AN: So this is my first ever fanfiction, here's to hoping it isn't a train wreck. Now that that half hazard prayer is out of the way, I would like to ask everyone to feel welcome in leaving a review. Criticism of all kinds encouraged, seriously I even accept flames, they keep me warm with my righteous anger and plots of revenge (kidding).

Slightly longer summary: Obviously this is a HTTYD Brave crossover. It will be MeridaxHiccup but is going to take a while before they meet and even longer before any kind of romance gets underway. Patience, I'm trying doing this justice. While their relationship is a big factor, this is also a coming of age story, a tale of friendship and family, and a saga about the relations we build and lives we touch, all wrapped up into one massive adventure. Hiccup, Merida, and Toothless will be traveling around the world, visiting many different lands and cultures, i.e. they'll be popping in and out of various children's movies. So far I've got, Quest for Camelot, Mulan, Brother Bear, and several others. However I am more than open to suggestions, as long as they are within reason. Granted my reasoning is very skewed. Basically anything that can be believed to be between the 10th and 17th century is fair game in this story. To all those history nuts out there I apologize, but if you're going to be complaining about dates in a story involving wisps and dragons you're already in the wrong place.

Obligatory disclaimer: actually I'm one of those weird people who reads through documents before signing them and I read through all the rules and I don't think it says we have to do this. But if for nothing else then the sake of fanfiction tradition I will make a disclaimer.

I do not own How to Train your Dragon, Brave, Microsoft word, Toshiba Corporation, the internet, or any other device, program, or works of art that went into the making of this fic. Did I cover all the bases?

Okay I'm done.

Chapter 1

No Need to Panic

He wasn't panicking.

He most definitely was not panicking.

Not at all.

Not even a tiny bit.

…

Okay well maybe a little.

Hiccup sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that day as he made his way to the clearing. His body was making its way there on its own accord as his mind was occupied elsewhere, repeating over and over all that had happened in the last 24 hours.

The second the village elder had named him first in dragon training Hiccups stomach had plummeted to the very soles of his boots. He'd been so mortified he was amazed anyone was buying his enthused act. When he'd gotten home he'd nearly upchucked everything his stomach owned, luckily his father was still at the dragon arena setting up for the coming day and what was supposed to be Hiccups greatest triumph and crowning achievement.

Hiccup nearly threw up again.

After a full hour of nervous pacing and worrying, he began to calm enough to think. And boy did Hiccup think. He couldn't stay. With everything he'd learned from Toothless, from all the dragons, Hiccup knew he couldn't go through with ever even harming one ever again, let alone killing.

Hiccup tried not to think about anything while he packed. His mind quickly fell into one of its most comfortable places, analytical thinking. He'd need that, leave that there, yes, no, yes, yes. It shouldn't have been so simple to just organize his life into a basket, he didn't feel sad or disheartened, despite the fact that he was essentially leaving behind his entire life. And that surprised Hiccup, it surprised him just how easy it was.

After spending time with Toothless and experiencing true kinship and the joy of belonging Hiccup had come to realize how miserable he was here. But he didn't know he hated it that much. But as he sealed the basket lid and stowed the thing in the corner for the evening Hiccup felt a wave of relief at the thought of leaving, and the slight hint of exhilaration at the prospect of going somewhere new.

Toothless was great and there would never be another like him, but what if he could meet others of his own species who could accept him? Surely not the entire world was as close minded as the Vikings? Maybe there would even be some who could, well, like him.

He only needed to pick up a few things from his workshop at Gobbers and he would be set to leave.

Odin had other plans as luck would have it. He was only halfway across the village when Snotlout suddenly appeared next to him seemingly out of nowhere.

"Hey small fry I said I wanted to talk to you" he said loudly. Then again given Snotlouts boorish tendencies maybe Hiccup was just too out of it to notice.

"Huh, oh sorry" Hiccup mumbled. Over the recent few weeks he had been surprised by his cousins…friendliness, though he used that term loosely. It was just that Snoutlout was a Viking through and through, crass and vulgar. It had taken Hiccup a while to realize the difference between open cynicism and friendly teasing. In a way it actually kind of heartened Hiccup a little to realize that all those years of torment may not have actually been intended as such. Oh he had no doubt that Lout took joy in his misfortune but maybe not always to the same degree that he had once suspected.

Snotlout blew an exasperated raspberry "yeah, yeah, anyways I wanted to ask you some stuff about tomorrow"

"Oh" Hiccup felt his stomach drop again

"Yeah, I was wondering what you like, you know, were planning, cause I could totally help you" at this Snotlout flexed a beefy arm "help with your technique and stuff"

"Ummm…yeah that would be great Lout, except I'm kind of busy today"

"Well then when are you gunna train, you can't do it tomorrow"

"Uh…well, I just…wasn't?" somehow it managed to come out as a question.

Snotlout looked flabbergasted, the idea of not preparing before a battle obviously had him stunned. There was that old Viking code again; time not spent with weapons was usually time wasted.

"I was going to sharpen my sword for tomorrow" he hastily said "so it's…all sharp and pointy…yeah"

Snotlouts confusion quickly cleared up "oh, okay, yeah that makes perfect sense" he thumped Hiccup on the back nearly sending the smaller boy sprawling. Snotlout turned to leave throwing a wave over his shoulder "see you tomorrow then toothpick, nock 'em dead!"

Hiccup watched his cousins back retreating for a moment. He couldn't believe it but there it was: he was going to miss that idiot. Shaking his head to clear away those almost traitorous thoughts Hiccup finally made his way to Gobbers.

The normal banter began to easily bounce back and forth between him and the town smith the second Hiccup entered. "Afternoon sleeping beauty" Gobber called not even looking up, teasing Hiccup for his late arrival.

"Same to you goldilocks"

They threw words back and forth in their usual game, Hiccup couldn't really remember what he said but he knew he laughed twice, gave as good as he got, and felt no knot of anxiety or twist of worry, but instead a deep ache.

Even as he chuckled along with something Gobber had said about the Thorston twins Hiccup couldn't help the pang of sadness that quickly overwhelmed him. This. This right here. This is what he would miss the most. All the days spent with Gobber in the smithy throwing around insults and being with the one man he could call family on this Odin spit upon rock.

He actually felt pressure begin to well up behind his eyes and a tightness settle on his chest as he packed some tools into a bag he'd brought with him. He was never going to see Gobber again. Was never going to set foot inside this smithy again. It was more painful taking down the few blueprints he'd need, from his small workspace in the back, than it had been sifting through every item in his room and house.

He tried to leave quietly, unnoticed. But just as he opened the door Gobbers hook hand latched onto his arm stopping him in his tracks. "Hey, just want you to know, just, well you been doin' real good, and I know none of us say it nearly enough but I fer one am proud a yea. And not just cause a tha' dragon tomorrow. But, well yea been comin' in and out a 'ere since ye were just a wee boy and you've turned into a fine man Hiccup. I jus' want yea to know all that 'fore..." Gobber paused, his eyes downcast as he collected his thoughts, Hiccup knew what he wanted to say. Before tomorrow, before you might die. "Well 'fore you go getting all famous and go and forget all us little folks" he thumped Hiccup quickly on the back. "Now go on, and 'fer the love of Odin be careful tomorrow"

Hiccup tried to say something, anything, to the man that had been his guardian, protector, and above all friend for most of his young life. But his throat was too swelled up and his jaw to clamped, so all he managed was a quick nod and a forced smile that he knew Gobber would see right through. He could only hope the man would attribute it to nervousness about tomorrow.

He quickly fled the shop and hurried back to his house. He didn't let anyone stop him this time because he wasn't so sure he'd be able to go through with this if he got one more endearing word of encouragement or, or whatever. His dad was gone for which he was infinitely grateful. Throwing the tools in the basket and hefting the thing on his back Hiccup made just as hasty an exit.

Once again he stopped for nothing, not even when the twins and Fishlegs tried to wave him over to join in whatever it was they were doing with the goat milk barrels. He only forced a smile and waved back at them shaking his head. Both twins slumped their shoulders in identical comic fashion, before immediately perking back up and returning to rooting around in the barrels. Fishlegs usual anxious look worsened a little and Hiccup knew that even if he didn't feel the suffocating need to get out of dodge that he probably wouldn't have joined them anyways in whatever mischief they were taking part.

As he hiked his way through the woods, basket weighing him down, Hiccups anxiety only grew. He couldn't believe he was actually doing this. Where would he go? How would he live? As much as he loved Toothless he couldn't rely on the dragon as his sole companion for the rest of his miserable life. Honestly come to think of it neither could Toothless. He didn't know how social dragons were, but no species could survive with only the contact of one other being.

He wouldn't be welcome in any of the other Viking tribes, let alone the fact that most weren't on speaking terms with Berk, but all shared the Viking view of dragons. What did that leave? He had learned a little Scottish and English growing up. His tribe hadn't raided or pillaged in nearly two centuries, not since the dragon threat became so huge. But the fact that some Vikings still did had made it a somewhat necessary skill in his tribes' eyes. After all never know when they might take up the old plundering again.

Scottish he wasn't too confident in but he knew enough English to get by at least. Some of the books that traders had brought over the years had seemed really interesting and Hiccup had wanted to read them. So he'd taken the little he'd known and applied it over and over till he'd understand them…marginally. He knew that what he'd been reading was meant for children as bed time tales but he'd enjoyed them all the same. Tales of brave knights and rescuing damsels, far off places full of wonder. There was even the occasional one about slaying a dragon, Hiccup had told his father those ones and it had been one of the few things in his childhood his father would actually listen to from him.

Hiccup had always thought that the places these stories came from sounded wonderful, a different land and culture all together. They had things like magic and fairy's, things so similar to what the village elder did but yet so different.

Hiccup shook away those thoughts. What was he thinking, him go to England? Madness.

Hiccup finally made his way to the clearing, calling out to Toothless as he ducked beneath the rock entrance. "Leaving! We're leaving. Let's pack up. Looks like you and me are taking a little vacation… forever". He set the basket down intent on going through it one more time for a last check.

His vest snagged in his shirt and he stood to untangle it only to finally notice the girl sitting on the rock just in front of him, casually sharpening her axe like there wasn't a care in the world.

Hiccup leaped back in alarm eliciting a few surprised shouts as he did. As he began to babble he couldn't help but think: shit.

Merida groggily blinked awake. The sun was just barely peeking through her window and she tried nuzzling back into her covers to dissuade it from further interrupting her beautiful sleep. She had more lessons today. They had been piling on more and more as of late, her mother said she was just imagining things but Merida knew they were adding up.

There was a knock on the door and Maudies usual "good morning" chirped through the wood. Merida could only groan and attempt to burrow more into her bed. But the door was already opening and Maudie was there opening the curtains.

They went through the usual mundane morning routine, Merida begged for five more minutes, Maudie simply took the covers. Merida finally sat up hair helter skelter and Maudie brushed it as best she possibly could, which wasn't much. She was stuffed into a dress, the two of them as usual arguing over which gown would be more appropriate, luckily it was the one thing Merida managed to get her way around here, and she was allowed to were a loose comfortable dress. (She argued that her mother should be happy she's wearing a dress at all).

The day also carried the same dull routine. Breakfast, morning lessons, all books and papers with history and language and other such knowledgeable stuff a princess aut to know. Lunch, then evening lessons, today was, again, proper edict when interacting with other nobles. Her mother had been stressing this one a lot lately. Merida honestly couldn't care less. If they were anything like her father than she wouldn't need to know all this fancy stuff to mingle with them, and if they were anything like her mother she didn't want anything to do with them anyways.

But as the last rays of sunlight began to drift beyond the horizon Merida groaned at the day wasted. Her mother noticing as well tried to pull her attention back in for some last minute education but even the queen could see it was lost on her daughter and finally released Merida to wash up for dinner.

The girl went straight to the stables.

"Hello Angis" she said patting down her Clydesdale as she went. The horse gave a winnie in response. "Not a lot of time today, sorry" she said handing him a couple apples which he munched at happily. A quick stop by the well and he was full on water and he had more than enough food to get him through the evening and subsequent morning so Merida patted him down a little more before finally making her way towards the castle to do her mother's bidding and prepare for dinner.

Her father, as usual, was telling some story again when she arrived. Mother as usual was going over some documents and the boys as usual were being picky eaters. Merida sat down with a barely contained sigh, same old same old. She mostly zoned out during the meal, Fergus continued to regal his family about some battle he'd been in but she hardly listened. The food was good, it was always good, and unfortunately that's what made it so bland to her. She'd had the same finely cooked meals for years now, always prepared by the same people. The one time they'd had a fresh hand in the kitchens the girl had tried a minced meat pie recipe her mother had once taught her, and Merida had dived right in. The Queen had said it was delicious but it was not tradition (the girl's mother had learned it in England or something) and therefor it would be appreciated if it were not served again.

Just once Merida would like to have a bad meal, if nothing else maybe it would help her appreciate these ones a little better. Then again maybe it would be like the pie and she'd like it. As her mother was always telling the boys you don't know until you've tried it. Merida sometimes thought the queen would benefit from her own advice.

Of course she was thinking more than just about food on that front.

Merida was depressed to realize just how tired she was by the time she'd finished eating. It had been a long day but she had hoped to perhaps fence with her father a bit or head outside to do some night archery practice. But she couldn't fight off the drooping of her eyes and begrudgingly made her way up the stairs and too her room.

She barely managed to yank off her dress before she was flopping into the covers of her bed.

And yet again the day was full of the same tediousness that had been most of her young life. Merida groaned into the pillow. She was sick. She was literally sick from it. She didn't know if she could take this mundane bladdy bla bla anymore.

Merida found herself looking out the window and wishing to the stars for something, anything, that would change this life she had been shoved into.

"No it all makes sense their the workers and she like the queen bee, she controls them"

Hiccup landed Toothless back in their cove as Astrid continued to spout theories. He had to admit, she had a good point. The massive dragon had been all around horrifying, both to them and the dragons.

When he had first uh, well…kidnaped Astrid, Hiccup had only been thinking about toothless. But he'd be lying if he said he wasn't a little pleased when she had wrapped her arms around him. True she'd done it unconsciously far too focused on the sky around them, but he could dream. Unfortunately that dream had ended all too soon and they'd been sucked into a terrifying ride ending in the heart of a volcano and looking into what he had thought was death itself for a moment. They'd quickly escaped and made their way back here, Astrid explaining her beehive theory as they went.

"Let's find your dad" Astrid said quickly hopping off of Toothless.

"No, no" hiccup jumped off running to stop her. They began arguing, Astrid making a good point, making the right point his mind told him. But he just couldn't accept it. Poets would say he knew it in his heart, but really his gut just clenched at the thought of what would happen to Toothless if they told the village.

And for the first time in his life Hiccup stood up for something, and it wasn't even himself. Something changed in Astrid's demeanor and she relinquished, "okay" she said, before asking him what they should do instead.

He had no idea.

"Just give me until tomorrow, I'll figure something out" he mumbled. But his mind felt numb and blank. Mechanically he began to work at the buckles of his riding vest.

"okay" he heard Astrid mutter, right before she punched him.

Hiccup jerked back to look at her rubbing his arm as he did. What was with her?!

Astrid looked down brushing a hand across her bangs, then she had a hold on his vest and too fast for him to comprehend there was a peck on his cheek. "That's for everything else" she said unable to look at him, and then she was running off.

Hiccup stared after her still trying to catch up with what had just happened. He felt a warmth pool inside his chest and a small smile began to tug at his lips. Astrid Hoffereson had just kissed him! Sort of! It counted. Hell he would have been happy just to find his long time crush didn't hate him, but this was even better.

Toothless sidled up next to him blinking all innocent and wide eyed as if to say; 'sooooo…'

"Oh, eh, w-what are you looking at" Hiccup blurted out in a terrible attempt at nonchalance. Toothless only made a small rumble in his chest, looking after the retreating blonde braid.

AN: And there you have it. Good, bad, mediocre? I know it's pretty basic right now, I'm trying to establish were everybody stands. I'm also really not sure how to balance out scenes that already occurred in the movie, I don't want to just gloss over them, but I'm trying not to bore anyone with things they've already seen. Too much, too little?

Well anyways if you made it this far, I'm already grateful for your time. To anyone who chooses to review, even more thanks.