Old Acquaintances

[Theraputix]

Theraputix sat with Ashaere and watched the events unfold. He watched between Baldr and his daughter, he watched the truth reveal itself. He was surprised at how easily she took the news. He hadn't really much to do on the matter. He was mostly there in the event that things went pear-shaped, which it wasn't doing. They decided on a new name, which also surprised him. He was so used to calling her Ashaere - it would be weird to call her by something else now. At some point Curtis, her partner, silently excused herself and left, Theraputix didn't even notice for a while.

Things were almost getting to a close now, until a huge rustle in the undergrowth came from the side. Theraputix tensed - he knew he couldn't kill a dragon on Berk, but defending himself was the only thing he knew. But then it was the same Nadder from before, carrying Curtis by the scruff of the neck. Theraputix wasn't amused. Though for the most part Theraputix had been too big to be carried like that when they were all on Hysteria, he knew what it was like to be tormented by this dragon. He sighed. He would rather have a dragon attack than deal with this dragon.

The foul beast dropped the boy on the floor beside them, Robyn rushing to him. As a healer, he was concerned, but he looked fine. It was just a short fall, for Vikings it could be worse. But then Baldr burst out laughing. Theraputix's head snapped in his direction. After all these years? He hadn't heard Baldr laugh like this since forever, either... Theraputix frowned.

Theraputix stood up abruptly, making Scratchet leap into the air, her splayed wings making her jump even higher as if to avoid an attack. She playfully tilted her head to the side, lowering it and swishing her tail from side to side playfully. Theraputix was not amused. He suddenly advanced, trying to get her to shoo, but it only egged her on, and she hopped around the circle of the clearing, making him look like a fool.

He muttered something foul under his breath before turning to Baldr. Scratchet was ruining this tender moment! “She can't stay around here, Baldr! It's been too long now! That might be in her nature, but people change... Dragons change! She's not little anymore! And you're not a boy any longer, either. Don't let her think you're still eleven years old!” It was a feeble excuse, he could feel how it was being received. The fact that they had bumped into them together in the first place meant they had met and already caught up, though for how long he didn't really know.

He pointed at Scratchet. “I'm not being a toy in your games anymore, dragon. That ship has sailed.” The dragon cockily clucked something in dragonese at him, but he didn't understand it so it fell on death ears. “I'm going to go. I'll see you back at the camp, Baldr.” He then moved to Robyn, kneeling down to give her a brief hug. “I'll make sure to see you again a few times before we have to leave again, okay? I just can't stand this dragon.” And with that, he stormed into the bushes, making sure the Nadder wasn't going to come after him.

[Luna Hieler & Ayer]

Luna pursed her lips as Baldr began to laugh over Scratchet causing Curtis' misfortune. It was a bit untimely. She realised by now that her father had some kind of connection with Scratchet, but she still wasn't sure what that was. In any case, she didn't think all this was very funny. She turned to look at Baldr with a little scowl, she wasn't amused, and neither was Curtis. She was surprised when he confronted her father that way, he didn't often confront people at all, and the action took her off guard. Her eyes widened as she watched the interaction, unsure of what Baldr's reaction would be.

Theraputix expressed his disdain for the dragon to Baldr, alluding to events in the past. What he said peaked her interest. So Scratchet had a history with both her father and her mentor? This was getting interesting. A frustrated Theraputix announced he was going to take his leave. Apparently there was some bad blood between him and Scratchet. Luna wrapped her arms around him as he moved to hug her, nodding when he promised to see her again before they left. "Okay, I guess I'll be seeing you later then..." she said, a tone of confusion in her voice. Baldr had some more explaining to do.

She turned to the group that remained. Ayer continued to hang back and observe, but Scratchet's arrival had disrupted him, making him more alert. His eyes were trained on his rider- he was only concerned with her safety. She gave a quick warning glance to Curtis, hoping he wouldn't take hings too far, before giving a longer look to Badlr. She gave Scratchet an unhappy look. "What is it with you two? I mean, what's all this about you and being 11 and Theraputix... and let's go back to you naming her, shall we? She's... kind of a pain around here..."

[Baldr Bjorg the Bonkers]

He was minorly surprised by the boy’s response to his laughter, not so much that it wouldn’t be expectable, he’d just assumed Curtis was more the silent brooding type from first glance as opposed to the confrontational type. He did notice his daughter’s displeasure at his response.

“Sorry,” he said, restraining his amusement more effectively now, “I think it was possibly the way she carried you your collar…that and the fusion of apathy and pissedness that was your expression.” He asked, so Baldr answered.

He watched as both Curtis and Theraputix tried to get Scratchet to leave, but he knew she wasn’t going to go anywhere from now. He somehow doubted she’d leave again if he told her to. He smiled as she hopped away from the healer. Theraputix then tried to get Baldr to push her away and not let her think he’s still a child.

“That doesn’t matter here, we’ve both changed a lot, and off on Hysteria or back in the village that would matter. But here...the stuff that matters hasn’t changed.” He smiled calmly at Theraputix, he knew the shaman wouldn’t understand it, how could he? He’d never had a dragon and had had a level of relief when Hysteria had turned against them. But for Baldr it had been hel. And for now he was able to live back in paradise, if only for a short time.

He smirked at Thera’s statement at Scratchet, as well as her rebuttal, and nodded towards the healer as he left, “See you later.” And then he was left with just the children and the two dragons. In the background Robyn’s dragon was still observing in manner that Baldr knew meant he was waiting for something to go wrong. Robyn seemed to be giving warning glances at all three of the other main participants before asking her questions about the nadder. He glanced at Scratchet and gave a smiling sigh, “Of course you’re trouble. Get over here; I don’t want you to be messing with Curtis while we’re talking please.”

“Well, put simply, she was the daughter of one of my mum’s dragon…you know, it’s been so long I can’t even remember which one it was now.” he looked awkwardly at Scratchet who was now next to him, half to see if she could remember and half as an apology for forgetting what he should know. “I was kind of the one who ended up looking after her while she was young. I mean yes I did try to get her to be a good little dragon but…” he pressed his forehead against her head and nuzzled slightly, “I wasn’t the best master some of the time.”

[Scratchet]

Scratchet grinned as Baldr jokingly scolded her, but he burst into laughter before he could finish. The other three didn't take it particularly well. Curtis quickly got up to contest Baldr, Scratchet tilting her head to the side, ready to pounce if he got too far away from her. She blinked slightly at how he adressed her human, but then he turned around and blatantly called Scratchet a pest. But before she could react with hostility Theraputix jumped from his seat, surprising her. She jumped out of the way, expecting an attack of some sorts. Her spines were bristiling as she watched him flip out over her and Baldr. What did he know, anyway.

He then pointed at her, claiming to be no longer part of her entertainment. Scratchet gave a crude smile. "Yet, here you are." She merely gurgled at him. She knew he didn't understand but she supposed Baldr would get a kick out of that as well. At least she did, anyway. He then decided to make his leave. Yep. After twenty one years, and surely his newfound experience of dragon-killing, he still needed to get away from her. She raised her stature and gave a confident squawk of triumph. Yep. She still had it. She was just about to go follow him, but then Luna piped up, asking what was going on between them. Scratchet looked back at the camp fire where everyone was. Backstory time wasn't exactly something she wanted to miss. If anyone was going to spill beans on her secret, she had to be there for the permission. But with Baldr around, and Luna apparently being his offspring, this secret would have to be known. She didn't like that Curtis was in on it, though. But she still had a secret against him though, and that was living right under his nose.

Scratchet turned around and circumnavigated the ring to reach Baldr, grinning proudly as he called her trouble, in a nice way. "Aww, but Curtisboy is so fun to play with!" She teased, but obeyed his command. She nestled herself somewhat behind Baldr but she rested her head on the ground beside Baldr. From here she could see everything just fine. But she stood up again just as soon as she sat down, in shock. "What?! You don't remember Rags! Come on, you know Rags!" She then altered her stance, putting on a snobbish air. She feigned a different voice, but it was hard to tell in dragon. "Scratchet, get your head out of that fish barrel!" She turned the other way. "Baldr, get off that roof!" Turning again, "Rocky! You're a bad influence! Baldr this, Scratchet that! Don't do this! Don't do that! Go to bed! Dont play with your food!" She took a gasp of air before laughing, but it faltered at the end, ending her impression of her mother, a flittering memory casting a shadow on the light of the occasion. Her crest of spines flattened.

She quickly settled herself down, not wanting to be caught off guard, and retook the position she had earlier, quieter this time. She made a small warlbing noise. Scratchet was long over their deaths, as she death wasn't treated the same as humans, but it didn't make it any less sad. She listened as Baldr continued. She was slightly less keen to interrupt, but as Baldr pressed himself against her, she returned with a slight pressure, crooning. Remembering that Baldr was right beside her quickly put her on the right track though.

"But I *am* a good little dragon!" She said teasingly, twisting her head slighty, prompting for extra tickles. "You're the best human! You obviously raised me well - I'm still alive! I'm a survivor, I am!" She gave a happy squawk. That was true though. She had a bit of both - the wits of Rags and the crazy of Rocky. It seemed to do her well.

She turned as much as she could onto her side - a relaxed, exposed pose. It was a mark of trust, to expose her belly like that. She warbled with content.

[Luna Hieler & Ayer]

Luna's eyes widened as her father briefly explained the situation between he and Scratchet. Her mouth hung open a little. She would never have dreamed of such a connection, and seeing the two so affectionate toward each other didn't seem right. She couldn't help but furrow her brows inquisitively in their direction as they interacted, having very little to say on the matter.

Tonight was certainly a night of revelation. "Okay, then... anything else you think I should know while we're doing all this secret telling?" She punctuated the question by raising her hands in a slightly exasperated gesture. Luna wasn't frustrated, just overwhelmed. She was still trying to wrap her head around the idea that Baldr was her father, and all these new ideas brought nearly every fact she thought she knew about her life crumbling to the ground. Was there anything about her past that she could believe?

She glanced between her father and what was apparently his dragon. Luna had more questions- not just about the Scratchet development, there were still things she wanted to know about herself. More than anything, she needed confirmation. She was, however, a little uncomfortable discussing it while Scratchet was still around; she didn't strike her as the kind of dragon that would be any good at keeping a secret.

Luna stood awkwardly as Scratchet disputed the details of her origins. In the meantime, Curtis faded back into the shadows, and she sensed him sulking a little as he joined her dragon, who stood guard a short distance away.

She didn't react externally beyond raising her eyebrows as the Nadder lay on her side, exposing her belly in a sign of submission. She'd never seen her behave so; she'd always been uncontrollable and the outright gesture of docility was remarkable.

It was hard to imagine Baldr matching her energy and spirit. In the time she'd known him, he'd never struck her as the mischievous type, but perhaps that was circumstantial. She realized that the difficult and distant relationship they had been forced to have had not allowed her to know him for who he truly was. The thought terrified her for a moment. "Who are you?" she asked silently, wondering if she would ever have the opportunity to find out.

[Baldr Bjorg the Bonkers]

Baldr laughed slightly when his daughter asked if there were any other secret, he did think about just how much information he had just pushed onto her. He thought about it for a moment, “Let’s see, Hysteria’s dirty little secret, our real line of sucsession and family tree, the fact that I raised tthis little monster,” he scratched Scratchet when he said that, “no, I think that all.” He smiled at her, “You’ve taken it much better than I expected, and so much better than I deserve.”

He looked at Scratchet who lay beside him and started to wonder what she was like now, he had changed so much over the years and so she must have to. He knew he’d still love her no matter what, but who was Scratchet to his Robyn and Curtis? They definitely weren’t comfortable around her and he had a feeling the conversation would be more strained with her there, but he knew he couldn’t kick her out as he’d already done that once and she’d only just returned.

He remembered something something, “I do have a question for you though.” He said this while gesturing to her to sit (whether the gesture implies sitting closer to him or not is your call), “During your time here have you met any other Hysterians?” He remembered all the Vikings that Hrothgar had expelled from their island for either dragon loving or treason, as well as the numbers of people who disappeared one day, like Robyn had.

[Luna Hieler & Ayer]

    Luna nodded and gave a small smile when her father expressed his cheer at her reaction. She was undoubtedly glad to be free of Hrothgar's fetters, but it had suddenly struck her that things weren't going to just start being easy. She still had the burden of her past to deal with- even if it was from a different angle. The circumstances of her birth began to weigh on her mind. She was a illegitimate. Even if her relationship with her father did eventually heal, she could never really be a part of his family. It wouldn't be proper for the Chief, and it was doubtful his wife would take kindly to her husband's bastard. This in no way changed Luna's forgiveness- she was very glad that Baldr had able to move on, to some degree. It was simply the reality of her situation that made things more bitter than sweet.

    Obliging his request, Luna neared herself to her father once again, sitting an arm's length away with her legs off to one side. She sighed, giving his question a moment's thought before answering.

    "Only one: Jacobo. The young assassin who made an attempt on Hrothgar's life. I'm sure you remember. He calls himself Ghost now. We had an unfortunate run-in a while back. I know he recognized me, but I haven't had any trouble, despite his hostilities. It's probably been a year since then- he may have moved on from Berk." She wondered why Baldr was needed to know. As Chief, she trusted he had his reasons, but she couldn't help but wonder. She felt out of her place asking, though.

    Luna hesitated before asking her own questions, wary of overstepping any boundaries. "So, between you and my mother... I wasn't- I mean, it wasn't... it wasn't an affair, you were forced?" She wasn't skeptical, only looking for clarification "And- my mother. Does she know I'm alive?" she shook her head and broke eye contact "not that I think she'd care..." she mumbled to herself.

[Baldr Bjorg the Bonkers]

It took him a bit to remember who she was talking about, as they’d not really said much about the boy by name, but eventually he did remember the incident, he had been there after all. He remembered how Hrothgar had killed the boy’s parents even though it was obvious they had nothing to do with it, why on earth would they have shown knowledge had they been in on it.

“He’d been a part of Hysteria’s wandering tribe, I’d found out a bit about him while I was leading the destruction of their group.” He paused for a moment, “I err…used one of their remnants as a part of my way of faking ‘Asheare’s’ death.” He knew mentioning that was as odd statement, mentioning to Robyn her ‘death’.

He moved on to giving reason to the question, “I ask because...you and he probably haven’t been the only Hysterian refugees to Berk. It’s something we found out once when a boatman lost an ability to control his boat once a couple of years ago. The currents around Hysteria naturally go north. It meant that most of the people who Hrothgar decided to exile rather than kill ended up turning up either here or on two nearby abandoned islands. It’s why we attacked here to find you. It was literally the most likely place for you to have turned up if you weren’t on Hysteria.”

She then asked him about her mother. He’d known that these questions would be coming but he still was very awkward for him to get an answer. “She does. Care I mean as well as know. She wasn’t a good parent but then…none of us were, but she and I always did love you…It was just something we always found hard to express, for different reasons.

“And it was…complicated. The chief needed an heir. He wanted an actual legacy, even though he physically couldn’t have one. Your mother did want a child too, but there was always that pressure on her…” He wasn’t sure how to say his part of it, he still had conflicted feelings about the circumstances of Robyn’s conception. “I think I’ll just leave it at it was a sort of mixture of both…in a way.” He knew he’d said that wrong, but he didn’t know how to say it.

[Luna Hieler & Ayer]

    Nodding in response, Luna thought over what Baldr had told her about the likelihood of her landing on this very island. If this was the case, she was amazed that she hadn't been discovered until now, or that she hadn't met others in a similar situation. A second later, she realized she probably had met other Hysterians. They were probably in hiding in the same way she was.

    There was a noticeable change in her father's expression when she asked again about her origins.

    He told her his mother cared for her, and her mind immediately resisted the notion. Her mother had never been what mothers were supposed to be, and she resented that. Hard to express? she thought. It was an awfully nice way of saying no one wanted her. She chose not to say so, sensitive to whatever Baldr's intention may be in letting her in on the secrets of her past.

    That aside, Luna was unsure about how she felt about so many thinking her dead. Yes, it was certainly a feeling of release, but she was truly a different person now. It was strange to think about. Anyway, it made sense that her mother and real father would know she wasn't, and it was something she was glad Theraputix knew, but who else? Who else knew her death had been false? She was about to ask when her father began again.

    Luna listened curiously as Baldr struggled to put the next part of his answer into words. She hadn't expected it to be an easy thing to explain- it probably wasn't something he'd ever really had to clarify. She felt a little awkward hearing about it, but it was something she had wanted to know. Frankly, his explanation left her a little unsatisfied. She still didn't know what she was. An accident? A failed experiment? A simple disappointment? She knew better than to press the matter- for both their sakes. She didn't imagine this was easy for him, and she didn't guess that a clearer answer would make either of them feel better. In any case, she knew she had been unwanted- something she was still coming to terms with.

She looked up at her father, making eye contact for the first time since they'd sat again. She searched his face as she asked slowly "So why all this? Why tell me now? Why like this?"

[Scratchet]

Scratchet settled herself beside Baldr, welcoming the warmth from the fire, since the air was chilly further out. She also enjoyed Baldr's company, and wouldn't dare part with him if she could help it. She had already been eavesdropping previously, and waiting for the right moment to express her surprise. She was afraid Baldr might see through her guise, and be upset because she kind of broke his wish, but at the same time she thought that Baldr would probably forgive her, for it was in her nature. But she also didn't realise how big this news actually was and almost wished she hadn't watched, so she could actually be genuinely surprised in front of everyone else.

They spoke of other Hysterians, which Scratchet had little interest in - she had seen the off hysterian dragon here and there, but interaction was at a minimum. For Hysterian dragons, it was every one for themselves, and she didn't want to deal with the competition, or run into any ex-tame dragons that would recognise her and wish revenge for her goofing around in town.

She warbled and decided to rest for a moment, enjoying the caressess from her human (im guessing Baldr is still gonna be stroking her, like one would when stroking a cat without thinking too much about it), the warmth of the fire, but keeping her ears open to the conversation. Though as the topic turned grave, there was less contact, which made her flicker an eye open slightly. Her pupil would move as she looked at people, and was briefly wary of the large sea dragon on the outskirts of the clearning, but he had kept to himself this whole time, so the worry faded as soon as it had arrived. She watched Luna and Baldr lazily, lulled by the fire and Baldr's warmth, she was almost drifting off to sleep... Maybe making a dramatic shock reaction wasn't so important... Or was it?

She made another warbling noise. She felt bad for Baldr, though. The Hysterian rebellion took it's toll not just on the dragons. It seemed Baldr didn't get it too good since they had separated. She looked at him and lightly nuzzled him supportively, feeling his anxiousness and difficulty with the conversation.

She felt like the time of the "revelation" was drawing near.

---

Sorry Scratchet owes a post, she can exclaim and disrupt the peace when you see fit Just saying what she's doing... which isnt much. Sorry i minorly godmodded Baldr, idk you cant ignore your best bud snoozing next to you, no matter how awkward the situation is... Hell stroking scratchet would probably be like his 'release' to help him feel less nervous, who knows. you dont have to consider it if you dont want

[Baldr Bjorg the Bonkers]

As he had spoken he had stroked her throughout her talk, it was partly subconscious and was egged on by his feelings at the time. Robyn then reconnected eye contact with Baldr when he finished, it looked like she was trying to read him. Then she asked why he was telling her this. He gave out a sad chuckle.

“This is the first chance I was able to guess. Before you ran away I could never have told you the truth…openly admitting your parentage would have destroyed your life, Ashaere’s life and my family. After you ran away I didn’t know you were alive until I saw your knife and at that point I…” he couldn’t finish the sentence, he was always going to hate himself for what he’d been about to do then, and nothing was going to change that.

He continued on, “Why now? Hrothgar’s dead. Hysteria is now in a position where you will not become chief, probably the only thing that both you and my uncle wanted. I wanted this meeting because I wanted to know that I had failed in Hrothgar’s last request. That you were alive and safe and that I could at least try to ask forgiveness.” He still didn’t truly believe that he could possibly have gotten it, he didn’t deserve it.

“This was really the only way I could get a conversation with you that wouldn’t draw attention to you.” He continued, “I wanted you to know at least some of the stuff that Hrothgar, the village and I had been holding back from you. I want to try and fix some of the mistakes I’ve made Robyn, to actually try and be your father. I don’t exactly deserve that title right now.”