A/N: First of all, Uni sucks. More specifically Statistics… and more specifically on top of that, being mentally ill while at uni… T.T I studied all week to catch up on missing four weeks of stats…

AND THEN A CYCLONE HIT AND UNI WAS CANCELLED

Ahem. So that's this time's excuse for not having regular updates…

Life, am I right? ;)

Honestly, really really sorry though T.T I felt guilty not updating sooner…

Anyway! He ages up this chapter! Yay! :D That much closer to things that actually affect the timeline (someone asked how I plan to have changes from the tv series and movies and well… it's complicated, which is good… but is… complicated. I've thought most of it out though o.o it's just a matter of getting there… I mayyyyy have to skip a few years at some point)

Also, bonus~ another character finally gets introduced in this one! Yay~ Sadly, this chapter is still mostly angst and super awkward Hiccup and Stoic moments… Who doesn't love those? (Unsure if I'm being sarcastic or not…)

And probably spoilers for the TV series in this chapter and every one after this…

As usual, Enjoy~ Or not~

"words" - English

"words" - Icelandic

words – thoughts

'words' – written words

Chapter 9. How to Be Annoyed (With Yourself)

A cold breeze flowed through the forge, cooling my already chilled hands that struggled to move the leather-working needle. Gobber, and his thick stature, blocked most of the heat of the searing coals from reaching the rest of the workshop as he tirelessly formed and reworked weapons that were damaged or destroyed in the latest dragon raid. I was envious that I was still not permitted to do such heated work.

Devastating winter had past, though the frost remained behind, choosing to stick around a few months longer than usual.

I had made it through the blistering weather once again to now reach age six, though the time trapped indoors hadn't improved the hair-splitting relationship with my caretakers. In fact, as time continued to pass, Stoic and I only became more and more uncomrfotable with each other, him from an inability to understand what could be wrong with me, and me from an inability to share the truth.

To be honest, even the smallest misdirections and lies weigh me down, and now the tense silences between seem to be just as sharply edged. I think that's why Stoic began minimising the time we spent alone with each other, too much discomfort to handle alone. As such, anytime we do need to talk, usually him coming to me, it's done at the forge with a counter between us, and Gobber within listening range.

Now was such a time, Stoic bantering with Gobber to delay speaking to me about what he feels I need to know.

Don't get me wrong, I am glad he still makes the effort to include me in his life and the village duties, I just… can't help feeling bitter and… guilty.

"Hiccup?" Stoic called, with a short cough into his fist, his cheeks reddening from cold or awkwardness I wasn't sure.

"Y-yeah…? Dad?" I stuttered, blowing on my hands as I finished to bring some warmth into them, and to hide my face the smallest bit.

"Ahem, yes, well," he started, leaning against the workshop counter as he gazed out at the village, face turned away from mine. "I'll be signing the annual peace treaty today."

"O-oh?" I said with a crooked smile, shiftily glancing up at Stoic and back down at the leather sadle I was working on. "Th-That's good. Hope it goes w-well?" I flinched at the pitiful response I made. Well, looks like my social skills are no better in this life than they were in the last…

Stoic cleared his throat and turned his head towards me, tilting it to peer at my work. "Right. Well, I figured since the Berserker Chief will be bringing his son this time that-" He cleared his throat and placed his hand on my shoulder. "I thought that you should show his around?"

I flinched under his touch, eyes snapping to his pale green ones as I processed the words slowly, repeating them a few times to properly catch the meaning. "Oh…"

"As practice for when you're both future Chiefs… a-and to, uh, strengthen the bond between our tribes," he continued, his eyes searching mine.

I bobbed my head up and down slowly, eyes slipping to look over his shoulder as I tried to respond in a natural way. "O-Of course. S-sounds great." I gave him another crooked smile, my eyes darting to his and away.

"R-right. Well. I will see you down at the docks then, at three."

"Right. Uhh, see you then?" I nodded and looked back at the sadle and continued working on it.

Stoic straightened from the counter, lightly tapping my shoulder with his fist as he bared his teeth at me. "Yes, see you- then. Don't embarrass your Chief now," he added with a hollow chuckle.

I bared my teeth back at him, eyes slitted as I watched him leave, relaxing once he was out of sight with a heavy sigh.

"You two jus' ge' worse an' worse each day," Gobber chimed as he used a rag to wipe sweat from his brow. "It's almost unbearable t' watch, ye know?"

"I know," I sighed, glancing up at him.

He raised half of his unibrow at me, the stone tooth reflecting my distorted image. I frowned at it.

"And I know that you think I could make it better with a few 'magical' words," I huffed with a roll of my eyes, using my fingers to make air quotations.

"Aw, ye know tha's no' wha' I think, kiddo… at least no' at this point." Gobber chuckled, picking up the sadle and examining it. "No, at this point, I think ye'll need an intervention from the Gods."

"Ha. Ha," I responded drily, rolling my eyes again, hand held out for him to return the sadle.

He pointed out a few points to take out and redo before placing it back in front of me. "Ye're making good progress."

"Good enough to be allowed to do some metalwork soon?"

"HA! Nice try, kiddo."

I grumbled under my breath, cursing him to be found by the boneknapper and lose his belt buckle early. Petty, I know.

I began to fidget as Gobber stayed near my workbench, not moving back to the forge or the anvil or… away in any direction. He just stood there watching me work.

I refused to acknowledge him, hating when he got like this. I could handle the pointed jokes and teasing, and the disappointment, just not this battle of wills. I refuse to be intimidated, so it went on for the next half hour.

"Hiccup…" I flinched as he spoke, my hackles rising as I pressed the needle through the leather again. "I-"

"Hiccup!"

I snapped my head up at the squeaky voice and watched Fishlegs hop over to me, watching Gobber's face darken out of the corner of my eye.

"O-oh! Look! It's Fishlegs, well I guess it's that time again," I laughed awkwardly, sliding off my seat and running to take my apron off and swap it for my yak vest. "Uh, sorry to interrupt, maybe next time?" I flicked my eyes over to Gobber as he sighed heavily then quickly averted them again. "Yup, well, uh, gotta go. I'll see you later Gobber."

I waved as I rushed over to Fishlegs.

"HICCUP!"

I tensed and looked over my shoulder, just past the border of the shop.

Gobber's face was crumpled, his eyes wandering my face as his mouth worked, seeming to be grasping for words.

He shook his head, eyes dropping to the floor, only to come back up as he smiled softly at me.

"I'll see you later."

"R-right," I laughed, spinning around to leave, only to bump into Fishlegs. "Ah, sorry."

Fishlegs raised his eyebrows at me and frowned. "What was that?"

I blinked at him as we headed towards Gothi's hut. "What?" I thought back to Gobber's face as I left and brought my shoulders up protectively. "Oh- ohhh, no it's nothing. Really."

He rolled his eyes at me. "Fine. Well, if it's nothing then hurry uuuup. We're gonna be late if you continue to walk so sloooooow."

I jokingly frowned at him. "Hey!"

He grinned cheekily, as he jogged ahead. "Catch uuuup, it's not like you have one leg or anything!" he teased.

My mouth dropped open at the jab, and I couldn't help but look skyward for a second. Seriously? "Haha… ha, yeah… sorry…" I murmured as I caught up.

…

I'm tired, I thought with a slow exhale of breath that fanned across the knuckles of my tiny hands currently pressed to my bottom lip and cheek as I gazed blankly at the sign language Gothi was drawing out.

It has been six years since I came here, since I died, and so far the only changes I have made to this universe have been for the worse or just had no impact at all. This sucks.

My main motivation to move forward, to do something each day, to just get out of bed instead of trying to sleep myself into a coma, has been to change the events of the future, as I know it. I partly decided this because I thought it would be fun… and, I guess, mostly because I'd feel bad, guilty, just letting everything run its course. Without the real Hiccup here… I would be essentially betraying this entire village, all the dragons under the Queen, and Valka, and probably just all dragons due to Viggo, Drago, and Alvin. I would be the reason this universe falls apart if I didn't at least try.

Which fucking sucks. It's not like I asked for this.

I let out another heavy sigh as I started to try and list some of the things I need to do to try to change some of the future.

Still need to learn how to sew, though that's a minor problem as I just want that so I can make a skirt… or at least alter some of Valka's to fit me…

Still not allowed to work with metal in the forge, since now the problem Stoic and Gobber pointed out is that I'm too short to even pull down the belllows. True, but annoying.

Still can't make basic prototypes using wood of the things the original Hiccup made in the series… though I've tried.

Still can't even see any dragons yet due to Stoic hiding me in the Great Hall during any and all raids, with big Vikings blocking the doors.

Still not strong enough, or smart enough, or, Hell, even fast enough…

What if I die again? I- I can't. I'm scared… I need to be better! What if I'm not? What if I don't just lose a foot, or if I mess up and someone dies, or if I kill Toothless- What if-

THWAK!

My breath stuttered out of my chest as I glared over at Gothi who glared back as I rubbed the back of my head. "Why?"

I shake my head, trying to ease the floating sensation that was almost nauseating.

Scraping sounds tell me that the elder is 'speaking' so I look down at the scrawled 'signs' and frown.

'If you aren't going to listen, leave,' it read.

"Sorry… I was a little distracted. I- uh- I'm meeting the Berserker tribe this afternoon and-"

"Pfft, as if, Hiccup," Ruffnut snorted.

I furrowed my brows and looked over at Ruffnut. She was sitting on the only empty space of Gothi's bench that holds most of the medicinal herbs, swinging her legs back and forth, looking as bored as usual. Her excuse for hanging around today was that her brother was following Gruffnut.

"But I do-" I tried to argue.

"You made the same you do when you do that thing," she explained nonsensically. When I gave her a blank look she waved her hand at Fishlegs. "Explain."

Fishlegs tapped his charcoal against his page and sighed. "Hiccup. I believe Ruff meant the faraway look, the furrowed eyebrows and the very quick breaths. Those things. You know, when you disappear into your head."

Ah, dissociation… or a dissociative panic attack…? Is that a thing? "Oh, I didn't notice…" I murmured nervously, fiddling with my hands. "I g-guess I'm just tired." I shrugged dismissively.

Gothi tapped my shoulder with her staff and started signing again. 'Have you been drinking the herbs?'

I blinked at the signs and bit my lip. "I- uh… I ran out… though it hadn't really… helped me sleep." I paused and clenched my hand to ease the sick feeling in my chest. "I- I mean it helped me feel tired enough to sleep, just didn't…" I felt heat rise to my cheeks in embarrassment. "Didn't stop the nightmares…" I whispered. Calling them nightmares, which they are but also not, just feels so childish.

'How long ago did you run out?' This was drawn with a heavy sigh, and lots of impatient foot tapping.

"Uhh…" My brain halted as I tried to remember when I last took the tea. I didn't have much faith in it by the time devastating winter cam around but… I think I ran out a few weeks in?

THWAK!

"You're a muttonhead," Ruffnut chuckled with a slow shake of her blonde head.

I rubbed the bruise forming on my head and grit my teeth.

Gothi began to rummage through the jars and satchels on her desk, sorting out three small bags of plants. She ran her foot over the previous signs and started again.

'Nightmares?'

Heat raced across my face, my neck, and hands, turning the tip of my nose, which I could just see, bright red. Fishlegs and Ruffnut watched me intently as they waited for an answer. I don't want to talk about this in front of literal children. I am very much not okay.

"Th-they're just…" I sighed as Gothi glared at me. Fuck. "I-I get them more wh- when I'm awake… then when I'm asleep… makes it… hard to fall asleep… and-"

Gothi left out a puff of air and put the plants she'd grabbed out back, setting up two different packets of plants and a small jar filled with gel.

"S- sorry…" I stuttered as her frown deepened.

She smacked me with her staff though lighter this time. 'You should have told me sooner.' Gothi puts the packets and jar into a leather pouch and hands it to me.

I reached for it only for her to pull it away from my reaching hands. 'Herbs boiled to drink; one before bed. Gel rubbed on chest; light amount after nightmare wake up.' I reached for it again, only for her to furrow her brows and take it away again. 'If nothing changes in a week, come back,' she added with a glare, finally handing it to me.

"Th-Thank you, Gothi," I murmured, clutching the satchel close.

'Go home.' I stared at the written message and felt my chest squeeze, afraid I won't be allowed back, that I've offended her, that-

Gothi pointed to Ruffnut and gestured to the door.

Ruffnut rolled her eyes and hopped off the desk. "Gothi's riiiiight. You should go relax before meeting up with your dad. You know he hates it when you do that thing."

"O-oh…" I breathed, the tightness in my chest easing the slightest bit.

Fishlegs smiled softly at me. "I'll take notes for you," he offered.

"S-sorry… Thank you…" I said as I followed Ruffnut down the stairs, before calling out to her cheekily. "I do know how to get home, by the way."

"Yeah, yeah," she laughed with a roll of her eyes. "Hey, Hiccup?"

"Hmm?"

"What's up with your dad?"

I rubbed my hand over my wrist, gripping the bruise that had formed there from the most recently built (and destroyed, again) obstacle course. "We uh… we've been like this for a while now…"

"Why?"

I sighed, kicking a random stone on our path. "He just… is mad that I won't tell him what's wrong… though I do, I did… I told him it's just nightmares and-" I shrugged. "He got frustrated with that answer."

"Why don't you just tell him the truth then?" she asked, bringing her hands to link behind the back of her head.

I tensed and brought my shoulders up, frowning at her question. What does she even think the truth is? "It- is hard… It's… complicated, since most of it is the nightmares and the rest is- it's- Look I just-" I gritted my teeth. "No one would believe me."

Ruffnut scoffed. "We would."

I scuffed my shoe against the ground and sighed, eyes half-lidded. Maybe you would, maybe you wouldn't. You and Gobber and Stoic should all stop assuming that you're capable of understanding…

A light tap on my shoulder brings me out of my thoughts to rest my eyes on Ruffnut's frowning face.

"What is up with you? You've been so… moody." She gave a disgusted shudder. "Like… worse than Snotlout gets after his dad scowls at him." Her eyelids lower for her to squint at me. "And don't think you can get away with saying it's 'cause your dad scowled at you. I'm not that stupid."

"You aren't stupid," I sighed with a roll of my eyes. "I just said that it's complicated."

"Right, suuuuure," she sneered. I gave her a cursory glance at her comment, not sure where this was coming from. Ruffnut usually just… let me be.

"I just think if you talked to someone it wouldn't be as complicated," she said with a huff, kicking some other pebble on the road.

I turned a considering look her way and wondered if this had to do with her family, though I don't want to ask and make her uncomfortable.

"Like, you could talk to Fishlegs. You're both nerds and if it's a nerd thing then he'll understand. Or, like, Snotlout, since you both have daddy problems. Or, like… Anyone. Not me though. I'm not good at that… feeling… stuff," she rambled on, waving her arms about as we made it to the stairs leading up to my house.

"Yeah…" I hummed.

"Though, like, if you caaaan't talk to any of them, then I can… listen, I guess. I would rather be thrown off a cliff, but I could if you really, I mean, reeeeeally needed."

I smiled softly, finding her efforts and great disapproval all the same just a tad cute. Even if I won't be taking her, or hopefully anyone, up on that offer.

"I'll think about it," I murmured as we reached my front door.

She rolled her cornflower blue eyes and punched my shoulder. "Yeeeeah, just don't think too hard about it. Since you're a muttonhead and all."

I bared my teeth in a wide, awkward grin, and closed my front door behind me.

Sucking in a deep breath of air, I let it out in a whoosh, rubbing my hands over my face once I was done.

"Okay, okay, okay…" I whispered to myself before heading upstairs, feeling the usual weight on my chest.

Once in the semi-comfort of my room I pulled out one of my journals and wrote down the intructions Gothi gave me, placing the satchel on my desk after snatching the blanket off my bed to cuddle up in at my desk.

Searching the relative order that was papers and journals and drawings on my desk, I found the one I wrote notes of what happened in the movies and TV series. From it I made a list on the Berserker Chief's son, what little I had written about his interractions with the teens before the TV series…

It was a little awkward, with some query notes about whether he's set his sister out to sea yet, or if he'll really attack me with throwing knives during this visit. I really hope not… or at least that I'm fast enough to avoid dying…

I also made a few notes on his preferences, mainly just stuff like how he hates liars, smacking ones lips whilst eating, and how he likes strength and hunting dragons… So, I probably have little chance of winning him over, but I can try…

A breeze blew in threw my window and ruffled the hairs touching the back of my neck causing me to shiver. I rearranged the blanket to warm the now cold spot and looked around the room, my mind drifting to what Ruffnut said…

Maybe… Maybe I should talk to someone… Someone I won't see often… Someone older…

Looking up from another drawing of Toothless, I noticed a bright patch of sunlight warming the corner of my desk. I touched the spot lazily and smiled at the relaxing heat now warming the back of my hand.

I guess that means it's about mid-afternoon-

Jolting out of my seat I felt my blanket slip from my shoulders to crumple on the floor. "Fuuuuck," I hissed, thankful I hadn't taken off any of my clothes since coming home.

I rushed out of my bedroom, and out of the house, hoping, begging, not to be late.

Trying to save time I hopped down the stairs two at a time, slipping when I neared the last six steps to fall all the way down.

Hitting the ground, I ignored the sting in my knees and butt and bolted for the harbour.

I weaved through the people in the center of the village and rushed down the steep wooden planks to reach where the ships made port.

Spotting Stoic, standing tall in all his Chief-ly glory, I rushed over, out of breath as I skidded to a halt in front of him.

I glanced out towards the horizon and saw that the Berserker ships were still a few minutes away.

"You're late," Stoic rumbled, with a roll of his shoulders that shifted his cape.

"Glad you could make it," Gobber added heartilly from the other side of Stoic. I jumped at the sound of his voice, having not expected him.

"G-Gothi sent me home early… so my timing was off," I offered quietly, clearing my throat.

"Oh. She did, did she?" Stoic replied gruffly.

"Y- yeah… Sorry I'm late…"

"Ah, yes. It's… fine. They aren't here yet," he huffed, cearing his throat too.

Gobber sighed and readjusted his prosthetic hook. He muttered something about axes under his breath.

"Yup… so uhhh… what do you need me for?" I asked already knowing I was supposed to entertain the Berserker Chief's son, though I wanted a little more advice than that… and to ease this damned atmosphere.

"Oh? Hmm well, I need to sign the treaty with Oswald the Agreeable, Chief of the Berserker tribe," Stoic intoned.

"I got that."

"And I need you to keep his… lunat- his un-agreeable… son- busy. Yes," he added brusquely, his voice more like claps of thunder in his discomfort.

"Ah, right. I like Dagur," I hummed, watching the approaching ships with a half-smile. I probably won't be given any more advice then… Oh, well, I thought, my smile becoming a little toothy. I am, maybe a little bit, excited about meeting Dagur. He was my favourite character in the series and meeting him as a kid is just so-

Stoic turned wide eyes to me, his voice incredulous as he asked, "You've met before?"

I jolted and looked around for a moment, rubbing my arm and gnawing on my lip at the slip up. I glanced up at Stoic, watching his eyebrows drop low in confusion. "No? Not really?"

"Oh. I see then," he hummed, obviously not convinced.

I cleared my throat again. "Yup. So Ah-"

"STOIC!" bellowed a deep, gravelly voice from the ship, laughter echoing out uproariously.

A large, bear-like man swung over the edge of the ship to land on the docks beside us with a loud thud. He stood almost as tall as Stoic, his own helmet adorning his head with thin tooth like spikes across the center like a Mohawk, and two thick black tusks coming out either side of it. Also like Stoic, he had a long, bushy beard with a braid down the center that reached the wide belt, with the Berserker symbol of the Skrill, which spread across the his diaphragm.

He had wide green eyes that sat above a bulbous nose, from which a mustache a thick as the tusks on his helmet grew. The man, who was obviously a warrior, carried no weapons, only a bright friendly smile missing his right canine tooth was aimed at the Chief of Berk.

"Good to see you, Old Friend," he shouted with his hand clasped on his hips, his entire body shaking with his delighted chuckles. Behind him, several members of his tribe disembarked the ship with wide, friendly smiles of their own.

I found myself unable to stop the responding smile the lightened my face, despite not having met this man before.

"Oh! And what is this?" he called, tapping his fist against Stoic's shoulder-plates. "A fishbone?!"

Feeling those wide eyes glance down at me with his comment, I felt conflicted. Huh, to be amused, or not to be amused? I thought, unsure whether to resist the slight smile tugging my lips.

The loud rumble of Stoic's responding laughter rolled over, soothing something in my soul. How long has it been since I've heard him chuckle even a little? A year? Longer?

He threw his arm around my shoulders, shaking me gently with his chuckles, and grinned with bright white teeth down at me, his eyes filled with warmth and love, as if the strain between us wan't even there. I relaxed into the comfortable heat of his arm and smiled softly up at him.

As if he just realised there was supposed to be distance between us, his eyes dimmed, arm tensing and untensing. I felt the guilt eating at my heart again.

Stoic poked, who I assumed to be the Berserker Chief, in the chest, his grin just as wide as it was before. "He's my son, Hiccup, and you better remember that," he declared, pride saturating his voice as he pulled me closer to his side.

Unsure of myself again, I stayed where was, unwilling to interrupt their reunion.

A bright head of orange hair standing on end came into view and I blinked, eyes caught on wild forest green eyes.

"What's this red devil you seem to have caught, Oswald?" Stoic chuckled, his on gaze landing on the young, slightly muscular boy now beside Oswald.

Oswald let out the loud rumble of roaring laughter I was now starting to associate with him, as the boy, three years my senior, scowled in contempt at Stoic and his father. "You know Dagur hates being called that," he chuckled.

Dagur's gaze locked with mine as he seemed to finish snarling at the adults, the irises and pupils of his eyes interestingly smaller than most I had seen giving him a sharper look. He looks just like a delinquent manag character. I was close enough to see that he was a little grubby and had some dirt on his cheek giving life to the imagery of a dwarf.

He squinted his eyes at me, mouth in a thin line before turning to the adults again, seeming to dismiss me. "Where are the dragons?" he growled, eyes still squinted.

Stoic blinked at him in surprise before turning to Oswald.

"Haha, he's just a bit excited since we were fortunate enough not to get attacked on the way over," Oswald chuckled.

"More like unfortunate," Dagur muttered under his breath.

"Much to his disappointment though. Can't seem to get enough of those beasts," Oswald continued with a smile.

"Ah, much like my son here, then," Stoic huffed with a joking glare down at me. "He keeps trying to get out during the raids to see the dragons, the little devil."

"Bahaha, they should get along well then," the Berserker Chief snorted. At this Dagur turned back to me with a considering look.

"Ah, well, I'm sure Hiccup here can find something for them to do while we do the boring Chief duties," Stoic added with a chuckle, winking down at me.

"Hic… cup," Dagur said, as if testing how the name feels in his mouth.

I cleared my throat nervously, unsure how to act in the presence of a character I cheered on, laughed with, cried for… It was nerve-wracking, if exciting.

"Oh yeah…" I hummed. "Uh, nice to meet you." I held out my hand to him. "I hope we can b-be good friends." I smiled at him, blush heating my face.

Dagur's face pulls up into a big, false grin as he laughs long and loud in an unnerving manner, both our fathers already walking up to the village with the other Berserkers trailing behind.

I grinned with him, this time really unable to keep the smirk off my face as my eyes lit up. His deranged laugh! In person! Ahhhhh!

"Oh- oh- oh. Ohhh," he hitched, eyes rolling up before dropping back to me. "Suuuuure, so long as you aren't boooooring like my father," he spat.

I smiled brighter, hoping to do at least that, Dagur's own smile becoming more crooked as his eyebrows scrunched together, almost as if unsure.

"Oh, yeah… well I know a few places we could go… games we could play…" I trailed off, gaze taking in his growing muscles as I ruled out Hide'n'Go Kill. Not that I'd voluntarily play that with anyone… Is he really only nine though…

Dagur grinned wider. "Is that so?"

I started walking up the planks to the village, gesturing for Dagur to follow me. "I know a few good places in the forest and down by the beaches that are fun."

I tried not to skip as we walked, feeling lighter than I had in a while. I really hope we can become good friends. One, because then he's no longer a future enemy, and b, because future Dagur is an awesome tactician, and funny, and hot, and would be really cool to hang out with and- I bit my lip and tried to stop the blush spreading over my face. Shut up brain, not helping.

"Ah, and-" I paused trying to think of what to say as I turned to look at Dagur, his face neutral. "N-next time, if you come back with your dad next year… then I can have the obstacle course fixed and we could have a race. I think you'll like it… If- if you want…"

"Oh that does sound fun," Dagur growled with a crooked grin.

We had reached the edge of the forest now so I stopped to turn to Dagur since he seemed to want to say something, or so I assumed.

The grin on his face grew as his eyes lit up with an idea or something fun. I smiled with him, his smiles just as contagious as his father's. "How about now we play… a Berserker game?"

"Sure," I agreed with a wide grin, glad he seemed just as eager to become friends. "What kind of game is it?"