Author's Note: Sorry for the wait. :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Chapter 5: Dragon Trainer

Hiccup,

I race across the forest ground my foot and peg leg making a soft pounding against the twigs and branches below them. Even though I know Berk's teens won't track me down, probably too disgusted with my identity, it feels like in mere minutes they'll soon be here to tackle me and drag me back to their insane group and island.

I don't want to go back, I can't. Toothless cannot stay on Outcast Island anymore, I refuse to let him.

I am finding a dragon and training it, then I'm out of here. Those five will probably drown themselves, I haven't seen such a terrible bout of sailors since Thuggory tried to take a lap around the Outcast Island and sunk his boat on the dock. Caused a few snickers I later regretted.

A ray of spines stops me dead and I freeze my upper body rocking as it doesn't process the command as fast as my feet. I whip my head left staring at the dragon as it breaks into the clearing squawking angrily. I lift my hands up backing up slightly as the Deadly Nadder circles me a pretty mixture of colors on its scales. It's a blue with yellow and red spreading across it's body eyes narrowed and angry.

Breathe, Hiccup, you got this.

I lift my hands up and start to move towards the dragon but her tail shoots upwards snapping out; the spines sail through the air and I roll away from the deadly colorful spikes as the Deadly Nadder races past me into the forest towards the beach.

Where the teens are.

I hate Berk.

They don't have any weapons, this Deadly Nadder will be the death of all of them. As if sensing my problem and feeling like it's their duty to make it worse a Monstrous Nightmare, Gronckle and Zippleback burst from the trees chasing after the Deadly Nadder, the leader of the small pack I would assume.

Even better.

I race through the woods heading back from where I came and run towards the beach breaking onto the sandy shore in a few minutes a warning prepared at my lips. "Guys!" I shout as I break through the trees to where the other teens are huddled around the fire, they whip around looking back at me with wide eyes that harden in a few seconds, "Listen, I know you don't like me but there is a wild pack of dragons heading this way-" I start in a rush using my hands and gesturing wildly before a thump sounds behind me.

The four dragons I saw in the forest land on the beach behind me hissing, "-and they're here." I finish and my fingers scramble through the pockets in my coat before I grab Inferno and lift the cylinder up backing up towards the other teens. "Everyone get behind me." I command clicking the latch and the flaming blade shoots from the hilt up towards the air.

I was beyond sure that it was in the Night Fury but as it turns out it was within one of the larger pockets of my coat when I finally searched them down along with a large bag of coins; that brought a smirk.

"What are you going to do?" Astrid hisses behind me as they scramble to their feet making sure to stay behind me; the only person with a weapon.

"I'm not sure yet." I admit watching the dragons move forward towards us venomously. I'm not really in the mood to take on four fully grown adult dragons right now but I'm not sure if I really want to train them either, four at one time is a little much with my state of health. Funny though because I'm a "dragon conquer" as Alvin has put and rooted into my head several hundred times after failed attempts of training dragons, well not failed, just purposefully not succeeding in any shape or form.

Intentional failing?

The Deadly Nadder roars angrily breaking me from my thoughts as it swings it tail the spikes whipping through the air before embedding themselves into the sand in a near straight line towards my feet; one bouncing off my prosthetic. That was close, if Toothless were here, he would have leapt upon the Deadly Nadder...Shaking my head to clear the thoughts as my heart aches slightly I lift Inferno up trying reattach my focus point to the threat at hand.

The other teens back up slightly and I echo them as the Monstrous Nightmare lights itself on fire the coat of flames spitting out everywhere. The Gronckle bares her teeth and the Zippleback hisses lowly sparks leaping from the right mouth. The Deadly Nadder leaps into the air and releases another wave of spikes. I leap away from them the other teens scattering.

"OH THOR!" Fishlegs yells before he lets out a squeak and takes off down the beach screaming. He's quickly followed by similar reactions from Snotlout and the twins before all four take off down the beach.

"Guys don't-" I start to shout before three of the four dragons race after them. I stop mid sentence my hand outstretched and lower my hand biting my lip slightly. Idiots.

Astrid lets out a scream and I whip my head around as she tumbles backwards hand clutched over her upper arm. She hits the sand the Deadly Nadder roaring down at her prize. Ignoring the panicked shouts of the other teens behind me I race forward towards Astrid leaping next to her defenseless form clicking back Inferno and shoving it onto my upper leg I lift both my hands up to the Deadly Nadder.

She roars angrily but doesn't swing her tail delivering the fatal blow to Astrid or me. Inhale, inhale, inhale, you know how to breathe, you are aware. What if Alvin was right, what if- calm down.

I lift my hands up and advance slowly towards the Deadly Nadder letting her watch my every move, "Shh, it's okay, it's okay." I soothe and move past her blind spot directly in front of her nose and along her body towards her tail spikes gently rubbing them down. The Nadder tenses but slowly gives into my rub her tails lowering and her demor relaxing. I move back towards Astrid the Deadly Nadder's weak trust should be enough for now.

I lean down and hold out my hand silently asking for her trust again. Sometimes I think it would be better if everyone was a dragon, they're a lot easier to deal with than people. Astrid's eyes hold a level of pain but she stares at me then the dragon behind me her eyes wide before she takes my offered hand. I pull her to her feet and echo her pained face as my back stretches. I am never going to heal.

"Stay here." I command the blonde and she stares at the Nadder.

"But the-" She starts and I give her a look and she kills her sentence before I whip around and race towards the other teens nearly a good fifty feet from where I'm standing, the twins and the Zippleback the closest. I break into a sprint my prosthetic sinking into the sand slightly.

"Stop moving!" I shout towards both of the twins and they freeze looking back at me.

"What!"

"Are you crazy!?"

"Only slightly!" I answer and reach them lifting out both my hands the Zippleback stopping mid run in surprise the left head still looking ready to eat all three of us but the head on the right is disagreeing the two heads turn to each other glaring. I outstretch my hands to block the twins from advancing and to keep the Zippleback from eating them happily.

"Do exactly as I tell you if you wanna not die." I say to the twins not looking back at them my spine rigid as I stare into the eyes of the Zippleback it's four focused on me.

"For the first time since I've seen you, Hiccup, you have my full attention." Ruffnut promises behind me.

"I'm all ears." Tuffnut adds.

You two seemed perfectly in focus a few hours ago when Astrid was kicking me out from your small group.

"I want you two to walk forward with your hands outstretched and let the Zippleback touch them." I say and from the corner of my eye I see both their jaws fall slightly.

"Wait, are you kidding!?" Tuffnut demands and I shake my head. I back up behind them and give them a small shove towards the dragon. They both look back at me with venomous glares before the ZIppleback growls, they both tense and I give a small nod. The two siblings move forward hands outstretched, Tuffnut slightly ahead of his sister.

I bite my split lip tightly watching them advance, hopefully this doesn't turn up to be a terrible idea, seventy percent of the time it is, leaving twenty nine for complete and utter stupid ones; resting at a perfect one percent chance of working. And most of the time that one percent never wins.

Ever.

The twins look away from their hands and at each other as if when they get their hands removed to stumps, they at least want to know they're in it together. The Zippleback heads tilt slightly before they rest their open heads against the two twins' hands. They both suck in sharp breaths before looking at the dragon. "Whoa." Tuffnut voices.

No kidding. Toothless.

I turn and poke my head out slightly making sure Astrid is still in once piece, she is, standing beside the blue dragon. I twist around watching Fishlegs under the Gronckle's claw and Snotlout being tackled down by the Monstrous Nightmare. Pursing my lips and ignoring the pain at the movement I start to race towards Snotlout, "Ruff! Tuff! Help Fishlegs!" I shout and point towards the boy for good measure.

"On it!" Tuffnut shouts and gives a thumbs up racing towards the boy the Zippleback trailing after both of them.

"Snotlout! Do not move!" I shout towards him when I'm about ten feet from the flaming dragon and the pinned Viking.

"Ha! That's hilarious!" Snotlout retorts towards me as he struggles under the claw.

I race forward and jumping in a small front flip to gain speed I tackle the Monstrous Nightmare's horns shoving them to the ground. The dragon releases a happy breath it's claw snapping back from Snotlout. I release it's neck and take in a few breaths backing up slightly as Snotlout staggers to his feet watching me with wide eyes.

"You just…" He trails off as if he can't actually voice what he saw. He uses wide gesture with his hands and mimics my actions then folds his arms across his chest, "Of course it's nothing I wouldn't have done."

"Then why didn't you do it?" Astrid asks as she moves next to my side, the Deadly Nadder at her side.

"I was...busy." Snotlout answers and his face twists in annoyance, "Shut up, Astrid."

…

The next night, after spending half the day of putting Snotlout out-for the love of all things good he lit himself on fire a lot I sit around another fire, set by the other teens dragons, I have weekly gained Astrid's trust in the least respect, she and that Nadder, Stormfly are going places.

"I am starving!" Snotlout declares abruptly snapping me from my thoughts.

"I second that starving." Tuffnut declares and I groan softly dropping my forehead onto my hand. We literally just went fishing and fed the dragon's twice the normal amount any would get on Outcast..Stop. Banishing the thought to the darkest part of my brain I look up at them shaking my head slightly.

"Do you two do anything but eat?" I demand and send a pointed look in Snotlout and Tuffnut's direction, Tuffnut has dreadlocks, that is the only way I can tell him and his sister apart. "Seriously mate, you eat more food than Al-" I stop mid sentence biting my tongue and pursing my lips tightly.

"Than who?" Astrid asks and I tense ringing my hands together. Good going capt'n Freebird, funny you can talk yourself out of nearly any situation but you can easily give away literally anything with a slip of words. Well done. How about a metal?

I give a half laugh then clear my throat slightly, "Nothing mate." I assure and force my gaze down staring at the flames.

"Hiccup," Astrid says softly and rests a hand on my shoulder, I jerk backwards from her hand panic rushing through my at the touch. Astrid, it's Astrid, she'll punch me in the face but it's Astrid, it's fine. I'm mostly okay. Astrid pulls her hand back fingers curling inward as she stares at me with wide eyes.

I sit up straight and force my posture to relax, "Sorry about that, no touchy, savvy?" I ask and look over at Astrid who rolls her eyes in annoyance slightly at my antics. Everyone is quiet.

"Why were you on Berk's beach? Why did you was ashore on our island?" Astrid asks softly after a few minutes of listening to the dragons shift and the fire crackle. I look up slightly as a wave of memories crashes through my head:

"And now Dragon Conquer, you are mine."

"Think you can run from this boy!?"

"TOOTHLESS! Stop! Please stop!"

"Teach 'im a lesson, street rat could use it." "What are you doing! No, please be mad at me take this out on me just don't hurt Toothless!"

"You're pathetic, you know that right?"

"There's an idiot at the end of my sword." "Which end?"

"You can't even sail more than twenty feet without sinking the ship." "You wanna bet on that, I can make the whole island; you won't make it more than the dock." "You laugh now, runt, I'll sink you and your stupid little boat." "You may try."

"Hold Toothless...NOW!"

"Welcome back to Outcast Island, 'iccup, I was gettin' worried about ya."

"You plan to steal for the rest of your life, ay? Then a pirate you'll be capt'n Freebird."

"No one will ever trust you because of this, pirate, you'll be thrown from island to island, till you're back here, oh, you will be back."

"SEE YOU IN VALHALLA!"

"Toothless, I am so sorry. I failed you, both of us."

"I will be back for you! I won't leave you! I won't let you go!" "How touching." "Touch me again and I'll take off one of your hands, savvy?"

"Toothless!"

"Toothless!"

"TOOTHLESS!"

"Hiccup!" A voice yells in panic and I'm jerked from my memories with a jolt my eyes widening as I stare forward at Astrid, her hands on my shoulders the other teens behind her staring at me with...concern? I've never actually seen a expression from a human directed at me with that. Stormfly nudges my back and I jerk forward slightly almost toppling over into Astrid's arms. I catch myself before the situation can become awkward and bite my lip slightly.

"It's really not a funny story, mate." I assure looking away from all five pairs of eyes.

Astrid moves her hands back sitting cross legged in front of me, the other teens sitting down in their spots, I snort softly, "Well since I have such a fine audience, pack your hankies, mates."

"Not funny." Astrid says dryly and folds her arms across her chest.

"Fine, alright," I agree growing serious, "It was the last flight. Like you all do know, I've bonded with a dragon. Toothless and I reign over the Night Fury, a ship Alvin sends his best sailors on to terrorize the Archipelago bringing him back goods and gold, Outcast Island is not a place where anything beyond death grows, almost everything they get is from trading. I stole the ship, Alvin's best weapons and quiet honestly crippled bits of his pride."

"Wait," Fishlegs says and I stop playing with the broken hems of my gloves to look up at him, "the Night Fury is ruled by different captains?" He asks, "I thought it was just one."

"Nope, you seriously think a hundred year old ship can have the same captain? Alvin wasn't even the chief who came up with the idea." I say and bite my lip. "Right, moving on, cutting the sob story, I was disowned when I was twelve, tossed on the streets to survive till I was fourteen and met Toothless. Then I blew up a giant dragon, lost half my leg and Alvin threw me in prison because I wouldn't train his dragons. The reason I washed up on Berk's shore is because I lept of a cliff to evade capture, nearly resulting in my death." I say and Astrid blinks twice the other riders taking in sharp breaths.

"Wait, so you mean to tell me, you lept off a cliff, into the sharp rocks and floated to Berk." Snotlout deadpans and I glance at each of their faces for a second before shrugging slightly and nodding.

"Pretty much sums it up." I agree.

"You weren't trying to get away, you were trying to get to Toothless." Astrid breathes and jumps slightly as Stormfly squawks. Keeps forgetting she's there I guess. We have a long ways to go before we take flight.

"We have to get him back." Astrid says with firm determination I raise an eyebrow.

"What caused the change of heart, milady?" I ask dryly.

"It's just-you could have left me to die out there when Stormfly was attacking me, but you didn't. You wouldn't leave any of us. You're no usual pirate Hiccup." Astrid says and I hum softly. I am not Alvin, I will not leave them to suffer as I watch, that's not who I am and will never be.

"Yeah, you saved all of us. We owe our lives to you." Fishlegs adds and the twins nod.

"Yeah! Cool! I've always wanted to be a pirate." Tuffnut says and I huff softly.

"You're not going to be one." I assure and get to my feet turning away from them. What if they turn again, what if Alvin captures them, what if we fail and they all get killed because of me, I'm willing to sacrifice myself that's it. For Toothless. "You do all realize this could result in death, don't you?" I ask still looking forward.

"We know." Astrid answers after nearly a minute of silence.

Amazing that. Dedication or maybe guilt.

"Fine." I agree and look back at them, "Get a good nights sleep, we leave at first light."

Author's Note: Sorry for the time skip. :)

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