Stoick and the other warriors that left to find the Nest get back to Berk on the last of the boats, and the only one still left, and everyone that stayed behind comes forward in a stream of people and starts congratulating him. Making comments that lead him to one conclusion. "Bloom's gone?"

Gobber shrugs, and says "As she always is. Lately, though, it's because she can't walk through the village without being mobbed by her fans! Ah, well, such is the life of a celebrity."

Stoick spins Gobber around, and asks "Bloom?!" He can't believe his ears. Bloom is doing the best in Warrior Training?!

Gobber grins and nods, saying "I always told ya she had more in her than you knew. Brain sharp as her knife, for one. Good reflexes, to."

Stoick gets a look of utter shock on his face as Gobber goes on to describe how Bloom can just down a dragon in mere moments.


Bloom and Brightfire are flying through the clouds - high-up, too high for a Viking to notice them, when she looks down and sees…a ship. A very torn-up, destroyed ship, but a floating ship…with the Berk crest, and a dozen Vikings still waiting to get off behind the rest. "Oh. Oh no. It's the others, they're back. Dad's back, oh Thor…"

Brightfire croons, and lands on a nearby shelf of the Sea Stacks - Bloom's practically having a panic attack, what's she going to tell him?! She's been doing fantastically in Warrior Training, but all she's doing is making the dragons look like they've been knocked out! As soon as he finds out…

A few Terrible Terrors cuddle up with her, acting quite a bit like friendly cats as they purr into her sides, which calms her down some. As to what she'll tell Stoick…she's got no idea. Stoick never bothered to know anything about her life before Warrior Training - she's certain she's only in Warrior Training because Gobber convinced the man to try to prepare her - but he's sure to want to know how she's taking down the dragons.

All she's doing is using their own natural quirks to make them look like they've been defeated, which is sure to get her exiled or outright killed. That's when she gets angry, and yells "He ruins everything! Not now! Not when I'm so close! We just got the saddle done, and he chooses now to come back?!"


Bloom figures out she was absolutely right that night, when she's in her room - she finished hiding every bit of dragon-related items a few minutes ago, from her drawings to her diary she thinks he doesn't even know about, when Stoick suddenly comes into her room. "We need to talk."

Bloom makes no sign that she knows what he's talking about, even as he says "You've been keeping secrets."

She's sure she's busted when he says they need to talk about 'that dragon' - only for him to burst out laughing, signaling that he was messing with her the whole time. "Your…?"

"I was hoping for this! And it only gets better from here! Just wait 'til you spill a Nadder's guts for the first time! And mount your first Gronckle head on a spear!" Both images make her want to be sick, how is killing creatures supposed to be better? He socks her in the shoulder, sending her into her chair, as he says "All these years of being the worst, most unviking-like Viking Berk has ever seen, and you've been holding out on me all this time!"

Bloom feels her blood go cold when Stoick says he almost gave up on her, but its when he says they finally have something to talk about that she finally breaks. "Now we have something to talk about? Not when Gobber took me on as his apprentice? Not when I'd try to tell you how the other kids were treating me all of a sudden? Now?! What, if it isn't related to killing dragons it isn't important enough to talk about? You always said you didn't have time, too busy being chief of the village - but now you've got all the time in the world to talk?" Bloom runs past him, taking the stairs two at a time and running out the door.


Asher's walking past the Haddock house when he hears Bloom yell "Now we have something to talk about? Not when Gobber took me on as his apprentice? Not when I'd try to tell you how the other kids were treating me all of a sudden? Now?! What, if it isn't related to killing dragons it isn't important enough to talk about? You always said you didn't have time, too busy being chief of the village - but now you've got all the time in the world to talk?" She then runs out the door about a minute later, making a beeline for the forest.

He manages to intercept her halfway there, and finds…she's crying. For the first time in…ever, now that Asher thinks about it, he sees Bloom Haddock with tears running down her face. She weakly shoves at his chest, saying "Let me go, Asher."

He shakes his head, asking "What's wrong? I heard-"

"By this village's standards, nothing but me! I'm the worst, most unviking-like viking in the damn place, remember? Isn't that why you all started picking on me? Because I'm not like any of you?" This time, she stomps on his foot as she shoves at his chest - it's enough to distract him into loosening his grip on her shoulders, giving her the chance to break free of his grasp and run into the forest.

Once he stops hopping on one foot, he realizes Bloom's long-gone once more. And, more than that, he realizes why that's the first time he ever saw her cry - she's always held it together until she's alone. He sighs, guilt crashing through him as images of every single time they teased her, picked on her, and insulted her goes through his head - she'd always get this blank look on her face, not giving them a reaction, then leave. Right before that, though, he realizes she'd get a hurt expression on her face - devolved from the utterly betrayed look she'd get back when they first started being so mean to her.

He tries to follow her, only to have to give up when she somehow crosses a small gorge bridged by a thin tree trunk - how she managed it is beyond him, but he puts one foot on it and it creaks and shifts. His brain tells him he's going to fall to his death if he tries to cross it, and he listens - he can't come up with an answer for how Bloom crossed it so easily though. The look on her face won't stop going through his head the whole way back to the village - especially when he gets lost and stumbles onto her worn-in path by pure luck - how hurt, upset, and lonely she looked. It wasn't just a few hours of loneliness either - years of loneliness, showing on her face for anyone paying attention to see.

When he goes to the Forge to see if Gobber's still there, he finds the smith talking with Stoick. "-and then she just ran out on me, Gobber!"

Gobber sighs, and says "Stoick, you're a great Chief. And my best friend on this island. But, really? You say something like that and your surprised when she's upset? A, she's a teenager. B, she's a teenaged girl. They're an emotional mess at her age, especially one as naturally emotional as Bloom is. She'll be back by training, though. Watch her in the ring, show her you support her. Cheer her on, and such. And, for Thor's sake, apologize for what you said tonight! I know your own father didn't listen to you one bit, but I figured you'd have learned from that! Not followed his example, you muttonhead!"

Asher quietly backs away, resolving to later ask Gobber just how big of an 'emotional mess' Bloom Haddock could really be - far as he remembers, she's usually pretty calm until you push her too far.

Bloom runs all the way to Raven's Point, blinded by tears and trusting to her knowledge of the path to keep her on course. When she gets to the Cove, Brightfire's at her side in an instant, cooing and nudging at her side and doing everything Bloom's learned is her way to comfort her human companion. She eventually cries herself to sleep there after sobbing out her story, leaning into Brightfire's body under her wing.


AN: Hey, everyone! Next chapter is up! Yeah, I know, Stoick's A+ parenting - really, the guy should get a parent-of-the-year award. Not. So, I've got an idea for what Bloom's going to end up deciding if anyone's interested. She could eventually go back to Berk - years after all this - and bring her own hut with. And publicly announce she's under no circumstances going to be the next chief, after everything - relax, I've got an idea for that to. No spoilers, though...at least not here, anyway. I'll post an update to my related story that spans the three years I almost completely skip in a few chapters.

Anyway, enjoy! Please review, I love reading them! More chapters coming soon!