Chapter 15
As everybody takes their seats, with older Hiccup, and Eret sitting on the other side of Toothless, I resume the show.
EXT. WOODS - MOMENTS LATER
ASTRID races through the trees. A large shadow overtakes her. She is suddenly SNATCHED into the air. Astrid SCREAMS.
ASTRID
Oh great Odin's ghost, this is it!
Hiccup and Toothless fly Astrid to the top of a towering pine. It bows and creaks under their weight as Astrid dangles a hundred feet in the air.
"Kidnapping." Both Hiccups say causing most of the dragons to laugh at Astrid's expense, which earns them a glare that could easily kill.
ASTRID (CONT'D)
Hiccup! Get me down from here!
HICCUP
You have to give me a chance to explain.
"Blackmail." They say again, there is dead silence as no one wants to be on the receiving end of Astrid's glare
ASTRID
I'm not listening to ANYTHING you have to say!
HICCUP
Then I won't speak. Just let me show you.
Hiccup extends a hand.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Please, Astrid.
She eyes him and the dragon, then the ground far, far below. After a moment, she swats Hiccup's outstretched hand away and reluctantly climbs over the pedal, lines, and harness. She settles behind Hiccup, avoiding as much contact as possible.
ASTRID
Now get me down.
HICCUP
Toothless? Down. Gently.
Toothless leers mischievously.
"I really don't like that look." Drago mumbles from where Opal was keeping him captive.
He spreads his wings slowly. With a WHOP, they fill with the updraft. Toothless releases the tree, tucks in his legs, and HOVERS in place.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
See? Nothing to be afraid of.
"And here comes the brute force." Older Hiccup laughs, which ends with an axe flying right past his head.
"Where did that axe come from!" Older Hiccup shouts.
I simply whistle an innocent tune as I tuck away my remote.
Astrid stands up, and does a mock bow. "Your welcome" She states with a smirk causing the older Hiccup to pale.
Toothless suddenly LAUNCHES straight upward. Astrid SCREAMS. The acceleration is tremendous. Every downbeat bucks the saddle, heaving them into the sky, doubling their speed like a rocket. Astrid is thrown backward. She SCREAMS and hugs Hiccup for dear life, squeezing the breath out of him.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Toothless! What is wrong with you?! Bad dragon!
(mortified; to Astrid)
He's not usually like this. Oh no...
Toothless ROLLS and PLUMMETS toward the coastline far below.
Astrid SCREAMS.
Toothless rockets over the ocean waves, deliberately dipping them in the froth.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Toothless, what are you doing?!
We need her to like us!
Toothless rockets skyward and begins tumbling head over tail.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
And now the spinning. Thank you for nothing you useless reptile.
Astrid clamps her hand over her eyes.
ASTRID
Okay! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Just get me off of this thing.
"Works every time." Red says while laughing.
"... That's Astrid's line" I say, to which Red just smirks.
Astrid is defeated, her aggressive energy gone. Satisfied, Toothless relents. They level off and head up into the clouds. Astrid opens her eyes again, and looks out over a world she'd never dreamed of. She reaches out and touches clouds, pierces columns ablaze in golden hues, and floats over a vast, alien sky-scape. Her terror is replaced by wonder. She grins, despite herself. Toothless rises above a blanket of clouds...
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. SKY - NIGHT
...and levels off under a starry sky. They emerge from a blanket of clouds under the dancing Northern Lights, shimmering in ribbons across the vast sky. Below them, Berk's torches flicker in the inky darkness. The new perspective is breathtaking. Astrid tucks her arms into Hiccup's vest, burying her chin into his shoulder. The moment is not lost on either of them. Hiccup smiles nervously. Toothless climbs past Berk's tallest peaks and heads out over open water, leaving the village lights behind them.
The Vikings in the theater are astonished by the sight.
"So… Our village is that small?" Stoick asks, causing the older Hiccup to laugh heartily for a second before responding.
"You don't know the meaning of small yet Stoick, when you see the size of some creatures you will think Berk is tiny" Older Hiccup comments before leaning back in his chair with a smile on his face.
"It was amazing how small the world was before…" Older Hiccup's words suddenly contain no sound. He looks to us, and sees that infernal remote is pointed at him.
"Mute works wonderfully here." I comment.
"Wait. If you could have just used that mute button, then why did my older self get tied up during lunch?" The younger Hiccup asked perplexed.
"Well." I said trying to look innocently. "I was just trying to provide the girls with some fanservice."
"I'm not complaining." Astrid comments with a blush forming on her cheeks.
"Me neither." Ruffnut says wiggling her eyebrows in a suggestive manner.
"Made me laugh." Drago mumbled, while both Hiccups just groaned.
ASTRID
Alright I admit it. This is pretty cool. It's... amazing.
(BEAT)
He's amazing. Astrid carefully reaches down and pats Toothless' side.
"Astrid you to?" Stoick asks as he looks at her.
"I don't know sir, this is the future" Astrid responded but there was a hint of a smirk on her face.
"Lass, that is a Hiccup smirk yur sporting" Gobber mentions, and inwardly shudders.
ASTRID (CONT'D)
So what now?
Hiccup groans. It's a problem without an answer.
ASTRID (CONT'D)
Hiccup, your final exam is tomorrow. You know you're going to have to kill...
(WHISPERED)
... kill a dragon.
HICCUP
Don't remind me.
A strange, unearthly din approaches. Toothless' ear plates suddenly stand on end. Panicked, he abruptly dives, dipping into cloud cover.
"What was that?" Fishlegs asks. The dragons meanwhile are cowering.
"What can have the dragons so frightened?" Gobber asks as he notices their reactions.
"You don't want to know" Older Hiccup says with a solemn look on his face.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Toothless! What's happening? What is it?
Toothless BARKS at him. 'Quiet!'
Suddenly, out of the dense cloud, a Monstrous Nightmare emerges.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Get down!
Hiccup and Astrid duck. The Nightmare calls out. A Zippleback appears to the other side of Toothless, boxing him in.
ASTRID
What's going on?
HICCUP
I don't know.
(BEAT)
Toothless. You've got to get us out of here, bud.
Toothless HISSES.
Other dragons, previously invisible in the thick clouds, appear all around them. HUNDREDS of them, all carrying fish and game in their talons.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
(WHISPERED)
It looks like they're hauling in their kill.
The Zippleback eyes them ravenously.
ASTRID
What does that make us?
The dragons BANK and dive in formation, plummeting through the thickening fog and weaving between towering, craggy sea stacks. They emerge at the base of a massive volcanic caldera, glowing with rivulets of lava. The flock of dragons fall into rank, funneling through a crack, and zipping through a winding tunnel. It gives way to a vast, steamy inner chamber, tiered with pocky shelves. Dragons of all breeds lay about, nested in hordes. The arriving dragons fly in, dropping the fish and game into a central pit, glowing red and shrouded in mist. Hiccup is amazed.
HICCUP
What my dad wouldn't give to find this.
Stoick, and the rest of the Hooligans watch amazed at the thing they have been searching for for generations.
"And 5" Older hiccup whispers to himself.
Toothless peels away from the procession, landing on a small shadowy shelf to keep a low-profile. Hiccup and Astrid peek around, taking in the busy hive of sorts. They watch as the food continues to be dropped into the pit.
"4"
HICCUP (CONT'D)
It's satisfying to know that all of our food has been dumped down a Hole.
"3"
ASTRID
They're not eating any of it.
"2"
Last to arrive is a dim-witted Gronckle. It hovers over the pit and regurgitates his paltry contribution - a pathetic little fish.
"1"
As it falls into the steamy pit, a terrible ROAR rings out.
The dragons cower, their paws covering their eyes.
"0" Older Hiccup finishes as the dragon's head comes out of the mist.
The Gronckle tries to flee, but before it can, a gargantuan dragon head juts from the steamy pit and SNAPS it out of the air. Swallowing it back whole. Hiccup and Astrid recoil, terrified.
"What in the name of Odin was that!" Stoick, and the rest of the Vikings yell.
"That is what runs this place." Younger Hiccup says after realization dawns in his eyes.
ASTRID (CONT'D)
What is that?
The monstrous beast SNIFFS the air, seemingly aware of them. It nears the ledge where Toothless is hiding... and ROARS. Several dragons take flight in fear.
"Hiccup get out of there!" Gobber, and Stoick shout in unison.
"Nah, I was thinking of staying, having a picnic, and roasting a boar leg" Both Hiccups comment. Toothless proceeds to tail slap both, grumbling about crazy riders under his breath.
HICCUP
Alright buddy, we gotta get out of here. Now!
Toothless takes flight, barely evading the monster's snapping jaws.
The behemoth dragon lunges for them, snatching a Zippleback out of the air instead. Toothless disappears into the winged exodus as thousands of dragons flee the caldera in fear.
EXT. HIDDEN COVE - NIGHT - LATER
Toothless glides into the cove and touches down on the moonlit beach.
ASTRID
(her mind reeling, talking Hiccup's ear off)
No, no, it totally makes sense. It's like a giant beehive. They're the workers... and that's their queen. It controls them.
"A Queen." Was all Stoick says.
She leaps off of Toothless and runs toward the village.
ASTRID (CONT'D)
Let's find your dad.
HICCUP
No, no! Not yet. They'll... kill Toothless.
(BEAT)
(MORE)
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Astrid, we have to think this through carefully.
Astrid eyes him, incredulous.
ASTRID
Hiccup, we just discovered the dragons' nest...the thing we've been after since Vikings first sailed here. And you want to keep it a secret? To protect your pet dragon? Are you serious?
Hiccup stands firm, resolute.
HICCUP
Yes.
Astrid's taken aback.
ASTRID
Okay.
(BEAT)
Then what do we do?
HICCUP
Just give me until tomorrow. I'll figure something out.
ASTRID
Okay.
Astrid PUNCHES Hiccup in the arm.
ASTRID (CONT'D)
That's for kidnapping me.
Hiccup looks to Toothless for support. Toothless SNORTS, dismissive.
Astrid grabs him. He braces for another hit. She KISSES Hiccup on the cheek.
ASTRID (CONT'D)
That's for, everything else.
In the awkward wake of the moment, Astrid hurries off...
leaving Hiccup RUBBING his cheek, stunned. Toothless hobbles up, eyeing him.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO." Was yelled by Snotlout. "Why Astrid, why!" Snotlout wails as he pulls his hair.
"Geez, Snotlout don't have a chicken!" Tuffnut says slapping him on the back of the head.
Ruffnut slaps Tuffnut upside the head "It's supposed to be a Yak you Doofus."
"What are you saying butt elf" Tuffnut says punching Ruffnut in the shoulder.
"Troll face" Ruffnut yells back
"Sister frendall" Tuffnut says earning a groan from the Vikings, and dragons alike.
The older Hiccup gets out from his seat, and walks calmly to the twins who are now trying to bite each other. He steps behind them, and places his hands on their helmets, and bashes them together. "Behave" Was all he said. The twins actually stopped fighting, and sat back down quietly. The Vikings were astonished by what had just happened, and the twins mother made her way over to Hiccup, enveloping him in a big hug, and chanting "ThankyouThankyouThankyou."
"Mrs. Thornston… CAN'T BREATHE" Was all that Older Hiccup managed to get out.
"I must ask how you managed to do that?" Mrs. Thornston asked finally letting Hiccup breath again.
"It is simple really, The twins love a good head bashing" The older Hiccup says.
"So all we had to ever do is bash their heads in?" Was heard from one of the Vikings.
"Most likely" Older Hiccup comments before taking his seat again.
HICCUP
What are you looking at?
Hiccup turns to Toothless. "She's your mate." Was all Toothless says, but this causes a blush to creep on both Astrid, and Hiccup's cheeks.
