I had spent the last few days coaching Emerald on tapping his physical enhancements, and now it was time to introduce mind games. Hiccup had offered me a spare room in his house, but I still needed to go back to the sanctuary to get a few things. Wings stretching, I yawned and smiled as I felt a light "good morning" brush from Emerald's mind. Good morning to you, too, I nudged back.
So, where are we going today? Emerald called out from the hallway.
Will you keep it down! I'm training Valka. We chucked; Cloudjumper was always trying to "train" Valka to understand him. After a bit of preening, I emerged in a simple stormcutter-night fury form. Emerald almost bumped into me before I glided and he bounded downstairs.
"Good morning, guys," Hiccup whispered, engrossed in watching Valka and Cloudjumper's daily battle of understanding. Chuckling at his strange mash breakfast, I realized Cloudjumper was trying to say "fire." To the human ear, fire in Dragontongue would sound like "fraaagnah." To the dragon ear, fire in Norse sounds something like "fapnarae." This was the primary difficulty in trying to communicate with each other. In fact, it took me years to be able to understand humans while I was in dragon and dragons while in human form. Valka kept trying to say back what Cloudjumper said, but it sounded like high-pitched Scuttleclaw babble, "fraackmajaw." Shaking my head, I motioned for Hiccup to join us. He eagerly lept onto Emerald's back and glanced Valka's way.
Don't worry; they'll figure it out eventually, I sent to Hiccup and Cloudjumper. He looked up and it was like a light bulb went off. Smirking, he said with a bit of difficulty, "Em-er-ald." Valka and Hiccup just stared at him. That's when it hit me; I had heard the same word in BOTH languages. Pointing to himself with a talon, he proclaimed "Clued Hoomper." Again, it came out the same way. Looking pointedly at Emerald, I motioned to him with a wing, "Say the true name of something, and it comes out the same way in both languages." He blinked, confused. I hadn't quite gone over true names with him yet, but he thought of what I had begun calling water, "a-adruan." It came out in both languages.
Well, that's a breakthrough I never thought a stormcutter would make, I teased, winking at Cloudjumper.
"Wait,what just happened?" Hiccup asked, very confused.
"I... I think they just figured out how to speak with us." Valka looked between the four of us and burst out laughing. "So, when I was trying to pick a name for you, you were actually trying to get me close to yours." Cloudjumper smiled and nodded.
Emerald, Hiccup, and I practically skipped out the door as Emerald continued naming different things in both languages. Hiccup was finally starting to understand what he meant, and I could sense their bond strengthening. After Emerald named grass, though, Hiccup grew serious. What's wrong? I asked. I had a suspicion, but...
"I know there wasn't exactly an 'emerald' around, but why would he just let me name him Toothless? It seems kind of silly now." Toothless gave a purr-growl and connected with Hiccup.
I let you call me Toothless because at first, I didn't know what to make of us. After we started bonding, it became a sort of nickname. It's not silly; it's a good name.
"But - " Toothless smacked Hiccup with an earlobe and looked around for something. Then it hit me; I motioned and took to the sky, and, a little confused, Emerald and Hiccup joined me. Purring, I waited for an updraft to signal a climb upwards. I felt the thermal lift us high above the clouds, coming to a peak just as we banked to the right to avoid the downdraft. As I searched for the strange occurrence of both lights, Emerald eventually figured out what I was doing and joined me. "So... what are we doing up here today?" Hiccup wondered.
I just chuckled, We're finding names. He seemed puzzled at this until Emerald and I met right at the point of the eclipse. There! I called. Drawn to the unearthly haze, we almost collided while getting close to it. Tuthliss, Emerald and I said in unison. Hiccup's eyebrows knitted for a moment, then his face brightened. He finally understood... at least partially.
This day is sacred to us - I began.
For this is the day we came to this world, Emerald picked up. Legend has it that many thousands of winters ago we lived in peace on a world far from this one. All dragons lived in harmony, and the world was at peace. No one fought, and there were no thunders. We did not have a leader because we did not need one. Then, everything changed when strange, two-legged entered our world. They divided us, used up most of the resources, and forced us into hiding. We formed separate thunders, or clans, each with its leader, and began to fight among ourselves for resources. After several winters, we were forced to find a new home. We passed through many worlds - some better than others - before finally arriving here. Once again - he shuddered, horrific memories resurfacing. I trilled comfortingly and nodded.
Once again, humans came to us. This time, from the south - not necessarily from a different world. At first, they were peaceable and made to help and even train us in their ways. Many came to live in human settlements... Until the humans became greedy. They wanted our glittering scales and the secrets of our fire-proof, nearly indestructible hides, I paused for a moment, allowing a moment of silence for those lost. Many hundreds of thousands died that night, and more tens of thousands over the following years. Each time there was an eclipse in which the moon covered the sun, the fighting abated somewhat. Stoker fires died out during this time period, while tidal waters maintained their comfort and mystery skin hardened to scales. /ememSince we found peace with humans again, all dragons benefit. Stoker fires remain lit, and everyone is content and remembers the eclipse. We believe that whoever is knowledgeable of or dictating the events that unfold might use this as a sign to guide us. To where, is the question./em I turned my head to Hiccup to gauge his response. He was in awe, if a bit troubled. After letting the pair collect their thoughts for a few minutes, I returned to the task at hand.
To answer your previous question, I interrupted abruptly. We are going to practice a technique called Into the Mind. Emerald groaned, sensing what I had planned. I just smirked and declared, Let the games begin. My defenses remained up as he hastily tried to form his. I shook my head; would he ever learn to keep them up? I remained hovering in place as he finally gathered his defenses.
After several long minutes, What are you waiting for? too scared to make a move? He called out.
Good, you're using antagonizing techniques. It's... your... turn, I sang out.
He hesitated, then threw himself at my mind, teeth gnashing and claws scraping against my sphere. I felt him slip underneath his frontal assault to find a back door. I smiled, knowing it would be difficult for him to find it. What in Hermilien's name is this! he cried out. Emerald had actually found my collection of doors in under a minute, a new universal record! Over the next hour, he managed to make it inside the sphere, only to be confronted by my corridor of halls. I let him sit there for a moment before kicking him back out.
What did you do that for? I just got in! He exclaimed, exasperated.
You got in; that was the point of the exercise. Before you could move on, you need more training. There are still a few minds floating around in the corridors, and I don't want you getting stuck, too. It's deadly there. Now that you've achieved this level of training, we'll move on to the next tomorrow. He grumbled an acknowledgement, knowing pressing me further would accomplish nothing. We flew back to Berk, Emerald and Hiccup chatting about what we had done. I mainly kept my thoughts to myself, wondering what the eclipse might mean this year. In the past, nothing much had happened, but in recent years, dragons had started disappearing without a trace. Rumors were spreading like wildfire that one minute they were flying and the next they were gone.