[video]

[forbiddenfriendship]

[the video feed turns on, and a giant, curious yellow eye stares back, accompanied by a deep, rumbling noise that sounded a bit like a cat's purr. Off in the distance comes a young man's voice talking in Norse - although thanks to the communicator's translation, there's an easy English text version popping up]

Toothless, what are you doing with that…[there's a crash, as the voice has apparently just dropped something]...oh gods, it's a magic book.

[the giant eye twists away, as Toothless lifts his head up to look inquisitively off at something to the side - the source of the voice, presumably. The angle is strange, and all you can see is part of his head, but it's clear enough that Toothless is covered in black scales, and big.]

Okay, okay…Toothless, just come over here, okay buddy? [Toothless rumbles softly, but takes a step away from the book, and out of view.] That's it, come on…let's get away from the magic, probably cursed book…oh gods, why me…

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[forbiddenfriendship]

[Hiccup freezes, his eyes going wide as saucers as his jaw drops]

You've been to Alfheim?!

[akito]

[ Akito's winds try to get Hiccup in on the fun as well, but mostly focus on Toothless, as they have an understandable fondness for creatures that are built to fly.

he can't help but laugh at the chaos, though he does his best to keep the winds from letting Toothless tumble in to anything. ]

[forbiddenfriendship]

[Sadly Hiccup's not really able to look too closely at the book right now]

So that's why he likes you...[At this Toothless turns to look at Hiccup with a happy dragonish expression - thus allowing Elissa to see Hiccup's whole upper body as opposed to just part of his head]

Uh, thanks for trying to help Toothless, then. Since he's a dragon I was kinda worried that people would...you know. [Panic.] What did you say your name was again?

[attention_wenches]

[Travel between the realms is perfectly simple for Loki, and travel to a friendly, peaceful world ruled by near relations so simple he's rather annoyed it doesn't happen more often.]

Yes, visiting my grandparents. It's been ages, unfortunately. I was about knee high at the time, so my memories may be fuzzy. I did like it there, I'm sure.

[And it was one of very few perks to being the younger prince. It was safer to let him leave Asgard's walls, and he'd had such stories for Thor when he returned. A sweet memory all around.]

[djinnigenie]

You are very welcome. Others might, indeed, be alarmed to see your friend, but I have a bit of, ah, experience with dragons... and he did not seem a terrible sort.

[Not at all like the Archdemon or the false Andraste, thankyouverymuch. She spies the boy and her grin turns to a genuinely warm smile.]

I am Elissa. Elissa Cousland. I am a Grey Warden of Ferelden - though you may simply call me Elissa. This is not Ferelden, after all.

[forbiddenfriendship]

But is is magic, isn't it? How can you compare magic to magic? [You might not be able to get away with not explaining there, Thor.

Still, at least Hiccup is looking incredibly relieved at the fact that Thor isn't angry with him]

Oh, thank the...uh, well, you.

[forbiddenfriendship]

[Toothless doesn't tumble, but unfortunately, Hiccup does. He might have mostly gotten used to his new leg, but he still hasn't completely mastered it. But quick as a flash, the second Hiccup yelps Toothless abandons the winds and rushes over to help steady him]

Thanks, buddy. [Toothless rumbles softly in reply] But I think we'd better be careful about all these strange winds...

[forbiddenfriendship]

Your grandparents live there? Then...you're an elf?

[forbiddenfriendship]

Really? What kind of dragons? [Hiccup's never heard of anyone else making friends with dragons. He can't help but be curious]

Ah, I'm Hiccup. I'm...well, back in Berk I'm the blacksmith's apprentice. [And the son of the chief, although that really wasn't something Hiccup liked to bring attention to. Especially since a lot of the village had, for most of his life, also liked to not bring attention to that particular fact] And you've met Toothless. [Toothless pricks up an ear, and tilts his head to the side]

[akito]

[ Akito didn't know that the boy would be unsteady on his feet, and after Toothless rushes to aid his companion, he makes sure to send an apologetic breeze to the both of them. or as apologetic as he can manage to convey through air.

since at least one of them can hear him, he'll offer a verbal apology as well: ]

Sorry, little dragon!

[attention_wenches]

[Loki snorts.]

Have you ever seen an elf? I'm fairly certain a homely little scarecrow like me would have been left for the bears as a baby.

No, my maternal grandparents rule the place. Ostensibly. It was a strange piece of diplomacy and my suspicion is that the elves just nodded a bit and went on doing what they liked, but it does seem to have calmed down objections from the royal Vanir. ...Though marrying Mother to the Allfather was likely more effective, now that I consider.

[Lucky he's given up on pretending not to be a prince. Loki may be almost as clever as he thinks he is, but he's also rather sheltered, and Hiccup acting like he understands the context makes it easier to just plow along assuming the politics of the nine realms aren't inscrutable to him. Even if he doesn't know what elves look like.]

[djinnigenie]

"Immense dragons once revered as old gods. High dragons. Drakes. Dragonlings. Unfortunately, none of those were like Toothless."

[Hiccup's mention of his apprenticeship lights the Warden's eyes.]

A smith! Now that *will* be useful to have around here - at least for me and others who are used to living as we do. Tell me... can you make swords?

[forbiddenfriendship]

[And now Toothless is pricking his ears again, looking over towards the book]

Toothless? Why do you keep doing that? There's nothing...

[Hiccup trails off, but the sound of soft, hesitant footsteps come though. And then...]

Is that...where did that writing come from? That wasn't there before...

[forbiddenfriendship]

Okay, no, but Alfheim's where the elves live, and...wait, they run it? And your mother married...oh no.

[And now Hiccup's gome completely pale, because if his father is Odin...]

Oh gods, I am so sorry, I didn't realise that were...oh gods...oh gods, that means you're a god too...oh I am so sorry, please don't smite me, I didn't know...

[forbiddenfriendship]

Dragon gods, huh? How about that, Toothless? [Toothless purrs cheerfully] That's a nice change from where I'm from. Used to be that everyone hated dragons. I mean, they're our friends now, but...well, they weren't always.

Swords? Oh yeah, I can do swords. And axes, and knives, aaaand all sorts of stuff. I'm not as good as Gobbler though. I'm still just an apprentice.

[attention_wenches]

[Oh, no, and they were having such a reasonably useful interaction. Sure, Loki was dominating the conversation shamelessly and being imperious about it, but he didn't know he did that, so he didn't take it into consideration.]

Please don't do that. It's extremely uncomfortable. Some of us have far too much sense to go to Midgard and parade about for the fun of it. Though I think my brother rather enjoys it if you see the towering blond oaf with the overlarge hammer?

[akito]

[ Akito lets out a pleased note as he realizes the boy has taken notice of the communicator again. ]

Hello!

[forbiddenfriendship]

You mean Thor? I did meet him...[Aaaand Hiccup still can't get used to be able to say that he met Thor] Oh gods. And you, you're a god. I'm sorry, I am...so not used to meeting gods. At all. And I am so not the kind of person that gods would be talking to, really, and...oooh I don't even know which god you are. I am so sorry.

[sorry Loki, but it could take a little time for Hiccup to stop freaking out here. It's his default reaction to meeting gods, okay?]

[forbiddenfriendship]

...Toothless, I think the book is talking to me. Oh man, this is crazy.

[attention_wenches]

I'm not... Oh, nevermind.

[If that's what the humans are going to call the Asgardians, fine. And if the kid still has some kind of respect for the institution of godhood after meeting Thor, fine.]

My name is Loki. Now please stop it.

[He knows rather little of his older self, and therefore has no idea that a day will come when he does have a place in the Midgardian stories. It just doesn't seem like something he'd do.]

[akito]

A person talking through the book!
Like sending letters
But instant!

[djinnigenie]

Dragons are not friendly in my homeland. Most people usually have to flee or die when meeting dragons unless those people know how to fight. Berk? That's the name of your home? It sounds quite lovely. Having dragons for *friends* would be a wonderful change in Ferelden, let me tell you.

[loveshishammer]

[Really, magic and technology are close enough to Thor that an explanation could be really confusing. Or interesting. Or both.]

Magics are of different types, are they not? But if you truly wish an explanation, I can do my best. It is not my area of expertise.

[forbiddenfriendship]

[Oh, you've definitely got a place in them, Loki. And Hiccup's eyes have now somehow managed to get even wider]

You - you're Loki! Oh, this is...this is amazing, actually.

[Loki. Loki. Hiccup has actually spoken to him, and Thor. Oh gods. No one is ever going to believe this. No one.]

Uh...could you possibly tell me exactly what it is that i need to stop? You know, so that I can...properly stop it. [Angering a god. Bad idea. Very very bad idea. Except Hiccup's not quite sure how he's angering Loki.]

[forbiddenfriendship]

[Finally, Hiccup leans in close enough that Akito can see him. Okay, so only the top of Hiccup's head and his wide green eyes can be seen, but it's something.

And the magic book is talking in...Errlgrazian? Is everything here in that language? Hiccup switches over to 'English']

How are you sending those? [Hiccup paused] You're not going to curse me, are you? Please don't curse me.