Thank you everyone for the positive reviews!
Now this next chapter doesn't really progress the story, like at all. But it does define some relationships and brings up some details that I may want to incorporate later in the story. These are essentially about Hiccup growing up on Berk. Hope you all enjoy, and I promise the next chapter will push the story forward. Again, please leave reviews! I appreciate any constructive criticism, or if you just want to say you liked it that'd be fine too!
Fishing:
"Dad! Get up! Get up!" said Hiccup, tugging on his father's beard.
Stoick groaned. "The sun isn't even out Hiccup, go back to sleep."
"I can't sleep Dad!" the boy protested. "I'm too excited! Common, you promised!" He started bouncing up and down on the bed until Stoick finally sat up.
"Fine," Stoick said midway through a large yawn. "Go downstairs and get some breakfast. I'll be there in a few minutes."
The boy put on a huge grin and raced down the stairs.
Stoick sighed. He had promised they'd go on a fishing trip for Hiccup's fifth birthday and he's been regretting that decision for weeks. Hiccup was an accident magnet. When Hiccup was three he nearly lost a hand trying to clean an angry raccoon's teeth. According to him the raccoon had gingivitis; who knows where he learned that word. When he was four he nearly got trampled after crying "Dragon!" in the middle of a herd of yak. Stoick still didn't understand how the boy confused Lady Bertha's hairpiece for a dragon. So the idea of his son on a small boat surrounded by open water made Stoic shutter.
By the time they reached the dock the sun had just started to rise. Stoick loaded the supplies on the boat and turned to his son, only to find the boy flipping over rocks on the beach.
"What are you doing?" Stoick asked.
"Looking for trolls," Hiccup responded, as if it were a perfectly reasonable answer.
"There are no such thing as trolls Hiccup. Hurry up and get into the boat."
"Course there are!" Hiccup proclaimed. "Gobber said so! They steal your socks, but only the left one." Hiccup then looked down at his feet. "Oh, guess I don't have to worry then," he said, pointing to his metal prosthetic foot.
Stock sighed. This is going to be a long day.
Stoick stopped rowing about half a kilometer into sea. He pulled out a fishing rod and handed it to his son. Hiccup's hands shook under the weight of the rod, his tiny arms could barely keep it off the ground.
"Just lean it to the side," Stoick said as he pulled out a can of worms from his bag. "Ok, step one, hook the bait." He grabbed his hook and pierced it through the worm. "Now you try."
Hiccup grabbed his worm and, of course, the hook went right in his thumb.
Stoick rolled his eyes. "Let me see."
The boy apprehensively gave his hand and winced as Stoick pulled out the hook. A stream of blood oozed out the wound. Stoick fumbled around his bag until he found a bottle of alcohol. He poured some on a rag and said, "This is going to sting a bit."
"No!" Hiccup replied, pulling back his had. "I think it's getting better, see?" The blood was now dripping onto the floor.
"Don't be ridiculous Hiccup. We have to disinfect it." Stoick grabbed the boy's hand and started to clean it.
"No stop! It hurts! Ouch! Arghh, the pain! The inconceivable pain!" Hiccup complained, flailing around his free hand.
"There!" Stoick yelled, pointing at the clean thumb.
Hiccup looked at his hand and shrugged. "That wasn't so bad."
Stoick rolled his eyes again and tied a small cloth around the boy's thumb. "Just cast out over there, and keep quiet. You don't want to spook the fish."
Hiccup nodded and threw out his line. Unfortunately the rod went with it. Stoick groaned. "Just take mine," he said, handing over his rod.
About an hour passed. Amazing, Stoick thought, this is the longest Hiccup has stayed still and quiet. He started to nod to sleep when he heard PLUNK in the water. He turned to Hiccup, but the boy was not in the boat. Stoick's eyes grew wide with fear. "Hiccup!" he yelled, but he got no answer. He looked off the side of a boat and saw a little body struggling to reach the surface of the water. Stoick dived. Underwater, e saw Huccup flailing his arms wildly, his prosthetic leg dragging him down deeper and deeper. Stoick wrapped his arms around his son and hoisted him back into the boat.
"What were you thinking?" yelled Stoick as he got out of the water. "You could have gotten yourself killed!"
Hiccup finished coughing up water. "I saw a fish!" he said, still breathing heavily. "I tried to catch it with my hands but I guess I lost balance."
Stocking slapped his forehead. "That's it, no more fishing."
"But Dad!"
"But nothing. We're going home."
The little boy crossed his arms and pouted as Stoick rowed back into the shore. Stoick sighed again. "Ok son, I'll tell you what. When we get back I'll get you any dessert you want, sounds fair?"
Hiccup's eyes beamed and his lips formed a big smile. "Plum cake?" he asked.
Stoick smiled, "Fine, plum cake it is."
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Work:
"Dad! Help!"
Stoick ran outside to find his son running around in circles, being chased by an angry chicken.
"What?" Stoick said. He couldn't even begin to comprehend the situation. He shooed away the chicken and grabbed his son by the collar. "Care to explain?"
"I was just trying a new idea!" Hiccup said, pointing to the chicken coup. "See? The chickens lay their eggs here, and the eggs drop down onto this ramp, and the ramp leads to this basket! That way we don't have to check the nests for eggs everyday, they'll be right here! Though I hadn't really considered how angry the chickens would get…"
"I don't have time for his right now," Stoick said, rubbing his eyes. "I'm going to a town meeting, stay out of trouble while I'm gone."
"Can I go into the forest?" Hiccup asked.
"No," Stoick snapped. "Stay in the village. Who knows what's in those woods."
"Yes sir," Hiccup mumbled.
Hiccup waited for is dad to leave before leaving the house. It was a beautiful day but he village was mostly empty. The adults were probably at the meeting and the other kids were probably out playing in the forest. Hiccup sighed, trying to find ways to distract his boredom. He pulled out his notebook and started sketching a new invention. Sure his past creations failed horribly but Hiccup hoped his next idea will work, just so people would stop calling him useless. Hiccup wasn't paying attention to the path and, before he knew it, he slipped on a rock and fell flat on his face.
"Oooof, that's got to hurt," he heard a voice call. He looked up and saw Gobber snickering in his forge.
"Aren't you supposed to be at the meeting?" Hiccup asked as he got up.
"Nah, just a bunch of politics. Besides, I've got far too much on my plate, especially after last week's raid."
"Yeah, sorry about that." Hiccup looked down sheepishly. After all, it was his fault an entire rack of weapons fell off the cliff into the ocean.
Gobber gave a chuckle. "No worries lad. Could've happened to anyone. What about you, shouldn't you be out playing ball or something with kids your age."
"Nah," Hiccup replied. "That would be unfair considering I'm part metal."
"That's true. How is my handiwork by the way? Holding up well for you?"
"Yup," Hiccup lifted his prosthetic foot, "though I was thinking of getting some upgrades. Maybe attach a grappling hook or a crossbow on it."
Gobber laughed. "Say lad, why don't you come up here and help me, you know, if you want."
Hiccup's eyes grew wide. "That'd be awesome!"
"Great! Go ahead and grab an apron and we can get started."
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"Gobber!" Stoick yelled, his face red with fury.
"Now Stoick, it's not as bad as it looks," Gobber replied trying to calm down his friend.
"Not that bad! Look at his face!" Stoick pointed to a small burn on Hiccup's cheek.
"He's fine!" Gobber said. "Everyone gets a little burned their first time. He just got a little too close to the embers, that's all."
"I'm fine Dad, really," said Hiccup, rubbing his burnt cheek.
"Stop that, you'll make it worse," said Stoic, slapping Hiccup's hand away from his face. "Go wait outside."
Hiccup sulked as he left the forge, muttering complaints along the way.
"Common Stoick, be reasonable. You can't let the boy do nothing. He'll be bored to death!" said Gobber.
"He's only seven Gobber, and you know how he is. Being around all these sharp objects and fire, it's a recipe for disaster."
"It's safer than you think Stoick. I'll be here all the time to watch him, and we can start with basic things like mending jewelry.
Stoick let out a sigh. "I don't know."
"He really seems to have a knack for it," said Gobber, "and besides, it's safer for him to be here with me than to be out there in those woods with who knows what. Just give me two weeks, and if you change your mind just let me know."
Stoick let out another sigh. "Fine, two weeks. I want all his limbs intact. Well, all the ones that he still has."
"Yes sir," Gobber said. He saw Hiccup peering in through the window and gave him a thumbs-up.
Hiccup's face lit up. He couldn't remember the last time he had been his happy.
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Friendship:
Hiccup wandered the woods, hoping to find something to ease his boredom. Gobber had to go to the meeting today, probably to discuss the recent dragon raids. Since he wasn't allowed in the forge alone, Hiccup was left with nothing to do. Of course his father had forbid him form entering the forest, but Hiccup didn't listen. He was eight after all, not some small child.
He continued to walk around aimlessly until some noises caught his attention. He climbed a nearby boulder and saw a blond girl swinging her hatchet at some trees.
"Hi," he said, hoping to start a conversation.
"Hi," the girl replied, still swinging at the trees.
"You're Astrid right?" Hiccup asked, "Astrid Hofferson?"
"How do you know?" she asked while throwing her hatchet towards a nearby stump.
"Snotlout told me."
"You know that jerk?" she asked, pulling the hatchet out of the stump.
"Unfortunately. He is my cousin after all.'
Astrid glanced at him, her eyes immediately going to the false foot. "You're the chief's son, aren't you?"
"That's me," he replied as he jumped down from the boulder, "some people call me stumpy, or hopper. But you can call me Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III." He reached out his hand.
Astrid smiled and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you Hiccup."
"So, mind telling me what these trees did to deserve such harsh punishment?"
Astrid looked back the stump and dug her hatchet into its wood. "I just do this when I'm upset. Stress reliever, you know?"
Hiccup nodded. "What's got you so upset?"
"It's stupid really." She sighed. "My dad said he wouldn't teach me how to fight. He says I need to learn how to act like a lady first so I can learn to take care of my future husband."
"You seem pretty good at fighting already, considering how well you swing that thing." He pointed to the weapon buried in the bark.
Astrid grabbed the hatchet and took a moment to look at it. "It isn't mine, it's my mother's."
"Ah," Hiccup replied, "so you stole it then."
"I did not steal it!" Astrid's face began to turn pink. "I was just borrowing it."
"Well, did you ask for permission."
Astrid looked at the ground. "No," she mumbled.
Hiccup shrugged. "Sounds like stealing to me."
Astrid's face was now red with anger. "I don't need you to lecture me about stealing!" She swung her hatchet again, carving another groove in the tree bark.
"Oh no, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you." Hiccup sat down for a few minutes, scratching his chin as Astrid continued hacking away at the tree. "I got it!" he proclaimed.
"Got what?" she asked, turning towards him.
"A way to make you feel better! How bout you meet me right here in five days."
"Why would I do that?" she asked, turning away to continue her tree massacre.
"Common, trust me."
She looked at him again, this time staring right at his large, green eyes. They looked so innocent, so non-threatening. She sighed and said, "Fine."
Hiccup grinned. "So you'll be here?"
"Yes."
"Promise?" he held out his left pinky.
"Promise," she said as she wrapped her pinky around his.
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Astrid had been waiting in the same spot for the past hour. He better be here soon if he wants to live, she thought. She wished her mother hadn't confiscated the hatchet. At least then she could kill some time chopping down a few more trees.
Finally she saw the boy pulling a large yak behind him.
"Sorry I'm late. Buttercup over here was being extra stubborn." He pointed to the yak, which gave him a large snort in return.
"Buttercup?" she asked.
"Yeah, he's my dad's yak. I kinda named him when I was five." He looked down and started to blush.
Astrid giggled. "Does your dad know you took him."
"Nah, I'm just borrowing him." This time they both giggled.
"So, what is he doing here?" Astrid asked.
"Well, I needed someone to help me carry this over here." He grabbed a bag from the yak's back. He could barely lift it off the ground, but he managed to bring it to Astrid's feet. "Take a look."
Astrid lifted the bag effortlessly and opened it. She gasped as she pulled out a new axe. "It's beautiful!"
"Go on, try it out."
Astrid took a few swings at the tree in front of her. The axe fit perfectly in her hand, it was almost as if it was made for her and her alone. "Thank you Hiccup!"
She gave him a quick jab on the arm.
"Ow! What was that for!" he said, rubbing the spot where she punched him.
Astrid blushed. "I'm sorry, that's just how I show affection. It means I like you."
A huge grin grew on Hiccups face. "Does that mean we're friends?"
Astrid couldn't help but join his smile. "Of course silly!"
Hiccup stuck out his left pinky. "Forever?"
Astrid wrapped her pinky around his. "Forever."
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Perseverance:
"Hiccup!" Stoick yelled. He looked at the rubble around him. Three chicken coups were destroyed, an entire fence was in shambles and the shed roof had at least three holes in it. It was hard to believe such a small boy could cause so much destruction, but Hiccup always found a way.
Hiccup slowly crept out of the shed, his head hanging low in embarrassment. "Sorry Dad," he said guiltily. As the years passed Stoick has heard those words more and more often. Now that his son was eleven, Stoick heard them at least once a week.
Stoick took a minute to contain his anger. "How?" he finally asked, not really wanting to know the answer.
"I was testing out a new invention. Here, let me show you," Hiccup said, running back into the shed.
Stoick sighed and waited for the boy to pull out his latest creation. It looked like a barrel with random tubing coming out of every direction "What is that?" Stoick immediately regretted asking.
"A water pump! That way we can put out fires easily during raids." Hiccup pulled out the largest tube and dunked it in a pool of water. "This end goes here, and then you just flip this switch-"
"Wait!" Stoick yelled, but it was too late. The contraption started flailing around, spraying water everywhere and smashing into a nearby gate. Stock jumped on the machine, pinning it down.
Hiccup immediately ran over and flipped the switch to the off position. "Huh," he said, "I didn't think that would happen a second time."
"Hiccup! What did I tell you about your inventions!"
Hiccup looked up at his father's scowl. "I was only trying to help!" He turned his gaze to the ground and said, "I only want to be useful."
Stoick's face softened. He could never stay mad at Hiccup for long. After all, the boy meant well, he was just so different. "Go back in the house." Stoick said, "I'll clean this up."
Hiccup nodded and sulked all the way to his room. He lay on his bed, feeling the same disappointment he felt after every failed invention. He then turned to his side and noticed the plaque on his bedside table. It was one of the first things he made in the forge. In gold letters it read "Never Give Up." Hiccup smiled and whispered, "Thanks mom." He got up and pulled out his notebook. After flipping to an empty page he started designing his newest invention.