CH.8: True Companions pt 2

Hiccup never thought he'd be squaring off against Snotlout, vampire for most facial expressions ever. The guy only had a wide range of emotion, from blank stare to brooding, what more was there to the guy? Gripping the stake in his hand he began to circle him…but he didn't even budge. "Oh c'mon, try and make this somewhat entertaining-."

"Are you going to take this serious or not? I will not fall into your baited trap and if you intend to parade like an idiot, you can do so when you're in school."

"Hey…I will have you know I am just being myself, no need to get cold on me vampire boy. Now…you want serious…I will bring it, oh yeah, any minute now." He knew his chances weren't the greatest, but, if he didn't give it his all Astrid could…no, don't think of that, not now he chided himself.

"No wonder she doesn't love you, I mean, look at you." He gestured at all of him.

"You just pointed at all of me…man you are so dead now…uh…you know what I mean." He charged forth but was swatted aside without the big guy moving a muscle. "I wasn't ready then…ok now I am."

Snotlout side stepped him and swept his leg out catching him in the back. "How about now?"

"I know she doesn't love me, ok, I mean yeah I'm not popular and maybe I spend too much time reading comics, but so what? I am confident in my own skin, never trying to be something I am not. I know how I feel about her, so, even if she never returns my feelings…I'm ok with that."

"You will join her soon enough then…" He said as he charged at him. Breaking through his defense he brushed off his feeble attacks with an almost human yawn, if vampires did sleep. Each attack drove the mortal back and he found himself enjoying the look of pain cross over his features.

"What do you…mean…by that?" Watching his stake fly out of his hand he managed to dodge the next attack and brought his fist across his face. "Ha, did you see that, oww."

Gripping him by his throat he leaned in giving him a cold stare. "The Master has Astrid right where he wants her…and with her death he will grow stronger yet."

"No…that can't be…you monster! She trusted you…how could you let this happen?" He struggled in his vice like grip and fought for his breath. Kicking futilely at him he tried head butting him, but in the end felt his head pound.

"Astrid was a means to an end, and…I never trusted myself around her. Sooner or later I would end up hurting her, better she never know the real me and spare the heartache." He squeezed harder and watched the color drain from him. Hearing his pulse he drew nearer to his pulse point.

"Snotlout…drop him!" A commanding voice echoed off the walls.

Snotlout obeyed and knelt down. "Master I was only-."

"The deed is done, you may now help me evacuate. Something up above is causing me to weaken, so, it would seem Dagur has failed me, though I expected as much." Walking off he then felt something grip his ankle. Looking down he saw the boy, his eyes near daggers.

"You…can't have…killed her…" He began to pull himself up, his face distraught as tears ran down his face.

"Oh but I have boy…and if you value this mortal life of yours, you'd best let go." He watched him closely and then nodding his head at Snotlout he walked on.

"I don't think you will be needing this…till we meet again." Snotlout then brought his foot down crushing his leg with vampiric strength.

"Augh!" Hiccup yelled out. Hot tears stung his face and as he tried to reach for Snotlout all he could see was of him leaving, his black coat about him. Holding his leg he could see his hand shake and his teeth were clenched. Seeing a body nearby he began to crawl, each movement causing wracking pains of daggers slicing into him.

Images of Astrid kept coming back to him, images of when they first met to when they had shared that kiss. Shaking his head he refused to believe what they had said, no, she was the Slayer…she couldn't be-.

Once he was there though he found her body devoid of life. Her skin was pale and judging by how wet she was he presumed it had to be do with drowning. With his leg pretty much being useless to him he pulled himself over the last few feet and cradled her head in his lap. "Hey Astrid…can you hear me? Of course you can't, what am I thinking, you are probably living a vampire free existence in heaven, or somewhere just like it pleasant and all. I know you had a hard life down here…and I don't blame you for not wanting to come back, but, if you are listening…there is something I've been meaning to say…

"From the moment I saw you…I knew I loved you. Yeah I came off as a bit of a creeper at first, not exactly good looking and possibly way down on your radar of hotness. I know your dream guy is dangerous and brooding, possibly not even that but still good looking, and I get it…I really do. It is just…I wish you could open your eyes to for once; going for the nice guy, plain in sight and ready to give his all for you. So…hope you are enjoying your time above…if I ever happen to be up there, well, hope you give me a nod or at least a friendly wave…cause if not that would suck…so…yeah that was it really."

Running his hand through her hair he began to sob. His body was hurting like hell but he couldn't give a bleeding heart…cause right now he was hurting on the inside more than his leg. Leaning down he began to give her a kiss, his tears falling on her as he pulled up.

Astrid found herself free of pain as she sat in the clouds above. Everything was so pleasant and peaceful; nothing could hurt her nor terrorize her. There were some dead relatives about inviting her to sit down for a chat; however, much as she wanted to something didn't feel right.

"It isn't your time yet," a small voice said.

"Huh?" Astrid half turned in her seat and saw a girl with paint on her face, her prone form low to the ground, but her voice was that of a child.

"You are part of something great, a power that has been around since the dawn of time. We are the Slayer…and this…this is merely an illusion, a safety box for you till you choose of your own accord what you want to do. If you wish you can go to the real heaven, safety straddled between you as nothing could ever hurt you. However if you return you can continue to do the good you have done, perhaps even find that safety you have longed for most of your life."

"What are you babbling about?" Astrid could not understand a word she was saying.

"You don't understand…not yet anyway. Someday I will return to you again, till then, return to the one you love." She wore a smile till she disappeared.

"Wait…did you say love? Look little sister, not sure you know this, but I'm kind of single. Hello?" Astrid then heard a voice speaking. It sounded familiar, wait, was that Hiccup? It sounded like he was crying and as she heard his words she felt her heart respond. "Ok…that is new…whoa!"

Gobber was trying his best to deal with the overflowing of vamps, but, he was just one man. Staking one vamp he found another one coming at him. Racing up the steps he tried a spell…but it was kind of difficult with these beasts making fun of him.

"Oh yeah…rock to the beat!" Tuffnut yelled into the mike. The lead singer pushed him away and he glowered as he kept to his bass.

Ruffnut was chatting with some of her friends when some unruly brute crashed into their table. "Ugh, this place is just deplorable, hello…check please?"

The vampire bounded to his feet and then went to sink his fangs into one of the girls. Sucking hard he drained her blood and dropped her to the floor. His fangs still had fresh blood as he turned to her.

"Ok, eww, wait…your real aren't you?' Ruffnut felt fear clutch her belly as she tried to flee. The vampire was right behind her and she tried the door…but it was locked. "Um…did you want money perhaps? I got plenty of money…loads…my parents are rich. Here." She tossed money at the vamp but it didn't respond.

Dropping down from above a figure landed before the vamp brandishing a silver edged weapon, his hair swept back as he held his weapon up. "The girl offered you money…no need to lose your head over it."

Swinging his blade he took off his head and wore a smirk. Getting up he turned to her and smiled.

"Oh, be still my heart, wait do I know you?" She found herself saying, but soon she found herself pulled to him, her hand on his chest as she couldn't control her heart.

"We go to the same school, and have some of the same classes. I'll see you in school tomorrow." He then kissed her deeply. Pulling back he winked at her as he raced into the fold, his weapon held high and his green eyes ablaze.

Ruffnut lost her balance and giggled. "Ok…see you then…"

Gobber was pinned to the wall and brought out his stake and sent the vamp through the rail. "Yes, well, you deserved that. Oh dear…Heather…you ok?"

Heather was stirring awake and noticed the disarray all over the place. "I think so…ugh…what happened?" Getting up she saw a boy with black hair fighting the vamps. He had certain flair to his fighting, sort of like a kick butt Hiccup.

"Going somewhere Red?" Dagur advanced as he showed his vampiric face.

"I was, I mean to say, not anywhere in particular." She could feel herself pressed into the wall and fear tugged at her belly.

"Well…best I'll have a bite to eat then, seeing how you aren't going anywhere." He went to lean in to bite her when a fire blazed between them, and not that kind. Jumping back he saw a girl with a blue sweater standing there, her eyes cool and collected. "Bloody hell…what was that?"

"Just a touch of the blaze that is coherent with the goddess of fire, touch the girl again and you will get even more of this fire then you wish." Her hair was trailing down her back and her mouth worked into a crooked smile.

"Sod it, I am out of here. This has just gotten beyond my pay grade." He raced for the exit and yelled at the night.

"T-Thanks…I was kind of nervous there for a second," Heather swallowed and saw the girl turn to her. Her cheeks flushed and she looked down to see her hand reaching for hers.

"You have power…great power in you. I can help you…you know…if you want." Pulling away she brushed her hair aside. "I am Storm Fly, my friends call me Storm. I'll see you around." She began moving off.

"Bye," Heather felt a tingle from their touch and looked down at her hand. Her cheeks had begun to flush at the contact and as Gobber joined her she tried to look away.

"Well…that went better than I expected. Are you ok…you look-?"

"Huh, fine, never better. Where is Astrid?" She looked around after the remaining vamps were taken care of.

Hiccup sat there a bit more until the pain in his leg had numbed. Only then did he decide to leave, though he would not leave her body here for vamps or demons to feast on. Reaching to scoop her into his arms he was about to slip a hand under her when he saw her face brighten up. A hand reached for his collar and he saw her face. He could not form words and yet the happiness began to overtake him.

"Move that hand anywhere further down…and this Slayer will beat you silly." She smiled at him showing that she was just joking.

"Astrid…you're alive!" Hiccup held her but realized she had just come back so he settled on a small embrace.

"Yeah, and, I have you to thank for it. I heard your voice…and my heart beat. I never heard anyone say such kind words to me before, and, I thank you for them. I guess there is still work for me to do here." She sat up and noticed his leg.

"Hmm, oh yeah your vampire boyfriend did that to me, don't worry it looks worse than it actually feels, or the other way around." He laughed lightly.

Astrid looked at him closely and then pulled him down into a kiss. There was much warmth that flooded her body and her cheeks blushed, however this kiss meant a great deal than the other one, she was putting her all into it. When the kiss ended she let her voice play along his ear.

"I love you too." She held onto him tight and smiled as tears trickled down her face.

There may come a time when evil persists, where it lurks in the shadows never to quit

Snotlout and the Master stood in a new lair with Dagur who very much was berated for his actions. Kicked out he snarled before leaving.

Though hope always remains in those we least expect

Night and Storm stood in a group of individuals, some whose faces were not seen. They were looking over a map detailing their next strike. Storm was looking at a picture of Heather fondly.

A Slayer is only as strong as those she keeps close to her, though in the end she may travel it alone, for now…she likes it the way it is.

Astrid sat in a hospital room holding the hand of Hiccup as doctors discussed his leg. She gave him a fond smile, remembering that he had saved her from her darkness, her death. Gobber and Heather were also there adding some cheer. This was not the end of her journey…it was just the beginning.

Authors note: I hope you enjoyed this tale. I tried my best to bring about a buffyesque feel to it as much as I could, though also taking it in new directions as well. Far as who plays who some are easier to tell than others. I might make a sequel to it; not sure, sound off if you want one though.