Rain.
Also known as Regn in Old Norse.
A very common thing on Berk. And to be honest a way too common thing on Berk, considering it was always around, be it a soft drizzle, a heavy thunderstorm, or just a simple thing such as the looming storm clouds, always hovering above the island in a sort of foreboding way. Whatever its form, it was always there, and over the generations it had just become a normal, everyday part of Berk, nothing exciting.
However, for some reason it's different for me. I have always enjoyed a good thunderstorm, with the rain hammering against the roof of my house, and Thor venting his frustration on our small village.
I don't know why I liked it, but I have a suspicion it was because rain is good weather to just sit down with a good book, or some charcoal and a blank page.
Whatever the reason, I just love everything about this natural phenomenon. The way the air grows misty, the smell of wet plants, the trickling sound of the raindrops racing along our countless metal items. Rain made me feel better, it always relaxed me. Maybe because it was always there for me, in some strange way, just because it seemed like my dad never was.
Or maybe it was because when I was five, maybe six, I had ran out into its pouring clutches, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Why, Astrid?!" little Hiccup sniffled, as he took shelter under a giant pine tree. The rain surrounded him, pattering softly on the ground.
"Why would you say that," a drop of rain fell on his cheek, combining with a salty tear of his own. He wiped it away with his way-too-long sleeve, huddling against the cold tree, which felt a little dead in the child's opinion. He thought back to the events of before, hardly daring to go into the details. He just couldn't believe it.
"Hey, Useless!" the voice made him cringe, as the auburn child lowly turned around to face his cousin.
"What are you doing? Trying to catch a Night Fury again?" Snotlout taunted, leaning in so he was level with Hiccup's head.
"No. I'm trying to find Astrid," little Hiccup stated, his voice wavering ever so slightly. He had just been bending down, trying to find his best friend behind some crates in a little side alley. They had just started playing a game of hide-and-seek in the marketplace, and boy wasn't Astrid good at that game. To be honest she was good at any game involving physical activity.
"Oh really? Don't you know where she is?" Snotlout cooed teasingly, laughing loudly, a little too loudly. Soon the laughter was joined with more chortling, as Hiccup froze. He looked over his shoulder at the twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, who had crept up on him from behind.
"What a loser," Tuffnut sneered, kicking Hiccup in the stomach. The small boy sucked in a breath, as he stumbled backwards, just avoiding colliding into Snotlout.
"She's gone, Useless!" Snotlout jeered, shoving the heir away from him.
"G-gone where?" Hiccup asked, accidentally stuttering in his question.
"She's left you! When will you realize that she isn't your friend anymore!" Ruffnut chimed in, sneering a little as she said 'left'.
'N-no she hasn't! She would never leave me! Astrid's my best fr-friend!" the auburn-haired boy choked, not daring to believe the words spoken from the female twin's mouth. The others advanced upon him, sending chills down his spine.
"Well your fr-fr-friend was lying to you!" Snotlout jibed, shoving Hiccup to the ground. The boy fell with a yelp, landing in the dust, sending plumes up into the air, covering his face in dirt.
"She wouldn't!" Hiccup whimpered, trying to slide away from them on his back, only managing to get himself cornered in with the crates he had just recently been looking behind.
"Oh really?" Tuffnut and Ruffnut laughed in chorus, as Snotlout grinned evilly down at Hiccup.
The boy swallowed as Snotlout said "Then why don't you ask her, smart-guy?" The dark-haired boy stepped to the side, allowing a full view of the opening of the alleyway. There stood Astrid, the girl who Hiccup had only moments been searching for. She stood there, chin up, no signs of regret whatsoever, except or the waver and sympathy seen in her eyes as they rested on Hiccup.
"N-no… It can't be-"
"Well it is Useless! When will you accept that you will never have any friends!" Snotlout cried, shoving Hiccup in the chest, pushing the boy so his head collided with the corner of a wooden crate. The light swum and morphed in front of Hiccup's eyes, making it seem that Astrid was also jeering at him, along with the twins and Snotlout.
"No…"
"And she also told us how you miss you mommy, and how you cry in bed every night and call for her to come save you," Snotlout teased, cutting deep into Hiccup's heart. He looked at Astrid with betrayed eyes, not realising the surprise and hurt in hers. The words Snotlout had said cut deep, considering he had only ever talked to Astrid about how he missed his mother, and how not even his father listened, thinking he could trust her. Apparently, he was wrong.
Little Hiccup choked back a sob, as Tuffnut tried to punch him. However, he was too quick, slipping under them and sliding upward, sprinting out of the cold, dark alley, trying to leave all feeling behind.
"Hiccup!" He heard Astrid call, but paid her no heed. She had done enough already.
The boy kept sprinting, as there was a soft rumbling in the sky. He rain and rain, like a little brown and green rabbit, all the way to Raven Point, were he sat there, forlorn and lost.
And lonely.
Oh so lonely.
And it had only just crashed down on him, so hard that it brought his small frame down, sobbing as the soft trickle of the rain dripped down, steadily growing heavier, just like his tears and despair.
Why would you do that Astrid? He thought miserably, as thunder cracked in the distance, the sound of the rain a little soothing in the moment. He sniffed again, as his nose grew stuffy after so much crying.
He felt some water run down, into his raincoat from the trunk of the tree, making him shiver. He brought his knees to his chest, cuddling them like a life support.
"I am really alone," he stated to the wind, as thunder rumbled in the distance as if to approve his question.
"Why?" he asked, as some wind blew some foggy air into his eyes, as if it tried to comfort him.
The rain continued to patter on the leaves and the multi-coloured bracken on the ground. Hiccup watched as some water trickled steadily down a hill, slowly creating a small creek and trench in the dying leaves. Just like my heart, he thought, as a new round of tears sprung into his eyes. But he brushed it off, shuffling his feet as he tried to scrunch up, gratefully drinking in any warmth given to him.
A lone Terrible Terror squawked in the wilderness, bringing Hiccup to his senses as the rain's sound grew heavier. He was lost, and he didn't know which way he had even come, since his tracks had been washed away by the rain and mud.
The boy started to panic a little, however the sharp tang of the air calmed him, as he listened to the dripping of rain drops travelling down the tree's foliage.
It all created a sort of natural song, soothing Hiccup as the atmosphere felt reawakening. The heir wiped his face, as he let the water from the rain refresh him, which was a nice change from the hotness of his tears, and the flush of his face from the force of crying. No, it was much better to sit in the rain, and let the water wash away all his fears and despair.
"Why do people think you're so depressing?" he asked, in his curious child manner. He tried to translate a message from the rain, but it only dripped in response, as the wind blew the cool mist in his face again.
"Well I don't think you are," he stated firmly, his mouth perking up in a small, shy smile. "In fact, I think you are my favourite type of weather," Hiccup said, matter-of-fact.
The rain let its thunder rumble a little, sounding almost like a dragon's warble.
"How would you like to be my new best friend?" he asked, as a light crack in the dark grey clouds answered his question. "Great! I don't think you can betray me, unlike my other best friend…" Hiccup dwindled off, getting a little carried away by his imagination that the rain could talk and feel like a human. But in a way, it kind of could.
"Yeah, I thought I could trust her… I guess I was wrong," he said sadly, folding his legs as he leaned against the tree. The thunder rumbled in understanding.
"I don't think I can trust any human anymore, so I'll just have to trust you," he said to the dark sky, as the rain softened once again into a soft pitter and patter on the ground.
"Well, that's settled. I better get back to the village, they might be looking for me," little Hiccup said to the rain, as he got up and dusted himself off, making sure he didn't take home any unexpected leaves or dirt.
"Thanks for the talk!" he said up to the sky again, smiling up as only a child could smile. The rain cracked a goodbye, loud but not too loud to scare the small child. With that, he bounced off, feeling mighty happy with his new-found friendship with the rain.
Mmm, yeah maybe that was the reason I love rain. Then again, maybe it isn't.
Either way I still love the soft tangy smell of it, and the freshness it brings. It reminds me of mint, which is quite nice to chew when you've had one too many shares of fish. Cough, Toothless, cough.
But to be honest, I don't know why everyone hates rain. It is the most relaxing thing in the world, and I could listen to it all day. Even if that event didn't happen, I would still love it, but since it did, it strengthened my love for it. I just can't express it, the rain just brings out a calmness in me I can never experience outside of the phenomenon.
People thought I was crazy for that, back when I was little.
In fact they still think I'm crazy for that fact now, although no one would admit it now.
I don't know, I just love it.
Oh, here the patter comes! Ah, I love that smell. Hello rain, long time no see? Probably yesterday, or the day before. I can't remember. All that I care is that you are here, as always, just here to calm me down. Here to electrocute the twins? I wouldn't be surprised, Thor must have ordered the lightning to do so.
Ah, yes, I love the regn.
Regn feels good.
Regn.
Inspired by the rain that has been outside of my window all night.
Love ya rain!