[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…

Comments

[forbiddenfriendship]

This is going to sound strange, but...has anyone tried to make friends with them? We thought dragons weren't friendly too, because they were stealing our food. But it turned out that there was a bigger dragon making them, and they're alright as long as you don't threatened them.

Uh, yeah. Berk's my village. It's cold, and depressing, and miserable. But it's home, I guess. [And now Hiccup doesn't even know if he's ever going to get back there. What in Odin's name will his father be thinking?]

[forbiddenfriendship]

Oh no, you don't have to do that. Really! I mean, you're a god, and I'm...definitely not. You shouldn't really have to go around explaining anything to me.

[djinnigenie]

In truth, I do not know that it would be possible to befriend them, but that is an interesting thought. Perhaps I shall try it, if we ever find our ways home again.

Ha! Some say that my homeland of Ferelden is cold and wet and smells of wet dog. Castle Highever, however, is situated upon a beautiful, coastal area with cliffs. As a child, I always enjoyed the smell of the winds from the sea.

text;

[akito]

[ Akito quietly hopes that he's never been quite that nervous around people, while simultaneously holding back a small laugh. ]

If this text is appearing on your book
It is because your book is enchanted to receive messages from other people
Who also have some form of enchanted communication device.
I don't think these communicators can transfer curses or anything through them
So don't worry about that!! :)

[attention_wenches]

The... god nonsense. Do you know how difficult that makes it to have a conversation? It's like watching visitors from the country crowd around warhammer-for-brains while he's just taking up space in a tavern. Only I'm in the center of it.

[The small, plain second prince didn't get nearly that sort of attention simply because people were unused to royalty. Avoiding it was usually deliberate, but that was a defense mechanism.]

[loveshishammer]

But I am here, and you are confused. Is that not a reason? My only fear is that I would confuse you further. The specifics of these machines-- and your book-- have not been made known to me, either, so it would largely be a lot of guesswork.

[Hey, he's a humble god at least. Sort of. Most of the time.]

[video]

[girlworthfighting]

[She's not going to sigh at him, because while his reaction is a little spastic than hers Mulan basically had similar thoughts about the communicator when she first arrived too.]

It's not magic. It is made of machines. Technology; very elaborate and advanced to you, no doubt. But entirely made by the hands of man.

And you might want to get your...pet, away from it. So that it doesn't get damaged.

[video]

[forbiddenfriendship]

[cautiously, Hiccup inches into view. He's talked to a few people through the magic book by now, and...well, so far they don't seem to have been cursed to a horrible and painful doom by it. Not that it's too late for that...]

Are you sure about that? Technology is...you know, pulley systems, catapults, better ways of reigning down fire and destruction upon your enemies, etcera ectera.. This is a book with moving pictures. How could you make something like this without magic?

[he glances off to the side, where Toothless is presumably stashed out of view]

Toothless...Toothless isn't really a pet. He's my friend.

[forbiddenfriendship]

Well, it just that, you know, you don't usually expect gods to be going around explaining things to mortals and all. Not that I know what gods should do and all!

[Hiccup manages to give a very good impression of a flailing duck right now]

But I can always ask someone else. I'm sure there must be someone around here who can explain things, really.

[forbiddenfriendship]

[Hey, can you blame Hiccup for being nervous about the mysterious talking book?]

If there are messages being sent through the book...how can you hear me?

[forbiddenfriendship]

But I can't stop you being a god! [this is so not how gods act in the stories...]

[attention_wenches]

[Loki is, after all, the trickster, the spark, the rule-breaker whose strangeness drives most of those stories, for good or (usually) for ill. Loki, in other words, does what he wants.]

You can stop talking about it, can't you? If I had a temple to stand about in I'd use it to practice controlled fires and runic incantations, not hosting obsequious midgardians. We had so many options a moment ago. Dragons, Alfheim, communication devices, my brother's amusing foolishness... Pick something.

[forbiddenfriendship]

Well, I don't really know if I'd actually recommend it. It's not exactly going to be very safe if things go wrong.

[djinnigenie]

[Elissa cleared her throat and looked a bit uneasy.]

I have some experience with slaying dragons.

[Hastily, she reassuringly adds:]

But I would never do that to Toothless. He has already shown himself to be precious and I am quite fond of him.

[akito]

Messages can be sent via writing (text), voice, or video.

[loveshishammer]

[The boy is pretty cute, if a little confusing. Thor watches the flailing with a bemused little smile.]

Hiccup, calm yourself, please. I have my faults as well as anyone does, of Asgard or not. And I will take no offense when you clearly mean none, I assure you.

[video]

[girlworthfighting]

Your friend, then. It doesn't change the fact he might break it. And I'm not sure how one would go about getting these replaced.

And I understand your confusion; it sounds as if technology is at a similar state in your world as it was in mine. But there are a lot of things here to prove that invention has far advanced that which we know.

[forbiddenfriendship]

[Okay, this was tricky. Loki's a god, and you couldn't just not honour a god. On the other hand, you definitely couldn't disobey a god...

Hiccup's going to shut up about gods, but he's not going to lose the 'oh gods I'm talking to a gods' look]

Uh. Dragons?

[oh gods he hopes he picked the right one there]

[forbiddenfriendship]

Oh, don't worry about it. Slaying dragons is also kinda what my village used to do too.

[attention_wenches]

[One of the more right answers, in any case. He's intrigued by the dragon.]

Yes, that will do.

[The face like he's just been hit with a fish isn't idea, but can be worked around. Loki's all cheerful interest again.]

I suppose it's funny that I've never seen one tamed before. Usually someone will try to ride anything.

[forbiddenfriendship]

What's a video?

[forbiddenfriendship]

Right, right.

[for a moment there's an awkward pause]

You know, in person you're not really like what I would expect...

[djinnigenie]

If the two of you ever have need of me, please do not hesitate to call for me. I will gladly provide whatever aid that I am able.

Meeting you and Toothless has been one of my greatest pleasures since arriving here. I shall be proud to call you both friend.

[video]

[forbiddenfriendship]

[Hiccups glances off to the side where Toothless, still out of view, lurks]

Oh, don't worry. I won't let him break it. He's never torn my journal before, so I don't think this would be a problem. But - advanced inventions? [he looks very interested in this] What kind of inventions?

[akito]

A video is a collection of sequential images
Combined together to make a moving image.