So as promised, for ten reviews here is your early update. Same condition applies to the next chapter. Udate will either be in seven days or after another ten reviews. I really am enjoying the fact you guys are liking this. This story was actually done for pure fun after realizing there was no other fics like it. I hope you still continue to enjoy it.
Don't own HTTYD
EXT. VILLAGE - UPPER PLAZA - CONTINUOUS The escaped Nadders fly past with sheep in their clutches. The raid is over. The dragons have clearly won. The murmuring crowd eyes Stoick, awaiting his response.
HICCUP (SHEEPISH) Okay, but I hit a Night Fury.
Stoick grabs Hiccup by the back scruff of his collar and hauls him away, fuming with embarrassment.
Stoick sighed at that. He regretted all the time he hadn't listened to Hiccup back then.
HICCUP (CONT'D) It's not like the last few times, Dad. I mean I really actually hit it. You guys were busy and I had a very clear shot. It went down, just off Raven Point. Let's get a search party out there, before it-
STOICK -STOP! Just...stop.
He releases Hiccup. Everyone goes silent, staring expectantly.
STOICK (CONT'D) Every time you step outside, disaster follows. Can you not see that I have bigger problems? Winter's almost here and I have an entire village to feed!
Suddenly they understood Hiccup's comment earlier. he was punished for going outside. By being put down by everyone who was supposed to believe him.
Hiccup looks around. All eyes are upon him.
HICCUP Between you and me, the village could do with a little less feeding, don't ya think?
A few rotund Vikings stir self-consciously.
Astrid rolled her eyes "Your fat jokes will make you the most enemies." she commented.
Hiccup shrugged "I still think the village needs a new diet." he commented.
STOICK This isn't a joke, Hiccup! (EXASPERATED) Why can't you follow the simplest orders?
HICCUP I can't stop myself. I see a dragon and I have to just... kill it, you know? It's who I am, Dad.
STOICK You are many things, Hiccup. But a dragon killer is not one of them.
"Well no one can argue with that."
Sting. Hiccup looks around to see many nods of agreement.
STOICK (CONT'D) Get back to the house. (TO GOBBER) Make sure he gets there. I have his mess to clean up.
Stoick lumbers off in the opposite direction. Gobber leads Hiccup through the walk of shame. They pass the teen fire brigade as they snicker.
TUFFNUT Quite the performance.
SNOTLOUT I've never seen anyone mess up that badly. That helped!
HICCUP Thank you, thank you. I was trying, so...
Hiccup avoids Astrid's glare and heads up toward a large house, standing prominently on the hill above the others.
The teens couldn't help but wince. They had forgotten how harsh they used to be to their leader of their little rag tag group.
HICCUP (CONT'D) I really did hit one.
GOBBER Sure, Hiccup.
HICCUP He never listens.
GOBBER Well, it runs in the family.
"Hey!" both men shouted in indignition.
HICCUP And when he does, it's always with this... disappointed scowl. Like someone skimped on the meat in his sandwich. (MIMICKING STOICK) Excuse me, barmaid. I'm afraid you brought me the wrong offspring. I ordered an extra large boy with beefy arms. Extra guts and glory on the side. This here. This is a talking fish bone.
The masked figures head whipped back towards Stoick but he hardly noticed, looking over at Hiccup sadly "I'm...sorry for how I acted." he said.
Hiccup shrugged "You've made up for it. Since then you've been doing your best. So don't worry about it. I've forgiven you a long time ago." he said, earning a proud smile from his father.
GOBBER You're thinking about this all wrong. It's not so much what you look like. It's what's inside that he can't stand.
Beat.
HICCUP Thank you, for summing that up.
"Gobber however..." Hiccup said dryly, smirking at his mentor who held up his hands in defeat.
They reach the doorway.
GOBBER Look, the point is, stop trying so hard to be something you're not.
Hiccup SIGHS heavily.
HICCUP I just want to be one of you guys.
Gobber eyes him sympathetically. Hiccup turns and goes through the front door. And straight out the back door. He hurries off into the woods, determined.
Again the teens winced. After all, Hiccup had put his life on the line for them time and again. It was times like this they wondered why.
INT. GREAT HALL - DAY A noisy din of PROTESTING VOICES leads to... STOICK, glowering in the firelight. Surrounded by his men.
STOICK Either we finish them or they'll finish us! It's the only way we'll be rid of them! If we find the nest and destroy it, the dragons will leave. They'll find another home
"To be fair we learned that they just move to the next closest island which actually would have been Berk so this was actually the best thing to have happened." Fishlegs pointed out.
He sinks his blade into a... LARGE NAUTICAL MAP, spread out on the table... the blade pierces the middle of an uncharted corner, swirling with painted sea monsters and dragons.
STOICK (CONT'D) (DECIDEDLY) One more search. Before the ice sets in.
VIKING Those ships never come back.
STOICK (MATTER-OF-FACT) We're Vikings. It's an occupational hazard. Now who's with me?
Stoick throws up his fist. No one follows. The crowds shifts in restless silence. Head scratches. Eyes averted.
"Wow. Lots of support."
VIKING (FEEBLE) Today's not good for me.
VIKING (CONT'D) (EQUALLY FEEBLE) I've gotta do my axe returns.
STOICK Alright. Those who stay will look after Hiccup.
Hands jut into the air, volunteers galore. Enthusiastic murmurs of prep and packing fill the room.
"And I'm totally feeling the love." was the sarcastic response.
PHLEGMA THE FIERCE To the ships!
SPITELOUT I'm with you Stoick!
STOICK (DRY) That's more like it.
The Vikings rush for the door, leaving Gobber and Stoick alone. Gobber gulps back the contents of his tankard attachment and scrapes back the bench.
GOBBER I'll pack my undies.
"Uh...gross."
STOICK No, I need you to stay and train some new recruits.
GOBBER Oh, perfect. And while I'm busy, Hiccup can cover the stall. Molten steel, razor sharp blades, lots of time to himself...what could possibly go wrong?
Stoick sinks onto the bench beside Gobber, his brow burdened.
STOICK What am I going to do with him Gobber?
Stoick shifted again, feeling the dragon thiefs look on him. What was with this guy anyways?
GOBBER Put him in training with the others.
STOICK No, I'm serious.
GOBBER So am I.
Hiccup raised an eyebrow "That was Gobber's idea? Huh. Thank you." he said honestly to his mentor.
Stoick turns to him, glaring.
STOICK He'd be killed before you let the first dragon out of its cage.
Hiccup rolled his eyes "Seriously? I wasn't that hopeless." he defended.
Ruffnut snickered "And yet Meatlug still almost killed you. Meatlug." she pointed out.
GOBBER Oh, you don't know that.
STOICK I do know that, actually.
GOBBER No, you don't.
STOICK No, actually I do.
GOBBER No you don't!
STOICK Listen! You know what he's like. From the time he could crawl he's been...different. He doesn't listen. (MORE)
"But my being different has come in handy."
STOICK (CONT'D) Has the attention span of a sparrow. I take him fishing and he goes hunting for... for trolls.
GOBBER (DEFENSIVE) Trolls exist! They steal your socks. (DARKLY) But only the left ones. What's with that?
"No kidding right?"
STOICK When I was a boy...
"Oh here we go again." Hiccup grumbled.
GOBBER (GRUMBLING) Oh here we go.
STOICK My father told me to bang my head against a rock and I did it. I thought it was crazy, but I didn't question him. And you know what happened?
"You got a headahce?" Hiccup offered.
GOBBER You got a headache.
STOICK That rock split in two. It taught me what a Viking could do, Gobber. He could crush mountains, level forests, tame seas! Even as a boy, I knew what I was, what I had to become. (BEAT) Hiccup is not that boy.
"Yep. Village peacekeeper, that's me."
GOBBER You can't stop him, Stoick. You can only prepare him. (BEAT) Look, I know it seems hopeless. But the truth is you won't always be around to protect him. He's going to get out there again. He's probably out there now.
ON STOICK, as Gobber's words hit their mark.