They could hear the creatures' guttural and feral groans and growls as they continued to stalk them. A riot of colours erupted all around them, ranging from red to green, as the creatures revealed themselves. They had features that no one could describe, no one had ever seen these creatures before, with flat bodies, four stumpy legs, a triangular-shaped head with two beady protruding eyes filled with animalistic intent, tendrils coming out from the side, the tendrils looking like leaves flowing in the breeze, the sharp and narrow wings that were beginning to open now.
The wind howled, strong, and the sky above was grey and solemn. The branches shook with reckless abandon as if a storm was brewing over them. They had to find shelter and survive a dragon attack now.
"uh, what is that?" Mera was the first to speak, and for the first time in her life, she was willing to listen to anyone, looking to Shun for answers.
"Ah, those are Changewings." Shun spoke, his voice frail and soft, his knees trembling in response to the sight. Aren approached him on his heels, a serious look in his eyes.
"You know about these things!" he exclaimed, clearly surprised and terrified.
Shun quickly nodded, "Um, it's from the book..."
Aren's eyes widened, his body stiffened, and his mouth clenched as he refocused his attention on the Changewing. When he noticed Nendou approaching without a care in the world, he jumped into action, calling out frustrated, "Nendou, get out of there!"
Nendou didn't have time to react because the Changewing mistook what he was doing for a threat. The Changewing swooped down from above, racing along the air draught while releasing a stream of glowing green substance. Hairo was the one who dragged Nendou out of the way right away.
"Mera, get out of the way!" Teruhashi exclaimed. The girl with the maroon hair jumped out of the way, hiding behind a couple of logs. The green fire of the Changewing ripped apart and melted a couple of boulders in a matter of seconds.
"It...shoots acid?" Hairo yelled.
When more guttural noises came from above, everyone looked up to see the herd of Changewings.
"Run!" Shun stated. Everyone began to flee in the opposite direction, but the changewings were relentless; it filled everyone with dread as the creatures vanished, leaving only a few seconds to assess where they were.
"Shun, you said you know about these things, right?" Aren yelled as he ran, dragging Shun behind him due to Shun's slowness. Shun nodded and responded with bated breath.
"Yes, but why?"
"Aside from the invisibility and acid, does this thing have any weaknesses?" Aren inquired.
Shun nodded, thinking quickly. "I read somewhere that if they don't have anything to hide against, they won't have an advantage."
Aren rolled his eyes as he noticed how dense the forest was, with trees, rocks, and logs for these dragons to hide behind. "Well, that's not an option." When he heard a crash to his left, he acted quickly, pushing Shun out of the way as another Changewing swooped down, vicious and relentless, he managed to roll out of the way as he regained his footing. He gritted his teeth, trying to find a way to keep everyone safe. His senses were all over the place, his body shook, and he couldn't let on that he was panicking. He looked around and noticed Kusuo searching for something; this had to be the first time Kusuo appeared panicked and unprepared.
Kusuo tricked one of the Changewings into colliding with each other, causing the dragons to become feral. That was all he could do; he noticed how flat their bodies were, which could put them at a disadvantage in terms of agility. He wished he had his psychic abilities so he could have the upper hand. He tried desperately to activate them, even though he appeared overly stressed from the relentless attack. He wondered if he had always been so reliant on his abilities, the control they gave him in situations like this where it was difficult to think of a solution.
He'd stick to his word, he would only rely on himself.
He despised this, despised the feeling of being powerless, despised the fact that everyone was running scared and frantic. He shook his head, whatever, they don't matter, I'm fine. I know how to get us out of this mess.
Kusuo tripped over a log because he wasn't paying attention to where he was going. He landed hard on the ground, leaving blisters on his hands and face. He quickly recovered from the pain and looked up, watching as three Changewings stalked towards him from the trees.
Three of them were hit by sharp rocks at that point. "Hey!" Kokomi yelled over everyone, making everyone flinch at her rage. "Turn around, you overgrown chameleons!"
Kokomi's sudden act of recklessness caught Kusuo off guard. The changewings focused their attention on the blue-haired girl, who was taking shaky breaths but attempting to remain calm. She had dirt and muck on her face as if she had been injured during the attack. That's when the changewings started chasing her.
Kokomi bolted, jumping from log to log as she raced through the forest, deflecting the changewings attack onto nearby trees and boulders rather than her friends. She ran quickly, desperately trying to maintain her stamina, but it was clear she was giving in to fear. That's when everything came to a halt.
Everyone stood on a cliff overlooking the raging sea below, with waves crashing against the sharp rocks protruding from the sea like teeth ready to snare any victims who jumped down. The wind was strong, almost pushing everyone to the edge, and the dark and gloomy clouds were rolling in quickly. Kusuo felt a wave of dread wash over him, and for the first time in aeons, he had no idea what to do. He lacked the ability to help them get out of this situation, so he couldn't get everyone back home safely. The thought made him pale, his eyes narrowing as the beasts approached.
He watched as Aren stood in front of everyone, shielding them with his arm, looking for any kind of weapon that could help them. His palms balled into fists as he felt his body shake, not with anger, but with something deeper and more overwhelming. He had been in many dangerous situations as a delinquent, being bruised, bloodied, and shot down, but he would always look danger in the eyes. So what made this so unique?
He felt his heart thump with dread as he looked at Shun's face. He was now frantic, searching everywhere for any weakness or weapon. Kuboyasu I understand your fear; there's nothing wrong with that, Kusuo reasoned. He shook his head, attempting to shake the sensation of comforting the boy. Kusuo didn't need psychic abilities to figure that out. Everyone was panicking; the strong friend's fear made everyone else fearful, and everyone could sense the panic as they recoiled.
The dragons let out a horrifying roar as they all began to pounce, like a stalking big cat, going in for the kill. Everyone braced for impact, Kusuo realised he was now in front of everyone, managing to push Aren out of the way just in case, he didn't even think of doing that. Until, there was another roar from above, but it was different from the changewing's shrill roars. It was like a mangled squawk from above. Kusuo opened one of his eyes to see a golden ray of fire rain from above. He watched as a strike of blue swooped by, and he finally took a look at what it was.
It was a different dragon this time, a bipedal wyvern with a vibrant blue body like a blue jay, with yellow spots like a pattern on a spotted salamander, it had a crown of yellow spikes on its head, the tail was long and thin, with a repeated pattern of blue and yellow decorated with sharp quills like a porcupine. It wasn't the only strange thing, there was also a person on its back, it appeared to be a woman with braided blonde hair, a blue top, and a spiked leather skirt. The woman shouted, threateningly, "Stay back!"
Accompanying her, was another dragon, one that had a sleek and slender build, one built for agility and speed, its body was a saturated dark blue, giving away the bright green eyes that were like a cat's. Its tail was different from the rest of its body, it had two tail fins at the base of the tail and trailing down were two mismatched tail fins, one was the same colour as the dragon's body where as the other fin was bright red and looked artificial. The rider of the dragon had messy auburn hair, was wearing a dark maroon outfit and had a metal left leg.
The dark dragon let out a roar before the rider directed the dragon to scare off the changewings with a bright and corrosive purple blast. The changewing's scattered into the forest, fleeing back from where they came from.
The two strangers landed their dragons near the group and approached carefully. The attractive Smokey-haired fellow speaks up. "Are you all okay?" He asked his voice quite nasally. Everyone nodded, even though it was clear everyone was still shaken up.
"You have to be careful in these forests, you must've entered a Changewing nesting ground." He analysed the group, noticing how odd they all looked. "My name's Hiccup, who might you all be? I haven't seen people like you before." He gestured to the group. "You're not Vikings are you."
"Bahaha, Hiccup? What kind of name is that?" Nendou laughed loudly like it was the best joke ever, "Are you also a runt like him?" He pointed to Shun, who immediately shouted sternly.
"Nendou! You can't just say stuff like that." He yelled, his eyes narrowing with disbelief. Shun turned to Hiccup, "Sorry about him, he can't keep his mouth shut for the life of him."
Hiccup slumped his shoulders, shaking his head. "No, it's okay. I get that a lot." The one-legged Viking reassured.
Aren suddenly spoke up, surprised. "Wait! We timed travelled to the Viking era!" He addressed his friends, raising his voice more loudly. "We have no way back either."
Kusuo tensed up just like Aren, shaking his head frantically. No, no, no, his mind began to spiral, how did I time travel to the Viking era?
Hiccup tilted his head, his voice laced with surprise. "Time travel, what in the name of Thor are you talking about?" His hands gestured as he exclaimed with shock.
"There was an earthquake the last time we were in our time." Kusuo spoke up, hiding his fear, "Some...supernatural events caused us to appear here. We don't belong here."
The stunning, sparky blonde woman, narrowed her eyes with serious intent, ready to protect, "So, you...just...appeared out of nowhere?" Her voice was firm and surprised. Her body language was closed off as she placed her hands on her hips sternly. "So, are you all friends or foes, how can we trust you?"
"Come on, Astrid." Hiccup muttered, placing a hand on her shoulder to keep her calm.
Kusuo reluctantly rose his hand out, "We're friendly, and I...don't know how to explain what happened, it just happened. We appeared in that forest."
"Oh...well I-" Hiccup was about to speak up again, until the creature with midnight skin pounced towards the strangers, carefully observing them. Shun's breath hitched, looking at the magnificent creature, in his heart he knew dragons were real but desperately held onto that belief, but now it became a reality. His fantasies weren't childish anymore, they were real, a sign that he was right. Now it was Kusuo's turn to be scared instead, feeling his knees go weak in front of an actual dragon, his survival instincts were telling him to protect everyone just in case.
He looked over at the blue creature that approached Kokomi, Mera and Chiyo, watching how they stood in awe as the creature sniffed them out, detecting any hostility. The dragon squawked playfully, nudging Chiyo's arm with curiosity.
With that knowledge everyone was safe and no harm would come to them, his shoulders dropped, letting out a breath of relief.
"Our dragons seem to trust them." Hiccup murmurs to Astrid, who nods in agreement. Then Astrid looks at everyone, her eyes narrowed still.
"Well, I suppose we should show them around, huh?" She suggested. Hiccup nodded and spoke up.
"Okay guys, follow us, we're gonna get you settled in and then we can decide what to do next, alright?" Everyone appeared to agree. After a round of introductions, everyone was well-equipped with Astrid and Hiccup.
Hiccup and Astrid carefully led everyone out of the forest, to the bridge that connects the forest and village. The sky is still dark, with clouds that appear to be threatening, but everyone appears to be flourishing despite the weather. Dragons are flying through the clouds, casting shadows as they go. The Vikings appear to be going about their daily lives; thus far, the community appears to be peaceful and accepting. Nonetheless, it was clear that Kusuo and his ilk were not invited. This is a small village, and visitors, especially one as unusual as them, are a sight to behold. While they all stare at them, they can hear whispers and a few laughs here and there. They're clearly out of place here, and they have the appearance of someone weak and afraid.
Kokomi hunches her shoulders, gazing out at the village Astrid and Hiccup call home, but her stomach sinks as she realises this isn't her home. She realised how her future and dreams had crumbled now that she was in a world of Vikings and Dragons. She had the sensation of falling from the sky, but not as an angel, but as a disaster. She thought she had her future figured out; she knew what she needed to do to get there; she wanted to be perfect and a fashion designer. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, but she kept going, she rose above everyone at PK...and now she's being dragged back down.
She felt as if she had lost everything...as if she had failed herself.
"Are you okay, Kokomi?" The perfect, pretty girl flinched as Astrid asked, it was sudden and out of the blue.
Kokomi put a big smile on her face, showing some enthusiasm. "Of course, I am." She shrugged.
Astrid raised an eyebrow, sighing as she observed Kokomi's quick body language, and turned to face her directly. "Are you sure?" She appeared open to listening, but it was clear she was still closed off and professional.
Kokomi sighed and trailed behind the others as she expressed her concerns about the confrontation. "I...I just thought I had everything planned out for me, that I knew exactly what I needed to do to accomplish whatever I had in mind. I thought I was great at overcoming obstacles, but now I feel like I'm back at square one." Her shoulders sagged, her body tense from her impatience in achieving her goals. "I'm not sure what to do next, and I'm not sure if we'll be able to get back home. I feel; like I couldn't do anything right now."
Astrid sighed and shook her head. "Don't start saying things like that, you had no idea this would happen." "It's probably not gonna be like this forever," she continued, "and when you finally get back home, you'll keep moving forwards." Her words were honest, and she appeared assertive as if she knew what it was like to fail. Kokomi was comforted by her words.
"I suppose you're right...but what if we can't find a way back home?" Kokomi says softly. "It's not just my future," she said, looking straight ahead at her friends, wanting them to look up to her and be inspired to pursue their dreams. "We'll have to wait now." She shook her head slightly. "What happens then?"
"Who knows," shrugged Astrid. That is why we can only have faith. As long as you have each other, everything should be fine." She locked her gaze on Kokomi. "What is your plan for the future?"
Kokomi looked at her with the same assurance. "To be a fashion designer...one of the best." Her body was open and expressive, and her smile was assured, but her words were not. Astrid nodded but decided not to bother him any further.
Everything was going swimmingly until Hiccup showed everyone around...
"Hiccup!" A short and stumpy male with charcoal hair let out a high-pitched scream from above. The youngster jumped off a dark crimson dragon and raced to Hiccup. "Those twins are driving me insane! They attempted to replace Hookfang's food with electric eels!" By the second, he was enraged and frustrated. "I got scorched when I wasn't even the one who put them there!" The Monstrous Nightmare scowled before setting fire to Snotlout's backside. "HOOKFANG!"
Kusuo looked at the boy with disbelief, how can someone like that be a dragon rider, especially when your dragon loves torturing you?
"Hey, no one likes a snitch." Another young man with long blond hair and a long chin scowled, he hopped down off the perch of a two-headed dragon. "Anyway, who are those guys?" He indicated Kusuo's group, strutting towards them. He had a chicken in his hands too.
Hiccup explained, "They kinda appeared out of nowhere."
A Viking who resembled the previous one remarked sarcastically, hopping down from the right perch of the two-headed dragon. "Oh, that's a likely story. Nobody appears out of nowhere." She sounded a little more feminine, with long blonde hair and a pointy chin. Her helmet was also different from her brother's.
The two Vikings, who appeared to be twins, began to think and speak to one another. "Unless, of course, there's some supernatural force at work." Something was muttered by the boy twin. "Haha! Superpowers are, of course, the only logical explanation."
"I don't know." The boy scoffs, "Chicken doesn't like them, it seems." He narrows his eyes, "And the chicken is never wrong."
What on Earth are they on about? Kusuo gave them an annoyed look. He noticed how Nendou eyed the chicken. You might want to keep Chicken safe, especially from him.
Everyone shook their heads as they looked at the twins. Kusuo was relieved that no one had picked up on his suspicion, but those two seemed to come up with topics that no one believed in, which was a huge relief for Kusuo.
"That's completely ridiculous." "But I have to agree, I don't trust them," the stumpy and short Viking spat, now sceptical. "They appear strange...what are you guys wearing?" He dilated his pupils.
"To be fair, you guys look just as weird," Chiyo remarked dryly. She didn't say much more after that because the Vikings were staring at her. "It was just an observation."
"Anyway, those are the twin, Ruffnut and Tuffnut," Hiccup explained to Kusuo, "just don't pay attention to them." Then he pointed to the shorter Viking and said, "And that's Snotlout."
A Viking with an overweight build looked over at them, seemingly peaceful in his demeanour. "Yeah, don't pay any attention, nice to meet you all. I'm Fishlegs." The pudgy boy was introduced.
Kusuo's friends introduced themselves one by one, talking about their hobbies and interests; it appeared that these guys got along well. Kusuo was still upset about the conversation he had overheard, in which Kokomi was discussing how their futures had vanished. It was only three days until everyone graduated, and all of his friends had already seen too much of school due to the time loop. Even though he lacked any supernatural abilities, he didn't want to make his friend go through the years again when they were so close to growing up and moving on.
And he was as well.
"What's up, Kusuo? "Are you okay, you look a little pale?" Tuffnut observes casually.
Kusuo shakes his head, quickly making an excuse. "Sorry, it's just that the whole environment is messing with me." He explains, his poker face flawless. His gaze darts around as he concocts another lie. "It's just that we don't experience this much...excitement in our world, which makes it difficult for me to process."
"How come no one goes outside?" But the real fun is out in the wild." Astrid shakes her head in dissatisfaction.
"Of course, there's excitement in our world," Hairo speaks up, catching everyone off guard with his boisterous personality. "Each day is a new adventure." After all, how can you say there's no excitement when there's always something to do outside?" He made a fist in the air, his body full of high energy and pride, his eyes sparkling with determination, as if the heat could start a fire. "All of our previous adventures should not have gone to waste, Saiki."
Kusuo stares at Hairo, attempting to get him to speak up.
"Remember when our ship was wrecked?" That was an adventure in a half." Mera raises her voice.
"Wow, you were shipwrecked." Ruffnut approaches in awe, exclaiming. "Did you call it home?" How long were you trapped there? Did you lose your mind?"
Mera nods her head sheepishly. "I was the insane one, I managed to go feral in the first couple of days, I was just trying to provide us with food...but I went crazy." She admits with a chuckle, "I was just trying to provide for everyone in my way."
Aren gives her an odd look. "It was difficult, but we eventually got off the island. We would have stayed there forever if it hadn't been for Mera's assistance." He gives her a reassuring smile, no longer harbouring the resentment he felt at the time.
"Wow, that's cool! We also have our island, Dragon Edge, which has been our home for a few months now. Say, maybe you guys could visit sometime," Fishlegs explains.
Everyone thinks about the offer but says nothing. "So, you must be the leader?" Snotlout remarks while pointing at Aren. The violet-haired boy is at a loss for words, looking at Kusuo for a moment, "Um, but he's the leader..."
Kusuo rapidly shakes his head. Please do not make me the leader; I do not want to be the leader.
"Ah...for the time being, I guess." Aren steps into the role, nodding.
Everyone was mingling well by this point, and even Kusuo's group was warming up to the existence of dragons. Shun was intrigued but told everyone how he'd read about dragons and how everyone thought he was crazy, while also sprinkling some information about the 'dark reunion,' which mostly piqued the twins' interest, while Nendou pestered Barf & Belch. Aren and Kokomi seemed to get along best with Astrid and Stormfly, discussing weapons, perfection, and fighting. Mera and Yumehara were telling Fishlegs and Meatlug about where they came from, which piqued his interest. That left Hiccup and Kusuo to mingle, and it appeared as if Kusuo found some solace in the fact that he assumed Hiccup was the most normal of the group--aside from the metal leg.
Kusuo was intrigued by the Night Fury's presence, with its midnight features, pale green eyes, and expressive flaps on its head. Kusuo didn't like dogs or cats because his psychic abilities allowed him to see the flesh and bones of animals, but now he could see Toothless in all his glory. He had to admit that, for a dragon, he was quite adorable and full of personality.
"Hey, I see you're a little uneasy with all of this; you've had a rough day." Hiccup speaks in a calm and orderly manner. "How about we go back to my house, it might be best to talk about this behind closed doors." He makes an offer.
Everyone loses their place in the crowd and shuffles their way to Hiccup's hut. Hiccup opens the door, and the aroma of pine and spice fills everyone's senses as they enter. Kusuo looks around with interest, admiring the yak skin-layered wooden furniture, old-fashioned stoves, and flags strewn across the wall.
Hiccup ushers everyone in, and a man sitting in a chair looks over sternly at everyone. "Dad, I'd like to introduce you to our newest Berkians." He motions to Kusuo and the others. "This is my father, as well as the chief."
Kusuo was immediately nervous; he knew chieftains were known to be ruthless, stern, and terrifying; if his group said anything out of pocket, they would be killed.
The Chief looks at them with a stern expression. As he speaks, he nods and smiles. He is a kind and imposing man, standing tall and wide with a large red beard and deep green eyes.
"Well, then, welcome to Berk." He nods and looks at them. "So, what brings ye all to this village, huh?"
As everyone takes their seats around the table, Astrid makes sure to make everyone feel at ease by offering everyone a drink. So Kusuo's group continues to describe where they are from, how they arrived here, and what their lives were like before they arrived. Needless to say, being behind closed doors with a chief who knows what he's doing is a pleasant experience. Everyone started explaining the future, how people drove cars and flew in planes, how you didn't have to fight for food, how everything was controlled by a government, and how everyone went to school or worked nine-to-five jobs.
Kusuo tells them about the accident as best he can without blaming himself for having psychic powers after they have done their best to answer any questions. The school was hit by an earthquake, and the next thing he knew, he was transported back in time 1000 years.
"In short, I have no idea how or why we ended up here. We're as perplexed as you are." As he gripped the mug, his brow furrowed in perplexity.
"And if word gets around about how you all appeared out of nowhere, you could be a target." Snotlout Snickers.
Kusuo agrees with a shrug.
"Interesting," Hiccup mutters, his hand in his palm, his eyes wide with curiosity. "As a result, there is less danger and excitement." So there will be no dragons in the future." His voice has a slight emotional punch to it, and he looks like Toothless as he considers that idea. "I don't know, I don't think I could imagine a world without Toothless, you know?"
Shun shakes his head, then speaks up. "Well, everyone thinks they're myths." He sighs. "I was reading this book about dragons, but it has no author; it's just translated Norse scripts."
Hiccup tilts his head at that statement.
"I mean, life's only fun when you get a scar out of it," Aren adds dryly. Astrid smirks and nods in agreement.
"I still can't believe this is happening," Chiyo mumbles under her breath, still struggling to comprehend. "How are we going to get home?" She worries as it dawns on her. Even though Kusuo no longer possesses psychic abilities, he could sense what everyone was thinking.
"We'll do everything we can to help." Hiccup explains, scooting in his chair with a sharp screech and tapping his thumb on his bottom lip. "If you got here, there's a way for you to get out." But it may be difficult because we won't always be here. After all, we now live on the Edge."
"In the meantime, get some appropriate clothing. You'll die of cold here." Fishlegs exclaims, motioning to the non-Vikings' light green zip-up uniform, sneakers, and pants/skirts.
Astrid says, slightly laughing. "Hey, aren't you a seamstress?" She inquires of Kokomi, "I'm sure you can make something for yourself if we give you some materials."
"Hey, I'm great at sewing too, don't forget about me!" scoffs Snotlout.
Everyone laughs lightly as if they'll get along with each other.
The day had almost finished by the time they realised it. The Vikings in this village appear to be extremely compassionate and welcoming, but some see them as a bad omen. Everyone had new clothes that helped them fit in better, thanks to the assistance of Kokomi and Snotlout, a surprising duo to say the least. Snotlout appeared to be a more toned-down version of Toritsuka, and while he was still attracted to Kokomi (which isn't surprising even here), he was pretty nice and understanding- (occasionally pushing the boundaries, but he wasn't a perv at all).
Kusuo changed into thick clothing and had never felt more at ease in his life. When he gets home, he may need to find a yak-skin store as soon as possible. Everyone's new outfits reflected their personalities in some way, such as Shun, who dressed like a fantasy character in a tight murky brown vest with a hood. And everyone else dressed to look like they belonged in the village, some more exotic and standoffish.
Until now, everyone had been given a spare hut until they could find a way back home, with the boys sharing a separate hut from the girls. If a group of seven people shared a small hut, it might be too crowded.
Kusuo and the boys arrive at the spare hut, which is a sturdy wooden structure with large windows and a chimney.
Kusuo's nose is filled with the warm scent of pine and spice, and the light from the torches and braziers fills the room with a warm glow. It's cosy, with worn carpets and books and furniture everywhere. A sturdy fireplace is built into the room's corner, providing light heat that keeps the space comfortable. As the fire crackles and flames dance within the fireplace, the house creaks and a gentle breeze blows through the windows. The silence in the house appears to provide him with a calm sense of peace in the room.
Kusuo imagines the girl's hut to be exactly like this as well. "Wow, so this is our new home for the time being, huh?" Shun mutters joyfully before taking a seat at the dining table. "It's as if I'm in a fairy tale. This is everything I've ever desired. I'm starting to get used to all the dragons!" He bursts out laughing. Aren furrows his brows and looks curiously, almost apologetically, at his sworn friend, but he speaks his honest thoughts.
"Well, don't get too comfortable, because we need to get home as soon as possible," Aren states with a firm posture. Shun stops his excited gestures and looks at his sworn friend. He watches as Nendou stumbles into the furniture, knocking some braziers over. Hairo leaps into action, putting out the cinder as quickly as possible. Aren mocks the idiots. He glances over at Kusuo, who is deep in thought. "So, Saiki, what's the game plan for tomorrow?" He inquires.
Kusuo taps his bottom lip, his brows creasing as he paces back and forth, his response stoic and witty. "I'll figure out a way to get us all back." Looking at the boys, he says.
Hairo looks at him, concerned. "Are you sure you want to take on that kind of responsibility, you don't need our assistance?" He tilts his head, perplexed.
"I can handle it," Kusuo says with a confident posture and narrowed eyes. Aren scoffs, rolling his eyes, making Kusuo even more cynical as he raises an eyebrow in perplexity.
"Of course you can," Aren sighs, "you don't need us for anything, right?" His voice is slightly harsh, and it was clear that Kusuo did not like his tone. Kusuo grunts, avoiding eye contact because he didn't want to confront Aren.
Kusuo shifts his gaze away from Aren and towards everyone else, as he strongly suggests. "The rest of you can gain the village's approval and trust, as well as familiarise yourself with the village and dragons."
"Huh." Nendou mumbles. "But, I thought we needed to get out of here as soon as possible?"
Kusuo gives a nod. "Yes, I am aware. In the meantime, you guys can have as much fun as you want here." He makes a few gestures. He notices Shun looking at him with an expression he can't place; was he happy, worried, or angry? He had no idea. He couldn't easily read people's emotions, especially since he knew what people were thinking regularly, so he didn't think it was necessary to read someone's body language. "What?"
Shun straightens up, snapping out of his trance and mumbling. "There's nothing, it's just...We haven't heard you talk in a long time. It's a little odd."
Kusuo's eyes widened as he directed his gaze elsewhere to avoid the remark. "Whatever, I'm going to get some sleep." He makes an announcement. "You guys should do the same."
Everyone agrees silently, and Hairo and Aren extinguish the fire to keep the hut from burning down.
Kusuo walks up the stairs, turning his back. He walks into the room, where five beds have been set up for them. This must have been done for them by the rest of Hiccup's friends. Kusuo's eyebrows raise in gratitude, as Hiccup's friends reminded him in some ways of his own. Kusuo rolled his eyes at the analogy. He crawls into one of the beds while the others do the same.
"See you in the morning," Hairo tells everyone good night, enthusiastically. Kusuo barely has time to say goodnight before blowing out a candle to turn off the light, before flopping his head on the pillow.
Shun tossed and turned in his bed, trying to get comfortable, when he noticed Aren was still awake "Hey, Aren, what 'cha thinking about?"
Aren tilts his head to look at Shun. "Eh, just about how harsh my words were..." he bites his lower lip in shame, "Sorry for what I said though."
"No need to apologise, you were right, we shouldn't get invested right away," Shun scoffs, a soft smile on his face. Even in the dim light, there was a glimmer of excitement.
"No," Aren clarifies, his voice trying to remain genuine, "I mean, what I said this morning about our adventures being over...telling you to grow up when you're not ready." He sighs in sorrow.
"I mean, with every ending, a new beginning begins," Shun says softly. "This is a new adventure, Aren, and it's only the beginning. Who knows what will happen."
Aren listens to Shun's words, relaxed at the prospect of being forgiven, but also at the possibility of a new beginning for him...for everyone. He reasoned that was a good thing to concentrate on right now. "Yeah, you're right."
"Go to sleep!" Kusuo groggily directs his annoyance at the two bumbling idiots, staring at them until they fall asleep. He's had a long day and doesn't need any additional distractions.