Chapter 13

INT. BLACKSMITH STALL - HICCUP'S CLOSET - NIGHT

HICCUP is lost in thought, his head laid on a desk full of Toothless drawings. Burdened with the weight of the world. Suddenly, STOICK appears in the doorway. Hiccup jumps and quickly covers up his desk.

HICCUP

Dad! You're back!

He skirts the bench, blocking Stoick's view of Toothless, the prosthetic fin, and other drawings.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

Gobber's not here, so...

He strikes an awkwardly casual pose, trying to cover up as much as possible.

STOICK

I know. I came looking for you.

HICCUP

(CAUGHT)

You did?

STOICK

(STERN)

You've been keeping secrets.

Hiccup's legs give out. He slides, dragging the table's contents with him.

"Busted." Snotlout yells to Hiccup.

"Not quite" Hiccup smirks as Snotlout has a confused face.

HICCUP

I...have?

STOICK

Just how long did you think you could hide it from me?

HICCUP

(IN VAIN)

I don't know what you're...

STOICK

Nothing happens on this island without me hearing about it.

HICCUP

Oh?

STOICK

So.

(BEAT)

Let's talk about that dragon.

Blood drains from Hiccup's face.

HICCUP

Oh gods. Dad I'm so sorry. I was going to tell you. I just didn't know how to-

Stoick starts laughing. Big, booming. Hiccup stares, baffled.

'HUH?' Was what all the Vikings, and dragons were thinking.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

You're not...upset?

STOICK

What?! I was hoping for this!

"You were?!" Was yelled collectively.

HICCUP

Uh...you were?

STOICK

And believe me, it only gets better! Just wait til you spill a Nadder's guts for the first time.

The Nadders give Stoick a disgusted look, and began aiming their tails.

"Now, now no fighting" Hiccup says with his hands in the air.

Hiccup's elated expression sinks.

STOICK (CONT'D)

And mount your first Gronckle head on a spear.

The Gronckles snarl at Stoick, promising a painful death.

"I SAID NO FIGHTING" Hiccup yells at the dragons causing them to flinch which surprises the vikings.

"Who knew the lad had such a pair of lungs." Gobber comments impressed.

What a feeling!

Stoick laughs and smacks Hiccup on the shoulder, sending him into the wall.

STOICK (CONT'D)

You really had me going there, son. All those years of the worst Viking Berk has ever seen! Odin, it was rough. I almost gave up on you! Hiccup gets back up, grimacing in the irony of it all.

"Of all the insensitive…." Toothless growls to Stoick. "How dare you say that towards my Hiccup. And you call us monsters."

"This hatchling is kind, generous, and forgiving. Why would you abandon him?" A Gronkle buds in.

"You say he's the worst Viking because he is small, but small doesn't equal weak. Look at Toothless. He is one of the smallest yet the deadliest." A green Nadder goes into lecture mode.

"Guys, it's alright. I'm used to it." Hiccup mumbles.

"Well, you shouldn't be." Toothless replies all the while shooting death glares at Stoick.

STOICK (CONT'D)

And all the while, you were holding out on me! Thor almighty!

Stoick grabs a stool and sits. His massive frame nearly fills the tiny room.

STOICK (CONT'D)

(RELIEVED)

Ahhhhh. With you doing so well in the ring, we finally have something to talk about.

Pregnant pause. Hiccup averts his eyes nervously. Stoick adjusts, awkwardly clearing his throat. After a long, uncomfortable silence...

STOICK (CONT'D)

Oh, I... brought you something.

He presents a horned helmet.

STOICK (CONT'D)

To keep you safe in the ring.

HICCUP

(SINCERE)

Wow. Thanks.

Hiccup accepts it, looking it over.

STOICK

Your mother would've wanted you to have it.

(HEARTFELT)

It's half of her breast plate.

Stoick taps his own helmet and smiles.

STOICK (CONT'D)

Matching set. Keeps her close, y'know?

Hiccup eyes the mismatched helmets, grimacing.

STOICK (CONT'D)

Wear it proudly. You deserve it. You've held up your end of the deal.

Stoick beams with pride. Hiccup squirms. He forces a YAWN.

HICCUP

I should really get to bed.

STOICK HICCUP

(talking over each (talking over each OTHER) OTHER)

Yes! Good! Okay. Good talk. See you back at the house. We should do this again. I'm Great. Thanks for stopping glad I stopped by, I hope you by. And for the... the uh, like the hat. breast hat.

STOICK

Well..uh..good night.

Stoick leaves the room awkwardly, leaving Hiccup looking more burdened than ever.

"Believe it or not. This is not the most awkward talk I had with dad." Hiccup tells us.

"What could be more awkward?" Toothless asks curiosity getting the better of him.

"When I was 8, dad gave me 'The Talk'. That was the only time I've seen him blush, and stutter." Hiccup tells Toothless.

"Wait, Hiccup already had 'The Talk'?" Snotlout asks. "Then why does my dad keep putting it off?" Snotlout, and everybody turn to look at Spitelout who just wants to be invisible right now.

EXT. TRAINING GROUNDS - AFTERNOON

A Gronckle hovers above the ring, hunting victims as the teen recruits scramble. Astrid ducks behind a barrier to find Hiccup already there. She forces her axe at his throat.

ASTRID

Stay out of my way! I'm winning this thing.

HICCUP

Please, by all means.

She darts off, CLOSING FAST on the dragon. The crowd above cheers her on.

VIKING IN CROWD

You got it Astrid!

Hiccup stands and looks around. Amidst the crowd of onlookers, Stoick watches keenly, beaming with pride. He locks eyes with Hiccup, giving him a nod of encouragement. Hiccup adjusts his new helmet and forces a half-hearted smile. Unbeknownst to Hiccup, the Gronckle spots him and makes a bee-line toward him.

"Why did you come straight to me?" Hiccup asks the Gronkle who lays happily near his feet.

"I thought you may have more of that grass, and the Nadder said you scratch those hard to reach places." The Gronkle chirps happily.

"Come on really" Hiccup says with a groan. " I was trying to lose here."

"Why were you trying to lose" The Gronkle asks.

"Because I don't want to, and never will kill a dragon." Hiccup states sending glares towards the rest of the Vikings.

BACK TO ASTRID

... as she catches her breath behind a barrier. She scowls, focused, determined.

ASTRID

This time. This time for sure.

With a FIERCE BATTLE-CRY she LEAPS from cover, axe cocked to

throw.

ASTRID (CONT'D)

Aaaaaaaaaa...

And as she clears the barriers, she sees that Hiccup has already laid the Gronckle out.

"Oh my God, Astrid. The look on your face." The twins say as they laugh hysterically.

ASTRID (CONT'D)

...aaaaaaauGGGGGHHHHHHHH! No! No!

Hiccup shrugs, as unhappy with the situation as she is.

ASTRID (CONT'D)

NO! NO! SON OF HALFTROLL RAT EATING MUNGE BUCKET!

A loud CLACK ring out. From the crowd above, Gothi, the village elder, steps forward, tapping her staff. Everyone lights up excitedly.

STOICK

Wait! Wait!

HICCUP

So, later.

Gobber snags Hiccup as he attempts to leave.

GOBBER

Not so fast.

HICCUP

I'm kinda late for-

ASTRID

(LIVID)

What? Late for what exactly?

Stoick holds out his hands to silence the jabbering crowd.

STOICK

Okay quiet down. The elder has decided.

Thrilled, Gobber stands behind Hiccup and Astrid. He points to Astrid as the crowd waits in silent anticipation. Gothi shakes her head 'no.' The crowd 'Oooohs.' Gobber then points to Hiccup. The elder nods an affirmative 'yes.' The crowd erupts in cheers. Astrid turns a seething, deadly glare on Hiccup.

"And this is the point in time I got you lot from. Well all except for Drago." I comment.

"I've been meaning to ask Drago. Are you from before or after your first battle with Hiccup?" I ask.

"Wait what!" Stoick, and Hiccup yell together.

"After." Drago mumbles, and sits down in a huff.

"Oh, that explains a lot about how you have reacted." Red says.

GOBBER

You've done it! You've done it, Hiccup! You get to kill the dragon!

STOICK

Ha, ha! That's my boy!

Hiccup is hoisted onto the recruits' shoulders and carried out to the cheering spectators...

HICCUP

(MASKING PANIC)

Heh, heh. Oh yeah! Yes! I can't wait. I am so...

EXT. HIDDEN COVE - DUSK

HICCUP

... leaving. We're leaving. Let's pack up. Looks like you and me are

taking a little vacation, forever.

Toothless is nowhere in sight. Hiccup sets down his basket and opens it up, his head clouded with troubles.

"Leaving! Why would you leave?" A Viking asks.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because I never belonged here to begin with." Hiccup angrily says before curling up into Toothless.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

Oh..man...

SHINK! Hiccup looks up to the sound of... ASTRID, sitting on the rock right in front of him, sharpening her axe.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

(SHOCKED)

Aggh! What the-

(RECOMPOSING)

What are you doing here?

She hops off the rock and back him down, spinning her axe threateningly. Hiccup's eyes dart around nervously, searching for Toothless.

ASTRID

I want to know what's going on. No one just gets as good as you do. Especially you. Start talking! Are you training with someone?

HICCUP

Uh...training?

She grabs him by his odd-looking harness.

ASTRID

It better not involve... this.

HICCUP

I know this looks really bad, but you see...this is, uh...

They hear a RUSTLE coming from the other side of the cove. Astrid DROPS Hiccup to the ground and sets off to investigate.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

(PANICKED)

You're right! You're right. I'm through with the lies. I've been making... outfits. So you got me. It's time everyone knew. Drag me back. Go ahead. Here we go. He puts her hand back on his harness, getting her to 'drag him back.'

"That's the best you could come up with?" Drago asks facepalming.

"Like I have said before, I don't work well under pressure." Hiccup says waving his arms about.

Astrid BENDS Hiccup's hand backwards, driving him down.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

AAAAUUGGGHHH! Why would you do that?!

ASTRID

That's for the lies.

"Technically the harness is an outfit, so it wasn't a lie." Hiccup remarks.

Astrid pounces the hilt of her axe off of Hiccup's laid-out body.

Snotlout and Tuffnut cringe, and say "Hiccup we totally feel for you man."

ASTRID (CONT'D)

And THAT'S for everything else.

Hiccup's YELP is answered with A GROWL, coming from the other side of the cove. Astrid looks up to see... A NIGHT FURY. Toothless pounces toward them, snarling.

HICCUP

(FEEBLE)

Oh man.

She dives onto Hiccup.

ASTRID

Get down! Run! Run!

Astrid pulls her axe, ready to take on Toothless.

HICCUP

No!

Hiccup knocks Astrid's cocked axe to the ground, out of reach, then stops Toothless short of crushing her.

"Wait, wait, wait... Did Useless just disarm Astrid?!" Snotlout asks wide eyed.

"It would appear so." Fishlegs commented.

"That was definitely disarming." Drago comments, still feeling grumpy.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

No. It's okay! It's okay...

Toothless pulls up short and lands hard, SPRAYING Astrid with sand.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

(CALMING)

She's a friend.

Toothless snorts in disagreement.

The other dragons in the theater do the same.

Astrid is frozen. Toothless looks from her to Hiccup and back to her, confused.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

(TO ASTRID)

You just scared him.

ASTRID

I scared him!?

Hiccup makes a be quiet motion.

ASTRID (CONT'D)

(INTENSE WHISPER)

Who is him?

HICCUP.

Astrid, Toothless. Toothless, Astrid.

Astrid backs away, eyeing Hiccup and Toothless together with pure disgust. She turns and RUNS for the village.

HICCUP

Da..da..da. We're dead.

Satisfied with Astrid's departure, Toothless turns away.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

(TO TOOTHLESS)

Where do you think you're going?

Hiccup turns to Toothless with a raised eyebrow. "What, she was gone. That was problem solved for me." Toothless explains.

Hiccup just groans in frustration.