Chapter 26: Why Can't Anyone See What I See?

Astrid

I had to travel back to Berk; I had to, there was no question to what I had found. The small NightFury toy which lies in my hand wore its same resemblance and somehow it still stayed intact wherever it had been. I knew that it was the one which I created, I would remember my mother's stitching anywhere, I would remember putting the design together but most of all, ask yourself why would the Grimborns create such a gift for Hiccup if they absolutely hated him. I knew the truth, everything that he had told us, everything that I had put together from him. He couldn't remember his real family so the Grimborns were the ones who he called on, he was missing his left leg, invaders kept coming at the islands he was one before it all stopped, everything that I had been feeling about this whole thing for me to now find a NightFury toy within all his things. Everything around me was starting to add up so I couldn't deny this any further. I was sure, I was definitely sure that this is Hiccup, my best friend Hiccup, the Hiccup who was taken 14 years ago. I placed the toy delicately in my skirt pocket and made sure that it was securely in there so no one would see it when I go to dinner but after that, I won't confer with them, not this time. In the morning I'll head straight back to Berk and tell the Chief everything. I had the proof I needed so he had to believe me, he just had to. Even the day Hiccup arrived here Stoick noticed the resemblance and he couldn't believe it, so now after everything I've found out he has to believe me.

With the toy securely in my pocket I made my way up to the clubhouse and took my place next to Hiccup. The presence now that I sat next to him felt more alive than ever. I just wanted to tell him about who he is, or at least who I think he is but I knew that I couldn't, not yet. As he looked my way with his emerald eyes which sparkled at me and his sweet innocent smile which I shared back at him it just made everything warm up around me. The moon pushed its way further up into the twilight sky and contrasted its light against the stars which were there too as if being a signal for Hiccup saying goodnight to the rest of us. We all said goodnight in return until it just left us all sat there in the clubhouse. I heard the fire crackle and burn lightly against my skin which let the room feel peaceful. "Astrid where were you at the start of dinner?" I looked up to see Heather looking at me suspiciously "What do you mean?" I questioned her back "Don't answer a question with another question. But since you are asking, you usually turn us straight away for dinner that's all," I laughed at her remark hoping that it didn't sound nervous because I could tell Heather knew I was up to something. "I just slept longer than usual that's all."

"Or did you sleep at all?" I looked to Tuff at my side pulling the dragon toy out of my pocket. "Tuff give that back!" I reached out straight away to get it back from him, but he pulled back immediately holding out his other hand in front of me to ward me off from getting it. "Astrid why do you have a dragon toy in your pocket?" Fishlegs looked at me confused I sighed because I knew that I couldn't get away with this that easily "It's not mine, as I was coming to the clubhouse I stopped by Hiccup's hut to see if he wanted to walk with me. He wasn't outside so I checked inside but he wasn't there so I figured he'd already come here. Though on my way out I knocked some things off his desk and as I picked them up I found the toy and it reminded me so much of the-," though I was cut off but this time it wasn't from Heather who I expected it to be but instead it was Snotlout and Ruff who spoke in unison with each other "Toy you gave Hiccup for his birthday," they both exchanged looks with each other looking quite surprised out how they thought the same thing. "Can I have a look at it?" Snotlout asked me, I nodded at him just as Tuff handed the toy over. I was shocked to see that I had no back lash to what I was implying because usually they would all tell me to let it go. Apparently, not this time.

We all watched eagerly as Snotlout inspected the toy very thoroughly in his hands. He handed the toy over to Ruff who did the same thing, then she passed it onto to Fishlegs who repeated their actions before handing it to Heather finalising the inspection I guess they believed Tuff already inspected it for himself before it was passed back to me. I looked at each of them in turn until Snotlout spoke up "No one would have believed me if they didn't see it for themselves but your right, it's look identical to the one that you made for him when we were children. I remember watching you and your mother making it one day, the detail is as accurate as I could relive the day." I nodded at Snotlout then looked at everyone else in the room. "Astrid as much as I hate to admit it, I think that you might be right. Maybe Hiccup isn't gone after all but in fact only metres away from this clubhouse," I looked over at Heather as she slowly lifted her head up from its lowered position. "What do we do now?" Fishlegs asked. I shrugged wondering if I should say what I had to say next but I did anyway "I'm going to talk to Stoick about everything, he deserves to hear what I have to say even if he doesn't believe it, you don't have to go with me but this is something I have to do."

They all exchanged looks with each other before nodding "Astrid what if he doesn't believe you? Believe us? What are we gonna do?" I ran my hands through my hair and sighed heavily as I actually never thought that far ahead. What was I going to do if the Chief doesn't believe me? "I'll find more evidence to make it so. If this is true, and Hiccup is in fact Hiccup from 14 years ago, then I'd rather much like the family to be whole again as well as have my best friend back." Again they all nodded at me agreeing with what I had to say. I couldn't say any more to them, I knew I had to get shut eye before I would travel back to Berk in the morning. I said my goodnights to them and made my way back to my hut, though as I did so I found myself stand outside his own and just stare at the door. I felt lost standing here now, I knew that in the clubhouse him next to my side it gave me a warm feeling, but right now I couldn't find that warmth instead in its place was a hole full of sadness because if that was him, the feeling of abandonment trailed through my mind. What would he think of us, he'd believe we never came looking for him, that we gave up on him? I didn't want there; I didn't want him to think of us in that way. I sighed moving away from the door and back to my own hut. It took me a while for my eyes to close and for sleep to take over, but when it did I felt relaxed and felt that I had the best sleep ever.

I opened my eyes for the morning to shine at its brightest and see Stormfly waiting for me outside. I smiled her way and went to greet her and make my way back to Berk. As I did, I noticed Snotlout and Ruff standing there too. "What are you guys doing here?" they looked at each other then back at me "We wanted to come with you, we all talked about it after you left last night and we decided that we would come with you because the three of us can be pretty convincing together than you alone. Besides we didn't want Hiccup getting suspicious to why we would all leave," I nodded and smiled at them both just as I jumped on Stormfly with Ruff behind me while Snotlout sat on Hookfang ready to set off towards Berk. The journey was quiet most of the way as no one spoke to each other; all you could hear was the whistling of the wind making contact with our ears. Stormfly landed gently on the land on Berk; thankfully no one paid attention to us and just carried on with what they were doing so we were able to make our way up to the Chief's home easily. The three of us just stood at the door wondering who was going to knock because it highlighted how nervous we felt to actually coming out with news like this. "So anyone going to knock or are we going to stand here like idiots?" Snotlout broke the silence between us. I slowly raised my hand, taking a deep breath I knocked on the door.

We waited and waited until we heard booming footsteps come towards the door. We exchanged final looks with each just before the door opened to reveal the looming figure of Stoick the Vast. "Ah Astrid, Snotlout, Ruffnut what can I do for you three? Something wrong on the Edge?" I coughed slightly at his response "I guess you could say something like that. Can we come in and talk with you and Valka please?" He nodded immediately and introduced us inwards. It was warmer inside than it was out but I feared that temperature would be dropped quite soon, metaphorically speaking I mean. Valka soon came into the clear from making her way from the back of the house to greet the three of us as well. Stoick placed himself next to his wife's side and stared at the three of us waiting for one to start the conversation. That's when I felt two hands push me forwards, so much for the help they willing to convince with. I shook my head at them both glaring before gaze fastened on Stoick and Valka. "Where should I start?" I questioned my own motives and that's when it hit me.

"Valka, remember when I came to visit you a few weeks back?" She nodded at my statement before exchanging looks with Stoick "What did you find Astrid?" I gulped and started to carry on hoping that everything would be okay and not a complete disaster. "Well, we found out who that person was. I'm sure Stoick told you that a boy landed on our island by accident due to some muttonheads. He stayed with us and he's really sweet and his name's Hiccup." As soon as I said that name, she clung tightly onto Stoick already presuming where this was going, as did Stoick from the look in his eyes and he didn't seem too pleased. "Anyway, we all get along with him great. One day we had an attack by the Grimborns on the Edge, however before this happened we found the Dragon Eye within all his things. So we went to question him about that's when we got attacked. We all believed that he was working with the Grimborns as they were the last who had the Dragon Eye. However, we were proven wrong when he helped attack them and then he got captured himself but they did seem to know each other pretty well. When we got him back he told us everything about his past life." That's when I re-spoke the whole story Hiccup told us to them, every single word of it. I watched as Valka's eye light up slightly because she knew for definite now where this conversation was going, I knew that she could see the signs just as I did because she knew everything that I did. However, when you looked upon Stoick he wasn't buying any of it.

I carried on "After his story, I helped him train and he helped with a baby Deathsong before he created a fire sword of his own which is quite genius if you ask me. When I was heading to dinner last night, I stopped by his hut to see if he was still there so we could walk together but I couldn't find him. When I made my way out of his hut I found this," and I handed the toy over to them, Valka took it out of my hands gently and examined it just as Stoick did. "Astrid you made this, you and your mother made this I remember. You made it for Hiccup's birthday but is he doing with it...unless," she stammered along her words and just as I was about to speak again Stoick's voice rose inside in the home. "I'm not hearing any more of this. You three cannot come into this home and start making accusations about our son!" Valka gave the toy back to me before looking into her husband's eyes "Stoick but the proof, you cannot deny the proof," her voice was soft and calming as she tried reassuring him. "NO! It isn't possible! Hiccup died years ago and he isn't coming back, we saw the proof that day all of this mean absolutely nothing you understand me!" He screamed at us looking us each directly in the eyes.

I couldn't take it how could he deny this, how could he deny what's right in front of him, everything that we have found for his son to be alive and he wasn't accepting it. Just as my blood was boiling I felt anger ready to escape my lips "What do you mean it isn't possible?! How can you not see what's right in front of you! Your son is alive, don't you get that! He's alive and your acting like you don't care!" He slammed his eyes at me looking slightly shocked at how I just reacted to him "We saw proof that he was dead Astrid-!" But I cut him off before he could say anymore "And you have proof now! You believed the proof back then how can you not believe the proof right now. Believe it now like you believed back then," I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes as it reflected Stoick's and Valka's. "He has a scar..." this line broke the silence between us all as we all connected eyes with Stoick as I believe my words seeped through his brain. Valka carried on his sentence for him "Under his lip, just above the chin to the right, Cloudjumper accidentally cut him as a baby. If it's really him, that's how you'll know, that's how we'll know." I nodded at the both of them just as the three of us made our exit ready to find out the full truth.