Semifinals and Explanations

I was in the forge, my head rested on my desk as I fiddled with my charcoal pencil. My desk was scattered with drawings full of Toothless. My mind was racing. I was doing well in the dragon class and soon it would be the semifinals: me against Ashter. I had to let Ash win... but if I did, he would hurt the dragon we were up against. If I won, I would be put in the arena with a Monstrous Nightmare which I was supposed to kill.

My back burnt again. It had been doing that for the past hour. I noted that it had left me alone for a whole two and a half weeks. Why it was doing that now was beyond me.

Footsteps sounded in the doorway and someone cleared their throat. I nearly jumped out of my skin because I knew who was standing in the doorway. I started shuffling all of my drawings out of sight. After that was done, I turned around and sat on my desk. "Dad, you're back!" I said, a slight smile on my face. "Uh, Gobber isn't here, so..."

Dad walked up to me, grabbing one of the seats. "I know," he replied, his voice lower than usual. I hoped for dear life that I wasn't in trouble. "I came looking for you."

"You did?" I twiddled my thumbs on the edge of my desk.

His expression remained stern. "You've been keeping secrets, Hali." I gripped the desk, trying not to fall off.

"I... have?" Wait to be inconspicuous, Hali...

"Just how long did you think you could hide it from me?" I tried to read his expression but nothing went through my mind except for the fear of having Toothless found out.

"I don't know what you're-"

"Nothing happens on this island without me hearing about it." He propped an arm on his knee. "So let's talk about that dragon."

The blood instantly drained from my face and fear clenched my chest. I jumped off my desk, my hands in front of me in a helpless position as I tried to explain myself. "Oh gods, Dad, I'm so sorry. I was going to tell you, I just didn't know how-" I was cut off when he started laughing. A booming laughter with absolutely no traces of anger.

I stared at him, baffled. "You aren't... upset?"

"What?!" he exclaimed. "I was hoping for this!"

"You were what now?" Somehow I got the feeling we weren't talking about the same thing.

"Oh believe me, it only gets better! Just was till you spill a Nadder's guts for the first time." He continued saying this while he laughed. "And mount your first Gronckle hear on a spear. What a feeling!" He clapped me on the shoulder, nearly causing my knees to buckle.

"You really had me going there, hon. All those years of the worst Viking Berk has ever seen!" He looked up. "Odin, it was rough." His gaze went back to me. "I nearly gave up on you. And all the while, you were holding out on me. Thor almighty!" I grimaced from the irony of all this.

Dad looked completely relieved. "With you doing so well in the ring, we finally have something to talk about." I gave him a small smile, trying to ignore the growing silence. That is when he looked like he remembered something really important. "Oh... I brought you something." He showed me a horned helmet and held it out to me. "To keep you safe in the ring."

I tentatively take it, a genuine smile on my face. "Wow, thanks Dad."

"Your mother would've wanted you to have it. It's half of her breast plate." He tapped his helmet. "Matching set to keep her close." My hand twitched at the sudden information. "Wear it proudly. You deserve it. You've held up your end of the deal." He beamed with pride and my stomach churned. So I forced a yawn, hoping for an excuse to get out of this.

"I really should get to bed," I said, stretching a bit. "Training tomorrow. It's me and Ashter. See who gets the honor."

"Right, yes, okay. I'll see you back at the house. Well... uh, good night." Dad left the room, still having pride on his face. I slumped forward, feeling more burdened than ever.

Ashter and I were in the training grounds. The arena had multiple wooden barriers put up for us to hide behind. I had the helmet on just for Dad even though I had no idea if I was going to go through with this. Ashter seemed like he was ready to kill either me or the Gronckle, not that he cared which but I'm sure he preferred the dragon gone first.

He ducked behind a barrier, the only one I happened to be behind. He forced his axe at my throat, a weird glint in his eyes. "Stay out of my way!" he growled. "I'm winning this thing." He darted off again.

"Please, be my guest," I muttered. The crowd started cheering him on. I stood and looked around. Amongst the crowd, Dad watches keenly, beaming. He locked eyes with me and gave a nod of encouragement. At least he's proud of me. I adjusted my helmet and forced a halfhearted smile.

Then, of course with my luck, the Gronckle happened to spot me. So it just had to make a beeline towards me. I turned around just in time to see it coming at me. I panicked, momentarily forgetting that I didn't want to win this. I dropped the axe and put my hands out in front of me, knowing that the scent of dragon nip was still on me. The Gronckle immediately fainted at the scent, lying at my feet with its tongue stuck out leisurely.

At that moment, Ashter popped out from one of the barriers, his axe at the ready and he was yelling loudly. He faltered at the sight of the Gronckle at my feet. "No!" he shouted. I shrugged helplessly, as unhappy with the situation as he was. "You son of a halftroll, rat eating -"

A loud clack sounded above. Gothi, the village elder, stepped forward, her staff tapping at the ground. The villagers looked at her excitedly. "Wait, wait!" Dad called out.

I gulped. "Uh... later." I started walking off but Gobber snagged the back of my shirt, stopping me in my tracks.

"Not so fast," he said. He didn't seem all that happy but I could see from the corner of my eye that he was putting on a smile just for the villagers, knowing that they didn't know about my "destiny." I swallowed nervously as he set me down. He looked at me apologetically.

I watched my father as he silenced the crowd. "Okay, quiet down," he shouted. "The elder has decided." I turned my head slightly so I could see both Gothi and Gobber. He first pointed to Ashter who looked up hopefully but with doubt. Gothi shook her head which just displayed the inevitable. So knowingly, Gobber pointed to me. The elder nodded affirmatively. My heart dropped.

The crowd erupted in cheers. Ashter sent a glare at me that, if looks could kill, would have me dead on the spot. Gobber laughed but with little to no humor. "You've done it! You've done it, Hali! You get to kill the dragon!" I gave him a small smile, though we could see the worry in each others' eyes.

Dad laughed. "That's my girl!" he yelled proudly. The other recruits, excluding Ashter, hoisted me onto their shoulders and carried me out to the cheering spectators. I tried to cheer along with them and they bought it. At the time, it seemed like I had no other choice.

"We're leaving," I called out as I entered the cove, a basket settled on my back. I looked around for Toothless. "Let's pack up! Looks like you and me are taking a little vacation, forever." I set the basket down, checking through it, my mind clouded. I groaned, thinking I should have seen this coming.

And then there was the sound of stone against metal. My head snapped up to see Ashter sitting cross-legged on the boulder my basket was leaning against. I lurched backwards, my hands behind my back and my eyes searching for any sign of Toothless. Who is that? a familiar voice asked in my mind. I tried not to think about that.

"Ashter... what are you doing here?" I asked, hoping to regain my composure. He hopped off the rock, swinging his axe a bit.

"I wanna know what's going on," he said casually. His expression suddenly turned darker than before. "No one just gets as good as you do. Especially you. Start talking." He started backing me up, completely oblivious to the fact that an angry Night Fury was hiding around here somewhere. "Are you training with someone?"

"Uh... training?" My harness was suddenly snagged by Ashter.

"It better not involve this."

"I know this looks really bad, but you see, this is, uh.." I was cut off by something rustling on the other side of the cove. Someone, I corrected myself. Ashter pushed me away and started walking towards the sound.

I continued to pathetically explain myself. "You're right, you're right. I'm through with the lies. I've been making... outfits. So you got me. Its time everyone know. Drag me back, go ahead." He cut me off by twisting my arm behind me in an arm lock. I let out a small yelp. "The heck?!"

"That is for the lies." He shoved me away, but not missing the opportunity to slug me in the gut. "And that is for everything else."

"That's it," a certain someone growled from the opposite side of the cove. "You are going down."

Thanks Ashter, I thought dryly. Ashter looked to where the growl had come from. And soon there is a sleek Night Fury bounding towards us, a savage glint in his eyes. Ashter stepped in front of me, pushing me towards the exit.

"Go, run!" he yelled. I looked at him, confused. Someone who looked ready to kill me is now protecting me from the one who is trying to keep me safe. Total sense... Ashter readied his axe, as if thinking he could take on Toothless.

"No!" I shouted. I moved Ashter back, ripping his axe from his grip as I did so. I slid the axe away and stood just in front of Ashter with my hands out. "No, it's okay! It's alright." Toothless skidded on the ground, spraying Ashter with sand.

"Okay?!" Toothless growled. "How is it okay?"

"He's a friend." I pressed my hand to his head as he snorted disagreeably. Toothless looked over my shoulder, confused and angry, at Ashter. I turned around, my hand still on his head. "You just scared him, Ashter."

"I scared him?!" Ashter exclaimed.

"Scared is not exactly the right word," Toothless implied. "More like infuriated."

Ashter suddenly took in what I said. In an intense whisper, he asked, "Who is him?"

I stood taller. "Ashter, Toothless. Toothless, Ashter." Ashter started backing away slowly, eying both Toothless and I. Then, without looking back, he turned and ran for the village. My shoulders slumped forward. "Da da da, we're dead."

"Maybe, but I don't like him," Toothless said, while making a satisfied roll of his shoulders. Then he turned away.

I looked back at him, slightly exasperated. "And where do you think you're going?" Toothless turned his head to look at me. His ear flaps went limp as he gave me a look that said, I'm not going to like this, am I?