Another Day in Berk

Valka and Stoick stood, chatting quietly as they cleaned the fish we caught. Gobber rested on a log with his droopy dragon laying behind him. I sat over in the corner of the room with Hiccup to give the trio a little time to catch up. Hiccup sat cross-legged on the ground in front of me while I brushed his hair with my fingers like we did when we were kids.

"So you're going to hang out here now?" I asked, undoing the two braids my friend had in his hair.

"I'll go later... Seeing them together is a new experience... It's nice," Hiccup answered.

My fingers expertly re-braided his two braids in his brown locks, "Can I come then?"

He turned his head to look at me when my fingers stopped, "You won't give up, will you?"

"Nope."

"I guess if you promise to get out when it gets dangerous, you can come."

I wrapped my arms around his shoulders tightly, "Thank you! I promise I'll get to safety... until you need back up of course."

Hiccup stood up, holding his hand out to me, "Fair enough."

I gently placed my hand in his and he helped me stand straight.

"Let's go help Mom and Dad," Hiccup suggested, letting my hand go.

The two of us walked over to the couple and began putting chopped pieces of raw fish on sticks. I would hand the finished kabobs to Hiccup and he took them to Gobber. Gobber set them of the fire, turning them every so often so they cooked evenly.

Valka stayed quiet as she bustled around the room. She stumbled at one point, dropping some cut fish that Cloudjumper grabbed before Toothless could. It was pretty gross with the older dragon regurgitated the fish for Toothless who at it happily.

"Gross," my nose scrunched up in disgust.

Hiccup chuckled at my face then conversed with his parents about Valka being back in Berk.

Awkwardly, Valka walked away from our group with a pot in her hands and we quieted to watch her. Stoick told Hiccup to slow down because she had a lot to handle. Talking about Berk was too much.

Once the only noise in the room was the water that filled Valka's pot, Stoick began to whistle a deliberate tune. Valka froze up, clearly recognizing the song.

Hiccup and I stopped what we were doing, moving out of the way by Gobber. We sat down on the same log, watching. Nightstriker and Toothless sat behind us, also curious by the events unfolding before us.

Stoick had Valka set down the pot, "Remember our song, Val?"

The woman stayed silent, but her posture scrunched up in shyness.

Stoick began to sing softly to her,



My hands clasped in front of my chest as I tried to suppress any sounds of delight.



"Will stop me on my journey!" Gobber interrupted, turning sheepish after. "Sorry..."

I frown at the blacksmith while Hiccup almost glared at the poor guy.

Stoick turned back to Valka, continuing the song,



The chief held the lady viking's hand, hoping she'd continue, but when she didn't start up, he let go. He began to turn away when her soft voice pierced the silence,



Hiccup looked at me like a kid seeing a dragon for the first time. I grinned and hooked my arm around his in excitement.



The older couple began to do a simple, but common viking dance as the tempo picked up.



Stoick's loud voice echoed off the walls.

By that point, Gobber was standing up and doing a crazy jig with his feet all over the place. I also had stood up and did twirls with Nightstriker. I always loved dancing and singing.

Valka sang again,



Stoick added.

Gobber suddenly picked up Hiccup and did a sloppy dance with him. He then pushed Hiccup my way just as I twirled around. My friend fell into me as my spin finished and I laughed, taking one of his hands and holding it above my head. I did another spin and I led my friend into a copy of his parent's dance.

Stoick and Valka sang together loudly,



I laughed with Hiccup when we saw Toothless trying to spin around with the dance.



All the dancing ceased and laughter ensued as Gobber held out the last note much longer than necessary. Hiccup lightly tapped his stomach with his hand to stop him.

"I'm done," Gobber said.

I tried suppressing my giggles, but I was too happy. I even hugged Hiccup tightly, nearly knocking him over from the suddenness of it. My face turned a little red when I let go of him and saw his face was a little pink. We both smiled happily at each other though awkwardness was evident.

Nightstriker suddenly brushed up against my back and pushed me back into Hiccup. The already building awkwardness erupted like a volcano and we quickly stepped away from each other.

"Sorry. I didn't expect Nightstriker to push me," I laughed nervously.

"Heh, ah, it's fine..." Hiccup trailed off. "You really are a great dancer, you know."

"Oh, uh, thanks." I clasped my hands in front of me, "I like to dance in my free time when Stoick has you doing tasks."

"Ah..."

Thankfully, Stoick spoke to Valka and spared us from anymore awkward conversation. "I thought I'd have to die before we'd do that again," Stoick smiled.

Valka had a laugh in her voice, "No need for drastic measures."

"For you my dear, anything." Stoick kneeled in front of his love, "Will you come home, Val? Will you be my wife once again?"

Toothless followed Nightstriker's previous example and pushed Valka into Stoick's arms. There was more laughter until Hiccup walked over to them and gazed at the two lovers.

"We can be a family... What do you say?" Stoick asked once more.

Only a few seconds passed before Valka nodded and said she'd come back. Stoick hugged her, pulling Hiccup in as well.

Gobber threw his arms around them, "Great, I'll do the cooking."

Toothless jumped into the group and they chuckled at him. I also chuckled, catching Hiccup's attention.

"Hey, you're a part of this family, too," he told me smiling.

"Indeed!" Stoick agreed, holding his arm out.

Grinning, I dove into the group hug with Nightstriker and squeezed everyone tightly.

After a moment of being mushy, we dispersed from the hug. Valka and Stoick went back to preparing lunch, Gobber to the cooking fish, the dragons mingled together and that left me and Hiccup standing together again.

"Life will be different in Berk when she comes back," I smiled. "She can teach everyone the secrets she's found about dragons."

Hiccup smiled warmly, staring at his mother, "She'll teach them so much."

Nodding, we fell into a comfortable silence despite the awkwardness from earlier and stared at the happy couple in front of us.

"Frigga?"

"Yeah?" I turned to look at Hiccup once more. Unexpectedly, he was a little pink and having a hard time meeting my gaze. "Are you okay?"

He ran his hand through his hair, "I'm fine. I wanted to, uh, talk to you-"

Toothless began to growl as a large bang echoed outside the dragon sanctuary. The other dragons joined in as more explosions caused the sanctuary to quiver. We all looked through a large hole in a wall to see a swarm of the wild dragons leaving the safety of their home.

No words were uttered as Valka rushed out of the room, all of us following behind her. She took us out to an overhang that revealed the vast expanse of sky and ocean. It would have been a gorgeous sight if it weren't for the army of ships and warriors that littered the view.

"Oh no," Valka groaned with worry.

Stoick reassure her, "We're a team now. Now what do you want to do?"

"We have to save the dragons."

"Aye, you got it. Come on, son. Frigga."

Valka ran to the Alpha, Cloudjumper trailing behind and the rest of us scampered to our dragons. Stoick and Gobber told us to meet up by Valka and then they flew off toward her.

I was about to leap onto Nightstriker's saddle, but a hand grabbing my own stopped me. I faced Hiccup curiously.

"What do you need?"

"Nothing, just be careful out there."

"I will. Don't worry about me. Keep your family safe. When we make it through this, we'll go back to Berk and everything will be back to normal," I told my friend.

"I hope you're right."

I beamed at him, "Aren't I always?"

"Yeah, yeah," he grinned.

"See ya out there."

Once again, I went to climb onto Nightstriker, but Hiccup stopped me again. "We kind of have a situation, Hiccup," I reminded him.

"I know, I just..."

I waited expectantly for him to use his words, but instead he surprised me, pressing his lips against my cheek as quick as lightning.

Instantly our faces reddened.

"Uh... What?" I was completely baffled.

"We'll... talk later," Hiccup stuttered before jumping on Toothless and dashing away.

"Oh gods..." I murmured, touching my cheek. Nightstriker growled impatiently. "Ah! Sorry, girl! Let's go!"

Even as we took off, my mind was full of what just transpired. Thankfully we went straight into battle when I caught up, forcing me to focus on the matter at hand.

We zoomed out of the cave and found friendly dragons battling against armored ones. We even found our friends from Berk taking out catapults that littered the snowy shore.

Gobber knocked out several warriors with his Hotburple's club tail. Stoick took out more warriors and catapults with Skullcrusher's fireball. Hiccup and I met up with Astrid riding with Eret on Stormfly. We flew on either side of her.

I automatically blushed when I noticed Hiccup turn my way before looking more at Eret and Astrid. I was glad that Hiccup's mask hid his face in that moment.

"Welcome aboard, dragon rider!" Hiccup greeted Eret, lifting up the mask on his helmet.

"Looks like you've changed your mind about dragons," I grinned, forcing myself to act natural.

"Thanks... I think," Eret said to us.

Astrid looked between me and Hiccup, "Where have you guys been?"

"Oh you know... catching up with Mom," Hiccup answered, bringing our attention to Valka appearing out of the ice sanctuary standing on Cloudjumper. She held her staff into the air and the Alpha burst, from the ice shards beneath her.

"That's your mother?!" Astrid exclaimed.

"Pretty amazing, huh?" I smiled.

"Now you know where I get my dramatic flair!" Hiccup told her.

He flipped his mask back down and made Toothless fly back toward the battle. I watched until my gaze met Astrid's.

"Something happened," she stated, knowingly.

"What? No, nothing happened," I denied. "Why would you even think that?"

She smirked, "There's so much tension, I could cut it with my axe."

"It's true," Eret added.

"Oh who asked you?" I scowled, leaving the two of them to take out a few catapults.

In the midst of battle, a repetitive human roar echoed across the battlefield. Everyone's attention was brought to a man in a dark cloak with broad shoulders and dreaded hair. He waved his staff-like weapon in the air. Valka stood in front of him on the shore, her mask off her face, ready to strike.

"Drago..." I muttered, swinging Nightstriker around to watch.

Just off shore, the water began to bubble up right before a second, darker Bewilderbeast lept from the depths. The new Bewilderbeast instantly began battle with the Alpha.

Hiccup and Toothless hovered nearby to the dragons momentarily.

"I don't want to know what happens if the Alpha loses," I told him, my eyes glued to the gigantic dragons.

"We can't let that happen," he told me, flying off toward Drago.

I went back to fighting against some armored dragons and warriors, yet kept a close eye on the shore where Drago and Valka began to battle. I helped Snotlout and Fishlegs take out a catapult and glanced back at the Bewilderbeast.

As I did, the slate colored dragon took the Alpha to the ground and stabbed him in the chest with his tusk.

"No!" I cried.

The new Alpha let out a loud roar, causing a swarm of dragons to flutter around him. His roar was gaining the loyalty of all the surrounding dragons.

My eyes fell back to Valka, who was being saved by Stoick just as the new Alpha turned his attack on her. I darted toward them as they rushed to take refuge behind an ice wall. I had Nightstriker swoop into the ice dragon's view, gaining his stare. The new Alpha merely spat ice in our direction, forcing us away, and went back to hunting his new prey.

Another call was suddenly heard from Drago as I went back to the Bewilderbeast, and he turned his icy gaze to Hiccup and Toothless, now confronting Drago. The dragon thumped his way over.

"Not Hiccup," I worried.

Stoick noticed the danger, burst from behind the ice and rushed toward Hiccup who was now being corned by his own Toothless.

"Valka, hop on!" I ordered as I landed near her. She willingly jumped on and we dove toward the shore.

Stoick was getting closer, but a faint blue began to emit within Toothless. I panicked, urging Nightstriker forward, but Stoick was still so much closer it seemed.

"Hiccup!" I called out when he had no where to go and Toothless opened his mouth.

Right as the fireball left the Fury's body, Valka and I gasped. Stoick made it to Hiccup, taking the full blast of the fireball.

Nightstiker took us to the ground and Valka rushed over to her son, begging Stoick to wake up. I took a few steps closer, but paused my advance when Valka lifted her head from her love's chest. The looks they wore told me every thing. Stoick was dead.

Tears welled in my eyes, taking their time to spill over and run down my cheeks. I staggered over to them and knelt between Hiccup and Valka. The man I had deemed as my father figure was gone. His boisterous laugh would no longer chime through village. His voice would no longer be heard calling out orders or raise in frustration at his son. Stoick was no more and I felt like I lost my father all over again.

Our friends landed nearby, but stayed put. They looked at the sad scene before them while Drago grinned evilly and turned away.

My forehead fell on Stoick's unmoving chest and I sniffled my tears away. They fell harder when I felt a feminine hand brush through the loose bits of my red hair that fell from my braid. I turned my head and looked at Valka. I was surprised that she was in full control of her emotions, but I could see her sorrow in her eyes. I grabbed her hand on her husband's chest and squeezed it gently.

"No!"

I jumped hearing Hiccup yell. Toothless had come to his senses and came over to Stoick.

He pushed the Fury away from his dad, "Get away from him! Go on! Get out of here! Get away!"

Toothless cowered, hurt, and then ran away from us. Hiccup just let him go and I frowned at his outburst.

"You know it wasn't his fault," Valka stated. "You know that."

"Hiccup..." My voice trembled as I lightly touched his bicep.

"Good dragons under the control of bad people do bad things," his mother said.

I watched Drago signal the Alpha, who roared in response. Then we all helplessly watched our own dragons fall under the control of the new Alpha.

"Nightstriker!" I called out.

She didn't even look my way as she took off to the sky.

Toothless also fell under the control of the Alpha, but without a rider, he couldn't get into the air. Drago saw him struggle, so he used his billhook to push the Fury's head to the ground. He roughly walked along Toothless' body before plopping onto the saddle. My heart broke at the mistreatment as he sent Toothless to the air and ordered the army to Berk.

"Toothless!" Hiccup tried to run after his dragon, but I stopped him.

"We can't do anything right now, Hiccup," I whispered, pulling him back toward us.

Defeated, Hiccup practically collapsed beside me. I pulled my friend toward me and hugged him tightly. He just leaned against me like it was him who died. He was helpless.

We all were.