Snoggletog Brawl

Emerging from the steps that led to the toilets of The Lonesome Tradesman , Hiccup was assaulted by the noise of Berkians in conversation, the smell of booze and the warm glow of candles, as well as the faint lights of a medium-sized Christmas tree, decorated with custom made Viking shields, standing close to the top of the steps, on Hiccup's left.

Heading right, Hiccup passed a head of blonde, attached to a short girl's body as seen out of the corner of his eye, sitting on a barstool and focused on her phone as he navigated his way back to his own stool.

Sitting on it with a sigh, Hiccup sighed once more as he noted the barstool beside him was empty, the brunette friend of his who had been there; absent and the glass he had been drinking from; in the barman's hands being cleaned. "Johann, which drink is best when you've been abandoned by a friend?"

"Any of them will do, Master Hiccup. But most people tend to leave when that happens. So that begs the question why you haven't yet," the barman replied.

"I'll let you know when I figure it out, Johann." Then Hiccup took out his wallet. "How much for a Bloody Mary?"

Johann didn't speak for a few moments, then he set the glass and dish towel in his grasp down. "Twenty Krone. Thank you," said the man.

As the barman turned away, money in hand, Hiccup checked his phone to send a text to one of his absent companions, taking note of the current time as he did so; 11:10 pm.

'Thanks for leaving me behind, Ug.'

The reply he got arrived quickly and was unrepentant. 'Only way to get you to a bar and meet someone, Hiccup. You deserve to give it a shot now that you've finished your officer training. I expect to hear good things tomorrow.'

Sighing again and pocketing his phone as a glass, filled with the dark red liquid he had requested was placed before him, Hiccup looked up at Johann. "So, what are you doing tomorrow on Snoggletog, Johann?"

"Relaxing at home with a few pints of Ale and Netflix. What about you?"

Hiccup shrugged. "Probably the same. That and taking care of Toothless."

Johann nodded. "Now, I have to ask: What happened to your hair, eyebrows and clothes? Wearing white is unusual for you, and I don't see a reason for anyone to shave their hair or eyebrows. Especially here on Berk, in this weather."

"Lost a bet, which meant I had to end up looking like this. Wasn't done by choice. But moving on from that, this morning I found someone snooping around my apartment. Can you keep an eye out if they show up here? Blond hair, blue eyes, short, female," said Hiccup, as someone slid onto the stool beside him.

Johann winked. "Certainly, Master Hiccup."

"You'd be excellent as a butler," the man in question responded dryly.

"I'll take that as a compliment. What can I get you, Madguts?" Johann asked, now addressing the new arrival.

"Whiskey, please, Johann,"

"A soldier and an Outcast sit together in a bar," Johann turned away to make the drink but continued talking. "And not just any old soldier. The son of Major Haddock."

"Former Outcast," Madguts corrected him, even as Hiccup tensed up. "And I don't have any beef with the Haddock family. That's Alvin's problem, not mine."

Hiccup relaxed his shoulders at that but frowned at the barman when he set down Madguts order, the former prisoner immediately bringing the glass to his lips. "Seriously, Johann?"

He simply shrugged, entirely unrepentant. "Just keeping you on your toes. Can't have the new generation going soft now, can we?"

"I think it's too late for him. He shaved his eyebrows," snarked Madguts.