Chapter 12: A Flight to Remember
The crowd cheered Hiccup and Astrid on, both of whom were in the ring with Meatlug. Small wooden barriers were set up in a pyramid formation, allowing cover from the hovering Gronckle's eyes. Hiccup had his axe, shield, and a helmet on. When Javelin caught up to him, the boy explained that it belonged to his mother.
Fortunately, he left out the part of it being a piece of her breastplate.
Astrid, clad in her normal gear and armed with her double-headed axe, rolled next to Hiccup. Javelin saw her push down Hiccup's shield and tell him something before moving again. He knew that Astrid Hofferson wasn't taking his blood-brother's newfound success very well. Considering this was the final match before Hookfang's death, Hiccup winning may act both ways.
Yes, Hiccup would have a chance to save the Nightmare. But then he would also have to deal with a very ticked off Hofferson.
He shook his head clear and continued watching from the wall. Some may have questioned his being in the ring, but he made sure to tell everyone he had a reputation when it came to dragons.
Hiccup had stood up to view his father cheering him on... for once. But Meatlug spotted the distracted trainee and slowly moved towards him.
The soldier took his eyes off of Hiccup to find Astrid. He saw her diving between the boards. A few seconds and she vaulted over the boards, roaring a battle cry. But when she leaped over the last one, that's when she saw them.
Meatlug was on her side in happiness. Hiccup's equipment lay scattered on the ground around him. The fifteen-year-old himself was smiling, as if presenting his latest achievement.
Javelin clapped with the crowd, ignoring Astrid's cursing.
Hiccup turned to leave, "So, later..."
"Ah, not so fast," Gobber said, picking up Hiccup with his prosthetic and setting him back down next to him.
"Uh, I'm gonna be late fo-" Hiccup stammered before his neck faced the inside of a certain axe.
"For what?!" Astrid breathed, barely staying calm at what had just happened. "Late for what, exactly?"
Stoick grabbed everyone's attention. "Alright, quiet down, people. The elder has decided." He gestured to Gothi, who was standing beside him.
Gobber raised his left arm over Astrid. Gothi shook her head, causing several Berkians to groan in disappointment.
The blacksmith raised his right hand over Hiccup's head. This time, Gothi nodded and the whole village – minus one very enraged Astrid Hofferson – went up in a cheering roar.
A bit too loud for his ears, Javelin realized.
Hiccup winced as Gobber praised him. "You did it, Hiccup! You get to kill the dragon!"
Hiccup forced himself to act happy as he was picked up by the rest of the class. "Yay. I am so..."
"... leaving." Hiccup had a basket of supplies with him as he entered the cove. He had his riding straps on over his green tunic. "Looks like we're going on a vacation, bud." He looked around for Toothless, but didn't see anything. "Toothless? Javelin, you here?"
He had to set down his heavy load. After placing the basket next to a boulder, he adjusted his straps, making sure they were good to go.
The sound of a rock being dragged along a blade caused him to look up. At Astrid. "Astrid! Uh, what are you doing here?" he asked nervously. If she found Toothless...
The shield-maiden casually tossed the rock away as she said, "I want to know what's going on." She slid off the boulder and approached Hiccup, axe ready. "No gets as good as you, especially you. Speak up. Are you training with someone?"
"Uh..."
She grabbed Hiccup's outfit. "It better not involve this!"
"Okay, okay. I have been training with... someone," Hiccup said nervously. Oh, gods.
"Who?" Astrid asked dangerously.
Javelin saw this as good a time as any to make himself known. He stepped out of the shadows, answering the question, "Me."
Astrid turned to see a man dressed in crimson armor from the neck down, a helmet held against his waist. A black bodysuit could be seen underneath the plates, some of which had lines and patterns of black. A fist-sized circle of the stuff covered where his heart would be.
But his face was what shocked her the most. She saw that clean-cut face with black hair earlier today. "J-Javelin?" She stammered.
He smiled and bowed, still holding his helmet. "The one and only."
With an unforseen anger, she pushed Hiccup to the ground. "You have some serious explaining to do."
Hiccup looked to the crimson warrior for help. "Jav?"
"Sorry, brother. Need to set Twilight up." He jogged off to the forest.
"Twilight?" Astrid said, confused.
"His sister. And before you ask about the 'brother' thing, it's complicated."
Astrid ignored him. "Start talking."
Hiccup started to get up. "Okay, take me back, I'll-" She kicked him in the arm. "-OW, why would you do that?"
"That was for the lies." Astrid bounced her axe off of his stomach. "And that was for everything else."
"Hiccup?" Astrid flinched and looked up at the inquisitive roar.
"Oh, man," Hiccup breathed.
"Hey! Get away from him!" Toothless roared as he ran and leaped at Astrid.
"Get down!" She yelled as she swung her axe. Hiccup got up before she could get halfway and threw her to the ground. Her axe slid past her as she turned over to see Hiccup calming down the Night Fury.
"Easy, bud. You just scared him."
"I scared HIM?!" Astrid was shocked again. "Who is him?"
"Uh, Astrid, Toothless. Toothless,... Astrid."
"Get out of here," he snarled.
Astrid just took off running. She had to tell the village.
"Da da da, we're dead," Hiccup said in his sarcastic tone.
"At least she's gone," Toothless grumbled before turning and moving off.
"Hey, where do you think you're going?" He went after his dragon.
She panted as she ran through the trees. Not only did she have to get away from the dragon and that traitor Hiccup, she had to warn the village. Hiccup was allied with the Crimson Rider.
The Crimson Rider. The five-year-old rumor was actually true. It said that he controlled three Night Furies, but she saw only one. That meant the other two were out there somewhere.
She jumped off a large log...
To get grabbed by a dragon.
"Oh, great Odin's ghost!" She screamed as the ground grew farther and farther beneath her. She held on for dear life. If she looked up, Astrid would have seen a piece of crimson armor attached to a saddle.
The Night Fury circled a lone, dead pine tree, then dropped her onto one of the highest branches. She looked down. "Hiccup! Get me down from here!"
The dragon hovered next to her. "What makes you think I'm Hiccup?" a voice replied. Astrid looked to her left to see a crimson helmet lined with maroon and black. He was close enough for the shield-maiden to find out the black coloring was scales.
The treetop bent as Toothless and Hiccup perched. "Astrid, you have to give me a chance to explain."
She yelled, "I am not listening to anything you have to say!" She slowly made her way across the branch to the trunk.
Javelin huffed underneath his helmet. "I suggest you do, young Hofferson. It's a long way down."
Hiccup held his hand out. "Then don't listen. Just let me show you."
Astrid took Javelin's words into consideration, then decided to get on with Hiccup. Toothless growled as she slapped the open hand away. She climbed onto the saddle and said, "Now get me down."
"Toothless, down. Gently," Hiccup said.
"Yeah, gently," Toothless grumbled mischievously. Only Twilight and Javelin saw the male's look. He facepalmed when the dragon shot straight into the air, Astrid screaming in fear.
"You've been with him longer than I have. What do you think?"
"I say we follow them." She looked up to the sky. "For her sake."
They caught up with the trio right after Astrid apologized. Twilight flew alongside Toothless as they rose up into the clouds. Javelin smiled underneath his helmet as Astrid brushed her fingers through the vapor. Enjoying the feeling, she brought both hands up to leave small trails through the cloud.
The sun was setting as the dragons danced gracefully among the clouds. The sea vanished, leaving them in a world only few have seen. There was no up or down. There was only the white spires and the floor of air.
Night fell and the Northern Lights appeared. Astrid was stunned at the beauty. Waves of cosmic green and red covered the night, hidden from those on the ground.
Then she saw Berk's torches flickering below. Seeing home from above was beyond description. The village was alive in flickering flames, those in the harbor's guardian statues burning bright. Sheep grazed peacefully in the hilly pastures, ignoring the two dark spots gliding high above them.
Javelin had to chuckle. "Remember this flight, Astrid. Keep the memory and cherish it, for there are few that are sweeter." He put his hand on Twilight's head. "Happy birthday, my dear sister."
"Happy birthday, Twilight," Toothless also said.
She closed her eyes and smiled. "Thank you, my dear brother."
(AN) - Hi, folks. Hope you had/will have a good day. This was the best place to end this chapter, with the scene playing through your mind. I could hear the music playing as I read this through.
Please leave a comment or review, guys. I don't want Adipose169 to feel like he's the only one contributing.
Oh, if any of you have been reading Old Pack, New Squad, I'm taking a bit of a break from that. At least until I a) finish up this story, b) finish up a part of my planned series, and/or c) I figure out what to put in its chapters. Ah, well. See you next update, readers.