AN: ~pokes tongue out~ Dear Guest, Fight ME. O_O
Ahem, and to Jreptile101 and DarkDust27, thank you for the reviews XD I was so scared to actually look at them that when I actually read them I was that much more amazed by them. Glad you're enjoying the story.
~waves arms about~ I have a lot of surprises in store for future chapters, this right now until the movie scenes is all just build up, and, eventually, there will be major plot divergence, and potential cross overs.
So to anyone who actually reads this (And by this I do kind of mean the author's note) let me know what you want to see.
Do you want to see Jack Frost popping up as a potential love interest/friend/sent by the moon man for OC!Hiccup to do some stuff?
Do you want to see other characters from, probably, any other universe? (I've watched a lot of stuff, just request and I can probably add an arc about it)
Do you want major/minor character death (You sick, evil, fantastic people)?
Do you want Toothless to be able to become human at will? (Please say yes, I'd love to write that)
I'm a weakwilled author who just wants to write, and well once I get to the Race to the Edge series, I will be adding in any suggestion made in reviews from that point on ;) so let me know what you want (and so sorry this was long, I just forgot to put it in before and got too excited)
Anyway, Enjoy~ (Or not~)
"words" – English
"words" – Icelandic
words – thoughts
Chapter 6. How to Clumsy Your Way Out
Over the past few days, I had mainly spent my time with Snotlout and Fishlegs at the Ingerman's house, though I had been glad once I had finally been allowed to return to the forge.
Gobber had forbid me from any leatherwork the day after meeting Fishlegs as well so I had tried my best to avoid looking even vaguely tired in front of him. I couldn't help the nightmares even with Gothi's tea.
Not that being away from the workshop was all bad.
The amount of random Viking facts I learnt from Fishlegs more than made up for it, even if I did make very little progress in convincing him and Snotlout that not all dragons are bad, I eventually got them to conceed that they're smart creatures.
Though what really made up for the practice I was missing out on in the forge, was hanging out with Fishlegs's mum.
She had noticed me watching her preparing food downstairs and had offered to teach… and that she'd keep it a secret from Stoic. Her lessons in cooking had been homely… and I realised I had missed that.
In some ways being around Mrs Ingerman had felt like being around my dad from my old life, during the good times.
She would tease the three of us, and banter with us, and throw witty comebacks our way whenever the three of us were downstairs with her, and she would warmly, patiently, teach me the ways of cooking. Which was definitely a nice change from Gobber's barked orders at the forge and Stoic's disappointed grumbles the few times we got a chance to go fishing.
Hearing clattering behind me as Gobber searched about for a tool he'd left under one of the workbenches, I snuck a glance at the pile of weapons he'd been given to sharpen and mend, wondering when he was going to find the Book of Dragons under it.
Maybe by the end of today, I thought.
He'd had to delay dragon training, more like dragon killing, until he could find it. I just hoped that when he did, he wouldn't immediately realise I had stolen it, thus giving me some time to run and hide.
"Weapon fixer!" a voice I had become all too familiar with called out snottily. "My bludgeon has a scratch and must be fixed!"
Gobber snarled under his breath, gesturing me over to the larger boy. "He's yer friend, you deal with 'im."
Wearily, I dropped the leather I had been struggling with and wandered over to Snotlout, glancing back at Gobber every few steps to make sure he wasn't going to change his mind. After the first time I failed to even lift a hammer using all my weight, he had shoved me away from the front counter and into the back of the workshop, immediately grabbing whatever weapon I even tried to move within seconds of me touching it.
"Oh, weakling," Snotlout spat, his nose turned up in disgust. "Here, make sure you don't drop it. Not that you can carry it anyway," he continued, squinting his eyes at me as he held it out for me to take.
Raising an eyebrow at him, I moved forward to grab it… only for it to slip between my fingers and hit the ground, just barely missing my toes.
"Oh look at what you've done!" Snotlout screeched indignantly, bending forward to inspect it as I bent down to pick it up. He's the same age as me. How can he even lift this like he does?
"Come to the forest edge when you're done. I have something to show you," Snotlout whispered, his eyes wide and expecting until I nodded in response before he swept his hands out wide. "Oh no, this simply won't do!" he called loudly again, squinting down at me over his nose.
A snarl from Gobber drew my gaze as he wandered over and snatched the bludgeon from its place on the ground, knocking my weak grasp clean from it. "It that all, Jorgenson?" he spat, as Snotlout gazed at his fingernails.
"Why, yes, I do believe so." Snotlout sauntered out of the workship heaving a put upon sigh. "The help these days."
"I swear I'm gonna throw that kid in front o' a herd of rampaging yaks," Gobber mumbled under his breath, as he dropped the bludgeon on top of the stack of weapons with a thump causing half of them to tip over and reveal the Book of Dragons. Helping to move some of the smaller weapons, which there were few of, I heard Gobber still muttering under his breath, not having noticed the book. "Are ye s're ye're friends with 'at one, lad?"
"It's complicated," I replied with a small smile, secretly pleased with the act Snotlout had made of our friendship.
"Oh, ya, complicated, he says," he grumbled, lifting a bunch of the weapons up to plonk them back on the table only to see the Book of Dragons. "Is that where that's been?" he shouted in surpise, dropping the weapons on the workbench I had been doing leatherwork on.
Dropping the few small items I had managed to pick up onto the weapon pile, I tried to wrangle the piece of leather free from under it.
"Hiccup…" Gobber called warningly. Not looking up from the leather I was trying to free, I said nothing. "Did you know where it was this whole time?"
"Know where what was?" I asked blandly, my shoulders tensing, knowing that I wasn't even supposed to know about the Book of Dragons let alone where Gobber would leave it.
As Gobber seemed to realise this too, he grumbled some more under his breath. "Nothin'."
So, the "something" that Snotlout had wanted to show me turned out to be a network of caves. Which wasn't terribly exciting as the thought of getting lost in the cave without Snotlout to guide me, not only from the cave but also back to the village with my poor directional skills, filled me with a great sense of unease, though I appreciated his efforts to take me adventuring.
After being informed that Fishlegs wasn't coming with us, since he was a 'baby that is afraid of the dark,' we stood before the mouth of the cave as Snotlout hesitated, something on his mind.
"So, uhm," he stuttered, rubbing his arm nervously. "You should probably stay close to me."
"I had planned on that, yes," I shot back with a smirk. "Since I'm weak, and can't tell a yak from a hedge of brambles."
"No no, I mean, really stay close to me…" he continued, glancing about as if dangers lurked about. "At least… until they get used to you…"
"Until what gets used to me, Snotlout?"
"Doesn't matter," he huffed, straightening his shoulders as he dragged me into the cave. "You'll see."
"I'll see what?" I growled, tired of his noncommittal answers to anything I genuinely want to know.
"Yes, dear Snotlout, what will he see?"
"Or see, will he not, dear brother?"
Jolting in freight, I clung onto Snotlout's arm until my eyes adjust to the caves. You know those voices, it's fine. Shh, calm down, damnit.
"Cut it out guys," Snotlout responded, moving the two of us off to the left some ways.
Finally seeing at least the outlines of the three other figures in the cave, I breathed a sigh of relief, the claustrophobic feeling subsiding as depth perception became a thing again.
"Hiccup," Snotlout said, gesturing to the two matching figures opposite us. "This is Ruffnut and Tuffnut."
"Yes, I am Tuffnut Thorston, or was I Ruffnut," murmured the one on the right. "Ow!"
"I'm Ruffnut, idiot," growled the one on the left, their faces still mostly shapeless in the darkness.
"Are you sure? I could've sworn I was-" The figure on the left hit the other person again. "You are right. I am not Ruffnut."
"Not like it matters," Snotlout huffed. "I'll never be able to tell you two apart anyway." Here I imagined him rolling his eyes. "Can you just explain the rules of Hide'n'Go Kill to the newbie so we can play the game."
"You sure you don't just want us to explain the rules because you forgot them," Ruffnut snorted, now perched atop her brothers prone form on the ground.
"Wha- No. I've played, and won enough times to know what the rules are."
"Oh yeeeeeah?" Tuffnut laughed breathlessly, his ribs probably being pressed into the hard packed dirt. "Prove it."
"O-Oh, I would, but-" Snotlout stuttered, his hand bumping into me as he rubbed his arm. "But… my throat is really dry, and-"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Tuffnut mumbled as he stood up and gestured to Ruffnut. "Sister? Would you like to do the honours?"
"Why, yes, I would, Brother," Ruffnut preened with a grandiose bow. "The game is quite simple, really. The Killer is given a weapon and is made to leave the cave until they lose their- What was it we decided to call it?"
"Night vision, dear Sister."
"Ahhhh yes, night vision. And the people to be killed would hide in the cave until the Killer returned."
Sounds easy enough, pretty much Hide'n'Go Seek in a dark cave.
"O-Ohhhh! The next part is my favourite," Tuffnut cheered excitedly, with what appeared to be a twisted grin pulling at his face.
"The aim is for the Killer to knock out each of the people hiding, while the people to be killed must either kill the Killer first, or last until someone else kills the Killer."
I raised my hand timidly.
"Yes, you, the small one," Ruffnut called gruffly, pointing at me.
"By knock out, you mean that metaphorically right?"
"If by meta- whatever you just said, you mean using the weapon, or your bare hands, however, to make the other person unconscious, then yes," Tuffnut offered unhelpfully as I backed up behind Snotlout.
"Hey…" Ruffnut moved closer, seeming to be eyeing me. "Are you sure he'll survive?"
I felt Snotlout shrug in front of me. "You're alive, aren't you?"
"Fair point," Tuffnut called out at the same time that Ruffnut snarled whilst punching her brother, "What is that supposed to mean?"
"You know… Maybe this isn't such a good idea…" I mumbled nervously, really not up for potentially dying or getting brain damaged.
"What are you, a yak?" Tuffnut quipped.
"I think you mean-"
"Don't bother," Ruffnut sighed. "I got all the brains."
"Oh yeah?!" Tuffnut snapped.
"Yeeeeah!" she sneered.
"If I'm it, I'll just tap your shoulder," Snotlout whispered close by my ear, bringing me some measure of comfort.
"Thanks," I whispered back, a little unsure why he was being so… well, nice to me. This is the second time he's introduced me to friends of his and now he's offered to spare me of the pain that is apparently central to this game.
"Who's gonna be it?!" Ruffnut yelled, pulling me out of my contemplative thoughts.
"Uh, I think the obvious choice should be me," Snotlout scoffed, adding in a quiet whisper just to me, "So you can get used to the game." Baffled, thankful but absolutely baffled.
"You always go first," Ruffnut whined.
"Yeah," Tuffnut chimed in, before straightening suddenly. "I have an idea."
"Is it the one where I hit you with a mace?" Ruffnut offered.
"Well yeeeeeah, always that one, but no. I have another idea!" he cheered. "Why don't we have the small one be the Killer," he intoned dramatically.
"B-But I've never played before, and-"
"Oh it's fiiiiiine. It's easy," Ruffnut said, pulling me to face the direction we entered from. "You just take this." She handed me what felt like a fist-sized rock. "And you go outside, then you come back and hit us on the head with that." She gave me a shove forward. "Just make sure to hit Tuffnut extra hard."
Trembling, I continued forward until I reached the light of the cave. I was a little terrified that I was going to accidentally murder one of them, and very terrified that I was going to be lost in that cave forever. I guess I'd just have to hope that Snotlout kept one of those things from happening, and what a comfortingly thought that is; my fate in Snotlout's hands.
Finding a patch of sun, I tried to calm my anxious heart, finally out of the claustrophobic caverns.
I thought over my choices for this. I could take the cowardly, though sane, way out by locating Snotlout first, and maybe be seen as a target by the twins later. Or. I could be sadistic, seeing how I did know some ways to incapacitate someone without killing them, and that would be fun, but… I'm five, with little to no muscles, and all of them are bigger than me.
I sighed, and looked about, wondering if going to Snotlout was the only way…
If I could even get to him first, I thought nervously.
Releasing another heavy breath, I tossed the rock up in the air and caught it a few times, moving back into the cave. Right, they're going to attack me as well… Greeeeat.
Feeling my throat swell as my sight disappeared again, the hair on the back of my neck rising in anticipation, I strained my ears to hear anything around me. I wonder if I can train my hearing like this…
A clatter of stones further down the cave caused my heart rate to spike, my hands slick with sweat making my grip slack on the fist-sized stone.
Slowing my breath so it wouldn't hinder my hearing, I paused in my steps, listening.
Nothing. Left then?
Veering off to the left, unsure where the edges of the caves were anymore, I continued on.
Stupid of me to not just follow the walls of the caves. I'd at least feel less disorientated and-
I dropped to the ground and rolled as I heard heavy breathing to my left, images of a large hand picking me up and another smothering my mouth coming to mind as I continued to roll until I hit the wall, bile trying to climb up my throat.
Shut up. It's not real. Focus.
"Yaks," muttered Tuffnut, his footsteps sliding along the ground with a loud scraping sound, seeming to have lost me. How did I not hear that?
Waiting for the sound of scraping to get further away, I stayed frozen against the cave wall, breathing softly, wondering how long it took for my eyes to adjust last time.
Shifting as the sound finally got far enough away for my comfort, I moved into a crouching position. I was about to stand again when the sound of quick heavy footsteps echoed throughout the cavern, getting louder.
Freezing in my hunched over position, I blinked several times to see something, anything, anixety crawling over my skin.
"Hiccup?" I heard Snotlout whisper.
Unexpectedly, relief did not wash over me at the sound of his voice, a sense of apprehension dwarfing me as I tried not to move a muscle. Why does this have to happen now?
His footsteps moved safely away as I continued to fight my fear that had frozen me to the spot, images flashing by quicker now as my inability to see and the damp cold egged them on.
Swearing under my breath, I began chanting this life's name over and over in my head as I slowly stood, almost deciding that being knocked out would be better.
Following the cave wall, I felt it start to turn in the direction I heard Tuffnut going in, so I detached from the wall and dropped to the ground, crawling forward on my belly, only to freeze again as I heard footsteps again.
My whole body tensed as I waited for the victorious shout, or sound of something swinging for my head.
It didn't happen. Instead the footsteps got quicker, running closer though I had thought they were right by me to begin with.
Pain raced through my ribs as I felt something collide with them, a surprised shout accompanying the weight that slid over me and crashed further down the cave.
Not waiting for them to get up, or to make sure they're okay, I scrambled to my feet and ran blindly in the opposite direction to which they had been running. I slipped and fell a few times feeling sharp stones and grit dig into me as I did but I just hopped up and kept running, my breaths shortening.
Eventually, I hoped, I'd either run out of the caverns or just run into one of the others and collapse, pretending that knocked me out, or I guess, just into a wall.
Not soon after that thought, I really had run into a wall. My face bounced off the hard surface, a rough part of it scraping my cheek as I ricocheted off it, only to land on my back as I was stunned.
"Really, Hiccup?" Snotlout whispered, his hand snatching mine out of the air, stopping my head from recoiling on the hard stones.
"Snotlout?" I murmured drunkenly. "Did I win?" I joked.
I could almost sense him rolling his eyes as he pulled me to his feet. "Time's up."
"THERE WAS A TIME LIMIT?!" I squawked indignantly. "You couldn't have told me that sooner?"
Snotlout dragged me along, not answering me as he guided me to the exit.
Blinking in the bright afternoon sun, I rubbed my eyes, and imediately regretted my actions. As Snotlout freed my arm, I brushed the both of them off on my pants, returning them to my eyes to rub some of the grit I'd put there out of them.
A hand hit my back while I was occupied, throwing me forward a step. "That was awesome!"
Looking over at Tuffnut's bleeding face, I winced in sympathy and glanced over at Ruffnut who sported a similar injury.
"Two for the price of one," Ruffnut chuckled, tapping her fist with Tuffnut's.
"Hah! What happened to you two?" Snotlout snorted.
I watched the two of them exchange a crooked grin as they both began to gesture wildly.
Within all the fast-paced chattering over the top of each other I didn't get anything.
"You understand any of that?" Snotlout whispered to me.
I shook my head with wide eyes as the twins fell over laughing.
"What?!" the Jorgenson snapped.
"H-Hiccup- He-" and that was all Ruffnut got out before bursting into a fit of giggles again.
Seeing the look Snotlout was giving me I waved my hands in front of me and shook my head again. "I don't know!"
"Don't know?" Tuffnut crowed as he stood up and placed his hand and some of his weight on my shoulder, wobbling my shaky balance. "You, my friend, are a genius!" he chuckled, throwing his arms up excitedly.
I'm still confused.
"Taking us both out like that!" Ruffnut snorted. "Awesome."
I tilted my head to the side. "I thought only one of you tripped over me…"
The Thorstons began sniggering again.
"Yeah, you got Tuffnut and then," Ruffnut paused dramatically, "I fell over him."
"Brilliant set up, I must say," Tuffnut continued, pointing at me with both hands.
"So," Ruffnut hummed. "Who won out of you two?"
"Uh, I did, obviously," Snotlout scoffed, rolling his eyes. Oh, is that what he meant before.
"Yeah. I ran into him and bounced off his chest," I admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of my head.
"Yaks," Tuffnut huffed.
"Hey, Hiccup."
"Yeah, Ruffnut?"
"You in a rush to get home?"
I shooked my head and looked at her curiously, as she grinned.
"Then since you're the newest addition, it shall be your task to decide on the next activity."
"Oh, well I could teach you how to make protection charms?" I offered.
"What are those?" Tuffnut sneered.
I held up my arm and pulled down my sleeve to reveal the Dragon Nip braid. "It can keep you safe."
"Safe?" he scoffed. "Who would want to be safe when you could almost die."
Titlting my head in confusion, I didn't say anything, not even knowing where to start with that statement.
"Yeah," Ruffnut agreed, head butting her brother as they snickered.
"Y-Yeah, who'd even want one of those," Snotlout agreed nervously.
"Got any other ideas?" Ruffnut sniggered. "You know, good ones."
Shrugging, I thought for a moment. "We could tell scary stories."
Snotlout seemed to flinch at that. "Pssh, a-as if that's-"
"Yes!" Tuffnut cheered. "I love scary stories. Sad we don't have Fishface hear to scare the pants of but-" He glanced about the group, his eyes lingering on Snotlout as he grinned maniacally. "Yes, this will do."
"Yes, indeed," echoed Ruffnut.
"Pssh, yeah, bring it on," Snotlout warbled weakly. "Y-You won't scare me."
Snotlout flinched at every crack of a branch or howl of wind as we made our way back to the village, the twins staying behind saying they were going to camp out there.
"Snotlout?"
"Wh-What?" he squeaked, wide eyes catching mine. "I-I mean." He cleared his throat. "What."
I tried not to giggle at his frightened behaviour. I failed, collapsing into sniggers within moments.
"You're evil," he huffed, looking about anxiously.
Sobering a bit, I patted his arm. "None of those monsters are in these woods, you know."
He turned his nose up at that as he stubbornly walked forward, his flinches smaller now. "I knew that."
"Snotlout?"
"What, Hiccup?"
"Thanks for today. It was a lot of fun." The scary story part anyway.
"O-Oh." Snotlout smiled softly at that and I was glad I had chosen to make an effort to thank him for anythin he did for me. It was good to see him genuinely happy and secure.
"See you tomorrow," I murmured happily as we cam up to the village border.
His hand on my shoulder stopped me from walking away. Glancing over my shoulder at him, I notcied the defensive way he was holding himself. "Snotlout?"
His arms wrapped around me in a tight hug. "Thank you for being my friend," he whispered softly, his arms tightening slightly.
I hugged him back, feeling a smile pull at my features.
"See you later," he coughed as he pulled back, running home without looking back.
Warmth pooled in my chest and I let the smile remain on my face as I started walking home, humming as I did.
I basked in the happiness I felt, smoothing over the anxiety and fear from earlier in the afternoon as I focused on the better parts where Ruffnut told chilling stories and Tuffnut's stories became more comedic over time, with Snotlout's whimpers an amusing bonus. Not all of the stories I had told had been retellings of the possible future either. I had told horror stories I had read online in my past life, ones that had truly frightened me at the time, and it felt good… Not having to smother all of my memories of my past. I could actually talk about some of them… It was a relieving discovery.
Bumping into something, I stumbled back a few steps and shook my head, chuckling to myself… until I looked up.
A small angry girl with braided pigtails glared back at me, her big blue eyes thin slits of annoyance.
Is that-
"You're in my way," she huffed, her eyes level with mine.
"O-Oh, sorry, Astrid."
She stiffened at her name and gave me a look, one of her eyebrows rising past the line of her helmet as her hands came to rest on her hips. "Do I know you?"
I struggled not to break into a smile as I was reminded of one of my partners… but, like, a tinier version of them, which is saying something since Ash was around five feet tall, and just as grumpy.
"I don't think so," I replied, stepping to the side so she could move past me.
I watched as she left, the smile on my face growing as I thought of Ash, humming as I turned around to continue on my way, only to pause and look back at her again, my heart pounding in my ears.
What if-
I ran to my house before the thought could fully process. I slammed open the door and ran up the steps, taking to at a time until I got to the journal I hid under my thin pillow.
What if I wasn't the only one who-
I stopped the thought again, flinching as I didn't really want to consider the possibility that Ash had- well, and then reincarnated, maybe.
A mixed, twisted feeling of despair and hope filled me. A chance to not be alone, to talk to someone from my old life, to acutally hug someone I loved. I-
My thoughts clattered to a halt as a tear slipped down my face.
Am I really hoping those people got to Ash too?
No, I resoned with myself, thinking their illness could've taken its toll or-
My chest hurt, breath becoming harder. I didn't want for them to be dead. I didn't want that anymore than I wanted Adrianna to be-
I felt sick, throwing my journal back on my bed as I grabbed the bag of herbs from my desk and going downstairs.
I focused on boiling the herbs as I tried to arrange my thoughts.
But- No.
Inhaling the arome of the boiling herbs, I scrubbed my cheeks, flinching as I brushed the scrape on one of them causing it to sting as I had wiped salty tears over it.
Pouring my self a mug of tea, I returned to my room and bundled under the covers.
If either of them reincarnate here then… Then I'll find out eventually. Thinking like this now is just dangerously stupid wishfulness and I shouldn't be wishing for the death of my partners just so I can see them again.
Sipping part of the warm liquid into my mouth, I held it there, swirling it around to coat the inside as something to focus on.
Are they okay? I wondered, hoping the worst hadn't happened.
I knew Bob, their primary partner, would be there for Ash, and that Adrianna had Tyrone but… She told me she couldn't live without me…What if she…
I sighed heavily, picking up my journal and pulling my charcoal pencil from within my vest and started drawing.
Each line took place on the paper, awkwardly forming the faces of my lovers, my tears continuing to wet the paper.
"Hiccup?!" Stoic called up the stairs.
I put the mug on the floor beside my bed, hiding it from view, same with my journal and pencil as I crawled further under the covers and pretended to be asleep. I didn't want to be Hiccup anymore today, even as I was frustrated with my moods. I had been doing so well today…
"The Gods hate me…" I whispered as I buried my face in the pillow.
"Hiccup?" I heard Stoic call as he came up the stairs. "Oh."
Heavy footsteps pattered closer to my bed, floorboards squeaking as they did. "Hiccup?" he whispered.
He let out a hum, leather creaking and shoes scraping the wood as he turned around. "I'll let you sleep then," he said with a chuckle as he walked down the stairs, mumbling to himself. "Must've had a long day, 'en."
Hearing the front door slam, I wasn't sure if I wanted to finish my tea or just sleep now. I was tired, and my mind felt like it was trying to unravel.
Sitting up, I snatched the tea off the floor and stared at the wall opposite me, glaring at it. If I was going to be depressed, and lost, and mad for the rest of the night, I may as well finish my tea and find something to do; something unproductive and un-Hiccup-like.
Too bad I was actually like Hiccup in a lot of ways, and could actually see him doing a lot of the things I do.
Heck, he probably even wrote smut too.
Irritation filled me as my mood swung again.
I'm going to find a skirt. He probably wouldn't wear a skirt right?