Chapter 6

INT. STOICK'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Hiccup enters to see... STOICK, seated on a thick slice of tree-trunk. He is slouched over the fire-pit, stirring the coals with his axe. Embers waft around his beard. Hiccup tries to sneak past, up the stairs to his room. Stoick seems none the wiser, when...

STOICK

Hiccup.

HICCUP (CAUGHT)

Dad. Uh…

Stoick stands, takes a deep breath.

HICCUP (CONT'D)

I, uh... I have to talk to you, Dad.

STOICK

I need to speak with you too, son.

Hiccup and Stoick STRAIGHTEN at the same moment.

HICCUP STOICK

I've decided I don't want to I think it's time you learn fight dragons. To fight dragons. (BEAT) (BEAT) What? What?

The whole village laughed at the duo. Gobber threw his arm around Stoick.

"Leave it to you and Hiccup to change your minds at the same time," he said laughing. Hiccup had buried himself into Toothless as soon as the laughter started.

STOICK (CONT'D)

You go first.

HICCUP

No, you go first.

"Why didn't you go first?" Snotlout asked loudly. Hiccup turned to him with a deadpanned stare.

"Respect. Manners. Take your pick," Hiccup said setting off more laughter.

STOICK

Alright. You get your wish. Dragon training. You start in the morning.

HICCUP (SCRAMBLING)

Oh man, I should've gone first. Uh, 'cause I was thinking, you know we have a surplus of dragon-fighting Vikings, but do we have enough bread-making Vikings, or small home repair Vikings-

"Bread making Vikings, seriously Hiccup?" Astrid asked playfully. Hiccup shrugged.

STOICK

You'll need this.

Stoick hands Hiccup his axe. Hiccup avoids taking it.

HICCUP

I don't want to fight dragons.

STOICK

Come on. Yes, you do.

HICCUP

Rephrase. Dad I can't kill dragons.

STOICK

But you will kill dragons.

HICCUP

No, I'm really very extra sure that I won't.

STOICK

It's time Hiccup.

HICCUP

Can you not hear me?

"I really didn't think he could bud," Hiccup said scratching Toothless's neck.

STOICK

This is serious son!

Stoick forces the axe into Hiccup's hands. Its weight drags him down. He looks up to see Stoick under-lit with firelight.

STOICK (CONT'D)

When you carry this axe... you carry all of us with you. Which means you walk like us. You talk like us. You think like us. No more of… (Gesturing Non-specifically at Hiccup) ... this.

HICCUP

You just gestured to all of me.

"Is that your catchphrase or something?" Snotlout asked while the other teens nodded in agreement.

"Only in that situation," Hiccup replied.

STOICK

Deal?

HICCUP

This conversation is feeling very one-sided.

"Yeah it is. And we're not even in it," Tuffnut said to Ruffnut.

STOICK

DEAL?!

Hiccup glances at the axe in his hands. It's a no-win argument.

HICCUP (RESIGNED)

Deal.

Satisfied, Stoick grabs his helmet and duffel bag... and heads for the door.

STOICK

Good. Train hard. I'll be back. Probably.

HICCUP

And I'll be here. Maybe.

Stoick heads out the door, leaving Hiccup holding the axe.

"Where did the maybe come from?" Fishlegs asked. Hiccup looked at the others and shrugged.

"It wasn't the first time I thought about leaving." The Vikings were stunned into silence at the casual tone he said it in. 'What does the mean? He actually thought about leaving Berk?' Stoick though looking at the ground sadly.