The Sight of Toothless
"And here we have the amputation table," the surgeon announced. Hiccup, being the newly made Chief of Berk, was conducting an inspection of his island's facilities. The turn had come around for the Healer Huts.
He shuddered at the sight of the table, with its tan wood that was stained a dull red. Trying to distract his mind from the thoughts of amputees he glanced at the ceiling and saw, to his bewilderment, a painting of Toothless hanging directly above the table.
But this was not a painting of Toothless as he normally looked. There were no big adorable green eyes, wide toothless smiles, or innocent expressions in this image. On the contrary, his mouth was wide opened and all his fangs were clearly visible, his pupils were slits and his eyes narrowed, and the expression on his face, as well as his posture, was one of infuriation. He was very much the image of a ferocious monster in this painting, the kind of monster everyone had once believed him to be.
A bit miffed at seeing his friend depicted in this manner, Hiccup asked what on earth the painting was doing there, and why was it positioned so that anyone lying upon the table would be looking directly at it?
"Ah yes, well, as you are no doubt aware, amputation is a very intense and painful procedure," the village surgeon replied, "it's often best for all parties if the patient is unconscious for it."
"Yes?"
"Well, sir, after numerous experiments, we discovered that nothing makes a patient pass out like the sight of an angry Night Fury."
Hiccup could not bring himself to doubt this wisdom. "Huh. That's very clever. But can I give a little advice?"
"Certainly, Chief,"
"If I'm ever in need of treatment which would be better borne unconscious, the sight of an enraged Astrid Hofferson would be more likely to make me faint."
"I'll make a note of that, Sir." The surgeon replied, "Odin forbid such a day should come, of course."
"Of course." Hiccup made for the door.
"But does that method also apply to Snotlout Jorgenson?" the Surgeon wondered.
"Sure. But the sight of an angry Toothless would be just as effective." Hiccup walked out, marveling at the advanced medical techniques used in this day and age.