"Now that we are on our own, who is going to do the basic jobs around here?" Astrid brought up the subject one day at the clubhouse.
Fishlegs, Snotlout, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut looked at her, dumbfounded.
"What do you mean?" Snotlout asked, scared.
"We all built our own huts and do our own things," Hiccup said, catching on to what Astrid was saying, "but we need to do things together. Also, we have this whole island to look after. So, how about we assign jobs like the twins did?"
Astrid gave Hiccup the "thank you" look.
"No," Snotlout and Fishlegs said immediately.
"Not those same jobs," Hiccup reassured them quickly.
"Well, I vote that Hiccup remains Stable Boy," Tuffnut suggested. "Can I get a second on that?"
Ruffnut raised her hand.
Astrid suppressed a laugh. "Those jobs weren't actually that bad. For the twins, I mean."
"If we're going to do this," Hiccup said, exasperated, "we need to give out real jobs. Things like cooking, cleaning, gathering food, feeding dragons-"
"Can I still be Sergeant at Arms?" Snotlout begged.
"We don't really need a Sergeant at Arms," Hiccup explained.
Snotlout crossed his arms. "Someone needs to enforce the rules."
"What rules?"
"The rules the twins laid down!"
Tuffnut nudged his sister, snickering.
"Those rule don't exist anymore," Astrid said matter-of-factly.
Ruffnut gasped and Tuffnut made a whimpering noise.
"What if someone isn't doing their job?" Snotlout argued. "Doesn't someone need to tell them to keep doing it?"
"That is basically martial law," Fishlegs pointed out.
Snotlout grinned. "Always did like martial law." The twins nodded in agreement.
Hiccup sighed. "How about we decide on what jobs need to be done around here. Cleaning-"
"Feeding dragons," Fishlegs offered, loving the job already.
"Fishing and other means of eating," Astrid said.
"Law enforcement," Snotlout pushed.
"Keeping track of the Night Terrors and other dragons," Fishlegs suggested.
"Patrol!" Astrid shouted out.
"Making the rules!" Tuffnut yelled.
Hiccup held up his hands. "Okay. Some of those are not going to happen, like 'Law enforcement' and 'Making the rules'. But I like Astrid's suggestion of food gathering and Fishlegs' of keeping track of the dragons. I'll come up with a list and post it in the clubhouse in the morning. Agreed?"
Everyone nodded. "Agreed."
…
The following morning, the gang trickled into the clubhouse one by one to see their jobs.
Snotlout was the first to see the list. "FISHING DUTY?" He yelled as Fishlegs walked in, stretching his arms.
Fishlegs heard this and laughed. "That sounds like your kind of job Snotlout."
Snotlout scanned the rest of the assignments. "Why did he put you on Dragon Counting and Rouge Dragon Lookout? Astrid gets Island Scouting and Food Preparations? Is Hiccup serious?"
Astrid walked in just in time to hear her name and assignment. "Island Scouting? Thanks Snotlout. Let's go Stormfly!" She jumped onto her sky blue dragon and flew off, leaving Snotlout and Fishlegs behind.
"See?" Snotlout complained to an annoyed Fishlegs. "She gets a fun job. I get fishing in the hot sun with a disobedient dragon!"
Fishlegs sighed and strode out of the clubhouse to mount Meatlug. Snotlout was still standing by the board fuming when the twins came in. "Hey, what is wrong with Snotlout?" Ruffnut asked, confused.
"He is probably angry with Hiccup's job assignments," Tuffnut concluded.
Ruffnut paused to consider the possibility. "Possibly. Hiccup was probably mean. Or maybe he really misses being Sergeant at Arms. When I miss something, I usually just stand there and remember the days gone by."
Tuffnut gasped. "He must be so sad."
"How about we take back over our island?"
Tuffnut's eyes lit up. "Great idea sister!"
Snotlout, sick of the twins' constant chatter, whirled around. "No! No one is taking full control over this island. We split it up, remember?"
The twins exchanged a glance. "Then why does Hiccup get to give out job assignments?" Tuffnut asked, folding his arms.
"I DON'T KNOW!" Snotlout yelled. "I am going to give myself my own assignment. Hiccup is not the boss of me."
Unfortunately, Hiccup and Toothless decided to walk into the clubhouse at that moment. "Snotlout, if you're unhappy with your job, I will give you a better one tomorrow."
"Well, what's your job?" Snotlout sneered, glancing at the list again. "Water Replenishment and Dragon Eye Searching? What does the second one even mean?"
"It means I look through the Dragon Eye and discover new dragons," Hiccup explained.
"Oh come on! I should've known you'd assign yourself the easiest jobs. I bet tomorrow you will get something like, 'Exercise Toothless'."
"Snotlout!" Hiccup exclaimed. "Fishing is a very easy job, especially with a Monstrous Nightmare."
"Hey Hiccup, what's our job?" Tuffnut interrupted.
Hiccup looked at the list. "Cleaning your hut. It's a disaster."
Ruffnut look crestfallen. "But Hiccup," she whined.
"Please," Hiccup pleaded. "I have enough assignment problems as it is."
"Fine," Tuffnut said. "But if you check it and find Ruffnut's dead body in the closet, don't be mad at me."
They walked out.
"Snotlout, please," Hiccup said. "Just for today."
Snotlout considered. "Fine," he agreed sullenly. "But I get a better job tomorrow."
"Fine."
…
An hour later, Snotlout had succeeded in filling three nets with fish. "How much do I need?" Snotlout asked Hookfang, who just looked at him with a toothy grin.
"Hiccup can't expect me to get that much," Snotlout decided. "I'll bring these back to the store house and take a nap."
Then a thought occurred to him. "We don't have a storehouse! I'll have to ask Hiccup where to put all this fish."
He flew Hookfang toward Hiccup's hut, where he was sure Hiccup was skipping out of Water Replenishment and just looking through the Dragon Eye. Sure enough, Hiccup was looking at the projection when Snotlout pushed the door open.
"Snotlout!" Hiccup yelled, surprised.
"Sorry to disturb your strenuous reading, but where do I put all this fish?"
Hiccup sighed. "Follow me. I should start on Water Replenishment anyway."
"Like you were going to do that in the first place," Snotlout mumbled.
"I was going to, actually," Hiccup said.
They flew off toward the waterfall that cascaded down the side of the cliffs near the center of Dragon's Edge. Hiccup carried two large baskets filled with small water containers. Hookfang carried the three nets full of fish.
"Behind that waterfall is a cave. It's big enough to hold a year's worth of fish and will keep them fresh until needed."
Snotlout nodded and flew Hookfang behind the waterfall while Hiccup started filling the water containers.
Once Snotlout dumped the fish, he flew by Hiccup and went back to his hut. Hookfang eyed him suspiciously as Snotlout flopped onto his bed and closed his eyes.
It hardly seemed like a minute passed before the door was flung open to reveal Astrid and Hiccup.
"What?" Snotlout said, sitting up.
"Why are you sleeping?" Astrid demanded. "You have a job to do!"
"Astrid please let me handle this," Hiccup murmured.
Astrid stormed out of the hut and walked off to the clubhouse to prepare the food.
"Why is she so mad?" Snotlout asked.
"You had a job, and you didn't do it. That's why."
"I did too!" Snotlout protested. "You saw me dump fish into that cave."
"Yes," Hiccup agreed, "but you have to do more than that. Otherwise, we may starve this winter. Just because we are a long way from home doesn't mean the same dangers don't present themselves."
Snotlout sighed and stood up. "I'm sorry, okay? I won't do it again."
Hiccup raised his eyebrows.
"I promise."
"Thank you," Hiccup said. "You know, the twins didn't clean up either. Maybe tomorrow you can watch them and make sure they do they're job. A little martial law over them should help them accomplish something."
Snotlout's eyes widened. "You're serious?"
Hiccup nodded.
"Can I be called a Sergeant at Arms? That name really grew on me."
Hiccup laughed. "Fine."
Another Race to the Edge fanfiction. I love the new series a lot. My favorite was episode 7, when Tuffnut and Ruffnut were in control of the Edge. That's where the inspiration for this came from.
Please review!