Author's Note: Hey, hey, hey pups! ;) =D
Alright, I want you to imagine you have a fantastical story idea. Yeah? Great. So you're moving along typing it up when you realize, ah, nuts the characters feel off. Eh, well keep moving forward it'll get better. But it doesn't. So your stuck with an annoyingly so small OOC that it drives you crazy. You give up on writing and curl into a ball. Also known as the "sad potato". Yup. Summary of April for me. Anyways, I had no intentions of returning but I've suddenly been smacked over the head with inspiration so...boom. Chapter 10. So...updates might take longer or be shorter, stories may turn a tad bit darker, I am going to take hiatus's but...I am alive and returning!
So, lets just pretend I was on a hiatus, m'kay? ;)
But for me seriously. April. Has. Been. Not. Fun. At all. I won't bore you with long dramatic details and just keep it simple and say that. Man, I have missed Fanfiction so much its pathetic, I might cry. Anyway, onwards to the chapter, I'll do shout outs chpt. 11. ;)
Disclaimer: I ownth nothing. If I did, HTTYD3 would be flippin' released by now.
Sorry for any grammar/spelling errors! (I'm running on...two hours of sleep I think. *shrugs* who knows! XD)
YOU ARE ALL AMAZING. 100% SO! =D
Chapter 10: A Mighty Explosion of Death and Fire
(Hiccup POV)
My lungs are tight, stretched and aggressively stinging in some areas. Almost as if I'm being smashed across my chest by something incredibly heavy. Maybe a heavy rock or two is laying across my ribcage. Breathing is impossible and oh how they ache. Thor, the pain is blinding. My muscles are limp and I can't say I have the energy worked up to pump them forward, again.
Struggling has all but died as the cold seeps inward, two watery hands tightening around my throat.
I'm gasping for breath but it only fuels the panic.
No air.
I need to breathe.
No air.
I need to breathe.
No air.
I need to breathe.
Pressure, forin, is placed against my wrist and the water shifts around me suddenly. After a moment, the never ending blackness of said liquid ice ends and air is once again shown to my lungs. I gasp, choking and coughing every rib aching as I do so. The icy liquid falls back towards the body with a huge splash and air blows past me before I'm set on solid ground.
Another pants as quickly as I am and I lift my head up to look.
Astrid.
She's soaked and shivering but looks over at me with relief. I squeeze my eyes shut before slowly crawling towards her, "Are..you...okay?" I murmur. She nods several times and looks up at Stormfly who shakes herself off of excess water.
The other riders land on the sea stack we've taken residence on and they hop of their dragons racing towards us, speaking at the same time.
"Are you-"
"Thor that looked-"
"-Cold-"
"You two are officially banned from all of outside, you hear? ALL OF IT!"
I groan and collapse on my back staring up at the clouds. It's not snowing anymore, good for us. I can't work up enough energy to be properly excited about the fact. Astrid moans and rubs her arms together. I tilt my head to look back at her. She looks freezing.
Something smashes against my chest and I yelp jerking into a sitting position in surprise. I half expect a sword to be on my stomach but Tuffnut snickers and I move my eyes down. A blanket. Oh. It's not some new version of death. I nod in thanks and unfold the blanket wrapping it around my shoulders.
"S-snotlout…" Astrid chatters, "Get t-the Monstrous Nightmare g-gel out."
Snotlout nods and moves back towards Hookfang. Astrid turns towards me, "Are you okay?"
I nod softly. Guilt worming in my insides. She must've been worried-beyond that. I...ditched her. Thor, that was a dumb idea. I really should have thought that through all the way. "Good," She murmurs rubbing her hands together again. Thor, when will I be able to think straight? I'm torn between my dragon and my family and Berk. I ran away and they still saved me. Argh! I am such an idiot.
Astrid moves forward and wraps me in a hug for a moment. Her soaking wet clothing drips onto mine but I return the hug with full force, relieved. I'm glad she's okay, I'm glad she saved me, I love her so much. I wish I'd thought this through. Astrid pulls back and her expression darkens before she swings her hand up and slaps me.
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, YOU IDIOT!?"
I land on my left elbow the frozen ground digging into the limb. My face throbs with discomfort and I rub it in shock looking up at her. Yup, deserved that one. Sure, she punches me all the time but slapping? That doesn't happen very often. "Astrid I-" I start to apologize sitting up.
"DON'T!" She screams. "YOU WEREN'T THINKING! I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD! I THOUGHT THAT WHEN THE ICE BROKE I LOST YOU AGAIN! IS IT YOUR LIFE MISSION TO SCARE ALL OF US INTO BELIEVING YOUR DEAD, TIME AFTER TIME AGAIN!?"
"No!"
"I'M TRYING SO HARD TO GET YOU TO TRUST US AGAIN AND YOU KNOW WHAT!? YOU DON'T TRUST YOURSELF! THAT'S THE PROBLEM! YOU KEEP PUSHING ME AWAY! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO HELP YOU IF YOU KEEP RUNNING OFF, DISAPPEARING AND ALMOST DYING!?"
I shrink. "Astrid I'm sorry-I don't know what I-"
"STOP IT!" She screeches jumping to her feet and throwing the blanket off, "DO YOU NOT WANT MY HELP!?"
"No-I-I-"
"YOU'RE SO BLINDSIDED! YOU REFUSE TO LET EVERYONE AROUND YOU HELP! YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE THREE FEET IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE!"
I narrow my eyes, some part of me is full accepting of her words, the other part however speaks faster, "I'm sorry, okay!? Is that what you want to hear!? I AM SORRY!"
"THEN STOP RUNNING AWAY FROM US! STOP FREEZING US OUT! I WANT TO HELP YOU!"
I grit my teeth and tug on the edges of my hair, "I don't-" I stop biting my lip and looking up at her in frustration.
Astrid takes in several breaths then lowers her voice dangerously low, "Is this some kind of a joke to you, Hiccup? We go flying off into the sunset on our dragons in happy paradise so you can go get caught and be a drama queen?"
I stare up at her stupefied.
"Do you think I asked to be caught!?"
Astrid laughs, but it sounds deranged, "I have high doubts. The cage may be open but you're not truly free." She pokes at my shoulder. "You're still hiding. You're hiding from us, you insubordinate idiot."
I shove her hand back, "And you wonder why I don't feel at ease." I growl.
Astrid narrows her eyes, "Did you ever stop to think what this must be like for me-for us," she gestures to the other riders who are silent; Ruffnut and Tuffnut's jaws are hanging. Snotlout's eyes are wide, Fishlegs looks painfully awkward as he stands towards the side. Astrid and are on our feet even though I don't remember standing.
I meet her furious eyes again. "You disappear for two months then crash back here, refuse to talk to any of us about it, cling to Toothless with your life, insist that your "Hiccup the Useless" again when you know full well that you're not. I get it, alright, things happen to us that change who we are but you are just hiding. All your doing is hiding and running."
I glare at her, "I'm trying to get back my dragon and stop a war, how is this a bad thing!?"
Astrid looks enraged again, "Because you're doing it alone! We're a team! We're supposed to work together, alright? What part of dragon riders do you not understand?"
"I didn't want to drag you into this."
"You didn't want us to come because you thought that we were going to stop you."
"You're here? Aren't you, why are you so bloody angry?"
She grabs my shoulders shaking them a few times, "I CAN'T LOSE YOU AGAIN!" She screams. The words seem to shock her and she bows her head her death grip loosening slightly and she looks down at the ground.
My voice dies.
'You need to stay with us. I can't imagine a world without you in it."
'I can't imagine a world without you in it, either.'
And she had to. I knew that the other riders were alive-probably searching and panicked but alive. I knew that even through everything I went through that they were still on Berk or Dragon's Edge. They didn't. A sudden crashing weight falls on my shoulders as I spin the ball in both directions. If Astrid had disappeared for two months...it would've been torture.
My eyes widen. I want to grab Astrid in a hug and hold her close and whisper I'm sorry until she punches me to stop. I want never let her go, I want to grab the other riders and apologize and beg for forgiveness on my knees at what an idiot I've been. I'm never like this. Ever.
Jink had more than one effect on me. But not anymore. He can't control me anymore. He wont. I refuse to let him. Vikings have stubbornness issues and he's about to get a full blast of mine. No more. No more mental games.
"I...can't...lose you again." Astrid repeats, she looks close to tears.
My fingers curl and Astrid pulls her hands away from my shoulders, temper burned short. Astrid's fury cannot be matched, tamed, nor controlled; personally seeing Astrid truly furious is terrifying.
She lifts up her head softly, not meeting my eyes her voice barely above a whisper, "Hiccup, I love you. Even if you don't feel the same way anymore, I love you. When you didn't come back I cried so much. Everyone thought you were dead, I thought you were dead...and I...then you were stabbed and-and they said that you weren't going to last through the night. I don't want to lose you, without you I don't know what I'd do…"
Tears stream down her face and my heart gives a painful tug. I stroke a tear from her face and she looks up at me startled. I murmur an apology again before I wrap my arms around her in a hug and pull her close. She tenses before leaning into my touch burying her head into my chest. "I'm not going anywhere, M'lady. I promise." I whisper into her ear.
Astrid shoulders shake as she starts to sob and I keep her close. Letting her know that she's meaningful, she has me, that she's precious to me.
I could've held for ten minutes or ten hours and it still would've felt like it wasn't long enough to heal the mend between us. We've been stitching it since our battle in the arena and it is going to get better. Astrid eventually pulls back and looks up at me, crystal blue eyes brighter than I've seen them since I crashed into the cove.
"Well," Snotlout says abruptly and I barely manage not to jump. He sits down on the snow and uncorks a Monstrous Nightmare gel container, "If you two lovebirds are down screaming at each other, I for one am freezing."
Astrid smiles and rubs her nose with her sleeve. I sit down next to the poured gel and Snotlout waves Hookfang forward. Ruffnut and Tuffnut plop down on my left and FIshlegs next to Snotlout. Astrid sits down next to me on my right and the dragons curl up behind our backs. "Hookfang if you would do the honors." Snotlout says and gestures towards the fire.
Hookfang sends a blast of fire towards the gel and it smashes against Snotlout's helmet before landing in the puddle. Snotlout growls, "Hookfang." He hisses under his teeth.
I lift my freezing hands over the fire and murmur a sigh of relief. The other riders follow and have similar reactions. A few minutes pass in silence as the heat slowly seeps into our freezing bodies.
"I owe you guys and apology." I say quietly. All five heads look up at me. "Astrid's right. I have been a royal jerk. I'm sorry."
Ruffnut gives me an affectionate punch on the shoulder, "No worries, H. ." She shrugs.
I smile, "Thanks Ruff. I know I've been distant and cold I'm just not sure how I…" I trail off struggling to find the right word. "Fix it."
Fishlegs smiles, "Things take time Hiccup. But Ruff's right, you're more than our leader you're family."
I huff and my lips curve into a small smile, "I know. I trust you guys."
I trust them.
I trust them.
I do.
Astrid grabs my hand and gives it a quick squeeze. "What's the plan, Dragon Boy?"
I blink, "...Plan?"
"We are going to still going to Tijike, right?"
"You guys want to help me?" I ask in shock. They nod.
"Uh duh, hence why we are here, my fine fellow." Tuffnut says and I rub the back of my neck.
"Okay, that's great. The plan...erm…"
Astrid's face falls before she grips the bridge of her nose, "You mean to tell me, you planned to walk three hundred plus miles across solid ice and hope by then you had. A. Plan!?" She growls.
I shrug and give her a wry grin, "I suppose that's one way of putting it."
Astrid groans, "Ugh, you're such and idiot." There's no harsh tone behind the word this time, more a playful timbre like it usually holds. I smirk and nudge her with my elbow.
"But you love me."
Astrid rolls her eyes.
Silence settles over us.
We need a plan. I seriously have to stop with the whole, "I'll make it up as I go" thing. It's not working very well. My aching chest can atest to that. Okay, Tijike. What can I do about Tijike? Running away hasn't been working very well. I want to smack my head over a rock or two. Astrid's right. All I have been doing is running. The unwated, unintended swim in the liquid ice finally woke me up.
I subconsciously run a hand across the bandages on my chest letting the other tug on my soaking locks. Okay, okay, okay. Um...well me and Toothless got out because I finally found him. We got in...we got in because we were shot down that night. They blindfolded me tied my hands around behind my back and strapped me to the mast.
Ugh! If we could pretend to be prisoners then it would be so much easier. One of us could drag the others through the village and then we could make it to the prison, I could drag us through the building to where Toothless is we could free all the dragons and then flee.
Buuut, that won't work.
"Ah! I've got it!" Tuffnut declares. I open my eyes and look at him. He lifts his hands up grinning.
"We can steal a boat and pretend to be traders. Then when they walk onto the dock we grab their throats and-" he lifts his hands up twisting it for good measure, "then sneak onto the island."
I blink, "Um, Tuffnut-" I start.
"It's perfect, I know. You're all speechless with amazement."
Ruffnut whacks his head. "No we're not, you dimwit."
Tuffnut pushes his helmet up his head, groaning, "Ugh, you could've just said that, no punching necessary."
"Punching is always necessary."
Tuffnut punches her and Ruffnut glares before tackling him to the ground."Okay, break it up you two." I command and they sit up straight pulling away from each other glaring but not attacking each other anymore. I sigh and rub my forehead a frustrated sigh escaping my lips.
Astrid looks up at me. "Hiccup?"
"Mmm?" I hum in question.
"...How.." she pauses, hesitatating, "did you and Toothless escape in the first place?"
I look up at her, startled by the question. "Oh. I...uh…" I rub the back of my neck, "Smacked a guy over the head with my prosthetic then stole his sword and booked it." Astrid raises an eyebrow.
"Did it work?"
"...Yeah, actually."
Astrid rubs her temples shivering slightly, "Ruff Tuff, when we landed on Tijike did you see anything that might be a break in their security."
Ruffnut and Tuffnut look up at her and blink stupidly. "We've been there before?" Ruffnut asks gesturing to herself, her brother and Astrid.
Astrid nods clenching her fists, "The Chief's name is Jink. He told us he had no idea who Hiccup is and sent us on our way."
"That sounds nothing like him." I remark offhandedly as the twins face's slowly dawn with recognition. Ruffnut smacks her fist into her open palm.
"That cheating-" She starts and Tuffnut, to angry for words just shakes his hands back and forth in a choke hold.
"Focus now, plan out his death later." Astrid commands.
Tuffnut taps his chin and Ruffnut presses her temples heavily as the two think back. I squeeze my eyes shut trying to pull back the memories from that night. I don't even remember glancing at the village let alone see if it had any weaknesses. I never thought I'd have to go back.
I don't want to go back.
For Toothless. For my dad. For Berk.
I tug on the edges of my hair. The strands are freezing together from the cold weather and I tug the frost out. Come on, there must've been something.
'Arrows sail pass us, the wind is beating against us. Men are screaming at each other. Aim is being changed. Jink yells out a command of fire. Toothless twists around in a spin before diving forward.
No injuries, no casualties, nothing.
We're free.'
I groan and grip the bridge of my nose. The escape was to easy. Jink let us go. He must've ordered his men to miss.
Oh cats.
I never really saw anything but the arena, Toothless's cell and the prison. I had the wall across me memorized.
Ruffnut snaps her fingers suddenly and I open my eyes, "That's it!" She exclaims.
"What's "it"?" Snotlout demands.
"The caves. The caves under the island. Jink dropped something about it, he said: "I haven't seen your missing boy above land or in the caves under the island, sorry.""
Astrid smacks a hand over her mouth, "Oh my Thor." She murmurs. "I completely forgot about
Tuffnut snickers. "Well that's why we went with you. We are the more retentive part of the group." He says and taps the side of his helmet, "Memories of steal."
I roll my eyes at his action and drum my fingers over the ground. "Okay, great. Now what? He probably has them guarded. Unless part of us causes a distraction, we aren't going anywhere."
Astrid runs a hand through her wet bangs for a moment and bites down on her lower lip.
"Me and Hookfang could do it. They'll see us coming and go running." Snotlout says and Fishlegs raises an eyebrow.
"Like they did on Berk?"
Snotlout lifts up a hand to retort and opens his mouth before slowly closing it.
Astrid lifts up her head and looks at me, "You know...Hiccup, you and I could cause the distraction as the others go through the caves to the prison."
I shake my head, "We'd be caught before we stepped on the island. He's seen you before and he stabbed me. I'm supposed to be dead, remember?"
Astrid smirks, "He's seen us, yes, but if we go in disguise we'll be fine."
Tuffnut clasps his hands together, "Uncover! Yes! I love it!"
We dont have any of the supplies we would need to accomplish that. I chew on my inner lip for a moment and rub the back of my neck, "I don't see that working…"
Snotlout presses two fingers together, "I hate to be "that person" but I agree with Hiccup."
Astrid groans, "Well what do you suggest we do, Snotlout, then?"
Snotlout snorts, "Simple: We barge in there, dragon's blazing."
"But we usually do that." Fishlegs points out.
"Yes, but he doesn't know that."
"I'm pretty sure he does." Fishlegs argues.
"Yeah? You can sense it?"
"I'VE GOT IT!" Tuffnut shouts and I look up at him. He's standing in his excitement, "We set the whole island on fire. It'll be glorious."
"They have defenses, Tuffnut. It's us six against with four dragons against Jink's entire army and island." Astrid points out dryly.
Tuffnut folds his arms over his chest and sticks his tongue out at her, "This would be a convenient time for us to be able to shoot fire from our eyes."
Astrid's fists curl and she narrows her eyes. Come on! It seriously can't be this hard to come up with something. We've attacked bases, boats and islands more than once before. We need a bigger army. But we have no time.
I rub across my chest. The wound suddenly aches. "Does anyone know where we are?" I ask and the riders stop arguing among themselves to look up at me.
Fishlegs turns towards Meatlug and opens a satchel pulling out a map. He tugs it open and lifts it over the fire, close enough to see but not close enough that it'll set on fire. "Um, well according to the map we're pretty close to Breakneck Bog. Why?" The Ingerman looks up at me.
I snap my fingers. "That's it!" I exclaim hope fluttering within my chest for the first time in days. "I've got a plan."
Astrid sighs with relief, "Great, what is it?"
I leap to my feet and race towards Stormfly, swinging onto her back. "I'll tell you on the way." I assure. She and the other riders get to their feet. She walks towards me and I hold out a hand, she takes my cold fingers and I pull her onto Stormfly, in front of me.
Astrid looks back at me for a moment, wincing, "Sorry for...exploding."
I blink. "Oh, uh, it's okay. I deserved it."
Snotlout tosses a bucket of snow onto the fire and darkness surrounds us. Not pitch black but enough that I can only see bare outlines of the other riders. Snotlout quickly climbs onto Hookfang and the dragons leap into the air, flapping their wings and turning in the general area of Tijike.
Astrid looks back at me, "What's the plan, Dragon Boy?"
I grin at the nickname and grip her shoulders, "We attack their main defense line."
"Are you trying to get one of us shot!?" Ruffnut calls in outrage.
I smirk, "Yes, I am. Any volunteers?"
There's a beat as the twins stare at each other before two hands rocket upwards.
Author's Note: =D There's been so much yelling in this fic its kinda silly. ;) Astrid and Hiccup stop yelling at each other after this chapter. In theory... Anyway, next chapter should be up within a week. Best guess is less time.
If you wanna drop a review, its welcome. If not, that's totally cool to. ;)
