"Norse"

"English"

==TST==

The next morning found me sitting on a hillside, watching the dragon academy down below.

After Toothless had crashed into our cavern, he hadn't done much. Honestly as soon as he saw us there he ran to hide in the cave. I think the poor boy was embarrassed.

And it was adorable!

Seriously. It was like when a cat falls off the couch, then pretends it did no such thing as is insulted you'd accuse it of such.

So precious.

So grouchy.

SO CUTE!

But that was last night.

Today was the start of the last training season of the Dragon Slaying Academy (if Hiccup or I had any say about it).

Lucky for me, nobody else in the village was watching. Even if they were, I doubt they would spot me. A girl fifteen summers in appearance, draped in a dark brown cloak (Rarity had made it, and then watched as I ruined it to a more Berk-level of wear and tear) hidden above them in the jagged rocky cliff. Especially when I looked like a runt, with my thin arms and

This was honestly so much fun.

I watched everything from under the cloak hood. Though the idea of binoculars crossed my mind, I opted out. The arena wasn't so far away that I would need them.

A listening device was the best thing, really. Lucky for me I'd made something for this back in Megamind. That'd been a fun one. It was a tiny bluetooth on my ear. As long as I kept the antennae (the size of a pen, which I kept with the script notebook) aimed at the arena I could hear everything. Plus it had a recording option so I could study it all later.

The script notebook was at my side. I'd written down the pronunciations for the conversation in the woods. Lilac had taken her inability to speak Norse much better than I expected. Since she couldn't speak, this was mostly for my own selfish wants. Maybe I could teach her at Home. I didn't want this to be another thing I had but she didn't. That just felt cruel.

Gobber walked in first. He spoke loudly in the arena, waving his arm around in excitement. "Welcome to dragon training!"

I squinted at him, repeating it under my breath. The teenage Vikings trickled in. Though I would have taken a moment to properly be impacted that I could finally see the Dragon Riders, I preferred to focus on the words.

Astrid spoke her line. The bluetooth wasn't aimed properly, so I missed it. So I missed out the opportunity to learn that line. I'd have to ask.

I grimaced at the idea. 'Disgusting.'

"I hope I get some serious burns." Tuffnut boasted. A quick check in the notebook told me what it was.

My eyes rolled. Now that was a line that I could avoid.

"I'm hoping for some mauling, like on my shoulder or lower back."

"S...shoulder." I repeated. "Low-lower back. Author above, this is aggravating."

"Yeah, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it." Astrid joined in.

"Yeah, no kidding, right? Pain. Love it." Hiccup snarked.

I repeated that line until it was perfect, snickering all the while.

"Oh great. Who let him in?" Tuffnut complained.

"Let's get started!" Gobber cheered.

"Let's get started."

"The recruit who does best will win the honor of killing his first dragon in front of the entire village." I grimaced at the line, especially at the motion Gobber made to show off killing a dragon.

"Hiccup already killed a Night Fury, so does that disqualify him or...?"

Snotlout didn't know it. He was now on my shitlist. I repeated the line, having at least figured out the word 'kill' from all of this. My threats were much more set now than before, and my warnings.

"Can I transfer to the class with the cool Vikings?" Tuffnut complained.

A demented smile grew on my face. I made a mental note that, should I ever get close to him, I should beat him with a stick. "This is the cool Viking class. Ready to be kill?" I practiced, hoping that I got the tone right. It was gonna be so awesome to say that in their faces.

Gobber threw an arm over Hiccup's shoulders. The boy was so small Gobber's arm probably weighed more than Hiccup. "Don't worry. You're small and you're weak. That'll make you less of a target. They'll see you as sick or insane and go after the more Viking-like teens instead."

The dragons started to rage in their cages. The Vikings must've gotten too close. My bluetooth needed to be moved and tuned to handle to influx of noise.

"Behind these doors are just a few of the many species you will learn to fight." Gobber warned. "The Deadly Nadder."

"Deadly Nadder."

"Speed eight. Armor sixteen." Fishlegs recited.

"-the Hideous Zippleback-"

"Hideous Zippleback."

"Plus eleven stealth. Times two."

"-the Monstrous Nightmare-"

"Monstrous Nightmare."

"-Firepower fifteen-"

"-the Terrible Terror-"

I snickered at the mental image of a Terrible Terror. "Terrible Terror."

"Attack eight. Venom twelve."

"CAN YOU STOP THAT?!"

For a full three seconds, I thought he was talking to me.

Not gonna lie.

I wouldn't do you like that.

'...or would I?'

"And...the Gronckle."

"Gronkle." I repeated, grinning smugly Gobber's direction.

"Jaw strength, eight." Fishlegs whispered.

Almost as if to scold Fishlegs for that, Gobber grabbed the nearby lever.

"Whoa, wait! Aren't you gonna teach us first!?" Snotlout complained.

"I believe in learning on the job." Gobber excused. He pulled down the lever to Meatlug's cell. The bar on the door shot up.

As Meatlug flew out, I made mental notes of how the Vikings fought. The movie hadn't shown much of them as an overview, instead focusing on one-on-one or just Hiccup. Seeing them fight as this unit would be a great insight to the future.

Plus make it easy to show-off when I'm kicking their butts.

The teenagers didn't do much besides scatter when the Gronkle was let loose.

"Today is about survival." Gobber instructed from the safest place in this place- the entrance to Meatlug's cell. "If you get blasted, you're dead. Quick, what's the first thing you're going to need?"

"A doctor?" Hiccup guessed.

"Plus five speed?" Fishleg squeaked.

"A shield." Astrid stated.

"Shields. Go."

I stood up on the cliff, watching them run about with an appraising eye.

"Your most important piece of equipment is your shield. If you must make a choice between a sword or a shield, take the shield." Gobber instructed. When Hiccup could barely lift his, Gobber helped him.

Most of the others hid behind their shields. The Gronkle screeched at them first, as none were in the small spot so they were fair game. Moreover, they weren't yet louder than the yelling Ruff and Tuff.

"Get your hands off my shield!"

They got Meatlug's attention. I chuckled, leaning against the rock wall to watch in delight.

"There are like a million shields!"

The Gronkle began to growl, heat growing in her throat.

"Take that one, it has a flower on it. Girls like flowers."

Ruff bashed Tuff on the face with the skull and fire shield. "Ooops, now this one has blood on it."

Meatlug aimed and fired at them. The shield broke apart in flames.

"Tuffnut, Ruffnut, you're out!" Gobber yelled.

"What?!" They screeched in dismay.

As Meatlug reloaded on rocks, Gobber gave more instructions.

"Those shields are good for another thing. Noise!" Gobber told the trainees. "Make lots of it to throw off a dragon's aim."

The trainees began hammering the metal sides of the shields. Meatlug quickly became discombobulated. I made mental notes on some fighting stances I could see.

"All dragons have a limited number of shots. How many does a Gronckle have?" Gobber asked.

"Five!" Snotlout guessed.

"No, six." Fishlegs cheered.

Gobber "Correct, six. That's one for each of you!" Gobber pointed out to them, helpfully.

Jokes on him. If Ruff and Tuff were out together, that meant there were enough shots for Gobber as well.

He'll be included on the fun!

"I really don't think my parents WOULD-"

The second shot went off, meaning Fishlegs was out.

"Fishlegs, out." Gobber shouted. He noticed something on the field, complaining. "Hiccup, get in there!"

I made sure to learn that one. There would no doubt be use for it. "Hiccup, get...out there. Hiccup get out there. Have I learned 'of' yet? I can't...I feel like I'm saying it wrong. Fu-"

"So anyway I'm moving into my parents' basement." Oh, how I wish the bluetooth had gone out at that moment. I'd given anything not to hear Snotlout's pathetic flirting. Astrid seemed to be thinking similar lines, without the bluetooth. "You should come by sometime to work out. You look like you work out-"

Astrid rolled away, leaving Snotlout behind to take the shot.

"Snotlout! You're done!"

Astrid continued to roll until she made it to Hiccup. The chief's son stood awkwardly behind his shield.

"So, I guess it's just you and me huh?" Hiccup tried.

"No. Just you." Astrid moved away.

I made mental notes of that.

Hiccup's shield was blasted off. It wasn't broken, though, so he was still in.

"One shot left!" Gobber warned. Meatlug had no care that this was an exercise where things like 'good form' were standard. She charged after Hiccup. "Hiccup!"

Meatlug soon had Hiccup pinned. I sat up on the wall, lifting back my hood enough so I could get a clearer view. The glow of fire was bright in it's mouth. Even if I had gone without my enhanced bluetooth, I could have heard the ugly gurgling sound that bubbled up.

Gobber rushed to them. He pulled Meatlug back by the jaw at the last second. Meatlug's final shot went off at the wall just over Hiccup's head.

My shoulders released a tension I hadn't known was there.

"And that's six!" Gobber yelled. The blacksmith made trainer fought with Meatlug back to her cell. "Go back to bed, ya overgrown sausage! You'll get another chance, don't you worry."

'Don't be rude! She is the sweetest lug that has ever lugged!' I scolded, though inside I wouldn't deny I had been rattled at how close Hiccup had been to being bald.

Once the gate was shut, Gobber turned back to the trainees. "Remember... a dragon will always." He stopped to glare down at Hiccup. "Always go for the kill."

With that insult, I ran off.

==TST==

"Lilac I'm home!" I yelled, climbing down the rocks to the pot.

Lilac cheered. She ran towards my dropping point, hopping up and down. I was nearly to the ground. "MOM! YOU CAME BACK!"

"Oh, did you want me to leave you here?" I teased. Pausing in my climbing, I made the moves to push myself up. "Then I'll just-"

"NO COME BACK!" Lilac whined.

Chuckling I hopped the rest of the way down. Lilac hugged my legs. My hand ruffled the headfins she had.

"I was gone for two hours- maybe three. How can you get this rowdy after just that long?" I asked her.

Lilac groaned. She pushed her face deeper against my leg. "Toothless is being mean!"

Tilting my head, I looked off towards the black dragon. He wasn't doing much- just trying to fly. He kept falling to the ground with no success.

Mentally starting a list of ways to scold a dragon without getting burned, I put my hand on Lilac's shoulders. "What did he do?"

"He took my FISH!" Lilac complained loudly.

"...I told you to eat it before I left." I pointed out to her. Lilac paused. "You named it, didn't you?"

"...no."

I groaned. "Lilac."

"Mom! He had big eyes!" Lilac sniffled. Crocodile tears, all of them. Not a wisp of trust to be had there.

"Come on. There are more fish in the small cave." Pushing my child off me, I walked towards the small cave that suited as our home.

Toothless continued to fly. Either he was willfully ignoring my presence in proximity to Lilac, or because of my proximity to her I smelled more dragon than human. He might realize soon that I was a human who could serve as food.

Then he would find out that I could fight like a motherfucker.

He actually made it high up.

Lilac cheered for him, whooping and hollering. He snapped our direction.

My hand slid inside the Bag. Should he decide to charge, I would pull out an Asgardian spear made of Asgardian wood that had been painted metallic, to smash it against his face. I'd steal a shield later for more proper use.

Toothless got over his rage with something sure to work: more rage. He roared as he flew upright. He nearly made it to the ledge.

Lilac cheered again. I clapped sarcastically.

Toothless growled.

Apparently I was Threat Level: Noticed.

He rushed at me.

A lot of things happened in quick succession.

The dragon rushed towards me, roaring.

Lilac squeaked, hiding behind me.

The spear was in my grip.

Toothless got close enough.

I kept still.

The stick came out, whacking Toothless on his head.

Coupled with my strength, the spear sent Toothless off towards the pond.

All in the course of five seconds.

So...a good day.

Now, I bet a dragon with his normal tail could've avoided splashing into the pond. Toothless, on the other hand, probably would've crashed even with his tail. He's what I like to call 'an idiot'.

He splashed in the water, skidding across it like a skipping rock. When he got control of his facilities he ran to the shore. He plopped down in defeat.

Lilac pulled down on my cloak. "Mom I think you were mean."

I tilted my head, my expression a mask of innocence. "Lilac I did what any sensible person would do when being rushed by a dragon."

"But Miss Tracy says you're not sensible."

My jaw dropped. I gawked at my sweet, precious, innocent daughter, wondering when Tracy had time to corrupt her away from me.

It occured to me that it was now so quiet in the Pit you could hear a pencil drop.

Which one did.

I turned to the sound, making sure my cloak covered my face. Hiccup stood on a small jutting of space on the rock wall. That was the same spot where I would usually go in and out of our Pit.

He was staring at Toothless with wide eyes, afraid. Toothless stared back.

Lilac curled at my sides again. My hand touched her head in assurance. Hiccup stared at Toothless for another long moment.

As he got up, he took a quick look at my direction. I kept behind my cloak, not moving my hand from Lilac's head.

The future Dragon Rider ran away from us all.

Only once he was gone I loosened my grip.

"Come on, Lilac." I spoke. Letting go of her head, I walked towards our cave. "It's going to rain tonight."

Lilac followed, glancing towards the lone Toothless. For a split second, I nearly offered to bring the Night Fury along.

"Another night, Lilac." I promised. My daughter followed after that. "He'll come around. Now...let's see if I can get us some stew for dinner."

==TST==

AN: This was a week late. I was working on finishing another fic, which took up time. Then I realized there are two other fics I'm behind on, so I'm working on that. Still am, to be honest. If I'm lucky I'll publish two chapters each. If not...eh.