And I'm back with chapter 4! I think this might be the best chapter I've done so far so I hope you guys enjoy!

Chapter 4: Talks and decisions

"And that concludes the tour." Hiccup told Nico as he sat on a nearby rock. "So what's your amazing plan." He asked sarcastically.

"Huh? oh well first I need you to rebuild that thing that shoots those things with balls on the end." Nico explained.

"Oh well I kinda threw away the plans for that..."

Nico face palmed. "Why Hiccup?" He asked.

"Well it's just I felt it wasn't very successful so I got rid of it..."

"Can you build it without the plans?" Nico asked hopefully.

"No..."

"God dammit Hiccup!"

"Sorry...so what do we do now?" Hiccup asked.

"Is there anything else you can think of building that could shoot down a night fury?" Nico asked.

"No the only other way would be to get someone to actually throw the bolas."

"Hmm..."

"What are you planning?" Hiccup asked as Nico raised his hand to his chin in a thinking pose.

"Are there any other teenagers in this village apart from the ones I've met?" Nico asked.

"Um...well there are some but we tend to ignore them." Hiccup said.

"Why!" Nico asked shocked.

"Well they're not very well liked because of their parents." Hiccup said.

"Hiccup no offence but seeing as you were ignored by everyone I would've expected better from you. Why are they ignored?" Nico asked.

"Well normally people don't want their kids to be friends with kids of outcasts...especially Alvin the Treacherous' kids."

"Wait you're saying that Alvin had a kid?" Nico was surprised by this.

"Yeah before he was exiled he had a family here and so did most of the other outcasts."

"Then why weren't they exiled as well?"

"Um well my father felt that the children shouldn't be punished for their parents crimes."

"Yet everyone treated them like outcasts?"

"Well yeah bu-"

"That's a horrible thing to do man this village has a load of problems!" Nico exclaimed. "How many are there?"

"Um...five I think I can't remember I was forbidden to talk to them."

"So even though your dad spared them he still wouldn't allow his son to talk to them...how nice of him."

"Hey can we just change topic?!" Hiccup almost shouted.

"For now but trust me we aren't finished on this topic." Nico told him. "What time do we meet the others at the hall?"

"Um we should probably head there now." Hiccup replied as he looked at the sky.

"Okay then."

On their journey to the Great Hall it started pouring with rain so by the time the two got there they were soaked to the bone.

Nico sighed with relief as the heat from the fire in the hall started to warm his numb hands. He rubbed his hands as they made their way to the table where all the other trainees were already talking about that day's session.

"Did you see when he picked up that hammer and threw it at that Gronkle's face!" Fishlegs exclaimed. "That was so cool!" He stopped talking when he saw Nico and Hiccup approaching.

"Here he comes!" He whispered excitedly.

"Hey Nico!" He called to the soaked boy.

"Um hi Fishlegs..." Nico replied awkwardly.

"Do you wanna sit with them or over there?" He asked Hiccup.

"I do-" Hiccup started.

"Who cares what he thinks come sit with the cool Vikings dude!" Snotlout shouted as he moved over to let Nico sit down. Nico looked at him for a moment before turning to Hiccup.

"Over there it is." He decided as they picked up a plate of chicken and sat at an empty table. Almost immediately Fishlegs stood up and sat next to Nico.

"Um Nico if you don't mind could you please tell me how you owned that Gronkle today?" He asked nervously.

"Yeah!" Snotlout agreed as he sat on Nico's other side.

"Yeah!" The rest of the trainees asked as they crowded around Nico.

"Um...well I just used my brain to outsmart the thing...it wasn't too hard." Nico told them as he turned back to his chicken.

"Yeah but tell us what it was like when you threw the hammer at its face." Tuffnut told him.

"Honestly?" Nico asked.

"Yeah!"

"Well when I watched the hammer connect to the Gronkle's face I-I felt...bad..."

The other trainees looked at him in silence before they burst out laughing.

"Nice one." Snotlout told him as he punched him on the shoulder. "So what was it like to save Astrid Hofferson and be the first man to hold her." He asked oblivious to the door opening behind him as someone entered.

Snotlout cried out as Astrid kicked him between the legs.

"I didn't need saving I was fine." She told him as she went and sat down at the other table.

"Oooooh." Ruffnut giggled at Astrid's comment. "Someone's losing their touch."

"Yeah it didn't look like you were fine from where I was standing." Tuffnut added as he started laughing.

Both twins stopped when Astrid shot them a shut-up-or-I'll-kill-you-look.

"Guys just lay off her it's not like it matters." Nico told them.

Astrid turned to look at Nico before shaking her head and turning back to her food though Nico swore he saw her blush slightly. Eager to lighten the mood Nico tried to changed the conversation.

"So...how is everyone tonight?" He asked.

The other trainees looked at him with a confused look.

"What?" Tuffnut asked.

"I asked how everyone is feeling tonight." Nico repeated.

"Oh...yeah I'm good...I think." Tuffnut replied.

"That's not normally something you get asked around here." Ruffnut told Nico.

"Oh...well then how's about this then why aren't any of the others teens joining us tonight?" He asked.

"What teens?" Fishlegs asked.

"Dude there's no other teens on this island apart from us." Snotlout told him.

"Oh but Hiccup told me that there were others so I was wondering why they weren't joining us."

All the teens stopped talking and exchanged nervous looks with each other until Astrid spoke up.

"Because they're outcasts." She told him.

"Then why are they living here?"

"Because his dad didn't exile them with their parents." Astrid replied jerking a thumb at Hiccup.

"Why would they be exiled for something their parents did?" Nico asked her.

"Because their parents are murderers and who says that they're not like their parents." She told them

"Well you can't say that they're like their parents if you haven't even spoken to them for all you know they could be the nicest people in the world." Nico shot back. "You shouldn't judge people by their parent's actions it's not fair on them."

Astrid turned to look at him. "Life isn't fair Nico especially here." She told him and then whispered. "I should know..." She turned back to her food.

"...well I think I'm gonna get to sleep for tomorrow so I'm ready to kick some dragon ass in the morning." Snotlout announced as he stood up.

"Yeah us too." The twins agreed.

"Yeah I'm kinda tired as well." Fishlegs yawned as he stretched his arms.

"Hold on kids I've no done the debriefing yet." Gobber called as he hobbled over clutching a large book. He took a second to catch his breath before speaking. "Now I'll make this quick where did you lot go wrong today?"

"Um..." Tuffnut started.

"None of us were working together instead we tried to go solo but that made it easier for the Gronkle to take us down." Nico finished.

"Good Nico now I wanted to congratulate you earlier about saving those two in the arena today." Gobber told him as he gestured to Hiccup and Astrid. "If it wasn't for you they'd be toast." He chuckled.

Astrid slammed her cup down on the table.

"I didn't need saving I was fine!" She shouted at Gobber. "He might've but I didn't." She pointed at Hiccup.

"Astrid calm down it doesn't matter we're all fine now so it's okay." Nico said as he tried to ease the tension. "It was a bad first day for all of us but if we start working together we can turn that around starting tomorrow."

Astrid opened her mouth to say something but decided against it.

"The lads right, now before you go I want you all to have a quick read of this." He wiped all the plates off the table and placed the large book down. "The dragon manual everything we know of every dragon we know of." He paused as thunder boomed through the hall. "No attacks tonight." He told them and walked off.

"Well night guys." Snotlout called as he stood up and walked over to Astrid. "Hey Astrid you want me to walk ya home?" He asked trying to hit on her.

"I prefer walking alone thank you very much." Astrid replied.

"Your call." Snotlout told her as he walked off.

"Yeah I think we're gonna get going now too." Ruffnut added.

"Yeah me too." Fishlegs said as he stood up. "Seeya tomorrow."

"Bye." Nico waved at the teens until they'd exited the hall. "Whew they're a handful." He laughed. "So are we going Hiccup?"

"Um you go ahead I'm gonna read this first." He told Nico.

"Alright don't be too long we've got a big day tomorrow." Nico told him with a wink.

"Kay night Nico."

"Night Hiccup." As Nico reached the door he turned around to see Hiccup asking Astrid if she 'wanted to share' he felt bad as he saw Astrid make an excuse and turn to leave. "Hang in there Hiccup." Nico muttered as he left the hall.

He sighed as the cold air hit him. "Well at least it's stopped raining." He said to himself as stretched his arms and yawned.

"Yeah that's a relief."

Nico jumped in surprise and turned around to see Astrid looking at him.

"Yeah I suppose." Nico replied as he yawned again.

"Hm..." Astrid moved closer to him.

"What's so hm?" Nico asked nervously.

"That was quite a stunt this morning for someone who's from the future almost like you could tell what was going to happen."

"Yeah I had a vague id-" Nico started.

Astrid punched him in the arm.

"Ow what was that for." Nico whined holding the arm.

"That was for showing off this morning." She told him.

"Hey I wasn't showing off I was just trying to keep everyone alive!" Nico protested.

Astrid rolled her eyes. "Don't be so modest Nico."

"Well it's true."

"Whatever."

"So is there a particular reason you're talking to me or were you just here to punch me?" Nico asked.

"Oh there's a reason." Astrid replied.

"I'm all ears." Nico told her.

Astrid opened her mouth but closed it again.

Nico smiled. "Is Astrid Hofferson nervous?" He teased.

"No! Of course not I was just...rethinking what I was going to say." She protested.

"Alright."

"What I was trying to say was...that...um..." Astrid stammered.

Nico held up his hand stopping her. "Don't worry yourself about it I'm sure it can't be that important."

"Yeah..."

"Although Astrid there's something I was wanting to ask you-" Nico started

"Um is it okay if we go somewhere else to talk?" Astrid asked.

"Uh yeah sure how's about the dock?" Nico suggested.

"Yeah that'll do." Astrid said as they started to walk down to the dock. They picked a place overlooking the sea.

"So what did you want to ask me?" Astrid asked Nico as they sat down.

"When you told me that life wasn't fair I heard you say I should know what did you mean by that?"

"Oh...I didn't think you'd hear that..."

"If you don't want to talk about it I under-" Nico started.

"No it's fine..." Astrid took a deep breath. "Hiccup wasn't the only one to lose a parent...my mum was also killed in a dragon raid...and my father went mad after that always drinking." Astrid sighed. "Treating his daughter like...anyway ever since then I've had to become tough to survive both at home and in this village...if I don't then...I don't even want to imagine." She told him.

"Astrid I'm sorry I didn't know..." Nico put a hand on her shoulder. "But you're wrong in saying that you have to be tough you have friends and there are people who look out for you, you don't have to go through this by yourself." Nico comforted her. "If there's one person that you could talk with its Hiccup I mean his mums died and his father couldn't care less about him." He reasoned.

"Nico if I went and spoke my mind to everyone I'd lose all respect that I've built up in this village especially if I became friends with Hiccup...I mean sure long ago we were best friends but that changed after the incident anyway who would listen to me out of the gang? Snotlout would just try to hit on me, Fishlegs would have no idea what to say and the twins are too busy fighting with each other to do anything else." She pulled her knees up to her chest. "Face it Nico no one cares."

"I care Astrid you may not believe me but its my personal rule in life to help a friend in need no matter what it is they're going through so if you feel you can't go to anyone else I'm here...if you just want to talk I'll listen if it helps ease the burden you carry...something no one should do alone." Nico took his hand off her shoulder. "So is there anything you want to talk about?" He asked her.

Astrid looked at the sea for a moment as she tried to control all the thoughts she was having.

"Not now but...Nico thanks." She turned to him and hugged him. Nico was definitely not expecting this. "Did I just get a hug from Astrid Hofferson?" He joked.

"Yes but if you tell anyone I'll make sure that you regret it." Astrid threatened as she gave him a light punch on the shoulder.

"Understood." Nico smiled. "Well we'd probably both get some rest tomorrow's gonna be a big day hopefully you won't need someone to save you." He joked earning him another punch.

"Hey you'd better watch your back and don't expect me to help you either." Astrid told him.

"Alright then well see ya." Nico replied as he walked in the direction of Hiccup's house.

"Night and...thanks again Nico." Astrid called to him before walking to her own house trying to suppress the smile on her face she hadn't felt this happy in years.

"What just happened." She thought to herself as new emotions rushed through her.

"Am I going soft?" She thought. "No stay real Astrid you're tough...aren't you?"

"What has he done to me?!" She shouted as she tried to control the unfamiliar emotions. She thought of something but dismissed it immediately it was a stupid thought.

"There's no way...he's just a really nice guy...that's all." She pushed the thought out of her head as she opened the door to her house. Hopefully her dad was asleep she didn't want his moods to ruin tonight it had been too good to been ruined by his drunken moods.

Nico tossed and turned in his bed but he couldn't get to sleep. "This is becoming bloody routine." He shouted annoyed as he sat up. He moved his pillow around and tried lying down again.

"Not getting any sleep?" A voice asked.

"Huh?! Oh it's you." Nico relaxed when her saw it was Hiccup at the door. "Na it's maybe just an after effect of being hit by lightning." He suggested.

"Maybe oh by the way I read the Dragon Manuel and it had nothing on Night Furies." Hiccup told him as he walked over to his patch on the floor.

"I know that's because nobodies seen one and lived to tell the tale...at least until you were supposed to shoot down one." Nico sighed.

"So what are we going to do?" Hiccup asked as he sat on the floor and took off his boots.

"Well tomorrow I'd like you to take me to see those other teenagers." Nico told him.

Hiccup was speechless. "Wait you want to go see t-"

Yes I do." Nico interrupted.

"Well okay but two things, one if anyone finds out we're gonna become outcasts of the village and two they don't normally like having guests."

"Well sometimes you have to do things that you don't want to."

Hope you enjoyed please review and I'll see you in two weeks with chapter 5!