Author's Note:

Hey there everyone! Welcome and thank you for joining me on my first adventure into writing my own fanfic. :) I wanted to first invite any comments, advise and overall thoughts, I'm hoping this will end up being a rather large story since I already have plans for a much bigger picture than just a quick wrap-up kind of job and I want anyone who reads this to feel free to be apart of the journey. I'll try to answer questions and comments as time allows here, so please feel free to participate. I've been reading fanfiction since I was about thirteen, so I already feel like I know a lot of people/fellow writers here and in a way it feels like a big family and I've learned to value the voice of the community here. As far as this story goes, I'll be explaining little things as we go along, but for now, I'll just say I'll try to avoid cliffhangers as much as I can and that while these first few chapters may seem a little slow or don't make sense, hang in there. Everything is going to play into the big picture. Also, sorry in advance for any mistakes, I will fix them as I find them! So until next time, enjoy and I'll see ya around! ~Spitfire

- Chapter 2: Day Turned to Night

"Gobber?" Hiccup tried to get a response only to duck into a roll out of the way of the incoming blade. "Gobber! What's going on? Gobber answer me!" Hiccup shouted at his mentor.

"Heh, you're really funny, you almost had me the-Ahck?!" Hiccup cried in shock when Gobber swung the handle of his battleax right into Hiccup's shoulder that he now held in pain. He didn't think it was dislocated, but it would definitely be bruised later. If this was supposed to be a joke somehow, the humor was lost on Hiccup. He lept away as he rammed his staff into Gobber's stomach, creating what Hiccup hoped would be enough distance to get a read on what the hell was going on right now. "Gobber, talk to me.." Gobber only stared blankly at Hiccup and twirled his ax in response, getting ready to charge once more. It wasn't so much the giant man charging at Hiccup while swinging a battleax that bothered him, Gobber had already done that many times before. No, it was the look on his face. Usually, there was always a twinkle in his eyes or a challenge in his mouth. But this, nothingness... No expression, no light, no mercy. Something was different. Hiccup had a suspicion that his life would never be the same, though he had no idea why.

Hiccup narrowed his eyes. 'Okay, so maybe deal with this and talk later...'

Quickly Hiccup started thinking about a game plan. Clearly for whatever reason Gobber didn't feel like talking. Maybe it was that fish... Hiccup eyed the man in front of him. Quickly, Hiccup raced forward and aimed a strike at Gobber's head, perhaps simply to knock some sense into the man, only to be deflected and driven backward. He charged again, frustration laced his every movement as he gripped his staff tighter and aimed for Gobber's hand, hoping to disarm him. Gobber barely dodged the incoming blow, sidestepping and spinning with the movement he swung his ax at Hiccup's now vulnerable side. Hiccup brought down his staff on the ax, halting it mid-strike. Hiccup grunted slightly as the bo rattled in his hands with the hit. Hiccup hooked the ax with his bo and began trying to twist it out of Gobber's hands, only to realize this was a mistake as Gobber dug in his heels and began to yank Hiccup around the room with blunt strength.

Gobber wrenched his ax backward, practically dragging Hiccup with it as he fought for footing and untangled his staff from the ax. Gobber eyed Hiccup quietly. He knew that Hiccup was confused and probably frustrated, but this was a necessary evil. He knew Hiccup was a tough kid and would understand eventually, even though he didn't like it anymore himself. Hiccup had become like his very own son over the past few years. Gobber knew Hiccup's home life wasn't what it should be. Hiccup would reason to himself to make it more positive than it was, but it was truly no way for a young man to live. And Stoic the old fool, he practically left the kid for dead. How could he not see how burdened the boy in front of him had become? Stoic had always been rather daft, but to this extent? He had done nothing to ease Hiccup's load, nor prepare him for the future that lay before him. Gobber sighed inwardly. He had come to be very fond of the now young man and bled for the fact that his father didn't see what was so obvious. All Gobber could do about it though is work from the shadows and hope that he could prevent any damage that would be unrepairable. Gobber tightened his grip on his ax. Besides, he had a promise to keep. Stealing himself once more he rushed Hiccup, surprising him with the sudden movement, and swept him off his feet.

Hiccup jumped up, shaking off the now ache in his back and charged at Gobber again striking him in the leg. Gobber grunted and brought a meaty fist to Hiccup's side. Hiccup was again thrown back, wincing as he tried to suck in the oxygen that had just been knocked out of him. Shaking himself and ignoring the pain in his side, Hiccup lept forward, twisting his bo in his hands he once again hooked Gobber's ax, this time spinning it out of the man's hands and disarming him completely. He then kicked the ax out of reach and held his staff at Gobber's neck.

"Okay, now, I don't have a clue what that was about," Hiccup said, panting, "but perhaps now we can-hey wha-AHH?!" Gobber had yanked the staff out of his hands and swept Hiccup off his feet and pushed Hiccup down with the staff roughly. "Nev'r hesitate! Nev'r! Th' world will always go fo' th' kill 'iccup!" Gobber shouted. Hiccup stared up at Gobber with mouth agape and wide eyes in shock. "What's this really about Gobber?" Hiccup asked. Gobber's eyes softened and he reached a hand down to help Hiccup up. He stared at Hiccup firmly and asked, "Wha' do ya really fight fo' lad?" Hiccup stared at him quizzically. "I... fight to avoid living in a hospital?" "No 'iccup, wha' do ya really fight for?" Gobber asked searchingly. Hiccup shook his head, "I don't know Gobber. Probably to stop at least some of the evil in the world, maybe save a kid like me someday or something." Gobber sighed. "Ye've got t' find th' reason ya fight 'iccup. A fight withou' ah reason is th' greatest crime of all." Again Hiccup stared at him in confusion. "So coming here every day to spar is-" "Should be t' prepare fo' somethin' greater! I know ya feel it in ye'er bones 'iccup, the pull fer purpose. Ya need t' find the reason fo' yer fight lad." Hiccup stood as though he had been struck with the staff still in Gobber's hands. "Aye I know lad. 'ave fo' some time. Yer not like some of th' rest of us. Ye've got some fate in yer step. Th' question is, what are ya goin' ta do with it? Wh'ts yer purpose?" Hiccup was star struck. And here he thought this man couldn't tell the difference between red and blue, but here Gobber was, describing Hiccup's very soul with insightfulness that was almost terrifying coming from him. Hiccup looked up at Gobber with a tired expression, "I don't know Gobber, I haven't found my fate yet. It seems like all I have is a whole ton of questions and not very many answers lately." Gobber sighed and looked away, then glanced back and said, "Aye, I know lad. How 'bout fer now we get ya some food? We'll worry abou' life's questions later. Alrigh'?" Gobber was relieved to see the heavy look in Hiccup's eyes let up a little again. "Of course food is the first thing you think of.." Hiccup said with humor in his voice. "Alright, just so long as it's not one of those hideous sandwiches." "Hideous?! I'll 'ave ya know my sandwiches are nothin' but divine!" Gobber said as he put down the staff and began to hobble back inside.

"Ye've got t' find th' reason ya fight 'iccup." Gobber's words echoed in Hiccup's mind as he walked home. The reason for his fight... He had never really thought about it much. At first, it was just something he did as a way to protect himself, and maybe to help him find a way to vent, let off some frustration. But now? He obviously didn't have much of a bully problem anymore, well, physically at least. He had always figured that maybe he could use this skill in a future occupation somehow. He didn't really have much to fight for right now as it was anyway. 'Maybe Gobber means like fighting for the underdog. Protect the weak and that kind of thing. Like finding a sense of justice? But I already have that. No, maybe the point is to find what to do with it, how to direct what's already there. Yeah! That makes sense...' Hiccup continued to reason as to what Gobber meant back there. Hiccup paused and looked around. Nighttime had fallen, and the street lights were lighting up the path with a dim golden glow. He glanced up at the moon. It was odd, how despite all the light it seemed that the world was slightly darker than usual. There weren't any visible stars and that only added to the feeling that the shadows could reach your very soul. Hiccup breathed in the cool fall air. Earth and the sent of whatever the nearest house was having for dinner filled his lungs. Hiccup slowly willed his muscles to unwind. He pulled his hoodie closer and continued home. Yes, something was stirring in the air. Now if only he could lay a finger on what exactly.

Hiccup walked stepped into the house quietly. It wasn't late, but no doubt his father had already locked himself in his room again. Hiccup went to the kitchen and checked the cabinets and fridge to see what they had on hand. How he managed to escape another one of Gobber's sandwiches was a miracle he couldn't take credit for, but he would count his blessings and find something edible now that his appetite had returned. He began pulling out some ingredients for what he liked to call "fixin's casserole," because you could make it out of whatever "fixin's" you happened to have on hand. Looks like this one would be a rare beef based dinner, Hiccup observed. Grabbing an a skillet, he started chopping an onion up to toss in with the beef. Hiccup leaned over the stove as he let the spices take him back to when he was little. Hiccup giggled as he recalled the first time he was tall enough to see the counter where his mom would create what magic struck her creativity that day. Laughing, she would call it her creative itch. "I've got to do something new when it hits you see" She would tell Hiccup as he stared with eyes full of wonder at his plate. "Where does it come from?" He asked her as they cleaned up. "Ah, from deep, deep within. Maybe from your very soul. You can't see it, but you feel it. It keeps you awake at night if you ignore it you know! It's our will to be alive and not just breathing that brings it 'round in the first place." She would say, looking thoughtful. "If life becomes stale in anyway it's that inner tick that gets your blood flowing again. Why do think some people joke about a mid-life crisis?" She would grin at the thought. "A little adventure, it's what reminds us of the air in our bodies and the beat to which our heart pumps." Hiccup stared eyes wide with wonder at her words. "Wow.. Does everyone have that?" He asked her. "Indeed, but you'll find that not everyone listens to it." She said as Stoic had walked in the door. "Take your father for instance!" She said with a sly grin. "What about me?" Stoic asked with a smirk. "Ah, we were just talking about how you never listen to the will of the heart!" His mom said, grinning up at Stoic. "Well, I married you didn't I?" They laughed at that and continued cleaning up. Ah, how different things were now. He dumped more cheese on what was now a sort of enchiladas in a pan. It was here that he felt closest to his mother and though it came with a fresh reminder of her missing presence, he wouldn't give up the memories for anything.

After dinner Hiccup threw the leftovers in the freezer, glad to have a week of actual food now. He laughed to himself as he saw the freezer meals he dad lived off of. How he could call those hot pockets "food" wasn't something Hiccup thought would ever be clear to him. Hiccup grabbed a small ice pack for his shoulder and went upstairs to his room and sighed. This was pretty much how he lived out his days. Feeling like a stranger in his own house while living off of scraps of random food while fighting all manners of boredom. This, this is why he needed to get outta here. This kind of lifestyle was not healthy.

Hiccup grabbed his phone after seeing the notification light blinking oddly against the dull lighting. He had gotten a text from Jessica, a girl he worked with a few times down at the animal shelter he volunteered at from time to time. He always had a knack for animals and he reckoned he got it from his mother.

Hey Hiccup!

I was wondering if

you could stop by the shelter

tomorrow? Apparently, there were

too many animals at the nearby shelter

so we're taking some off their hands

and we could use all the help we can get

with incoming traffic. xD

Hey Jes,

Sure, I'll stop by on my way home

tomorrow.

Great, thanks!

No problem, see ya then!

Alright! ^-^

"Well, at least I'll have something to do tomorrow.." Hiccup said to himself as he put his phone down. He grabbed his journal from his desk and went to the window and, after deciding it wasn't too cold, he climbed out onto the roof to write. Hiccup tried several times to put his thoughts into words, but his mind was still spinning from all that Gobber had said. It wasn't at all like the meathead to talk about things so seriously, or anything serious for that matter... But the look in his eyes still troubled Hiccup. No, that certainly wasn't their typical type of banter. For some reason, it felt like that entire conversation (and lack thereof) had been a type of turning point. Maybe this was some type of universal clue for what direction he should go? Gobber had said he needed to know what you fight for, but what does that even look like? And why was he bringing that up now? Hiccup sighed and brushed his troubled thoughts to the back of his mind as he stumbled back inside and to his bed. Maybe he just needed to sleep on all of this he thought as he stared at the ceiling. Darkness took over the room, and his mind as he drifted off to sleep.

Next day after school, Hiccup trudged through the forest again and headed in the direction of the shelter. This worked out, as he was kinda trying to avoid Gobber anyway. The downside was that in order to get to the shelter Hiccup had to leave the wonderful coverage of the trees. Stepping onto the sidewalk, Hiccup snuggled deeper into his hoodie, grateful for the mobile sanctuary. He quietly observed the bustle of the world around him. People racing from one destination to another. Kids dragging their parents and parents dragging their kids. So many people, faceless and dull. A sea of grey and only a few standing out. A typical thing amidst humanity today. There were a few people that would occasionally stand out to Hiccup, and he often amused himself trying to imagine and figure out why they stood out and what they were like based on mere seconds of seeing them. A man walking with two young girls laughing and zipping back and forth with them and yet despite no ring on his finger, the girls looked happy to be around him. No doubt a father who loves his children no matter what the circumstances in life. A sweet-faced lady, walking tall and confident, perhaps she had been in the military or had a degree in engineering. A quiet young lady with a mustard yellow hat, maybe she loved to draw and dreamed of traveling the world. Hiccup always felt like the word "humanity" was just a little bit closer when he did this. Like he could understand how the world spun and destroy the fear of anything by seeing, really seeing the people around him. It's a lot easier, after all, to go to a job interview and do well when you see the life in the eyes in front of you first.

A rapidly approaching car raced right through a puddle before Hiccup could shake himself of his thoughts and jump back and the cold water brought an unpleasant shock of cold. "And then there are the absolute fools.." Hiccup said to himself with a shake of his head. There always was someone who made him question his belief that there was good in the world. Hiccup examined himself to survey the damage. "Looks like I'll have to do a load of darks later." The muddy water had splashed all over his jeans, but thankfully and almost miraculously it missed his sweater. Nothing is more heartbreaking then something happening to a favorite sweater, especially a treasured hoodie. After all, hoodies are essential to life. He pushed off the mud as best he could but regretted it as now he had mud on his hands and nowhere to put it but back on his jeans. "Lovely" Hiccup muttered. Once the shelter was in view, Hiccup let out a sigh of relief at the sight of the odd little building. It sort of looked like a toddler had been entrusted with the paint job, and that someone had cut out magazine dogs and cats and plastered them all over the door and wall. Not the most encouraging picture to potential adopters, if they could even find the shelter in the first place. From the street view, it looked more like an abandoned restaurant than an animal shelter. Hiccup grinned at the thought of people needing a secret handshake to get into the place as he pushed the door open. An ever familiar ding of the bell made a quiet entrance impossible, not that Hiccup minded too much.

"Oi Hiccup! Is that you?" Jessica shouted from wherever she currently was hidden in the building. "Yeah Jes, it's me!" Hiccup hollered back. "Come give me a hand will ya?" Jessica yelled. "Where exactly are you?" Hiccup asked while heading to the back to try and find said screaking girl. "Well, what do we have here?" Hiccup asked when he rounded the corner to the sort of doggo spa and saw Jessica with a currently very sudsy chihuahua. "Oh, this here is Master Rhino!" She said while lifting him up in the air like lion king, bubbles running down her arm and landing on the floor in the process. "Well good evening Master Rhino!" Hiccup said with a bow, "I do hope you find the service to your liking?" Rhino blinked up at Hiccup with a rather indignant expression. "Tsk tsk, well that won't do, we must fix this at once! Jessica, I do believe Master Rhino means to mention that the availability of treats is not up to par, please do see to it at once." Hiccup said with a flourish and a quick clap of his hands. "Why, but of course milord! We shall find means of repairing this predicament." Jessica said with a curtsy, Rhino still in her hands and looking rather bored as the little dog turned his head in disinterest. Jessica laughed as she straightened and Hiccup chuckled heartily with her. "Hey, thanks for stopping by, I really appreciate it." Jessica said to Hiccup when her laughter died down. "Oh yeah! No problem. It's been too long since I last stopped by anyway." Hiccup said with a shrug. "I know, it's been forever since I last saw-OH my cow Hiccup! What did you do to your clothes?" Jessica questioned as she finally caught sight of Hiccup's soaked clothes. "Eh, it was just some clown on the road, he was driving too fast when he hit a conveniently placed puddle." Hiccup said with a sheepish smile. "Sheesh! Well grab one of those towels and dry off some!" Jessica said with a nod towards the pile of folded towels on the counter. "Then once you're done you can exercise Big Duke!" "Ah yes, and the dictatorship has returned!" Hiccup said with a mock nod of respect as he walked past Jessica. "Hey watch it, mister!" Jessica said as she punched him in the shoulder, leaving a fist shape of bubbles on his sweater. "Hey hey hey! Easy, easy!" Hiccup lifted his hands in surrender with a laugh as he walked backward out of the door.

Hiccup flicked the bubbles off of his sweater as he headed in the direction of the kennels in search of Big Duke. Rubbing a tired hand across his face, Hiccup reached for a leash out of the pile that was somehow still organized and headed for the kennel at the end of the row. Big Duke was a deceivingly sweet Rottweiler who had been left on the side of the road a few months ago. Hiccup was the first male that Big Duke let come near him, even though Hiccup didn't figure that meant much since he wasn't much of a threat no matter how you diced it. Still, Duke didn't really seem to care for anyone other than Hiccup and Jessica and more or less tolerated anyone else who came to take care of him. So it was no surprise when the moment Duke caught a whiff of Hiccup he became a blur of brown and black. "Hey there Duke! How are you? I know, I know, I should've visited sooner. But look who's been getting bigger in the meantime, huh?" Hiccup spoke as he opened the kennel and stepped inside, bending down to pet Big Duke and snap the leash on. "Arg, I'm happy to see you too, now... hold.. still!" But the Big Duke would not sit. Rather, Duke knocked Hiccup square on his already sore rear and promptly plopped himself onto Hiccup's lap. "Well, while it is truly magnificent to be appreciated, I am here to escort you for a walk!" Hiccup said, almost pouting at the big dog. Hiccup took a moment to just breath. Animals truly were a source of comfort and peace. Well, as much peace as a two-ton oaf who's tail wagging could rock a navy ship could be classified as anyway. "Alright, come on Duke, let's get those legs stretched properly, okay big boy?" Hiccup said while giving the dog a fond scratch behind the ears.

Hiccup walked Duke out the back to the walk areas and his mind wondered again while he held the leash. That is, he was holding on absentmindedly, until Big Duke decided to bolt after some random thing Hiccup couldn't see. "AHHHHH NO DUKE!" Hiccup yelled as he fought to keep a hand on the leash. It just so happened that it was his sore shoulder that Duke had decided to yank, and Hiccup gritted his teeth with the now sharp ache that bloomed across his should and chest. 'And this is how it ends, isn't it?' Hiccup thought to himself as he was drug around the yard hanging on for dear life. "Hiccup! What on earth are you doing?!" Jessica appeared in the doorway, no doubt drawn to the scene by the noise. "Me?! Ask Duke!" Hiccup yelled back. "Well let go ya bloody dingo! The yard is fenced!" Jessica said. 'Of course, it is..' Hiccup thought as he let go and tumbled into a roll.

Jessica came running up. "Dude, are you okay?" She asked while helping him up. "Oh yeah, considering I saw my life flash before my eyes while getting tossed about like a rag doll. Oh, not to mention I'm pretty sure it's safe to say my arm is now retired for life, I'd say I'm just peachy." Hiccup said with a small roll of his eye. "Alright, alright, let's get you both inside ya sissy. Some help you are, dying on me within the first half an hour.." Jessica said. "Hold up, I'm not dead, and it's not my fault!" Hiccup said with an indignant air. "Uh huh, whatever you say," Jessica replied. "Duke! Com'ere you giant tank! I have something you might want!" As she spoke, she lifted a bag out of her pocket that smelled very suspicious and odd. Duke clearly recognized the bag, he came bounding over with a ferocity that had Hiccup wondering if he shouldn't run for cover... "Now what on earth is that?" Hiccup asked as he eyed the dog now sitting like an innocent angel, staring with bated breath at the bag Jessica dangled teasingly. "Liver treats! A dog's best friend I tell ya! I should've warned you, I've been trying to train Duke lately and found that he's a huge fan of these. Won't look twice and a cat when he knows I have have become my secret weapon!" She said, with a flutter of her fingers, as if to describe magic. "Yeah, couldn't have used some of that at all." Hiccup said with a facepalm. Jessica eyed him. He was still holding his shoulder, though no doubt he didn't realize it. The dork clearly looked tired and stressed. But in good ol' Hiccup fashion, of course, ````he didn't let her know that he was a little under the weather. She sighed.

"Alright ya knucklehead, go home." "What? Why?" Hiccup asked, surprised, "Because one, you're useless to me injured. Two, dude, I can see the bags under your eyes. You need rest! It doesn't take a genius to figure that out." She said, staring at Hiccup pointedly. Hiccup stared at her, attempting to convince her she was wrong with sheer willpower. She stared back, raising an eyebrow. He lost and dropped his head with a sigh. "Fine. But I blame you." "ME?" "Yeah, you." He confirmed. "How exactly?" She asked. "You didn't tell me about your little secret weapon!" He replied while pointing to the bag still dangling from her hand and the huge dog who was currently spinning in circles in hopes of winning favor and a treat. "Fair enough. Shall we call in even and you go get some sleep?" Jessica asked. "Fine." Hiccup said as he crossed his arms, winced and uncrossed them as nonchalantly as he could. "Just don't wait so long before you come hang again, ya hear?" Jessica asked as she guided them all back to the building. "I know, I know, I'm sorry." Hiccup said as he pet Duke a little bit more.

He waved over his shoulder at Jessica as he headed into the now darkened evening. "Try and get your dad to let you keep Duke! He'd come with a bag of treats, free of charge!" Jessica shouted as she grew smaller in the distance. "Couldn't happen in a million years!" He yelled back. She just waved him off and headed inside. Hiccup sighed as he headed back through the forest. That wasn't at all how Hiccup had hoped that would have gone, he had been looking forward to an opportunity to get her thoughts on what Gobber said. Oh well, it wasn't like he couldn't text her later, though getting a reply was a fifty-fifty chance. At least he could get out of these clothes, there was a chill in the air that didn't blend very nicely with anything wet. Hiccup kicked a small rock on the path and watched as it bounced into the trees and tumbled out of sight. Hiccup glanced up through the now nearly barren trees. The cloud filled sky cast an ominous light on the grey world around him. Hiccup shivered, though it wasn't from the cold this time and hurried on.

As Hiccup stepped through the front door, he took note that his father's car was parked outside though the lack of light or warmth let him know that his father had already retreated back into the cave that is his room. He wandered into the kitchen to grab another ice pack, reminding himself to but the one still in his room back into the freezer, since he seemed to have an ongoing need for them of late. Heated up leftovers and a quick glass of milk and he headed upstairs to his own cave. After a quick hot shower and a change of clothes, Hiccup sat at his desk to study as he ate. Pulling out a notebook, Hiccup went over his plans to leave again. It seemed so simple. Pack what few things he has the day before his graduation, graduate, and take the next bus outta here. The hard part of it all was figuring out where to go. There was always the big cities, but Hiccup had a feeling a city would eat him alive if he didn't calculate his moves very carefully. The best option so far would be to choose a college, find a place close to it, get a job and start working to go to school. Despite the bad taste that left in Hiccup's mouth, it still was a better option than sitting around here waiting to die. Hiccup tapped his chin with his pencil. He hadn't thought about Gobber. Leaving him wouldn't be easy, and the recent confusion that Hiccup felt didn't make saying goodbye any more appealing. He pushed a hand across his face. 'Why did things have to get complicated? Then again, of course it did. My type of luck after all.' He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Jessica was right, he needed sleep. 'Sure, sleep now, answers later.' He thought to himself.

The moon was now visible through the still slightly clouded sky and the light filtered through the curtains. Hiccup walked to the window and leaned against the wall as he stared out aimlessly. 'Mom, what should I do? What would you do?' Hiccup let out a bitter laugh. If his mom was still here, his life would never be like this in the first place. He would probably have a job at a shop nearby and would have chased some random dream, like to become an artist or writer or something. His mom would've encouraged him to dream big and backed him up the whole way. No use in wishful thinking now. His mom would've made the best of the situation, that's all Hiccup could strive to do now anyway. Putting his dishes up and throwing the ice packs back in the freezer, Hiccup finally stumbled into bed.

That night, his dreams were scattered and restless as Hiccup dreamt about high places, running and green eyes peering out of the shadows...