Dragon Training

As Hicca and Gobber began to walk away, Eugene waited a few moments before quickly following behind, making sure not to be seen by either of them. After a short walk, they arrived at her house, where he snuck his way around the back and waited. Leaning on the wall, he waited a short amount of time.

As Hicca stepped out, he called out to her. "Going somewhere?" He said, as he pushed himself off the wall and approached her.

Startled by the sudden voice, Hicca quickly turned to the source of the voice, not expecting anyone to be next to her. 

"Eugene… hey what are you doing here?" She asked, nervously chuckling. 

"Making sure you don't die trying to find that dragon." He told her, as he began walking ahead. "Well, are you coming or not?"

Smiling, Hicca ran to catch up with him as they walked towards the forest to begin their search.

___________________

Hicca glanced at her journal full of X's, as she attempted to track where the Night Fury landed. As we persisted in our search I saw her furiously scribbling in her journal, then close it. 

"Ugh! We've been searching for hours! Oh, the gods must despise me." Hicca whined in frustration.

"It's not that bad Hicca we only just started our search don't get your hopes down just yet." I said as I approached from behind.

"Oh yeah, that really~ helps me out here, Eugene. Some people lose stupid their knives or mugs, but no, not me. I somehow managed to lose an entire... freaking... dragon!" She screamed, yelping when the branch she slapped smacked her in the face, making her fall flat on her butt. 

Snickering at her, I glanced back up before calling out to her. "Well don't be too disappointed. We may be closer than you think." I told her, pointing at a tree that snapped in half, and a trailed crater in the ground. 

Looking at where I pointed at Hicca climbed down the small hill to get a closer look, before she immediately ducked down. 

"Lemme guess, you found the Night Fury?" I asked sarcastically. With a quick nod, Hicca glances back at the dragon, before clumsily reaching for her knife.

"You're lucky I'm not one to only carry a shield." I grinned, as I pat my sheathed sword. Hicca rolled her eyes at me, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself before slowly moving toward the trapped dragon.

"Well, if only my dad could see this. Do you know how much this changes? Yes! I have brought down this mighty beast!" She triumphantly stated, stepping on the dragon before it flicked its arm out sending her scurrying back surprised. 

I began to chuckle, looking away right as Hicca glared at me.

"That's not funny Eugene!" She shouts at me, her face turning red from embarrassment.

"It's a little funny." I state, coughing to stifle my laughter.

Staggering slightly, she gets back to her feet, lifting her dagger as she inched back toward the dragon. Carefully observing her from a few feet I wait, ready in case anything goes wrong. As she finally came face to face with the dragon, she stared at it and gazed back with its slitted eyes.

"You're going to die today dragon. You're my ticket to become a true Viking. I can't let this chance slip by me..."

With bated breath, she raised the blade above her head, her hands began to shake in excitement at the thought of approval, but something didn't sit right with her. She slightly lowered the dagger, looking at the bound body of the Night Fury, glancing at its face as she locked eyes with it. She couldn't tell if it was simply her imagination, but it looked… afraid.

Shaking off the thought, she raised the dagger once more, yet she still hesitated, the dragon accepted its fate, and with a low whine, laid its head on the ground. Hicca groaned in frustration before fully lowering her hands.

"I did this Eugene..."

"Yes, you did."

"After so long, I finally have a chance to prove myself, here and now... but now that it is right in front of me… I don't think I can." She stated, balling her fists as she gazed at the dragon. "We can't leave it like this." She told me with a determined look in her eyes.

We stared at one another for a brief moment before I sighed. "Fine, get behind me." Pulling out my sword, I push Hicca behind me as I make my way to the Night Fury. "Don't make me regret this dragon…" With those words, I cut the ropes off the dragon. 

Almost immediately after the ropes were cut the Night Fury jumped up with a low growl, glaring at us as we stared each other down. The dragon roared before attempting to fly away, seemingly unable to fly more than a few feet in the air.

"Well, that was something…" I said, sheathing my sword, and strapping my shield around my back.

"I- uh… yeah… let's go Eugene." Hicca said to me as she began walking back to the village.

Upon reaching the village we part ways as I head back home. Walking inside I greet my parents, sitting down to eat, as we tell each other about our day.

"You know Eugene, dragon training starts tomorrow." My Dad tells me as he stuffs his face with mutton. 

"Yeah I know, I'm just worried about Hicca you know how she is."

"Oh, she'll be fine with Gobber there, just be cautious and remember what we taught you." Mom quickly responds.

After dinner and a long conversation, I head to bed ready for whatever the next day has to throw at me.

___________________

"Welcome to dragon training." Gobber said, lifting the gate of the arena, before turning towards a group of teens, and stepping to the side. 

"No turning back now guys. Focus." Astrid said aloud, as she walked ahead of the group. 

Walking further in, everyone looked around getting a grasp of the arena layout. 

"I hope I get some awesome burns." Tuffnut said, glancing towards his sister. 

"I'm hoping for a bit of mauling, like on my shoulder or maybe lower back… yeah." She said, rolling her shoulders. 

"True, it's only fun if you get a few scars out of it." Astrid added her two cents as well, as she shrugged her shoulders.

"I know right, pain, gotta love it." Hicca said, strolling into the arena 

"Oh, that's just fantastic, who let her in?" Tuffnut grumbled as he began to slouch slightly.

"Your chief did. Either deal with it or talk to him about it." A voice called out from behind them.

"Oh nice of you to join us Eugene! Just in time for training too." Gobber said from the front.

Walking up beside Hicca he greets her, as they mess around a bit before turning back to Gobber.

"Let's get started! The recruit who does best in training will get the honor of killing their first dragon in front of the entire village!" Gobber shouted from a few feet away.

"Hicca already killed a Night Fury so does that disqualify her, or~?" Snotlout said laughing with the others as they walked away.

"Don't listen to them Hicca, they're idiots, you just do you." Eugene told her, patting her shoulder as they joined the others in line.

"Behind these doors are just a few of the many species you will learn to fight." Gobber says pointing out the species as Fishlegs mutters out their 'stats'. 

"The Deadly Nadder!"

"Speed eight, armor sixteen."

"The Hideous Zippleback!"

"Plus eleven stealth times two."

"The Monstrous Nightmare!"

"Firepower fifteen."

"The Terrible Terror!"

"Attack eight, venom twelve!"

"Can you stop that?! And, last but not least... Gronckle." Gobber said, putting his hand over a lever resting next to the gate as he said the last dragon's name.

"Jaw strength eight." Fishlegs said, leaning over as he whispered to Eugene, Eugene giving him a creeped-out look.

"Woah woah wait! Aren't you gonna at least teach us anything first?!" Snotlout shouts out to Gobber in a panic. 

"I believe in learning on the job." He said, pulling down on the lever, letting the Gronckle burst through the gate.

"Today is about survival. If you get blasted, you're dead."

They all scatter as the Gronckle rushes towards them crashing into the wall, as it eats a few large rocks before it is back in the air attacking. 

"Quick, what's the first thing you're going to need?"

"A shield!" Eugene shouted, a shield already in hand. 

"Shields! Go!" Everyone rushed to grab a shield as Gobber continued the 'lesson' they were being taught.

'Seriously, is this training or a death battle?' Eugene thought as he helped Hicca with her shield.

"Get your hands off my shield!" Tuffnut yells as he tries snatching a shield from Ruffnut. 

"There's like a million shields, why don't you buzz off my shield!" Ruffnut shouts back, pulling the shield even harder.

"Why don't you take that one, that one has a flower on it, don't girls like flowers." Tuffnut told her right as Ruffnut yanked the shield out of his hands and bashed it on his head. 

"Oops~, now this one has blood on it." She taunted, just as the Gronckles blasted the shield out of both their hands as they fell to the ground. 

"Ruffnut, Tuffnut, you're out!" Gobber yelled from the sidelines, as he watched everyone run around like chickens.

"Those shields are good for other things as well... noise. Make lots of it, throw off a dragon's aim." 

After Gobber provided them with the information, everyone began to bang their weapons on their shields, attempting to stun the Gronckle. 

"All dragons have a limited number of shots. How much does a Gronckle have?" Gobber shouts as he leans against the wall.

"Five?" Snotlout shouts while he runs around the arena. 

"No six!" Fishlegs yelled, waving his shield around in the air.

"Correct, six! That's a point for each of you!"

Fishlegs nodded excitedly right as the Gronckle spotted him, blasting his shield to pieces. Throwing his hand in the air he drops his weapon as he runs off. 

"Fishlegs Out! Hicca, get in there!"

"I am in here!" Hicca yelled back at Gobber as she stood in place trying to do anything to stay out of the Gronckles' way.

Snotlout, distracted, tried talking to Astrid before getting shot at and landing on the floor.

"Snotlout out!"

Eugene circled the Gronckle looking for an opening to strike, once it turned away from him he used the chance to jump onto its tail. As he held onto its tail the surprised dragon began trying to shake him off. Not letting the dragons throw him away he held on tightly and began climbing it.

Just as he's about to attack, it dive-bombed, crashing into the ground to get him off. Rolling away as they crash he ends up next to Hicca and Astrid.

"Show off." Hicca says as she huffs at him.

"It's not showing off if it works Hicca." Eugene said, grinning widely at her.

"But it didn't work, did it?"

"It di-, shut up Hicca." 

Hicca giggles before they turn their attention back to the dragon.

"So I guess it's just us three huh?" Hicca said, pointing to the three of them.

"Nope, just you two." Astrid runs off leaving Eugene and Hicca to face the rushing dragon. As the Gronckle fires at them, Eugene dodges out of the way, as Hicca lifts her shield barely protecting herself.

The blast hits Hicca's shield, knocking it off her arm as she begins to run and tries to reach the rolling shield. With the Gronckle hot on her tail, she was unable to grab the shield. Desperately trying to grab the shield it was already too late, the dragon, now directly in front of her, began charging a blast of molten lava.

"Hicca!" Shouting, Eugene began dashing towards the Grockle. Before it could fire off its blast Eugene used all his strength to bash it in the face with his shield, redirecting its head away from Hicca just as it fired. 

Gobber then grabbed it by its mouth with his hook hand, before tossing it back in its cage. Helping Hicca up, Eugene and the others all turn to Gobber. 

"You'll get another chance, don't worry. Remember dragons will always, always go for the kill." He told them, leaning toward Hicca. Gobber began to leave the arena, the other teens trailing behind, leaving Eugene and Hicca to their own devices. 

"You could've died of Hicca…" Eugene said with a solemn expression. 

"I know… but at least you were there to protect me right~?" She said, lightly punching Eugene's arm. 

"Yeah, yeah glad you're safe." He said, as he wrapped his arm around her head and gave her a noogie. 

Laughing, they make their way out of the arena before Hicca stops and ponders. 

"What is it?" Eugene asked, stopping as well, wondering what she was thinking.

"Well Gobber said that every dragon goes for the kill, so why didn't the Night Fury attack us?"

"Probably because it was injured and it was in no condition to fight at that moment."

"You may be right about that. Come on, let's go find it." Running off in the direction of the forest, giving Eugene no chance to reply. 

"Here we go again." He sighed, as he began racing after her.