort of clogged, even with whatever magic in the air working away on them so they can understand each other. Berk is relatively peaceful compared to other Viking lands, so he harbours the redhead no ill-will of his own — the sass, however, gets a Look.

Wee lamb his ass, excuse you. ]

I can walk just fine.

[ It's not as weird as it could be, talking to her, because that accent ... Oh. It sounds vaguely derivative of the older generation on the archipelago. Old raids probably had an impact elsewhere, from other tribes and clans. Of course.

If there has been any crossovers with their people, Hiccup would prefer to distance himself from bad blood. ]

[Video]

[tough_love]

...are you done?

[Tetra's fist, she had never encountered someone who could speak so long in one sitting! Did this human need to breathe, or was he some sort of inhuman creature that didn't require air?!

Still, she might as well be helpful. Ish. Having other people to call on in a strange land certainly didn't hurt. But the long sigh made it clear this was still a very much forced habit on her part.]

I have not seen your Astrid, your dragon, or your mother. I have no detailed maps to provide, and even if I did, I would not offer them up without some expectation of proper payment.

[Not that she'd been looking for either of things. The only dragon she'd heard mention of was the one responsible for the Atlantean's injuries, and that one likely wasn't the same.]

And, as we do not share a castle, I must ask...what is yours like? Are there at least preparations for an attack soon? I grow tired of waiting for battle, I would much rather fight one.

[Unbelievably unlikely that she'd get an honest response if they were, but she felt obligated to ask anyway. Unless explicitly told otherwise, she'd probably tell him if the Seelie forces were preparing. No harm in warning the enemy you were coming, in her experience. So long as you took pains to avoid mentioning the wheres and hows.]

[Video]

[smithwork]

You can't expect payment from someone asking for help as they settle into a completely foreign world. If it's such an inconvenience to you, don't bother responding on principle.

[ Even if he knew anything about Caer Scima beyond the surface, he wouldn't offer it up to a demanding, arrogant, haughty person such as the one that flickers into view on the locket. More than that, Hiccup finds being frank with her is the only response he can dredge up; he's tired, as well as mildly freaked out the day after being kidnapped, and doesn't need the extra stress. ]

If making yourself useful puts you out, I'd rather you stopped.

[ And be grumpy in a corner or something, it doesn't affect him that way. ]

audio.

[vrykolakas]

[Brisk, croaky-voiced, the Brucolac recites at a swift clip:] Cartography section in the library. Hie thee there. And ask at the stables for a mount; chiefly they have horses, but if you know what to barter with you might be able to pick up a cleg. They're equines with wings.

[OKAY HE'S BEEN HELPFUL ENOUGH—]

Your dragons must be different to those native to this land.

audio.

[smithwork]

[ Winged horses. One step up from the land-bound version, he supposes, but not as fast as he prefers. Beggars can't be choosers, unfortunately. ]

Thanks for the directions. I, uh, I'm not sure how you mean about the dragons being different, I haven't seen the native species yet.

video.

[brainiest]

I don't think there's any girl named Astrid here, at least not yet. If I hear anything about her, though, I'll let you know.

[ She's hesitating. She doesn't want to let on that she knows Hiccup, really, but. She does. At least, a version of him; the one she remembers was rather a bit younger. Offering a soft smile she settles, tilting her head. ]

I don't think there are any dragon nests either -- my friend only got one as a gift from the queen. I can tell you about any kind of magic, though, if you'd like?

video.

[smithwork]

Thank you, that means a lot.

[ It's weird and disappointing to hear there's such a lack of dragons around, completely the opposite of the world he's grown up in where you could literally trip over a dragon walking out your front door in the morning. ]

As a gift? The magic talk, brief, whatever, that'd be useful, yeah.

video;

[boutant]

If you help the imps out, they tend to start treating you better. They pulled my hair for ages when I first got here.

video;

[smithwork]

If the little horrors get anywhere near my face, I won't be having words with them.

[ It's not much of a threat toward the imps, more an annoyed promise to ... do something. Anything. Slap at them very fearsomely, probably. ]

How are you supposed to help them out? They're awful.

video

[gwynbleidd]

[Finding a girl may prove to be some task, but he'll keep the name in mind. Finding a dragon, though. He might can do that. He has dragon experience, okay. Duly noted.

But riding one? Riding a dragon. He thinks about what comes with the package of dragons from the Kingdoms, and it's not anything at all like what Hiccup is use to in the slightest. He's not sure about this particular place's dragons, or if any even exist.]

Trying to ride dragons here may give you more trouble than the imps.

video

[smithwork]

Probably, but I'd rather take my chances with them than not.

[ He's racked up enough experience to take on the challenge of facing something like the Screaming Death, if he has to, and taming that. Rather that than a horse, or a bunch of imps to hang out with. ]

Do you ride them, or have you tried? Here, I mean, in the Drabwurld.

video;

[winterwork]

[Look, Hiccup, it's your new best friend! Did you miss him already?]

I knew you were looking for your dragon, but you're looking for a girl too? Someone's pretty needy.

[Then again, it's nice to have something to look for at all.]

video;

[smithwork]

[ He really didn't. ]

It's not just any girl, Jack. I explained that!

video

[inafadingcrown]

Do you mean to imply that you are accustomed to riding dragons? [Sorry, Hiccup. Galadriel is looking at you a little incredulously right now.]

video

[smithwork]

[ For a moment he almost replies with Of course, Mom, and then he looks at the locket. That's ... not Valka. Wow, this is weird, the lady staring at him is ... well, in a word she's beautiful. Ethereal-ish, even. Don't worry, Astridbabe, you're still his #1 girl.

But oh, gods no, that voice. ]

Sure, and I'm looking for mine. You're not scared of them, are you?

video (fuckit, why not 8D)

[ziggyzoggy]

[He'll get around to the other bits of this, but first, the important part: ]

Hiccup?

[Squints. Is he hearing that right, or is the woo-woo magic translator screwing up?]

video

[smithwork]

[ Big question is, looking at the other ... person, does he even want to be himself right now? Because what is that. ]

... Yes?