(Untitled)

[hadabrother]

As much as he hated to really admit it, Jake was settling in aboard the ship. There was a strange sense of normalcy that followed him around - he was at war, he was trying to avoid getting people killed, he was thinking about strategies, thinking about the future - and that all seemed perfectly normal to him. He had slipped back into the patterns

Comments

[hadabrother]

"Maybe I am a masochist," Jake replied with a wry little smile, "I keep going back to war."

Which didn't make much sense if you were looking at him. At least not until you noticed his eyes - far, far too old for a young man just reaching adulthood. Jake shook his head and stepped away from the statue after a moment. He didn't need people to see his entire life story. Not here, anyway. He extended his hand to Hiccup with a nod.

"I'm Jake."

[hadabrother]

"If you're Councillor Hiccup, then yeah, that'd be me," Jake nodded and took Hiccup's hand in a firm shake. He examined the other kid for a moment, taking him in, missing leg and all. Well, he was somebody around here. That counted for something. And it looked like he'd seen his share of action.

"Dragon-trainer, huh?" Jake grinned, "I think that beats out resistance leader."

[hadabrother]

"Aliens," Jake shrugged and left it at that. Hiccup didn't need to hear about the whole war.

"First time I've ever met a dragon-trainer, though." He kept the talk light, casual. Nothing too deep or serious. People probably knew about the Animorphs by now, but that didn't mean he was going to get much closer than "polite acquaintance" with most people.

[hadabrother]

"We don't really have dragons where I'm from," Jake replied, "So you definitely know more than I do."

He paused and then added, "They sound a bit like giant dogs."

[hadabrother]

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure there's going to be someone, somewhere who thinks you're 'technologically-challenged' no matter how high-tech you get," Jake snorted. He drifted over to the bench, but remained standing, carefully situating himself so he could keep an eye on the entrances - and Hiccup.

"I know all about condescending aliens...."

[hadabrother]

"Honestly? I think indoor plumbing is one of the greatest inventions known to man," Jake glanced down at Hiccup, "...how low-tech were you, anyway?"

[hadabrother]

"A viking? Like raid, pillage and plunder viking?" Jake's eyebrows shot up, "We had vikings on my planet, but they never had dragons."

[hadabrother]

"Well, if there's an infinite number of universes, eventually you're going to get one that doesn't have dragons. Or does have them, I guess..." Jake tapped his fingers against his leg absent-mindedly. As long as the conversation stayed away from anything serious, he could deal with it. Then again, Hiccup was a Councillor. Maybe he could find something out.