I do not own the How to Train Your Dragon franchise.

Bye-Bye Peg Leg

The sun was high in the sky, and Hiccup still hadn't arrived in the Great Hall. Astrid cast a worried glance at the seat beside her Hiccup normally occupied. "Gee, I hope his dad didn't catch him."

"I didn't mean for him to get in trouble." Fishlegs said fearfully, knowing full well the wrath of which Stoick was capable of.

"It's all part of the game." Astrid assured the boy. "You take the dare, you take the consequences that come with it."

Just as the words left her mouth the doors swung open, revealing the Hooligan tribe leader in all of his glory. The first thing everyone noticed was the fact that he only had a quarter of a beard with jagged edges. The rest of it had been completely taken off.

Snotlout bit the inside of his cheek and stared at the wooden tabletop. His friends were quick to copy his actions as the man slowly walked towards a table at the back of the hall. For a brief instant, his eyes lingered on the teens before he continued his way.

The teens did not trust themselves to look up, for fear they would burst into laughter. Astrid shoved a piece of bread into her mouth and tried not to think about how ridiculous Stoick looked.

A minute later Hiccup entered the hall and sat beside Astrid. Snotlout risked a glance at his cousin and asked, "What did you do?"

"Ssh!" Hiccup hissed, for he thought that the question was asked a little too loudly in the quiet hall. "I tried taking off only half, but the shears got stuck and I ended up taking off more than I intended. He woke up, I hid, and that was that."

"So you didn't get busted?" Astrid asked in relief.

"Thankfully, no."

"Remind me to never ask you for a haircut." Tuffnut drawled.

Astrid snorted. "Please. The two of you have never gotten a haircut." She reached out and yanked on a strand of Tuffnut's long, greasy blonde locks. "But you really could use one." She paused for a moment and grinned deviously. "I think I have a dare lined up for one of you."

"Nice going, dork!" Ruffnut scowled and punched her brother in the shoulder. "You gave her ideas!"

"I didn't mean to!" Tuffnut protested. "Plus, if she makes me cut off my hair, I'll make her cut off her hair. It'll be full circle!"

"This is a dangerous game that we play." Hiccup sighed. Astrid smiled at him and pushed her plate towards him, offering some of her food. Hiccup smiled gratefully and stole a fried potato.

"Alright Ruffnut, I've got a dare for you." Hiccup spoke. "I dare you to steal Gobber's peg leg."

"Is that all?" Ruffnut waved a hand dismissively. "I'll do that right now."

Hiccup stared at the girl in disbelief. "Right now?"

"It's more of a challenge this way." Ruffnut said cheerfully. She jerked a thumb at the blacksmith, who was sitting at the same table as Stoick and Spitelout in the back of the hall. "I think now is the perfect time."

"I cannot wait to see this." Snotlout grinned in anticipation.

Ruffnut casually got up and walked across the hall. Making sure no one was watching, she ducked underneath a table that was three away from the one Gobber was sitting at. The teens watched as the girl crawled underneath all three tables. She carefully weaved her way underneath the one the blacksmith was occupying.

"Here we go..."Tuffnut smiled brightly.

Yoink!

Gobber hollered in surprise, rocketing to his one foot and wobbling unsteadily. Ruffnut scrambled out from underneath the table and waved the peg leg wildly in the air. "Victory!" She hollered and tore from the hall.

Gobber gaped after the female Thorston. After a moment, he spoke. "I'm not exactly in the best condition to chase after the hellion. So..."

"I'll do it." Spitelout sighed and got to his feet. He ran out of the hall in pursuit.

"What in blazes got into her?" Stoick muttered.

"The same thing that got into the joker that cut off your beard." Gobber informed. He glared suspiciously at the teens, who were doing a very poor job of holding in their laughter. "Alright, which one of you put her up to it?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." Hiccup managed. It was very difficult to keep a serious face when your mentor was teetering on one foot.

"My sister is crazy." Tuffnut smirked. "She should probably be shipped off where she won't infect anyone else with her weirdness."

Astrid punched the boy in the shoulder. "I'm sure Ruffnut just thought it would be a funny joke to play."

"And it was." Snotlout snickered.

Gobber shook his head and collapsed on the bench. "They're up to something."

"I've no doubt." Stoick grumbled. He gingerly prodded the rough patch of skin where his beard used to be. "And when I find out who did this, they'll regret the day."

"Aye, Ruffnut will be sharpening swords till her hands bleed." Gobber agreed. "It's a simple task even she can manage it."

The large wooden doors opened, and Spitelout marched in with Ruffnut in hands. The girl grinned at the blacksmith and her chief. "Oh, come on. You have to admit, that was hilarious."

No longer able to control themselves, the teens burst into hysterical laughter.

Indeed, the look on Gobber's face when his leg was snatched was priceless.

Dare suggested by I Love John Gallagher Jr :)

Next chapter: In which Ruffnut dares Astrid.

If I didn't use your dare in the first round, then there's a good chance I will in the next round :) There's a few dares that I'm saving for later chapters, so thanks for all the suggestions!