Hello all!
Yeah yeah... I bet you're all mad at me for my horrible update speed.
but, things are happening, I've some how found myself with inspiration for nothing but Transformers Prime.
anyway here's what to expect in terms of my update speed for different stories
F&R: I'm not gonna end it or anything, but it will not have good update speed as I'm struggling to find my HTTYD inspiration.
AC: yeah, me and Isaacplayz are struggling to find time to Co-Op this thing. this also is the same for RC. however just to get some stuff off out plate we may work more on RC as apposed to AC.
RC: ^
Prosthetics: that has gone on a temporary hiatus as I have far too much on my plate at the moment, and again HTTYD inspiration just isnt a thing right now.
TaNL: I do have a bit of inspiration, but I'm approaching the part of the story where we have to go into the Half life lore and stuff... and I know nothing. so I'm trying to make it believable but I dont know exactly how.
AD (Alien Deity): honestly I'm really excited to write this one. I don't know exactly where it'll go, the cons may turn good, Raf may turn evil, Unicron may turn good? I really don't know.
SC (the Signing of the Cards): this is the one that I have a ton of inspiration for, including new Relics, new characters new abilities and new items Mostly TFP but may be influenced by FOC at times.
anyway, with that ramble done... enjoy the story!
Chapter 44- "the girl of millions of names."
(Vicky's perspective)
Me and Taryn hovered above the coast of America on Toothless.
Down below sat the crew of the American dream 3
Norbert and Hilda in front of them, seeing Taryn off.
"Is he going to be ok?" I asked Taryn.
"Who?" she asked.
"Your dad, with the ax prosthetic?"
"What do you mean, he's awake now and still leading the Hysterics."
"Well… he can't use that hand for anything except killing?"
"Well… it's not like it's any different anyway, he never put it down before."
We waved down to the crew, and Toothless did some tricks… ones he was withholding from me on the way here…
"Oh yeah, you'll show off for an entire crew, but not for me?" I asked the dragon.
Toothless only nodded in response.
"It seems that way." Ziggerastica said from the top of Toothless' head.
"You really can't convince the dragons can you?" Taryn mocked.
"Hmmp…" I grumbled and crossed my arms.
"Don't worry, me and my changewing could barely agree on anything." she confided.
"You had a changewing? Where is he?"
"As I said, he was only there to kill the queen, there wasn't much connection beyond that, he saw an opportunity to leave, he took it, and I let him."
"So you are dragonless?" I asked
"Yeah, so we'll have to find some ourselves… and don't think I don't know you're up to something."
"Uggg… you know me too well." I whined
"Or more accurately; I know your father too well."
"true."
"So, are you going to do anything that I'll need to alert Hiccup to?" she asked leadingly.
"Eh… I don't know, maybe. Probably not though. I at least understand earning the dragon's respect is better than commanding them. Unlike dad."
"And yet you have so much trouble getting Toothless to respect you." she noted teasingly.
"That's different! He's stubborn! And that's saying something, Vikings are known for stubbornness, he's on an entirely other level, ain't that right Toothless?"
Toothless only grumbled in response
"See!" I exclaimed
"Then what about Ziggerastica?" she pushed.
"He's a God-king, since when did they respect anyone but themselves?"
"Exactly." Ziggerastica confirmed.
"You've 'convinced' tribal chieftains." she pointed out.
"Tribal chieftains are far below Ziggerastica's status."
"Your words are buying my respect." Ziggerastica chirped.
"It seems you can't convince him, but you can bribe him with praise and kind words." Taryn snickered.
We finally turned and shot off towards the Berserker island.
"And… and it won't hurt us right?" Johanne asked as he hid behind a barrel full of apples.(1)
"He." Taryn corrected from across the boat. As she was looking over some parts for things she might tinker with.
I stood before Johanne, Toothless sitting behind me. Ziggerastica preferred to nest on the masts.
"Has he?" I asked with my hands on my hips.
"Well no, Miss, Vicky."
I glared at him.
"My apologies Miss Victoria?"
I held my glare.
"My apologies, please, inform me of what you'd prefer to be addressed as?" he asked as he stuttered in nervousness.
"Miss…" I tapped my chin as I thought, Vicky sounded too friendly, and Victoria… well that was a mouthful, and… I don't know, I never quite loved my name.
"Miss Tora." I finally decided. (2)
"Excellent name Miss Tora, y'know this reminds me of the time Pirates came searching for me, and so I disguised myself under a new na…"
"Johanne." I interrupted forcefully.
"Stories are for sitting around a campfire, or twelve mugs of mead, neither of which are on this ship."
"Of course Miss Vi… Tora."
"Everything ok up here?" a voice called as a figure made its way up to the top deck, where we were.
"I thought you traveled alone Johanne?" Taryn called from further up the deck.
"I generally do, Miss Tara. However, on this particular occasion, I brought my son."
"Your son…" she asked dumbfounded.
"Yes, this is Caspian.(3) my son"
"Well met." he greeted.
He then leaned down and took my hand and kissed it.
He then stood up and made his way to Taryn.
"Yeah… that's not happening." she refused.
"I'm only trying to be polite."
"Something you might not know about me; I'm not polite in the slightest, so I really don't care." Taryn snapped.
I could really care less. If it was meant in a flirtatious manner… well I really don't care, I've flirted just to mess with people, so I don't get worked up like another girl would. And if it was purely polite… I may take on personas of the lovesick teenager or the overly formal and polite diplomat, but those are only personas.
"I did not offend you, did I?" Caspian asked me.
"Not in the slightest." I answered in a tone that showed I didn't care if he kissed my hand or not.
"What an impressive beast!" he exclaimed seeing Toothless.
Toothless gave a low growl at the term 'beast' but otherwise he seemed to tolerate him.
"Ca… Caspian, get away from… tha… that thing!" Johann stuttured.
"Oh calm yourself Johann." I sighed.
"He wouldn't happen to be the last Night fury, would he?" Caspian asked.
"To our knowledge, yes." Taryn answered.
"And you tamed him?" he asked
"Not us, but a friend of ours." I answered
"Oh, so now he's a friend of yours?" Taryn teased.
"What would you have me call him then?"
"Knowing you there's plenty of words that you could probably think of."
"You shush." I snipped back.
"Is there anything in particular you desire?" Caspian gestured to the wares on the ship.
"You wouldn't happen to have some leather would you?" Taryn asked.
"Right this way." he gestured below deck.
"Anything for you Miss Tora?" Johann asked.
"A cloak, preferably hooded."
Johann led me towards a pile of clothes on a small table.
He lifted up a dark red one.
"How will this do?" he asked.
"Red isn't my color, that however is." I said pointing at a dark grey coat with a hood.
"Ah right away Miss." he exclaimed.
As he ran off to get a bag for my coat, Taryn and Caspian came back up from the lower deck, the latter carrying a bunch of leather for the former.
"You really are quite the gentleman aren't you?" I asked mockingly.
"I try." was his simple and humble response.
"Where are you headed?" Johann asked.
"We're going to meet up with our friends at Berserker island." I explained.
"Should you be telling Mr Gentleman and Mr Tall tale that?" Taryn asked me. As she eyed them suspiciously.
"They're traders, and even if they weren't there's no way they could stand to the Berserker armada, let alone our dragons." I retorted while also subtly threatening Johann and Caspian.
"Wouldn't it be astonishing to fly atop a dragon, faster than any ship could hope to travel, buying and selling, bartering and trading, traveling and scouting?" Caspian wondered.
I looked subtly at Taryn.
She caught my glance and instantly seemed to know what I was thinking.
"Vick… don't." she commanded.
"Well…" I drawled turning to Caspian and Johann.
"We keep adding to our little family of dragon riders, what's one more?" I suggested.
"You'd take me?"
"Yeah!" I answered.
"Maybe." Taryn corrected grumpily.
"Taryn, have you seen Hiccup refuse anyone joining them?"
"No, but that doesn't mean he won't." she admitted.
"If he were to refuse anyone… don't you think it'd be me?" I asked her.
She thought about it before nodding in agreement.
"And yet you saw me flying Toothless, Hiccup's own dragon, with no trouble."
She raised an eyebrow at me.
"Ok fine, some trouble, but not the kind I'd get if I'd kidnapped Toothless against his will."
"Ok, but can Toothless even carry the three of us."
I raised an eyebrow at her in turn and crossed my arms, I wouldn't need to give an answer for this one.
Taryn was promptly smacked in the back of the head by Toothless tail.
"Ow ok, sorry for insulting your pride!" she exclaimed at him.
"Why him though?" she asked.
"Why not him, do they have to be strong or inventive or sneaky, or a master at healing? And besides that, he can help me weasle things from vendors. And can probably tell the value of items, determining between real and fake."
"Indeed I can." Caspian spoke up.
"And what does Johann have to say about this?" Taryn tried in a vain attempt to prevent Caspian from coming, seeing as I made valid points this was her last argument.
"I… I'm not quite sure… I brought my boy along today… just to show him first hand what the business is like… I never expected he'd leave this day to fulfill his dreams… even less when those dreams are riding dragons to conclude trade deals…"
"Dad, do you know how much I could learn about trading, and different kinds of clothing, weaponry, I could even learn different ways to conduct business!"
"I understand that son, but… are you sure you want to go, and leave me behind?"(4)(5)
"Dad, you gotta let me go and try to make it on my own." he pleaded.
"If you wish…" Johann agreed as he rubbed the back of his neck sadly.
"On dragon's back it'll be easier to visit." I put in.
"Yeah father, I'll be able to visit almost whenever I want!"
"Very well." Johann agreed, this time a bit more hopeful.
Then, the three of us hopped aboard Toothless and flew off towards the east.
(Cami's perspective)
We stood on the dock, similar to how we had waited for Heather, Thuggory and Avery… except this time it was us waiting for Vicky and hopefully Taryn.
High above us something black blotted out a small portion of the sun.
"Hey guys!" Thuggory shouted up to them.
The black speck zeroed in on us
As it came down it was easily recognizable as Toothless.
"Hey bud." Hiccup greeted.
"Greetings everyone." a male voice called from Toothless' back.
We all started in surprise at the distinctly male voice and we were only supposed to be receiving Vicky and Taryn, and Ziggerastica's voice never rose above a whisper… and Toothless, unfortunately could not talk.
Taryn gave Vicky a disapproving look as Vicky only chuckled and avoided our eyes.
"Vicky… what'd you do?" Heather asked cautiously.
Both Vicky and Taryn opened their mouths to respond, but the voice that did respond was not either of theirs.
"She graciously invited me!" the male voice proclaimed.
Then a boy hopped off of Toothless' back, hidden from sight behind Taryn up until now.
"This is Caspian… Johann's son." Vicky explained.
"I'm glad to have met all of you!" he exclaimed.
None of us had any response to that, we all just stared at Vicky and Caspian, Taryn had already made it pretty well known she was not part of this.
"I'm sorry if you don't want me…" Caspian realized sadly.
"No no no, it's not that… it's just, we weren't even expecting Taryn to come, we hoped but had no guarantee. We had no idea you'd be joining us." Hiccup finally answered as he came out of his stupor.
"And you'll just let Vicky invite people to the gang all willy-nilly?" Avery asked distrustfully.
"Eh, when have I said no to teaching someone about dragons?" he shrugged in response.
Out of the corner of my eye I caught Vicky elbowing Taryn in a 'I told ya so' gesture.
"Well… with the amount of dragonless riders, and the amount of ridden dragons, most of us will have to double up." Hiccup explained.
"Well we already know Toothless can carry at least you and someone else." Thuggory commented.
"As well as Nurse and Shipwreck." Heather added.
"And my dragon, and Heather's Stormcutter." I input
"Only three of us will need to double up… that is, if we're allowed to stay for me to prepare some saddles." Hiccup mentioned.
"Of course you can stay!" Dagur declared.
"Well in that case, I'll go get started on some saddles. Cami, Heather, can you two come with me? And Thug, Avery, could you entertain our new recruits?"
"Sure" Thug exclaimed enthusiastically.
Soon enough, me and Heather were flying around Berserker island. My dragon's scales rippled beneath me, and suddenly, the saddle was strapped onto a cloud instead of my dragon.
"Whoa!" I cried as I desperately grabbed the saddle in a futile attempt to stay in the air.
I heard chortling from below me. Then the cloud rippled and my dragon appeared in its place.
"You can turn invisible!?" I exclaimed.
"Not quite." Came the wise old voice of Wodensfang as he fluttered up to me.
"Then what would you call that then?" I asked.
"Camouflage. This particular dragon seems to be a relative of the changewing."
"But it looks so different?"
"It seems closest to a Changewing, but its bone structure looks like a Grapple Grounder."
"But its a different species right?"
"Indeed, it may in fact even be a hybrid of the two."
"Change Grounder… Grapple wing… neither sound very good."
I looked down at the dragon to look at its attributes. If combining the names sucked then it'll have an entirely different name.
I noticed the scales would shimmer, so that's what I'd call it, a Shimmerscale dragon!
"A Shimmerscale!" I exclaimed
The dragons scales rippled beneath me, many times in what I think was excitement.
"And what should I call you?" I wondered aloud.
"You thinking of a name?" Heather asked as she flew a bit closer to talk.
"Yes, what about you?" I inquired back.
"Warden, because he's the defender of the sky. Something I was actually thinking of naming my Timberjack. But it fits the Stormcutter as well." she explained
"Well… you got its name fast."
"Do you have any ideas for yours?"
"Mm… not yet, any suggestions?" I replied.
"Think about what sets him apart from the others in the group. How's he different from Toothless, or Shipwreck or Nurse, Warden, even consider Wodensfang, Smoulder and Ziggerastica, if you really wanna get in depth with it, consider what makes him different from each of us, and even the dragons no longer with us, alive and well like the changewing and Timberjack or dead and rotting like the queen. On top of that think of what makes him similar to them all as well."
"Well… i mean he's sneaky, I bet he'd be really annoying during raids."
"Ok, so raider?" Heather suggested.
"I… I like it but there's got to be more."
"Alright, so how will he help you?"
"He'd help me invade enemy territory."
"So… territory raider?"
"Too long, but I like where its going."
"Zone raider?"
"Mmm… idk…"
"Terf raider?"
"Yes! That's the one!"
"How about it, Turf raider?" I asked the dragon as I pet his side.
He rumbled and purred at my touch.
We then banked and headed back in for a landing.
Once we landed we met up with the others.
"So, how was your first flight guys?" Avery asked.
"Well… it's not their first flight technically, its their first flight with their own dragon." Vicky corrected.
"Oh Technically Shmechnically. It was their first of something anyway." Avery grumbled.
"It was great, we even picked out names for our dragons." I explained.
"Ooh, lets hear!" Thug said excitedly.
Both me and Heather looked at each other waiting for the other to go first.
"Oh fine, I will." Heather exclaimed after a while.
"Mine is named Warden, cause that's what he is; the warden of the sky."
"Ooh, and your's Cami?" Hiccup asked
"Well, I named the species 'Shimmerscale' and the individual Turf raider." I answered.
"I helped with the second one." Heather added a tad bit pridefully.
"And I assisted in the species name." Wodensfang mentioned.
"Of course I gotta honor my advisors." I said, rolling my eyes as we all walked to the mead hall.
(Avery's perspective)
"So… my Changewing decided to leave…" Taryn spoke up.
Ah… so that's why she'd been fidgeting and poking at her food.
Silence descended upon the table.
"I. I let him leave. It was clear he didn't like me, so when he left, I never stopped him." She admitted sadly.
I saw Vicky slide closer and wrap an arm over Taryn's shoulder.
"I abandoned him... just like I abandoned everyone else. I abandoned my dragon and didn't even try, I abandoned Vicky and all my other friends when I left for America, and I abandoned all of you when I stubbornly stayed on the ship and... did not learn from the hurt of the last time I'd betrayed… my friends." Taryn cried as her voice broke several times.
"Aren't ya gonna comfort her?" Thug whispered to me.
"I'd love to do that." I started sarcastically.
"But I'm a doctor, not a therapist." I snapped back in a whisper.
"You don't have to be. You just being you is enough."
I sat and thought about it for a bit.
We soon finished dinner, Vicky had calmed Taryn down and hiccup lifted her spirits by telling her of all the comedic times he failed at something, of course he didn't tell her how he was treated for his failures, but that would be a story for another day.
It was already quite late by the time we actually left the hall. So we all headed to the guest houses Dagur had allowed us to use.
He had given us two, and we organized it by girls and guys… obviously us girls got the larger house as there were simply more of us.
Before we headed in though, I signaled Thuggory that I wanted to talk.
He nodded and then went inside.
Later that night, all the girls had gone to sleep, except me.
"Goin' to see your boyfriend?" a voice asked.
...and apparently Vicky as well.
"No." I retorted firmly
"Eh, it's no skin off my nose, you two are good for each other. But don't get me wrong though, that doesn't mean I wont mess with the two of you."
"What are you talking about?" I grumbled as I left and stomped across the lawn to the boys house. Opening the door I found Thuggory at the kitchen counter with two cups.
"Are… did you make tea?" I asked.
"Yeah, I picked it up from the old village healer back when my mom and sister died." he explained as he took the cups and brought them to the small table between two chairs.
"Are they all asleep?" I asked as I stayed near the door.
"I think so, but just keep your voice down." he whispered.
I tiptoed over to the chair.
"Why are you scared of being caught?" he asked as I slowly sat in the chair trying to make as little noise as possible.
When my ears registered his question I sat bolt upright.
"No reason!" I exclaimed.
"Hey, I told you to keep your voice down," he reminded me.
He chuckled lightly before leaning back in the chair across from me and took a sip of the tea.
"What tea is this?" I asked, clearing my throat.
"Ginger, I think… I dont know it's one of the ones that doesn't keep you up for hours."
"So, what'd you want to talk about?" he asked.
"Well… what we were talking about earlier.
"... you mean at dinner?" he asked.
"Yes. what did you mean by 'you just being you'?"
"Just be yourself, you don't have to practice or train to comfort someone, admittedly some people may be better at it than others, but that doesn't mean you're bad at comforting someone, or that you can't offer comfort," he explained.
"But… What should I say? Where do I start, in an injury you locate the most life threatening and start from there and work your way down the list." I asked.
"You see that's your problem, you look at it too logically, I admit logic is needed, but that's not what you start with. You just need to listen to start." he answered.
I remained silent for a while.
"It's why Vicky is so good at comforting Taryn." he added.
I bristled at Vicky's name but let him continue.
He frowned slightly before continuing.
"Vicky really listens to what's being said, intently. It's how she twists your words, but at the same time, she also comes off as sincere to those she's comforting, a result of her manipulative persona, this allows her to make people feel like they 1. arent alone, and 2. Are being heard rather than being drowned out or ignored, and her usual gift of twisting your own words and hurling them back also allows her to really understand what people are trying to say and answer accordingly."
"So… listen first, then think logically about what had been said, then answer accordingly."
"Not necessarily, listen first, then think about what they said empathetically, then answer in a logical way accordingly."
"What's the difference?"
"You want to be empathetic when you think about what was said, not logical. Especially since most people tend to think illogically or irrationally when hurt, sad, or angry. What you want to be is sympathetic or empathetic. It allows you to feel what they feel or felt."
"So… I have to imagine what it'd be like to leave all my friends, making me feel like I'd abandoned them, then believing I'm betraying them when I begin to make new ones. Then abandon those ones, then return to them feeling awkward?"
"Exactly, and you even added the awkward reappearance, something Taryn hasn't really had a problem with, but it was and is something that could have happened or could still happen."
There was creaking from the stairs.
Both of us whirled to look and found Caspian half way down the stairs.
He gently rubbed the sleep from his eyes before adding his two-cents
"An upset person is like a delicate flower on the top of a windy knoll, touching them could strengthen them against the wind or cause them to crumple in your hand, but leaving them alone they could be blown every which way by the gale."
"I thought Vicky was the one with the words." I grumbled.
"Do you have a problem with the maiden Vicky?" Caspian inquired.
"Caspian's not the only one wondering that, did you and Vicky get in a fight or something?" Thug asked.
"For one; she's no maiden, and two; no, I just dislike her is all."
"Is there a reason you dislike her so?" Caspian asked.
"She… Why am I answering you? Caspian go to bed, You're not part of this conversation."
He shrugged his shoulders and turned and went back to his room.
"Sweet dreams." he called down to us.
"That was uncalled for." Thuggory commented.
"No, he was uncalled for." I bit back.
"Jeez, did something happen?" he asked.
"Yes. Vicky is… I don't trust her with you guys…"
"You guys as in all of us… you guys as in all the boys… or just you as in me?" he asked after a moment.
My face definitely heated up, I just hoped he couldn't see in the darkness, and just to be sure I took a big sip of tea so he couldn't see my cheeks behind the mug.
"Avery… you know I like you, I haven't exactly been blunt with it, but I certainly haven't been good at hiding it..."
"I'm aware..." I replied cautiously.
"And I know you like me… or at least you feel weird about me liking you. But if you're worried about me, or just us guys in general… well Hiccup has Cami… and Caspian… you clearly don't care what he does as long as it doesn't bother you… and me… well I have you." he soothed.
Against my will I choked on some tea.
"And if you're worried about all of us… well she's been here for barely a couple days, and for most of that she was off getting Taryn and Caspian, we know to be wary of her at first."
"Look, I've bared my feelings to you, you can do what you like with them. I'll give you a moment to think… about everything, not just that." he hurriedly explained. He then walked out the door and stared at the night sky.
I pulled my knees up to my chest and sat there warming my hands on the cup of tea.
In the morning I should definitely apologise to Caspian, I was taking my anger for Vicky out on him. Then… get to know Vicky… learn from her, 'keep your friends close, your enemies closer.'
Then… I probably shouldn't leave Thuggory hanging… I should… explain... my feelings for him.'
So, I stood up and set the mug on the table. And opened the door.
"Thug, I should head to bed."
"I understand, he answered and moved out of my way.
I stepped out, and without thinking I turned gave him a peck on the cheek and walked away as if it didn't happen, however my red face was a clear indication something did happen.
I know all those sappy people say they can hear a person smile, but I can feel Thuggory smiling… behind me… on my lips
My lips quivered, almost as if I were still kissing his cheek, and I was feeling his cheek pull upwards in a grin, my quivering lips felt like they were pulled along into that grin.
I was scared to touch them, not because the feeling would go away, that would never fade I know that, but if i touch my lips I fear I'd rip them off and throw them away so I could never mistakenly kiss Thuggory again, or rip them off and seal them in a box so they only ever kissed him.
I fell asleep late that night, far later than I'd hoped.
The next morning, me and Thuggory somehow managed to act as though nothing had happened.
Caspian knew something and Vicky predicted it, but no one else was aware.
The dragons saw through our facade, but they couldn't tell the others, and I trusted Ziggerastica wouldn't care and that Wodensfang wouldn't tell anyone without asking us first.
After breakfast we all headed off to tend to our dragons, as Vicky had no dragon she decided to bother me.
"So, how was your first time?" she asked leeringly
"Shut up, nothing happened."
"Oh… you thought I was referring to you and Thuggory's meeting last night, no I was referring to Heather's cooking." she tsked at me.
With me and Thuggory's desperation to keep any suspicion off us I'd completely forgotten that Heather had indeed been the one to make breakfast for us this morning.
"Oh… y'know it was... good." I answered ashamedly.
"It was, the hunk of ham combined with the tasteful but faintly fiery seasoning, it was perfect."
Worryingly my mind understood what she was actually saying instantly.
"Vicky. Please, leave my affairs to me." I pleaded.
"Oh so now it's an affair?" she weaseled.
"VICKY! Shut up, it's not an affair, but it is part of my personal affairs, and you are meddling in them."
"What would you do to keep it hidden I wonder…" she idly blackmailed as she walked away with a sway in her hips.
"God… that woman… she just cant keep her nose out of people's business."
(Vicky's perspective)
While I don't actually know exactly what happened, I do know something happened. So I use that to my advantage. I sauntered over to where Thuggory was giving Shipwreck a bath, it seems he and Caspian were talking as Shipwreck played in the water.
"I'm sorry she was so snappy last night, she was just really… tired."
"Tired from?" I asked suggestively.
"Hey, I'm the one that's supposed to tease Hiccup and Cami, not me being teased for me and Avery." Thuggory snapped half jokingly, half as a warning.
"What's this about Avery?" Taryn asked as she walked up.
"Nothing Tara." I shooed her away casually.
"Um… ok?" she said before allowing herself to be guided in the direction she'd just come from.
I turned back to find Thuggory with a very red face.
"Y'know like almost everyone in our little group knows right?" I asked him.
"Umm… not Taryn, or Hiccup, or Cami, or Heather." he answered.
"No, Taryn's the only one in the dark. Hiccup and Cami can tell since they experienced the same thing, Heather is close enough to you to tell when you like someone. And Taryn, well she's smart and you aren't very good at hiding it. She'll piece things together." I explained.
"And it seems myself and Vicky just happened to be present to witness a… intimate moment." Caspian added.
"Nothing intimate happened!" Thuggory reacted quite strongly
"Your reaction only proves something intimate did happen." I pointed out.
"Fine, if I tell you, you gotta shut up about this and help me." he conceded.
"I can do the second." I answered.
He sighed but shook my hand to seal the deal.
"Look, we... talked. And at the end she kissed me… on the cheek." he explained, adding the last part hurriedly.
"Nothing more?" I teased.
"Nothing."
"And what was the subject of conversation?" Caspian asked.
"Errm… Vicky, Kind, Caring and Caution." he answered.
"I don't think my name has ever been in the same sentence as kind and caring, let alone part of the same conversation." I joked.
"But no seriously, what was the conversation about?" I asked.
"Well… Avery, she isn't the best at offering comfort, emotional comfort. So… I used you as an example with the situation with Taryn last evening." he stumbled
"At dinner?" I inquired.
"Yeah. and so I was explaining sort of how you managed to comfort her, whereas the doctor of our group couldn't."
"I see." Caspian agreed.
"And how'd she take it?" I asked.
"Um… she didn't like me talking about how you could do anything sincere. But she understood."
"And I believe that's when I appeared." Caspian added.
"Yes, again I'm sorry she was so snappy."
"Look… while I won't stop teasing y'all, I will go talk to her." I conceded.
"That'd be greatly appreciated." Caspian praised.
"Thank you." Thug agreed.
I turned away from them, splashing some water on Shipwreck as I left.
He managed to splash me back, but just a sprinkling of water is all.
I then headed for the guest house.
I found her inside her room.
I gently knocked on the door to get her attention, she hadn't noticed me on account of her mumbling.
"Hmm… oh. Do you… need something?" she asked.
"Just a talk."
"About…?" she asked cautiously.
"Well… us." I answered.
"Us?"
"Yes."
"How so…?"
"You don't like me, do you?" I asked getting right to the point.
"I… No, not really."
"And is that because I'm an Outcast? Because I lied to you all earlier? Because I tease you and Thuggory? or is it because I like flustering people?"
"All of the above." she answered sheepishly.
"Where did it start from?" I asked.
"Mmm… probably from the fact that you're an Outcast."
"Ok, and yet Thuggory is a Meathead, and Heather is a Berserker. Among the most aggressive tribes in the archipelago, the only other one is mine really, and yet you seem fine with the two of them… more than fine in Thuggory's case." I answered.
"Shush." she curtly answered.
I just chuckled a bit.
"I guess it's because they don't actively make problems."
"Moi? Problematic?"
"I don't know what you said, but yes… I think?"
"Yeah, it just means 'me'" I explained.
"Maybe it's because you're not the blunt type? Heather isn't super blunt, but she doesn't sneak around messing with people's heads, whereasThuggory is very blunt."
"Down there or up here?" I joked as I gestured at my legs and then at my head.
She looked at me confusedly.
"Thor, you really are innocent aren't you?"
"And you act innocent." she shot back.
"Yeah… I do."
"Do… do you mind if I sit?" I asked.
She looked a little surprised, but obliged by shifting over on the edge of the bed.
I took the seat beside her.
"I want you to know, nothing I say is serious. So when I make tries for Thuggory, or Hiccup… I don't mean them."
"... wait… I just contradicted myself. Almost everything I say is not serious."
"I feel alive when I get reactions from people… back when I was younger on Outcast island… no one would talk to me. They were always too busy stealing from each other, black mailing them or some other 'important thing'. So… I adapted… to make people notice me, I would insult them, or get them excited about a lie. I'm fairly certain my first full sentence was: "you big, fat."
And after 'dada' my second and third words were 'you boar'" I explained. I felt the tears form behind my eyes. But I didn't let them fall.
"I was always alone. My tribe mates were always bickering… I was cast aside or ignored… almost as though I were invisible… Hiccup may have been small. But people at least noticed him, Cami was even smaller but her voice and personality are huge. I have a quiet voice. And I didn't inherit my father's height nor his girth. I hide behind so many masks and wear so many personas, so many voices to use and personalities to take on… I barely remember which is my own. I am a mirror, I can never see myself, even if you put me in front of another one… all I see is an endless void where light, color and texture cease to exist."
I suddenly found myself with my head against her chest. Her arms wrapped around my back as she cradled me.
I faintly heard a door creak open, and a few sharp inhales of breath, followed by a few sighs of relief. I also felt a faint jerking motion.
I sniffled and whimpered… something so unlike me… except I forgot who I really was.
I was the girl of dozens of expressions, hundreds of faces, a thousand personalities, myriads of masks, millions of names… that simply was who I am.
(Avery's perspective)
I suddenly found myself embracing her. Just like Thuggory'd said, 'it wasn't something you think about.' and 'all you really had to do was listen.'
I heard 'And you thought it'd be a good idea to leave the two of them alone, on an island where people have some form of weapon every 3 feet?'
Then I heard stomping up the stairs.
The door opened and I saw Hiccup, Thuggory and Caspian all gawking at the sight before them. Me, the one who couldn't offer emotional comfort, now letting Vicky, the one who would offer emotional support and basically my rival for Thuggory's affection (god… she's convinced me of it at this point.)... she was now struggling to not stain my clothing with tears as she sniffled and whimpered into my chest.
The three all drew in a gasp at the sight. But let it out as a sigh of relief. I quickly gestured with my wrist to shoo them away.
They obliged after a moment's hesitation.
They gently closed the door as they left.
And so… there I was, sitting on my bed, cradling the crying form of what was essentially my rival… up until two minutes ago.
(1) so Johanne will not be evil in this, I honestly hated that plottwist, while I admit I never expected it... thats the problem, a good plottwist, after it's been discovered and you look back you should see the evidence... with this there just wasn't there were no sinister intentions before hand. and it just irked me how this random villain manages to one up Dagur, Alvin, Viggo, Krogan and Ryker. all whom were very evil and believable villains... then there's Johanne who manages to make them all look as cute and innocent as Fishleg's flower garden. so he will not be made into a villain.
(2) Vicky sounds too friendly, while Victoria... well I know people named that and it's weird. Victoria also doesnt sound as... slippery as Vicky is. and I know Tory is a short form of Victoria, but it also sounds to friendly, so then I thought of Tora, which sounded better.
(3) Caspian, he was the one character I had the most trouble creating. he jumped from a scout, to the shield of the group, to the merchant. and his name was difficult to. I originally wanted his name to mean something, but i was having trouble and finally just gave up and found one that sounded nice, and so I took Caspian from Brawlhalla.
(4) Originally this line was gonna say "leave me and your mother behind?" this would also make it so this is the first parent of any of the teens that actually opposed their childs wishes. because I realized it'd be unrealistic for them all to be like "yeah ok, go fly off on our sworned enemies for over 300 years with a group of kids that I've known for 1 week and met sparingly once a year."
(5) I originally was gonna have one of the girls go "wait you have a wife?" as Thuggory had done earlier, but changed it as it didnt quite fit either of their personalities.
So I decided to give Vicky a reason as to why she is so hidden and passive aggressive, and once I did it became a sob story of not being noticed at all, not even worth bullying. so she found her own way to acquire attention. and it actually made me feel bad for this character I'd randomly called into existance, that forgot what she really was like because she was so used to jumping between different versions of her.
my random question today is for flat earthers: if the earth is flat, like a round disk, (or oval i'm not sure what you believe exactly) and we are all on the top, what is on the bottom? like if we flipped it upside down, what would be there?