sirenspull | [video]

[ ~~You're the fandom bullfrog, SP, well done if you understand that ref.~~ Positioning the NV on a window-sill, Zuko steps back with a sceptical look as he checks it's running; he looks entirely healed since the last time he crashed into the network, thankfully, albeit as awkward as any sixteen-year-old boy possibly can. Sighing, a hand runs through his hair. ]

Um. Hello. Zuko, here.

So ... I recently arrived and I still haven't been to many places in this city. It's nowhere near as huge as Ba Sing Se — that's the biggest one back where I come from — but still pretty large. We should go explore it. [ Oops, that was a bit out of the blue, wasn't it? Not in his head, until he checks himself. ] Here, not there. Not right now, unless — you want to? I mean, I'm free, but I can wait for you if you don't take too long, I'd like to get to know where everything is.

[ Screwing his eyes shut against irritation (yes, over himself, because who insults the people they're trying to introduce themselves to?), he somewhat starts again. ]

Or I could help you out ... maybe. I don't know how much good burning things would do. [ Lifting a hand, it's clearly on fire with crackling flames and not perturbing him at all as he forgets to waft it away. ] I've suddenly got a lot of time on my hands, if anyone wants to bother doing stuff.

... 'Stuff'? Urgh, I sound so stupid.

[ ~~Life-changing field-trip with Zuko, anyone?~~ ]

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That's not magic, it's —

[ Erk, scar talk. Wasn't expecting something that blunt. Most people go out of their way to avoid drawing attention to it, he's thrown for a loop enough not to snap back that it didn't feel so trendy when he was getting branded. ]

Uh. Thanks?

_{[See the problem with Vikings and naturally Astrid is that they're a blunt people. Really blunt. Also scars and the like are considered 100% badass, even envied.]}

No problem. Man, this one time one of the men in our village ended up with an awesome scar on his shoulder from fighting a gronckle dragon. He got grazed by its fire and mauled him a bit before he smashed its head in. It looked so gross when it was healing but after it looked so cool.

_{[And that's when Astrid realizes shes been rambling on like an idiot and decides to shut up, somewhat embarrassed.]}

So...if it's not magic, then what is it? _{[Because it surely looked like magic to her.]}

[ 100% more interest at the mentioning of dragons!! But, oh. Oh, no, not fighting them. :C ]

Do you know a lot of people who've attacked dragons? [ He briefly waves a flame over a shoulder to demonstrate. ] This is called firebending, some people can control an element where I come from.

Um...yeah. My whole village really. Vikings and dragons kind of didn't get along for quite some time. They'd kill us and take our livestock and we'd get them back and kill them...a pretty vicious cycle.

But we don't do that anymore - we've both kind of learned how to mutually respect one another. We train dragons now instead of killing them.

_{[She watches again intently as the flame goes over his shoulder.]}

Woah. That's...It's seriously amazing. I've never seen anyone do that before.

I've never heard of anyone taming a dragon, that's far more impressive. [ Omitting a few important details about the firebending masters, he lets her in on some of his own nation's history. ] Dragons were hunted to extinction back home.

My boyfriend Hiccup was the first Viking to ever train a dragon. The fastest flying dragon that we've ever known - a Nightfury named Toothless. _{[Weird name for a dragon? Yup.]} He taught us all how to train dragons, although none of us are nowhere near as talented as he is.

_{[That information makes her pause for a moment.]}

...Seriously? That's awful. How is that even possible?

_{[There were just so many types of dragons - they were practically everywhere, at least back home.]}

It's considered a great honour to take down a dragon. A lot of people wanted the distinction.

[ Pauses. ]

Why was the Nightfury called that?

Ah...yeah. I understand that. Amongst us Vikings it was considered pretty much the same thing. Still though, to kill an entire species...

Oh! That's because that's the name Hiccup gave him. Nightfurys have retractable teeth.

Edited 2012-07-17 05:11 (UTC)

I'd have liked to see a Nightfury.

[ They sound way more nifty (if not regal) than the masters. A lot more approachable too, since apparently they can be tamed. Just imagining riding a dragon makes something in Zuko's stomach twist with a guilty happiness. ]

And ... Hiccup's name?

[ Isn't normal for a person by a long way, so. Spill. ]

Hiccup's name? Oh. Most Vikings are given hideous names to frighten off gnomes or trolls. At least that's what our parents seem to believe. His isn't the worst though. Imagine being named Snotlout. That's his cousin's name. Or even Fishlegs...that's another kid's name from our village.

_{[How she ended up with a name like Astrid is a mystery to her. Maybe she was just that badass upon being birthed that her parents decided she needed a beautiful name instead of an awful one.]}

You would? _{[There's a pause then as she studies him a bit more closely.]} So...you really like dragons?

Gnomes and trolls?

[ Da fuq, gurl. You live in a weird world! ]

I, uh. Yes. [ He gives a nod, glancing aside self-consciously. ] If you ask me, they're the most noble of all creatures.

Yeah, gnomes and trolls.

_{[Dude, get with the program.]}

Well then, how good are you at fishing?

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