Thank you soooo very much for all of your reviews! All of them are special to me!
And thanks to all the Guest reviewers, even though I can't really answer all of you properly, since it's hard to identify all of you, anyway, I love your reviews! :D
And now, the answers:
Katurdi: Yeah, Hiccstrid is sooo cute! Thanks for your review and I hope you'll enjoy this chap, too!
Guest (the one with long reviews): Thank you so much for reviewing three chaps on a roll! (Or at least I think it was one person because they were reviewed one after the other).
About chap 5, that re-imaging was really important and I was hoping it'd be good enough, and you know a curiosity, I had a friend that read it before and she told me that the moment Hiccup found the journal was more intense than the "bonding" part, so I had to re-write it, and I'm glad she pointed that out, because I liked it better now.
About chap 6, thanks so much for noticing that, you know, while I was writing it, I paid a lot of attention to all the characters so I good picture them properly, so I'm glad so many people notices that and tell me that, it makes my work even more rewarding!
And lastly, for chap 7… I really didn't think anyone would notice that Hookfang thing! And I do believe Hookfang respects Hiccup more, or at least a lot. NOt only because he messes with Snotlout, that's kinda normal for them, it doesn't mean he dislikes Snotlout, but he acts different towards Hiccup. And there are two scenes that caught my attention the most in this topic, once (in RTTE) that Hiccup got some gel from Hookfang's chin with a knife and the dragon didn't even flinch as if it was something normal, so confident he was on the boy and the "Christmas Special", when Hiccup pointed out he had to go back home and Hookfang was almost like "Here, me! chose me! I can take you!". Okay, maybe he was that excited, but he was the first to volunteer and it only took him half a second to do so. (Oh, and BTW, the comparison with the chef, loved it! I'm flattered!) :D
ManaketeSmoocher: It's rare for someone to like a fic that they don't really chip the couple, so telling me you like it anyway means a lot to me! Thanks! And now I'm curious, why don't you like Hiccstrid?
Made for More: Oh, thank you so much! Keeping the characters in character is really important to me, so I'm happy to be able to do this well! And I hope you like my other HTTYD stories, too! :D
CdnChrgr: Thanks for the tips in your review, I revised those points and I hope the chap is better now. And thanks for telling me not to stress about editing, I do try not to leave the chaps too messy, but mistakes happen… Anyway, thanks for the help and the sweet compliments! They were awesome! :D
SailorMew4: Thanks so much for reviewing! Enjoy the new chap! :D
Threni: Thanks! I actually thought about cutting out that part because I didn't know if it was too… I don't know, weird, maybe? But I thought it was sooo cute. And, well, it was probably natural for Hiccup to call Toothless 'Bud', but I think it'd take him a while, since I think he'd name him first…
Thearizona: I'm glad you're back! Stoick will arrive soon, and I'm hoping you'll all find this moment very funny! And I hope you won't have down times like these anymore, I'm going through one right now and it's awful… (Not with this fic, with another project, so don't worry with updates here).
Lilydarrens: Thanks for reviewing two chaps in a roll! Hiccup is slowly getting his memories back and he's figuring out his relationship with Astrid, if he'll find out by himself, well, you'll have to read to find out, but he is quite smart, maybe he will…
Sorry if I talk too much, but I really enjoy answering your reviews, it makes me really happy! Thanks to everyone who reviewed and asked for more chaps!
Now, without further ado, chap 8!
How to Deal With Amnesia
Chapter 8: The Better Viking
"And that was how you brought our dragons back for Snoggletog." Astrid finished yet another story that to Hiccup sounded both surreal and amazing. He was still deciding what was most unbelievable in this last story, Berk full of dragons or people relying on him and asking him what was going on.
"Wow… But, what about Toothless? He wasn't there with the others."
"Oh, he had something else to do, but he wouldn't leave you. We were at the Great Hall when he returned, and you ran to him, hugging the dragon before scolding him for worrying you to death. He probably missed you as much as you did. Maybe that's why he chose to go back to his old tailfin prosthetic that you had to control, because he wanted to be with you."
"He… chose that?" Hiccup asked astonished, stopping for a moment.
They spent the whole morning walking around, and he was making improvements in walking with the prosthetic; he still leaned on Toothless, but limped less than before. He was determined to walk properly again.
"It seems like it, because he torn apart that automatic tailfin and motioned the old one."
"Wow…" He caressed the dragon's black scales, he just purred in delight. "I'm sorry, Bud, you must miss me a lot, don't you? I mean, my eighteen-year-old self…"
"No need to ask for forgiveness, Hiccup. It was definitely not your fault. If you want to blame someone, blame Snotlout and the twins… Speaking of them…" She mumbled the last part as they saw a Zippleback flying towards them and lending right in front of the three. The twins jumped to the floor.
"We came up with a solution for our beloved leader's memory loss problem." Tuffnut started, dramatically.
"Wanna know what it is?" His sister backed him up with a proud expression.
"I'm not sure if I want to, if it comes from you guys..." Astrid mumbled, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes.
"Of course you do! Wait for it..."
"Bang him in the head in the other direction." Ruffnut revealed, lifting up her arms to give extra drama.
Hiccup and Astrid exchanged worried and confused looks.
"What?"
"You know, he was hurt in one side of his head and we believe that if we bang his head in the opposite way, might jog his memory back in place! Genius, isn't it?"
"No. That's probably the dumbest thing I've ever heard." Astrid's tone was annoyed. "You're not hitting Hiccup again, are you trying to kill him by any chance?"
"Just think about it, it's obviously going to put his brain back on the right place!"
"Or you'll end up damaging it even more. Drop this stupid idea." She walked to them, stopping between the twins and rested a hand on each opposite shoulder. She was smiling in an almost devious way. "And I better not listen to any more insanity like that or I'll send you both to Valhalla." Toothless growled in a warning tone. "And Toothless will help me with that."
"Okay, but you're gonna regret it and come begging for our help..." Tuffnut crossed his arms in annoyance.
"No, I won't." She released them and went back to Hiccup's side as the twins mounted on Barf and Belch again to take off. "Don't worry, Hiccup, if they try anything, they won't go pass me, but if that happens, they're definitely not going pass the Night Fury..."
"Thanks... And I see not much has changed in those three years after all... I mean, not when it's about them..."
"No, the difference is that they have a flying, fire breathing lizard to cause havoc anywhere they go..."
"It's not like they needed said lizard to do that, though…"
"Not at all…" She sighed. "Anyway, let's go to the Club House and eat something? It's almost lunchtime, now." Astrid noticed the quick glance he gave to his hut, they were so close.
"Yeah, I think I'll go later, I have to… hm… check some things here first…"
"Hiccup, are you saying that because it's true or because you're tired?" She knew the answer the moment he looked away.
"I don't know what you're talking about…" His voice was slurred.
She crossed her arms and looked at him almost annoyed.
"Geez, you're so stubborn. You can tell me the truth, you know."
He knew that, but he didn't really feel like it. How could he? He was used to be mocked by his frail (and clumsy) figure, so it was hard to willingly show any kind of weaknesses. But he did nonetheless.
"Okay, fine! I'm tired. And with the beginning of a backache from leaning to the side the whole morning… Happy, now?"
"Not happy, but satisfied. See? It wasn't that difficult."
"Just humiliating…"
"Why? There's nothing wrong in admitting you're tired or hurt."
"I guess you clearly don't remember the saying we have on Berk, let me refresh it for you: 'Only the strong can belong'."
"That's ridiculous and you know it. Besides, you're going through a lot, forgetting three years and having to adjust to a body 'suddenly' without a leg. Not to mention the two muttonheads wanting to bang you in the head again, but we're your friends, Hiccup. You can trust us and tell us anything. Especially me. So if you're tired, just go back to your hut and I'll bring you something to eat later, okay?"
"Okay, then." He turned to he Night Fury, petting his head. "Let's go back to the house, Bud?" Toothless crooned in what seemed to be an acceptance. "Great."
They went back to their house and Astrid watched them with a small smile on her lips. She could see that at least Hiccup could rely on Toothless for anything and everything, they were inseparable, and even though he was keeping his distance because he only remembered the team shunning him out, he seemed to be already close to Toothless, the dragon would take care of him, if needed.
So, she walked away, finding Stormfly to take off. Meanwhile, Hiccup limped inside and sat at the table with a relieved sigh.
"Geez, I really need to get the hang out of it soon, it's painful to walk all awry like that…" He said as he got the notebooks and papers on the table, trying to find out more about his forgotten past.
It was hard adjusting to a body different than you remember sleeping the night before, it kinda felt like waking up in someone else's body. Even so, he was getting used to it. Toothless sat by his side, looking curious to whatever Hiccup was doing.
Hiccup found a map, a really big one, which he only recognized half of it, the new additions were, well, too new for him to remember. His fingers ran carefully through the paper surface, trace paths along those islands.
"Wow, I didn't know the world was that big." He looked at Toothless and pointed at the map. "This is incredible! If I remember correctly, Astrid said we're here, on Dragon's Edge." He pointed to an island. "And… Berk is… way down here." He traced the way with his index finger. "It's so far, I'd say it'd take at least a week sailing. I just hope by then, when my dad gets here, I'll have my memory back…" He commented joking.
A flash of memory clouded his mind. He was at the Edge, it was night and the place was torn apart, Gobber then said something like 'Do you think I'd sail on a boat by myself for a week if it were vintage Stoick, The Vast?' Hiccup didn't know what was going on, all the context of that piece of conversation, or what had happened to the Edge, but it was another memory coming back.
Hiccup looked at other islands, small other flashes coming back to him in no particular order. He saw a really tiny island full of flowers from above; he was riding Toothless, looking at a man sitting in the center.
And then another one, this time, he was in his hut, drawing the map on the floor, looking up at Astrid and Fishlegs. 'I don't have a choice on it, do I? Okay, so Where is this island, exactly?' Hiccup remembered asking after they kneeled before him and then Astrid pointed to one of them that he could not recall.
It was weird for Hiccup, it seemed like he was in a leadership position, what a change from being the village screw up which everyone just wanted distance from.
He smiled sadly. Those pieces of memory didn't make any sense, yet; but it was a start!
The floor was shaken with something big landing just outside the door, which opened in the next second. The bright light of the sun entered so quickly Hiccup had to cover his eyes. As soon as his sight adjusted, he saw Snotlout entering his house; Hookfang was sitting near the door, outside.
"What are you doing here, Snotlout?" Hiccup flinched, shrinking on the chair out of habit.
Snotlout always mocked and bullied him, even though people told Hiccup he was now part of a team and that Snotlout wouldn't hurt him, old habits die-hard. Sure, Snotlout never truly hurt him, not physically, at least. Just a punch here and there, shoves on the floor, but never anything too harming, after all, he didn't want problems with his father, the chief. Emotionally… well, that was a different story, but then again, he was teased and mocked by most people on Berk, anyway.
"I… hm… I don't really know how to say it, so I guess I'll just say it." Hiccup raised an eyebrow and Snotlout gulped. "I'm… sorry…"
"What?"
"You heard me! I'm not repeating. I just… I feel bad for it. You told us not to play with the stock of Nightmare gel, and we didn't listen to you… Again… And well, I see now why you said once that I couldn't force myself into a leadership position, and now I see you were right… guess I'm not ready to be the leader of the Dragon Riders after all. I was so stupid… I just hope you can forgive me…" He finished, looking away.
"Snotlout… It's okay. It's not like you intentionally wanted me to forget three years of my life. It was an accident."
The black haired boy looked defeated and sorrowful. Hiccup smiled nervously, not really knowing how to deal with this different, unknown Snotlout that asked for forgiveness and felt guilty.
"Stop being so nice and thoughtful! Why do you just need to be the better Viking all the time? I just… Oh, shut up, I just needed to say that, okay? Now, I have to go. Bye. See you." He yelled frustrated as he turned around and mounted on Hookfang. Apparently, Snotlout also wasn't really dealing well with these foreign feelings.
However, something he said rang a bell. The 'better Viking' part… he had heard it before, for him… He had the impression it was from a girl's voice… 'No, Hiccup. No one was a better Viking than you, today.' He briefly remembered Astrid saying as she pulled him into a… kiss… A kiss!
Hiccup's cheeks were now bright red and nearly as hot as the skin of a Fireworm. Well, maybe not that much, since it burns hotter than the sun, but it was very hot indeed.
Hiccup didn't know if Snotlout was referring to that specific time he remembered Astrid saying, or even if that actually happened. Astrid kissing him? It was just so… unbelievable. Unreal. Why would she do something like that? She didn't like him that much; she couldn't like him that much. He was the village screw up and she was… well, Astrid. Tough, invincible, beautiful, cunning Astrid… She was way too good for him. They were close, but they couldn't be this close… Right?
BTW, do you think Snotlout was too OOC? I know that asking for forgiveness is not really something he'd do, but we saw him maturing (especially) on season 4, I think something like that could be possible… Besides, comparing DOB ep 19 and RTTE s4 ep 4, which both have similar situations, Hiccup and Snotlout act totally different, showing how they've changed… But what do you think?
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