27Chapter 2: Dragons are a better family
A/N
Hey guys RedHawkdude Here, I would like to say thanks to Vala for letting me help and co-write this story, I also want to thank her for helping me with my other stories by letting me ask her what she thinks about some ideas I have…. Just wait and find out.
FADE IN:
EXT. NORTH SEA/VILLAGE - NIGHT
We skim above a dark, wild ocean. The camera turns toward a lone island. It is a gigantic shard of rock jutting straight out of the water.
HICCUP (V.O.)
This, is Berk.
The Vikings and dragons jump at the sound of the voice. "It's the hatchling" A Nadder says.
It's twelve days North of hopeless, and a few degrees South of freezing to death. It's located solidly on the meridian of misery.
The camera drifts over rough hills to reveal a small village nestled on an outcropping of seamounts.
Some of the other dragons turn to Hiccup to asses him. A Terrible Terror inches closer and sniffs Hiccup. "Night Striker!, He smells like a Night Striker" the Terror exclaims. At this many dragons start to approach Hiccup to get a whiff.
"Hiccup get away from those beasts" Stoick yells. "I don't think they will hurt me" Hiccup says. "Of course we won't hurt you hatchling, we have never seen a human that smells like a Night Striker before" a Gronkle remarked.
"What is a Night Striker?" Drago asks. "Wow, never expected the sensible question from him" Red says chuckling. "We might as well let the cat out of the bag early. Hiccup call your friend." I say. Hiccup calls for Toothless and a black blur jumps from the rafters and lands in front of him licking his face.
"Hiccup!" many of the Vikings yell, the loudest being Stoick and Gobber, while Drago is openly gaping. "Hiccup you can go sit with your friend" at this Hiccup nods and moves to the dragons side of the theater, the dragon eagerly making space for him and Toothless. The Vikings are all slack jawed and Stoick begins to open his mouth to rant. "Sit down, you Vikings, you'll get your explanation if you watch the story" I hear Red saying, the Red gets up from where he was sitting beside Hiccup and walks over to where Hiccup is sitting and joins him, once Red sits down a Terror shoots down from the rafters and lands on his lap.
HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)
My village. In a word, sturdy. And it's been here for seven generations, but every single building is new.
At this, many Viking glare at the dragons, who just huffed.
The camera drifts closer, circling.
HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)
We have fishing, hunting, and a charming view of the sunsets. The only problems are the pests. You see, most places have mice or mosquitoes. We have...
"Pests! You called us pests" a Nightmare exclaimed. "Well it is nicer that what other humans call us" Toothless comments.
"You mean like devils" Hiccup says while glaring at his father.
Sheep graze peacefully on a hillside. Suddenly one is snatched.
CUT TO:
INT. STOICK'S HOUSE – CONTINUOUS
A door is pulled open... as a DRAGON swoops directly toward it, BLASTING FIRE. The door is SLAMMED. The fire shoots through the slats of wood, illuminating HICCUP, a gangly teenage Viking.
HICCUP
...dragons.
EXT. STOICK'S HOUSE
He reopens the sizzling door, as leaps off of the front porch. He weaves through the erupting mayhem as Vikings pour out of the buildings, ready for a fight.
More dragons swarm in, setting rooftops alight and hauling off sheep.
HICCUP (V.O.)
Most people would leave. Not us. We're Vikings.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Drago asks loud enough for everyone to hear.
The Vikings reply with "we're strong", while the dragons say "they're stubborn".
We have stubbornness issues.
"Oohh" could be heard from the Viking's side.
Vikings sound the alarm. "BBRRAAAAPPP" could be heard all through the village as the horn went off. Viking men and women pour out into the streets, axes in hand.
ON HICCUP darting through alleys, staying under eaves, making his way through the battle.
HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)
My name's Hiccup. Great name, I know. But it's not the worst. Parents believe a hideous name will frighten off gnomes and trolls. Like our charming Viking demeanor wouldn't do that.
"Hiccup, Hiccup" some of the Terrors chant while darting around his feet. Stoick thinks to himself why Hiccup wouldn't like his name.
Hiccup calmly picks one of the terrors up and sets it on his lap "shush I want to see what happens next" Hiccup says to all the terrors.
Dragons sweep back and forth, dodging axes and blasting the Vikings who throw them. A burly warrior gets tossed in an explosion, knocking Hiccup to the ground.
VIKING
(FIERCE) Arggghhhhh!
(cheery, insane) Mornin'!
The dragons and Vikings both look at the man, who could only look embarrassed.
"Sorry I was part way through a barrel of mead" the Viking mutters under his breath leaving everyone in the room to laugh
Hiccup gets to his feet and continues to rush past gigantic men and women.
HICCUP (V.O.)
Meet the neighbors. Hoark the Haggard...
HOARK
What are you doing out!?
"Getting out of my burning house." Hiccup says dryly.
HICCUP
... Burnthair the Broad...
BURNTHAIR
Get inside!
"Do you want the hatchling to burn to death?" a purple Nadder asks, the Vikings looked ashamed.
HICCUP
... Phlegma the Fierce...
PHLEGMA THE FIERCE
Get back inside!
"Burning house" Red gestured to the screen.
HICCUP
. Ack.
He passes a silent ox of a Viking, picking his ear.
Many dragons look curiously….
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Yep, just Ack.
Enter STOICK, the biggest Viking of all. He yanks Hiccup from the path of a strafing dragon and holds aloft to the crowd.
STOICK
Hiccup!?
(accusingly; to the crowd) What is he doing out again?!
(TO HICCUP)
What are you doing out?! Get inside!
"Oh, you know, trying not to get burned, going to the forge to do my job, that you gave me." Hiccup says in a sarcastic tone while looking at his dad.
The flames light up his scowling face and matted red beard.
He sets Hiccup down and turns to the sky, searching.
HICCUP (V.O.)
(IN AWE)
That's Stoick the Vast. Chief of the tribe. They say that when he was a baby he popped a dragon's head clean off of its shoulders.
At this Hiccup and the dragons give Stoick a disgusted look. This did not go unnoticed by the other Vikings.
Do I believe it?
Stoick grabs a wooden cart and hurls it, knocking the strafing dragon out of the sky.
HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Yes I do.
"Not that I want to" Hiccup mumbles under his breath which the dragons hear and look at him curiously.
An EXPLOSION forces Vikings to DUCK. Stoick stands firm, brushing flaming debris off of his shoulder.
STOICK
(barking; to his men) What have we got?
VIKING #1
Gronkles. Nadders. Zipplebacks. Oh, and Hoark saw a Monstrous Nightmare.
STOICK
Any Night Furies?
VIKING #1
None so far.
The dragons look at Toothless. Drago noticed this and was about to say something when I said "No spoilers, Drago. Otherwise I will test my new hair colors on you first." Showing him a bag I had with me. This promptly shut him up.
STOICK
(RELIEVED)
Good.
VIKING
Hoist the torches!
Massive flaming braziers are raised on poles, lighting up the night sky... and revealing swirling dragons of all types. Below, Hiccup crosses an open plaza and ducks into an open building with a tall chimney.
"So what are those 'torches' for" one of the dragons ask.
"They are so we can see you devils" Stoick replies.
The dragons glare at him before turning back to the screen
INT. BLACKSMITH STALL – CONTINUOUS
He crosses behind a counter, where a peg-legged, one-armed hulk of a Blacksmith reshapes blades with a hammer and tongs appendage.
GOBBER
Ah! Nice of you to join the party. I thought you'd been carried off.
"Really Gobber!" Stoick says. Gobber nervously rubs the back of his head.
Hiccup dons a leather apron and starts to put away Gobber's scattered appendages.
HICCUP
Who me? Nah, come on! I'm way too muscular for their taste. They
wouldn't know what to do with all this.
Hiccup strikes a bodybuilder pose.
Both Vikings and dragons laugh at this. Red whispers to Hiccup not to worry, which only earns him a raised eyebrow.
GOBBER
They need toothpicks, don't they?
Hiccup gets to work, transferring bent and chipped weapons to the forge as Vikings crowd the counter for replacements.
'Since when could Hiccup lift all that' Astrid thinks to herself
HICCUP (V.O.)
The meathead with attitude and interchangeable hands is Gobber. I've been his apprentice ever since I was little. Well...littler.
"Hey who you calling a meat head" Gobber exclaims.
Hiccup just smirks at him while Gobber glares back.
EXT. VILLAGE - CONTINUOUS
ON STOICK
STOICK
We move to the lower defenses. We'll counter-attack with the catapults.
Armed men rush past, flanking others who carry sheep to safety. Stoick follows up the rear as, overhead, a dragon strafes the rooftops with Napalm-like fire.
"Yeay, explosions, fire, chaos" the twins exclaim.
"Is everything alright in their heads" a Gronkle asks.
"Well other than the fact that all their brain cells are dead. Yep just fine" Red Jokes
HICCUP (V.O.)
See? Old village. Lots and lots of new houses.
The Vikings glare at the dragons.
"Why don't they build those nests out of stone. They would last longer." A green Nightmare remarked.
"I tried to tell them. No one ever listens" The Vikings hear Hiccup say.
The green Nightmare is whacked on the head by another Nightmare, who tells him not to give the other Vikings ideas, and then turns to Hiccup.
"At least someone's got a good head on his shoulders." The Vikings could only stare at a dragon complimenting Hiccup for an idea they had turned down.
VIKING
FIRE!
In response, the fire brigade charges through the plaza - four TEENS, tugging a large wooden cask on wheels. From it, they fill buckets of water to douse the flames. One among them is a cute, energetic Viking girl. Hiccup leans out of the stall to watch her.
HICCUP (V.O.)
Oh and that's Fishlegs, Snotlout. The twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut. And...
"Hey, that's us" the Viking teens exclaim.
(DREAMY)
Astrid.
Hiccup and Astrid blush at this and try to hide their faces. Hiccup was not so lucky as some of the dragons noticed.
"I wonder what we can say if we ship them" a deadly Nadder says to another one.
"What about Astcup" the other one replies.
"Naw that doesn't roll of my tongue" the Nadder replies.
Odd roaring that sounds like grumbling. "What about Hiccstrid" another Nadder replies.
"I like it" the Nadder responds.
A SLOW-MOTION explosion erupts behind her, framing her in a sexy ball of fire. The others join her, looking awesome and heroic.
"We look awesome" Snotlout and the twins say, whooping with Joy.
HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Their job is so much cooler.
Hiccup tries to join them as they pass, but he's hooked by Gobber and hoisted back inside.
"Hatchling, why do they constantly pick you up at the back of your clothes?" a Nadder asks."Is that how humans pick up their hatchlings?" the Vikings chose not to answer.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
(PLEADING)
Ah, come on. Let me out, please. I need to make my mark.
GOBBER
Oh, you've made plenty of marks. All in the wrong places.
At this all the Vikings wince. Drago getting curious again asks "Why all the winces, what could that runt possibly do?"
The Vikings shudder, and it is Stoick much to our surprise that answers. "Drago I don't even think you could handle Hiccup."
At this statement both Red and I collapsed laughing. "For once Stoick is actually right. But that is another story. On with the show." I say.
HICCUP
Please, two minutes. I'll kill a dragon. My life will get infinitely better. I might even get a date.
Snotlout starts to laugh uncontrollably. "Who would want to date Useless?" Snotlout says between his laughing fit.
Toothless growls at the nickname Snotlout uses.
"Hey Red want to do the honors?" I ask. He nods, Red stands up and walks over to a switch on the wall. I glance over to snotlout and see him freaking out trying to figure out what Red is going to do. Red pulls on the switch and nothing happens for a moment.
"Haha it didn't work" Snotlout says grinning. Just then a book falls from the ceiling and lands on Snotlout's Head
"AAHHGGGG, what is this?" comes the muffled question from under the book.
"Oh, just the first Volume, of 35, all 800 pages in each, of girls who want to date Hiccup. Oh and then there are the volumes on the boys, let's not forget them." Red then simply walks away leaving Snotlout under the heavy object. The Viking teens have to drag him out.
GOBBER
You can't lift a hammer.
"I work in a forge. I lift a hammer everyday Gobber." Hiccup remarks. Gobber had the decency to look embarrassed.
You can't swing an axe...
"Ok, that needs a little work." Hiccup says.
Gobber grabs a bola (iron balls connected by rope).
GOBBER (CONT'D)
... you can't even throw one of these.
A Viking runs by and nabs it out of Gobber's hand, hurling it at a dive-bombing Gronkle. The bola binds its legs, sending it into a heavy crash.
HICCUP
(ready with the answer)
Okay fine, but...
He rushes to the back corner of the stall and presents a bizarre, wheel barrow-like contraption.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
... this will throw it for me.
Hiccup OPENS the hinged lid of the device. An arm springs up, equipped with twin bows. They prematurely launch a bola, narrowly missing Gobber... and taking out a Viking at the counter.
VIKING
Arggh!
"Sorry" Hiccup says to the Viking, while the dragons laugh. Then one of the Gronkles turns to the Vikings and yells at him.
"Now you know how it feels" the Gronckle says.
"Sorry" the Viking says before realizing what he just said to a dragon and starts to pale.
GOBBER
See, now this right here is what I'm talking about.
HICCUP
Mild calibration issue.
GOBBER
Hiccup. If you ever want to get out there to fight dragons, you need
to stop all...
Gobber gestures in Hiccup's general direction.
GOBBER (CONT'D)
... this.
HICCUP
(ASTONISHED)
But... you just pointed to all of me.
GOBBER
Yes! That's it! Stop being all of you.
Deafening roars fill the theater as the dragons glare at Gobber. "How dare you tell the hatchling to stop being himself!" many dragons yell.
"It's alright guys, it happens all the time" Hiccup says before turning back to the front. Just then a female monstrous nightmare walks to the front and picks Hiccup up before wrapping him in their wings. Hiccup doesn't even scream he just looks up at the dragon that picked him up.
"There, there, hatchling it's alright, you are away from those terrible vikings" the Nightmare says.
"Thank you" Hiccup says before turning around and hugging the dragon.
Stoick glares at the dragon with his jaw and eyes wide open with realization, several other Vikings look at the floor in shame.
"Haha look at useless, he can't even stand up for himself, he has to have a dragon do it for him" Snotlout says laughing in his seat.
"At least a dragon will stand beside me" Hiccup responds then sits back down beside Toothless who is growling at Snotlout.
"Can I kill him… can I please Kill him?" A voice says out of the shadows.
"No you can't kill him" Hiccup says to the shadows.
"Aw, but he is really annoying" the voice says, then a Screaming Death crawls out of the shadows towards Hiccup.
"Why can't I kill him?" The screaming death asks.
"Because his ego is too big, it won't fit in your mouth" Red says with a chuckle, that comment gets the rest of the dragons and Vikings laughing.
"Anyways enough of that let's get back to the show." I say
HICCUP
(THREATENING) Ohhhh...
GOBBER
(MIMICKING) Ohhhhh, yes.
HICCUP
You, sir, are playing a dangerous game. Keeping this much, raw...Vikingness contained.
(BEAT)
There will be consequences!
"Oh, yes there will be" I remarked in a sing song voice earning incredulous looks from most of the Vikings.
Gobber tosses him a sword.
"Wait, Hiccup can lift a sword?" Snotlout asks.
"Of course I can lift a sword, wouldn't be working in a forge if I couldn't" Hiccup says.
GOBBER
I'll take my chances. Sword. Sharpen. Now.
Hiccup takes it begrudgingly and lobs it onto the grinding wheel. He stews... fantasizing...
HICCUP (V.O.)
One day I'll get out there. Because killing a dragon is everything around here.
"What does he mean by that" a Gronkle asks.
"It doesn't matter anymore" Hiccup says under his breath.
EXT. VILLAGE - LOWER PLAINS – CONTINUOUS
Nadders land, gathering like seagulls around a seemingly vacant house.
HICCUP (V.O.)
A Nadder head is sure to get me at least noticed.
The Nadders seem ruffled and are eying Hiccup with a what-the-hell look. "Hey, I said at least" Hiccup exclaims.
"Also I am so far down the social list I would need 2" Hiccup grumbles.
The Nadders then give Hiccup what looks to be a sympathetic look.
The Nadders clamber onto the building, tearing the roof and walls apart. Sheep pour out and SCATTER.
Elsewhere, hippo-like Gronckles pick drying racks clean of fish and fly off like loaded pelicans.
HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Gronckles are tough. Taking down one of those would definitely get me a girlfriend.
"What is a girlfriend?" a Gronkle asks. Hiccup just blushes, and Toothless answers "like a mate, remember how he looked at that blonde human." After Toothless says this he is promptly whacked on the head by Hiccup. Toothless still looks smug.
A stealthy, snake-like dragon head peeks over a rooftop, breathing gas into a chimney.
HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)
A Zippelback? Exotic, exciting. Two heads, twice the status.
The Zippelback says to the Nadders "See two heads are better than one." The Nadders simply huff.
A second head pokes through the door and lights it. KABLAM!
The two heads fly through the explosion, their necks zipping
together to reveal a single body. It flies past Stoick as he climbs to the top of a CATAPULT TOWER.
CATAPULT OPERATOR
They found the sheep!
STOICK
(FRUSTRATED)
Concentrate fire over the lower bank!
CATAPULT OPERATOR
Fire!
Boulders are catapulted at the corralling Nadders... Just as a huge red dragon whips past, spraying the base of the catapult with sticky fire.
HICCUP (V.O.)
And then there's the Monstrous Nightmare. Only the best Vikings go after those. They have this nasty habit of setting themselves on fire.
The Monstrous Nightmares stand proud and eagerly say "see we are the best."
"What do you mean Hiccup, you almost make it sound like they are a gnat that lights itself on fire, not a 2 ton beast with fangs that can breathe fire" Gobber says.
It emerges from the flames, climbing the catapult with a leering, toothy grin.
STOICK
Reload! I'll take care of this.
Stoick takes on the Nightmare, face to hammer. Suddenly, a LOUD BALLISTIC MOANING streaks overhead. The catapult crew ducks.
The dragons plus Hiccup wince. Hiccup scratches said Nightmare under the chin, said nightmare would later be called Hookfang.
INT. BLACKSMITH STALL – CONTINUOUS
ON HICCUP, looking up from his work, reacting to the same sound.
HICCUP (V.O.)
But the ultimate prize is the dragon no one has ever seen. We call it the—
VIKING
Night Fury! Get down!
The dragons all look at Toothless who has a smug expression on his face. The Vikings finally catch on and yells of "that's a Night fury?" can be heard. Stoick is wearily watching the dragon sitting so close to Hiccup.
The dragons laugh at that statement and Hiccup just smirks then says "Yes this is the so called unholy offspring of lightning and death" Toothless smacks Hiccup on the back of his head then grumbles before laying down again
At that statement the dragon's laugh even harder making the Vikings faces go beet red. Red and I start Laughing.
Vikings everywhere take shelter. The moaning sound BUILDS.
EXT. VILLAGE - CATAPULT – CONTINUOUS
The Monstrous Nightmare suddenly stops fighting and takes flight. Stoick looks skyward.
STOICK
JUMP!
KABOOM! The Catapult EXPLODES as though hit by an artillery shell... sending Stoick and the crew leaping for their lives.
HICCUP (V.O.)
This thing never steals food, never shows itself, and...
The sound recedes, leaving the crippled catapult in flames.
HICCUP (V.O.) (CONT'D)
...never misses.
Toothless holds his head up high from Hiccup's praise.
(BEAT)
No one has ever killed a Night Fury. That's why I'm going to be the first.
"Sorry Bud" Hiccup says looking at the ground. Toothless gets up and shoves his head into Hiccup's arms.
"You did nothing wrong Hiccup, You did what you perceived to be correct" Toothless says before licking Hiccup.
"OOHH Come on Bud YOU KNOW that doesn't wash out" Hiccup yells while pushing Toothless off him
Toothless sits there with a smug look on his face "works every time."
IN THE STALL
Gobber trades his hammer for an axe.
GOBBER
Man the fort, Hiccup, they need me out there!
Stoick rounds on Gobber…. "You left him alone!" Gobber looks down in shame after Stoick yells at him.
Gobber pauses. Turns with a threatening glare.
GOBBER (CONT'D)
Stay. Put. There. You know what I mean.
Gobber charges into the fray, HOLLERING.
ON HICCUP, a smirk crosses his face.
As soon as they see that smirk both Toothless and Gobber slap their foreheads with either tail or (good) hand. "What!" Hiccup asks at their reactions. "Hiccy, that smirk is one that sends grown Vikings running in the future" I say happily. Gobber remarks that "it is more of what is to come after that smirk that would send people running."
EXT. VILLAGE - MOMENTS LATER
WHAM! Hiccup pushes his wheeled contraption through a wall of clustered Vikings. He weaves through the ongoing mayhem, as fast as his legs can carry him.
VIKING #6 (O.S.)
Hiccup, where are you going!
VIKING #7
Come back here!
HICCUP
I know. Be right back!
"Wait, you believed him?" Red asks the Viking who only nodded.
"What's that supposed to mean" Hiccup says in a huff.
"Just watch" Red says.
ON THE PLAIN BELOW
The Nadders have cornered the house-full of sheep. They close in, ready to spring upon them. Stoick suddenly appears, HURLING FISHING NETS over them. The surprised Nadders are caught. Stoick and his men rush in. A Nadder blasts a hole through its net. Stoick leaps onto it, clamping his thick arms around its head, forcing its jaws shut.
STOICK
Mind yourselves! The devils still have some juice in them.
ON THE PLAIN ABOVE
Hiccup reaches a cliff overlooking the smoking CATAPULT and drops the handles to the ground. He cranks several levers, unfolding and then cocking the bowed arms of his contraption. He drops a bola onto a chamber and then pivots the weapon on a gimbal head toward the dark sky. He listens, with his eye pressed to the scope, hand poised on the trigger. He hears the NIGHT FURY approaching... and turns his aim to the defense tower. It closes in for the final strike, completely camouflaged in the night.
"That thing looks cool Hiccup, will you make us one? Think of all the destruction we could cause" say the twins banging their heads together. "Eh, no way." Hiccup replies and most of the Viking looked so relieved.
HICCUP
(TO HIMSELF)
Come on. Give me something to shoot at, give me something to shoot at.
KABLAM! The tower topples. The blast of fire illuminates the dragon for a split second. Hiccup pulls the trigger. KERTHUNK! The flexed arms SNAP forward, springing the weapon off the ground. The bola disappears into the sky, followed by a WHACK and a SCREECH.
Hiccup looks to Toothless and says that he is so sorry, getting a few licks in return, oblivious to the silence that has fallen over both Vikings and dragons. The dragons looked to the Night Fury with pity to see him licking Hiccup. They saw that he had forgiven the hatchling and thus let the matter drop. The Vikings however where whooping with joy, while Drago's jaw hit the floor.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
(surprised, then elated)
Oh I hit it! Yes, I hit it! Did anybody see that?
Hiccup's victory is short-lived. A Monstrous Nightmare appears, slithering up over the lip of the cliff.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Except for you.
"Wow, sarcastic even in the face of death" Red remarked.
ON STOICK, holding down the netted Nadders. He hears a familiar HOLLER and looks up to see...
HICCUP running through the PLAZA, SCREAMING, with the NIGHTMARE fast on his heels. Alarmed, Stoick abandons the Nadders and runs off.
STOICK
(to his men, re: the NADDERS)
DO NOT let them escape!
IN THE PLAZA
Vikings scatter as Hiccup dodges a near fatal blast. The Nightmare's sticky, Napalm-like fire splashes up onto buildings, setting them alight. Hiccup ducks behind the last standing brazier - the only shelter available. The Nightmare blasts it, spraying fire all around him. Hiccup peers around the smoldering post. No sign of the Nightmare. He turns back to find it leering at him, blocking his escape. It takes a deep breath. Hiccup is finished. Suddenly, Stoick LEAPS between them, tackling the Nightmare to the ground. They tumble and wrestle, resuming their earlier fight. The Nightmare tries to toast him, but only coughs up smoke.
STOICK (CONT'D)
You're all out.
He smashes the Nightmare repeatedly in the face, driving it away. It takes to the air and disappears. Winded, Stoick turns to Hiccup.
Hiccup turns to face the nightmare that got hit and mouths "I am sorry"
"It's ok little Viking" the Nightmare replies.
HICCUP (V.O.)
Oh, and there's one more thing you need to know...
"Oh and what's that?" Snotlout asks.
The burnt brazier pole collapses, sending the massive iron basket crashing. It bounces down the hill, destroying as it goes and scattering the Vikings who were holding down the netted Nadders. The freed dragons escape... with several sheep in tow.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
Sorry, dad.
You could actually hear a pin drop… The dragons plus Drago exclaim "That is your father!" The dragons look from Hiccup to Stoick and still can't believe it.
Then one dragon looks from Hiccup to one of the other dragons.
"He looks like that dragon lady" the old Nadder says.
"You're right he does" a younger nadder responds before the movie continues.
EXT. VILLAGE - UPPER PLAZA – CONTINUOUS
The escaped Nadders fly past with sheep in their clutches. The raid is over. The dragons have clearly won. The murmuring crowd eyes Stoick, awaiting his response.
HICCUP
(SHEEPISH)
Okay, but I hit a Night Fury.
Stoick grabs Hiccup by the back scruff of his collar and hauls him away, fuming with embarrassment.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
It's not like the last few times, Dad. I mean I really actually hit
it. You guys were busy and I had a very clear shot. It went down, just off Raven Point. Let's get a search party out there, before it—
"Sorry we didn't believe you" a few Vikings say before looking back to the screen.
"It's fine, I mean who would ever listen to Stoick's little mistake" Hiccup mumbles that last part, several of the dragons look at questioningly thinking about his comment.
STOICK
-STOP! Just...stop.
He releases Hiccup. Everyone goes silent, staring expectantly.
STOICK (CONT'D)
Every time you step outside, disaster follows. Can you not see that I have bigger problems? Winter's almost here and I have an entire village to feed!
Hiccup looks around. All eyes are upon him.
HICCUP
Between you and me, the village could do with a little less feeding, don't ya think?
A few rotund Vikings stir self-consciously.
The same rotund Vikings glare at Hiccup while the dragons can't stop laughing.
STOICK
This isn't a joke, Hiccup!
(EXASPERATED)
Why can't you follow the simplest orders?
HICCUP
I can't stop myself. I see a dragon and I have to just... kill it, you know? It's who I am, Dad.
"Not anymore" Hiccup whispers, loud enough so only the dragons hear him. He then speaks up.
"And you couldn't have remembered that before 'Dragon' training" Hiccup yells while glaring at his father, then Gobber speaks up.
"Actually that was my fault Hiccup" Gobber say before glancing at Hiccup with a sorrowful look on his face.
STOICK
You are many things, Hiccup. But a dragon killer is not one of them.
Sting. Hiccup looks around to see many nods of agreement.
STOICK (CONT'D)
Get back to the house.
(TO GOBBER)
Make sure he gets there. I have his mess to clean up.
Stoick lumbers off in the opposite direction. Gobber leads Hiccup through the walk of shame. They pass the teen fire brigade as they snicker.
TUFFNUT
Quite the performance.
SNOTLOUT
I've never seen anyone mess up that badly. That helped!
HICCUP
Thank you, thank you. I was trying, so...
Hiccup avoids Astrid's glare and heads up toward a large house, standing prominently on the hill above the others.
HICCUP (CONT'D)
I really did hit one.
GOBBER
Sure, Hiccup.
HICCUP
He never listens.
GOBBER
Well, it runs in the family.
Both Hiccup and Stoick turn to glare at Gobber, who only says "Don't try to deny it."
HICCUP
And when he does, it's always with this... disappointed scowl. Like
someone skimped on the meat in his sandwich.
(MIMICKING STOICK)
Excuse me, barmaid. I'm afraid you brought me the wrong offspring. I
ordered an extra large boy with beefy arms. Extra guts and glory on the side. This here. This is a talking fishbone.
The dragons growl at Stoick, while he thinks 'Is this how Hiccup sees me?'
GOBBER
You're thinking about this all wrong. It's not so much what you look like. It's what's inside that he can't stand. Beat.
Gobber receives many more dragon roars and tries to make himself smaller.
HICCUP
Thank you, for summing that up.
They reach the doorway.
GOBBER
Look, the point is, stop trying so hard to be something you're not.
"Gobber you should really learn how to do a pep-talk" Red says, wagging his finger in tut-tut fashion.
Hiccup SIGHS heavily.
HICCUP
I just want to be one of you guys.
Gobber eyes him sympathetically. Hiccup turns and goes through the front door. And straight out the back door. He hurries off into the woods, determined.
Stoick turns to Gobber who holds his hands out and says "You told me to take him home, not make sure he stays there." At that statement many dragons snort, knowing that the large red bearded man can have no comeback.