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Long though Thor lives, there may be some things he never gets the knack of. Telephones, for one. It makes seeking out friends and acquaintances somewhat difficult, even for a Prince of Asgard. He can send his people into the city to find someone, but that's often an exercise in futility.
Fortunately, some friends are relatively easy to spot. Koriand'r of Tamaran, for instance, is a fairly striking figure in person. Doubly so when flying across the city, a blaze of orange limned in green fire. Spotting the princess flickering across the sky, Thor takes two steps from the balcony of the Embassy and flicks Mjolnir in a tight, buzzing circle. With a *whoosh* he is flung skywards, a lazy arc moving to intercept her burning path.
"Hoh there, Princess!" Thor booms, his over-loud voice easily carrying over the city sounds below. "I thought 'twas you. It is well to see you again!" he says, greeting her with a pleased expression. "How have you been of late?"
"Good day to you friend Thor," Starfire replies, turning in the air to wave. "I have been well, although there are many local customs to learn." Carefully she adjusts the brown paper grocery bag tucked under one of her arms. "Since last we spoke I have found an Earth friend who has invited me to stay with them in exchange for helping with household tasks." She smiles. "Today I have been doing the traditional 'run to the store'."
"It is well to make friends," Thor says, with hearty approval in his voice. "The ways of the mortals of Midgard baffle even I, at times. But one grows tolerant of their strange manners. Come! Let us alight on steadier ground, that we might speak," he invites. "We shall walk and talk. The motion of the feet can be a steady source of inspiration for the mouth."
With a flick of his hammer he descends rapidly, landing with a heavy stride on a relatively empty batch of sidewalk not far below them. He ignores the strange looks he gets from the New Yorkers, but it is the Big Apple, after all— strange things happen every day. And a titan of a man with blonde hair and a medieval weapon only gets a few glances of passing disinterest.
"I do not think my feet are connected to my mouth like that," Kori replies thoughtfully as she descends carefully, making sure nothing spills from the grocery bag. "But the noise from the wind does make it hard to converse normally. Although at least there are few insects at this time of year.."
She makes a dainty landing next to her Asgardian friend. "I found the ritual sacrifice and display of an evergreen fir tree especially confusing. But the overall message of the festival was at least nice."
Thor booms with an approving laugh. "An ancient tradition that honors my family," he tells Starfire. "One that stretches back before even my youth. When Asgardians walked amongst the mortals, we stood guard against the hoary hordes of Jotuunheim— in those eras, the Frost Giants created a beachhead for an army in the northern realms. We stood guard for centuries until my father Odin beat them back once and for all. In that time, the mortals adopted many traditions to honor us in the middle of their long, bleak winters. A sacred piece of timber was burned with runes of safety scrawled 'pon it, and as the fir tree is one of but few that is green in the depths of bitter cold, it was decorated to honor us as well."
"This Christmas holiday is a strange compilation of traditions new and old," he admits. "I know not of this demigod they claim to worship, but their homes are rife with the symbols of a land that worshipped my kin."
"It is rather strange to me that the libraries here do not contain more complete historical records of such important traditions," Starfire muses. "Perhaps it does not help that people tend to be short lived and events pass from living memory much quicker." She shrugs. "Is the one known as Santa Claus one of your people too? It would be interesting to meet him I think, especially if he could give me advice about suitable gift giving. As I have found that gifts from my own culture are rather impractical to acquire or unappealing to Earthlings."
"Nay, he is not of Asgard," Thor says, shaking his head. "This 'Saint Nicholas' is surely some modern invention. But aye, 'tis mostly an issue of the short lives of mortals. Stories passed down can be lost to time in the space of but a few generations."
He frowns thoughtfully at Kori's statement. "Gift giving is a challenge," he agrees. "More the difficult for royalty than the peasantry might suspect. Among our noble kin, wealth is in excees. Indeed, the gift of more wealth is somewhat gauche. To choose a gift that speaks of our regard for the recipient is a most worthy challenge, one even I have struggled with."
"I must admit I did not think his attire had much in common with that worn by your people," Starfire responds with a grin. "But I have heard the saying 'it never hurts to ask' used many times. I suppose one of the advantages of being in exile is that people do not expect me to give royal gifts anymore.. Although there is a sense of expectation with a new friendship to make the gift thoughtful and, ideally, practical."
"A practical gift is welcomed by even the loftiest of aristocrats," Thor agrees, flashing a grin as he nods. "It is a grand thing to recieve a gift that one can use, intead of one merely to be admired. Is your friend a warrior? A stout blade will never go unwanted, though a warm winter coat might be more useful in this biting ocean chill!" He laughs easily, seemingly otherwise unaware of the cold despite his tight, long-sleeved overshirt.
"Is this really as cold as this region gets?" Starfire asks curiously. "It seems quite tolerable to me. Not as warm as back home, but my family home was more equatorial." Her head tilts to the side. "She is a warrior but prefers unarmed fighting styles. I do not think she would have much use for a sword. It might sound strange but I find clothing here an even more difficult proposition… Female garments are poorly fitted and quite prudish."
"The humans are prone to sensitivity to weather," Thor agrees. "I seem to recall it being colder in bygone eras, but a thousand years ago I might have been a younger god, myself, and more fickle in my sensitivities."
"A warrior who does not use a sword," he grunts, under his breath. "Arms or armor, I suppose, or perhaps a stout mead to ease the pains of war after the battle is done?" he inquires. "Or some celebration of her victories— a mural, or tapestry that lauds her victories! Mount the head of some great prey over her mantle, that will give her something to boast upon and give favorable regard during the cold winter months."
Starfire hmmmmmmms. "Well nothing is really cold compared to space," she admits. "Her typical foes are other humans, so I do not think it would be appropriate to mount a head. But perhaps you have a good point about a celebration of victory. I could perhaps come up with a poem and.. engrave it onto something."
"Ah! A heroic epic!" Thor agrees, nodding approvingly. "Yes, a ballad sung by poets to last centuries. Commemorate her victory in a song, and the bards of the era will flock to it. There is a bard of some repute I have heard upon the mortal radio machine— 'Johnny Cash'," he explains. "If your song is written to stir the heart as much as his music quickens the blood, I am sure you will hear it repeated often."
"I do not know if this world is cultured enough to accept alien poetry," Starfire points out, shaking her head. "I think a more personal gift would be best. Especially as I have not composed any poems since my school days. I suspect I am what the Humans call 'rusty'."
"It is a talent that does not come to everyone," Thor agrees. "I have little knack for it myself; the bards eat well when they come to my table. I know enough to know that I have no skill for it, but I still well appreciate a finely-told tale."
"I am sure some idea will come to you, my friend," he tells Kori, clapping her shoulder in a companionable fashion. "I myself must away and return to my duties. Return sometime to the Embassy, if it pleases you!" he invites the woman. "I would welcome you as my guest for a dinner some fine winter's eve; we can toast one another and drink away the grey clouds and cold night air."
"If nothing else I can at least rely upon the Earth saying 'It is the thought which counts'," Kori says brightly. "It has been a pleasure as always to speak with you friend Thor. And I shall indeed try to find time to visit. Perhaps I may even bring some of my other Earth friends along. If they have time and are willing."
"All are welcome at my table," Thor assures Kori with a grin. "The House of Odin welcomes anyone who yearns for food and companionship. We feast nightly! You and your friends may arrive whenever they wish, to join in our revels. Until then, my friend!"
He bids Kori farewelly with a wave of his hand, and then with a *whoosh* Mjolnir is flung skywards with Thor tethered to the end of it.
"I may even have a friend who can outmatch your warriors at drinking," Starfire muses, then as the god of thunder makes his dramatic exit the alien princess waves. Then takes to the air herself, albeit at a much more graceful speed. After all she doesn't wish to lose her precious cargo of groceries.