abrupt [ httyd¹ ]

ᛅᛁᚴᚼᛏ

eight

"AND YOU SEE, EVERY TIME I CLOSE MY EYES I SEE HER. Her. That same woman who appeared to me when I was falling. The same one that carried me around and told me everything was going to be okay," Alora said. "What is it going to take to learn her name?!"

Frustrated, she planted herself on Toothless's back. The dragon huffed and continued to sleep, despite the extra weight on its back.

I used to do that all the time.

"What now?" Hiccup asked, walking inside his hut.

"I saw another vision of her. The woman."

"Which one? Your mom?"

"No, the one that looks like a babysitter."

"Oh. So why are you all worked up?"

She shook her head.

"Something feels really familiar about her, but I just can't make it out."

Hiccup thought for a moment.

"I think I might have an idea."

Wait!

What Astrid?

Can I help tell the story?

Why?

Because you were under for most of it and you don't have an outside view as to how things went down.

. . . *sigh* Take a seat.

Astrid saw Fishlegs and Hiccup standing in front of Alora, who was sitting down.

"What are you guys doing?" she asked.

"We're helping Val remember her past by hypnotizing her," Fishlegs said.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Relax Astrid, it was my idea," Alora told her.

"It was mine," Hiccup said.

"But I was the one who gave consent."

"Doesn't matter! This idea is insane!"

"Stand down Artemis," Alora told her. "I need this."

The blonde sighed and stepped back.

"Okay Aly, I need you to stare at this necklace and follow it with your eyes," Fishlegs told her.

She did, but nothing was working yet. That's when Astrid came up with an idea.

"Aly, listen to the sound of my voice," she said, calmly. "Imagine you're riding on Toothless's back."

Hiccup gave the girl a baffled look.

"Imagine that sweet whistling sound as you dive down, reaching a hand out to touch the water below. The feeling of the wind blowing in your hair. You're free. One with Toothless, as he is one with you. And-"