Chapter 3: Something Out There

Emily just stared into the horizon before a question popped in her mind when she was preparing her flight gear and just as she was about to get on Optimus' back. Something seemed to have happened at the Haddock residence and she planned to know why. She then turned to Hiccup as Optimus came and sat behind her while looking down at the map.

"So mind telling me and Optimus why you were in such a big hurry earlier before the dragon race even started?" Emily asked as he glanced at her and knew that he couldn't hide the truth from his closest friends.

"Avoiding my dad." Hiccup told her simply which caused Emily to frown.

"What happened this time?" She asked as she was curious about why while Toothless runs off to play.

"Oh, you're gonna love this." Hiccup said as he let his penil go and started to explain.

"I wake up. The sun's shining. Terrible Terrors are singing on the rooftop. I saunter down to breakfast, thinking all's right with the world and I get..." Hiccup said before he stood up and did a perfect impersonation of his dad.

"'Son, we need to talk.'" Hiccup said with clear impersonation which caused Emily to snicker and decided to do her Hiccup impersonation.

"'Not now, Dad. I've got a whole day of goofing off to get started.'" Emily impersonated which caused Hiccup to stare in disbelief while she just giggled and chuckled at his reaction.

"Okay, first of all, I don't sound like that. What is this character? And second... what is that thing you're going with my shoulders?" Hiccup asked in confusion and amusement as Emily did the shoulder thing and Hiccup couldn't help but laugh.

"A truly flattering impersonation. Anyway he goes..." Hiccup said with a laugh before continuing.

"'You're the pride of Berk, son, and I couldn't be prouder...'" Hiccup continued as Emily snickered.

"'Aw, thanks, Dad. I'm pretty impressed with myself, too.'" Emily said while doing hand motions and it caused both of them to laugh in amusement with Optimus watching with a gentle dragon-like smile.

"WHEN have I ever done that with my hands?" Hiccup questions her playfully while doing the hand motions Emily did and it caused her and Hiccup to laugh.

"You just did." Emily said with a barely restrained laugh.

Hiccup laughed and calmed down as he looked at her.

"Okay... just... stop for a moment. It's very serious." Hiccup told her as Emily calmed down from her laughter and nodded as Hiccup continued.

"'You're all grown up, and since no chief could ask for a better successor, I've decided-'" Hiccup before Emily realized where this was leading.

"To make you chief? Oh, my Primus! Hiccup, that's amazing!" Emily said as she hugged him as he hugged back

But not before Toothless knocks them both over as they yelped in surprise. Emily stood up first before helping Hiccup back up.

"Yeah, so... this is what I'm dealing with." Hiccup said as Emily looked at him with a smile.

"What was your answer then?" She asked and Hiccup shook his head.

"I didn't give one. By the time he turned around, I was gone." Hiccup said as she crossed her arms.

"So that's why you dragged both me and Optimus with you earlier." Emily said as Hiccup laugh sheepishly.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Hiccup said as Emily just gave him a gentle smile.

"Well, Hic, being handed the title of chief is a lot of responsibility. The map and exploring will have to wait for sure and Revna will have to fly Toothless, since you might become a bit busy. But..." Emily paused and winced as she realized what she just said and looked at Hiccup apologetically

But deep down, Emily knows what it's like to lead a village, well, a team and faction with Optimus but Hiccup is new to being given the position as chief and he seemed afraid of it as he looked at her sadly.

"I-It's not me, Emily. All those speeches and planning and running the village... that's his thing." Hiccup pointed out sadly as she watched him with a small sad smile.

"I think I know what you mean, but being the chief and leading your home. It's an honor to hold. Everyone would be pretty excited and scared at the same time during their first time." Emily explained as Hiccup sighed while looking down at his helmet.

"I'm not like you. You know exactly who you are. You always have. But... I'm still looking. I know that I'm not my father... and I never met my mother..." Hiccup said sadly as he sat down after folding the map.

"So, what does that make me?" He said.

Emily could see that he was lost and needed guidance as she and Optimus looked at each other. They know what it's like to be a leader as Hiccup gazes into the horizon.

Emily walks beside him and kneels down and puts a hand on his shoulder as he looks at her.

"I may not know what it's like to be like you but I know what you mean. You can't expect to be someone that everyone expects you to be. I never even met my father until I came to your island. But the point I'm trying to say is that." Emily took a deep breath and put both hands on his shoulders as he looked at her questioningly.

"What you're searching for... isn't out there, Hiccup. It's in here." Emily said before pointing to his chest where his heart is.

"Maybe you just don't know it yet but you will one day." Emily told him before she patted his head.

Hiccup smiled before something caught his attention as he narrowed his eyes towards the horizon.

"Maybe. But, y'know... there is something out there." Hiccup said as he straightened up.

"What do you mean?" Emily asked before she followed Hiccup's line of vision and spotted a large cloud of smoke in the distance and this caused them to be on high alert.

"Something isn't right." Emily said as Hiccup nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, come on. There's only one way to find out." Hiccup said as he called Toothless.

The two of them quickly got on their dragons and the two took off towards the direction of the smoke to see what was happening.