Dragon Bonding: Standing in the middle

Chapter 2

Valerie wasn't sure how long she had flown for when she finally found him, not like she cared, she knew that Hiccup was the type of man to go out and experience more than stay at home, her dragon landed with a snarl on a sea pillar that overlooked a chain of islands filled with golden leafed trees "afternoon, milady" she heard Hiccup say and she couldn't help but smile when she jumped off herself and her dragon now clean of race paint from before "where have you been?" he asked as she caressed Toothless as he ran past giving him a small 'hey' before he went to the Nightshade the two bobbing their heads in greeting "winning races, what else is there to do?" she smiled going over and sitting down beside him "the real question is where have you been?" she asked, placing a hand on his shoulder, he glanced up for a second from his drawing "avoiding my dad" he responded and her face instantly fell at the words "oh, no. What happened now?" she asked, she knew the relationship between the father and son wasn't exactly the best one to have even though it was better than it was five years ago.

Hiccup had changed a lot over the years both personality and looks. Hiccup has grown considerably and his hair is slightly shorter and somewhat scraggly and unkempt with two small braids behind his right ear. He had grown stubble on his chin. His eye color has even seemed to brighten along with his confidence. He seems to have gained a leaner, stronger build. His prosthetic is also different, as it is more mechanical than before. Hiccup seems to have improved its ability and function. His outfit now consists of a basic green tunic, leather pants, and padding, all covered by a type of leather armor plating along his shoulders and upper chest, along with arm brackets that seem to all be designed by himself, making him more streamline in the air like Toothless. When flying, he also had a matching spiked, masked helmet that protects his face and head. His armor also doubles as a flight suit that enables him to glide in the air alongside Toothless. He also carries a weapon, a retractable fire blade called Inferno.

"You're gonna love this" he smiled grasping her arm, she just stared back at him waiting for him to continue "I wake up. The sun is shining. Terrible Terrors are singing on the rooftop" she took the pencil out of his hand to continue drawing as he spoke. "I saunter down to breakfast. Thinking all is right with the world and I get son, we need to talk" he got up deepening his voice in an almost perfect impersonation of his father, Valerie absolutely loved it when they did this, "not now, dad. I got a whole day of goofing off to get started" she cut off changing her voice to sound more like his, he looked at her and she couldn't help but let out a giggle that made him do the same "okay, first of all, I don't sound like that. Who is this character? And second, what is that thing you're doing with my shoulders?" she couldn't help but smile shrugging her shoulders with a smile on her face, Hiccup chuckled at the motions. "Yeah, that's a truly flattering impersonation" he said with a chuckle of his voice, before he took in a deep breath "anyway, he goes. You're the pride of Berk, son, and I couldn't be prouder" he said walking behind her hitting his chest "aw, thanks, dad. I'm pretty impressed with myself, too" she smiled, turning to him, shrugging her arms. The two let out laughs again, this always had a way of getting a laugh out in a serious situation.

"When have I ever done that with my hands?" he asked, waving his hands the same way that she did a moment ago, "you just did" she laughed holding out her hand to him she continued shrugging her arms letting out a few sounds "okay. Just hold still" he said clasping her upper arms gliding down and grasping her hands "this is very serious" he said softly and she nodded meeting his gaze and he couldn't help but smile at her, he let go and got up again "you're all grown up and since no chief could ask for a better successor I've decided..." he didn't get to finish as Valerie's eyes whident "to make you chief!" she exclaimed jumping up "that's amazing!" she exclaimed accidently hitting the thing that made his back fin sprout from his back, he glanced down twisting it to pull it back "you're gonna wear out the spring coil. The calibration is very sensitive" he explained and her face fell a bit "sorry" she responded, to be honest she didn't even know it was there he placed it, but she would not let it go to waist now. The two dragons suddenly went past them knocking them to the ground Valerie on top of Hiccup once again "well it seems we always end up like this" she laughed before getting up making him sit up "yeah. So this is what I'm dealing with" he sighed as she pulled him up on his feet, brushing him off.

"So what did you say?" she asked softly and he glanced away shrugging his shoulders "I didn't. By the time he turned around, I was gone" she glanced at him noticing to look on his face she folded back the map into the journal that she herself gave him "well it's a lot of responsibility" she started holding it out for him "this would have to wait for sure, and you won't have time to fly Toothless" she looked at him meeting his eyes and she stopped, he didn't want that not at all and she could see it it was written all over his face "it's not me, Val. All those speeches and planning, and running the village, that's his thing" he explained and her gaze softened "I think you're missing the point" she started taking a step closer "he sees that you are ready, just like I do" she continued and he glanced away turning his head "I'm not like you. You know exactly who you are" he turned away from her going to the edge picking up his helmet Valerie's eyes following him "but I'm still looking. I know I'm not my father and I never met my mother. So what does that make me?" he asked sitting down, the woman let out a sigh fingering with her necklace "yourself" she responded sitting down beside him he glanced over at her from the cournor of his eyes as she started braiding his thick brown locks "no one truly knows who they are, no one is exactly like their parents, but we carry something for both sides, just look at me and Caleb" she spoke and he let out a sigh, he knew about their father the way he would treat them and their mother, but he never actually got a name from him just that he is a dragon hunter and a vicious one at that.

"So what you are searching for isn't out there, Hiccup" she spoke looking up at him placing a hand on his chest "it's in here" she smiled and he glanced at her "maybe you just don't see it yet" she finished kissing his cheek only to scrunch up her nose at the saliva that got on her lips, she let out groans whipping it off with her hand "maybe. But you know there is something out there" he responded and she let out a sigh shaking her head did he really not listen to a word she said "Hiccup" she spoke, his hand suddenly clasped her chin making her face his direction revealing the smoak in the distance, Valerie narrowed her eyes at the sight.