Peering into shadows (Httyd)

Chapter 12: Explanations

Hiccup's POV

We went to my room to hear my story. My friends seem to be taking this very well actually. No one's fainted yet.

"Oh my gosh. Look at the size of that bed!!" Tuffnut says as he, and his sister launch themselves onto the mattress.

"I'm more impressed by the size of this room." I hear Astrid remark. She then notices the thick metal bar on the ceiling.

"That's where Toothless likes to hang." I explain.

"Hang?" She asks, now grabbing the others attention as they look at the ceiling.

"He sometimes sleeps in my bed, other times on his own cushion, which is right there." I say, and point to a giant fluffy cushion to the left of his bed. "And sometimes he hangs by the tail from that bar to sleep upside down."

"Like a bat?" Cami ask.

"Yup" Hiccup replies.

"Now, about that explanation. You guys might want to get comfortable." I gestures to my bed, and everyone flops on it.

"Ok, what do you guys wanna know?" I ask.

Astrid's POV

We flop in mass onto Hiccup's bed. 'This mattress is so soft' I can't help but think.

"Ok, what do you guys wanna know?" I hear him ask.

I decided to ask him the question that was on everybody's minds. "Why are you going to school under a different name?"

"Wow Astrid, straight to the point." He says as he sits down as well. "Well there were a couple of factors. One of them was I wanted a normal school live. You guys remember when I joined the class in 6th grade?" He asks as we nod. "Yeah, before that I went to another school under my real name, I was constantly hounded by the press, and people who wanted money, or to get on dad's good side. There were also some kidnappings."

"Wait, you were kidnapped?" Heather asked.

"Yeah, multiple times by men who wanted something from dad, or the company." He tells us.

"How can you stay so calm about that?" I can't help but ask.

"I just got used to it, and I also carry some GPS locators on me just in case." Hiccup explains. "After these kidnappings I was homeschooled until 6th grade I was homeschooled."

"Ok, I have a question." Cami says. "How long have they known your identity?" Cami points to Fishlegs and Snotlout.

'I guess I wasn't the only one who noticed those two not being surprised.

"Well Fishlegs I've known since I was 6. His mom was one of my teachers when I was homeschooled, and he often came along. Snotlout has known since yesterday, when he bumped into me after speaking to my dad." I hear Hiccup reply.

"Hiccup, how did you get bonded to Toothless?" Snotlout asks. "When we were sophomores none of the familiars picked you. Were you already bonded?"

"Yeah this takes a little more time to explain. To do so we have to start in 2058."

"Why 2058?" I can't help but ask.

"Because the creation of synthetic blood started it all." Hiccup explains, looking a little on edge. "It also has to do with my mom's death." I hear him state.

"Hiccup, if it's too painful...." I say.

"No, you guys need to know the truth." He simply states.

"Oh, I'll just come out, and say it!" He says slightly frustrated. "The reason is that I invented synthetic blood by accident in the lab!!" He shouts, looking relieved that it's finally out in the open.

We sit in total silence before chaos breaks out. Everyone of us looking at Hiccup surprised.

Snotlout seemed to realize something "That's why the company has been so tight lipped. Uncle Stoick doesn't want to give more people a reason to kidnap you."

"Yeah, that's it basically." Hiccup states.

"Now we need to fast forward a year. By 2059 the vampires joining human society was increasing, but they were treated like pariah. Mom was one of the first to demand equal rights for the vampires, and that didn't sit right with most of the hunters guilds. She actually had the money, and power to make it happen. A hunters guild run by a man named Drago Bludvist decided to abduct her. I was in the car with mom when it happened so they took me too."

At this point the room was deathly quiet, and filled with wide-eyed stares as Hiccup tells his story.

"They took us to a warehouse were they kept familiars they had trapped. That's where I met Toothless. They took mom to another room, but I managed to free, and convince Toothless to help me. We released the other familiars who were causing a distraction as we escaped. But by the time I got the authorities to arrive at the location, they had already killed mom." Hiccup continues.

"Did they ever catch the guys?" Heather timidly asks.

"Yeah, they are now serving life sentences." Hiccup explains.

"Hiccup, I was wondering, how did Snotlout not know you were his cousin?" Ruffnut asks as she shoves Tuffnut from the bed.

"Oh, I can answer that." Snotlout says excitedly.

"You see, even though he is my cousin I had only seen him when he was 4. Uncle Stoick explained that you weren't a party person." Hiccup nodded at that statement.

"True I like staying home, and tinkering more than parties."

"And by the time you joined us in 6th grade I didn't recognize you." Snotlout continues.

"I think we pretty much covered everything." Hiccup says.

I can't help but think 'It's now or never.'

I scoot over the bed to where Hiccup is sitting, and punch him in the arm. "That was for not telling us" I state.

Then I give him a peck on the cheek. "And that's for everything else."