Hello everyone! I'm on a roll with updates. I have not edited the past chapters or this chapter so if you find a mistake just let me know and I'll fix it. Spitelout is gonna be a OOC, just a heads up! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
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"Dad, I'm not going on the trip to find the dragon nest..." I stared at my dad, preparing myself for one of his outbursts. He stopped packing my things and turned to look at me. "WHAT, why, what are you going to do?! Is that what Stoick wanted to tell you!?" I winced and explained, "He wants me to stay behind with Gobber and train the kids." I looked up expecting to see a disappointed scowl but instead I was met with a defeated look he sat down on my bed, it creaked quietly under him, "son... I was looking forward to our first trip together and I know you've always wanted to explore the world and this would've been the first step to that dream but I can't do anything about the Chief's decision." He was surprisingly calm and very clearly upset.
I sat down next to him, my bed creaked once again from my added weight, "it's ok, dad, atleast I can keep an eye on Snotlout and make sure he doesn't get himself killed." That got a laugh from him, I soon joined in. My laugh and his echoed throughout the room. "Ok then, I'll get you something from the trip like I usually do." I smiled and nodded "that would be nice." 'Maybe a seashell or a dragon scale that I can add to my collection.'
He stood up and placed a hand on my head, "I'll be back." I let out a hum of agreement, "I know." I watched him as he exited my room. As soon as I could no longer hear his footsteps I stood up and checked under my pillow. A sigh of relief escaped my lips 'thank the gods he didn't find them'. in my hands I had twelve letters, all from the same person. Dagur the Deranged, son of Oswald the Agreeable and future chief of the berserkers. I held the letters close to my chest. I hadn't answered a single letter but Dagur continued to send them and I kept every single one. They started to arrive a few weeks after his last visit. I don't know why they started but I felt slightly bashful whenever a new one arrived, not that I'd ever let anyone know.
I heard the floor boards outside my door creak and quickly hid the letters under the pillow. "Hey Y/n~, you got any secret techniques I could use tomorrow to impress Astrid?" Snotlout looked at me with hope and his usual admiration. "No, you should focus on the training." He lazily walked towards my bed and sat down hands behind his head, completely relaxed. "Come on! You have all the girls in the village obsessed with you! You have to have a tip, help me out here." I looked down at him and remembered when he was just a wee babe that I carried in my arms. I sighed and patted his head gently. "Snotlout, listen to me, I want you to forget about girls and focus on becoming a strong warrior. Then and only then I will help you find a suitable partner." A small pout formed on his face. "Why can't I look for a partner while training to become a warrior?"
"Because, Training requires your utmost attention. And you need to be able to protect your family." Snotlout was still a boy with no life experience and as his brother it was my duty to make sure he learns. "Imagine training as your partner who demands attention." Snotlout nodded, "ok I will focus on training." I smiled at him as he made himself comfortable on my bed. It seemed that I will be a victim of the infamous cuddle attack for tonight.
He cuddled into me as he fell asleep. I wished I could live like this forever but I knew it would be impossible. We would grow and change. I feared this.
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"Welcome to Dragon Training!" I stood next to Gobber. I made sure not to show how nervous I was. I, Y/n the Bloodthirsty, slayer of dragons, feared warrior of Berk was very much nervous of failing to teach this kids.
They talked to themselves as they entered the arena. Astrid seemed to be both nervous and in a state of awe. "No turning back." I saw myself in her, she acted exactly how I acted when I first stepped into the arena. "hope I get some serious burns!" Tuffnut Said "I'm hoping for some mauling, like on my shoulder or lower back." His sister added. "Yeah, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it." These kids were very stupid, they were glamourising a trophy that could both represent failure or weakness. Failure, because you failed to defend yourself from the enemy and weakness because you allowed the enemy to strike and cause you harm. I suppose it could also show victory, that you survived a challenge.
Awkward Hiccup tried to join in, "Yeah, no kidding, right? Pain. Love it." However his sarcastic input was received with a "Oh, great. Who let him in?" From Tuffnut.
Gobber ignored their meaningless banter, "Let's get started! The recruit who does best will win the honor of killing his first dragon in front of the entire village." 'Or hers' Snotlout decided it would be a great time to mock the poor kid. "Hiccup already killed a Night Fury, so, does that disqualify him or...?" Ruffnut attempted to muffle her laughter before cackling outloud with Tuffnut. The teens walked away giggling.
"Can I transfer to the class with the cool Vikings?"
I decided to speak up. "There should be no coldness between you, warriors become family on the battlefield, you bleed together, you fight together, you eat together. If you want to become fighters of Berk you need to change your attitude." Snotlout looked at me tired, he had heard this spiel a thousand times. Hiccup seemed grateful. Astrid and Fishlegs seemed to understand. While the twins just ignored me. I walked ahead towards the other teens giving Hiccup a small nudge. Gobber however stayed back with Hiccup "Don't worry. You're small and you're weak. That'll make you less of a target! They'll see you as sick or insane and go after the more Viking-like teens instead." Gobber's motivation needed some work. He pushed Hiccup in-line with the others.
I began the lesson when Gobber joined me. "Behind these doors are just a few of the many species you will learn to fight! The Deadly Nadder!"
"Speed: eight; Armor: sixteen."
Gobber continued "The Hideous Zippleback!"
"Plus eleven stealth times two."
"The Monstrous Nightmare!"
"Firepower: fifteen."
Fishlegs input was starting to both annoy me and impress me.
"The Terrible Terror!" I personally adored this dragon, it was a small but mighty dragon.
"Attack: eight; Venom: twelve!" Gobber snapped back. "CAN YOU STOP THAT?! And..." He walked towards the gate of the next dragon a- "Gronkle" Snotlout started to panic "Whoa, whoa, wait! Aren't you gonna teach us first?!". Gobber simply responded with "I believe in learning on the job." He opened the gate and almost immediately it shot out and started to eat the pile of rocks I had placed in the dome earlier today.
"Today is about survival. If you get blasted you're dead! Quick! What's the first thing you're going to need?" The kids scrambled to escape the blast of the gronkle. "A doctor?!" Poor Hiccup, there's never a doctor. "Plus five speed?!" Fishlegs was to enrapped in his dragon trading cards. "A shield!" Good Atrid, next time answer faster. "Shields! Go! Your most important piece of equipment is your shield! If you must make a choice between a sword or a shield, take the shield!" Gobber responded. What followed next could only be described a chaotic mess.
The kids rushed to get shields. The twins started to fight over a shield with two skulls and flames painted on it. Tuffnut tried convincing his sister into taking one with flowers. Ruffnut got fed-up and hit her brother over the head with the shield. "Oops, now this one has blood on it." She handed the shield back to Tuffnut. The gronkle took advantage of this and shot at them. "Tuffnut, Ruffnut, you're out!" I yelled. The twins seemed dazed for a moment. "What?"
Hiccup couldn't even pick up his shield, he was too weak. 'Maybe we should do physical training to increase strength and speed?' Gobber pushed the shield into his hands
"Those shields are good for another thing: noise! Make lots of it to throw off a dragon's aim!" Gobber yelled. They started banging their weapons against their shields, confusing the gronkle. "All dragons have a limited number of shots. How many does a Gronckle have?" I questioned. Snotlout answered incorrectly and was quickly corrected by Fishlegs, "No, six!" Gobber confirmed Fishlegs' statement, "Correct, six! That's one for each of you!" Fishlegs got shot at by the gronkle and ran around screaming. Gobber yelled making sure to be heard over all the chaos "Fishlegs, out."
I spotted Hiccup hiding behind a wooden plank. "Hiccup, stop hiding! In a real fight you need to fight not stay hidden! Especially when your allies are fighting!"
I continued to observe the remaining teens. Disappointed in Snotlout when I overheard his conversation with Astrid "So, anyway I'm moving into my parents' basement. You should come by sometime to work out. You look like you work out!" His attempted flattery ended up with him getting shot at by the gronkle. "Snotlout, you're out!" 'Old habits die hard.'
"So, I guess it's just you and me, huh?"
"Nope, just you." Astrid left Hiccup to get shot at. Luckily the Gronkle missed but Hiccup lost his shield. It rolled around with Hiccup chasing after it and the Gronkle chasing after Hiccup. 'This isn't going to be good.'
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One shot left!" Gobber announced before panicking "Hiccup!" The gronkle had Hiccup cornered and was preparing to shoot at him. I started to run but Gobber beat me to it and hooked the gronkle and caused it to misfire. "And that's six! Go back to bed, ya overgrown sausage! You'll get another chance, don't you worry." He spun the gronkle before tossing it back into its cage.
"Remember: a dragon will always -- always -- go for the kill."
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I was back where the nightfury was once captured. I weighed the bola in my hands, my mind wondering back to my interaction with the creature.
"So why didn't you?"