[ jera | harvesting skins like the opportunist he is ]

[putmeinstitches]

[PHONE | FRIDAY AFTERNOON]

Is this all they can throw at us? The slime was good, I'll admit. I thought I was going to suffocate for a moment there. But these monsters have no bite. They're big, but they're slow. It's almost disappointing.

[ACTION | LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON]

[What's that horrible smell? It's that unique noxious gas you get

Comments

Action

[worstvikingever]

[Hiccup has figured out that the monsters are really not all that dangerous, they're just... weird. But then he happens upon Loki in the park.]

...what are you doing?

[putmeinstitches]

[Loki doesn't even look up.]

I'm skinning this beast. What's it look like?

[worstvikingever]

Well first of all I'm pretty sure they're machines, not beasts, and second, why?

[putmeinstitches]

Well, since our jailers were kind enough to return to me my ability to take shapes if I've got a skin, I thought I might be able to use this hide.

[He wants to be a giant ant, Hiccup. He wants this very badly.]

[worstvikingever]

Oh.

Oh.

[Well there's a mildly terrifying thought.]

[putmeinstitches]

[He just grins broadly and keeps at it.]

[worstvikingever]

[He watches, curious. It's not like he's never seen an animal get skinned before, but he hasn't really seen the specific workings of these particular mechanical monsters.]

[putmeinstitches]

[Hiccup is totally welcome to check out the mechanics once Loki's taken the skin off.

He hums under his breath, far too cheerful about this.]

[worstvikingever]

[He crouches down near Loki to watch a little more closely, looking carefully at the machinery underneath.]

[putmeinstitches]

[He's exposed the head and a good section of the thorax. When Hiccup crouches down near him, Loki finally notices the boy's interest. Yes, that was right, Hiccup was into these things.]

Tell you what. Once I have the skin, you can keep the skeleton. I've no use for it -- there's no meat on these things.

[worstvikingever]

Really?

[Hiccup can't hide the excitement in his voice. Getting to look at one of these up close is going to be fascinating.]

Awesome.

[putmeinstitches]

[Loki chuckles.]

You're welcome, kid.

[Then, his voice takes on that sing-song tone people get when they're dropping blatant hints.]

...it'd go faster if you lent me a hand.

[worstvikingever]

[Hiccup blinks for a moment.]

Oh yeah, sure.

[No stranger to skinning things, Hiccup lends a hand in a way that is actually helpful as opposed to just getting in the way.]

[putmeinstitches]

[Yep. They'll chip away at the skin, working together. It'll probably take long enough that they'll talk to pass the time, though.

Loki doesn't like staying quiet anyway.]

Why machines, anyway?

[worstvikingever]

Dunno. But it's not like giant ants really exist, so I guess someone was like "I want to invade the town with giant ants" and decided to build them.

[putmeinstitches]

That's not what I meant. I'm asking why you like them so much.