READ FIRST:
Firstly to all my readers out there this chapter(if you could call it that) has little Astrid/Hiccup stuff going on. I wrote this so I could introduce some new characters into the plot. I'm sorry if it's too short but I made this so I could focus on making the main story once again.
"Fellow Vikings, today is a grand day!" announced Stoick the Vast, addressing the population of Berk. "Today is the proclamation of our village's soon to be defenders! You may all think that the dragon threat is over but there are still dangerous dragons out there, so now we have eighteen new recruits waiting to enter the test of initiation!" gesturing towards Hiccup and the other five recruits from their clan. Hiccup stood alongside Astrid, Snotlout, Fishlegs, the twins, and two new additions to their group. The new guys were Aeden and Bob. Aeden was the son of Professor Yobbish, the famous writer of the original "How to Train Your Dragon". Unlike his father, Aeden had a connection with his dragon just like Hiccup that enabled him to actually train a dragon. He had arrived a day before, just after Hiccup was injured in training; he was a Viking teen with black hair and a quiet look on his face at all times. Bob, however, was a different story. He was largely built, much like Fishlegs, only larger. He brandished a wicked club that he lugged around everywhere. He had a Nightmare for a dragon which said a lot about the guy. Hiccup shuddered just looking at him but thought that he would get along with Aeden very well. He glanced at Astrid and they locked their hands as Stoick announced the teams in which they would be paired during the initiation. He breathed a sigh of relief when he was paired with Astrid. Snotlout ended up with Fishlegs but Ruffnut was paired with Aeden and Tuffnut got the bad-ass looking Bob. They all stood by their partners as the town crier announced the arrival of a new ship. Hiccup rushed to the side and glanced at the majestic ship as it cut through the icy waters, heading for Berk. Oh what I'd give to have one of those! he thought as the boat slowly pulled in the dock. As the ramp descended and a group of burly Vikings stepped out and Stoick was the first to greet them.
"MOGADON!" said Stoick clasping hands with the big Viking.
"Ah Stoick, I see you have finally started training dragons instead of killing them. I knew you'd change old friend." said the big guy named Mogadon.
"Hooligans, I give to you the MEATHEAD CLAN!" said Stoick sidling aside to let the new arrivals pass. "We now have the other eight recruits."
"As I call their names, they must step forward and join their respective teams!" and with that Stoick announced the new additions to each team. Astrid and Hiccup got a guy named Booty and Thuggory, chief Mogadon's son. The others each got two additions to their team.
"Now that the teams have been chosen, in the next few days you all will be given the time to prepare yourselves and you dragons for the coming tests. Each team will be pitted against each other and the best will, of course, be the victors. So go now and train." With that the ceremony ended and everybody headed for the mead hall, to celebrate the arrival of the Meatheads and the coming events.
Astrid stayed behind with Hiccup; she had anticipated that he would stay behind. Hiccup was after all not a man of the crowd.
"So where are you headed?" she asked.
"I'm gonna follow Aeden, I overheard Ruffnut saying something about assessing his abilities."
"I'm coming if you don't mind" she said punching his injured arm.
"What was that for?" he said grasping the said limb.
"I was assessing your abilities" she grinned. Hiccup slumped in surrender as they strode towards the training area. Ruffnut saw them and hurriedly approached them.
"Hey guys, have you seen Aeden fight? He's frickin good with a sword!" She dragged them over to the sparring area and Astrid saw Aeden sparring with her trainer.
"Alrighty boy-o, I'll go easy on you" said the trainer cockily. He was still wielding the great-sword he had used on Hiccup. Aeden, she observed, just stared back calmly. He drew his sword and moved forward. What happened next was a blur, one second her trainer was smiling, the next he was barely grinning as his sword twirled in the air. It landed a good ten feet away as Aeden placed his sword near the trainer's throat. Hiccup laughed and they left, leaving a still amazed Ruffnut and the now humbled trainer behind.
As they left Astrid was lost in thought, were against that? Even with Hiccup's newfound talent we don't stand a chance! She was troubled and it showed.
"What's wrong?" said Hiccup.
"Nothing, nothing" she said slowing her pace so she could think clearly.
"Don't worry about the fight, we'll make it to the top" he said, reading her mind as he placed his hand on her shoulder. She smiled at the gesture and gave him a peck on the cheek.
"You really know when to do that look don't you" she said happily.
"Look? What look?" looking at her confusingly.
"That look, the one you do just before I kiss you. You smile and look innocent, don't say I haven't noticed."
"Like this" he said imitating his previous expression. Before she could laugh she heard Ruffnut scream back at the training grounds. She glanced back and saw that the place was on fire.
Thanks a bunch for reading, I got some of the names from the first book and some of the ideas. Please review and remember that this is not really a chapter, it's more like a footnote so you know from where I got the new characters. However I can promise that I already have the plot in greater detail since I know of the coming events. Thank you again for reading.