How to Train Your Dragon

Chapter 9: The Victor

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Hiccup found himself sitting at a desk in the blacksmith stall, his arms resting on the desk and his head on his arms. Beneath him was his notebook as well as several drawing of Toothless.

He was completely lost in thought until he heard noises from his left. He turned and saw his dad coming inside.

"Dad! You're back!" Hiccup exclaimed, shoving the drawings underneath each other. "Uh, Gobber's not here so..."

"I know. I came looking for you." Stoick told him.

"You did?"

"You've been keeping secrets." His dad accused.

Hiccup started growing nervous. "I...uh...I...I have?"

"Just how long did you think you could hide it from me?" Stoick asked. "Nothing happens on this island without me hearing about it. So, let's talk about that dragon."

Hiccup really started to panic now. "Oh Gods...dad, I'm so sorry. I was...I was going to tell you I just didn't know how to uh..."

Suddenly, Stoick started laughing, and Hiccup paused. "Uh...you're not upset?"

"What?! I was hoping for this!" Stoick exclaimed.

"Uh, you were?"

"And believe me, it only gets better. Just wait till you spill a Nadder's guts for the first time, and mount your first Gronckle head on a spear. What a feeling! You really had me going there son. All those years of the worst Viking Berk has ever seen! Odin, it was rough. I almost gave up on you. And all the while you were holding out on me. Oh, Thor almighty. With you doing so well in the ring, we finally have something to talk about."

Stoick sat down in a chair and looked at Hiccup expectantly, waiting for him to start a conversation about his time in the arena.

Hiccup awkwardly glanced around the room, and opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to think of what to say, but nothing really came to mind.

Stoick deflated a bit. "Oh...well, I uh, got you a little present, to keep you safe in the ring." He handed Hiccup a Viking helmet.

"Wow, thanks." Hiccup said with a smile.

"Ah, your mother would've wanted you to have it. It's half of her breastplate." Stoick said.

Hiccup paused and lifted on hand off it.

Stoick tapped his helmet. "Part of a matching set. Keeps her, keeps her close, you know. Wear it proudly. You deserve it. You kept your end of the bargain."

Hiccup guiltily places the helmet on the desk, and let out a fake yawn. "Oh, well, I should really get to bed."

Stoick stood up. "Yes good."

"Uh-huh."

"Good talk."

"Yeah."

"We should do this again."

"I'll see you back at the house."

"Yep."

"Thanks for the uh..."

"I really hope you enjoy..."

"Breast...hat."

"The hat."

The two awkwardly stares at each other until Stoick cleared his throat.

"Uh...goodnight." And with that, he swiftly turned and left.

...

The next day, Hiccup was standing in the arena with his shield, wearing the helmet his father gave him. He and the rest of the recruits were in the arena, with nearly the whole village watching them from above as the teens fought against a Gronckle.

Hiccup was crouched behind a wooden barrier, when Astro jumped over and landed next to him.

Seeing Hiccup, Astro shoved his shield down and got in his face. "Stay out of my way. I'm winning this thing."

"Good, please, by all means." Hiccup stated monotonously.

He ran off, leaving Hiccup by himself. He stood up and looked up at the crowd to see his dad looking down at him. He gave him a nod of encouragement, and Hiccup gave him a strained smile in return.

...

Astro sat with his back to one of the barriers and held his axe against his chest, taking some deep breaths.

"Okay, this time. This time for sure." He told himself.

He let out a yell and jumped over the barrier, as well as a couple others, raising his axe. As he got closer to where the Gronckle was last seen, he paused in his tracks, and his eyes widened.

Hiccup was standing next to the Gronckle that was lying on its side. He looked to Astro and shrugged sheepishly.

"No!" Astro yelled. "You son of a troll-faced rat eating—!"

Above in the crowd, a small Viking named Gothi, who was the village elder tapped her cane on the ground to get everyone's attention.

"Wait! Wait!" Stoick called out.

Hiccup tried to sneak away. "So, later."

Gobber grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulled him back. "Not so fast."

"Uh, I'm kinda late for..."

Astro got in Hiccup's face and pointed his axe at him. "What? Late for what?!" He demanded to know.

(Y/n) came up and pulled Astro's arm away from Hiccup. "Astro, back off."

"Okay, quiet down." Stoick commanded. "The elder has decided."

Gobber pointed his hook hand at Astro and the elder shook her head. Gobber then pointed at Hiccup and she nodded.

The crowd cheered and Gobber pulled Hiccup to him in a side hug. "Oh, you've done it Hiccup! You get to kill the dragon!"

Astro glared murderously at Hiccup as the other recruits gathered around him to congratulate him.

But all Hiccup felt was dread curling in the pit of his stomach. Through the people surrounding him, he saw (Y/n) and the two made eye contact. She shared his look of apprehension, because she knew that Hiccup couldn't kill the dragon.

Astro looked between the two, seeing how they were staring at each other and became even angrier. He threw his axe into one of the barriers around the arena and stomped off.

Stoick stood up in the crowd and cheered. "Yes! That's my boy!"

Hiccup laughed nervously. "Heh, heh. Oh yeah! Yes! I can't wait. I am so...

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