Growing Pains

Chapter Five: Raid

BWAM BWAM BWAM!

The noise thundered through Finn's eardrums, making continued sleep completely impossible. He groaned and pulled his covers over his head. Though still reeling from the loud sounds that had awakened him, his head appeared to have been pounding all night.

His ears picked up the painfully loud sound of the door being haphazardly flung open and two pairs of footsteps thumping around with no regard for his discomfort. A bright light shone through his blankets and the Haddock boy finally opened his eyes to see his window wide open and two people staring down at him.

"Good morning, sleepyhead!" bellowed a woman with tangled blonde hair and the wildest blue eyes Finn had ever seen. Her massive bosom heaved with restrained laughter at the sight of his hair, which was sticking out in all directions. "Betcha had fun last night, didn't ya?"

Finn made a humming sound and attempted to burrow into his blankets some more. The second person yanked off his bed coverings, exposing him to the much cooler air outside.

"Hey, what're you-"

"Time to get up." shouted the second person, who Finn now recognized as his mother. "No dilly dallying when there's work to do!"

Finn sat up slowly and pressed his eyes into his palms. The little lights danced in front of him before one of his elbows was seized and he was forcibly yanked from bed.

"Go on, get up, get dressed!" the other woman, who seemed to be Camicazi the Crazy herself, nearly dragged him across the room to his closet. She had an alarmingly tight grip, so tight that when she let go, Finn felt pins and needles as he regained circulation. "It's a bright, sunny day without a cloud in the sky! Perfect flying conditions, though of course, you won't have time for that, will you?"

"What?" Finn breathed. "I can't... got a headache."

"Oh, I bet you do!" Astrid exclaimed cheerfully as Camicazi hauled him upright and began shoving clothes into his arms. "Headaches are common in your condition but that's what you get for your little indulgence last night!"

"I was just..." Finn began but realized a split second later that he really had no excuse. "I have a headache so can you just-"

"No, we're not going to just!" Camicazi straightened him up to prevent him from slouching. "He's a real mess in the mornings, isn't he Astrid? I dunno about you but I think an ice cold bath would wake him up in no time!"

"I... what?" Finn shook his head felt suddenly nauseous. "No, I don't think I-"

"That is an excellent idea, Camicazi. In fact, we could draw it up right now. Help me get Finn down the stairs, will you?" Astrid grabbed Finn's arm and hung on tightly.

"It would be my pleasure!" Camicazi agreed, grabbing Finn's other arm.

The two woman hauled Finn down the stairs so fast, Finn would have tripped down them had he not been held upright. Hiccup was waiting downstairs rather expectantly for them, a smirk on his face.

"Ahh, if it isn't our little drunkard himself." he said serenely. "Looks like he needs to wake up quickly if he's going to be reorganizing the entire filing system at the library."

"What?" Finn shouted so loudly, he aggravated his own headache. "I've got work today!"

"Not anymore." Camicazi said gleefully as she helped Astrid yank off his shirt and push him into the already full bathtub, shorts and all. "Ooh look at him squirm! That sure woke him up in a hurry!"

Finn spluttered and gasped. "Why are you-"

"I think the better question," Hiccup interjected over Finn's complaints, "is why were you out drinking last night instead of celebrating your birthday responsibly? And legally? I could throw you in jail for a week if I wanted."