"I knew it," Astrid mutters, almost too quiet for me to hear.

"What?"

"I knew it. I knew you were)) Tannski!"

That catches me off guard. "Wait, you knew about Toothless this whole time?!"

"What? No. I had suspicions, ones that were fueled when I heard of Tannski. I should be yelling at you for sheltering a dragon the way you've been doing!" Astrid takes a moment to catch her breath. "But considering all I've learned over the past few weeks, I can somewhat understand. Still, though, could you please explain how this came about?"

I'm about to speak, but then I remember Astrid and I both have gems that can be used to transfer thoughts and ideas to one another. "How about I just show you?" After Astrid nods in permission, I start to project the memory of when I met Toothless at Ravens Point about a month and a half ago. (Jeeze, has it really been that long?) But Toothless stops me.

"This is our story, let's tell it together." It takes me a moment to realize Toothless wants to fuse into Tannski.

I look at Astrid. But before I can ask her, she nods. "If fusing into Tannski will make telling the story easier, then do so."

She probably overheard Toothless. (I'm not used to talking to Toothless with others around.) I walk up to Toothless so we can form Tannski.

I stare down at Astrid, who looks up at me. I lie down on my stomach so it's easier to talk without towering over her.

"So…" Astrid pauses as if unsure what to say. "Why do you have four eyes?"

Her question is so unexpected I laugh at it. "I don't really know." I think of the Queen and her multiple sets of eyes. "Maybe cross-fusions like me can have an extra set of eyes or limbs. Don't know why, but the extra pair really come in handy." I rub my red hair, which is turning damp with nervous sweat. (How can I sweat? I have scales!) "Anyway, I think it's time we show you my story."

I begin by poking through Hiccup's memories and reconstructing an abridged version of the raid where Hiccup shot Toothless down. Making sure to include bits of how Hiccup was ridiculed for indirectly destroying parts of the village. Next, I rummage through Toothless's memory of when he was shot down, including a lovely internal monologue of the event. How Hiccup came across Toothless. (With Hiccup's own tongue understood now.) Toothless begging Hiccup to spare him. Hiccup doing so, then Toothless's opinion of Hiccup as a threat no dragon ever saw coming. Wanting to kill this threat but letting him go, it feeling like cowardice but telling himself it was the honorable thing to do. After that we get a bit of a time skip where Hiccup finds Toothless in the canyon we are currently resting in, showing the blossom of the forbidden friendship that gave birth to me. (I also project some music into the background for effect here.) I hear Astrid gasp when I reach the moment Hiccup puts his trust in Toothless's hands. (Paws? Talons? Not sure.) When I come into existence, it's a brief but beautiful moment. I feel joy reliving that particular memory. But soon enough that languishing moment of clarity is over when Hiccup and Toothless unfuse and begin to panic.

Astrid takes this moment to comment. "Okay, wow. So quick question: when you, or Hiccup, why did yo- he, tell the story where you two fused when you first met?"

I take time to look back on the memory. "It seemed the best way to make you believe Hiccup had not seen or been seeing Toothless since before that day. It was rather hectic as you already saw." Another thought came to me. "He also didn't want you thinking of him as a traitor. That he never intended to break an unspoken taboo. Frankly, he thinks quite highly of you. More so now that you are willing to listen to his side of the story. You're one of the few people whose opinion he takes seriously. Don't forget that."

Astrid just stares. It occurres to me what was just said. Before I can make the situation awkward, Astrid simply accepts the compliment. "Wow. I'm really flattered, Hiccup. I'm glad to have gotten the chance I have here. But there's more to the story isn't there?"

I sigh. "You're right. Its best we continue." I flash next to Hiccup arriving home, hearing the voices of the memory stones. Not in any kind of language, but more of a cacophony of ideas and opinions. One opinion drawing Hiccup closer, one that is willing to show Hiccup a few tricks. Before Hiccup can try to respond, Gobber knocks on the door. Astrid recognizes the night on the watchtower. (She also cringes at Hiccup's visualization of Snotlout's boasting. Which makes me smirk past my own cringe.) Then Gobber talks about targeting wings and tails and I provide a suitable distraction.

Astrid glares at me. "You mean to tell me you invoked that story on purpose?" Uh oh, she looks mad.

"I had to do something to distract everyone. The best way to do that was to get Gobber to tell one of his tales," I bluster. "Just focus on why I had Gobber use his signature torture technique."

Astrid calms down. So I begin to show her a montage of me constructing a fin to help Toothless fly again. Next, I show her our first flight together and subsequent fusion into Tannski; where we discover the tail had partially healed. After getting various measurements to construct the tailfin, Toothless speaks for the first time.

"I noticed earlier that Toothless projected words to me. Speaking of which, why in Frigg's name did you name the infernal lovechild of Thor and Hel Toothless?"

It takes me a moment to process what Astrid just said. "'Infernal lovechild of Thor and Hel?'" Once I understand what she just said, I start visualizing it. Then Astrid sees what I visualized.

The image I produce is so terrifying I come undone.

"Astrid. What were you thinking?! Wait. What was I thinking?!" I fall to the ground and start dry heaving, too busy with that to use proper words. Toothless does some kind of dragon equivalent by dunking his whole head into the water. I can hear a muffled roaring coming from within the pond.

Then Astrid starts muttering something. "Hiccup. We need something mind-numbing to get that image out of our heads. Got anything?" This is the only time that Astrid looks genuinely desperate.

I rummage through my memories, particularly those of Gobber's and trader Johann's tall tales.

I'm able to find one of the more mind-numbing of Johann's tales about a group of barbarians that held him hostage. I project the story to Astrid and Toothless, who quickly calm down.

Astrid looks at me. "Sorry about what I said. I was just trying to make a joke."

Both Toothless and I know what she's talking about. "I'm good, but Toothless is not going to like it."

I look over to Toothless, whose glare is a mixture of revulsion and pity. "What horrid things happened to your trickster god to construct such deities?"

I look at Toothless. "I wish I knew, bud. I wish I knew."

It takes a few minutes before the three of us start to look a little less green around the gills. "Do you want to fuse back into Tannski or would you rather remain separate for the time being?".

I look at Toothless. "You all right with reforming Tannski?"

"Sure. I no longer feel like I swallowed an eel."

As soon as I'm back in one piece, I continue the story. I start with how I made him a new tailfin so we could fly as Tannski.

"You constructed and perfected an artificial tail in just two days?"

"I'm built of two amazing people, what of it?" She covers her mouth, suppressing a giggle. "Now, next I had to test Hiccup's creation." I provide an image of me flying for the first time. When Astrid watches this, her face has this look of sheer wonder.

"Could I maybe fly sometime? It looks fun."

I chuckle. "Fun doesn't even come close." I continue showing Astrid my first flight. When I get zapped by lightning, unfuse, fall, re-fuse, and swerve through the sea stacks. When Astrid sees me talk to the Terrors about my ability to go incorporeal, she just stares at me. Knowing what she's going to ask, I activate my shade, go four meters forward, and solidify right behind Astrid. Once my vision returns, I see her staring in slack-jawed amazement. "Glad I still managed to surprise you today."

Astrid, realizing what she must look like right now, quickly composes herself. "So that's where the name 'Shade Fury' comes from. But what about Tannski?"

"The rest you mostly know, so I'll just skip ahead to when I met the Queen."

Astrid freezes. "You met the Queen?"

"Let me show you." I make sure to include the conversation Hiccup and Toothless had before and during the trip to the nest. That way when I show Astrid the conversation between me and the Queen, she has context.

"So the Queen uses an existing religion to manipulate the dragons, eating the weak and saying they are being reborn. She also takes particularly strong dragons and fuses with them. Making the Queen a multi-fusion of the nest's most powerful dragons. Now that you exist, she can't have Toothless become part of her. So as you left the nest, you encountered the scouting party from Berk. Seeing an opportunity, you convinced Stoick to give you, a dragon-human fusion, a chance. Did I miss anything?"

I just stare at her. Is it just me or has Astrid become more long-winded? "Stoick was also promised a meeting with Tannski in three days."

"And then there's that," she huffs. While Astrid stares out at the pond, I unfuse and lay down behind her.

"Okay, so what do we do?" Astrid leans back against Toothless. I make sure to hold my tongue. I doubt she would appreciate a compliment about personal growth right now.

"I'm not sure. Toothless and I have three days to figure it out."

"You mean we." She looks straight into my eyes. "Whatever happens, even if you get chased out of the village, you have my full support. You got that?"

I've managed to turn one person to my side. "Thanks for that, Astrid. Maybe when we have some spare time, I'll take you on a proper flight."

Then, out of nowhere, she punches my shoulder. "That's for dragging me into this mess." In my confusion, I look at Toothless, who just shrugs. Then Astrid plants a quick peck on my cheek. "That's for dragging me into this mess." This time she says it softer, in an almost familial tone. She proceeds to stand up and stride for the canyon's exit.

"I know you've tried explaining human mating habits to me, but after observing them in person, they make even less sense." I playfully punch his shoulder, he just stares at me now. "I hope that punch was platonic."

If I'd been drinking something, I'd have spat it out in laughter. "Purely platonic, bud. I should also head back. This raid ended early, so I might be able to get some more sleep." I hug Toothless around his neck. "Goodnight, bud."

Toothless hugs me back with his wings and forelimbs. "Goodnight, Hiccup."

I know some people dont like these sort of chapters, but its something that had to heppen.

R37uy: Yeah, its a bit of a slow burn. we'll see Stormfly soon.

Sleepysaurus Rex: not really sure. I've got no plans at the moment.

Eris:thank you.