Richard got my attention days later. He said it was very important.
So we were sitting down together outside Toothless's cave. He stared at nothing for a long time. I could tell something was bothering him deeply.
"Richard?" I asked.
He turned partway to me. "I won training. My final test is tomorrow."
I smiled and punched him lightly on the shoulder. "That's great! Good job!"
He stood up and began to wave his arms around wildly like I normally did. "No it's not! I've seen that AI is good! I can't in good conscience kill one of them now!"
Training's final test. Killing an AI. A few days earlier, we had been riding Toothless for another flight. Something had caught his attention. I hadn't been able to snap him out of it. We had flown all the way to the surface. It was barren. Almost nothing growing, and it had been hard to breath. We had seen a computer. A huge computer. In an automated voice, it had commanded Toothless to join the force and kill us.
In that moment, everything became clear.
A computer was controlling the AI. Forcing them to wipe out the human race. They hadn't gone berserk at all. And I couldn't help but wonder who had built it. I was terrified of losing Toothless. Of losing my life to Toothless. Of having Richard killed like this.
Toothless snarled at the machine in front of us.
"Never. I'll never hurt Hiccup. I'd rather rust. I'd rather die!"
That's when I truly felt how much we meant to each other.
I leapt on top of Toothless. Richard joined me.
"Same goes for us!" Richard yelled.
His exclamation surprised and amazed me. He was truly our friend.
I began to feel a burning in my lungs. I could feel Richard's breathing beginning to skip a little as well. I could feel dizziness overcoming me.
We were feeling the effects of having less oxygen.
Toothless sensed our pain and turned to leave. Richard and me had suffered breathing issues for a short time afterward. It was clear the surface was not inhabitable anymore.
And now he was pacing around in front of me, a hand to his head. "I can't kill them now. Not with what I know. I need help, Hiccup!"
I stood.
"What could I possibly do to help? Toothless is not going to help you fight."
"No, no, that's not what I meant!" Richard made a frustrated noise.
He sat back down. I sat next to him. He buried his face in his hands. There was a long silence between us. He turned and stared at me, an idea forming visibly in his eyes.
"A chip. A CEA! Give me a CEA!" He yelled, excited.
"You mean a CAE. But.. why?" I was intrigued.
He nodded eagerly. "So I can turn the AI good, like Toothless!"
My jaw dropped open in shock. "We don't even know if that will work! Toothless is a unique case, I created him! I don't know if a CAE can turn a AI good after it's been under control!"
Richard grabbed my wildly flailing hand. "I know it can work. I just know it. You're a genius. It can work. I know it."
"This is a bad idea." I said flatly.
"It is. But it's the only chance I have. Do you have a better idea?" He raised an eyebrow.
"No."
So the next bunch of hours were spent working on a new CAE.
Richard practiced over and over how to put it on right. Where to put it. We went over it over and over. Until he knew it be heart.
I wished him luck hours later from the sides of the arena. He gives me a thumbs up.
I see my dad exchange some words with him. I find out later what their conversation entailed.
My dad was making him heir. Future leader of our home. Richard had told him that he hadn't wanted it. That I was rightfully supposed to be next and that I deserved it.
What Richard told me my dad said next always chills my bones.
"He'll never amount to anything and you know it. So do I. You're the better choice. I wish you had been my son in the first place instead of him."
I always hated those words.
So, Richard moved into the ring, CAE in his belt, dagger in hand.
The doors opened.
And a large, dangerous looking AI burst into the arena. It let out a deafening roar.
Then it started to chase Richard around the ring.
And that's when everything went wrong.