Was rereading some good ol Percy Jackson and also being in an HTTYD mood at the time, I just thought it was so fitting and had to make a fanfic about said quote, but for HTTYD

It was a few days after the war with the Berserkers and Astrid had the brilliant idea to make us do combat training.

I was paired with… Snotlout. This day was just getting better and better.

"Come on, Hiccup, are you going to keep fiddling with your dagger or are we going to just sit here forever," said Snotlout already ready as I clumsily fished out my dagger that I carried everywhere, old habit since I can't hold anything really big and use it effectively.

Soon we engaged in a swordfight or er dagger to sword fight either way sharp blade on wooden stick fight. I had learned long ago when we were kids that I couldn't rely on strength and more had to rely on speed. A sword corresponded with that method because it was long and a dagger you needed to get up close and personal. Still the dagger held sentimental value.

The fight was over quickly as Snotlout was flirting with Astrid through half of it. It wasn't even a surprise when I won, at least to me it wasn't, it doesn't matter how good you are at sword fighting if you aren't paying attention after all.

"Hiccup cheated!" he whined, "There is no way that fishbone beat me. Especially with a stupid dagger! He only uses that because he's too weak to lift anything else."

I opened my mouth to remind him how good I had gotten with combat recently, even with a sword, but Astrid interrupted.

"Hiccup won, Snotlout stop being a bad sport." she said sternly as he grumbled off to go complain the the twins.

"Thanks," I said.

"You sure you don't want to get a different weapon, we have plenty," said Astrid ignoring my thanks.

"No thanks,"

"Why must you always be so polite," she joked before pairing me up with the next person, you see it was like a tournament, and the winner got to duel her, making her the winner and an obvious lose situation, but even if she competed we would still have our behinds handed to us.

Surprisingly enough I lost to Tuffnut who was wild and unpredictable, also he may have cheated but I didn't want to spar with my uh- I don't think we really were dating… which was fine by me just having her as my friend was amazing and more than I ever thought was possible.

When I got home though I twirled the dagger in my hands, it was old and had various scratches in it, maybe it was time to give it up, it held bitter-sweet memories anyways.

Dagur's visit fell on my 8th birthday well more one day off because what do you do with Leap Year birthdays, I wasn't looking forward to seeing him at all though, considering last time he used me as target practice.

Still he shocked me remembering my birthday when nobody else did, minus Snotlout but that wasn't in a good way, more a "Congrats your two! Now you ordered a knuckle sandwich instead of a cake right?"

That may sound like exaggerating but that was basically what he is probably going to say.

"Happy Birthday, Hiccup!" smiled Dagur with a messily wrapped gift as I stared hesitantly at it remembering what my last gift from him was, "I promise it doesn't bite! The last time was an accident, I swear,"

Why was he being so nice? I had a feeling Dagur wasn't all there, maybe thats why his moods switched so quickly.

"Well are you going to open it," questioned Dagur.

Hesitantly I opened it up before jerking my hands away and looking away closing my eyes just expecting another snake.

Nothing happened.

Whatever it was just sat there, Dagur was staring at me with a questioning look, "Do you like it?"

Inside was a normal dagger, small and ordinary, with a brown hilt and a newly sharpened blade.

"Its a dagger, its it symbolic?" I instantly asked noting that he gave me a dagger and his name was Dagur causing him to frown and scratch his head.

"Uh no… I guess I didn't really think of it like that," said Dagur before laughing, "You ask to many questions, we need a name for that,"

"Please don't,"

"And I was thinking of something small enough for you-," he cut off realizing he was pointing out my small size, amusing that a most likely mentally insane person cared more about my feelings than anyone in this town.

"Carry because you are tiny and can't hold a weapon," I finshed for him as he shrugged sheepishly.

"Knives are only for the bravest and quickest fighters," I resisted rolling my eyes, great so im already out of the roster "They don't have the reach or power of a sword but they're easy to conceal and they can find weak spots in your enemy's armor. It takes a clever warrior to use a dagger. And I have a feeling your pretty clever."

I stared at him for a few seconds registering what he had said, someone thought I was "clever"? For whatever reason this made me feel warm inside and I beamed a big smile at him, maybe Dagur wassent so bad as I picked up the dagger, "Thanks!"

"No problem!"

Before the memory could continue I woke with a start in my bed, with a glance at the window I saw it was already dawn.

It was times like these, when the light was faintly streaming through the window, too early for any of the other teens to be up, besides the twins of they were plotting something or Astrid. She was probably training in the woods. That I sat there in contemplative silence reflecting over how everything could have gone differently.

I didn't want to come to blows with Dagur, it just kind of… happened. Now he was rotting alone in a prison cell.

I needed to get out and do something didn't I?

I sat up briskly, got dressed, and tried to make myself not look like I had just woken up. Afterwards I went downstairs, finding my father already gone which was normal on weekdays and weekends. Hiccup was glad that he didn't have to deal with that.

Everything was the same, I strolled through the streets of Berk, the worn streets familiar under my feet, people were getting ready for the day carrying axes and going to Gobber for repairs. Gustav was not so stealthily sneaking off to see "Fang Hook." It was the exact same temperature, the wind danced along my face, and Toothless was giving his best puppy eyes to get Mulch to give him just a little more fish despite him being one of the best fed dragons on the island.

So why did he feel so different?

Was it because Dagur was gone and he didn't have to worry anymore? About Toothless? About Berk's future?

Snotlout had gotten under his skin again, without even meaning too.