Warning-this includes several mentions of bare breasts. You'v been warned.
(HICCA'S P.O.V.)
A week has past since we beaten the Iron Hammer and freed on all those slaves. The whole time, Zippy, me, and twins, Koryn, and anyone else volunteered to help the slaves settle into their new homes in one of the numerous empty villages throughout the island. Many of them were recently captured slaves, not needing much rehab. There were quite a few that were as bad as Zippy was. It's almost to the point that they wouldn't breath without being ordered to with them. Zippy's mother was among them, sadly, her spirit was so broken, it'll take a miracle to restore it. Good thing we have her daughter helping us. Some of the younger ones-mostly orphans around our age-had expressed interest in becoming a Sky Flier, but seemed to be willing to ride dragons more than griffins, which no one minded.
Ever since that night, Zippy's really come out of her shell. She was no longer submissive, timid, or shy around everyone anymore, but now is a confident, mischievous, and open girl who always seems to have a smile on her face, much to everyone's surprise, awe, and pride as they saw their resident wallflower bloom. She tended to mess with us, really showing us her playful side, and she even took charge a few times during missions, at times. She's even taken part in active training with me, where she proves to be a dangerous fighter with those daggers of hers. Being a slave most of your life had one perk, but that's it.
Speaking of which, we were actually in the middle of a hand-to-hand sparring match. Zippy really held the speed advantage, here, as I can barely touch her, and she's stronger than her size would lead you to believe. I was no push over, either, as Bernice's Spartan training has really improved me physical strength. I'm probably on par with Astrid in terms of raw strength, now. I was brought back to reality by a kick to the gut, sending me to the ground. I look up to see a smug Zippy smiling at me. I get up and send a flurry of punches, which she dodges with impressive speed. She catches my last punch and I try to push her back, but she stands firm. Eventually, she ducks behind me and snakes her arms my waist. Before I knew it, the back of my head was slammed onto the ground.
She stood over me before planting her foot on my stomach. She smirks at me, but I smirk back. Before she could react, I grab her leg and force her back with a push. As I get up, she rushes forward and tries to get me in a choke hold, but I grab her arm and we soon got into a deadlock. Getting an idea, I hook my arms around her waist and push her onto her back and pinned her arms.
"Got you" I said.
"Okay, that's enough for today" Bernice called. I immediately get off her and help her up. She playfully punches me in the arm.
"Nice move back there, Hicca" she said.
"Same to you. That move you pulled to slam me onto the ground was impressive" I said.
"That was a suplex and thank you" she said. We soon met up with Bernice and Heather and walked down the street, simply chatting with each other. We came up to Justin and Regina in a forge with Honrich's hammer on a table. Ever since we got our hands on it, we've been trying to figure out what kind of metal used in making it. We haven't had much luck, though.
"Still nothing?" I asked.
"Yeah. Whatever this metal is, it's nothing I've seen before" Justin replied, stilling examining the hammer.
"Honrich must've known one heck of a blacksmith to get this hammer" Regina said.
"Too bad we can't ask him or couldn't find any clues as to where he found the metal" Heather commented.
"Indeed. I can only imagine what we could do with weapons made out of this amazing metal" Regina mused. I suddenly remember I have somewhere to be.
"Anyway, I need to be going, guys. I gotta meet up with Koryn at her house" I said as I start walking away from the group.
"Got a date, eh?" Zippy asked with a smirk.
"With all this crazy stuff, I haven't spent nearly as much time as I should've with her. So, I'm going to make it up to her. See you" I said and leave. I reach Koryn's house and knock on the door. It didn't take long for her to answer, but I yelped in surprise and embarrassment. Why? Koryn was completely topless, exposing her breasts to the world. Thankfully she had some pants on, but that was it.
"Koryn, we are you half-naked?!" I exclaimed, covering my eyes. Koryn laughed at my misfortune.
"What's wrong, Hicca? Don't you like what you see?" she asked in a seductive tone. I can practically feel her smirk.
"Yes!- I mean no! Ah! Why aren't you wearing a shirt?!" I demanded, trying not to become flustered by my girlfriends obvious teasing. She laughs again.
"If you must know, I was just getting out of a bath when you knocked" she said.
"And you couldn't have, at least, put on some bindings before opening the door?" I questioned.
"Nah, I thought you'd like to see my assets. The boys back in my hometime always said I'm quite easy on the eyes. And they ain't wrong" she said, chuckling. I'm pretty sure my face was red as a beat, now.
"Ah, for the love of Thor, put some clothes on!" I practically shouted, making Koryn laugh at me, again.
"Okay, miss innocent, I'll stop with the teasing. For now. You can wait in the living room until I'm decent" she said, letting me inside. I walk to the couch, trying not to look at Koryn's still exposed chest and still feeling her smirk. She goes into her room and comes out a few minutes later in her usual dress. I just glare at her as she sits next to me.
"Oh, come on, don't be like that. I was just teasing you… Besides, I'm pretty sure you have quite the bust, yourself" she said, the annoying smirk on her face.
"Oh, just shut up!" I groaned, but inwardly, I was flattered.
"But, I mean it. In fact…" she trailed off. Before I could react, she grabbed my breasts and started squeezing. I yelped in surprise at the sudden contact, the blush returning to my face with a vengeance. However, her expression turned from a teasing smirk to a confused frown as she keeps feeling.
"Why does it feel like your bindings are much tighter than they should be?" she asked. I suddenly freeze in shock and worry. What if she finds out? She stares directly at me.
"Hicca, are… pressing your breasts?" she asked, any thought of teasing me gone from her and replaced with concern. I stare at her, conflicted. Should I tell her or lie? However, I look into her emerald-sapphire eyes and I knew I could trust her.
"...Yes. I actually have a rather generously sized bust for a girl my age, but I always get teased by the other girls my age for it. So, I started tightening my bindings to make them appear smaller. That's why I appear to have a small chest" I revealed. I see the shock in her eyes.
"Doesn't that hurt?" she asked.
"I got used to it" I said, simply. I sigh. Guess I still carry some scars from Berk. I feel Koryn grip my hand.
"How come I never noticed during our time at the swimming hole?" she asked.
"I made sure to hide the fact I'm pressing my chest as best I could. I never bothered to stop, even when I came here. Old habits die hard, I guess" I mused.
"Hicca, you shouldn't be hurting yourself like that all because of some mean-spirited teasing. I know how it feels to be harassed for something you can't really control, but you can't let them get to you like that. You're here, they're not" she said, the conviction in her voice easily heard.
"It's not something I can just stop doing, you know" I said.
"Look at Allison and Zippy. They both overcame the habits that were hurting them. If they can do it, so can you. And I'll be by your side, the whole" she said, giving me that sweet smile I love so much. Odin, what did I do to deserve such an amazing girlfriend?
"I love you" I said, sincerely.
"I love you, too" she replied. Her smile got bigger as a strange look appeared in her eyes.
"How about we go out on a flight? Away from the island and get your mind off this sad tale?" she suggested, beaming a massive smile.
"Flight to where?" I asked, curiously.
"To a deserted island not far from here, where we can get some alone time. What do you say?" she asked. I shrug.
"Well, I've been meaning to spend more time with you and I've got nothing else to do" I said.
"Great! I'll go get ready and think about what I said" she said, running out of side. I chuckle at her enthusiasm. She comes out a few minutes later and we hop on Toothless. We take off and I let Koryn lead the way.
It took us a couple of hours to reach the island, but we finally arrived. It was a pretty decent-sized island and, like Koryn said, was deserted save for the local wildlife. We landed on the beach and, as usual, I help Koryn off of Toothless. As soon as we were off, Toothless bounds for a shady spot under a tree to relax. Lazy dragon. Koryn takes my hand and leads us through the vegetation. I let her lead me around until we arrived in a small clearing with a large oak tree in the center and we sat on its large roots.
"Amazing isn't it?" she asked me.
"Yeah" I said, a little breathless.
"This island is where the Sky Fliers found me, actually. About three years ago, my sexuality was exposed and my hometown almost immediately tried to burn me. So, with only the sad excuse for clothes I ahd on my back, I ran and eventually found my way onto a ship. I was eventually discovered and thrown overboard as the crew believed having a woman aboard a ship is bad luck. I spent six months on this island before a couple of Sky Fliers found me and brought me to Heaven's Peak, where I have lived ever since" she explained. I listened intently and was quite amazed by the story. Sure, I knew that Koryn's hometown burned homosexuals, but hearing how bad it was was still a bit shocking. Koryn turns to me and grips the bottom of my tunic. Instinctively, I my hands go to stop her.
"What are you doing?" I asked, blushing.
"Hicca, you need to remove the bindings" she said, her face neutral.
"I told you-" I started, but she cut me off.
"I know, but you'll feel a lot better once they're removed. Trust me" she said, looking into my eyes. Reluctantly, I remove my hands and let her do what she wants. She takes off my vest and tunic before turning me around to undo the knot that keeps my bindings up that's on my back. She begins unwrapping the cloth, which takes a while as I used a very long cloth. She eventually finishes and my breasts are finally removed from the restrictive cloth. I, shockingly, feel a strong sense of relief afterwards. As if I still felt the pain and it finally went away. I glance down at my breasts. They were crushed, as expected.
"Feel better?" Koryn asked me, smiling. I stare at her.
"... Yes, I do. You were right, Koryn. Guess I'll need some new, less constrictive, bindings, now, huh?" I asked, jokingly.
"Then, it's a good thing you have a seamstress for a girlfriend" she said, cheekily. I let out a chuckle. I put my tunic back on, but not the bindings. We pretty much spent the rest of the day simply being by each other's side, exploring the island, having fun, and looking at the local wildlife. A colorful bird even landed on Koryn's shoulder, much to her amazement. By the time we returned to the oak, the sun was beginning to set and we laid against the oak's trunk, gazing up to the sky as the stars became visible. Koryn was leaning against my side, simply enjoying being next to me.
"You know, I'm glad I left Berk. Ever since coming here, I've made real friends, gained you as my girlfriend, and well on my well to becoming an amazing fighter. I don't think this would ever happen to me if I stayed in that village" I said, snaking my arm around her waist.
"I can say the same thing about leaving my home. I have the most amazing life here and I have no intention of giving it up" she said, though I noticed she sounded a little sleepy. I let out a yawn, myself, and it wasn't long before we both fell asleep in each other's hold. I barely even noticed Toothless over and laying next to us.
(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)
Back on Heaven's Peak, Regina and Justin were still trying to figure out what kind of metal the hammer was made of. So far, they made no progress as it matched no known metal. Regina was confident they'll figure it out, eventually. Speaking of which, she was currently looking it over with a magnifying glass while Justin stared off into space.
"Hmm… Hicca and Koryn have been gone a long time, now" he commented. Not long after they left, Allison had said they had left on Toothless, having spotted them as they flew off.
"I'm sure they're alright. Besides, they have a Night Fury watching them and Hicca's become quite the fighter since she began her training" Regina said.
"Still, I'd like to check up on them. Do you know where they've been?" he asked, turning to the tinkerer.
"From what Allison said, they were likely heading to the island we first found Koryn on" she replied. Now, Justin was worried.
"Uh, you know that island has an active volcano that could erupt at any time, now, right?" he asked. Regina, turned to him, now also worried.
"Okay, that's bad. Perhaps we should check on them, just in case" she said. With that they mounted Silverbolt and flew off at high speed.
(HICCA'S P.O.V.)
A massive shake woke us up. The animals were flying around us and Toothless looked worried. Still groggy, we stood up and frantically looked around.
"What's going on?" Koryn asked. A glow catches our attention we look up to see an erupting volcano.
"I'm guessing that" I said.
"I never knew this island had an active volcano on it. Let's get out of here" she said. Without another word, we mounted Toothless and took off. Good thing, too, as lava started pouring out of the volcano as soon as we did. The lava flow lasted for a few hours before the volcano followed stopped and the lava cooled down, but the entire island was covered in the stuff, now.
"Well, there goes our romantic outing" Koryn said.
"Eh, I'm sure we can find less dangerous locations to visit" I said, reassuringly. I hear a familiar screech and Silverbolt comes into view, Justin and Regina on his back.
"Oh, thanks goodness you two are okay" Justin said.
"We got off the island as soon as the volcano erupted. No burns on us, thankfully" I said.
"That's good to hear. Now, how about we get out of here" Regina said.
"Hold on. What's that near the volcano?" Koryn asked. We follow her gaze and saw a large opening at the base of the volcano. Curious, we flew down towards the opening and peered inside. We gasped in awe as, within the opening, was a mountain-size boulder of a very familiar black mineral.
"Justin, is this…" I asked, but couldn't finish.
"Only one way to find out" he said. He chucked his boomerang at the boulder and we were blown back by a large shockwave. Welp, that confirms it.
"It's the same metal as Honrich's hammer" Regina said, amazed.
"But, there is probably enough here to supply an army and still have some left over" Justin said. We gazed at the metal in awe.
"Looks like the Sky Fliers have a large project to undertake" Koryn said.
"Yes, but we still need to figure out how to mine this metal without getting pushed back by the shockwave and how to smith it into weapons" Justin said.
"Well, we won't get this done by standing around. Let's go tell Daemun" I said. With that, we got on our mounts and flew off towards Heaven's Peak, with possibly the most amazing discovery of our lives.
(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)
Meanwhile, on a faraway island, in a run down bar, various patrons were enjoying their drinks, meals, playing various games, or simply talking. Sitting at the counter was a cloaked figure, enjoying something to drink, even as the cold night air howls outside, indicating a storm is coming.
"Hey, did you hear what happened to Honrich?" a patron asked, catching the figure's full attention.
"What do you mean?" another asked.
"He's dead" the first patron said, causing those listening to gasp in shock. Honrich was one of the most influential, feared, and respect slave trader in this region of the world, with a small army of cutthroat warriors at his beck and call. So, hearing he was killed was a hard pill to swallow.
"How do you know this?" another patron asked.
"Well, you see, as I was going about my business on the docks, I spotted a couple of his men, looking downtrodden. When I asked, they said their base was raided by a group of welps calling themselves the Sky Fliers. Raided their base in the middle of night, getting their latest batch of sleeps to fight back and managed to kill Honrich during the battle. Said they claimed his prized warhammer as a trophy of sorts" the first patron explained, earning more gasps of shock, wonder, and respect from his audience. The figure was especially interested.
"How did they get their fleet to their island without being noticed?" a patron asked.
"That's the thing: the said they flew in on strange, flying creatures, attacking from the air before meeting us on the ground. One of them even mentioned one of them riding a Night Fury" the first patron said, shocking the audience again. Someone managed to ride the Unholy Offspring of Lightning and Death Itself as some sort of steed? That's impossible!
"Do they know where they went?" a patron asked.
"Not precisely, as they were forced to leave as soon as Honrich died. All they knew is that they headed to the east on their commandeered ships, likely to where they came from" the first patron replied.
"Do you know the way to Honrich's Base?" a new voice asked. The patron looked to see the hooded stranger has joined the group.
"Who's asking?" he asked.
"That is none of your business. All you need to know is where to point me" the stranger said.
"You really think I just up and tell you?' the patron asked. The stranger replied by dropping a large bag of gold on the table.
"Does this change your mind?" he asked. The patron chuckled.
"That it does"
Finally back into the swing of things. Still unsatisfied with the length of the chapters, though. Oh well...
This chapter was inspired by one of Mariah's suggestions. As I keep saying, keep sending me ideas. I appreciate my number one reader's opinions very much!