Opinions Change

Astrid has always seen Hiccup as a bit of a failure. He's small, weak, and is never where he should be. Thor only knows how Stoick the Vast, the largest viking on Berk had a talking fishbone for a son. She suspects it's from Hiccup's mother's side. She doesn't remember the woman, but what else could have made Hiccup such a... Hiccup?

She sees him during every dragon raid, practically begging Gobber to let him go out and "Make his mark" or "Kill a dragon" or "Become a viking". She agrees with Gobber. Hiccup's made his marks, plently of them. Just all in the wrong places. And a dragon is more likely to kill him than he is to so much as scratch it. Besides, there is one thing Astrid is certain of: Hiccup will never be a viking like the rest of them.

Astrid can't help but cringe for Hiccup as he once again makes a mess. The boy will never stop. She feels sorry for him. He is, after all, son of Stoick the Vast. Why is he such a disappointment to everyone? His tribe, his father, sometimes even his mentor? Everyone hopes he will get big, strong. More like Snotlout, though she doesn't see how that would be an improvement.

But as Hiccup passes her and her friends (generous term), protesting loudly to Gobber that he did hit a Night Fury (yeah. Sure. No one has ever even seen one.), she feels a tug at her heart. Pity. Gobber hits Snotlout for teasing his apprentice as he passes, and she knows he feels the same as she does. This boy will never fit in. He will never be a good chief, he'll never kill a dragon. Hal, she'll be surprised if he ever manages to make an arranged marriage.

She thinks Hiccup is a weakling. A pitiful weakling.

Two days later, she is completely excited. She doesn't show it, hiding it behind a mask of vikingness, but she can't wait to start on dragon training. She sharpened her ax the day before, she reviewed the drragon book, and she made sure to get a good night's sleep. Nothing can get her down. That is, until a slightly nasal voice says.

"Right. Pain. Love it."

She knows who that belongs to. Hiccup. Great. He's going to get in trouble, need saved, and get even more mockery for it. Although she's not sure that's possible. That he'd get more mockery. But he'll definitely need saved.

And she's right. Gobber ends up saving Hiccup, who's curled up, protecting his head as the Gronkle looms over him. She's surprised Hiccup made it into the final two. Maybe he isn't such a loser.

Astrid is frustrated. Definitely frustrated. She's worked for years, practicing her agility and fighting skills. But Hiccup, Hiccup is the one in the ring with the admiring watchers. And he's not even fighting! He plays with light and grass, and the dragons literally fall down at his feet. Literally. And not in a 'A viking just chopped off your head' way, but in an admiring way.

She doesn't see how scratching a Nadder's head so that it falls asleep at your feet is cool (okay, maybe, just maybe she does). All she knows is that one day she's the jewel of the villiage, the one everyone relies on to get stuff done, and the next, people are running to this, this outcast from society.

And how did he move from just an ordinary loser to so good in the ring anyway? It's not like he's a super fast learner (like Gobber says he is. Gobber's just had too much mead.) or anything. No he must be cheating. She'll find out who's teaching him, and demand they teach her too. Or else the secret is out. That will show the little cheater.

Astrid can't help it. She admires Hiccup. He meant to leave Berk forever, but he stayed to tell her dragons weren't the monsters they thought they were.

And he's obviously got a lot of time invested into his pet. It has a saddle, a system for the working of its tail, and the thing hasn't tried to eat either of them yet. A lot of work and time.

And he's determined to show her how great 'Toothless' (seems pretty toothy to her) is. She has to admit, even the dragon's twirling and diving is cool. What's even more impressive is the way Toothless stops when she finally screams that she's sorry. It's amazing that such an intelligent and agile creature is Hiccup's. The boy who scares off any friends (had anyone been willing to try to become friends) has a dragon this fiercely loyal to him.

Maybe she's been missing something by not reaching out to him for all of these years. Maybe it's why she kisses him.

Astrid is terrified. Hiccup is running from the Monstrous Nightmare, screaming. It's all his dad's fault, really. She had more sense than to be screaming and making sudden noises when a dragon was less than two feet from a tribe member. And it was Stoick's own son.

She is utterly terrified, and she doesn't know why. Two days ago, she would have just let the Nightmare have him, attnded the funeral, and acted sad for the few hours required. Then she would make sure to reach the best position in dragon training. What had changed?

She knew. Hiccup was a man. He had a purpose, a responibility. Loyalty, determination. And her first kiss (it still counts, even if it was only on the cheek).

It's horrifying. Astrid felt bad watching Hiccup in the ring, but now it feels like some one was wringing out her insides. Hiccup is up there, battling the biggest dragon since before the gods, and she can't help him. Yes, he's got the most feared dragon known to viking, but it doesn't make her feel any better.

Astrid glances around at the vikings surrounding her. They're all wearing the same expression of fear and dread. None of them think that Hiccup can pull through tthis, but they're hoping. She hates them. Hiccup meant nothing to them, nothing, until he rode in to save the day. They don't realize why he's doing this, or that they don't even care about the hero in the clouds, battling an impossible enemy.

No. No, it hasn't happened. Hiccup did not just die, wrapped up in a dragon. Still, it's fitting. The dragon was the one who knew the worth of a hiccup for the longest. It doesn't make her feel better.

Stoick breaks her thoughts. "He's alive! You've brought him back alive!"

Oh. Hiccup is alive. He's alive!

"Well, you know. Most of him." Gobber shrugs regretfully.

Wait, what?

It's been a week. Astrid brushes her Nadder, her head a whirlwind of activity. Why hasn't he woken up? Gobber has started and finished a leg for him, and yet he was still sleeping.

"Astrid! Astrid! Hiccup's awake!" Her mother calls. And Astrid is running, running to the boy who is Berk's greatest hero.

Hi! So, I'm the Irish Lass. I've written for the Sisters Grimm, but I really wanted to try something for a different genre. So if you could drop a review and tell me how I did, that would be cool.

'Til next time!

-The Irish Lass