Righteous (A Modern HTTYD AU)

~3~

"That's your roommate?" Heather touched a finger to the screen. After what had happened yesterday, Astrid had done some poking around to see Hiccup's origins. From what she'd seen, he never smiled and wasn't exactly the most pleasant person. She could relate.

"Yeah," she said.

"Wow. He's kinda hot." Astrid gave Heather a funny look. "What? Anyway, I was wondering why you're researching him."

"He got a really gnarly burn, doesn't know the first thing about healing, and he seems just a little sketchy."

"Well, don't go interrogating him; that wouldn't make him very happy." Astrid sighed. Heather was a superhero, like her, called the Razorwhip. She and Snotlout, the Monstrous Nightmare, were always butting heads. Him and Dagur, the Triple Stryke.

"I wasn't going to," she said, setting the screen down after a moment. "But I should get to know him better. Maybe he's a nice guy under all that." Heather shrugged.

"Well, I've got patrol," she said. "I'll see you afterwards! Don't get scrambled out there!" She waved then scampered down the stairs to start her patrol.

~

"Clearly, you feel like a ray of sunshine," Fishlegs said as Hiccup loped down the stairs.

"I got hit," he grumbled. "My roommate apparently knows how to treat wounds and forced me to sit still while she did it."

"Hmm...." Hiccup looked over at Fishlegs, raising an eyebrow. "Monstrous Nightmare actually got a blow in?"

"It's not the first time. Now shut up about it." The genius smirked and shrugged. "I'm going to go out and take a look around, cause some terror."

"Sounds fun. I'm going to clean up a mess the twins made last night." Hiccup nodded and went to get into his armor.

Once that was done, he sprinted up the stairs, whistling for Toothless. The little cat met him at the top of the stairs, hopping onto his hand and crawling onto his shoulder.

Hiccup boosted himself off the ground and onto a one story building, doing the same thing until he deemed the height suitable for viewing the city.

"Hm. Boring, eh bud?" he asked, looking at Toothless. The tiny cat mewed and rubbed his face along the lower part of Hiccup's mask. He stroked the cat's back with one finger and looked back out to the horizon. "I think I'll take it easy, if you know what I mean."

Toothless meowed again as if in agreement and Hiccup gave him a soft pat. "I know I can count on you."

He moved over to the edge of the building and sat down, draping his legs over the side. It reminded him of the peaceful side of the city, why he continued to live there instead of finding a place to start anew. This was still his home, and getting rid of the heroes would make sure that this peaceful illusion would become a reality.

"What a surprise I would find you here." Hiccup stiffened and turned his head. The Deadly Nadder tilted her head, Stormfly letting out a quiet squawk. Toothless hissed.

"Great. I was finding some peace and of course you come to ruin it," he growled. He stood up, reaching down to his leg and unlatching a small vial. "However, it's kind of nice. I've been working on something for that wretched bird of yours and I'd love to test it." He uncapped the vial and threw it. A shield was in front of the Deadly Nadder in seconds and Stormfly spread her wings.

Toothless leaped off Hiccup's shoulder, his form shifting smoothly into that of a bigger cat, more like a jaguar. He reared and slammed his paws against the shield, making the Deadly Nadder jerk.

"Come, come," Hiccup coaxed Stormfly. "I'm wide open." Stormfly spread her wings and lifted off the Deadly Nadder's shoulder. She shifted forms from that of a colorful bird into a large phoenix with blue flames with a soft pale undertone.

The shield went down and Toothless went for Hiccup's nemesis. Stormfly dove down at Hiccup, but he ducked and threw a ball of dark energy at the phoenix. She spun out of the way and sent blue fire in his direction.

"I didn't provoke you this time!" he shouted as he blocked the shot and sent it skyward. "I want peace, just like you!" 

"Then why fight us?" the Deadly Nadder said. Hiccup whirled around just as she tried to swipe one of Toothless' legs clean off. The shapeshifter recoiled, backing up towards his master. Stormfly cawed and circled above their heads. "If you wanted peace, you would stop killing, stop causing chaos, and work in tandem with us." 

"That's the thing," Hiccup said. "You are the cause of all this drama. If the citizens relied on themselves, we wouldn't need to fight!" 

"I hardly think that police officers could handle villains like you." 

"That's probably true, but you know I lead them." 

"Would you stop if I did?" 

"If it meant achieving what I've been working towards since the start." He straightened. "I relied on your kind once. When I was a child. Now I have no parents. I struggle to make a living and fit in." He gestured at his leg. "Who wants someone like me?" He stared hard at the Deadly Nadder, who was still as a stone. "And it's because of the Red Death. A hero, like you. Her, and everyone that follows in her footsteps. I hate you all!" 

He shot a blast of energy at her. She stepped to the side but Toothless was on her in a second. He shoved her onto the ground and Hiccup smirked slightly as he heard her grunt, bracing herself against the shapeshifter's massive paws. 

"Now, who' s under the mask?" the Night Fury wondered, sauntering over to the pinned hero and running a finger along the base of her helmet. He glanced up and saw Stormfly's wings growing brighter by the second. Ten seconds, at the most. Make the cut clean and swift. 

"Time to run, villain. You're outnumbered and your little shapeshifting kitty won't do you any good this time." Hiccup turned around, frowning when he saw the Razorwhip fully clad in her armor, double ended axe gripped in both hands. "Now get off her and put your hands up." 

"All I wanted was a view," he sighed dramatically, tapping his foot twice as a signal to Toothless. The shapeshifter stepped off the Deadly Nadder and retracted to his normal size, leaping off the hero and onto Hiccup's shoulder. 

"A view and a victim," the Razorwhip snorted. "Give it up, villain. You're on our terrain." 

"You know, this is my city, too." 

"It's your playground. And now it's time to go back in your cage." 

"Let's make this quick." Relief spread through Hiccup when Fishlegs, or the 'Gronckle', hauled himself onto the roof of the building with his bearded dragon draped over his shoulders. "Or, we can call it a lose lose. You let us go, and we let you go. This never happened. Saves us some time and resources, don't you think?" 

"You're one to talk," the Razorwhip growled, but she didn't move. The Deadly Nadder lifted her hand and her fellow hero straightened. 

"Don't show your faces around again," she warned. "'Cause we'll be waiting." 

"Like always. You never disappoint," the Gronckle said. The Razorwhip tilted her head before Stormfly swept both of them up and disappeared around the taller buildings. Fishlegs turned to Hiccup. "You're an idiot." 

"Not my fault. Now let's get back. I'm hungry."