First Flight. [video from new bark town.]

[berkthorn]

[He's still rubbing at his skull when he starts recording. All those memories rushing back at once wasn't exactly a fun experience, but given the circumstances he's not looking that worse for wear. In fact, there's a hint of a grin starting to appear before he starts talking.]

And here I was, thinking it was all a really elaborate dream. Probably should have known better -- I'm leagues ahead of everyone else on Berk, but no Viking is this creative.

I don't know who's still here, or even how long it's been for you all... Looks like all my stuff is gone, though. Can't have anything be too easy, can I? But it's good to be back.

[A floppy-eared Emolga climbs up into the frame, clinging to the Viking's armor until he can settle down onto Hiccup's shoulder. He wasn't Dinkfin or Adder, but Hiccup's already decided he's fond of the guy. No guessing as to why Johto felt it was an appropriate partner, anyway...]

And this time? Not waiting here for a week. If anyone needs me, I'll be heading to Cherrygrove.

Comments

i regret nothing

[doitrockapella]

!

!!!!!!!!!!!

ALERT ALERT ALERT
AWOOGA AWOOGA

SOUND THE ALARM
BATTLE STATIONS

MOVE MOVE MOVE

CODE RED
MAXIMUM PRIORITY

GO NOW
GO GO GO

HELLO
H I C C U P

IS THAT YOU HICCUP

GREETINGS
ALOHA
SALUTATIONS
H I C C U P

i wouldn't either tbh

[berkthorn]

[That format is making his heart soar. For this guy, he switches to text without hesitation.]

Greetings aloha salutations to you too, Zack. It's good to hear from you, bud! Were you holding down the fort while I was away?

[doitrockapella]

HELLO
H I C C U P
WELCOME BACK !!!

I HAVE SCRAMBLED THE
T R O O P S !

THEY ARE MOVING VERY FAST

[berkthorn]

I'd expect nothing less from you.

[Zack always was very good at his job!]

Hey, I've got a question. Do you know how long it's been since I was sent home?

[Because time was weird and also the thought of Carmen still being there after five years was physically painful for multiple reasons.]

[doitrockapella]

IT HAS BEEN

...
......
.........

319 DAYS

SINCE USERNAME HICCUP
WENT
O F F L I N E

THAT IS A LONG TIME !

[berkthorn]

[On one hand, it's not as bad as it could have been. On the other, Zack was right and it was a long time.]

Yikes. I sure took my time getting back, huh? Sorry about that, bud.

How's Carmen been doing? You're still with her, right?

[Zack and Carmen were superglued in his mind, but it's better to confirm these things before all your hopes and dreams are crushed...!]

[Video]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[It's the familiar voice that grabs her at first. Like it or not, that squawky voice of yours is REALLY DISTINCTIVE, Hiccup.]

[It's a second or two between rapidly turning the screen on and actually seeing Hiccup's (older, broader) face that Heather figures out what's different.]

[At first she just... squints.]</sub>

Hiccup?

[Video]

[berkthorn]

[Hey, if that voice gets him connected with friendly faces, he's not going to complain! He looks pretty pleased, actually, as he tilts his head a little to address Stormcutter.]

That's two with that face, now. Keep track for me, okay?

[The Emolga nods and Hiccup returns to grinning at the 'gear.]

How's it going, Heather?

[Video]

[foolishwren]

I, uh, it's, uh-- fine!

When the hell did you get back? Just now?

Dude.

_{[HOW MANY YEARS HAS IT BEEN FOR HIM? HE'S NOT TINY ANYMORE WHAT HAPPENED]}

[Video]

[berkthorn]

Give or take a few minutes. The headache kinda made it hard to move, for a while there.

[He's pretty pleased at these reactions, if the slight puffing out of his chest is any indication. He may not be as big and strong as most of Berk's people, but even he could see that he'd grown. Plus it was way more fun focusing on this than everything back home.]

Go on, take a guess, then. How old am I?

[Video]

[foolishwren]

UHHHHH.

_{[Oh come on this isn't fair. And he's so SMUG about it.]}

Eeeeeeiii....ghteen?

video;

[otakon_geek]

[Viking? Could people from history be brought to this place? How interesting and also slightly disturbing. What if Julius Caeser or Hitler was brought back from history to Johto?]

[Back? So, this Viking boy had already been here before?]

You've been here before? So, did you go back home and then come back? I didn't know people could leave Johto at will.

video;

[berkthorn]

[Thanks to games like Persona and Wolfenstein, anything is possible!]

Well... [Hiccup shrugs a little at that last sentence, making a face.] It definitely isn't at will. But I was here a long time ago. Er, less time here, I guess, but for me it was...a while.

Actually, a lot of people do that. Leave and come back. Sometimes they remember, but sometimes they don't.

[otakon_geek]

[Wolfenstein? I think Otacon might have played that maybe once or twice.]

How do you exactly leave? Is there a boat you can take back home or some sort of flying craft?

[berkthorn]

It's... I don't really know?

People just kind of disappear, waking back up in their world like this place was just a dream. I guess that's why some people forget it... Trust me, if there was a flying craft to head back home? You'd have everyone coming and going for the heck of it.

[islandshore]

[...Well, okay. This is kind of shocking. Now, Riku does remember Hiccup from before. They spoke a few times, and even though he's older, his voice is very distinct.

But he has to squint just to make sure he's not imagining things annd lean a little closer to the screen, too. And... nope. He's older for sure, and a lot closer to Riku's height, but hey, stranger things have happened.]

...Man, what happened to you? You look--

[Taller? Tougher?]

...different.

[berkthorn]

[Hiccup remembers Riku, too! Even if it's all a little hazy, after his time away and all those memories rushing back at once. In any case, he's having fun with these reactions.]

Time does tend to do that. It's been five years since I was last here! Well, for me, anyway.

[islandshore]

Five years...

[He shakes his head, and a smirk starts to form along his lips.]

Man, I wonder if that's a new record.

[Then again, Hope was gone for a while, too, so maybe it's not too crazy.]

[berkthorn]

Wouldn't mind a medal, if it is...

[He's kidding, of course, even if medals were kind of a thing he didn't get to have that often.]

Soooo... What have you been up to, while I've been busy getting taller?

[islandshore]

[He waves one of his hands and shrugs.]

Nothing too exciting. Been traveling in circles around both regions. Helped with a circus, been training my butt off, and now one of my friends is back after coming and going for years.

It's probably nowhere near as exciting compared to what you've been through.

[Because the Pokémon world, while fairly exciting, is generally pretty routine. Other worlds tend to have more thrills.]

[Video]

[the_end]

You're a viking? I thought they were all extinct.

[Video]

[berkthorn]

[It'd been a while since he'd heard that one... Ah, the good ol' days.]

Maybe where you're from. I bet you also think dragons aren't real.

[Video]

[the_end]

[Biggest gasp ever.]

YOU HAVE DRAGONS?! Like--Like real ones? Not coralians or anything like that? Oh! Oh! Are you from Earth too?!

[Video]

[berkthorn]

I...don't know what a coralian is, but yes! Earthling Hiccup, Viking and rider of real live dragons, at your service.

[His hand does a kind of flourish to gesture to himself. Were he feeling a bit more confident and cocky (or if this hadn't been a video), he might have bowed!]

Are you from someplace that isn't Earth?

[Video]

[the_end]

[He seems like the coolest person right now. She grins.]

Wow. Man, that's really cool! You're the only viking here, huh?

[And her grin grows a little.] Coralians are aliens--well, technically people are the aliens. We took their planet when they took ours, uh... Ten thousand years ago or something like that. Long time ago. Not nearly as cool as vikings, though. Tell me about your place!