"Bad thing happens, even to Vikings. And sometimes it will change you into somebody else." – Hiccup.
It is now the day after Bork Week. On the last day of this Viking holiday they held a service in memory of Mildew, who they believe dead when he 'sacrificed' himself for Hiccup. The speech said at the service said "even though Mildew was sour at everything. And when it came to dragons and the friendship we now have with them his mood was the worst. But in the end he died a hero." Little do they know, there is so much bad things that's going to come.
Hiccup is now sitting at a table in Berk Dragon Academy with his dragon partner, Toothless, beside him. Along with both his notebook with his notes in it and Bork's notes and the Book of Dragons open on it and writing in a blank book. Gobber left some time ago after helping them with a new project, fighting alongside their dragon partners as if they were one. Astrid is standing of to one side of working with Stormfly on some more strategies on the subject they were working on that day. Looking at Hiccup once in a while and trying to figure out what he's doing. Tuffnut and his twin sister Ruffnut walks up to him.
"Excuse me," says Tuffnut to get Hiccup's attention. "Why are we training in the morning. And why so hard this time."
"Because Alvin is stepping up his plans," answers Hiccup. "He's not just using lives as hostages. Last time he used one of our own people to make plans to get to me (Toothless hums and nods in agreement). So I decided to get training done as early as possible then train more dragons the rest of the day."
"And I bet you don't have an idea on where to start," says Snotlout in his mocking way.
"Actually, I do," responds Hiccup, which got Fishlegs and Astrid listening. "I could start with the ones I saw in Alvin's dragon pit. After that, it depends on what his next plans are."
"What kinds of dragons does he have?" asks Fishlegs.
"A Whispering Death, a Scauldron and a Changewing," answers Hiccup. Everyone stares at him in shock.
"But those are three very dangerous dragons!" exclaims Astrid. "You could die if you go anywhere near them!"
"I know, I know," insists Hiccup, putting the books in a satchel. "But I have to improve myself. I'm not going to let Mildew's sacrifice be in vain." That comment snaps the others out of their shock. Everyone's expressions turn into those of understanding, even Snotlout's for a second.
"Then the rest of us are going too," says Fishlegs. "With all of us working together we will at least we'll have a better chance of coming home alive."
"Sorry Fishlegs," says Hiccup, slinging the satchel with all the books that was on the table. "But when I go off to train a dragon, I'm not coming home until I'm done." Fishlegs is about to frantically protest to either train a dragon or die trying when Ruffnut raises her hand.
"One question," says Ruffnut. "What were you writing earlier?"
"I'm calling it the Book of Dragon Training," answers Hiccup. A little girl from the village comes running in.
"Guys, there's a huge strange boat coming into view from southwest," she says (AN: she's talking about a ship). "It doesn't have the sails of either one of ours our an Outcast."
"Let's go check it out Bud," Hiccup says to Toothless as he climbs on to his back. The dragon takes off and, with a little help from Hiccup, heads towards where the little girl told them the huge boat is coming from. The huge boat is just coming into port when Hiccup and Toothless arrives. As they fly around the huge boat they take note on the sheer size of it. There's no one on deck, but there are windows along the sides of it. Once it's at the docks something hanging from a long chain drops into the sea (A/N: the anchor). A moment later a weight tied to rope drops onto the dock from both sides of the huge boat. Double that amount of time and a piece drops from the boat and one end hits the dock, forming a gangplank. Revealing another wall behind it with a door in it in the hole left by the piece that dropped. It isn't long before a woman comes out through the door, walks to each of the weights on the dock, takes the rope from the weights and ties the ropes to the docks. By this time Hiccup and Toothless has landed. They had taken in as much of the huge boat as possible. They also took note in a window in half of the deck of the boat.
The woman is thin with light skin and long dark brown hair and eyes. She is wearing a white dress. She is wearing a ring with a silver band and a red gem on the ring finger of her left hand.
"Who are you, and what is that?" says Hiccup as he indicates the boat at the last part. The other kids of Hiccup's group arrives at this point and lands on the dock.
"My name is Gretel," answers the woman. "Me and my twin daughters call this our house-boat. We travel the waters of the world in it. We are the Traders of Knowledge."
"Excuse me, what's a Trader of Knowledge?" asks Tuffnut.
"Well, you do know Trader Johann," exclaims Gretel. "A Trader of Knowledge is like what he does, but with knowledge."
"You know Trader Johann," exclaims Fishlegs.
"Of course I do," says Gretel. "He and I are siblings." This made everyone else jump in surprise. At this point Stoick lands Thornado on the dock followed by the villagers on foot.
"Hiccup, who's this?" says Stoick.
"Dad, this is Trader Johann's sister," Hiccup answers slowly. Stoick jumps in the air and turns to Gretel.
"Good afternoon," smiles Gretel. "You can call me Knowledge Trader Gretel." At that time two young women about Hiccup's age sticks out their heads. The women looks exactly like their mentor, but with hazelnut eyes.
"Mom, we're going to get ready for work," says one of them.
"Great," comments Gretel. "Lucy, after you're done prop the door open before tending to the customers. Margret, when you're done hang up the sign before joining Lucy in tending to the customers."
"You and your boat look familiar, have you been to Berk before?" asks Stoick.
"Only once with my mentor," answers Gretel. "I don't know much. I remember leaving early and not being able to give you the book you wanted."
"What book was it?" asks Astrid.
"It was called Book of World Dragons," answers Gretel, this gets Hiccup really interested. "It's a book Bork made with a close friend. They traveled long ways from the island that is now Berk. But Bork got married to a woman who accepted him studying dragons rather than killing them. After marrying her Bork settled down and only studied the dragons nearby while his friend studied the ones in the different parts of the world. The next time they met was on Bork's deathbed. Before he died he gave the friend the notes he made on the dragons since they split. That friend added those facts to this book they wrote together."
"I remember now," muses Stoick. "I remember picking that book. But something happened that made you and your mentor leave before we made a trade."
"Well it's still in here if you still want it," exclaims Gretel.
"I do," jumps in Hiccup. "I'll trade the story of when I ended the three hundred year war by myself for it."
"Well, go home and get a copy of it and any information you want to trade for anything else," says Gretel, putting her left hand on Hiccup's shoulder. Unknown to everyone but Gretel the stone on her ring turns clear. After the group of people left the docks Gretel turns towards her twins and shows them that the ring is now clear.
At home Hiccup work fast and long writing his experiences downing Toothless, bonding with him, making a new tail fin, then the event leading up to the battle with The Red Death. He only stopped to get the cramp out of his hand. When he is done he slams the book that was empty when he started, now full, and leaned back with a sigh. When Toothless hears this he gets up from where he was napping and pokes Hiccup with his nose. Hiccup responds by petting Toothless on the head.
"Now we'll be able to get that book on dragons of the world," exclaims Hiccup. "With that we'll be able to get stronger." Stoick climbs down the stairs at this point with a sad expression on his face. He's also carrying a lot of books.
"What's wrong dad?" asks Hiccup.
"I found out why Gretel and her mentor left so early without giving us the book. I caused them to be laughed off of Berk," sighs Stoick, this makes Hiccup and Toothless more curious. "It happened the week after you were born. I invited Gretel and her mentor to the party where I presented you to the village before we make the trade. When it was Gretel's mentor's turn to look upon you she said to us that despite you being a hiccup you will end the three hundred year war by yourself. I started the mess by calling out what she said and calling her ridiculous. All through the party everyone made fun of her and laughed. After the party Gretel's mentor gathered Gretel and another girl she had with her up and left without us making the trade for the book."
"Then explain to her what you just told me and apologize," says Hiccup flatly.
"I tent to go do that as soon as you're ready," responds Stoick.
"Well I am ready," says Hiccup getting up.
When they enter the house-boat they asks one of Gretel's twin daughters where she is. They tell them that Gretel is at the front desk. When they got there Tuffnut and Ruffnut whiz by to be in front of the desk.
"One of your girls told us you have something we're going to want," says Tuffnut.
"Yes, that is true," answers Gretel, taking two rolls of paper from under her desk. "Johann gave me your great-grandfather's skull along with the story of you giving it to him and who it is. With it I made copies of what your great-grandfather looked like in life for each of you." The twin gasps in amazement when they open their rolls of paper.
"We'll trade you our great-grandfather's diary for both of these," says Tuffnut slamming a book on the desk.
"Deal," Gretel replies before handing the book to one of her twins and telling her to make a copy of it and give it back to the twins. Tuffnut and Ruffnut follows the twin and Hiccup and Stoick steps forward.
"So I'm sorry for everything," says Stoick once he is done telling Gretel about her and her mentor being laughed off of Berk.
"It's O.K. my mentor never was hurt by what happened. In-fact she expected it," smiles Gretel, this confuses Stoick and Hiccup. "We'll swing by after people leave here. Then everything will be explained." Hiccup and Gretel makes the exchange for the book and they both go around their own ways. Hiccup and Stoick looks around and makes more trades before going back home.
It is after dinner when Gretel and her twins arrives.
"Sorry to be late Chief Stoick," says one of the twins.
"It was close to dinner time when the last customer left," explains the other twin.
"It's alright," responds Stoick. "Now what were you saying about your mentor knowing she would get laughed off of Berk?" At this Gretel grins as she raises something that looks like a clear stick. Streams of glittering light flows out of the strange stick and circles around her. Her clothes changes into a red dress that hangs off of one shoulder. Her hairstyle changes into a bun. A silver circlet appears around her head. After the change the glittery light goes away. Stoick and Hiccup looks at them in awe.
"Before I tell you how my mentor knew all that I must first explain the origin of these abilities," says Gretel. "In the beginning of mankind everyone got along so perfect with each other. Every day would be full of smiles. Eventually Loki got bored of it. So he added darkness to hearts. When the other gods and the goddesses found out what happened it was too late, the darkness had spread everywhere. The darkness would destroy the world. So the gods and goddesses went to help mankind with their abilities, everyone but The Norns. The only abilities they have are to see the past, present and future. But they saw that there are people who're immune to the darkness, people who never loses the light in their heart. So they have the idea of protecting those lights. The how was tricky, but they found magic users with light in their hearts. So they take the fallen sticks from the main Yggdrasil tree, enchant it to give their chosen wielder more power. Then they gave it to the pure hearted magic users with the strongest magic and make them help the pure hearts of the world. They also gave those magic users a way that can detect a person with a pure heart and be able to do a two way communication. Those magic users now helps mankind in The Norns' names. Whenever any of these chosen magic dies The Norns choses their replacement. My mentor was one of these. Before the time she gave you that prophecy she and The Norns spoke and The Norns told my mentor about the end of your three hundred year war. That time I was only training my magic. But a chosen magic user died and I was chosen to take their place."
"Why are you telling us all this?" asks Hiccup.
"Because you are one of those pure hearted people," responds one of the twins.
"At the dock mommy touched your shoulder," explains the other twin. "When she did the red stone on her ring turned clear."
"My ring is my pure heart detector and two way communicator," says Gretel. "And it told me that you are a pure hearted person. So we're going to stay here and help with the war with Alvin."
"That's ridiculous," comments Stoick. "There's not going to be a war between us and Alvin."
"Just like how I'm not going to end the war between us and the dragons," says Hiccup, now turning to his dad. "Dad, we've already saw that Alvin has already came after me more than once. That only proves that he's going to keep coming after me until either he's brought down or won." Toothless hums in agreement.
"You're right about one thing, Alvin had been after you more than once," Stoick sighs in defeat. "O.K. you three may stay here until we're sure there's not going to be a war."
"Thank you Chief," says Gretel. "Now, there's a huge storm coming. But before me and my girls leave to prepare for it I have some words of advice for you Hiccup. You may have been an embarrassment to your dad and the village, but look at yourself now. Also it is good to train harder, but don't lose sight of the key to being a great dragon trainer."
"O.K," Hiccup slowly says. "I got the first thing, but I didn't understand the second one."
"Then here's a hint," says Gretel. "Think of everything that happened from the reason Toothless needs a fake tailfin to the event that took away your left foot." Gretel and the twins leaves after that.
"Well, we'll have plenty of time to think about what she said," says Stoick. "It's almost dark and it's already pouring rain out there. You go off and read that new dragon manual. I'll get to some wood carving." But Hiccup is still thinking about what Gretel said that he couldn't focus on anything else.
Later on while Hiccup is getting ready for bed he's still thinking about what Gretel said. He's now muttering to himself. Stoick is sleeping in his chair downstairs.
"The key to being a great dragon trainer. Everything that happened between Toothless needing a new tail to me losing my foot," he mutters before bringing it back in his head. He even closes his eyes. Suddenly a crack of thunder roars outside. At the same time the thunder roared Hiccup opens his eyes as big as dinner plates.
"T-T-Toothless," Hiccup manages to say through his fear. Toothless senses the fear and is by his side in the blink of an eye. He rears up on hind legs and takes hold of his shaking rider with his front legs. He wraps his wings around them both for more comfort. Hiccup's shaking settles down to slight trembling before he finally relaxes. He takes hold of Toothless' front legs as he sinks down to sit on the floor. With the fear gone he's aware of his surroundings. He hears heavy footsteps reach the top of the stairs.
"Hiccup, are you alright?" asks Stoick.
"Yeah dad," answers Hiccup. "It's going to be one of those nights." Ever since he got struck by lightning proving Toothless innocents for Thor's wrath he had developed brontophobia. It only thunder stormed once since that incident. The same thing happened as now. They set up the same sleeping spot Hiccup slept in that time this night, setting up Hiccup's pillow and blanket on Toothless' stone slab and the dragon and his rider sleeps together. After Stoick leaves to go back to sleep in his chair Hiccup rolls onto his side so that he's facing his dragon.
"Thanks for everything Bud," whispers Hiccup. Toothless responds with humming in different keys.
"I think I know what Gretel means now about the key to being a great dragon trainer and the hint she gave," continues Hiccup. "All through the time between the loss of your tail and my foot we've bonded. We're now so close that all's left is my understanding what you say. That's the key, to bond with a dragon." With that Hiccup's eyes flutters closed and falls asleep.
The next day starts out like all of the others, Toothless waking Hiccup at the crack of dawn to go flying. After they make and eat their early breakfasts they leave for flying.
During their morning flight Toothless' head snaps up and his ears straight in the air twitching. Hiccup suddenly sets the fake tailfin's pedal so they'll hover.
"What is it Bud? You hear something?" asks Hiccup. Toothless answers this by pointing his nose in the direction of the beach (A/N: the one where Hiccup gave himself up to Alvin in the episode Alvin and the Outcasts). Hiccup uses the pedal to help them fly there.
They aren't very far when Hiccup hears a roaring sound from the direction they are headed in. Alittle further on they see what looks like a dragon on the beach that is the one making the noise. It is on the farthest side of the beach then where the wave reaches. Closer and they see that it is a beached Scauldron. It's thrashing around and roaring its head off.
"Wow, a Scauldron," awes Hiccup. "But, why is it acting this way?" Hiccup knits his eyebrows together in thought.
"It lives in water, and even uses it as its weapon," Hiccup mutters. "That means that it depends on it. But Scauldrons are fine on land. So, why is this one unable to get back into the water? Unless it's too tired to make the trip back into the water. We could pin its head down to get its attention. But how would we calm it down? I could splash water over my head to show that I am a friend if it likes water. But how would we get it back into the water?" Toothless snaps him out of his thoughts by slapping him in the face with an ear. He indicates to land. Hiccup helps Toothless land. Once they have come to a stop and Hiccup climbs off Toothless wipes the sand flat and scratched some words into the sand.
"You could speak Dragonese to calm it down," reads Hiccup. "What?" Toothless erases the words with a few wipes and writes some more.
"The why we dragons talk. I can help you," reads Hiccup before his face turns into a beaming smile. "Yes. Teach me how to speak Dragonese."
A moment later Toothless and Hiccup are in the air. But not for long, they dive towards the beached scauldron. They hit its head and pushes it to the ground. Toothless stands on its head. With the combined weight of both dragon and rider and the fact that it's tired it can't do anything but roar.
"Nee-ah wettings-greenblood (no seadragon)!" calls Hiccup. The beached scauldron suddenly stops roaring with a look of surprise. Hiccup jumps down and walks in front of the scauldron. He says the phrase again.
"Me is freundlee (I am friend)," continues Hiccup. He goes down to the water and takes hand fulls of water and pours it over his head. He does this two more times and then walks up to the scauldron. Toothless jumps off of its head. The scauldron sniffs Hiccup and then calms down.
"Peepa (see)," says Hiccup. "Let me help you. I'll go get my friends so they can help too."
A half an hour later Hiccup and Toothless comes back with Astrid on Stormfly and Stoick on Thornado. The riders are carrying a really long rope.
"I only managed to bring one of my friends and my dad," explains Hiccup. "But together our dragon partners will carry you back into the water." Toothless holds one end of the rope, Astrid holds the other end and Thornado holds the middle. Toothless and Stormfly are on one side of the scauldron. Thornado is on the other. Hiccup has the scauldron lay on the middle of their makeshift hammock. Together all three dragons lifts the scauldron and flies it over the part of the beach where the water is deep. The dragons lowers the scauldron into the water and Thornado drops his part of the rope. The dragons flies their riders back to the beach. Once they touch-down the scauldron walks up to them. It nuzzles Stoick and Astrid and licks Hiccup in thanks.
"No need to thank us," smiles Hiccup as he reaches out the palm of his hand. "I'm just glad everything turned out OK."
"Well done Hiccup," congratulates Gretel from behind them. They turn to see Gretel as she looked like the night before. Her twin daughters by her side.
"Well, I'd best be getting to today's chief duties," says Stoick. "I'll leave you for your talking."
"Thanks dad for the help," says Hiccup before Thornado takes off. Hiccup and Astrid gets off their dragons and walks towards Gretel and the twins.
"Hiccup, what's going on?" asks Astrid.
"Gretel is a magic user chosen by The Norns to help people with pure hearts," explains Hiccup. "She's here to help us fight Alvin."
"I'm afraid that it won't be just Alvin you'll be defending your home from," says Gretel. "Last night after preparing for the storm I talked to The Norns. They see a lot of battles besides the ones with Alvin."
"Well then, we just have to face them when they come," sighs Hiccup.
"Indeed," agrees Gretel. "That's why I'm going to give you these. Just show me your right arm Hiccup, Astrid your left." They do what Gretel tells them and Gretel waves her want over their arms. Arm guards appears on their arms. Hiccup's is a dark shade of gold and black. Astrids is yellow-gold and light blue.
"Those arm guards won't just help in battle," explains Gretel. "Just having them on will make you able to see, hear and smell like a dragon. Slapping them will cover you in armor that will match your dragon's scales. Slapping them a second time will turn the armor into the kind of dragon you ride. The abilities you'll gain is just like your dragon's. Slap it a third time and you'll feel what your dragon is feeling and hear each other's thoughts. Close either your eyes, nose or ears and you'll sense what your dragon is seeing, hearing or smelling at the moment. Slap it a fourth time and your armor will disappear. Hiccup, yours is different, when you touch another dragon you'll feel what they feel. We'll talk about what happens during battle at training time."
"Thanks Gretel," says Hiccup.
"Just doing my job," smiles Gretel. She then waves her wand over Toothless' gear and a new setting appears for the pedal.
"Move the pedal to the new setting and Toothless will be able to fly on his own if need be," says Gretel.
"Thanks again," says Hiccup. Gretel waves her wand again and she and the twins disappears.
"Now let's take care of the scauldron," says Hiccup. He, Astrid and their dragons walks to the edge of the beach.
"Please tell us what brought you to Berk?" asks Hiccup. Instead of the usual dragon sounds they here actual words, though they still can't understand them.
"Oops-bungas catchas mi keendlee," explains the scauldron, judging by the voice it's a female. "Me wet-flaps vizza par oos dunning."
"Toothless, a little help understanding her," requests Hiccup. After smoothing out the sand in front of him Toothless writes in it.
"Outcasts catches her kind, she swims this way for one day," reads Hiccup.
"Toothless can write," gasps Astrid in disbelief.
"Well I did read aloud near him a lot. So he would have picked up on a lot of it," explains Hiccup. "But what I don't understand is why the Outcasts are catching dragons and not killing them." Then he turns to the scauldron.
"You are welcome to live in our waters," invites Hiccup. "All I ask in return is that you don't harm anyone." The scauldron nods her head and swims out of sight.
"Good, now we have to tell everyone about all this," sighs Hiccup as he and Astrid flies back to the village.
"Bad things happen that changes us. But as long as we keep a clear head and don't lose sight of what's important and good in yourself and life that change won't be too bad." – Hiccup.
A/N:
The whole thing with Gretel being chosen by The Norns to help people with pure hearts is from Dark Parables: The Final Cinderella.