CHAPTER TWO

THIS UNFAMILIAR FACE OF MINE


Hiccup quickly noticed something underneath his legs. He looked down and gasped.

"My foot! I've got a foot again!"

He brought up his bare left foot and showed it to the other Vikings. It was brand new, no longer replaced by a prosthetic limb. He touched the skin with eager fingers.

"Oh, it feels so good to have one again! I can't wait to go jogging in the morning."

Hiccup patted his new foot. He gasped again.

"Wait a minute. What about the rest of me?"

He checked his body for any abnormal features. His hands, arms, legs, and chest didn't give any signal for an emergency. Everything felt normal.

"So far, I didn't gain any weight. Lucky for me."

His slender figure remained the same.

"Hey, what do I really look like? I need a mirror or something. Anything that gives a reflection."

He pulled out his dagger from its scabbard. The smooth and clear surface acted as a way for Hiccup to examine his face. And when he did, the things he had seen in the reflection made him raise his eyebrows and keep his mouth agape.

"So this is the new me. Oh, I'm impressed."

He slid his fingers across his shoulder-length hair. "Oh, it's long. It's all black. And it's longer! I like it! But look at the ears. They're a little…off. Hey, it could have been worse. At least they don't make me look like a rabbit or something."

He put his dagger back in its scabbard. He ran up to his parents and smiled. "So, what do you think? Is it good or not? You can be honest with me. I won't cry or get pissed off."

None of the other Vikings had changed their shocked or confused expressions. Valka, in particular, was still flabbergasted by what her son had become.

"Who are you?"

Hiccup felt slightly puzzled by her response. "What do you mean? I'm Hiccup. I'm your son."

Valka shook her head. "You're not Hiccup. You're somebody else."

"What are you talking about? You saw me. I changed right in front of you. Dad saw the same thing, didn't you?"

Stoick the Vast kept his mouth shut. His dejected stare signified his true feelings.

Hiccup tried to cheer him up. "Come on, big guy, don't be so gloomy. I'm still here. I'm still alive. That's the important part."

He tried to convince his own dragon. "Come on, Toothless. You can recognize me, can you?"

But Toothless growled at him. Hiccup must have been a threat to him.

"Hey, why the malevolence? Don't you trust your old pal? It's Hiccup. Your friend. Your confidante."

Toothless lowered his body, as if he was ready to pounce. Hiccup backed away with his hands raised.

"I guess it takes some time to, uh…get used to the new face. Well, take as much time as you want. I'll be waiting."

Stoick pulled Hiccup by the arm and almost yelled at him "Where is he? Where's my son?!"

Hiccup pushed him away. "Take it easy, big guy. I'm right here. I'm not dead. I'm just a little…different."

Valka appeared so heartbroken. "What happened to you?"

"Mom, I'm still the same man as I was yesterday. The venom almost killed me, but the ring kept me alive. How many times do I have to explain it? The ring gave me a second chance. I'm still alive. It's not a total loss."

His young companions had a similar reception to his new appearance. None of them viewed it as a positive experience. Astrid, Tuffnut, Ruffnut, Fishlegs, and Snotlout were still confused as to what transpired on the coast. They couldn't understand why a seemingly complete stranger currently wore Hiccup's apparel.

Hiccup was oblivious to their reaction. He expressed his gratitude to the situation by saying, "You guys should have seen it. There was this big blue light and I grew more hair on my head. And now, I've got blue eyes. You see them? I've already taken a liking to them."

Ruffnut still didn't comprehend the outcome. "Who the hell are you?!"

Hiccup grew annoyed by their lack of awareness. "Guys, it's me! It's your friend, Hiccup! I used the Diamond of Life. You remember what that is, right? The ring that the sorcerer gave us? I put it on my finger because I was poisoned. And now, I'm healthy. The venom is gone! I'm alive!"

Tuffnut didn't follow him, either. "Who the hell are you?!"

Hiccup cleared his throat. "Guys, listen to me very carefully. I've changed. I've got a new face, but I'm still the same person. I'm the same Hiccup that you grew up with. Do you understand me?"

Astrid whispered, "Yes, I do."

Hiccup was relieved. "Finally! Someone understands me! Come on, let's celebrate!"

From out of nowhere, Astrid slapped Hiccup in the face. Hiccup almost jumped back. He was shocked by her response.

"What'd you do that for?!"

Astrid blurted. "Why did you have to wear that thing?!"

"What did you expect me to do? Just keel over and die? Fangfeast injected me with his venom. I had to wear the ring."

Astrid slapped him again.

Hiccup already had enough. "Will you stop that?! You're gonna turn my face into modern art if you keep it up!"

Astrid sneered at him. "Change back!"

"You really want me to?"

"YES!"

"Well, I'm sorry. But I can't. The old me no longer exists."

Astrid tightened her fists. "Why did this have to happen? Why'd you have to change so much?!"

Hiccup was about to say something else, but he quickly closed his mouth. Every one of his friends and family members stared at him a lot more differently than before.

Their reaction led him to a stunning realization. "Oh, boy."

Hiccup rubbed his palms together. "I can tell that this is a really tough situation here."

Snotlout sounded sarcastic when he said, "Gee, you really think so?"

Hiccup had a quick idea. "I tell you what. Why don't we take fifteen minutes? Just fifteen minutes to take a breather and accept the consequences. How about it?"

Astrid still didn't budge from her disdain toward the outcome. She just turned around and walked away without saying another word. Ruffnut followed her first, with Tuffnut and Fishlegs next. Snotlout slowly shook his head before making his departure from the coast.

Hiccup said to his parents, "They'll get used to it. At least I hope they will."

He had to stop talking when the reception from Stoick and Valka remained in its shocking stage. His parents still couldn't comprehend the things that he had done. They were still dumbfounded by the changes in his system. He had to calm down in order to ease the situation.

"Mom, Dad, listen to me. I know it's hard for you. I know you already miss my old face. But…try. At least try to accept the changes that I've had. I'm Hiccup. I'm your son. I know you won't forget it."

Valka was already on the verge of tears. She turned away just as Stoick tried to comfort her.

Hiccup almost gave up. He took the Diamond of Life off of his finger and put it in his pocket. Toothless still narrowed his eyes at his rider. The immediate alterations of his body had a mostly negative reaction. He understood why his friends and family refused to agree to his regeneration. He just hoped they would eventually view it as a more positive result.

Hiccup sighed. "I'm going home."

He left his parents and his dragon to grieve for what had originally was his old appearance.


TO BE CONTINUED…