So, I hope you are all enjoying this so far. :D Shout-outs soon! :D Enjoy the next chapter!
Later that evening finds Hiccup at his house, sitting on the edge of his bed, looking out the open window at the stars that brightened the night sky. He flopped backwards and lay in an awkward position, running a hand over his face. Why did everything have to be so difficult?
He didn't blame his friends for being slightly worried about him; on the other hand, though, he really hated it. He already had a hard enough time with everything else he dealt with without his friends coming up to him every ten seconds asking him if he was alright.
He was just about to go to sleep when he heard a thump. Shooting up in his bed and turning towards the sound, he found himself face to face with—
"Tuffnut? What are you doing in my house?"
"Who is this Tuffnut?" said Tuffnut. "I am not Tuffnut! I am the Ghost of Jacob Marley! Ooooooh!"
"No, you're not," said Hiccup. "You're Tuffnut."
"I know not of this Tuffnut!" said Tuffnut. "And I am here give you a warning to heed, Ebe-Sneezer."
"Ebe-Sneezer?" Hiccup frowned. "You couldn't do better than that?"
"I do not know of which you speak!" said Tuffnut. "You are Ebe-Sneezer! My name is Jacob Marley!"
"You have got to be kidding me," said Hiccup. "And you know, even when my friends are mad at me, they still call me Hiccup."
"No, your name is Ebe-Sneezer!" said Tuffnut. "You are the village grump who everyone feels sorry for!"
"Are you just ad-living this, or—"
"I am here to warn you, Ebe-Sneezer!" said Tuffnut…Jacob Marley…whichever.
"It's Hiccup!"
"Right, right," said Tuffnut. "Whoooosh." He flung dust out of his hands and onto the floor in front of them. "At the stroke of midnight, you will receive a second visit!"
"Will they be Ghosts, too?" Hiccup groaned.
"Yes, looks like someone's been paying attention," said Tuffnut (Jacob Marley, doesn't matter at this point). "Hold on tight, Ebe-Sneezer! Get ready for a while ride!" Tuffnut moved back over to the window and leaped out of it, falling onto the ground with a THUMP.
Hiccup stared out into space and rolled his eyes. He stood up, closed the window, and then went back to his bed, falling into a light slumber.
…
THUMP.
Hiccup sat up instantly, hearing the same sound once more. He looked to the side and saw his window wide open, the cold wind blowing inside the room. In front of the window, stood a girl.
"Astrid?" Hiccup said. "How did you get in here?"
"I am not Astrid!" the girl snapped. "I am the Ghost of Snoggletog Past, and I have my ways, Ebe-Sneezer!"
"My name is Hiccup. Again with the Ghosts," Hiccup frowned and groaned. "Tuffnut just came in a little while ago trying to warn me that more of you would be coming."
"Who is this Tuffnut?" said Astrid.
"I have got to see where this is going," Hiccup said while rising to a stand. "Why are you guys invading my bedroom?"
"I am here to show you Snoggletog Past," said Astrid…or, the Ghost of Snoggletog Past, whichever one works for you. "Come." Before Hiccup could protest, Astrid grabbed his hand and ran towards the window.
"But where are we goooIIIIINNNNGGG!" Hiccup's question turned into a scream when Astrid jumped out the window, pulling Hiccup with her. They fell and crashed into the bushes on the ground with a sharp cry.
"What was that for?" said Hiccup, jumping to his feet and dusting himself off.
"It was flying!" said Astrid.
"No, it was falling," said Hiccup.
"Say what you might, Ebe-Sneezer—"
"It's HICCUP!"
"Right," said Astrid. "Come, I am here to show you the past of Snoggletog." She grabbed his forearm and pulled him with her as she walked through the village plaza.
"Doesn't look much different," said Hiccup.
"Not much has changed in ten years," said Astrid. "That's where we are, by the way; the Snoggletog of ten years ago."
"So, if what you're saying is true, then I'm ten years old," said Hiccup. "Talk about a time jump. When are you going to get to the point, Astrid? What's all this about?"
"I know no Astrid," said Astrid. "And this is about you. Come with me. I want to show you something." They turned a corner and found a small boy, his face buried in a notebook.
"Is that Gustav?" said Hiccup.
"No," said Astrid. "That's you of ten years ago."
"Sure looks like Gustav," said Hiccup.
"You and him share a lot of similarities," said Astrid. Astrid and Hiccup watched the scene as younger Hiccup took out a charcoal pencil and started doodling.
"You never were one for Snoggletog," said Astrid.
"Of course I wasn't," said Hiccup. "No one liked me."
"Although that may be true," said Astrid, "it doesn't change much. There is something else I want to show you."
She continued on, Hiccup glancing over his shoulder one last time at the boy before Astrid yanked him too far away for him to see his "past self" any longer.
When Hiccup looked ahead once more, something covered his eyes. Astrid continued to pull him on, regardless of the fact that he couldn't see.
"Hey!" he protested. "Why the blindfold, Astrid!?"
"Because you can't see as we zoom into the not so distant past," said Astrid. "And I am the Ghost of Snoggletog Past."
"Sure you are," said Hiccup. "And my name's really Ebe-Sneezer."
"Yes it is!" said Astrid. "I'm glad you're finally getting it!"
Hiccup groaned.
"Quit you're whining!" said Astrid. "We're here now."
Astrid removed Hiccup's blindfold, and he gazed at the area ahead. They were now in the Great Hall, people bustling about in all directions, some dancing in the middle, others chatting and laughing at different jokes and carrying on interesting conversations without even so much as a care in the world.
"They are oblivious to us," said Astrid. "They do not see us."
People continued on, not even noticing Hiccup or Astrid. Hiccup looked to the side and saw a slightly-older version of Gustav…or, really, it was a slightly older version of Hiccup. He was sitting on a stool in the corner of the room, still looking in a notebook, looking up every now and then at the dancing Berkians in the center of the Great Hall.
"You're eleven here," said Astrid. "Or, really, you were eleven here. We're still in the past."
"Okay, Astrid."
"Ghost of Snoggletog Past. Do your research!"
"Okay, okay, whatever." Hiccup looked once more at his "past self" and frowned.
"You, as I stated earlier, never were one for the holidays," said Astrid. Hiccup didn't even turn to look at her. "You always isolated yourself, never really acted very cheerful this time of year."
"Did I have reason to?" said Hiccup. "Everyone hated me."
"Yes, but there was one person you especially liked, even thought she, most of the time, acted like she hated you," said Astrid.
"What are you—?"
"Watch," said Astrid. Hiccup returned his focus to the isolated boy as a small girl about his own age skipped over to him merrily.
"Hiccup," said the girl with a slightly large smile on her face, "would you like to dance with me? Just once?"
"Why, Astrid?" said Hiccup's past self. "I thought you didn't like me."
"I don't," said the past Astrid. "But it's Snoggletog. Do you want to just have one quick little dance? It's not like anyone cares."
"Well…okay, I guess." Past-Hiccup put his notebook down beside the stool and stood up. Past-Astrid grabbed his hands before he regained his footing and yanked him onto the dance floor.
"Do you remember this?" said Astrid.
"Yes," said Hiccup. "The first time you asked me to dance. Only, it was only for that year. After and before that, you still acted like you hated me."
"For the last time, Ebe-Sneezer, I am the Ghost of Snoggletog Past, not this Astrid you speak of," said Astrid. "Come. There is nothing more to be seen here."
Hiccup followed Astrid as she walked away, looking one last time at the past versions of himself and Astrid before they were out of sight.
"You will receive another visit, Ebe-Sneezer," said Astrid. "Not too long from now. He will show you many other things that I cannot show you in the past. Prepare yourself."
Before Hiccup could ask what that meant, he felt himself sucked into oblivion. He heard and saw no more.