Apologies for the late upload, college is pain. In any case, new chapter's here, and here we finally see just what is in store for all the characters. Mind you, no one ever finds out everything about a new gift or talent right away.
Two Worlds Collide
Chapter 5: The Gift
I woke up in complete darkness, unable to see anything around me. I had a bit of a headache and a sore side from my not-so-soft landing on the pile of hay I was on. Sitting up, I looked around, hoping to at least catch a glimpse of where I was, but no light was present. I'm guessing I'm in one of the former dragon cells, huh? I wondered. To one side of me, I could hear noises outside, mainly the huffs, growls, and screeches of various dragons, but no people. Yet, I thought I heard voices from outside what I guessed was the door. I listened closer, but wasn't able to make anything out. Sitting back, I decided that I was simply groggy from passing out earlier that day and getting thrown into the dragon cage. Why did I pass out, I wondered, but then thought back to when I ran into the dragoness. She had said that something would make me fall asleep a second time, but what was supposed to happen after that? I couldn't remember, so I lay back down against the hay and sighed, moaning a bit at the same time.
After I heard the noise I had made, I sat up straight again. That was no moan; the sound I had produced was more like a raspy, growling hiss. "Okay, something's not right here." At least my voice was mine. At this point I noticed there was something on my back, seemingly hanging loosely from my shirt or something, but the sensation was so faint I barely felt it. The same sort of sensation was at the base of my spine. I carefully reached back, in case there was some sort of animal on me, or I had laid down in something unpleasant. As I turned to reach behind me, a faint noise like folding leather emanated from whatever it was. When my hand made contact with it, I froze. Whatever was on me was some sort of soft, smooth, and scaly sail, like a dragon's wing. What scared me, though, was the fact that when I touched it, it felt like I was touching another part of myself. I could feel my hand through the wing! I had a pair of wings growing out from my back, and when I reached down, I found a long, scaly tail extending out from me.
Exploring myself a bit more, I found that down my back and along my tail to the tip were a single row of almost finlike spines, and at the tip of my tail (that sounds so weird out loud) was a pair of relatively large, back-swept fins, a bit thinner than the ones Toothless has on his tail, and curved almost like wide blades. The spines on my back I found I could control, raising up or laying them down flat along my back, and small scales were covering most of my arms. My fingernails were modified into small, blunt claws, but my fingers were relatively the same. I felt my face, and found that it was also layered in slightly larger, plate-like scales, and my eyebrows were slightly protruding, scaly ridges like you see on vipers or some lizards. Forming a complete picture of myself, I realized I looked like a perfect halfway cross between a typical western dragon, plus the tailfins, and my own human self.
Sitting there in shock for a few minutes, I had only one question to ask. "How did this happen?" I yelled out loud. I ran over a number of possibilities, but as I ruled each one out, I realized there was only one explanation. "The gift," I whispered. "So this was the gift the dragoness gave me. Awesome gift it is, too, but why?" Sitting there, unable to do much in my state of semi-shock but think of an answer, I realized the number of things a dragon could do. I could be a hero! Okay, admittedly that sounds really corny, but it's the truth. I could save people from fire, fly them to safety, catch robbers and criminals… the list goes on.
One thing began to bug me, though: could I change back? If so, how did I change back? I focused on a picture of myself sitting in the dragon cage. Instantly, I felt the scales fade away, and the wings and tail melt back into me. In just a couple of seconds, I was myself again. I noticed my glasses sitting a bit crookedly on my face. Did I even need those anymore? I would have to wait until I got out of the cage to see that. Rubbing my forehead, I got another surprise. Right where the dragoness had touched my forehead, there was what felt like a small spiral of scales. So, I guessed that must have been my mark to show who I was, that I was the one with the gift, but decided to try and keep it hidden for as long as possible. Thank God for my long hair. "Well, at least it's easy to change," I muttered. "Can I change into other forms?" I was able to change into that half dragon/half human mix, most likely the actual dragon species that I was half of too, but what about others? If so, there was one dragon I wanted to try out.
Focusing on a picture of a Night Fury, like Toothless, I tried to control how I changed. First, I focused on the scales. Across my skin, I felt them form, and I reached down to feel where my shirt would be. "Well, there's some good news!" I commented. My shirt had also changed, becoming a part of my new scale suit. So, my clothes would change with me. At least I never had to worry about carrying my clothes with me or shredding them when I changed. I continued my transformation into a Night Fury, and the wings and tail formed. I fell onto all fours, and expanded to full size. Feeling my tail, the typical fins were there, but they were more swept back, somewhat like in my original half-form. Using my tail to feel my back, the crests that a normal Night Fury has were also a bit different, taller and movable. So, I could change into other dragons, but I also had my own set characteristics. There was one last thing I had in mind to try out: mixing and matching different dragons together with myself, but unfortunately that would have to wait. I heard footsteps outside coming down into what used to be the Kill Ring. I focused on my own self, and quickly changed back. Making a mental note to try my experiment later, I sat down and faced what I guessed was the door. Remember, it was pitch black in there.
The footsteps and muffled voices came closer, and I heard gears moving and being lifted. Then, the door swung open. Jeez, was that light bright! I blinked a couple of times, shielding my eyes, and then began to be able to make out a large number of people standing in the doorway. Taking off my glasses, the forms suddenly became clear. "Well, I guess I don't need those anymore," I mumbled under my breath. Standing in the door of the dragon cage I was in (so I was correct in my assumption on where I was) were some very recognizable forms. There was Stoick, Gobber, Hiccup, Astrid, and the rest of the gang of teenagers from the movie. "Well, it's good to see the whole motley crew is still together," I remarked. "Now, what brings you to my lovely cell? Am I able to leave this place yet?" I turned to Stoick. "And by the way, thank you ever so much for making sure that my house is in an uproar now." Stoick didn't comment back. Hiccup was the first to speak. "What in the world did you do to Toothless?!" "Ah, so you're here for answers, not to let me out. Oh, well, I guess I can't really be surprised." I shifted to face Hiccup better. "To start, be thankful I was only using my whip to defend myself, not the sword, and be glad that I'm kind of fond of dragons as well. That little scuffle that Toothless got himself into could have ended with a whole different result." Hiccup wasn't convinced. "Be thankful? He'll be walking around with a limp and unable to fly for about a week now!" I glared at him. "I simply acted in self defense. He pounced on me, not the other way around, so it's his fault, not mine. Though I regret having injured him anyways, I do not take lightly to getting attacked in any form. Now, had I used the sword in any way, there's a good chance he wouldn't fly for a month at best, and possibly could have been killed, so be happy that his injuries are as mild as they are." Looking around, I saw nearly everyone's face soften a bit. Everyone that is, except for Stoick, of course. Astrid spoke up next. "Who are you, anyways?" I laughed. "I was wondering how long that question would take. Not that it explains much, I'm Hawken, nice to meet you all." "Strange name ye 'ave there, boy," Gobber commented. "Well, now that we know you're name," he continued, "you might as well know who we are, right Stoick?" Looking at the chief and not seeing any refusal of the suggestion, Gobber stepped forward. "Very well then, I am…" I held up my hand, stopping him. "No need to continue, I already know who you all are." Starting at one end of the line, I began pointing at each respective Viking and describing them.
"You're Stoick the Vast, chief of the Hairy Hooligans tribe, and once a very devoted dragon slayer to protect your village." Moving to the next person, "You're Astrid Hofferson, a fashionable warrior teen who is often considered the best of your age level, and was the first person besides Hiccup to find out the truth about dragons." The next person was Gobber. "You, Gobber, have Hiccup as an apprentice in your job as blacksmith, and are very firm in your belief of 'learning on the job'. You also lost both your hand and leg there within the same month to dragons." The next person was the easiest to describe. "Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, you were once the scourge of the village, but became the first person to shoot down, then befriend a Night Fury, aka Toothless, and destroyed the Red Death." Already everyone's mouth was hanging open, but to drive the point home and to have a bit more fun, I continued. "Fishlegs Ingerman, a living encyclopedia on all dragons in the manual, and the only person who never actually made fun of Hiccup. Ruffnut and Tuffnut Thorston, you're twins who never seem to find a break in tormenting each other, and Snotlout Jorgenson, you are cousin to Hiccup and you're most favorite pastime appears to be trying to flirt with every girl that walks by, especially Astrid during your original Dragon Training." That got a few involuntary snorts out as Snotlout turned beet red. "That should just about cover it."
For a few minutes everyone just stood there, shell shocked and staring at me as I smirked. Finally Stoick shook his head and pointed at me. "you, Hawken, or whoever you are, have a lot o' explaining to do, starting with how the bloody heck ye know so much about us when clearly you're not from anywhere around here!" I rubbed my head, careful not to let any of them see the scale spiral in the middle of my forehead, and sighed. "Well, I was hoping to do this on a future trip here, but I'm guessing I'm not leaving until I explain myself. Am I right?" Everyone nodded. "You've got that right. We're going to keep you here until you tell us everything," Snotlout said. I glared at him. "Not helping, Lout, and thanks for pointing out the obvious." Looking around, I turned to Stoick. "Would it be possible to move somewhere a bit more comfortable? This explanation is going to take a while."