Sorry about the LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG wait. Hard year.
Should I pair Toothless with Stormfly or the Light Fury?
Disclaimer: I do not own How to Train Your Dragon or the songs 'This Is Where I Belong' and 'I Will Always Return' by Bryan Adams from the movie Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. All credits go to Dreamworks, the record companies, singers, songwriters, producers, etc.
It was a bright, beautiful morning that Hanna wanted to sleep through.
If it wasn't for her spoilt, needy dragons.
Hanna groaned, burying herself in her blankets and pillows, desperate to block out loud dragonese sounds. But they persisted, getting louder and more destructive.
"Alright, alright! I'm up, I'm up!"
She dragged herself out of bed, got dressed, grabbed an apple and went outside to her spoilt, needy dragons.
"Morning, bossy-boots."
Toothless made funny dragon gurgles, to which Hanna mockingly mimicked.
"Do you always have to wake me up this early to go flying?"
Toothless wasn't the only dragon with her. She practically had a herd! Well, technically she had 9 dragons who wanted to come with her to Berk. Apart from Toothless, there was Sharpshot, Torch the bratty Typhoomerang, the twin Speed Stingers Double and Trouble, the three Whispering Death siblings Razor (girl), Blade (girl) and Digger (boy) and their youngest yet biggest brother, Banshee the Screaming Death.
She clearly remembered the shock of everyone when they first saw Banshee, especially Tuffnut's exclamation.
"Holy mother of Thor…That thing is HUGE!"
She giggled at the memory and patted each dragon before saddling Toothless. "You guys be good. I'll be back." She pointed to her Whispering Deaths. "No digging holes in the village, do it in the forest." Then she pointed at Banshee. "No eating nearby islands." And then she moved onto Double and Trouble, frowning extra hard. "And no more paralyzing anyone! Bye!"
And then she and Toothless took off.
They flew over the center of town. Down below, Vikings and dragons mingled together. It was hard to believe that they were once engaged in a vicious war over a tyrant's insatiable hunger.
"Hey Hanna!"
Heather appeared off a tree, Loptr losing his camouflage for his original flaming colors as he and his rider flew up beside their friend.
"Going somewhere?" Heather asked.
"Just flying around."
The lips on Heather's face curled into a smirk. "Planning to meet up with your boyfriend?"
Hanna tilted her head. "What?"
"You know, your fiancé? The golden-haired hunk?"
"He's not my boyfriend or my fiancé! The former is definite, the latter, uh, is off the table."
"Well, whatever he is, you're spending a lot more time with him than you are with your own crew since we got here."
"I've been busy. Well, see ya!"
As of that, she flew off.
"That only proves my point, airhead."
"YYEEEEEEE-HHHHHAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWW!"
Dragon and rider flew high in the clouds, soared over the ocean, passed by the sights they first saw when they first flew together.
Berk seemed so different from another perspective. Facing it on the ground gave her one harsh outlook on the place but seeing it in the air from different angles almost made her change her mind.
Almost.
Because she soon fled that place.
And she ran into her mother.
I hear the wind across the plain
A sound so strong, that calls my name
It's wild like the river, it's warm like the sun
Yeah, it's here, this is where I belong
Unlike her father, her mother embraced her unique traits, mostly because they share those traits.
Life in the nest under the Bewilderbeast's protection was amazing. The best years she ever had. A loving family, great friends, flying carefree wherever she wanted.
Under the starry skies, where eagles have flown
This place is paradise, it's the place I call home
That was the life.
The moon on the mountains
The whisper through the trees
The waves on the water
Toothless hovered in the air, slowing down to a gentle float, allowing Hanna to lay flat on her stomach against his back, hugging him around the throat. His purrs vibrated under her arms. The sensation relaxed her.
Let nothing come between this and me
'Cause everything I want, is everything that's here
And when when we're all together, there's nothing to fear
And wherever I wander, the one thing I've learned
It's to here, I will always, always return
Her old life was perfect.
Yet her older life improved.
She wondered which-
SWOOP!
Then suddenly, out of the blue, smoothing that was blue darted across her, surprising Toothless into nearly throwing his rider off.
"What the?"
"Hi Hanna!"
"Alaric?"
The handsome blond Viking was right in front of her, in high air, on the back of his beautiful Deadly Nadder, Stormfly.
His appearance was totally unexpected.
"Geez, you're sneaky!" Hanna gasped. "How did you find me? I'm, like, almost impossible to find without a week's search."
Alaric patted his dragon, smiling fondly. "Stormfly can find a flea in the snow 10 islands over. You did say that the day I tame and ride a dragon without killing it would be the day you'll marry me."
Hanna chuckled. "You're that desperate? Well, let's see if you can keep up. Go, buddy!"
With one flap, the Night Fury and his rider zipped off once again, not even stopping for a breather. However, Hanna glanced over her shoulder and was shocked, to say the least, to see Alaric and Stormfly right behind Toothless's half-fake tail!
"What in Freya's bra?"
Hanna was baffled. Stormly was faster than the average Deadly Nadder, nearly as fast as Toothless. How was that possible? She was pretty sure that Stormfly wasn't that speedy when they left Dragon Island.
She decided to try and ditch him. Toothless did a flip and Stormfly followed suit. Toothless did a dive and zoomed across the water, as did Stormfly. Toothless took daring turns through rocky cliffs and so did Stormfly!
Whatever Tootless and Hanna did, Stormfly and Alaric rivalled them!
"Whoa!" Hanna gasped. "What have you been feeding that Nadder?"
Alaric shot her a smug smirk. "Let's just say I'm experimenting with what she eats. Apparently, it's working…and making you mad."
To support his theory, Stormfly burped fire.
Hanna took a whiff and coughed, instantly recognising the extra-strong tang. "Oah! Smells like when Gobber overcooks his chicken."
"Apparently, adding chicken to a dragon's diet increases speed and stamina."
Stormfly got excited at the mention of chicken and, to emphasise Alaric's discovery, started jerking wildly, making Alaric chuckle and pat his hyper dragon on the throat.
"Yes, girl, I'll feed you more chicken when we're done."
"Done with what?"
"Beating you."
Boy and Deadly Nadder vanished in a blue streak without a single blink of Hanna's eyelashes. Those pretty eyelashes laid down as fiery green eyes narrowed with determination.
"Oh no you don't!"
I hear the wind call your name
It calls me back home again
It sparks up the fire
A flame that still burns
Oh, it's to you
I'll always return
The couple flew across the sky, trying to outdo one another in a contest of tricks.
Hanna had finished doing an impressive roll-and-loop on Toothless's body and completely a full circle midair when she gawked at the sight of Alaric balancing on one leg perfectly upon Stormfly's wing, even against the strong wind!
Hanna had always praised herself as the 'reigning champ' in this sport but it looked like she finally met her match.
Yeah
I still feel your breath on my skin
I hear your voice deep within
The sound of my lover
A feeling so strong
It's to you
I'll always belong
The race went on. No chances of a winner as both competitors were equally matched.
However, Hanna's head wasn't in the game.
This race was different from the races she took with the other riders.
It was…more thrilling.
Now I know it's true, yeah
My every road leads to you
And in the hour of darkness darlin'
Your light gets me through
Her head started to spin, weakening her mind.
But not her impulsiveness.
Deciding to try and outbid Alaric, she sat up to attempt a daring fall-and-toss, which Toothless was supposed to catch her by the leg as she falls off sideways and fly up and toss her and they both do quick somersaults and Hanna lands on Toothless's back.
Key word: Supposed to.
Instead, Hanna's mind was too far away that when Toothless tossed her, she failed to somersault and ended up plunging through the air. Straight down.
"HANNA!"
Wanna swim in your river
Be warmed by your sun
Bathe in your waters
'Cause you are the one
I can't stand the distance
I can't dream alone
I can't wait to see you
Yes, I'm on my way home
Thanks to Stormfly's new speed, Alaric managed to catch Hanna. Thanks to the Hanna's persistent brain, Toothless can fly on his own. So, he just hovered among the clouds, intensely staring at Alaric carrying Hanna in a bridal style. Stormfly flew down back to earth, settling on a cliff overlooking the ocean and heading out to the forest, her wing lowering to allow Alaric off, still holding Hanna.
Still in his arms in the air, she made a weak chuckle. "You caught me."
His hard scowl set on her as he held her close.
"Stop scaring me!" He told her sternly. He engulfed her in a tight hug, face buried between her shoulders, blond locks tickling her skin. Eventually, he pulled away, only to lean in, whispering softly. "I never want to lose you again."
She blushed.
And then he swooped in and kissed her full on the lips.
Oh, I hear the wind call your name
The sound that leads me home again
It sparks up the fire
A flame that still burns
Oh, it's to you
I will always return
Hanna squeaked, the sound muffled by the joining of their mouths. Their first kiss was sweet yet surprising passionate, mostly on Alaric's end. After a minute or so of shock, Hanna closed her eyes as she kissed back. Alaric's brawly arm pressed her in more, their kiss growing intensely.
The world around them disappeared while they fell into a dream of their own. No distractions, no obstacles, no force actions.
Just the two of them.
Wanna swim in your river
Be warmed by your sun
Bathe in your waters
'Cause you are the one
Soon enough, the kiss ended. Lips reluctantly pulled apart. Smiling (and feeling pleased for himself), Alaric set the girl of his dreams down, having his had his arms around her waist while her hands were set on his shoulder. He was beaming until he noticed that her pretty face was creased in an odd sort of emotion.
"Hanna, what's wrong?" He asked in a soft tone.
She shrugged her shoulders, mumbling. "I don't know." She turned away to gaze beyond the endless sea. "I don't know what I'm feeling. I spent my whole life on this island, thinking I was a freak of nature. Then I met Toothless and I finally felt happy. And then I left for six years of freedom, and now I'm back on Berk where I never thought I would be teaching Vikings to get along with dragons which was the problem in the first place!" The rant left her breathless, making her take a deep breath before she continued. "I never really had anywhere I belong. Even in the nest…I'm always flying around, to places old and new. At first, I loved it. But now…Where the heck do I belong?"
I can't stand the distance
I can't dream alone
I can't wait to see you
Yes, I'm on my way home
A hand grasped her chin, pressed between a thumb and index finger, drawing her to the stormy blue eyes of Alaric. His face was hard, almost impossible to read except for the sincerity glistening.
"You belong here. With your family. With me. You're the best thing that happened to Berk. It took us so damn long to realize it."
His hand stroked the side of her face, the palm cupped her cheek in one perfect fit. She quivered from the vibrations his coarse skin made when rubbing upon her soft skin.
Then she realized she made those sounds out loud and so she blushed.
Alaric chuckled.
Oh, I hear the wind call your name
It sends me back home again
It sparks up the fire
A flame that still burns
Yeah, I'm on my way
I will always return
Yes, I will always return
"I better get going. Have to scare some little kids in training."
His hand dropped, allowing Hanna to watch him walk over to Stormfly to mount her, but then he glanced over his shoulder in an alluring way that brought the blush right back to her face.
"One more thing…"
He returned to her, hand out as if to caress her face again, only to suddenly (and swiftly) punched her in the arm.
"OW!"
"That's for scaring me." He simply said.
Rubbing her sore arm, she glared at him. "What, is it always going to be this way? 'Cause-"
His hand came back just as fast, this time grabbing her waist, drew the yapping woman in and planted a firm kiss on her lips.
When he pulled away, Hanna was swaying about in a dopey state.
"...I could get used to it."
Satisfied, he walked away, mounted Stormfly and flew off.
Hanna was left behind but that didn't bother her. Her mind was where he was. A great goofy grin took up her face.
I see every sun set
And with all that I've learned, oh
It's to you, I will always
Always…
…return
"Incoming!"
Toothless jumped on Hanna, saving her from the low landing of a Hotburple. The dragon hurried to the ground where it immediately went to sleep, while a soot-coated Viking got off its saddle.
"Hanna, I just came to tell ya that those pesky Speed Stingers of yours paralyzed half the village again!"
"Damn it, Double, Trouble!"
"Not to mention that your Whispering Deaths cut the village's water supply by tunnelling. Oh, and the big white one ate Thor's Fist Island."
"FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! I can't even have a daydream in peace!"
"Wait, what daydream?"
"Nothing, Gobber!"