tushanshu | 1st Flight [video]

Oh for Thor's sake, they said this would be easy...

[There's a curious green eye studying the communicator before it zooms out to reveal a young boy of about fourteen or fifteen, his face covered in scratches and scars that look both fresh and old, the oldest one a nick on the right side of his chin. He grins a bit tiredly, sitting back and snapping his fingers.]

I knew I could get it to work! Man, if we had things like this back home it'd make communicating with other tribes easier...

[He fiddles a bit, the screen flicking off as he discovers the other functions, a bit of text gibber jabber appearing before it switches back to full video, then he remembers the people he spoke to said that others could be watching.]

Uh, hi. I'm Hiccup. Great name, I know, but I guess it's kept me from being snatched up by gnomes and trolls all these years so it's worth something at least. If you couldn't guess, I'm kinda new...just arrived really. I don't think I was awake for a lot of the talk though, getting knocked out by a giant dragon tail would do that to you. I think I'm awake. At least I hope so anyway. This place doesn't look like any Valhalla I ever dreamed of.

[He reaches down to scratch at his leg.]

There's...a lot of things here that we don't have at home. I hope I don't blow anything up. And, uh, this is gonna sound kinda strange but I don't suppose anyone has anything I can, er, walk with? [Pause.] One of my legs kind of...doesn't work. They helped me here but I don't know how I'm going to get around...

I guess that's...it? Yeah.

[He goes to get up but lets out a yelp as he puts pressure on his injured leg and he falls backwards, crashing to the floor.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

What's a...no wait, I think I can figure that out. Sorry, it's been a long day.

[Wheelchairs. He's imagining a wheelbarrow. He rubs his forehead. So many confusing new terms and people and talking dragons. He nods.]

Someone brought me some crutches. It's better than crawling around or using the wall.

[Oh. Right. Time differences, Holiday. He even mentioned tribes, after all.]

Sorry. I should really watch myself lately, honestly. Crutches will do you just fine, I think.

Aside from your leg, are you finding everything to be okay here so far? I imagine it's a bit of a culture shock right now.

[He nods. No kidding, it's a bigger culture shock than learning dragons aren't everything you thought they were.]

I think I'm doing okay so far. Most of the shock seems to have gone at least, I'm not so much surprised by much of anything anymore.

Probably a good thing, but there seems to be surprises around almost every corner around here. Not too long ago, we visited ruins of a city at the bottom of the ocean, among other things.

...How could there even be a...no wait I don't want to know.

I'm a scientist and my explanations so far have just been magic. I couldn't tell you, honestly.

[And that really sucks for her.]

I just found out today that our Gods are real. I'm willing to take magic as a reasonable response.

[He gives a small shrug.]

Gods? [She... honestly hasn't been paying that much attention, but she also never would have thought of that.]

What sort of Gods do you and your people worship?

Well, it's mostly for things we don't understand it seems. Like, Thor, right? He's the god of lightning and storms and the seas. When the sea and sky is rough, it means he's angry.

[The tone of his voice indicates he's not sure whether or not he actually believes that anymore.]

Odin is the all-father. Freyja is the goddess of fire and gold.

I've heard of Thor and Odin before. They're very ancient Gods where I come from. Perhaps our worlds are similar, despite the apparent time difference.

[He doesn't speak in Old English, though.]

Yeah. I've, uh, been told I'm apparently the 'oldest'? Or at least that's what the Scot said.

[He shrugs.]

It was 983 back home.

[... Wow.]

That's quite the time difference. I'm over a thousand years ahead of you.

I guess you... are the oldest. That's interesting.

1st Flight [video]

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