The Dragon Boy (a HTTYD fanfic)

Chapter 10

Many hours later, Hiccup woke up to darkness. It was cold, damp, and quiet. He didn't know where he was, or what time it is. With a pained groan, Hiccup sat up and rubbed his throbbing head. Wherever Hiccup was, it smelled terrible.

"H-Hello? Gobber? Anyone...?" Hiccup called out. He heard deep, even breathing and immediately recognized the creature next to him.

"Toothless!" Hiccup exclaimed. Even in the darkness, Hiccup could not mistake anything for those big green eyes. Toothless' pupils dilated into giant circles as he heard Hiccup's voice. Toothless scratched at his cage's bars, letting out a high pitched whine. Hiccup stuck out his hand and waved it around blindly, hoping it will land on Toothless' snout. Sure enough, he felt something breathing on his palm. Hiccup petted Toothless' snout, earning a series of soft purrs.

"It's going to be alright, bud. We'll be okay." Hiccup consoled. He continued to rub Toothless' snout until someone opened the curtains, letting in the blinding light. Hiccup looked squinted his eyes as he saw Gobber walk in.

"Gobber?" Hiccup asked.

"Hiccup, I'll get you both out of here when the heat dies down. Stoick's out there and if he sees me hauling you two out, we're all done for." Gobber said, sitting on a stool. Hiccup sighed as he sat on the floor in a sulking manner.

"..... Stoick's your father, isn't he?" Gobber suddenly asked. Hiccup looked at the veteran with a surprised look.

"How did you know...?" Hiccup asked.

"I knew you were Stoick's boy the very moment we met. You're literally a younger version of him." Gobber replied. Hiccup frowned when he realized something.

".... But my dad doesn't know that..." Hiccup mused.

"Lad, I noticed another thing upon our meeting: you were distressed. I don't mean to intrude on anything personal, but I want to know. What happened?" Gobber stated. Hiccup sighed raggedly as he combed his mind for memories.

"..... She's gone.... because of me..." Hiccup murmured, leaning on a pole.

"Me and Toothless were flying.... Then Koda trapped us and tried to kill me. Mom came and attacked his ship. I should've just flew away with her, escape Koda's grasp. But I wanted to fight..." Hiccup began explaining. Gobber looked at the man with a pitiful expression.

"It's all my fault..." Hiccup said, burying his head in his arms. Toothless laid his head down and whined, as if he harbored guilt as well.

"Lad, it was never your fault. You can't blame yourself for what happened." Gobber replied. Hiccup lifted his head and looked at Gobber.

"Tragedy is a terrible thing and it happens to everyone. Hiccup, your mother may be gone, but that doesn't mean she's not with you. She's here in your heart." Gobber consoled. Hiccup sighed as he sat up.

"I still miss her... We spent the best years of my life searching for new dragon species and watching the sunsets and just.... being together." Hiccup said.

"I got some advice for you, lad: Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." Gobber said, smiling a little. Hiccup returned the smile. Suddenly, Stoick and a few other vikings walked into the tent, with the latter scowling at Hiccup and Toothless.

"Chain up the Night Fury and bring it outside." Stoick commanded. The vikings chained up Toothless and slapped a muzzle on him. Pulling Toothless out, the vikings dragged him outside into the arena where everyone could see.

"What are you doing to my dragon?!" Hiccup demanded, getting up. Two burly vikings grabbed Hiccup and hauled him outside. The arena outside the tent was enormous, and it looked like all of Berk was crowded on the outer ring to witness the event at hand. Toothless was placed in the center of the arena so everyone can see him. Hiccup watched with fear as Stoick grabbed a large axe and aimed it towards Toothless.

"Twenty years ago my wife was taken by a dragon. This creature took away my beloved.... and took my child with her..!" Stoick announced, causing everyone to shout at Toothless with rage. Astrid and the others stood at the sidelines with worried expressions. Hiccup struggled as he tried to break free.

"Stop! Stop!" Hiccup yelled, but his voice fell on deaf ears. Stoick raised the axe in the air.

"I, STOICK THE VAST, WILL SHOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU TAKE OUR WIVES AND CHILDREN!!" Stoick shouted, approaching Toothless.

"No! Stop, please!" Hiccup pleaded. Stoick ignored him and continued, raising the weapon over Toothless' head.

"STOP!!! PLEASE!! HE'S ALL I HAVE LEFT!!!" Hiccup wailed, feeling the sting of tears at the corners of his eyes. Stoick once again ignored Hiccup and glared at Toothless. He prepared to bring the axe down on Toothless.

"DAD, STOP!!!" Hiccup screamed. Stoick suddenly froze, stopping the axe from striking Toothless. Everyone had shocked faces and mouths agape as they stared at Hiccup. Stoick turned around, staring at Hiccup.

"What... What did you call me?" Stoick asked.

"Dad... I'm... I'm your son... Mom told me everything about you..." Hiccup explained.

"Impossible! Valka was killed by a dragon!" Stoick yelled.

"No, she wasn't. Not by a dragon..." Hiccup replied, taking out a purple gem from his shark tooth necklace. Stoick's eyes widened as he saw the gem.

"I gave Valka that gem.... On the night of our wedding..." Stoick said.

"When I turned twenty, she gave me this gem to have something to remember her." Hiccup explained further. Stoick approached Hiccup, looking at his face. He had the same auborn brown hair he did. Hiccup's eyes resembled his own, green as a forest. Stoick's eyes teared up as he took in Hiccup's words.

"You're... truly.... my son...?" Stoick asked. Hiccup nodded. Stoick immediately dropped his axe and then took off his helmet, embracing Hiccup in a giant hug. The two shared a long moment together, with Stoick crying his eyes out. It was first time anyone seen the man even do so much as weep. Astrid and the others cheered for Hiccup.

"Hiccup... I'm so sorry..." Stoick apologized.

"It's okay dad.... Could you let Toothless go?" Hiccup replied.

"The Night Fury?" Stoick asked.

"He's my best friend. He's all I have left after..." Hiccup said, cutting off his sentence. Stoick waved his hand and the vikings removed the chains and muzzle from Toothless. Instantly, the Night Fury jumped on Hiccup and eccstatically licked his face.

"GAHH! BLECHH! TOOTHLESS, NO! YOUR BREATH IS HORRIBLE!" Hiccup exclaimed. Toothless got up, giving Hiccup that adorable gummy smile of his. Hiccup embraced the Night Fury in a hug, smiling as Toothless began purring loudly.

"Hiccup, what happened to Valka...?" Stoick asked.

"She was shot down by a madman named Koda Whitemane..." Hiccup replied. Stoick frowned at the mention of Koda's name.

"I know Koda well. That maniac will pay dearly..." Stoick seethed.

"CHIEF! THERE'S A MASSIVE FLEET HEADING TO BERK!!" A viking screamed. Hiccup and Stoick ran to the docks, seeing Koda's entire fleet heading their way.

"Koda..." Hiccup hissed. Astrid and the others approached Hiccup and Stoick with their weapons ready.

"Hiccup, we're ready when you are." Astrid said. Hiccup smiled as he mounted Toothless and held out his staff.

"Everyone! Koda Whitemane is coming to take our island, our wives, our children, EVERYTHING. Are we going to allow him to? NO!! Together, we will stand up and fight! TO BATTLE!!!" Hiccup announced, taking off into the sky. Astrid and the other riders mounted their dragons and took of after Hiccup while everyone else charged at Koda's fleet.