berkian | one axe.

one axe.

[ It's been about a day and a half since Astrid woke up here, and she's pretty certain she has enough information to actually make a move. ...And if she doesn't, well, screw it because she's not sticking around in the woods in a flimsy white dress reading from a magical book for any longer than she has been.

The book talks and writes and shows pictures (that one had nearly knocked her out of the tree she's taken up residence in for the moment) and Astrid's pretty certain she can figure out how to make it work in her favour. She's just not sure exactly what the hell is going on, even after reading or listening to the most recent things available to her.

The last three entries or so were useless (...if only she'd read back just a bit further, and overall she's given up deciphering the meaning of the magical words in the magical book and is going to take a leap of faith and just...ask. Admittedly she's been spending a lot of time just working up the nerve to use the mystery magical book, but, well, what other options are there? She's far enough out in the woods that wandering off would probably end badly. ]

Hello? Is this thing working? How are you supposed to be able to tell? [ Magical books are pretty new to her. There's a frustrated little sigh. Following the sigh is muttering, meant to be under her breath but still audible, because controlling her voice is the least of Astrid's worries. ] This is the sort of thing Hiccup or Fishlegs would like, not me. I don't even know if this is actually something that works or if I've officially lost it. Next thing you know I'll be thinking I'm a dragon, living on the edges of town hunting sheep. That's always assuming I have officially lost it, which would explain a lot more than being sane would. I'm sitting in a tree with a makeshift spear. That's probably not the best sign for sanity.

Unless you can't find your axe, in which case making a spear is pretty sane a choice. I mean, it'd be less sane to sit in a tree without any sort of weapon, right?

Why am I even talking to myself about this? This is ridiculous. How does this ever help him?

...Whatever, if it isn't working or real, I guess I'll figure it out in a minute or two.

[ Raising her voice again. ] My name is Astrid Hofferson. I'd appreciate any directions you could give me to... [ distinct hesitation. She's...not totally sure what's happening still, but she's pretty certain "Berk" is out of the question for just now, and so she'll shelve that until she has enough on her side to worry about it. ] ...Whatever village is nearest, I guess.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The next time you're going to make something come out of something else, warn me.

[ But. Okay. This is still going better than the last time he tried to introduce her to a dragon, since Astrid is actually...willingly standing there, and will crouch down to get on level with Kyle. ]

[Kyle tiptoes closer to her, chattering affirmatively as she goes. Hiccup is her human, and you'd better believe she's going to be protective of him, too! All...one foot or so of her.]

Right. Sorry about that. But...unexpected things? Might as well get used to it. They happen all the time around here.

[ That's like the smoothest you've ever managed to be, man.

Astrid holds out a hand for Kyle. It is even the hand without the hatchet! How nice. ]

That's hardly an excuse for you to add to it. [ BLUSTER BLUSTER. But okay. ] ...Hi, Kyle. [ Sorry about your name. ]

[Only when talking about how ridiculously crazy Luceti is.] Of course, when you put it like that...

[Kyle chatters in happy response, reaching out one of her short arms for a Poke-handshake.]

When I put it like that, I'm right?

[ She already knew that. Hi, Kyle, shaking your little pokemon hand now. She...really doesn't look like any of the dragons back home in an exact way, huh? ]

...Yeeeaaah. [That was totally what he was going to say.

At least Kyle seems to approve of her. You pick good friends, Hiccup.]

Looks like you've made a good impression, though. Should we...keep moving?

[ At least he knew enough not to argue that one!

Astrid stands back up, nodding. ]

Sure. Unless we want to be out here when it gets dark, which is less fun than it sounds.

[He can be smart. When his life hangs in the balance.]

Noooo thanks. After we find your stuff, you'll, uh. Need to stay somewhere.

[Oh.

Well, this is awkward.]

[ ...He's looking panicky again. Not that it...stopped. Exactly. ]

Okay? Where are you staying, anyway? I assume somewhere Toothless-friendly.

Yeaaah, Iiii live in a house. With. Some other people I met here. Th-they're really great.

[And he's positive they would be okay with him inviting Astrid to live with them. But. Would that really be a good idea? He lacks any and all comprehension in this field.]

There's a yard for him, and a shed, but he spends most of his time on the roof.

What other people would those be? ...Oh, and how do I get a place to live? Do they just...hand them out?

[ Or does she like, go and build something? 8|a ]

Kain Highwind, Rydia of Mist and Cecil Harvey. They're...not from around Berk.

[But! They weren't as radically different as some people he's met here.]

You can actually pick anywhere to live that's open. I think there's a list of what's free in the Welcome Center.

Is anyone? From around Berk? If they were, I thought you would have...you know, mentioned it.

[ Although maybe he wouldn't have, since this is Hiccup and conversations are not always his forte. ]

There's a Welcome Center? That bodes well. [ sarcasm. ]

Nope. Just the three of us. [He gestures between them and Toothless. And that's always how it had been.]

Yeah, it was a bit more welcoming when...someone actually ran it. I think it's sort of defunct at the moment, but I think the housing list is still up to date. More or less.

[ Well. That's...not a surprise. It's still a little bit disappointing, although if she had to pick one person to be stuck with, he'd probably be it. ...Because he'd be the most likely to get them out, of course. ]

More or less? So there's a possibility we'll walk into an already occupied place looking for a house?

[uhuh sure astrid

likely story]

Maaaaaaybe. But we can...knock first?

[ this is why she isn't saying it out loud. EVEN SHE REALIZES THAT'S A TERRIBLE STORY. ]

...Yeah, okay. So are there not locks, or something?

On the insides. Sooooo hypothetically, someone wouldn't be able to lock it unless they were in there living, you know?

It just seems weird that there's not a lot of...anything. To getting a place to stay. You make it sound like you just walk in and [ she slaps her hands together (hatchet and all) here. ] there you have it.

Yeah, well...that's kind of how a lot of things work here. I guess it's supposed to make up for all the other stuff we have to go through. Experiments and the like.

Experiments. All any of your friends said was "weird stuff happens".

[ As in explain that further. ]

That's it, in a nutshell. It's soooort of hard to describe because they're also so different, but usually once a month, some sort of weird event happens to us. Sometimes changes happen to the environment - like all the ghosts that showed up last week. Oooor sometimes they happen to us ourselves. O-one time? I think I was a pirate's son.

[Yep. Just wait until you meet his pirate dad, Astrid. You'll love him. :|]

[ Jack Sparrow and Astrid Hofferson walk into a bar...

That can only end badly, Hiccup. ]

Experiments change who you are? [ That's said a bit more sharply, because obviously she heard that wrong. ]

Sometimes. [He suddenly sounds a bit somber, and Kyle pats him sympathetically on the crown of his head.] They mess with your heads and change how you act, or what you do. Iiiiiit's not the most pleasant experiences.

[Astrid need to never meet Suave Hiccup. Never.]

Something to look forward to, then. [ As a master of sarcasm, Hiccup probably should have recognized that for what it was.

She would never believe in Suave Hiccup. ]

Are we far from - wherever?

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