AN:
Here you everyone! I hope you'll like the next chapter. I'm thinking about starting another story. But if I do so, I'll have less time for my other stories. So if I do, you won't be able to expect 2 chapters a week. This is still my goal, so I hope to still make that happen but school and life is still a thing so yea.
Enjoy.
The surface of the sea was calm and gentle waves crossed the surface. This blue endless, well sea, of water was interrupted by a pair of heads, both belonging to one dragon. This joyful beast was happily swimming around the freezing water, glad that his human friends had returned unharmed from their raid. One of the heads, overjoyed about the ordeal, let out a ultrasonic shriek. The other one was also happy, but this quickly faded when he heard the shriek of his buddy, returning after it had echoed from a metal surface. The heads both spun towards the location where the sound resurfaced from, and found themselves looking at a speck on the sky, another ship. The heads shared a quick glare, before rising out of the water, and ascending towards their ship above them.
On the ship was a happy mood, they had just captured the full load of a military grade weapon. Some of the best around. The few boxes that they took contained parts for a medium sized gun, the Typhon, a heavy, dual barreled Flak cannon, capable of brining destroyers to the ground. The older designs used 3 crewman to control the weapon, thanks to the weight, one had to be used for moving, another one for aiming, and then the last crewman fired and reloaded the weapon, but thanks to the advances in technology, small steam-filled cylinders, and oiled ball-bearings made the one of the most precise and deadly weapons of the air that could be controlled by one person. Hicca had known of the cargo, wanting to upgrade their airships arsenal, and as a gift for Ray, who regularly complained about their current main gun. Now she just had to convince Brynn to put it together. Since the mechanic and the gunner weren't on best terms, like now for instance. The two had fought side by side just a moment ago, but they were currently rolling around the deck, fighting. Hicca looked down on the two, fighting like small children. "Will they ever stop?" She asked Sithera, who stood by her side. "I've never seen anyone be so aggressive to each other." Sithera looked at the two fighting crewmates and responded to Hicca. "I don't think its aggression why they're fighting." "Oh, of course, they probably fight out of mutual understanding." Hicca responded dryly. "I still think it has something to do with dominance." Sithera looked at her captain with a grin, before looking back at the fight and responding. "It could be some sort of wicked mating dance." Hicca chocked on the air she was about to breathe, and looked at her crewmember with a doubtful expression. She wanted to say something, but then her expression changed to one of deep thinking. "It does make sense." She said. Sithera responded with. "Es ist liebe." And proceeded to walk towards the railing to check on her dragon. Hicca continued to watch the fight, now from a different angle. Brynn and Ray were rolling around the deck, but Brynn gained the upper hands for a second and quickly pinned Ray to the deck. They looked at each other for a second before quickly turning a darkest shade of red that Hicca had ever seen. Brynn quickly stood up to collect her swords, which had scattered over the deck during the fight. Ray also arose from the deck, adjusting his scarf and swinging his satchel around his shoulder. They then continued with separate businesses.
The tension on the deck was interrupted by a large Seashocker landing on it. Barely able to fit between the many riggings that kept the balloon and the ship together. Sithera quickly ran towards her dragon. "What is it guys?" She asked, they both let out a low rumble and pointed their heads to the balloon. "There's a hole in the blimp?" She guessed. Both heads shook from left to right. "There's someone above us?" She then asked, hoping that the answer would be no, but sadly, the two dragons bobbed their heads up and down, signaling that they were indeed being followed. Sithera spared a quick look at Hicca, who had overheard the 'conversation', and directly responded with barking out orders. "Brynn, check engines! Ray get up on the blimp and range the ship, take Sith' for identification." The two quickly found themselves climbing the net-like part of the rigging and quickly scaling the balloon. "There!" Sith yelled, spotting the dot on the horizon, being a little behind them. "They must be following us, they're in our blind spot, but still behind us."
Ray grabbed his rangefinder from his bag and glared at the ship. While he was turning the dials to find the exact range from their location, he was relaying what he could see to Sithera. "It's long, small, had one big balloon on top and two small ones at the side of the main hull, looks like a small scoped flak on the front, but I can't be sure." Sith had no problem with recalling where she had seen that ship. "It's Berk!" She called. She hurried down the netting and quickly landed back on the deck. "Hicca, it's Berk and they're following us!" She was just finished saying it as Ray came down, still hanging in the netting. "They're at 500 back and 700 up, far out of reach. They only have anti-ship arms and I think they know about the dragons." Hicca was processing this information, Berk was there and they knew about the dragons. they probably followed the mule thinking they could catch Ray. "Sith, can your dragon go that high?" She asked. The seashocker was best in water, so they had difficulty flying in thin air. "Don't know Hic'." Okay, so she couldn't send Sith. "Bummer. Brynn, you're on it, together with Ray. " But Brynn responded with. "The whole archipelago knows I have ties with you, and you want to send me towards Berkians?" 'Shit' Hicca thought. She couldn't send Ray alone, they were with six, and even though he's a good fighter, he could very well be overpowered. "Sith' take wheel!" "Yes, ma'm." Came her response. Hicca handed the wheel over to Sith, who watched as she put her helmet on, masking her identity. "Wait, you're not going, are you?" She asked shocked. "Ray's not going alone, I'll stay back and won't talk." She responded before switching her leg over to flying and mounting Toothless. Ray quickly jumped on Blitz and they ascended to the skies above.
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Utter panic had arose at the Berkians ship, not only had they seen the gunner on the balloon, ranging their ship, which obviously meant that they had been spotted, no they also had 2 small dots, presumably dragons, coming at them with great speed. "Get on that twist her round lads!" Gobber yelled while standing on the middle of the deck, he'd given the steering to Fishlegs so that he could manage the panicking crew. "Line the Gatling with them." The speedy and maneuverable ship turned 90 degrees, pointing the port located 6 barreled Gatling gun straight at the dragons. "Snot you're on it!" Upon hearing this Snotloud quickly ran towards the gun. Flipping the lever that would get it spinning and ready to fire. He watched the brass barrels slowly begin to gain speed. But then, a ball came at him, blue, like the fire of am, oh shit. "NIGHT FURY!" He screamed just before he dove away from the gun, which was now reduced to a pile of half molten metal. They saw the dragons head towards their deck and backed off towards the rear of the ship. Fishlegs was hiding behind the wheel, while Snotloud lay unconscious on the deck.
The remaining crew quickly retreated back, hiding behind some boxes and machinery, the only one who remained on the deck was Gobber, having already attached his sword prostatic. The first dragon the near the ship was a Skrill, but at the last moment it veered to the right. Their eyes were fixed to the large beast and only noticed their visitor when it landed behind him. Apparently the dragon had a rider, it was the gunner no less. Standing calmly on their deck and holding his rifle loosely. Then another dragon landed on the ship, one that no one had seen before, the Night Fury. And that one also had a rider, from the back of the dragon, came a person, tall but quite skinny for the average person. She, judging by the streaks of brown hair that came from underneath her helmet, wore a strange outfit. Consisting of the dark helmet, covering her entire face. A thick leather chest piece, one large and one smaller shoulder guard. which were followed by another set that covered her entire lower arm, only revealing small and precise fingers. From underneath the chest piece came a leather skirt, reaching above her knees, and held tight by two black leather straps. The skirt ended and made way for her pants, which were a bit lighter than the leather skirt, she had thicker kneepads and wore a sturdy, thick leather boot, her other boot was replaced with a metal contraption, resembling a foot.
"Who 'are ye' guys?" Gobber asked. He was answered by the gunner. "I don't think you lot are in the position to ask questions." He said, as he swung his rifle over his shoulder. "Why are you following us?" He asked. Gobber decided that it would be best to answer. "My crew 'ere told me that you might know something that could interest me. So 'a got curious." Ray looked at Gobber. "And what could I possibly have to offer you?" He asked, playing dumb. "Information 'bout Hicca Hiddaguard Haddock the Third." Gobber responded calmly. "Perhaps we have." Ray turned to Hicca, who was casually leaning against Toothless. She shook her head. "Well, I'm afraid I can't help you." Ray answered dryly. "But I would like to ask, why are you looking for 'Berks lost heir.'?" Gobber took a few second to answer before saying. "We did something we're not proud at', and 'er father wants 'er back." Ray let out a chuckle. "I thinks she got that message when he put the bounty on her head."
Gobber was trying to remain calm, but these people knew something about Hicca, and he wouldn't let them get away. There was a little bit of tension on the ship, no wonder, seeing how 2 dragons were in close proximity of a tribe which kill them on sight. The Berkians decided it would be best to remain calm. Fishlegs had fainted upon seeing the Night Fury. Snotloud was slowly regaining consciousness, while the twin were ogling the dragons, a Night Fury and a Skrill, those could bring huge destruction. Aster had his gaze focused on the gunner, hoping that if he stared hard enough he might collapse or spill the secrets he'd been hiding from them. But to no avail. The tension reached its climax when Gobber took a step forward. Both dragons immediately bared their teeth and snarled at the one legged man, but grew quiet at the sign of their riders. "Sir Roamer" He began. "I've heard you've been a soldier of fortune, and a soldier needs an army. What would you ask for finding Hicca for us." Everyone knew what Gobber was playing at, mercenaries were sly bastards, whoever pays most gets the man. Ray walked over towards Gobber, signaling his Skrill to relax. Once he stood a mere half meter away from Gobber, he quickly swooped his leg underneath him. Gobber immediately hit the ground. When he opened his eyes he was looking straight into the barrel of a revolver. Once Ray thought he had his full attention he began. "I follow no man, I follow a cause." He cocked his revolver and looked at the woman leaning against the Night Fury. Waiting for something. The woman shook her head and he holstered his revolver, before walking back towards his dragon.
The woman swung herself in the saddle of her dragon, before a metal sound was heard and she took off. The man also climbed on his Skrill, but before he left he turned to Gobber, who was still lying on the ground. "I'd watch yourself 'Belch' it's a dangerous world up here." Then they heard the whistle of the Night Fury, and they most left engine was obliterated by a blue plasma blast.
The two riders flew off, back towards their own ship. "You think they got the message?" Ray asked. Hicca sighed. "From what I saw they'll never stop." They continued the rest of their flight in silence.
AN:
So there we go! Another chapter finished, I hope everyone likes it. Like said in the beginning of the chapter I am planning to start a new story. It will be HTTYD but it's a crossover again. This time it's a modern AU, mixed with XCOM Enemy Unknown, another game I love. I have some great ideas for this so it will either take a while for it to start or it could be done later today. I have no idea. Also if anyone wants to know where I got my inspiration for the female Hiccup. It's from a picture on deviant art by juliajm15 called 'Fem!Hiccup' He also had drawings of Male Astrid on his account and he's just plain awesome.
Take care, everyone!
R4y