How You Doing Insane Gang!
Another angsty one for you guys This one takes place once again after HTTYD The Hidden World so spoilers in case.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
The progress of New Berk was slow but still progressing. Without the dragons, it takes longer for the villagers to cut trees down to make them suitable for building huts and other structures. Trees used to collapse in a second by the powerful Timberjack now takes multiple men hours for one tree.
Thus Hiccup made the decision to go back to Berk. They were able to spare one boat so only Hiccup and the rest of the gang would accompany him. They good tear apart some of the old houses or just find wood already cut and lying around.
"Gobber, make sure everyone stays on task, the priority is for the Great Hall to be finished and get started on homes." Hiccup directed.
"Aye Chief, don't worry everything will go smoothly while you're gone."
They both were on the newly constructed docks. It seemed vastly empty with only a handful of ships. With dragons, there hasn't been a need to build or use any in the last 6 years. Hiccup made a mental note to get started on shipbuilding as soon as some houses were done.
"We're ready to set sail Chief!" Snotlout crowed.
Hiccup rolled his eyes at the formality. Gobber patted the young man on the shoulder.
"The supplies should last you two days, just in case something happens to ye."
"I appreciate it Gobber."
Hiccup stepped over the rail to safely enter the boat.
Hiccup hunkered down next to Astrid.
"By my calculations, Berk shouldn't be more than a day away," Fishlegs commented.
"Ugh, ship travel takes so long," Tuffnut complained.
Snotlout kicked him from behind. "Says you! I forgot all the work to row these stupid things."
Hiccup couldn't help but agree. The last time the gang ever rowed a boat is when Gobber took them to find the Boneknapper.
"The real question is muttonheads is what are we going to find when we get there?" Astrid asked.
Fishlegs nodded. "There could still be hunters there."
Ruffnut paused her rowing to pump her fists in the air. "Yes! Some action!."
Tuffnut elbowed her to start rowing again.
Hiccup raised his voice, just in case a Thorston fight broke out, "Regardless, we all need to be on the lookout."
He could see Old Berk ahead...or what's left of it.
The color has disappeared. For a second he thought he was traveled 10 years to the past.
The tall dragon nests and feeding stations were no more.
Snotlout covered his nose and mouth with his cape. "Is it just me or is it getting harder to see and breathe?"
Fishlegs started coughing. "You're right Snotlout," he held out his hand to catch some grey particles. "It's-"
"Ash." Hiccup's smile was grim.
They docked on the side of the beach since the real docks that they built were at the bottom of the ocean.
"Are you sure this is Berk?" Ruffnut asked.
Tuffnut spun around, "Yeah I'm pretty sure I remember Berk being colorful and taller."
Hiccup shook his head as he slowly dropped down to the sandy shore. "This was Berk."
The others mourned their old island, their home for 21 years. It was hard to say what they were feeling, flitting between sadness and anger.
Snotlout kicked up sand. "I swear if I ever see one of Grimmel's men or any other hunter..." His threat fell flat.
They split up in pairs, Snotlout with Fishlegs and the twins. Astrid hung back watching the rest of them make the climb up to where the village used to be. Hiccup turned his head to see Astrid standing there.
"Hey...what's up?"
Her arms wrapped around themselves. "I don't think I can go up there Hiccup."
Hiccup glanced down at their feet. "I know, all of our hard work..."
"This was our home for seven generations, the village that Stoick built and you built for the dragons."
Hiccup laced their hands together. "There was nothing you could have done."
Astrid bit her lip but hesitantly nodded anyway.
"Come on." Hiccup tugged on her hand until they made it to the top where the rest of the group was.
The couple had to narrow their eyes to try to minimize the stinging pain from the ash.
"There's nothing left." Fishlegs murmured.
Piles of ash littered the ground and stained the grass a pale gray. Some wood was still sizzling away. No structure seemed to be standing or even partially left. They all dragged their feet to what was presumably the village square.
Hiccup coughed, "Let's uh...let's try to find anything salvageable."
The others sighed and got to work. Belatedly he released they left in the directions of their own homes. Morbid curiosity wanted to see what remained of their childhood homes.
Astrid stuck by his side, her home wasn't a concern since hers was rebuilt again after Dagur attacked back when they were seventeen.
"Where do you want to go?" He whispered softly.
She turned her head to the forest that was too charred to hold any remaining wildlife.
"I have an idea, but you have to close your eyes."
Oh, Thor, this was a long walk and Hiccup's prosthetic started to rub. He will have to get his endurance back up again.
"Okay, you can open your eyes."
His safe place was untouched.
"Thank the gods Grimmel didn't touch this place." Astrid mused.
A familiar ache entered Hiccup's chest.
He turned his head to face her. "Why did you bring me back here Az?"
Astrid tightened her grip on his hand. "It hurts doesn't it?"
Hiccup squeezed his eyes shut and nodded frantically. "Yeah, yeah it does."
"I don't know if I could have ever come back here without thinking about Toothless. I don't think I could ever think about Berk without dragons." He let out a shuttering sigh.
Astrid led him to sit on one of the boulders surrounding the lake. "I wanted you to have closure."
"Closure?"
She gestured to their surroundings. "This is where it all started six years ago when you met Toothless. I thought it was only fitting to where you say goodbye to that part of your life."
Hiccup gazed around the cove. "I guess so, it's time for a new beginning, one without dragons."
Astrid ran a hand through the back of his hair and scratched his neck. "I know it probably won't be as fun or adventurous but everyone is still behind you a hundred percent."
He bent down enough so their foreheads would touch and their noses would brush against each other. "True, but I still have you and the gang and my mom and Gobber."
She laughed lightly. "So are you ready to move on?"
"As long as you're by my side."
They stood a while later looking down at the edge of the cove. Hiccup swore he could still see his fifteen-year-old self touching Toothless for the first time.
"Shall we Milady?"
The couple rendezvous with the others who managed to scrape up some not too burned pieces and haul it onto the ship.
"I don't know I how would have felt if we still lived on Old Berk." Fishlegs started, "We would have been left with all those empty nests for the dragons."
Tuffnut rested his elbows on his knees to cup his cheeks. "I know, the Great Hall reminds me of the times I would have a food fight with Barf and Belch."
"Hooky loved dragon races."
"Stormfly loved the dragon washes."
Hiccup placed an arm around both Astrid and Snotlout. "Think of it this way guys, Grimmel did the work for us, we would have had to take down the village anyway to destroy the proof of dragons."
Ruffnut leaned more against her brother. "It would have been cooler if we got to do it." She pouted.
Hiccup caught Astrid's eye. "A wise person told me to think of things from now on as a new beginning and saying goodbye to the Old Berk is just the first step in honoring our dragons' memories."
Fishlegs nodded. "You're right Hiccup, Meatlug would hate to see me so sad."
Ruffnut stood up to wave goodbye to their old home. "Goodbye Berk it was a blast living on you for 21 years!"
Tuffnut joined in as did the others.
This was Berk. And up until recently, it was our home along with the dragons. It housed the best-kept secret on this side of well...anywhere. This big pile of rock and ash will forever be in the hearts of the Hooligan tribe and will forever be known as where Vikings and dragons coexisted...together.
It was crazy to think that they would lose the dragons but I never thought they would lose Berk as well. Berk has been home for 8 years until the third movie. I just wanted a reaction to returning.
Stay Crazy.