Tooth-zilla time! While I may not be a fan of fight scenes, I've always liked how this one stems from Toothless' need to protect Hiccup :3
Enjoy!
Ch 23: Who We Are
Darkness.
My body is frozen, the ice encasing me keeping even my lungs from being able to expand. It's cold, and I can't breathe, much less open my eyes.
But, clutched in my legs and wings, I can feel him.
The little human who spared my life five years ago, who taught me what it meant to be family, to be loved. The person who helped me touch the sky again, when, by all laws of nature, I should be permanently grounded. The friend who flew into battle after battle with me, losing his leg, losing his father, but never giving up. The brother who saved me from an existence of solitude, and who showed me what it meant to live. And, tucked within my grasp, I can still hear his heart beating.
We can't die like this…
No… we won't die like this.
A fire burns within me, one unlike I've ever felt before. Hot and blinding, but strong and… right. It's… determination. I can feel it rising, loosening the ice around me, and I pull Hiccup closer, the air hissing and crackling. Finally able to open my jaw, I build up my fire, with a strength I didn't know I possessed, and blast the ice, shattering it into splinters.
Slowly, I get to my feet, raising my wings from Hiccup, and with a ferocity I haven't felt in a long time, I roar.
"We won't be taken down that easy!" The Bewilderbeast blinks, and in its moment of confusion, I allow myself to check on my human. "I've got you," I tell him, and he exhales, smiling ever so slightly and nodding. So, I turn back to face my opponent, and leap into the air, landing on a spire of ice in front of the beast.
One would think this would be a fatal mistake. And under normal circumstances, it is. For even a dragon as powerful as a Night Fury to face a mind-controlling monster thousands of times his size… it's a death wish. But I'm not going to back down. Too much has happened, and it's time for this monster's reign to end.
Besides, for Hiccup… I'd do anything.
"I challenge you… for Alphaship!" I roar, spreading my wings.
"SO BE IT!" The monster roars back. "YOU WILL LOSE."
"I don't think so," I snarl, charging up another plasma blast. It strikes the side of the Alpha's head, and I immediately fire more, not even giving it a chance to shoot. Somehow, I surpass my shot limit, but I won't question it. Something feels different, something I don't quite understand, but I feel… unstoppable. Quickly, I jump up, flapping my wings once as the Bewilderbeast's tusk decimates my perch, then drop down to another spire. All the while, my attack never lets up.
"NO!" The Alpha shakes its head, and out of the corner of my eye, I see the dragons swarming it break out of its control. So, I jump back to the dirt, landing by my rider, and roar up at them.
"Join me!" The dragons listen, flying over to face their foe.
"No, no no no no no!" Drago shrieks, climbing onto one of his dragon's tusks. "Fight back! Fight! Back!" he orders it.
But it's no use. The Berkians rush up from behind, and the dragons hold up the sky. Our opponents are completely overpowered.
Hiccup swings into my saddle, and we leap up to face the Bewilderbeast again, together.
"Now do you get it?" Hiccup asks Drago. "This is what it is to earn a dragon's loyalty! Let this end, now!"
Drago's eyes dart from Hiccup and I to the army behind us, but still, he refuses. "Never! Come on!" He forces the Bewilderbeast forward, staring me in the eye.
So he wants to continue this fight? That's fine by me. I'm no longer alone. "Dragons! Fire!" I yell, and to my surprise, once I shoot the first blast, they begin firing as well. Within seconds, the bohemeth is engulfed in smoke, knocking Drago back.
Never, in my life, would I have imagined a sight like this. Hundreds of kindred warriors, fighting my fight. Doing what I say, simply because they believe in me. All this time, I thought I was meant to be an explorer, to live with just my human by my side, but maybe… maybe this is who I am. I glance up at Hiccup, taking in his own determined expression.
Who we are.
Hiccup was right about one thing; we are capable of changing minds, of bringing people and dragons together. But maybe we aren't meant to do it alone. Because to be a leader means to fight for what's right, to end problems where they start… not to run away from them. And, looking at my human and myself… maybe we really are better leaders than we thought we were.
With that thought in mind, I lock my gaze into my enemy's eyes.
"This… ends… now…" I say, finality in my voice. And, with one final blast, it's over.
The power of my fire breaks the Bewilderbeast's left tusk right in two, and the challenge is over.
"Alphaship is mine!" I yell, then roar as loud as I can. I've won.
"The Alpha protects them all," Hiccup says, setting a hand on my head. But I'm not going to let up my gaze; not until it's gone.
The dragon teeters for a moment, its weight off balance, before diving back into the sea, taking the filthy human who corrupted it right with it. We're done. I hear Hiccup take in a breath as we peer over the edge, but there's no sign of man or dragon.
Drago Bludvist is no more.
A chorus of cheering rings out behind us, and it's only now that I realize what I've actually done. Myself, a Night Fury, with no natural gifts like the mind control of a Bewilderbeast or prowess of a
Titan Wing, has become the Alpha of All. Somehow, I created that power, the power to challenge a King, the power to become more than I ever could have before, on my own.
No, I think, feeling the nudge on my leg from my rider, not on my own. Because of Hiccup. My human is the reason I was able to do this. If I didn't have him… there's no way I could have beat that monster. And, despite my pride… I'm okay with that. More than okay, actually; I'm glad.
Taking a breath, I jump back to the crowd, looking around at the surrounding faces as Hiccup dismounts. From all around, dragons descend, landing amongst the humans, from the biggest Raincutters to the baby Scuttleclaws. And, in the middle of them all, is Cloudjumper. He lands before me, and, to my complete surprise, bows his head.
"To new Alpha Toothless," he says, and within moments, every dragon in Berk follows his lead. I lower my wings and raise my head, taking it all in, feeling their respect and trust flowing through my veins. It's unlike anything I've ever felt before.
"For Berk!" I roar, lifting my head to the sky. And just like that, a hundred other voices repeat my words. It's empowering, and I find myself breaking into a grin. And to think, none of this would be possible if it weren't for one person… Gratitude filling my heart, I turn back to my human, smiling at him. He smiles back, taking my head in his hands.
"You never cease to amaze me, Bud," he says, laying his forehead against mine. "Thank you," he finishes in a whisper. And it all becomes too much.
Unable to contain myself, I lick Hiccup all over, overflowing with love for this stupid little human. He tries to escape again, falling onto his back, but I don't let up.
"Toothless! You know that doesn't wash out!" He laughs.
"I know!" My tongue continues its assault until Hiccup finally manages to wriggle out from under me, getting up and returning the favor by attacking me in a hug.
Meanwhile, all around us, dragons and riders reunite, each species just as overjoyed as the other. It's a true sight to behold, one that makes my heart swell with pride. All these people and dragons, bound by love, because of my human and me. I guess in the end, we did still make a difference… even if it wasn't the one we'd planned on.
Hiccup steps away from me to talk to Eret, and from what I can see, it looks like he's going to be Skullcrusher's new rider. My chest pangs a little at the memory of what happened, but when Hiccup turns around and I see he's still smiling, I know things will be okay. Besides… he's not alone. Valka steps up to him, taking his hands in hers.
"Your father would be every bit as proud of you as I am," she says.
"Thank you." Hiccup pauses, seemingly unsure of his next words, but he says them anyway. "I'm really glad you're here, Mom." I pad closer, feeling Valka's hand touch my head upon my arrival.
"And here I'll stay."
Hiccup smiles again, then turns to face Astrid. I stay beside Valka, because there are some things even I won't get between, and watch the two humans as Hiccup pulls her into a kiss. I glance toward Valka, and she seems to approve. That's good, because I don't think Hiccup can find another girl…
Once the couple separates, Gothi taps Hiccup's shoulder with her staff, gesturing to the remains of a fire a little to the left. A look crosses Hiccup's face, before turning into one of acceptance. He nods, waking over to the charred wood pile and kneeling down, resting his hands on his left knee.
Because just like me, he has a role to fulfill. It may not be the one he wanted, and it's definitely come sooner than we expected, but it's his, and I know more than ever that he can do it. Why? Because we're doing it together, and when we're together, there's nothing we can't overcome.
Gothi smudges her fingers in the soot, drawing a symbol on Hiccup's forehead. He stands, and just as suddenly as I've become Alpha, Hiccup has become chief. He stands, and Gobber, eyes filled with emotion, raises his hands.
"The chief has come home!" The two-limbed man declares, prompting another round of cheers and chanting.
"Fire!" I roar, and at my command, every dragon fires into the sky, exploding over our heads.
Hiccup looks back to me, and despite everything, I know he's going to be okay. I'll make sure of that.
I've made some mistakes, and he has too, in these last days, but one thing has proven true: I wouldn't be half the dragon I am if I didn't have him. We may not be the adventurers we thought we were, able to keep the peace between anyone, but that's okay. Drago taught us that we're something even more, with a bond more powerful than any obstacle.
And for me… that's enough.
And with that, Toothless finally understands how to be a leader... And my mission to relate the title to the story is complete lol
but seriously, I hope that revalation was good
Next time: some original stuff!