To Change His Fate

1

"You did it, Hiccup! Ya get to kill the dragon!" Gobber cried out after Gothi pointed at him. Hiccup was hoisted up onto Fishlegs' shoulders, and the young boy waved his hands unenthusiastically. "That's, great. So great, I am so....." Hiccup trailed off as he was paraded around the arena.

-

"leaving! We're leaving," Hiccup said, having brought a pack full of fish with him. "C'mon, Bud. Let's just pack up, get outta- WOAH!" Hiccup exclaimed when he turned around and came face to face with Astrid's ax.

Astrid looked up from sharpening her ax with a stone, face impassive before twisting into an ugly fit of rage. "Who're you talking to, Hiccup?" She spat, putting emphasis on his name. "Uh, no one?" Hiccup said, uncertain.

"Well, start talking," Astrid said, standing up and pointing her ax at Hiccup before walking forward, backing him up against the stone walls of the small cove, "because there's no way you got so good in such a small amount of time," she hissed, eyes glittering with suspicion.

"Have you been training with someone?" Astrid inquired, swinging her ax dangerously close to Hiccup's face. Hiccup thought about his choices, weighing his options before nodding. "Yep, you've caught me! I've been training with someone!" He exclaimed.

"So, come on," Hiccup said, placing her hand on his chest, "drag me back, reveal what I've been doing- OW!" Hiccup shouted in surprise when Astrid delivered a punch to his gut. "Why would you do that?" He moaned in pain.

"That's, for lying to me," Astrid exclaimed, before dropping the butt of her ax on Hiccup's stomach, eliciting an anguished cry of pain, "and that, is for everything else." She hissed. Suddenly, a twig snapped in the dark little cove.

"Did you hear that? Get down!" Astrid hissed, jerking Hiccup's body close to the ground. A shadowy figure emerged from the small cave attached to the cove, and it let out a low snarl. It launched forward, wings spread in a rage.

It bellowed loudly, a challenge. "Come on!" Astrid yelled, charging at the creature. When the dragon moved into the light, Hiccup could almost hear Astrid lose her breath. "A Night Fury," she exclaimed. "I'll be revered if I bring its head back!" Astrid lunged forward.

The dragon screeched, raising one of its enormous clawed hands. "Woah woah woah!" Hiccup shouted, running between the dragon and Astrid. Hiccup proceeded to throw down Astrid's ax, getting a confused angry shout in response.

"It's alright, it's alright. You just scared him," Hiccup said soothingly. Astrid stared at him, eyes wild. "I, scared him?" She asked raggedly, pointing a shaking finger at the dragon. "Who is him?" She breathed.

"Toothless, meet Astrid," Hiccup said, gesturing the dragon towards Astrid, "Astrid, meet Toothless," he exclaimed, now gesturing at the dragon. "O-ho, wait until I tell Stoic about this. You'll be disqualified and executed," Astrid leered, running off.

"Well crap, we're dead," Hiccup muttered. Toothless watched Astrid run off, unimpressed before walking away. "Woah, woah woah woah, where do you think you're going? She's going to get us both killed!" Hiccup exclaimed. Toothless let out a low huff before inviting Hiccup onto his back.

-

Astrid was running through the forest when something grabbed her upper arm, hoisting her into the air with it. 'It's a dragon,' she realized, heart plummeting. "Oh Gods, oh, Great Odin's Ghost this is it!" Astrid cried out, slamming her eyes shut.

Astrid dared to open her eyes slowly when they started to seemingly lose altitude. The dragon landed on the top of a pine tree, and looking down at her was none other than that traitor, Hiccup. "Hiccup, get me down from here. Now," she spat angrily.

"Wait, just a moment, please, Astrid. Let me show you something. Let me show you how I see the dragons. Please," Hiccup pleaded, eyes wide. Astrid shook her head. "Norns, no. A thousand times over, no. You are a traitor Hiccup," she growled.

"Fine, I won't." Hiccup felt something snap inside of him, and Toothless gave a low warble of concern. 'I'm fine, Bud.' Hiccup thought to himself, patting the Night Fury's head. "Let's get you down from here, then." Hiccup said, voice void of emotion.

Hiccup offered Astrid his hand to help her up onto Toothless, and she slapped it away, eliciting an angry snarl from the dragon. Astrid hesitantly glared at the dragon before climbing onto his back.

"Alright, down Toothless. Gently," Hiccup warned. Toothless grumbled in annoyance. "See this isn't so bad, is it? He can be fi-" Hiccup was cut off as Toothless launched into the sky, pumping his wings as hard as possible as he gained altitude.

"AHH!" Astrid screamed in terror. "I am so sorry, he's not usually like this-" Hiccup exclaimed, getting cut off as Toothless went into a tight barrel roll. "And now the spinning. Thank you for nothing, you useless reptile." Hiccup said exasperatedly.

"Great Norns!" Astrid screamed out, "please, make him stop!" She begged Hiccup. "I can't, I swear he's not usually like this!" Hiccup apologized. "Alright, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please make him stop!" She begged.

Suddenly, Toothless leveled out amongst the clouds. Just as he began to fly in a steady pattern, Astrid dug her hands into Hiccup' shoulder. "Take us down, slowly dragon or I'll throw him off." Astrid hissed.

Toothless snarled back but flew down and eventually landed near the tree they had put Astrid in earlier. As soon as they landed, Astrid got off Toothless and bolted. Hiccup hesitated. But he and Toothless had something important to do now.

"C'mon, Bud." He whispered softly. The two silently launched back into the sky, headed for one location; the arena.

-

Astrid nearly trampled over Gobber as she arrived in the village, garnering a laugh from the smithy. "Easy there, Lass. What's the hurry?" Gobber asked. "I need to find the Chief, where is he?" Astrid asked, breathing heavily.

Gobber frowned, now concerned. "What's wrong Lass? Maybe you should rest a moment, you're really out of breath. Astrid shook her head. "No, I need to see him now," she gasped out loudly just as Stoick appeared from around the corner.

"Chief, Chief!" Astrid exclaimed, running at him. "Aye, Astrid, what's wrong?" He inquired. "It's your son." Stoick's face turned thunderous. "What trouble has he gotten himself into now?" He asked.

"He's sided with the dragons." Before Stoick could respond, there was a ballistic screech in the distance. "It came from the arena!" A villager called. Stoick exchanged a glace with Gobber before running towards the arena, Astrid in tow.

When they got there, a crowd had already formed around the arena. The gate into the arena had been barricaded shut, and the Nadder, Zippleback, Nightmare, and Gronckle were out of their cages. But that wasn't what everyone was focusing on.

In the center of the four dragons was a fifth, with a human boy on his back. This dragon was black with a lithe body. Gobber's face lit up. "Night Fury," he whispered softly. Stoick growled. "Get off that dragon, boy," he snarled at Hiccup.

All Hiccup did was shake his head before pointing at the chain that kept the dome ceiling in place and whispering something to the dragon. A ballistic moan ripped through the air, causing villagers to back up before the dragon shot a plasma blast straight through the chain.

The five dragons lifted off, taking Hiccup with them.