Author's Note: Here is part three of the HTTYD movie arc. And yes, Hiccup will come to know Bright's connection with the dragons soon, which might be in the next chapter.

Guest: A new update. Hope you like it.

adreamassocco98: Love at first sight is a great feeling (I think Toothless agrees with this).

Chapter 6: Dragon Training

A few hours later, Bright was still sleeping in the morning in the Haddock residence inside Hiccup's bedroom. Hiccup, from what he knew, realized Bright had no place to stay and offered his room for him to sleep. Bright thanked him for his kindness.

Bright was snoring like a dragon, which Hiccup still found a bit weird and strange for a human.

I guess he must have been raised by them? Hiccup thought to himself. Well, he did communicate with the Night Fury, after all. It must be running in his veins for being a human with dragon speech. He was finding Bright a weird boy, but wondered something else. Could he be hiding something? Maybe another Night Fury? Perhaps. But I should probably not press it on him right away. I'll find out for myself.

A draconic yawn came from Bright, who stirred by the sunlight hitting his face, illuminating him. Bright rubbed his eyes.

"Had a good sleep?" Hiccup asked with a smile.

"Yeah, the best in a few days," Bright replied. "How long have you been sitting there?"

"A few minutes," Hiccup responded. "I only recently woke up. So…are you ready for today's training session with the others?"

Bright blinked in realization. "Right…dragon training. Why do I have to be doing it?"

"Well, for one, you might get a good impression on my village if you train with us," Hiccup said. "Besides, I'm sure you'd be doing very well with handling dragons in the arena."

"Arena? Where's that? And why would I be needed to handle the dragons?"

"Boy, for a teenager your age, you sure have a lot of questions," Hiccup chuckled heartily. "Why don't we find out ourselves instead of me answering the questions?"

Bright gave another yawn, and then nodded to him.

They got up and walked down the staircase. Hiccup went out of the front door, with Bright following behind him. Bright stretched his arms out as he got a feeling of fresh air.

"You've never been used to being inside a building, have you?" Hiccup asked.

"No," Bright shook his head. "I'm more used to sleeping outside."

Hiccup was fond of Bright. He was glad that he got acquainted with him the moment they met in the forge on the night of the raid. "There's something that's been nagging in my mind. How do you know about working in a forge?"

"I was taught by my teacher how forges work," Bright explained.

"And who is your teacher?"

"An old man named Arne. He's a friend of mine."

"I see." Hiccup smiled at him. "How did you meet this Arne fellow?"

"He came to my village when I was four," Bright lied. "He had watched over me while my parents were busy with life."

Hiccup took it in and nodded, pleased. "This Arne fellow seems like a nice guy."

"He is," Bright agreed. "He's the nicest human I've ever met—except when I met you, of course, Hiccup."

Hiccup felt his chest warm up. Those words were kind and had a warmness he never dreamed of having been said to him. "Do you…consider me your friend?"

"Of course!" Bright smiled. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Well, I thought…after I tried to use my knife on the Night Fury, I was…afraid you wouldn't take me as your friend," Hiccup said honestly.

Bright stared at him for a few long moments of silence. "Hiccup," he started, "I'd never make a bad impression on something so small of a mistake like that. Since I 'spoke' with the Night Fury, all he wanted was to be set free and live. And I am honest with this. You're the best friend I've ever had on Berk, and my first here, as a matter of fact. I'd do anything to keep our friendship whole."

Hiccup's smile grew. Every word he heard from Bright was his honesty to him. "Thank you, for saying it to me."

"Friends to the end?" Bright smiled, raising a fist.

"Friends to the end," Hiccup nodded, pumping fists with him.

Soon they reached Gobber, who was surprised to find Bright with Hiccup. "Well, how's ya sister doing, Bright?"

"She is doing well," Bright answered.

"Good to hear," Gobber nodded, pleased. "So, why are ya here? I only wanted Hiccup here. But, oh well. The more, the merrier is what they say." He walked to the arena, with the boys in tow behind him.

The other teenagers looked at Gobber.

"What kept you?" Snotlout asked.

"I should be the one who's asking you the question," Gobber reminded him.

"We've been here for a half hour," Snotlout groaned.

"Well, go on, then! Into the arena!" Gobber ordered, pushing Snotlout forward to the gate of the arena.

"No pushing…" Snotlout mumbled grumpily.

"Someone's cranky," Tuffnut chuckled.

"I've never seen someone so grumpy before," Ruffnut added.

"What was that?" Snotlout growled, closing his palm to a fist.

"Nothing!" Tuffnut quickly raised his hands in defense. "She said it!"

Ruffnut gave him a death glare.

Bright looked at Hiccup from behind Gobber, while Hiccup looked at his friend in return.

"Welcome to dragon training!" Gobber announced loudly, enough for the teens to hear.

The group walked through the gate and out onto the arena floor. They took it in like gladiators entering the colosseum. The walls were covered in scorched silhouettes of blasted Vikings.

"No turning back," Astrid declared.

"I hope I get some serious burns," Tuffnut added.

"I'm hoping for some mauling," Ruffnut continued. "Like on my shoulder or lower back."

"Yeah," Astrid said. "It's only fun if you get a scar out of it."

"Yeah, no kidding, right?" Hiccup spoke. "Pain. Love it."

"It's not like we're going to get killed or something," Bright added.

"Oh, great," Tuffnut grunted, staring at Hiccup. "Who let him in?" He then pointed to Bright rudely. "And who's the new kid?"

"Hi, I am Bright Lightwalker," Bright started friendly, raising a hand to Tuffnut. "How ya doing?"

"Ugh," Tuffnut said. "I'd rather be friends with a reptile than this kid. He's too soft and friendly to my taste."

Bright lowered his hand and scowled at him.

"Let's get started!" boomed Gobber loudly, gaining their attention. "The recruit who does best will win the honor of killing his first dragon in front of the entire village."

Snotlout couldn't help but scoff. "Hiccup already killed a Night Fury, so does that disqualify him or…?"

The teens laughed, except Hiccup and Bright.

"Can I transfer to the class with the cool Vikings?" Tuffnut asked.

Gobber threw a supportive arm around Hiccup and ushered him along, same with Bright. "Don't worry. You're small and you're weak," he told Hiccup with a cheery, confident voice. "That'll make you less of a target. They'll see you as sick or insane and go after the more Viking-like teens instead." He stuck them in line with the others and continued toward massive reinforced doors.

Terrible roars and bellowing issued from within the doors.

"Behind these doors are just a few of the many species you will learn to fight," Gobber continued to speak.

Fishlegs bounced and giggled with excitement, barely able to contain himself.

"The Deadly Nadder…"

"Speed eight. Armor sixteen," Fishlegs stated.

"The Hideous Zippleback…"

"Plus eleven stealth. Times two," Fishlegs continued.

"The Monstrous Nightmare…"

"Firepower fifteen," Fishlegs continued.

"The Terrible Terrors…"

"Attack eight. Venom twelve…"

"Can you stop that?!" Gobber yelled at Fishlegs, who promptly stopped with the statistics.

"Jaw strength," Fishlegs whispered quietly to himself, "eight."

Gobber pulled a lever, raising the cross beam on the last of the doors.

"Whoa, wait!" Snotlout gasped. "Aren't you gonna teach us first?!"

"I believe in learning on the job," Gobber replied.

A female Gronckle thundered out of its cage, charging into the ring like an irate rhino. The group scramble in every direction, except for Tuffnut and Ruffnut, who rush toward it, like pumped-up rodeo clowns.

"Today is about survival," Gobber continued. "If you get blasted, you're dead. Quick, what's the first thing you're going to need?"

"A doctor?" Hiccup guessed.

"A sword?" Bright added.

"Plus five speed?" Fishlegs continued.

"A shield," Astrid declared.

"Shields. Go," Gobber nodded to them.

The group scrambles for the shields, which they found scattered around the ring.

"Your most important piece of equipment is your shield," Gobber stated. "If you must make a choice between a sword or shield, take the shield."

Hiccup struggled to lift his, while Bright managed to grab his own shield and soon went over to help his friend lift the shield. Hiccup thanked him afterward.

Ruffnut and Tuffnut stood amidst a dozen shields. But only one had a skull painted on it, and they both grabbed it.

"Get your hands off my shield!" Tuffnut growled.

"There are like a million shields!" Ruffnut retorted.

"Take that one," Tuffnut pointed. "It has a flower on it. Girls like flowers."

Ruffnut used the shield to bash him in the face, but he didn't let go of it. "Oops. Now this one has blood on it."

The Gronckle took aim at the distracted twins. And suddenly the shield broke into splinters after the fireball hit it, taking the shield out of Ruffnut and Tuffnut's hands, and they spun around like tops and went down.

"Ruff, Tuff, you're out," Gobber declared.

"What?!" Ruffnut shouted, confused.

The Gronckle scooped up a pile of rocks and swallowed them back.

Bright noticed it and smiled before banging his shield with his weapon.

"Great idea!" Hiccup realized, joining in.

"Those shields are good for another thing. Noise," Gobber commented to Bright, nodding. "Make lots of it to throw off a dragon's aim."

The group began hammering their shields as the Gronckle shook its head at the clatter.

"All dragons have a limited number of shots," Gobber continued lecturing. "How many does a Gronckle have?"

"Five," Hiccup tried to guess.

"No, six," Fishlegs corrected.

"Correct, six!" Gobber agreed. "That's one for each of you."

"I don't think my parents would—" Fishlegs was flung on his back after his shield was blasted away.

"Fishlegs, out," Gobber stated. He noticed something about Bright's movements. That kid is number seven in this group. Hmm…

He soon spotted Hiccup hiding from the Gronckle's molten slugs. "Hiccup, get in there!"

Astrid bounced on her heels, ready to dodge a blast. Snotlout appeared beside her. "So anyway," he started, "I'm moving into my parents' basement. You should come by sometime to work out. You look like you work out—"

Astrid cartwheeled out of the way, allowing a shot past her and hit Snotlout's shield. He was blasted onto his back.

"Snotlout! You're done!" Gobber declared.

"What?" Snotlout blinked. "We're seven in this group! How can a Gronckle hit all seven of us, if it only has six shot limits?"

"I was thinking the same thing," Gobber replied.

Astrid rolled to a stop beside Hiccup and Bright, with Hiccup stirred awkwardly as he tried to look cool.

"So, I guess it's just us and you," he started.

"No," Astrid widened her eyes. "Just you." She rolled away, as a split second later a lava slug knocked Hiccup's shield clear off his arm. Hiccup is exposed.

"One shot left!" Gobber called.

Hiccup panicked and chased after his shield while it rolled across the ring. Bright saw the Gronckle moving after him and he gave a determined expression.

Bright jumped toward the Gronckle.

"Bright! What are you doing?" Gobber demanded.

"Saving my friend!" he answered, and the Gronckle noticed him before being tackled by the boy. Bright stopped the Gronckle in its movement by placing his shield near its throat, preventing its advancement to Hiccup, who looked on in stunning amazement.

"Whoa!" Snotlout breathed. "He's awesome."

Bright glared at the Gronckle, who let out a whine. "Be glad I won't finish you off," he whispered low to the dragon, while it gave him a look.

"Well…" Gobber blinked. "That was unexpected."

"You can say that again," Astrid agreed.

Gobber walked over to Hiccup while Bright got off the Gronckle, who was prevented from its attack on Hiccup. "Go back to bed, ya overgrown sausage!" Gobber demanded the Grockle, "You'll get another chance, don't you worry." He slammed the dragon in the cage, locking the doors. He looked at the group. "Remember…a dragon will always…" he looked sternly at Hiccup, "...go for the kill."

Hiccup panted, but accepted Bright's offered hand to stand. "Thanks for the save there, Bright."

"No problem," Bright smiled. "That's what friends do, am I right?"

Hiccup nodded.

"I'd hate to admit it," Tuffnut started, stepping up to Bright with the others, "that was pretty crazy tackling the Gronckle like that."

"I like crazy boys!" Ruffnut added, excited in her voice.

"Hey, I'm crazy too, you know?" Tuffnut scowled at his twin.

Ruffnut responded by punching him in the shoulder, roughly.

"Where are you two going?" Astrid asked, seeing Bright and Hiccup about to walk off.

"Uh…checking up on my sister," Bright replied.

"Yeah. I'd always wanted to meet his sister," Hiccup added. "After what he told me, it will be good for me to meet her. Alone," he added, after seeing Gobber's face.

"Okay, but be careful out there," Gobber called, waving his right hand.

"We will!" Bright waved back, running with Hiccup out of the arena.