Hello! :) Thanks for all your encouraging reviews last chapter! You guys are amazing! :D This chapter moves pretty quickly. :) And the next chapter will have lots of feels, so I promise you that. :) Anyways, enjoy chapter 11! :D
CHAPTER 11: BRINGING HOME THE GOLD
DAY: JUNE 20 - THE DAY OF THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS
TIME: 5:45 PM - 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO BATTLE OF THE BANDS
YEAR: 2015
"Dagur, what a liar," said Astrid, shaking her head. "I can't believe he thinks we're that gullible. We know Hiccup too well for that. He'd never betray us."
Tuffnut swallowed. "But it was kind of weird," he said, "you know, the day he stood up to Dagur...I always thought it was crazy confident of him...but now, I'm not so sure it was just confidence…"
Astrid and Fishlegs whipped their heads around to stare at him. "WHAT!?" shouted Fishlegs, leaping to his feet. "What are you talking about!? We know Hiccup! He wouldn't do that to us!"
"Maybe," said Snotlout, "but...maybe not…" He looked at the schedule. "It's not too late to pull out of the competition," he said. "We could go up to the front desk and tell them, I don't know, some sort of emergency, and we couldn't preform…"
"Snotlout, you can't do that!" said Astrid angrily. "There are no refunds on the entry fee! And besides, it wouldn't be fair to the rest of us! And double besides, Hiccup would never do that! You know he wouldn't!"
"Astrid, please!" said Snotlout, putting forward his hand. "I'm in charge of this band, and that means I make the rules! If I want to pull us out of the competition, I'm going to pull us out of the competition!"
The timing was perfect. At that moment, Hiccup showed up, just in time to hear the last of Snotlout's statement. "Wait, what?" said Hiccup. "Why would you want to pull us out of the competition?"
"Oh, I don't know, Hiccup," drawled Snotlout. "Why don't you tell me?"
"What?" Hiccup said, dumbfounded, stepping backwards. "What? What did I miss?"
"Dagur said you were tricking us," said Ruffnut. "That you planned to sabotage our act in the competition and make us lose."
"What? Why would I do that!?" Hiccup blurted. "I would never do that! Are you serious?"
"Dead serious," said Snotlout, getting to his feet. "Even if you aren't going to ruin our act, I'm pulling us out of the contest. Better to be safe than sorry."
He brushed past Hiccup, purposefully knocking their shoulders together, and storming off, towards the lobby of the University.
"Snotlout, no!" shouted Astrid, leaping to her feet and taking after him, pursued by Fishlegs, and soon after, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, who seemed to be pursuing Astrid and Fishlegs more than Snotlout.
"Not cool, H.," said Tuffnut over his shoulder as he raced off. "Not cool."
Hiccup watched them in desperation, Toothless standing by his side, also watching in confusion, and Hiccup swallowed hard.
What just happened?
But then he remembered what Ruffnut had said. Dagur had planted seeds of doubt in his friends' mind, had he? Well, Hiccup would plant his fist in Dagur's face if ever he saw him again…
Hiccup looked towards the back doors. If Dagur and his gang had come in, they must have gone out the same way. So he and Toothless took off, towards the door, and finally, outside.
It was dark. Hiccup glanced down at his watch: 5:53. Seven minutes until the Battle of the Bands began. Oh, this was a mess...what was he supposed to do? He wouldn't be able to convince Snotlout or the twins he hadn't been working with Dagur. There was just no way…
Hiccup suddenly froze, his eyes falling on one of the many cars parked behind the building.
It was bright red. A sports car. And for some reason, it looked familiar...it felt familiar…
And then he remembered.
He moved to the back of the car for just a second to catch a glance at the bumper. Sure enough, there was a bumper sticker; one the news had been trying to identify for months, ever since the accident.
The bumper sticker read THE RED DEATHS in bright red, blocky letters that took Hiccup a few minutes to read.
That explained it.
Hiccup instantly pulled out his phone and ducked into a shadow, whistling for Toothless to come with him. He dialed a number and held the phone to his ear, waited a ring or two, and the receiver picked up.
"Berk County Police Department, Stoick Haddock, Chief of Police speaking."
"Dad, it's Hiccup," said Hiccup instantly, and he began to pace back and forth, just slightly, still looking over the sports car.
"Hiccup! What are you doing calling the police department? What's wrong?"
"Dad, I found the car that hit me," said Hiccup, not wasting any time, glancing down at his prosthetic. At that moment, the back door swung open, and Hiccup pressed himself against the wall to avoid being seen. Dagur and the rest of his gang stormed out of the University, towards their sports car. They opened the trunk and began unloading music equipment from it.
"...And the criminals behind it," Hiccup said into the phone.
Unfortunately, he had said it just loud enough to be heard; he hadn't counted on the walls around him echoing his voice, and that's exactly what happened. Dagur and his two other pals turned and stared Hiccup straight in the eye.
Hiccup stared back at them. Toothless bared his teeth.
"I should've known," said Dagur, crossing his arms. "Calling the police on us, are you, squirt?"
"Hiccup, stay where you are," said Stoick over the phone. "We're on our way, just stay where you are."
Dagur and his gang approached him steadily, punching their fists into open palms. Hiccup swallowed. Toothless growled.
"Um, great, Dad," said Hiccup, "yeah, sounds great, hurry, though. I'm in the parking lot behind Berk University. Hang on just one sec…yeah, I have to go."
"Hiccup, don't you dare hang up-!"
Click.
Hiccup pocketed his phone and swallowed.
"I've waited a long time to do this, squirt," said Dagur threateningly. "There's no friends of yours to stop me now."
"Dagur, don't make your sentence in prison any worse," said Hiccup.
"Oh, I've done time, Hiccup," said Dagur. "I'm used to it."
Hiccup gulped down any fear he had and pulled one of his drum sticks from the bag around his neck - he had forgotten to take it off upon arrival at the Battle of the Bands, and he was happy he had.
Dagur chuckled darkly. "What are you going to do?" Dagur asked tauntingly. "Drum me to death?"
Hiccup swallowed again.
He had no idea what he was going to do.
Toothless snarled dangerously. Hiccup raised his drum sticks.
Unbeknownst to himself, and to Dagur and his gang, Ruffnut and Tuffnut were watching from the shadows, spying on Hiccup. They exchanged glances, nodded to each other in unison, and raced back into the University.
They had to tell the others.
…
DAY: JUNE 20 - THE DAY OF THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS
TIME: 5:59 PM - 1 MINUTE PRIOR TO BATTLE OF THE BANDS
YEAR: 2015
"Snotlout, you can't do this!" said Astrid, as Snotlout stormed towards the front desk in the lobby. "Hiccup wouldn't do something like that to us, and you know he wouldn't! So why are you going through with this? You know we can't trust Dagur! You know he'll do anything and everything to tear us up from the inside!"
Snotlout opened his mouth to answer, when Ruffnut and Tuffnut suddenly burst from nowhere, grabbing Snotlout's arm to stop him from walking any further.
"Dagur...lied…" Tuffnut panted. "Hiccup...police...car…"
"Wait, what?" said Fishlegs. "Hiccup has a police car?"
"No!" said Ruffnut, getting her breath back. "Hiccup found the car that hit him, that made him lose his leg! It's the Red Deaths'! They hit Hiccup, and Hiccup just called the police on them!"
"But they totally figured it out," said Tuffnut. "They're ganging up on him! He's in trouble!"
That was all Tuffnut had to say before the members of Dragon's Edge were turning and racing off, towards the back door of the University with Tuffnut in the lead, just as a voice over the loudspeakers announcing the start of the Battle of the Bands.
…
DAY: JUNE 20 - THE DAY OF THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS
TIME: 6:01 PM
YEAR: 2015
Dagur slammed Hiccup against the wall, and instantly, Toothless reacted. He lunged forward and sank his teeth straight into Dagur's shin as hard as he could, and Dagur yowled, kicking his leg furiously in an attempt to dislodge the dog. It didn't work, and Hiccup used this moment to his advantage and whacked Dagur across the face with his drum stick.
Toothless finally released Dagur, and Dagur stumbled backwards, clutching his leg. "Vorg, Savage!" Dagur shouted at his other pals, pointing an accusing finger at Hiccup. "Get him!"
The other two, Vorg and Savage, instantly raced forward, but before they even got close to touching Hiccup, Toothless leapt between them and his boy, snarling fiercely and dangerously.
Vorg and Savage hesitated. They may have been reckless and stupid, but they weren't stupid enough to attack a boy guarded by a fierce, snarling border collie who had just dug its fangs into their leader's shin. Dagur's leg was bleeding pretty badly, too, and that would be enough to scare anyone.
"Stay away from us," Hiccup demanded.
Vorg and Savage hesitated.
In their moment's pause, though, the back door flew open, and five black shapes charged forward.
Astrid tackled Dagur.
She flat-out tackled him, which stunned Hiccup a bit at first. Snotlout and the twins, meanwhile, dove into Vorg, and Fishlegs pounced Savage.
Toothless dropped his protective stance and watched in somewhat confusion, somewhat amusement, as Dagur and his gang were knocked down, to the ground, bruised, and in Dagur's case, bleeding.
Astrid, Snotlout, the twins and Fishlegs finally got off of them, and the Red Deaths sprang to their feet.
"I'm callin' the cops," Dagur threatened.
Wee-oo-wee-oo-wee-oo.
"They're already here," said Hiccup smugly.
Four police cars pulled in behind him, lights blaring red and blue.
Dagur's confidence vanished as though it had never even existed.
…
DAY: JUNE 20 - THE DAY OF THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS
TIME: 6:31 PM
YEAR: 2015
It took a lot longer than any of them would have hoped before the police got the story from Hiccup and the others, an appointment scheduled for them to recount it again at the police office, and Dagur, Vorg, and Savage to be taken away in the backs of the police cars.
"Are you sure you're alright, Hiccup?" Stoick asked his son for the utmost time.
"I'm fine, Dad," said Hiccup. "Toothless protected me." Toothless growled and nodded in agreement.
"All right," said Stoick. "I'll see you at the house tonight, Hiccup. I have some personal talking to do with Dagur…"
"Okay, Dad," said Hiccup. "I'll see you later."
Once the police had left, Hiccup, Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Astrid, and Fishlegs, with Toothless prancing behind them, walked back into the University.
"I'm sorry we doubted you, Hiccup," said Snotlout finally. "And don't expect me to repeat myself, 'cause I won't-"
"I forgive you, Snotlout," said Hiccup.
"And we're sorry too, H.," said Ruffnut. "Dagur can be manipulative…"
A loud, booming voice suddenly came over the loudspeakers, and the members of Dragon's Edge froze where they stood to listen.
"And next up on the stage, the Iron Gronckles! Following them, is Dragon's Edge!"
"Oh, shoot, guys!" said Snotlout. "We're on in ten minutes!" He looked down at his watch, and then back up at his band. "Okay...are you ready for this?"
Hiccup twirled his drum stick - the same one he had whacked Dagur across the face with. "I'm ready," said Hiccup.
"We second his ready," said the twins.
"And same here," said Astrid.
"I'm ready," said Fishlegs.
"Good!" said Snotlout, grinning. "Then it's backstage with us! We're on in ten minutes, people! Let's make this count!"
…
DAY: JUNE 20
TIME: 6:40
YEAR: 2015
As the audience's applause finally came to a stop, Snotlout glanced over his shoulder at Hiccup, who was behind him at his drumset. Fishlegs was behind his keyboard, and Astrid and Snotlout's guitars were strapped around their shoulders.
Snotlout nodded to Hiccup, and Hiccup counted to four in his head, hit the high-hat twice, and the song began.
The subwoofer hooked up to Hiccup's kickdrum made the sound so much more projected, distorted but at the same time clear, which gave the song an easy flow. Fishlegs played his keyboard with its setting on Strings, and Astrid waited for the right moment to come in with her guitar.
They got the audience clapping, actually, before the first verse even came in. Hiccup choked the symbol eight times in perfect rhythm, and Snotlout came in with the lyrics.
"Let the wind carry us,
"To the clouds, hurry up,
"Alright.
"We can travel so far,
"As our eyes can see…"
…
DAY: JUNE 20
TIME: 6:50
YEAR: 2015
"That was incredible!" said Snotlout as he, Hiccup, Astrid, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, and Fishlegs headed backstage; the applause of the crowd was still going, even now, after they had exited the stage.
"I feel exhilarated," said Tuffnut. "Let's do it again!"
"So, when do we find out if we won, Snotlout?" said Astrid.
"They'll send out letters to each of the competitors," said Snotlout breezily. "And if we win, they'll tell us in the letter and send in the thousand dollar prize money and trophy."
"Awesome!" said Ruffnut. "I like trophies! Shiny!"
"The subwoofer sounded amazing, Hiccup!" said Astrid, punching Hiccup on the shoulder. "We should use that more often!"
"We really should!" said Hiccup, grinning. "It's so fun."
"If you ask me," said Snotlout, "we have this contest in the bag. I mean, listen." He paused. "They're still clapping."
...
DAY: JUNE 27
TIME: 8:54 AM
YEAR: 2015
Snotlout barged into Dragon's Edge HQ that morning, and over his head he waved a piece of paper, and a torn envelope. Fishlegs, Astrid, the twins, and Hiccup jumped in their seats when he ran in. Snotlout's was smiling so big it was in danger of splitting his face in half.
"WE WON!" he shouted, thrusting the paper to Hiccup, who was closest. "WE WON THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS!"
"Oh, my gosh!" Hiccup shouted, leaping to his feet once he had read over it. "We won! We really did win!"
"NO WAY!" shouted Ruffnut and Tuffnut in unison, and Tuffnut snatched the paper away from Hiccup. "OH MY GOSH, WE WON! WE WON!" Ruffnut and Tuffnut bashed their heads together in triumph.
"THIS IS INCREDIBLE!" squealed Fishlegs. "We won! I can't believe we actually won!"
"I knew we could do it!" said Snotlout, grinning widely. "We did it!"