Dragon Friend (sequel to the dragon boy) Chapter 25 - Reunion
frostcup fanfic
Authors note: they're back! Got you with that one huh^^ and now for the beautiful reunion let me know what you think and I will see you all tommorow... Almost over now... All of it... For now though enjoy this^^
He wandered about Berk. All around him: dragons, and with them: Sky Dragons.
He still struggled to believe it. After so long- after so much time searching- could they really be here? Could this really be more than a dream? But even his dreams didn't stretch far enough to hope for this. He hadn't dared even let himself think that he might not be alone- he tried to fool himself into thinking he did, but he never truly believed it.
He'd spent so long thinking he was the last... and now here he was. Surrounded by them. He wasn't alone- a good hundred of the Sky Dragons had survived with him.
Somehow, though, it wasn't quite enough.
He couldn't stop himself from looking.
Perhaps it was too much to ask, perhaps they had died that day. Things had gone too right that day- surely his luck wouldn't go any further. Dare he even hope they were still alive...
For a long minute, the seconds dragged, and still no sign of them. Perhaps he was right. Perhaps it was too much. He was lucky to have the Sky Dragons back- he shouldn't wish for any more.
He bowed his head- too much... or not enough, he thought. He had his species back, but that was almost meaningless to him. He didn't know them. They were faceless. They couldn't mend that empty hole inside him. It could soften it somewhat- make it more bearable- but it could only be healed by a certain few... and they probably weren't even here.
Why was he still looking? They were gone. He was wishing for the impossible.
But...
...Perhaps there was room in that day for one more impossible thing... Perhaps fate would smile on him... Perhaps, after giving so much of himself for others, he might finally get something back in return.
He continued along the street, and turned his head to look down yet another alley- no longer expecting to find anything, but looking all the same. He froze. The world shrunk, and his vision tunnelled.
It was... it was them.
The stupid, scowling, irritating Bunny. The big, loud, boisterous North. The beautiful, feathered and fast Tooth... and the little, warm, golden Sandy.
They hadn't seen him yet... and he was still strigglin to believe that he could see them. He looked at the four dragons that, for that moment, meant more to him than the world. He couldn't bring his body to work. He'd forgotten how to breath. His mind was reeling, but, at the same time, stock still and disbelieving. He felt like... He didn't know what he felt like... Did he want to cry? Laugh? Run? Stare? He felt like he was going to faint he was suddenly so thrown but then again did he? His entire world had been flipped on its head, and he just... He was paralysed. Stunned by things he felt that he didn't even recognise.
Then, suddenly, as though his body were acting for him, he took a step towards them... and another. He didn't stop. He slowly built up his speed, until pretty soon he was running all out at the group of dragons. Arms pumping, heart beating like mad- so full, he thought it might burst. His chest swelled as his throat grew tight. Tears almost appeared in his eyes, but he held them back- he didn't want anything to block his vision of them.
They finally heard his footfall, and turned to see him. He could no longer hold back the dampness in his eyes, as he flung himself at them- changing into a dragon, as he reached out with his wings, pulling them tight into his embrace.
He didn't ever want to let go. They were... actually real...- warm and solid under his grip... They were alive! He didn't know what to think. He was just... it was so... they were... He squeezed his eyes shut, letting out a deep shuddering breath... Alive...
He pulled away, and looked at them, their eyes sparkling with life. They looked happy to see him, but confused by the sudden show of affection. He didn't care. Any look they gave him meant everything to him.
"Jack... what?" North muttered. The voice was music to the younger dragon's ears. He worked to force down the lump in his throat and his lungs to work, trying with difficulty to bring his voice box into working order. Somehow, he succeeded, and he managed to get his voice to work, through some miracle.
"I just- I thought..." He could barely get the words out. "...That battlefield, five years ago... I- I saw it, and... I thought you had... you were..." He didn't finish- he couldn't even consider it anymore. He thought that the Sky Dragons had all been killed in that battle and he was the only survivor- now he knew he was wrong. The Nightmare Dragons had all been wiped out, and the one he defeated five years ago had been the last. He didn't say any more, but he saw that North understood. The red dragon was looking at him in shock.
Sandy placed a gentle hand on his arm. Tooth looked like she wanted to give him another hug. Even Bunny looked surprised to see how broken he had been by that all those years without them.
"I thought... I was alone." He whispered, so quietly they only just heard it. They all knew how must being alone damaged the young dragon- he'd spent the first three centuries of his life living with loneliness. That kind of time alone, even if you lived forever, couldn't just be shrugged off.
Tooth couldn't resist it any longer. She stepped forwards, in her peculiar yet somewhat magical attempted human form, and drew him into a gentle, loving hug- the kind you only get from a mother figure. Letting him rest his head on her shoulder, as he just soaked up her soothing presence. She hushed him softly as she held him a little tighter. They weren't going anywhere, they were here now, everything was going to be fine, he was not alone. All that and more she conveyed through that simple touch and embrace.
Jack felt his torn up emotions calm a little. Perhaps he had been alone... but he wasn't anymore. They were alive... His family were still living... but more than that- they were with him, right now. He closed his eyes as he let his head dip... The he opened them to see North and Samdy and Bunny all smiling back... He let his eyes close again, a soft smile spreading across his face. They were here.
He felt something he hadn't felt for a long time... He felt complete.
Hiccup smiled, as he watched the touching reunion between Jack and his old family- through his own eyes, not Jack's (the least he could do after Jack gave him a moment with his mother, was return the favour). He was glad Jack finally got his happy ending. He deserved it. After all he'd been through... he could finally be happy... and he wasn't the only one.
He turned and watched the other reunion going on in front of him. Two Vikings, seperated for just under twenty years. Husband and wife- together once again. Stoick had drawn his lost wife into a tender kiss. Any other time Hiccup would have turned away, pulling a face, but now he appreciated how hard it was being separated from someone like that. Besides, how long had he been wishing for a sight like that- his parents reunited at last.
His gaze slid back to the Sky Dragons. Jack was happy. He was with his family... so why did he suddenly not feel so good?
Seeing him with them... he looked so content, so belonging, so... complete, he thought, letting himself to the edge of Jack's mind where he wouldn't sense him. He couldn't remember ever feeling him so joyous. Why did that not make him happy? He realised what it was. He looked so right with them. He belonged with the Sky Dragons... which meant he didn't belong with him.
He wouldn't stay. He had his old family back now, he didn't need him, anymore. He was moving on.
His eyes lowered- was this how Jack felt when he told him he'd been asked to become chief? It was horrible. He didn't want him to leave. He wanted him to stay. He didn't want to lose his friend. But seeing how happy he was... it was what was right, he decided. Jack would be happier with them.
It was for the best. He'd been a good friend, but now it was time to let him go. Nothing lasted forever, anyway- he was just lucky to have had such good times with him. Five long winters they'd flown together... he would treasure every day of it. Every day. He was supposed to go with them- he didn't want him to... but it was selfish for him to want to keep him like that- he'd be happier with them.
Wow, that was a big choice, he realised... the kind of thing his dad would do. "Not the choice that was best for him... but best for the people." That's what he'd say. Which reminded him, he'd made his decision about that too. He better tell him. Normally when he'd have come back after that stunt he pulled when he left he'd have to deal with a huge scolding about how irresponsible he was, and how Jack's cold had destroyed their scent so even Skullcrusher couldn't find it, and he couldn't come after him, and anything could've happened. But this time, surprisingly, he wasn't expecting such a talk at all. He went to tell him his choice.
He noticed Stoick walking arm in arm with Valka- somewhat starry eyed with happiness- and went up to him.
"Hey, dad?" He began. Stoick turned to him. "Listen.. about becoming chief, and all that... I've decided it's not for me, yet." H told him, before he could say anything, he carried on. "I'll help, and everything, but I wanna make the most of living how I am now... and I don't think I'm ready, yet. So, I think I'll leave you with the official job... at least, until I'm good enough, anyway." He finished, then he held his breath. Well, he'd said his piece, what would Stoick the Vast say about it.
He smiled.
"If you're sure that's what you want son." He said. "How does Chief in training sound, instead?" He suggested. Hiccup thought about it. "In training"... Yeah. He was still learning about everything, but he would have to take up his dad's role sooner or later, and that suited him just fine.
"That sounds great, dad." He told him. The big man clapped a hand on his shoulder- it didn't overwhelm him quite as much as it used to do- and walked off, to reintroduce his wife to the village.
He turned back to the white dragon.
Now for the hard part.
He heard a soft padding beside him, and looked to see Toothless there, giving him a questioning gaze. Hiccup lifted a hand up, to scratch the top of his head.
"Time to send 'em off, bud." He muttered. The black dragon nuzzled him.
Then, he walked forwards, and roared to draw the attention of all the dragons. A thousand eyes turned to the new Alpha. He roared again, up at the sky, shooting a blast of fire up into the air.
The dragons replied- filling the air with the sound of their calls, and shooting their varying types of fire up at the sky (a few chunks of ice, fire and rock were thrown up there from the Sky Dragons).
He could tell which fire was the Sky Dragon's, as it exploded in midair, so that little, glittering, harmless sparks drifted down all around everyone, and lit up the whole village. He watched them float down towards the ground, and noticed some of the Sky Dragons were already leaving in small groups (apparently they'd only come together because of the summons of Jack's ice symbol, at the battle of the nest).
Hiccup sighed, heart heavy, as he saw his white haired friend also admiring the spectacle, and he began to walk over to him...
It was time to say goodbye...