79. Blue Eyes White Dragon

Wedded bliss.

Basking in the glow of the previous day’s events.

Reveling in the fact that he was hers, and she was his. Forever.

No obligations, no daily tasks to attend, just enjoying their time with each other.

Here on this isolated island, elevated high above the sea…

This is what Mirabel and Hiccup wanted to do.

But instead, they had a Night Fury acting like a big, scaly, lovesick puppy.

Ever since they discovered the strange Light Fury earlier that day, Toothless has been absolutely smitten.

Slobbering and panting, showing excess amounts of affection to the two humans and sole Stormcutter present, and bouncing around with an energy that was unusual even for him.

And as Hiccup was subjected to the slobber slaughter, Mirabel couldn’t help but find the sight adorable.

“Look at him!” She cooed. “Toothless is in love!”

“I couldn’t tell…” Hiccup groaned, slathered in saliva.

The couple sat outside their cabin, letting the cool breeze wash over them.

Under the midday sun, the newlyweds had been trying to enjoy a relaxing Honeymoon.

Going for a swim in the lakes, participating in a friendly one-on-one dragon race, or just hanging out amongst the shady trees.

But Toothless’ lovestruck jitters obstructed each of these moments.

Their peaceful swim was interrupted by a black cannonball, when a glint in the waters reminded Toothless of her shimmering scales.

The dragon had sworn he saw her in what was really an oddly shaped cloud, and he immediately threw the race in his search for her.

And while they hung out under the shady trees, Toothless was still thinking of her.

Mariposa lurched back, as the Night Fury whizzed by her. Their riders just watching the dragon goof around.

“I remember when we were like this…” Mirabel nostalgically sighed. “Just so happy to be in love!”

Hiccup raised an eyebrow.

“Did that ever change?” He asked.

The uninhabited mountain that served as their getaway was home to a small number of dragons.

And Toothless found a duo of these dragons, a pair of Deadly Nadders, a bit away from their lodge. Engrossed in a mating dance.

Putting an end to his bounding, he stopped and examined them.

Normally, he didn’t care about this type of thing.

But now the process seemed positively enthralling.

Paying as much attention as possible, he watched the Nadders in the field perform intricate movements. The steps engrained into their very DNA.

Bobbing their heads while standing on one foot, fanning their wings out while quickly tapping their toes, swaying and weaving around each other…

He wondered what would it be like, to dance with another dragon.

Trotting back to the cabin, Toothless faced the side of the building. The bright sun casting a strong shadow against the wall.

Looking at his shadow, something that was shaped just like him…

It reminded Toothless of her.

Hiccup, Mirabel, and Mariposa could only gawk at the image of the mighty Night Fury, alpha of the Encanto-

Playing with his shadow.

Dancing with it, nuzzling it, even going as far as to lick it.

The dragon was clearly head over heels.

It was kind of cute.

And really weird.

“Something tells me we’re not gonna get to relax, until we do something about this…” Hiccup groaned.

Mirabel was stricken with an idea.

“Hey, why don’t you head back to the woods and see if you can find her?” She suggested. “We’ll have lunch when you get back!”

Hiccup shrugged in agreement.

It beat letting his dragon lick wood.

With a peck to his wife’s cheek, he began their little expedition.

“Alright, come on bud!” He called, already making his way to the woodland. “Let’s go find your dream girl!”

Toothless followed after him, shivering with the excitement at the thought of seeing her again.

As she watched them go, Mirabel turned to her own dragon.

With a grin, she channeled her inner Abuela.

“And when are you getting a boyfriend, hm?” She asked, in a haughty tone.

Mariposa rolled her eyes, and turned her head in the opposite direction. Eliciting giggles from her rider.

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

They didn’t find her in the forest.

They checked the clearing where they first encountered her.

Then they checked the surrounding areas. And then they checked the areas surrounding those areas.

Then they circled back and checked the clearing again.

But she couldn’t be found.

Toothless started their excursion with a skip in his step, and excitement in his eyes.

But after a half hour of fruitless searching, his movements were subdued. And his expression sullen.

There was nothing sadder than a depressed Night Fury…

Hiccup tried to find a way to make him feel better.

“Hey, bud. Maybe- “

CROON…

Both Viking and dragon immediately ceased all motion, and focused their hearing on the world around them. Listening for the location of that familiar noise.

When they heard it again, from above, they knew where she was.

The skies.

Before Hiccup had a moment to react, Toothless had hefted him onto his back. The second after, they were lifting into the air.

Climbing through the clouds, in search of her.

Drifting around the island, the both of them whipping their heads around, they once again found nothing.

Just the empty, open sky.

But before either of them could doubt her presence, Toothless started sniffing wildly.

“What ’cha picking up on, bud?” Hiccup wondered, though he already had an idea what it was.

Or who it was.

Appearing out from behind the clouds, her white scales blending in seamlessly with the puffs of vapor, was the Light Fury.

Hiccup could feel his dragon jolt with excitement from under him.

The white dragon eyed them, for a moment. Before she fired another blast, and effortlessly disappeared into it.

But Toothless wasn’t about to let her get away a second time.

With no direction from Hiccup whatsoever, Toothless rapidly soared after her. His rider, barely managing to turn the pedals in time with his movements.

“Woah! Hold on, Toothless!” Hiccup exclaimed, as he was taken for an involuntary ride.

Bursting through a cloud, they found themselves hovering in place. Looking all around for the illusive dragon.

But while they didn’t find her, she certainly found them.

A distinct, yet familiar shriek alerted Hiccup to a presence from behind.

“Well, look who it is!” Said Hiccup, as he saw the white dragon approaching.

However, the Light Fury wasn’t just approaching.

She was attacking.

Rushing in at wicked speeds, she grabbed Hiccup in her paws and ripped him away from Toothless.

Despite the situation, the newest Madrigal still tried to endear himself to her.

“I-It’s nice to finally meet you!” He said, dangling for dear life.

He didn’t receive a response.

She dragged Hiccup over the clouds for a bit, before she finally dropped him over the open skies. Where he fell with a frightful yelp.

Satisfied that he wouldn’t be bothering her darker-scaled counterpart, the Light Fury faced Toothless with an eager grin. Always happy to assist a fellow dragon in need.

Toothless glanced to the Light Fury, and then to his falling friend.

He really should save him…

But she was right here…

But he really should save him…

With a bashful smile, the Night Fury excused himself for a moment.

Diving down at a startling pace, he quickly rescued his friend before the waters below became his final resting place.

Unfortunately, as soon as they were back up, she was gone.

They searched all around, but she was once again nowhere to be found.

And Toothless’ good mood was eradicated.

As he sorrowfully soared back towards the island, Hiccup tried to reassure him with scratches and rubs. But nothing could lift his spirits.

Coming in for a lethargic landing, Hiccup could already see Mirabel had set up a blanket on the grass. An assortment of food and drinks being placed on it.

She cheerfully waved to them, though her cheer faded when he noticed the saddened dragon.

“Didn’t go well?” She asked.

“We found her…” Hiccup answered, as he began to dismount. “But then she was gone…again.”

Mirabel sighed, and crouched down. Placing a loving hand under the disheartened beast’s chin. “Hey, come on. We’ll find her again!”

But while her encouraging words were nice, Toothless wasn’t sure if he could believe them.

With heavy steps, he plodded a bit away from them. His back turned, he plopped onto the grass with a pitiful croon.

There was really nothing sadder than a depressed Night Fury…

Mirabel moved to comfort him, but Hiccup stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm.

“Maybe we should give him a minute…” He suggested.

And while she looked conflicted, she decided to leave him alone for now. Calling her own dragon over, to let the Night Fury mope in peace.

While they both wished it was under happier circumstances, Toothless’ dour nap actually gave them a serene moment with each other. Without a slobbering, flouncing presence.

They sat, and ate, and drank, and joked, and laughed, and snuggled, until the sky turned hues of evening pinks.

“Right or left?” Mirabel suddenly asked.

Hiccup looked confused for a moment, glancing dopily to his right and left sides. Making her chuckle.

“The mural!” She elaborated. “We’re putting you on the mural! Do you wanna be on my right, or my left?”

Nodding with understanding, he mulled over the question.

“Uh…left. Let’s go with left.” He said, before a grin formed. “Though with all the people we’ve been adding to that thing, we’re gonna have to get a new wall!”

Mirabel laughed at this, as it was certainly true. That portrait was looking pretty packed these days.

“I kinda like it, though!” She admitted. “It shows how big our family has gotten!”

“…And it’s about to get even bigger!”

Her husband abruptly ceased smiling, his eyes wide open.

He faced her with a slack jaw, and a stunned gaze.

“…A-Are you…?”

Catching onto his meaning, Mirabel met his ogling with a deadpan stare.

“It takes a bit longer than that, Amor…” She said, before growing a grin. “It’s not time for Fartmuncher yet!”

His mind was already being overrun with thoughts of diapers, bottles, and rattles. Though they dissipated, at her elaboration.

“I was talking about the Light Fury!” She peppily said. “We’re obviously bringing her back with us!”

Hiccup was unsure.

“Believe me, I’d like to…” He averted his gaze, looking into the horizon. Seeing memories of her in the clouds.

“But she’s so…jumpy! I dunno if she’ll want to come with us!”

“But she has to come with us!” Mirabel protested. “Look how happy she makes Toothless!”

“Happy and slobbery…” Hiccup moaned, his shirt still wet.

“And is she doesn’t come with us, there won’t be any Night Lights!” Spoke his wife.

Hiccup faced her with a raised brow, putting down the food he was seconds from placing in his mouth.

“Night Light?” He repeated.

“A crossbreed between a Night Fury and a Light Fury.” She answered with a shrug.

Hiccup had to admit, the idea sounded adorable.

But he was still so uncertain.

For whatever reason, the Light Fury seemed intent on remaining illusive.

So how were they going to make this work?

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

Night had fallen.

In their cozy little cabin, Hiccup and Mirabel lied in bed. Entangled in each other’s arms, already deep into their own dreams.

In front of the unlit fireplace, sat a duo of dragons. A sleeping Stormcutter, and a restless Night Fury.

He’d tried to head off to dreamland, like the rest of his companions, but he found he just couldn’t.

His mind was too busy.

Busy thinking.

Thinking of her.

But before he could go on another internal ramble, Toothless heard something from outside.

Perking up, he was then stunned to see that against the wall, illuminated by the early morning sun-

Was a familiarly shaped shadow, walking past.

Any tiredness he may have had evaporated in an instant, and Toothless was tempted to barge out there. Though he didn’t want to wake up his friends.

Quietly, but excitedly, the dragon tiptoed out of the cabin. Stepping carefully over his detached prosthetic fin, that was usually taken off at night. Lest he toss and turn, and wreck it in his sleep.

He tried his best to ensure the door wouldn’t creak, as he stepped into the breezy early morning.

Now outside, the grass and leaves crinkling under his paws, he sniffed around. Trying to figure out where she was.

He didn’t quite see the translucent figure, walking around the lodge.

He did hear the footsteps though.

Following the noise, he found a small patch of greenery.

But she wasn’t there.

Until she was.

Appearing out of nothingness, white scales fading into view like wet paint splotching onto a canvas, the Light Fury peeked her head out of the underbrush.

Toothless was elated to see her again, and so he gave an excited warble in greeting.

One that was quite loud.

Frantically looking around, the white dragon sent him a harsh growl. Asking him to hush up.

But after he silenced himself, she then began to look almost playful.

She turned around, back towards the forests. And beckoned him to follow.

They walked together, side by side. Once more becoming lost in each other’s eyes.

So lost, that Toothless wasn’t watching where he was going. And knocked straight into a tree.

Shaking off the throbbing pain, he saw his companion spreading her wings. Taking off, and soaring over the treetops.

Currently riderless, he hastily tried to follow on foot. Keeping his eyes locked upwards, to keep track of where she was.

And while he tromped further into the forest, a mess of auburn hair woke from his slumber. After hearing a resounding THUMP from a nearby tree trunk.

Leaning out the slightly opened cabin door, he caught the faintest glimpse of a black, finned tail.

He also saw the white dragon, flying over the woods.

And at that moment, Hiccup came to a realization.

Toothless…

Was on a date.

And after years of the dragon being the ultimate wingman…

After he’d assisted he and Mirabel through their relationship’s rocky start…

It was time to return the favor.

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

With dragons, it was simple.

Find a nice-looking dragon, do a funny little dance, and there. You’re mated.

But that’s where Toothless came face to face with his current dilemma.

He didn’t know the funny little dances.

After chasing the Light Fury through the forests, he arrived at the edge of a small cliff. Overlooking a scenic beachside.

And down on the shore, she was waiting for him. Scales shimmering in the dawning sunlight.

Taking a deep breath, Toothless kept his head up and puffed his chest.

He could do this.

He could totally impress her.

He was an alpha, an apex predator, a Night Fury.

He was awesome!

His self-affirmation finished, he tried to play it cool.

Taking a single, casual step-

And tumbling like a doofus down the side of the hill. Falling into a heap of sand, and rolling onto the shore himself. His companion dove out of his way, just in time.

As his dragon tried to regain his composure, Hiccup snuck around the bushes. Trying to find a good vantage point, but also not wanting to disturb the process.

Now that he’d gotten himself together, Toothless noticed his friend on the hill. After that, he looked to the Light Fury.

With graceful movements, and a look of poise, she was ready to begin.

She brought out her wings, and swept them forwards. Taking an elegant leap, and then trotting in a dainty circle, before taking a seated position.

With a small chirp, she motioned for him to complete the ritual.

And now should be the part where Toothless performed his own courtship dance.

But he had no idea what to do.

He’d never done this before, and there was no one to show him how to do it.

Each species had their own mating ritual, he couldn’t just copy a Gronckle or Zippleback dance.

But he didn’t know what a Fury dance looked like.

He needed to do something, she was waiting for him to do something.

He couldn’t blow this!

Desperate for guidance, he looked to Hiccup. Hiding in the bushes.

He was mated, he should have a few pointers!

Seeing his friend was in need of assistance, Hiccup showed what needed to be done by flapping his arms a bit.

Getting the message, Toothless flapped his wings a few times. With a hopeful grin.

The Light Fury was unimpressed.

Perhaps a more thorough demonstration was in order…

Standing from his crouched position, Hiccup performed more elaborate arm waves. That definitely must’ve looked rather silly.

He quickly had to stop, when he stepped on a twig. Dropping back into a crouch before the white dragon spotted him.

Toothless was pretty sure he understood.

He didn’t just need to flap.

He needed to flap a lot.

Extending his sizeable wings, he vigorously beat them up and down. Over and over, as fast as he could.

To the point where he was losing control on the ground, rapidly rotating and kicking up sand.

With a finishing twirl, he ended up launching a heap of sand towards his date. She protected her face with a wing, just in time.

Though she still got some up her nose, which she quickly sneezed out.

Toothless winced, he hadn’t intended to do that.

She didn’t exactly look wooed, but she was still patiently waiting for him.

He couldn’t let her patience wear out…

He had to figure this out and fast.

Once more, he asked Hiccup for direction with just his gaze.

The man stood, and began strutting around like a chicken. His hands on his hips.

He was really happy the family wasn’t here to see this.

Toothless tried his best to mimic him. Standing on his hindlegs, and placing his paws on his own hips.

He stomped about, waving his arms with fervor. Crooning heartily.

The Light Fury watched him as he paced around her, with an increasingly baffled expression working its way onto her muzzle.

From the look on her face, Toothless could tell that this wasn’t working.

So he decided to just throw everything at the wall, and see what stuck.

He went through a rapid-fire presentation of different dance moves.

Quickly stomping the ground with his four paws, placing his wings over his head like an umbrella and playing peekaboo, hopping around in a loony circle…

Each one made the Light Fury more and more uncomfortable.

From his hidden position, Hiccup placed a palm of second-hand embarrassment to his face.

His buddy was completely blowing it…

Finally, Toothless pulled out the finisher. His ultimate lady-killing maneuver.

Adopting a wall-eyed look, he splayed his wings and tail-fin out behind him.

Hopping left and right, inching closer and closer, and bobbing his head while making guttural bellows.

This was the straw that broke the Light Fury’s back.

Having had enough weirdness, she agitatedly batted his far-too-close face away from her.

And then she took off, flying up to a nearby branch.

Hanging upside down from her tail like a large, white bat. She gave the Night Fury a scowl.

At first, she was intrigued. As far as she knew, there weren’t any more dark cousins.

Then, she was concerned. Clearly he was being abused by humans! Though he rejected her attempt to save him…

And after that…

She thought he was awfully cute.

But now she knew the truth. He was nuts.

With an annoyed grumble, she folded her wings over herself. Hoping he’d just go away.

Climbing up onto the branch and standing above her, Toothless tried to figure out his next move.

He saw Hiccup making a strange gesture with his hands.

The man was trying to tell him to get down, before the branch snapped.

But the dragon took it to mean knock her onto the ground.

An odd decision, but he trusted his friend implicitly. And so he did exactly that.

Standing at the edge of the branch, he pushed down repeatedly. Causing the wooden appendage to bend up and down with his movements, each sway becoming harsher and harsher.

From her hanging position, the white dragon began frightfully flailing, and trilling at him to stop.

He did not.

Leaves scattered, bark cracked, and soon the end of the branch Toothless was standing on snapped. Dislocating from the rest of the wooden appendage.

He plummeted to the ground, his twig landing beside him.

Shaking the sand from his head, he glanced back upwards.

The Light Fury was now showing nothing but disdain for what was in her mind, a huge jerk of a dragon. She folded her wings up once more, even tighter this time. Not even wanting to think about him.

Toothless was at a loss. He really didn’t know what to do now.

From the bushes, Hiccup was gesturing about vividly. Trying to get his dragon’s attention.

Toothless saw him…

And huffed, annoyed with the man.

Hiccup was clearly just as lost as he was.

How he managed to land Mirabel, the Night Fury would never know…

The dragon wracked his brain, trying to figure out a way to salvage this situation.

And he spotted that stick. The one he’d broken of the branch.

And he had an idea.

Maybe he didn’t know the dances, maybe he wasn’t a master of branch etiquette.

But he had one thing no other dragon could claim.

He wasn’t just an alpha, an apex predator, a Night Fury…

He was Toothless!

The greatest artist the dragon world had ever seen!

With the sands as his canvas, and the rising sun lighting his way, Toothless got to work.

Dragging his stick, gripped tightly in his mouth, across the beach.

He moved meticulously, making every branch-stroke matter. This was his masterpiece!

Hiccup watched from his position, eager to see what would happen next.

But he wasn’t the only one watching.

The Light Fury had heard the noises, and peeked out from behind her wings. Morbidly curious about whatever nonsense the dark cousin was up to now.

But she was quite shocked at what she saw.

She’d never seen a dragon do anything like what he was doing.

Fascination taking over, she hopped down from the branch. Just as Toothless made the finishing touches.

It needed just one more thing…but what?

He paused, as the white dragon approached. She was overflowing with intrigue.

He narrowed his eyes at her, really examining her features…

And he figured it out.

He dragged his twig along the sands, and gave his drawing the last thing it needed.

Her smile.

On the beach, Toothless had drawn the Light Fury. Her face, specifically.

The image was on-par with the average child’s artistic talents. Perhaps an especially unskilled adult.

But for a dragon, it was positively masterful artistry.

“Oh now you can draw…” Hiccup sighed, amused. Remembering the squiggles from days gone by.

The Light Fury, his muse, admired the drawing. Entranced by the depiction of herself.

And then, she moved to approach him.

Stepping on the image in the process.

Toothless growled at her.

“Step OUTSIDE the lines, lady!”

And she growled right back.

“Who do you think you’re snarling at!?”

The Night Fury reeled back in shock, his teeth retracting. Dropping his twig in the process.

Though the white dragon, to her credit, did try to stay outside the lines.

She made her way to him, purring with interest.

She stopped, her snout near inches from his own. The two reptiles sniffed at each other, locking eyes once again.

Green met blue.

And after a moment of scrutiny, evaluation, and some serious self-reflection…

Yeah.

She liked him.

She began walking to the beach, about to head home. With her new beau in tow.

She called back to him, with a beckoning howl. And ascended into the air.

Toothless made to follow as best he could, still being unable to fly.

She flapped in place, gazing down at him with questioning eyes.

What’s the hold up?

But as she did so, she spotted something amongst the trees.

An auburn something.

Hissing with contempt, she made to depart.

Though she spared one last, longing glance to Toothless. She didn’t want to leave him…

However, she knew she had to go.

Wherever there were humans, there was trouble.

Toothless fruitlessly tried to fly after her. Crashing into the lake as she flew off, framed by the fully risen sun.

He watched her go with a miserable wail, but that was all he could do.

Raising his sole tail-fin out of the water, he regarded it with a livid snort.

This was why he couldn’t follow her.

This was why he was currently cold, wet, and alone.

This deformity of his was causing all his problems.

And from the trees, the source of the deformity was overcome with a wave of guilt.

Because this was his fault.

He shot Toothless down.

He mangled him.

He did this.

And now Hiccup was going to fix it.

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

Mirabel awoke to the sound of clanging steel.

Drifting in and out of slumber, she felt a mighty need for morning snuggles. But she soon found that the other half of the bed was unoccupied. A few stray auburn hairs being his only traces.

Rising up to sit on the edge, she placed her glasses on her face. She then stood, and put on her shoes.

It always felt weird, whenever she stayed in a house that wasn’t magical, alive, and happy to help.

Hiccup wasn’t here, and neither was Toothless. But his tail-fin was lying on the floor.

Creeping past a sleeping Mariposa, the bespectacled girl stepped out of the lodge.

Shielding her eyes from the bright sun, she found her husband hard at work. Toothless energetically observing the process.

Hunched over an outdoor workbench, he was hammering away at a device she couldn’t quite see.

She spoke, as she stepped closer.

“And what was so important that you had to neglect your obligatory husbandly duties?” She asked, faux sternness in her tone.

Hiccup looked up from his work, a bit surprised. He noticed her arrival.

“Obligatory husbandly duties…?” He asked.

She held up a trio of fingers.

“At least three minutes of morning cuddles, daily!” Declared Mirabel.

Rolling his eyes and chuckling, Hiccup answered her enquiry.

“That Light Fury won’t let me within a mile of her…” He said. “If Toothless wants to spend any time with her, he’s gonna have to fly on his own.”

“And so…”

After applying a finishing dab of black paint, he proudly presented his newest creation.

“Ta-Da! Automatic tail-fin!”

The prosthetic looked identical to the Night Fury’s natural fin. With only the faintest hints of machinery being visible, if one were to squint.

“Wow…so you’re just gonna throw the one I made out?” Mirabel asked, faking outrage. “The one I spent hours on? The one representing our family?”

“Okay, I see how it is…”

Once again, Hiccup chuckled.

“It’s nothing personal, he’s my best bud! I want him to be happy…” He said, while testing the calibration.

“Besides, it’s just until he brings her back!”

As he urged Toothless to fire a blast at tail, to test its fire resistance, Mirabel couldn’t help but think on his last few words.

Until he brings her back.

She very much wanted that to happen. To bring Toothless' mate back with them, to the Encanto. Adding one more member to their great big family.

And yesterday, she was sure this would be the case. But...

Considering how volatile the white dragon really seemed to be when it came to humans, could such a thing truly be possible?

Toothless was so hyped up, he absolutely refused to sit still.

Which made it hard to put the new fin on.

But when Hiccup finally managed it, the dragon was captivated by the device. Ogling it with immense fascination, and experimentally moving both fins with his own will.

Something he hadn’t done in years.

“What do think, bud?” Hiccup asked. “Not too shabby, if I do say so myself!”

Channeling his inner Stoick, he then faced the reptile with a strict glare.

“Now bring her home by sundown at the latest!” He said, in a phony accent.

To show his gratitude, Toothless began licking and nuzzling his rider. Much to said rider’s humiliation.

“ACK! EW! Come on, bud! Save it for your girlfriend!”

“Go on, get outta here!” He encouraged, shoving the dragon forwards.

The Night Fury eagerly bounded off, bouncing over stones and fallen tree stumps with exuberance.

But then, he stopped.

He looked around, unsure.

And then he glanced back to Hiccup.

For guidance.

For permission.

“It’s okay.” Hiccup softly said, with a reassuring nod.

And just like that, the energy was back.

Rumbling enthusiastically, he took off.

For the first time in half a decade, Toothless was flying without the weight of a human on his back.

He never minded flying with his friend, not even once. In fact, he loved it.

But…

He’d forgotten what it felt like to just…fly. Like any other dragon.

On your own terms, under your own control.

Your destination, your movements, your fate, solely your own.

It was jarring.

But not in a bad way.

Soaring through the air, Toothless looked back at his tail.

The fin was functioning perfectly. He was ready to go.

Before he set out, he sent a gummy smile to his human friends down below.

The two of them were staring up at him in wonder.

In all the time that they’d known him, they had never seen him fly solo.

With a warble serving as a sendoff, he flew into the skies.

And now that he was gone, Mirabel felt she had a difficult question to ask.

“Hiccup…I know you want her to come with us. I do too...” She stated.

“But…can we be sure that’s what’s gonna happen?”

The man shifted his focus to her, with a confused expression.

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“You said it yourself, she won't let us within a mile of her. She clearly doesn’t trust people!” Mirabel pointed out. “She may have had bad experiences…”

This brought a grimace to Hiccup’s features. Unfortunately, that wasn’t an unlikely scenario…

"Yeah, but...she doesn't know us!" Hiccup countered.

Mirabel sighed.

“I’m just saying…we need to accept the possibility that she may not want to come back with us.”

A deep, dreadful sense of turmoil bubbled up from within Hiccup.

Because she was right.

The Light Fury seemingly wanted nothing to do with humankind.

But Toothless’ best friend, as well as the rest of his family, were nearly all human.

Would he have to choose? Would the dragon be forced to pick between those he considered kin, and his new love?

The thought put that awful, sinking feeling in Hiccup’s stomach.

He was such a sweet creature, no matter how cool he tried to act.

He was so full of love.

He shouldn’t be faced with a decision, such as this.

But even then, he wouldn’t be the only one dealing with a tough choice.

Because Hiccup couldn’t help but think…

If Toothless chose to stay with the Light Fury…

Would he have to say goodbye?