AN Hello! Surprise! I'm back with the final chapter after ages. As I've made people wait so long, this is a very long chapter that sees the story to its end. Thank to everyone for the amazing reviews and support that this story has gotten, that's honestly what motivated me to finish it. I don't know if there's going to be a sequel at all, or another similar story where they watch the third movie, but as it stands right now, and for the Foreseeable Future, this is the end. Enjoy!
The flash of the screen starting to move again pulled everyone away from the touching moment between father and son, focussing back on their imminent future.
[STOICK'S ship drifts out to sea. SNOTLOUT retrieves two arrows. GOBBER hands a bow and arrow to Hiccup during his eulogy for STOICK.]
"Oh God," said Hiccup, his voice breaking slightly, "I can't watch this." Seeing the boy's distress, Astrid reached over to him and hesitantly touched his arm in reassurance. Hiccup looked up to see Astrid giving him a tentative smile, which he returned, with a wobbly smile of his own.
GOBBER
May the Valkyries welcome you and lead you through Odin's great battlefield. May they sing your name with love and fury, so that we may hear it rise from the depths of Valhalla... and know that you've taken your rightful place at the table of kings. For a great man has fallen. A warrior. A chieftain. A father. A friend.
Sniffles could be heard throughout the hall, everyone bowing their heard in respect for the chief. Stoick found this very odd, to be watching his own funeral. He was touched by Gobber's speech, and the respect of his tribe.
[HICCUP shoots a flaming arrow to light STOICK'S ship. The others follow suit.]
HICCUP
I'm sorry, Dad.
Older Hiccup's lip wobbled as he recalled how he felt delivering the speech he knew he was about to give. Almost mimicking her younger counterpart exactly, older Astrid gently caressed his arm to comfort him, and leaned her head on his shoulder.
[All the dragon riders wipe away tears.]
Many of the Vikings also wiped their tears away, though new ones quickly replaced them.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
I'm not the chief that you wanted me to be. And I'm not the peacekeeper I thought I was. I don't know…
The village couldn't help but feel for the kid. After all, he had just reunited his family with such hope, only to have it ripped away from him, seemingly taking his identity with it.
VALKA
You came early into this world. You were such a wee thing. So frail, so fragile. I feared you wouldn't make it. But your father... he never doubted. He always said you'd become the strongest of them all. And he was right. You have the heart of a chief and the soul of a dragon. Only you can bring our worlds together. That is who you are, son.
Stoick nodded, remembering how small Hiccup was as a baby, and the worry that plagued him night and day, until Gothi confirmed that she thought Hiccup would survive.
HICCUP
I was so afraid of becoming my dad. Mostly because I thought I never could. How do you become someone that great? That brave? That selfless? I guess you can only try.
Stoick's eyes became wet with tears as he regarded his son with such love, that Hiccup found new tears prickling the backs of his eyes, moved by his father's rare display of love for him.
(HICCUP'S sadness becomes a fierce determination)
HICCUP (CONT'D)
A chief protects his own. We're going back.
TUFFNUT
Uh, with what?
RUFFNUT
He took all the dragons.
HICCUP
Not all of them.
There were many confused faces in the audience.
[They all are seen riding the baby Scuttleclaws, which were left in the sanctuary as the Alpha cannot control them. But not very well, as they ignore their riders and fly erratically.]
RUFFNUT
Fly straight, WILL YA?!
FISHLEGS
I don't want to die!
TUFFNUT
We can't fly these things!
FISHLEGS
Yeah, no kidding!
[Crashes through snow pile]
The Vikings laughed at the riders failing to tame the baby dragons, and even more so when one of them got hurt as a result.
ASTIRD
But won't that Bewilderbeast just take control of these guys, too?
HICCUP
They're babies. They don't listen to anyone!
TUFFNUT
Yeah, just like us!
The twin's parents sighed hopelessly, whilst Ruffnut and Tuffnut grinned at each other, before banging their helmets together.
GOBBER
This... is... [crashes into wall and recovers] very dangerous! [crashes again and recovers] Some might suggest this is poorly conceived.
HICCUP
Well, it's a good thing that I never listen.
"Forge' the dragons boyo, you're the one who never listens to anyone" Gobber chortled. Both Hiccups nodded, admitting to the truth in Gobber's statement.
GOBBER
So, - what IS your - plan?
HICCUP
Get Toothless back and kick Drago's—
[HICCUP is interrupted by an iceberg]
There was silence in the hall for a moment, as shock registered with the other Vikings that little fishbone Hiccup had such a mouth on him. Then a sudden, big, booming laugh echoed around the room. The Vikings turned in their seats to see who the culprit was, many not surprised to see that it was Stoick.
"Fair play to you boy," he chuckled.
GOBBER
Heads up!
HICCUP
And that thing.
[GOBBER crashes into the ice again.]
Laughs bounced off the walls again, though they immediately stopped once Drago came back into view, and the joyous laughter was replaced by a tense atmosphere with growls of revenge and anger occasionally heard.
AT BERK
[The ALPHA arrives, taking control of every dragon on Berk. GOTHI'S TERRIBLE TERRORS are mind-controlled and wake her up as they fly away. She looks outside and is startled to see the BEWILDERBEAST].
STARKARD
Ah, that's a good boy.
[STARKARD'S GRONKLE gets hypnotized.]
STARKARD
Watch the furniture! Where are you going?
FEMALE VIKING
Come back here!
[The combined masses of Berk's dragons, the Sanctuary dragons, and Drago's armored dragons merge into a single massive swarm as the BEWLIDERBEAST climbs onto the island with DRAGO on his head]
DRAGO
Your chief is dead.
VIKING
Stoick?
FEMALE VIKING
S'not possible.
DRAGO
No one can protect you now.
"That's not true" yelled Fishlegs, who instantly blushed once the attention was turned to him.
[The BEWILDERBEAST freezes Berk.]
The Vikings gasp.
[Morning arrives, and HICCUP and THE RIDERS reach Berk. The hypnotized dragons fly in circles above the BEWILDERBEAST, who has destroyed much of Berk and encased in in spikes of ice.]
HICCUP
No…
FISHLEGS
He took all the dragons!
HICCUP
Distract the Alpha. Try to keep his focus off of Toothless.
TUFFNUT
Uh... how?
ERET
Have your forgotten who you're riding with? There isn't a dragon alive that I can't wrangle! [His Scuttleclaw dives] Except for this one!
There were a few hushed chuckles at Eret's expense, though the majority of the village were watching the screen with laser-focus.
SNOTLOUT
Amateur.
"I still stand by what I said" said older Snotlout, who was being given a death glare by Eret.
VIKING
Look, it's Hiccup!
DRAGO
What?
[As HICCUP sneaks toward TOOTHLESS on a Scuttleclaw, the TEENS and ERET throw sheep in front of the ALPHA]
RUFFNUT
Keep 'em coming!
SNOTLOUT
Black Sheep, baby!
[The ALPHA is about to fire. FISHLEGS blows a horn, and the Black Sheep lands on the Alpha's face. Annoyed, the ALPHA blows the sheep away.]
"Seriously, you guys tried to distract the Alpha with sheep?" older Hiccup said disbelievingly.
"Hey, in our defence, it was the first thing we could think of and we wanted to be quick" older Snotlout defended.
SNOTLOUT
Ten points! Uh-oh...
[FISHLEGS blows the horn again and giggles. The ALPHA destroys the horn with a blast of ice.]
FISHLEGS
I'm okay!
[HICCUP is close to the hypnotized Toothless, ridden by DRAGO, who mocks HICCUP as he tries to reunite with his friend.]
DRAGO
You certainly are hard to get rid of. I'll say that.
HICCUP
Toothless? It's me, bud. It's me. I'm right here. Come back to me.
[TOOTHLESS still has a blank-eyed look on his face, but already we see his pupils widen for a second and he visibly begins to show signs of resistance]
The Vikings were intrigued to see how Hiccup would pull this off. They were also interested by Toothless's perspective, as this was the first time they had ever seen how a dragon views the world.
DRAGO
He is not yours anymore. He belongs to the Alpha! But, please, oh great Dragon Master, try to take him. He will not miss a second time.
HICCUP
It wasn't your fault, bud. They made you do it. You'd never hurt him. You'd never hurt me!
[HICCUP puts his hand on TOOTHLESS'S snout. His eyes widen and narrow as he mentally struggles against the ALPHA.]
DRAGO
How are you doing that?
Cheers of encouragement were heard from the Vikings.
HICCUP
Please. You are my best friend, bud.
[TOOTHLESS appears to almost break free, but the ALPHA concentrates harder and his eyes narrow again.]
HICCUP
My best friend.
[TOOTHLESS breaks from the Alpha's control. His eyes widen, and he smiles at HICCUP, whimpering happily]
HICCUP
Atta boy, that's it! I'm here!
There were shouts and cheers and whoops of joy as Hiccup reunited with his dragon onscreen, finally they were in with the chance of beating Drago.
DRAGO
Enough!
[DRAGO hits TOOTHLESS with his bull hook, but TOOTHLESS grabs the hook and yanks him off.]
HICCUP
Yeah!
[TOOTHLESS tips over and falls. HICCUP jumps after him.]
HICCUP
Hang on! Almost there, buddy. Almost there!
[HICCUP reaches him. He mounts TOOTHLESS and the two take to the air.]
DRAGO
Do something!
HICCUP
We need to get those two apart.
[HICCUP rips fabric from a flag. They dodge the ALAPH'S ice blast.]
HICCUP
We gotta block him out, Toothless. Do you trust me, bud?
[TOOTHLESS replies, and HICCUP blindfolds TOOTHLESS.]
HICCUP
We can do this. You and me. As one. That's it. Now let's try this one more time!
ASTRID
Take him down, babe!
Eyes turned to Astrid as she blushed, whilst older Astrid giggled and lovingly rested her head on older Hiccup's shoulder, who grinned back at her, slightly smug.
VIKING
Go, Hiccup!
VALKA
Go get 'em.
DRAGO
Take control of it!
[The ALPHA tries to hypnotize the blindfolded Toothless but fails. HICCUP covers Toothless' "ears".]
HICCUP
Shut it out, Toothless!
DRAGO
STOP THEM!
HICCUP
NOW!
[HICCUP locks Toothless' tail. TOOTHLESS passes him.]
DRAGO
Ha-ha-ha. (Gasps)
[TOOTHLESS is flying upside-down, his blind-fold falling away, and without HICCUP in his saddle. HICCUP, gliding on his flight suit, flies past and surrounds DRAGO with Zippleback gas and lights it. DRAGO falls off the ALPHA, his bull hook landing just out of reach. HICCUP uncontrollably glides towards the Alpha's tail almost colliding with it.]
HICCUP
Not again. TOOTHLESS! IT'S NOW OR NEVER! Come on, bud!
[TOOTHLESS uses his split tail fins to speed up and catch HICCUP before he can hit the Alpha's tail.]
HICCUP
Hold on!
[They narrowly miss crashing into the tail.]
HICCUP
Yeah! We did it!
The Vikings cheered on for Hiccup as the watched him take down Drago.
[HICCUP swoops down on DRAGO, who is on the ground. He stops DRAGO from grabbing his bull hook by throwing Inferno.]
DRAGO
Agghh!
HICCUP
Hold him there Toothless! It's all over now.
[The ALPHA rises up behind HICCUP]
DRAGO
Or is it?
HICCUP
Oh, no!
[The ALPHA breathes ice at HICCUP, but TOOTHLESS dives in. Both are frozen solid, to VALKA and ASTRID'S horror.]
Gasps rattled around the room, as the village stared at the screen, lost for words. The teens gaped, open-mouthed, at what they thought was the death of Hiccup. Stoick's mouth went dry, and his blood ran cold, thinking that he had just witnessed the death of his twenty-year-old son. Only Hiccup was comforted by the presence of older Hiccup in the room. After all, his father died, and he wasn't here, so that must mean that he survives… right?
VALKA
No! No...
[VALKA tries to break the ice. Then, the ice starts to glow.]
VALKA (CONT'D)
Hiccup.
[The ice breaks in an explosion and both TOOTHLESS and HICCUP are revealed to be alive and well. TOOTHLESS is very angry and his back fins are glowing electric blue. TOOTHLESS roars a challenge at the ALPHA, briefly looking back to HICCUP to reassure him.]
"Oooh."
"Aaah."
"Woah that's so cool, why can't my dragon do that,"
HICCUP
He's challenging the Alpha!
VALKA
To protect you.
Hiccup looked around in awe, marvelling at how this dragon's loyalty to him, even after he had shot Toothless down and injured him.
[TOOTHLESS fires at the ALPHA, whose tusks smash the icicle TOOTHLESS was perching on, but TOOTHLESS jumps back and fires again. The ALPHA loses concentration and control of the other dragons, with STORMFLY being the first dragon to be freed from control. TOOTHLESS tells them to come and fight.]
DRAGO
No, no, no, no! No! Fight back! Fight! FIGHT! What's the matter with you?
[All the dragons, from Berk, the Sanctuary, and even Drago's own armoured dragons, fly over to Toothless' side]
HICCUP
Now do you get it? This is what it is to earn a dragon's loyalty. Let this end now.
DRAGO
Never! Come on!
[TOOTHLESS directs all the dragons to open fire on Drago's Bewilderbeast. The ALPHA is pummelled by a huge bombardment of dragon fire.]
DRAGO
FIGHT!
[DRAGO loses his prosthetic arm to an armoured dragon's fireball. The ALPHA, having been struck hundreds of times, is very angry and roars at Toothless. TOOTHLESS fires one more shot right at the Bewilderbeast's face, breaking off one of his tusks. The severed tusk crashes to the ground as the BEWILDERBEAST roars in pain. TOOTHLESS aggressively roars in triumph, and the terrified BEWILDERBEAST bows in fear of him.]
HICCUP
The Alpha protects them all.
[The BEWILDERBEAST leaves, plunging into the sea with DRAGO still on his back, and the VIKINGS cheer. The dragons, including CLOUDJUMPER, who appears very proud of his Night Fury friend, bow to TOOTHLESS, the new Alpha. TOOTHLESS smugly soaks up the attention and roars in victory, and the dragons join in.]
It was finally over, with very few casualties. The Vikings roared and cheered at their victory over Drago.
HICCUP
You never cease to amaze me, bud. Thank you.
[TOOTHLESS licks him.]
HICCUP
Toothless! You know that doesn't wash out.
[The dragons come back to their riders.]
HOARK
I knew you'd come back.
VIKING
Love you, too.
[GOTHI'S TERRIBLE TERRORS cover her.]
ASTRID
Stormfly!
GOBBER
Oh, give me a cuddle, Grumpy!
FISHLEGS
Who's my little princess?
[RUFFNUT holds her arms out to FISHLEGS and SNOTLOUT, but they run past her.]
SNOTLOUT
Don't you ever leave again, Hookfang!
FISHLEGS
Oh, you are. Yes, you are. I missed you so much!
RUFFNUT
Oh, Barf!
[RUFFNUT hugs BARF.]
RUFFNUT
[To Belch] Not you.
[TUFFNUT hugs BELCH.]
ERET
That was some pretty fine dragon wrangling back there. You'd make a good trapper.
HICCUP
Y'know, Skullcrusher's gonna need somebody to look after him now.
ERET
Me?
"Him?" Stoick asked sceptically.
"Ah come on now Stoick, you're not tellin' me tha' you've grown fond of the dragon 'ave you?" Gobber teased with a smirk. Stoick huffed in response, though his mouth was turned up at the corner into a small grin.
[HICCUP nods]
ERET
I'd be honoured.
VALKA
Your father... he'd be every bit as proud as I am.
HICCUP
Thank you. I'm really glad you're here, mom.
VALKA
And here I'll stay.
ASTRID
See? I told you it was in here. [She taps hiccup's chest and opens Hiccup's gliding suit fin.]
HICCUP
Ha, ha. Still doing that one? That's hilarious. Come here, you. [Kisses ASRTID.]
Snotlout's mouth dropped open, causing many Vikings to laugh. They hooted and made crude gestures and noises that had Hiccup and Astrid sinking in their seats, while their older counterparts laughed along with the Vikings. Astrid, if she wasn't lying to herself (which she was) was quite impressed with Hiccup's confidence, causing her to blush and sink down further. Hiccup, meanwhile was watching in a daze, not believing that he finally kissed the girl that he had dreamed about for years, let alone that he initiated it, and she didn't lodge an axe in his head for trying. Maybe this wasn't the first time they had kissed. The thought made him giddy.
GOBBER
Ooh. [Covers boy's eyes.]
[GOTHI taps Hiccup's shoulder and gestures for him to kneel. She uses coal to draw the Chief symbol on Hiccup's forehead.]
GOBBER
The Chief has come home!
Hiccup's heart sank at the reminder of his dad, and he looked over at Stoick for reassurance, only to find that his father was already looking at him, with proud tears in his eyes.
VIKINGS
Long live Chief Hiccup! Long live the Chief! Long live the Chief! Long live the Chief! Long live the Chief!
[The dragons fire into the sky.]
[A TERRIBLE TERROR tries to lift a sheep in a dragon race but fails. BARF and BELCH swoop in and snatch it. RUFFNUT and TUFFNUT tug-of-war for it. RUFFNUT wins, throwing it to FISHLEGS, but SNOTLOUT intercepts it and blows a kiss to RUFFNUT, before throwing it in the twins' basket. ERET and SKULLCRUSHER join the flight. HICCUP and TOOTHLESS are repairing a house.]
HICCUP(V.O)
This... is Berk. A bit trampled and busted and covered in ice, but it's home. It's our home.
[The camera shows some Vikings working on a giant statue of STOICK.]
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Those who attacked us are relentless and crazy. But those who stopped them? Oh, even more so!
The Vikings laughed in agreement.
[ASTRID swoops past HICCUP laughing, and he decides to join them]
HICCUP (CONT'D)
We may be small in numbers, but we stand for something bigger than anything the world can pit against us.
[VALKA and GOBBER are removing the armour from the dragons that Drago captured.]
HICCUP (CONT'D)
We are the voice of peace. And bit by bit, we will change this world.
[GOBBER pauses working to fire the black sheep. ASTRID and STORMFLY get ready to catch it as in the last race, but HICCUP and TOOTHLESS grab it from below her.]
HICCUP (CONT'D)
You see, we have something they don't. Oh sure, they have armies
[TOOTHLESS flies under the baskets while HICCUP jumps above them, throwing the black sheep into Astrid's basket.]
HICCUP (CONT'D)
and they have armadas... But we... we have...
[All the RIDERS land at the chief's viewing stand.]
OUR DRAGONS!
[TOOTHLESS roars.]
The Vikings cheered as the screen turned black. The older teens stepped forward into the light once more.
"For the last time, any questions?"
There weren't many hands that went up this time, only a few, curious Vikings raised their arms.
"What happened next?" one asked.
"We're not sure, to be perfectly honest. The events that you just watched only happened a few months ago for us. All that we've really done since is continue to rebuild Berk and help rescue more dragons from trappers." Older Hiccup replied truthfully. Hiccup then raised a timid hand.
"Was that the first time, um, that, uh you know, A-Astrid and I…"
"Kissed?" older Astrid finished with mirth in her eyes. Hiccup blushed and nodded as chuckles went around the room. Astrid pretended that she didn't care, checking out her nails and smoothing don her skirt. "No. The first time Hiccup and I kissed was after we had defeated the Red Death, a huge queen dragon, actually the dragon that runs the nest that you have been trying to find. She was the reason for the raids, and if the dragons didn't bring her back enough food, they would get eaten herself. That was how Hiccup lost his leg. We kissed after that."
"When was that?" Hiccup asked, trying to be nonchalant.
"Five years ago, and we've been together since then. So soon, don't worry." Hiccup blushed at her teasing.
"What happens now?" Stoick asked. Older Hiccup looked uncertain.
"Honestly, that's up to you guys. We were brought here so that the events could be altered so that there is less loss and grief. You'll go back to where you came from, with the knowledge that you have now coming back to you over time. You won't remember everything immediately, but I trust that you'll remember when the time is right. For now, I suppose that goodbyes are in order."
After finishing his little speech, older Hiccup walked down towards Stoick who looked at him with pained eyes. Before either of them could say anything though, Hiccup crushed Stoick into a hug, the strength of which surprised Stoick. Hiccup pulled back and looked into his father's eyes with such intensity and emotion, almost like he was trying to memorise the colour and the pattern of his father's eyes, that Stoick felt his own eyes pricking with tears, which started to overflow when Hiccup started to speak, his throat catching and his voice cracking with sadness.
"I love you. So much, dad. I'm sorry I didn't tell you as much when you were around, that's on me, I guess I was never comfortable telling you how I felt even five years after our relationship got better. I regret that so, so much, and I just need to tell you because this is probably the last time I'm ever going to be able to say that-"
"I know, son," Stoick interrupted his son, unashamedly crying. "I love you, too." The two shared another hug, grasping at each other, savouring every second, before parting. Stoick nodded, before moving around his older son to his wife. "I promise, Valka, as soon as I remember, I'll come looking for you. If I am going to die, I want to spend as much time as I can with my entire family." Valka nodded, her eyes shut, and her mouth titled into a smile.
"I'll be waiting," she reassured him, before pressing her lips to his in a lingering kiss.
Across the room, older Hiccup approached his younger self, with the intention of comforting him, but as soon as he reached the fifteen-year-old boy, all he could do was hold his fist out.
"It's a fist-bump. It kind of means 'okay', or 'good luck'. Sometimes it's a greeting, or a way of saying goodbye. It can mean whatever you want, but everything's going to be okay kid, I promise." Younger Hiccup nodded slightly before bumping his fist against his future self's fist.
"Wait," younger Hiccup exclaimed, "Will what we do affect you guys?"
"No, our present day is already in motion, and our future is set in stone, but you can still shape your own future. I hope it works out well for you little guy,"
After all goodbyes had been exchanged, the two groups separated. With a few last looks and nods and tearful goodbyes mouthed across the room, the two groups of Vikings disappeared back to where they came from, and the room was empty once more.