Authors note: First and foremost to the guest who reviewed there might be, we'll see where it goes. Long as it is within the rating and all. Second in this chapter things further become complicated in Astrid's life with the arrival of Ruffnut; again the premise of the story and my author's note should be taken into consideration and please try and keep the Hiccstrid thing to a down level, just a whisper even. I know it is the number one pairing, believe me, so if we can I hope we can leave that behind. Thank you.
CH.2: The name is Ruffnut
"How do we get her out?' Hiccup asked. Staring at the girl he could see she held certain fearlessness even till the very end.
"Well…the sun should do most of the work. The only problem is what to do about my dad. If he sees this he will freak…and then he will probably haul it off to some museum." Astrid said this with distaste, as it was hard to picture something so…magnificent for others to poke at or make fun of.
"Isn't the whole point to become rich and famous? C'mon Astrid, we don't even know if she is alive in there or not." Hiccup wouldn't want to be around when she thawed, however she smelled then might've carried over.
"There is more to it than that Hiccup…much much more. She has a history, a past; she probably even has a soul. She is a link to what we were…before we primatized." Astrid felt something here…she just couldn't place it yet.
"I don't even think that is a word, second…are you feeling alright?" Hiccup had known Astrid for a long time and he had never seen her so…focused.
"Hmm, oh yeah…peachy. Um…could you get some of my father's digging tools out of the garage…please and thank you." Astrid didn't leave and after a few minutes waiting she saw Hiccup trudging over with an arm full of shovels, pickaxes, and a magnifying glass.
"After all that digging…and you still intend to dig more?' Hiccup's incredulous voice rang out and saw her stare at him like he was heat crazed.
"The sun will take a long time to thaw her out…I think it is time we speed up the process, don't you?' Astrid held the pickaxe and slammed it into the ice. It made a tiny chink…but it was just a start.
"You know, when I woke up today, I didn't exactly picture myself freeing a Viking woman. How do you know she just won't kill us when she is released…assuming she is alive-?"
"Stop saying that, she is alive, don't you remember science class? If something is encased in ice everything it was and is from its finger prints to its chemical make-up will still be intact. Judging by how solid the ice is…I would say she has been in this for two hundred or so years…though that is just a wild speculative guess on my end."
"I normally pay attention in class, are you sure our teacher said that?' Hiccup held the magnifying glass letting the sun do most of the work.
"Actually it was a guest speaker, but most of the material was already in our books. Man, if it gets any hotter we'll be the ones melting." Astrid had already done some considerable damage…but the hunk of ice before them still had a few meters to go before any limb could be free.
"So, uh, Astrid…does this do anything to our plans?' Hiccup asked. He had been looking forward to summer for so long and the fact the two would share some quality time together for once.
"Huh…oh yeah no it shouldn't…what do you think she was like?" Astrid traced a circle on the ice, or at least she thought she had.
Hiccup looked at her curiously wondering if she was suffering a heat stroke. Of course as he looked down at the thing she drew he felt his eyes widen. "Uh, Astrid…is there something you want to tell me, no judgment, just…what is that?"
"It is a circle…why?" Astrid looked then to see instead of a circle it was a heart. "Whoa…I did not see that coming, did I do that?"
"I don't think I did…she isn't even my type, I prefer my girls warm blooded and alive." Hiccup let up on the magnifying glass and saw the sun was finally making a dent as their feet were swimming in water.
"She is alive Hiccup! Look at her…she doesn't even look remotely dead. I wonder how she will deal with the societal changes that differ from her own, being a Viking and all it could be traumatizing."
"Do you even listen to yourself talk? Astrid the Viking weren't known as friendly people, they stole and pillage, let us not forget they conquered lands in a fiery blaze of killings. I would stand clear when she breaks free." Hiccup climbed out of the hole and brushed his legs off.
"I wouldn't miss this for the world,' Astrid said more to herself. Lately she had felt like she was going through some change of her own, something that puzzled her. Instead of looking to the guys in films she looked to the female, then there was the fact she lost interest in Football, well mostly so she could focus on the cheerleaders. Now here she was fixated on this person she knew nothing about.
"Looks like she is ready to come on out…brace for impact!" Hiccup yelled. The icy chunk of Viking left over suddenly began pooling out and landing right on top of Astrid. "I can't look…Astrid if you're alive…yell."
Astrid was thrown onto her back as she saw life return to the figure inside. The spear clutched in her hand was brought to point with her neck and her legs straddled her as she peered at her with fierce eyes. The position was…quite stirring to her, confusing her even more as she didn't know what to do.
"You…enemy…I must kill!" She said; her English slightly broken and water running down her body clothed in Viking attire.
"I am not enemy…am friend." Astrid swallowed hard trying to keep everything under control.
"Why are you talking like that?" The Viking female pulled her weapon up and looked at her in puzzlement.
"Oh, sorry, it was just…never mind. I'm Astrid by the way, and you are?" She held out a hand and the Viking eased off her as she held out a hand to her.
"I'm Ruffnut, now get off your butt you look pathetic." Helping her to her feet she leaned in close and sniffed her. "You smell funny…I like it." She smiled.
"Uh…thanks, anyway welcome to my time. I imagine you have a lot of questions…which I am more than happy to answer-."
"Where do I kill for my meal? I am starving…heh…Tuffnut thought I couldn't stand in the water that long, boy was he wrong." She climbed easily out of the hole and aimed the spear at the boy. "You, you're kind of scrawny for a male, do you want to mate?"
Astrid face palmed herself and hurried up after her. Stepping between a rather dominant Ruffnut and a scared about to faint Hiccup she placed her hand out, not noticing where she had placed it. "Ok, it is probably best I lay down some ground rules. First is one does not ask to mate, or for that matter steal a person to have as their own, you get arrested for that here."
"Your hand is on my boob," Ruffnut noted as she looked down.
"Huh…oh sorry," Astrid blushed madly and felt like she was getting off on the wrong foot. Her mind was all confuddled, if that even was a word.
"Eh, I didn't mind, just letting you know is all. So, mating is off the table, I assume he is yours then?" She asked looking around the yard.
"What…no…I mean its Hiccup; we've known each other since we were young. Tell her…Hiccup?" Astrid turned to see Hiccup walking out the gate. "Don't move…or…kill anything."
Hiccup dragged his feet and as he opened the gate to his house he heard footsteps behind him. "I know what you are going to say, and while it wasn't intended to be harmful…truth of the matter it was."
"Hiccup…what is going on? You've been acting weird the whole Senior year, even before that you were always-."
"Acting like I had a crush on my best friend but she never noticed, yeah spot on." Hiccup walked over to the back step and sat down.
"Oh Hiccup…I'm sorry, it is just, I had so much on my plate. Not to mention I've been going through my own stuff of late-."
Hiccup wore a sad smile but also realized he could never be that mad at her. Regardless how he felt or where their lives took them…she was a special part of his existence; and he would always treasure that. "I've noticed, care letting me in?"
Ruffnut wondered over and held a bird in her hand. "You do not need to worry about procurement of a meal for me, I have done so myself."
Astrid sighed and walked over taking the bird from her. "Another rule, do not kill anything here, that could also lead to you being arrested. Poor birdie…we should probably bury it-."
Astrid saw the bird start up and looking around it began to fly off. "I only knocked it out, I figured we could eat it together, you my new friends."
"I will let you in soon as I know what it is I am going through," she smiled over at Ruffnut and while the girl was a tad crazy, she couldn't shake this feeling she had inside. Something told her this summer would be anything but slow.