This chapter is highly drabble-based, and is about what happens during the night that Sena is healed (last chapter). It doesn't really advance the storyline, so you can skip this if you want.
"Hiccup," Sena calls, holding up a fish. "See what I caught."
"Wow, you caught that on your own?" I ask, sketching away at my notebook.
"I did," he says happily, setting the fish down on the ground. "Want one?"
"Well, after you lost all that blood and everything, I think you need the food more than I do," I say, pretending not to be hungry- because in reality, I am very hungry.
But you'll never guess who's hungrier than me.
"You sure?" Sena asks, looking at me curiously.
"Yes, Sena," I say, trying hard not to roll my eyes. "I'm fine."
"Alright, then", he says, running over to a fire that Toothless had made before he went to the beachhead.
Toothless said that he wanted to ponder about some things, but he wasn't going anywhere far- he'd still be in range of the Soul Language, though he said that things in his head were sort of 'personal' and didn't want to be heard. So I let him have his way. He slept for a while, but I don't think he actually got any rest. I wonder why…
"Hey!" Sena says, running back towards me with the fish. "This thing is hot!"
"It is," I say, chuckling. "Try not to burn your tongue."
"Alright," he says, running around and waiting for the fish in his hands to cool down.
In a sense, Sena looks like any other village boy, with dreams and thoughts, running and playing as any normal person would do. It's hard to believe that Sena, who was a thief all his life, could have such joy in playing, while I always stayed shut in my house, despite being the highest ranking child in the village. I'm actually drawing him right now, running in and out of the trees and waving the fish in the air like he didn't have a care in the world.
Of course, he doesn't. At this age, we all do what we want, and we care little for those irrelevant to us.
Sena is strong, too. All those years of stealing and getting away must have turned him into a very fit boy indeed. He doesn't have muscles like Snotlout, but he has the glint of hyperactivity and the want to see more and more of everything, his newly found love doing much to fuel it, knowing that his friend(s) are safe meaning that he can do more and they would care less.
I can imagine Sena back at home, playing with his group of 'friends', kicking around dirt or hitting each other with sticks and mud. Oh, and snow. Dammit, when I was young, I would get plowed to the ground by snowballs the second I made myself apparent to the outside world. Not that my dad didn't know; it was just that he didn't care.
And, of course, unlike Toothless.
On those days after the Red Death battle, he never left my side. Never once did he go off alone to do something. He could have been doing anything, having fun in dragon nip, talking to Stormfly, yet he chose to stay next to me. And I chose to stay next to him, because I knew he cared. Because, finally, I think I know what it means to be a happy person. It's by knowing that those who you care for care for you back.
In Toothless's case, he's more of the super protective friend, because he always snarls at the smallest of insults, growls at the slightest hints of physical harm, even go out of his way to just force people out of my way with his huge size. I know that he means well, but like he said, he's a young male dragon.
Young male dragons have fun and play, despite his claims of Night Furies being noble and majestic (because he likes to dream of Stormfly, to which I walked in on his dreams once- he wasn't happy, and I couldn't stop blushing). So, this is what we're doing and that he likes, right? He gets to have fun, play with me, and… look for his mother.
So is that why he isn't here now? Is it because he's jealous of me and Sena being together? That Sena, as a human, can fulfil things to another human that dragons can't?
I don't like comparing Sena and Toothless together. They're two different beings, and they make me happy in different ways. Toothless makes me happy because he's always there for me, as I am for him, but Sena makes me happy because he reminds me of how powerful one's life before real life is. Sure, he is mature to an extent, but right now, he's just a boy. I'm just a boy. We're not that different in age, but our past and how we deal with the present that makes us not the same.
For him, it's running around and using his energy to the test. for me, it's sitting down quietly and writing into my notebook. If I'm not drawing, I'm sleeping. Or, well, playing with Toothless.
But where is he?
Sena sits down next beside me and takes a peek into my notebook. I veer it away from him, but otherwise let him look at… most of it.
"Is that a notebook?" he asks, panting slightly from the running. "You wrote pretty well last time. Can you teach me more?"
I can sense something beneath that eagerness- curiosity. He wants to know what my notebook holds, and he's definitely going to look into it as soon as he can. Should I trust him, after all that has happened?
"Sure," I say, flipping the page. I begin to draw a few runes on the book, and read them aloud as Sena follows.
"Ku," I say, drawing an arrowhead with its head to the left. I show it to Sena.
"Ku", he says, staring at the inscription tentatively.
"E," I pronounce, drawing a roof with a broken center. "As in Hey."
"E," he says, "As in Hey."
"Th," I say, "Like Thor."
"Th," he says, hesitating. "Did you know that Thor is related to the Isle of Night?"
"He is?" I ask, ceasing to draw the next rune (a simple vertical line with two northeast poles sticking out of it) and looking up at him in surprise.
"Legends say that he created the Isle from when the land was barren with chaos and natural disasters," he says, looking at the stars. "He built the Isle to contain all these magical instability and wars that the world had made upon itself. When he finished building it, the land stopped shaking and the rain stopped falling… except on the Isle of Night, where the disasters still occurred, but they were trapped inside the Isle of Night, and could not go out further."
I process these thoughts into my head. If Thor created the Isle of Night to contain natural disasters, then that means there are horrors there that mankind has never seen. There have been legends of exploding mountains, man-eating soil, and even giant waves of water flying through the air. Are these legends for real in the Isle?
Because that means that Toothless knows what these things are.
"That's pretty mighty of a god," I say nodding my head. "But how is this related to the Night Furies?"
"They said that Night Furies settled on this island and made it their home," he says. "Because of all the lightning storms that occurred here, they found it suitable for living, and they inadvertently became the protectors of the place, later being officially appointed by Thor himself. That's why you don't really see Night Furies around. They come and they go only to keep the peace intact." He looks at me thoughtfully. " What do you guys call Night Furies?"
"The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself," I say. "How about yours?"
"The winged guardians of those who strive for peace," he says.
There's silence for a moment as I look at him in awe. Toothless is a freaking guardian?
"Night Furies are pretty cool, anywhere," I say, smiling.
"Yeah," he says, his face flickering in the firelight.
"I've always thought about Toothless being mighty and all…" I say, staring at the fire. "I didn't know that he actually was a guardian of peace and all."
"Hey, seeing your b-"
"He's not mine-"
"Seeing he's a pretty good friend of yours, I thought that you would think of him as a guardian anyway," Sena says.
"How?" I ask, confused.
"He protects your life," Sena explains. "And your feelings. Without him, you wouldn't be this kind toward me, right?"
I blush, not knowing why Sena would get all cheeky all of a sudden.
"Well…" I say, hoping that he keeps it at just that. It's true that Toothless is the very first friend that I've ever been with. It's true that I love him more than anything else. It's true that we're friends for life, and yet, Sena makes the whole conversation so embarrassing for me.
Not that our friendship of human and dragon is anything personal, but it's that Sena has known me for, like, two days and two nights, plus he's said that he's never experienced this much care before, but yet he can see my relationship as if I were an open book to read. The simplicity of his words, added with the youth, his innocence, makes his words truly a powerful thing to behold.
"Is there something wrong?" Sena asks, staring at my empty face.
"No," I say, turning towards him. In the eyes of mine from the mirror of the fire, he looks truly like a fighter. He probably is. "You're right, actually. I wouldn't have ever cared for anyone this much if it weren't for Toothless showing me how to."
Sena smiles what I guess would be a casual one. How does one casually smile?
"Hey, I wish I was friends with a dragon," he says thoughtfully, breaking the awkward silence. "We'd share adventures just like you and… Toothless."
"Well, it wouldn't be hard for you to find a dragon," I say, nodding towards the Night Fury flames. "You just need to show trust and care for them."
"Will they show me them back?" Sena asks nervously. "I still think most dragons are scary."
I laugh. "That's what I thought at first either," I say. "In the end, well, this is us."
Sena nods and we stay in silence for several minutes, him looking into the fire, me writing more runes for him for when he decides to learn more runes later on.
"Hey, do you know why the raids stopped a few months ago? The other villages were celebrating for days."
"It's a long story," I say, laughing. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Oh, I can manage," he says.
T
It's been so long since I've thought of mother this clearly and vividly. The beach at night and its clear, starry sky reminds me so much of her screech of pain ripping through the air, leaving nothing but the falling rain and the clashing of thunder. Now that you think of it, the sky never really changes. There can be storms and lightning and clouds, but the sky just stays the same, causing only changes in its climate and weathers though the course of time. So I could have been just here when I was born, amid lightning and rain, but because of its identicalness in all things, I'll never really know.
Humans use maps to mark things on land, but when it comes to water, the oceans and seas are usually replaced by a light blue, denoting simply water under the sky. We dragons have a sense of direction that we follow through the world like a grid of elaborate positioning, allowing us to know every different part of sea as different, despite what humans would see as simply 'water'.
So, in short, Mother could have laid me anywhere, because all I remember about my birth was an island, surrounded by water. Take away the lightning and rain, you get the massive sea.
Where are you, mother?
Are you still flying around the area where I was born, still flying in search for me? Are you with Father? If so, are you two happy together? Is the reason for my solitude a problem between you two? Do you have any other sons? Or daughters?
Are you still alive?
Are you still out there for me?
I want to see you, even if I never have. I want your care, even if you never gave me care. I want your loving and warm embrace, even though you have never as much as appeared for me to remember your body and traits.
I know that you care for me, but where are you?
Or do you not?
If I meet you, will you despise me? Why?
Is it because I never managed to find you, despite doing so my whole childhood?
Is it because you will not know me, not remember the baby Night Fury that I once was?
None of these questions really matter, but you do. I need you, mother.
I'll do anything to find you.
Because every night I will save your life
And every night I try to find with you
Because every night I still lay awake
And I dream of an absolution
Because every night I will make it right
And every night I will look for you
But every night it just stays the same
In my dreams of an absolution.
The stars in the sky look like dusts of broken dreams more than a representation of hopes. They're scattered about, their magnitude of destruction evident through their burning sorrow of fire, and their flickering adding the numerous pain of disappointment of not getting what was wanted. It's as if every time your dreams are broken, these shattered hopes join the other millions of others, are put away into the endless sky, stashed away and too far for you to ever reach.
Hiccup thinks that these stars mean wishes. He thinks that the blurry twinkles in the sky mean the burning fire of inexhaustible hope that all humans and dragons have alike. He thinks that the stars sparkle because we shine in our own will to live, to make things great, to make things right.
A shooting star passes through the sky, littering the dark blue sky with its powdery stardust and hopes and wishes that humans wish upon.
I'm a dragon. I don't wish on such silly things.
I'm a dragon… who let a human on my back. Who let a friend on my back.
I'm a… am I a dragon, after all I've been through?
I've made a human immortal. I've made a friend that I love and care about deeply immortal.
Maybe… I'm partly human too. If humans love stronger than dragons, than I definately human. Maybe I'm a Hiccup dragon. Not a hiccup dragon, but a loving, caring, Hiccup dragon.
Maybe… wishes work only in those who believe in them. Like Hiccup.
I let out a long sigh and look at the falling star once again.
Please let me find my mother, I think. Please.
H
"Hiccup, can I ask you a question?" Sena asks, fidgeting with a stick he found on the ground. He doesn't look like he's a good drawer- more like he likes using these sticks for combat instead.
"Yes?" I ask, sketching away at my notebook. I'm drawing Sena, actually, as he looks at the fire, stick in his hand, his face full of thoughts and awareness.
"What's in that notebook?" he asks, pointing at the leathery covers of my book.
"Stuff," I say shortly. "There's a lot in here, too."
"Well, I can guess that," he points out. "Can I… uh… have a look?" he asks, looking at the notebook nervously. "If it's… you know, okay with you."
I frown. "Well… I don't really know about that," I say, guilt mounting in me higher and higher as I refuse something that I need from someone who also looks like he needs.
He shrinks back towards the fire. "Oh… ok."
At that, he doesn't speak any more. The pain of it hurts me like a needle, jabbing at my brain, etching the same words over and over again: You hurt someone. Again.
I want to tell him that this diary means a lot to me. I want to tell him that there are some personal things in here that he should probably not see, for it would hurt both me and him.
But, alas, I don't tell any of these to him. It's too pathetic for even me to say. The burns still pinch into my mind, but I don't know how to possibly tell him without making him see me as a total idiot.
So, it's Sena instead who comes up with the second question.
"Do you know what-"
"Sena, I'm sorry," I suddenly blurt out.
"What?" he asks, confused.
"I didn't let you see into my notebook," I say, snapping it shut and laying it down on my lap. "I don't want you to think that I don't care about you or anything-"
"I never thought of it that way," he pipes up. "I thought that you didn't want me to see it, that was it. I didn't think twice about it."
I can feel my cheeks burning redder and redder by the moment.
"Oh, ok," I say dejectedly.
"That's what I said to you a few minutes ago," he says, grinning. "Are you shy?"
I wish that I could just sink into the log and never be seen again.
"Just didn't know that you'd be so forgiving of it," I say.
"I told you, I don't really think that I need to know why you don't let me see it," he says, his jet black hair blowing softly in the wind. "It's yours. If you don't want to let others see it, that's fine."
I nod towards him in relief and gratitude.
"I wish other people were more like you," I mutter, laying the notebook down and staring at the fire.
"I wish people were more like you, Niison," he whispers to him. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, I can hear him.
"Yeah, someone who hides simple secrets from their friends," I mutter.
Unfortunately, he hears that too.
"Hey, I hold a lot of simple secrets too," he 'whispers'.
"Like what?" I 'mutter' back.
"Like how I once ran off and stole the Chief's shoes when he was sleeping," he 'whispers'.
"Well, I once snuck out of my work to look at my crush," I mutter, before snapping my mouth shut.
Sena looks up and laughs. I smile shyly.
"If you think that's bad, then you've gotta see what I once did."
T
Hiccup! Leave! I yell, looking around as the chains lock around me.
I can see him, standing only nearby with that human mate, his expression sad and guilty.
"I'm sorry, Toothless," is what is in his mind. Outside, he is panicking, looking for a way to get closer to me. To help me.
Hiccup! Go away! I roar mentally, fighting to break free of my imprisonment. This place isn't safe!
The older humans pile down on me, one of them even holding an axe. I'm going to die, and I'm going to die for a friend.
Maybe it's not the smartest way to die, but maybe it will make me happy.
Never will I have to fear for him again. Never will I make him annoyed again.
I know that Hiccup will be sad, but for now, he is safe from the hands of the devils. Right now, I am a diversion for these people, while Hiccup can make his safe getaway.
But why is Hiccup not running away?
"Dad! NO!" he screams, running towards me, only to be held back by his mate.
Good, I think. Just run- wait, Dad?
The devil is his father?
It all makes sense now. The reason why Hiccup has always been searching me out for comfort.
It's because his own darn father treats him like this.
It's because his father treats dragons like me like this.
I'm being hauled away as Hiccup screams my name one more time.
Be safe, Hiccup. Don't let the devil get to you, I whisper.
I lurch out of my vision, panting slightly from the fear of losing Hiccup again. Once every while, I reopen one of my stored thoughts and go through them, watching their perfectly recorded moments and thoughts from my point of view. In hindsight, I see how much his father meant so little to him, but yet, Mikata was opressed like some kind of doll while I was taken away, my fate entirely in the devil's hands, unable to reach the friend in order to comfort him.
If only I knew before that he had these parental issues… he had no mother, I knew that long ago. But I never knew that he had no real father either. I could have been a father to him. I could have given up my young instincts to give him the sense of protection that his own father never gave him.
But I can't, now. We're friends. There's no way I'm changing anything to change our balance of friend and friend. Besides, we are pretty much of the same age, anyway.
There is no way in the world that my parents would mistreat me like that. Right?
Why did they never show up to you, then? A snide voice inside me calls.
Shut up. I thought you were helping me last time. My inner flame... talking to me again.
That was ages ago. What if the reason that you've never seen your mother is because Hiccup is with you?
What? Are you out of your mind?
I am your mind, Nox. I am speaking the facts. Listen and don't bother with the opinions.
How should I know that your facts are true?
Because I am you. Listen.
You're an idiot.
Hiccup is a human. Have dragons and humans ever gotten along before?
No. They haven't.
Then what if your mother has been looking out for you all along? What if she truly set those ropes free all those months ago?
That's crazy. She's never appeared to me before. Hiccup cut those ropes.
You didn't see him do it. It could have easily been your mother doing it.
Then, why didn't she appear at all after that? What didn't she kill Hiccup?
Why did you not kill Hiccup that day, then?
Because he spared me. Because he never did anything to me.
Exactly. She never did anything to him, and thus attacking was out of the question.
Then why was she never with me before?
She cannot hold on to you forever, Nox. She wanted to know how you'd handle the world by yourself. But when she decided to show herself, you were already with that boy…
Absurd. She was never there!
Save your thoughts. Now, think of what your dear mother would say if she saw you with a human.
She would… she would…
She would hate you. She still loves you with all her heart, but with the acquaintance that you made, she's forced to only follow you in the shadows out of disgust. Dragons and humans don't mix. Your mother must be heartbroken, to have a spoiled dragon like you.
NO! Mother would never think like that!
And where is your proof?
No… She just can't, alright? She's Mother!
Open your mind, Nox. Think of the bigger picture. You don't know if mother has been behind you all along or not. Try out new things, like the young dragon you are.
But… Hiccup…
Do you want to find your mother?
Yes.
Are you willing to lose a friend for that?
…
I'll let you decide on your own, then.
The voice leaves me, sending confusion and pain through my mind.
Hiccup, or mother.
Is it true that I can only choose one of them?
H
"And this is a G," I say, pointing to the last of the runes. "Got it?"
"Sorta," he says, his face borrowed in concentration.
"What do you mean, 'sorta'?" I ask, chuckling. "I'm going to write a few words and I want you to read them, alright?"
"Mm," he says. Sena is, unfortunately, not a fast learner, but he's getting there. They say that learning comes easier when you're younger.
I hear the crunch of trampled leaves as Toothless enters the area.
"Toothless!" I say, getting up and greeting him.
Hiccup, he says, not looking at me in the eyes. We need to talk.
"Can it wait?" I ask, writing down a few words for Sena, who watches us curiously.
Toothless shakes his head. I need to talk… now.
I nod. "Here, Sena," I say, handing over the notebook. "Try and read those, alright?"
"OK," he says, looking at the words tentatively. I look towards Toothless.
"What is it, buddy?" I ask, walking up to him and leaving Sena by the fire.
I've… I've been thinking for a while, Toothless says determinedly. Maybe the reason that I can't find mother is-
"Are you kidding, Toothless?" I ask, grinning. "We haven't even gone anywhere yet."
He paws the ground nervously.
My mother might be with me all this time, he says, staring at the ground. But she hasn't met us… because…
"Because what, Toothless?" I ask, wondering what kind of theory this is. Dragons are huge, so we would've seen another Night Fury easily… especially if she's tailing Toothless.
Because… she might not like humans. She might not like… you.
My brain goes into overdrive with shock. My mind ceases to function properly, but I manage to let out a few words of confusion:
"She might not like me?" I ask, stuttering at every syllable.
Think of it. You're riding me, on top of me, and to other dragons, it makes me look like a pet-
"But you're not a freaking pet!" I yell, shaking in anger. "What kind of nutjob would see me and you as human and owner? Even Sena can see that we're best friends, Toothless!"
Many viewers don't have the luxury of being explained to, Toothless snaps, his tone rising.
"So? Does it matter that much?" I ask, stomping the ground in anger.
This dragon is my mother in question, he says calmly. How can he still be calm after all this?!
"So, you're asking me that-"
I want you to stay away from me, for a while, Toothless says, Just for long enough so that my mother may appear.
"You don't care about me anymore, do you?" I ask, my temper rising.
I do, but- mother. Isn't that why we're out here, Hiccup?
"You want me out. You care about her more than you care about me."
Yes, but not like that-
His voice is fixed on one, and only one thought; getting me out of the way. For his mother.
For a mother who was never there for him.
For a mother who left her son to the wilderness.
Shaking in anger, I make forcibly make eye contact with Toothless as he looks up.
"Tell your mother to go to hell, Toothless."
H
Crash.
The sound of two mental connections shattering into fragments as Toothless stares at me, eyes wide and watery. I have no care for him. He doesn't want me by his side anymore, despite me being do my whole goddamn life.
Toothless turns around and runs into the woods, crashing into trees as he goes.
I stand there, processing what I just done.
I stand there, thinking about what I just said.
I stand there, and all of a sudden, I realize what happened.
I swore at Toothless. I cursed his mother. I hurt him.
No.
No.
Toothless.
I stare at the woods, my eyes searching frantically for any signs of the Night Fury, my heart sinking, shattering, plummeting to the very depths of hell itself as I understand the magnitude of my errors.
No.
No.
What did I… no…
Toothless…
Don't… leave me, Toothless…
No.
I can't… I can't move. I'm too scared to do anything now.
I can't… I can't.
No.
Toothless…
I don't even know what to do. I slump to my knees, my head throbbing painfully in shock.
Toothless… What…
I'm…
T
I run through the woods as fast as I can, not bothering to ever look back, not when there is nothing else to look back to now. I feel no more inner flame, for even that has left me.
Hiccup told my mother to go to hell. He doesn't care about me anymore.
He told me that I didn't care about him anymore. That's not true.
I still care about him with all my heart. But… he doesn't. He cursed at me.
Hiccup… I'm sorry…
You must hate me now.
I can't let you see me again. You'll hate me even more. I'll cause you even more pain and trouble.
It would be better if he doesn't ever see me again, from now on.
I head straight towards the cliff.
I'm going to find you, mother.
S
Gronkles. Large and heavy. Known for their fireballs and flame. Caring and quite light hearted.
Monstrous Nightmares. Immense in size. Breathes huge amounts of fire at a time. Cocky, impulsive, and resistant to oppression.
Nadder. Spiked tails are dangerous. Colourful. Vain, but rather peaceful if not provoked.
Zippleback. Two heads the combine wits for deadly fire. Smart, but bickerish.
Night Fury. Fastest and smartest dragon known. Protective, loyal, and very caring of one.
These thoughts come into my mind as I rush towards Hiccup in his crouched down spot, exactly at the same place where he had been for over several minutes. I thought it was just a friendly conversation… what has it become now?
"Hiccup!" I call, not getting an answer back. "Hiccup!"
"Hiccup!" I say, sitting next to him. "Hiccup!"
Niison's eyes look at me once, but quickly turn away and continue to stare at the ground.
"Hiccup, speak to me!" I yell, shaking his arm. "Hiccup, what's wrong?!"
With immense difficulty, he speaks up. His voice is jagged and massively low.
"I yelled at him."
"Toothless?" I ask, looking around for the big dragon.
"Yes."
Protective, loyal, and very caring of one.
If this bond between human and dragon is lost… what happens to the care?
No.
"Hiccup, get up," I say, nudging his arm urgently. "We have to go."
"Go where? Toothless hates me now," he says. "There's no other place to go."
"He doesn't! Hiccup, listen to me!"
Hiccup's eyes peel away from the ground and turn to face me. Instantly, I'm shocked by the amount of tears there are, but I shove that thought out of my mind.
"Toothless still loves you, Hiccup. Get up. We've got to find him."
"How… do you know?" he asks, his words disjointed.
"Because he'd never be with you if he didn't! C'mon!"
Hiccup gives me a look of confusion, but agrees to stand up.
"There," he says, his face regaining determination but by bit. "He… went that way."
"Let's go, then," I say.
With Hiccup leading the trail, I follow close nearby.
Fastest dragon known.
If we're not quick, Toothless will be long gone.
But where, I don't know.
T
I'm standing in front of the cliff. This is it.
I can leave them all and never hurt them again. My stupidity will never again cause them harm, because they'll never get the chance to experience it.
I study the cliff carefully. Below lies nothing but water. Above holds nothing but stars.
The stars that I wished upon are gone. Only that appears are endless clouds, preparing for a storm.
I have to leave now. I can't stay here… I have to find mother. I'll be back for you, Hiccup, maybe.
But if you hate me, then there is no reason more me to stay no more. I'll only be a burden to you.
Spreading out my wings, I prepare for flight.
Goodbye, I say. I'm sorry I failed to protect you all.
With the last of tears wiped away, I jump, flapping my wings as I fly through the air…
...and spin around uncontrollably.
No! I yell, my body suddenly snapping back to its senses. The tailfin!
I can't fly without Hiccup!
No!
The wind picks up in ferocity as I helplessly spiral down towards the water with immense speed. My wings are nothing as I uselessly flap them, my flight aimed towards the world below as I realize my stupidest mistake yet.
I have to protect Hiccup. I can't die on them now.
But it's too late.
I close my eyes as my body plunges toward the ground.
Mother.
No.
Hiccup.
Hiccup.
"TOOTHLESS!"
T
...Huh?
As my body falls towards the water below, I feel something soft land on my back. Instantly after, I feel the tailfin open again, allowing me to regain my flight once again. I flap my wings furiously, forcing my body to become upright as I miss the water by inches. My body dashes above the surface of the water, creating ripples of sonic burst and a massive wave in my wake.
I slow down, turning around and heading back for the island. That's when I take time to recognize what caused the tailfin to open suddenly.
Hiccup.
He's on my back, his face full of determination and guilt. I can sense his inner flame now, trying hard not to connect to mine. He doesn't want to talk to me. And yet, he saved my life.
Hiccup… thank you.
We head back towards land, where Sena is beaming at us two. As soon we land, he disappears into the woods.
Hiccup slides off my back slowly, his breathing hard and hitched.
We stand there in silence, watching each other as we look into each others' eyes.
"Toothless," Hiccup begins, his voice shaking. "I want you to listen to every word I say, and I don't want to be interrupted. Is that OK?"
I nod.
"What I said back there wasn't true. I was angry at you because I thought that you didn't care about me any more," he says, looking into my eyes.
"I didn't know that you would take it so far. I'm… I'm…
"I'm sorry, Toothless."
I look at him in silence, just like he asked for.
"I don't know where your mother is, but if she doesn't like me, I want you to know that I'm fine by that," he says. "You're right. This is why we're on this journey, to find your mother. Everything else is considered below that."
No, Mikata. You are, I say, but I know he can't hear me. Yet, I continue, hoping that my returned stare will open his thoughts up to mine again. Mother is mother. there is no one who can replace her, but there is no one who can replace you, either. If you are gone, I won't be able to do anything, less even find my mother. I want you to know, Hiccup, that if my mother is really behind my back just because of you, let her be. If she can't accept you, then I won't accept her. No real mother wouldn't tolerate her son's thoughts.
"And… Toothless?" he asks, his voice definitely close to tears. Something tells me that he heard all of that, but if he did, he isn't showing.
Yes? I ask, his inner flame open once more.
"If it's too much to ask for… can you…"
I don't even need to wait for him to finish his sentence. I walk up to him, cooing softly, and let him place his arms around my neck, pulling me into a soft embrace of two rebonded trusts, care, and love.
"Thank you," he whispers.
I won't ever leave you again, I say, my wings opening protectively as the cold rain finally begins to fall down.
Because of all the things that I can ask for, I choose the ones that I have first.
And I'm never going to let go of them.
S
I watch from the distance as human and dragon hug each other softly, their tears mixing together and with that, understanding. It is impossible for these two to ever break, for the longest bend possible has been now, and even now, Hiccup still managed to do the impossible, by jumping down the cliff to save Toothless. And Toothless, of all odds, forgave Hiccup. Because people are as powerful as they feel like they are, and with these feelings mixing together in unison, anything and everything is possible, as long as we have the flower known as love.
Perfect, straight, platonic love.
Below me, Toothless is licking Hiccup's head happily. Hiccup smiles, his happiness inbound once again, and before I head back to the fire, I catch a few snippets Hiccup's words as he pulls away from Toothless:
"...You really forgive me, then?... wow.
"I didn't mean to! Seriously!
"So… about the Isle… Sena told me earlier…
"Huh? You want to just stay… like this?
"Overprotective dragon."
I grin.
I really need to find a dragon friend soon.
I'm so sorry! I feel kinda unhappy with this chapter, because it doesn't advance the plot at all, and the main themes themselves are barely touched (because I just feel so exhausted . I assure you that next chapter will bring forward the plot immensely!