55. Pinky and the Brawn

Luisa was becoming very concerned.

They’d been on Berk for about a week now. And they were beginning to form a routine.

Just as she had back home, Mirabel would get them up every morning. Setting each plate on their little table in the Great Hall.

They’d go to the ring, and bond more with their dragons. Hiccup said they’d be ready to fly soon, which was exciting.

They’d assist the village where they could. Luisa’s strength was especially appreciated by the Vikings, but soon enough every Madrigal was receiving adulation. Even Hiccup, to his eternal surprise.

Mirabel and Camilo would entertain with accordion songs and dramatic performances. Isabela had introduced exotic fruits and vegetables to the farmers, hoping to give this island some food with actual taste. Hiccup was back in the forge, much to Gobber’s glee, making weapons of supreme quality. And Toothless was treated with a wary sort of tolerance, after he’d saved both those kids and Gobber.

There hadn’t been a raid since the last week, and things settled into a strange peace. Or as peaceful as it could be, knowing that you were soon going to square off against a giant killer dragon.

But over the last few days, something odd began happening.

Whenever Luisa would step out into town, either on a mission or just for enjoyment, fights would break out.

At first she wrote it off as Vikings being Vikings. But every single time she entered the village, without fail, some people would start tussling near her. Mostly young men, around her age. Though a few women were included as well.

She’d always break up the fights, and those involved would look up at her with wide eyes and red faces while they were being scolded. But it wouldn’t be long before she encountered another altercation, sometimes with the exact same participants.

Was she doing something? Why did she seem to cause violence wherever she went?

She pondered these questions while she sat in the Great Hall with her siblings, picking at her food with a fork.

“It’s just so weird!” Luisa sighed. “Why’s everybody get so…crazy around me?”

Unfortunately they didn’t have any solid answers.

“Maybe it’s just a Berk thing?” Isabela asked.

Mirabel agreed. “Their traditions are kinda…weird.”

A nasally voice spoke up, and joined their conversation.

“You’re not entirely wrong.”

The sisters looked up to see Hiccup, along with Camilo, coming to join them at the table.

“They’re trying to impress you.” He said, as he took his seat.

“In Berkian culture, when a woman is considered desirable, it’s not uncommon for her potential suitors to start beating the snot out of each other whenever she’s close.” He explained. “The one who she thinks fought the best, gets to ask her out.”

This earned stunned reactions from the Madrigals, but especially from Luisa herself. Who’s face was overcome with a blush.

“Wait, so…they think Luisa’s hot?” Camilo asked.

Hiccup shrugged, with a small grin. “Yes, actually! By Berkian standards, she’s a total knockout!”

He then realized what he’d said could be misconstrued, and he tried to rectify this. “N-Not to say that you aren’t pretty by other standards, because you are! I-I just meant-I was just-What I was trying to- “

Mirabel cut him off with a grin. “I think she gets the point.”

Luisa just sat there, eyes wide as dinnerplates. Even her ears were red, she was blushing so hard.

She’d never received much attention in…that department. And for a while, she didn’t care.

She was too busy to focus on things like that. It would slow her down, she needed to keep working.

But even though she was now allowed to take it slow, she had still been unsure if she’d ever manage to have a love life.

She was already twenty, with zero experience. Perhaps it was already too late for her.

However, suddenly there was a whole village vying for her attention.

And she didn’t know how to handle it.

“W-What do I do?” She asked, softly.

“Nothing, if you don’t want to.” Isabela answered. “I’ve had to fight off tons of guys for years. I can give you some tips.”

Camilo wiggled his eyebrows with a smug smirk. “But what if she wants to do something?”

“I don’t see why she would.” Isabela scoffed. “Who would want to hook up with a dirty, smelly, stupid Viking?”

She then noticed the unamused looks she was getting from Mirabel and Hiccup.

“No offense.” She added, quickly.

Mirabel rolled her eyes, as Hiccup chuckled.

In truth, Luisa had no idea what she was going to do.

She needed to clear her mind.

“I-I’m just gonna take a walk…” She said, jolting out of her seat. The sudden movement quaked the ground, just a bit.

They all watched her leave, concerned.

“I hope she’ll be okay…” Mirabel softly spoke.

Her older sister was more confident. “She’ll be fine! She just needs to figure this out, that’s all.”

“Isa kicking butt? Luisa breaking hearts?” Camilo snickered in his seat. “Man…this island’s doing weird things to us.”

And speaking of weird things on the island, Mirabel had a mission to accomplish.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She’d learned from Hiccup that the dragon she’d seen in the book, the one she swore was the same species as the one who saved her, was known as a Stormcutter. A rarer breed, that supposedly hasn’t been seen on Berk in nearly twenty years.

For the past week, she’d been searching all over the island for it. At first she’d gotten Astrid to have Stormfly sniff the scale she’d acquired, and track the dragon. But it was no use. The scale had been thoroughly covered by the scent of rust and gunpowder, and Stormfly only led them to the empty armory.

So this was something she had to do alone.

Hiccup offered to help, of course. But she assured him that she’d be fine, not wanting to drag him away from his smithing duties.

Currently she was in the forest, near what the Viking’s called Raven Point. Looking for any traces of draconic activity.

The cloudy sky above her thundered, and made the world around her darker. Hindering her search. Even though it was barely evening.

There’d be a big storm later, for sure.

She’d made an impromptu sketch of the Stormcutter, with a piece of paper she borrowed (stole) from Hiccup’s sketchbook. Using it to give herself a visual of she was looking for.

But she wasn’t having much luck. She’d already examined the village, the docks, and the shores over the last week. The forest was all she had left.

If it wasn’t here, then she wasn’t sure how she was going to locate it.

But she couldn’t give up. She needed to find it, and thank it for rescuing her.

And perhaps find out why it’d rescued her in the first place.

“Hello? Any Stormcutters here?” She called out into the woods. But she received no responses.

She continued her walk, and it was admittedly a very peaceful time. Away from all the shouting and strange smells of the village.

But she still wound up disappointed, as she hadn’t found anything here either.

As she strolled through the words, she began to think about what she’d do when she actually met the dragon.

She’d thank it, of course. But then what?

Would she try to bond with it? Would it want to be her companion? How does one train a Stormcutter? Maybe it was just helping out that one time, and wouldn’t be interested in her otherwise.

But no matter what would happen, she wouldn’t know until she found it. And so her searching continued.

She couldn’t stay here all day, she promised the local kids that she’d play her accordion for them today. For whatever reason the Vikings seemed entranced by the instrument, and who was she to deny them her musical stylings?

She turned, and began to walk back towards town. Swearing to resume her search at another time.

But then a twig snapped, and she stopped in place.

She whipped her head around, looking for the source of the noise. The forest was quite serene, so the abrupt loudness came as a shock to her.

After a moment of searching, and finding more nothing, she figured it’d be better to just get back to the village.

Maybe that snapping was from something she didn’t want to encounter.

She’d heard about the bears here. They weren’t friendly.

Wasting no more time, Mirabel quickly made her way back to civilization. Brushing away the leaves and twigs that had gotten attached to her coat.

She didn’t notice that she was being watched.

A pale-gold creature hung upside-down from the branches of a very tall tree, watching her.

In truth, it had moved further down the tree so it could get a closer look at her. Accidentally snapping a branch in the process.

Its head turned 180 degrees, so it could continue to observe her as she left.

With its big, round eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mirabel was currently doing exactly what she promised she’d do.

Playing her accordion with vigor for a group of excited children.

Though soon that group of children was joined by a decent number of adults, enraptured by the music. They cheered her on and she danced and whirled and twirled.

Apparently Hooligans liked to party. Ever since they heard her playing for the first time, they wouldn’t stop pestering her for songs. They couldn’t get enough of it.

While she was flattered, her poor arms were getting tired.

Despite their frosty reception of her when they’d first arrived, and their gruff exteriors, Mirabel couldn’t honestly say she disliked the Berkian people anymore.

She was still very angry at them for how they’d treated Hiccup. And while she understood their reasonings, she was highly uncomfortable with their fervor for dragon killing. Not to mention the general odor.

But for the most part, these seemed to be regular people. Just trying to go about their days, placed in a very unfortunate situation.

She hoped that once they defeated the queen, they could get to live in peace.

She was playing in front of the forge, and Hiccup stood in its window. Leaning against the counter, with the dopiest of lovestruck smiles on his face as he watched her move.

A whack from a wooden hand brought him back to reality.

“Aren’t ye supposed to be sharpening swords?” Gobber asked, grumpily.

Muttering curses, the boy made his way back to the sharpening wheel. Gobber couldn’t help but chuckle.

Catching Hiccup daydreaming, and slapping him back to work.

“Just like old times…” He sighed.

Mirabel finished her song. Taking a bow as she was showered with applause.

As the crowd began to disperse, one Viking approached her.

He was a young adult, of twenty years. Nearly twenty-one. He was relatively short, only just barely topping Mirabel in height. With a shag of blonde hair sitting underneath his horned-helmet. The beginnings of a beard manifesting as a few scraggly hairs on his chin.

He was plump, but not obese. His potbelly lied within a faded-red tunic, and he wore a black fur coat on his back. He had grey pants, along with the usual fur boots.

Well, only one fur boot. His other leg was wrapped in a splint, currently fractured.

Mirabel recognized this guy. His name was Pinkytoe, and he was frequently finding himself injured in some way.

She’d met him several times, as he’d approach her or her relatives. Requesting an arepa.

She could guess what he was asking for.

“Hey, Mirror-Bell!” He greeted in a jovial tone, as he crutched his way over.

“That’s Mirabel.” She corrected, baffled at his mispronunciation.

“R-Right, my bad!” Pinky smiled, nervously. “Have you seen Luisa around? As you can clearly see…” He gestured to his wrapped-up leg. “I could use an a-reap-oh right now.”

She didn’t even try to correct his pronunciation this time.

“And what happened this time?” She asked, disgruntled at just how many times he seemed to get into trouble.

With an awkward chuckle, he explained. “Y’see, I thought I saw a Buffalord on my roof! So I climb up there, to shoo it away, only to find out it was just a really fat seagull!” He laughed a bit at his own story. “And then I fell, and uh…this happened.”

Mirabel sighed. “Look, Pinky. As much as I want to help, we have a limited supply! You’re gonna have to be more careful, because we can’t spend all the food we have on your mishaps!”

He nodded his understanding. “This’ll be the last time, I swear!”

With a roll of her eyes, she began moving. Gesturing for him to follow.

Before she suddenly stopped, causing Pinky to bump into her back.

She turned to him, suspiciously. “How’d you know Luisa had the arepas?”

The Madrigals would usually take the suitcase of magic food with them. Supplies were limited, and if they just left it lying around, someone might try and take the arepas for themselves. They alternated who kept it with them each day.

But how did he know Luisa had it today?

“U-Uh…lucky guess?” He shrugged, looking very unsure of his answer.

She eyed him, suspiciously. And his blue eyes quaked under her gaze.

She then realized that he hadn’t approached her or her relatives when in need of healing, only Luisa. Sometimes she’d just happen to be there, along with the others.

And that he only seemed to be injured on days when Luisa was handling the food.

And that he was always blushing and fumbling over his words when he was talking to her.

And it hit her.

“He’s pulling a dad!” She thought.

He was deliberately getting himself hurt in various ways, just so he’d have an excuse to see Luisa.

On the one hand, she felt incredibly peeved that they’d wasted a precious resource on this infatuated fool.

But on the other hand…

It was kind of adorable.

So she went along with it. Turning back around, and continuing on ahead.

She didn’t see him pump his fist in victory behind her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luisa took her mind of her current situation by making herself busy.

If a house needed rebuilding, she was on it. If a hill needed levelling, she had it covered. If the Yaks had gotten out of the barn…

It provided some much-needed familiarity, in a time of uncertainty.

She tromped through the town, cattle on her shoulders, and tried her best to ignore the fights that were breaking out around her.

She ceased her stomping, when she heard her name being called.

“Hey, Luisa!”

She looked down to see Mirabel walking up to her, being followed by who she now recognized as Pinkytoe. The guy she’d saved from his burning hut, last week.

She saw his fractured leg, and immediately knew what was coming.

“Hold up!” She requested, quickly depositing the Yaks into the barn.

As soon as she was done, she pulled around the suitcase that was strapped to her back. She wordlessly grabbed an arepa, and tossed it to Pinky for what felt like the millionth time.

“Uh, th-thanks!” He said, barely being able to speak in her presence. He took a bit, and quickly dropped his crutches. Standing on his previously raised leg like normal.

“Man, these really are great!” He spoke, mouth full of food. “Give my compliments to the chef, next time you see her!”

“Yeah, they’re…good.” Luisa agreed, rather awkwardly. Still feeling odd about the earlier revelation.

Mirabel stood to the side, watching the interaction. Her very soul screaming at her to meddle, and desperately fighting the urge.

They stood in an uncomfortable silence, no one really knowing what to say.

“Well I’ve got stuff to do, so…” Luisa began to shuffle away. “Be seeing you.”

Seeing her about to get away, Pinkytoe panicked. “W-WAIT!”

She stopped, and ogled him. Confounded by his reaction.

He felt himself begin to sweat, and really regretted shouting like that.

He cleared his throat, and tried to regain his composure.

It was go time.

“What I meant was…As the only bread making Viking on Berk, I put a lot of time and effort into my work.” He explained, making her even more confounded. “I’ve been working really hard on my newest recipe, and I think it’s pretty good! But I need a second opinion…”

He tugged at his collar, suddenly feeling like it was really hot in here. “I’d really appreciate it if you’d join me for a taste test…” Here goes nothing.

“…Maybe this evening?” He asked, nervousness spiking.

The hulking girl caught onto his implication.

“You mean like…a date?” She asked softly.

Swallowing his fears, he answered honestly. “Uh…yeah?”

And just like that, Luisa’s blushing returned.

She considered his invitation.

She’d interacted with Pinkytoe a few times. He could be a bit dense, but he was significantly less of a meathead than some other Vikings. He was actually pretty nice.

And he was strangely passionate about baking as not just a profession, but an artform.

And it was just one date, it didn’t have to lead to anything major if she didn’t want it to.

Besides, he’d been the only guy to actually approach her, instead of starting a brawl in her general vicinity.

And so, she responded.

“O-Okay, sure.”

He genuinely seemed surprised by her reaction, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets. But eventually he nodded.

“A-Alright, great. I-I know this cool spot, near the docks. I-I’ll see you in a few hours?” He stammered.

She could only nod in response, blushing too hard to speak.

“C-Cool! Uh…” He seemed to struggle to find his next words. “See you then!”

And then he bolted in the opposite direction. Far too flustered.

Suddenly, all the scuffles happening around her stopped. As disappointed young Vikings sulked back home in defeat.

Luisa stood there, perfectly still. Still in disbelief.

Did she…really have a date?

Quickly remembering that she wasn’t alone here, she moved to cover her ears.

As Mirabel released a squeal that everyone on the island could hear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hiccup eyed the sky above warily, as he heard the pounding thunder from the dark clouds.

The storm that’d been brewing all day seemed like it was finally about to hit.

Yet oddly, there was no rain.

But he was the only one who’d noticed this, as the rest of his companions were preoccupied with preparing Luisa for her date.

They were walking down to the docks, and could already see Pinkytoe sitting on a quant little hill that overlooked the ocean. He was sitting on a picnic blanket, with an assortment of breads lying beside him.

“It’s gonna be fine!” Mirabel reassured her nervous sister. “You’ll do great!”

“He’s the one who should be worried about impressing you. You’re amazing!” Isabela said. “Honestly, does he really think he has a chance?”

“I dunno, somehow Hiccup landed Mira!” Camilo joked.

This caused Isabela to groan. “Ugh, don’t remind me…”

From the back of the group, Hiccup managed a grimace. “Y’know, I thought we were passed this part of our relationship.”

She regarded him with a wry grin, and ruffled his auburn hair. “We are, I just like messing with you!”

“But…what if I screw something up?” Luisa asked, meekly.

“Then who cares?” Isabela shrugged. “It’s a first date, they’re not meant to be serious!”

“And if a little mistake really bothers him, you don’t want a second date with that guy anyway.” Camilo said.

Mirabel took her large hand, and squeezed it.

She smiled up at her big sister. “Just be your wonderful self, and the rest will follow!”

Despite how frayed her nerves were, Luisa couldn’t help but grow a small smile herself.

Finally, they’d arrived. Pinkytoe was sitting just a few feet away from them, and surely he could hear them. Though he made no indication of it.

Luisa took a deep breath.

Yes, she’s never been on a date before.

But there’s a first time for everything.

“Wish me luck, guys!” She said, nervousness mixing with excitement.

They all did so, as they watched her clomp over to the picnic blanket and take her seat.

After a moment, they all started to turn back the other way.

But as Hiccup continued walking towards the town, he felt something snag his collar, and pull him around a corner.

Isabela had yanked him with a vine, over to their hiding spot. Behind some bushes. She, Mirabel, and Camilo were crouched down in the foliage, watching the date with great intrigue.

“Really?” Hiccup asked in a whisper. “We’re doing this again?”

They all shushed him, and got back to watching. With a groan, he watched as well.

They couldn’t hear them, but from their body language things looked to be going okay. They made awkward, polite conversation, seemed to be swapping stories, and even shared some laughs.

But without the dialogue, Hiccup couldn’t pretend that it was the most interesting thing to observe. It made him feel weird, more than anything.

After a while, he found his attention drifting back to the densely packed clouds above. Still continuing to rumble with thunder.

He caught flashes of lightning, too.

Many flashes of lightning.

And if he squinted, he swore he could see a silhouette amongst the clouds.

A reptilian silhouette.

A reptilian silhouette that started to glow, as it absorbed the lightning around it.

And released it in a powerful blast-

That was headed straight for them.

“WATCH OUT!” He shouted, as he launched at the trio. Managing to move them out of the way as the lightning exploded behind them.

Hearing the commotion, Luisa quickly stood and rushed over. Much to Pinky’s surprise.

A piece of toast was still hanging from her mouth when she arrived, looking down on her relatives with concern.

“W-What the heck was that!?” Camilo asked, ears ringing from the blast.

Hiccup looked into the skies with dread, as he answered. “That’s a Skrill…one of the most powerful dragons we know of….”

The Skrill descended from the clouds, still firing off lightning bolts this way and that. Causing chaos to erupt throughout the town.

It landed in the plaza with a devilish screech, its large purple body crackling with electricity. Bolts racing between its metallic crown of spines.

It fired more blasts, burning a hut to near cinders within seconds.

“Aw man…” Luisa sighed, taking a bite of her toast. “I just rebuilt that!”

Several Vikings foolishly tried to fight it, even though they knew it wouldn’t work out. With its body covered in electricity like this, being struck with a metal weapon would only serve to electrocute the Viking wielding it.

And yet, they still tried. Pigheadedly determined to defend the village.

Mirabel noticed this, and the ideas of a plan were already forming in her mind. “If a Viking can’t stop it…”

Hiccup knew where she was going with this, and finished her sentence. “Maybe a dragon can.”

They all glanced to each other, and realized what they had to do.

They all rapidly stood, and ran as fast as they could in differing directions. Hiccup and Mirabel to find Toothless, and the other Viking teens. Isabela, Camilo, and Luisa to retrieve the dragons from the ring.

But before leaving, Luisa quickly turned back to Pinky. “I’m really sorry about this, but I gotta- “

He just nodded, jaws agape. As his frightened eyes never left the purple dragon.

Satisfied that he understood, Luisa resumed her dash to the arena. Rejoining her relatives.

This would be their first battle with their dragons.

And it was sure to be one to remember.