Dragon Friend (sequel to the dragon boy) Chapter 21 - Who am I, and Who is He?
frostcup fanfic
Authors note: hey^^ I know I said I wouldn't be posting but I forgot I'd be back for the evening so I can post this now! ^^ and guess what? ... BIRTHDAY POST! Yay! So this is my first ever chapter as a seventeen year old^^ (I just consider it 10+7) anyways here's the chapter- I'm sorry you had to wait longer than usual for it but please let me know what you think enjoy it and I will see you tommorow with the next chapter^^
Hiccup sat in silence, as Toothless flew them home. It was a long journey, and he had plenty of time to think.
His mind kept puzzling over the little, wooden piece in his hand. As though that little piece of Jack would somehow bring him back, or make things better like he always would. He couldn't stop thinking about what it was- what it meant. It represented the very essence of his friend. It was who he was.
He remembered the short conversation he'd had with Toothless before they'd set off.
"Hey bud?" He'd asked, the dragon had tilted his head, and switched form into the black haired boy.
"Something the matter?" He'd wondered. Hiccup had been thinking about that little piece of wood even back then. He'd paused for a bit, thinking of how to phrase the question,
"Do you know who you are, Toothless?" He'd asked him. The boy had smiled.
"Of course I do." He'd said. "I'm Hiccup's-friend."
Soon after, they'd took flight. Heading to Berk, to save Jack, rescue the dragons, and protect the island. Even now, they didn't have the slightest idea what they were going to do when they got there, but Hiccup couldn't stop thinking about his dragon's words, and the small chunk of wood he toyed with in his hand.
Who was he, and, more importantly, who was Jack? Perhaps that would help them get their friend back, if they reminded him who he was. The only trouble was finding it out themselves.
Hiccup turned it, examining it just as he'd always done. A white dragon curled round a mischievous looking, white haired boy. He especially took in the tiny figure of the painted boy- would he ever see that two legged troublemaker again? Or would he forever be stuck as a dragon...
He followed the smooth lines of it, the outline of the boy becoming one with the edge of the dragon, but- hold on... that was something he never noticed before.
There was another, tiny, almost invisible, figure hiding behind the painted boy. A kid.
How had he never noticed it before? He squinted at it, to see it properly. Now he noticed it, the dragon seemed to be coiling around that little kid in a way that was almost defensive... and the white haired boy that stood in front of him... was doing so protectively!
The mischievous look in the boy's eyes was still there, but there was a hidden warning behind them like "you touch this kid, and you'll be sorry", and, at the same time, a hint of selflessness that said he'd do anything to protect that boy. How had the artist managed to get that level of detail, and emotion, in that tiny, little face?
This truly did represented Jack, Hiccup thought. The biggest part of him. Jokes and smiles on the surface, but fiercely protective beyond that. It was his- what had he called it? His centre.
So what was it telling him? Who was Jack? He was protective, he was selfless, caring- all of those words matched Jack, but none of them seemed to sum him up, entirely.
The paint dragon was curling himself around the boy. Protecting him in a way which was almost parental- but definately not that. He more than just defending the kid... he was more than his protector... he was... he was...
...and then a single word clicked into place, and Hiccup knew who he was.
That single word that defined all that he was- caring, selfless, protective... and so much more than just a friend.
With that sudden revelation, he looked back down at the little piece- the mischievous glint in the white haired boy's eye appeared to be winking at him, as though it knew he'd figured out his secret.
But the sight of that small painted boy upset him. It reminded him of that big gap within him- that emptiness. Even sat on Toothless' back, with his mother's arm round his waist, he still felt a kind of loneliness within him. Like piece of him had gone missing.
There was a hole in his mind, in the place normally occupied by Jack's mind. He never realised how important it was to him, until it was gone. He still had Toothless, and he had his mother... but he felt incomplete without his Sky Dragon. He was just barely coping with the separation, knowing that he was in danger, only with the knowledge that he was going to rescue. He tightened his hand around his centre. Jack had saved him- now it was his turn. He was going to protect Jack.
Toothless flew out of the shadow of a large mountain, as he gazed at it. A shaft of light lit up the paint. The dragon... The boy... And the kid he stood in front of. Hiccup gasped in shock. He couldn't believe it.
It was just because it was the most common hair colour, he told himself. But through complete chance of fate, the boy in the picture- the one that Jack was protecting- had brown hair, and, unless he was very much mistaken, bright, green eyes.
The impossible chance of it stunned him. Jack's old friend North had made and given it to the white dragon. Jack hadn't even known he even existed when it was made. But that little kid was almost an exact replica of himself, or, at least, the way he'd looked when they'd met- all skinny and as un-Viking-like as possible.
At the same time as being amazed at the incredible coincidence, it suddenly hit him. He felt a surge of great achievement. He'd figured out who Jack was! Although the irony of it was that, now it meant that he knew Jack even better than he did himself... and he didn't have a little piece of wood to help him out.
Who was he? What was the biggest part of him, that told him who he was?
He would have puzzled over it for longer, but then Berk came into view- and any thought of himself left him.
The giant, black Alpha was there, looming over the island. Many hundreds of dragons flying round his head like a great storm, and, at the eye of it, the Alpha. The numbers of the enslaved dragons had swelled, confirming what Hiccup had feared- the Alpha had taken over the dragons of Berk too. At head of the invasion, a familiar, white dragon with a dark smudge of a rider on his back.
Jack was leading the assault on Berk, the only place that had ever come close to being his home. The villagers must be scared- though they'd be too stubborn at admit it- all their dragon companions abandoning them, and the one they all called friend leading the attack against them.
Hiccup felt a shiver of dread pass through him, as he fought down his fear. This beast had destroyed the sanctuary, and taken away his friend... and now it was going to destroy Berk-. No- he wasn't going to be ruled by fear. He was going to fight back. He was going to save them... he just had to stay strong.
A tremble passed through his dragon, as he caught sight of the dark Alpha. He looked back at his rider, fear and panic clear in his eyes. Hiccup understood- he was terrified of getting taken over by the Alpha again. He couldn't fly as a human, and he couldn't resist (without great struggle) as a dragon. He was looking desperately to Hiccup, hoping he had a solution.
The Viking thought, frantically- how to stop Toothless getting affected by the Alpha, while he brought back Jack...
He headed towards the land, to give himself some time to think. How could he reduce the power of the Alpha's mind? A sudden thought came to him- it was Jack's, from when he'd first met the good Alpha. Hiccup hadn't been paying much attention, but he remembered what he'd said- something about the Alpha's voice being less overwhelming without his penetrating gaze. His eyes. Perhaps that made the link stronger? Perhaps, if he blocked Toothless' eyes, Drago's dragon might not be able to control him. It was a long shot, but it was all he had. He had to pray he was right.
They flew past the edge of the village, no one had noticed their appearance- too busy looking at the big dragon to see them slip in from the side.
Where were they?... He was looking some people in particular...
There! He spotted one of them.
He landed Toothless beside her- only then did she notice them.
"Where have you been?" The blond demanded, angrily. Yup, it was Astrid- the one who'd given him he death glare when he'd escaped without her, but also just the person he needed to see.
"Yeah, I know, you hate me and all that- but I need your help." Hiccup butted in. Her face turned serious, then confused and suspicious, as Valka slid off the back of Toothless.
"Who's this?" She asked.
"I was just wondering the same." Valka said.
"No time to explain." Hiccup told them both. "Just try to distract the Alpha." He ordered, readying Toothless to take off again.
"What are you gonna do?" Astrid shouted up.
"I'm gonna go save my friend." Hiccup muttered, and they shot up into the sky.
The last he saw of them, was them eyeing each other, confused, before dashing off together to set up the distraction.
As they flew, Hiccup reached out, and snagged a banner off its post- ironically, it was one from the dragon race the previous day, showing support for the Night Fury.
He held it out in front of him, the fabric fluttering in the wind. Toothless looked up at it, uncertainly.
"I know, bud, but we gotta keep him out. Just trust me." He told him, slowly lowering the blindfold over his dragon's eyes. Toothless made no move to avoid it, he trusted him.
Hiccup pushed down on the tail mechanism, leading Toothless into a wide turn, towards the Alpha... and towards the long winged dragon hovering ahead of it.
Drago saw them coming.
"So, the young hero returns. Come to save his little friend." He taunted. Hiccup ignored him, slowing Toothless to a stop in front of them.
"Jack?..." He called out, experimentally. Nothing.
Drago laughed.
"You won't get him back, dragon rider. He belongs to the Alpha, now. But if you want to try and take him, go ahead... I'm sure this one has a much better aim than the Night Fury." He threatened. The Alpha's eyes narrowed at the white dragon, and its jaw began to fall open.
His throat constricted... Jack was going to- no, he wasn't.
He was going to get through to him, Hiccup thought. He was going to protect him- like he'd done for him. He could do this... But it had to be now.
He dived into Jack's mind.