"Can we come aboard?" Hicca yelled towards the Berkian's ship. Stoick gritted his teeth. He didn't trust these pirate one bit, but they knew something about his daughter, so he would take his chances.
"Alright, but the beasts stay on year own ship!" Stoick yelled back, looking at the demons that rested on the top of the balloon. If these were the kinds of people that had information about Hicca he feared for her.
Hicca turned away from the railing, her crew grabbing long coils of ropes with hooks, throwing them towards the galleon. The hooks got caught on netting and cables. On the Skywhale the crew had begun pulling the ship towards them. Gobber, Aster and Fishlegs had also thrown hooks to the ship, pulling them together at an even quicker rate. Once only a few meters parted the two ships a plank was put down between the two, Hicca and her crew spilled onto the Galleon.
"You wanted to discuss something?" Stoick said, hoping to end the meeting as soon as possible. He had been at one meeting with dragons before, and that ended with every town needing to find a new governor.
"Yes, it's of quite official busyness." Hicca said calmly, trying to hide her nerves. "According to Berkian law these airships are a part of Berkian soil, right?"
"Aye." Stoick merely said, curious where the pirate captain was going. "That is correct."
"So if any changes were made to, say document, that would have to be carried out on Berkian soil we could do it here?"
"You know an awful lot about laws for a pirate." Stoick said with a stoic expression. "Specifically our laws."
"I do my research." Hicca said calmly. "And I do believe that changes to documents have to be witnessed by two independent bystanders."
"Officially, yes." Stoick said. "Too bad we don't make deals with pirates." He spat the last words with so much hate that Hicca visually recoiled.
"Good, because we are not here for that." She said as she grabbed a piece of paper out of her armour. "We wish to make changes to this document." She said as she held the document out.
Stoick could already see that it was a formal document, and it was Berkian, their watermark was in the top corner. "What is it?" He asked, wondering how a pirate could gain such a formal piece of administration work. He stepped forward to inspect the document, but the pirate captain evaded.
"No no no, I want this to be observed by an independent witness." She said calmly. Sweat forming on the inside of her helmet. "Tell me, do you believe pirates have loyalty."
"No." Stoick sneered at her. Not even thinking about his answer.
"Good, that means that one of my crew here can safely inspect it." She said as she handed the paper to Sithera, who quickly passed it on to Brynn. "Since they do not swear loyalty to anyone."
Stoick wanted to protest, but she was completely in her right. When they got back to Berk he was going to change some laws.
Brynn looked at Hicca with worry, but Hicca merely nodded. Brynn cleared her throat and loudened her voice.
"The paper is a birth certificate." She begun, gaining curiosity from the entire Berkian crew. "According to this document the Sir Stoick 'The Vast' Haddock had a baby girl in the autumn of 1920."
Stoick, Gobber, Fishlegs and Aster froze, for they knew which birth certificate this was. Stoick charged at Brynn, but a halberd stopped him. Ray had taken a defensive position in front of her, a white knuckled grip on his halberd. "She's in her right." He hissed through gritted teeth. Stoick turned away, stomping back to Gobber, who had taken a position by his side.
"Now that we know what document we are talking about we can proceed to the changes." Hicca said slowly, only angering Stoick even further. "We wish to render to document obsolete."
Stoick and Gobber knew fully what they meant with this. They wished to destroy the document, cutting all ties Hicca had with Berk and thus changing the conditions of the search. Bounties worked per region, and Hicca was wanted alive as the daughter of Stoick 'The Vast' Haddock. If this title would be stripped of her the search would be forced to stop, and the wanted would be changed to alive, preferably, something that Stoick would never do.
"I challenge you." Stoick said, breaking the short silence that had formed. "I challenge you to a duel for the document."
The captain accepted it quickly by pulling the hilt from her leg, indicating that she was ready.
"No heavy armour or guns." She stated, knowing that Stoick, although a fair and honest man, would not hesitate to do dirty things to win this battle.
"And no heavy armour." Stoick added. "So off with the helmet."
Hicca froze at this, as did Gobber and Aster, but she obliged. Slowly lifting her helmet off her head. Her brown hair spilled out from underneath it, luckily in a thick braid. Stoick's jaw dropped to the ground, his own daughter, a pirate, accepting a duel with him to destroy her own birth certificate.
He wasn't the only one to be shocked. Aster could now just fully see the beauty that stood on the deck, ready to fight for the destruction of her birth right. He could see the fire that burned in her eyes, on the verge of tears. The rest of the teens were watching with horror, except for the twins, who were still trying to place who the strange girl was, and why she looked so familiar.
"Why?" Was all Stoick managed to say as he looked at his daughter. Who stood ready for a fight. "Why do this?"
"I can't come back to Berk, I won't." Hicca said softly, a lump forming in her throat. "I'm home here, with the dragons, with my crew."
"But thinks about your friends, thinks about your family." Stoick argued, he had not prepared much for the reunion between the two, and had certainly not expected it to happen today. "Think about Berk."
"I have my friends and family here, right besides me." Hicca said more aggressive. "They stand by my choices, they support me."
"But what about home, who will take my place when I'm too old?" Stoick said, his arguing taking a path that Hicca was not going to. "Who will lead Berk?"
"Anyone but me." Hicca said. She flicked Inferno and the flaming blade extended. "Is the duel on or not?"
"I'm not going to fight you." Stoick said. "But I won't let you destroy your future." He turned around, motioning Aster to come to him. Aster reacted shocked to this, first pointing a finger to himself in disbelief and then to Hicca.
"Are you sure Sir?" He asked, shocked that Stoick actually wanted him to fight his daughter. "Are you absolutely sure?"
Stoick kneeled down next to Aster, whispering softly enough that no one could hear it. "Listen boy," He began. "You are our only hope on ever getting Hicca back, if she destroys that paper can't force her to come home, since she hasn't committed any crimes against Berk. Do you understand?"
"I do," Aster said softly. "It's just, it's Hicca." He muttered.
"Just act like it's a play fight." Stoick said a bit jovially. "I know she's a friend and you don't want to hurt her, but it's for the best. Do it for her."
Aster stood up, facing Hicca, his hands on the large axe on his back. "Fine." He said.
Hicca was both relieved and shocked, she had already knocked Aster out once, and she didn't quite enjoy that. She did some tricks with her blade, showing her skill. Aster merely took his axe from his back and grabbed it with both hands. "Ready?" He asked. Earning a nod from the girl he loved.
They clashed together, iron on burning steel. Aster's axe was heavy, and could easily break Hicca's blocks, but it was also slow, allowing Hicca to use the gaps that fell in his defence to be exploited.
They were an even match in skill, neither party managing to gain the upper hand in the battle. But unfortunately for Hicca, Aster had higher stamina, the boy being used to more physical labour and heavy work. If the battle would continue than he would win, and they both knew it.
She came up with a plan, and let her defences fall a bit. Aster noticed this and immediately struck with a heavy blow, but his axe met Hicca's sword halfway, it being lodged underneath the blade of the axe. He kept pressing, both of them using their strength to break the others attack, but Hicca had a different tactic in mind.
Their faces were close, very close. Their eyes found each other and a pair of green stared into a pair of blue. Both their attacks slowly lost their strength, but still remained powerful enough to break the other if they loosened too much.
Aster was in a trance, his lips so close to her. And the way she looked, he knew she was thinking exactly the same. It wasn't the most perfect time and place for these kinds of things but it would do. Who knew, maybe it would convince her to return to Berk.
Hicca had a different thing in mind though, and she just needed the courage to do so. Her muscles were cramping up, and this was also something that they both noticed. Aster was in doubt, if he won they would have a bigger chance to get her back on Berk, but would she hate him for it? But what if he lost? Then she would probably just sail away, heading to gods knows where to do gods knows what.
His thoughts were broken when she saw her move, just a slight change in stance, but he was hopeful for what was to come. He saw her lips move, and everything went slowly, he wanted to lean forward, but the flaming blade stopped him. Her lips were just a little bit from his. So close, so kissable.
But it all changed so quickly, they moved indeed, but not for a kiss, for a word. "Sorry" Was all Hicca said, all she could say before she did her winning move. Aster didn't have time to react, Hicca twister her sword, following the motion of their weapons and twisted her body. It made her very vulnerable for an attack but it didn't matter. Because before Aster could do anything to take advantage of the situation he was met with a metal foot, a prosthetic, in the middle of his stomach. He flew back a good meter, before landing on the ground with a loud thud and a louder moan.
He looked back up, finding himself in a familiar position, at the tip of the flaming sword. He looked around, his axe lay out of his reach, firearm weren't allowed and he couldn't find anything to use against her.
"You cheated." He said as he looked back at her. Shocked that the fight had taken such a turn.
Hicca felt remorse for such a low blow, but it had to be done, and it was a perfect example towards the rest of the group. She would do anything to keep her freedom.
"Pirate." She said with a shrug. Aster's shoulders dropped, and he raised his hands in surrender. "I yield." He said softly.
The blade retracted with a soft click, sliding back into the hilt. She walked back towards Brynn, who was still holding the document.
"Now that that is done." She said, taking the paper and holding it out in front of her. She whistled loudly, causing a large, black Nightfury to come from the top of the balloon towards the galleon, shaking the deck with a hard landing.
"No!" Stoick yelled as he pulled Gobber's gun from his holster. His actions were directly answered by Ray, who took the rifle from his back and pointed it at Stoick. "This can't be."
"Accept it dad!" Hicca yelled. "This is my life, with them," She pointed at her crew. "And Toothless." She said as she petted the dragon.
"He's a demon." Stoick said, aiming his gun at the dragon. "And he should be put down."
He squeezed the trigger. The hammer falling down onto the blasting cap of the gun. The powder in the casing ignited, sending the tip of the bullet flying out of the short barrel of the revolver.
A loud shot rang out, and the bullet pierced the air. Rotating due to the rifling in the barrel. The force was immense, capable of piercing skin and flesh alike, causing devastating damage inside any type of body it would hit.
The bullet pierced thick leather, before grazing across the skin, creating a deep, bleeding wound. The blood slowly already dripping from underneath her armour. She hadn't even realized it until the first drops hit the deck.
She grabbed her shoulder pad, the tip of the bullet could be felt at the back. She looked up to her father, who stood frozen. A look of pure horror on his face.
AN:
Everyone better pray that I never get a considerable amount of cash, since I do believe that I'm one of the most evil people on the planet.
Anyway that besides, you thought they were going to kiss, didn't you. HUZZAH, fooled you. HUAHUAHUA. I'm enjoying this way too much.
OMG I GOT HER SHOT, I actually had to google where a bullet would do the least damage to a person, turns out it's never a good idea to get shot.
. . .
Surprising
Anyway, for those who are reading my other story, 'Nothing is true, Everything is permitted', they'll know that I'm thinking about beginning a blog about my writing. It will probably consist of previews, a Q&A, updates about progress of chapters and new stories, and probably even some questions for those who want to participate in helping me write. I got some good ideas, but there's only so much one twisted mind can come up with, like getting a main character shot.
I do think it's quite bad that I'd rather have a person get shot then a dragon, just like with dogs.
Anyway, I'm absolutely rambling.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and that you can still sleep after this.
Take Care,
R4y