A.N. Sorry that this chapter took so long. On to the story! Please read and review.
"And I saw th' look on its face. I was delicious," Gobber monologue with a roast chicken on his prosthetic. " 'e must have spread th' word, because it wasn't a month before anothe' one took my leg." He gestured to his peg leg.
"Wouldn't it be weird if you could control your hand that was inside the dragon still? Like then you could kill it by crushing it's heart or something," Fishless commented with some action from his chicken legs waving about.
"I swear, I'm so angry right now!" Snotlout said with his usual stupidity. "I'll chop of the legs of every dragon I fight! With my face!" Hiccup rolled his eyes and used his sting rune from inside his pocket. Snotlout shrieked and rubbed his arm where he had felt the pain. "Stupid bees!"
"Mmm, mmm, mmm. No, it's the wings and the tails ye want. If if can't fly," Hiccup looked up to Gobber's words. "It can't get away." He tore off a wing from his chicken. "Alright, tha's enough stories for tonight. Tomorrow, we get to the big boys. Slowly but surely making our way to the monstrous nightmare." Hiccup thought hard as he toned out the other teen's chatter. He quickly and quietly set down his gently roasted fish and walked quickly down to the forge. He cleared away all his projects and weapons and placed his journal on the desk. He pulled out a tanned piece of leather and began to sew it. He forged bars of iron and pulled out bolts and measured counterweights. He referred back to his book that was filled with schematics and designs. Finally, he finished the fin, and he slapped it closed. He had a place to be and amends to make.
Hiccup walked into the cove with a basket of fish that he had stolen. He had pulled one from the back so as to not be noticed. Hopefully this wouldn't take too long.
"Hey," Hiccup said. "I brought breakfast. Some icelandic cod, arctic salmon, and a whole smoked eel." The dragon drew back and snarled at the eel. Hiccup picked it up and the dragon lurched away with a shriek. "No! No it's okay! I'll just get rid of it!" He threw it away and reached back out towards the dragon. It sneezed and Hiccup wiped his hands on his vest. "Yeah I don't like eels either."
The dragon turned back to his breakfast and Hiccup walked quietly back towards the tail. "I'll just be over here," he said to himself as he sat down near the tail with the artificial fin. He opened the clasps and the tail moved. "No, it's okay," he said quietly. He tried to align the fin with the artificial and strap it on, but the dragon kept moving while looking for fish. Finally the tail was strapped on, and Hiccup looked at it critically. It was pretty good, and would work most likely. He mentally took note of some possible problems and compared the two fins in his mind.
Suddenly the dragon lurched forward and Hiccup shouted in surprise as the dragon took off with him holding onto the tail. He looked at the fin and saw it was closed. The dragon began to fall and Hiccup desperately wrenched it open. The dragon immediately took flight and rose in the air. "Oh my…! It's working!" Hiccup shouted. The dragon gave a sharp turn and Hiccup flew off before hitting the water. Hiccup was ecstatic, giving a shout of joy. The dragon crashed into the water and Hiccup quickly swam to the shore. Hiccup gave a short dance of joy and raced over to the dragon. Without thinking, he gave the dragon a hug around the neck before racing off completely oblivious to the dragon's glare of confusion and indignation.
Hiccup raced into the house, ecstatic about this new development. This could work. He could make that dragon fly again. The sun was going down, but Hiccup was wide awake. A thudding came from the door, and Hiccup opened it to reveal Astrid with her axe at her side. Hiccup's good mood almost immediately evaporated and was replaced by a feeling of apprehension.
"Astrid," Hiccup said with surprise and dread. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here," Astrid said calmly. "Because I want some explanations. You've been disappearing into the woods, and twice now, you've lifted incredibly heavy objects. Both times, you had a glowing thing on your wrist." She lifted her axe and fingered the blade. "So start talking. What's going on?"
"Well," Hiccup sighed as he desperately sought for a reason. Finally he decided to use a partial truth. "I've been working out. For a long time." Hiccup said finally.
"Really," Astrid drawled. "In the woods without telling anyone?"
"Yes," Hiccup said with finality.
"Sure you did," Astrid answered. "That's why you're still scrawny and short?" Hiccup hesitated before carefully pulling off his shirt and making sure that the rune band was still inside the shirt. Hiccup heard an intake of breath from Astrid as he revealed the muscles that he had been hiding. They weren't overly large, but were slightly more than just toned. Astrid's face was turning red and Hiccup wasted no more time in pulling his shirt back on and slipping the band back over his wrist.
"Does that prove it?" Hiccup drawled.
"Why would you hide that?" Astrid asked.
"Because I don't want people to like me because I'm like them or because of what they see. I want people to like me for being me." Hiccup explained. "But you'll probably tell everyone and the secret would be out." Astrid shook her head and Hiccup looked up. "What, you're not going to tell?"
"No," Astrid finally answered. "I may not understand your reasoning, but I will keep your secret." Astrid picked up her axe and left without a word, carefully shutting the door behind her. Hiccup breathed out in relief as she left and carefully snuck a look out the window to see her walking away. Things were getting harder and harder. Hiccup would need to reveal his secret, or give up everything he had worked for.
"Now," Gobber said. "A wet dragon head can't light it's fire. So the Zippleback is extra tricky. One head breathes gas, th' other one lights it." Hiccup stared into the green fog that was billowing around them. It wasn't good to breath it in for too long, but it would be fine for ten to twenty minutes.
"Prefers ambush attack with venom for predigestion…" Hiccup's partner Fishlegs rambled.
"Will you stop that?!" Hiccup hissed in annoyance. The only way to find the dragon was by hearing, and he couldn't very well do that with the other boy's rambling. He heard talking from Snotlout and mentally groaned. He stealthily aimed his sting rune towards Snotlout's voice and released a burst of energy. He was rewarded by a yelp, and a few snickers from whom he could assume to be Tuffnut. The chattering had ceased and Hiccup desperately listened for the dragon.
"There!" Hiccup heard Snotlout yell. This was followed by two splashes, and a shouts of surprise from Astrid and Ruffnut as they were splashed. Hiccup tried to ignore them and vaguely heard Snotlout's feeble attempt to pick up on Astrid. Hiccup's attention was diverted when he heard the smacks from the females to the males. This was followed by Tuffnut screaming and then running past them crying about how he was "Very much hurt".
"Chances of survival dwindling into single digits now," Fishlegs whimpered while Hiccup rolled his eyes. Hiccup turned back towards the sound of Astrid's shout of surprise and then the sound of a body hitting the floor.
"Where are you?" Hiccup wondered aloud. A head snaked out of the fog, with eyes like vertical slits. It slithered towards Fishlegs and he panicked. He scrambled away and then dumped his bucket of water on the head. The Zippleback head gurgled and hissed as gas leaked out of it's mouth.
"Oh," FIshlegs said. "Wrong head." The dragon let out a blast of gas and Fishlegs ran in terror screaming like a little girl. The other head popped out of the fog and began to make sparks while looming over Hiccup. Hiccup went to throw the bucket of water, and tripped over the discarded bucket that one of the other teens had dropped.
"Ah, c'mon," Hiccup drawled. The two heads slunk down and hissed at him. They snapped at him and then stopped. They began to screech and back away. Hiccup tentatively stood up and took a step towards them. They backed up, and Hiccup managed to herd them back into their cage. "Now think of what you've done." Hiccup said, unable to keep himself from one last jibe. He stealthily picked up the eel that he had hidden under his vest, and tossed it into the cage. He'd pull it out later, but it had been a last resort. He pushed the gates shut and turned to see everyone staring at him. "Is that it? Are we done?" No answer. "Welp I'm gonna go… yup, see ya." He called as he walked out.
Hiccup stitched leather with concentration. It was late, and no one was up. He had been working for hours and had already gone back to the arena to remove the eel. He had spent time building straps and creating a harness that could stretch over the dragon, which he had begun to call "Toothless". Hiccup didn't think that Toothless liked the name, but until Hiccup could use the translation runes, he wouldn't be able to get the dragon's real name. He carefully measured and crafted until early morning. He was the only one awake, and had used an alertness booster to bypass the need for sleep. Carefully he ran through the village avoiding all the early risers. Most Vikings would wake up only if something exploded with a few exceptions. If they had been drinking, it would take even longer for them to wake up. Because of this, Hiccup found no trouble in getting out to the cove.
Hiccup raised the saddle in pride. Toothless crouched and then bolted. Hiccup quickly gave chase and the game of tag began. Hiccup raced around with the saddle in hand after Toothless while the dragon easily evaded him. Hiccup was unable to make the sharp turns and was always chasing fruitlessly before the infuriating dragon would suddenly change directions and go the other way. Finally, Toothless stopped and allowed Hiccup to place the saddle on. Hiccup hesitated and reached into his vest to pull out a small jar of red ink. He opened it and dabbed his fingers into the jar. Hiccup hesitantly reached out with his fingers towards the dragon and Toothless drew back. Hiccup stopped and carefully drew the rune of understanding on his head. He reached back out and this time, Toothless allowed the ink to touch. Hiccup drew the rune and pushed energy into it. He felt the rune on his forehead grow warm and was greeted by a huge wave of consciousness. He gasped and stumbled back. The stream of thought faded and Hiccup straightened to look at the dragon before him that had it's head tilted in confusion.
"Are you alright?" Hiccup heard a female voice in his head. He had heard growling with his ears, but had understood.
"I can understand you!" Hiccup cried out. "It worked!"
"What worked?" The voice asked. "Is this understanding the purpose of marking yourself and I with that foul substance?"
Hiccup turned towards the dragon. "Wait. Are you a girl?" He asked. The dragon nodded. "Do you have a name?" Hiccup asked her.
"Names are powerful things." Hiccup heard her speak. "A dragon's name is only known by their closest friends and family. You may not know my name."
"Well I need to call you something," Hiccup replied. "I was calling you Toothless before, but I don't know if you still want me to call you that or if you have a different preference."
"Call me what you wish," She answered. "I don't care that much. Just be wary of what you use. Names hold power."
"I'll tell you my name then as a proof of trust," Hiccup said. "My name is Hiccup."
"No," Toothless replied with a shake of her head. "That is what you are called. That is not your name."
"What's the difference?" Hiccup asked.
"A name is the culmination of your being. Those that weave spells can use them to command others or simply weave them into a spell or vise versa." She explained. "Humans usually do not ever learn their real name. All creatures have a name however and they can be used. For this reason I will not give you my name, and I don't expect you to give me yours, even if you knew it."
"Okay," Hiccup conceded. "At least I can talk to you. But how do you like the harness? Is it too tight or loose? Does it fit?" She nodded. "Okay. The reason I made this is to help you fly again. It's my fault that you can't fly, so I'm going to fix it."
"What is this for?" Toothless asked.
"Well," Hiccup said. "Until I can find a good way to connect the fin up here I'll need to be able to fly with you to help control the fin."
"So you want to ride me. Like a horse." Toothless snarled.
"No," Hiccup said hurriedly. "You'll still be in control, I'll just be helping with the fin. I don't know how to work with it yet, so…" Toothless huffed and turned.
"Then get on. I want this over as soon as possible."
A.N. All right. If you don't like a female Toothless, then leave. It's happening. Deal with it. I also felt like Astrid would be a little more accepting to Hiccup. Please review and come back to the next chapter.