Author's Note: I'd like to thank those of you who reviewed this story as well as those who put this on their favorites list and who are following this story. Thank you for your time. It was pointed out to me that there are grammar errors in the first chapter, I will try to do better with this one. Anyway, leave a review and tell me your honest opinion on this chapter.

Hella is Different

While Hella searched for the downed Night Fury, Stoick had all of the adults gathered in the Great Hall for a meeting. The crowd was gathered around a large table with a fire pit in the middle. Stoick stood at the head of the table, his oldest son right next to him, and laid out a map of the Archipelago. The crowd listened as their chief spoke.

"Either we finish them, or they finish us! It's the only way to be rid of them!" Stoick declared. He then stabbed the part of the map that led to a fog bank and continued, "If we find the nest and destroy it, the dragons won't have anywhere to live; they'll find another home. One more search before the ice sets in."

"The last fleet never came back," said a man in the crowd.

"We're Vikings," said Stoick, "It's an occupational hazard. Now who's with me?"

Everyone in the Great Hall stayed silent; not one person wanted to go on a suicide mission to find the dragons' nest. While everyone understood Stoick's hatred of dragons, they did not wish to end up like the fleet that never returned. Ragnar got an idea for how to get volunteers and decided to take a shot.

"Those who stay can help Mrs. Larson and Mrs. Thorston look after Gustav and the twins," Ragnar announced, "And others can help Mildew on his cabbage farm."

On that note, everyone immediately shot up there hands and said they would go. As much as afraid as they were of ending up like the last fleet, they absolutely dreaded the idea of having to look after Gustav Larson or the Thorston twins, and being stuck helping Mildew was not any better.

"That's more like it," said Stoick. And then he turned to Ragnar and said, "Well done, son."

"Thanks, dad," said Ragnar.

"You'll need that kind of quick thinking while you're in charge," said Stoick.

"You got that right," said Ragnar. He then realized what he heard and asked, "What?"

"While I'm away leading the search for the nest, you will be acting chief," Stoick explained.

"Are you sure?" Ragnar asked in concern.

Stoick put his hands on his son's shoulders and looked him in the face as he said, "Ragnar, one day, you will be chief. And when that time comes, I want you to be ready. That is why I'm leaving you in charge, to give you the knowledge, wisdom, and experience to be a great leader."

"I understand," said Ragnar.

"Make sure to look out for your brothers and sister while I'm away," said Stoick.

"I will," said Ragnar.

"That's my boy," said Stoick as he pat Ragnar on the back.

"Well, now that that's settled, I'll go pack my undies," said Gobber, who was about to get up from the table.

"Did not need that mental image," said Ragnar.

"More importantly, you're staying behind as well, Gobber," said Stoick, "I need you and Asger to train the new recruits."

"Oh, perfect. And while we're busy, Hella and Cuyler will be at each other's throats," said Gobber.

"Not gonna happen," said Ragnar, "I'm putting Cuyler to work on Mildew's farm. Probably gonna get an ear full at the end of the day about that."

"Then I guess Hella could cover the store," said Gobber, "Molten steel, razor sharp blades, lots of time to herself. What could possibly go wrong?"

"Thanks for that mental image, Gobber," Ragnar sarcastically said, shuddering at the thought of his little sister being around sharp blades and molten steel.

Stoick sighed and said, "What am I going to do with her?"

"Put her in training with the others," said Gobber.

"I'm serious, Gobber," said Stoick.

"So am I," said Gobber.

"I don't know about that," said Ragnar.

"Ragnar has a point," said Stoick, "She'd be killed before you let the first dragon out of it's cage."

"You don't know that," said Gobber.

"I do know that, actually," said Stoick.

"No you don't," said Gobber.

"Actually, I do," said Stoick.

"No, you don't!" Gobber insisted.

"Gobber, you know what she's like," Stoick explained, "From the time she could crawl, she's been... different; from her brothers and the other children on Berk. She has the attention span of a sparrow. I take all four kids out fishing and she goes off hunting for... for trolls."

"And unicorns, and fairies," said Ragnar, "Often she would think she caught a fairy, but it was always just a firefly."

"There's no such thing as unicorns or fairies," said Gobber, "But trolls exist! They steal your socks. But only the left ones; what's up with that?"

"When I was a boy..." Stoick began.

"Here we go," said Gobber.

"Not this story again," Ragnar said with a sigh.

Stoick chose to ignore his son and friend and continued telling the story that he had begun, "... My father told me to bang my head against a rock, and I did it. I thought it was crazy, but I didn't question him. And do you know what happened?"

"You got a headache," said Gobber.

"A headache and a concussion, I heard," said Ragnar.

Stoick shot his son an annoyed look and then continued, "That rock split in two. It taught me what a Viking could do. He could-he could crush mountains. Level forests! Tame seas!"

"You got all that from hitting your head on a rock because grandpa told you to?" Ragnar asked.

Stoick groaned in annoyance and then said, "The point is even as a boy I knew what I was, what I had to become. You, Asger, and Cuyler are the same, Ragnar. Hella... Hella is not like that."

"We all know that Hella's different. There's nothing new about that. But that doesn't mean she can't do anything," said Ragnar, "Mom was different, but she could still do a lot of things."

"He's got a point, Stoick," said Gobber, "You can't stop her, you can only prepare her. I know it seems hopeless, but the truth is you won't always be around to protect her. Even your boys can't protect her twenty-four seven. She's going to get out there again."

"And if I know Hella, she's probably out there now," said Ragnar.

This gave Stoick a lot to think about. He always knew that his daughter took after his late wife, Valka, and this was was the main reason why he never wanted her to be a warrior; he always dreaded the idea of losing her the same way he lost his wife. Unlike many people on Berk, Valka did not see the dragons as mindless beasts but intelligent creatures. She wanted more than anything to find a way to stop the fighting and find another way to handle the dragons. Unfortunately, the villagers did not share her feelings on the matter and ignored her. One night, a dragon broke into their house, where the four children were. Naturally, Valka rushed to protect her children. Stoick rushed to the house as well and found a dragon he had never seen before standing inches away from his wife. His children were all terrified, Hella, who was a baby at the time, was crying. Three year old Ragnar and two year Asger were petrified, while one year old Cuyler threw random toys at the dragon. Out of desperation, Stoick attacked the dragon and the dragon breathed fire everywhere. Next thing anyone knew, the entire house was ablaze. Stoick managed to save his children, but the dragon escaped with Valka.

Ever since then, he vowed to keep his children safe and raise them to be strong. Out of all of the children, his daughter had proven to take after their mother the most. Stoick never wanted her anywhere near any dragons, not even to fight them, fearing that she might suffer the same fate as her mother. However, he also knew that Gobber and Ragnar were right and that Hella needed to learn how to defend herself. So, reluctantly, he agreed that the best thing to do was to allow his daughter to train with the other teens.

Author's Note: And that was chapter 2. I hope I did better this time. Tell me honestly.