Something New

Rating; M for Mature

Parings; HiccupXAstrid, FishlegsXHeather, RuffnutXSnotlout, TuffnutXCamicazi

Disclaimer; I do not own the HTTYD movies, series, or mini-shorts.

Author's Note: The opening scene is right after Hiccup takes down the Night Fury, then is scolded by his father. Also; changing it up a bit by saying that Hiccup is seventeen years old and the gang has their Race To The Edge appearances! Enjoy!

Chapter 1

~Astrid's POV~

Berk is the island we live on in the Archipelago, it's often called the Isle of Berk. Around us are many other islands, inhabited by dragon and vikings. There's a bit of a war between our two species, has been going on the last three hundred years or so I've been told. My name is Astrid Hofferson-blond hair and blue eyes, I'm seventeen years old and my weapon of choice is my double headed ax. There's only a small group of us teens who are the same age: Snotlout Jorgenson, sixteen years old with black hair and blue eyes-prefers to use a hammer. Fishlegs Ingerman, sixteen with blond hair and green eyes-uses a dagger, not much of a fighter though. Ruffnut and Tuffnut Thorston, twin brother and sister-sixteen years old and both with blond hair and blue eyes. Ruffnut uses a spear, Tuffnut uses a mace. Finally, there was Hiccup Haddock. Auburn hair, green eyes, seventeen like myself and he was son of the chief to our tribe: the Hairy Hooligans.

Now, while Hiccup being son of our chief may sound great-the guy was anything but chief material, let alone viking material. He was super skinny and tall, inventive although many of them failed, and he was smart but not much of a fighter. Hiccup's name was given to him because he was a runt when he was little and viking tradition was to name the runt of the litter a Hiccup. Also, some of our parents believe that having a hideous name will frighten off gnomes and trolls. Hiccup's full name was Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third and likened the worst viking Berk had ever seen, he was always teased and picked on by Snotlout, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut, not so much Fishlegs-but he did laugh with the others who laughed at Hiccup. I never said much, I honestly felt bad for the guy. Son of the chief and not a single soul believed he had it in him to be chief when his father retired. As Heir to the tribe and island, Hiccup would start chief training when he turned eighteen and this was just one year away.

Tonight there had been a dragon raid-where they fly in to set things on fire and steal food. It was going well but Hiccup wasn't supposed to leave the forge on Gobber's, the blacksmith's, orders. Hiccup wasn't allowed out during raids, and he'd been working under Gobber since he was about five years old. Not many noticed it but I did, Hiccup was great with weapons. He could fix, build, and sharpen them perfectly-but not appreciated for all the work he did there. His nickname in the village was Hiccup the Useless-harsh name and untrue because Hiccup wasn't useless. He just hadn't found what he was good at yet, everyone was good at something and Hiccup would find his eventually. I personally felt like Stoick didn't have time for Hiccup-they were never seen together unless he was being yelled at like now. Hiccup left the forge, and got himself in trouble with a Monstrous Nightmare that his father had to save him from.

I sighed as we all ended up gathering around the main area-Hiccup was about to get scolded for his stunt because the torch pole snapped and destroyed a bunch of things. The first thing out of Hiccup's mouth was: "Okay, but I hit a Night Fury." instantly a bunch of people groaned hearing it. I just watched sadly-the poor guy never got a break. Sure what he said was really out there but who knows, maybe he did hit one but none of us saw it. Hiccup was kind of invisible to the village unless something like this happened. Hiccup lost his mother when he was a baby, a dragon broke into the house and she was taken by it. Stoick searched but she was never found again-it's a lot of reason Stoick hates dragons. No one ever gave Hiccup a chance-he was probably good at a lot of things with all the time to himself. He was either at home or in the forge, sometimes in the Mead Hall where we had meals.

I watched Stoick grab Hiccup's arm and start walking him towards their house, Hiccup still going on about the Night Fury and suggesting we get a search party out to Raven Point to look for it. Stoick stopped and sighed, "Stop! Just...stop. Every time you step outside, disaster falls. Can you not see I have bigger problems? Winter is almost here and I have an entire village to feed,"

I saw Hiccup roll his eyes, "Between you and me, the village could do with a little less feeding don't ya think?" was Hiccup's retort-I forced back a giggle, he was very sarcastic but in a good way.

"This isn't a joke. Hiccup. Why can't you follow the simplest orders?" Stoick said in defeat.

"I can't help myself. I see a dragon and I just have to kill it. It's...who I am, Dad." Hiccup mumbled some.

"You are many things, Hiccup. But a dragon killer is not one of them...get back to the house," Stoick began to walk off, "And make sure he gets there! I have his mess to clean up," the man ordered as Gobber came up and whacked Hiccup lightly in the back of the head-leading him to the house. It was hard to watch, Stoick always just looked the other way, ignored his son and it was easy to see that it affected Hiccup a lot. I overheard Hiccup talking to Gobber about Stoick never listening to him, or that he was disappointed in him all the time. I heard him say that he just wanted to be one of us-meaning a fighter, a viking. The door closed and usual clean up from the raid started.

(Next Day)

Today was good, we'd be starting dragon training! I'd been waiting forever for this-a chance to prove myself as one of Berk's best female warriors. As I entered the kill rings with the others, I saw Hiccup enter behind us holding a single head ax-he was in dragon training too? Guess it wouldn't be so bad, maybe he'd find what he was good at here. Maybe he had hidden talent none of us had ever seen before, Hiccup did a lot of observing and he knew weapons like the back of his hand. Gobber was explaining that the recruit who did best would win the honor of killing their first dragon in front of the village, then went on to release a Gronckle without warning. It was hectic. The twins, Fishlegs, and Snotlout were all out within the first seven minutes. It was just Hiccup and I, I moved to avoid a blast and Hiccup's shield was hit, knocked from his hands as he tried to chase it and the Gronckle enclosed on him. I actually got a little worried.

The Gronckle boxed him in against the wall, I heard Gobber yell for him in fear and rush over as the Gronckle opened it's mouth forming a blast. Gobber hooked it's mouth and the blast went right over Hiccup-the boy sat there panting, clearly afraid that he was almost killed.

"Remember. A dragon will always," he turned to Hiccup now, "Always go for the kill." I saw a strange look on Hiccup's face. One of...curiousness and confusion. I didn't understand, wasn't he just scared out of his wits about dying? After class, I saw Hiccup head towards the forest. My own curiosity winning, I followed him but lost track when he disappeared behind a rock. I gave up and went back to the village and didn't see Hiccup again until dinner time. He looked miserable and in thought. We all ended up leaving him there alone to read over the Dragon Manual. A book holding information about every type of dragon we knew about currently.

(A Few Days Later)

Another training session over, we were all tired and heading to the hall to relax and talk about thing. But not Hiccup, I watched him head the opposite direction towards the forest with a shield...and a fish? What in the name of Thor would he need either of those things for? I decided I'd follow him again so I stayed about ten feet behind him as he moved through the forest-nothing shocked me more when I saw him enter a spot between two rocks and look around. I moved higher to get a better look, just below the rocks was a small cove-it was close to twelve or maybe fifteen feet from ground level up. Inside were trees, a small pond, grass, rocks...it was beautiful actually but why would Hiccup come here?

I watched him throw the fish in, then try to get past the two rocks with the shield-which ended up getting stuck there. He sighed heavily and moved under it, grabbing the fish again and moving inside cautiously. I didn't understand what he was doing, then something caught my eye. A black creature creeping over a rock formation and stalking Hiccup almost menacingly. I wanted to warn him but also wanted to know what was going on. As this beast stood, I saw it to be a dragon. All black, lighter patches around it's belly and on it's sides. Green eyes with black irises. Four legs, tail, big wings. I realized then and there-I was looking at a Night Fury!

A dragon likened to be the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself, even the dragon manual had nothing on it. I recall from training Hiccup had been asking about Night Furies, asking how to sneak up on one and Gobber telling him that no one had ever met a Night Fury and lived to tell the tale. In the manual, all it said was to hide and pray the dragon didn't find you. I found myself wondering if Hiccup was about to die being in this thing's presence. I watched Hiccup flinch in fear as the dragon came down to ground level, sniffing curiously but staying very alert and cautious. Hiccup held out the fish to it, it inched closer then backed up growling. Hiccup flinched more as he opened his vest revealing his dagger, the dragon growled in a pounce position. Hiccup only took it off his belt and tossed it in the pond with his foot and much to my surprise I saw the dragon sit back on it's back legs, wider eyes and looking at Hiccup who offered the fish again.

This time the Night Fury moved closer right in front of Hiccup. "Huh...Toothless? Could have sworn you had," Hiccup's sentence was cut short when I saw the dragon's fangs drop down and snatch the fish from his hands and gulp it down in two bites then licked it's lips contently, "teeth..." Hiccup finished. I wanted to laugh, that was kind of cute actually. I watched the dragon move closer again, Hiccup tripped and fell back on his butt trying to get away-him saying he didn't have anymore for the dragon. I gasped silently seeing the dragon spit half of the fish back up and into Hiccup's lap, then sat back again staring intently.

Hiccup seemed to be confused and lift the fish up, I understood now that the dragon was sharing with him. How odd for a dragon to act this way and Hiccup didn't seem scared at all. I watched Hiccup take a bite of the fish, and swallow it-then almost throw it back up but kept that down too. Hiccup smiled at the dragon and it...smiled back to him, a gummy one. So Night Furies had retractable teeth-interesting to know. Hiccup tried to reach for it and the dragon growled and glided off to another spot in the cove, I wondered why it didn't just fly away. The Night Fury singed the ground with it's fire and laid there, it noticed Hiccup moved close again and seemed to huff and ignore him while closing it's eyes and using it's tail to cover it's face.

This is when I noticed that the left tail fin had been torn off and it hit me: this was the Night Fury that Hiccup said he had shot down! He really had done it-I was beside myself with the shock and continued to watch the two. Hiccup tried to touch the tail and the dragon wasn't having it. Hiccup quickly moved away as the dragon lazily wandered to another spot. I just watched as the hours got later-nearing sunset now. I should be back in the village but wanted to know what was going on with Hiccup and this dragon. I saw Hiccup sit on a rock with a stick and start doodling in the dirt, it looked like the Night Fury's face. I then saw the dragon make it's way over to him-sit right beside to watch. I actually did smile when I saw the dragon grab a sapling and start making random lines in the dirt-seemed like it was trying to draw with the sapling in it's mouth.

Hiccup got up and looked at everything curiously, accidentally stepping on a line and earning a growl from the dragon so he stepped off and the dragon calmed. Hiccup tried again two more times to get the same reactions, and then I watched him just move about the lined-careful not to step on any. Hiccup ended up right in front of the dragon, back to it's chest and I worried what would happen, he'd never gotten this close before. Hiccup turned slow and faced it, he tried to touch but the dragon growled turning it's head slightly. Hiccup sighed and closed his eyes, turning his head and looking away-slowly extending his hand with the palm out. My eyes widened as I saw the dragon lean in and close it's eyes then press it's snout to Hiccup's hand and the two held that for only a moment before Hiccup looked back at it, the dragon opened it's eyes and pulled away with a huff then walked off.

I couldn't believe what I just witnessed. Hiccup actually...touched a dragon, a Night Fury and it didn't kill him! Unable to hold my tongue, I made my way down and inside the same way he had. "What did you just do!" I asked quickly, I'd never seen him have such a fearful look in his eyes before.

"As-Astrid!" he said quickly. "What...are you...doing here?"

"I followed you after training, I wanted to know where you'd been disappearing too. Is...that the Night Fury you said you shot down?" I asked rather excitedly.

"Y-yeah...he's...kind of trapped here because he lost his tail fin..." Hiccup replied.

"He let you touch him! I've never seen that before, no dragon lets a human touch them! What did you do to let him?..." I asked curiously.

"I-I don't know...I just...showed him I wasn't afraid of him, I trusted him not to hurt me...and looks like he did the same to me...A-are you gonna tell anyone?" Hiccup asked shyly.

"You should! This is amazing, so many things could change if you did. You touched a Night Fury and LIVED, Hiccup!" I exclaimed smiling.

"No...no I can't...they'd...kill him, Astrid. It's not...fair he has to die because others wouldn't understand..." Hiccup replied.

"Understand what?" I questioned. It was then that Hiccup went on to tell me about sneaking out of his father's house the morning after that raid where he said he shot down a Night Fury and finding the dragon tied up in his bola. Hiccup explained that he was going to kill it and saw fear in it's eyes, that he couldn't kill him because he looked as scared as Hiccup was. I learned that Hiccup let the Night Fury go and it pounced him, it stared him down and Hiccup was scared to die-but the dragon only roared in his face and then took off. Hiccup continued to tell me that he went looking for the Night Fury again after Gobber said dragons always go for the kill. Since then, Hiccup had been coming back to check on him-knowing he was trapped in the cove because he couldn't fly out. "I see...so you don't think anyone would listen to you if you tried to explain to them that dragon's...aren't dangerous and they are just as scared of us as we are of them?"

"Nobody listens to me as it is, not even my dad. It's just better not to say anything...I'm gonna try to find a way to get him out of here. I don't want him to die because of me," Hiccup sighed.

"I listened to you, Hiccup. I saw it with my own eyes and...I want to help you," I said softly.

"You want to help me?" Hiccup asked. I nodded.

"Yeah, with this...helping him get out and free. I won't tell anyone, I swear. I'll help anyway I can...seeing this-I don't think I can hurt dragons or fight them, I see what you see now. It's not fair we kill them when they just survive like we do..." I lowered my head a bit.

"You'd...really keep this a secret, help me help him?" Hiccup asked me, I nodded again. He sighed closing his eyes, "Alright. But we can't be seen together-people will start questioning it...so when you see me coming here, give it like ten minutes until you follow..."

"I'll do that. We should get back though, don't want them sending the village after us." I suggested.

"You go first, I'll follow and come out another way..." Hiccup informed, I smiled.

"Um...I don't really know the way-I was...following you here," I admitted.

"Alright I'll walk you to the edge, then you enter the village alone, I'm going around to end up at my father's house..." Hiccup told me.

"Okay, lead the way then." From there, we walked back-talking a little bit on ideas to get the dragon out of the cove-wouldn't be easy since he couldn't fly but Hiccup seemed to think he could build something to help him. I was intrigued by it and he said could watch as long as we weren't seen together. Reaching the edge of the forest, I went ahead of him and looked back to see he was already gone.

(Next Few Weeks)

Hiccup was very inventive and I was beyond shocked when I saw his first idea-a leather dragon tail with metal rods and connectors that would allow it to open and close. Apparently he built it right after Gobber finished a story about how he lost his leg and arm. As I'd promised, I told no one about the meetings in the cove with Hiccup. The very first one with the leather tail had been interesting. Hiccup brought an entire basket of fish, even gave the dragon a name: Toothless. We learned that Toothless didn't like eels. The first attempt with the tail: terrifying but Hiccup continued to add on to it over the last few weeks. The tail couldn't open on it's own, learned that by poor Hiccup getting taken on a ride-holding on to Toothless's tail. Toothless was able to fly if Hiccup opened it himself and adjusted it.

Obviously he couldn't continue to ride the tail-this brought him to the idea of having a saddle and piece of rope to open the tail. Also ended with not working. The ideas continued until eventually, Hiccup built and entire rig with cables, peddles, saddle, tail. I couldn't believe he'd made such a creation but it had been yet to be tested. More in the last few weeks as the new modifications were made to the tail, is that Hiccup became quite the sensation in training and then among the village. Learning Toothless didn't like eels helped against a Zippleback where Hiccup backed it into it's pen with his hands, later on I discovered it was because he had an eel under his vest.

More tricks consisted of a special grass that made a Gronckle drop in delight after Hiccup rubbed it's nose. He also knew a pressure point to bring a dragon down-not hurt it, just paralyzed them slightly. And I saw him using a little sunbeam on the ground to get a Terrible Terror into it's pen. All things he learned while working with Toothless. It was amazing to see and today was the test flight with the rig, I was excited and nervous for him.

"Be careful up there," I offered lightly, keeping my distance. Toothless knew I was there but didn't seem to like me very much. Seemed reasonable-Hiccup earned his trust, not me. I was more...tolerated because Hiccup told Toothless I wouldn't hurt him.

"No promises..." he shrugged and got on Toothless's back in the saddle and positioned his feet. We were trying this near the sea stacks. Out of village eyesight. That was all we needed, to be caught together and then also have it come out Hiccup was RIDING a dragon, a Night Fury no less. Hiccup had a piece of paper with him, something for the tails positioning. "Alright bud, let's take this nice and slow..." he told the dragon, I thought it was cute-the little friendship they had. Toothless darted off down the stack and I only prayed this went well.

I watched closely as they went under a rock formation, then crashed into stacks twice, they flew right up and doing well. Until Hiccup's cheat sheet flew off, he caught it and his restraints holding him to Toothless released and they separated. I watched in horror-he was gonna die. No way he'd survive the fall into the freezing cold waters from that height. However, I was proven wrong when he grabbed the saddle and pulled himself back on, locking back in place. I watched closer as they neared narrow stacks together. Hiccup didn't have time to read the sheet, he tossed it and winged the entire maze on instinct. I couldn't believe it! He did it, he made it so Toothless could fly! Well, not without him he couldn't but regardless-Hiccup built a working dragon tail!

"You did it!" I said happily as they landed on the stack, I hugged him tightly. I don't know where it came from but I did, I pulled back with a slight blush. "Wow, I can't believe it works! And you rode him, it's gotta be amazing to be up there and flying..." I breathed out.

"Want to find out for yourself?" he asked me. I blinked wondering what he meant, he got back on Toothless and offered his hand to me. "Do you trust me, Astrid?"

"I-I do, Hiccup...but I don't think...Toothless wants me on him," I replied nervously.

"You have to earn his trust, you said you saw how I did it...why don't you try the same?" Hiccup suggested. I glanced at Toothless and took a deep breath, as I carefully placed down my ax and daggers then moved in front of Toothless who started growling a bit. I looked at Hiccup for help but he just urged me to go ahead. I looked at Toothless again and closed my eyes turning my head with my palm out. It took a moment but I felt a scaled snow against it-opening my eyes I saw it to be Toothless's and his eyes were closed too. Did that mean it worked? I earned his trust. Toothless opened his eyes and pulled back some, he gave a slight head nod to me and I looked at Hiccup again. "He'll let you on him now," he said offering his hand again.

I took his hand as he pulled me on Toothless's back behind him, I wrapped me arms around his waist and held on. Toothless darted off into the sky-I was terrified at first but soon we were flying towards the sunset, I looked around to see clouds so I reached for one and smiled wide-this was amazing! Toothless took us up past the cloud cover and it was the night sky already, stars and a few more clouds. While enjoying the flight, a glow caught my eye-I looked over to see the Northern Lights on our left. My heart skipped a beat as I held onto Hiccup, lying my head on his shoulder and smiling. Nothing beat this. Nothing at all. I was falling for him, for Hiccup. Stoick was right, Hiccup wasn't a dragon killer. He was a dragon trainer, a dragon rider.

Hiccup took us over Berk, a sight to see from the sky. We got my weapons again and then we landed in the cove afterwards. Hiccup and I got off as I just threw my arms around his neck and kissed him quickly. "Okay, that was amazing...breathtakingly amazing."

"You're welcome...but...why did you kiss me?" Hiccup blinked.

"Because I like you, Hiccup. All this, you...it's incredible. I love being around you, and Toothless...I've never had more fun in my life. This...it's you. The real you. This is who you are...and I want to be with the real you. If you'll...have me?" Astrid blushed deeply. Hiccup's eyes widened some, maybe he didn't like me? Finally he smiled at me and took my hand in his.

"Well, if this is who you really want...how can I deny you? I like you too, always had a crush on you since I was like thirteen..." Hiccup admitted. I smiled. "Would you...like to be my girlfriend, Astrid?"

"I would, Hiccup...on one condition..." I teased slightly as he arched a brow, "I want you to teach me how to train and ride my own dragon. Will you? Please?"

"Alright, we'll have to be careful though. And I gotta find one for you, the only ones on Berk are in the ring-locked up. Might not be so easy...but we will get you your own dragon to train and ride," Hiccup nodded. I beamed happily and kissed his cheek. "See you tomorrow, Toothless." his dragon friend snorted at him and went to the pond for a drink-then onto the small cave to sleep. Hiccup helped me out of the cove and we walked back hand in hand to the village. I was so happy, I was Hiccup's girlfriend. No one would ever believe it, and he was going to teach me how to train and ride a dragon. Life was really good for me right now, was for Hiccup too. He finally found what he was good at: seeing things that were different. Seeing the truth.