Chapter 17:

EXT. DOCKS/OPEN SEA - DAY

Broken-down catapults and trebuchets are bundled up and lowered from the cliffs. Below on the docks, Vikings load the heavy artillery into the hulls of awaiting ships. Children and the elderly gather to on the walkways to wave apprehensive farewells to the departing warriors. Lastly, Toothless is loaded aboard Stoick's ship, chained down to a palette, muzzled, and restrained with a weighty neck ring. He looks exhausted, miserable.

Stoick crosses to the bow as the ship pushes off and joins the amassed armada of ships adrift in the harbor. Stoick's brow is furrowed, all warmth drained away. He turns west and glares at the horizon with cold determination.

STOICK

Set sail! We head for Helheim's Gate.

"Dad you are too stubborn" Hiccup tells him, crawling out from Toothless's wings with Astrid looking slightly red faced. Astrid sits beside him as they continue watching the movie.

"Runs in the family." Gobber states in a whisper but he is still heard.

"HEY, what's that supposed to mean" Both Hiccups, and Stoick yell at the same time.

Gobber just hides in his seat, unsuccessfully.

He then notices HICCUP watching from his familiar cliff-side perch beyond the village. Their eyes meet, full of hurt and regret. Hiccup slowly shakes his head in warning. Stoick breaks the stare and turns to Toothless, fuming.

STOICK (CONT'D)

Lead us home, Devil.

ON HICCUP

Watching. He's powerless to stop what is happening, but won't leave.

"Oh Thor how am I going to fix this." Hiccup mumbles head in his hands.

"Don't ask Thor…..Ask Loki since he got you in this mess" Red says laughing.

"RED…. YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO TELL HIM THAT" I yell, and promptly wack him over the head.

"OW…. Violent women" Red says rubbing the back of his head, at that statement Astrid perks up.

"It's not violence, it's communication" I reply now understanding what Astrid meant.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. CLIFFS - LATER

ON HICCUP

Still standing there. The ships have cleared the horizon.

CRANE UP to reveal Astrid is standing behind him. She approaches cautiously and stands beside him in silence.

ASTRID

It's a mess.

"Really lass!" Gobber says looking at Astrid.

"Not like you're any better Gobber" Hiccup says dryly.

Hiccup doesn't respond.

ASTRID (CONT'D)

You must feel horrible. You've lost everything. Your father, your tribe, your best friend.

HICCUP

Thank you for summing that up.

"Astrid! I feel bad enough! Why would you say this?" Hiccup asks sadly.

"Because I want to know what to tell my grandkids in the future." Astrid says looking determined.

"...Ummmm….. GrandKids" Hiccup says face white as a sheat.

"The thought of grandkids isn't impossible." Older Hiccup comments. "Just think of two or three little rascals who look, and act just like you. Same mannerisms, same wicked smirk….." Older Hiccup trails off, but notices the shudders from the Vikings.

"What, I couldn't have been that bad" Younger Hiccup says noticing the rest of the Vikings shuddering.

"Well let's see, there was the time you burnt down the Forge" Gobber says.

"That was your bad teaching method Gobber!" Hiccup says accusingly.

"What about the time you destroyed everything I owned" Drago says glaring at the older Hiccup.

"Don't know anything about that" The Older Hiccup responds with an innocent, and sarcastic voice.

"What about the time you 'accidentally' sunk a whole roman legion" One Viking says from the back of the room.

"Wasn't my fault. Someone left all their gunpowder on deck" The Younger Hiccup responds. "And that saved the village." He adds offhandedly.

"Wait, let me get this straight, you sank a Roman legion….. On accident" Red says,

Drago pales as he hears what Hiccup has done.

"Yeeeaaa" Younger Hiccup says while scratching the back of his head nervously.

"Oh...oh … don't forget leveling Mildew's farm with your catapult" Tuffnut says jumping up and down remembering the destruction.

"Well if someone hadn't removed the safety rod it wouldn't have shot backwards" Hiccup states glaring at the twins, who had the gall to look innocent.

"And besides, who likes Mildew?" Hiccup stares at the Vikings who don't really seem to care about that incident.

"And what about the pirate ship….." Stoick says.

"Not my fault again, they are the ones who put a loaded cannon below deck" Hiccup says "All I did was drop my torch while closing the hatch."

"Hey Drago, what would happen if Hiccup would actually meant to cause some destruction?" I ask, and watch Drago pale even more than what I thought possible, I am pretty sure his face was whiter than paper.

"Alright….. I guess I caused a little bit of trouble." Hiccup says earning a surprised exclamation from Drago.

"YOU CALL THAT A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE" Drago yells.

"You don't want to know what Stoick was like." Gobber says offhandedly making all the Vikings pale.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

Why couldn't I have killed that dragon when I found him in the woods. It would have been better for everyone.

ASTRID

Yep. The rest of us would have done it.

(BEAT)

So why didn't you?

Hiccup just shakes his head - he really doesn't know.

Astrid's eyes glimmer. She wants something.

ASTRID (CONT'D)

Why didn't you?

HICCUP

I don't know. I couldn't.

ASTRID

That's not an answer.

HICCUP

(BECOMING IRATE)

Why is this so important to you all of a sudden?

ASTRID

Because I want to remember what you say right now.

HICCUP

(angry, loud)

Oh for the love of - I was a coward! I was weak. I wouldn't kill a dragon.

ASTRID

You said 'wouldn't' that time.

HICCUP

(BLOWS UP)

Whatever! I wouldn't! Three hundred years and I'm the first Viking who wouldn't kill a dragon!

A BEAT.

ASTRID

First to ride one, though.

Hiccup blinks. He never looked at it that way before.

ASTRID (CONT'D)

So...

HICCUP

(REALIZING)

...I wouldn't kill him because he looked as frightened as I was.

(BEAT)

I looked at him and I saw myself.

Astrid turns to face the open sea.

ASTRID

I bet he's really frightened now.

(PROVOKING)

What are you going to do about it?

Beat.

HICCUP

Probably something stupid.

"You already did that." Astrid states.

"True…. Then let's do something crazy" Hiccup says with a smirk that would cause anyone who sees it too pale, and hide under their seats.

ASTRID

Good. But you've already done that.

Another beat.

HICCUP

Then something crazy.

"Oh Boy" Gobber comments as he finally crawls out from under his seat.

Astrid smiles.

ASTRID

That's more like it.

"Welcome back crazy Hiccup." Astrid says happily.

"Astrid I don't think a crazy Hiccup is such a good idea." Gobber tells her.

"Gobber don't worry about it." Older Hiccup replies. "She only had to fish me out of some trees a couple of times."

"Lad, I don't even wanna know" Gobber says with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh.. but trust me you do" Older Hiccup says with a grin that makes grown men run scared.