Watching the "Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons"

Part 1: The Dragon Trainer

DISPLAY: 3 YEARS AGO
INT. BERK: FOREST-Midnight.
A lean Viking teen enters a beautiful, green cove, carrying a basket over his shoulder.
"Hey, look Hic, it's you!" Rapunzel exclaimed.
Hiccup chuckled and nodded, smiling sadly. "Yeah, I guess."
"Leaving! We're leaving! Let's pack up. Looks like you and me are taking a little vacation...forever," Hiccup declared when he entered the cove while carrying a basket full of necessities: tools, clothes, boots, fur vests, sticks of coal for his journals, and his journals.
"What?!" The whole village exclaimed.
Hiccup shrugged, but he smiled as Erika patted his arm and their dragons laid down next to their respective riders.
Auburn hair covers his eyes, but shows his freckled pallid face as he shuffles through the basket. A sudden rustle catches his attention, looking up we see his vivid emerald eyes. These eyes show happiness, but if one looks closely, they can see a sad and lonely look in his eyes.
"Should we do something?" Ruffnut whispered to the other teens, feeling very awkward.
"I don't know, what are we supposed to even do?" Fishlegs asked. He couldn't imagine how Hiccup felt.
"Does he even want us to help?" They looked at Snotlout questioningly. "We do treat him badly so would he even trust us?" Snotlout may not admit it, but he did care about Hiccup. And he knew that the other teens did too. They treated him badly, but what choice did they have? They saw that the adults didn't like Hiccup so they did not want to take the risk to hang out with him and get the same treatment.
The twins knew they weren't liked among the villagers that much and their friend group was lucky not to end up like Hiccup did. Astrid and Snotlout had it the easiest since they looked and acted like real vikings, but even Snotlout had problems with his father and would sometimes vent his frustrations. Fishlegs was the most similar to Hiccup, but he at least looked like a viking. And the twins themselves? Their only life saver was the fact they fought like real Vikings, which meant for very stupid reasons.
They all had their problems, Hiccup just got unlucky and had it worse than them. At least they had each other to talk to about their problems, vent their frustrations and support each other. Hiccup didn't have that luxury, sure he had Gobber, but given what they've seen and learned Hiccup definitely didn't talk to anyone about his problems.
His eyes land on a black mass – a dragon – that is creeping closer. Its intelligent green eyes land on the boy who is smiling. The dragon pounces and starts covering the boy with slobber.
"Ew, Toothless! That's gross!" Hiccup playfully glared at Toothless. Toothless laughs and bounds away, causing Hiccup to laugh.
"You and Toothless are funny," a little girl from the Corona Kingdom said.
"I guess we are." She gave him a toothy smile while he returned it with one of his own.
His smile fades as he remembers what he is doing there. "Toothless, bud, we're leaving." Toothless whimpered and gently nuzzled Hiccup, looking confused and curious. "I've tried for years, years, to prove I could be one of them; it was what I'd always wanted, all I ever dreamed of. I thought I could be a Viking my way, do things a little differently and somehow, things would work out... eventually." Toothless nodded understandingly, his green eyes both sad and sympathetic. Hiccup nods and gets the basket, securing it to Toothless' saddle.
Everyone (except the villains) couldn't help, but feel sympathy for the poor boy. Most children devote their lives to doing or becoming something that their community could love, respect and appreciate or someone that their parents could call their own in public with pride. They hadn't seen much of what the boy's childhood was like, but for a tribe to drive him away like that...it's no wonder why the boy would want to leave. But if he was to leave, why were they there? Were they part of his journey in some way?
"But it never worked...nobody around here needed much convincing that 'different' was bad, now they have plenty good reason to hate me while they're cleaning up my messes."
The Hooligans looked around at each in shame. They had driven Hiccup to choose a dragon over them. They treated him like an outcast and the welcoming feelings of comfort and warmth he should have received from his village, was found in a dragon.
"I'm... I'm tired of everyone just deciding I'm worthless, I'm tired of being a 'hiccup.' Toothless, the truth is, you're all I've really got, my only real friend."
Erika and Rapunzel both looked at Hiccup with sympathy, who bore a stony expression while tears stood on his eyes, ready to fall. Erika quietly moved her hand on top of his and held it warmly.
Toothless presses his snout against Hiccup's tiny chest, closing his eyes and folding back his ear flaps to send whatever feeling of comfort to the boy he could. He purrs as soothingly as he can.
Out of nowhere, Toothless's telepathic voice was soon heard. "Hiccup, I'll tell you right now I know how you feel. I wasn't respected among many of the other dragons either... I was too fast, too strong, too... different from the others that they eventually grew to envy me. That's why I felt a small sense of relief when I went down. Hiccup, some may say that you condemned me by shooting me down. Me, I think you saved me. You freed me from my binds, you came to visit me and brought me food, you may have taken my solo flying away from me, but you got me up in the air again... if only you knew how different you and I aren't."
The sincerity and power forged from Toothless' voice felt relaxing, encouraging...like the words of a father, or at the very least, an elder brother. Hiccup wrapped a free arm around Toothless as best he could. Hiccup beckoned his new friends over and gladly accepted their embrace.
"You really are the best friend a non-Viking could ask for... thank you, Toothless. Merida, Jack, Rapunzel... I'm really glad you're here. You too, Erika." Hiccup sighed, as if letting out a breath held in for minutes that seemed like years.
Hiccup manages a small smile and knelt down, wrapping his thin arms as far around Toothless's neck as they could go in a hug. After a while, Hiccup takes both sides of Toothless' head. "It's okay, bud. We're getting out of here, where no one can hurt us again. When we leave, no one can tie us down anymore, and we won't have to hide just to have a few short hours of the day together. We can see the world, discover new places and learn new things, and maybe even find new species of dragons. Who knows, maybe we'll even find more Night Furies." Toothless barked and jumped around, now excited and energetic.
Everyone laughed softly at the sight of the adorable and excited Night Fury.
Hiccup suddenly starts shooting his arms to the air. "That's the spirit! We can do whatever we want now! We're a tribe now, just you and me. We make our own rules, us against the world! You and me, we're free!"
Toothless hops around in joy, smiling his 'toothless' gummy smile and lolling his tongue out, his rider's joy infectiously flowing through his own veins.
Erika smiled at Hiccup's joy and Toothless's excitement, as did their new friends.
Hiccup grabs his bag, climbs into the saddle, presses his foot on the pedal, adjusts the prosthetic leather tailfin, and they take to the sky like a shot. They ascend to the night sky before Hiccup decides to turn around one last time.
Toothless produces a loud draconic laugh as the two take off into the direction of the moon, ready for what the world has to offer.
Hiccup was ecstatic. He and Toothless weren't stopped from leaving! No one caught them flying out of the cove! No one could hold them back and try to force him to kill a dragon.
But the screen immediately changed. As the sun had started to rise from the golden and blue sky, the people of a village had started to awakening and getting ready to start their day. The adults had started heading towards nearby markets or started heading towards work. The teenagers had started working their morning jobs or meeting up with each other. While the kids had started helping their parents, playing with their older siblings or playing with their pets.
"What is that place?" asked Flynn Rider.
"That's my hometown," Erika said calmly. "It's called Spiritwatch Village."
But in the woods, the rustling, frozen leaves crunched as a dark blue-cloaked figure walked quietly through the almost soundless woods. A little cluster of light rain clouds had passed through the evening, dampening the ground and filling the air with the scent of fresh snow. The distant mountains were delicately sprinkled with the fading mist from the rain, like faint white frosting on cake slices. Puffs of fog appeared in the air at their every breath. Their eyes, which were almost hidden by the hood of their blue cloak, searched through the trees, looking for something.
"Who is that?" asked Bunny, eyed the person suspiciously.
The wind was howling vigorously like a pack of wolves at a full moon. The snow was packed in a thick layer and on top walked a pair of feet slowly and carefully. Walking through the trees, the figure looked around their surroundings into the early dawn for any sign of danger. Pulling their cloak closer to their figure, the determined figure walked on, on their back was on their archery equipment and their breath visible in the ice cold air. Carefully descending the mountain slope, they continued walking through the forest not to far away, moving with the shadows as one. The screen soon revealed a beautiful wintry landscape before them, trimming with wintry animals.
"Wow, it looks very beautiful," marveled Jack Frost.
"You could say that again," Erika agreed warily. "If you're careful enough. There's a tendency of having avalanches there."
When the figure continued her stroll, the figure stepped into the sunlight on the forest's path and she pulled back the hood of her cloak, revealing the girl. The girl is none other than Erika.
"Hey! It's you, Erika!" exclaimed Rapunzel eagerly.
Erika chuckled softly. "Yup."
She soon came up a hill to see a mountain village. The small, quaint houses were covered in at least a foot of snow, and smoke rose from the chimneys. A towering mountain with a flat top created a backdrop for the town.
"You'll be surprised how lonely it gets at times." Erika smiled as Hiccup placed an empathic hand on her hand.
Erika sighed wearily as she returned around and continued walking through the wintry woods. "I never belonged there."
Erika looked down sadly, remembering both the good times and bad times in her life. Many people tried to avoid her for some reason and she does the same, but some people hurt her and she keeps away from other people. Not many people around her age would show her the same kindness as Hiccup did. She was living off the land. The people she usually came across out here were either liars or thieves, so there were no real opportunities for friendships. She knew that people have their own reasons for their own choices. But it doesn't quench her loneliness and the longing for friends. However, Hiccup, Jack Frost, Rapunzel, and Merida could all relate to that. There's a chance they might become each other's friends.
As she continued walking through the forest, lost in her thoughts, she unknowingly stepped onto a frozen lake covered in snow and thin ice. Erika gasped and stiffened when the ice cracked underneath her. It didn't take long for the ice to break under her weight. Erika started screaming and crying out in fear as she struggled to get out of the freezing waters.
Jack Frost stiffened when he saw that. It felt like he seen this before. He just can't remembered when it happened. He lost his memories a long time ago and was only told his name by the Man in the Moon.
Up in the air, Hiccup gasped when he saw Erika halfway in the freezing water and was struggling to get out of the frozen lake.
"Hey, isn't this when we first met each other?" Erika said to Hiccup.
"It sure is." The two young kids smiled at each other warmly.
After spotting Erika in trouble, Hiccup and Toothless dove down towards the drowning girl. "Hold on! Toothless will get you out!"
Everyone waited with a baited breath as they watched as Hiccup and Toothless came to the rescue. The Guardians thinks he has great potential to be a Guardian too. Erika smirked at Hiccup and Rapunzel hugged him, while Merida gently punched him on his shoulder and Jack Frost nudged him playfully.
While Viggo kept looking through the crowd of people and felt a heavy weight in his chest when he saw Hiccup and the warmth shining in his green eyes. He was once like Hiccup; brave, strong, kind, and merciful. But throughout the years, he has changed due to his father's neglect and the bullies' personal punching bag. Viggo was now the shadow of the boy he used to be and Hiccup was the echo of the boy who had died all those years ago.
In Erika's fading sight, she saw a dragon being illuminated by the sun. The dragon's figure seemed to be dark against the sun as he flown down and gently picked up Erika from the hole in the lake.
Everyone sighed in relief at the sight. Hiccup smiled at Erika and she returned it. "My hero."
The scene soon changed into the inside of a cave. Erika could be seen covered by a blanket in the bed and started waking up. She took notice of the leather bag that was under her head and slowly, but surely sat up.
"She's very determined," noted Viggo quietly.
"You have no idea." Hiccup had heard him from where he was at, only to be nudged by an annoyed Erika.
She soon glanced at the other side of the cave and was immediately surprised by the sight. There's a sleeping Night Fury on the other side of the cave. She could barely make out Hiccup under the leathery wing of the Night Fury. All she could see for certain was mound of shaggy auburn hair, but his face must have been pressed up against the dragon to keep warm.
All the Vikings were stunned to silence by this. Apparently, dragons are much more caring and clever than one would think.
Erika's eyes widened with amazement and curiosity as she took in the sight. But she glanced at the duo as they woke up and tense silence went between them.
Hiccup was the first one to break the silence. "Um. Hi. I'm Hiccup."
Erika's expression softened. "I'm Erika."
Viggo bit back a gasp. There's a lot of girls named Erika. Maybe the girl is just one of them. No. He's not getting his hopes up.
She bowed her head to the Dragon Rider and his Night Fury. "I want to thank you for saving my life back there."
"You're welcome." Hiccup smiled at her and she returned it. Toothless rushes in front of Hiccup, getting close to Erika, who backed away in startled fear.
"Shock of my life it was," muttered Erika.
The others just chuckled at Erika's dry remark.
"I think we need to work on your timing, bud." Hiccup patted his friend, grinning.
The dragon only rolled his eyes, but looked at Erika, grumbling apologetically. Erika couldn't resist looking at those green eyes, feeling cuteness overloading her. "It is okay, Toothless, thanks. And I really appreciate your enthusiasm at meeting me."
Toothless only stuck out his tongue like a puppy before looking back at Hiccup as if saying, "She is amazing! Keep her!"
"Uh, do-don't be afraid! He won't hurt you." Erika watched as Hiccup calmed Toothless down. "Easy bud."
"How did you do that?" asked Erika curiously.
"Toothless here (Hiccup patted the Night Fury's neck) is my best friend," explained Hiccup.
The Hooligans looked around at each in shame. They had driven Hiccup to choose a dragon over them. They treated him like an outcast and the welcoming feelings of comfort and warmth he should have received from his village, was found in a dragon. But, in a sense, Hiccup takes after Valka, his late mother.
"Life... wasn't good."
This made Stoick freeze. What?
"I was born the runt of the litter. If my mum hadn't have disappeared and my father remarried, I would have been sent out to sea from the moment I was born. Everyone treated me like I would break myself, or the village. Or just acted like I didn't exist. I tried to tell my father about all the bullying and... beating, but he never listened. The only way I could possibly climb the ladder and get his attention was to kill a dragon."
Erika remained silent on Hiccup's behalf. Her expression was both sad and empathetic.
"So, I shot Toothless down."
"WHAT!?" That caused another uproar, not just from Stoick, but from all of Berk."You mean you weren't lying?"
Hiccup looked at Snotlout with a deadly serious expression. "Have I ever lied in the time you've known me?" That made many Vikings grow quiet.
Erika looked between the dragon in question and the boy, but the dragon didn't even look bitter, let alone angry. In fact, he looked sad, but not for him being shot down, but for Hiccup looking like he might cry.
"No one believed me though. Never did actually. So, I decided to go after him myself. I found him. I held my dagger right over his head." Hiccup's voice started to shake as he mimes holding a dagger, his hands shaking in their place as well. "He didn't even try to getaway. He just looked at me and... gave up. He just laid his head down and gave up."
Erika remained silent as a barn owl in its flight. Toothless warbled soothingly.
"I couldn't do it. Instead, I let him go. He looked ready to kill me, but he didn't. Instead, he let me live when a dragon is supposed to 'always go for the kill'. So I continued to wonder; why didn't he?"
Everyone was silent for a good amount of time, as the Vikings thought Hiccup's words over. If what Hiccup is saying really is true, then why didn't the Night Fury kill him? And more so, why didn't Hiccup kill it?
Hiccup sighed sadly before a trail of golden sand came into his view. He watched it carefully, before following the trail to see where it came from, and saw Sandy, who was silently encouraging him to touch it. He did so with a light tap of his finger, and a massive eagle owl spread his wings in front of him and flew around him, before dissipating.
Jack, Erika, Merida, and Rapunzel did the same. Jack got a dolphin, which swam around him and did many tricks and summersaults. Erika got a tiger, which ran around and roared fiercely. Merida got a bear, which stood on his hind legs, appearing to be sniffing her before galloping around her hair. And Rapunzel got a canary, to which the blonde cooed at as it sang and fluttered around her head before snuggling her.
That immediately lifted their spirits.
"I eventually decided to figure things out for myself, and I learned that everything we ever knew about dragons was wrong. That they were not as bad as they were made out to be. I tried to tell the people in my village, but they didn't understand. So I left."
The camera changed to Erika, who was still watching with sad and empathetic eyes. Erika asked the next question. "And you've been living with dragons ever since?" Hiccup nodded, still looking up as he stroked Toothless's snout.
"Yeah... my dad wanted me to be a Viking. The dragons don't care who I choose to be. So long as I'm following my heart."
Erika was touched by his words.
As were the audience.
The Viking Teens were watching the real Hiccup, looking at him in a whole new light.
They were beginning to understand, and even question themselves on why they abandoned him and made fun of him in the first place.
Especially Astrid and Snotlout.
Erika looked impressed. "I bet your heart is what leading you to stop this stupid war between us and dragons."
Hiccup seemed pretty embarrassed and laughed when Toothless licked his face. "That's enough about me. What's your story?"
Erika seemed pretty startled and uncertain, but she strengthened her quiet resolve. What is she going to say?
Everyone glanced at Erika who was eerily quiet for some reason. She doesn't know what happened completely, but she's still trying to figure out what happened in the past.