Guess who's back B)

Astrid: Ugh.

Astrid nodded in agreement with herself.

Astrid: When I say "throw," you throw.

[Leaps on Stormfly and does a number of aerial maneuvers.]

Hiccup, able to appreciate the beauty of dragon riding(and, of course, able to appreciate Astrid herself's beauty) whistled, nudging his dragon. "Isn't that something, Toothless?"

Toothless grunted, not pleased with the thought of a Nadder looking better than him.

Gustav: She sure is something, isn't she, Fanghook?

Gustav nodded eagerly. He wanted to do that!

[Fanghook grunts in agreement.]

Astrid: Okay, Gustav, throw!

[Gustav is too distracted. Stormfly notices the target under Gustav's arm and shoots a spineshot. Astrid throws her axe and the spines fly everywhere. She ejects from off of Stormfly.]

[Back in Gustav's dream: Romantic music playing. Astrid smiles and stretches her arms out for Gustav to catch her - and he is jolted back into reality as Astrid falls on him.]

"Ugh," Astrid muttered, rolling her eyes, as Gustav stared at the screen, lovesick. Snotlout tried not to look as hypnotised as he was, and, failing, found himself on the wrong end of Astrid's fist.

Gustav: Hi.

Astrid: Okay, definitely creeped out.

[Scene change: Tuffnut and Ruffnut are walking out of their tent.]

Tuffnut: I'm telling you, if you get five boars, you can stack them on top of each other. That's a four-boar stack.

The twins' uncle, Buffnut, shook his head, "Laddie, it's a six boar stack."

Tuffnut: [Noticing Gustav sitting outside, daydreaming.] Aah!

"Oh, no," Stoick groaned, thinking of all the havoc Gustav and the twins could wreck together. Gobber patted his arm sympathetically.

Tuffnut: What's he smiling about?

Ruffnut: I don't like it.

Tuffnut: Whatever he's selling, I'm not buying.

Ruffnut: Yeah. We don't want your cookies!

One of the younger girls in the audience, held up a sash and frowned. "But . . . "

Gustav: Hey, guys. Astrid dropped me off, told me to help out around here.

Gustav dropped his head sadly. Why, Astrid?

Ruffnut: Yeah? So? What's it to us?

Gustav: You know that big hole under your hut? Filled it in.

Both Tuffnut and Ruffnut's eyes instantly widened. "NO," Ruffnut gasped.

"He didn't!" Tuffnut cried. He feel dramatically onto Ruffnut, who re-braided his hair as he cried.

Tuffnut: Oh, no. He doesn't mean . . . [Ruffnut gasps]

[At the boar pit]

Tuffnut: Oh! He filled in the boar pit. He filled in the boar pit! [drops to the ground and sobs.] Who fills in a boar pit? [yelling] Boaaar piiiit!

The entire Thorston family, bar their mother, who had married in and was therefore a bit confused, shook their heads at Gustav and unison, stuck out their tongues and tried to lick their noses, before glaring one more time and turning back to the video.

[Returns to sobbing. Chicken comes over and pecks his head.]

Tuffnut: What kind of sick, monster would fill in a boar pit? [sobbing] It's a boar...

[Gustav moves over to comfort him, only to be shoved away by Ruffnut.]

Ruffnut: Hey, back off! Haven't you done enough?

[Scene shift: They are now at Fishlegs's meditation garden, meditating.]

Gustav: This . . . this feels weird, Fishlegs.

"That's not going to last for long," one of the Vikings said quietly to the person next to him. She nodded enthusiastically and waited for some to be lit on fire.

Fishlegs: me, Gustav, this is exactly what you need. You're not centered, you're all over the place. Shh. Just breathe in, breathe out. Focus on avoiding all conflict. [Flashes thumbs-up at Meatlug.] Breathe in, breathe out.

A couple vikings looked at him oddly, although Gothi nodded at him approvingly.

[Fanghook breathes out and accidentally sets he tree in front of him on fire. He tries to put it out to no avail, instead making the tree collapse in cinders.]

The same viking who had nodded enthusiastically earlier, sighed, and shook her head.

Fishlegs: Aah! My topiaries!

[Scene shift: Snotlout leaving Snotlout in front of Hiccup's hut.]

Snotlout: I have had enough of you, Gustav! Stay. Stay.

[Gustav points at Snotlout's head, which is on fire.]

Gustav: Uh, Snotlout, your head...

Snotlout: Stop! I'm not falling for that again.

Gustav's mother rolled her eyes. Definitely something Gustav would have done.

[Snotlout walks away. In the distance, he screams, water splashes, and Snotlout sighs.]

Gustav: Hello? Hiccup?

"Oh, no," Hiccup groaned. One reason, it was his turn. Another, Gustav was alone in his hut. Who knew what he would wreck, what he would do?

[Wanders into the hut, climbs on the table and jumps around, laughing, then bumps into the wall. He steps backwards slowly, only to trip of the chest and crash to the ground, and he cries out. The chest lays open. Gustav picks up Hiccup's spare leg, considering]

Hiccup sighed. They looked important, he could only imagine the disaster Gustav could, and undoubtedly would, create.

Gustav: Huh. What have we here?

[Uses the metal leg in place of his lower leg.]

"Hey!" Hiccup cried indignantly.

Gustav: [imitating Hiccup] Gee, Gustav, there must be a simple explanation for you being here.

While the rest of the teens collapsed in stitches, Hiccup sputtered out indignantly, "I don't - what - I don't sound - I don't sound like that!"

[Fanghook laughs]

Gustav: [normal voice] Well, yeah, Hiccup, because I'm awesome.

Gustav: [imitating Hiccup] You are awesome, Gustav. Definitely ready to be a Dragon Rider.

[Gustav bounces and balances on Hiccup's leg. He lands on Fanghook's tail, causing him to breathe out a stream of fire, lighting Toothless's tails on fire.]

About everyone in the hall facepalmed. Gustav himself blushed a deep red. "It was a mistake!" he protested loudly. "It was Fanghook's fault!"

Gustav: Oh, no. Oh, no.

[Spots the Dragon Eye.]

Gustav: Oh, yes! Is that... a treasure map?

"Oh, no," Hiccup groaned.

"He can't take that with him!" Fishlegs said. "He's going to damage it, and we need that!"

Gustav: Oh, Fanghook, we are so in!

"Not if you break it, you aren't!"

Fanghook: [growls]

[Later, Gustav is riding Fanghook over the ocean, going to the cave where the map leads them.]

Gustav: That's it, Fanghook, just like the Dragon Eye said. All we gotta do now is find the cave, grab the treasure, and guess who's gonna get his own hut on Dragon's Edge?

"Ruffnut?" Tuffnut said.

"Me?" Ruffnut said.

"You already have your own hut, boar-butt!" Snotlout said, getting a glare from the two twins in return.

Gustav: Uh, Gustav.

[cut scene again. Now they are standing right outside the cave as they have landed. The ground shakes and rumbles.]

Gustav: Uh, I'm not worried. Are you worried?

"I'm not worried, are you worried?" Snotlout mocked, but shrieked when the cavern on screen rumbed again. Astrid laughed, and Snotlout let out a little "Hmph!"

[They walk inside the cave. After a little while of walking, Gustav takes out the map.]

Gustav: Fanghook? Flame up. Which way do we head?

[Fanghook flares up, but as the ground starts to shake Fanghook his waved about and crashes into the map. Gustav drops it as it starts to burn. Soon, nothing is left.]

Gustav: Oh! Ah!

"So . . . He'll turn back?" Fishlegs said hopefully. "He doesn't seem to have brought the Dragon Eye with him, and that cavern looks really dangerous."

"Hopefully."

[sighs]

Gustav: Good thing we brought this along. [Brings out Dragon Eye] Fanghook?

"Oh come on!"

"Gustav!"

"You stole that from us!"

"Yeah! Stealing is bad!"

"Don't steal!"

"Yeah, well, what about that time you stole me sword?"

"That's different, that wasn't the Dragon Eye. It wasn't very valuable."

"It was MY SWORD! Of course it was valuable!"

Gustav: [Fanghook lights up and the Eye displays the map.] I think we go this way.

[rocks cracking]

Gustav: It says it's just up this way.

[They reach the destination. Gustav runs forward, but the cavern rumbles.]

Gustav: Oh, whoops!

[He starts to fall.]

Someone screeched. All eyes turned to Snotlout, who slowly turned red and glared. "What are you looking at?"

Gustav: Ah! Ooh!

[Fanghook grabs him by the bag.]

Astrid frowned.

Gustav: Whew! Ahh.

[He notices the Dragon Eye is gone. He sees it rolling towards the drop of the cliff.]

"No!" both Hiccup and Fishlegs cried, while Astrid only groaned.

"I knew that would end in disaster."

"It's Gustav," Snotlout said. "It always ends in disaster."

"Like Snotlout on Snoggletog," Tuffnut and Ruffnut shared a look and snickered.

"Those two have a point," Gobber said to Stoick quietly, who nodded - both had been present that disastrous day.

Gustav: Huh? No, no, no, no!

[Jumps after it and manages to catch it.]

Gustav: Whew. A little help here, Fanghook? A little help?

His mother covered her eyes. Gustav buried his head in

[He starts to fall again, but just as he lets go of the ledge, Hiccup catches him and pulls him up.]

Hiccup couldn't get usd to the fact that he actually looked mildly intimidating now.

Gustav: Hiccup! [Toothless growls] I can explain.

[Back at the edge, Hiccup is pacing.]

Hiccup: Of all the irresponsible, insubordinate…

Hiccup frowned - he was starting to recognize this lecture. It sounded strangely like how his father would sound whenever he began to scold Hiccup.

Tuffnut: Don't forget idiotic, imbecilic, inane.

[Everyone stares.]

Tuffnut: What? I've heard a lot of words for "stupid". I mean, come on, people say that more than my proper name.

"With good reason too," Gobber said, not bothering to be quiet this time.

Hiccup: Of all those kinds of stunts you could have pulled, this was the worst. Do you know what Dagur would do to get his hands on the Dragon Eye?

Gustav: I just thought if I came back here with the treasure, you guys would accept me.

Gustav frowned and wondered how hard he would have to work for at least some sort of respect.

Hiccup: First of all, there is no treasure. Second of all, we've already been there. And that entire island is honeycombed with the most unstable caverns we've ever encountered.

Hiccup resisted the urge to stop listening as he started to sound more and more like his father.

The way his father was was something that Hiccup had promised himself that he would never become, but as he continued to watch, it seemed that he would only get similar, and he hated it.

Gustav: I'm sorry, I just...

Hiccup: You could've been killed, Gustav. Fanghook could've been killed. Look, this isn't Berk, Gustav. The rules are different out here. You have to be smarter than this.

Toothless, sensing Hiccup's upset, wrapped his tail around him, and Hiccup rubbed Toothless's head gratefully as he continued to wonder if there was any escape from his becoming his father.

Gustav: I just wanted to prove myself.

Hiccup: Oh, you have. You have proven that you are not responsible enough, you're not mature enough and you're not trustworthy enough to be one of us. Now, it's been a long day. We all need some rest. We'll talk about this in the morning.

It wasn't only Hiccup - Stoick could see himself in Hiccup and he wasn't sure if he felt glad or disappointed.

[At night, Gustav is bathing Fanghook on the roof.]

Gustav: Talk about it in the morning. Like there's anything left to say.

[Fanghook growls]

Gustav: That's right! It's not fair. I did everything they asked. I shoveled dragon poop for two years without a single complaint! For what? So they can tell me I'm not good enough?!

Gustav knew where this was going and he agreed with himself completely - he had to go and prove himself again until the Dragon Riders realized his true value.

Well, I am good enough. We're good enough. And someday they'll find that out, but it'll be too late. We're leaving.

Gustav frowned at the sudden plot twist, ignoring Hiccup's troubled sigh and Astrid's groan.

Hiccup didn't know if he wanted to scold Gustav now worried that it would be one of the first signs that he was becoming even more like his father, even now.

If he was being honest, if this Hiccup reminded him of his father, then Gustav was reminding him strangely of himself - Hiccup knew he would be lying if running away hadn't popped to the front of his mind more than once. Once, he would have completely taken Gustav's side - what was future him doing? Gustav was only trying to help! - but now, aside from the astonishment and the dread that he was becoming just like his father, he completely agreed with his future self - Gustav shouldn't have gone out. He had likely scared the hell out of him and the rest of the gang!

Hiccup groaned and slouched down enough to lay his head on Toothless's. He didn't want to take his father's side, he didn't want to be his father - but even now, it seemed that he was becoming more and more like his father, and he couldn't shake the idea that maybe his father was right.

But how could he be right if all he had ever done was either scold or ignore him?

[Flying at night]

Gustav: They're gonna be so sorry when they wake up in the morning and see that we're gone. Once they realize that we're missing, they're gonna be begging us to come back to Dragon's Edge. Those huts were lame anyway.

"Well excuse me!" Snotlout said indignantly, already attached to his hut.

I can't wait to get back to my...

[Clatter of a net as it flies towards them.]

Gustav: Whoa! Fanghook, dive!

Gustav: Ha ha! Missed!

Immediately, everyone's hands flew up into their heads. Getting cocky was never a good idea until you were sure that the enemy was gone.

[A second net flies, they are caught.]

Gustav: Aaaah!

"Don't worry, I can handle it," Gustav said nervously.

[With Dagur]

Savage: [laughs] We captured a Dragon Rider.

Gustav debated whether to be proud or not - he had been called a dragon Rider, but by the bad guy . . .

Dagur: [laughs] Which one is it? Oh, I sure hope it's brother Hiccup.

Hiccup was temporarily distracted by his disgust at himself to feel disgust at Dagur.

Or I suppose the girl would work, too.

Savage: Which girl?

Dagur: There's more than one?

"Well, excuse me?" Ruffnut said, offended, and Tuffnut laughed.

"I always knew you were the most masculine one!"

"That makes you the girl, then!"

Barf and Belch each grabbed their respective riders jut in time to stop them from going at one another.

[Dagur approaches Gustav.]

Dagur: This is not one of Hiccup's Dragon Riders! [To Gustav]

Gustav's look soured.

Who are you?

Gustav: Larsen, Gustav Larsen. And that's all you're getting out of me.

Dagur: Hmm. Fine, feed him to the eels.

[Soldiers drag him to the edge.]

Gustav: But I know Hiccup, I know the Dragon Riders, and I have information!

Everyone sighed at once, except Hiccup, who said, "Hey, he's 16!" When he looked over at Stoick, who was making no move to defend Gustav, Hiccup felt a little bit better about himself. Maybe becoming Stoick was avoidable.

[They drop him.]

Dagur: Oh? What kind of information?

Gustav: I can get you the Dragon Eye.

This time, there were less sighs and more indignant cries as everyone turned on Gustav, yelling at how he couldn't give up the Dragon Eye, the one thing they were meant to protect!

Hiccup, in hopes of staying on the not-like-Stoick train he was on, said, "Come on guys. Maybe Gustav isn't completely serious, maybe . . ." He searched his brain for a reasonable explanation, but came up blank.

Nevertheless, everyone quieted down and left Gustav alone, except for the occasional stink eye.

Dagur: And what's the Dragon Eye?

Gustav: [Points at drawing of the Dragon Eye] That. That's the Dragon Eye.

Dagur: Oh.

[Cut to Gustav at a dining table, stuffing himself with meat.]

Everyone had already got their grievances with Gustav out, but this only deepened their dislike of the young Viking, whispers of "He's not a real Viking," already passing around the room.

Gustav wasn't deaf. He could hear what people were saying about him, and so, uncharacteristically quiet, he scrunched down keeping his eyes glued on the screen.

Meanwhile, Hiccup's eyes were glued on Gustav - he could see more and more of himself in Gustav. And he knew he would never give up the Dragon Eye, but maybe come up with a clever trick instead - if the two of them were comparable, maybe Gustav was the same way.

Gustav: Mmm. Mmm. [smacking lips] [belches]

Dagur: So, are you enjoying your meal?

Gustav: Mm-hmm. Mmm!

Dagur: Good. Good, good, good, good, good. So, here's the plan. We'll draw Hiccup and the Night Fury into the open, neutralize the other riders and seize the Dragon Eye by lethal force, as if there is any other type of force. I mean, really, come on. Then the Dragon Eye will be mine.

Gobber paused before saying, "It doesn't seem that Dagur really needs Gustav's consent for this."

Gustav: Yeah, that's one way to do it. And you might get the Dragon Eye. Or Hiccup could crush you just like every other time you faced off against him.

Eyebrows were raised, not just because of the cheek of the young 'rider', but also because of the admission that Hiccup was a formidable foe against Dagur, a man at least a hundred pounds heavier and a foot taller than Hiccup himself - although the height factor may have changed.

A lot about Hiccup had changed.

[Savage starts for his sword, but it stopped by Dagur's hand.]

Dagur: Mm. You have a better idea, Gustav?

Gustav: Can you hand me the sauce, please?

Astrid rolled her eyes. Gustav was a brat.

Gustav: I do, one that will guarantee Hiccup delivers the Dragon Eye right to us.

Dagur, grinning: More mutton thigh, friend?

Gustav: Mm-hmm.

[Stabs fork into meat. Cut to The Edge.]

Hiccup: Anything?

Astrid: I checked the clubhouse, your hut, even the stables. He's not there.

"I don't know why we're so worried," Snotlout said with an eye roll. "It's not like any of us are big fans of Gustav."

"Yeah, I would think that Gustav just got tired of us," Tuffnut nodded. "Instead of being captured by Dagur but then turning against us in a stunning turn of events that leave the audience gasping in their seats!"

"True cinema," Ruffnut agreed with a solemn nod.

Fishlegs: Nothing else is on fire around here, so he must be gone.

"I take offense to that," Gustav said, face scrunched up.

Ruff ruffled his hair with a laugh. "Sure you do buddy."

Hiccup: Well, we have to find him.

Tuffnut: Or... do we?

"Yes!" Gustav said, insulted.

Snotlout: Yeah, why are we worried? Shouldn't we be celebrating the fact that he's gone?

Hiccup: Not until we know he's safe.

Gobber knew that Hiccup wouldn't take it as a compliment but . . . Hiccup really was a lot like Stoick. This, paired with his earlier discipline of Gustav, pointed in the direction of his turning out to be a great leader like Stoick had been. And hopefully, more of a family man than Stoick had been.

Hiccup was a lot like Stoick, but in a lot of ways, he was better. Maybe it was because he hadn't really gone through all of the stages of grief after losing his mom that Stoick had gone through losing his wife. Whatever the reason, Hiccup was definitely taking after Stoick, but putting his own Hiccupy spin on it, like he tended to do.

Ruffnut: Well, we could ask Fanghook.

Snotlout: Ruffnut, how do you suppose we do that?

Ruffnut: Turn around.

[Fanghook growls as he lands.]

Tuffnut: Fanghook, where's Gustav, boy? Where's Gustav?

"When did you start being able to talk to dragons?" Ruffnut said, eyebrow raised in a typical ur-so-dumb face.

"Since now!" Tuffnut loudly proclaimed, turning to Barf and Belch, who started to roar enthusiastically. He made a motion for them to quiet down, and as they did, he turned back to Ruff. "They say you smell like fish."

"Tuff-" Ruff began to yell, before she was interrupted by Fanghook onscreen and Real-Life Astrid pulling her down by her helmet.

[Fanghook groans]

Tuffnut: Ah! He's not talking, you guys. He's completely shut down. Typical.

"Hookfang would never do that," Snotlout said, shaking his head. "Not like this imposter."

Hiccup: Hey, hey, Fanghook. Hey, it's okay. Easy, boy, easy. Well, doesn't look like he's injured.

Fishlegs: But he's definitely upset. You guys, look. [Points at note on Fanghook's horns.]

Hiccup: [Peels it off and reads it.] Dagur. He wants to make a trade. The Dragon Eye for Gustav.

"Gustav's ingenious plan comes into effect," someone said from the group loudly, and everyone around him could hear the eye roll.

"Hey, I come up with great plans!" Gustav said, pouting.

"Yeah, only for Dagur," someone else spoke up.

[Later, Hiccup is preparing to leave.]

Astrid: I don't like this, Hiccup.

Hiccup: Well, we have no choice.

Tuffnut: You sure we have no choice? Like, none? Zip? Zilch?

"Come on guys," Hiccup said with a sigh, knowing that all this Gustav hate couldn't feel good for any 16 year old, much less the 14 year old he was now. "He's not that bad."

Astrid send him a doubtful look but stayed silent anyway.

Hiccup: This is all my fault anyway.

Tuffnut: Ninguno?

Hiccup: I never even gave the kid a chance.

Tuffnut: Ni Portugal?

Hiccup: Tuff, that's really not helping at all.

Tuffnut: Yeah.

There were a couple titters from the crowd, who were more than used to Tuff's strange language antics.

Hiccup: If I wasn't so busy tinkering with this thing, I don't know, maybe I could've kept him busy.

Fishlegs: Uh, yeah, nobody can keep Gustav busy.

Fishlegs, Snotlout, the twins, and Astrid all nodded enthusiastically at the line. Gustav had his first non-negative reaction to something someone said about him, this time wearing a mischievous and only slightly sheepish expression.

Astrid: At least let us back you up out there.

Hiccup: Dagur was very clear. I have to come alone. We don't know what he'll do to Gustav if I don't follow his demands to the letter.

"Don't worry, he won't do anything. He's got Gustav tucked up nice and pretty in there."

Hiccup: No, we can't risk it. I'll be careful, I promise.

[Hiccup flies away. Cut to the boat.]

Hiccup: There!

[The three - Hiccup, Toothless, and Fanghook - of them land.]

Gustav: [Giving Fanghook a hug.] Fanghook! Oh. I was worried about you, boy.

Dagur: Aww, dragon and Dragon Rider love. Makes me want to hurl. Blech!

Hiccup and Astrid rolled their eyes in unison, Astrid catching herself mid-roll. She wasn't on the dragon's side - not yet, at least.

[Toothless snarls Dagur's men are peering out from every corner.]

Hiccup: Yeah, I see 'em, bud. Gustav, are you okay? [Dagur approaches them.] That's close enough, Dagur.

Dagur: Oh, wow. Where's the trust? After all we've been through together? [Hiccup glares.] No? Nothing? No Hiccupy barbs, quips, snappy comebacks? But I really love those. We've developed such a nice shorthand, you and I.

Hiccup raised an eyebrow. The show had been dropping plenty of small hints about his and Dagur's history - the only people that seemed to be in the dark were them.

Hiccup: Dagur, let's just get on with this. Send them over.

Dagur: You first. You have no choice. One false move and my men will take out you, the Night Fury and the kid! So roll it over and I'll let him go.

A wave of scoffs rolled through the audience, Snotlout included.

[Hiccup rolls it over.]

Dagur: Oh. It... It really is one beautiful artifact. And I hear it can be very useful to those who possess it? Hmm? Is that true?

Hiccup: Gustav, let's go. It's okay.

Gustav: Yeah, about that, Hiccup. I've been treated much better by these guys than I ever was treated by you and the Dragon Riders. [Glares]

"It always seems like that," Gobber said. "Until they try to kill you!" He waved his hook around for emphasis, and those around him dodged his wild arm swings with difficulty.

Dagur: [Laughs.] Ooh! And the plot thickens.

Hiccup: Gustav?

Gustav: You could've given me a chance, you know? All you guys ever did was tell me I wasn't good enough, tell me I didn't belong. Well, I belong here.

Even more scoffs this time around as the Vikings compared Gustav to Dagur and his soldiers. Gustav definitely didn't belong - even Gustav himself could see that.

Hiccup: Gustav, you have no idea what you're getting into!

Gustav: Oh, yes, I do, Hiccup. I know exactly what I'm doing.

"I know, I know," Gustav said before anyone else could scoff again. "I don't really."

Dagur: [sing-songy] Awkward! Well, I'd say your work is finished here, brother. Ordinarily, this is where I would double-cross you and fill you full of arrows.

"No one's surprised by that," Astrid muttered.

Dagur: But the kid is squeamish. He made me promise to let you go, and in return, he's gonna take me to a treasure.

Gustav: That's right, Hiccup. We have the Dragon Eye and Fanghook's fire. And you know what that means. Untold treasure awaits.

Hiccup: You are going to regret this.

Gustav: I don't think so, Hiccup.

[Hiccup glares once more and flies away.]

Gustav: [laughs] Whoo!

Dagur: You know, I'm actually gonna feel bad when I kill this kid.

No one but Gustav seemed to be surprised - as Gustav noticed this, he noted that maybe he really didn't know what he was doing.

[At the cave.]

"Wait a minute. Isn't this the same cave that Gustav . . . ?" Astrid trailed off as she realized what was happening.

Gustav realized it at the same time everyone else did, and whooped loudly. "I knew I wasn't that dumb! I did have a plan!"

Hiccup suppressed a smile. Yes, he did.

Gustav: This is it.

Dagur: Why are we stopping?

Gustav: No reason. I was just kind of impressed that you trusted your men enough to show them exactly where the treasure is hidden. [quietly] Especially when there's so much of it.

Gustav was grinning ear to ear now. He really was being clever!

Dagur: [To men] Stay here.

Savage: Why?

Dagur: Oh, uh, let's see, uh . . . I don't know. Maybe because . . . [shouts] I said so!

Savage: Oh, good idea, sir. We'll stay here.

"You give the best advice, sir. Thank you, sir. Sir, can I-" Snotlout's high pitched mocking was cut off by a firm knock in his head, courtesy of Astrid.

[In the cave.]

Gustav: Fanghook, slow burn.

[Eye lights up.]

Dagur: Ah, I see. You outdid yourself, Hiccup. I love this thing.

[As they continue forward, the cave rumbles.]

Dagur: Uh, so, does that happen a lot?

Gustav: You get used to it.

"Or you die."

Dagur: Are we there yet?

Gustav: We're close, very close.

Dagur: Good, that's what I wanted to hear.

[Chuckles as he brings out sward.]

There was an audible gasp from the crowd - as annoying as Gustav was, no one actually wanted to see him die.

[Gustav suddenly whips around and shines the light from the Dragon Eye in Dagur's eyes.]

Followed by a sigh of relief.

Dagur: Aah! Aah! Oh, bright light, bright light, bright light!

[Shakes his head, trying to get rid of the stars. He starts to look around.]

Dagur: Come out, come out, wherever you are!

[Gustav is hiding behind a rock, trying to hide the light from the Eye. Is not very successful, and Dagur notices.]

Dagur: Gotcha!

Hiccup: No... we've got you. Good work, Gustav. Oh, what's the matter, Dagur? No barbs, no comebacks? I thought we had a shorthand, I thought you loved that stuff.

Gustav let out another whoop, moving to stand, but thwarted by someone behind him knocking his helmet, and effectively Gustav, down.

Hiccup: Dagur, you hand over the Dragon Eye.

Dagur: I don't think so.

Hiccup: I'm not asking.

[Toothless shoots a plasma blast to the ground.]

Dagur: Oh. It's a long way down, isn't it?

Hiccup: Dagur, you've got nowhere to go. It's over. [Shoots another blast.]

Hiccup frowned. He wasn't going to kill Dagur, was he? He never had the stomach for killing dragons, and people were no different - if there was another option, what was he doing?

Dagur: It's over? Really? [Holds the Dragon Eye over the edge, drops it.] Whoops.

Gustav: Oh, no! Ah! [Jumps down after it.]

"Gustav!" Hiccup cried, accompanied by shouts of surprise and a roar from Toothless.

Hiccup: Gustav! [Flies down.]

[Dagur laughs, making his escape.]

"Dammit," Stoick muttered quietly, speaking up for the first time in a while.

Gustav: [Floating through the air, trying to snatch up the Eye] Come here. Got it! Hiccup!

Hiccup: There, Toothless! Ah! We got you, Gustav. Let's get out of here.

[Rock flies into Toothless's wing, all three start to fall.]

Hiccup: Aaaah! Toothless! Don't worry, bud. Hang on, bud!

Astrid held her breath, wondering if the dragon was really going to . . .

Hiccup: I'm gonna have to come up with something in case that happens to us again.

[Gustav screaming. Fanghook swoops in and grabs him.]

Gustav: Fanghook! Yeah! Thanks, boy.

Hiccup could see Astrid frown out of the corner of his eye. He wondered what she was thinking.

[In a chamber at the bottom.]

Gustav: Whew!

Hiccup: You okay?

Gustav: Yeah. Hiccup, I'm really sorry.

Hiccup: I'm sorry, too, Gustav. You're still irresponsible, immature and reckless, but the way you handled yourself with Dagur, maybe you do have what it takes to be a Dragon Rider... someday.

Hiccup smiled his first actual smile since his Stoick flashback - his father never apologized. And him apologizing . . . put a lot of distance between the two of them. Maybe he would eventually become like Stoick. But he would never be Stoick.

Gustav: Someday? I will take someday.

Hiccup: What do you say you and me find a way out of here?

[They start to wander out. Hiccup spots a chest.]

Hiccup: What the Thor is this? [Cavern rumbles threateningly.] Let's go, bud.

[At the Edge.]

Astrid: Gustav, I...

Gustav: Uh-uh, stop right there, sweets.

"Augh," Astrid said, exaggerating her volume to make sure Gustav heard her.

Gustav: I can't stay. My mom would kill me. She usually notices I've been gone after about three days. All right, Fanghook, let's go. You take care, babe. Don't worry, Gustav will be back soon! [Flies off.]

All the riders let out sighs of relief, despite the fact that this hadn't happened to them yet, and wouldn't happen to them for a while - Gustav was stressful, even through a screen.

"Sure hope not," Tuffnut muttered to Snotlout, who nodded.

Astrid: What's that?

Hiccup: Oh, just something I found at the bottom of that cave.

Fishlegs: Oh, a new lens!

Hiccup: Yeah, there was treasure in those caves after all. The Dragon Eye was giving us clues on how to find it all along. We just weren't looking in the right place.

Hiccup: And if there's one of these out there, that means there has to be more.

Fishlegs: Ooh-hoo-hoo!

"Boring!" Snotlout yelled at the screen. What nerds.

Astrid: Huh. And to think, we never would've found that without Gustav.

Astrid quickly slapped her hand over Gustav's mouth before he could say anything else. It was probably better that he remained quiet.

Hiccup: Awesome, so let's just tell Gustav.

All: No! No, no, no! [Turn to wave Gustav goodbye.]

The next video showed up - but paused. The crowd paused, frowning at the screen as they waited for the next episode, but after a solid minute and a half of nothing happening, they all began to chatter amongst themselves - obviously the Voice was waiting for something.

Hiccup was content to lean against Toothless and wait for whatever it was the Voice wanted, but apparently it wanted something to do with him, as Astrid suddenly grabbed his arm and yanked him up as she stood too.

Hiccup was a little surprised at first, but he waved a hand in a growling Toothless's direction to calm him down as he was dragged off - was this Astrid's way of saying she needed to talk? Normally she was plenty more blunt than this.

They were about to reach a nearby corner, but they were cut off by bumping into Stoick, who looked distinctly uncomfortable as he said, "Oh, sorry," before seeming to gather himself and saying, "Hiccup. We need to talk."

so . . . where did I disappear too? I have no idea. life's chaotic, and I lost all my time and motivation for this story. I don't know when the next chapter will be published either. I'm surprised with myself for publishing this chapter - all your reviews had an effect on me, though, I decided to finally update this, which was just sitting in my drafts. I don't even know if there will be a next chapter.

if it ends up being that I post no next chapter - I just want you all to know that writing this story has been one of the most amazing experiences and one of the first experiences I've ever had in writing fanfiction, and writing, period. I've grown so much through writing this chapter, and I think you can see that in my writing, almost a year later. and all of this couldn't have been possible without you, my readers. everyone who ever commented, who ever favourited or followed this story, everyone who even read it - I can't thank you enough. you are all the reason I continued to write and continued to grow without losing faith in myself and my writing.

I love each and every one of you. every positive review I ever got, every follow and favourite from you all has always made me happy, even on my worst days. I always beam when going back through my reviews, knowing that someone out there is enjoying my writing and cared enough to let me know that they are.

this story is my baby, and I can't thank you all enough for raising it with me.

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