Chapter 20

DISSOLVE TO:

A whiteout of ash. And through it comes...

STOICK

Hiccup? Hiccup!?

Stoick appears, searching desperately. Everything is scorched. Even the ground is smoking from the terrible heat.

"Please be alright son." Stoick says watching the screen worry written on his face.

"Wow….. the Stoick facade finally broke" Hiccup says dryly.

STOICK (CONT'D)

Hiccup!? Son!?

Through the ash, Stoick sees the motionless silhouette of Toothless.

STOICK (CONT'D)

(GRAVE)

Hiccup.

He hurries to the dragon's side. Toothless is roughed up, but conscious. His scorched saddle, however, is vacant. Stoick looks to the sky in despair. He buckles at the knees, overwhelmed by the loss.

STOICK (CONT'D)

Oh son...I did this...

Astrid pushes through the crowd, her eyes welling up. Followed by Gobber. They flank Stoick as he kneels, slumped over. Behind them, a ring of Vikings form, keeping a respectful distance. As the dust and smoke clear, a ring of wild dragons can also be seen, gathering just behind and between the Vikings. Toothless stirs and groggily rolls his head toward Stoick. Their eyes meet.

STOICK (CONT'D)

I'm so sorry…

The audience watched with baited breath. Some of the Vikings let out whimpers, not wanting to believe that Hiccup was dead, while the dragons crooned sadly at the sight of the riderless Night Fury.

"NO.. NO.. I can't lose you…..now….." Stoick crumpled into his seat, looking worse than when he lost Valka.

Astrid just sits there too stunned to move or do anything, even Snotlout's mouth was hanging open in disbelief.

Toothless unfolds his wings, revealing Hiccup, unconscious, clutched safely against his chest. Stoick's eyes widen.

STOICK (CONT'D)

Hiccup.

Everyone's eyes snap to the screen as soon as they hear Stoick say it, yet no one dares to hope he survived after witnessing what happened.

He scoops Hiccup into his arms. Listens to his heart. Bursts into relieved laughter.

STOICK (CONT'D)

He's alive!

Loud cheers rang through the theater, as both Vikings, and dragons celebrated. The dragons in their elation shot fireballs towards the ceiling.

"My theater!" Oh no mom's gonna kill me!" I shout in panic.

Red quickly, and furiously starts pulling out devices from his bag, tossing random ones away mumbling things like "Nope not that one", "where is it".

Then he shouts in jubilation " Aha, found it".

"AAAH! The ceiling!" I can't help but scream as a giant fireball heads towards it.

Red quickly presses the button on the device he grabbed, and throws it up to the ceiling, just before the giant fireball hits the ceiling a shield appears just in time to stop it from destroying the roof.

I look to Red grateful, when a wicked smirk crosses my face. I put my arm around his shoulders, and give him a big kiss on the cheek. Red too shocked about this simply stares into space, while mumbling "I should do this more often."

"You better not!" I shout. "I have enough trouble with these groups." indicating towards the Vikings, and dragons.

Red then starts to pick up the large pile of devices that are still on the floor from when he was trying to find the shield generator.

"How did those fit in your man purse?" I can't help but ask. "Did you just pull a Doctor Who?"

"Hmm… oh… yeah about that… you know Hermione's purse in Harry Potter" Red says with a smirk… 'uh oh'.

"Yes….?" I reply not at all liking that look.

"Well I may or may not have stolen it, and figured out how it worked… may or may not be why I am missing half my body, and using nanites…." Red said trying to look innocent but ultimately fails.

"Good going Hermione." I mumble.

"Guys. What's Harry Potter?" both Hiccups ask, but we chose to not answer the question.

(TO TOOTHLESS)

You brought him back alive!

The crowd roars. Followed by the dragons. The Vikings look around to find themselves surrounded. Stoick leans close to Toothless, meeting him eye to eye.

STOICK (CONT'D)

(PRIVATELY)

Thank you... for saving my son.

Gobber looks Hiccup up and down.

GOBBER

Well, you know... most of him.

Stoick glances back at him. Gobber shrugs, redirecting his eyes toward...

"Gobber what do you mean by that?" Hiccup asks.

"I don't know…. It is the future" Gobber says, but before I can continue the movie, Older Hiccup speaks up.

"Just look at the two of us Hiccup and think really hard" Older Hiccup says.

"What do you me…...OH" Younger Hiccup says starting to pale while the rest of the Vikings, and Dragons still don't know what he means.

INT. STOICK'S HOUSE - DAY

CLOSE ON

HICCUP, asleep, his head on a pillow. Healing scars on his face show that maybe a week or two have passed. Toothless hovers over him, WHINING and GRUMBLING impatiently. Hiccup stirs. Opens his eyes.

HICCUP

(GROGGY)

Oh, hey Toothless.

Toothless excitedly nuzzles and nudges Hiccup.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

Okay, okay! I'm happy to see you too, bud. Now just-

Toothless steps on his groin, causing Hiccup to sit BOLT UPRIGHT with a YELP. He looks around, confounded. He's in his bed, moved beside the fire pit on the main floor of his house.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

I'm in my house.

(re: Toothless, leaning over him, excited)

You're in my house.

Toothless TEARS around the room, knocking things over, far too big for the space.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

Uh...does my dad know you're in here?!

Laughter could be heard from the older Hiccup. "From what I heard, Toothless sat on dad until he gave in, and let him inside."

"I can be very persuasive" Toothless adds proudly.

"Remind me not to get on the bad side of the Night Fury" Stoick says groaning already thinking about his poor back.

Toothless pauses at the foot of the bed, tongue wagging. He eyes the rafters... and LEAPS UP onto them, brimming with 'happy dog' energy.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

(DISTRESSED)

Okay, okay - no Toothless! Aw, come on...

Hiccup shifts to get out of bed... then pauses... sensing that something is wrong. He peels back the covers slowly. What he sees startles, horrifies, and overwhelms him - all at once.

ON THE BARE FLOOR

His booted foot touches down. Followed by a mechanical prosthetic in place of his second leg. It's an ingenious spring-loaded replacement, made of wood and iron.

"Oh, so that's what happened to his foot." A dragon states.

Toothless lands by the bed and approaches calmly, sniffing the new leg. He raises his eyes to meet Hiccup's, seemingly aware of what Hiccup is going through. Hiccup braces himself on the bedpost and tries to stand on it. He winces and stifles the pain...

HICCUP (CONT'D)

Okay...okay...

... but STUMBLES with the first step. Toothless catches Hiccup's fall with his head... and slowly lifts him up, stabilizing him.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

Thanks bud.

Hiccup leans on him like a crutch. They take a few steps together.

Their missing parts form a poetic silhouette as they make their way toward the door. Hiccup pries it open (as he did in the opening scene), revealing a MONSTROUS NIGHTMARE flapping outside the door. Hiccup YELPS and slams the door closed. He turns to Toothless, alarmed.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

Toothless? Stay here, bud.

"Hiccup, wouldn't it have been better to let the 'very dangerous' Night Fury go first, than a 'scrawny' little Viking?" Gobber asks.

"Oops" Hiccup says looking embarrassed. "I forgot."

Hiccup pauses... and cracks the door open again. He peeks outside, his eyes widening. He allows to door to swing open, revealing...

... the Monstrous Nightmare, carrying Snotlout on its back.

SNOTLOUT

Come on guys, get ready! Hold on tight! Here we go!

A class of newbie dragon riders follow him through frame on a variety of dragons, pulling back the curtain on an amazing vista in which:

Vikings and dragons mill about by the dozen, basking on the rooftops, weaving along the plaza. No one seems upset, there isn't a sword in sight. Under the framework of a MASSIVE BARN, a Nadder BLASTS fire onto a metal brace. It steps back to let a Viking hammer it into shape. Nearby, a Gronkle lands, carrying a tree trunk in his mouth. He shows a Viking what he's found. The Viking pats his head. Another Viking backs a Zippleback into a stall to check it for size. Hiccup takes a step outside, finding Stoick waiting for him on the step.

"Yeay, peace. Peace. Peace." A pack of Terrible Terrors chant.

HICCUP

I knew it. I'm dead.

Stoick laughs.

STOICK

No, but you gave it your best shot.

He puts his arm around Hiccup, steadying him. He gestures to the transformed village.

STOICK (CONT'D)

So? What do you think?

Hiccup just shrugs, amazed. Below, the plaza, villagers take notice.

VIKING #1

Hey look! It's Hiccup!

They rush over, surrounding him with a hero's welcome.

VIKING #2

Hiccup, how you doin' mate?

VIKING #3

It's great to see you up and about.

STOICK

(SWEETLY)

Turns out all we needed was a little more of...

(GESTURES NON-SPECIFICALLY

AT HICCUP)

... this.

HICCUP

(PLAYING ALONG)

You just gestured to all of me.

GOBBER (O.S.)

Well. Most of you.

Gobber pushes through the crowd, beaming proudly.

GOBBER (CONT'D)

(re: the prosthetic leg)

That bit's my handiwork. With a little Hiccup flare thrown in.

Think it'll do?

HICCUP

(bittersweet, coming to TERMS)

I might make a few tweaks.

"Lad, you certainly made more than a few." Gobber says looking at older Hiccup's metal prosthetic.

Astrid appears and jabs Hiccup in the arm. Hiccup recoils with a grumble.

ASTRID

That's for scaring me.

"Why do you always resort to violence?" Hiccup asks Astrid.

"It's not violence. It's communication." Astrid huffs out causing Vikings and dragons alike to laugh.

HICCUP

(PROTESTING)

What, is it always going to be this way? Cause I...

She grabs him aggressively... then kisses him. Hoots and hollers follow.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

... could get used to it.

"See hatchling, she is your mate. No denying it now." Astrid's Nadder says.

"We will be eagerly waiting for some grand-hatchlings." A Gronkle interjects getting nods from various dragons, and causing another blush on both the teens, and the Vikings start to laugh.

"Why is it that I have to be the one that gets parents from both species" Hiccup says dryly comments.

"That's nothing new." Eret comments earning an incredulous look from the younger Hiccup, and Astrid, while getting a head slap from older Hiccup.

"Hey just stating the obvious." Eret says rubbing the back of his head. "I swear Toothless has some sort betting pool going with the dragons."

"Probably" mumbled Toothless.

Gobber presents Hiccup with a rebuilt saddle, rigging, and tail.

GOBBER

Welcome home.

Suddenly, Toothless pounces on the crowd, crushing several unsuspecting Vikings under his weight.

VIKING

Night Fury, get down!

Toothless eyes the new tail excitedly, tongue wagging. Amidst the groans and grumbles, Hiccup and Astrid exchange a sheepish grin.

CLOSE ON

CLOSE ON

Hiccup's prosthetic foot, snapping into the modified stirrup.

The two pieces click together, forming a single shape. Astride Toothless, he's whole again. He rotates the pedal. The new tail opens. Bright red with a skull and Viking horns emblazoned on it. Hiccup approves.

CUT BACK TO REVEAL...

Hiccup and Toothless, saddled up and ready to fly. Astrid backs her Nadder into position.

HICCUP

(TO TOOTHLESS)

You ready?

Toothless SNORTS an excited 'yes!'

From his mount, Hiccup looks out over the changed world.

HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)

This... is Berk.

(BEAT)

It snows nine months of the year... and hails the other three.

They LEAP into the bright blue sky, together as one. Astrid follows, giving chase.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

Any food that grows here is tough and tasteless. The people that grow

here are even more so.

"WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN" Several Vikings yell.

Hiccup and Astrid race their dragons through the village - under eaves, over rooftops, down cliff-sides, and between ship masts. It's a high energy, romantic dance of sorts.

HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)

The only upsides are the pets.

While other places have...ponies or parrots, we have...

Their fellow recruits join them as they take to the open sky, rocketing far above the village. The Northern sky swirls with blazing, multicolored dragons. Hiccup and Toothless break from the pack, spinning into the blinding sun.

HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)

(PROUDLY)

... dragons.