23. Reptile Dysfunction

Gods, he’d missed the feeling.

The wind rushing in your ears, the air tousling your hair, the strange sensation of the ground not being planted firmly below your two feet. The feeling of being one with the Night Fury.

Hiccup loved flying.

And after a month of being grounded, due to his own procrastination mostly, it was time for he and Toothless to take their first flight in the Encanto.

It was the morning after he decided to stay. Ignacio welcomed him to permanently live in the forge with open arms, and possibly a few manly tears. Hiccup examined the bare guest room, which was now his room, with a grin. If he was going to be staying here, it could use a little decoration…

But that would have to wait. Toothless was getting antsy, hopping around and jittering with excitement. “Okay, okay! We’ll go flying! Don’t wreck my room, I just got it…” Chuckled Hiccup.

He took the enthusiastic dragon outside, trying to limit his chats with other villagers before Toothless lost his mind. They arrived at their destination, a nice, empty field. The skies were clear, nary a cloud could be seen.

Perfect weather for flying.

He began to prep the saddle while muttering to himself. “Alright…calibration’s good…wires are functional…” He had to stop as the dragon began wildly fidgeting in place. “You know, this would go a lot faster if you’d just calm down!” He scolded.

The Night Fury stilled his movement, peering at Hiccup with big, sad eyes. The boy sighed. “I’m sorry, bud. I know you’re excited, I am too!” Finally, Hiccup hopped onto the dragon’s back. He figured it was better not to keep him waiting.

Toothless crouched down, and spread his wings. Readying himself for takeoff.

With a beat of his mighty wings, they launched into the air…

And plummeted face-first to the ground.

After collecting themselves, Hiccup fiddled with the saddle’s mechanisms some more. Checking for a problem he may have missed. “No, everything’s running smoothly…” He and Toothless shared a determined nod. “Let’s try this again.”

And try again they did, only for the same thing to happen. They slammed into the dirt.

Hiccup scrunched his nose in confusion. Why wasn’t this working? “Maybe we’re just out of practice…”

They tried again, and again, and again. But for whatever reason, they just couldn’t get off the ground.

Toothless stood himself up, quite upset. He stomped the ground and roared with frustration.

Hiccup wasn’t feeling too great either. He looked out into the open sky, and scowled. “We should be up there…” He bitterly thought to himself.

A pair of rumbles interrupted their brooding.

Hiccup had been hoping to get a quick flight in before breakfast, but now…

“Come on, bud. Let’s get some food.” With one last angry snort, the disheartened dragon began to follow his disheartened rider. And the two sulked back into town.

As soon as they were done eating, however, Hiccup would get to the bottom of this…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hiccup slouched on the bench facing the mural, munching away on a banana. A very grumpy expression on his face. Toothless sat nearby, chewing on a small fish. Equally as grumpy.

The happy people of the Encanto hustled and bustled about on their business, smiles on every face that passed the bench. Making the sullen boy and dragon stand out even more.

As they sat and fumed over their predicament, the next pair of smiles to pass the bench were familiar to the boy.

It was Mirabel, flanked by her father.

Her face lit-up upon noticing her friends. “Hiccup! Toothless! Good…morning?” Her expression fell when she saw their disgruntled looks. “Is everything alright?”

With a groan, he described their flying failures. While he was explaining, Augustin caught up to them. The lean man stroked his chin in thought. “You know…it sounds to me like Toothless’ flight muscles have gotten weaker, because they haven’t been used for a while.”

The boy and his dragon stiffened at the revelation, before Toothless slowly turned to Hiccup with a withering glare. The scrawny teen shrunk under his gaze. “I-I guess a month of being grounded will do that to you, heh..” He tried not to look into the dragon’s eyes as he nervously chuckled.

Mirabel was filled with determination. “Well don’t worry, we’ll have him back in the air in no time! I didn’t make that tail-fin just for you not to use it!” She grew a faint smirk as a thought struck her. “In fact, I’ve already got an idea…”

Hiccup wasn’t sure whether to be excited or afraid.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Afraid. Hiccup was definitely afraid.

He was sitting on Toothless’ back, on the edge of a very high cliff overlooking a very low ravine. Behind him stood an eager Mirabel, and an unsure Luisa.

Hiccup turned back to the sisters. “So…what’s the plan again?” He asked, voice cracking.

Mirabel grinned, and pat her sister’s very large arm. “Luisa’s gonna throw you off that cliff, activating Toothless’ flight instincts. Like a baby bird!”

The Night Fury grumbled at being compared to a baby, as Hiccup didn’t look entirely convinced. “And you’re sure this is safe?”

“He’s got a point, sis…” Stated Luisa, petrified at the thought of hurting someone.

The bespectacled girl gave her friend a bemused look. “Hiccup, you have a flying reptile. You’ll be fine!”

Hiccup and Luisa shared wary glances with each other, but they both nodded and got into position.

Hiccup braced himself as Luisa hefted Toothless over her head. After a count of three, she tossed them over the cliff with a mighty throw.

They yelped and shrieked the entire way down.

The sisters peered over the cliff’s edge, waiting to see the triumphant moment when Toothless regained his flight.

…

It didn’t come.

“…We should get mom…” Mirabel muttered as Luisa stared, mortified at what she’d done.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After an arepa or two, Hiccup and Toothless felt as fine as ever.

But just because the physical scars are healed, doesn’t mean the mental scars ever go away…

Anyway, the trio were now at the farm. Pepa was usually here this time of day.

These days, Pepa’s emotion fueled weather was much more flexible. She could be in a good mood, with a rain cloud above her head. She could be angry with a ray of sunshine emanating from her. She allowed her feelings to flow freely.

Mirabel saw her at breakfast this morning. Despite her pleasant mood, wisps of strong winds flowed around her.

A hurricane was coming.

They found her sitting in an empty field, a whirlwind swirling wildly. She was finishing her crop watering duties the hurricane sprung to life, and she was now riding out the storm. She didn’t want to wreck the town.

Hiccup watched her sitting serenely in the midst of a cyclone, and felt a twinge of fear. He remembered why he called her the Weather Goddess…

“Okay!” Mirabel got his attention. “All you have to do is catch those winds, and glide your way to a full flight!”

Hiccup still wasn’t sold on this idea, but it beat being thrown off a cliff. He hopped onto Toothless, and they took wing.

Initially, things were pretty good. They used Pepa’s winds to achieve a steady glide, and just that little bit of airtime already had Hiccup’s heart pumping with excitement.

Things took a turn for the worse, when the winds increased in velocity. Suddenly, their pleasant glide turned into a fight for survival as they were whipped this way and that. Hiccup tried to keep Toothless stable, but it was no use.

The two were blown all the way across the field…

And crashed straight into the barn.

The bespectacled girl hurried her way over to the barn, worried about her companions.

Mirabel found them, toppled over in a pile of hay. Eyes spinning from the impact.

As she attended to her friends, the donkeys saw their chance and took it.

They galloped at full speed through the Night Fury sized hole, braying with glee, and enjoyed their rebellious freedom once more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hiccup was getting really tired of these schemes, but this next idea didn’t sound too dangerous. So he went with it.

The trio had found Antonio, surrounded by a gaggle of animals. As usual. Upon seeing his cousin and his friends, he hopped off his Jaguar and scampered over to them.

“Hola, Tonito!” Mirabel smiled warmly as she ruffled the child’s hair. Making him giggle. “Toothless is having a bit of a problem, think you can help us?” Once he knew his dragon friend needed his help, Antonio nodded with a steely determination.

“So, what’s the plan this time?” Hiccup asked, as they both watched the child head back to his pack.

“Maybe what Toothless needs is encouragement! I asked Antonio if one of his flying friends could give Toothless a little pep talk!” Hiccup thought that sounded rather silly, but he’d allow it. What’s the worst that could happen?

Antonio returned with a Toucan perched on his arm. Hiccup’s eyes flashed with recognition, it was the same Toucan that accompanied he and Mirabel in Bruno’s room.

“Hi, Toothless!” The child snickered as the dragon bounded towards his, nudging his belly. He then held out his arm, the one with the bird on it. “My friend wants to talk to you!”

The bird flapped off of Antonio’s arm and onto the ground. Toothless crouched down so he could look the bird in the eyes.

After a short staring contest, the Toucan got a very smug look. It waddled closer to Toothless’ face, leaned in close…and squawked.

Suddenly, the Night Fury shrieked with rage. And started chasing after the bird, clearly having violent intentions if he were to catch it.

“Wait, stop!” As the other frightened animals scattered, the child tried to chase after the warring creatures.

Hiccup and Mirabel could barely process what had happened. Clearly the Toucan did something to upset Toothless, but what?

“W-wait, what’d it tell him!?” Sputtered Hiccup.

Still running, Antonio called back. “It’s a word I’m not supposed to say!”

Still dumbfounded, the two teens scrambled to run after the child, the dragon, and the bird.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun was beginning to set, and Toothless still hadn’t flown.

The three sat in a field, the same one Hiccup brought his dragon too this morning. Toothless was lying on his belly, Hiccup was sitting on his back, and Mirabel was sitting a little to the side.

All three in poor spirits.

As the evening breeze rustled through the grass, Hiccup sighed.

“I’m sorry, bud…I shouldn’t have waited so long to fix you. Now you can’t even fly…” He placed his head in his hands. First he destroyed his tail, now he’d taken away his flight entirely. What more damage could Hiccup the Useless do?

Even when his dragon bellowed a forgiving croon, he still didn’t feel better.

He felt an hand on his shoulder. Surprised, he turned to see Mirabel sitting right behind him. He didn’t even hear her get on…

“Toothless will fly again. He just needs a little time.” She tried to offer a reassuring smile, but the boy was still disheartened.

As the two teens spoke, the dragon they were sitting on felt a change.

He looked out into the open sky. The wind was right, the skies were full of big fluffy clouds…

He felt it in his soul.

It was time to fly.

He suddenly stood, shocking his two passengers. He rolled his shoulders and crouched down.

“Uh…what are you doing, bud?” Asked a wary Hiccup as the dragon slowly spread his wings.

Hiccup only had a split second to plant his feet in the pedals and adjust the straps. “Hold on!” He frantically shouted to Mirabel, who complied. Grasping onto his midsection. And not a moment too soon.

Because half a second later, they were off.

Toothless rocketed into the sky at blistering speeds, leaving his two riders reeling from the force of the ascent.

“What are you trying to do, give us a heart attack!?” Shouted Hiccup as the dragon began a series of spins.

Toothless was doing loops and flips and dives, zipping up and down and all around, ecstatic to finally be back in the air.

His two friends didn’t share his enthusiasm, currently.

Mirabel was screaming the whole time. Her eyes were shut tight, and she was squeezing the life out of Hiccup. “Please! Please put me down!”

Upon hearing the girl’s frantic pleas, Toothless was jolted out of his flow state. He spread his wings, and drifted into an easy glide.

Hiccup sighed in relief, or at least tried to sigh while his stomach was being constricted. The dragon turned to face his passengers, and gave an apologetic croon.

“I-It’s alright, bud. I know you were just excited. Let’s just…” Hiccup looked back to Mirabel, who was trembling as her face was buried in his back. He sighed again, disappointed. She’d probably never enjoy flying now. “...Let’s just get her down.”

“Um…”

Just as they had begun to descend, Hiccup heard a voice from behind him. “We don’t have to go down, yet.”

He turned again to see Mirabel, but this time she wasn’t hiding. She was gazing at the sky around them in wonder.

They were sailing above a veritable sea of clouds. White fluff as far as the eye could see. The setting sun enveloping the sky in a golden glow.

Mirabel reached her hand up to touch a cloud, chuckling as her hand cut through the fluff. Leaving it slightly wet.

They descended through the clouds, and over the open sea. Gliding down close to the ocean, Toothless turned and skimmed a wingtip through the water. Mirabel gazed at her reflection in the sea, eyes sparkling, and laughed.

They flew back towards the land, and above the mountains. A flock of multicolored birds scattering as they soared past them.

Mirabel looked down upon the giants that protected her home, in awe at how little they looked from up here. She saw a speck of multiple colors, and knew it was her village.

She wondered if anyone could see them up here.

They flew even higher, through the clouds once more. Breaking through the cottony wisps and into a glorious sunset. Garnished with an incredibly large and vibrant rainbow, glittering in the sunlight.

Hiccup and Mirabel glanced at each other, and then to Toothless. They all knew what they had to do.

Picking up speed, Toothless shot towards the rainbow and flew straight through it. For a brief instance, the whole world was a kaleidoscope of colors. With a shimmer of multicolored light, they passed through the rainbow. The setting sun now turning the evening sky a cascade of purples and oranges.

With that as their grand finale, they made towards the mountains once more. Toothless weaved through exceptionally tall trees as they advanced on the village.

Mirabel reached over to pat the dragon’s head. “I knew he was amazing but…that was amazing!” She was smiling as brightly as the sun, a smile Hiccup returned with his own smirk.

Mirabel took one last look at their surroundings, the open sky, before they had to land. “It really is beautiful up here!”

Hiccup looked at her, the setting sun illuminating her features, the sparkle in her deep brown eyes. And that smile. “Yeah…beautiful…” He whispered.

He then paused, confused at his own self.

He knew he wasn’t thinking about the sky, just then.

So what was he thinking about?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All good things must come to an end, and soon they descended upon the village. Toothless landed right at Casita’s door, and Hiccup hopped off before helping Mirabel dismount as well. That long dress could make things tricky.

Hiccup took her hand. “That was uh…that was fun!”

She smiled at his awkward attempt at small talk, as her feet met the ground. “Yeah, it was! We’ll have to do it again sometime!”

Before Hiccup could respond, a small voice shouted at the group.

“NO WAY!”

Little Antonio marched over to them, disbelief evident in his eyes. He walked right up to Toothless.

“You flew her before me? But you promised!” The dragon averted his gaze from the small boy, and mumbled something. The child looked aghast. “What do you mean ‘It was a spur of the moment thing’?” For once, the mouthy dragon was out of things to say. He looked to Hiccup for help as his scolding continued.

Hiccup snickered. “I guess we could go again.” Antonio’s frustration evaporated, and was immediately replaced with excitement. He scrambled up Toothless back in an instant, as Hiccup took a seat behind him.

“Have fun, Tonito!” Mirabel called out, as Hiccup and Toothless took her little cousin into the skies.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few minutes later, they returned. Antonio cheering in delight.

What Hiccup didn’t expect to see was every other Madrigal grandchild waiting in front of the house.

“Me next!” “I wanna fly!” “I called dibs!” “Dibs don’t count, Camilo…”

The scrawny teen looked to Mirabel, who could only shrug in response. An awkward smile on her face.

Hiccup released a resigned sigh.

After tonight, Toothless was gonna wish he couldn’t fly.