Twinsainty
Up in the thick clouds above Berk, Hiccup and his siblings were attempting to instruct the other Riders in a training exercise for their Dragon Riders. Naturally it wasn't going very smoothly. Mostly with the Twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut who didn't exactly have the highest IQ or understand even the simplest instructions.
"I can't see anything up here!" Tuff was complaining about as he rode his head on the twins Zippleback Belch.
"This is impossible! How are we supposed to see or do anything up here?! We're blind!" concurred Ruff on her head Barf as they're in a thick cloud.
Sighing Hiccup flew up beside them on Toothless to once again explain the point of the exercise.
"This is whole point of the exercise, as I've already explained ten times already, guys. When you can't see or hear you've to trust Barf and Belch to see and hear for you.
This is about trust and depending on someone else to be your eyes and ears when you not able to do it yourself."
"Yeah, like say you're hurt or injured and your dragon needed to fly on its own or perhaps dangerous weather conditions. You've to trust your dragon to get you home safely," Boden said appearing out of nowhere on his Silver Phantom Stardust.
"It's not really that hard to understand. Just let go and let the dragon take over. You don't have to do anything really except simply have faith and trust in your in both yourselves and your dragon to get you home safely." Una told the twins kindly.
"Now come on, you two. The others have already made it do the rendezvous spot. Now it's your turn. So just have some faith and trust and finish the journey and we'll meet you at Skull Rock with the others in ten minutes. Boden? Una? Let's go!" Hiccup called to his siblings who nodded and disappeared leaving the twins on their own.
"Why do they always talk in riddles?! What are they talking about faith and trust?!" demanded Tuff in under confession.
"I'd say we trust us and not the dragon. We're smarter then dragon!" Ruff suggested and her brother nodded in agreement with his sister. But unfortunately they gave each head a different command so the dragon didn't know which way to go which caused them to crash in the forest below.
To further complicate the problem the tree they landed in was cracking under their wait and yet again they couldn't agree or trust their dragon to rescue them so they again give it two different commands and the dragon didn't know what to do.
Fishlegs who'd been sent by Hiccup to see what was taking the Twins so long to make to Skull Rock saw the danger they're in after they knocked him out of the sky and then using some kind of hand gesture Meatlug was able to save the Twins and the Haddock siblings saved Fishlegs.
"So thanks for saving Berk's favorite pranksters, Fishlegs," Boden chuckled at the amusing sight as Meatlug was flying with the dangling Twins 45 feet away.
"Welcome, Boden. They maybe fools but they still our friends."
"Yeah and at least they make you laugh so things don't get too serious with their antics. I also sense they do have the smarts in them, if they just use them. They ain't complete idiots! They just choose not to apply themselves is all!" Una said in a disappointed way as she shook her head sadly as the wind whipped about her golden and lilac hair.
"So besides saving the Twins' lives we'd like to know what were those hand gestures about?" Hiccup asked curiously to the boy sitting behind.
"Oh that, I crafted some hand signals for Meatlug in case we got separate and was trying them out. Seemed to work out well for the first time."
"That is brilliant, Fishlegs! Wish we'd thought of that! That got be what we do next for training! Let's get back to the Academy and get started with that right away!" Hiccup exclaimed happily.
"Hey bro! Let's make sure Skullette and Firefang are a part of this class! They ride their dragons Wind Dancer and Airclaw all the time. It be useful for them too!"
"Plus it would be nice if they did join us for classes every now and then. They did help us for years in secret when we still had the UDS. Should they at least be part-time members of the Academy?"
"Your both have good points! They should be part of this class and be part time students whenever they can make it too a class. We'll let them know when get back. But first let's get back."
"Okay!" they squealed happily as the three of them with their dragons flew in one of their favorite formations.
Later that same day everyone had come up with different commands that they spoke both out loud and with either hand gestures or some other type of body language.
Things for Astrid and Fishlegs were going very smoothly and quite useful even Meatlug's 'hug'. Snotlout was still working on Hookfang's "annilhalte" but it was getting there.
Skullette and Firefang who were now official part-time members of the Academy and only asked what took so long for them to ask them. Laughing gaily about it they'd settled nicely into the group acting very sisterly to the whole group in general.
Their dragons were already sisters so they made sure their hand signals worked in tandem with each other. They did have two signals as part of their names. One was "Dance" which was for an aerial dance meant to look threaten then "Claw" when at the end of the "Dance" they would rack the ground with their claws.
As for Hiccup and his siblings? Hiccup had "Battle Ready" "Plasma Blast" and "Smile" Boden had "Shimmer" and "Lightning Blast" and Una had "Song" and "Fireball"
All in all things were going well for individual commands and if they could get the dragons to do well on their own the next step would be working them together as a team. Though before they could do that there was one last set of Riders to see if they could do their hand signals correctly.
That fell on the Twins. Everyone was standing around to watch and it was clear whatever had started that morning was beginning to escalate into something more than a minor spat between the Twins.
They still were giving out contradicting commands and fighting and bickering between each other. Hiccup tried to remind them despite their dragon had two heads he was still one dragon.
However that only escalated the fighting even further as now the Twins used their dragon to attack and harm the other. Even having one head tried to eat Ruff whole till Hiccup put his foot down and tried to regain control over the situation.
"Okay enough of this! Both of you calm down and chill! We're not tolerating this sort behavior at the Academy. Now unless you two can behave yourselves and work with your dragon appropriately your two are done for the day.
So can you two get along and work together on today assignment or do I have to send you home?"
"I'm taking my dragon and going home! I never want to see him again! C'mon Barf we're leaving!" Ruff screamed and tried to pull her half of the dragon one way and Tuff started to yank Belch the other way.
"No way are you taking my dragon! And I'm never working with you again!"
"Fine we are over!"
"So over its done!"
And with that both stormed out the arena but both left going two different ways.
"What the heck was that about?" Astrid asked to Hiccup who shrugged. "They'll be back in the morning and all should be normal."
"I don't think so, Hiccup. I don't think this one of their normal spats. Not this time." Skullette spoke up behind him as her sister and his brother and sister joined them.
"What do you mean, Skullette? What makes this fight different?" Boden wanted to know.
"Yeah, my brothers and I have had arguments before and we always make up. What makes this argument between the Twins different this time?" Una wanted to know.
"You want to know what makes this argument different between Ruffnut and Tuffnut different this time." Firefang corrected them and they looked like they'd been slapped.
"That's kind the point. Everyone always calls them the "Twins" like they have no distinction between them. There only a 'we' no "I'. Our own powers," Skullette had dropped her voice as they glanced at the boys behind them were cleaning up the arena.
"There too much we between the two of them and not any me between them. Meaning everyone just sees them as a single person but not two people." Skullette began and Firefang continued on explaining.
"I think it's coming to a head with them after 15 long years of feeling like they have no really separate identities. I mean look at you and Boden, Hiccup.
You two look almost identical except Boden wears his hair long. Everyone wants their own unique identity and that goes for even twins. No-one likes to think they have nothing unique or special about them."
"So you're trying to say what's really going on it's not really about the training exercise today it's just the Ruff and Tuff want to be treat like they are their own person and not one person?" Hiccup started too say slowly.
"So two different people each with their own mind, heart, body and soul?"
"And all they're really wanting beside that is just respect as well? Not to be treated like a single package. That despite being very much alike people to remember they are two different people all the same and most likely at home have things that just belong to them and not be shared?" Una finished.
"That's what we are saying, yes. Though they at least have to understand there is only one dragon for them and that is the one thing they are always gonna have to share." Skullette finished.
"You three said it yourselves. "There is a dragon for every Viking and a Viking for every dragon. And for Ruff and Tuff that dragon is that one. Whom doesn't seem to have a clue right now what to do," Firefang noticed in a nervous way.
"How do you two have such insight into these things?" Astrid had too know.
"We're both cousins and sisters with our own special gifts, Astrid. On the other hand some people just have naturally better insight into other's minds and hearts. You know some people are just people persons." Skullette answered honestly.
"Our family always been good at reading people. Thus that just a natural part of our family. Not a special power or anything just a natural talent of ours." Firefang admitted with a faint blush.
"Well, we'll take what you said into serious consideration and hope we can talk about it more with the twins tomorrow. It's late and we all got to get home for dinner now or our parents are gonna have our hides. So thanks for joining us for class today," Hiccup thanked them as he shook their hands.
"No problem, little brother," giggled Skullette after all she was only seven years older than him.
"Yeah, just let us know in the future if there's an important class you think we should join and we'll see if we can make it. See you later, Astrid and you too, friends and our brothers and kid sister! We also got to get home or we're gonna get nailed too!" Firefang said her goodbye with a hug and kiss to the group each.
Then with that everyone left the arena to get home for dinner as fast as their dragon wings would carry them.
The Haddocks had two things swimming in their minds as they hurried up to their front door. One was what Skullette and Firefang had said about the twins and how they'd handle it the next day. The other was dealing with the revelation that they saw them as their siblings just as they'd seen them for years as sisters and how it would all work out in the future.
So while that was stewing in their minds they weren't expecting a dreaded sound or an even more dread comment when they opened the door to their home. They just were expecting their mother to ask why they're late for dinner.
Not hearing their father's gasping for breath and their mother scolding him again for not losing the 15 pounds she had told him to lose so he'd fit into his ceremonial belt.
"I've told you this again and again Stoick if you want that thing to fit you need to lose at least 15 pounds. But you never listen to me! What's the point of me trying to help you diet two months before this visit every year if you sneak and cheat behind my back? Oh Frigga!" Valka threw her hands up in frustration like she did every year when this happened.
"I really do try to diet, Valka! But how do you diet and run a village and not stress eat?!" Stoick shot back like he did every year as Gobber was behind him trying to get the darn belt to fit.
"How many years have you used that excuse, Stoick? It may have worked the first five years, but you should be able to control that after all this time. But we still gonna have this same conversation when we are old and gray and have great-grandchildren!"
"Valka! Please don't lecture me like this! This belt hurts more than enough. Your words don't need to lick salt into my wounds, okay?"
"Sorry, Stoick. I just feel so frustrated. I'm trying to help."
"And you do a fine job every year even if we still have to come to this same problem."
"I suppose your right," and she turned and saw her kids arrived home all looking at the situation looking pale and unhappy.
"Kids, when did you get home? Sorry I haven't not had time to make dinner yet."
"We can see why, Mom. Please don't tell us it's really that time of year again! Please!" begged Hiccup almost crying.
"Afraid so, son. Tomorrow is the treaty signing with the Berserker Tribe."
"They really got to change that name," murmured Gobber as he still worked on the belt. "After all they've not been to war for 50 years! Not with a chief like Oswald the Agreeable.
"You've got to be kidding! This is gonna be three days of torture for us!" Boden was moaning. "You might as well kill us now!"
"Yeah, I don't even need to have a dream about it to know it's gonna be a nightmare for us for the next three days!" screamed Una and now all the adults looked uncomfortable and tried to ease over the tension.
"It's not really that bad is it?" asked Gobber tentatively.
"Oh maybe not for you, Gobber! You just stand by Dad's side like a smiling lackey and make stupid jokes! We have to deal with Oswald's lunatic son Dagur for three days of Hell! Even Loki's own daughter Hel isn't as demented as he is!" Hiccup exclaimed loudly and seriously
"Yeah, Dagur's little sister, Heather? She's as beautiful as she is cunning! However she at least treats us kindly and never done any of the cruel things that nutcase loony done to us!"
"You really forgot what Dagur done to all three of us each and every visit for these treaty signings? Because all of them stick out clearly in our minds! Especially since Hiccup's memory power can pull them up and we don't even need his power to do it!" Una was still screaming about it.
"Yeah, like Una just said I don't need my gifts of memory recall because each of those visit is burned like a burn scar so visible in our minds it's impossible to forget!
Take last year for example he used me as a knife throwing target!"
"He tried to drown me!" yelled Boden recalling how Dagur had hogtied him and threw him over the side of a boat and Hiccup barely rescued him in time. He was lucky he hadn't had to add aqua phobia to his list of fears!
"And did you forget what he did last year to me that almost didn't get the treaty signed? He stole a bucket of sheep's blood and sheep entrails from Silent Sven's wife Ewe whose Mommy's friend and then proceed to dump it all over me during the tour of the island!"
"It took us a month to get the smell out of Una's hair and Ewe was so upset about the thief and the cruel prank on Una she nearly killed Dagur and we almost did go to war with the Berserkers! If Oswald and Dad hadn't been able to smooth it over!" Hiccup yelled so furiously he slammed his fist into the wall causing some shields to fall off.
"Alright, it's never a picnic when that boy is on the island. I can only imagine what it's like on Oswald's home when he's got to deal with is son at home. But again we ask this question every year as well.
Would you rather put up with three days of misery or go to war with a tribe that plays for keeps that has the longest and bloodiest history in all the archipelago?" their mother asked them to which they all gave their normal sigh and begrudgingly gave their normal answer they'd would take the misery over the war.
"Okay. So we all put up with some misery for three days and then put it off for another year. Now that's taken care of your father like to tell you what your job this year for the treat is."
"It's not just making nice and smiling with Oswald's kids and not trying to not die?" Hiccup questioned his father who laughed despite the situation.
"No, you three have a very important job to get done before Oswald and his family show up tomorrow. You got to get every dragon into the UDS and make sure all the entrances and exits are concealed."
"What? Why? We're confused Dad. So back up and explained."
"Hiccup, they are the Berserks and even if we had peace for 50 years they are known to well snap at the drop of a helmet. They could see the dragons as a sign of aggression.
Even with Oswald as chief someone else in the tribe might rebel or something. So it's better blissful then bloody. We don't want another war. You all know from your history lessons how bad those were in the past correct?"
"Yes, and I've seen some visions of more than a few bloody wars of the past, Daddy. That's why you had come into my room and comfort me from my nightmares in the past." Una confessed to what her 'nightmares' were really about.
Before they revealed their powers to their father if they accidently did something or exposed in a way in public or in front of a father they'd to think fast to come up with an excuse to cover up what it really was.
With Una being able to see things in her dreams it been easy for her to chalk up her dreams to just imaginative dreams or nightmares if Stoick overheard her talking or she woke up from horrible dreams of the past or when the voices of Valhalla got too much for her.
They'd used similar cover stories for Hiccup and Boden or their mental illness known only the family had been good cover for a long time for their gifts but now that was all in the open things were better with complete honesty.
"Oh and on that note as well. Not only do you have to get all the dragons underground and concealed we don't want anyone else in the archipelago finding out about your gifts. So uses all your self-control to not let anything happen to reveal them."
"So we've two things to do then. One is get the dragons underground as quick as possible and make sure the Berserkers don't find out about them. Nor do we want anyone from their tribe or any other tribe to find out me and my brother and sister are blessed by the gods. That's what you're saying, Dad?"
"Yep you got it and you better get on it right now. Your mom will get something made for you but you three along with the Riders and the Anquetils better get working on this right now. We don't have much time aww! Gobber!"
"Sorry!"
"Okay, Boden? Una? Let's get moving!"
"I'll have some sandwiches brought down later when I bring Cloudjumper down, okay, sweethearts?"
"Okay, Mom/Mommy!"
Everyone quickly sprang into action to get all the dragons underground making sure they're comfy and cozy, that it was just like old times. Every time they'd brought a group down the sisters would do a headcount and check names off a list of every dragon on the island.
Finally by nearly daybreak they seemed to have all the dragons accounted for as the Riders were just dropping off their own when the sisters realized there was a single dragon unaccounted for.
"Um Hiccup. We've gone through it five times to be sure. But there one dragon not down here." Skullette told him in a frightful voice.
"Which one?! We spent since twilight and working through the night to get every single dragon rounded up! Who could possibly be missing?!" he demanded in an exasperated tone.
"It's Barf and Belch and we just realized that Ruff and Tuff didn't help at all last night with getting the dragons down here. They were absent all night!" Firefang exclaimed.
"Oh great! What are we gonna do?!"
"My sister and I need to stay down here with the dragons. You and your friends have to get to the twins and get their dragon here quickly before the Berserks…" and horn was blowing … "show up."
"Oh great!" Hiccup moaned.
"Hiccup we have to get going! If we don't get to the docks in five minutes they'll be even more suspicious!" Boden said quickly and he knew he was right.
It was custom that the Chief's family greet the visiting Chief's family and that meant they all had to be present.
"You two stay down here with the dragons, Astrid you and the other Riders try and find the Twins and Barf and Belch and get them all down here fast and unseen! We'll do our part to keep the Berserks from seeing anything! Now do this fast and without being seen!"
"And if we pull this off, BBBFF without starting a war that will be a miracle!" as they bolt barely making it too the docks in time.
Their mother quickly noticed the fact they're both out of breath and the sheer anxiety in their eyes so she knew they're not completely in the clear. She was about to whisper this to Stoick that they still had some slight emergency it was too late as the lead ship apart of the Berserker envoy just docked and the herald was announcing the arrival of Oswald and his children.
"Announcing the arrival of the most gracious and humblest of chief and one of the most patience of fathers in all the archipelago and the most agreeable man you'll ever meet, Oswald the Agreeable!" the herald announced.
Though unless you weren't really good at notice little details you might have missed a few small key things about the herald which all the kids notices, though they didn't know if their parents picked it up.
Their eyes and ears told them things as did their powers but it was their eyes and ears that told them volumes before the herald even finished speaking.
Despite both his words and actions spoke of respect and loyalty his voice and body language told a vastly different story. If you listened very carefully under his respectful words you'd hear it in his voice that he was highly resenting his chief and his whole personality.
His eyes show the same hatred for his chief that Mildew held for them and how he grinded his teeth as Oswald slowly got off the ship with two young teenagers got off too. A 16 year old boy and 14 year old girl his son Dagur and his daughter Heather and just the look that was passed between the herald and few other of the tribe as the family passed was clear this was a high resentment for the Chief and his kids.
Then the kids' powers kicked in and it was hard to keep their faces straight as they tired not show what they're seeing and feeling. Hard for Hiccup to not show he was seeing flashes of the different memories of all the people in front of him having a chaotic battle in his mind. Harder for Boden to deal with the intense flood of overwhelming emotions coming off in waves from both Oswald's family and the rest of the Berserkers and Una feeling danger all around her and get vision of both past and future at the same time.
Only by their sheer force of will and years of coping skills did they keep their composure long enough to suppress their powers and not pass out from the amount of energy it was threatening to steal from them.
Their father step forward to shake Oswald hand and greet him formally. Both men were almost the same in build and height only Stoick was taller maybe by three or four inches.
Oswald had lengthy locks and a short well-kept beard both so red they're almost black with astonishing bright green eyes and he was dressed like any Viking Chief would be.
As for his children? Dagur was dressed in a style reminisce of Loki as he was about as crazy as the god too. He had a purple tattoo over one green eye that looked like three slash and bright red hair in a braided ponytail
Dagur's own title he'd given himself some years ago was "Dagur the Deranged" as he was clearly psychological unbalanced. But unlike how Hiccup, Boden and Una's parents had tried to help them manage their mental illnesses Dagur adamantly refused any help from his father or sister to manage his own mental problems. (Which given everything we seen of him he's probably be diagnosed with schizophrenia)
Heather was indeed both beautiful and a cunning warrior and her title or least what her brother in what the Haddock assumed was Dagur's form of affection called her "Heather the Unhinged"
They're weren't sure or not it was supposed to be affection or not. But there was no doubt Heather was beautiful and a skilled warrior. She had jet black hair in a braided ponytail and the same bright green eyes as the rest of her family.
Her outfit was a black tunic shirt and pants with shoulder pads, skirt and wrist guards made from mental molded to resemble dragon scales and she always carried a double headed ax.
Her personality was a mix of being sympathetic, friendly and a little flirty. Though at the same time she could be a little snarky, tough and strong-willed and didn't take crap from anyone.
"Hello, Stoick how are you doing today?"
"Fine, Oswald. How was the trip? The winds favor you on the way here?"
"Oh we made good time and had no trouble from the wind or seas. Things went well enough," Oswald replied before turning to Valka and bent to kiss her hand.
"Valka, Stoick truly did marry there most beautiful woman in all the archipelago. How are you doing yourself?"
"We are faring well. Stoick and I've been together for 16 blissful years of marriage. It has its ups and downs but we surely couldn't ask for more then what we have already in our marriage.
We again offer our deepest sympathies for how bad these past 8 months must have been losing Oydis to that fever she contracted. Again all of Berk felt your pain."
"Thank you, Valka. Oydis may her soul be at peace in Valhalla and know your gifts were welcomed to our tribe after her passing. Which is why I really want this year treaty signing to go without incidents," he shot a look at his kids.
But already one incident had already happened. Dagur had just throw three knifes at the Haddock kids all having to duck to avoid being hit.
Oswald sighed and turned to excuse himself a moment. "Dagur!"
"What?" he replied in his own disrespectful way looking like a normal teenager who didn't care what his father had to tell him.
"I will not tolerate your ill behavior this year. Not after your mother's passing. You will for your mother's sake behave yourself. And also when we get home you will start to finally get the help your mother wanted so desperately for you."
"I'm fine, Dad! Geez! I'm a Berserk! So I like to have fun like one! Why is that such a crime?! I never understand why having fun for being myself is so wrong with you and Mom!"
"Dagur please? Can you just try and reign in the craziness for Mom's sake? You know her dying wish was for all of us to be happy and whole and she really wanted you to not be well "Deranged" So please just try to control the impulses please, brother?" Heather begged her brother while looking thoroughly put out by him.
Dagur looked really annoyed and seething but gritted his teeth and settled for a silent tantrum instead.
"Okay how about we get on with the tour and then our feast and continue from there?" Oswald suggested to which Stoick nodded and took the lead with Gobber leading the way while Valka hung in the back.
The kids were all together and again they'd to control themselves for their powers did pick up a lot of different things. Things from the other Berserkers, but also the mixed feelings from Dagur and Heather that they couldn't make sense of.
"So what do you do for fun here on boring Berk if you can't go berserk? Like what fun about no bloody battle and no carnage?" Dagur was pouting as he was gripping his sword ready to use it.
"Dagur I like to use my ax, but can't you just relax and enjoy some downtime?" Heather shook her head.
"Are you doing okay, Heather? Like what's been going on your island for the last 18 months?" Hiccup trying to make conversation to distract them from anything that might be going on in the village.
"You know the usual boring junk in the village. Silly meetings about silly unimportant meetings, some feuds needing settling about who owned what lands and gathering food. Just typical everyday stuff," she replied like it was no big deal.
"Um are you sure you and Dagur are doing okay? You know since your mom passed away? It must be very hard on both of you, I imagine." Boden spoke up as he held his brother's hand firmly.
"Yeah, we'd be lost if we lost Mommy or Daddy."
"No, we're cool, people die all the time. We are the Berserk and we're Vikings. Death is a fact of life. Before we're born we are already figure out to die in the craziest of battles! Though dying because of a stupid fever is a lame way to die!" snapped Dagur as he whirled around with his sword pointed at them and they backed away.
"Dagur put that away! Chill or I'm telling Dad! Oh look we're falling behind! You know you should be paying attention as your next in line as chief! You outta learn something about diplomacy. Mom was always saying you knew nothing about it!" she snapped bitterly at him and the two siblings started to bicker as they ran to catch up to their father who was right now with the Haddocks examining the food storage and armory.
"Hiccup! Over here!" hissed Astrid waving them over from a nearby location and they bolt over out of breath.
"What is it Astrid? Did you get the twins or Barf and Belch? Because we can't stay out of sight for long!" Hiccup hissed to her.
"Sorry no luck so far. I thought you three could help. Do you think your powers could give us a clue from these?" pointing to the footprints in the ground.
"We can give it a quick go," as the three siblings put their left hands to ground and concentrated and 30 seconds later quickly told Astrid what their powers just relayed to them.
"They're just here in the village and saw some fish and thankfully got out before we walked in. But I don't know which direction they headed. Sorry that's the only memory I could pick up."
"Their two minds are so muddle and confused because the twins are fighting! When the twins aren't in harmony neither is Barf and Belch! They're out of sync because the Twins aren't in synch. So until the Twins work out what is likely what Skullette and Firefang said their dragons not gonna be able to get either head on straight!" Boden stated with a groan of frustrating.
"And if we don't fix this mess and get all the dragons underground before sundown there will be blood spilled on Berk's soil! I'm seeing blood and its dragon's blood! We need Ruff and Tuff quick!"
"Alright me, Snotlout and Fishlegs will try again to find Barf and Belch and get him to the UDS and also get the Twins to help. You better get back before your missed!"
"Alright hurry and get this done without being seen! Oh Odin we need a miracle!"
They just managed to get back to find both Heather and Dagur were still bicker over what they didn't know but they'd weapons drawn and Hiccup tried to intervene.
"Hey remember our parents our nearby to sign a peace treaty. It wouldn't be a good idea to kill each other right? Let's all take a deep calming breath and all just relaxing."
"Whatever you say, brother." Dagur remarked snidely and turned around to look at some bloodless swords muttering how they were too clean.
"So, Hiccup where did you three disappear to for the last ten minutes? You know we did have to distract our parents for you. So you want to tell us where you three went off too?" she asked in her most flirty way as she knew how to flaunt it to get anyone to tell her what she wanted.
"Um I was just talking with my friend Astrid for a few minutes," he stuttered honestly.
"Oh your friend? Or is she your girlfriend?" teased Heather and then Dagur practically jumped down Hiccup's throat.
"So little Hiccup finally got a girlfriend? When and where did that happen? And how did someone like you even get a girl to notice you?"
"You know why don't you leave our brother's personal life alone? It's not any of your business," glared Boden angrily with arms crossed.
"Besides they're not rushing into anything anyway. Mommy told Hiccup and Astrid to take it slow and easy. So they're not seriously involved yet. Things are just causal."
"Oh so you haven't even kissed yet?" again Heather was snicker and Hiccup's cheeks were burning and now they're saved from further talking about his love life by their parents asking where they'd been as it was time to go have lunch.
Valka stalled for a moment saying she had to talk to the children about something to do with their school work and she meet them at the Great Hall in five minutes.
"Okay what's the crises? What's the problem?" she asked when their father had gotten Oswald and his family out of sight and earshot."
"The Twins are having some issues and their dragon is wandering around because without the Twins in harmony the dragon can't think straight so we can't get him in the UDS still the Twins kiss and make up!" Hiccup answered in a rush.
"Okay, this is bad news. Anything else you want to add to the plate of bad news?"
"Well we think and our powers tell us there are some people who aren't so loyal to Oswald in his tribe," Boden added even if that had nothing to do with Berk problem.
"And I'm positive some Dagur and Heather unruly behavior this visit is because neither wants to admit they miss their mother terribly and haven't allowed themselves to grieve for Oydis. So for once Dagur being a nut has nothing to do with whatever is wrong with him in his mind. It's because of his heart and the fact that he's not allowing himself to feel for his lost mother!" Una allowed her own deduction to be heard.
"Well, let's solve the dragon problem here on Berk and maybe suggest the other thing to Oswald that we just have a gut feeling about his people and also suggest he have a heart-to-heart with his kids so they can all grieve for Oydis. But now let's get to lunch!"
Lunch was mostly like it was every year as the two tribes made idle chitchat, though this time the Haddocks tried to say without revealing how they knew but he may need to be worry about things like betrayal or a coup. Or something a little more important like how his children were coping with the loss of their mother.
Oswald didn't pick up on any of the hints and neither did his children. The adults then left for the next traditional part of the three day treaty signing which left Dagur and Heather to pick up where they left off with Hiccup and his siblings.
When they couldn't get anything juicy from Hiccup about him and Astrid Dagur finally lost it and said "I'm so bored! I want to kill something right now! Gods have mercy on my soul right now and send me a dragon to kill right now!" and then Barf and Belch ran into the Great Hall and Dagur looked like it was both his birthday and Snoggletog.
"Yes! There is an Odin! Come on Heather! Let's go kill and Dad will finally be happy again and so we will! You three can meet us up in the woods and this will make the whole treaty thing finally fun!" and Dagur dragged Heather so fast out the door and they're gone before they could blink their eyes.
Then Astrid came running in and was crying and panting. "I'm sorry Hiccup! We tried! But he got away before we could get him down to the Sanctuary! And I just saw Dagur and Heather and I know Dagur gonna kill him without a second thought and Heather could too!"
"We need the Twins now!"
"Well then let's get to their house bro!"
"And not waste another minute!"
When they finally got to the Twins' house only Tuff was there and he was packing and when they talked to him he did confirm what the Anquetils sisters suspected what the problem was.
But before they could try talking to Tuff or find Ruff Tuff ran off to his "Dark, Soggy Alone Place"
Running out of time they went to UDS got their dragons and threatening Snotlout found the twins in the lost cavern.
Finally they addressed the twins as two different people and Hiccup, Boden and Una told them they understood the problem. Going even further by saying how before Una was born people did tend to see Hiccup and Boden a lot of alike and not see the brothers as two different people.
"Look we understand how important it is to have your own identity and want to have things that are only yours and not to be thought of one person. Yes you are twins, but you're not one person. Your two different people who have the same birthday living the same house.
But you can have your own things and do different things. You are allowed to do things without the other if you want to do those things. But you will always have each other when you need each other and a special bond." Hiccup went on to say.
"But there will always be things you will have in common and share and things you can't separate and one thing you can separate is the only dragon for you is Barf and Belch." Boden informed them.
"The things you can't separate like your special bond and your dragons? Those are special things. Your bond with each other and your dragon are special and unique because that something no-one else in the world has and it's yours alone.
Like how all of us have a unique bond with our dragons. And like I have a special bond with my older brothers and that bond is my bond and no-one else will ever have that but me."
"But still right now you need to take all that and come together for Barf and Belch who needs you like you need him. So what do you two say? Ruff? Tuff? What do each of you say?" asked Hiccup.
They looked at each smiled before spitting into their hands and butting heads and seeing who spit more. "Okay problem resolved but we have to hurry before Dagur kills your dragon because he won't admit he miss his mother!" Una cried.
"What?!" everyone looked at her like she was crazy.
"I'm a girl! I'm in touch with me feelings! I'm not an empath like Boden but again I know what feelings are!"
"Okay!"
"Bro is up to you. Where is your heart telling you Barf and Belch are?" Boden asked and Hiccup closed his eyes for a moment to get a mental picture and he snapped his eyes open.
"I know where they are and if we hurry we can get to them and get everyone back underground and still save the dragons and the treaty! Let's go!"
They came to a forest clearing about half a mile from the main entrance of UDS and luck would have it a secret entrance was concealed behind two nearby oak trees inside a hollow hill.
Now if they could only get Barf and Belch in it without giving everything away. But things just got very complicated quickly because Dagur and Heather both were caught up in the hunt and ready to kill Barf and Belch.
They needed to act fast and they also noticed from the air their parents were coming. No way could Stoick or Valka could do anything and Gobber was useless too.
Then it came to them how to get out of this mess without raising any suspicious and also making the treaty go very smoothly. And it helped Skullette and Firefang were also nearby to hear the plan.
"Dagur! Heather! What are you doing?! Do you have any idea how worried I've been?! Watch out!" cried Oswald as he could see the bloodlust in his children eyes as they're going in for the kill.
"Oh no!" whispered Stoick and Valka under their breath and then something bolted out the sun and everyone looked up for a second to see what was going on. Two Deadly Nadders were flying overheard in an attack pattern before they came swooping down with their claw rack and tried to grab the Berserkers teens and their father was barely able to grab them.
They fell back even though everyone reached for their weapons this dragon attack continued. A Nightmare forced them further back by spewing a hot one at them and another Nadder's spins with pinpoint accuracy disarmed all the Berserker and pinning the 50 feet away.
Then a Gronckle came in from the right and start to crush them all before Stoick manage to get it off. Then their kids showed up saying more dragons were on their way to attack before saying watch out for the Zippleback!
Everyone took cover as the Zippleback was trying to defend itself and the Berkians were now defending the Berserks and doing a very good job of saving them from the 'dragon attack"
What Oswald, Dagur and Heather didn't see was behind the rocks and in the trees around them where the Riders all directing their dragons with hand signals and after each 'attack' the dragons then disappeared with Skullette and Firefang's help to the secret concealed entrance to UDS.
The Haddocks and Gobber continue to act the part of playing the brave saviors of protecting their honored guests and to put the icing on the cake was when the "Dragons of Legend" showed up and the kids couldn't help but really show off a bit with 'defeating' them.
Finally all the dragons from the 'attack' had been bravely fought off and disappeared and everyone was safe thanks to Chief Stoick's family.
Once the dust cleared and everyone had a chance to recover Oswald and his family thanked the Haddocks graciously for saving their lives but then Oswald turned on his kids and started to berate them for putting themselves in needless danger and what would their mother think?
"You don't even talk about Mom! You haven't really talked about Mom since she died! Every time you do talk about her and look at me it's like I should've done this or done that! Like it somehow my fault Mom died!
Dad! I'm sorry I can't always control whatever is wrong with me! But it's not my fault Mom died! And I like you to stop acting like it is! I miss her too but I can't stand feeling like you think I'm somehow to blame and if I was saner she still be around!" Dagur broke down crying really crying something no-one had seen him do before.
"You treat me so unfairly just because I'm a little not right in the head. Mom…she was a little fair and she made more an effort to help and I didn't resent her kind of help.
You may be agreeable but you act ashamed of me because I'm not right in the head because your title is "Agreeable' and having a mental ill son who is the image of the old Berserks who you've tried so hard to change seems to make you so upset.
Mom never judge! She was kind, patience and understanding and I wasn't ever 'crazy' to her I was just her son!"
"It's true, Dad. Mom wasn't one to judge either of us. Even on my bad days she simply was a friend. You're a good dad in many ways, but Mom…" Heather bit her lip as if she couldn't get out what she wanted to say about her mother but finally let it out.
"Mom always made things better even when you couldn't do it. She just loved both of us and everyone else no matter what. It was like whatever to her. She was just so loving."
"When I started to show signs of being crazy she just take my hand and we go for walks by ourselves and every one of those walks felt like a holiday. She'd tuck me and Heather in at night and chase all the monsters away."
"I remember how she read us stories and sing us lullabies and hold us after a bad dream while we cried," as both Heather and Dagur were really letting lose their feelings of grief now they'd nearly 'died' and where ready to talk about their mother's passing.
"She promised always be there to watch and protect us so we didn't have to be scared. And when she said "I will always love you" we really knew it was true. Whenever we got lonely she took the time to play and could find a rainbow when it was gray!" they just couldn't take anymore as they both fell to ground crying as they let it all out.
It was a surprise to the Riders still watching in secret to see well a Berserk actually given into emotion or see Dagur or Heather in particular act like this given the years of visits they never acted like this before.
Even the Twins who just resolved their own problem were stunned by the hearing what someone else had been feeling about their own family problem.
That's when for the first time in their lives Hiccup, Boden and Una didn't feel anger or resentment towards Dagur or upset at any of the Berserks.
Instead for the rest of the visit even though they still they're hiding the dragons right under the Berserkers feet the rest of the Riders and even Skullette and Firefang tried to be really nice and offer the two Berserk teens real friendship and talk about their own times of grief or pain.
And it seemed by the end of this three day visit it seemed for once it seemed things might be different. They didn't know how things would be different but they just felt because of the actions both from the fake dragon attack and how they treated both Dagur and Heather something good would come from it.
For both Berk and the Berserks. But even Una who could occasionally see the future in her dreams admitted she couldn't see that future all she and her brothers agreed somehow something different had happened this time and something had changed and what came from changed could be either good or bad and they hoped it would be good.