I came too in the Chief's house with a nasty headache. Some patrol must have found me. And I was now thanking my lucky stars I was alive. I had to tell them about Hiccup. I forced myself to my feet and made my way down the stairs. Stoick and Valka were standing together, murmuring worriedly about me. I cleared my throat and they turned to me.

"Rich, you should be resting. That's a nasty bump on your head." Stoick watched me approach with a concerned expression. My head did hurt, but there was something more important.

"Hiccup is alive."

They exchanged bewildered looks. "Richard, we've been over this-"

"No, he is. I came across him in those woods. He isn't the same person he used to be, he's been changed somehow. But I promise you, he's ALIVE." I strained every word. "And I have to get him back."

Stoick moved closer and put his hands on my shoulders. "You did hit your head hard, Richard. You could have been seeing things."

I couldn't believe this. "Chief, please, he's your son! Wouldn't you love to see him again? Valka? You love him, don't you? You have to believe me! I saw him! He hit me on the head! He was real, not some figment of my imagination!" I paused. "Please, you have to... he's real. He's just as alive as I am. He's out there, brainwashed or something, has no idea that we love him and we want him back. He doesn't know about anything he did, he's helplessly confused..."

Stoick shook his head. "There's no way he could be alive. And even if he is, there are more important things-"

"More important than Hiccup? Are you serious?" I yelled, losing my temper. "He's the one who changed our world for the better! He's a brilliant inventor, a great friend, and he's LOST! What could possibly be more important?!" I balled my fists so tightly my knuckles were white.

Stoick looked irritated. "You interrupted me. I was going to say that YOU have more important things to be doing. If you're THAT sure that he's alive, I'll send out a few DAP patrols to look for Hiccup. If he's there, we'll find him, and if he's not, we put this to rest, understood?" He crossed his arms, not waiting for an answer. "Now. There are things that you need to be doing."

I snorted. "What?"

"Resting. To bed, now. March, boy."

Grumbling to myself, I turned and marched up the stairs. I turned the corner and closed the door, my anger fading. I realized how stupid I was acting. What if this was a waste of everyone's time? What if I had dreamed all that? I had seen Hiccup and Toothless by the river, what if cyborg Hiccup had been my imagination, my tired, desperate mind playing tricks on me? I sighed sadly and flopped onto the bed. My head was throbbing. Sleep took a long, long time to come, and when it did, my dreams were confused and troubled.

And I dreamed of a time with my lost family.

Feeling crept into my body. I opened my eyes to darkness. It must have been late at night. Pulling myself out from under the covers and creeping down the stairs, I looked around in the dim light and saw nobody. I moved towards the door and opened it, peeking into the streets. There was nobody there. I moved off into the forest, relaxing even in the pitch black of night. There was nobody here. I wasn't entirely sure what I was doing or where I was going, but I was determined to prove myself right about Hiccup. I had to find him. I had to bring him back to me, I had to remind him who he was. I crossed a river, the same one with the willow tree. I continued out and out, further and further, hoping, crossing my fingers that Hiccup would be there.

After wandering till morning light, however, there was nothing. I turned and found my way home. The chief was up already and talking to the DAPs. None of them had seen any sign of Hiccup. Of course, because no one was listening to me, no one had actually known what to look for specifically, not a small boy, but a large, threatening cyborg that was almost impossible to miss. I grumbled to myself in irritation as Stoick turned to me after the last report.

"No sign of him. I guess that means you were hallucinating. Speaking of which, how is your head?" The chief switched topics faster in the hopes that I might not lose it like yesterday.

I let out a long, irritated growl. "I'm telling you, I was awake. I did not hallucinate." The evidence was against me, but I was determined to believe it, even now that doubts were growing in me.

Stoick shook his head as if losing patience. "I told you, if we didn't find him, we would drop this."

"But-"

"Enough. You will stop spreading this rumor that Hiccup is alive, face the truth that he is indeed dead, and move on to more important things, that is an order." He pointed at me to emphasize this.

I didn't bother arguing. I just turned and stomped back into the forest. Why didn't anyone believe me?

[Booting...]

[Boot-up complete.]

Viggo watched as his creation came out of it's charging station. It's eyes, human and mechanical, focused on him. It stood at attention.

"What is my mission, sir?" The cyborg droned.

"Scan Berk. Fly overhead if you have to, but I want info on every single human in that colony. I'll figure out how many will actually make serviceable soldiers." He moved forward and stared the cyborg in the eyes. "Do NOT be seen, understood? If you are, go somewhere random, send me the information, and then self-destruct. Make sure no one finds this base, understood?"

"Understood." The cyborg nodded without hesitation.

"Depart immediately."

"Yes sir."

And it began.