Hmmm... I'm not entirely sure I like how this chapter turned out. It's alright, I guess... But something about it disappoints me somehow. If I coud please have people's opinions on this chapter, I would be very grateful. I would especially love critical examination of it.
Alright. Time for the important part of the story. The key point in my plot for this AU of HtTYD. Well, ok, not quite. More the introduction to it.
I got a few comments on Astrid's behaviour. I realise it was a bit mean and aggressive of her, but try to realise something. Hiccup had usurped her invirtually every way. Stress has simply been building up to beat him, if only to reclaim the top spot. Throw in something like Hiccup refusing to tell her how he's doing, and I think you'd be guaranteed an explosion of emotion of some sort.
A few people quite liked the guilt aspect of that. I hope you like the first part of this chapter, as it emphasises it even further.
I'll let you get on with it, shall I?
I honestly could not believe myself. I knew better than that! What part of "Self-Restraint" did I just fail to remember? Just because every irritating thing had been simply building up over the past few days did not mean that I had reason to go and break Hiccup's nose! Possibly in two places!
What was wrong with me!
Before I reached home, I stopped to catch my breath. I hadn't realised it, but I was panting heavily. I leant against the nearest building, trying to get enough air into my lungs to continue. Usually I could run for just about ever, but... Now, I could hardly stay on my feet!
Why oh why oh why had I just done that? Whatever Hiccup had done, it didn't merit me punching him in the face! Considering he's pretty much the one guy I can sorta put up with (Albeit only when I absolutely have to) me punching him would usually seem about as unlikely to happen as Ruff and Tuff not fighting anymore.
I was jerked out of my reverie by a sudden whooshing sound, and a flicker of movement that I sensed rather than saw. I reacted instinctively, hand dropping to where I usually carried my axe, and dropping into a crouch.
Nothing. Odd. I could have sworn there was something...
Unnerved already, and now slightly hysterical, I quickly dashed the remaining distance home. There was no way I was spending a second longer out there. Not with my mind in an all but shattered condition already.
I was lucky in a sense. My father and mother, Spitelout and Bertha Hofferson were both on the expedition to find the nest. It might seem a bit irresponsible, but they knew I was trustworthy enough to leave at home by myself. I was far from being extra-talented at all house-wifey chores, but I was capable of looking after myself.
Thus, when I barged through the front door like a Monstrous Nightmare was right behind me, there were no concerned parents to ask me what was wrong. And even if there had been I don't think I would have been able to answer. I wasn't in a very stable state-of-mind.
I grabbed my axe off of my back (Where it had been hanging the entire time) and flung it into some corner of the house, no doubt causing severe damage to any decorations that happened to be in the road. I certainly heard more than a few objects break.
Without pausing, I stomped right across the main room and up the stairs. Within seconds, I was curled up on my bed, within the safe, certain confines of my own room... Albeit, nearly crying.
I couldn't help but think it was completely absurd. It was Hiccup for crying out loud. JUST. HICCUP! WHY was I so upset! He was picked on daily before he got so freakishly good, and I never really cared. Sure, I'd whack them upside the head afterwards if they'd been really cruel, but other than that I just hadn't cared! Why was I so close to crying!
'Stop it,' I told myself, over and over. 'Just stop it! It's Hiccup! You don't care about him! He's not important, he's not talented, and he's nothing! Get him out of your head!'
It was only when I woke up the next morning that I realised that I had literally cried myself to sleep. The first time since I was four.
I was in a rather bizarre mood by the time I was up and about. I was still feeling conflicted about Hiccup for some reason I simply could not fathom. I was also fairly ecstatic because I would finally find out how he'd taken my spot as top of the class. In addition to that, I was petrified that Hiccup would tell someone about my sudden loss of control last night.
After changing into a fresh set of clothes (Not that you could tell. All my clothes are identical. I'm not much of a 'clothes' girl.) And picking up my axe from where I'd thrown it (I counted at least three shattered pots, a mauled table and a shield that had been split in half.) I re-tied my hair into the tightly wound bun I always wore it in (It had come loose during the night.) And walked out of my house, looking for all the world like it was an ordinary day. (Even though I knew it was going to be anything but.)
I took an especially deep breath to calm myself down. I could tell that if I let my emotions run amuck much longer, I'd be top excited to possibly calm myself down. And I wanted to be able to examine whatever Hiccup would show me as logically as possible.
Looking around, I saw the various signs that hinted at most of the Vikings being awake, but not out and about. Smoke from chimneys, voices on the faint wind, (certainly from the Thorston's house. You could hear those two a mile away...) and the occasional sound of someone already at work, laying in firewood for tonight.
I was only focused on one particular house though.
It was sorta wierd, now that I thought about it, but Hiccup's house and mine were quite close together. What with my father essentially being chief Stoick's second-in-command (Gobber doesn't count. He's the chief's best friend.) My family was actually fairly high up in the pecking order. As such, we had one of the better houses in the entire village. Even if the roof was burnt off about once every month. (Usually more.)
All I had to do was walk perhaps thirty paces up the hill, and I was right outside Hiccup's house.
"Alright, Hiccup," I murmured to myself. "If you aren't awake by now, you'll regret it. I'm not waiting any longer." Naturally, it was just as I reached for the door to yank it open that Hiccup came out of it. What with the first thing he saw outside his door being my hand outstretched towards him, his reaction was kinda understandable.
"GAH! Don't punch me again!" He yelped, cringing away from me, arms up in a pathetic attempt at some sort of self-defence.
"Calm down," I shouted over him. "I'm not going to hit you!" He peeked out from behind his hands at this, his sea-green eyes bright and hopeful.
I mentally slapped myself before that thought could develop any further. Honestly, I didn't know what was up with me...
"Really?" he asked cautiously.
I sighed. "Yes, really. Now hurry up and get ready. Or did you forget our deal last night?"
"How could I?" he muttered, fingering his nose gently. Surprisingly, it looked almost completely normal. The only difference was that it was now bent slightly towards the left side of his face. Other than that, there was absolutely no evidence he'd been punched in the face. I couldn't help but voice my astonishment.
"How..." I started, staring at his nose.
"Gobber. I woke him up last night to see if he could fix it. He was a bit grumpy at being woken up for something less important than either a raid or the forge burning down, but he fixed it. If painfully," he added gingerly, gently touching his nose again.
"Right," I said dumbly, still staring at his nose in vague shock. I'd had no idea Gobber could fix up a broken body part as easily as he could weaponry.
"So..." Hiccup started, looking slightly creeped out by my staring. "You wanted to ask me stuff?"
"Not quite," I replied, tearing my eyes off his nose... Only to look straight into his sea-green eyes just as the light from the rising sun caught them. Instantly, I was just as mesmerised as I had been a second beforehand.
Somehow, through a strength of will I hadn't even known I had, I was able to snap myself out of it before he noticed... Hopefully.
"What then?"
"I want you to show me how you've become so good at Dragon Training. Remember?"
"Ah. Right." He grimaced, then sighed. "Ok. Just, can you promise me something?" I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Maybe."
"Just... Don't act straight away, ok? I can tell you right now, whatever you think I've been doing, the truth of it is... Well, a lot more bizarre for starters. Can you just please, please promise me you'll wait and listen to everything before doing anything."
I sighed resentfully. That was a pretty comprehensive promise. Still, it made sense... But if it was really that bad... Would it be worth it to keep that promise?
If I'd been able to, I would have chopped off my own head with my very own axe. Vikings always keep a promise. We NEVER go back on our word. Those who did were the sort of scum that made up the feared 'Outcasts'.
"Fine. I promise to listen to anything you have to say, before acting."
His smile was enough to send me into another daze.
"Thanks, Astrid."
"I just hope I'm not going to regret this."
"So where exactly are you taking me?"
"Well, you know that spot where you saw me carrying the bundle of leather? It's quite near there, barely fifty paces away."
"What! I was that close!"
"Well, it is kinda hidden by the trees. It's basically a giant hole in the ground. You'll see what I mean."
"As long as I finally get my answers."
It didn't take long before we were standing above what could only be described as a hole in the ground. It looked like the ground in the area had simply sunk, which looked rather odd. There was a small lake in the middle of it.
I raised my eyebrow. "Ok, Hiccup. What is this place?"
"This," he said with a grin. "Is where a friend of mine lives. Now Astrid," he said, frowning deeply and crossing his arms. "Remember, you promised to listen. Oh, and- uh, would you mind putting the axe down here? He really doesn't like weapons."
I have to say, I hedged at that. REALLY hedged. I was very very fond of my axe (The fact that Hiccup forged it notwithstanding.) And I was far from willing to just leave it.
Eventually (I'm still not quite sure how, I got distracted by Hiccup's eyes fairly often.) he persuaded me to drop the axe and climb down into the hole with him.
"Ok," he muttered. "If you can just move really slowly we might be able to get in without him knowing we're here. I'd like you to get a look at him before he sees you."
"Why?" I asked curiously.
"Well, let's just say he has a mild prejudice, and leave it at that."
"Huh?" I replied, quite intelligently.
"I mean, he doesn't really like most people."
I followed him out from behind the rocks carefully, taking his advice to heart. It didn't seem as though anyone were down here... Whatever Hiccup was up to, he had better not be tricking me. If he is, Odin help me, he will not live to the next dawn.
A sudden roaring echoed in the pit, reverberating off the solid rock walls. The effect was quite intimidating, and I couldn't help but bolt back to the cover of the rocks.
Or I would have, were it not for something standing right between me and the rocks.
Jet black, wings stretched above it's body, teeth bared, claws ready. I was looking at some sort of dragon I had never, EVER seen before.
"Uh, Toothless: Astrid. Astrid: Toothless."
Uh oh. BIG uh oh.
Like it? Or not? As I said earlier, I'm not quite sure about this chapter.
Can I just say to all you wonderful readers out there, Thank You, so much. I honestly did not expect this much of a positive response to this fic when I posted it! It's made me quite happy to know that so many of you like the story enough to read it, even more so to leave reviews.
See you next time! And so will Toothless!
-Eidorian999