This was the big day, and Remi feared for Hiccup. He either had to fight that dragon, or tame it in front of all of Berk, and that could only go over so well. Stoick stood above the mass of people, ready to start the fight.
"Well, I can show my face in public again! If someone had told me that in just few short weeks, Hiccup would go from being, well... Hiccup, to placing first in Dragon Training... Well, I would've tied him to a mast and shipped him off for fear he'd gone mad. Yes! And you know it! But here we are. And no one's more surprised...or more proud than I am. Today, my boy becomes a Viking. TODAY, HE BECOMES ONE OF US!" Down by the gate stood Remi, Hiccup, Astrid. Hiccup takes a glance at his dad.
"Be careful with that dragon." Astrid pleaded.
"It's not the dragon I'm worried about." Hiccup admitted. Remi placed her hand on his shoulder, asking for a plan.
"What are you gonna do?"
"Put an end to this."
She and Astrid eye him, dubious.
"I have to try. Astrid, if something goes wrong... just make sure they don't find Toothless. And Remi, stay with Nova."
"I will. Just... promise me it won't go wrong." Hiccup looked away from Astrid, knowing he can't promise that. Gobber hobbled over to the three of them.
"It's time, Hiccup. Knock him dead." Hiccup enters the Arena and picks a dagger from the weapons stand.
"I'm ready." He called. They release the Monstrous Nightmare. It bursts into flames, crawling on the chain ceiling looking for prey. Sensing someone was in the ring with him, it lowered itself to the ground, eyeing Hiccup. Hiccup approaches the Nightmare slowly, tossing down his shield and dagger, raising his hand like how he did to Toothless.
"Come on Hiccup." Remi begged, her heart threatening to burst from her chest. She was here to guide him, not watch another brother die before her very eyes.
"It's okay. It's okay." Hiccup takes his helmet off, then he throws it to the ground. "I'm not one of them."
"Stop the fight." Stoick ordered, clearly enraged.
"No! I need you all to see this. They're not what we think they are. We don't have to kill them."
"I SAID STOP THE FIGHT!" Stoick slams his hammer against the arena railings, agitating the , the Nightmare attacks.
"Hiccup! HICCUP!" The girls call out. Astrid takes an axe from the wall and uses it as a levy to lift the gate for her and Remi to crawl under. Remi had her bow and arrows with her, shooting one at the Nightmare to stun it. It turns on her. Meanwhile, at the cove, Toothless hears Hiccup's screams and tries to climb out. With the help of Nova, he does and he races to the arena.
"This way!"Hollered Stoick. Astrid and Remi escapes, but Hiccup is pinned under the Nightmare's claws. Suddenly, a resonating blast fires at the arena's railing. Toothless jumps into the Arena. The smoke clears up, revealing the two dragons fighting.
"Night Fury!" Gobber astonishes. Toothless dominates the Nightmare and Hiccup is fast to run to his friend, trying to push him away.
"Alright, Toothless, go. Get out of here!"
"Night Fury!" Vikings call, clambering down to get it. Stoick heads in, armed and ready to kill it.
"Stoick, no!" Remi begs, only to be pushed to the side. Remi can hear Hiccup beg his father not to hurt his friend.
"No, Dad, he won't hurt you!" All the vikings attack, and Toothless is doing anything he can to protect his human.
"No, don't! You're only making it worse! Toothless, STOP!" Toothless pinned Stoick to the ground, building up a fire blast.
"No! NOOOOO!" Hearing Hiccup call, Toothless stops, confused.
"Get him!" Vikings swarm Toothless and both Astrid and Remi have to hold him back.
"No! Please, jus- just don't hurt him! Please don't hurt him." Hiccup pleads. Stoick looks at his son, and then to the dragon.
"Put it with the others!"
Remi followed them to the Great Hall, hiding outside the doors, listening.
"I should have known. I should have seen the signs."
"Dad-"
"We had a deal!"
"I know we did... But that was before... Ugh, it's all so messed up!"
"So everything in the ring... A trick?! A lie?" Wincing at the tone, the anger in Stoick's voice, Remi listened further.
"I screwed up. I should have told you before now. Take this out on me, be mad at me, but please... just don't hurt Toothless."
"The dragon? That's what you're worried about? Not the people you almost killed?!"
"He was just protecting me! He's not dangerous."
"They've killed HUNDREDS OF US!"
"AND WE'VE KILLED THOUSANDS OF THEM! They defend themselves, that's all! They raid us because they have to! If they don't bring enough food back, they'll be eaten themselves. There's something else on their island, Dad... it's a dragon like-"
"Their island? So you've been to the nest." Remi sucked in a breath.
"Did I say nest?"
"How did you find it?!"
"No... I didn't. Toothless did. Only a dragon can find the island." There was a pause and Remi couldn't help but be afraid of what was happening.
"Oh, no, no. Dad, no! Dad! It's not what you think! You don't know what you're up against! It's like nothing you've ever seen! Dad, please! I promise you that you can't win this one! No! Dad, no! FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, WOULD YOU PLEASE JUST LISTEN TO ME!" She heard a soft thud, and something that broke her very heart.
"You've thrown your lot in with them. You're not a Viking. You're not my son." She watched Stoick walk out the hall and call to his men.
"READY THE SHIPS! Before walking to the docks, Stoick staggers back, hopefully realizing the mistake he just made. Walking inside, Remi ran to comfort a distraught Hiccup. Bringing him into a bear hug, Hiccup latched onto her like a lifeline.
"Oh Thor, help us." She prayed.