[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

[djinnigenie]

[Seeing that big, yellow, familiar eye and hearing the rumble, Elissa cannot *help* but to laugh. She manages to actually turn on the video this time on the first try and flashes a delighted grin to the screen.]

Well, hello, big friend! You are as bad as my Mabari, I swear it. Even Dane would try to use one of these things.

[Hearing the other voice, she calls out to Hiccup.]

Hello? Greetings? Is someone else there?

[attention_wenches]

[Loki's answer comes in Norse, though with a rather awkward, precise accent. It's the language of magic, if not everyday conversation at home, and he knows it like a classicist would know Latin.]

Not cursed. Simple enough enchantment, as far as I can tell.

[Loki likes being helpful when it makes him the smart one in the room.]

I see you've found your friend. He's rather charming, isn't he? I've never seen one so close.

audio + text

[akito]

[ oh, gosh. does that ever look like a dragon. he'll speak in semi-modern Icelandic, which is the closest thing to... Norse? that he knows. ]

Hello, little dragon! Your scales are very pretty.


[ and for its companion, Akito sends a text: ]

The book is not cursed!
It is a method of communication.
Possibly magic
More likely some kind of technology though.

[Audio]

[loveshishammer]

[Thor knows the sound of that language! That's the second time in two days, in fact! He perks up, from where he's waiting for his next load to carry before tomorrow's expected storms, and listens in to his communicator with interest. Ah, right, that boy! With his dragon! When he replies, his accent is, as it was before, pretty bad, but at least it's understandable.

Not as precise as Loki's, of course.]

Hiccup, my friend! You have found the network, I see.

[Aaaaand he just hopes he doesn't freak the boy out again.]

[forbiddenfriendship]

[And suddenly, Toothless is back, staring at the screen with that big yellow eye of his. That was the voice of his new friend!]

Toothless! No, what are you...oh gods now it's talking. We are so doomed.

[forbiddenfriendship]

[There's a moment of silence as Hiccup takes this in. That - that's Norse, proper, normal Norse (even if it was in an awkward accent), and not Errlgrazian. And he knew that voice]

I - I know you. I talked to you the other day. [Hiccup's voice sounds distant - largely because he's standing several metres away from the book, holding Toothless at bay and staying well away from the book.]

Did the spell trap you in there?

[djinnigenie]

Tis alright, friend! He knows me! I helped him find his way from within the star vessel.

[There is an unmistakable tinge of delight in Elissa's voice.]

It is my guess that you were the one he sought?

[attention_wenches]

[He'd have been happy enough to speak Norse then, too, but someone was being uncommunicative.]

There are no traps involved. It's a talisman of communication, the same way a mirror or a pool would be.

[Since Hiccup's talking about magic, Loki assumes he knows a bit about it, perhaps unwisely.]

Decidedly useful, if one is inclined to pay any mind to it.

[forbiddenfriendship]

[It's out of Akito's view, but Toothless's ears have pricked up. He hears the sounds that humans make!]

Toothless? What is it, buddy?

[Unfortunately, Hiccup can't hear Akito, and having moved away from the book he can't see the text. Getting a conversation going here could be a little tricky, Akito...]

[video for Hiccup forever]

[forbiddenfriendship]

Thor?! Oh gods...I mean...um...I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to summon you...please tell me you're not trapped in the book...

[Thor can't see it, but Hiccup is inching closer to the book, ever so slightly]

[forbiddenfriendship]

A friend? [Well, Toothless does seem to have taken to the talking book...somehow...

Hiccup is still out of sight, but you can hear his feet as he shuffles a little closer. He switches to English now, since that's what the magic book keeps talking to him in]

How could you help Toothless when you're a book? And how do I know you're not cursed?

[forbiddenfriendship]

[And now the top of Hiccup's head comes tentatively into view, as Hiccup peers down at the book - which is now lying discarded on the floor]

So it's not bad magic? It's not going to...I don't know, decide to steal my voice or turn Toothless into a cat or anything like that?

[djinnigenie]

[Warmly, the female voice answers. If he gets close enough, he can see Elissa's face with her faint smile.]

I am not a book. My name is Elissa. We are using strange devices to speak to one another. Sometimes, they allow us to see one another as well. I am still learning to use mine.

Your friend's name is Toothless?

[That causes her to chuckle.]

He had teeth when I saw him!

[attention_wenches]

[Bad magic. What a silly idea. Magic simply is. There's no more bad magic than bad swords or bad pens, unless they don't work.]

Both of those would be rather difficult and essentially pointless. All it does is send your image and voice to people elsewhere. I'm sure you can see the utility.

...Honestly, where did you find such a sweetly behaved little dragon?

[akito]

Toothless! Is that your name?

The winds say hello, too!

[ and they may or may not feel a friendly little breeze twirling around - toothless moreso than hiccup. ]

[forbiddenfriendship]

You're not here? So this is a magic book for talking to people who are somewhere else? Is it dangerous?

[Very, very cautiously, Hiccup inches close enough for Elissa to maybe see part of him. It's a bit tricky, seeing as Toothless is currently hogging most of the screen space]

Well...he has retractable teeth. So sometimes his teeth aren't there.

[Audio, only since he's "at work" technically]

[loveshishammer]

No no. You did not summon me at all. I merely heard your voice, and thought I would say hello. I am actually in Poseidon now, speaking to you over a network of sorts.

[Oh, right, Viking. He explains more simply:]

Long-distance communication, using the very air. Quite clever, really, and very useful.

[djinnigenie]

[The Grey Warden is grinning very broadly, if Hiccup can see her.]

Hello, Toothless. And friend.

Can you see me? No, I'm not with you. I am sitting atop a building in the market at present. It is not dangerous, I assure you - unless you leave it on by accident and say something you shouldn't.

I met Toothless within the star vessel. He was crashing about trying to knock open every door to look inside. I think he even melted one of them. I ran ahead of him and began opening doors until we finally made it outside. It was the most fun I've had in quite a long time. Your friend is most remarkable and so are you for managing to befriend him!

[forbiddenfriendship]

[Well, Hiccup's not an expert on magic. But he's still going to call any magic that curses him 'bad']

Oh, you never know. Maybe someone was really bored. Or they just like to curse people. I'm not exactly an expert on why witches do what they do.

[But Hiccup seems to be satisfied that the book isn't going to hurt him - or at least, he's hoping really hard that it's not going to hurt him. Very, very carefully, he picks up the book and holds it in front of him. Now Loki can see Hiccup's worried face, with Toothless curiously peering over his shoulder]

Well, I wouldn't exactly call Toothless 'sweet'...and he hasn't always 'behaved' either...

[forbiddenfriendship]

[Wind! Toothless turns around in a circle, trying to follow it, while Hiccup yelps. How did a wind get inside? Toothless wants to try and follow it!]

[akito]

[ he laughs, and the breeze picks up. the winds catch on to akito's playful mood and so the invading breeze tries to lead toothless in a game of chase. ]

[attention_wenches]

Boredom is a factor...

[Loki shakes his head, deciding not to be distracted.]

Perhaps I'm biased. The only other dragon I've seen more closely than flying above the mountains is in a menagerie in Alfheim. Decidedly mean creature, I was told. It took a good stab at eating one of the Jotnar white bears and has to be kept rather away from visitors.

[forbiddenfriendship]

So it's like messenger birds? [Invisible messenger birds?] Except instead of carrying a note, they carry sound?

Uh, but I hope I didn't bother you or anything, Your Thunderingness. [oh gods talking to a god is still nerve wracking]

[loveshishammer]

[Thunderingness. Thor isn't sure what to make of that, so he just skips it right over, and goes for a kindly explaination.]

It would probably be easier to compare it to magic than a physical being carrying the message. The transfer is instantaneous, after all, and it can transmit images and written text, as well.

[It isn't magic, it's technology, but... yeah. Viking. Even Thor isn't going to try and explain that just yet.]

I assure you, regardless, I am not bothered in the slightest.

[forbiddenfriendship]

[More winds! Toothless bounds around, trying to chase them. In the communicator Akito might be able to see the odd flash of Toothless whizzing by. Meanwhile, Hiccup is starting to freak out. Well, more than he was before.]

Toothless! Toothless, stop it! I think it's that book, we don't know if it's safe...Toothless!