Hiccup was asleep, his head on a pillow. Healing scars were on his face showed that maybe a week or two had passed. Kara was sprawled next to him, exhausted from her injury. Toothless hovered over them, whining and grumbling impatiently. Hiccup stirred and opened his eyes.

"Oh, hey Toothless. Toothless excitedly nuzzled and nudged Hiccup. "Okay, okay! I'm happy to see you too, bud. Now just-"

Toothless stepped on his groin, causing Hiccup to sit bolt upright with a yelp. He looked around, confounded. He was in his bed, moved beside the fire pit on the main floor of his house. He saw Kara beside him, blushed, then continued looking around.

"I'm in my house. You're in my house." Toothless tore around the room, knocking things over, far too big for the space. "Uh...does my dad know you're in here?!"

Toothless paused at the foot of the bed, tongue wagging. He eyed the rafters... and leapt up onto them, brimming with 'happy dog' energy.

"Okay, okay - no Toothless! Aw, come on..." Hiccup shifted to get out of bed... then paused... sensing that something is wrong. He peeled back the covers slowly. What he saw startled, horrified, and overwhelmed him - all at once. His booted foot touched down... Followed by a mechanical prosthetic in place of his second leg. It was an ingenious spring-loaded replacement, made of wood and iron. Toothless landed by the bed and approached calmly, sniffing the new leg. He raised his eyes to meet Hiccup's, seemingly aware of what Hiccup was going through. Hiccup braced himself on the bedpost and tried to stand on it. He winced and stifled the pain...

"Okay...okay..." but stumbled with the first step. Toothless caught Hiccup's fall with his head... and slowly lifted him up, stabilizing him. "Thanks bud."

Hiccup leaned on him like a crutch. They took a few steps together. Their missing parts formed a poetic silhouette as they made their way toward the door. Hiccup pried it open, revealing a Monstrous Nightmare flapping outside the door. Hiccup yelped and slammed the door closed. He turned to Toothless, alarmed. Kara was startled awake by the commotion and sat upright, then cringed with the motion. She carefully got up and limped over, and hand on her stomach.

"Toothless? Stay here, bud. You too." He said, looking to Kara. Hiccup paused... and cracked the door open again. He peeked outside, his eyes widening. He allowed to door to swing open, revealing... ... the Monstrous Nightmare, carrying Snotlout on its back.

"Come on guys, get ready! Hold on tight! Here we go!" A class of newbie dragon riders followed him through the sky on a variety of dragons, pulling back the curtain on an amazing vista in which Vikings and dragons mull about by the dozen, basking on the rooftops, weaving along the plaza. No one seemed upset, there wasn't a sword in sight. Under the framework of a massive barn, a Nadder blasted fire onto a metal brace. It stepped back to let a Viking hammer it into shape. Nearby, a Gronkle landed, carrying a tree trunk in his mouth. He showed a Viking what he'd found. The Viking patted his head. Another Viking backed a Zippleback into a stall to check it for size. Hiccup took a step outside, finding Stoick waiting for him on the step.

"I knew it. I'm dead." Hiccup said. Stoick laughed and Kara smirked.

"No, but you gave it your best shot." Kara teased. Stoick put his arm around Hiccup, steadying him. He gestured to the transformed village.

"So? What do you think?" Hiccup just shrugged, amazed. Below, the plaza, villagers took notice.

"Hey look! It's Hiccup!" They rushed over, surrounding him with a hero's welcome.

"Hiccup, how you doin' mate?"

"It's great to see you up and about."

"Turns out all we needed was a little more of..." He gestured non-specifically at Hiccup. "... this."

"You just gestured to all of me." Hiccup said, playing along with a happy smile.

"Well. Most of you." Gobber pushed through the crowd, beaming proudly. "That bit's my handiwork. With a little Hiccup flare thrown in. Think it'll do?"

"I might make a few tweaks." Astrid appeared and jabbed Hiccup in the arm. Hiccup recoils with a grumble.

"That's for scaring me."

"What, is it always going to be this way? Cause I..." Kara grabbed him aggressively and kissed him. Hoots and hollers followed. "... could get used to it."

Gobber presented Hiccup with a rebuilt saddle, rigging, and tail.

"Welcome home." Gobber said. Suddenly, Toothless pounced on the crowd, crushing several unsuspecting Vikings under his weight.

"Night Fury, get down!" A viking called, jokingly. Toothless eyed the new tail excitedly, tongue wagging. Amidst the groans and grumbles, Hiccup and Kara exchanged a sheepish grin.

Hiccup's prosthetic foot snapped into the modified stirrup. The two pieces clicked together, forming a single shape. Astride Toothless, he was whole again. He rotated the pedal. The new tail opened. Bright red with a skull and Viking horns emblazoned on it. Hiccup approved.

Hiccup and Toothless were saddled up and ready to fly. Astrid backed her Nadder into position. Kara stood beside Hiccup, half dragon half human.

"You ready?" Hiccup asked Toothless. He snorted an excited 'yes!' From his mount, Hiccup looked out over the changed world.

"This... is Berk. It snows nine months of the year... and hails the other three." They leapt into the bright blue sky, together as one. Kara and Astrid followed, giving chase.

"Any food that grows here is tough and tasteless. The people that grow here are even more so." Hiccup and Kara raced through the village - under eaves, over rooftops, down cliff-sides, and between ship masts. It was a high energy, romantic dance of sorts.

"The only upsides are the pets. While other places have...ponies or parrots, we have..." Their fellow recruits joined them as they took to the open sky, rocketing far above the village. The Northern sky swirled with blazing, multicolored dragons. Hiccup, Toothless, and Kara broke from the pack, spinning into the blinding sun.

"... dragons."

That's all folks. Someone asked if I could continue into Riders of Berk so I'll just have to see about that. I have yet to watch any episodes so...

If I do, I'll post a new chapter about the new story.

Thanks for all your support.

Fin