middaeg | [OPEN] there is a fire that we breathe

Entry tags:

httyd: hiccup haddock iii

[OPEN] there is a fire that we breathe

Who: Hiccup Haddock & You
When: Latter half of May
Where: Around the city, out past the wall
What: Rich jerks, odd jobs, magic studies, and contemplation, oh my.
Warnings: None atm.

[i. The Housing Dilemma]
[Hiccup isn't terribly surprised when the Coven decides it's time to find the newcomers a more... permanent housing solution. (Permanent meaning long-term temporary, he's hoping, but semantics.) He wasn't expecting them all to be led to a very wealthy-seeming district full of big and fancy houses, though. It seems a little much. A lot much, maybe.

If he's honest, he doesn't want to stay out here to begin with, but that decision feels more right when he and Toothless, on a stroll through the Haven just taking in the scenery on their way to check out the shopping district again, run into a group of wealthy-looking young men wearing angry scowls and carrying palms full of blue flames.

They're clearly not happy at all, jeering to each other.]

Look, boys, it's one of the charity cases we've gotten kicked out of our homes to house.
Is that a dragon? 'Ere, there could be a dragon stomping around your house, mate.
Just wait til it gets infected and goes on a rampage.

[Toothless is crouching now, growling, teeth bared, and Hiccup foresees this going very badly. He settles a hand on his dragon's side and reaches for Infero with the other.] You- I'm sorry you all got pushed out of your homes. I'm not staying here, I don't agree with it either-

Dragons like fire, right? Let's give them both a taste of it, boys.

Come on, we can resolve this peacefully-

[He could use some help.]

[ii. Looking For Work]
[Luckily, his housing situation resolves itself when he agrees to help Keith build up his new place out in the woods, past the wall. They can do some good out there, and Hiccup knows they'll be happier away from the Haven and the Aristocratic District. The only con about having to build almost from the ground up is, they have very little money for whatever materials they can't buy. Hiccup knows he needs to find work and hopefully a forge he can use in the off-hours.

So, he leaves Toothless out at the shack, and ventures into the city on his own to check out the shopping district. While he's looking for a place to work, he can't help but window-shop as well, stopping outside different stores selling jewelry, weapons, and anything mechanical to study the wares in the windows, mentally assessing if he has the skills to produce those sorts of items.] I wonder if anyone will even hire me...

[iii. The Library]
[With everything else going on in his life as well, Hiccup doesn't shy away from attending magic classes at the Coven. If he's got it, he wants to know how to use it - and the more he studies and learns, the more he realizes can be done with it. This viking has big ideas and not a lot of magical skill. He's easy to find in the Library, on his own, browsing the stacks and mumbling to himself,] Let's see, Conjuring? Maybe. Household Enchantments Made Easy, oh that one sounds useful. [He plucks a book from the shelf and moves on, lost in his own little world.

Maybe he's reaching for the same book as you?]

[iv. Atop the Bright Wall]
[Opalescent and lit up in the night, the Bright Wall is an imposing - and impressive - structure. It's still not much of a barrier to a dragonrider. Some nights they can be found sitting up on top of the wall, Toothless a dark shadow against the double moons in the sky, Hiccup letting his feet dangle precariously over the edge as if he's utterly unafraid of the killer drop. Sometimes he just likes to feel the wind in his hair and think.]

[v. The Harbor and The Slums]
a. [In the Harbor District, Hiccup can be found at the docks, tying a net out of a length of rope. Toothless is crouched down at his side, peering at the surface of the water curiously - occasionally his head darts out with a splash and he comes back wet and clutching a wriggling fish between his teeth.] Yeah, yeah, real impressive, bud. Gods, how did dad do these knots? I should have paid more attention when he took me fishing...

b. [Or, later, he can be found out in the slums past the wall, carting a net full of fish after Toothless has eaten his fill, and he's filled a net bag to take back to Wilders' Edge for himself and Keith. The excess catch? He stops in a small encampment of down-on-their-luck people, human and monster alike, and offers it to them.] Here, uh. We had a really good day fishing, there's no way we can eat all this. Maybe some of you could take it off my hands?

[vi. Wildcard!]
[Throw whatever you want at me! Or for a specific starter, hit me up at

nekky.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Kai is the king of resolving things peacefully. Which is a complete lie, but Kai at least is going to come to the kid's defense, no matter the particular method of his response.

Which is to stare at the rich young men and slowly raise his eyebrows. He could talk them down if he were-- Kai quickly shunts that line of thoughts away. He's not a proper elfin, and he has no desire to be diplomatic.

Instead he draws a gun, shoots it at the ground in front of the young men. ]

You're going to want to find yourselves elsewhere.

[A voice pipes up from behind the men.]

He said he didn't want to fight!

[Mikleo slams the butt of his staff into the ground. A thin sheet of ice spreads outward, crackling over the cobbles. It's just enough to send this group sliding and slipping should they move a fraction, and-- well, one of them turned to glower at Mikleo, and now he's windmilling his arms to keep from falling, so maybe that's not a good idea.

A short water seraph is not very imposing, perhaps, but he twirls his long staff and assumes a battle-ready position.]

If you're that eager for a schooling, I'll gladly teach you a lesson!

[ Alex didn't have much experience in terms of work skills. outside of what she learned from the Benriya, but even that was simple delivery runs or repair jobs. Those she didn't even attend to on her own.

She let's out a sigh as she mutters to herself. ]

Would they even hire me..

[ And strangely enough, she heard an echo. A totally different sounding echo anyway. She turns to find someone else standing next to her outside a particular shop window. Typically, she would leave it alone at that and keep to herself, which she does by turning away rather quickly, but there was something refreshing about being in a place where no one knew who you were, or at least, what you were.

After another pause, she speaks up again and turns to him.]

...Are you also looking for work?

[ you’ve picked a bad (good??) spot to hang around, friends. the moons are plenty full and stretch across the sky in girth, they’re— they’re huge. beautiful, really. one with no problems might be able to just sit there and enjoy the scenery, entertain thoughts all night if they could.

he could keep this urge a lot more under wraps earlier than he could now, unfortunately; eren sees the hilt of a sword and remembers hiccup’s hip companion. it was a fine blade. a very fine blade. the presence of another dragon makes eren’s scales deepen in color from afar: black becomes a midnight blue, and the scattering detail of red and orange come alive like fire. his blood is pulsing as fast as his heart, wild and agitated— he’s here because this spot, this little pond that hides away a very special hoard— is his.

and there’s another dragon in it. it was an infectious sort of thought that made sense once it latched onto him at its most heightened, and while dangerous, it was more competitive than it was aggression to the death (for now). he just!! doesn’t know how to get up there. he has no claws, and the palms of his hands are as smooth as can be.

he’ll start by launching pebbles as far as he can up the wall, and the first one is. so undeniably strong, it goes over their heads. eren gives a deep gah, and aims again, hitting the wall. a third time, forth, fifth, just probably getting harmless taks against stone. eventually, he might hit one of them. he’s aiming for toothless, in particular, but hiccup was the next best thing.

yeah buddy if you’ve ever seen another dragon inviting a challenge, this is what it looks like? partially. if the dragon was human shaped and had no wings, or horns. the only thing he has are a vast amount of scales, blue eyes in slits and a mouth full of bloody pointed teeth. he hasn’t eaten anyone! they’ve just finished growing in, after a painful amount of time of them being pushed out. ]

Most of it is simply theory, ( he remarks, withdrawing his hand and allowing hiccup to pull the book down from its shelf. which is not to say there's anything wrong with reading magical theory books , just that this might not be what he had in mind when he decided to try his hand at ...

a glance at the cover, brows lifting. ) Though I suppose if you've a burning need to replicate the Coven brooms, few would complain.

Hey! You can't do this!
You see? I told you they're all dangerous!

[Alright that's maybe not the kind of help he was hoping for. Hiccup's eyes widen when the new guy goes straight to pulling a gun and shooting at the ground. (Thank the gods he didn't go straight to murder in the streets, he guesses.) The sharp sound of it startles Toothless, and he lets out a screeching roar, mouth glowing ominously violet, until Hiccup puts himself between the dragon and- well, everyone else.]

Woah, woah! What- what do you think you're doing?! You can't just- you can't threaten people like that in the streets! Put that thing away!

[Hiccup jumps when Mikleo's staff thuds into the ground and spreads ice across the cobbles. It sure does send a couple of the guys ass-over-ankles when they try to move - toward or away, it's difficult to tell.]

You Coven witches are all the same! You do whatever you want and never have to face the consequences! [One of the guys shouts, trying to help up one of his buddies. Toothless is crouched low, still growling, but his gaze flicks warily from Hiccup to Mikleo, unsure of what to do or who the enemy is at the moment.]

Hey, hey, no-! None of us should be fighting, put that up! [Hiccup has turned to Mikleo now, hands out, expression almost pleading.] They have a point, these are their homes, and they were taken away just like that.

[Hiccup looks up, a little startled, when he hears someone voicing the same thought as him. He lets out an embarrassed little laugh, walking to meet her.] Yeah. I used to work in the village forge so I'm wondering if any of the smiths here are hiring. What sort of work are you looking for? Maybe I've seen an opening.

[Hiccup frowns, plucking the book off the shelf and adding it to the stack in his arms. He's planning to do some light reading, maybe take some notes.] What's wrong with magical theory? [He asks, bristling slightly at the almost dismissive tone the other guy takes.] You have to understand something before you can really use it.

I can already think of plenty of uses for household magic. I'm doing some construction, and it could come in handy.

[The little whooshing and pinging sounds of stones flying, knocking into the wall, knocking into Toothless' scaly hide, catch the dragon's attention first, of course. His eyes narrow to unamused slits and his ear fins twitch, standing straight up. Shuffling around, he leans down to look at Eren, and lets out a screeching roar of disapproval, rife with a surprising amount of authority - he's not the Alpha of all dragons back on Berk for nothing. (While he doesn't have that same position here, he certainly roars like he does.)

Toothless's reaction has Hiccup standing up atop the wall and frowning, staring down, but his eyesight isn't good enough in the dark to make out the identity of the figure down below.]

What- What are you doing down there? Hold on, we'll come down. [He calls, confused more than anything, sliding into the saddle. Toothless's inky wings spread, temporarily blocking out part of the moons, and they glide down easily. The viking is taken aback when he recognizes Eren, and takes in the scales and slitted eyes, the sharp teeth in his mouth.]

Woah. What- Are you okay?

[Mikleo straightens a bit. He might've misjudged a little here but on the other hand, Hiccup was going to be attacked. It's fine.

He addresses the men.]

And I suppose you never face consequences either, or else you'd know not to attack innocent people in the street! If you have grievances then take them up with the Coven. We have no control over any of this-- we're no different from you. Hurting him won't get your house back.

[The seraph looks at Hiccup and sighs. He waves his hand and dispels the ice, still talking to the group.]

Now get lost or else we'll get the authorities involved.

[Now he finally addresses the poor Viking.]

Just because you're sympathetic doesn't mean you can just lay down and let them hurt you. You need to stand up for yourself. What if you or Toothless got hurt?

You just attacked us! And you see how that dangerous beast is growling at us!
Maybe we'll get the authorities involved! You're the ones in the wrong here!

[They help up their fallen comrade and they're quick to leave before anything else can happen, between the witch and the dragon. Understandably, they don't like their odds. Hiccup, on the other hand, looks more frustrated than afraid, especially when Toothless fires off a warning shot at the cobblestones behind the retreating young men, and huffs, puffed out.]

What- There is a difference between laying down and trying to keep the peace! They're angry, I understand why, but attacking them back isn't the answer. They were using fire - Toothless is a dragon. He would have been fine. [Granted, he's not in his armor so he's much less fireproof, but that isn't his concern.] I could have talked to them instead. Maybe I could have made them see that we're just like them.

[Mikleo looks unfazed. He knows what he saw-- those dumb kids moved first. He weathers Hiccup's temperament similarly. He's had arguments like this before; his best friend is a pacifist too.]

I wasn't-- I was making it harder for them to get to you. Those idiots were ready to toss fire around. Maybe your dragon is fireproof but everything else...

Maybe you could have talked them down. But maybe you couldn't, and you'd end up in a situation you couldn't talk your way out of.

Some people don't listen. Some people respond to actions instead. If you want to prove your point, then why don't you try something on a bigger scale? Like volunteering?

Nothing.

( mild, because he actually agrees with what hiccup says for the most part, that a strong foundation of knowledge makes all the difference when it comes to understanding the best way to shape and mold your innate talent. )

Though you might consider supplementing your desire for knowledge with actual instruction, if only to limit the risk to yourself and others.

[ don’t u roar at him

eren is— far from alpha of all dragons in aefenglom, but he’s certainly the defiant sort! one that will not tolerate authority that isn’t his own (or levi ackerman’s). he is free. he understands, through pricks of body language what he’s calling back to him, and eren stands tall, straight and colorful, a walking sunset of colors where skin isn’t as dark as the sky and brows into resolute slants.

everything says he isn’t too okay. an escalated pulse meant he was breathing harder. he doesn’t want to be hostile with hiccup of all people, much less his dragon, and not outright attacking them proves at least some grasp on his principles, still. ]

Yeah— No— Your sword. [ his fingers fidget and he can’t keep still. after a beat, he starts up again, gesturing with shaking hands. ] If I could beat Toothless, it’s mine, [ he’s got, erm— nothing but pants on? no shirt, no shoes, no weapons, but give him service. ] alright?

[ he’s willing to win the sharp thing fair and square!! he’s honestly . . . more excited than he is being antagonistic, but rebellious he is! and he has to stick to that. he is his own alpha, buddy . . . ]

If you have those types of skills, I'm sure they'd have work for you.

[ She certainly didn't expect him to say he was a blacksmith. She would have expected someone burlier for that type of job. ]

Honestly..anything I can do or learn to do. I don't have much in terms of skills...So it's more of whether they'd actually accept someone who doesn't have much experience.

[ It was rather embarrassing to admit that at her age, but she had only been working with the handymen for a short while, and her job before that...She would prefer to not use that particular skillset. ]

[Fun story, he's been blacksmithing since he was even twiggier than this. Gobber was pretty much the only one who would look after him, and only because he basically helped raise him.] Maybe! I've never really done a, um, job interview? before, though. We don't really... do those back on Berk. [Everyone helps out wherever they can, basically, for the general good of the village, so having to earn money as an individual is brand new.]

Hmm. I'm sure someone out there is willing. What kinds of jobs do you think you'd like to do? It's easiest to find what you'll be good at if you start with things you enjoy.

[Excuse u tiny dragon man!! Toothless's spines stand straight up and he hops on all four feet a few times, eyes narrowed to slits and teeth bared, because he recognizes a challenge when he sees one. Bring it on, he will take you!!

Except Hiccup is putting himself between them both like that martyr-y idiot that he is, hands held up, palms out, placating.] What- No, no no no, no one is beating anyone! Toothless, stand down. [Toothless' ear fins flatten, but he sits up primly, eyes still narrowed with irritation.]

You want- You want Inferno? Okay. That's fine. [He unhooks the hilt from his belt, and clicks the little button that extends the blade - which is less a real blade and more the metal outline of a blade, meant to be lit on fire, the heat in conjunction with the sharp edges meant to slice through things more easily. It's out of Nightmare gel, but when he waves it, flames dance along the edges of the blade.] Here. You can just have it, okay? [If it prevents a fight, he's fine with this. He'll just get it back later when Eren isn't being so... weird.] Just tell me what's going on.

[That gets him frowning again over the stack of books in his arms.] Who says I'm not? I attend the evening classes. [Why do people just assume he's going off half-cocked and wildly throwing magic around like it's nothing? He does have a bit of a reputation for- going in hot, so to speak, but he's not an idiot, and he realizes how dangerous it could be.] When there isn't enough daylight for construction. I'm just taking some notes while I have a free hour.

[ oh.

lacking an aversion to the embers, eren, between giving toothless equally narrowed glares and to hiccup, he reaches for the sword by . . . the actual blade. the heat doesn’t leave its mark, neither does pain come from it. it doesn’t— hurt him at all, and he’d be baffled by it himself if he actually cared enough for it now. in fact, the heat is attractive. thumbing the edges with his fingers, that have a bit of an anxious jitter to them, he might even seem a little less impressed. some thought. hm, actually—

eren doesn’t keep put in one place; he circles around hiccup’s human wall, or tries to, looking over his shoulder to keep eye contact with the night fury. ]

He’s too close.

[ “I’m gonna wrestling you” says his dragon eyes!!! ]

Woah, hey, don't- that's sharp, don't cut yourself. [It doesn't seem to burn him, which is good, if strange. Hiccup just keeps flashing back to that dream, where he had a real grasp of magic and Eren could transform. Maybe it was a premonition after all. As soon as he can get the blade away from Eren's fingertips, he retracts the blade, which extinguishes the flames, and holds the hilt out like an offering, handle first. He'll get it back later.]

Who's too- Toothless? Is this a- a territory thing? [He knows dragons can be territorial. Toothless is usually content to share space, for the most part, but the way he keeps watching Eren - and the way Eren watches him - is a little worrying. Still trying to bring the tension down, he says placatingly,] If he has to leave, I've gotta go too. He can't fly without me.

[It's hard being friends with a pacifist, isn't it? Have fun with this one, Mikleo. There is a part of him that will always believe he can change someone's mind. Less so, since Drago, but a bunch of angry kids foisted out of their homes are no Drago Bludvist.

For what it's worth, Hiccup doesn't even seem angry. Just exasperated. Frustrated.] Look, I... appreciate the help, I just can't be in the middle of any kind of fight breaking out in the street. Toothless can't be in the middle of that. We have to leave a good impression, he's unusual enough as it is without being labeled-

You heard them, they already think we're dangerous. I need to prove them wrong. [And here he turns to his dragon, who looks only slightly abashed at the scolding (which comes complete with exaggerated hand gestures),] And sometimes that means being the bigger dragon, alpha.

[Running a hand over his face, Hiccup sighs.] Anything on a bigger scale doesn't exactly convince a few individuals looking for a fight. Anyway, I do, just- not in this district.

Berk..I've never heard of that place before.

[ Not that Alex was that worldly, and well, she's learning there seems to be more than one. He did say it was a village, which sounds quite tight knit. ]

You seem like a kind person, I think they'd like you.

[ Here he was, giving advice to a total stranger. Surely they'd want someone that was helpful and friendly.

In regards to his question though, she needs to think on that a bit. There wasn't all that much she got to try, but.. ]

It was only for a little bit, but..I worked as a singer in a club. That was..fun.

[ Save for her first night on the job when the club was attacked and several people were killed. Afterwards, it was fun. ]

Nobody here has. [He says with a laugh.] It's okay, it's an island in the middle of nowhere. [Just south of freezing to death. Only idiots like vikings would live there.]

A singer, huh? That does sound like it'd be a fun job. I think there are plenty of music places, um- [He digs in his pocket for a little map of the city he copied down, with a few places he was interested in marked.] Yeah, there's an entertainment district that borders the shopping district here. I bet there are places hiring!

[ he’ll cut himself if he wants

which earns a defying glare at least before, once the offer is back to him, he— pushes it away with the top of his hand. he’s a man of his word, if he said it’s mine if i win, he’ll keep to it. he has . . . standards. when the objects are being watched.

(honestly it’s a little whimsical, depends on how far off he is). ]

I don’t want him to leave, I want him to show he could stay. [ and he’s running out of patience for it. eren would give a warning, but— he already has! a while ago! rather than closing the little space they had between dragon and human shield, eren steps back to make distance, perfect for running starts, for making holes— he’s basically painting these big, bright targets on him as an invite. ]

[Mikleo relents. He can see how hard Hiccup is trying. And Hiccup's not wrong, exactly, but pacifists need people to fight for them sometimes. He looks at the dragon when Hiccup mentions him. Maybe the Viking doesn't want to draw undue attention, but that doesn't mean he can just turn the other cheek all the time.

What if someone gets hurt? Though that could happen regardless of someone intervening or not. Those kids need to be discouraged and that isn't a simple problem.

Ugh. This is too much to think about right now. He can't even remember why he's on this street now when he lives a couple blocks in the other direction.]

All right, all right. I'm sorry for making things worse. I guess I won't chase them down and put ice in their shirts, but only because you asked so nicely.

[He's only half joking here.]

Do you know how to defend yourself against magic, though? Maybe you should come to the abjuration class with me. If you're not going to fight back, you should at least learn how to deflect. It might not be fire next time.

Edited 2019-06-03 17:39 (UTC)

[ Freezing was not what was on her mind when she heard island in the middle of no where. She was going with a more tropical theme, vacation style kind of thing.

When he pulls out a map, she steps closer to get a better look. She doesn't remember being handed a map, and it looked hand draws. ]

Did you make this? That's pretty smart of you.

[ Suggesting the entertainment district was also a good idea. ]

I could check it out, but..the last job I did was just a recommendation from a friend to another friend. I don't know how I'd hold up to an actual audition.

[Well, alright. He doesn't want Inferno after all. Hiccup retracts the blade again and hooks the hilt to his belt again. This is definitely some weird behavior Eren is displaying, but he's doing his best to try and be understanding and bring the situation down.

Which... evidently is not what Eren wants. Toothless' ear flaps flatten at the cryptic statement, and his eyes narrow again, stalking forward, pushing Hiccup to the side.]

Oh. Oh no, c'mon, you can't fight my dragon for dominance- is that what you're doing? Are you fighting my dragon for dominance?

[ never say can’t to eren t. jaeger because he’ll just prove you wrong. toothless in full view is enough of a green-lighted cue for him, and straightforward he goes without heeding hiccup’s words in a bolt.

he’s going to rugby tackle the dragon, results may very. ]

No, I'm sorry, you didn't- it went okay, as okay as it was probably going to. [It was never going to wind up sunshine and rainbows, he knows that. And Mikleo's desire to protect an acquaintance isn't a bad trait by any means. Everything is just so complicated with his situation right now, with them all being so new. The joke gets a wry little smile out of him.] As warm as it is here, they might enjoy some ice down their shirts, you know.

[Hiccup looks briefly thoughtful; he hasn't really heard much about abjuration yet - he's attending some classes, but mostly things he views as practical.] I guess I don't. Is that- shield magic? That might not be a bad thing to learn. I've only, uh, been attending lessons for enchantment and some of the really basic stuff so far.

[Mikleo just sighs. Hiccup isn't wrong, but it's still obnoxious that these dumbass kids are trying to fight on the streets. It's obnoxious that they have to deal with any of this. But whining about it won't change anything, either, so he'll just have to do his best to mitigate conflict in his own way... even if that means butting heads with Hiccup sometimes. They have the same goal, at least.]

-- You're probably right about that. I'm all for harmless pranks, though they're much easier to pull off when you're invisible.

[Mikleo nods, confirming that abjuration is in fact shield magic.] There are some healing spells under that umbrella too, which is why I've been looking into it.

It's all pretty overwhelming at first-- but you seem like a pretty smart guy. [Understatement of the century.] If you find a school of magic you really like, I bet you'll have a hard time pulling yourself away from it.

[It is hand-drawn, in what seems to be charcoal - he hasn't quite gotten used to pens and pencils yet, despite their precision. Sometimes you just have to go with what you know.] I just did a fly-over one day and marked down the major landmarks so I could find my way around on foot. I'm not used to such a big city. They've got an area for everything! It's crazy.

[He offers an earnest smile.] I could go with you, if you wanted? It might be easier with some moral support. I bet you'd do great, though.

[He is finding this out about his new friend. With an undignified yelp he launches himself out of the way to keep from getting pulled into the crossfire, and Toothless rears back on his hind legs, letting out a roar that definitely translates to "I will put you in dragon time out!!" (He still sees himself as the alpha, after all.)

And he is successfully tackled, but. It takes quite a bit of force to move a two thousand pound lizard who does not want to be moved. Growling, Toothless tries to bat him off with short swipes, still careful of his claws, because his rider is somehow fond of this weird human thing.]

Toothless, don't hurt him, bud! [Toothless just barks out some short, mocking sounds like 'blah blah blah'.]

[It doesn't bother Hiccup to butt heads with someone well-meaning. They might disagree on approach, but they have similar goals, and he likes Mikleo regardless. Friends fight, it's what they do. So he doesn't hold any kind of grudge for the altercation; it slips off him like water off a dragon's back.] Can you go invisible? Or was that something you could do, uh, before?

[He offers a smile, patting Toothless again to soothe him after the near-fight. The dragon seems calmed down now, but it doesn't hurt.] Well, you know, you too. What time are the lessons? We could go to the same class. Maybe you could help me with abjuration and I could show you some of the stuff I'm working on! Once I get a forge up and running, it looks like there are all kinds of enchantments you can put on weapons and armor.

[ eren acts like he could lift him, and his strength has certainly spiked this full moon, cheeks puffed and “roaring” out in turn (unafraid of dragon time outs, apparently!)—

but not enough to move a two ton lizard like one would a cup. with arms wrapped around the dragon, eren squeezes to keep his hold there, digging his toes into the earth to push up and give his legs leverage. listen!! there is no biting! or scratching! only good man-to-dragon grappling. he keeps his head low and takes the knocks to the head like a champ, only a hiss under his breath that surfaces like an angry snake.

eren dragged him an inch or two. this is progress (he’s trying so hard). ]

Humans can't perceive seraphim unless they're born with the ability, so aside from my partner and a few other people, talking is sort of a one-sided conversation. [He holds up a finger.] There's something I could do with water that could make us difficult to track but I haven't figured out how to replicate it here. I might just have to use the invisibility spell in the books if I need stealth.

[He folds his arms, not to look unfriendly or anything but to consider the thought. Man, he really likes Hiccup.]

I think abjuration is tomorrow morning. I'm game if you are.

[Wait, what's this about a forge?]

Wait, you're a craftsman? [He gestures to Hiccup's outfit.] Did you make-- all of that?

[Toothless glances with a very flat expression at Hiccup, who shrugs broadly at this turn of events. He's completely at a loss. This is weird behavior from what he knows, but he wonders if it has something to do with the full moons hanging in the sky above.

Successfully pushed back a couple of inches, Toothless tilts his head down to look at Eren, and almost seems to roll his eyes, before... Timber. He goes dead-weight, and tips forward, apparently figuring that he will just lay on him for a while like he does Hiccup sometimes when they wrestle.]

Huh. But I guess that doesn't apply here since- well. [He gestures vaguely. This is definitely a two-sided conversation, after all.] It's still strange to hear how differently other worlds work. Strange, but cool, I mean. How did you make it hard to be tracked using water?

Tomorrow morning. I'll be there. [It sounds like it could be fun.

At the question, he smiles a little wider, a little sheepishly.] Yeah. I was the blacksmith's apprentice since I was a kid, and I wasn't exactly- you know, not the ideal of a viking warrior teen. [Meaning he had to use his smarts instead of his twiggy body.] So I made stuff.

It's about reflection and refraction. There's a touch of magic about it too, but mostly it has to do with the way light works. [Hiccup can probably figure it out on his own, but he's happy to elaborate if needed.]

Don't be late. [Time to see what kind of genius Hiccup is.]

Wow... I don't know what an 'ideal viking warrior teen' should look like, but you seem plenty capable to me. You don't have to have arms like boar haunches in order to swing a sword or a staff. [Mikleo's twiggy too, and about seventy percent leg.] But there's something to be said for ingenuity. Sorey-- my partner-- he was always making whatever he needed since there wasn't a whole lot in the village. Rare things like books and tools had to be brought from outside the forest, and sometimes that took months.

What you do is nothing to sneeze at. But I'd better stop complimenting you before your head gets too big and floats off somewhere.

Edited 2019-07-01 01:44 (UTC)

[ Her brow raises at 'fly-over', but the offer takes her by surprise. ]

Oh, you don't have to do that much..! I appreciate the offer, but you're still looking for a job too aren't you?

Sure, but I'm not in a rush or anything. I live out in the slums so I don't have to pay for housing, and I can hunt and fish, so money isn't that important. [He's pretty used to making his own way, and while he's stuck here, it feels like he's got all the time in the world, for better or worse.]

I can make time.

Oh! That's amazing, actually. If you can- you know, replicate it, I'd love to see something like that in action. [Hiccup is learning about a lot of more advanced scientific concepts here and honestly he's living for it.

A sheepish laugh.] You, uh, you didn't see me back then. I hit a growth spurt around 17. [Hiccup is still twiggy but he was even more of a toothpick at 15.] Making things, though, that's- there's nothing like it. It's useful. Especially in a small village. Are you from your, uh, partner's village too? It sounds a bit like my home. Some things we could only trade for.

[He smiles wryly over at him.] Oh don't worry about that, I'm used to getting the ego knocked out of me.

You'll be the first person I call. It sounds like the kind of thing you'd be into; you're a man of strategy, aren't you?

[He might be wrong-- but he doesn't think he is.]

Oh. Lucky you. [The sass is palpable... he's been stuck at 5'5" for about eighty five years.] But you're right, it's the only way to be able to survive sometimes. Our village was in the mountains, and surrounding that was a forest that was almost impassable to outsiders. So if we needed something we couldn't replace, we had to send out another seraph to get it.

[He echoes that wry smile after a moment.]

I can see why.

I guess so. Some people would say I'm a man of 'doing something stupid or crazy', but you know, I'm always here to learn something new. [He laughs, shaking his head slightly.]

Yeah, that sounds familiar. Berk is an island in the middle of nowhere, and it's winter for about nine months of the year. There are long stretches where trading ships can't make it through to us. It's been better since we made peace with the dragons, though it's still hard to fly during storm season. [Small town boys hi5.] Kind of makes you wonder what they do here, doesn't it? I haven't even- haven't even heard of any other cities.

[He snorts.] That's a strategy in itself. As long as you know the risks and can handle the consequences, then it's fine.

[Hiccup is talking to someone who managed to get grounded his first week here. He's impulsive, too, even if he acts like he's so above it all.]

A nine month winter sounds rough. No wonder you had to get crafty. [At the mention of other cities, he ponders, his hand beneath his chin.] I thought that was unusual myself. With the way this place is walled off and the corruption's spread, I could only come to one conclusion.

[He doesn't need to say it.]

There may be cities on other continents, but I don't know much about that. I haven't been able to find a map yet.

Edited 2019-08-11 10:50 (UTC)

You think Aefenglom is the only city here? [It's not a hard conclusion to come to. It was one that he had been reluctant to decide on, though, because of the sheer horror of those implications.] Or- maybe it isn't, but they can't communicate with each other, or reach any other cities.

It just seems strange. Even somewhere as remote as Berk, we had news and trade from other tribes on other islands.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[OPEN] there is a fire that we breathe

I

I

ii.

iv!

Iii

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

sorry for the wait!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject