video; un: actualwizard666

[noassgardian]

So, uh, my name is Billy Kaplan.

[And from the looks of it, he's sprawled out on his bed in the communal housing, camera held above him steadily. He makes a face.]

I have no idea what to say about myself. I was a student back home and I know a little magic. [He's a little tentative about that one, but-- he's not sure there's a point in keeping it secret here either.] But marketable skills? I'm not so sure about that one. I guess I need to figure something out though.

[Considering he's going to be here for a while...]

I guess I'm making this to ask what all of you plan to do here? If you have any definite plans at all, I mean.

Comments

[noassgardian]

Wow, you know-- this is really cool. I never thought I'd meet an actual viking, let alone a famous one.

[He grins in return because seriously, total fanboy moment realized here.]

Is it strange being here? I mean-- it has to be really different from what you're used to...

[ragnarsson]

[Ivar is practically preening under Billy's words. All he's ever wanted was to show everyone else that he could be just as good as any other Viking. It looks like he succeeds in that goal. Billy's definitely found his new favorite person here.]

Everything is strange. The technology is very different. I've never seen anything like these phones before. The food too. But people and the way they act, that stays the same

[noassgardian]

Really? So-- people are pretty much always the same?

[He pauses, thoughtful. Maybe he shouldn't ask, but--]

Have you met Loki yet?

[ragnarsson]

In my experience, people tend to get stuck in the same patterns over and over again. Stick around me long enough and I'll be able to figure out what you're going to do before you even do it.

[It's what made him so good at planning battle strategies. Ivar saw most people in a distant, objective manner. They moved certain ways and did things in certain ways like chess pieces on a board. Once he knew how, he could manipulate them for his own ends.]

He was one of the first people I met. I think I was more shocked meeting another god so soon then I was ending up here in the first place.

[He'd pretty much been hanging on the god's word as gospel. Everyone on Floor 5 should just be glad he hadn't decided to perform a blood sacrifice with some animal to the mischief-maker yet.]

We're sort-of related, so it's good to have family here.

[noassgardian]

That might not actually be difficult... are you on floor five, too?

[He's still kind of getting to know all his roomies, that's all.]

I'm glad you have someone here you can sort of relate to then. It can kind of make things easier-- even though I'm not sure Loki's entirely like you might remember or know him, anyway.

[He's had a lot of time to adjust and adapt to this type of technology and life after all--

... Although he would prefer no blood sacrifices in their room. That'd be a mess and a half to clean up.]

And if you need any other help or just someone to hang out with-- I definitely don't mind.

[ragnarsson]

Fortunately, I am. Or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it.

[He's still getting to know the whole motley crew, but as a whole, he's been getting some mixed impressions. They're all a little strange to a Viking displaced about two thousand years in the future.]

We already went over that a little. Stories and legends are only as truthful as the poets are, which is not very.

[Everyone always just made up details to make it sound better. He'd learned that more than once just listening to tales of his own father.]

You mean like a friend? [Cue a confused look on Ivar's face. He doesn't really do friends. It's hard to get close to someone when he's so dead-set on having a chip on his shoulder and broadcasting anger at all times.]

[noassgardian]

It depends, yeah. I mean, the floor's been kind of crazy with everyone trying to figure out how to get along...

[But on the other hand, he's on the floor with people he deeply respects, so there's that.]

Yeah, exactly. But I mean, the gods are still impressive, regardless of how truthful they are to the edda.

[He pauses at that look. Well, Billy isn't usually quick to make friends, but--]

Yes? Sure. Why not? I mean, I've had Loki as a teacher, so... why not an actual viking as a friend, right?

[ragnarsson]

No one's died yet. We're doing alright.

[The standards by which he's judging things is rather low.

He smiles then, a genuine one. That's usually hard enough to get out of him on a good day. But he rarely makes friends. Most everyone but his family back home ignores him.]

Good. Friends then.

[noassgardian]

Those are pretty good standards to live by.

[And he's not entirely joking about that. He works in a superhero group, they've lost people-- every time people seem to get along and no one ends up dying? That's kind of a good thing.

Billy returns the smile after a moment. Well, this isn't how he usually makes friends but Ivar looks happy, so... he's not complaining at all.]

Definitely. [He can't believe he's friends with an actual viking, okay.]