Oh my good god, I'm alive! Shocking, I know.

Before we get into the chapter, I want to apologize for my lack of updates and how slow I've been with this chapter. Writer's block hit and it hit hard, plus getting ready for college and work didn't help matters at all either. A huge, huge thanks to everyone that stuck with me while I worked my way past this little bout of inactivity, and I'm happy to say that the block has been mined and I'm just raring to go! So hopefully (HOPEFULLY) I won't get this far behind again.

With that out of the way, welcome back to another chapter y'all! Back to Lucina with this one, but for those of you who liked the Morgan scenes don't worry, we'll get back to him soon enough. Anyhow, let's get right to the juicy part.

Chapter is a go!

A Future Past, a New Fate

Chapter 6: Sharing Together

Lucina's sleep, for the very first time in a long time, was dreamless. No nightmares of past events going horribly wrong, no visions of her family members dying horrible deaths in front of her, no Grima… just pure, unadulterated sleep. Her form was curled up into a ball with her head resting on the floor near her tail fin, torso slowly rising and falling in time with her breathing. She looked at peace with the situation she found herself in, something she had not felt since the beginning of the war against Grima. Her muscles were loose and relaxed, and her breathing was calm.

The sun had just begun its slow climb over the horizon, the first beams of morning light finding their way onto the island of Berk, illuminating the craggy cliffs with a soft orange glow. The population of Berk had just begun to awaken to the brand new day, whether it was from the light hitting their eyes or from overeager dragons ready for breakfast or a nice morning flight. Lucina, however, was perfectly content to continue her much needed beauty sleep, her body language showing just how content she was with the situation.

She didn't know it yet, but the reason she felt more comfortable with herself might've had something to do with the large wing draped over her protectively, belonging to a certain dragon who had drifted off near the end of their grooming session. During the night, Toothless had instinctively wrapped a wing around her, unknowingly making it plain to see the amount of affection he held towards the heir-turned-dragon. Lucina shifted slightly, snuggling closer to the source of warmth, whatever it may be, and Toothless happily accepted the closer contact, sighing in his sleep.

Lucina softly smiled in her comatose state, obviously pleased with her current position. With her head full of happy thoughts and her mind no longer as worried about the past, Lucina began to dream. Not of the horrific nightmares she had to experience in the past, but of a future that she had only caught glimpses of in her wildest daydreams. Glimpses of hope.

~Lucina~

When my eyes opened, I was, at first, confused. A pure, blue sky opened up overhead, it's color like the most beautiful sapphire, stretching far beyond my eyes could see, a few white clouds floating aimlessly here and there. The sun shone partly behind a particularly large one, bathing me in a warm, yet not uncomfortable heat. I blinked in befuddlement, my brow furrowing. 'But wasn't I in…'

I slowly shuffled into a sitting position, my hands pressing into the plush, damp ground beside me. An endless grass plain filled my vision, the blades a vibrant, verdant green, swaying slightly in a nonexistent breeze. A few trees were scattered across the landscape, providing shade for any that decided to rest underneath the large oaks. Mountains could be seen in the distance, huge rocky peaks reaching towards the sky, snow capping the tops. I couldn't help but be filled with a sense of wonder as I gazed silently across the beautiful landscape. I didn't recognize the mountains, the grass, even the sky, but something inside of me was whispering that everything was alright. For some strange reason, I believed that small voice, a small smile worming its way onto my visage. This grass, this sky… it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. The air felt crisper here than anywhere I've ever been, and the grass under my skin didn't irritate me when I sat upon it.

It was, in a word… amazing.

"Lucina!" An extremely familiar voice called from behind me. I perked up, my breath catching in my throat. I couldn't breathe as I slowly turned around, and sure enough, there was the man that had shaped me into everything that I had become today. I would recognize that unruly blue hair or that sleeveless right arm anywhere.

"Father…?" I breathed, unable to believe with my own eyes what I was seeing. Standing not twenty meters away, was my family. My father was standing in the middle of the three-person group, those vibrant blue eyes staring lovingly at me, so much care present in the blue orbs. My mother stood to his left, an intelligent air seemingly hanging around her like a particularly strong perfume. It was just as I remembered her. Finally, Morgan stood to Father's right, his bright smile the most energetic out of all of them.

I let out a laugh of disbelief, springing to my feet, tears stinging the corners of my eyes. "I… I-I…" I stammered as I trudged forward, struggling to find the right words. There was so much I wanted to do, so much I wanted to say, and it all wanted to come spilling out at once.

Chrom simply chuckled to himself, before spreading his arms wide in a welcoming gesture. "Come here, my little princess," He said warmly.

That was all it took to break my resolve. Tears ran down my cheeks like rivers, and I closed the distance between me and my father in a couple of seconds, slamming into him and giving him a bone-crushing hug. I knew that this was a dream, I knew that what I was seeing wasn't real… but at the moment, I couldn't bring myself to care. Every single time I've dreamt of my father, it was either of him dying or of him looking at me with a disappointed scowl. To see him how I remembered him, a strong, fearless leader and a loving father… it was too much.

"Father!" I cried out, sobbing emphatically into my father's pauldron-clad shoulder, the liquid running off of the smooth metal like water on a duck's back.

I felt his strong arms wrap around me and pat me lovingly on the back. "It's okay Luci, I'm here. I'm here," he repeated.

I hugged him tighter, afraid that if I let go he would disappear. "... Father…" I managed to squeak in between sharp intakes of air, trying to get my emotions under control. His embrace was something that I had longed for for so long, and now I was finally fulfilling my desire that one day, I would be able to see him again. Even if this was a dream, it was enough for me. Anything to see them again was… the one thing I wanted.

I held my father for a long time, the wind caressing us like a soft, protective hand, almost encouraging me to enjoy this moment while it lasted. Eventually, I cried all of the tears I had to give, my voice slightly hoarse from my continuous wails of emotion. I was reduced to slight hiccups, sniffling every so often. Me and my father (very reluctantly on my part) slowly broke our embrace, facing each other for the first real time since this dream began. His blue eyes held so much care, never once leaving my own.

"I… I-I've m-missed… you m-more than y-you'll e-ever kn-know…" I managed to say in between my small hiccups, my eyes still watery with emotion as I happily looked at the familiar face of my father.

"You're strong, Luci," I heard my mother say to my right, forcing my shaky gaze to look towards her. Her signature coat, her snow-white hair styled in those oh-so-familiar twin ponytails… it took all of my willpower to not break down crying again on the spot. "It'll take more than homesickness to take my daughter down," the Grandmaster of Ylisse praised, looking at me with proud eyes.

I laughed, a genuine smile now firmly planted on my face. "M-mother… thank you,"

"Sis, I'm going to come find you, alright? Don't you worry!" Morgan exclaimed, catching me off guard. 'Come… find me?' I thought to myself, wondering what exactly Dream-Morgan meant by that.

Even though I hadn't said anything, Morgan laughed in response. "I mean when you wake up! Geez, you're really out of it, huh?"

I blinked in confusion, my eyes widening by a fraction. I hadn't said anything, how did he know what I was thinking? This is some dream…

I resisted the urge to sigh and let my hand meet my face. I just answered my own question not three seconds after asking it. 'Morgan's right… I am out of it,'

"Is something wrong, Lucina?" My father asked out of the blue, his comforting baritone filling my ears.

I smiled, appreciating his concern. "No, father I'm… fine…" I trailed off, slowly furrowing my brow in the middle of my sentence. Actually… it did feel like something was off. I glanced around myself, looking at father, at mother, at Morgan, at the beautiful landscape around me. It was everything that I had ever wanted, but it felt like there was something or someone missing.

My parents shared a knowing glance with each other, smirks present on each of their faces. Even Morgan looked like he was struggling to hold in a boisterous laugh, his cheeks puffing outwards with air and a fist over his mouth. I eyed my family curiously, idly wondering what they found so humorous. "What's the matter?" I asked.

Robin's eyes glinted with that steely shine that she normally had when she solved a particularly hard riddle, or when one of her well thought out plans was working. "I think the first thing you need to do to figure out what you're missing is to tell Toothless the truth of how you got here, and what you used to be." My mother advised.

My eyes widened. "How did you…?"

Mother held up a hand slowly, yet with authority, to silence me. "No relationship thrives off of lies. Remember that."

We stood in silence as I tried to decipher what she meant by that. She was talking about Toothless and I, right? Then what did she mean by relationship? She's not suggesting that me and him are together, is she? Because we aren't!

Still… I couldn't help but agree that I needed to come clean about what actually happened. I only told the lie because I was scared and I didn't entirely trust him and Hiccup, but now I feel like I can tell them.

Chrom chuckled as he walked up to me with his hand resting on the pommel of his sword, patting me on the shoulder. "You'll figure it out sooner or later, Lucina. Until then, just know you have mine and your mom's blessing."

My vision began to flicker, and I clutched my head as I groaned in discomfort. "No… I can't wake up… I have so many… questions…" I muttered, trying my hardest to stay awake.

"Those questions, you can only answer yourself," Father said. "Now, I think it's about time you woke up."

And so I did.

My eyelids, weighed down by sleep, slowly slid open to greet the new day, my blue eyes half mast from fatigue. I let out a big yawn, smacking my lips to try and rid myself of the unusual taste in my mouth. 'Looks like I didn't sleep in that late today…' I noticed, seeing how there was barely any sunlight pouring through Hiccup's door. Normally, I would be up and ready for the day before the sun had even fully arisen from it's resting place beyond the horizon, but I don't know if it had something to do with my new body or if I was just becoming more comfortable with my surroundings, but I was content to just lie here, lying next to this oddly comforting heat that seemed to envelop me in a protective way. I sighed, snuggling closer to the cozy warmth. It felt so good against my tired scales, and the rhythmic rising and falling of it breathing was surprisingly relaxing.

Wait… breathing?

I blinked, my eyes now fully open. I twisted my neck so I could get a glance of whatever I was lying against, and almost immediately my breath quickened and my face burned with the force of a thousand suns. I don't know how or when it happened, but somehow me and Toothless managed to snuggle together in our sleep, our forms pressed next to each other with his wing wrapped over my back. His muzzle was mere inches from mine, and I was sure that if I was human my face would be as red as a tomato. I could feel every little shift of movement that Toothless made in his sleep, his chest pushing slightly against me every time he took a breath.

I know I should've been uncomfortable with my position, but something inside me was saying that this felt… right. The warmth he gave off was very pleasant, and for some reason having his wing wrapped around me protectively made me feel all warm inside, and not from the previously aforementioned heat Toothless gave off.

"I just… don't understand," I muttered, not knowing what to feel anymore. Why did I not object to my current position? Had this been anyone else, I would've immediately pushed them away before quickly reaching for Falchion.

Why was Toothless… different?

I had been so caught up in trying to figure out my own emotions and feelings, that I didn't see Toothless begin to awaken from his slumber, his acid-green eyes slowly flickering open to greet the brand new day. His drowsy orbs slowly glanced around the sunlit house, not fully awake just yet. He let out a huge yawn, working the kinks of sleep out of his jaw.

I was in the middle of thinking about what I really thought of Toothless when his warm scales suddenly pushed against my own, his muzzle nuzzling against mine. If my blush was gone, it had returned with a vengeance. "Mmm… Morning, Luci," He groaned, sounding half asleep.

"Uh… Good morning," I managed to choke out, trying my hardest to ignore my raging heart. I could feel his warm breath mingling with mine when I shakily spoke, further reminding me just how intimate Toothless and I were being right now. It did nothing to calm my frazzled thoughts, either, just adding more fuel to my confused emotions. "H-how did you, uh, sleep?" I asked, trying to get my mind off of my own feelings. I would figure them out in time.

Toothless paused in his shows of affection, his eyes now fully awake. I watched, confused, as he pulled away, his pupils narrowing ever so slightly as his tongue flicked out of his mouth, touching the side of his cheek for a split-second before retracting back between his lips. "...How come you're wet, Lucina? Is something wrong?" He questioned, staring into my eyes with a mixture of confusion and worry.

I blinked, instinctively reaching up with my paw to feel the side of my face, and sure enough the scales were slightly damp with what I recognized as my tears. 'My dream… I thought I was just crying in my mind!' I thought as realization dawned over me. I had only cried in my sleep a couple times before, but that was only after a particularly hard battle, or when… when one of us was KIA. I normally had masterful control over my emotions, since showing too much emotion in battle could lead to defeat. Perhaps staying here and being around Toothless for as long as I have has changed me more than I thought…

"Uhh… Earth to Luci?" Toothless's soft growls broke me out of my thoughts once more. I blushed, though this time out of embarrassment, shaking my head as if to break myself out of some rut.

"S-Sorry… Yes, I-I'm fine," I reluctantly lied, cringing on the inside as I was saying it. I didn't want to lie, but talking about my parents was… too painful.

… But then again, it was mother that said that 'no relationship thrives off of lies'. Maybe it's time I told Toothless and Hiccup the truth.

Not because we were in a relationship, it was merely because we were friends! Nothing more!

I could tell that Toothless didn't believe me for a single second. "...Alright, but remember that I'm here if you need me," He assured as he slowly rose to his feet, removing his wing from its hold on my back. I silently lamented the loss of warmth, the cool breeze licking my scales where his touch once was. I took his movement as an incentive to finally get my own tired body moving, slowly rising to my feet as to not irritate my sore muscles any more than they already were. 'No more fights for a while,' I decided, hoping that Redthorn dragon wasn't going to show up again.

"Now c'mon, I wanna go wake Hiccup up so we can go on my morning flight!" Toothless said giddily with a hint of mischief. His eyes held that same glint that Cynthia had when she was about to pull off one of her infamous pranks. I'll never forget the Feather Incident… I'm pretty sure Gerome has never been the same since that one.

I eyed him cautiously as I shook out my body, trying to work out the kinks in my muscles from sleeping. "Shouldn't we wait until he wakes up on his own? Surely, he deserves to get some sleep," I asked, trying to let the person who took me in so easily get some well-deserved rest. I knew firsthand how difficult it could be to lead a people.

That did nothing to deter the mischievous smirk that was now painfully obvious on his muzzle. "Pfft, no way, if anything he should feel honored he gets to ride upon a majestic dragon such as myself!" He boasted, tilting his head upwards while his chest swelled with self-injected pride.

I chuckled lightly at his antics, rolling my eyes. He really reminded me of Owain every now and then. "My apologies, oh fearful dragon, it seems I had forgotten my place," I teased, running with his supposed joke. I wasn't the best at understanding humor, but I was determined to get better at it.

Thankfully, my shot in the dark seemed to have hit dead on, if his chuckling and continued smirking were anything to go by. "I may have it in me to forgive you… if you help me wake Hiccup up," He said, eyeing me with a slight apprehension.

I exaggerated placing a claw to my chin, sitting on my haunches. "Hmm… you make a compelling case. Alright, I'll join your mischief," I playfully relented, shooting him what I hoped looked like an evil grin.

Toothless' smirk slowly grew into a wide, toothy smile, and if I didn't know that he wasn't going to do anything to hurt me, I would be terrified. "Then follow my lead…" He whispered lowly, chuckling under his breath.

Trailing behind him as he quietly plodded outside, I briefly wondered what I had gotten myself into.

Our attack was quick and ruthless. Hiccup had been blissfully unaware of the impending doom waiting above him as Toothless banged on the rafters above and I burst through his door, letting out a battle-roar as I did. The chieftain of Berk quickly jolted awake, yelling out in complete shock and fear. "AAAAAGH, WHAT THE-" He exclaimed, shooting straight up in his bed. His eyes were wild and his hair was a frizzy mess as he looked frantically around the room, before he noticed who barged into his room in the first place.

His eyes went to where the banging sound was originating, and back to me. He stared at me dubiously, his eyebrow creased in what looked like a mixture of frustration and grogginess. "Did Toothless rope you into this?" He accused, though it sounded like more like a statement than a question.

I responded by looking as innocent as I could, sitting on my haunches and flashing a toothy smile. "You don't have proof of that!" I heard Toothless muffled voice call from outside, and I had to stifle a laugh due to the absurdity of this situation.

Hiccup groaned as he placed his head in his hands, shaking it softly while muttering something about 'crazy dragons'. "Well, I'm up now… you happy, you big lug?" He asked rhetorically, throwing off his uncomfortable looking blanket and slowly getting to his feet. Er… well, foot.

"Very!" Toothless called back through the wood, followed by a loud woosh and a distant thud.

I eyed the chieftain with a mixture of pity and amusement. "I apologize, Hiccup, but I wished to join you two in a morning flight, and it appeared this was the only option. I tried to talk him out of it, but he was adamant in his… position," I explained.

He gave me a deadpan look. "In other words, you thought it would be funny." I blinked, a little surprised at his perception. The chieftain saw right through my ruse, causing me cough awkwardly and glance away for a moment.

"Er… Y-yes, that is correct," I affirmed, a tad embarrassed for hour easy I was to see through. I was usually very good at hiding my emotions… I wonder why I was cracking more than usual?

Hiccup waved me off, however, stumbling over to his closet and quickly taking off his nightwear, which most definitely made my face heat up when I caught a glimpse of how… well built he was. I glanced away, finding the situation to be incredibly awkward, even though he wasn't aware of it, since he didn't know that I used to be human.

'They didn't know I used to be human.' My brain automatically repeated in the recesses of my mind, reminding me that I was living a lie at the moment. I didn't want to keep telling this falsehood, but I just didn't know how to break it to him and Toothless. I was sure that Toothless would be very angry with me for withholding such a crucial detail of my past, but Hiccup… perhaps he would be more understanding?

" - Lucina? Lucina!" I blinked, ripped from my thoughts by Hiccup calling my name in an attempt to catch my attention. Judging by his confused expression and how his armor was only half on, he had been trying for a good minute by now. I flushed in embarrassment. I wasn't normally one to get lost in my own thoughts like that. "Are you alright? You kinda zoned out for a second. Almost reminded me of Fishlegs when somebody mentions roast mutton," He chuckled, an image of the portly boy flashing through my mind.

I laughed lightly at his comment, but we both could tell that my heart was most definitely not into it.

"I… I'm fine, Hiccup, I'm just… thinking." I reluctantly lied. I was still indecisive on whether I should tell my caretakers who I actually was before all… this. 'It's the right thing to do,' a part of my brain told me. 'Keeping them in the dark isn't helping you out. Besides, you only lied to them because you were afraid. And you're not anymore!'

'So what if we aren't afraid? That doesn't discount the fact that they could still get extremely angry with us, or attack us because we're 'unnatural' or something like that.' The more logical side of my mind argued.

'But they won't! Don't you remember how they reacted to us talking about manaketes? They sounded ecstatic! They'll be understanding about this!' Empathy argued.

Logic grumbled slightly, not finding anything to fire back with. '...Alright, fine. We'll tell Toothless after the flight, and then Hiccup. Just don't come crawling back to me if everything goes to hell!'

Empathy sounded relieved. 'That's all I ask.'

"LUCINA!"

I yelled out in surprise and jumped back towards the door, my flat-footed paws making huge impacts with the wooden flooring and my wings almost bowling over some of Hiccup's furniture. My breathing was quick and heavy from the unexpected shout that Hiccup directed at me. It seems that I had gotten wrapped in my thoughts… again. Two times in less than a minute? That's gotta be a new record…

Hiccup looked guilty, presumably for scaring me. He had gotten his armor fully on while I wasn't paying attention, the material it was crafted out of glinting slightly in the sliver of sunlight coming from the cracked window. "Woah, easy! I didn't mean to scare you," He said, holding both hands up as a universal sign of peace.

I felt my cheeks heat up considerably from the embarrassment of zoning out so much. "I-I apologize, Hiccup… I don't know why I'm so jumpy," I lied, resisting the urge to glance away with guilt. 'After the flight…' I reminded myself, hoping that having a clearer mind would help in my explanation.

His furrowed brow and sullen look told me that he didn't believe my reassurances whatsoever, but thankfully he didn't say anything against it, probably deciding that it was best to drop the subject. "Well, let's go get Toothless. He's probably already burned down half the village waiting for us," He muttered with exasperation.

I chuckled lightly, agreeing with him.

Luckily, Toothless's patience had managed to keep him on a leash, albeit a very loose one, for the whole five minutes he had waited for is.

"There you are!" He exclaimed when Hiccup and I casually strolled out the front door, my scales thankfully not rubbing nearly as much this time around. "I've been waiting for ages!"

Hiccup playfully scoffed, smirking. "I apologize for keeping you waiting, your majesty," He said, giving the Nightfury a mocking bow.

Toothless responded by puffing out his chest and raising his head and shoulders higher than they normally were, trying to look king-like. Coming from somebody who actually was a royal, he was failing miserably. "I might accept your apology… if you promise to give me a fresh cod." He said, his tongue running along the circumference of his muzzle.

I didn't like how tingly I felt when he did that.

Hiccup chuckled. "Well, I can't get you any fish if we aren't up in the air, right?"

Toothless snorted in indignation, but the shining of his eyes betrayed his true emotions. "I guess we have no choice but to go flying, then. Hop on, fleshling." He said, lowering himself slightly so Hiccup could easily climb into the saddle already strapped to his back. His rider shook his head before obliging, his metal leg clanking with each step as he made his way over.

I silently laughed at the two's antics, my shoulders shaking.

Our flight was exactly what it needed to be; peaceful. Our course was left uninterrupted as Toothless and I soared through the clear skies of Berk, Hiccup guiding our movements. The cool morning air was incredibly refreshing against my warm scales, the soft breeze caressing my sleek form like a mother's loving touch. The sun glinted beautifully across the ocean, about three-quarters of the way above the horizon, signifying how early it was. The vast expanse of green that I had stayed on these past couple days now seemed insignificant, dwarfed by the vast sea around it, the village even more so, tall huts now mere specks among the green.

We let a comfortable silence fill the void between the three of us, which I was grateful for. It gave me the opportunity to collect my thoughts, which had been anything but organized these past few days. It had been a whirlwind of action for me, and I could only imagine what Morgan has had to deal with.

As we soared soundlessly through the air, I thought. Thought on how I was going to find Morgan. Thought about how I was going to even get home.

Mostly, though, I was trying to steel myself for the conversation I was going to have once we landed. I never was the greatest when it came to wording things in a way that wasn't extremely blunt. My version of letting someone down easy was 'insulting them to their face while I have a mean scowl the whole time', as Morgan so kindly put it. It isn't my fault that Inigo doesn't know the definition of no!

We flew for a few more minutes before we landed on a sandy part of the island I had never seen before on the complete opposite side of the island, away from the hustle and bustle of Berk. I marveled for a second at the simplistic beauty of the small beach. This beaches sand wasn't like the sand we had back home, coarse and rough from countless battles on Ylisse's beaches. The sand here was fine, and actually comfortable to step on with no fear of stepping on broken glass or shrapnel. The water, while not clear, was a vibrant blue, a big difference from the almost purplish water of the future. The waves lapped at my paws, the cool temperature sending a slight chill down my back, and I inwardly wondered how refreshing it would be to just jump into the ocean for a swim. I hadn't gone swimming in a long, long time. I could almost feel the cool water flowing smoothly against my scales…

Then I actually did feel the water on my scales when Toothless abruptly jumped into the ocean, spraying salty water in every direction possible. I flinched back from the sudden spray of surprisingly cold saltwater, my wings instinctively unfurling as if to block my face from the cold spray.

"Thanks a bunch, Hiccup!" I heard Toothless call with a mouthful of what I assumed was the fish he had requested earlier.

The rider laughed at his friend's playful antics, his hands on his hips. "Yeah, yeah, just don't entirely decimate the fish colony this time, alright bud?"

My eyes bugged out of my head when he said that. "He's eaten that much before?" I asked in disbelief. I could see a lot of fish swimming about as he ate one after, and I couldn't even fathom how he had eaten so much as to completely wipe out an entire colony of fish.

Hiccup's shoulders shook with hidden laughter while he shook his head. "No, but he came close a couple months ago on a different part of the island. I try to stay away from there so the population can at least try to rebuild itself," he mused.

"How does someone even eat that much?" I asked, incredulous, just as Toothless scooped up another unsuspecting fish into his gaping maw.

Hiccup shrugged, smirking. "I've studied a lot about dragons, but that one question is something I still have no answer for."

After watching Toothless fish for another ten minutes, I couldn't find an answer, either.

He eventually had his fill of the poor fish, plodding over to us with a goofy smile on his face. "Ahh… that hit the spot!"

Hiccup gave him a deadpan stare. "Really. Couldn't tell,"

Toothless responded with a cheeky grin.

The rider rolled his eyes playfully, his smirk never fading. "Well, since you've eaten about twice your weight in fish, why don't we rest here for a bit?" Hiccup offered, gesturing to the sandy beach around us.

Toothless promptly flopped onto the sand.

"I'll take that as a yes," Hiccup said to himself. I chuckled at the two's antics.

We had talked to each other while we rested on the sandy beach, just passing the time and enjoying each other's presence. I had only just realized as we began to talk that I hadn't really had a full, friendly conversation with my two new friends since I had abruptly arrived on Berk. Every time we talked, it was either about something serious or just joking around. It was a nice change of pace to just… talk. I was (Well… am,) a little out of practice in the art of social interaction, so I was a little awkward in the beginning of our conversation, but I quickly grew comfortable with the little talk we were having. They regaled tales of some of the incredible escapades they had found themselves going through, from battling a dragon that lured other dragons in and trapped them with a substance that hardens as soon as it touched air, to participating in some sort of sport that requires a bunch of dragon riders and a sheep.

Eventually, the conversation turned to me. I knew deep down that they would eventually steer the topic towards my past, but I was still caught off guard when Toothless said, "So, Luci, how's your family? I know about your brother, but I was wondering if you have any other siblings, parents…"

I felt my heart skip a beat when he mentioned my family. "Oh, er…" I stammered, not ready for such a question. It had been so long since I had even mentioned my mother or father in conversation, so I was a little surprised when they asked me about them. I didn't blame them for catching me off guard, they didn't know what had happened to me over the years.

Hiccup must've noticed my obvious discomfort, because he gave me a look of pity. "It's okay if you don't want to talk, Lucina," He said, placing a hand on my side, trying to comfort me.

Toothless must have remembered the last time he had asked about my past, back when I had first arrived in Berk as realization flashed across his eyes. "O-oh, sorry, I didn't mean…" He trailer off, glancing away with a guilty look on his face.

I looked over to him, a soft but sad smile barely visible on my muzzle. "No… it's fine. I won't be able to move on if I don't talk about it." I said, barely loud enough for them to hear. It was if I didn't even trust my own voice to tell this extremely sensitive tale. I hadn't touched this topic with others in… well, years. But, as my mother had said, the first part of coping was sharing your feelings with others. In hindsight, it was almost like I had actively avoided doing just that my entire life.

Toothless and Hiccup glanced at each other, looking like they were having an internal debate between themselves, before they turned back to me, curiosity shining in both of their eyes. "Alright, go ahead Lucina, but you can stop whenever you want." Hiccup said, sitting cross-legged next to his dragon.

I nodded in thanks. "Okay… where to begin…" I muttered, scouring my mind for the best place to start in my extended family. Perhaps I should start with my cousins, then end with my p-parents…

"Well, first I would like to say that I do have an extended family, and many close friends." I began, lying on my stomach so I could get comfortable for what was going to be a long explanation.

My two listeners instantly became intrigued by this notion, their eyes widening a fraction. I stayed silent for a moment, expecting they were going to react in someway, but they didn't say anything, presumably to let me continue.

I cleared my throat before moving on. "You already know of my brother, Morgan, but there was also my cousin, Owain. I have no doubt you would've gotten along with him quite well, Toothless," I nodded my head towards said dragon.

Hiccup's eyes widened. "Wait, cousin? You mean there's even more Night Furies out there?" He asked, sounding incredulous.

I resisted the urge to flinch at his question, before nodding reluctantly. "Er, y-yes," I stammered.

I internally admonished myself for not being strong enough to own up to the truth of the matter, which was that I wasn't even supposed to be a Night Fury.

Toothless tilted his head in curiosity. "What was he like?"

I smiled softly at the thought of my eccentric cousin. He was always one of my closer friends. "He was… eccentric, to say the least. Theatrics was his specialty, always ready to yell out the name of some special move he'd been working on and talking about his 'aching blood' or how he's the scion of legend," I told them, recalling all of the times Owain had been overly silly, which was almost every single time I had seen him if I was being honest.

Toothless grinned, chuckling to himself. "Sounds like a fun guy,"

"... He was," I said after a small pause, my smile faltering ever so slightly. It had just occurred to me how much I truly missed everyone. I didn't know how I was even going to attempt to get home, and until then my family and friends would only serve as a broken memory to me.

"Uh… you alright, Lucina?" Hiccup asked, noticing my long pause.

I blinked, before scowling at my own inattentiveness. "Y-yes, I apologize." I said, quickly forcing my expression into a more neutral one. I had to be strong, no matter how hard it was.

I sighed, resetting my mindset before continuing. "I had other friends, too. Let's see here… Cynthia, Brady, Yarne, Nah, Gerome, Kjelle, Laurent, Severa, and Inigo."

Hiccup whistled. "Wow. That's… a lot of dragons,"

I resisted the urge to cringe. 'Damnit… how are they so good at making me feel bad for lying without even trying?' "Y-Yes, it was," I tried to suppress the nervous stammer that came out, but it was still noticeable to anyone paying attention. If I were paying attention to my audience, I would've noticed Toothless's eyes narrow slightly, his pupils thinning themselves out.

"And then there was…" I paused, taking a shaky breath. "There was my p-parents." I managed to choke out, my throat muscles tightening as I did.

Hiccup, ever the master of emotions, noticed almost immediately that something was wrong. "...What happened to them?" He quietly asked, his voice filled with anticipation and worry.

Toothless caught onto what Hiccup was asking of me, looking over to me with a morbidly curious, yet apprehensive gaze.

I quickly glanced away, my throat constricting as if my body was trying to prevent me from mentioning anything that had to do with my parents. I felt a familiar damp sensation at the corners of my eyes, and it didn't take long for me to realize I was crying. "... Th-they were… k-killed when I w-was young…" I barely managed to whisper to them, my tears falling full force now. The hot droplets splashed onto the sandy beach beneath me, before being quickly absorbed by the sand. Sobs wracked my form, and I subconsciously tucked myself into a ball, as if I were trying to hide from the truth of what happened to mother and father. 'D-Damnit… why does this happen every time I try to talk about them? Why can't I move on?!'

Then I felt a familiar leathery texture suddenly wrap around my body, before pulling me towards a comforting source of heat I immediately recognized as Toothless. The familiarity of the situation reminded me of the night before, when I had awoken to find that Toothless had subconsciously pulled himself closer and snuggled into me during his sleep. Except this time around, I wasn't embarrassed or slightly uncomfortable. I relished in the comforting touch he provided for me in my time of emotional insecurity. I could feel my hot tears rolling off my face and onto the scales of his torso, filling the minuscule cracks between the black circles. His wing was wrapped tightly around me, and it didn't take a genius to tell he was worried. Extremely worried.

"Sh-shhh… it's okay, Luci. I'm right here," He whispered softly to me, trying his hardest to comfort my turmoiled emotions.

With the emotional side of my brain in shambles, I didn't even realize that for the first time since their deaths, I had a shoulder to cry on. Morgan, while I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world, wasn't the best for having serious conversations with, and I wasn't comfortable talking about my parents with any of the others.

Then why was Toothless… different?

I decided not to question it, however, taking advantage of the situation and nuzzling closer into his side, grateful for his comforting touch.

We stayed like that for quite some time, enjoying the warmth of each other's contact. Eventually, I had no more tears left to give, reduced to sniffs and snivels. However, even after I had stopped the waterworks, Toothless still held firm onto my side, resting his muzzle on top of my neck. It was not until he was likely completely confident with my emotional state did he finally release his hold on me, lifting his (admittedly powerful) wing from my back. Silently, I yearned for his strong, yet careful touch again.

Hiccup stood off to the side, looking worried as well. He had probably been waiting for a long time, and looked relieved that I had stopped.

Toothless craned his neck so that he could face me, his acid-green eyes staring deep into mine, as if searching for something. "...Better?" He asked after a pause.

I was silent for a moment before nodding ever so slightly, sniffing. "Y-yes… I think so. Th-thank you…" I said, genuinely grateful for what he did. It had been a long time since I truly let my emotions loose like that.

A silence fell between the three of us for a short time. It wasn't an uncomfortable one, no, merely a bout of speechlessness that allowed the three of us to collect our scrambled thoughts.

Of the three of us, I was the first to speak, albeit with a slight stutter in my nervous voice. "I-I apologize for w-worrying you two, my p-parents are a… touchy subject, to say the least," I said, trying my hardest to reign my fragile emotions inward.

Toothless and Hiccup gave each other a worried glance, before the dragon turned back to me, shaking his head firmly before pushing his snout into the side of my face, most likely as a showing of comfort. "You don't need to apologize for anything, Luci. I should be the one saying sorry for bringing up the topic…" Toothless muttered, looking guilty.

"You d-didn't know, Toothless. R-really, it's fine," I assured, nuzzling him back. I was too caught up in my own distraught feelings that I didn't even realize that what I was doing was considered extremely intimate.

I reluctantly relinquished my contact with him, and another silence like before fell between us. Unlike the last one, though, this one did feel a tad uncomfortable after what we had just talked about.

Hiccup broke the silence with a question that I hadn't been asked in a very, very long time.

"...What were they like?" He questioned quietly, barely above a whisper, but I was able to hear it due to my enhanced hearing.

I glanced over with a confused look, wondering what he meant by that.

"Your parents, I mean. What were they like?" He finished his question, sitting on top of a nearby stone as if getting ready for a long story.

I was taken aback by how such a simple question could invoke such incredibly strong emotions within me.

"...Wh-why do y-you ask?" I breathed, trying to keep my voice from wavering too much.

I immediately noticed how Hiccup's eyes took on a slight haze over them, as if he was recalling a fond memory. "Trust me when I speak from experience that… talking to other people about the ones we've lost makes it easier to move on," He said, a sad smile adorning his face.

My eyes widened a tad, then my watery gaze softened. "...Who did…?" I began to ask, but stopped myself, unable to continue with that line of questioning.

"My dad," Hiccup whispered, standing up as he did so. It surprised me with how quickly he answered my question. I noticed that Toothless shifted suddenly when Hiccup mentioned his father, but I wrote it off as nothing important. "He was the strongest Viking this world has ever seen and ever will see." He said, walking slowly towards me before opening his palm and gently placing it on the scales between my eyes.

I immediately felt the influence of his empathetic powers wash over me, foreign emotions flooding my senses. I felt a similar sadness to the one I held within me at all times, but it was a different kind of sadness. This one felt… healed, for a lack of a better word. However, more prominent than that familiar sadness… was acceptance. Understanding. Hiccup knew how I was feeling because he had once felt the exact same thing, and still does to a limited extent. The only difference, is that he's accepted it and moved forward away from it.

Something I have yet to do.

And then, just as suddenly as it began, it stopped, and my senses were forced into the waking world.

I took a deep gulp of air as soon as I was released from the emotionally stupor that Hiccup seemed to put me under whenever he used did this, almost like I was holding my breath the entire time he had his hand on me.

Hiccup seemed just as, if not more disoriented than I was after the experience, holding a hand over his heart while struggling to hold back the tears that had unwillingly gathered at the bottom of his eyes.

Toothless stood off to the side, staying put at the moment, but that could change any second judging by his anxious posture. He glanced between the two of us, confusion and worry evident in his eyes. "Hiccup? What happened?" He asked.

Hiccup sniffed before shakily nodding, lifting his head up slightly. "Y-yeah, I'm fine bud… it's just," He glanced over to me, a pitiful expression on is face. "How long have you held this in, Lucina?"

Both dragon and rider held their gazes on me now, expecting an answer that I didn't really want to reveal. I sucked in a shaky breath. "...Longer than I will ever care to remember," I admitted, my volume barely above a whisper.

Hiccup and Toothless both shared a worried glance between each other. "Well…" Hiccup started, his gaze flickering back over to my own watery one. "Better late than never. What were they like?" He repeated, sitting cross-legged on the grass in front of me. Toothless mimicked Hiccup's actions, except instead of crossing his legs he crossed his paws, lying flat on his stomach.

For a moment, I couldn't speak. I was taken aback by their kindness and how much they cared for me in this instance, trying my hardest to recall the last time anybody had asked me what Mother and Father were like. I couldn't remember. I scoured my brain, but nothing came up. Morgan and I talked about our parents, yes, but the subject was so painful, so fresh on our minds for the both of us that we couldn't really get past a couple sentences before abruptly changing the subject.

"My p-parents…" I choked out, unsure with who I should start with, and uneasy that I was even talking about them at all.

Toothless cut me off, easily noting my unease. "Take your time, Luci." He said softly, assuring me that they weren't in any rush.

I took a moment to collect myself (or at least attempt to), before I began to speak once more.

"Father…" I paused for a moment, that one word bringing back so many memories. Some were bad, but… there was a lot of good there too. "He was one of the strongest leaders I've ever known. He looked after our people with a firm, yet caring rule, and on the battlefield he was always a force to be reckoned with no matter the foe, sometimes taking on pe- dragons twice his size. His physical prowess was unmatched." I said, more and more memories flooding back as I spoke of the man I looked up to, who drove me to do I do everyday.

Hiccup's eyes went wide. "Your dad was the Alpha?" He asked, sounding a little disbelieving.

I almost didn't know what he was talking about, but quickly realized that they both thought my parents were dragons. My mother's words from my dream echoed through my head once more. "...Yes, he was."

Toothless's brow furrowed, though for what reason I did not know.

I ignored whatever plight was plaguing him for now, deciding to ask him whatever it was after this talk. "Chrom… that was his name. He was rough, but he had to be with those under his rule. With his friends and family, he was the kindest dragon out there," I continued, a sentimental smile slowly appearing on my muzzle as I spoke.

Hiccup nodded in agreement, most likely comparing my father with his own. "What about your mom?" Hiccup asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

It was much easier to talk about mother this time around. "Robin was one the most intelligent dragons you'll ever meet, and a master of the arcane. She was unparalleled when it came to magic, and she was almost like my father's other half. He was the brawn, and she was the brains. Together they were inseparable and… unstoppable." I said the last word with a heavy weight in my chest, remembering how I used to say that all the time in my youth.

Then, one day, they never came home.

Both of my listeners perked up at the word magic, curiosity evident in their eyes. "Magic? You mean like Aür?" Toothless questioned, his brow still furrowed ever so slightly.

I had no idea what Aür was, but I'm going to assume that it was what they called magic. "Yes, but where I come from we called it magic."

Hiccup's eyebrows raised, partially covered by his messy head of hair. "Magic, huh? What could she do? I haven't seen much magic around Berk, but I've heard it can do some pretty amazing stuff,"

I nodded in agreement, remembering just how powerful my mother's magical abilities were. "With her most powerful spells," Toothless scowled when I said this for some reason, "She could create winds sharp enough to cut through steel, bolts of lightning from the heavens to strike down her foes, even fire strong enough to move the ground around her," I listed, recalling the effects of Rexcalibur, Mjölnir and Valflame. These were spells she restricted to Risen battles, not wishing to use them on people due to their destructive and painful attacks.

Hiccup's eyebrows rose further towards his hairline. "That's… that's powerful," he said.

I nodded. Her powerful collection of spells was almost frightening at times. "She definitely was not one to be crossed, that's fur su-"

"Lucina?" Toothless abruptly interrupted, his eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

I blinked in surprise, not expecting him to suddenly jump in like that after being silent for so long. 'It seems like he began to act weird during this talk, actually…' "Yes?"

"Can I talk with you in private for a moment?" He requested, gesturing over towards the forest to our right. His expression was not the usual aloof one I had grown so used to, no. This was the most serious I had seen him be since I had first arrived on Berk.

Hiccup and I both seemed a little taken aback by his sudden request. We glanced between each other, confusion evident on both of our faces. "Oh, e-er, sure…" I reluctantly complied, unsure of his motive for this little talk.

Just as sudden as his request, the Night Fury clambered to his paws and began making his way over towards the foliage, not even waiting for me to follow.

I watched his retreating form for a moment, now more confused than ever, before quickly realizing that he wasn't going to wait for me. "W-wait for me!" I called after him, rising to my feet.

He never turned back to acknowledge that he had heard me, not a word to ease my fears.

I drew in a shaky breath before going after him, a little afraid of the topic of this upcoming discussion.

"Uh… okay, I'll just wait here, I guess," Hiccup called, sounding exasperated.

We walked through the woods in silence, the only sounds to fill the void being the occasional animal call from somewhere around us and my own frantic heartbeat.

My eyes zipped from our path forward to Toothless, who still hasn't turned around or said a word since we began walking.

I hadn't felt this nervous in a long, long time.

My thoughts were plagued with uncertainty and questions I had no answer for. 'What does he want to talk about? Why do we have to be alone? Is he angry? If so, why?' On and on my brain went, question after question pouring into my mind.

I was in the middle of trying to find any sort of answer when I was interrupted by Toothless finally talking. "You have some explaining to do." He said, abruptly stopping in his tracks and turning around to face me, his eyes dead-set on my own, his pupils turned to slits.

My ears subconsciously folded back onto my scalp, and I felt something I hadn't felt towards Toothless since my first encounter with him; fear. "Wh-what are you-"

"Don't play dumb!" He snarled, suddenly cutting me off, his sharp teeth barely visible but still extremely threatening. "You're hiding something. I know you're not telling us the whole truth of why you're here!"

It felt like my heart had dropped into my stomach. He figured it out. 'Damnit damnit damnit, I should've told them the truth from the beginning!' I mentally berated myself, dread beginning to set in. Why did I have to lie to them? It would have made things so much easier if I had just told them the truth from the beginning!

I wanted to speak, but when I opened my mouth to respond, nothing came out but a shaky sigh.

Toothless's expression softened slightly, but it wasn't due to pity. He almost seemed… sad. "I'm right, aren't I?" He asked, though he probably already knew the answer to this already.

I found myself nodding slowly before I even knew what I was doing, not trusting my own voice.

Toothless was silent for a beat, before he spoke once more. "I want to see how you really, truly got here. No more lies, Lucina." He said, walking over in front of me and looking me directly in the eyes.

I felt a familiar sensation pull at the back of my mind, one that I recognized from a couple days prior when I had first met Toothless. I thought one last thing before it felt like I was being pulled through a waterfall of ice, and my vision blurred in front of me.

'No more lies…'

~Toothless~

The familiar sensation of Sight-Sharing washed over me like a bucket of cold water, and before I knew it my vision had cleared and I was but a spectator to another's memory.

A dark, overcast sky replaced the sunny one I was so used to, and the air around me grew thick with the stench of death. I gagged, not expecting it to be so pungent. 'Good Gods, what is that smell?!' I thought, suddenly very grateful for the fresh, clean air that Berk had.

The first thing I noticed when my vision returned was the giant mass of blue that was swirling against the wall. It pulsed with massive amounts of Aür, sending waves of the mystical energy into the air surrounding us. I watched as Lucina ran over to a small human wearing a black coat and channeling some sort of energy into the swirling mass. 'A human… using Aür? How is that possible?' I inwardly wondered, watching memory-Lucina glance back towards what looked like a stone archway. Now that I can get a good look, it seems like she was in these strange ruins of some sort.

The second thing I noticed was the name that Lucina had associated the human with. 'Morgan… isn't that her brother's name?' That's gotta be just some astronomical coincidence… right?

The third thing I noticed was that she had just spoken in a human's tongue.

"Morgan, how are you feeling? Is everything stabilized?" She asked frantically, looking between the portal and her sibling. I saw a human hand place itself on the smaller human's shoulder in an effort to get his attention. Lucina's hand.

It felt like my heart had just stopped.

'She… she used to… be human…'

It all made sense now. Her fear of me during our first meeting. Her cluelessness as to what Berk even was.

She used to be human.

I didn't know what to feel anymore. Angry that she had kept this from me? Relieved that she wasn't planning anything nefarious against me and my rider? Sad because she wasn't truly one of my kind, just a human in a body that didn't belong to her?

I felt… hurt that she didn't trust me enough to tell me this sooner.

Hurt that… that she'll never reciprocate my feelings.

I didn't pay attention to the rest of the memory.

~Lucina~

My head spun as my vision suddenly returned to normal, my eyes once again my own and no longer viewing the world through another's body.

I groaned in discomfort as the unusual sensation faded away, leaving me with heavy eyes and a slight headache. "What in Naga's name…?" I muttered to myself, holding a paw to my forehead in an effort to steady my vision.

What had just occurred was… strange, to say the very least. One second I was staring into Toothless's eyes, and the next I was staring out of his eyes. It was an incredibly weird sensation, seeing out of another's eyes and being a passenger in their body. The entire time I was wondering what Toothless was hoping to accomplish by showing me this, not seeing any value in a simple vision of him and Hiccup flying for a while before touching down onto a cliff.

My thoughts were interrupted by Toothless's voice. "... Lucina…" I heard him say. I had never heard his voice sound so small and powerless before. He sounded so hurt… it sent of wave of intense guilt down my spine. I glanced over to him, and his body language was just as bad. He was looking harshly at the ground, but his eyes had lost some of their light, like he wasn't entirely there.

"...You used to be human?..." He asked, though from the sound of it he already knew the answer to that question.

I winced as I realized what he had seen, the guilt I felt increasing tenfold along with a mixture of shame.

I didn't even know where to go from here. "I… Toothless, I-"

"Why did you hide this from me?!" He suddenly exclaimed, turning to look me dead in the eye. His expression was one I had seen many times before, but on the faces of soldiers that were broken from the battles we faced. On those who had just lost ones they loved. It didn't belong on such a kind dragon such as him.

"Toothless, please, I-" I stammered, but once again I was cut off by an angry and hurt Night Fury. I could only wonder why he was so distraught about this find.

"You what?! Why did you lie to me and Hiccup for so long?! Why did you-"

"BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID!" I yelled, unable to hold back why I hadn't just told the truth from the beginning.

Toothless flinched back from my sudden outburst, most likely not expecting me to raise my voice. "A-Afraid? Afraid of what?" He asked, though with much less confidence than before.

I couldn't stifle the snarl that I threw at him when he asked that. If he saw what I think he saw, he should know exactly why I was so afraid! "How would you feel if one day, you wake up and find that you've been turned into the same thing as the one who endlessly tormented you?! The one who took your parents away?!" I ranted, my hatred for Grima leaking into my own feelings, fueling my outrage further.

"I've been turned into the ENEMY!" I exclaimed with fury.

A strong silence fell between us as what I had just proclaimed sank in. If it were even possible, Toothless looked even more hurt and rejected than before, that joyous light I had grown to adore now replaced with a deep sadness that made me realize what I had done, the regret and guilt now shooting down my spine stronger than ever.

"Turned into the enemy, huh…?" Toothless repeated back to himself, his voice hollow.

I mentally berated myself for letting my anger get the best of me, not believing that I thought that saying such an offensive thing to him was a good idea. "I- Toothless, I didn't mean-"

I didn't get the chance to finish my sentence. Toothless turned on a dime and suddenly dashed into the foliage behind him, his midnight-black form disappearing beyond the trees.

Sitting there in the deserted clearing, staring with guilt-ridden eyes at the spot he left through, I haven't felt this alone since the two I looked up to left this world to the next.

Ooh, a little bit of drama here! Sorry to leave you guys on a cliffhanger here, but at 10k words, this chapter is already long as it stands! As usual, any reviews and criticisms you have for this story is greatly appreciated and will help me improve my writing, so don't be afraid! Keep in mind I am writing this story mostly in google docs on my phone, so autocorrect can really screw me over when I get one letter in a word wrong, so please tell me when you see something like that.

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This is ya boy SquiddlyDiddly, signing off!