It's the last Training session before the final test, and Asher's determined to get the Gronckle this time. When he looks over at Bloom, though, all those thoughts go out of his head - she looks terrible. She's paler than ever, and has leaves and twigs in her fiery hair like she slept in the forest - in all likelihood, she did.

She also won't look at Stoick, which doesn't surprise Asher in the slightest after what happened last night. Between her tearful outburst, the revelation from Gobber that Bloom actually is more affected by everyone being so horrible to her than she lets on, and how she looks like she slept in the forest, he's not surprised one bit that Bloom's so upset with Stoick that she won't look at him.

Asher and Bloom have their backs pressed to one of the wooden barricades, and Asher asks "Are you alright?" Bloom doesn't answer, just peeks around the corner at the Gronckle. He takes that as a solid 'no' for his question. She takes off at a silent run, while he rolls between the barricades.

When he goes for the attack, though, the Gronckle is already down and the villagers are cheering.

This time, Gobber stops Bloom before she can disappear - and, much to Asher's utter shock, Gothi, the village elder, chooses Bloom to be the one to kill the Monstrous Nightmare tomorrow. The other teens hoist Bloom up, Fishlegs setting her on his shoulder, and they practically parade her through the village.

Though, she disappears as soon as she's set down and people aren't paying explicit attention to her. All but Asher, though - he keeps an eye on her, following her as she heads to the forest. Halfway there, he realizes she's likely headed to the furthest point in the forest from the village - Raven's Point. He knows for sure he's likely never getting back to the village if he heads all the way out there after Bloom - luckily, he catches up to her shortly after. "Bloom!"

She stiffens, then asks "What now, Asher? Jealous that I got your kill or something?"

Asher doesn't respond to the barbed question, grabbing her shoulders instead so she can't get away so easily and asking "What's going on with you? You've been acting weird ever since getting into Warrior Training."

Bloom glares daggers at him, smacking his hands away and taking a step backwards to make some space between them, and says "No, I've been acting the same way I've acted ever since you and the other teens decided to start bullying me because I'm different. You've just got your head out of your backside long enough to notice it for once! Don't ask me why that is, though. I've been acting the exact same as I always have since the five of you turned on me, the only change is the fact that now I'm forced to spend time with the lot of you!

What, you think I wanted to be shoved into this? No, Stoick just up and decided I was going whether I wanted it or not! Despite the fact that I've never shown even the barest hint of dragon-slaying interest, despite the fact that I told him I didn't want to - the man never listens! First, he never had time for me. He'd be gone all damn day long, then get home well after sun had set in a foul mood and only be interested in food and sleeping. Repeat every single day. Then, you all started picking on me for going on a walk, as if I'd suddenly come from Hel or something. Gobber took me on as his apprentice because he actually gave a damn about me and what I was going through!

Now, that insufferable blockhead I get to call my father thinks that everything between us is all great, praises and battlestories that I never got before now, just because I know how to get a dragon on the ground without getting hurt! As if it's some miracle when anyone with half a damn brain could do it!"

Asher raises an eyebrow at that, feeling shock go through him - Bloom's pacing back and forth, still ranting and raving about exactly how miserable and lonely she's been most of her life, but that last bit about anyone being able to take down the dragons catches his interest at once. "What? What do you mean?"

Bloom scoffs, and says "Really? You haven't figured it out yet? I figured you or Fishlegs might've at this point, Asher. Each of you two is smarter than Snotlout and the Twins combined. Take a good look at the Gronckle back in the Arena, Asher. Take a look at all the dragons. You might notice something. Or, maybe you won't."

She turns to leave, heading deeper into the forest, but Asher grabs her wrist and says "Bloom, what-"

She yanks her wrist out of his grip, and asks "Remember what you told me, Asher? You told me to figure out which side I'm on."

Asher nods, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach, and asks "And? Which side is it?" Because, from the way she's talking…it sounds like…she's with the dragons.

Bloom scoffs again, and says "No. You'll get that answer with everyone else in the village tomorrow. Now, leave me alone. Leave me alone like you always do."

Those words cut him to the core better than any blade ever could, so cold and cutting as they are. They sound almost like a death sentence, spoken that way. "No, Bloom, talk to me. What's going on with you? You disappear for hours on end, when the other villagers want to be around you now. You just suddenly excel at everything we're doing, and even Gobber doesn't know how your doing it. What's been happening?"

He plants a hand on each of her shoulders, his iron grip keeping her in place. Instead of stomping down on his foot or kicking him or something, she shoves at his chest, yelling "LEAVE ME ALONE, ASHER!" He's expecting to have to get his balance back…not to go flying a good ten feet back. But, that's exactly what happens, and then he lands with a thud that sounds deafening to his ears.

At least he didn't hit his head too hard, so he shouldn't have a head injury or anything.

His vision swims, but he manages to lift his head just in time to see Bloom Haddock jump, swing from a tree branch, and disappear from his line of sight. When the dizziness passes, he's got no idea where to go from here - follow Bloom, maybe get her to come back to the village?

Or go back, knowing what all she said, and…what?

Wait for tomorrow?

Tell Gobber what she told him? Because Stoick wouldn't listen, Bloom's convinced him of that. According to her, Gobber's the only one that genuinely cares about her.

How could I have…

The thought doesn't even finish itself, because he does know how he let everything happen the way it did. She was different from the other Vikings, and at that immature age it had been the only reason they needed to start being mean in the way only a former playmate can be - someone who knows your weaknesses, knows how to push you to the brink. It worked, alright.

Now, though, when he's grown-up some…he can't believe he pushed away this girl. This beautiful girl that's different from the other Vikings and has more smarts than most of the village. Both book-smarts like Fishlegs has, and practical knowledge that can be put to use. She's smart, she's undeniably beautiful, and she's got a sarcastic wit that would probably not be so scathing if people treated her better. Its pretty funny when she's not sending barbed questions or venomous replies at people, which is most of the time.

And…and he's got feelings for her, there, he admits it. He'd been hoping he could impress her by being top in Warrior Training, right up until she ended up in Warrior Training. Now, she's slipping right through his fingers and he's not sure how he can possibly stop it.

Asher sighs and just goes home, trying to decide what to do.

Bloom's clearly got some kind of plan, she usually has one now that he thinks about it, but what that plan is…is a mystery to him. And it's driving him crazy. Along with how she managed the feat of propelling him ten feet backwards with a simple shove to the chest. Something - mainly the soreness in his limbs from that event - tells him there's a lot more to Bloom Haddock than even Gobber knows.


Bloom lays as low as she can to Brightfire's back, looking around at the dozens - no, hundreds - of dragons around the pair. She nervously whispers "Brightfire…"

She's never been hurt even once by a dragon, but this is getting her…distinctly worried. Especially since she's getting a headache and can hear a weird buzzing sound in the air.

They get inside a mountain, and Bloom breathes out "The nest…oh no…"

The dragons all drop their kills in the middle of the red smoking pit, while Brightfire goes to a nearby ledge. Bloom mutters "Well, nice to know our stuff has been dumped down a massive hole in the ground..." She just knows there's more to it, she can feel it. Literally.

When a poor Gronckle regurgitates one tiny fish, she sees exactly why they're all dropping their food into the hole…a massive dragon shoots up, snapping up the Gronckle in one bite. It's probably still alive as it goes down the thing's mouth - the size comparison would be about a Titanwing…to a baby human. Or Stoick to a newborn chick, maybe.

They manage to escape, but not before Bloom's head all but explodes after feeling the massive dragon…probe her mind, for lack of a better explanation. Suddenly, she can hear Brightfire's thoughts and understand what the dragons are all saying. It really hurts, to be entirely honest - mainly because it was that massive dragon's thoughts she heard first, driving into her head with all the rage and weight of the rest of it.

When they get back to Berk, Bloom slides off Brightfire's back in shock - she'd just planned on leaving this damned island for good after the final test was announced. Take off on Brightfire and let them find an empty room like most of the village wanted for over a decade now.

But now…maybe she can end the war, for good.

She's not going to pretend either side is completely innocent - Hel, they're bathing in each other's blood - but maybe it can all end. If that dragon back there dies, the rest won't have any reason to raid the villages.

All she has to do…dammit, all she has to do is make her father listen to her for once in her life. She and Brightfire share a look, mentally agree that's probably not going to happen, and head to the arena.

They get in there undetected, since all the village is celebrating either Bloom killing the Nightmare or being eaten by it - depending on who you ask, as most of the village was openly disdainful and a few were outright hateful to her - and Bloom lets out all the dragons.

The Nadder introduces herself as Stormfly, the Gronckle is named Meatlug, the Zippelback heads are Barf and Belch, and the Monstrous Nightmare is called Hookfang. Hookfang asks "What are you doing, human?"

Stormfly raises a wing, and says "She's the one that's different. The one that's been using our weaknesses to make it seem like we've been defeated. She hasn't hurt us once."

Meatlug and Barf and Belch nod, and Meatlug adds "I saw the decision. She's the one that's supposed to be in tomorrow's fight, Hookfang."

Hookfang bares his teeth at her, and asks "So why's she here now? Why let us out of those infernal pens?"

Bloom says "Because I want to help. I want to end this." All five dragon heads stare at her in utter shock. "Yes, I can understand you. Don't ask me how, I don't know at the moment. Yes, I'm supposed to kill you, Hookfang. But I was also supposed to be actually fighting you, wasn't I?"

They all nod, and Hookfang asks "So, what do you want to do? Set us free? More will take our places, you know."

Bloom shakes her head, and says "I want to end this barbaric practice. I know about the Queen. I want to kill her."

The dragons all cower at the mention of her, and Hookfang says "It can't be done. If it were possible, we'd have tried already. Your nothing more than a unique fool, human."

Brightfire yells "She's no fool, Hookfang! She's the bravest being I know!"

Bloom outlines her plan, promising she won't hurt Hookfang - he reluctantly goes alone with it. Brightfire nearly insists on being the one to stay behind, but Bloom says "No, listen. If things go wrong - and they probably will go wrong - then you need to lead the others back here. We're going to weaken the chain at the top of the dome, so we can escape without outright revealing my magic to these bigots, but we need to do this right."

The other dragons go free, Brightfire reluctantly leading them back to the Cove. They all want to be free of the Queen - Bloom promises she's going to make that happen, one way or another.


AN: Hey, everyone! Yes, I'm back! I was really torn between having Bloom fly off without warning, like one wonderful reader suggested in my latest review for this story, and having her go back and try to convince the village. So, i compromised and went with a bit of both.

Yeah, Bloom's a cynical, sarcastic girl who expects the worst - though, in all fairness to her, the villagers other than Gobber haven't given her much reason not to expect the worst of them.

Anyway, enjoy! More chapters coming soon!