Sorry I haven't updated in a while – a skating composition got in the way AND on Sunday, I'm going to LA for vacation. So, no updates next week and a big one today.
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DISSOLVE TO:
INT. GREAT HALL – NIGHT
A storm is brewing outside.
Rain falls over the great doors of the hall as Hiccup enters, drenched.
"How long were you out?" Astrid asked curious.
"Well, I left for the cove after training, so about…six or seven hours?" Hiccup replied. Stoick turned a violent shade of red and grabbed Gobber.
"I said to watch him, GOBBER. How do you lose track of him?" he asked. Gobber just shook his head.
GOBBER (O.S.)
Alright. Where did Astrid go wrong in the ring today?
"Oh boy, here we go again," Ruffnut sighed.
The recruits are seated at a table, eating dinner by the glow of the fire pit.
ASTRID
I mistimed my summersault dive. It was sloppy. It threw off my reverse tumble.
Eye rolls from the group.
RUFFNUT
(SARCASTIC)
Yeah. We noticed.
Astrid stared – they didn't think that was a problem?
SNOTLOUT
No, no, you were great. That was so 'Astrid'.
Of course, the one person who does, I don't care about. Astrid thought. Meanwhile, Snotlout stared at her. What's she doing with Fishbone? What's he got that I don't?
GOBBER
She's right, you have to be tough on yourselves.
Gobber glances at Hiccup.
GOBBER (CONT'D)
(to Hiccup)
Where did Hiccup go wrong?
Stoick leaned forward. What would the other trainees say about his son?
He grabs a plate and tries to take a seat at the table...
RUFFNUT
He showed up.
TUFFNUT
He didn't get eaten.
... but Snotlout keep closing the gaps. Rolling his eyes,
Hiccup grabs a mug and sits at the vacant table next to them.
Stoick stared, slack jawed, before turning around and glaring at the teens. They shrank in their seats.
ASTRID
He's never where he should be.
"Sorry about that," Astrid whispered to Hiccup.
"It's ok. You had a point." He replied. Astrid looked puzzled, but he continued, "I'm never needed in the village so I'm not there. But I am with Toothless, which is where I should be."
Astrid smiled at him and the Nadder next to her nudged her arm. "I'm guessing you're where you should be now too." Astrid smiled and began to run her hands down the Nadders' scales.
GOBBER
Thank you, Astrid.
Gobber stands.
GOBBER (CONT'D)
You need to live and breathe this stuff.
Gobber lays a giant book in the center of the table.
GOBBER (CONT'D)
The dragon manual. Everything we know about every dragon we know of.
Well, almost every dragon, Gobber thought, sneaking a glimpse at the fabled Night Fury.
A RUMBLE of thunder shakes the hall. Rain pours down outside.
GOBBER (CONT'D)
No attacks tonight. Study up.
Gobber EXITS into the storm, leaving the teens staring at the book.
"Really, Gobber? You thought they would have read it with a free evening staring them in the face?" Hiccup asked. Gobber sank into his seat.
TUFFNUT
(you've got to be kidding)
Wait, you mean read?
RUFFNUT
While we're still alive?
"No, when you're dead." Hiccup deadpanned
SNOTLOUT
Why read words when you can just kill the stuff the words tell you stuff about?
Hiccup just sighed.
FISHLEGS
Oh! I've read it like, seven times.
There's this water dragon that sprays boiling water at your face.
And there's this other one that buries itself for like a week...
The teens stare as Fishlegs goes on too long.
TUFFNUT
Yeah, that sounds great. There was a chance I was going to read that...
RUFFNUT
...but now...
Snotlout gets up to go.
SNOTLOUT
You guys read, I'll go kill stuff.
"Yeah! Why read anyway?" Snotlout asked. Vesper sighed but Hiccup said,
"To have more than 2 working brain cells."
Laughter burst out while Snotlout turned red.
The others follow, with Fishlegs in tow.
FISHLEGS
Oh and there's this other one that has these spines that look like trees...
Astrid is the last to go.
HICCUP
So I guess we'll share-
ASTRID
Read it.
She pushes it toward him and leaves.
HICCUP
All mine then. Wow, so okay. I'll SEE YOU—
Slam.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Tomorrow.
SIGH.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. GREAT HALL - LATE NIGHT
ON HICCUP
Thunder BOOMS outside. The hall is vacant and dark, but for the few candles he's pulled together. Hiccup opens the book and begins to read.
Everyone stared. Shouldn't he be home?
HICCUP (V.O.)
Dragon classifications. Strike
class. Fear class. Mystery class.
Hiccup turns the page.
HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Thunderdrum. This reclusive dragon inhabits sea caves and dark tide pools.
(MORE)
HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Hiccup's eyes drift to lurid illustrations of decapitated Vikings.
When startled, the Thunderdrum produces a concussive sound that
can kill a man at close range. Extremely dangerous. Kill on sight.
Another page, another dragon.
HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Timberjack. This gigantic creature has razor sharp wings that can slice through full grown
trees...extremely dangerous. Kill on sight.
HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Scauldron. Sprays scalding water at its victim. Extremely dangerous.
The storm outside rages against the shuttered windows.
Everyone jumped in their seats, except for Hiccup who just stared at the screen.
Hiccup is startled, but presses on.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Changewing. Even newly hatched dragons can spray acid. Kill on sight.
He begins flipping through the pages. A blur of dragons...
Gobber stared. Hiccup was looked for something….
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Gronckle. Zippleback. The Skrill. Bone Knapper. Whispering Death.
Burns its victims. Buries its victims. Chokes its victims. Turns its victims inside-out.
Extremely dangerous. Extremely dangerous.
Kill on sight. Kill on sight. Kill on sight...
Hiccup finally lands upon the page he's been looking for.
HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Night Fury.
It's BLANK - no image, save for a few, sparse details.
Toothless sighed. No knowledge on me. Good.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Speed unknown. Size unknown. The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself.
A few brave kids turned around to stare at Toothless. He didn't look THAT scary.
(MORE)
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Never engage this dragon. Your only
chance, hide and pray it does not find you.
Hiccup pulls his sketchbook out of his vest and opens it to
his drawing of Toothless. He lays it over the book's blank page and considers it.
The kids stared while their parents pondered. Finally, one brave girl got out of her seat and began to ascend the steps. Hiccup saw her and got out of his seat, Toothless in tow. They stopped in front of her. Hiccup nudged Toothless who approached the little girl. He sniffed her and gave her a smile. She smiled back. Hiccup then approached the girl, took her hand and placed it on Toothless's snout.
The girl stared at the once scary dragon, now calm. She removed her hand and yelled, "Come on! They're nice!" Amidst the cries of parents now glued to their seats, the children ran up to the top levels and sat in the seats there.
In their booth, Shilo and Vesper smiled.
CLOSE ON the drawing of Toothless...
MATCH CUT TO:
EXT. HIGH SEAS - DAWN
A painted DRAGON, with a sword run through it. It's the billowing sail of Stoick's ship.
Stoick hovers over the familiar nautical map - his eyes on
the uncharted corner, swirling in mist and illustrations of dragons.
STOICK
I can almost smell them. They're close. Steady.
Stoick raises his gaze to...
AN EPIC FOG BANK, towering from sky to sea like a bruised,
daunting curtain, beyond which nothing is visible. The three
ships drift alongside it, skirting its solid edge, looking for an opening.
The dragons – now curled up next to the kids – prayed the humans wouldn't be hurt.
ON DECK the crewmen mill nervously, all too aware of what Stoick is considering.
STOICK (CONT'D)
Take us in.
The helmsman steers Stoick's ship into the fog.
VIKING
Hard to port... for Helheim's gate.
The ships disappear into the whiteout.
A BEAT
Suddenly a flash of light. A silhouette of a dragon. Hollers.
Shudders on both ends.
EXT. TRAINING GROUNDS - RING - DAY
CLOSE ON Hiccup welding a new shield and an axe TALKING TO GOBBER OFF-SCRENE.
HICCUP
You know, I just happened to notice
the book had nothing on Night Furies.
Is there another book? Or a sequel? Maybe a little Night Fury pamphlet?
So, THAT'S why he was asking those questions, Gobber thought.
KABLAM! A blast takes the axe head off of Hiccup's hilt,
leaving a smoking hole behind him. Hiccup YELPS and RUNS.
GOBBER (O.S.)
FOCUS Hiccup! You're not even trying.
CUT BACK to reveal a Deadly Nadder, loose in a maze-like
arrangement of moveable walls. Gobber calls orders from
above.
GOBBER (CONT'D)
Today... is all about attack.
"When is it not?" Tuffnut asked.
The Nadder hops from wall to wall, sending the recruits scurrying.
GOBBER (CONT'D)
Nadders are quick and light on their feet.
Your job is to be quicker and lighter.
The teens move in, stumbling over Hiccup and his unwieldy shield.
The Nadder spots Fishlegs' ample rear hiding behind a wall. It whips its tail of spikes. Fishlegs SCREAMS and lifts his shield to shield himself from the spray.
FISHLEGS
I'm really beginning to question your teaching methods.
"So am I." Stoick said. The teens needed to learn how to fight dragons, not almost DIE in the process!
GOBBER
Look for its blind spot. Every dragon has one. Find it, hide in it, and strike.
Ruff and Tuff rush in, diving and rolling up to the Nadder's nose.
The Nadder sniffs the air - it can't see them.
Tuff and Ruff are smashed together - too close for comfort.
RUFFNUT
(WHISPERED)
Do you ever bathe?
"Not for weeks." Tuffnut replied amidst groans from every female in Berk and a few males.
TUFFNUT
If you don't like it, then just get your own blind spot.
RUFFNUT
How about I give you one!
Ruff and Tuff SHOVE each other, till their movement and noise
gives them away. The Nadder ATTACKS, SNAPPING at both of them.
GOBBER
Blind spot? Yes. Deaf spot? Not so much.
Laughter.
Hiccup wanders up to Gobber, while the others dart past.
HICCUP
Hey, so how would one sneak up on a Night Fury?
Stoick was starting to lose his patience with his son. Why wasn't he focusing?!
GOBBER
None one's ever met one and lived to tell the tale. Now get in there.
HICCUP
I know, I know, but hypothetically...
ASTRID
(WHISPERED)
Hiccup!
She puts her finger to her lips and gestures for him to hide.
Astrid somersaults to the next wall, followed by Snotlout and Hiccup, who doesn't make it. He runs away. The Nadder moves up and over to Astrid and Snotlout. She rears back to strike - just as Snotlout LEAPS IN, protectively SWEEPING Astrid behind him.
"Why Snotlout, Why?" Vesper asked. "You know she's a better fighter than you."
"I'm protecting her, like a man should." He replied. Vesper sighed and replied,
"I think HICCUP could protect her better than you could." Snotlout's ego deflated as the little ones laughed at him. And to make things worse, a Terror set his clothes on fire.
SNOTLOUT
Watch out babe. I'll take care of this.
ASTRID
Hey!
Snotlout MISSES. Astrid glares at him.
SNOTLOUT
(DEFENSIVE)
The sun was in my eyes, Astrid.
"No excuse," Shilo said.
What do you want me to do, block out the sun?
I could do that, but I don't have time right now!
"What are you, Odin?" Vesper asked. Snotlout was at the end of his rope with those two.
The Nadder tears off after her, knocking down walls in
pursuit. She leaps and dives like a highly trained gymnast.
Hiccup wanders up to Gobber again.
HICCUP
They probably take the daytime off.
You know, like a cat. Has anyone ever seen one napping?
Stoick was also at the end of his rope. Why wasn't Hiccup CARING?!
GOBBER
Hiccup!
ASTRID
-Hiccup!
Hiccup spins around to see the maze walls collapsing like dominos toward him. Astrid comes flying through the dust and crash-lands on top of him, laying him out in a limb-tangled mess.
Astrid went blood-red while Hiccup hid his head in his hands.
TUFFNUT
Oooh! Love on the battlefield!
RUFFNUT
She could do better.
"With who?" Vesper asked. "Certainly not you or Snotlout."
The Nadder closes in, emerging through the cloud of dust.
HICCUP
(struggling to untangle her AXE from his SHIELD)
Just... let me... why don't you...
The Nadder spins around and races back toward them like a Raptor.
Astrid untangles herself and tries to pull her axe from
Hiccup's shield... which is attached to his limp, gangly arm.
She PLANTS her foot on his head and YANKS the axe free, still burrowed into the shield.
"Sorry for that," Astrid said. Hiccup just waved it off, "It's ok. Worse has happened."
She felt even worse.
She SPINS and SWINGS the axe and shield, scoring a DIRECT HIT
on the oncoming Nadder's NOSE. It yelps and scurries off.
GOBBER
Well done, Astrid.
Gobber hobbles off to wrestle the Nadder back into his cave.
Hiccup gets to his feet - all eyes are upon him.
He turns to find Astrid glaring at him, winded.
Oh yes, Snotlout thought, a smirk on his face.
ASTRID
Is this some kind of a joke to you? Our parents' war is about to become ours.
Figure out which side you're on.
She grabs her axe and stomps off. Hiccup watches, stung.
The village looked confused. Dragons were the enemy. That was easy, so why was Hiccup confused?
Vesper smiled; her favorite scene was next.
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I'm a cock tease aren't I? Don't worry; the best scene so far will be coming in the next two weeks!
If you liked it, leave a review. I really want to hear your thoughts. I'll post the next chapter the week after next.
See you next chapter!
Ta, Lovelies!