*Singing* Guess who finished this one early? Haha!
To Guest: Don't worry; those aren't typos. 2 quotation marks like this " "…" " means two or more people/dragons are saying something at the same time. Like when Hiccup and Toothless were saying the children's rhyme, or the people of Berk were chanting Bonecrusher's name. Or, like in this chapter when Dagur's Berserkers are saying "Pull". It's just a visual cue.
Anyway, on with the show!
Gone Gustav Gone:
" "Pull! Pull! Pull!" "
"Keep pulling, ya maggots! Unless you want to be giant eel chum!" Savage shouted, the giant eels in the water agitated as the Reaper was pulled to the surface. Once he saw the wood of the ship, Savage went to Dagur, said man currently doing one arm pull-ups off the top of a dragon cage as he talked to himself. Again.
"Hello, gorgeous", he kissed his bicep, then did another pull-up. "Oh, hello again", he did it again. "Work for me, baby! Work for daddy!"
"The Reaper is starting to surface, sir!", Savage interrupted.
"I can see that!" Dagur exploded in turn.
"Oh, right." In hindsight, maybe he should stop doing that.
It didn't take long for the Reaper to fully surface, and once it had, the Berserkers they had boarded and took every last item.
"That's the last of it", one soldier said as he dropped the last of the Reaper's items, most of which were dragon traps, onto Dagur's ship.
"Well, now we have everything of value from the dragon hunting ship", Savage said, but Dagur still looked angry. Then again, he was almost always angry.
"No", he strolled up a few feet, "Not everything."
Quick as lightning, Dagur spun and threw a knife straight at him. Savage moved out of instinct, but when he turned to see where the knife landed, he found Dagur hadn't been aiming for him. The point of the knife had hit a drawing pinned to the mast, one of the object they'd lost to Hiccup.
000
The base done, and patrol schedules set, Hiccup found she had time to finally experiment and tinker with the Dragon Eye. There was so much they still didn't know about it, and especially not what it contained. Sitting on a chest in what she would call the 'work room' of her hut, schematics for Toothless' tail tacked on one wall and a number of prototype tail-fins she still needed to finish on another, Hiccup was experimenting with different combinations on the Dragon Eye.
"Okay, give me a slow burn, bud", she asked Toothless, and he did so, giving her the fire she needed to activate the Dragon Eye.
"Okay, we've seen this before, but what happens if I push…" she pressed the button that resembled that of a Monstrous Nightmare, and a red glow came from the Dragon Eye. Pointing it at the wall, the projection was entirely different.
"Ooh, dragon classes", she commented, then turned to Toothless. "What do you say we check out the Night Fury, bud?"
"And the nothing on them?" Toothless laid his head on his paws.
"Try to contain your excitement", Hiccup simply replied. "Now, Monstrous Nightmare gem, plus Night Fury…" she twist the Dragon Eye's barrel, the lenses inside spinning like a kaleidoscope, "equals…" The Dragon Eye's light went out. "…Nothing. Okay?"
Toothless laughed as Hiccup worked to reset it.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up", she turned to him. "I'll have you know there's still plenty more combinations I can try. Seven gems, three lenses. You do the math", she teased, and Toothless stared off as though he was actually trying, her brother's head tilting in confusion after a moment.
"Now, maybe if I…" Hiccup trailed off as she brought the Dragon Eye back up, and that's when the door suddenly shot up, Aric on the other side with the light of the Dragon Eye now shining on him.
"Whoa", Hiccup startled, "Hofferson class, haha."
"Hiccup, we have a problem; a huge problem", Aric said, and given he'd just been on patrol, only one thought came to mind.
"Dagur?" she jumped.
"Worse."
"What could possibly be worse than Dagur?"
"Coming in hot!" a roar sounded, and it was then a Monstrous Nightmare and his rider burst into her hut, landing―or more crashing―right on top of Aric.
"Gustav", Gustav greeted.
"Gustav?!" Hiccup exclaimed.
"Gustav", Aric said from under Fanghook, not amused in the least.
Hiccup went to hide the Dragon Eye behind her back.
"Gustav, what…are you doing here?" she backed until placing it on the chest behind her. "I-I mean, t-to what…do we owe the pleasure of this visit?"
"Hey, watch it!" Toothless lightly roared when the end of Fanghook's tail hit his face.
"Sorry", Fanghook apologized, his face coming in close as he probably wanted to give Toothless an apology nuzzle, but Toothless' paw stopped him.
"Back off!" he growled, pushing Fanghook's face away.
"Hiccup!" Snotlout's voice rang just before he and the other riders appeared at the door. "Did you hear that Gustav is… standing right beside you. Perfect."
"You looking a little different there Guster", Tuffnut said.
"Yeah, I'm growing a beard", Gustav showed.
"Really?! Let me see", Tuffnut raced to get a closer look, only to see a little whisker on Gustav's chin. "Ha! Even Ruffnut has more hair on her chiny-chin-chin than that", he laughed, then plucked it.
"Ow", Gustav jumped back, another 'ow' sounding as he hit the chest with the Dragon Eye sitting on top. "Hey", he noticed. "What's that thing?"
"Whoa", Hiccup tried to stop him, but he'd grabbed it too fast, then immediately tried to blind himself as he looked directly into it. Sure, he didn't know, but still.
"You guys…see these spots? Some kind of sun sword?" he stumbled and asked, dropping the Dragon Eye.
"N-no, Gustav", Hiccup saved it from the fall, a silent sigh of relief in her head. "It's not a sun sword."
"It's the Dragon Eye, and it's very old and very fragile", Fishlegs said as he took it.
Gustav didn't seem to really be paying attention, wandering around aimlessly as he couldn't see. He headed for the back wall with Toothless' tail prototypes.
"These spots… They're not going away", he said, then hit his head on one of the tails, the fin crashing to the floor. "Ow!"
"And it isn't something to just be touched", Fishlegs simply went on.
"Relax, Fishlegs. I know what I'm doing", Gustav assured, before walking into the wall again, causing every tail to fall this time. "Ah!" He rubbed his head. "Sorry."
"No, no, it's fine", Hiccup said, though it probably sounded sarcastic. "I love cleaning", she said dryly.
"Gustav, Gustav, over here", Snotlout beckoned, his hand going to the top of Gustav's helmet to still him, the boy squinting up at him. "Uh, when are you leaving?"
"That's funny, Snotlout, but I'm not leaving", Gustav pulled Snotlout's hand off with little effort. "I'm moving here."
The riders gasped, before Tuffnut burst into a fit of laughter.
"Hahahaha! Yeah, yeah sure you are. Can…you…imagine…?" Tuff said in between all the giggles, until he realized no one else was laughing. "Wait. He's serious? I'll get the stake and firewood."
"Now, hold on", Hiccup stepped up. "No one is burning anyone at the stake."
"Hiccup's right", Ruffnut agreed.
"Thank you."
"Let's just throw him off the cliff!"
"Guys. I'm sure there's a simple explanation! Please tell me there's a simple explanation, Gustav?" Hiccup glanced back.
"Yeah, very simple", Gustav rubbed at his eyes. "By the way, do not look right into that sun sword thing, whoo! Anyway, you said when I was ready, I could join the Dragon Riders. Well, I'm ready, and I'm here to join! Where's my hut?!" Gustav exclaimed, and Hiccup stood still.
000
"Wait a minute; why do I have to watch him?" Aric questioned. They stood outside her hut, Hiccup having called him out here to discuss this. She never thought Gustav would come to Dragons' Edge, and of all the times Gustav could have shown, this had to be the worst time. Luckily, she had Aric.
"I would do it", she told him, "but I'm just making some major breakthroughs with the Dragon Eye."
"So?"
"Well, I did promise him that, when the time was right, I would train him to be a Dragon Rider. I just didn't think said time would be today."
"So what am I supposed to do with him in the meantime?"
"I-I don't know. Just…keep him occupied."
"So I'm a babysitter", Aric looked at her with a deadpanned expression, arms crossed.
"Babysitter?" Hiccup laughed. "No, I mean, come on. He's sixteen. How much trouble could he possibly be?"
"You remember what you were like at sixteen? Right?" a brow raised.
"A responsible young lady who stayed out of trouble?" Hiccup innocently leaned forward.
"Try again", Aric smirked as he mimicked her motion, before Smidvarg suddenly flopped to the ground before them.
"Smidvarg?" Hiccup questioned.
"Help", the dragon chirped, panting. "Kid… Chaos…"
"What...is happening?"
"Hiccup!" Gustav's voice then called, and they saw what the problem was. Gustav was messing with the Night Terrors and their defense mechanism. "Did you know they could do this?! Awesome!" he shouted, Fanghook flying through and scattering all the Night Terrors.
"Please?" Hiccup practically begged Aric. "I just need more time."
"Fine", Aric begrudgingly conceded. "Gustav! Arena, now!" he ordered, then mounted Shadowstar and took off, Smivarg standing as the two left.
"By the way", Hiccup said, "Your timing? Impeccable."
"Of course it is!" the Night Terror screeched proudly, and loudly. Hiccup's ears rung.
000
The arena at the Edge wasn't like their arena at Berk. It was a pit in the ground, similar to their academy arena, but shallow in comparison. Aric had set it up with everything they would need for training, including various targets and posts that lined the arena as flight obstacles.
After landing, Aric dismounted and got straight to business.
"Alright, Hiccup's busy right now, so you're going to help me with some target practice, got that?" he said matter-of-factly.
"Aw yeah!" Gustav cheered. "Hear that Fanghook? Real target practice. Finally!"
"Ah-ah-ah, you're not the one shooting. I am. You are throwing", Aric directed to the stack of target barrels at one side of the arena.
"What?! But why?"
"Because I said so, that's why", Aric went and took a barrel from the pile. He walked over to Gustav and gave it to him, not really giving Gustav a choice in taking it. "When I say throw, you throw", he said, then mounted up on Shadowstar and took off.
"This is so not fair", Gustav grumbled.
Meanwhile, Aric and Shadowstar weaved through the posts, before doing a corkscrew into a glide, Shadowstar titled sideways with Aric running along the standing targets that lined the arena, keeping a grip on the saddle. He jumped back in at the end, and Shadowstar swooped up into a final lap around.
"You'd think, after all these years, they'd let me do more than just stand around", Gustav just continued to Fanghook.
"Alright, Gustav!" Aric then called. "Throw!"
He didn't throw, though, too distracted in his own complaining to notice or care. But that didn't mean time stopped for him. As soon as Shadowstar saw the target painted on the barrel under Gustav's arm, her spines were fired and headed straight for Gustav.
If Aric hadn't been as quick as he was with his ax, able to throw and intercept them in time, Gustav would have been skewered alive. Aric landed Shadowstar and marched to the boy in fury.
"Do you have a death wish or something?!" he shouted. "I told you to throw."
"Well, excuse me for not hearing you", Gustav talked back at him, and he cursed Snotlout for his influence on the boy. Or, maybe the kid had always been this annoying. In any case, Aric was on his last straw.
"You know what?" he then decided. "I have a better idea."
000
Astrid hummed from within her hut, a book propped up before her as she laid a single bunch of lavender on the table. Her hut was small beside Aric's, but cozy. Shelves hung on the walls of the bottom floor, a loft above where her room sat. Her weapons were stored and displayed on the back wall.
Astrid took the pestle and mortar resting on the table, and a pinch of lavender and sage each. Just as she was working the herbs with the pestle, however, the door was suddenly swung open, and Aric stood with Gustav.
"Astrid, meet your new helper", he said cheerfully.
"Wait, what?!" Astrid exclaimed, Gustav already strolling into her hut.
"Have fun!" Aric then called back, and took off on Shadowstar in one fail swoop. Astrid steamed.
"Aric!" she furiously yelled. "I am so getting him for this."
Astrid turned to where Gustav stood then, and saw him looking at one of the shelves on the opposite wall. Astrid sighed.
"Want to help?" she asked, and he turned to her with a cheeky grin.
"Is the Monstrous Nightmare the coolest dragon ever?" he said, and though the answer was 'no', she liked the enthusiasm.
"I'll take that as a yes", she said. "It's simple, really. All you have to do is hand me the ingredients from this shelf", she directed to the one above the table before them. "Think you can handle that?"
"Oh, I can handle that", he said rather flirtatiously, far too close.
"Uh-uh, don't creep me out", she lightly pushed and held him back. Then Astrid focused back on her work. Once finished with grounding the two plants, she held her hand out.
"Water", she said, and Gustav gave it from where the bottle laid on the table. Astrid poured just the right amount, only a little, then set it down. Her hand went out again.
"Willow bark", she directed again, and reaching up to the shelf, Gustav handed her another item without delay. When Astrid looked at it, though, the jar in her hand wasn't of willow bark.
"Gustav, this is wormwood." It was then she turned and noticed that Gustav was staring at her. It was like he was completely out of it too, staring at her with this dreamy look on his face as if he were day dreaming. "Gustav? Gustav…" she waved her hand over his eyes. No response.
"Gustav!" she yelled, and that got his attention.
"Oh. Hey", he said oddly, and Astrid reared back.
"Okay, definitely creeped out", she muttered.
000
"Yeah, I'm telling ya, if you get five boars and stack them on top each other it's a four boar stack―Ah!" Tuffnut startled from outside their hut.
He and Ruffnut had just come out from one of the two doors adorning the front of their abode, Tuffnut explaining the five boar stack, when they spotted Gustav just sitting there with Fanghook, a dreamy little smile on his face propped up by his hand.
"What's he smiling about?" Tuffnut questioned.
"I don't like it", Ruffnut said.
"Whatever he's selling, I'm not buying."
"Yeah. We don't want your cookies!" Ruffnut exclaimed, and Gustav looked up.
"Oh, hey, guys", he stood. "Astrid dropped me off. "Told me to help out around here."
"Yeah, so? What's it to us?" Ruffnut asked, rather defensive, and Tuffnut agreed, giving a firm nod to back up his sis.
"You know that big hole at the end of your hut? Filled it in", Gustav wiped his hands like a job well done, but Tuffnut hardly noticed as his world halted. He couldn't mean…
"He…he doesn't mean…" Tuffnut started, and Ruffnut gasped in as much horror.
At once they raced down to their once glorious boar pit, now only a mound of boulders in a former hole. Tuffnut could only scream as he saw the ugly sight.
"No! He filled in the boar pit!" he cried in agony, getting down on his knees as he fruitlessly tried to dig it out. "He filled in the boar pit! Who fills in a boar pit?!" Tuffunt stopped, the task useless, before shouting to the skies.
"BOOOAAAR PIIIIIIIIT!"
Then Tuffnut cried.
000
As Gustav watched Tuffnut cry over what was apparently a boar pit―he seriously thought it was just a hole―he didn't really know what to do.
"What kind of sick…monster…would fill in a boar pit", Tuffnut sobbed, curled on the ground, a chicken pecking his helmet.
Feeling bad, Gustav tried to go to him, but Ruffnut stepped in his way.
"Back off!" she shouted, slapping him away, then she went down on her knees before the former pit as well. "Haven't you done enough?"
Fishlegs took him then, and decided to have him try meditating in his garden. They sat on rocks at a river, Fishlegs' shrubbery art―that's all he could assume they were―surrounding them. Fanghook and Meatlug joined in the session too.
Gustav sat crisscrossed, told to hold his hands up in some weird pose he didn't understand. Fishlegs did it too, and then they were supposed to close their eyes. Supposedly, this was supposed to be relaxing. He felt steam warm his face.
"This feels weird, Fishlegs", he voiced.
"Trust me, Gustav, this is exactly what you need", Fishlegs simply insisted. "You're not centered; you're all over the place. Shh… Just breathe in, and breathe out. Focus on avoiding all conflict."
Gustav did as Fishlegs said, breathing in and out slowly. It kind of felt nice, but it was still weird. He didn't understand how this was supposed to 'center him' or whatever Fishlegs was talking about. And was this supposed to help him be a Dragon Rider, or was it just some activity Fishlegs picked like with Aric and Astrid? Why wasn't Hiccup teaching him any of this? Where was she anyway?
He didn't really have much time to dwell on it, as Fanghook accidentally caught Fishlegs' shrub on fire. It was funny how Fanghook sometimes forgot he could breathe fire. Fishlegs wasn't laughing, though. As the bush turned to ash, Fishlegs screamed.
"My topiaries!"
He got passed to Snotlout next, the meditating clearly not working, neither for him, nor Fishlegs' bushes. That hadn't gone well either, though. Snotlout just got more ticked off than Aric, and he hadn't even really done anything this time. It was just a practical joke.
Even so, Snotlout took him back to Hiccup's hut, yelling at him all the way.
"I have had enough of you, Gustav! Stay", he told him like a dog as they reached the door. "Stay."
That was when Gustav noticed the fire lit on Snotlout's helmet. "Um, S-Snotlout, y-your head―"
"Stop! I'm not falling for that again."
Snotlout turned to leave, his head still on fire, until Gustav suddenly heard a scream, and then a splash. Turning back towards the hut, it was quiet inside.
"Hello? Hiccup?" he called as he and Fanghook walked further in. No one answered, which meant no one was home. With the free reign, Gustav jumped onto the big chest at the back where all the tail-fins hung, jumping and playing around, until he knocked into the black fin with green flames on it and lost balance. He fell back to the ground, the chest's lid popping open, and when Gustav got back to his feet he could see everything that was inside.
Just a bunch of journals, scrolls, and what looked like an old worn stuffed toy tucked in a blanket. It was her prosthetic legs, though, that really caught his eye. She had to have had at least three or four in there.
"What do we have here", Gustav mulled as he picked one up with a little smirk. Then lifting his foot up and placing the prosthetic under his knee, Gustav did his best Hiccup impression he could muster.
"Gee, Gustav, there must be a simple explanation for you being here", he said, pretending to be Hiccup as Fanghook chuckled.
"Well, yeah, Hiccup, because I'm awesome", he replied as himself.
"You are awesome, Gustav. Definitely ready to be a Dragon Rider", he said again as Hiccup, but began to lose balance on the prosthetic and, in an attempt to keep from falling, began hopping backwards until he ended up stepping on Fanghook's tail, the metal foot of the prosthetic pressing against it.
Upon instinct, Fanghook reacted, fire unleashed from his maw, and the blast hit the black and green tail up on the wood wall. Freaking out, Gustav ran to it and tried snuffing the flames out, nothing but Hiccup's leg in his hands. It obviously wasn't working, and Fanghook wasn't helping by blowing on it either, once again forgetting that when he blew, he blew fire.
"Oh no. Oh no, oh no,", Gustav felt rather panicked. Hiccup was going to kill him! That was when he saw that Dragon Eye thing on the table.
"Oh, yes!" Gustav jumped down and picked it up, the Dragon Eye glowing orange. He pointed the light at the wall, and he gasped.
"Is that…a treasure map? Oh, Fanghook we are so in!" he exclaimed, then took parchment and charcoal from the table and copied the map.
000
Hiccup and Toothless were flying back to their hut from their quick flight around the island. Toothless had insisted Hiccup take a break, and though it took convincing, Hiccup eventually agreed. Now their break was over, though, and Hiccup was intent on continuing her research with the Dragon Eye. Toothless wasn't too keen on that idea.
"Shouldn't you be training Gustav?", he questioned her, though it was more of a statement.
"I will", Hiccup assured. "As soon as I finish with this. Gustav will be fine with the others for the time being."
Toothless rumbled at that, but knew there was no swaying her with this. He was lucky he was able to convince her to go for a flight for a quick hour. And that was under the pretense she'd be able to come back with fresher eyes. Getting her away for Gustav was going to be impossible. He kind of felt bad for the kid.
000
As they approached their hut, Hiccup felt refreshed and ready to tackle the Dragon Eye once more, but when she and Toothless landed, they found the door open, and the back of her hut on fire! Hiccup gasped and ran for her forge where she kept a store of water just in case of fires. Being with dragons, accidents were bound to happen. She ran back and doused the fire, Toothless snuffing out the rest with his large wing. Once it was out, Hiccup breathed a sigh of relief.
"That was too close", she said. Most of the tail-fins on the wall were destroyed, along with the wall itself, but that was okay; at least the fire hadn't spread too far.
That only left one question, though. Who set the fire? And why had it been left to simply destroy her hut? It couldn't have been the twins; the hut was still standing and they would have heard an explosion. Maybe Snotlout then? But that also didn't make sense. Snotlout wouldn't just set her house on fire.
That was when Hiccup noticed one of her spare legs on the ground. She picked it up, noting how this just kept getting weirder and weirder. How did it end up on the ground? Did someone take it out and drop it? But who would do that?
After placing it back where it belonged, she turned to where she left the Dragon Eye on the table, and a sharp gasp tore through her.
"The Dragon Eye!" she shrieked. The Dragon Eye was gone! But who would take it? Why? Who would be so irresponsible as to do all of this?
Hiccup gasped, then leaped onto Toothless.
000
"That's it, Fanghook, just like the Dragon Eye said", Gustav said after checking his map, the island straight ahead. "All we gotta do now is find the cave, grab the treasure, and guess who's gonna get his own hut on Dragons' Edge?"
Fanghook roared.
"A-Gustav", he pointed at himself.
Landing on a beach, they were able to find the cave quickly. The ground seemed to tremble, though, and rubble fell from the cave's entrance. Fear traced up Gustav's spine.
"Ah, I'm not worried", he looked back at Fanghook, his voice less confident than he would have wanted. "Are you worried?"
Fanghook looked worried as he roared a reply.
They pushed ahead anyway. After all, Gustav couldn't let a few tremors get in his way. What kind of Dragon Rider would that make him?
"Fanghook, flame-up", he said, and Fanghook ignited, lighting up the cave. Gustav took out his map again. "Which way do we head?" he mulled, looking it over, when the ground suddenly shook. Gustav's balance faltered, and as his arms shot out, the map touched Fanghook's fire. It caught fire instantly, and Gustav panicked, throwing it away before he got burnt himself. The map was nothing but a pile of ash.
"Ooh…" Gustav sighed at the loss, but then smiled. "Good thing we brought this along!" he grabbed the Dragon Eye out from his satchel. "Fanghook?"
Pointing it to the wall, Fanghook lit the Dragon Eye, and the map appeared in its orange glow. Gustav hummed. "I think…we go this way", he walked forward, the cracks forming on the ground going unnoticed.
"It says it's just up this way", he began to run, when the ground before him suddenly started to collapse, his feet much too close to the edge of where a deep pit just formed. He teetered on the edge, feeling himself about to fall, until the strap to his satchel was pulled, Fanghook having grabbed hold of it and pulling him to safety away from the edge.
Gustav sighed in relief, following Fanghook away from the pit, but when he reached for the Dragon Eye in his vest, Gustav suddenly realized it wasn't there. His eyes widened in panic, and turning around, Gustav found the Dragon Eye rolling towards the pit.
He dove for it, finding himself hanging off the edge of the pit by one hand. It wasn't long before he was slipping, though.
"A little help here, Fanghook?" Gustav called, his hand slipping, his grip weakening. "A little help?!"
He fell.
"AHHH―Oh!" he was suddenly caught, the feeling of someone's hand gripped on his arm. They pulled him up, and once Gustav was back to solid ground, he looked up to see a very very angry Hiccup.
"I can explain."
000
Gustav sat on the round table at the center of the club house. A fire pit sat in the middle, but it was out right now. Hiccup paced in front of Gustav as her friends stood to the side, watching as she 'went all chief' on Gustav.
"Of all the irresponsible, insubordinate―!"
"Don't forget idiotic, imbecilic, inane", Tuffnut interrupted Hiccup's scolding.
"I told you. No discipline", Aric said.
"Of all those kinds of stunts you could have pulled", Hiccup simply continued, too mad to even bother listening to her friends' comments at the moment, "This was the worst. Do you know what Dagur would do to get his hands on the Dragon Eye?!" she yelled, and yet didn't yell at the same time. Her voice hadn't raised much in volume, but it was firm, like scolding a misbehaving child, and right now, that was exactly what Gustav was.
"I just thought that if I came back here with the treasure, you guys would accept me", Gustav said. All Hiccup heard was an excuse.
The danger Gustav had put himself in back in those caves…the danger of Dagur finding him with the Dragon Eye…and all for a treasure that didn't exist? She couldn't imagine what might have happened had she not arrived in time.
"First of all, there is no treasure", she told him. "Second of all, we've already been there, and that entire island is honeycombed with the most unstable caverns we've ever encountered."
"I'm sorry. I just―"
"You could have been killed, Gustav", she bent to his level, face to face with him. "Do you understand me? Fanghook could have been killed", she directed to the dragon laying beside the table.
"Hiccup, please", Fanghook started in a whine, but Hiccup wouldn't hear it.
"Not now", she growled lightly. He was just as guilty of this as Gustav, but she'd deal with him later.
Gustav stared down to where his feet hung above the floor, silent.
"Look, this isn't Berk", Hiccup stood straight again. "Gustav, the rules are different out here. You have to be smarter than this."
"I just wanted to prove myself", Gustav muttered, crossing his arms as he refused to look at her.
"Oh, you have", Hiccup felt her anger rise again. "You have proven that you are not responsible enough", she began to list on her fingers, the change in Gustav's eyes unnoticed, "you're not mature enough, and you're not trustworthy enough to be one of us. Now, it's been a long day. We all need some rest. We'll talk about this in the morning."
As she turned to leave, her friends left as well, but before Hiccup really left the club house, her eyes turned back a bit. Gustav sat hunched over, eyes to the ground. She wondered briefly if she was being a little too hard on him, but Gustav was sixteen. He had to learn his actions had consequences, sometimes severe ones. She couldn't be soft about this.
Shaking her head, Hiccup walked with Toothless.
000
After his and Hiccup's 'talk' in the club house, Gustav sat outside on the landing platform by the stables. He was feeding Fanghook salmon, meanwhile venting about just how unfair all of this was. She hadn't even given him a chance. None of them did!
"Talk about it in the morning. Like there's anything left so say!" he tossed another fish to Fanghook. His dragon huffed.
"That's right! I did everything they asked. I shoveled dragon poop for two years without a single complaint!" Gustav stood. "For what? So they can tell me I'm not good enough?!" he ranted. "Well, I am good enough. We're good enough. And someday, they'll find that out. But it'll be too late. We're leaving."
Getting on Fanghook, Gustav left Dragons' Edge behind that night. He was done. He did everything they told him to; he studied, worked in the dragon stalls, passed every test Hiccup gave him, and all for nothing. He might have broke a few rules, like the no flying rule, but it only helped him and Fanghook in the long run. Besides, it wasn't like any of them never broke rules, or did something 'stupid' or 'irresponsible'.
They were all just a bunch of hypocrites. Especially Hiccup.
"They're gonna be so sorry when they wake up in the morning and see that we're gone", Gustav said some hours later, just needing to fill the silence. "Once they realize that we're missing, they're gonna be begging us to come back to Dragons' Edge. Tck, those huts were lame anyway. I can't wait to get back to my―Whah! Fanghook, dive!" Gustav shouted as a net was suddenly shot their way.
Fanghook dove and dodged it easily.
"Haha! Missed!" he taunted the ship below as they passed. But then they shot another net, and they couldn't react in time. Gustav and Fanghook were caught, and falling to ocean fast.
000
Dagur waited for his men to drag out the dragon and rider they'd caught. Meanwhile, playing with his dagger, Dagur mulled over which rider it could be, and what he would do to them. He hadn't gotten a good look before they fell to the ocean, Savage having being the one to spot and lead the capture in the first place. He knew Savage was good for something.
Hiccup was obvious. He'd just force her to give the cylindrical object she took from him back, and then…well he hadn't gotten that far yet. There were just so many options to choose from, and yet, none all that appealing to exact on his dear sister.
If it was any of the other riders, particularly that boy she was so fond of, then that was when the real fun could begin. He could use them as a bargaining chip like he had with Stoick. Hiccup was probably still mad about that, so to see her react to him doing the same to one of her friends would be quite the entertaining sight.
Dagur sighed. So many possibilities, so many ways to see his little sister squirm.
"Dagur, we got 'im. Come get a look", Savage said, and Dagur hopped down from his perch.
"Oh-ho-ho", Dagur felt all giddy. "Which one is it? Oh, I sure hope it's little Hiccup."
Pushing passed his men, Dagur finally got a look at who'd been captured. His smile fell instantly. It was just some kid!
"This is not one of Hiccup's Dragon Riders", he said to Savage, then turned with a narrow glare to the boy. "Who are you?" he asked lowly.
"Larson. Gustav Larson. And that's all you're getting out of me", the kid said, but Dagur could have sworn he'd seen this kid and Monstrous Nightmare before. He knew something.
"Hmm. Fine, feed him to the eels." And if he didn't, well at least he'd get a show. The kid immediately panicked when his men rushed forward and picked him up. It was amusing watching him squirm and fight, his tough guy façade easily broken, and that was when he started singing like a canary.
"But I know Hiccup! I know the Dragon Riders and I have information!" he screamed, and Dagur signaled for his men to drop him.
"Oh?" Dagur stalked over, then grabbed the kid's face, forcing him to look at him in the eye. "What kind of information?"
"I can get you the Dragon Eye."
"And what's the Dragon Eye?"
The boy's eyes glanced passed him. "That", he pointed. "That's the Dragon Eye." Letting the kid go, Dagur turned to where the kid was pointing, and Dagur couldn't help but burst into a fit of giggles. This just kept getting better.
000
When he and Fanghook had been captured, he never thought he'd be treated to a practical feast. It was more than Hiccup and the Dragon Riders would have ever done for him, and this was supposed to be his enemy.
"So, are you enjoying your meal?" Dagur asked conversationally, and Gustav hummed a yes, honestly enjoying every bit of it. The food was delicious.
"Good", Dagur said. "Good good good good good. So. Here's the plan. We'll draw Hiccup and the Night Fury into the open, neutralize the other riders", Dagur suddenly stabbed the point of his dagger into the table, "and seize the Dragon Eye by lethal force. As if there is any other type of force, I mean really, come on. Then, the Dragon Eye will be mine."
"Mm, yeah, that's one way to do it", Gustav leaned back comfortably. "And you might get the Dragon Eye. Or, she could crush you just like every other time you've faced off against her", he told the Berserker Chief, making sure to come off as calm and in control, not a threat to Dagur and his plans in the least.
Dagur was a dangerous person. He'd heard what he was capable of, even seeing him nearly kill Hiccup and Toothless back when they'd gotten captured on Outcast Island trying to save him. If he wanted out of this, he needed to be smart.
"You have a better idea, Gustav", Dagur said slowly, clearly restraining the urge to strangle or stab him at the moment, but Gustav had usefulness on his side right now. Dagur wouldn't kill him.
"Oh, can you hand me the sauce, please", Gustav asked first, and Savage passed it to him. "I do", he then told Dagur. "One that will guarantee Hiccup delivers the Dragon Eye right to us."
Dagur smiled darkly at that, the look sending silent shivers down Gustav's spine, though he didn't show it, and just focused on the fact that at least for now, he was Dagur's honored guest. It felt nice, to be honest.
"More mutton thigh, friend?" Dagur offered.
Why not enjoy it?
000
When morning reached Dragons' Edge, it hadn't been long before the riders noticed Gustav and Fanghook were missing. For one thing, it was too quiet. As Hiccup and Toothless landed in the arena, Hiccup looked to Astrid and Aric dismounting their dragons.
"Anything?" she asked, dismounting Toothless as well.
"I checked the club house, your hut, even the stables. He's not there", Aric said.
"Forests are clear too. Nothing amiss", Astrid said.
Fishlegs, Snotlout, and the twins came from the other direction.
"Nothing else is on fire around here", Fishlegs said as he dismounted. "He must be gone."
"Well, we have to find him", Hiccup said.
"Or…do we", Tuffnut proposed.
"Yeah", Snotlout said. "Why are we worried? Shouldn't we be celebrating the fact that he's gone?"
"Not until we know he's safe", Hiccup said.
"Well, we could ask Fanghook", Ruffnut said.
"And, Ruffnut, how do you suppose we do that?" Snotlout asked.
"Turn around", Ruffnut smirked, and looking up, there was Fanghook.
He flew into the arena, panting as he landed as if he'd just flown a marathon.
"Fanghook, what happened?" Toothless ran up and asked, when Tuffnut cut in.
"Fanghook, where's Gustav, boy?" he walked up and asked.
"We―"
"Where's Gustav?" he asked again.
"I―"
"Ugh, he's not talking you guys", Tuffnut turned back towards them, back to Fanghook.
"What, no! Listen!" Fanghook started freaking out.
"He's completely shut down."
"We were flying, and Gustav was mad…"
"Typical", Tuff walked away.
"...and then this net came out of nowhere, and―"
"Hey, hey, Fanghook", Hiccup said softly, approaching delicately to the rambling dragon. "Hey, it's okay."
"And-and―and then―"
"Easy. Easy", she cooed and knelt to one knee as Fanghook lowered his head to her hands, calming down, if only a little. He still seemed shaken up. "Well, it doesn't look like he's injured."
"But he's definitely upset", Fishlegs walked up, Fanghook whimpering at the moment. "You guys, look!" he suddenly exclaimed, and pointed at Fanghook's horn. There was a note attached.
At once, Hiccup took it and unrolled the parchment. As she read it, deja vu seemed to flash before her, Hiccup feeling her blood begin to boil.
"Dagur", she kept her voice even. "He wants to make a trade. The Dragon Eye for Gustav."
"What?! He can't be serious", Astrid exclaimed.
"He is", Hiccup stood. Spreading her wings, it only took a moment for her to fly up and grab the Dragon Eye. She returned to the arena with both the Eye and the letter in each hand. She packed the letter into Toothless' saddle bag first.
"I don't like this, Hiccup", Aric said.
"I know. But we have no choice", Hiccup told him.
"You sure we have no choice?" Tuffnut asked. "Like none? Zip? Zilch?"
"This is all my fault anyway."
"Ninguno."
"Never even gave the kid a chance", she stood with the Dragon Eye.
"Ni portugal?"
"Tuff, that's really not helping!"
"Yeah."
"If I wasn't so busy tinkering with this thing, I don't know, maybe I could have kept him busy."
"Uh, yeah, nobody can keep Gustav busy", Fishlegs said.
Her point still stood, though. If she had just stopped for a second and did what she'd been supposed to, if she had at least given Gustav the time of day to have a quick one on one with him and explain that they didn't have the time to train him, what with Dagur and discovering the secrets of the Dragon Eye and Great Beyond, then none of this would be happening. But, she didn't. Instead she ignored and yelled at him.
"At least let us back you up out there", Aric insisted, Hiccup mounting on Toothless.
"Dagur was very clear. I have to come alone. We don't know what he'll do to Gustav if I don't follow his demands to the letter. We can't risk it."
Aric still looked worried though, and she couldn't blame him. She was worried too. Still, this was her mess to clean up.
"I'll be careful. I promise", she told him, and even knowing that wasn't enough to quell his fears, flew off on Toothless, Fanghook leading the way.
000
Dagur waited for Hiccup with the kid up on deck. He always hated the waiting game, but at least with Hiccup it was always worth it. They had sent Gustav's dragon with the letter a good while ago, and knowing Hiccup and her Night Fury, it wouldn't be long now before they showed up.
It was then they heard the tell-tale shriek of her Night Fury, Hiccup and the kid's dragon landing firmly on deck opposite of them.
"Fanghook!" the boy shouted and ran at the Nightmare, the two reuniting in a display of affection. "I was worried about you, boy." Dagur rolled his eyes at it.
"Aw, dragon and Dragon Rider love. Makes me want to hurl. Blech!"
Hiccup's Night Fury growled, and Hiccup looked up and around to see his men ready to shoot at any moment's notice. She didn't seem to react to it, but then again, she was smart enough to have known this meeting wouldn't be unarmed.
Hiccup said something in that annoying dragon language she knew, then looked to Gustav. "Gustav, are you okay?"
The kid nodded, and Dagur walked forward.
"That's close enough, Dagur", Hiccup glared as her dragon snarled.
"Oh", Dagur stopped. "Wow. Where's the trust? After all we've been through together?"
Hiccup just continued to glare at him, anger evident.
"No? Nothing? No Hiccupy barbs, quips, snappy comebacks?" His little letter must have really ticked her off.
"I ran out when you kidnapped my father", she snapped.
"Aw, but I really love those. We've developed such a nice shorthand, you and I."
000
"Dagur, let's just get on with this", Hiccup said. She had just about enough of Dagur's condescending attitude for one day. "Send them over!"
"You first!"
Somehow, Hiccup's eyes narrowed further. What guarantee did she have that Dagur would hold up his end of the deal? Sure, he hated liars, but that didn't mean he wasn't fine doing it himself.
"You have no choice", Dagur said. "One false move and my men will take out you, the Night Fury, and the kid! So roll it over, and I'll let him go."
Hiccup glanced over at Gustav, the boy giving her an ever subtle nod. She really had no choice. With the Dragon Eye tightly in her grip, Hiccup dismounted. One hand stayed on Toothless' saddle. Hiccup rolled it to Dagur, and Dagur's eyes lit as he picked it up.
"Oh, it― It really is one beautiful artifact. And-and I hear it can be very useful to those who possess it? Hmm? Is that true?"
"Gustav, let's go", Hiccup ignored his questions, one hand still to Toothless' saddle. "It's okay."
"Come on", Toothless roared encouragingly.
Gustav didn't move, though. Instead, he looked from her to Dagur, and Hiccup didn't like the look he had on his face.
"Yeah, about that, Hiccup. I've been treated much better by these guys than I ever was treated by you and the Dragon Riders."
Hiccup's ears shot up in shock.
"Ooh! And the plot thickens", Dagur sung. Hiccup shot him a brief glare to stay out of this, but then moved her attention back to Gustav.
"Gustav", she began in warning, but Gustav interrupted.
"You could've given me a chance, you know?" he said, and it stung. "All you guys ever did was tell me I wasn't good enough, tell me I didn't belong."
Was that really all they ever did?
"Well I belong here."
"Gustav", Hiccup said again. "You have no idea what you're getting into―!"
"Oh, yes, I do, Hiccup. I know exactly what I'm doing", Gustav said firmly, and Hiccup didn't know what else to say.
"Awkward", Dagur sung again, and man did she really wish he'd just shut up. "Well, I'd say your work is finished here, sister", he only continued. "Ordinarily, this is where I would double-cross you and fill you full of arrows, but the kid is squeamish. He made me promise to let you go, and in return, he's gonna take me to a treasure", he said, and Hiccup's eyes widened the smallest bit, ears and tail twitching just once.
"That's right, Hiccup!" Gustav exclaimed. "We have the Dragon Eye and Fanghook's fire. And you know what that means: Untold treasure awaits."
Finally understanding, Hiccup mounted back on Toothless, then looked back up. "You are going to regret this", she said, eyes mainly on Dagur, though he wouldn't tell.
"I don't think so, Hiccup", Gustav smugly crossed his arms in response.
With a silent signal, she told Toothless to take off, and they left the ship with Gustav and Fanghook still on board.
"So, that's it? We're just going to leave them with Dagur?" Toothless asked. "And I don't buy you're letting Dagur keep the Dragon Eye."
"Not a chance", Hiccup smiled.
"Then what are you planning?" he rumbled skeptically.
"It's not what I'm planning. It's what Gustav's planning. Come on, bud!"
000
Gustav hated to admit it, but as they sailed to the island he and Fanghook had almost died before, he was scared. What if Hiccup hadn't gotten his message? What if a tremor shook the beach and Dagur decided he was trying to trick him? He couldn't take Dagur on his own.
They arrived to the island in good time, and stepping onto the beach, there weren't any tremors. Good.
"This is it", Gustav said, but didn't walk any further. Time to get rid of the dead weight.
"Why are we stopping?" Dagur questioned, annoyance clear.
"No reason", Gustav shrugged. "I was just kind of impressed that you trusted your men enough to show them exactly where the treasure is hidden. Especially when there's so much of it", he then murmured, only for Dagur's ears.
"Stay here", Dagur ordered the rest of his men, but Savage was skeptical.
"Why?" he asked.
"Oh, uh, let's see, uh… I don't know. Maybe because… I SAID SO?!" Dagur screamed, and everyone reared back.
"Oh, good idea, sir", Savage said nervously. "We'll stay here."
With that settled, Dagur joined Gustav by the cave entrance, and Gustav held the Dragon Eye up.
"Fanghook, slow burn", he said, and Fanghook lit a fire in his mouth like a torch for the Dragon Eye. Gustav pointed it to a rock, showing the map.
"Ah, I see", Dagur said. "You outdid yourself, Hiccup. I love this thing."
The map in hand, Gustav led Dagur in, and the tremors began. They stopped for a moment.
"So, uh, does that happen a lot?" Dagur asked, surprisingly sounding a little nervous.
"You get used to it", Gustav merely shrugged it off. He didn't know where Hiccup would be, that is if she even got his plan, so he just kept walking forward, stalling until Hiccup found them.
"Are we there yet?" Dagur asked after some time. Gustav had sent Fanghook ahead to try and find Hiccup and Toothless.
"We're close", he simply glanced back. "Very close."
"Good. That's what I wanted to hear", he could hear the malice in Dagur's voice, and Gustav abruptly turned, stopping Dagur right in his tracks to grab him as he blinded Dagur with the Dragon Eye. Then, as Dagur was distracted by the bright spots in his eyes, Gustav ran and hid behind a nearby rock. He tried to snuff out the Dragon Eye's light so he wouldn't get caught when Dagur's sight returned, but he didn't know how to do that.
"Come out come out where ever you are!" Dagur called. The cavern shook, but Gustav held his position. He was breathing hard, near shaking with nerves, his hand trying to cover the light in his hands. It didn't seem to do any good, though, as Dagur somehow suddenly leaped out in front of him.
"Gotcha!"
"No, we've got you", Hiccup's voice then sounded, the Dragon Rider leader on Toothless and standing beside Fanghook just a little ways behind Dagur. Fanghook had found them, and Gustav felt his nerves relax.
000
Thanks to her and Toothless' echolocation, as well as Fanghook―good thinking on Gustav's part to send the dragon ahead―Hiccup and Toothless had been able to find Gustav just in time. They stood before Dagur now, Toothless ready to shoot at any moment's notice as his maw was charged with a plasma blast.
Hiccup looked over to Gustav where the boy was still crouched on the ground. "Good work, Gustav", she nodded. Gustav gave a nod back, then Hiccup's attention went back to Dagur, still stunned silent.
Hiccup couldn't help it. "Aw, what's the matter, Dagur?" she teased. "No barbs, no comebacks? I thought we had a shorthand, I thought you loved that stuff?" she casually crossed and rested her arms on Toothless' head, until Dagur suddenly flashed a frighteningly wide smile and grabbed Gustav by his arm, tossing him towards her and Fanghook and taking the Dragon Eye for himself.
His little giggle at the victory said it all.
"Dagur, you hand over the Dragon Eye", Hiccup sobered.
"I don't think so…" Dagur sung, waving the Dragon Eye around like it were a toy he stole.
"I'm not asking", Hiccup's voice hardened, and Toothless shot, the blast hitting the ground between him and Gustav. It made a crack in the unstable ground, revealing a deep pit.
"Ooh. It's a long way down, isn't it?" Dagur mused.
Toothless shot again, Dagur jumping a bit out of the way this time.
"Dagur, you've got nowhere to go. It's over."
"It's over? Really?" Dagur smirked. He held the Dragon Eye up above the pit, then tipped it upside down. "Whoops." He let go.
"No!" Gustav shouted, then jumped down the hole!
"Gustav!" Hiccup screamed, and Toothless shot after him, Dagur's laugh echoing.
"Hiccup!" Gustav's voice rang below them, the Dragon Eye firmly within his arms as he fell.
"There, Toothless!" Hiccup exclaimed, and they thrust forward, Hiccup's arm out to grab Gustav. "Ah-ha!" she grabbed and pulled him up behind her. "Okay, we got you, Gustav. Now let's get out of here."
They flew up, their exit just in sight behind all the rubble falling around them, when suddenly a large rock came towards them and Toothless couldn't evade it. They were hit, and screaming, Hiccup and Gustav were tossed off the saddle.
At once, Hiccup was able to gain back control and scoop up Gustav, but with no way to fly, Toothless was still falling.
"Toothless!" Hiccup screamed and dove fast, Gustav startled.
"Hiccup!" he looked up to her.
"Don't worry, bud!"
Fanghook came then, and Hiccup dropped Gustav to his saddle, before thrusting forward into a steeper dive passed them.
"Hang on!" she thrust her arms out, and then dropped herself into him, arms wrapped tight. She hooked her prosthetic into his, thrust open the tail-fin, and Toothless' wings shot out, the two parachuted up.
Once they were at a safe hover, Hiccup rumbled, "I wonder if that happens to anyone else?"
The cavern shook again, more rubble falling towards them, and as Fanghook and Gustav dove passed the duo, instead of flying back up, they followed the two down. They flew through a hole, and entered a new cavern just as the rocks blocked their former entrance.
"Whoo!" Gustav cheered as they landed.
"You okay?" Hiccup checked anyway.
"Yeah", he said. "Hiccup, I'm really sorry."
"I'm sorry too, Gustav." The caves continued to shake. "You're still irresponsible, immature, and reckless, but the way you handled yourself with Dagur, you might have what it takes to be a Dragon Rider yet. Someday", Hiccup added.
"Someday? I will take someday!"
The cavern rumbled again.
"What do you say we find a way out of here?" Hiccup offered, and Fanghook and Gustav marched forward. When they moved, though, they revealed a chest sitting between three stalagmites. Curious, Hiccup climbed off Toothless and stepped towards the chest. She took it from its makeshift pedestal, and opened it, a gasp sounding.
"What the Thor is this?" she asked, but couldn't much dwell on it as the cavern suddenly rumbled again. "Let's go, bud", she mounted on with the chest, and they ran where Gustav and Fanghook found an exit.
000
Out on the field near Fishlegs' hut, Gustav was setting off to go. Hiccup stood before him with some notes, the other riders standing behind to send the kid off as well.
"Follow these drills the next few weeks", she said as she handed them down. "I'll check on your progress the next time we're on Berk. Don't let me down", Hiccup smiled, hands to her hips.
"Don't worry, Hiccup. I'll have this stuff perfect by the time you come check on us", Gustav said confidently.
"I don't doubt it", Hiccup shook her head with a chuckle. She stepped back as Aric came forward.
"Gustav, I―"
"Uh-uh, stop right there", Gustav interrupted. "I forgive you." Hiccup couldn't help but notice the absolutely done expression on Aric's face as she picked the chest she got in the caverns back up. "But, I can't stay. My mom usually notices I'm gone after about three days. She'd kill me. All right, Fanghook!" Gustav turned and mounted his dragon. "Let's go. You", he pointed to Astrid as Fanghook took off, "take care, babe!"
Astrid moaned in self pity.
"Don't worry, Gustav will be back soon!"
"What's that?" Aric then suddenly asked as Hiccup opened the chest in her hands.
"Oh, just something I found at the bottom of that cave", Hiccup said, lifting none other than a Dragon Eye lens to everyone's view.
Fishlegs gasped. "A new lens", he seemed to barely contain himself.
"Yeah. There was treasure in those caves after all", Hiccup said. "The Dragon Eye was giving us clues on how to find it all along. We just weren't looking in the right place."
"And if there's one of these out there, that means there has to be more", Fishlegs added, squealing in contained excitement.
"Huh. And to think, we never would have found that without Gustav", Aric said.
"Alright, awesome! So, let's just tell Gustav", Hiccup exclaimed, but her friends immediately jumped.
" "NO!" " they shouted, then watched as Gustav and Fanghook flew on back to Berk.
Whew, already halfway through (Part 1, that is).
