This, is Berk. A beautiful island between the deadliest cold and absolutely nothing, complete with amazing sunsets and a wonderful view of the ocean. Yeah, pretty great isn't it? We only have a small problem with the local wildlife. Some places have wolves or buffalo. We, on the other hand, have dragons. And we're vikings so, you know, we kill them. Well, at least, we try. My name's Hiccup and I'm a viking. Or, at least, I'm trying to be…

I sit in my usual spot, next to the stone hearth in the middle of the house sketching in my journal. This is where I am mostly, when I'm not at the forge with Gobber. Or wandering aimlessly in the woods. Or accidently causing trouble in the village. Let's just say I've got a knack for finding trouble even when I'm not looking for it. That's why my dad tells me to stay here, where I can't "get in the way" as Snotlout would say.

But I'm used to being treated this way though. Being the smallest kid growing up in a village full of rambunctious and crazy child vikings I was picked on pretty often. I mean who wouldn't pick on the tiniest girl in Berk? But, having the stubbornness of my father I never really let their words weigh me down too much. Now that we're older, I keep to myself mostly, but somehow, trouble always seems to find me.

As I sit sketching by the fire I hear the shrill, familiar sound of a horn being blown, followed by a rumbling explosion. My head whirls toward to window, where I see a flaming Monstrous Nightmare land on top of a house, setting it on fire.

Dragon raid, I think to myself excitedly. I've always been fascinated by dragons. When I was little I would always ask Gobber to tell me stories of his great-great-great-grandfather Bork discovering new dragons and documenting them. Even then I wanted to know as much as I could about the beasts so I could make my father proud.

My father, Stoick the Vast. Well, he's the viking every viking wants to be. Chief of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe and said to be one of the best at killing dragons in our history. All I've ever wanted to do is make him proud. And now I have a plan that will make him, and everyone else on this island, see that I'm more than the village hiccup.

Another explosion had me dropping my book and running to the door. Heaving the door open, I stare at the chaos all around me. Dragons of all sorts are soaring through the night sky as vikings run for weapons or for cover. Some other building had caught on fire, but that didn't stop me from all but jumping into the mayhem.

Running through a mess of flying axes, large and yelling men, nets, fire, and screaming sheep, I tried to get to the forge in one piece.

"What is she doing out again?"

"Get back inside!"

"Oh great, she's going to ruin everything."

"My cabbages!"

I ignored everyone telling me to go home, but I couldn't help but laugh about that last cry of lost cabbages. I wouldn't be surprised if the twins were the cause of that. I giggled and smirked to myself as I ran through the village and into the forge.

"I see you've joined the party," Gobber says as I enter the shop. I smirked as I walked over to the other side of the room to grab my apron.

"Like I would miss it. I think I've finally got the spring coil for my inve-"

"Woah there lass, ye don't mean to tell me yer still tryin' to bring down tha' Night Fury are you?"

Ever the pessimist, Gobber thought my idea of shooting down a Night Fury was going to be a flop.

"But it's not going to be like the last few times," I said as I half carried, half dragged a heavy axe to be sharpened. "I really think I have a good chance tonight Gobber. The sky is clear and I fixed the calibration for the-"

"Hiccup why don't yeh try it out with the smaller dragons first. One's tha' you can actually see. That way you won't embarrass yerself in front of the entire village again."

I sighed. Sometimes, Gobber is a little too honest with people.

"First of all: ouch. And second, I can do this Gobber. I've got a good feeling about it this time!"

"Yah, well, the good feelings going to 'ave to wait, I'm afraid," he said grabbing a mace-headed prosthetic for his left arm. "Man the fort, Hiccup. Or, woman the fort I guess," he shrugged. "You know wha' I mean." With that, he waved his mace-arm in the air and yelled like a madman before running off into battle against the dragons.

I watch his retreating form until I see the rest of the teens trying to put out a fire nearby. Along with Snotlout were the twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, fighting (as usual) over who got to throw the bucket of water on the fire. Behind them was Fishlegs, a large but ironically soft young viking.

And after that was Fearless Asher Hofferson.

Yeah I'm not going to lie, Asher is pretty good-looking. Tall, blue eyes, blond hair and a sly smirk on his face. Who wouldn't fall for that? But seeing as he's him and, you know, I'm me, chances of him even noticing my existence are practically nonexistent. But if everything goes according to plan, there's a slight chance that he might notice me.

My thoughts are interrupted when I hear a high-pitched whistle.

"Night Fury!"

"Get down!"

I heard shouts and bleats from the sheep as the Night Fury shot at the nearest watchtower.

Now is my chance, I thought to myself.

I disregarded Gobber's orders, like always, and grabbed the wheelbarrow-like contraption I had made. Removing the tarp I had over the invention, I wheeled it out of the forge and onto the streets.

I ran to get to an open area, nearly running over a few of the people on the way. It's complete mayhem out here, but it's not uncommon for raids to get like this.

I know you're probably thinking, "Why don't you just move to another island?" And while it would be the logical thing to do, we're vikings and, well, we have stubbornness issues.

Getting to what I think is the perfect spot, I set up my invention. It's basically a giant crossbow sort of thing that shoots bolas. Pulling everything into place I look for something to shoot at.

"Come on," I say under my breath. "Give me something to shoot at."

As if the gods heard me, I see the dark, shadowed figure of a dragon against the stars. Hearing the whistle again, I knew it was the Night Fury.

I aim the giant crossbow and waited for a clear shot. It came as the Night Fury shot a plasma flame at a watchtower.

I fired the bola, the force of the power behind it knocking me off my feet and onto my back. Curse my tiny body.

I scramble to my feet and hear a distressed cry from the Night Fury as I see something fall through the sky to the far side of the island.

"Oh gods I hit it? I hit it! Did anyone see that?"

I look around for anyone that might have seen my moment of glory only to hear a low growl behind me. Turning slowly I see an angry, flaming Monstrous Nightmare climbing over the edge of the cliff I was standing next to.

"Except maybe you…"

The Nightmare stepped on my invention, crushing it under its weight.

"Oh come on I just got it to work," I half-whined. The flaming dragon roared. That was all I needed to see before running in the opposite direction and back to the village, screaming my head off for someone to help.

I run to the nearest fire signal and hide behind the wooden beam holding it up. I press my back even further into the beam as the dragon's fire curled around both sides, the temperature spiking dangerously. The fire ends abruptly and I look around the edge of the burned wood to see my dad tackling the dragon, distracting it from me.

Oh great, I think to myself. Can't get much worse than this. The Monstrous Nightmare is out of fire now apparently, and Dad is able to get in a few punches and kicks before the dragon flies off. As he walks back toward me, the burned base of the 30-foot fire signal decides now is the best time to come crashing down.

*boom*

*crash*

"MY CABBAGES!"

I cringed, still not facing my dad. "Sorry, Dad." The entire village had seen the whole ordeal and was standing in silence around me. I looked up at my dad sheepishly.

"Okay, but I hit a Night Fury."

My arm is grabbed by a hand larger than my face, pulling me in the direction of the house.

"But Dad it's not like the last few times! I really hit it this time. You guys were all busy and I had a really clear shot. It went down just near Raven Point, let's get a search party dow-"

"Stop, Hiccup, just stop," my dad says loudly as he stops dragging me and turns to face me. I looks around nervously and notice that people have gathered to watch me get in trouble.

Oh great I just love public humiliation. As if I don't get enough of it.

"You were supposed to stay in the house. Why can't you follow the simplest orders?"

"I can't help myself! I see a dragon and I have to just kill it, you know? It's who I am, Dad." I give him a small, nervous smile, hoping he'll see that I'm actually trying to be a proper viking. But I guess my smile didn't convince him. He put his palm to his forehead and sighed.

"Oh Hiccup you are many things, but a dragon killer is not one of them." I frown. He turns to Gobber and pushes me towards him. "Get her home, I have her mess to clean up." And with that, Dad walks away with some of the men and I'm escorted back to my house with a small push from Gobber.

As I walk away with my head down I hear laughing. Of course it had to be Snotlout and the twins.

"Oh man can't get much than that," he says while laughing. "That actually helped!"

I avert my eyes from the group of teens and keep walking with my head down. "Yeah thanks, I tried," I respond in a monotone voice. I tug on my braid, a nervous habit I've always had.

Seeing my anxiety, Gobber decides to speak up. "Don't worry there lass, you're father's just got his skivvies twisted, he'll come around soon."

I look up at Gobber. "But it's always been like this. With me not being able to do anything right and always disappointing him. I mean it's not like I asked to be a scrawny little girl. And every time he talks it's with this disappointed scowl, like someone forgot to put the meat in his sandwich." I rant the rest of the way and step up to the door of the house.

"No, yeh see, you're thinking about this all wrong," explained Gobber. "It's not so much what you look like, it's what's inside that he can't stand."

I deadpanned. You see? Just a tad too honest at the most inappropriate of times.

"Thank you, for summing that up." I rolled my eyes and went open the door.

Gobber sighed. "Wha' I'm trying to say, lass, is don't try to be someone you're not."

I had stepped inside the house and was starting to close the door when he said this. I stopped for a second. I looked up at him, then down at my feet.

"I just want to be one of you guys."

And with that, I closed the door.

Hey everyone! For the sake of this story only Hiccup and Astrid/Asher are genderbent. Hope you guys enjoy the story!

With love,

Estelle