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Silence filled the room. Then suddenly the Vikings burst into cheer.
"You did it Hiccup!" cheers of his name resonated through out the hall but Hiccup could only look down in shame.
"I'm sorry bud." He whisper as the cheers continued.
"SHUT IT, I WANT TO WATCH!" Aura yelled. The Vikings instantly settled down.
HICCUP (CONT'D) (surprised, then elated)
Oh I hit it! Yes, I hit it! Did anybody see that?
Hiccup's victory is short-lived. A Monstrous Nightmare appears, slithering up over the lip of the cliff.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Except for you.
Everyone- minus Gothel, Pitch and Frollo- laughed.
ON STOICK, holding down the netted Nadders. He hears a familiar HOLLER and looks up to see... HICCUP running through the PLAZA, SCREAMING, with the NIGHTMARE fast on his heels. Alarmed, Stoick abandons the Nadders and runs off.
"Nice scream Useless!" Snotlout and the twins fell over clutching their sides in laugher.
"I doubt you scream is any better, Snotface." Jack snapped.
STOICK (to his men, re: the NADDERS)
DO NOT let them escape!
IN THE PLAZA Vikings scatter as Hiccup dodges a near fatal blast. The Nightmare's sticky, Napalm-like fire splashes up onto buildings, setting them alight. Hiccup ducks behind the last standing brazier - the only shelter available.
The Nightmare blasts it, spraying fire all around him. Hiccup peers around the smoldering post. No sign of the Nightmare. He turns back to find it leering at him, blocking his escape. It takes a deep breath. Hiccup is finished.
Suddenly, Stoick LEAPS between them, tackling the Nightmare to the ground. They tumble and wrestle, resuming their earlier fight. The Nightmare tries to toast him, but only coughs up smoke.
STOICK (CONT'D) You're all out.
He smashes the Nightmare repeatedly in the face, driving it away. It takes to the air and disappears. Winded, Stoick turns to Hiccup.
HICCUP (V.O.)
Oh, and there's one more thing you need to know...
The burnt brazier pole collapses, sending the massive iron basket crashing. It bounces down the hill, destroying as it goes and scattering the Vikings who were holding down the netted Nadders. The freed dragons escape... with several sheep in tow.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Sorry, dad.
"He's you're father!" Jack, Quasi(who blushed brightly after) and Merida yelled. Hiccup only nodded.
EXT. VILLAGE - UPPER PLAZA - CONTINUOUS The escaped Nadders fly past with sheep in their clutches. The raid is over. The dragons have clearly won. The murmuring crowd eyes Stoick, awaiting his response.
HICCUP (SHEEPISH)
Okay, but I hit a Night Fury.
Stoick grabs Hiccup by the back scruff of his collar and hauls him away, fuming with embarrassment.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
It's not like the last few times, Dad. I mean I really actually hit it. You guys were busy and I had a very clear shot. It went down, just off Raven Point. Let's get a search party out there, before it-
STOICK
-STOP! Just...stop.
"You're not even listening." Clopin frowned.
He releases Hiccup. Everyone goes silent, staring expectantly.
STOICK (CONT'D)
Every time you step outside, disaster follows. Can you not see that I have bigger problems? Winter's almost here and I have an entire village to feed!
Hiccup looks around. All eyes are upon him.
HICCUP
Between you and me, the village could do with a little less feeding, don't ya think?
A few rotund Vikings stir self-consciously.
Several snickered.
STOICK
This isn't a joke, Hiccup!
(EXASPERATED) Why can't you follow the simplest orders?
HICCUP
I can't stop myself. I see a dragon and I have to just... kill it, you know? It's who I am, Dad.
"Not anymore."
STOICK
You are many things, Hiccup. But a dragon killer is not one of them.
Sting. Hiccup looks around to see many nods of agreement.
STOICK (CONT'D)
Get back to the house.
(TO GOBBER) Make sure he gets there. I have his mess to clean up.
"But it's not his mess, it's the dragons!" Rapunzel stated in anger, gripping her frying pan. People sitting near her scooted away.
Stoick lumbers off in the opposite direction. Gobber leads Hiccup through the walk of shame. They pass the teen fire brigade as they snicker.
TUFFNUT
Quite the performance.
SNOTLOUT
I've never seen anyone mess up that badly. That helped!
The teens flinched. They never realized how harsh they sounded until now.
HICCUP
Thank you, thank you. I was trying, so...
Hiccup avoids Astrid's glare and heads up toward a large house, standing prominently on the hill above the others.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
I really did hit one.
GOBBER
Sure, Hiccup.
HICCUP
He never listens.
GOBBER
Well, it runs in the family.
HICCUP
And when he does, it's always with this... disappointed scowl. Like someone skimped on the meat in his sandwich.
(MIMICKING STOICK) Excuse me, barmaid. I'm afraid you brought me the wrong offspring. I ordered an extra large boy with beefy arms. Extra guts and glory on the side. This here. This is a talking fish bone.
Jack being Jack, fell to the floor clutching his sides as laughed erupted from him. "T-That was spot on!" His laughter continued and soon started to infect the others. After a minute or two they finally were able to regain themselves. The little girl, Emma look at the whited-haired spirit in sorrow. He reminded her of her deceased brother. A gentle hand then placed itself on her shoulder. Emma looked up at the white-haired aura user.
"Don't worry, your brother is closer than you think."
GOBBER
You're thinking about this all wrong. It's not so much what you look like. It's what's inside that he can't stand.
Everyone face-palmed.
Beat.
HICCUP
Thank you, for summing that up.
They reach the doorway.
GOBBER
Look, the point is, stop trying so hard to be something you're not.
Hiccup SIGHS heavily.
HICCUP
I just want to be one of you guys.
Gobber eyes him sympathetically. Hiccup turns and goes through the front door. And straight out the back door. He hurries off into the woods, determined.
"I told to you to make sure he got home." Gobber looked away sheepishly.
"Yes, he got home, but you never said to make sure he stayed there." Esmeralda stated causing many of the younger kids to snicker.
INT. GREAT HALL - DAY A noisy din of PROTESTING VOICES leads to... STOICK, glowering in the firelight. Surrounded by his men.
STOICK Either we finish them or they'll finish us! It's the only way we'll be rid of them! If we find the nest and destroy it, the dragons will leave. They'll find another home.
He sinks his blade into a... LARGE NAUTICAL MAP, spread out on the table... the blade pierces the middle of an uncharted corner, swirling with painted sea monsters and dragons.
STOICK (CONT'D) (DECIDEDLY)
One more search. Before the ice sets in.
VIKING
Those ships never come back.
"Well that encouraging." Tip stated.
"Obviously it's not encouraging, you simple humans-girl. They have 99.9% chance of failure." Captain Smek said
STOICK (MATTER-OF-FACT)
We're Vikings. It's an occupational hazard. Now who's with me?
Stoick throws up his fist. No one follows. The crowds shifts in restless silence. Head scratches. Eyes averted.
VIKING (FEEBLE)
Today's not good for me.
VIKING (CONT'D) (EQUALLY FEEBLE)
I've gotta do my axe returns.
STOICK
Alright. Those who stay will look after Hiccup.
"So that's how you got them to go!" Hiccup scowled.
"That is just sad." Pheobus stated. Many nodded in agreement.
Hands jut into the air, volunteers galore. Enthusiastic murmurs of prep and packing fill the room.
PHLEGMA THE FIERCE
To the ships!
SPITELOUT
I'm with you Stoick!
STOICK (DRY)
That's more like it.
The Vikings rush for the door, leaving Gobber and Stoick alone. Gobber gulps back the contents of his tankard attachment and scrapes back the bench.
GOBBER
I'll pack my undies.
"What's with you and your undies?" Flynn asked.
"You don't want to know." Hiccup turned a slight green color.
STOICK
No, I need you to stay and train some new recruits.
GOBBER
Oh, perfect. And while I'm busy, Hiccup can cover the stall. Molten steel, razor sharp blades, lots of time to himself...what could possibly go wrong?
Stoick sinks onto the bench beside Gobber, his brow burdened.
STOICK
What am I going to do with him Gobber?
GOBBER
Put him in training with the others.
STOICK
No, I'm serious.
GOBBER
So am I.
Stoick turns to him, glaring.
STOICK
He'd be killed before you let the first dragon out of its cage.
GOBBER
Oh, you don't know that.
STOICK
I do know that, actually.
GOBBER
No, you don't.
STOICK
No, actually I do.
GOBBER
No you don't!
"They're like a bunch of 5 year-olds." Lucy sighed.
STOICK
Listen! You know what he's like. From the time he could crawl he's been...different. He doesn't listen.
STOICK (CONT'D)
Has the attention span of a sparrow. I take him fishing and he goes hunting for... for trolls.
"Trolls exist!" Hiccup said imitating Gobbers ascent.
"They steal your socks." Aura cut in.
"But only your left ones." Hiccup continued with a smile.
"What's with that?" They finished together, laughing.
GOBBER (DEFENSIVE)
Trolls exist! They steal your socks.
(DARKLY) But only the left ones. What's with that?
Everyone looked at the pair.
STOICK
When I was a boy...
GOBBER (GRUMBLING)
Oh here we go.
STOICK
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 you know what happened?
"You got a concussion." Jack stated.
"No, I think he lost all the sense he didn't have." Quasi said before blushing when all eyes turned to him. A large smile spread onto Jack's face.
"I like your sense of humor."
GOBBER
You got a headache.
STOICK
That rock split in two. It taught me what a Viking could do, Gobber.
He could crush mountains,
"Nope."
level forests,
"Only Timberjacks can do that."
tame seas!
"Only a God, buddy."
Even as a boy, I knew what I was, what I had to become.
(BEAT) Hiccup is not that boy.
"You're right, I'm not."
GOBBER You can't stop him, Stoick. You can only prepare him.
(BEAT) Look, I know it seems hopeless. But the truth is you won't always be around to protect him. He's going to get out there again. He's probably out there now.
ON STOICK, as Gobber's words hit their mark.
EXT. WOODS - DAY ON AN OPEN NOTEBOOK
A drawn map of the island, covered in X's. Hiccup looks up from it and peeks over a gorge, expectantly. Sees nothing. He adds another 'X' to the page, then scratches his pencil over the whole map in frustration. He snaps the book closed and pockets it.
"What did the poor book ever do to you?" Rapunzel laughed.
Hiccup pouted. "A lot."
HICCUP
Uggh, the gods hate me. Some people lose their knife or their mug. No, not me. I manage to lose an entire dragon.
Hiccup WHACKS a low-hanging branch. It SNAPS back at him, hitting him in the face. He looks up to see a snapped tree trunk. His eyes follow it to a long trench of up-turned earth.
He follows it to a downed, black dragon, its body and tail tangled in a bola. It appears dead. Hiccup approaches, beaming.
Everyone gasped at seeing the legendary dragon.
"Small body, large wings. Perfect for fast flying." Fishlegs chirped listing off some more things about the dragon.
HICCUP (CONT'D) (IN SHOCK)
Oh wow. I did it. I did it. This fixes everything.
(ELATED) Yes!
He strikes a victory pose, planting his foot on the fallen Night Fury.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
I have brought down this mighty beast!
It suddenly shifts.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Whoa!
Hiccup springs back, terrified. He turns his blade on it. Rattled, Hiccup creeps along the length of the weak, wounded dragon, dagger poised to strike. As he reaches the head, Hiccup finds the Night Fury staring coldly at him.
"That's creepy." Jack states.
Hiccup tries to look away, but he's drawn back to its unnerving, unflinching stare. With the dragon safety tangled in the ropes, Hiccup jabs with his dagger, puffing himself up with false bravado.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
I'm going to kill you, Dragon. I'm gonna cut out your heart and take it to my father.
I'm a Viking.
The vikings cheered.
"I'. sorry bud." Hiccups head hung in sadness.
(BEAT)
I am a VIKING!
Hiccup raises the dagger, determined to prove his Viking- ness. The dragon's labored breathing breaks Hiccup's clenched concentration. He opens an eye, uncertainty leaking through. The dragon holds the stare.
Something profound is exchanged. Finally, the Night Fury closes its eye and lowers its head, resigned to its fate. Hiccup tries to go through with it, holding the dagger aloft... fighting himself... until finally lowering it with a frustrated sigh. He looks over the dragon's chaffed rope wounds.
"What's he doing?" Stoick muttered to Gobber.
HICCUP (CONT'D) (muttered, ashamed)
I did this.
He turns to leave. Pauses. And glances back at the dragon, chest heaving.
Hiccup GRUMBLES.
He checks over his shoulder to ensure that no one is watching... then hurries back to cut the ropes. The Night Fury's eye shoots open. With the dragon watching his every move, Hiccup hurriedly saws through the bola ropes.
As the last rope falls free, the Night Fury suddenly POUNCES! In a blur, the dragon is upon him, pinning Hiccup down, grazing his neck. Looking like it's about to kill him. Hiccup is paralyzed. The dragon's breath ruffles his hair. Hiccup opens his eyes to find the Night Fury's wolf-like stare boring into him.
The exchange is intense, profound. The dragon draws a deep breath, as though it's about to torch him, then lets out an ear-piercing scream instead. It turns and takes flight, flapping violently through the canopy of trees. It bashes against a nearby mountain side, recovers, and drops out of view some distance away. Winded, Hiccup struggles to his feet, staggers a few steps, collapses to his knees, and faints.
Silence, then the room rattles as a ear piercing roar sounded.
"HICCUP HORRENDOUS HADDOCK THE THIRD WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST DO! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU JUST DID?!" Stoick roared.
"The best thing I've ever done." Hiccup stood up, glared at his father.
"YOU WOULD BETRAY THE VILLAGE! YOU WOULD BETRAY ME!"
"They're not what we think they are. Dragons are beautiful, amazing creatures. He-"
"HE IS A DEMON!"
"HE IS MY FAMILY!" Then everything when silent.
"You've chosen those demons over your village. You're not Viking. You're not my son." Hiccups eyes widened he stumble back into his seat. Aura gave a signal allowing Toothless to comfort his rider. The Night Fury leads him away under the cover of his wings.
All was silent until a choked sob was heard by all.
That's all. I hope you liked it. Reviews are always welcomed.