CHAPTER 14: Readying up
Hiccup and the gang were inside his house. They were planning out, with Blavery's help, the way in which they'll sneak onto Dragon Island and destroy Mentra's progress on its defence program which will, should the program succeed, lead to it acquiring a dragon deterrent.
The plan was for Zephyr and Nuffink to remain on New Berk with Valka and Gobber, whilst Hiccup and everyone else go out to destroy Mentra's program; it was a dangerous mission, so Hiccup obviously didn't want Zephyr and Nuffink at risk.
Snotlout, Fishlegs, Tuffnut, Ruffnut, Eret, alongside a dozen or more Berkians wandering outside Hiccup's house waiting for him, were going to go on the mission. Blavery was going to come along as well, since he's pretty much an insider from the Mentranian regime, providing Hiccup and co with information that'll help in the future collapsing of the regime.
"Okay you guys," Hiccup said, with everyone gathered around a single table, with Blavery sat next to Hiccup, "do you know what we're dealing with here?"
"I think so...uh..." Fishlegs stuttered.
He slowly shrugged his shoulders. He was pretty scared of going on this mission, but that was because he hasn't been on one for a decade, his last one being the one where he, alongside everyone, stopped Grimmel and saved the dragons.
"I'll tell you all, because I'm the smart one, and I was actually listening back there..." Snotlout said, slowly leaning towards Fishlegs with his head as he said that, implying that Fishlegs wasn't listening back at the hall, "we're dealing with some randomers who've took over Berk...tadah?"
"Exactly, Snotlout. We need to take this seriously, because Astrid is still under their hands." Hiccup said.
"What if I just sort of talk em out of it, like I did with Grimmel? I've so many topics to cover with them?" Ruffnut said.
"Sis, what on earth could you of all people do?" Tuffnut shrugged.
"Well I was making friends with Grimmel when he imprisoned me, and then because he liked me so much afterwards, he let me fly away on that dragon. I can do the same with whoever these people are on Berk? I'm naturally likeable, after all?"
"You're one to say that?" Tuffnut laughed.
"Guys, guys, let's just focus on the issue in hand." Hiccup said, waving for everyone to stay on topic due to the significance of the situation, "now Blavery here is going to come along with us, he's our source of information, and with his help, we ought to really rock and roll and destroy this thing from the outside. What do you say, Blavery?"
Blavery nodded at Hiccup, as his leg wasn't in pain anymore due to Hiccup's hospitality from earlier on causing it to heal via covering it with dragon scale-like robes.
"Of course. I want to destroy this regime after what it did to my family, not just myself, and not just the poor vikings who still suffer under it. Chances are, if I was captured and I hadn't been rescued by your well known, legendary Chief here," Blavery pointed at Hiccup, "I probably would've been executed. That's the type of thing we're up against here."
"Do these idiots have anything unique to them when it comes to the...you know...weapons?" Eret asked, curling his palms together on the table as he asked Blavery that question with an intent tone.
"They've created a venom similar to the one Grimmel used to have, that they now use in their crossbows. They originally created it to help with the defence program, but they've since started using it as a disciplinary sort of thing, to enforce the cult of personality and policies. One hit by that and you're knocked out cold, but apart from that, they pretty much have the standard stuff." Blavery said.
"Deathgripper venom?" Hiccup asked.
"Not exactly. Because they stole all of the equipment of Grimmel's men during the time they rebelled from their imprisonment, they managed to find like a tiny vial of that exact venom. They used that sample to make their own equivalent, matching it as close as possible to the type Grimmel used, and they've started making more of it. They've actually only just managed to create it, it's been something the regime, and in particular, the leadership has been seeking from the day Mentra was founded."
"So what do you suggest we do to counter this?" Eret asked.
"The best thing to do, for us all, and the other vikings of yours joining us, is to gear up with thick equipment. The arrows that the Mentranians use can't impale thickly designed gear, like dragon scale material." Blavery said, "it's why most of them wear overhead black scale see through robes over their heads, so they don't get hit by it."
"Dragon scale material?" Hiccup once again asked.
"Yes. I don't suppose any of you have that?"
Hiccup felt himself beam up internally; of course he and the gang here had something like that.
"You know what, Blavery, why don't you just wait in here for a moment, we'll show you something..." Hiccup said.
"What, where're we going?" Tuffnut asked.
"Just come, Tuff. It'll be worth it, I think we may already have the answer to that particular issue with the venom." Hiccup replied, gesturing for everyone to follow him.
Blavery proudly remained put inside the hut as everyone else walked out with Hiccup.
"You're handsome, by the way..." Ruffnut said, as she walked out.
"Oh?" Blavery responded, unsure as to how to respond to that.
He simply shrugged his shoulders and looked back down at the table as everyone left.
He was curious about what Hiccup had in mind. He felt extremely proud of himself at this point that he was contributing with the Hooligans to bring down the Mentranian regime. He had faith in Hiccup Haddock, and just seeing him in person made him feel even prouder to have escaped that ruthless regime.
About five minutes later, Blavery heard Hiccup's door open, and in they came, one by one. But they were wearing specific gear, gear that created an aura of nostalgia. Blavery turned around in his chair to look at everyone in their colourful looking gear, which appeared to be made mostly from dragon scales.
It was their wing suits. Hiccup's Toothless wing suit was as pure black as ever, with the scales on it shining to the point some of them resembled whiteness. He flipped the helmet over his face, fully protecting himself within the fire-proof armour, showcasing that particular aspect of it to Blavery.
Fishlegs was in his Meatlug wing suit, his shoulders somewhat towering his forehead as the crystal clear scales of Meatlug shone massively. The small dots of purple, covered majorly by golden coloured scales, gave Fishlegs in his fire-proof wing suit an appearance of vibrancy.
Snotlout's Hookfang wing suit, with a scaly round cover around his neck resembling a dragon's fin in fire orange, with the lower bit, dangling from underneath it in a shinier lime colour, again looked vibrant as he stood in dignity in the wing suit. He had always thought that his wing suit looked the best out of everyone else.
Eret and the twins also had their wing suits on. And as they stood there in the hut, right in front of Blavery as he was in awe at just the pure colouration of the gear the guys were wearing, they looked exactly like they did 10 years ago, in terms of age. Even with Hiccup having the beard, having his wing suit on again made him look like himself from 10 years ago.
"What do ya think? think these could work well?" Hiccup said, pulling his helmet up so Blavery could see his face.
"I don't believe it...you guys look like humanoid dragons, that's actually amazing..." Blavery said.
"Nothing a bit of dragon scales and painting couldn't handle. I'm just glad we've potentially found a reason to have these on again after a long time." Hiccup said.
Blavery stood up from the chair.
"Yeah, they look perfect. The scales look like pure dragon ones. You'll most definitely be secure from any impaling, at least, that's what I hope. I just need one now."
"You don't have to physically join us when we set foot on the island. You can stay on the boat?" Hiccup said, walking towards Blavery a bit.
"No way. I want to play as much of a part as possible in bringing down the abomination that is Mentra. It's just unfortunate that I didn't leave with the gear that they usually have for the defenders on the defence program. It had a see through, black dragon scale-like cover."
"Maybe there's some spare gear around here that I can find for you, if you're insisting on actually stepping foot onto the island with us." Hiccup offered.
"Yeah sis, give him yours?" Tuffnut said.
"Back off, why don't you surrender yourself?"
"Seeing as you fancy him, I'd have thought you'd be the one to offer it up?"
Ruffnut simply nodded a no.
"Wait, Hiccup..." Blavery said, walking towards the gang in their dragon wing suit gear.
"Probably a stupid question, but...is it true that at one point, you actually had a Night Fury?"
"Very much so. Look at my gear, it resembles Toothless's pattern and uh..you know, general colour."
"Toothless? was that his name?" Blavery, fascinated, asked.
"That was his name indeed. How did you get to know that I used to have him?" Hiccup asked.
"Again, the Mentranians spoke particularly of you quite often when I was in their meetings, and also because you used to be the chief of that island before they came along and turned it into Mentra. I think where they've gotten this knowledge from, at the top of the leadership, is Gustav Larson himself, given he's had history with you guys and used to be with you as a friend I guess."
Hiccup wanted to avoid talking about Gustav. He just couldn't face even acknowledging him given how he's supposedly turned out nowadays. Larson will be someone to deal with in the future, not right now.
"But yeah, I called him that because he had retractable teeth. I actually reunited with him when I took my family towards The Hidden World after we found out they flew here during our Snoggletog Pageant fairly recently. With-" Hiccup stopped himself.
Hiccup didn't want to get into a deep conversation about his family, because otherwise he'd feel demotivated to do this mission, reason being is that Astrid's potential danger would get to him in his heart, and so far, he's done a good job of avoiding letting that knock him down emotionally.
"Just amazing, you guys are honestly so amazing. What about the rest of you?"
"Yeah, they all had their own dragons as well."
"You could've at least let me say my dragon's name to him? his name was Hookfang, he was the fire dragon...the only one out of em all!" Snotlout yelled, tapping his red, Hookfang wing suit with a proud feeling.
"It's just amazing, all of this...just to hear it all. At Mentra, the regulars there are strictly forbidden in having their own dragons, you know, like a cult of personality regime would naturally do so. None of them have any. It's ironic because they're seeking to use those very same things as a deterrent force."
"If I'm honest, I'm not surprised at that, given what I've heard of 'Mentra' so far." Hiccup said.
"Yeah. There's some dragons that're used only by the leadership for a few aspects of the everyday life, but the regulars having their own is strictly banned, and has been from the moment Hawkon's father began forming the regime. They have these giant crossbows aimed at the skies around the border 24/7 to shoot down any dragons that enter their airspace, so you can kinda...you know." Blavery shrugged.
"The audacity they seem to have...we best get a move on and put an end to it." Hiccup said, "come with us and we'll find some spare gear for you, and then we'll round up everyone to sail the way to the island."
Blavery nodded, but as he walked up to follow Hiccup and the gang, he had a genuine warning for them.
"Don't underestimate these guys, Hiccup, their ideology and their cult of personality makes them formidable and determined vikings. They'll strike when you least expect it, and they're completely merciless."
"Trust me, they'll find out what it's like to under-estimate a group seeking to reclaim their island. They may be fanatics to the level of Grimmel and Drago, but Berk was and is our historical home, they aren't gonna keep it for long."
At that, everybody left Hiccup's hut.