Small warning: Tis a long chapter. Also as a reminder, there is one more chapter after this. Enjoy :)
Hiccup and Toothless flew by the monster.
/That thing has wings. Okay, let's see if it can use them!/
Hiccup pulled. Toothless rose. They flipped end on end. They dove. Toothless spit fire. It slammed the monster. It fell. The Vikings, gathered on the beach, watched large wings unfurl.
/Do you think that did it?/
The monster rose into the air.
/Well, he can fly./
Toothless grunted at Hiccup. They banked into some sea stacks. The monster followed. The Vikings watched, amazed and surprised, as Hiccup and Toothless zig-zagged through the sea stacks. Many Vikings began to cheer. Then the monster began crashing into and destroying the sea stacks. Hiccup looked up. The clouds were dark.
/Okay, Toothless, time to disappear./
Toothless climbed. The monster followed. It lost them in the clouds. It roared. Toothless dove. Blue-purple fire slammed into a wing. Toothless flew on. On the ground, the Vikings could only see the fireballs. In the air Hiccup and Toothless continued. The monster, fed up, spewed fire and spun in a circle.
/Watch out!/
Fire licked at Toothless' fake tail fin.
/Okay, time's up. Let's see if this works./
They dove in front of the monster. Hiccup shouted a taunt.
/Come on! Is that the best you can do?!/
Toothless roared. The monster snarled. Hiccup and Toothless dove. The monster pursued. Toothless held his speed, keeping just out of the monster's reach. Hiccup looked at the tailfin. It was slowly disintegrating.
/Stay with me, bud. We're good. Just a little bit longer./
The monster closed in. Hiccup tucked against Toothless. The monster opened its month.
/Hold, Toothless./
Gas built in the monster's throat.
/Now!/
Hiccup hit the petal hard. Toothless flipped. Toothless spit fire. The monster choked down the fireball. It ignited the gas, burning the monster from within. They burst free of the clouds. The monster realized the ground was rushing up at it. It flared its wings. Toothless earlier blast punctured holes in the membrane. Toothless and Hiccup dashed away. The holes in the monster's wings tore and it crashed into the ground, creating a massive fireball. Hiccup and Toothless wove through its spines, outrunning the fire. The monster's tail rose and curled towards them. The tailfin fell away. The petal would not respond. Toothless could not turn.
/No. No./
The tail cracked Hiccup. He separated from Toothless and fell. Toothless spun. He fought to reach his unconscious rider as the fireball rose to cover everything. The images stilled.
"What?!" Stoick demanded, standing. "What happened?!"
Gyda sighed. "The cost of foolish pride is everything."
"I died," Hiccup whispered though it seemed to reverberate throughout the cavern. "I know Toothless can survive the fire. I can't."
Gyda stared at him. She took a deep breath.
"There is more to see. Do you wish to, Hiccup?"
"Why ask me?"
"Do you wish to see, Hiccup?"
Hiccup blinked. "Yes," he said slowly.
Gyda nodded. The images restarted. A whiteout of ash filled the view. Stoick stumbled through, yelling.
/Hiccup? Hiccup? Son?/
He spied Toothless. He rushed over.
/Hiccup./
Stoick stopped short. The saddle upon Toothless back was tore and empty. The fake tailfin was gone and only some metal spokes remained. Stoick's knees buckled.
/Oh, son… I did this…/
The Vikings gathered behind Stoick, though they stayed back several feet. Astrid and Gobber pushed through the front. Astrid gasped. Some dragons and those from the arena gathered behind the Vikings. Toothless stirred and groggily looked up at Stoick.
/I'm sorry…./
Stoick's voice was barely a whisper. Toothless stared at him for a heartbeat then unfurled his wings. Hiccup lay, clutched in Toothless' paws. Stoick pulled him close.
/Hiccup./
Stoick snatched his helmet off and placed his ear to Hiccup's chest.
/He's alive! You brought him back alive!/
The crowd, Vikings and dragons alike, both in the images and in the cavern, roared. Stoick, in the image, placed a hand upon Toothless' head.
/Thank you… for saving my son./
Gobber walked up.
/Well, you know… most of him./
The images changed. They showed Hiccup, laying upon a bed. He had scars marring his face. Toothless nudged him and then sat back. He huffed and called out. Hiccup stirred and blinked his eyes open. Toothless, excited, nudged him again.
/Oh, hey, Toothless. I'm happy to see you too./
In his joy, Toothless stepped on Hiccup's stomach. Hiccup yelped, fully waking up.
/I'm in my house./
He looked up at Toothless.
/You're in my house. Does my dad know you're here?/
As Hiccup asked, Toothless hopped around in joy. He knocked over the cooking spit. Toothless turned and vaulted into the rafters
/Okay. Okay- no Toothless! Aw, come on./
Hiccup moved to get out of the bed. He paused. He pulled back the fur cover. He stared. Toothless hopped down. A booted foot hit the floor and metal leg followed. Many of those watching drew in deep, loud breaths. The images showed Toothless sniff the leg then looked up at Hiccup. Hiccup stared at him, taking several deep breaths. He grabbed the bedpost and stood. Toothless watched him.
/Okay… okay./
Hiccup went to step forward and fell. Toothless caught him with the top of his head. He lifted Hiccup up and then curled around to offer himself as a crutch.
/Thanks, bud./
They walked to the door with the images focusing upon Hiccup's metal leg and Toothless missing tailfin, both on the same side. Hiccup pried the door open. A Nightmare roared. Hiccup yelped and slammed the door shut.
/Toothless? Stay here, bud./
Hiccup opened the door. The Nightmare was still there, then Snotlout, on the Nightmare's neck, shouted.
/Come on, guys, get ready! Hold on tight! Here we go!/
Snotlout and the Nightmare flew off. Several Vikings, also on dragons, followed him. A Nadder landed next to several more on a rooftop. The last Nadder had a rider and both flew off over the village. Hiccup saw a house had been converted into a roost for dragons. The braiser now held fish, a lot of fish. Dragons walked around the village and flew over the buildings. The Vikings did nothing more than pet some or watch without screams or calls for war. Hiccup stepped out.
/I knew it. I'm dead./
Stoick laughed, patting Hiccup's shoulder.
/No, but you gave it your best shot. So? What do you think?/
Hiccup looked around. People and dragons noticed him.
/Hey, look! It's Hiccup!
He's awake!/
The Vikings, some with Terrors on their shoulders, hurried up the steps to the chief's house. Stoick smiled down at Hiccup.
/Turns out all we needed was a little more of ….this.
You just gestured to all of me.
Well, most of ye./
Gobber pushed through the crowd and pointed at Hiccup's metal leg.
/That bit's my handiwork. With a little Hiccup flare thrown in. Think it'll do?/
Hiccup looked down at his leg.
/I might make a few tweaks./
That earned laughter as Astrid appeared. She punched Hiccup's arm. Hiccup's recoiled with a yelp.
/That's for scaring me.
What? Is it always going to be this way with you? … Cause…/
She gripped his tunic and pulled him close. She kissed his lips to the hoots and cheers from those watching and those in the images standing around. She pulled back.
/… I could get used to it./
[Ha! Told you, brother.]
The female Gronkle leaned far enough forward in order nuzzle against Astrid's leg. [Your hatchlings will be loved, Lady Alpha.]
Hiccup and Astrid choked. The rest of the dragons, many Vikings, and Gyda cackled. The images showing Gobber handing Hiccup a new tailfin and saddle pulled everyone's attentions back to the walls.
/Welcome home./
Toothless chose that moment to dart out the door.
/Night Fury! Get down!/
Many scrambled aside. Spitelout and one other Viking did not retreat in time. They all fell as Toothless landed upon them. Hiccup and Astrid shared a look and a smile.
The images changed, focusing upon Hiccup's new metal leg. It slotted into the modified petal on Toothless' new saddle, both pieces becoming one. The tailfin flared, blood red with the Berk symbol emblazed upon it. Astrid, asride the Nadder, backed up beside Hiccup and Toothless. Hiccup looked down at his friend.
/You ready?/
Toothless snorted and tossed his head. Hiccup glanced around as his voice spoke over the action. Various Vikings and dragon pairs walked in a line through the plaza with the ones at the lead taking off and each following suite thereafter.
/This is Berk. It snows nine months out of the year and hails the other three./
Hiccup and Toothless bounced into the air. Astrid and her Nadder followed. Hiccup's voice continued to speak as both pairs raced through the village, buzzing past a Viking drinking from a tankard, weaving through walkway supports, off the cliff, around new ships, and through the bridge supports.
/Any food that grows here is tasteless. The people that live here even more so. The only upside are the pets. While others have ponies or parrots, we have../
The other teens joined Hiccup, Toothless, Astrid, and her Nadder. They flew in formation until Toothless and Hiccup surged away from the others and began spinning into the sun.
/….dragons./
The images faded. The walls turned back to featureless stone.
"So, that's it?" Snotlout asked.
"We got dragons?" Fishlegs asked at the same time.
"Ours it the best," Tuff said.
"Mine's better than yours," Ruff stated.
"No, mine is."
"Guys," Hiccup started, "same dragon!"
The twins ignored him as both began to tussle with the other over who's dragon was better. The male Zippleback shared a glanced then looked down at Hiccup.
[Alpha,] one head began.
[..is this wise?] the other head finished asking.
[I wonder the same with the rider he chose for me,] the male Nightmare muttered.
"Hey! You're getting the best!"
The male Nightmare groaned. The female at his side nuzzled against him. Hiccup glanced at Toothless and then to Astrid, unsure how to respond to either dragon. He had no idea why his future self chose the pairs he did, though looking at the female Nadder and Gronkle sitting in front of Astrid and Fishlegs gave a clue to their choosing. Astrid leaned close and whispered so Hiccup, the Zippleback, and the Nightmare could hear her.
"If anyone could reign in those two Loki devotees, the Zippleback can and if anyone can tame Snotlout the Nightmare can."
Said dragons looked at each other then at Astrid before turning to Hiccup. The Nightmare chuckled.
[She will make a wonderful Lady Alpha,] the Nightmare said.
Hiccup choked again, quickly looking to Toothless so as not to look at Astrid. He knew his face would heat up with an intense blush. Toothless tilted his head and then gave Hiccup a gummy smile then winked at him. Hiccup felt his face heat anyways. Toothless chuckled.
"So now what?"
Hiccup found himself never more grateful for his father than right then. His questioned pulled everyone's attention off of him. He turned and caught Astrid giving him a peculiar look before looking away. Gyda standing kept him from questioning her actions. He blinked when the barrier disappeared as Gyda walked to a point in front and equal distance to both groups.
"That is the message you all were to receive," Gyda said. "I will now transport you all back to Berk at the very moment I took you from." She paused and took a deep breath before looking at Hiccup. "Hiccup, do you all return with full knowledge of the events that happened here, or do you all return with the memories blocked?"
"Huh?"
"Do I return everyone with full knowledge of what you all have seen and experienced here in my home or do I return everyone with the memories blocked?"
"Why would you block them?"
"Many reasons. One main is that being forewarned will cause the path to follow to change."
"Us knowing about that monster might cause things to change?" Hiccup asked.
"Not might. Will."
Hiccup turned to Toothless. Toothless tipped his head.
[Whatever you decide, brother, I will stand by it.]
Hiccup turned to Astrid.
"So will I, Hiccup."
Hiccup frowned then looked at the other dragons.
[We are behind you, Alpha, whatever you decide,] the female Nadder said and the other dragons except Gyda's family echoed her.
Hiccup looked up as his father moved to stand near Gyda.
"Son, you chose what you feel is right. We all will stand by it."
Hiccup blinked when all but Dogsbreath and Mildew agreed with Stoick. Hiccup turned to Gyda.
"Block the memories," he said.
"They will return to the tribe that does not know you and does not accept you, Hiccup," Gyda said.
"I know, but if we go back and know about that monster and something happens that allows it to get away with its crimes…" Hiccup's voice trailed off. He took a deep breath and sat up straighter. "I will not let that happen even if it means I have their acceptance. That monster started our war. It cannot escape justice."
Gyda smiled and nodded her head. "As you wish," she said, lifting her hand.
"Wait!" Hiccup cried.
He sat the Terror in Astrid's lap then stood. He moved over to Gyda and hugged her. Gyda hugged him back.
"Thank you," he whispered.
Gyda sighed and pulled him close.
"Never stop being you, my friend," she whispered.
Hiccup stepped back and nodded his head before returning to the bench. He sat down. The Terror nuzzled against Astrid before moving back to Hiccup's lap. Gyda smiled then lifted her hand. She snapped her fingers and disappeared in a white flash of light.
S.H Oooh, interesting question. I think it's answered. Hmm, or is it? ;) :p
/me giggles and walks off whistling
