Righteous (A Modern HTTYD AU)

~10~

It was a few weeks after his encounter with the Deadly Nadder that Hiccup ran into the hero once again, as he was leaving the apartment in the early hours of the morning, not even bothering to check if Astrid was still in bed. She'd proven to be an early riser, even earlier than he. 

"Good morning." He jumped, Toothless mewling and clinging to his jacket. He whirled around to see her leaning against the wall, tilting her head. 

"Holy-how do you know where I live?" 

"We're going to take good care of our recruits. I wanted to bring the news to you myself in case the Night Fury overheard. He'd kill you in a heartbeat." Hiccup blinked. The Deadly Nadder chuckled lightly. "Yes, Hiccup Haddock. We're recruiting you. If you accept, of course." 

"If I..." The words finally seemed to register and he looked back up at the hero. "Yes! Of course I accept!" He cleared his throat, straightening his spine. "Respectfully, of course." 

"Don't worry," she said, her tone still light as she pushed off the wall, touching his arm lightly and directing him down the street. "You'll get familiar pretty fast." 

~

"Look at the twig. He's gonna need to be whipped into shape real quick if he wants to survive." Hiccup glared at the Monstrous Nightmare, lounging next to the Razorwhip. The Deadly Nadder had used the same method of transportation she'd used on the thief from before to move them to the heroes' headquarters, where everyone was suited up and waiting to meet the new recruit. 

"Be nice," the Triple Stryke said, nudging the Monstrous Nightmare with his foot. "He's got the roots. That's what matters." 

"Well, the roots, and the skills. If he's going to one day face the Night Fury or one of the big villains, he's going to need to be able to hold his own. We can't be there for everything, and we need to be able to trust him," the Razorwhip said. 

"Which is why we're beginning his training as soon as possible," the Deadly Nadder said. She turned to Hiccup. "But you're also going to need armor to disguise your identity." 

"I can handle that," he said quickly. She tilted her head. 

"We'll see." She gestured at the door behind the heroes. "Let's get you introduced to our maintenance, trainer, and 'blacksmith', as he likes to be called." Hiccup frowned slightly as she pushed the door open and led him through to what looked to be a gym, but much bigger and more complicated, evidently tailored to help the heroes train with their powers. 

"Well, well, well. If it ain't the Deadly Nadder's newest recruit." Hiccup turned his head as a man limped into the room, looking him up and down. "Not half bad. You look like you've got a good start." The man stopped in front of him, and Hiccup noticed his missing hand and leg. He blinked once, then recognition came over him. 

He knew this man. Earlier on in his villain career, one of his expeditions had involved Toothless going out to draw out the Red Death by attacking civilians like a feral animal; the late hero would have known it was unnatural. 

Upon arrival, Hiccup had found Toothless attempting to finish off one last victim just as the Red Death arrived on the scene. His shapeshifting cat had been injured and his victim had gotten away with the help of the hero, but not without the loss of a few limbs. 

"-his training," the Deadly Nadder was currently saying. Hiccup shook his head, blinking several times and trying to catch up on the conversation. She turned to him. "He'll help you get started." 

"My training?" Hiccup said, looking around the room. "Are you going to make me train with this stuff?" 

"If you want to keep up, you'll learn to," she responded, turning on her heel and stepping out of the room. "And while you're at it, may as well think of a cool alias to go by; if you don't, the Monstrous Nightmare's never going to let you live it down." And then she was gone, leaving Hiccup alone with the 'blacksmith'.