Freedom in its Richest Form

Good Ole' Gobber(8)

(Gobber's POV)

Alrighty! The sun is shining, the air's still chilly, perfect day to start training the next generation of dragon-killing Vikings. I still can't believe I convinced Stoick to let Hiccup participate. 'Bout time, too.

Sure, it's a while before training starts, but I've always liked mornings, contrary to most of the other Vikings. Hiccup does, too. Actually, now that I think of it, I haven't seen him at all today. I should probably make sure his dad didn't scare him too bad yesterday.

Once I reach his house, I walk in as I usually do and stroll up to his room. Sure enough, a light snore passes through the door. What musta happened yesterday to leave the lad so exhausted? Eh, better late then never.

Without a second thought, I slam his door open, shouting, "Wake up, Hiccup! Up an' at 'em. Dragon trainin' starts today an' you've been sleepin' for a while, la-."

A form tumbles off the bed with a rather unmanly yelp, hopelessly tangled in bedsheets at my sudden intrusion. However, when he finally manages to free his head, I stop cold.

That can not be Hiccup. Sure, his face is shaped like the lad's, but the scales and the ears and the eyes and the hair - it's too much. He's looking at me with these acid green eyes that are clouded with sleep and lingering surprise.

After a tense moment (for me, at least), he opens his mouth to speak. Odin, those teeth are sharp. "'Morning, Gobber. How long have I been out? Is it morning already?" he says, like all this is the most normal thing in the world.

Then he moves to get up, looking down as he does so, and freezes, still in a half-crouch. He looks up at me with fear-filled eyes, eyes of the Vikings' greatest enemy, eyes that shouldn't hold so much emotion.

"Gobber, I, l-look, I-I-I can expla-"

"HYAAAA!" I charge, hook hand raised. "I'ma catch you, ya demon, and you're gonna tell me whatcha did with Hiccup!"

He yelps again and starts running away as much as he can in the confined room. "Gobber, I am Hiccup! Please, can we just talk this out? No more running?"

"And let ya get away? Hoho, I think not, demon!"

"Oh, come on! I work with you at the smithy, and one time, when I first started, you were showing me how to inspect a sword, and when you handed it to me, I dropped it and took off your little toe on your good foot, and ever since then, you tell everyone that you got mauled by a hoard of terrible terrors so Dad wouldn't make me quit!" he rushes, and I gradually slow to a stop.

Sometime during the chase, he grew wings and is now desperately clinging to a low rafter. "Hiccup? ...I never told that story to anyone, and I know for a fact that you haven't either," I inquire tentatively, garnering a sigh of utter relief as he drops down onto his bed and smiles timidly.

"Yeah, it's me. Crazy, huh."

"H-how did this happen? How has yer father not killed ya!?" I ask, walking around his bed.

Well, it's a long story which I can tell you later, and my dad didn't find out because I can do this," He asks, and flames burst out around him, scaring me beyond belief, and vanish just as quickly, leaving a rather normal-looking Hiccup. "It's not very comfortable, though, which is why I didn't sleep like this."

"Odin, yer teeth are still sharp," I say, still a bit dazed.

"Yeah, I know. Don't know why, though. I'm just gonna pretend nothing's wrong and no one'll notice them ...as long as I don't smile too much," he responds, and I finally remember why I came in the first place.

"Odin's beard! We've gotta get to the arena. Come on, get ready, lad! Crazy dragon boy or not, Stoick'll have both our heads if ya don't go through with it," I start, dragging him out of the bed. "And tell me that story on the way!"

* * * * * * *

(Hiccup's POV)

"So lemme get this straight," Gobber starts once we're nearly to the arena. "Ya actually shot down that Night Fury, you found it, you got dragon blood on ya, and now you can talk to 'em, ya look like 'em, and ya breathe fire like 'em. And the most feared dragon in the Archipelago's name is Toothless?"

I nod, "Yep, that just about sums it up. Although technically, I don't really breathe fire. It's more of a dexterous manipulation," I say, lighting a hand up in flame.

"Well why didn't ya just start with that, Lad?" I blink, looking at Gobber. "Woulda saved a lot of confusion."

"I-I guess. You know, I really didn't think you'd be taking this in so easily," I say, a little put off.

"Oy, Lad, somethin' ya gotta realize. I've seen my limbs bitten off by dragons. Nothin' really surprises me now," he says, looking slightly prideful. I raise an eyebrow in suspicion but say nothing.

"Alright," he starts once again once we reach the arena. "We're actually still pretty early, so you go do whatever ya want while I set up the arena. Oh, and Hiccup?"

I turn back to him from my motion to leave. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry about the dragon trainin' thing. Jus'...try ta get through it...for yer father." I give him a small, sad smile accompanied by a weak nod before continuing to a rather elevated spot away from the arena, yet still close enough to hear and see everything.

Well... maybe for me... not so much for a normal person.

I sit in the shadows with my scales out and sketchbook in my lap for a good while before the other teens of the village start to file into the arena.

Deciding my time spent doodling is over, I retract my draconian features and maneuver down the hillside, still concealed by the rocks and limited foliage until I reach the gates and stand behind my 'peers', stowing my book and pencil.

I walk up just as Astrid says, "Yeah, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it."

I scoff silently, recalling the brief, unusual conversation leading up to it, detailing each of their personal desires for pain only for the heck of it.

"I know, right? Pain, love it," I say dryly.

Yay! Another chapter up. Reviews always appreciated.

~Dj Z3nyth