CHAPTER #2
HICCUP Pov;
As soon as he could see again, Hiccup looked around, trying to take in his surroundings. 'Trying' being the main word, as he found himself still wrapped up in a bundle of Astrid. Groaning on the inside, he reluctantly pulled away from her embrace. They were sitting on a plush purple couch, situated on a balcony at the back of the room, above the rest of Berk. Around them lay a few other matching armchairs, and-
"TOOTHLESS!"
Hiccup leapt off of the couch and across the balcony, wrapping his beloved dragon in a tight embrace.
"I never thought I'd see you again, bud. Oh, thank Thor, thank Thor, thank Thor…" He whispered into Toothless' neck, unaware of Astrid's gaze.
"OKAY, NOW THAT YOU ARE ALL ACQUAINTED AND COMFORTABLE, IT IS TIME TO START THE MOVIE!"
It was that creepy voice again. Sighing, Hiccup and Toothless made their way back over to the couch, sitting down (or curling up in front of it) just as the lights dimmed. An image came into focus on the white screen…
THIRD PERSON Pov;
FADE IN:
EXT. NORTH SEA/VILLAGE - NIGHT
We skim above a dark, wild ocean. The camera turns toward a
lone island, Berk. It is a gigantic shard of rock jutting
straight out of the water. HICCUP (V.O.)
This, is Berk.
All the Vikings, including the two on the balcony, started at the sound of Hiccup's voice.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
It's twelve days
North of hopeless, and a few
degrees South of freezing to death.
It's located solidly on the
meridian of misery.
The camera drifts over rolling hills to reveal a small
village nestled on an outcropping of sea stacks.
Many Vikings laughed at how true this statement was, whilst Astrid smiled slightly at her new friend's dry sense of humor.
HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)
My village. In a word, sturdy.
And it's been here for seven
generations, but every single
building is new.
"Oh, I wonder why that is? Probably has absolutely nothing to do with all the freaking DRAGON RAIDS!" Called Snotlout, earning him a whack in the head with a small rock Hiccup had conveniently found lying next to him.
"Always wanted to do that." He whispered to Astrid, who stifled a laugh.
The camera drifts closer, circling. HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)
We have fishing, hunting, and a
charming view of the sunsets. The
only problems are the pests. You
see, most places have mice or
mosquitos. We have...
Sheep graze peacefully on a hillside. Suddenly one is
snatched. CUT TO: INT. STOICK'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS A door is pulled open... as a DRAGON swoops directly toward
it, BLASTING FIRE. The door is SLAMMED. The fire shoots
through the slats of wood, illuminating HICCUP, a gangly
teenage Viking. HICCUP
...dragons.
"Nooo, really? I thought that was a puppy!"
Another rock, from Astrid this time. A small pile had somehow appeared on the floor in front of them, next to toothless. EXT. STOICK'S HOUSE He reopens the sizzling door, as leaps off of the front
porch. He weaves through the erupting mayhem as Vikings pour
out of the buildings, ready for a fight.
More dragons swarm in, setting rooftops alight and hauling
off sheep. HICCUP (V.O.)
Most people would leave. Not us.
We're Vikings. We have stubbornness
Issues.
"Oi! What's that supposed to mean?" A random Viking called out from the crowd. They still had yet to notice that both Hiccup AND Astrid were 'missing'.
Vikings sound the alarm. Viking men and women pour out into
the streets, axes in hand.
ON HICCUP darting through alleys, staying under eaves, making
his way through the battle. HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)
My name's Hiccup. Great name, I
know. But it's not the worst.
Parents believe a hideous name will
frighten off gnomes and trolls.
Like our charming Viking demeanor
wouldn't do that.
"What's that supposed to mean?" It was the same Viking again. It seemed this would be a recurring comment throughout the movie.
Dragons sweep back and forth, dodging axes and blasting the
Vikings who throw them. A burly warrior gets tossed in an
explosion, knocking Hiccup to the ground. VIKING (FIERCE)
Arggghhhhh!
(cheery, insane)
Mornin'!
Said Viking blushed, and Hiccup realized it was the 'What does that mean' guy. What a coincidence.
Hiccup gets to his feet and continues to rush past gigantic
men and women. HICCUP (V.O.)
Meet the neighbors. Hoark the
Haggard... HOARK
What are you doing out!? HICCUP
... Burnthair the Broad... BURNTHAIR
Get inside! HICCUP
... Phlegma the Fierce... PHLEGMA THE FIERCE
Get back inside! HICCUP
. Ack.
He passes a silent ox of a viking, picking his ear. HICCUP (CONT'D)
Yep, just Ack.
A few Vikings in the crowd laugh at this, and Hiccup smiles, glad that they appreciate his humor… Even if they kinda hated him...
Enter STOICK, the biggest Viking of all. He yanks Hiccup from
the path of a strafing dragon and holds aloft to the crowd.
Astrid chuckled, seeing Hiccup hanging limply from his father's hand.
"Hey!" He exclaimed, seeing her amusement, "That hurts, you know!"
This made Astrid laugh even more, yet in an almost affectionate way... STOICK
Hiccup!?
(accusingly; to the crowd)
What is he doing out again?! (TO HICCUP)
What are you doing out?! Get
Inside!
"Nope, sorry, no-can-do! Our house is currently on fire and I don't really want to die today, thank-you-very-much."
The flames light up his scowling face and matted red beard.
He sets Hiccup down and turns to the sky, searching. HICCUP (V.O.) (IN AWE)
That's Stoick the Vast. Chief of
the tribe. They say that when he
was a baby he popped a dragon's
head clean off of its shoulders.
Both Hiccup and Astrid winced at this.
Do I believe it?
Stoick grabs a wooden cart and hurls it, knocking the
strafing dragon out of the sky. HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Yes I do.