[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

[video]

[girlworthfighting]

Machines that fly. Carts that move faster than those drawn by horses, without any beasts drawing them at all. Weapons that can injure or kill with a single small blast.

I'm probably not the best person to ask about details, though. I don't pretend to understand much about how it works. It might as well be magic, it's only as a point of distinction that it's not.

[loveshishammer]

Oh? Why, because I do not demand sacrifices and worship out of you?

[He's a bit amused and a bit resigned, with that guess.]

[forbiddenfriendship]

Oh, he's not really tamed. More...trained. Toothless is still very much his own creature.

[And at the mention of his name, Toothless insistently shoves his own face into the picture, making an inquisitive rumbling noise]

[forbiddenfriendship]

[Hiccup's a little surprised at that offer. Offering help...well, it's generally not considering a very 'vikinglike' thing to do. Not that Vikings never asked or received help - they just generally liked to act as if there wasn't any helping going on]

Uh, sure. Thanks. I'm sure we'll be fine though, really. [he smiles, a little uncertain] But it's good to have a friend here.

[forbiddenfriendship]

You mean like a lot of drawings? But how does that make it move? Or look so real?

[video]

[forbiddenfriendship]

[Now Hiccup's even more interested. Flying machines? Carts that are faster than horses? Weapons...well, that sounded a lot like Toothless. But still interesting]

Do you know who does understand how they work? Do you think they'd mind if I asked them about it?

[forbiddenfriendship]

No...well, yes, but not just that. I didn't think you'd be so...human.

[djinnigenie]

One last thing before I go...

[She smiles again, almost grinning.]

What does Toothless like to eat?

[forbiddenfriendship]

Oh, he likes fish. Lots and lots of fish.

[akito]

The reason we can see colour is because when light hits an object the object absorbs some of the light and reflects the rest away in what our eyes perceive as colour!

To record video
You have a device with a lens on it
The lens lets light into the device and focuses it on something that reacts to the light in a way that copies the colours it sees

Or something like that, at least!!

Even drawings can appear like they're moving if they are drawn in sequence
Like if you draw someone running in one picture
In the next you move their arms and legs a bit
And keep repeating the process!
Then when you look at the sequential images in rapid succession
It looks like they're moving!

I don't know how more advanced recording devices work, but the basic principle is just capturing an image of reality and 'drawing' it on something using light.

[video]

[girlworthfighting]

There are more than a few people around the town. Actually, this device is probably the best way to get the answers that you seek.

[attention_wenches]

That makes a certain sense.

[Its antics are still quite amusing. Loki's never had a great deal of luck with animals, but this one is charming. He's a bit reminded of that creature Thor seems to think they should acquire, even if it's a great deal larger than a cat.]

And hello to you, too. Toothless, is it?

[djinnigenie]

Ha! Good to know. And... you?

[loveshishammer]

[Thor chuckles, at that.]

I am not really very human, but I am flattered that you think so. But I am hardly perfect, just like any other Asgardian or human.

[Considering hey, he likes humans, that's a compliment, right?]

[video]

[forbiddenfriendship]

Right, the magic book. Or not-magic book. I'll just...have to figure out exactly how to use. I'm not really sure how Toothless got it going in the first place, I'm afraid.

[forbiddenfriendship]

Well, if the gods were perfect, we'd have some pretty boring legends. [sheepishly, Hiccup grins]

[video]

[girlworthfighting]

I had some similar problems at first, too. There should be a large flat sort of switch, somewhere along the side. That's the activation for power.

[video]

[forbiddenfriendship]

A switch? Why would a book have a switch? [Hiccup picks up the communicator, and the video becomes a mess of blurring images hurling past, as Hiccup fiddles around with no thought to how the image comes across. And then apparently Hiccup does manage to find the power - because suddenly the feed goes black.

Oops.]

[loveshishammer]

[That earns him a laugh.]

Indeed! What would stories be like if there were no mistakes, no faults? As long as the good and the just pull through in the end, right?

[Because Thor does at least still need that, even if he knows he fails along the way.]

I should be going. I have work to do. You are settled in somewhere, then?

[video]

[girlworthfighting]

[Well the good news is he found it. Mulan will wait for a little bit to see if he's going to turn it on and resume the conversation; if not she'll go about her way. She has faith that he's on his way to figuring it all out, eventually.]

[forbiddenfriendship]

Right.

[Hiccup looks like a strange mix of both disappointment and relief at the fact that Thor will be going. On the one hand he really likes talking to Thor - but on the other hand, talking to a god is kind of completely terrifying.]

Ah, we're just staying here in the ship. I don't really think there'd be many other places where Toothless could stay.

[video]

[forbiddenfriendship]

[unfortunately, this time around Hiccup doesn't quite manage to turn the communicator back on. The dragon which has decided to try and give it's input maybe having something to do with that]

[loveshishammer]

I think you might find that is not true, if you come down to Poseidon and look around. Do let me know if you do, I would happily show you the town!

[He's moving now, with the sound of crunching boats a background t his words.]

[forbiddenfriendship]

Uh, sure thing. [Not that Hiccup's sure he'll come to the Poseidon. He's not sure how people would take Toothless.

But it looks like Thor is gone now, so it doesn't matter anyway...]

[loveshishammer]

[Not quite gone yet, but close to it.]

Farewell, for now, Hiccup. And say hello to your dragon for me!

[And with that he's gone, the connection closed up.]