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ACT I: FLIGHT

Chapter 01: I'm a Viking

(Astrid)

It was with false enthusiasm that the boy suddenly exclaimed "We're leaving!" as he trudged further into the cove, carrying a heavy basket on his back.

"Let's pack up! Looks like you and me are taking a little vacation..." The boy cast a wistful look at his surroundings, took a deep breath, then puffed out his cheeks.

"...forever."

He put down the basket, but from the hunch of his shoulders it looked as if he was still carrying some other, deeper burden, something that he could not simply lay on the ground.

Astrid could not begin to fathom what it was. She did not care. There was only one question in her mind:

Who is he talking to?!

Hiccup, the chief's son, had always been a strange kid. Scrawny, but also reckless; stubborn, yet far too erratic and unpredictable; shy and often aloof, but at times even overly friendly. Had Astrid been asked to find one word to describe him, she would have chosen 'weird'. With four words, she would have said: 'Not good Viking material'.

Yet, talking to himself out loud was far too strange, even for the 'village hiccup'. The boy was obviously hiding something. That's why Astrid had followed him today, the day of the final trial, not long before the ceremonial fight, which was supposed to take place at noon.

Just yesterday, Hiccup had won the honor to fight and possibly kill this year's deadliest captive dragon, the Monstrous Nightmare, stealing the great opportunity away from Astrid, who was clearly the better warrior of the two. Needless to say, this did not sit well with her.

Astrid had never been the jealous type. Truth be told, she had never had the opportunity to be. She was faster, stronger, and more agile than any of her peers. And she was smarter too. Not book-smart, as she would have defined Fishlegs, but warrior-smart. She had regularly demonstrated a talent for thinking on her feet, to the point that Astrid was sure she had enough experience to fight on par with some adults thrice her size, and with even larger dragons too.

So it was that, when that weak, clumsy little runt of a boy had begun outperforming her in dragon-training, Astrid had become immediately acquainted with the feeling of jealousy and, soon afterwards, outrage.

How? HOW?! She would ask herself every time Hiccup bested her in the fighting pit. She had grown certain that the chief's son was somehow cheating.

Either someone is training him or

She had found no other solution to her conundrum, hence her decision to tail him into the forest, applying her well-honed hunting abilities. This was, after all, her last chance to uncover the boy's secret.

Undetected, she had reached a narrow passage that seemed to cut through a steep stone formation. At the other end of it, a little heaven had opened before her, a place of peaceful beauty. It was a cove, one she had never visited, despite her familiarity with the island's southern forests.

Inside that cove, the vegetation was lush, covering most of the rocky walls around with vines and tree roots. Vibrant grass and moss coated the usually muddy soil, and bright April flowers filled the few gaps between. There was also a dark lake dividing the space, and smooth round boulders decorating the area around it.

It was atop one of those boulders that Hiccup sat, alone, fumbling around with what appeared to be a small leather sail, which he had just pulled out of his basket. It almost looked like a wing, or was it a fin? Astrid couldn't tell from her hiding spot, but she was willing to bet it was somehow related to his secret.

"No, no, no…" Hiccup groaned. "Thor's flaming breeches! I left the good one at the forge! Toothless, we can't leave without it. I have to go back."

What is he talking about?! What's 'toothless'? And who is he talking to?!

It was time to confront him. Astrid unbuckled her trusty ax.

She was not scared of Hiccup, of course, but what if there was someone else there?

She stepped into the cove, resting the weapon on her shoulder with an air of confidence.

"I want to know what's going on," she said matter-of-factly.

The demand was met with a surprised yelp. The leather contraption slipped from the boy's arms, rolling onto the ground.

"ASTRID!? Hey...! H-Hi, Astrid!" Hiccup mumbled as he attempted to kick the fallen object out of sight. "Hi, Astrid!" He repeated, this time trying to sound pleasantly surprised, but wheezing instead.

Astrid savored the situation. She had managed to catch him unawares, but she fought back the satisfaction. She wanted answers.

"So, spit it out," she said, approaching with a menacing glare and an even more menacing weapon. She was taller than him.

Hiccup stumbled backwards. "Wha- what do you mean?"

"No one just gets as good as you do. Especially you." She poked him hard with a finger. "Start talking!"

The boy only stuttered incoherently.

"Are you training with someone?"

"Wha- training? With who?"

"I don't know," she said. "You tell me." She reached to grab him from his vest, when she noticed the leather straps that formed some sort of harness around him. "It better not involve this!"

"Ah... this," he stammered, "well… this is, uhh..."

A faint rustling caught Astrid's attention, but Hiccup continued with what she could only surmise was a very suspicious behavior.

"I can explain," he said hastily, "I- I'm through with the lies. I've been making, uhh… outfits! You got me." He feigned a laugh, which Astrid ignored.

She was searching for the source of that sound, towards the more shaded side of the cove.

"So, now you know the truth," the boy went on. "Drag me back." Placing his hand in hers, he motioned towards the narrow passage. "Here we go..."

Astrid twisted Hiccup's wrist and forced him to the ground, earning a pained yelp from the boy.

"Why would you do that?" He cried.

Astrid ignored him. Hiccup's yelp had stirred whatever was hiding in the shadows.

A roar, and Astrid's skin prickled. A gasp escaped her lungs at the sight of a pitch-black body springing in their direction, as if out of thin air; sharp eyes and sharper teeth were the only features she could detect. Warrior's instincts kicked in. Before she could think, her ax was flying straight towards those green, slitted eyes.

"NO!" Hiccup howled, but Astrid paid the boy no heed.

The dark beast managed a terrifying feat. With quick reflexes, it tumbled to the side, parrying her perfect throw as its scaly front paw deflected the ax into the pond, sustaining only a minor injury on its foreleg. The creature never stopped its sprint. Three more leaps now, and its jaws would be upon them.

Astrid legs turned stiff as wood. She had felt fear before, but, somehow, never so vividly.

This is it. I'm going to die. Me and...

Hiccup was still there. The hiccup. The village runt. The chief's son.

Stoick the Vast's only heir.

Something unexpected sparked within her. She could move her legs again. She had no time to think.

"Hiccup! Run!" She shouted, leaping forward, hoping to buy the boy some time, but before she could take her first step, Hiccup twisted from underneath her, making her stumble and fall on her back.

Hiccup got up, and darted towards what she now recognized to be a dragon, one she had never seen before, not even in the dragon manual. This one was faster and more agile than any of the dragons Astrid had faced so far. Yet that was not what had made her legs turn to ice. There was something in its eyes, an intense awareness, a keen determination to kill, that Astrid had never expected to see in a mindless beast.

Hiccup was surely seeing it too, so why wasn't he running away?! In fact, why was the little runt moving towards it?! And why was she still on the ground?! She was the real warrior of the two!

She had to get up, but those green slitted eyes had petrified her. She was as if stitched to the earth with invisible thread. Her heartbeat, like a drum, played a rushed tune in her head. All she could do was gape, and wait for Berk's heir to get mauled and crushed, before her own turn came.

"No! NO!" Hiccup yelled firmly, facing the approaching dragon.

Then, a bone-chilling screech filled her ears.

A whisper or realization fled from her lips: "Night Fury..."

There it was: the signature sound of the deadliest dragon no Viking had ever seen, about to fire. They were both going to die now, exploding into a million burning pieces.

Astrid wasn't holding her ax. Would Odin understand? This was a Night Fury, after all. Would she still be allowed in Valhalla? Had she shown enough valor? Had she shown enough courage?

"STOP!" Hiccup boomed with a voice which did not seem to belong to him.

Something unexpected happened then. Something that made no sense. The dragon snorted green smoke out through its nostrils, but obeyed. It then stood there, on all fours, with Hiccup's hands resting on its snout.

"Bad dragon!" Hiccup said, trying to sound firm, though his voice seemed to break. "She's a friend." He appeared to be calming the beast, talking to it, patting its head.

Although numb, Astrid managed to drag herself further away, before her back met a boulder. She waited there, on the ground, hoping against hope that this was all a nightmare from which she was bound to wake up.

This was no dream, however. Her instincts told her to get up and run, but the dragon's eyes were fixed on her.

"Hiccup?" Astrid said, her breath uneven. "What's happening?"

The boy turned to face her with an anxious smile. "Uhh… you just scared him."

"I scared him?!" Astrid hissed. "Who is 'him'?!"

"Ah, well… Astrid. Meet Toothless! Toothless..." Hiccup glared at the beast, and gestured towards her with an open hand: "this is Astrid."

A snarl followed her name.

Astrid's breathing finally evened out enough, and a swarm of questions surged into her mind. She could not keep from shouting.

"Hiccup, what are you doing with that monster?!"

A hiss from the dragon was the first answer she received.

Did it understand what I said? No, it must have been the tone of my voice.

Hiccup made a conflicted grimace. "It's kind of hard to explain."

"Try," she said through gritted teeth.

"Well..." The boy kept one hand petting the dragon while he scratched the back of his own head with the other. "Remember back in… was it October? After the last raid before winter, when I said I had really, actually hit a Night Fury with the Automatic Bola Launcher number seven? The one with the double steel spring and rotating-"

"No way," Astrid cut him off. She remembered well. That last raid had been a disaster. Hiccup had let himself be chased by a Monstrous Nightmare in the plaza, distracting the chief, who was keeping a sizable herd of sheep from getting caught. He had then allowed the dragon to destroy one of the giant torches by hiding behind it, which had then fallen, rolling down the entire village towards the docks, laying waste and setting a ship on fire. Fortunately, there had been no casualties, which was probably the only reason why Hiccup had not spent the winter in chains.

"Yeah, well," he continued, shrugging emphatically, "nobody believed me, so I went into the forest to prove it. But when I found him... he was still alive and tangled in the bola, and... I thought I would finish him off, but... I couldn't. He looked so… I just… Well, I freed him. And then one thing kind of led to another, and we… became friends."

Slowly, Astrid got to her feet, hoping her legs had stopped trembling. She kept her distance. Hiccup's words had made her stomach turn; the implications were sickening.

"You became friends... with a dragon?! Do you understand what this means?!" Astrid spoke with honest concern in her voice, hoping that, somehow, her words would make Hiccup realize what he had done. "Hiccup, you befriended the enemy!"

Maybe he just can't see it. He has always been strange. But to betray his own village? She could imagine nothing worse.

Hiccup had not moved from the Night Fury's side. He was still clinging onto its neck, keeping the now seemingly docile creature restrained.

"Please, Astrid, it's not like you think. Not all dragons are evil. They can be reasoned with. I'm sure there's more to them than we see. I've learnt so much thanks to Toothless. That's how I've survived all this time in the arena."

"Wait!" Astrid shot back. "Wait..." Realization, like a sudden fire, flared up within her. "Loki's guts... I knew it!" she yelled, ignoring the menacing glare she was receiving from the not-so-toothless dragon. "You've been cheating all this time! You won with trickery! I can't believe this... You... You!"

She was at a loss for words. Had the Night Fury not been there, glaring at her, she would have tackled Hiccup to the ground for a few hard punches. Despite their Viking traditions, Astrid had always been careful not to harm the chief's notoriously frail son. Now, she could not help considering it. Perhaps it would have done the boy some good.

"Come on, Astrid. What other choice did I have? I mean, look at me. I can barely lift a shield, much less kill a Monstrous Nightmare!"

"Then why in Freya's name did you join the training?! You are the chief's son! Why didn't you just... stay home?!"

"Because my father made me!" Hiccup shot back. "He wouldn't listen. I didn't want to join! I didn't wish to win against you, or anyone! And I don't want to kill that dragon! That's why… That's why I'm leaving." He took a deep breath. "We are leaving."

Astrid thought about his words, and everything became suddenly clear.

"No... you can't get away with this! You humiliated me. You are a liar and a traitor! You've betrayed Berk! When the chief finds out... even if he's your father, Hiccup, you will be tried for treason! I won't let you flee like a coward!"

Astrid had great respect for the chief. His rule was wise and honorable, ever mindful of Viking tradition. He would never make an exception, even for his own son.

"Oh yeah?" Hiccup said. "And how do you plan to stop us?" There was a distinct lack of confidence in his suddenly bold tone.

Astrid did not flinch. Bravado had never suited the boy. Even with a dragon by his side, his bluff was obvious; he did not have all the advantage, and he knew it. Even if Hiccup could indeed ride the Night Fury (for what else could that harness be for?) Astrid saw her chance. She was not going to be outsmarted by the little runt. Not anymore.

"I know you have to go back to the forge," she said. "I heard you before. You left something there, something important. If I get there first, you are done."

While she was much better at it than him, Astrid was bluffing as well. Hiccup could have had the dragon kill her, but the boy clearly lacked the guts to let the beast loose on her. The Night Fury, however, looked more than eager to bite her head off.

Hiccup won't allow it. Will he?

"What makes you think you can outrun a Night Fury?" Hiccup asked tauntingly. He was trying his best to sound confident, but Astrid remained undeterred. She was going to bet everything with her next words.

"Nobody can. But I can outrun you. You won't get close to the village with the Night Fury, or they'll see it. They'll hear its wings as it lands and you know it. The only way to keep me from telling the Chief is for you to have your pet dragon kill me, right here, right now."

Hiccup's eyes began to show some rage, which Astrid would have found surprising, had it not been for the tears glistening at their corners. He was still such a child.

The same could not be said for the Night Fury. The beast let out a deep, low growl, and, for a second time, it seemed like it had understood what she had said, and was preparing to attack. Then, Hiccup's hand brushed its black snout, and the growling ceased.

Was that sorcery she was witnessing? Whatever it was, it had to be evil. It went against everything Astrid had been taught.

"Kill you?" The boy murmured, his expression now miserable. "How can you say that?"

Is he going to cry? Astrid thought. Is he trying to make me feel guilty for doing what is right? How dare he! He is a traitor!

Astrid would not waver.

I'm a Viking!

Slowly, Astrid unclasped her iron shoulder guards, letting each fall to the mossy ground with a dull clunk. Timing was crucial.

Hiccup's baffled look was exactly the outcome she had hoped for. She went on and untied her iron-spiked skirt, then, gently, she lowered it to the ground, revealing her leggings beneath. The metal-reinforced skirt was heavy, it would have slowed her down.

At that, Hiccup's gawking face flushed to a much healthier-looking shade of pink, which Astrid might have found funny, even cute, had the circumstances been different. She stepped slowly out of her skirt, holding her crouching position. She then tilted her head towards the boy and looked into his eyes.

They are as green as the dragon's, she thought. Then, through a small, unintentional smile, the words escaped her mouth: "I'm sorry, Hiccup."

Before boy and dragon could blink, Astrid's muscles hardened, her thighs stretched her leggings, and she darted with all her speed towards the narrow passage, where the dragon could not follow her.

The instant she reached the crevice, Astrid's chances of success doubled. Hiccup could have found a way to keep her captive there, but the boy had been sufficiently distracted by the sight of her removing her armored garments.

Astrid couldn't help feeling a little guilty for what she had pulled off. She had always been aware of the boys' weakness to the female body, but she had never believed it could be so effective. For all she knew, it should not have been. Yet, when it came to Hiccup, there was much she did not understand.

Astrid dismissed her odd feelings on the matter, and ran as fast as the narrow crevice would allow.

"Odin's...! Toothless! We have to catch her!"

Those were the last words she heard before entering the woods, where she could finally run at her full speed.

She was amongst the fastest runners on the island. She stepped only on the driest stones and roots, avoiding soft, muddy ground, and jumping just enough over the obstacles before her. Astrid had mastered her technique in that very forest, chasing after her late mentor, uncle Finn Hofferson.

As she dodged pines and redwoods, small beads of sweat formed on her brows. She ignored them to keep her concentration solely on speed. The road was not short. About half a league was her guess.

She followed a slightly different path to the village, hoping to stay where trees were thicker, just in case the Night Fury decided to descend upon her, to snatch her from the ground. This soon proved to be a wise decision.

Through the dense foliage of the trees, with a carefully timed glance, Astrid spotted the black-winged beast above her. Hiccup was riding it, just as she had feared.

"Try to catch her, bud! But don't hurt her!" Hiccup yelled from above.

But the dragon could not get close to her. The thick fabric of branches and leaves protected Astrid from being approached by anything bigger than a Terrible Terror.

After a few more failed attempts at reaching her, Hiccup yelled again: "Leave her, Toothless. We can still make it!"

They must be going to the village.

Hiccup would not expose the dragon to a whole town full of Vikings. Even the offspring of lightning and death itself could not stand a chance against a horde of armed Viking warriors in plain daylight. Assuming he left the dragon to wait at the edge of the forest, risking discovery for the sake of speed, the boy would still need to go to the forge and back. She could still catch up to him, but she had to go faster.

So, Astrid did, forcing her muscles to kick the ground harder, ignoring the low branches that scratched her cheeks as she sped through the woods of Raven Point.

The distant sounds of yaks and sheep grew closer. She was nearly there. Astrid thanked the gods for not crossing paths with the Night Fury. Hiccup had probably left the dragon on the side of the forest closer to the village border, by the great hall, but further away from the smithy.

It was only when she emerged from the forest, that Astrid indulged in wiping her forehead. She still kept her pace, running directly to the plaza and the forge. The town, however, was empty, the streets deserted.

Of course! The ceremony!

She grunted. She had forgotten this was the day of the last trial. And it was noon now. Everybody was at the arena, waiting for the event to begin. If she could not tell the chief now, then she would need to buy time by keeping Hiccup on the island.

Alas, her body had reached its limit, and the exhaustion from her record-breaking sprint was starting to set in. She was going to need help. Fortunately, someone had been left behind, and, even more fortunately, that someone was Gobber.

"Lass, 'ave you seen Hiccup?" The man asked, hobbling towards her. "He's nowhere to be found. The people are waiting for the big event. 'Tis not wise to keep an entire Viking tribe-" His voice trailed off when he saw Astrid panting and drenched in sweat.

Astrid fell on her knees, trying to catch her breath.

"What happened? Is Hiccup alright? Where is he?" Gobber asked, now truly worried. He had probably been searching for Hiccup for some time.

"Forsh…" Astrid mumbled, gasping for air.

Two more men joined Gobber with questioning looks. Probably other people sent to look for the chief's son.

"Forgh…" she tried again.

The blacksmith knelt beside her, holding her with his one good arm. "Slow down, lass. Breathe. Tell us. What happened?"

Astrid breathed deeply, and, finally, she managed to shout:

"He's at the forge!"

—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—

AN: I hope I didn't make Astrid seem too unlikable, though I believe my portrayal of her is consistent with that of the first half of the first movie, where, as I recall, she was presented as rather violent, blunt, competitive, and stubborn, (but also righteous, loyal, and honorable). In other words, a true Viking, at least in the movie's own interpretation of Vikingness.

I hence found Astrid's change of attitude in the second half of the movie to be a little abrupt. So, while the movie tries to deal with her transformation by use of the 'romantic flight' montage, here I'd rather make her eventual acceptance of Hiccup (and his views) more gradual, arduous, and, most importantly, consistent with her initial personality, which I particularly admired.

Also, for those wondering about the "hiccstrid", I refer you to point n°4 of the Level 1 information on my profile page. As always, if you are curious about my guidelines and long-term plans for this story, you can find a few ready answers on my profile page, (no major spoilers though). Failing that, you can always ask.