The Great Beyond

Chapter 73: Triple Cross (Hiccup)

For clarification, the Ally that I created and the Accomplice that exists in-universe for Maces and Talons are two different characters with different functions

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Affection caused a comforting warmth to spread to my fingers and toes. One of my arms laid against the blanket, supporting my body weight, while the other ran along and traced patterns against Reign's waist; she mimicked my posture, but her arm that rested against my armor remained stationary. We'd been watching Toothless and Shriek play for a while, simply enjoying each other's company.

"Finally, some alone time," I sighed as I leaned my forehead against hers.

"No distractions, no interruptions." She smirked and used the hand that wasn't supporting her to cup my cheek.

I reached mine up to meet hers for a second, then she brought her lips down on mine, inching as close as possible. The entire afternoon seemed like it was going to go as we'd planned, when there was a sudden crash beside us, and we both shot up to see Barf and Belch skidding across the sand. The two of us scrambled to our feet, glaring at the twins as they got off their dragon and took a close look at the mark in the sand they'd made.

"Oh, for Thor's sake, what are you two— "

"Nope. Not long enough," Ruff groaned.

"What about width?" Tuffnut had a hopeful lilt to his voice.

"Sorry, bro." She shook her head, shutting down whatever it was they were in the middle of. "Width and length, both too small."

"Oh, come on! What do we have to do to be the greatest around here?"

Reign and I looked to each other, rolling our eyes, then she stepped up to try and deal with them. Somehow, she was always better when it came to dealing with the twins.

"All right, all right, will somebody please fill us in?" she demanded.

"Well, you see, every dragon but ours has a talent—something special that makes them famous." Reign's nose was already pinched by her fingers at that simple introduction to their hijinx.

"Hookfang's the hottest, Meatlug makes Gronckle Iron, Stormfly is the fastest, but only when she eats chicken," I saw a little smile inch onto Reign's face as she remembered her and her friend's old trick, "which still counts, even if it's only a technicality, and Shriek is the loudest."

"And Toothless... Ha. Come on." Tuffnut smiled widely up at my dragon as he approached him. "He's the cutest, obviously. Like a little puppy." He grabbed onto Toothless' paw, curling it up into a fist and bumping it with his own. "Right, T? You feel me? What about Barf and Belch? What makes them special? You know, famous?"

"They're the gassiest?" Reign suggested.

"They have two heads?"

"Oh, come on! You're better than that," Tuff snapped.

"They-They have two heads?" I stuttered again, unsure of how that didn't make Barf and Belch unique among our dragons.

"So, my oh-so-challenged friend, we're gonna set a record," Ruff finally explained.

"A record exclusively for the Zippleback." Strangely, something told me skidding against the sand wasn't exactly unique to Zipplebacks.