Chapter 36: True Colors
*Snivels still doesn't talk*
Blaze: Oh, you've got to be kidding me!
Me: Really, I'm the only person who can make him talk.
Blaze: Well, then make him talk!
Me: Okay, okay! Gotta think quick, Caitlyn, uh...
Snivels: I'm not talking to any of you guys!
Ninjark: ...Well, at least he said something.
Amber: I just hope he acts more like the Snivels I love soon...
Me: Well, there's only one way to find out, right?
It really wasn't a surprise to the Go-Getters when they saw the greedy, trouble-making Snotlout standing out in the open with a massive crowd gathered in front of him. What was surprising was that he'd gotten his hands on a few Changewing eggs and was selling them out as Stones of Good Fortune. He'd already made a great deal of profit, set aside were barrels of goods along with a handful of livestock animals. Standing right beside the wannabe money maker was Gustav Larson, a young Viking who looked about ten years old, give or take, and his Pokémon partner: a round, red Fire-type called Darumaka.
The Go-Getters waited until the crowd had dispersed before approaching their selfish rival.
"Snotlout, what are you doing?" Hiccup asked, a small hint of panic evident in his voice.
"What does it look like I'm doing?" was the Jorgenson's reply, "I'm getting rich!"
"By selling dragon eggs you stole from their acid-spitting mothers, who will most likely fly all the way out here to corrode you into the ground?" Blaze asked, her wrists nearly ready to produce her species' trademark tuft of fire.
But Snotlout didn't pay any attention do what she said. "Puh-lease. They're bringing me good luck! I'm up to my neck in weapons and livestock."
"What neck?" Astrid muttered under her breath. That made Heather chuckle.
"Snotlout, those are dragon eggs," Hiccup said warningly, "Changewings, to be exact."
Snotlout just scoffed. "I don't care what they are! Heck, I don't even know what they are! All I know is this - I'm rich, and you're not." He leaned against a nearby yak with a smug look on his face Astrid could have really punched off if they weren't in a public area.
"We're rich, and you're not," Gustav parroted, leaning casually against a nearby sheep.
Choosing to ignore the Larson boy, Hiccup tried once again to warn the gloating Jorgenson.
"Snotlout, listen to me. We need to get those eggs off of Berk before something really bad happens! Trust me, you do not want to keep an egg separated from its mother - especially a mother you can't see that shoots acid."
"Really?" said Snotlout, "You guys did."
It was safe to say that a few of them had been expecting that accusation. "The mother dragon was killed in a storm," Hiccup said, "Snivels brought it back because he knew it wouldn't survive out there."
Snotlout just snorted "Yeah, who cares? They're gone, and I have a no-return policy. Tell them, Gustav."
"No returns!" he repeated.
That earned both of them a large number of glares.
Snotlout took this as his cue to leave. "If you want them, you'll have to take it up with my customers."
Then he was gone, whistling a horribly off-key tune as he towed his piles of merchandise away with Gustav and Darumaka at his heels.
When they left, the Go-Getters switched from confrontation to problem-assessing.
"Guys, we need to get those eggs off of Berk," Hiccup said.
"How?" Heather asked, "We don't know where to find them."
Hiccup averted his gaze to the wild forest of Raven Point.
"But Snivels might."
He turned back to face his friends.
"We need to find him."
At this point, Snivels was far beyond the typical forests of Raven Point. He ended up running away until he reached the hidden cave that housed the Chimeragons, Bahamut and Tiamat. He figured that they'd be smart enough to understand his jealousy and frustration.
"Here I am, possibly the most important member of the team, hiding in a cave all because my trainer isn't paying attention to me! I mean, I get it, he's getting married, he and his fiancée are trying to finalize all the arrangements, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't show any consideration to his best friend! Okay, Toothless is also his best friend, but that's beside the point!"
Tiamat just lifted her head and stared at him.
"Hiccup wouldn't even be getting married if it wasn't for me! Do you have any idea how often I had to give him a pep talk before the final battle on Dragon Island? He doubted himself more often than I have ever preened myself! And I'll have you know, I preen myself very often! He needed someone to love him for who he was, and not just romantically, but brotherly as well. He needed a family, a real family, not Mr. I-Hate-My-Son-And-That's-Why-He-Can't-Leave-The-House! And yet, here I am, rambling on about this stuff to someone who can't talk back to me and tell me to shut up and stop rambling!"
After that, Snivels got surprisingly calmer. After a few deep breaths, he turned to look at Tiamat and the slumbering Bahamut. "So...have you ever thought about having a family?"
Tiamat just stared at him.
Snivels sighed and sat down. "This would probably go better if I was talking to someone who can actually talk back, but really, having a family gives you one more thing to fight for. It gives you strength, you know? There's nothing I know that's stronger than love and friendship."
Tiamat rolled her eyes and laid her head down.
Snivels sighed. "Great. Hybrid dragon pity. I understand that you guys aren't exactly familiar with everything in the outside world, but your species is smarter than most other animals."
By this time, Tiamat was fast asleep.
Snivels sighed again. "Great, I'm talking to a sleeping Chimeragon."
"Not necessarily."
Snivels looked around for the source of the sudden voice.
"Who said that?"
"I did."
Snivels rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, but where are you?"
The mysterious voice chuckled.
"You won't be able to find me where you are. My name is Nova, and I am a Mew. I work with the Resistance."
It took a minute for Snivels to realize the voice was coming from inside his head. "I'm losing it."
"No, you're not," Nova said, "Powerful Psychic-Type Pokémon can speak to others through their minds."
Snivels quickly considered this new fact. "So...thought-speak, huh?"
Nova chuckled. "Yes, exactly. If I want to say something, I can direct my thought-speak to you."
"Okay, so why are you talking to me now?" Snivels asked.
"There are things you need to know," Nova said, "Your trainer needs you."
Snivels looked doubtful, hoping that Nova was able to sense how he felt.
Nova sighed. "I may not understand what you're going through, but I can sense how you are feeling. You are afraid your trainer will pay more attention to his significant other, and forget about you. Is that it?"
Snivels nodded hesitantly.
"You have nothing to worry about," Nova said, "There is no doubt Hiccup is grateful for all you've done to help him."
Snivels shook his head. "I couldn't just stand by and watch. I never would've forgiven myself."
"Because that isn't the type of Pokémon you are."
Snivels knew she was right. All his life, he'd been looking out for others who needed someone to help them with whatever it was they were going through.
"Hiccup needed a friend," he said, mostly to himself, "So I decided to be one to him. But I guess I became a part of his family before I even realized it."
"Family isn't always by blood," Nova said, "You know that as well as any of us Legendaries. You've raised Spike, Terrorspin and Glory as though they were your own children."
"But I never got to thank Hiccup for taking me in," Snivels said, "He's like the brother I never had."
"And he needs you," Nova said, "Go home to your family, Snivels."
That was all the Servine needed to hear.
Team Go-Getters had covered nearly the entire island, but there was still no sign of Snivels. They had even checked some of the same places more than once. And yet, there was no sign of their Servine friend.
Hiccup couldn't have been more worried. Given how much distance Snivels could cover if he was running his fastest, chances were he could have been absolutely anywhere.
Finally, after covering just about every square inch of the island, Hiccup gave up. Toothless crooned sadly as he landed in the middle of the dragons' meadow and watched his rider dismount and sit down on a nearby rock.
Never since the day he first met Snivels did Hiccup feel so alone. The Pokémon that had helped him figure out who he really was had run away in anger.
And it was all his fault.
Because he'd been stupid enough to pay more attention to the girl he was marrying rather than his very first true friend. It was true, he loved Astrid, genuinely so, but without Snivels at his side, he was nothing.
Useless.
Toothless crooned as he approached his rider, nudging him gently. But Hiccup shrugged it off. "Sorry, bud, I just need some time, okay?"
Toothless looked crushed by his friend seemingly rejecting his comfort, but he understood quickly. Turning away, he trudged off sadly with his tail tucked between his legs.
After about a minute of sitting alone, Hiccup heard the sound of swishing grass, indicating that someone was heading his way. He sighed, "Toothless, I need to be alone right now."
"Guess again, Hic."
Hiccup's eyes snapped wide open. He knew that voice. He quickly turned around to see Snivels standing a few feet away with an apologetic look on his face. Hiccup shut his eyes for a few seconds before opening them again, expecting his partner to be gone like the vision he was afraid it was. But the Servine was still there. All the appalled Trainer of Destiny could stutter out was, "You came back?"
Snivels shrugged. "Hey, what good is a true friend if he's not there when you need him?"
A second later, the Prince of Pokémon was pinned to the ground by an overjoyed Toothless, who proceeded to shower him in friendly licks. Snivels laughed as he tried to push the excited Night Fury off.
Hiccup stood up off the rock and helped his friend get up out from under their dragon companion. "Snivels, I'm sorry. If I hadn't been spending more time with Astrid than with you, I would have been a better friend. It's my fault you ran off. But I need your help."
Snivels smiled at his trainer. "Yeah, I know. I could smell what was happening from quite a ways."
Hiccup looked worried. "Is that the reason you can back? Because you knew there was trouble?"
Snivels shook his head. "No, I just needed some time to cool off and talk to someone. Speaking of which, I kinda met a new friend who talked some sense into me. I came back because my family needed me."
That last sentence earned him a smile from his trainer and a friendly nuzzle from the dragon.
"Snivsie?"
Hesitating at first, Snivels turned to see Amber standing a few feet away, clutching her claws nervously. She had seen Hiccup and Toothless land from afar, and had gone to see if something had happened. Now she was afraid that her eyes were deceiving her and that her beloved mate would disappear as soon as she went to touch him. But her fears vanished as Snivels ran over and hugged her wholeheartedly.
"Amber, I missed you, so much."
Said Charmeleon returned the embrace immediately after that.
"I missed you, too."
She pulled away and looked her mate in the eye. "Please promise you won't run away like that again."
Snivels smiled at her. "Promise."
No sooner after that, Toothless's ears suddenly perked up and he growled. Snivels looked back at the Night Fury and sniffed the air.
"Changewings."
It wasn't that hard to figure out who'd be stupid enough to buy a dragon egg being passed off as a Stone of Good Fortune. What was hard was figuring out where the Thorston twins had gone off to.
Lucky Snivels had an enhanced sense of smell.
With his help, Hiccup and Toothless arrived just in time to save Tuffnut from falling into a pit of live Fireworms. Shortly after the male Thorston was placed on the ground again, Snivels used his Solar Beam to signal the others of their location.
"Guys," Hiccup started to explain, at the same time landing and dismounting his dragon, "That's not a good-luck stone, it's a dragon egg. And its mother is a dangerous dragon that blends in with its surroundings and shoots acid while destroying everything in its path."
Snivels shuddered a little. "I'm kinda glad Glory's not around to hear that."
Of course, the twins exchanged dubious looks. They both opened their mouths, but a loud cry interrupted them before they could get a single word out. A minute later, Palus and Captain came running out of the nearby forest screaming at the top of their lungs.
Before anyone could ask, a spurt of purple liquid suddenly shot out, just missing the spot where the Thorston twins were standing. Three Dragalge emerged from between the trees, shooting their Toxic attacks. Apparently the sea-dwelling Dragon and Poison-Type Pokémon were capable of moving on land as well, as they hopped along firing Dragon Pulse, Hydro Pump and Sludge Bomb at the two dimwits that were holding the egg of one of their colleagues.
Unbeknownst to the small group, three Changewings were camouflaged against the trees, watching as their partners caused panic while they waited for the right time to swoop in and take back the stolen egg.
It seemed like hours of dodging the Dragalge's attacks before the rest of Team Go-Getters arrived to help keep them at bay. But one particular person wasn't happy to find that Snivels had joined in the action.
"What's he doing here?!"
Hiccup visibly flinched at the sudden objection of his bride-to-be.
Snivels, on the other hand, was a little less jumpy. "You really want to talk about this now?"
Astrid just scoffed and started shouting commands to Blaze and her other Pokémon. But the Dragalge's attacks were too strong for most of the Pokémon to counter with their own moves. Despite being witnesses to a losing battle, Tuffnut and Ruffnut kept a strong hold on the Changewing egg they had bought from a conning Snotlout that morning.
"Guys," Hiccup muttered urgently, "Give them the egg..."
But the twins were surrounded by three angry Changewing mothers before either of them had the chance to move or respond. It was nearly impossible to see an animal that was practically invisible sneaking up on you, after all.
But even in a situation like this, Tuff and Ruff still had stupidity to spare.
"Ha, nice try," the male Thorston snorted, "As you can see, though, I am holding the Stone of..."
Of course, being the idiot he was, he held up the egg for all to see, leaving a wide open opportunity for one Changewing to snatch it out of his grasp. And it did so before he had the chance to even finish his sentence. Tuffnut looked at where the egg used to be. "Where'd it go?"
Not missing a single beat, the mother Changewing flew off with her recently recovered egg. The two other Changewings called for the Dragalge, who instantly stopped attacking and went to follow their colleagues, and pretty soon, the clearing was completely quiet.
Except for a quiet cracking sound that was slowly getting louder.
The Dragalge's Poison-type attacks had weakened the cliff Tuffnut had jumped off of earlier. The land corroded and collapsed, most of the debris falling into the Fireworm pit. Before anyone could react, a large chunk suddenly broke off, nearly taking an unfortunate Astrid with it.
And I say "nearly" because Snivels saved her at the very last second.
She had been falling straight for the Fireworm pit directly bellow, Hiccup shouting her name in fear, when the quick-thinking and even quicker-acting Servine reached for one of his whips, muttering to himself, "Radius times the angle of rotation, taking into account wind velocity and humidity...!"
Maybe it was skill or just plain luck, but as the whip lashed out, it caught Astrid's wrist, bringing an abrupt end to her fall.
Until Snivels started slipping.
Turns out, the weight of something that was bigger than him and being pulled down by the force of gravity was too much for him to hold up by himself. Sure, Snivels had managed to drag an unconscious Hiccup back home from Raven Point when he was still a Snivy, but Hiccup had already been on the ground then.
Snivels was nearly over the edge of the cliff when Hiccup grabbed his tail in an attempt to stop his friend from falling. But that only helped a little bit. Their slow descent only stopped when Blaze joined in, also grabbing Snivels's tail and holding on with all her Fighting-type strength.
But pulling them both back up with the cliff still falling apart, bit by bit, was going to be anything but easy.
Which is why Blaze glanced over at Heather and Ninjark, shouting, "Don't just stand there, help us!"
Snivels was too focused on the part of the whip that was wrapped around Astrid's wrist to listen to what was going on above him. If the whip gave out at any time, it was a one-way ticket to Burned by Fireworm-ville. Hoping to avoid such thoughts from entering either of their minds, Snivels greeted his soon-to-be trainer-in-law casually.
"Hey."
Astrid greeted him back in the same manner.
"Hey."
After some hesitation, Snivels spoke up again. "So...earlier I really lost it, and...um...I'm sorry."
Astrid sighed. "No, I deserved it. I've said and done a lot of things I'm not proud of. Especially to you and Hiccup."
"Maybe," Snivels replied, "But for the record, you had a point about Glory sneezing acid in the house. Besides, I also said some pretty offensive things back there. I was really frustrated that Hiccup was spending more time with you than with me, and with you yelling at me about keeping a baby Changewing, I guess I just sorta...snapped."
Granted, it may not have been the most ideal situation to talk about his recent troubles, but Snivels was, without a doubt, one to talk about anything that was on his mind. Especially if it was something that would help reason a different kind of problem, or even strengthen a relationship.
Astrid chuckled. "I know how that feels. And I'm sorry for yelling at you."
"Yeah, well, you're not the only person who's done that," Snivels said. After another moment of hesitation, he added, "So, we're good now?"
Those words brought Astrid back to the day she had been trapped under a boatload of snow with Hiccup, with their body heat being supposedly their only chance of staying alive. The way they'd held each other close had made her feel warmer, not only on the outside, but on the inside as well. She'd never admit it, but she didn't ever want to let go. Even today she was still frustrated that the awkwardness of the situation had forced them to pull apart.
Snapping herself back to reality, Astrid answered Snivels's question in a similar manner as she did that day. "Yeah. Good as new."
Snivels sighed in relief. "Great. 'Cause, for all our sakes, I really want us to get along."
Before anything else could be said, Snivels was suddenly jerked up over the cliff and was soon met by the concerned looks of the remaining four Heroes of Destiny. Keeping his hands on his whip, Snivels proceeded to help pull Astrid up. The Servine made sure to keep an eye on the whip in case it showed any signs of snapping in half.
Maybe it was luck, or the whip may have been stronger than everyone thought it was, but the rope-like tool stayed completely intact as they pulled Astrid up to safety. When the soon-to-be Haddock was on solid ground again, she embraced both Snivels and Hiccup tightly.
"You know, a simple thank you would do just nicely," the Servine prince stated carefully.
"I know," Astrid replied, "I'm feeling generous today."
Snivels knew better than to argue any further. So, he let her hug him. Along with Hiccup, of course.
Unfortunately, the moment was interrupted by Heather.
"At least those dragons are gone."
Snivels pulled out of the double-hug at that. "No they're not," he said, "The Changewings and Dragalge worked as a team to save that one egg."
Tito stepped forward. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
Snivels nodded. "Those dragons aren't going to leave until every last one of their eggs is safe."
"And they're going to tear Berk apart until they get them back," Hiccup finished, grimly.
As much as most of the Pokémon didn't want to, the Go-Getters regrouped and made for the chief's place of residence to relay the situation to him.
"So what you're telling me," the large man summarized (after he'd been brought up to speed, of course), "Is that our village is about to be under siege by wild dragons that we can't see."
"Yep," Snivels answered bluntly as he cradled Glory in his arms like a newborn baby.
"Might not want to forget the blasts of corrosive acid," Ninjark added.
Stoick didn't seem to bother looking at him, but he did acknowledge the information provided. "Well then, grab your dragons. We'll fight them off."
Hiccup sighed, "Dad, it's not going to be that easy. No matter what we do, they won't go away until they get what they want."
Stoick eyed the sleeping Glory in Snivels's arms. The Servine prince quickly caught the Viking chief's gaze.
"Not her," he said, hugging the Changewing dragonet close, "She's with us."
At that moment, Gobber rushed in, stopping to catch his breath as the door slammed behind him.
"Stoick!" the blacksmith said urgently, "I just realized something! It's not a Stone of Good Fortune! It's a Changewing egg! I'm always getting the two confused." He quickly regained his composure and casually asked the group, "So, what're you all up to?"
All that followed was a long, bewildered pause.
Blaze, who was still irritated with their encounter with Snotlout and Gustav earlier, looked like she was ready to kill someone. The look on her face said "how could you not have realized that sooner?!"
Snivels caught Blaze's eye and, hoping to distract her from her own boiling temper (no pun intended), asked, "Anyone have any ideas?"
The only answer was a loud, hissing roar from outside.
The Go-Getters ran outside with all due speed. When they emerged from the chief's house, the first thing they saw were panicked villagers running for their lives. A few of the buildings had been sprayed with acid, with the wooden walls corroding fast.
Snivels gasped. "O...M...A."
Getting over his own state of shock, Hiccup quickly came up with a plan.
"Split up and find the eggs."
Elsewhere in the village, Bucket strolled along contentedly, unaware of the chaos that was unfolding. He carried his "Stone of Good Fortune" in his one remaining hand, humming a tune as he went about.
Then the Changewing appeared, dropping its camouflage and hissing its frustration at the previously oblivious Viking carrying its precious egg.
Even with half of his brain literally gone, Bucket wasn't dumb enough to stand still and wait to get attacked. He shrieked like a little girl and ran for his life. Of course, the Changewing flew after him, hissing all the way. Bucket looked over his shoulder for a split second before finding that his path was now blocked by the Changewing's Dragalge friend.
It was about that time Astrid and Blaze showed up on Stormfly and Wavern, respectively. The female Blaziken sighed.
"I think we're going to have to rescue him."
As Bucket found himself getting sucked into a sticky situation far beyond his understanding (or willingness), another villager found herself with her own Changewing and Dragalge-related problems.
Mrs. Larson - the woman who had been so desperate for good luck that she had offered to trade her own son for it - was leaving the Great Hall with a wheelbarrow carrying...precious cargo.
And the Changewing egg.
Heather and Ninjark caught the familiar glow from Windshear's back. Without waiting for her rider's command, the Razorwhip descended, landing at the top of the staircase.
"Mrs. Larson, we need that pearl!" Heather said desperately.
"Egg," Ninjark corrected.
"But my boy, Gustav!" the woman protested, "Snotlout said he had a no-return policy."
Spotting an approaching Dragalge out of the corner of her eye, Heather replied, "Snotlout didn't have the right to take him in the first place! We'll get Gustav back! Where's the egg?"
The egg's mother suddenly appeared before Mrs. Larson could answer. Finding an angry Changewing in front of her, and the Dragalge partner now behind her, she accidentally bumped into the unattended wheelbarrow. At first, nothing happened, but then the wheelbarrow slowly began tumbling down the steps, gradually picking up speed.
It wouldn't have been that bad if there hadn't been a human baby in the wheelbarrow along with the Changewing egg.
But there was.
At the sound of the infant's wailing, Windshear lifted off, again without waiting for a command from her rider. They didn't have to worry about catching the wheelbarrow, but they did need to figure out how to get the Changewing egg out of it before the angry mother did harm to the little infant human swaddled in blankets. Just as Windshear grabbed a mouthful of blankets, Ninjark reached for his frubbles, throwing a handful at the Changewing egg, causing it to fly out of the wheelbarrow and into the gentle jaws of its mother.
Heather sighed in relief as the Changewing flew off with the egg in its teeth and its Dragalge friend on its back. Windshear turned around and gently placed the swaddled baby in Mrs. Larson's arms.
"Thank you," the teary-eyed mother said gratefully.
Heather just smiled. She secretly hoped any children she might have in the future didn't look as that one did.
Berk was a small village, but that didn't mean there wasn't a large crowd of panicked Vikings trying to board the ships. By the time the entirety of Team Go-Getters met on the cliffs overlooking the docks, nearly the entire village of Berk was there trying to evacuate to safety.
Hiccup was almost afraid to ask how things had gone. "Status?"
"We got them all," Astrid replied, "There was a close call with Bucket, but we got the egg off of him. Heather and Ninjark found the egg that Mrs. Larson had. The Changewings and Dragalge should be all gone."
"Then how do you explain that?" Kickin' Hawk asked.
Several pairs of eyes followed the Hawlucha's clawed finger all the way to the top of the cliff on which the walkway connecting the village and the docks was built into. Squatting on the walkway were not one, not three, but four angry Changewings. And behind them was an equal number of Dragalge.
The leader Changewing hissed and roared in frustration. She and her Dragalge friend glared down at the largest ship. They looked as thought they wanted to attack, but knew they couldn't with all of the Vikings nearby.
"They're going for the ship," Crackers whispered.
Blaze shook her head. "It's not the ship they want," she told them, "It's what's on it."
Snivels's eyes lit up with realization. "Another egg!"
All at the same time, the Go-Getters saw Snotlout, Heat, Gustav and Darumaka on the ship, the two humans chatting nonchalantly amongst themselves. Of course, it was just like the selfish and greedy Jorgenson to smuggle a "Stone of Good Fortune" away for himself.
Both Snivels and Folnir were glaring down at the snobby and arrogant teen. As much as the Yveltal wanted to turn Snotlout into a stone statue with his Oblivion Wing, he knew deep down that it wasn't the right thing to do.
So Snivels took action instead.
Pushing Astrid and Blaze aside, he made his way down toward the docks.
"Where are you going?" Hiccup asked.
Snivels looked back at his trainer and surrogate brother. "To do something I should have done a long time ago!"
As he neared the docks, Snivels noticed the Changewings and Dragalge watching him suspiciously. Quickly getting an idea, he called out, "Nova, can you hear me?"
"Yes, Snivels."
"I need you to thought-speak to those Changewings," said the Servine prince, "Tell them I'm going to get their egg."
Nova hesitated. "Well...I can try."
That was the last he heard from the thought-speaking Mew that day.
But he had more important things to deal with at that time. And it started when he reached Snotlout, who was relaxing carelessly on the ship the Changewings and Dragalge were glaring at.
"Going somewhere, Snotface?"
Snotlout didn't dare look startled. "Who's asking?"
"Yeah, who's asking?" Gustav parroted.
When they turned around, they found a very serious and irritated-looking Snivels glaring at them. Both humans relaxed, there was nothing for them to worry about. It was only the leaf-tailed snake who'd never heard of shutting up.
"Gustav, go find your mother," Snivels ordered, "She wants you back."
Gustav didn't move. He liked hanging out with Snotlout. But he relented when he saw his Darumaka trotting off in the direction of the Larson house. It was clear the Zen Charm Pokémon was looking forward to getting back home.
Predictably, Snotlout was very ticked. "I can't believe you! I was starting to like that kid! But you had to come over and tell that partner of his to...!"
"Give me the egg, Snotlout," Snivels demanded, grimly.
Said Jorgenson tried to look casual. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"The Changewing egg," Snivels said with a snarl, "Where is it?!"
"Find it yourself, you stupid snake!"
Snivels's glare probably turned up to eleven at that last comment. "No!"
Snotlout's slow and idiotic brain took a minute to understand the Servine's response. "What?! No one ever talks like that to me and gets away with it!"
To emphasize his point, he gestured to Heat, who lifted a fist and clenched it tightly. Clearly it was the Magmar's way of threatening to launch a Fire Punch.
Snivels didn't even flinch. "I said NO! I don't take orders from you, Bow-Down-to-Me-'Cause-I'm-The-Best-at-Everything! No Viking gives commands to the Prince of Pokémon! NOT ANYMORE!"
Snotlout and Heat just stared as the Servine ranted on.
"You can tease us, make fun of us, mock our incredible dragon and Pokémon knowledge, but you cannot keep a baby dragon apart from its mother!"
Heat took a rather large step backward, hanging his trainer completely out to dry.
"I am sick of you bragging about everything! Sick of you disrespecting your dragon! And I'm especially sick and tired of you using your arrogance to try and get WHATEVER THE HECK YOU WANT! What you're doing is absolutely disgusting! Does your mother know you act like this?!"
Eyes wide in shock and horror, Snotlout pathetically squeaked, "Please don't tell her."
Snivels promptly turned around, giving the Jorgenson boy a good view of his back. "You'll be lucky to get through tomorrow morning after all the trouble you've caused, Snotface Jorgenstink, and don't expect us to even try coming to your rescue! It's time you finally got it through that ridiculously thick skull of yours that the Jorgenson way comes with a price, and it's not the kind you're gonna like!"
With that, the Servine strutted to the other side of the ship, reached into a basket and pulled out the Changewing egg that had been hidden inside. Finally satisfied, Snivels left the ship with his tail held up as he passed a still-shocked Snotlout.
The Prince of Pokémon didn't stop until he reached the top of the cliffs where the Changewings and Dragalge were waiting. It seemed that Nova's message had reached them successfully. He held out the recovered egg proudly. "I think this belongs to you," he said.
Keeping a suspicious eye on Snivels, the lead Changewing - who Snivels recognized as the one from the night before - leaned in and grabbed her precious egg in her jaws gently. Satisfied at last, she gestured for her Dragalge friend to hop on her back before spreading her wings and taking off. The remaining three Changewings and Dragalge followed suite, finally leaving the island of Berk behind them.
Snivels gave the acid-spitting dragons one last smile before rejoining his friends. All of them wore matching looks of bewilderment and shock.
"I have never seen anything like that before," Hiccup muttered under his breath.
"I never thought I'd says this," Astrid said, "But I'm proud of you, Snivels."
Snivels chuckled. "I learned from the best, Ast."
His attitude quickly changed from self-pride to panicked as he realized something was wrong.
"Where's Glory?"
With all of the panic and rushing to recover the stolen eggs, he'd completely forgotten about his adopted daughter. Thrown into a parental panic, he rushed into the village plaza, looking everywhere he could possibly think of, calling out in desperation.
"Glory? Glory! Where are you? Oh...! Answer me, Glory! Oh, where are you?!"
His answer was a small squeak from by the stables. Turning around frantically, he spotted the baby Changewing he had been so desperate to find.
"GLORY!"
Within seconds, the dragonet was in his arms as the two met each other halfway in their reunion. Teary-eyed and sniffling, Snivels nuzzled Glory, who licked his cheek several times in response.
Hiccup, Amber, Folnir and Crackers were the first ones to arrive on the scene as Snivels cuddled the Changewing dragonet close.
"My beautiful baby girl..." Snivels muttered as a few tears leaked out of his eyes.
Crackers looked worried. "Snivels, why are you crying?"
Snivels sniffled a little before replying. "It's okay to cry when you're so happy."
When the others arrived, the Go-Getters all took turns hugging Glory, nuzzling her scaly cheeks and stroking her back gently. But Snivels and Amber were the ones who showed her the most affection, showering her with hugs and kisses like any loving parents would do.
Finally, it looked as though everything would be alright.
Snotlout ended up getting his Thawfest punishment extended for the remainder of the year for all the trouble he had caused. Of course, that made him really mad at Snivels, even though it wasn't the Servine's fault at all. However, the Go-Getters were all too busy laughing at the name "Snotface Jorgenstink" to actually pay attention to what their offender was yelling and complaining about.
The Prince of Pokémon was back home with Amber, feeding Glory and Terrorspin their breakfast. He was due for a Book of Dragons editing session with Hiccup, and this time his trainer was going to be there.
Amber smiled as she watched her adopted son and daughter eat the salmon and cod eagerly. "Kids. They grow up so fast."
"But dragons grow up faster," Snivels added.
Amber looked at him. "Didn't you say you were going to edit the Book of Dragons with Hiccup?" she asked.
"I'd be interested in reading that book," Crackers said before stuffing a few crackers into his mouth.
Snivels chuckled at his Sobble friend. "You're welcome to come and join us, Crackers. Just try not to eat all the snacks, okay?"
Crackers just shrugged and said nothing more.
Snivels turned back to Amber. "Think you can watch Terry and Glory while we're gone?"
Amber smiled and kissed him. "You know I can."
With that, Snivels left the house with Crackers following, a bag full of the snack he'd been named after balanced carefully on his back.
Hiccup was busy searching the pages of the Book of Dragons to see if there was any space for him and Snivels to add new information about the creatures they we so equally fascinated with. Astrid was there with him, of course, because, why not?
Hiccup sighed. "It's taking a little longer for Snivels to get here than I thought. I think I'm starting to understand how he felt when I failed to show up all those times."
"You don't have to keep beating yourself up about it," Astrid said, "We both know it was also partly my fault."
Hiccup breathed a laugh. "I could never blame you for anything, Astrid. You know I love you."
Astrid snorted. "You tell me every day, how could I forget?"
Then came the usual punch to the arm.
Hiccup opened his mouth to complain, but was cut off by a kiss from his fiancée. He was only given a split second to catch his breath before she dragged him into another kiss, one that he wholeheartedly returned.
Hiccup studied the Changewing drawing carefully. He had to admit that whoever had done the sketch was lucky to avoid being melted into a puddle of smoking skin and whatnot from the dragon's acid.
Hoping to distract himself from the disturbing mental image, he asked the Servine sitting next to him, "You're sure you're okay with me spending time with Astrid after this?"
"Absolutely," Snivels replied, "Besides, I know you two aren't together all the time." He scooted closer to turn the page of the book.
Hiccup scratched the back of his neck nervously (for what reason, he wasn't sure). "So...listen, I've been meaning to talk to you about the wedding, and how I still need to pick out a best man."
Snivels quickly figured out where this was headed. "You want me to be the best man, don't you?"
Hiccup looked surprised. "How did you know...?"
"Folnir and Kickin' Hawk have been talking to me about the wedding, too," Snivels explained, "And it would be a great honor for me to be your best man."
It was a nice moment between the two friends until it was ruined by a certain Sobble asking, "Does anyone else want these crackers?"
Strength can be shown in many different ways.
Whether it's saving a baby dragon, helping a special friend, or giving someone the attention and gratitude they so richly deserve.
Me: Well, it's been many months since the last update, but at least I finished this one!
Snivels: You know, I was really starting to get tired of being mad!
Blaze: Someone hold me down before I kill the writer!
Ninjark: I'm just glad the chapter's out.
Me: I'd love to see Cottonmouth leave us a review.
Amber: And other readers who liked this chapter.