A week after the incident with Alvin, a rouge dragon's been attacking their fishing ships and stealing all their fish - and they lost that catch to, even though Stoick sailed out there.
Hiccup tries to point out the fact that if he'd been on a dragon, he'd have been there in five minutes instead of two hours and maybe chased the dragon away forever. Stoick doesn't seem to be listening to him though, but when Gobber makes Hiccup's points Stoick listens and gives in. He then tells Hiccup he needs to learn to fly - though, Hiccup really doesn't want to teach him on Toothless, as Night Furies aren't exactly built to carry four hundred extra pounds around for very long.
Plus, only Toothless and Brightfire are left, so Stoick can't exactly get attached to either of them.
The flight goes disastrously, and Toothless ends up crash-landing on a beach with a cliff blocking human access. Stoick says he's done with dragons…then realizes he needs a ride back to the village. Much to his surprise, he finds chiefing is easier than ever when he can get to places so much faster - namely when they pass the Twins yak-tipping and find some boars eating Mildew's cabbages.
The view of Berk from up in the air astounds him, and he finally realizes what he's been missing all this time - which Hiccup doesn't think is worrying, as he finally got his father to listen to something he's said.
Of course, the next day, he wakes up to find Toothless gone.
Bloom left him a note saying she and Brightfire went flying earlier, and that Stoick has Toothless - and he has him all day.
Poor Toothless is exhausted by the time the day's over, and Bloom and Brightfire comes back once the sun sets. Hiccup says "Bloom, mind helping me get Toothless upstairs?"
"No, c'mon." As they're helping the poor, sore, tired dragon up the steps, Bloom whispers "I woke up when Dad did, heard him muttering about getting Toothless or Brightfire for the day. I couldn't wake up Toothless, he sleeps like the dead."
"That's why you were gone the whole day? You could've warned me!"
"Yeah, well, I'll make sure Toothless is hidden tomorrow morning."
"Oh, thank you, Bloom! He's never been this sore! Come on, Bud! A little further to your bed!"
Bloom says "I'll make some Dragon Nip water for him."
Sure enough, she gets out a big bucket of water and puts the grass in it until the top of the water is covered completely, then heats the water with her magic until it bubbles for a good ten minutes. "There, drink up, Toothless."
He guzzles the water down, then curls up and tries to get to sleep.
"Bloom, have you ever heard of a dragon that Dad might like? Other than Toothless? Because he says Toothless is 'a good one' and when I said Toothless is mine…he said to find him a dragon as good as Toothless."
"He and Brightfire are the only Furies though! She's the only Light Fury, he's the only Night Fury! And they aren't exactly built for stuff like carrying Dad around all day! He's going to either wear Toothless out or break him in half! Same with Brightfire!"
Hiccup groans "I know…"
Bloom thinks for a minute, then says "That rouge dragon raiding our ships? I've seen it, though only at a distance. It's a Thunderdrum, Hiccup."
"A Thunderdrum…with a roar that's said to have the strength of Thor himself…Bloom, that's perfect! Only if we can get Dad out to it though…and I doubt Toothless will want to have him as a passenger."
"Maybe if Dad is the backseat passenger? Because he told me how he's a terrible pilot."
The next day, Bloom's in the Academy when Stoick, Gobber, and three other dragons come in - dragging a muzzled blue Thunderdrum that's fighting every inch of the way. Bloom looks on in horror as they manage to get it into one of the cells, and Hiccup runs up breathlessly. "Hiccup…"
"Yeah, I know. Dad likes the Thunderdrum. He's a fighter, he's stubborn to the end…"
"He's dad as a dragon."
"Yeah, and all we have to do is train him."
"Which one?! Dad or the dragon?!"
Hiccup sighs and says "Both, actually."
"Oh, I just had to open my big mouth. And you did to, when you suggested that Dad get a dragon!"
Toothless grumbles an agreement, and Hiccup groans "I know, I know. In hindsight, it may have been the worst idea I've ever come up with to get Dad on a dragon."
"That muzzle isn't helping matters, Hiccup.
They get in front of the gates, and Stoick is eager to tame the Thunderdrum - he doesn't really seem to realize that the whole thing needs to work both ways, he has to show the dragon it can trust him as much as he wants to trust it.
Bloom thinks it's a terrible idea to get Stoick on a dragon - any dragon - but at least this one looks like it can bear his weight a heck of a lot better than Toothless and Brightfire can.
He listens to Hiccup though about the hand thing, putting his hand on the dragon's nose - and then nearly gets it taken off when it snaps at him. Not surprising, given what the dragon is saying through the muzzle. He punches the dragon back into the cell, where it then tries to fly off.
Bloom yells "Dad, fighting him is useless! It won't get you anywhere!"
"You've just gotta show 'em who's boss!" Stoick manages to land on the dragon's back, but then it starts bucking and trying to toss him - no surprise there.
They fly off outside the Academy, and Bloom yells "I'll go after them! C'mon, Brightfire!"
Hiccup's talking with Gobber twenty minutes later, complaining how Stoick never seems to listen to him - ever. Even at the docks, when Stoick first got on board with having a dragon, Gobber was the one who convinced him - by saying what Hiccup had already said.
Gobber says "Hiccup, there's something you should know about fathers. It's their job to listen to what their sons say without ever letting on that they heard a word. Stoick learned from the best - his own dad. Or, so he's told me, anyway."
Stoick chooses that moment to limp up the hill behind the smithy, covered in dirt, leaves, and grass.
"Dad! What happened? Where's Bloom, Brightfire, and the Thunderdrum?"
"He tossed me, then flew off to Odin-knows-where! Bloom used her powers to make sure I didn't kill myself rolling down a hill and off a cliff, then she and her dragon went after mine!"
Twenty minutes later, they're up in the air with Stoick barking out orders - he and Hiccup find Brightfire standing on a ledge, with the natural cave glowing orange from the inside.
Hiccup breathes a sigh of relief, and says "Oh, jeez. Bloom's in there, and she's using magic. That's either a good sign, or a really bad sign, Dad."
When they get down there, Brightfire motions with her tail to stand back - when they get a better look, Bloom's glowing orange and got both hands on the injured wing of another Thundredrum!
Stoick says "He's protecting his friend! That's why he was taking so much fish!"
Hiccup says "Dad, I'll get the others. Don't distract Bloom!"
The original Thunderdrum, still with the muzzle, turns to him - actually looking a lot calmer than before…and then Brightfire roars out a warning. Bloom calls back "Still working on it, Brightfire! Keep 'em off us, please!"
Another roar, and then Stoick looks out and sees a bunch of wild boars! "They smell the blood of your injured friend!" He picks up his hammer, which he brought along just in case, and he and the two dragons get ready to fight.
Brightfire gets cornered by six of the boars, and then Stoick and the Thunderdrum finally bond and he rips the muzzle off it. They scare all the boars away, just as Hiccup and the others get back.
Hiccup stares at the scene in utter shock, Stoick sitting on top of the Thunderdrum muzzle in one hand and his hammer in the other, and asks "What. Just. Happened?"
"Oh, you know. Did a little bonding, fought a few boars. It's all about trust, you know."
Hiccup hesitantly asks "You…actually heard that?"
"I just said it, Hiccup. Bloom! How's it coming in there?"
Bloom yells back out "It'd be going faster if I didn't lose my concentration every minute or so!"
Hiccup chuckles, and says "Let's get him back to Berk. Gobber can help. In the meantime, we need a name for this guy!"
AN: Geez, its been FOREVER since I updated this story... heck, maybe I should focus on this story for a bit after I've moved in. I figure its been on the backburner long enough. Heck, maybe I can use the time to get a bit ahead on 'The Girl Who Survived'.
Quick note, things are absolutely hectic here, between sulking dogs, me moving into my dorm in two days, packing, and everything else. Its just nuts right now. On a positive note, all my classes are online - I didn't know if the school would open back up when I signed up - so I should have time to write! Hooray!
Anyway, enjoy! Apologies for the lack of much any action, but there wasn't much danger in this episode. Please review!