It was the same pattern for the past two months. At first it began with Hicca failing miserably while the other teens would adequately do better. Granted, Snotlout would boast, the twins would enjoy the mayhem, and Fishlegs would run away in terror, but Ashton thought they still did better than her. He was the only one of the six of them who was taking the training seriously, and Gobber seemed to be noticing that. Ashton had no doubt that he would be the one to kill the Monstrous Nightmare, that he could impress Hicca by doing so. He'd felt an attraction to her, not in a way that would be deemed annoying, but a subtle one that he played off by being annoyed by her, which he truly would be at times. Maybe it was just her pretty face that earned his attention. After all, there really wasn't anything special about her otherwise.

But no sooner than a week later was he second place, and maybe even second-rate, compared to Hiccup. The first time she showed improvement was when she somehow managed to scare the Zippelback off into its cage. At first Ashton thought it to be a stupid fluke, but then she began to improve more and more. Then the pattern was pretty much the same: he would show up in the beginning of training thinking Hicca's luck had run out, he would be proven wrong, and then she would be surrounded during every meal possible by the Vikings, praising her and congratulating her on a job well done. And Ashton was furious at this.

This wasn't to say that his attraction to her wavered. No, it only stayed, but that didn't mean he wasn't angry. He was angry that such a beautiful, stupid, accidental-prone person was beating him. He needed to find a way to sabotage her attempts of taking first place so he can take it, thereby impressing her, winning her heart, asking Stoick for her hand in marriage, marrying her, then have two or three kids to pass off his legacy to. Not to mention the fact that he might help Hicca with her atrocious accidents. She might be able to dumb them down if she spent more time with a man who can do things right the first time.

For his first act of sabotage, he decided to make Hicca sick. Not so sick that she'd be at death's door, but just sick enough that Gobber would make her stand outside the ring for a lesson or two. Stoick was super protective of his daughter, and whenever he wasn't around (which was most of the time), he would request that Gobber do whatever would be necessary to keep her safe. It was a wonder he let her train at all.

Ashton knew the perfect way to complete his plan, as well. Using a plant that Gothi would use to make her patients eject the contents of their stomach, he discreetly managed to lay a few leaves on Hiccup's next meal. He was surprised to see that she had a leg of mutton on her plate, considering she had a strange diet of only eating fruits and vegetables, but shook the thought away. Gobber probably wants her to add some more meat on her bones, so he made her eat some meat. Though why she looked so hungrily at it was anyone else's guess. It was almost as if the leg itself would sprout legs and run away.

The next day Gobber informed them that Hicca wasn't feeling well due to severe food poisoning, so bad that she would have to stay with Gothi for a few days. Either Hicca was down with something else, or Ashton put a bit too much leaves on her food. In the end, it didn't matter. He managed to subdue Hicca for a few days, which would give him the chance to make up on lost points and win the honor of slaying the Nightmare.

At the end of the ninth week, over two months after Stoick and the other Vikings left to find the nest, Hicca was feeling better. Fishlegs seemed to be the only one that was concerned for her, and he began asking what it was that made her so sick. Hicca had an almost frightened look on her face before it was shaken off, saying that the meat didn't go so well with her stomach given that she hadn't eaten any in years. Then Snotlout began to launch peas at her, taunting her that if she liked plants so much, then he'd be more than happy to supply them for her. Ashton rolled his eyes at Snotlout's childish antics, but then his eyes widened when Hiccup picked up her bowl, threw it at her cousin's head, shoved a handful of meat in his mouth, and kicked him off the seat. She then proceeded to yell at him for about two minutes about how immature and childish he was being, stating that by the way he was acting he was never going to be the chief he thought he would be.

No one was quite sure how to deal with the outcome as Hiccup left, gritting her teeth and stating that she was going out to the forest for some time alone. Ashton made a move to follow her, seeing as she always left to the forest every day, but lost here right away. He had the feeling that she knew he was following and managed to lose him.

Now Stoick was back, and Ashton was ahead to win the right to slay the Monstrous Nightmare. He watched in the ring at Hicca as she looked uncomfortable in her seat, writing away in her journal. She even had on her earmuffs around her neck. The earmuffs were nothing but tight balls of cotton wrapped in string, which were then attached to a wooden cured stick. The muffs were worn like a hood, over her head, and the cotton was placed over her ears to block and muffle sound. He had seen her wear them on more than one occasion in the mess hall before training began. It was when she would be alone. She would also wear her earmuffs and write in her journal before finishing her food and leaving elsewhere, most likely to the forge. She looked absolutely ridiculous in them, and he made sure to tell her that once or twice.

And as Ashton finished killing off the Nightmare, he looked up to face Hiccup and saw that he wasn't even looking at him. She was still looking down at her journal, and she had the earmuffs placed over her ears. She wasn't paying attention to him at all!

Cornering her after the match, he was surprised to see her crying. She grimaced when she saw him still covered in the Nightmare's blood, and her fists shook slightly upon mentions of the joy of killing your first dragon. When Hicca didn't say anything of praise, jealously, or even anger, he knew that something was up. Hicca was usually an optimistic person, even when people would spit on her, both literally and figuratively. She tried to be a Viking given that every she did proved her wrong, but nonetheless she still tried. But ever since training began, she began to be...off.

So the next day, he asked Stoick for his blessing, and the man heartily agreed, saying that Ashton and Hiccup's marriage would actually raise her chances of being a true Viking. Later that day, Stoick called Hicca and Ashton to the front of the mess hall as the entire village celebrated Ashton's victory and first kill. He announced that his daughter and Ashton would be married, and the room was filled with small cheers. Some were truly happy for them, others were uncaring, and some thought that Ashton could've done better than the village fool.

Only one person outright refused.

"No!" Hicca shouted, starling everyone in the room with a voice no one would every imagine her to have or use. "No! Absolutely not! I refuse to marry this...this...this pompous and selfish misogynist for any reason at all!"

"A what?" Tuffnut said from his seat.

"Hicca, what's gotten into you?" Stoick demanded, his voice low. "This is good for you! If you marry Ashton, you can become a Vikings, just like me, and be insured for your future!"

"I don't want to be like you!" Hicca hissed. "I don't want this! Every time we have a discussion, it's always what you want, not what I want! I didn't want to get into training, and definitely do not want to marry him!"

"Hicca, stop this!" Stoick said, his voice rising. "You've done good in training, and marrying Ashton will only help you better yourself and stop being a walking accident!"

"No, I will not!" Hicca shouted. By this time, people were enjoying the show in dumbfoundment as Hicca yelled at her father. "You can't make me!"

"Yes, you will!"

"No! I hate him, I won't marry him!"

"And why not?"

"Because I'm pregnant!" As soon as she said this, however, she gasped and quickly placed her hands over her mouth, but it was too late. The entire village had heard, and it was a shocking revelation that no one could believe. At first.

"You ate meat when you hate it..." Ashton said, putting all the pieces together. "You disappear to the woods almost every single day, you got sick and were sent to Gothi, not to mention that explosion you had on Snotlout..."

"Hicca?" Stoick reached forward, but she only stepped back. "Hicca, are you really...?"

Wrapping her arm protectively around herself, she took slow steps away from her father. Looking around, people were already whispering amongst themselves. Some cast her worried looks, other looked upon her with disgust. The latter, however, was the majority from the crowd. As quick as she could in her given position, she ran through the baffled crowd, pushing people out of the way with her small structure.

Stoick called out for someone to stop her, and Hicca thought he sounded more worried than angry, but the thought was snapped out of her head when she felt a hand wrap around her arm, forcing her to stop. Snotlout sneered, boasting of how now that Hicca broke Viking law, bedding out of wedlock, he would be the one to be chief once she was imprisoned and her baby disposed of. Hicca bit down on his hand as hard as she could, causing him to let go as he reared his hand away in pain.

Now free, she quickly ran out the door, not caring that Stoick was calling after her, not caring that the entire village might follow her, not caring that running too much might actually hurt the baby. She ran and ran through the foliage, running over branches and around boulders. She didn't stop until she reached the cove. There, Toothless looked up in surprise, his unkempt hair sticking to his forehead. He looked like he just went for a swim, which would explain his exposed chest.

"Hicca? What's wrong?" He walked to her when he saw that she was crying. "What is it? Is it the baby? Are you hurt? Are you all right?"

She didn't say anything. She only wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed into his chest. The feeling of his bare chest against her cheek calmed her. She can feel and hear his heartbeat. Nowadays it was the only sound that would calm her down. Toothless was the only person who cares about her. She though that maybe Stoick would show a little compassion to her now that she's gone through training, even if she didn't slay the Monstrous Nightmare, but it didn't matter. Nothing had change. What made her think everything would?

Now it had, but probably in the worst way possible.

. . . . . . . . . .

Ashton stayed in Hicca's house that night. Stoick told him to stay there unless Hicca were to return. For the entire day, he and a search party went through the entire island, so either she hid herself very well or somehow left. No boats were reported to have been hijacked, but it was also possible she could have used a boat of her own she made. It was like her to be resourceful after all, even if it became an utter blunder.

Upon questioning Gothi, she wrote down that Hicca was aware of her possible pregnancy. She and her lover cared for each other very much, she had told her, and they were even planning to run away together. The pregnancy had to halt their attempts for a few weeks, but they were still going forward with their plan. Gothi told Stoick that she respected her decision, and that she had never met the boy herself, only that if her father or any Viking in the village knew, that would not tolerate or accept the boy, so they remained a secret.

Upon asking how long that had been together, she stated that Hicca mentioned before training. For almost three months then. In that short time, Hicca met a boy, presumably from another village, and got pregnant. The thought sickened Ashton, for he thought that someone had taken advantage of Hicca's naive nature and she somehow managed to get caught up in a delusion that this boy cared for her. Only he can protect Hicca, and damn it all if he wasn't going to find out who this mystery lover was.

As he paced around in front of the fireplace, Ashton heard the floorboard above him creak. He stopped and listened, hearing voices whispering to each other. He quietly walked to the set of stairs, careful to not make a sound. Upon getting closer, he heard a pairs of voices coming from Hicca's room. The footsteps were louder and quick, as if they were in a hurry. He opened the door only a crack and peeking inside.

"...by the bed," he heard Hicca say. "Somewhere over there."

From where he stood, Ashton could see a figure on the other side of the bed. He raised his head and saw a teenager maybe a year or two older than him with black hair and bright green eyes. His clothing was black as well, and his skin looked tanned, almost a brown color, not like the Vikings and light skin. His eyes looked bright compared to his skin.

"Not here," he said. "Maybe under the bed?" He disappeared from sight and came out a moment later after shouting, "Ah-ha!"

"Sh!" Hicca hissed, coming into view. Her back was turned to the door and her braided hair was loose, going down to her waist. "My dad might not be here now, but you still need to be quiet! Someone outside might hear us!"

"Why do we have a candle on, then?" the teenager said, pointing the the candle by Hicca's bed.

Not wanting to wait any longer, Ashton got his knife ready. He burst open the door and shoved a startled Hicca to the floor. She hit the wall with a grunt, making her shoot her hands to her stomach.

"Hicca!" the teenager shouted. He tried to move toward her but Ashton quickly threw himself on top of him. Using one hand to pin his arms above him on the floor, Ashton raised the knife and was about to bring it down when he felt burlap hit his head.

"Leave him alone!" Hicca shouted, throwing her journal. "Ashton! Stop it!"

In an angered state, Ashton got off the teenager and walked over to her, slashing her cheek with his knife. Then he smacked her with his hand, knocking her to the floor. "Shut up, you whore!"

"Leave her alone!" The teenager ran up to him and grabbed his hands, forcing them behind his back. Ashton struggled to lose the grip the taller boy had on him, and he became confused as he was led to the open window.

It suddenly dawned to him when he was lifted a few inches off the floor. "Have a nice flight!" At some point Ashton dropped his knife, but it didn't matter. He threw Ashton out the window and hit the hard ground. Seeing as he was thrown out the second story, about 15 or 20 feet above the ground, it hurt very much.

He groaned as he turned on his back, then sat up. He flinched when his still-bloody knife landed between his open thighs, very close to their closing center. When he looked up, he saw that the teenager was gone and the window was closed. Or at least, it seemed that way, he wasn't quite sure.

When he went back, they were already hone. The sack door was right open. Hicca's room was bare from clothes and other stuff. The only things left behind were some weapons Stoick got her for some Snoggeltogs and her helmet. Tied to her helmet was a note.

She was truly gone.

. . . . . . . . . .

Hicca giggled childishly as Toothless splashed water at her. "Oh gods! That's cold!"

Toothless laughed and clapped his hands together. "C'mon, Hicca! Just come on in! It's not that deep, you can still stand!" In only his undershorts, Toothless waved his hands in her direction, coaxing her in the lake. "You need to exercise a little, it'll help the baby's health."

Hicca scoffed. "If I get in, will you stop splashing me?"

He only smiled and sank into the water, sinking underneath it. His hair waved wildly as he sank to the bottom of the lake, sitting and crossing his legs, even from where she stood, Hicca can see him crossing his arms.

Rolling her eyes, Hicca stripped to her undergarments, using her tunic to wrap it around her waist, her bindings covering her breast. She stepped into the water, shivering at how cold it felt, which was odd for a summer day. She placed her hand over her stomach and she sank into the water. Sinking herself down to the bottom, which was only a few feet, she found herself in front of her boyfriend. She pressed her lips against his, her hair flowing high above her underwater.

They both returned to the surface, closer to the shore. Toothless lifted her to the edge, her legs remaining in the water. He lifted himself to kiss Hicca again, lovingly caressing her cheek, the scar a thin line of pink on her skin. Breaking apart, he lowered to kiss her stomach, resting his hand on it. "Only a few more months," he said with wonder and pride in his voice.

"Only a few more months," Hicca agreed. She went back in the water, just floating there with no activity. Resting her head on his shoulder, Hicca kissed his neck and sighed. She had everything she would ever want and need, and more.

. . . . . . . . . .

Hi! I'm new to writing fanficon, and this is my first story ever! This used to be my brother's account, which was Litwick723. Now me, his younger brother, gets to use it! "Litwick" is currently trying to get into college, so he deleted his stories and gave it to me. I like writing romantic stories like this, it makes me feel all lovey-dovey. Don't know if it's a good or bad thing, to be honest.

After going through the stories my brother saved on file, which weren't much, I decided to try and bring back three stories. That are "The Rider's Son", "Hicca the Useless", and "The Great Corona Scheme". Not all at once, of course, or maybe soon.

Let's see... I have my own special crossover that I want to bring into play. My brother was a crossover nut, and I think it runs in the family. I was hoping it wouldn't, but it does. So yeah, that story, "Darkness vs. Evil" is out of commission. Sorry about that.

With his first story done and over with, CoronaCrown as left the building!