LAST CHAPTER, GUYS! :D I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT! :D Shout-outs:
ShadowSpirit020: Yep...Hiccup knew it. But just a second too late. :(
SilverGhostWolf: Yeah...we all hate Barreck now. No one likes him. :) Sorry about that cliffhanger! I did warn you all in advance...but it wasn't enough! :D I want to see Hiccup have a really long rant/outburst at some point. It'd be awesome to see him lose his temper, especially since he's normally so chill. :) Thanks for the review! :D
Dimentional Phaser: I have updated! :D
wikelia: Yes, we all want to kill Barreck. Astrid and the other riders will have their heads when they figure out what he did to Hiccup, just like all us readers and writers out there want him dead, too. :) I think what I'm going to do is have "Teach a Man to Fish" focus around Hiccup and Stoick, and then have another episode in Race to the Edge season 3b follow the original plotline of "Teach a Man to Fish." :D Thanks! :D
Galaxy-Mitsuko-Pegasus: Yes...and now the truth comes out. Barreck comes clean and knocks Hiccup out. What will happen? Suspense...XD
pinkpop002: Well, Hiccup did figure it out; just a second too late. :)
bella: Yes, Hiccup is awesome. :D
Guest (#1): Yes, Barreck is awful. We all want him dead. :/
Crystallion12: Yeaaaaaaaaaaah, sorry about that...I'm so evil to all of the characters, especially the characters I love. Especially Hiccup. Mostly Hiccup. Normally Hiccup. XD Hahaha, I'm so evil. :P
Starry Roses: Yeah, Barreck did make it obvious, but just not obvious enough until now, when Hiccup finally realized "Barreck's true colors." :) Yeah, Barreck evil...and yeah, it was a bit of a nod to the first episode of "Merlin"! :D Glad to see someone caught that! :D Yeah, Hiccup's speeches always make impacts on them...let's see if it does this time, too. :) Thanks for the review! :D
CoverGirl7210: Well, I didn't make four updates yesterday, but here's the final chapter! :D
TomBoyBookGirl: Hahahahaha, LOL! :D Yeah, Barreck, you little...little...I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO CALL YOU ANYMORE. DIE! XD Yeah, Barreck is eerie...and now it's even more eerie...well, I'm glad you liked the chapters at least, even if they did all end on cliffhangers. XD
RubyTheSkyWing: DIE, BARRECK! :D Final chapter ahoy! :D
MaximumRide159: Hahaha...sorry about that...but yeah, I did warn you all ahead of time, so you can't blame me too much. :)
AquaticDragon: Yes...Barreck is a bad guy. :)
The Ink Splotches: Yeah, definitely not good. :)
SnivyDragon: Yep, seriously, gang. GO HELP YOUR LEADER SERIOUSLY HE NEEDS YOUR HELP GOSH HE NEEDS YOUR HELP! :D Yeah, I think Hiccup would make the best points in an argument. He's really a deep character, and I like that about him. :D Sorry about the cliffhanger. :)
Snotlout paced back and forth in front of Hookfang outside of their hut the next morning, wringing his hands together. "I feel terrible," said Snotlout. Hookfang snorted. "Honestly, Hookfang, I do. What Hiccup said last night...he killed it on that one...hit the nail on the head..." Snotlout kept pacing, fretting to himself. "What am I supposed to do now, Hookfang?" he asked.
Hookfang snorted again and laid down his head to sleep.
"That's it!" said Snotlout. "I'll go apologize! Thanks, Hookfang! You give the best advice!"
Hookfang looked up at him and growled in clear confusion, but Snotlout wasn't listening. He had already left, hurrying as fast as he could towards Fishlegs' hut. When he reached it, just before he knocked on the door, he paused.
How did he apologize?
He didn't have a chance to think of this, because at that moment, Fishlegs walked up behind him, carrying firelogs in his arms. He raised his head at Snotlout and instantly looked at the ground again.
"I didn't steal your axe," said Fishlegs.
"That's not what I was going to say," said Snotlout. "Look, Fishlegs, I was thinking about what Hiccup said last night...and...well...I'm..."
"Yes, Snotlout?" said Fishlegs.
Snotlout sucked in a deep breath and blurted it out. "I'm sorry, alright?" he said. "I'm sorry I treated you like garbage, I'm sorry I said you were trying to kick me off the team, I'm sorry I was a terrible friend, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it sooner. I'm sorry, alright? And this is really hard to say, so if you could forgive me, that'd be nice..."
"I forgive you, Snotlout," said Fishlegs.
"Really?" said Snotlout hopefully. "Because if I were you, I wouldn't forgive me."
"Yeah," said Fishlegs, "but you apologized."
"Only after Hiccup guilt tripped me," said Snotlout. "Man, that guy knows how to make you feel bad..."
"But you came to me on your own," said Fishlegs. "And I'm sorry for whatever I did that made you so mad in the first place."
Snotlout looked at him and stretched out his hand. "Friends?" he said.
Fishlegs grasped his forearm. "Friends," he confirmed.
…
Tuffnut walked into his and his sister's shared bedroom. Ruffnut was sharpening her spear with a piece of flint, sitting on a stool, not even looking up at Tuffnut when he entered.
"Hey...sis?" said Tuffnut uncertainty, and Ruffnut didn't respond. Tuffnut sighed. "Look, Ruffnut," he said, "I thought about what Hiccup said yesterday. I usually hate being on the end of his fury, but this time, I'm kind of happy he gave me that slap of reality. I needed it."
Ruffnut stopped sharpening the spear, but she didn't look up at him.
"Ruffnut, I'm sorry," said Tuffnut. "I've been a horrible brother. I should've told you what was bothering me instead of getting mad at you and playing the silent card...even though that card is kind of fun to play, on any other day in any other situation."
Ruffnut looked up at him this time.
"And you don't have to forgive me," said Tuffnut, "but I am really, really, sorry. And if you never want to talk to me again, I totally understand that, too. If you hate me, I wouldn't blame you."
Ruffnut didn't answer. She rose to her feet, set the spear and flint aside, and stepped towards him.
"If you're going to punch me," said Tuffnut, "make sure it knocks me out, alright? I deserve it."
Ruffnut cringed and stepped forward.
She didn't punch him.
She hugged him.
Tuffnut didn't exactly know how to respond to that, so he simply hugged her back. "So, am I forgiven?" he said.
"As long as you promise never to scare me like that again," said Ruffnut. "I couldn't live without you, bro."
"I know," said Tuffnut. "Nor I you."
They pulled away, and Tuffnut, for the first time in a while, smiled at her.
"Wanna go blow something up?" said Ruffnut.
"Sure thing," said Tuffnut, "but first, I think I'm going to give Snotlout a heart attack by apologizing to him."
"Oh, yeah, that's funnier," said Ruffnut, nodding excitedly. "Let's go. It's good to have you back."
"It's good to be back," said Tuffnut.
…
Astrid was in the Clubhouse, looking over their written plans and waiting for Hiccup to arrive so they could go over them one final time before putting their plan into action. She drummed her fingers against the table, waiting impatiently.
Fishlegs, Snotlout, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut suddenly walked through the door, smiling, happy, and definitely not fighting. Astrid looked at them curiously, and then, she frowned in confusion.
"Okay," she said, "who are you and what have you done to my friends?"
"Basically," said Tuffnut, "Hiccup really bashes us upside the head with what he said last night. So, we've made up! Friends again!"
The others nodded and said "Yeah," in agreement.
"Well, good," said Astrid, "because as soon as Hiccup and Barreck get here, we're heading to Ryker's base to take back the Dragon Eye and save Barreck's friend."
Barreck suddenly burst through the doors of the Clubhouse, looking frantic, clutching a piece of paper. "Hiccup is gone!" he said, terror lacing his tone.
All heads whirled around to face him, and one loud, unison, "WHAT!?" rang throughout the Clubhouse.
"I went to see if he was awake," said Barreck, "as we were planning our attack soon, and look what I found in his hut!" He handed it to Astrid, who took it, unfolded it, and read it out loud.
"'Dear Astrid, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Snotlout, and Barreck,'" she said, "'with everything happening between you guys, I decided it'd be safer for us all if I went alone to Ryker's base, got the Dragon Eye, and saved Barreck's friend. By the time you read this, I will be long gone. Don't follow me. Regards, Hiccup.'"
"WHAT!?" shouted Snotlout. "Hiccup left!? But...but we apologized to each other! We made up!"
"That doesn't matter right now!" said Astrid, her voice harsh to hide her panic. "We need to get to Ryker's base before he gets himself killed! Do you all remember the plan?"
Five heads nodded their agreement.
"Then let's go," said Astrid. "Mount up!"
…
The dragons soared over the open ocean towards the dragon hunter's base, over tumultuous waves and sea stacks rising from the ocean's mighty depths. Astrid scanned her surroundings, looking for any sign of the base through the clouds.
It was Snotlout who saw it first.
"There!" he shouted, pointing frantically. "There, there it is!"
Astrid looked down, just as Ryker's gigantic island, monster of a base came into view. "Okay!" said Astrid. "We're here! Barreck, where is the opening to the underwater cave?"
"It should be straight down!" said Barreck, pointing from where he was sitting behind Snotlout on Hookfang's back. "There, in the water beneath the lookout tower!"
"Stormfly, dive!" said Astrid, and Stormfly tucked her wings close to her side and zeroed down on the water. She was followed by the other dragon riders, the dragons flying as fast as they could to prepare for the uphill climb they would embark on in a few moments.
Astrid took a deep breath, and Stormfly hit the water. Instantly, as soon as Astrid's eyes cleared, she saw the mouth of a dark, barely visible cave. She pointed to it, and Stormfly shot towards it and through its black opening.
Up Stormfly rocketed, up a narrow tunnel, towards the prison cells. Astrid held her breath for as long as she could, silently hoping the other riders had made it through behind her, and that she wouldn't run out of air before they reached the surface-
They broke through the surface of the water, and Stormfly landed on solid, muddy ground. Astrid, gasping for breath, dismounted.
Hookfang, Snotlout, and Barreck appeared a few moments later, followed quickly by Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Fishlegs, Meatlug, and Barf and Belch. Fishlegs shivered. Meatlug shook water out of her scales.
"I hope we never have to do that again," said Fishlegs, shuddering.
"He got seaweed in his eyes and screamed like a damsel in distress," said Snotlout, grinning.
"I did not!" protested Fishlegs, but he was also grinning.
Astrid ignored them. "Alright," she said. "Straight down this tunnel, and straight down the center when it branches off. Right, Barreck?"
Barreck nodded. "That's right," he said.
"Okay," said Astrid, "everyone, move forward!"
And they started forward. Astrid looked around for any sight of the guards, but to her surprise, she didn't see any at all.
"There aren't any guards," whispered Fishlegs, stating the obvious.
"Maybe Hiccup already took them out?" said Snotlout, shrugging. "In fact, maybe Hiccup already got the Dragon Eye and Barreck's friend, and maybe we're risking our lives for no reason."
"If Hiccup really did already get out," said Astrid, "we would have passed him on the flight over here. No, he's still here, somewhere...but where…?"
They came to a fork in the tunnel, branching into three different pathways, and Astrid and the others, without hesitation, headed down the center one, their dragons in tow. At the end of the passageway, there was a large, wooden door with a barred metal window engraved into it.
"This must be it," said Astrid. "Everyone, stand back."
They did as they were told instantly, and Astrid raised her leg and kicked the door down as easily as if it were made of straw.
There was no prison. Lanterns hung in brackets on the wall of the circular room, the brackets embedded in the walls of earth. Astrid, the others, and the dragons looked around in confusion.
Standing in the center of the room was a cloaked figure, the figure's back towards them, face hidden by the black cloak over his face.
Astrid heard a door SLAM behind them, and when she and the others turned around, it was to see Barreck shut the door and bar it shut, locking it with a key, which he stowed in his pocket after use.
"Barreck?" said Astrid. "What are you…?"
Barreck smiled at her; a bone chilling smile that reminded her of all the other villains they had ever faced before. The smile reminded her of Ryker, of Viggo, of Dagur, of Alvin, and Astrid knew in a heartbeat that Barreck was no different than them.
"Oh, Astrid," Barreck said, shaking his head with a chuckle. "Was it really not obvious enough?"
Astrid lunged; Barreck didn't even flinch. Before Astrid could do anything at all, dragon hunter soldiers appeared out of nowhere, grabbing her and her friends and tying their hands behind their backs. They were stripped of their weapons; their dragons were knocked unconscious by sedating darts.
Astrid struggled against her bonds, though she knew it was to no avail. "You lied to us," she snarled. "You lied to us! You said you needed our help, you said you were trying to save your friend!"
Snotlout, Fishlegs, and the twins seemed too shocked to say anything, and they stared at Barreck with horror, desperation, and most of all, hatred.
"Well," said Barreck, "that wasn't entirely true. I do have a friend here. A dear friend. And I would like you to become reaquainted with him."
Astrid swallowed. "Reaquainted?" she said.
Barreck smiled, turned away from her, and walked towards the cloaked figure, still standing unmoved in the center of the room. "Snare, my friend," said Barreck.
The cloaked figure turned around. "Ah," he said, and though Astrid still couldn't see his face, she recognized the voice, and her heart leapt into her throat. "Blade, old friend."
They embraced like long-lost brothers, and soon parted, turning to face their prisoners. The cloaked figure stepped forward and, slowly and dramatically, threw back his hood.
"Viggo," Astrid whispered.
Viggo smiled at her. "Hello, Astrid," he said. "It is so wonderful to see you look as I imagine you must feel. Trapped. Betrayed. Helpless."
"You died!" Snotlout objected. "We saw you sink to your death!"
"No," said Viggo pointedly. "You saw me sink. And as far as I know, you, too, have a friend who cheated death, much like I."
"Hiccup," Astrid whispered, quite involuntarily. And then, suddenly… "Hiccup! What did you do to him!?" She leapt to her feet, and if dragon hunters hadn't grabbed her and held her back, she would have attacked.
"Come, come, Astrid," said Viggo. "I haven't harmed the boy...yet. Of course, we haven't quite been able to loosen his tongue, yet, either. We've had to revert to more...well, to put it softly, drastic measures."
Astrid grit her teeth. "If you've hurt him," she snarled, "no one will find your body."
"Oh, Astrid," sighed Viggo, shaking his head. "Aren't you in a bit of a poor position to be threatening me?" He nodded to the guards still surrounding the dragon riders. "Take them to the cells," said Viggo.
"No!" Astrid shouted, as soldiers seized her and the other dragon riders. "I demand to know where you've taken Hiccup!"
"You are in no place to demand anything, milady," said Barreck calmly, examining his fingernail idly. "Speak out of place one more time, and, well, I fear what happens to Hiccup."
"Don't you dare!" Astrid shouted, kicking and struggling. "Let me go, cowards! No!"
The guards hauled her and the others away, and the door slammed behind them, leaving Viggo and Barreck alone. Viggo sighed and brushed his hands together.
"So tell me, Barreck," he said. "Where is Hiccup, really?"
"He learned of my true identity before the plan was put into play," said Barreck. "Precautions had to be taken."
"And how can you be sure that this little precaution won't interfere with our plan?" said Viggo.
"I know for a fact that it won't," said Barreck. "If there's one thing you and I both know about Hiccup is that his loyalties lie within his friends. He'd do anything for them. He'd die for them."
"And where is the boy now?" said Viggo.
Barreck smiled. "If he's smart," said Barreck, "he will escape. And if he isn't as smart as either of us thought him to be…" Barreck's smile grew bigger and more diabolical. "...He will drown."
Viggo smirked. "You are sinister, Blade," he said.
Barreck smiled wider. "As are you, old friend," he said.
Author's Notes:
So yeah. That happened. And of course I had to end if on a cliffhanger, because doing anything else would be letting you guys off too easy, and I'm waaaaaaay too nice for that. LOL! :D
So basically, this is the mid-season final! *lame streamers* Yay! :D I hope you all enjoyed this and look forward to the next "episode"! :D I have to admit, I had so much fun writing this episode, I don't even know why.
Aaaannnd of course you're going to have to wait until part 2 to see what happens to poor Hiccup. XD So look forward to that if you fancy, and I'll see you all in the next episode!
Cheers!
-Beyond