Okay, new fanfiction! This was requested by Geust (Guest), and so it's mainly dedicated to said pardon and anyone else who wants to read it. It is Astrid's POV through the entire fic, just in case anyone was wondering. :) If you have any requests on fanfictions you would like me to write, please either PM me, or leave a review for your request. Thanks! So, new fanfiction! Yay! Enjoy! Takes place three days after "When Lightning Strikes."
Well, for starters, I didn't believe in miracles.
Well, I mean, I didn't technically believe in them. I still hoped for them sometimes: like when I watched Hiccup fall into the flames of the Red Death, I hoped he would live, although it seemed impossible. When he was struck by lightning, I hoped he would live.
I believe in miracles, I guess. I just don't count on them.
I shuddered, remembering the time he was struck by lightning. It was only about three days ago he woke up from it. He didn't like to talk about it. No, actually, he hated to talk about it.
As far as everything went, Berk was a pretty horrid place to live. If you take out the dragons, that is. The dragons lighten the day, make it brighter, and NOT just because they breathe fire, either. Other reasons.
Well, I guess my day was brighter that morning because the dragons breathed fire.
I saw what looked like a miniature nuclear explosion erupt from the academy. I steered Stormfly in that direction and landed.
I saw Hiccup and Toothless rush out, Hiccup yelling something about "people who never listen" and "dragons who are no better than their riders".
"Need a little help?" I asked him. He jumped.
"MORE than a little!" he shouted in reply, wincing as another explosion sounded off in the academy. He ran his hands through his hair. "Those people...cannot even control their own dragons!"
"You can control them, right?" I asked.
"Yeah, I can control the dragons," said Hiccup, "but I can't control Snotlout, or the twins, twenty four hours a day!"
I laughed, despite the situation. Hiccup glared at me momentarily before turning back around and facing the academy.
"Oh," I said, finally realizing the silent question he was asking me. "Oh, you want me to control Snotlout and the twins."
"They don't listen to me," Hiccup shrugged. "I can get the dragons under control, but not them. I guess dragons have more respect for me than my own friends."
Hiccup turned and raced into the academy, and I followed him. Snotlout and the twins were standing beside their dragons, who were firing at the same time, colliding their shots, creating huge explosions.
"Snotlout!" I shouted, approaching said pardon. "Would you CUT it out!?"
After much more far too elaborate to get into, I finally got Snotlout and the twins under control while Hiccup got the dragons back in their pins.
The ends of his hair were singed, but I ignored them as he approached me.
"Thanks, Astrid," he said, gasping to regain his breath. "See? I don't know why they respect you."
"They don't respect me, Hiccup," I said. "They're terrified of me."
"Yeah, that must be it," Hiccup agreed, still not sounding so sure if that were true or not. He ran his hands through his hair like he did when he had something on his mind.
"What are you thinking?" I asked him.
He dropped his hands to his side and turned to me, his expression saying, I'll tell you later. I decided not to push him, knowing he still wouldn't tell me either way.
Hiccup told the others to have the day off, since they totally wrecked the academy. Hiccup groaned as he turned on his heels (or...heel) and marched back into the academy. I followed him, not knowing what else to do, really. Toothless and Stormfly followed me.
"Seriously, though, Hiccup," I said. "What's bothering you?"
"Nothing really," said Hiccup.
"Uh-huh," I said, crossing my arms. "And the truth?"
He sighed. "I just get frustrated," he said. "I mean...no one listens to me."
"Thank you," I said.
"Not you, Astrid," said Hiccup, turning to he and gesturing to me with one hand, the other hand picking up a dagger and tossing it to the side. "I mean...everyone else in the academy, besides maybe Fishlegs."
I nodded. I knew how it felt...no wait...actually, I didn't. No one dared not listen to me, really, besides maybe Snotlout, and the twins if Snotlout convinced them well enough. I had no idea what Hiccup as feeling.
He sighed again. "But that's not really it," he said.
"What is it, then?" I asked.
"Toothless and I were flying over Sunstone Island just two days ago," said Hiccup. "And...we saw these...I don't know. I guess it doesn't really matter what we saw, since it was dark, but we heard rockslides."
"Rockslides?" I shook my head. "What do you mean, 'rockslides', Hiccup?"
"I mean...loud, cracking, deadly rockslides," said Hiccup. "I wanted to tell you guys all about it, but...now that I think about it...maybe it was better I just told you. Snotlout and the twins...I trust them, but I find it hard to really rely on them."
"I understand," I said. "So...when do we leave?"
He smiled at me. "THAT'S what I wanted to hear!"