The dreaded day has come and Hiccup was with Emily and waiting for Gobber to let him in while Stoick gives his speech about the day. Hiccup was fidgeting on his spot as Emily has her staff.
"Hiccup, what if this plan fails? Your father would do something bad if you tried to show them that there's another way to work with the dragons." Emily said as Hiccup just groaned.
"I-I don't know, okay? I'm scared as heck to even step foot in the arena." Hiccup said as he looked up to the cage of the Monstrous Nightmare.
Emily just watched him with pity in her eyes as they were both lost in thought but snapped out of it when Stoick's voice was heard.
"Today, my boy becomes a Viking. TODAY, HE BECOMES ONE OF US!" Stoick announced as Hiccup scoffed while Emily just glared at the roof.
"As if he will become one of you." Emily muttered while gripping her staff.
They heard footsteps approaching and saw that it was Astrid who is equally worried and concerned for Hiccup but Emily is the one who's more worried than anyone else.
"Be careful with that dragon." Astrid told him worriedly but he didn't face her as he was watching Stoick go to his seat.
"It's not the dragon I'm worried about." Hiccup muttered.
Emily kept silent while looking at Hiccup.
"What are you gonna do?" Astrid asked in worry.
"Put an end to this." Hiccup said as he took a deep breath.
"I have to try." Hiccup added before turning to Emily with pleading in his eyes.
"Emily, Astrid, if something goes wrong... just make sure they don't find Toothless and Optimus." Hiccup said as Emily just nodded.
"Come back in one piece." Emily told him as he gave a small forced smile to reassure her.
"We will. Just... promise us it won't go wrong." Astrid said and before Hiccup could even answer, Gobber came to tell him that it's time.
"It's time, Hiccup. Knock him dead." Gobbe said as Hiccup gave Astrid and Emily one last glance before walking and putting his helmet on.
Cheers started to erupt as Hiccup looked around worriedly while Gobber closed the gate and left him to his fate. The two blondes watched him worriedly and anxiously by the gate as Gobber was by Stoick's side as Hiccup walked to the weapon's wrack and picked up a shield and a small dagger.
"Hrmph. I would've gone for the hammer." Stoick grunted.
Hiccup took a deep breath as he glanced at Emily by the gate who gave him a reassuring nod before he faced the gate.
"I'm ready." He said and it was loud enough for everyone to hear as some Vikings pulled the lever from outside the arena.
After a few seconds, the cage doors burst open with the deadly dragon covered in flames and roaring in rage as it crawled everywhere to look for a way out. Hiccup watched it nervously with slight fear as it hung on the ceiling. Emily watched him worriedly as she gripped her staff.
The dragon soon caught a whiff of Hiccup's scent as it looked at him before climbing down and approached the boy slowly in a threatening way. Astrid and Emily watched on worriedly as Hiccup slowly backed away and dropped his shield and weapon to the ground while putting his hands up slowly.
"What is he doing?" Stoick asked in confusion as murmurs of confusion and disbelief can be heard around the arena.
"It's okay. It's okay." Hiccup was able to keep his voice calm in a soothing tone but the dragon was still unconvinced while glancing at his head.
Getting the message, Hiccup took the helmet off before tossing it to the side without breaking eye contact with the dragon.
"I'm not one of them." He said and collective gasps of shock rang through the arena as Astrid glanced up and looked at everyone as Emily gritted her teeth.
"Stop the fight." Stoick ordered but Hiccup refused as he wanted to show them the real nature of the dragon.
"No! I need you all to see this. They're not what we think they are. We don't have to kill them." Hiccup said as he slowly reached out to the dragon who was now calming down.
All of the villagers turned to Stoick who was enraged and stood up from his seat and banged his hammer against the railing of the arena.
"I SAID STOP THE FIGHT!!!" Stoick yelled loudly.
This only provoked the Nightmare as it soon became agitated and almost snapped at Hiccup's hand. The teen pulled his hand back quickly with a cry of fear. The dragon soon fired a stream of fire at the terrified boy who let out a scream of terror as Emily's spark dropped at this.
The screams weren't unheard as Toothless shot up from his spot alert with Optimus hearing the scream. Toothless felt his heart drop when he recognized it. It was Hiccup! And he needs him now!
Back at the arena, it was a full blown panic when someone didn't enter the ring to even help the boy.
"Out of my way!" Stoick ordered and pushed people aside who were too busy watching what was happening.
"Hiccup!" Astrid yelled and grabbed an axe from the wall and used it to pry and gate open and pushed herself through it.
Emily quickly pushed herself through the gap and rushed to the dragon to stop it from hurting someone she considers as a brother.
At the cove, Toothless was clawing the walls of the cove. Optimus quickly helped him out as the two dragons charged towards the arena at full speed and prayed and hoped that their friends would be okay.
Toothless was running with all his might to reach his beloved rider. He can't. He can't lose Hiccup who he sees as a brother, caretaker and a rider! He just can't!
Optimus felt his pupils turn into slits as the memory of the Nemesis flashed through his mind where Emily almost died protecting him and getting severely hurt in the process.
Back at the arena, Hiccup tried to get a shield but dropped it when the dragon came at him again. A battle cry was heard as Emily slammed herself against the dragon with her mask snapping into place and covering her lower face.
"Emily!" Hiccup cried out in fear.
"Get to safety, Hiccup!" Emily yelled to him but cried out in shock when the dragon sent her flying against the wall with its tail.
"HICCUP!!! EMILY!!!" Astrid cried out.
She saw a hammer and quickly picked it up and threw it at the dragon to divert its attention which worked too well as it started to chase after her.
"ASTRID!!!" Both Hiccup and Emily cried out in fear.
Stoick was able to reach the entrance and lifted it open for them to escape through.
"This way!" Stoick yelled.
Astrid ran towards it and was able to escape but Hiccup wasn't as lucky as the dragon fired at the gate and made the teen to run the other way. Emily blocked its path with her staff and tried to push it away when it pinned both of them down. Hiccup looked at it in fear for his life while Emily gritted her teeth and tried to get it off them.
Just then the all too familiar roar of the Night Fury was heard along with a Stormcutter as both dragons fired at the arena from the top and the whole area was covered in smoke.
Cries of Vikings were heard as the smoke started to clear up and Hiccup started to cough while Optimus hovered over them protectively while growling. Toothless was fighting against the Monstrous Nightmare to protect Emily and Hiccup as every Viking watched on in shock at seeing the two dragons. Emily looked worried for Hiccup and Toothless and Optimus and herself since the secret was out.
Both dragons continue to wrestle each other until the Night Fury was able to kick the other off him and blocked its path from ever going near Emily and Hiccup. The Monstrous Nightmare backed off but not before giving the Night Fury a look and went back to its cage. Emily's mask disappeared as she and Hiccup tried to urge the two to leave and run.
Toothless looked back to Hiccup who rushed to him.
"Alright, Toothless, go. Get out of here!" Hiccup urged him to leave but he wasn't budging.
"Night Fury!"
"Go! GO!" Hiccup cried out desperately and pushed Toothless to move.
Emily looked around them before looking at Optimus pleadingly.
"Optimus, you need to leave now before they capture you! GO!" Emily told him desperately.
Optimus looked at her before nodding before taking off through the hole on the roof and disappeared from sight.
"Take it alive!"
"Toothless, you need to leave now before it's too late!" Emily cried out as she started to help Hiccup to get Toothless to move.
"Stoick, no!" Astrid's voice made them look up and saw that Stoick was charging at Toothless with an axe.
"No, Dad, he won't hurt you!" Hiccup cried out to make him stop but it proved useless as Toothless growled.
The Night Fury charged at the chief in an act to protect Hiccup and Emily as the two tried to make the Vikings stop charging.
"No, don't! You're only making it worse!" Emily yelled out.
Toothless soon pounced on Stoick and started to gather flammable gas in his mouth as Hiccup cried out to stop him.
"Toothless, STOP!" Hiccup cried out desperately.
"No! NOOOOO!" Hiccup cried out at the last second when Toothless almost blasted Stoick.
Toothless stopped before looking at Hiccup and Emily in confusion before several vikings attacked and pinned Toothless down to the ground. Hiccup tried to stop them to help his friend but was stopped by Astrid.
"No! Please, ju-just don't hurt him! Please don't hurt him." Hiccup pleaded for them to stop and not hurt Toothless but it just got worse when Emily was being held back as she struggled to get one of the Vikings to let her go.
"Let me go!" Emily yelled but she was soon pinned down to the ground next to Toothless while dropping her staff.
A Viking handed Stoick his axe but he just pushed it away whilst looking at Toothless before glaring at Emily.
"Put it and Winters with the others!" Stoick ordered which they did so and followed what the chief said.
"Wait, what are you doing to her? Emily? Emily!" Hiccup said as he tried to reach out for her as she was cuffed and tossed in the cage with Toothless.
She was able to give him one last glance with a pained smile before the gates shut and Hiccup was dragged to the Great Hall by his dad.
Stoick ignored Hiccup's protests and pleas to let Emily go while they went to the Great Hall and when they got there, he opened the door and practically threw Hiccup inside who stumbled slightly but the teen caught himself before turning around to look at his father nervously but with slight fear.
"I should have known. I should have seen the signs." Stoick muttered under his breath angrily.
"Dad-" Hiccup tried to call him.
"We had a deal!" Stoick snapped at him and caused him to flinch.
"I know we did... But that was before... Ugh, it's all so messed up!" Hiccup said as he ran through his hands through his hair.
Stoick turned to him with angry eyes.
"So everything in the ring... A trick?! A lie?" Stoick accused and Hiccup was pretty much sure that what he did during training was not tricks or lies.
He was just using what he learned to tame the dragons. He didn't mean for it to go this far but he can't just have Emily and Toothless get hurt.
"I screwed up. I should have told you before now. Take this out on me, be mad at me, but please... just don't hurt Toothless and Emily." Hiccup pleaded but Stoick turned to him in disbelief but he just got angrier. His own son protecting a dragon and the traitor?!
"The dragon and the traitor? That's what you're worried about? Not the people you almost killed?!" Stoick exclaimed as Hiccup tried to defend his only two friends.
"They were just protecting me! Toothless is not dangerous and Emily's not a traitor!" Hiccup pointed out in defense for his friends.
"They've killed HUNDREDS OF US!" Stoick shouted and Hiccup couldn't take it anymore. The dragons didn't do anything wrong! They were just as many victims of the war as they were!
"AND WE'VE KILLED THOUSANDS OF THEM!" Hiccup shouted back much to Stoick's shock but he huffed and started to pace.
"They defend themselves, that's all! They raid us because they have to! If they don't bring enough food back, they'll be eaten themselves. There's something else on their island, Dad... it's a dragon like-" Hiccup said but the word island caught Stoick's attention as he looked towards him.
"Their island? So you've been to the nest." Stoick said as Hiccup's eyes widened at this.
"Did I say nest?" Hiccup asked as he tried to act stupid but Stoick wasn't falling for it.
This could be his only chance to get rid of the dragons once and for all.
"How did you find it?!" Stoick asked and Hiccup was panicking.
"No... I didn't. Toothless did. Only a dragon can find the island." Hiccup said before his eyes widened in horror.
Stoick ignored his expression as he stood back up as a plan was forming in his mind. Hiccup saw the expression on his father's face and frantically tried to stop him from doing something so dangerous. Stoick started to head towards the doors with Hiccup trying to stop him.
"Oh, no, no. Dad, no! Dad! It's not what you think! You don't know what you're up against! It's like nothing you've ever seen! Dad, please! I promise you that you can't win this one!" Hiccup exclaimed as he tried to stop him but was completely ignored.
Hiccup watches him helplessly but he needs to stop him.
"No! Dad, no! FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, WOULD YOU PLEASE JUST LISTEN TO ME?!" Hiccup practically pleaded but was shoved down to the floor by his father and sat there in disbelief.
He looked up to his father with tears threatening to fall down as Stoick glared at him with an emotionless stare.
"You've thrown your lot in with them. You're not a Viking. You're not my son." Stoick told him coldly as Hiccup's whole body started to shake from restrained sobs as Stoick left.
"READY THE SHIPS!" He ordered loudly while slamming the door closed but it just bounced back open to light up the dark room.
Before walking to the docks, Stoick staggered while trying to stop himself from breaking down at what he just did. Hiccup is no son of his. He sided with the dragons and their enemy but he can't worry about that now. He had an island to find and will use the Night Fury and bring the girl along.
Hiccup tried so hard to restrain the sobs that tried to escape but he couldn't take it anymore before letting out a sorrowful scream and loud sob that echoed through the whole island who all looked up from what they were doing.
At the arena and inside one of the cages, Toothless' ears perked up and he looked through the bars of the cage he and Emily are in and warbled sadly. Emily was resting beside him as she lifted her head up slowly hearing it as well.
"You hear it too...?" She asked softly as Toothless lay his head down next to her lap as she rubbed his head comfortingly.
He could feel Hiccup is in a lot of pain and both he and Emily aren't there to lessen it. Emily clenched one of her hands into fists as she glared at the gates of the cage.
"If only they had listened to him and this would have never happened." Emily muttered angrily before footsteps were heard and both of them perked up.
They saw that it was the other teens from the arena and she leveled her glare at them with Toothless growling softly.
"Came here to gloat?" Emily said coldly as Astrid looked away.
"As if, Winters. You had this coming. Especially siding with the useless and sorry excuse of a Viking and a traitor to all Vikings." Snotlout said smugly with a smile.
The teens all back up with cries of surprise and shock when Emily literally banged herself against the bars.
"Listen here, son of a goblin! Hiccup is not useless or a sorry excuse of a viking and is not a traitor! You and the whole village all labeled him one when all of you are the traitors and a bunch of backstabbers! And most importantly, you bullied him." Emily told them angrily as they looked at her in shock.
"H-He deserves it! He should just throw himself off the cliff and-" Snotlout said but was cut off by Emily's angry eyes who seemed to glow brighter than normal as Toothless was growling.
"Don't you finish that sentence, Jorgenson. You, his own cousin, bullied him for what? To toughen him up or for your own sick amusement? Hiccup told me how you always make fun of him and he wanted to tell your dad what you did to him every day ever since he's working at the forge. He told me that he cried every night for someone to help him and lessen the pain he felt every day. And who helped him? No one." She said before directing her eyes at Fishlegs who looked ready to flee.
"Fishlegs, Hiccup considers you as a friend since you never make fun or bully him. But he told me that you could have at least told the chief, Gobber or Spitelout but you didn't. You just stood on the sidelines and watched Snotlout and the Thorston twins bully him." Emily told him with much less hate as he looked down in guilt.
She then looked at the Thorston twins with stern and cold eyes.
"You two have caused Hiccup so much pain with Snotlout in the times you bullied him. He didn't rat you two out when you caused trouble but you always blame it on him when you did something stupid and idiotic." The Thorston twins just look at her as Tuffnut turns away with Ruffnut as guilt and shame was shining in their eyes.
She then looked to Astrid.
"Astrid, you were the first one out of the village to believe that dragons aren't monsters. Hiccup would tell me that you deserve more than an axe and gifts. But when you told him to figure out which side he is on, that was the last straw. You broke his heart. He had feelings for you, Astrid, but it's never coming back. He doesn't love you anymore." Emily said as she backed up from the cage and sat back down against Toothless as the teens just stood in silence.
"Leave before anyone sees you." Emily told them and they did so without complaining while muttering quietly.
She just watched them leave before sighing as she knew that they would be coming for her and Toothless to lead them to the nest. She can only hope that Hiccup is okay.