A/N: Hey everyone, sorry I have been away for a bit but my life just got really busy and really exciting. So two things of importance happened, I paid off my car with the government stimulus check and... My wife and I bought a house! We move in next month and things will without a doubt get very busy. Now I will not just drop off the face of the earth and leave this story, I will be working on it. We are actually almost done. So sorry this chapter is much shorter than what I usually post, but I needed to get something out here for you all. So thank you for your patience. Now here is what I want you to imagine for this chapter. The best pump up music that you have ever heard from an anime series, I'm talking Naruto, Dragon ball, Attack on Titan, One Piece, One Punch Man, whatever one. Whatever music played just before a big battle and got you hyped that is what I see here, and we get a much better Audrey cheers and motivates Henry scene. At least I think it is better than what we got in the first movie.
Anonymous Noob the 2nd: That could be a possibility, I suppose I did it with Earn It. I will have to think on it, Let's get through the story first and then revisit the idea. Glad you are liking the story.
CB73: Days later and for one the shock has yet to wear off and a friends comes to pick him up out of despair. Yes Henry will have to rise to the occasion but even the best of heroes need a little help sometimes.
Guest: I'm glad that you are enjoying the story now as for your questions. The final battle is coming up and the production of the movie will be hinted and talked about in training. The last two where Henry tries to not get blacklisted and if the movie gets an Oscar, While I hadn't thought about the Oscar those last two would be part of a summary at the end of the story and more or less hinted at, than actually explained, perhaps I could end it with them at the Awards show. Thanks for some ideas I will see what I can do.
WinterBreath0602: It was your review that actually inspired this chapter. I sat here writing the chapter and thinking of all the badass Anime intros and pump up music just before a big battle. And if you think about it, a group of teens getting ready to battle a massive Dragon Queen on the backs of dragons. Doesn't get much more Anime than that does it?
Lovely reviews, thank you all so much, now on with the show...
Your Friendly Neighborhood Mexican ;p
(Monday, November 12th, 2018)
They had taken the weekend to get them checked over and get a few good nights rest. It would be the last ones that anyone would get. Henry's restless nights started long before anyone else. The weight of the responsibility that Helga had bestowed upon him, him, a 15-year old boy who was just trying to film his first movie.
He had taken up walking late at night, gazing up at the stars and the Northern lights. Hoping for something, anything to happen. In all the movies he had seen, when ever something like this was thrust upon the hero some vison or manifestation would appear late at night and show them the way. He closed his eyes and looked to the sky once again but still nothing, the Northern lights danced among the stars mocking him with their silence.
The sun began to rise and chased the lights and stars away. Another sleepless night and now the real work began. He some how had to not only train the dragons to let people ride them, convince them to fight off the Queen's control, and fight her. Not to mention he had to find people to ride these dragons into battle. It felt impossible.
He looked over the set from a nearby hill. If he didn't know that it was all an elaborate ruse, he would think that it was a real village. Peaceful, quiet, charming. The only difference being that the pests were fire breathing dragons instead of rats. He laughed at the irony. A brief moment of reprieve before the weight of what was to come settled back in.
It wasn't fair, how was he supposed to do this. They expected so much from him and he wasn't even sure how he did it in the first place. He didn't really train Toothless, he got to know him, he became friends with him. Sure, there were moments where it felt like he was training a dog or a cat, but those were few and far between. Toothless was so much more than a common pet. All the dragons were, and now he had to do what took him weeks to do with Toothless in a matter of days. The Queen wouldn't wait, they had to take action and fast. Frustrated by the circumstances and responsibility Henry roared to the heavens.
His throat was raw and dry when he stopped, and he didn't even feel better. Consumed by his own grief he failed to hear the soft footsteps approaching behind him.
"That was some roar." Audrey commented as she stood next to him.
"Maybe I can use it against the Queen." Henry replied, his sarcastic wit still with him. Even in these trying times.
Audrey didn't reply, just watched over the set with him. people began to come out of their huts and make their way to the holding pens. Eager to see what Henry had in store for them. The boy sighed out and hung his head.
"They think I'm some kind of hero." He said softly.
"To them you are." Audrey replied evenly.
"But I'm not. A hero is strong, swift, brave, and knows how to lead." Henry countered, his voice losing the self-confidence he had shown the entire time he was here. Allowing doubt to creep in.
"You are all of those things, you saved Helga, you helped Toothless." Audrey said in return, her voice gaining fire as she pointed out Henry's deeds.
"How am I supposed to lead them? How am I supposed to make them believe we can win? You were there, you saw her. She can and probably will destroy us." Henry lamented.
Audrey saw the desperation in his eyes, heard the hopelessness in his voice, felt the despair pouring off him. Something else was up and she had a feeling as to what it was.
"You still hear her don't you." Audrey stated. It was a question that had already been answered.
Henry's lack of an answer only confirmed what she thought. He turned his head away from her, trying to hide. He wasn't sure what he was trying to hide from her, fear, guilt, shame? Perhaps it was all three and other emotions that he didn't have the words for. He hated it. Hated feeling this helpless.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Audrey asked, concerned for her friend and slightly hurt that he didn't tell her.
"How could I? How do I tell anyone that there is a sweetly demonic voice in my head taunting me all hours of the night? Constantly saying that I am theirs, that I will fail. How do I fight something I can't see? How do I fight the thing that voice belongs too?!" Henry shouted.
He didn't mean to shout at Audrey but with everything building up he couldn't hold it in anymore. Needed to get it out. He looked at Audrey who was shocked at the outburst. He groaned out and hung his head. It felt like he was failing at this now too.
"I'm sorry Audrey. I didn't mean to…" He began.
"Don't." She cut him off.
"Do not apologize for feeling like this. You have every right to feel like this. But you can't let her win. Look what it did to Helga, she didn't talk to anyone and it drove her to the breaking point. You have to talk to us, let us help. Yes Helga said that we would look to you for leadership, but she forgot one very important thing. You have me, you have Toothless, you have your dad. You have people to guide you, use them." She stated, her voice getting passionate and she did her best to encourage Henry.
The boy looked at her in shock, her she was. So determined, se certain that what she was saying was the truth. But he had latched onto one important detail in her motivational speech.
"I still have you?" He asked softly, afraid to burst the moment.
"Of course you do. Why wouldn't you?" Audrey responded, feeling slighted that Henry would think that.
"Why would you want to be friends with someone that has lied to you, tried to change you, and has managed to threaten your life?" Henry asked begrudgingly.
Audrey remained silent. Henry was right, but despite all of that when she thought about it, he never did it with any malice. He was a kid that was following orders, trying to make a friend, and got caught in a horrible situation. Was she still hurt that he lied about Toothless, sure, but it didn't sting as much as it did a few days ago. He did ask her to change her attitude and it was a shock to her system that she needed. He did risk her life, but he risked his too and they saved Helga.
"Why would I want to be friends with you? Because despite everything you said being true, you never tried to hurt me. You were just trying to help, just doing as you were told and because for the first time in my life, I felt like someone understood part of me and saw something worthy of friendship. If you won't fight for it then I will, because I want to be your friend and that is all that matters." Audrey replied, her voice final and resolute.
She had a smirk on her face which told Henry all he needed to know. She wanted to be his friend, simple as that.
"When I'm around you life feels easier, sometimes." She jibed.
"It feels like you understand me, and we just click. Sure, there has been some tension but what friendship doesn't have that. Now pull yourself together Mr. Hero. We have a movie, set, cast, and island to save. And we can't do it without you." She finished, her voice proud and confident.
She believed in him. Henry didn't know why it felt so important. Audrey believed in him. Hearing her words, it felt like he could take on the biggest dragon in history, which was quite literally what they were about to do. He smiled at her, life filled his eyes, where there was once despair, they now shined with hope. He pulled her into a hug. Surprised for just a moment Audrey returned the gesture. When they separated she gave him a quick punch to the arm.
"Violent much?" Henry quipped, as he rubbed his arm.
"I prefer to think of it as communication." Audrey replied smugly.
"Well communicate gently. We have a battle to train for and I don't need any premature bruises." Henry remarked.
"Hey, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it." Audrey said with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Yeah, sure. Come on let's go get you a dragon and see who is stupid enough to take on a dragon the size of the village." Henry said as he took off down the hill.
"We already have stupid though." Audrey called out as she chased after him.
"Then we will need to find crazy!" Henry shouted back.
"That is more like it!" Audrey shouted with joy.
The feeling of impending dread from earlier gone, replaced with cautious optimism, and just the slightest feeling of hope. As the two teens raced through the village and came upon the holding pens. Most of the cast and crew were there waiting…waiting for them.
Looking at the people around the pen Henry was struck with another sense of irony. He had spent the last couple nights waiting for his moment to come, and here comes Audrey in the 11th hour to deliver just that. He looked over to her, meeting her gaze, smiled, and nodded his head. she returned the gesture and walked into the pens a bit before turning to him with her arms gesturing to everyone.
"So what is the plan?" She asked with a broad smile.
A/N: Audrey sure knows how to turn it on when the time calls for it. Henry gets his Hero pump up moment and is now filled with confidence to lead the group. Everyone is at the pens and waiting to be taught. A training montage is surely in order, next chapter is going to be fun. See you then and be sure to leave a review as you can see I read them all. Stay safe and stay healthy.
Published 05/06/2020