Hiccup looked at the two he was going to face in active combat. Tempest would fight them on a later date once they were sufficiently prepared, but to become an S-rank he had to fight the two solo.
He still didn't know why the guild master looked so amused that Mirajane had insisted she be part of the test. Or why there seemed to be an unspoken rivalry with the other participant, who's name was Erza Scarlet.
Erza reminded him strongly of a less antagonistic version of Astrid, the girl he once had a crush on. However Astrid was simply too immature and hot headed for it to last forever...especially once he made the choice to leave the village.
She would be better off as a shield maiden, as it was unlikely anyone would meet Astrid's standards...if she had any.
Hiccup prepared himself for a serious fight. Anyone who managed to make S-rank was no joke...he learned that very quickly once Veldora went into hiding.
Or at least took a century long nap. Once he taught Hiccup and Tempest everything he knew and was reasonably certain they would survive in Earthland, he dumped the responsibility of acting as the Guardian of the Way on them. If a portal opened and anyone else managed to fly through, he'd wake up to handle it. However the important parts such as knowing where the portals were and how to open them were now Hiccup and Tempest's responsibility.
Hence why he was traveling...he was checking to see whether they were still open and appease his wanderlust. Some were no longer usable, and others were simply inactive.
He had already checked the gate close to Magnolia and determined it was one of the rare functional ones.
"And...begin!" said Makarov.
Some time later...
The party at the guild hall was absolutely massive. It had been some time since an S-rank had emerged, even if Hiccup wasn't a member of their guild...yet.
Makarov could tell the young man was seriously considering it though. He might not realize it now, but he fit in rather well among the guild. And it was clear that the members liked him...especially Mirajane.
It was rather amusing to see the looks she kept giving him. Even more amusing was the intrigued glances Erza gave him.
Especially considering the fact that as far as he knew, Erza had never shown any interest in men romantically.
Then again, few people handled Erza's rather...brash...personality as calmly as Hiccup did. Almost like he had experience dealing with people like her. (He did.)
Hiccup accepted the overly strong pats on the back with aplomb...he was a viking after all.
It was strange...they had only been in Magnolia for a few months now and it felt almost like home. It made him wonder if this was how Berk would have turned out if it hadn't been for all the dragon raids and the lack of magic.
As he downed his beer, he happened to cast a glance at Wendy. She looked like she was having more fun in this crazy guild than he had ever seen her on the road. Carla was relaxing too, even if Happy was still crushing on her. After the talk he had with the cat, the feline was being a lot more respectful than he had been before. And Natsu was like an annoying little brother.
Like all good things, it couldn't stay peaceful forever. Tempest, having downed one too many alcoholic drinks, accidentally let his human guise slip.
Hiccup tensed...this could be a make or break moment for them, as dragons were extremely rare in Earthland and they had to make some rather unfortunate decisions he wasn't proud of before the Night Fury mastered the human transformation. Wendy and Carla winced too.
So you could imagine his shock when everyone took the fact there was an adolescent dragon in their midst without a second thought. None of them tried to capture or hurt Toothless, and Natsu was already challenging the dragon to a test of strength, not even registering the fact it was a dragon at first.
Once it did settle in that there was an honest-to-magic dragon among them, Makarov calmly walked over to Hiccup.
"So this was the big secret you were trying to hide."
Hiccup winced, but mentally prepared himself for a fight.
"I was unaware dragons still existed," said Makarov.
"They exist, but there are too many people who would only want them for parts or as a pet...so we had to hide it," said Hiccup quietly.
Makarov looked at Tempest. He was already trying to arm wrestle Elfman, despite being an overgrown lizard with wings.
Everyone seemed to think Tempest had some sort of transformation magic that he lost control of...very few besides Natsu or the siblings knew he was an actual dragon.
"Well, we already have one rowdy dragon brat around...why not have a few more?" said Makarov with a laugh.
Something inside him relaxed just a tad.
A week later there was a similar party as Tempest was upgraded to S-rank, not that Hiccup had any doubts. As before, no one batted an eye when he went into dragon form...though it seemed very few could tell his human form was the disguise, not the other way around.
Maybe they could stick around a bit longer.
"I can't believe you dragged me all the way to some port town for rumors about Salamander," said Hiccup annoyed.
When Natsu had told him he had heard a potential rumor about Igneel, Hiccup had agreed to join him since he was still a probationary member.
Though he was becoming more inclined to stick around, rather than continue wandering. At least for now. Traveling on the road did get tiring.
"Come on, when you think of a Salamander obviously you'd think of a dragon!" said Natsu.
"Aye!" said Happy.
"You two are completely hopeless," said Hiccup. "Natsu, the one people have been calling Salamander is you...not Igneel."
"WHAT?!" said Natsu, his face completely in shock.
"How did you think I found you and the guild to begin with?" said Hiccup. "We heard rumor of someone who resembled a dragon being called Salamander and tracked you down to Fairy Tail."
"Great...so the chance of Igneel being here..."
"Are pretty slim, sorry," said Hiccup, patting him on the shoulder.
Natsu still wasn't going to give up, and when he heard girls gushing over someone named Salamander he rushed to find out who it was.
Hiccup sighed, but it seemed the damage was done once he got there.
The girl Natsu helped was nice enough, but far too flighty for his tastes. Still, he couldn't help but think they would see her again soon enough.
A bit later...
"Oh wow...so you're the Hiccup, also known as the Wayfinder Wizard?" asked Lucy.
"Wayfinder Wizard?" asked Natsu. This was the first time he had heard of that title.
Hiccup looked a tad embarrassed.
"Besides Storm Dragon Magic, I kinda picked up a few other spells as well. It just so happens Veldora taught Tempest and I how to use portal spells and how to see hidden paths, which came in really handy for escort missions. At some point people started calling me Wayfinder because any escort mission we were on would be completed in record time with minimal interference," said Hiccup. "Well that and we beat a few legendary mazes and labyrinths that had been stumping people for years because of the spells on them."
Honestly, Hiccup and Toothless had a habit of being called on for escort missions, looking for travelers lost in places with spells on them that were impossible to traverse normally, or making long distance deliveries. Blacksmithing and enchanting was just a way to make quick cash until the next mission was posted. Well that and to upgrade their gear.
"So what were you and old man Makarov talking about before we left anyway?" asked Natsu.
Hiccup smirked at him.
"That's a secret you'll have to find out later. Let's just say it's something Team Night Fury have been talking about long and hard for a few months now."
Or at least it was a serious discussion they had been having since the general non-reaction towards Tempest turning into a dragon. It was considered a secret weapon by the guild, but the truth was only known to a handful of people.
Natsu looked excited, mostly because the fact that Hiccup had an official name for his team could only mean one thing.
"Why Night Fury?" asked Lucy.
"It's a long story I don't really feel like going into," said Hiccup.
Happy decided to change the subject.
"So Hiccup, how come Mira and Erza have been acting weirdly around you?"
"Say what now?" said Hiccup, baffled.
"Oh yeah, I heard they've been getting into some big fights lately...but the second you come into the guild it stops immediately. Talk about weird," said Natsu. Erza terrified him, but even he could admit she was acting strangely.
Lucy, on the other hand, had a sneaking suspicion about the source of the strangeness. Even if she had nothing to base this assumption on.
"Come to think of it, Erza is actually nice to Hiccup when she usually scolds everyone," said Happy.
"Tell me about it! She always tells me off, but she never has anything bad to say about you!" said Natsu annoyed. It was weird.
Hiccup snorted.
"I know her type. She's actually a much calmer version of a girl I once had a crush on a long time ago, before I left my home village. While she is strict, she does care about the guild and she means well," said Hiccup.
Honestly, he found Erza a more appealing personality compared to Astrid.
Astrid was so focused on killing dragons and proving her place in the village that she was rather cold and disinclined to listen to reason. Erza was strict and harsh, but she at least attempted to listen to what people were telling her.
He just treated Erza like he would a more reasonable Astrid, and the two had hit it off as friends. He respected her as a shield maiden and a warrior, and she liked him because he didn't cause nearly as much trouble as the rest of the guild and wasn't terrified of her for no reason.
Once they were back at the guild, Hiccup went up to his family.
"So it's decided?" said Carla.
"Yeah. I think this could be a good move for us," said Hiccup.
Wendy was practically vibrating in her seat with excitement. Hiccup shared a look with Makarov, who nodded with approval as they had a chat a few days before he left with Natsu.
"As you all know, today is the last day of the probationary period I set for Hiccup and his family," said Makarov. Everyone in Fairy Tail tensed a bit, not sure what to expect. Lucy had already filed the paperwork and received her guild mark, just like she always wanted. She listened politely to what the old man had to say.
Makarov decided to troll his guild, just a bit.
"Which is why I have some big news for everyone..."
The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. No one noticed that three of the siblings were wearing a jacket over their clothes, which they normally didn't bother with considering the fair climate of Magnolia.
"I'm happy to announce that Hiccup and his siblings have accepted the offer and are now full members of the guild!"
Two seconds. That was all it took for this news to penetrate even the thickest skull, as everyone cheered loudly. Without hesitation, a major party was soon underway.
Hiccup, Wendy and Tempest removed their jackets, revealing the Fairy Tail symbol on their shoulder in the same spot Natsu had his. Hiccup and Tempest had theirs in red, while Wendy's was a light blue.
"Let's party!" said Makarov, raising a glass of beer. Everyone cheered at that, happily welcoming Team Night Fury as part of their ranks.
"So why is everyone so happy they're party of the guild now?" asked Lucy, curious.
"Hiccup and Tempest are strong mages, but they didn't want to join any guild in order to take the S-rank exam. Master Makarov offered them a deal where they agreed to stay in Magnolia and work with us for six months as payment for letting them take it," explained Mira. "They've been wandering for a long time, so the fact they decided to stick around is pretty big. It doesn't help Hiccup has a rather calming influence on some of the member's bad habits."
Hiccup was viewed as the unofficial 'big brother' in the guild, much like Erza was the disciplinarian.
The fact this meant they could all watch the chaos of Mira and Erza fighting over him was just a bonus in the guild's opinion, though it seemed Hiccup was oblivious to the fact they were both intent on him.