~Normal POV~

The morning after Hiccup left, his father Stoick made his way upstairs to his son's room and knock. "Hiccup?" He said calmly. No answer. It was the day of Hiccup's test and it was bright and early. Gobber, Astrid, Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut were all waiting downstairs for the arrival of their dragon taming hero. They wanted to be with him all day until the test started. "Son, its time to get up. Your test is today." Stoick said again. Again, nothing. Stoick pushed open the door and looked around.

Hiccup's desk which was riddled with papers was clean and clear, the closet was emptied, the bed was stripped down to nothing but the wood. There was nothing signaling occupancy, all he saw were the 3 rolled up letters on the bed, each addressed to someone different. "Hiccup!" Stoick yelled out now. Nothing. Stoick gathered the letters and walked downstairs.

"Is...something wrong, Stoick?" Gobber asked seeing his old friends disgruntled and worried face.

"Where is Hiccup?" Snotlout asked, he was Hiccup's cousin since Spitelout was Stoick's brother in law.

"He is...gone." Stoick said quietly sitting in his seat now and laying the letters out on the table before him. "His room is cleared out, he left. He ran away...He left these." Stoick said motioning to the letters before them. They all approached slowly to look at the letters. "He left a letter for Gobber, Astrid, and myself." Stoick looked down.

"Well he probably said something to each of us regarding why he left so suddenly so...why don't we each read what our letter says...? I'll go first." Gobber stated as he unrolled his and looked it over. "Gobber, what do I say to the guy who knows all? I guess all I can say is thanks. You've been like a father to me all these years and you taught me things I'll use for the rest of my life. If you're reading this it means I've already left Berk because I can't deal being the fake village hero. You were always there for me so thank you. Stay safe and keep being you. -Hiccup." Gobber sighed softly.

"Why does he think he isn't the hero?..." Tuffnut asked

"I–I'll see what he said to me..." Astrid said softly as she unrolled her letter slowly and shakily took a breath. She didn't know why she received one from him, she was one who hated him for doing so good. "Astrid. I know you probably hate me. You're probably glad I'm gone because now I can't stop you from taking the honor of killing his first dragon in the ring. I never wanted to beat you, I'm sorry. I didn't want to win, the things I did were just to be noticed. I never was before and if felt good to have people care about me, to take an interest in me but everything I did was a lie. I wasn't beating dragons, only bringing out their playful sides. I used an eel to scare the Zippleback because they don't like them. I used a special type of grass to make the Gronckle relax because it's the scent of it that calms. I used a pressure point on the Nadder to put it in a pleasant paralysis. I don't want to kill dragons so to avoid ever having too, I'm running away. For whatever its worth...I've always liked you a lot but I'm sure after this everyone is just going to hate me again. So I'm sorry again for taking your spotlight. I never meant too, you're amazing and deserve the honor. Best of luck, hope you find happiness. -Hiccup."Astrid read out.

She couldn't believe it, Hiccup had a crush on her and she never noticed it. And in his letter to her, he confided that he used tricks to subdue dragons but never hurt them. He hadn't wanted to beat her, or be the talk of the town. He just didn't want to be invisible anymore but it came at the price of lying to everyone making them think he was doing good when he wasn't.

"So that explains why he left. He doesn't want to kill dragons...I wonder why though, I thought he of all people would want too because a dragon took his mom..." Fishlegs stated.

"Aye but he knows that his mother didn't want to kill them either. Ain't the right Stoick?" Gobber stated.

"Its true. My wife was always different, like Hiccup is. She didn't want to kill them either, she wanted to find peace with them but they turned on her and that was that. I don't blame him for leaving but he could of talked to me first...Maybe he'll tell me in the letter why he didn't." Stoick sighed as he unrolled his. "Father. I'm sure that if you're reading this then you've noticed my room is cleared out and I'm gone. You can try and find me if you desire but you won't. I left late last night when everyone was in the mead hall for dinner, took a small boat I made for just me and sailed off with no real direction. I don't know what I can say to you, I wrote letters to Gobber and Astrid too but for the general reason why I left...I hate it on Berk. I hated lying to everyone about what I was doing to the dragons. I tried to tell you that night that I didn't want to fight dragons but you didn't listen to me, your forced me in training anyway. So I tried to get kicked out, I thought if I showed how badly I was doing you'd pull me out. But you didn't, it made me popular and when I got picked to kill my first dragon, I was done. You never listened to me before the training ring stuff happened. I was always your embarrassment, your disappointment. You didn't listen to me, you didn't even acknowledge me unless I did something wrong. You didn't bother trying to tell me how to fix it, you just told me to go home and you'd clean up my mess. I was picked on, beat on, teased, hated by everyone for the last 11 years. You knew it happened too, and you didn't stop it. You just pushed it aside, just like when you had be as Gobber's apprentice. Had me work with him so you didn't have to watch me all day but as much as everyone hated me...I don't hate anyone else. Not even you. And instead of snapping, I decided to just leave. I don't know where I'm going or if I'll survive but if I do...I'm starting over somewhere new. I can't kill dragons, I won't. So give the honor to Astrid, she deserves it. I'm sorry if I disappointed you again and I guess this is goodbye. Your son, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III."

Stoick lowered the paper as he saw the looks of shock and sadness now on the faces of the 6 people before him. Hiccup left because he couldn't kill dragons and hated being hated by everyone, but liked when he defeated dragons. He was liked for lying to them and he didn't want to do that anymore. The more Stoick sat there in silence, the more he realized how right Hiccup was. He never acted like a father to Hiccup, and now Hiccup was gone. "We...have to get him back. He left last night on a raft...He couldn't have gone far right?" Snotlout tried to say.

"He's right. Lets go look for the lad, Stoick. We can bring him back...and apologize for everything." Gobber added looking to their chief now.

"Ready the ships. I want 4 and one in every direction searching for him...I want my son home." Stoick ordered.

"Aye sir. We'll each go on a boat too." Fishlegs saluted.

"What about...the dragon killing. He mentioned it in all the letters that he wants no part of it...Maybe its another reason why he left?" Ruffnut asked now.

"For now...until we find another solution. We won't kill them, we will steer them away and defend the village but there is to be no more dragon killing. My wife tried to find peace too, its something she and Hiccup clearly both wanted so we will...try and find peace with them." Stoick stated.

"Better tell everyone, they won't be happy about it but it might be the only way to get Hiccup back here is if it stops." Gobber added. With that, Stoick nodded and went outside to make the announcement of Hiccup leaving, and that when he was brought home everyone would apologize and make him feel welcome. It was decided they would leave after breakfast.

"Aye Stoick! Where's the boy of yours!" Spitelout yelled seeing Stoick enter with the preteens and Gobber to the mead hall. Stoick said nothing as the kids sat down and Stoick lifted his hands to bring the room to quiet everyone down.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news for everyone...It came to my attention this morning that my son, Hiccup has runaway. He left 3 notes behind explaining his reasoning for doing so. I don't go into detail but the bottom line is that he didn't want to kill dragons, and felt forced too so he chose to leave last night. He didn't say where he was goin only that this was goodbye. He mentioned also that he was sick of being hated by Berk before this things he did in the ring, he didn't want to be liked for what he could do, rather who he was and no one including myself did that. I decided this morning that 4 ships will be sent out heading North, South, East, and West. We're going to find him...and bring him home. And when we do he is to be accepted, with welcoming, open arms." Stoick began.

The murmurs were instantly in the mead hall about everything, they knew what they'd done. "And from now on...for his sake. There will be no more dragon killing. You can fight and defend the village but none are to be killed. My son informed Astrid here that he'd been using tricks to subdue them without hurting them...Astrid will you tell everyone?" Stoick asked.

"Of course sir...Hiccup's letter to me explained that he left because he couldn't kill dragons, and everything in the ring was a lie, a trick. He said specifically that there is a certain type of grass that calms them down, there's a pressure point on the neck that paralyzes them happily, and they dislike eels greatly. If we use these things to our advantage then the raids won't be so bad..." Astrid stated.

"We all know that Hiccup is different than us, and that should be no reason to treat him like he doesn't belong. Because he does. After breakfast, the searched will begin. We will find him, and bring him home." Stoick announced, the village uproared with cheered and nodding in agreement. Stoick sat down, he'd find his son and never make him feel unwanted, unwelcome, or unloved again. He made this a solemn promise to his late wife, Valka. Asking her to watch over Hiccup until he was found, to help him find their son.

(With Hiccup & Toothless)

Hiccup and Toothless had been traveling for 5 days, they had stopped various times to take a break and eat. They made sure to try and fly at night, resting during the day to drop the risk of being seen by someone. They'd been over Outcast Island, Beserk Island, and so much more. Hiccup didn't want to be seen because those people knew him and they tell his father that he'd left. Hiccup had left him a note before leaving and assumed it had been read already. Now there was probably a search for him. Hiccup in the note never mentioned he befriended a dragon just that he couldn't bring himself to kill dragons. He said he was sorry and hopes he can be forgiven one day.

It was simple too, Hiccup left notes to his father, Gobber, and Astrid. He left the notes rolled up on his stripped down bed, he knew his father would pass them out to those who they'd been addressed to. He wasn't going to leave without letting people know, but yes he was running away. He didn't want to fight and kill dragons, it was wrong because these creatures were amazing, smart, strong, brave, kind even. Toothless was Hiccup's best friend and nothing would ever be the same without him. The only logical choice was to leave and never look back, he knew he'd be marked a traitor if they found out he trained a Night Fury and then rode him for his escape from the village.

Currently they were locked flying at night in a bad storm. Hiccup had no idea where they were anymore, he lost his map some time ago perhaps on day 3. So they were flying blind, he knew last he'd checked they'd left going East of Berk towards Scotland, actually he was pretty sure they were past it. It was hard to miss the sounds of those noisy bagpipes from the sky. Hiccup had never been outside the archipelago walls before, he'd never traveled past outcast island before much less on the back of a dragon. He knew also judging by the fact that his father and the outcast tribe weren't allies, he'd be safe in this direction.

Hiccup yawned looking up at the sky at the moon, it was on his call maybe 9:00 at night. They had just taken off a few hours ago when it got dark around 6:00. It hadn't been storming before so now they were hitting rough winds and a lot of rain, thunder, and lightening. A strike almost hit them and Hiccup decided it wasn't safe to fly because of all the metal Toothless had on his body right now. Much more to the point, they couldn't keep flying. They had to find a place to settle down but he wanted to be sure it was a good distance from Berk. Being outside the archipelago offered a lot because his father never travels this far before.

"Alright bud...what's say we set down somewhere and ride out this storm?" Hiccup asked his friend, Toothless crooned in response to him. They flew over a large kingdom now staying high in the sky not wanting to be seen, "Look Toothless, There's a forest down there, lets see if we can land and get out of this rain..." Hiccup suggested. He was tired and hungry, the food he'd packed was almost gone, they'd have to find a stream or something to scrounge up some fish and make a fire to cook it. Fire in the rain, that would be promising.

Toothless flew over the large castle but before reaching the forest, a strike of lightening hit his tail and it began to burn up. "Oh no..." Hiccup grumbled out with worry, he lost control as the tail broke off and they crash landed in the water. Toothless grabbed Hiccup by the scruff of his brown vest and swam up, launching from the water and on to the ground. He shook dry and whimpered to get his friend to wake up, nudging at his small form. Toothless heard a gasp behind him and turned quickly to see a small girl with orange hair, a white streak in it.

"Is he okay?" The little girl asked. Toothless growled a bit, he didn't know this girl. "I–I won't hurt you...I promise...is your friend okay? I saw you fall from the sky...My name is Anna." The little girl introduced with a hand out. Toothless knew his friend needed help and he couldn't get it to him, he would have to trust the little girl. Toothless closed his eyes and retracted his teeth now, then pressed his nose to her hand calmly. Anna smiled and walked over to Hiccup's unconscious form, kneeling beside him. Toothless watched as Anna shook Hiccup's figure, and splashed some water in his face.

Hiccup woke up quickly gasping for air, "Too–Toothless!" He panicked, his dragon came beside him and licked his face. "Oh thank Thor you're alright..." Hiccup sighed in relief hugging him around the neck.

"Hi!" Anna said smiling now. Hiccup backed up quickly against Toothless seeing her, "I'm Anna. What's your name?" Anna asked quickly.

"I uh...I'm Hiccup..." He replied to her unsure if to give his full name or not.

"Hiccup? That's a funny name..." Anna giggled out now, "I saw you and your friend crash from my window so I came out to see if you were okay." Anna told him.

"Oh...yeah...I think so. Toothless...didn't hurt you right?" Hiccup asked cautiously.

"Toothless?...Oh your friend...no no. He growled at me when I came out but...I told him I wouldn't hurt him and only wanted to help you. What is he...he looks like a lizard, with wings..." Anna asked curiously.

"Toothless...is a dragon..." Hiccup responded carefully, he didn't want to scare anyone off and right now, Toothless didn't have a tail so they could get away.

"Wow! So they do exist, I've only heard stories in books about them. And you were flying him?" Anna asked with wide blue eyes.

"Uh yeah...I was...but the lightening burnt his tail...I can fix it in the morning. Is there...a place we can sleep for the night?" Hiccup asked her gently.

"You can sleep in the castle, there's lots of rooms but I don't think I can get your dragon inside..." Anna tells him softly.

"Its okay. We'll stay outside...I...don't want to leave him alone." Hiccup said shyly.

"That's okay! You can stay in the stables, their just over there. I can take you to them." Anna beamed happily.

"Thank you, Anna..." Hiccup smiled back. Anna nodded as she led them towards the stables, in an open one now out of the rain Toothless laid down and Hiccup laid against him.

"Will you still be here in the morning?" Anna asked him.

"Yeah...until I fix Toothless's tail...Can you...not tell anyone I'm here? Some people...are afraid of dragons and might try to hurt us..." Hiccup said to her. Just then a woman rushed up with a man and a few guards beside her.

"ANNA! Oh thank god, you're alright. You worried your father and I...What are you doing out here?" Her mother asked pulling the girl in to her arms gently.

"I was helping my new friend, Hiccup and his dragon Toothless...they crashed here..." Anna said brightly. Hiccup sighed, so much for keeping a secret. The family now looked to Hiccup and Toothless as Anna had named them.

"Please...don't hurt him. He won't hurt anyone...I promise..." Hiccup pleaded softly to the men when he saw swords be drawn.

"You're...just a young boy." The mother stated now. Hiccup meekly nodded to her, "How...old are you?" She asked him.

"12..." Hiccup said looking down.

"And you're alone with this...dragon?" The man beside the mother said.

"Yes...Toothless...is my best friend...We...won't be any trouble...we'll go in the morning..." Hiccup murmured out.

"Your majesty, this boy is riding a dragon. He should be arrested!" Stated one of the men with a sword. Hiccup in fear moved against Toothless who protectively shielded Hiccup with his wing and growled a bit. The mother looked now with softer eyes.

"Daddy, don't arrest him. He's not mean..." Anna pleaded.

"Princess Anna, he's trespassing..." The guard sighed.

"Before any action is taken...I would like to understand more...Young man, will you come inside with us to talk? If you cooperate, no harm will come to you or your...friend." The man stated.

"But...Toothless doesn't like to be left alone...C–can he come inside too?" Hiccup asked softly.

"Unfortunately no. But he will be safe out here and you'll be able to see him the entire time from my office." The man stated calmer now. Hiccup turned to a crooning of worry to his friend and rubbed his head with a smile.

"I–its okay bud...I promise I'll come out as soon as I can...Stay here and...rest okay? I'll be alright..." Hiccup said nervously. Toothless warbled a response that meant he understood and licked Hiccup's cheek. "Be good okay...I'll be back soon." Hiccup told him as he got up and faced the mother and father of Anna with a nod. "I–I will...go with you. As long as you promise no one will hurt Toothless..." Hiccup told him shakily.

"My word as king that he will not be harmed if you cooperate with us." The king now said. Hiccup sighed heavily, great start to his new start.

"Okay..." Hiccup replied to him. "Can Toothless get some fish? W–we haven't eaten since noon time..." Hiccup asked.

"Of course he can. I'll have some brought to him." The king nodded.

"Lets get inside all us now. This storm is quite bad, and you my dear need to get to bed." The woman who Hiccup was assuming was the queen told to Anna. Another moment later they were all walking inside. Anna being carried by her mother, who walked beside her husband and Hiccup behind them in between two guards. It was going to be a long night, thankfully he'd rested most of the day so he could handle being awake longer. All he had to do was cooperate, and he and Toothless would be okay. How hard could it be?