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Enjoy.

Renovation Station

The silence that followed his proposition was more stunned than he had predicted. Wide eyes, open mouths – even Fishlegs stopped flicking through his little fact book.

"But...I don't know how you'll change the way your dad organised the original park." The frog fanatic pushed his long hair out from his eyes before digging through his coat for his calculator. "The statistical chance of this happening smoothly is below-"

"Ignore statistics; are you firing us?" Tuff shot into the conversation. "If you're chucking us out, man, you will be hurt! So very hurt!"

"What my meathead-" A solid smack emphasised Ruff's words. "-brother is trying to ask, is what the hell is going to happen?"

Hiccup surveyed them all with sinking hopes. All caretakers, including Gothi, Gobber and Heather, were there. Astrid had gone home early – she said she had a doctor's appointment. The disgruntled cook had scowled and tutted at the boxes she'd taken with her from the cardboard bins.

"Doctor my hook." He stirred his soup with perhaps more vigour than necessary. "Gone to pack her life away, I bet."

Hiccup had chosen that moment to call everyone in, clutching the new plans to his chest not unlike his first every introduction speech to the staff. He had been so focused on being perfect, being like his father, he had ordered everyone not unlike a military regime, making everyone and especially himself, unhappy. Although the attitude relaxed, the long hours and meta work load just wasn't practical anymore.

The difference was, this time, Hiccup was doing things his way.

"Look. Our lack of people means we're pulling 12 hour shifts, sometimes even more. We're depending on our specialist skills to do more work than we have to. And Tuff, I'm not firing anyone – I'd rather slice my other foot off."

Hiccup was gratified at the chuckles that followed his jest.

"I'm proposing we completely revamp the park mechanics; not just improve on old methods. What worked when my dad ran the park five or six years ago doesn't work anymore. There are more regulations, more health and safety issues, just a heck of a lot of increased work to do. I want to change that."

The previously unsure looks switched to interested curiosity. Gobber gave him a hook's up from the back, pondering on the next day's chicken soup stock. Hiccup nodded infinitesimally back before soldiering on.

"The park will open at 10 in the morning and close at 4; a difference from 9.30 to 5. I'm working on hiring some more staff to be assigned to each section. They'll be able to clean, feed and uphold hygiene for the animals. Each of you will be the head of your section, and order them to do the jobs. Unless it is to do with medication, agitation issues or special handling procedures, this will save you guys a lot of work. I'll also be training the most promising of those new recruits to be dual Caretakers, so that you can actually start to take more than a day off a week."

Gothi nodded her approval. Snotlout cackled and cracked his knuckles, crowing at the thought of minions. Eret halfway raised a hand and dropped it back down to his hair, deciding mid-way that he was too cool to wait for permission to speak.

"What about your shifts?"

Hiccup shuffled his feet to ease some of the anxiety tensing up his body. "I don't think we need someone wandering the park for the entire night. I'll look into outsourcing security staff; so I don't have to pull all nighters."

To his relief, no one stampeded his suggestions or sounded angry. If it wasn't for Heather's raised hand, tentatively leaning between Gothi and Fishlegs, Hiccup would have ended the meeting there.

"Heather?"

Her smile was strained as she lowered her thin arms. "I'm actually swamped at the Med Centre – I was hoping you'd be able to hire new staff for there, too."

Amused eyes followed his twitching movements as he hopped off his prosthetic boot with a bounce. "I'll be your new assistant." He proclaimed proudly. "I know how busy you are. But with me not doing nightshirts, I'll want to relocate myself to another area of the park. Also, I'm the only other one most qualified to do simple procedures or fill out medical paperwork."

Enthusiasm was now bubbling through his body in bursts of relief. This felt right. The park needed to change in order to keep up with the demand; and keep this tribe together. He could almost thank Astrid for putting him through this mental rigmarole.

"Eh? What about me?" Gobber waved his hook around. "And Astrid?

Hiccup's mental almost thanks to Atstrid was cut short by the suddenly interested room of eyes following his every facial movement. "Astrid will now work in the office as our PR and Secretary Manager. I'll see if I can get several of the tour guides to swap to reception duties so that maybe...maybe Gothi could join her?"

He finished his statement as a question, looking at Gothi to see her reaction to his proposal. She pursed her lips, considering, before shaking her head stoutly.

"No?" Hiccup kept his voice gentle. "You don't have to, of course. I'll get some of the tour guides to start training with Astrid to become office assistants. Gobber, Eret, your duties will hardly change at all, save a few more people about to help as your assistants. I'll pull you all in at another time to discuss the park's aesthetics – I'm thinking we need more than just a fresh coat of paint to improve it."

There were excited murmurings now. Even a previously suspicious Eret was gloating about the increased animal rides he'd be able to give on the Shetland ponies. Hiccup caught Gobber's eye as he stood with his cooking pans, sending him a broad grin. The cook replied with a wink, and Hiccup turned back to survey his team with the fond smile still on his lips.

Problem one: resolved.

Problem two was more intricate. He had roughly an idea of how to tackle it, but he'd need a bit more luck. He found the twins back in the locker-room after the meeting, arguing over their designated lockers.

"The blue one' is mine, you big dunderhead!"

"Get your own locker!"

"That is my locker!"

Hiccup's overly loud throat clearing resulted in two pairs of blazing eyes pining him where he stood.

"What?" The twins had matching expressions of irritation to follow their simultaneous snap. When they saw him, however, they brightened.

"Hey, boss. What's up? Need me to warm your warden hut?" Ruff's wink almost sent Hiccup backing away. He barely managed to restrain a yelp of no!

"I was wondering if you can help me with something." Hiccup started patting down his suit to avoid Ruff's second bout of furious eye fluttering. "Astrid actually is looking for a place to stay. Her old lease ends in about a week. I know a couple months ago, you moved out, Tuff. So, Ruff, do you need a flatmate?"

"No."

Hiccup's shoulders sagged. There went his easy solution.

"Aw, what?" And there was Tuff to the rescue. "But sis! You always call and say how lonely you are!"

"What? No I don't you bigoted pile of sh-"

"The week I moved out you had to keep all the lights on because you got scared by yourself!"

"Tuff, I will end you with a horn through your eye!"

"AND you said you didn't like paying everything by yourself. Astrid can have my old room – I'll start to visit more now you have a sexy flatmate..."

"TUFF!"

Ruff promptly connected her brother's head with the row of lockers, ending the current conversation. As Hiccup turned to leave she called casually after him. "I'll think about it."

Tuff, lying on the floor and holding his nose, smirked around his hands. "She means she's going home and cleaning up the flat so it looks nice. Maybe even pick out a house warming movie selection..."

As Hiccup left he heard something crunch wetly, and Tuff screaming "I'm hurt! I'm very much hurt!"

Problem two was looking solved. Now to the final, and most difficult phase.

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