Geez, this is late. I'm so sorry for that. Fanfiction was being a bit buggy and I had a busy weekend so I didn't want to write. Oh well, what's done is done and THIS is done!
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All eyes turned to Gobber. Even Hiccup was staring, albeit in joy more than horror. In their booth, Shilo retrieved a large ring of keys and poofed out, ending up by Gobber.
Just as she was about to unlock his chains, Stoick spoke up, "Gobber… why? Why you?" His voice was hard and strained, but his eyes showed his sadness. Shilo moved in to unlock his chains.
Once he was free, Gobber turned to Stoick, took a deep breath and began, "Stoick, I have stood by you through everything and you have been a good friend and a good chief. But you have not been a good father." Stoick sputtered, but Gobber continued, "You cared more about dragons after Val was taken and not about your 6 MONTH OLD SON. When he kept inventing things, you apprenticed him to me to keep him out of trouble. You don't spend time with him, yet you expect him to be like everyone else. You call him a traitor when all I see is a young man who discovered the end of a century's long war."
Stoick was shamed into silence as Gobber ascended the stairs. He reached the top by Hiccup, Astrid and the children and took a seat right in front of Toothless, who promptly sniffed him in greating. The movie then resumed as little Gronkles swarmed around the fat blond.
EXT. TRAINING GROUNDS - MORNING
GOBBER (O.S.)
Today is about teamwork.
ON A DOUBLE-WIDE DOOR, BLASTING OPEN. A cloud of smoke engulfs the ring, swirling around the paired-up teens. Astrid with Ruffnut. Snotlout with Tuffnut. Fishlegs with Hiccup. All carry buckets of water, poised to throw them.
GOBBER (CONT'D)
Now, a wet dragon head can't light its fire. The Hideous Zippleback is extra tricky. One head breathes gas, the other head lights it. Your job is to know which is which.
"How are we supposed to know that?" Tuffnut said. "They both look the same." Everyone stared at Tuffnut. Had he just said something that made sense?! Oh Odin, it must be Ragnarok!
The smoke encircles them, cutting them off from each other.
The teens LISTEN and WATCH for any sign of the dragon.
FISHLEGS
(muttering to himself)
Razor sharp, serrated teeth that inject venom for pre-digestion. Prefers ambush attack, crushing its victims in its...
HICCUP
(TENSE)
Will you please stop that?
"I'm agreeing with Hiccup on that." Snotlout said, which earned him many stares. Had he just agreed with Hiccup?!
ON ASTRID AND RUFFNUT, LOOKING DETERMINED.
ON SNOTLOUT AND TUFFNUT
Moving nervously through the fog, back to back. Snotlout is singing to himself to calm his nerves.*
Everyone burst out laughing at his nervous singing, even Shilo and Vesper in their booth.
SNOTLOUT
If that dragon shows either of his faces, I'm gonna-
(spotting an approaching shape, terrified)
-There!
Snotlout and Tuffnut HURL their water into the fog.
ASTRID
Hey!
RUFFNUT
It's us, idiots.
Astrid and Ruffnut are soaked.
Shilo turned on the intercom to say, "And that, ladies and gentlemen, is How NOT to Get a Girlfriend." Vesper burst out laughing so hard, her sides started to cramp as did everyone else, though not AS hard.
TUFFNUT
Your butts are getting bigger. We thought you were a dragon.
SNOTLOUT
(TO ASTRID)
Not that there's anything wrong with a dragon-esque figure.
Astrid couldn't resist, "Did you just call me fat!?" Hiccup and Gobber started laughing yet again as Snotlout turned a furious shade of red. To cool him off, Shilo dumped a bucket of water over his head.
Snotlout then yelled, "WHY DO YOU ALL HATE MEEEEEEE!?"
Astrid PUNCHES Snotlout in the face. Ruffnut THROWS HER BUCKET at Tuffnut, causing him to fall. He is then PULLED into the fog. Ruffnut tries to go in but…
ASTRID
Wait.
They FREEZE. A tail SWEEPS out of the fog, taking them down.
Astrid's bucket spills. Tuffnut emerges, crying,
TUFFNUT
Oh, I'm hurt. I am very much hurt.
ON FISHLEGS AND HICCUP coming across them.
FISHLEGS
Chances of survival are dwindling into single digits now...
That's comforting, Hiccup thought. Really, was that all he could say?
HICCUP
Look out!
A Zippleback head emerges out of the smoke. Fishlegs hurls his water at it, completely dousing the head. It leers and opens its mouth, spewing gas into the area.
FISHLEGS
Oh. Wrong head.
GAS FLOWS around their legs. Fishlegs flees in a panic.
Gobber face-palmed. The point was to stick together and work as a team, not abandon your teammate!
GOBBER
Fishlegs!
Beat. The other head sweeps out of the smoke, sparks flashing in its mouth.
GOBBER (CONT'D)
Now, Hiccup!
Hiccup hurls his water with all his might. It arcs and drops short of the dragon's sparking mouth. The dragon grins.
Oh no was the thought on most people's minds. But, the thought on the minds of Gobber and the teens was So what did he do that day?
HICCUP
Oh, come on!
The dragon approaches, knocking Hiccup onto his back.
GOBBER (CONT'D)
Hiccup!
He rushes forward only to see…
The Zippleback backing away from Hiccup. He stands and holds his hands out, as if controlling it.
Every adult was shocked. Was everyone acting different today?
HICCUP
BACK! BACK! BACK! Now don't you make me tell you again!
The Zippleback retreats through its door and into its cave, hissing.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Yes, that's right. Back into your cage.
Hiccup slyly OPENS his vest, revealing the smoked EEL from earlier.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Now think about what you've done.
He TOSSES it inside the door, then SLAMS it shut.
Everyone had a moment of Ohhh after seeing that. Giggling, Vesper turned the intercom back on and said, "All hail Hiccup, the smartest person on Berk!" A plastic crown dropped into his lap. He stared at it before placing it on his head.
Astrid smiled; they matched.
Hiccup turns to the teens and Gobber. They stare, slack-jawed. Fishlegs drops his empty bucket
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Okay! So are we done? Because I've got some things I need to...
Hiccup jogs out of the ring.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Yep...see you tomorrow.
The group is BAFFLED.
Gothi stared behind her at the chief's son, wondering if maybe the girls had been right about the end of the war…
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* This was too perfect to leave out.
Well, I hoped you enjoyed this since it was a long time coming! I really hope Gobber's speech came out fine as well...
Leave a review if you liked it! I'm hoping to have 45 before I post the next chapter.
Ta, lovelies!