Chapter Fifty Three

"This is Berk. The best kept secret of… well, anywhere. Granted, it may not look like much, but this wet heap of rock packs more than a few surprises. Life here is amazing. Just not for the faint of heart. You see, where most folks enjoy hobbies such as whittling or needlepoint, we Berkians prefer a little something called… Dragon Racing!

Now, dragons used to be a bit of a problem here, but that was five years ago. Now, they've all moved in. And really, why wouldn't they? We have custom built stables, all-you-can-eat feeding stations, a full service dragon wash, even top-of-the-line fire prevention, if we do say so ourselves.

Yep, life on Berk is pretty much perfect. All of the hard work we've put in through the last three years have finally paid off. And it's a good thing, too, because with Vikings on the backs of dragons… the world just got a lot bigger…"

A year had passed since I decided to stay on Berk with Hiccup and Snowfire. Life for me had gotten very exciting since then. Between being able to change into a dragon, and having the ability to control fire, it's been like a wild roller coaster ride. My mom still stopped by every now and then, but her visits weren't nearly as frequent as Jacob's or the Avengers. Because of my ties with the team, Natasha and Clint had made valid points in saying that it was best we keep in touch with each other. Needless to say, Jacob was ecstatic when he met them. And terrified, at the same time.

Their first meeting together hadn't exactly been a friendly one. And of course, Clint made it a point to terrify Jacob further by saying he'd be used as target practice if he gave anything away. I had to admit, the whole thing would have been hilarious if it wasn't for the fact that the archer was being deadly serious. And Jacob remained true to his word, even when he was tempted to tell everyone that he'd met a couple of the Avengers in person.

A lot had changed over the year since I made my choice. Hiccup was now the tallest Rider in the group, much to Snotlout's annoyance. Ironically enough, Snotlout was the shortest, right next to Jacob. Astrid had changed her hairstyle into a braided ponytail that was now longer, and had changed her outfit. Fishlegs was now growing a mustache in the attempt of winning over Ruffnut, who was also currently Snotlout's latest obsession. And the twins were… well, you know. How they usually are.

Now, there was a new sport that Snotlout and the gang invented about a few months ago. Dragon racing had become very popular in Berk, and it was held annually. With Vikings being so competitive, it was the perfect way for them to take out some pent out frustration. Mom had asked if I was taking part in the race this week. She loved watching us compete, mostly because it usually fell into a four-way tie between Astrid, Hiccup, myself and Jacob. It was usually Hiccup or Astrid who ended up winning the races, due to the much coveted black sheep, but every now and then, Jacob or I would break that record.

This time, Snowfire sat perched on our favorite sea stack overlooking the island. I wasn't in the mood for participating in the races, and honestly, I was more interested in looking to see if there were any new dragons arriving on the island. Stoick had asked for me to keep a lookout for them, since they seemed attracted to me for some reason. I'd quickly learned overtime that my abilities to turn into a Night Fury might have something to do with their attraction to me. Though I wasn't entirely sure how true that theory was.

"Alright, Snow. You ready to try this out?" I asked, clasping my hands together as I peered over the ledge. She only growled in response, not happy with where this was headed. I knew it would work out – we'd been practicing this trick for months, now. The problem was, anything could happen in this world. High wind sheers was a constant issue with us, and Snowfire always had to make sure she was flying closely enough that I would reach her in time. "Come on, it'll be fun and easy," I reassured her.

'If you consider crashing into the ocean easy,' she retorted after taking off. 'I am still annoyed with what happened the last time we tried this stunt.'

I couldn't help but grin sheepishly at that. Technically, it had been the winds fault that I ended up crashing into the ocean. I was lucky I hadn't landed on an island nearby. And that Snowfire had been able to catch me the way she did. The whole thing had been embarrassing, especially since Hiccup and Toothless were there to watch along with the rest of the Riders.

A herd of Timberjacks were flying alongside us as Snowfire glided with ease. The Timberjacks gave her a wide birth, knowing full well how dangerous she could be. By now, most of the dragons around Berk had learned to avoid Snowfire at all costs. She wasn't the easiest dragon to get along with, even if she had bonded with me.

Closing my eyes, I could already feel the rush of wind whipping past my face. My hair flew in all different directions as the wind picked up. Once she was high enough, I took the chance and stood up. Snowfire let out a growl of unease as I balanced myself on her saddle. Fortunately, I was small enough that it wouldn't cause her to lurch or make sudden movements. Without another word, I leaned backward until I was suddenly falling out of her saddle.

My eyes opened the moment I began to change. Within seconds, black scales began to cover me, until finally, I changed into a Night Fury. The sudden rush of adrenaline gave me a chance to fly at top speed, flying alongside Snowfire as she kept a cautious eye on me. She knew what was coming next, and she didn't like the idea of me putting my life in danger. Not that I couldn't blame her. There had been a couple of accidents here and there during our initial test-runs, but Snowfire had always been there to catch me if that happened.

There was nothing like flying. I never realized how much joy could be felt as I performed a series of maneuvers, like turning upside down and spiraling before straightening out. Finally, I flew above Snowfire as she was aware of my next move. I changed back into a human within a matter of seconds, landing on her saddle with ease.

It took everything I had not to whoop for the sheer joy of it. Knowing how much I had changed both physically and mentally, it made my day. Snowfire just rolled her eyes when she noticed how happy I was with the fact that I managed to pull off that stunt.

"See, what did I tell you?" I laughed, ignoring the look Snowfire gave me. "I never realized just how much potential this ability gives me."

'You are such a strange hatchling,' Snowfire hummed in amusement. The herd of Timberjacks from earlier suddenly seemed to return out of nowhere, roaring a greeting as Snowfire flew past them. I couldn't hide the sheepish smirk that followed as I wondered if they had seen me change from a dragon back into a human. It would explain their confusion as they looked at us with unease. 'There is nothing better than being a dragon.'

"Now that is something we can agree on," I replied.

I'd gotten so used to using my abilities that it was almost second-nature, now. The people of Berk had gotten used to it as well, to my surprise. In fact, Stoick approved of the fact that I could drive off enemies just as easily as the dragons. He'd practically leaped at the fact that a human could turn into a dragon and drive away enemies faster than most of the villagers. It was a relief to know that the villagers didn't see my change as a threat. I had been worried how they would react to them, especially since dragons had once been their enemies.

It was hard to believe that so much time had passed since we first met. In three years, I'd gotten to know Snowfire as more than just a friend. And in those three years, I'd found not only what love means, but my place in the world. I didn't know what could be better.

Snowfire continued flying further away from Berk, eager to get on with our daily routine. We'd made it a habit of flying every morning and afternoon when there was nothing else to do. And this was one of those moments. But it ended the moment rocky spires began appearing around us.

Beyond Berk lay the rest of the archipelago, which Hiccup and I had been working together to map. Smaller islands made up most of Berk, but the world was a lot bigger when you were on the back of a dragon. And because of that, we'd chosen to use our free time to explore said islands that weren't charted. If there was one thing I'd learned over the years, it was that Hiccup loved exploring what lay beyond Berk. And I couldn't blame him. Curiosity had gotten the better of us as we wondered how many more dragons there were around the world. It had also driven us to search for more Night Furies like Toothless, if that was possible. As far as we were concerned, Toothless was the only Night Fury around aside from myself, and that was only thanks to the serum my father had used on me.

'We are not alone,' Snowfire hummed after picking up a familiar scent.

Sure enough, this was a new island, one we had yet to explore. The rocky pillars jutted out of the ocean like they were blocking anyone's view of the island. What caught my attention though, were the pillars that had been crushed by something large. It was clear that the Timberjacks weren't the only dragons we would have to worry about.

My mind was already running a mile a minute trying to pinpoint which dragon had caused this damage. Whispering Deaths, Screaming Deaths and dozens of others could have been responsible for it. Though, something told me I wouldn't have wanted to figure that one out. Whispering Deaths and Screaming Deaths were two species of dragons that I dreaded encountering the most. Both were known for being cranky and unruly towards trespassers. And I knew from experience that they tended to attack without warning. It was best to avoid them if that was possible.

"Be careful, Snow," I warned her as she flew along a hidden path. "We don't know whether the people on this island are friendly or not."

'Or if it is inhabited at all,' Snowfire reminded me with a roll of her eyes. 'I do not want to experience another encounter with humans like the ones we met weeks ago.'

I couldn't help but nod in agreement to that. Lately, there seemed to be a lot of inhabited islands we'd come across. Snowfire and Toothless were usually able to scare off any of the villagers who seemed threatening. Something told me though that our luck wouldn't last long. The villagers we encountered were getting smarter with each passing trip. They'd begun to develop better weapons and hunting methods after noticing how dangerous the dragons could be.

"So, whadya say to a little exploring?" I asked after noticing this island was pretty empty of people.

Unfamiliar looking plants and trees grew along here, making it seem strangely out of place in the archipelago. This was an entirely new island that we landed on. I noticed with a start that it was different from all the others because of that.

'As long as you do not put yourself in danger again, hatchling,' Snowfire replied.

I tried not to smirk at that, knowing full well I couldn't guarantee that promise. Considering where we were, and what had happened in the past, danger was something that always seemed to follow me wherever I went. It wasn't as if I tried looking for it. And Snowfire knew that, as much as she hated to admit it.

She flew off once again, until finally, I realized Snowfire was right about us not being alone. Those rocky pillars we saw earlier had been crashed into, by a Night Fury. I tried not to roll my eyes as I realized we both had the same thought in mind. What better way to explore an island than on the back of a dragon? Snowfire landed beside Toothless as he warbled a greeting, happy to see familiar faces.

"Afternoon, Milady," Hiccup greeted as I hopped out of Snowfire's saddle. "Where have you been?"

I couldn't help but grin as Snowfire and Toothless greeted each other in their own way. Dragons were always fascinating to watch for that reason.

"The usual," I replied with a sheepish look. "Falling out of the saddle and turning into a dragon can really put a number on you." I smirked at the thought, recalling the rush of adrenaline as I flew through the sky. "I'm surprised you weren't at the race, this morning. Even Jacob showed up," I put in as I noticed Hiccup had the map laid out.

Since the island we both landed on was a new one, it made sense to map it out while we could. And it also gave us a chance to visit the island again if we wanted to explore it any further. That was one of the reasons why we started the map in the first place.

"I've uh… been avoiding my dad," he admitted as I sat down to join him.

"Oh, no. What happened now?" I asked.

"Oh, you're gonna – you're gonna love this," he began while handing me a charcoal pencil; I immediately went to work drawling a line along the map, "I wake up, the sun is shining, Terrible Terrors are singing on the rooftop, I saunter down for breakfast thinking all is right in the world, and I get, 'Son, we need to talk.'"

His imitation of Stoick was spot-on. I had to admit, it was pretty hilarious listening to Hiccup do an impression of Stoick. His father had a tendency to be loud and boisterous without realizing it. We both learned how to deal with it.

"Not now, dad. I've gotta whole day of goofing off to do," I mimicked while rolling my shoulders.

Honestly, it wasn't hard doing my worst impression of Hiccup, especially when he gave me that look.

"Okay, first of all, I-I don't sound like that. Who – who is this character?" he asked with a smirk of amusement.

'It seemed realistic enough,' Snowfire hummed in amusement.

Even Toothless was crooning with laughter, and I couldn't hide the smirk that followed.

"And second, what is this thing you're doing with my shoulders?" he added, rolling his shoulders for emphasis. I only shrugged my shoulders more, causing even Snowfire to laugh at the sight while Hiccup shook his head in amusement. "A very flattering impression; anyway, he goes," he said with a smirk before continuing his impression of Stoick, "'You're the pride of Berk, son. And I couldn't be prouder!'"

"Ah, thanks dad, I'm pretty impressed myself," I continued with my impersonation and waved my hands about.

"When have I ever done that with my hands?" Hiccup laughed and waved his hands about.

"You just did!" I pointed out and laughed.

"Ah, kay, just hold still. Very serious," Hiccup suddenly warned me before holding my shoulder. I just made a point to hide my grin, despite how difficult that was at the moment. "'You're all grown up now. And since no chief can ask for a better successor, I've decided—'"

"To make you Chief?" I suggested in a question, my eyes widening in surprise. "That's… amazing!"

Before Hiccup could say anything, our dragons started running around and knocked us both over.

"Yeah, so… This is what I'm dealing with," he sighed after I helped him back up.

"What'd you tell him?" I couldn't help but ask, already guessing what he did.

Being put under such pressure wasn't necessarily a good thing. I knew how much Stoick was looking forward to making Hiccup Chief. But it was a huge responsibility, and one I had a feeling Hiccup wasn't ready for. I understood what that was like, especially with my role in the Avengers, and SHIELD constantly keeping an eye on the portal. Unease swept through me as I wondered what would happen when he did become Chief. If we still had a future together. The thought never occurred to me until now.

"I-I didn't. By the time he turned around I was gone," he explained as I picked the map off the ground.

"Well, it is a lot of responsibility," I murmured thoughtfully. "I'd have to work on the map on my own for sure, and someone would have to fly Toothless since you'll be too busy, but…"

I paused and looked at Hiccup anxiously. I knew this was anything but easy for him. Suddenly being thrown into the cusps of Stoick's shadow meant that his world and his life would change drastically. And I had a feeling that he was anything but ready for all of that change. I chewed the bottom of my lip anxiously when I thought of how I would have handled the situation.

"I-It's not me, Alex," he sighed as he sat back down. "All those speeches and planning, running the village, that's his thing."

"Hiccup, I get that, really. But, you are the Chief's only son. I mean, being Chief… What an honor. I'd be pretty excited," I said after sitting down next to him.

And yet there was another part of me that understood why Hiccup was so reluctant to take his father's place as Chief. It wasn't an easy task. Having to lead an entire village meant he wouldn't have much time with the dragons. I understood full-well why he didn't want to take on those responsibilities.

I can't imagine having that much weight on my shoulders, I added silently. Then again, in some way, it did feel as if I had a responsibility towards the portal and the dragons themselves. I always felt responsible for keeping them safe and out of trouble, even if Hiccup and I worked together as a team. Having the ability to turn into a Night Fury had given me the opportunity to work with dragons in ways most of the villagers couldn't.

"It's just… You already know your place on Berk. You already know who you are. But me? I'm still looking. I know, I'm not my father, and I've never met my mother. So… What does that make me?"

I only frowned and looked down at the ground at that, having little idea of what that meant. True, I knew where my place was in the world, but I really didn't know who I was. With so much going on in my life, there was just too much confusion to figure out who I really was.

"What you're looking for isn't out there, Hiccup," I sighed after leaning against his shoulder before placing my hand on his chest. "It's in here. Maybe you just don't see it yet."

I hadn't even noticed the dragon saliva until kissing him on the cheek.

"Maybe," said Hiccup as he started standing up, "but you know, there is something out there."

I glanced up in surprise when he tapped my shoulder. Sure enough there really was something out in the distance. There were two huge rocky peeks with smoke rising between them. A few dead trees lined the forest up ahead, and I realized that something wasn't right.


AN: Ah, the start of a new adventure... I've been waiting for this one, especially with the Avengers involved. I'm really looking forward to seeing how readers react :)

Scout107 - XD Well, I wasn't expecting that kind of response, but I could see it happening :P As for whether or not Stoick lives, I'm not sure. It depends on how the future plot holds, especially since the Avengers may or may not play a major role in it.

Sil - Thanks, and yeah, I am too ^^ I feel like they'd get along really well, since Astrid sort of looks out for Hiccup and Jacob looks out for Alex. And, seeing how so many people seem to enjoy seeing them together, I might or might not add that plot twist :)

monsterjamvadim - Sorry, hon, not gonna happen. I only write OC/Main Character or so on. If you have a problem with that, no one is forcing you to read.

Wild Cat 214 - ROTFL I honestly didn't even realize that. His last name was mentioned in the beginning of the story XD As for foreshadowing, no need to worry. Nothing serious will happen... yet :P

xX69759Xx - Welcome back! I'm glad to hear from an old friend :) And nope, it's not a sequel. It's kind of actually a stand-alone story, sorry for the confusion.

dracologistmaster - Thank you!