As vikings, we try to keep in touch with our lineage and culture. So when we have time between plundering and sailing, we give thanks to our ancestors and the ones we loved. But for some, its hard to miss someone when you don't really remember who to miss.
*The villagers all head to the center of the village, kneeling before a stone tablet with runic symbols depicting the names of all the warriors and loved ones they lost over the years. As each villager bows their heads and places offerings for their fallen family and friends, Hiccup places his helmet on the ground with Stoick right behind him laying flowers besides it and holding Hiccup by the shoulder*
Hiccup: Thank you mom, for keeping me safe during those long and danger flights *laughs a bit*
Stoick: And thank you my dear, for blessing me and this village with such a wonderful son and warrior. *a tear falls from his eye*
Hiccup: Thanks Dad *smiles*
Stoick: *smiles back* Your welcome son. Now we should get back to work, I know your mother would give us a good pounding if we skip out on chores too long *laughs lightly*
Hiccup: *laughs a bit back* Your right Dad, I'm gonna go on patrol with Toothless. *brushes Toothless and gets on him* I'm sure a little fly time will clear my head.
Stoick: *pets Thornado* Ah, maybe your right. I might do the same for a bit, be safe son.
Hiccup: *nodding* I will Dad. *takes off on Toothless*
*While in the sky, Hiccup's mind doesn't seem to be any clearer as he shows a depressed look on his face that Toothless notices. Toothless tries to talk him into trying to cheer up, but doesn't seem to work. As a result, Toothless nose-dived to snap him out of it*
Hiccup: Toothless?! Toothless! Stop it! *tries to slow down* Toothless! PULL UUUUUP!
*Toothless quickly reacts and pulls up and lands onto the bottom of one of the rock formations near the academy*
Hiccup: Toothless, I know your trying to cheer me up and I appreciate it. *brushes and pets Toothless* But today isn't the most happiest day on Berk, today we try to honor and remember the people who left us. *looking down at the water sadly* Trouble is... I can hardly picture my Mom's face... *throws pebbles in the water*
*Toothless lowers his head sadly as well, walking up to Hiccup and brushes up to him and lays down*
Hiccup: I'm sorry bud. *sits besides Toothless and puts his hand on his snout* I know you must understand how I'm feeling more than most. *stands up and pats Toothless* Come on, let's get back in the air *Toothless stands and Hiccup straps in, taking off*
*Back on the island, the riders are all at the academy practicing some evasive moves and trying to boost their dragon's stamina to shoot more*
Astrid: Alright Stormfly, let's try that barrel roll loop one more time. *Stormfly roars and perform the move*
Fishlegs: Okay girl, now I want you to fire smaller shots but at full strength got it? *pets Meatlug and braces himself as she shoots 3 shots the size of medium stones but with power enough to break the statue target from the head, to the torso, to the remaining piece of the target*
Ruffnut: Hey Snotlout, we're gonna try to make the gas cloud a little bigger but this time try HIT it, not GRAZE it. *Ruffnut and Tuffnut laugh*
Snotlout: Don't look at me, I'm not the one spitting the fire now am I? *Hookfang growls and flares up* YOW! Dumb lizard *grumbles*
*HIccup arrives and looks around*
Hiccup: Wow, I never seen you guys so excited about training. Did Astrid threaten to thump you guys if you didn't try to at least look busy?
Astrid: I did, but that's not why we're doing this. We're all working hard to show our ancestors how much better we're getting and how much our dragon's have helped us since the last time we honored them.
Tuffnut: That's right, we want ours to see how smarter we've become since the last time.
Hiccup: Uh Tuffnut, you do know your facing the wrong way right?
Tuffnut: Uh I know, I'm just uh making sure we're not being attacked from behind you know? *Ruffnut smacks him*
Snotlout: Well my ancestors know much stronger I've become, taming a Monstrous Nightmare is no easy feat after all *Hookfang walks away to eat something and slaps Snotlout in the face with his tail knocking him over* I'm alright!
Fishlegs: And mine will see how brave I've become since, thanks to Meatlug, I no longer have anything to worry about... Except Alvin.. and snakes... and poisonious insects. *nervously shakes and hugs Meatlug* It's ok girl.
Hiccup: Well that's great, I'm glad to see you all showing improvement and honoring your.. family.. *looks sad*
Astrid: *hand on Hiccup's back* Are you ok? If you want we can stop.
Hiccup: No! No.. I won't want you to do that. Especially since this is the first time I've seen Tufftnut and Ruffnut destroy something for work and not for fun.
Ruffnut: Wait, this is work?
Tuffnut: How come no one ever told us work could BE fun too?! *they laugh and almost fall over but get balanced again*
Hiccup: Yeeah. So, go ahead and keep, you know, working at it and practice. I'm just gonna head to the shore and try not to distract you. *Gets on Toothless and flies off*
*Astrid and the others look at each other sadly as Hiccup and Toothless fly away*
*At the shore, Hiccup and Toothless are relaxing on the sand and looking out at the ocean when Stoick and Thornado arrive from the west*
Hiccup: Hey Dad, uh how'd you know I'd be here?
Stoick: A father knows where his son might go when he needs to think *Hiccup looks at him seriously*... And your friends might have mentioned it. *sits besides Hiccup as Thornado lays next to Toothless*
Stoick: You know son, I know how you feel today. *looks out at the ocean* I miss her too... Everyday. Twice as much when I don't know what to say to you *laughs a bit and pats his back* But you know, just because today is a day to mourn her... Doesn't mean we can't be happy.
Hiccup: What do you mean?
Stoick: Well, we can think of all the good things they did for us before they left. Like how your mother alwayed used to make us a nice dinner every night or when she would watch you in your crib and just brighten up like the sun. *Smiling* It's things like that we should remember, not the fact that they aren't here since we face that fact everyday.
Hiccup: *crying a bit* But thats just it Dad, I can't remember all that stuff and I wish to Odin I did... *cleans his tears as Toothless looks at him sadly* I'm sorry Dad.
Stoick: Don't be son, it's alright. I'm sorry *holds Hiccup and cries a little with him* It'll be alright...
*Toothless and Thornado look on, walking up to them and cuddled with them, Stoick and Hiccup look upon them and smiles happily as their dragon partners do the same*
*Hiccup and Stoick are seen at the tablet again, Hiccup picking up his helmet and smiling towards the skies with his father doing the same as they get on their dragons fly off together into the sunset*
Even though we miss the people we love and lost, they are never really gone. As long as we hold them in our hearts, they will always be with us. Guiding us, protecting us, and reminding us that we should, not only honor them, but thank them for being in our lives in the first place.