Over the next couple of days Hiccup and Bing Bong grew closer to one another over their conversations now that Hiccup knew his dragon companion could talk.

Bing Bong told his story to Hiccup; how he was Riley's friend, when Riley forgot him, and when he had his adventure with Joy and Sadness. Hiccup at first couldn't really believe that he had actual living emotions as little voices in his head at first but the way Bing Bong told it it really did sound quite real.

"…then Joy and I fell into the Memory Dump. At first it seemed hopeless for us but then we found my old wagon. We both tried getting out together but I knew my weight wouldn't hold us both, so I jumped, and Joy made it. That's when things went dark for me, Riley… she forgot me…" he said fitfully, paws curled up under him.

Hiccup had a look of sympathy, a hand on his dragon friend's shoulder.

"Not everybody is forgotten just like that, Bing Bong. I'm sure that she still remembers a small fragment of you, with the help of Joy. She wouldn't forget to help Riley remember you. And maybe now that we're friends you can find a new way to be remembered here. Your chance will come, I'm sure of it," he said gently. Bing Bong smiled a little.

"Thanks," he said. Hiccup suddenly noticed it was late for his final Dragon Training exam.

"Oh, shoot, I gotta get back, I'm late!" He said. Bing Bong wished him luck.

"I hope I don't win," Hiccup muttered to Bing Bong, waving as he left. Bing Bong curling up in slumber.

….

"Leaving! We're leaving!" Bing Bong jerked awake by his friend's voice; wondering what had happened. "Let's pack up. Looks like you and me are taking a vacation, forever."

For Hiccup, he was in deep water; the elder had chosen him to kill the Nightmare instead of Astrid, leaving him in such depression that he had come to his decision: run away and never return.

Bing Bong noted the sad look on Hiccup's face but didn't reveal himself just yet, because he smelled another human besides Hiccup, which revealed Astrid of all people sitting on a rock sharpening her axe.

Oh, we're in trouble, he thought in fear, getting ready in case she saw him and revealed their secret friendship.

But then his anger sparked when Bing Bong noticed Astrid getting too close to Hiccup and even twisting his hand, then kicking him and dropping her axe onto his stomach. Bing Bong felt himself growl, getting her attention.

Astrid gasped; seeing the Night Fury right in front of her, and panicked. She shoved Hiccup to the ground again when he tried getting back up.

"Get down!" She screamed. Bing Bong arched his back, charging and baring his teeth.

"Get away from him!" He shouted in Dragonese, wanting to bite Astrid in half. Hiccup threw Astrid's axe away, getting in between his two angry friends.

"No! No!" Hiccup yelped in panic, trying to get Bing Bong to not kill Astrid. His eyes were most angry, not what he expected from a loveable Imaginary Friend. Must be the dragon living inside with him, he decided.

"She's a friend," Hiccup explained to Bing Bong as calmly as he could, Bing Bong crouching down, glaring mistrustfully at the blonde. She did the same, but looked more scared than Bing Bong did.

"If you say so, but I'm watching her," he grunted to Hiccup, nudging against his side. Hiccup nodded in understanding. "You scared him," he told her. Astrid gaped.

"I scared him?!" She gasped, before realizing what she said. "Who is him?" Hiccup grinned nervously.

"Uhhh, Astrid, Toothless. Toothless, Astrid," he introduced, wincing as Bing Bong just hissed viciously, green eyes boring into Astrid's blue ones. Astrid just shook her head disbelievingly, starting to run back to the village. Hiccup's face fell.

"Da da da, we're dead!" He grumbled sarcastically. Bing Bong just shrugged. "Pft, whatever. We're better off without her," he huffed, stalking away. Hiccup went after him.

"Hey! No you don't! Where do you think you're going? We gotta get Astrid on our side! To show her dragons aren't demons!" Hiccup said, catching up to Bing Bong.

Bing Bong shook his head. "And why should we? She's been nothing but mean to you! The rest of the village is probably the same!" He said, trying to make Hiccup see sense. But Hiccup had desperation on his face.

"It's- it's my only chance to have the village see I'm not nothing, but somebody. And to help them see dragons are not evil. Please, help?" He begged. Bing Bong himself couldn't resist Hiccup's face, which reminded him so much of Riley.

He ended up smiling. "Oh, okay. And I think I have an idea for a little fun with Astrid to get her on our side," he said, smirking now. Hiccup frowned.

"Ah, I got a bad feeling about this," he mumbled, getting onto Bing Bong's back and they went to find Astrid.

…

Astrid ran for her very life, anger rushing in her blood veins at Hiccup for keeping his pet dragon a secret from the whole village. Oh, she was gonna chew him out for sure!

But suddenly; a black taloned paw grabbed her arm, lifting Astrid up into the air, making her scream.

"Oh gods! No! Put me down!" She shrieked, struggling, as the dragon flown by Hiccup took her to a nearby tree; dropping her onto a branch. Bing Bong landed on top of the tree, bending it over, and Hiccup looked down at Astrid who hung on for her life.

She glared up at him in anger and fear. "Hiccup! Get me down from here!" She shrieked, legs kicking the air. Hiccup looked desperate.

"You just have to give me a chance to explain!" He pleaded, but Astrid looked away. "I'm not listening to anything you have to say!"

Bing Bong noted Hiccup's face; it had compassion, and it was pleading. "Then I won't speak. Just let me show you," he requested. "Please, Astrid."

Astrid looked like she was gonna say no, but then she began to climb up. Bing Bong hissed silently, not wanting her to touch him, but Hiccup gave him an assuring pet, which calmed him a little. She had slapped his hand out of the way when Hiccup offered to help her up, resulting into her climbing onto Bing Bong's back herself, looking nervous. He had shuddered from the feeling of the blonde sitting on his back. It just didn't feel like his human; he hated her touch.

"Now get me down."

Hiccup grinned awkwardly at Bing Bong who already was smirking himself, a devious plot hatching. "Toothless, down, gently," he said. Bing Bong spread out his wings. Hiccup looked at Astrid. "See? Nothin' to be afraid of," he assured her.

Think again! The Imaginary Friend said silently, suddenly taking off in rapid speed, Astrid now screaming her head off while he did fancy tricks in the air.

"Toothless! What is wrong with you?! Bad dragon! Ahah, he says he's not usually like this… oh no!" Moaned Hiccup, right as Bing Bong dived towards the water; submerging into it a few times and getting his passengers all soaked.

"What are you doing? We need her to like us!" Hiccup shouted again, but his friend didn't heed his words, now spinning. He learned how to spin like this from Ashia; for it was her own specialty flying trick.

"And now the spinning. Thank you for nothing you useless reptile!"

Just stop the complaining and nagging already! Bing Bong argued back silently before hearing Astrid sob:

"Okay! I-I'm sorry! I'm s-sorry! Just get me off this thing!" She wailed, clinging onto Hiccup's waist. This apology felt somewhat genuine enough to Bing Bong who decided to take her apology, spreading out his wings, and falling into a gentler glide speed.

Astrid peeked open her eyes after feeling the speed slowing down, gasping softly at seeing the scenery around her; readjusting herself on the dragon's back.

Bing Bong smiled, rising up higher to the clouds. Astrid smiled too, as she lifted her hands up, trailing them through the moist puff balls. Hiccup grinned from her enjoyment.

The three of them flew around in the clouds for a while, then Bing Bong directed them into the Northern Lights that shone many colors; awing the two teens. Astrid's smile widened, mouth dropping at the view of Berk that came upon them. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. She then hugged Hiccup. Hiccup felt his joy rise that Astrid was starting to fancy him.

Bing Bong too felt happy that Astrid was not being so mean anymore, enjoying the ride on his back, and that Hiccup could possibly find a girlfriend finally.

"Alright, I admit it; this is pretty cool. It's amazing! He's amazing." Astrid complimented, laying a gentle hand on Bing Bong's shoulder. He purred softly from her now soft touch that didn't feel so bad anymore, feeling new respect for the blonde growing. He now had two human friends, and this made the Imaginary Friend more happy than ever before.

Maybe, just maybe, things could get better for Vikings and Dragons and himself after this.