How to train your vessel - Book one

All's fair in love and war

The large armored men slashed at the backs of the rowdier dragons with long brown strings in the background. The tiny-tooth's parents scratched at the bars of their cage until a yet bigger human pounded on their cell and turned back to the new people he was talking to. The common language was all but familiar to the newborn, she had barely even learned draconic. Her parents  cycled through sentences she couldn't yet understand, but was able to make out parts like 'don't' and 'only daughter left'. 

The naive dragoness prided herself in processing draconic better then her human caretakers before the larger one smiled and inspected a chest of shiny circles from the visitors. Some more men she'd never seen before crowded around her kennel estimating measurements with wood sticks and discussing weight while a quite disturbing female eyed the hatch-ling's muscles, which were considerable for her age. Appearing pleased with the box of pretty gold toys, the large caretaker stood behind the creepy woman as she asked him questions in the commoner's language the tiny-tooth didn't know.

"What the fastest parents speed?"

"Her father, the clipped racing dragon, clocked in at 20 feet per second. Also has impeccable reaction time."

"Strength?"

"Mother's got around a 17 to 19 rating, able to take a hit damn well too, probably 'bout 22 con. "

"speaking of which, armor?"

"Over twice as tough as the other specimens her species and youth. Almost like that of an adult." 

"You satisfied with our offer?"

"Very much."

"I like this one, she'll definitely rip out or current champions throat before she's even a broad-wing."

"So you'll buy?"

"Most certainly."

At that, her mother and father roared in anguish, easily frightening the blissfully ignorant baby girl. The men presented the witch with their collective measurements and four grasped the handles of her portable home. Her parents hysterical cries screamed somehow greater pain with more snapping of leather strings, slowly becoming drowned out by the all consuming waves crashing against a large wood half-cylinder. 

The matriarch took the time to toss various salts and ground bone dusts on the beach of the tiny-tooth's birthplace, followed by whispered words unlike any draconic or common the small one had heard. Then creating a spectral crow to which she gave a letter she told an underling was addressed to 'Grimmel the grisly', all the while the confused and scared dragon was brought onto and down into the strange wood creation.

The giant sideways tree began moving away from the island as the little one was carried into a room filled with twisted items and jars with more unsavory liquids, powers, and small animal bodies. The disgusting organizer dismissed the minion so she cold draw from the horrified baby, constantly extracting bone and scales and other unspeakable substances from the innocent sweetheart for hours. Periodically casting regeneration and restoration spells to keep the priceless resources and screams coming for the entire journey.

"Platinum! Wake up!"

"Huh? Windshear? What's happening? What'd I miss?"

"You were having a nightmare, an awful one from what I could tell."

"Thank you and all but... Are you sure? I must've just forgotten it."

"You act confused but responded pretty quickly there P."

"Do you want to be appreciated or not?"

"...Fine... Just as long as you don't let yourself become another Toothless."

"My master has already prevented that."

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"Have you talked to anyone about what you did before you met Hiccup?"

The small sandy patch of a beach crunched and shifted beneath their footsteps as the two lone dragons sat down before a massive body of crystal-pure blue water.

"No, it's not something I'm comfortable with."

"You'll never get comfortable with it unless you talk about it."

"... I walked right into that, didn't I?"

"I told you to open up at your own pace. As long as you opened up."

"Well, yes, I know but-"

"TALK. RIGHT. FUCKING. NOW."

"...After Zephyr didn't return I... Lost myself, joined more raids and sieges against the ant mega-colonies that killed her then I was legally allowed to. But I was so brutally effective that everyone turned their heads, I carved up their corpses after battle. I spent my share of the pillaged valuables and some old favors to have great blacksmiths forge me armor from the things I could salvage: Chitin, Bone, Metal. Not like they could say no, Mantis's take honor and glory debts very seriously, my knowledge of magic and runes gained from the non-void related books in the archives were what drove them to fame as the best weapons and armor crafters around. That's all you're getting out of me today."

"That's all I've wanted you to get off your chest since I met you.

I was an arena dragon, and like the best fighters, that was the only thing I was bred for. I replaced the reigning champion before I was even a broad-wing. When Drago Bludvist attacked the arena to catch the strongest among us, I escaped, but was outcast by the dragons around me. They called me a murderer, and said my what I did in the arena couldn't and wouldn't be forgotten, as if I had a choice. But even then I enjoyed the rush the arena gave me, it made me feel so much more powerful then everyone else, I only would've tried to escape if I knew what it was like not to be starved. Drago's assault is the only thing that drove me away from killing so many more dragons for food and entertainment. Eventually I returned to the island that had bred me to look for my parents, I hoped they could teach me to survive since I had never even learned exactly what a fish was. Grimmel bought them so he could kill them, that's when I started looking for a way to get payback, and my entire adventure collapsed when my master got to him first. Entire years of learning to survive without anyone's help, becoming a better rouge, but my master became the first one in my life who didn't abandon me that day."

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"Hey Hiccup! Have you seen Astrid's new ax?"

"WHAT! I MADE HER THAT AX WHEN WE WERE KIDS AND SHE JUST GOT A NEW ONE!"

"Uhh... Sorry, poor word choice, that Wanderer guy just gave her a hunk of metal and had her go upgrade it with some guy in that raining city-"

"It's called the City of Tears, Snot."

"Right, whatever, she's got a channel through both ends of the ax now. It's even been cutting up other weapons made of the Gronkle iron you made! Cool right!?"

"... Yeah, really cool Snotlout."