The Night Rider (A How To Train Your Dragon AU)

Chapter one - Abandoned

The day of the final exam for dragon training had come around, and Hiccup had been selected for the final rite of passage task, kill the Monstrous Nightmare. As soon as he was introduced to it he threw his dagger and shield down in an act of defiance, refusing to kill the dragon after the knowledge he gained, and attempted to change the villager's minds like he did with Astrid. However the stunt did not go as planned... The dragon went berserk after Stoick slammed on the cage, and caused the Night Fury named Toothless, to rush out from the cove where he made privatised shelter, to protect his best friend. This act unfortunately saw Toothless captured by the vikings, and after this display an extremely agitated and enraged Stoick, then dragged Hiccup away to the great hall, throwing him inside to try and get some answers for this behaviour.

Stoick: "I should have known... I should have seen the signs..."

Hiccup: "Dad?..."

Stoick: "We had a deal!"

Hiccup: "I know we did, but that was before I... Oh... It's all so messed up..."

Stoick: "So everything in the ring? A trick? A lie?"

Hiccup: "I screwed up, I-I-I-I I should have told you, before now- I... Just you... Take this out on me, be mad at me, but please... Just don't hurt Toothless!..."

Stoick: "The dragon? That's what you're worried about!? Not the people you almost killed!?"

Hiccup: "He was just protecting me! He-he's not dangerous!"

Stoick: "They've killed hundreds of us!"

Hiccup: "And we've killed thousands of them! They defend themselves that's all!"

Stoick: "I can't believe it... My own son... The son of a chief... Siding with the beasts!?"

Hiccup: "For the love of Thor dad, they're not beasts! They only raid us because they have no other choice! And if they don't bring enough food back to the nest, they will be eaten themselves..."

Stoick: "Oh that's all well and good then, yeah let them pick us clean, while we starve to death! Hiccup, winter is getting closer and pretty soon we're not going to have any morsels left in the village!"

Hiccup: "So you would let a far bigger dragon, eat those creatures alive, and risk many more men and ships trying to find the nest, instead of try to understand why they're doing it?"

Stoick: "I may as well have tossed you in the pen with that dragon for this insubordination..."

Hiccup: "It's not insubordination dad! I'm trying to warn you that if you continue the assault, no-one is going to win"

Stoick: "Spare me, I'm not falling for that and nothing you can say will stop me!"

Hiccup: "Dad please! I'm serious, you're going to lose your life if you continue this crusade!"

*He doesn't listen and instead continues to walk to the door*

Hiccup: "No... Dad, No... For once in your life will you please just listen to me!?- Gah!"

*Hiccup then exclaims as Stoick throws him to the ground*

Stoick: "You've thrown your lot in with them Hiccup... You're not a Viking... You're not my son..."

After Stoick says this, all the colour and emotion washes completely out of Hiccup's face, as he pants breathlessly from the argument they just had. Laying on the ground of the Great Hall helplessly as he watches his 'father' go out and rally more of his troops to search for the dragon's nest again. Unbeknownst to the both of them, Astrid had followed them there, and listened in from a crack in the door. A similar look of shock and horror adorning her face as Stoick walks out into the harbour, only stopping to contemplate what he just said to his son, but continues on regardless. Hiccup meanwhile stood in the inky blackness that surrounded the Great Hall, accompanied only with a slight ray of sunlight from the door being left ajar, picking up his helmet that Stoick had tossed back to the boy. With tears in his face, and a newfound rage bubbling inside him, he tossed it into the still glowing embers of the fire pit, letting it sit there to gather soot, or melt away. He then mustered the courage to exit the hall, and rushes over to the boardwalk, to see his 'father' off, if only from a distance.