How To Train Your Dragon- From One World To Another

Disclaimer:

The Film 'How To Train Your Dragon', is Copyrighted by DreamWorks Animation and Distributed by Paramount Pictures. Directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois and released on March 26, 2010

The DreamWorks 'Dragons' were directed by Dean Deblois and Chris Sanders and released in 2013- 2018. I only claim Copyright to my characters and some of the elements of the story that are of my own creation

Chapter Soundtrack(s):

Muumimusiikkia 15

Author Warning, Notes:

This symbol (*) means that there's something written about this particular paragraph in the Ending Author's Notes.

Viewpoint Signs:

***MS*** (movie scene)

***EMS*** (end of movie scene)

***WPov.*** (watcher's point of view)

...

Chapter 22 Hidden Acrimony

And indeed, after five months since the funeral of Sigrun and Sonja Aho, the two remaining members of the ' Aho' family had fallen into a comfortable routine of workdays, school days, weapon training and just enjoying each others company.

And with everything they had gone through, the two had become closer than they had ever been.

But when summer vacation had begun for the young girl, her father had talked her into spending the vacation at her grandparents' house, like it had been since the twins had turned eight years old.

It had taken a while to talk her into accepting the offer, as Ronja had been unsure whether she wanted to be apart from her father for days on end this summer.

But in the end, her love and care for her grandparents, and the promise that her father would visit during the weekends won over her initial apprehension.

Her summer was spent in good company, explorations to the woods with or without her grandparents, visiting relatives who lived within the area, berry picking in the woods and her grandparents field-garden and just helping her grandparents with house chores around the house. Evenings had been spent either reading, watching tv (with both her grandmother and grandfather) and playing chess with her grandfather.

Now it was the end of summer vacation for the kids in Finland, as the school would begin anew on the second week of August.

Even the weather was telling that summer vacation's end was near. The air temperature had already begun to change from the warmer climates to a more cool, wet temperature.

For those eager to go out picking, certain mushrooms and berries were now in season.

At the house painted in bright red, near the woods, a certain young girl had woken up nervous but with a hint of anticipation for the day.

Her friends, Annukka and Elsa were coming over that day, and Ronja was nervous after the way school had ended, with her friends being apart from her the past month. The reason for such a change had needed space from Ronja's need of company.

Apparently, she had been too clingy following the death of Sonja.

'' In their words, but perhaps they were right and there was something wrong with me. Maybe I had been too clingy and in need for their company,'' Ronja thought as she used the cheese-cutter to slice thin pieces of cheese onto a buttered rye-bread.

...

'' Oh Ronja, '' my father murmured sorrowfully as I noticeably stiffened at the sight of myself being so hopeful of a good day.

...

A few days ago she had been hesitant about her grandmother calling Annukka and Elsa at their homes.

Grandma had, of course, wondered why the two hadn't come over for a visit way before the end of summer vacation, and Ronja had stressed upon the note that they had said they didn't want to come over this summer.

But her grandmother had decided it was better to ask them to be certain, then let the matter go.

She had decided to call the two families.

...

'' Oh, mother, '' Klaus muttered, shaking his head sadly.

'' Grandma wouldn't have known what would happen. I don't blame her, dad,'' I murmured back, squeezing his hand comfortingly.

...

Hence the reason she had woken up so filled with apprehension and had continued to be haunted by it when she had gone outside to await their arrival, but in the end, the reintroduction to their company had gone surprisingly well.

Elsa and Annukka had seemed just as happy seeing her as she had been to see them.

Now the two friends were downstairs, where the three of them had spent time talking about how they had spent their summer vacation and what they might expect from the coming school year.

'' I think that's the last of the snacks,'' Grandma said with a smile as Ronja put the last of the sandwiches onto the large serving- plate.

'' I will set up the jug of juice while you go downstairs to tell the other girls that lunch is ready.''

'' Sure, Grandma, and thanks!'' Ronja chirped out, hugging her lovingly around the waist before practically skipping out the kitchen and across the hall towards the door leading downstairs to the lower quarters.

She was more cautious going down the stairs, not wanting to have a repeat of the incident where she had slipped on the stairs wearing woollen-socks and slid all the way down to the next platform. (*1)

But as soon as she had reached even floor again she was practically skipping forward, again.

Until she heard something that made her heart sink and her skipping morphing into slow, almost dragging movements.

...

Stoick uttered a long groan and rubbed a hand across his face.

I couldn't see the reactions of others behind me but I did hear many similar reactions as to the one my uncle had just uttered.

'' Oh no!'' Snotlout grunted, slapping a palm over his eyes even as an embarrassed blush lit his cheeks once again.

'' Uh oh, it's that incident, isn't it?'' Tuffnut exclaimed but was immediately slapped on the back of the head by his sister.

'' Of course, it is, you muttonhead! We already overheard the story back on Berk!'' she hissed out, before looking back at me with regret in her blue eyes.

'' But it's even worse seeing and hearing it all play out,'' Astrid finished, looking a bit pale as she kept her eyes fixed to the widescreen.

Fishlegs just gave a low moan as he copied Astrid in her stance.

'' Oh boy,'' I thought as I shared a glance with Hiccup who spared a very short glance in my direction (his expression pained) before looking back to the screen in front of us.

'' Okay, mind telling me what that was all about?'' my father whispered in my ear.

'' I think that explanation is better served for a later time, dad,'' I whispered back, feeling agitated and not at all keen to discuss the incident at the Great Hall only some hours past.

Thankfully dad didn't say a word in edgewise, even though he clearly wanted to ask about it more. Instead, he sat back into his chair with a deep sigh and a frown to his lips.

...

Annukka was reading, loudly, out loud to Elsa. But not from a storybook!

Horror took hold of Ronja's heart as she reached the partly open door. She paused for a moment, just out of sight near the doorway as Annukka seemed to go on and on with the narration written in the diary.

Ronja's diary!

...

Hello Diary,

It's been a few weeks since I decided Sonja and I needed to figure out where we stood in terms of being separate people, and I've come to a realization that I don't need Sonja to help me create games for us to play!

In fact, I don't really need her all that much these days. It's actually rather fun to be just myself without another, that looks like me, always present.

I can make up games on my own, too, like the game I created just yesterday of a female Viking living in a Viking Village called Berk. A Viking female who defends her Village from pillaging dragons attempting to get their claws on our livestock.

Or the game where I'm a Viking teenager learning to fight Dragons in the Kill- Ring before, at last, I'll face the Monstrous Nightmare and run it through with my sword.

*ED****MS***

My father gave a long-suffering sigh, and I looked up into his less than happy expression with cheeks flaming from embarrassment.

'' I'm sorry, dad,'' I murmured out loud, even as I thought:'' I hate you, Odin.''

The thought was accompanied with vehemence and upset that even this part would be shown to the public.

Hadn't I had enough after seeing the incident yesterday when Odin had played with my emotions by showing me that vision of this exact moment?!

And now everyone would see the dreadful moment!

***MS***

Elsa, a girl with short brunette hair, and the long, blond-haired Annukka were sitting on the bottom bunk laughing darkly as they read through a part of the text Ronja had written in her diary.

Ronja stepped inside the guest- bedroom, pausing near the door with her mouth hung open in complete shock before she suddenly slammed the door shut behind her.

It made the two girls jump violently and turn to the source of the sound.

'' Give me that!'' she hissed, holding my hand out towards my diary.

But Elsa and Annukka only sneered back at her, refusing to hand back the book.

'' Is this what you truly thought of your sister?'' Elsa jeered as she whirled the diary around in her palm as she got up to stand in front of Ronja. Her eyes were dancing with mirth, but it wasn't of the good kind at all.

Ronja stared up at Elsa (she was taller than her), feeling both mortification and outrage flooding her veins.

'' What's this rubbish you wrote about Vikings and dragons? Your more childish than I thought you were, Ronja. There have never been any dragons on Earth in the history of science. Their just myths!'' Annukka chuckled out darkly.

Ronja just stared at the both of them, not knowing what to say.

Thank the gods she hadn't written anything in old Norse, or anything secretive about her mother's past in that particular diary.

That diary which stored her mother's past life was at home, in her room, locked up safely in the old wooden trunk that Ronja had been using to store some of the most prized artefacts given to Sonja and her during last year's Snoggletog.

'' It was just a play, Annukka, don't you get it?! Who's the brat, now?'' Ronja hissed, her voice growing soft but cold. Her chartreuse eyes were fixed upon her friends as Elsa turned another page in the diary.

Hello Diary,

I've noticed that lately, Sonja has become more violent in our weapon sparring against mom. It's like she can't handle her emotions in any other way.

It's rather ironic that I, who usually am the louder and the more outgoing of us twins, is the one sitting around reading or writing to get a handle on my emotions while Sonja becomes the violent type.

Well, I couldn't care less what she does lately. I don't need our constant 'Twinship' anymore.

...

At that, I winced heavily.

Now that Sonja wasn't a part of my life anymore, and would never be in my life again, those words (or sentences) were like a 'scorching sword to the chest'.

'' I was wrong, Sonja,'' I spoke out loud enough for those at the front row to hear me speak.

'' I was SO wrong. I DO need our 'Twinship'.''

...

And she was the one to tell me that I should focus on my schoolwork. And now when I'm not constantly running to her for advice she finds herself lost?!

Hah! She may despair the fact that I disappear somewhere she can't find me, but it just proves that she is the one who is being too clingy! Well, that's her problem and she should be the one to grow up!

***ED***

'' Who is the one being clingy now, Ronja? You've been doing that a lot this year, you know. You were constantly asking if we wanna hang out with you after school last trimester,'' Annukka chuckled out as she and Elsa stared right back at the shorter girl as she clenched her hands into fists, trembling ever so slightly.

'' I was completely happy about not calling you this summer. And I wasn't going to call either of you!'' Ronja counteracted, her expression growing impassive even as her eyes hardened further.

'' But then grandma asked me when you guys were coming over here like you do every summer- vacation. I told her we were taking time off from being friends until the start of school because we had been seeing too much of each other. But grandma couldn't believe the' no' in my answer and called your families on the phone. So here we stand, almost at the end of the summer vacation!''

Tears appeared in the corner of Ronja's eyes, but she wouldn't allow them to fall as she looked from Elsa to Annukka.

'' If you two really didn't want to be my friends anymore, then why did you even COME here?'' she snapped, starting to turn back towards the door.

She just wanted to get out and away from them.

But Annukka lunged forward to stand in front of the door to prevent Ronja from leaving. She pushed Ronja hard against the chest and the smaller girl stumbled backwards, her expression wooden.

'' We're not even gonna answer that! ''Elsa exclaimed in a fervid tone.

'' Agreed, and what were YOU thinking writing something like this? Why would you write this about your own sister?'' Annukka asked me incredulously staying in front of the door.

'' I refuse to be answerable to someone who goes behind my back to read something that is my private property!'' Ronja hissed out between clenched teeth before she abruptly turned and lunged towards Elsa, using speed and agility to her advantage ( lasting effect gained during the spars with her mother).

Ronja used both her hands to grab hold of Elsa's arms, pinning them to her side as she looked into her startled eyes.

'' I knew you guys were mourning Sonja's death, too. She was your friend. And I admit she was a better friend than I ever was. The reason I was clingy this past school year was that I needed some normalcy in my life. I was still handling the loss of two of my family. I know I was quiet and reclusive when I spent time with you guys, but I tried to be there for both your sakes because I knew I wasn't the only one grieving,'' Ronja rasped out.

She finally allowed the tears she'd been holding back to slide down her cheeks and drip onto the floor as she stood there, almost doubled over as she kept Elsa's arms trapped to her sides.

Ronja could hear Elsa's and Annuka's startled, hitched breathing but pushed on relentlessly.

''Do you think I don't regret everything I did to hurt my own sister?! I know that I was horrible to her for a long time! I was a bully to her! And I regret it to the end of my days!''

A cracked sob escaped Ronja's lips as she pushed away from Elsa.

'' You, Annukka and Sonja were close friends, but it seems I can't say the same for us,'' she finished quietly, starting to move around the room gathering the belongings she needed and shoving them into her red 'Fjallraven- backpack'.

'' R- Ronja, w-what are you doing?'' Annukka asked her in a hushed tone of voice.

Ronja refused to answer as she finally straightened, the backpack now full and 'zipped-up'. Now all she needed was the diary still held in Elsa's hand.

She lunged towards her a second time, one hand latching onto the arm holding the diary.

Ronja could hear Annukka gasp at the contact as she used her free hand to pry the book free from her fingers.

The shorter girl then strode towards the door, fisted her hand against the front of Annukka's shirt and then resolutely shoved her aside, ignoring the startled yelp that escaped from her.

Ronja hadn't used enough force to physically hurt Elsa, after all, just enough of it to not be hindered in her stroll to the door. She quickly stepped out and snapped the door shut behind her, leaning back against it to calm her breathing and racing heart.

Ronja could hear her 'former' friends calling out her name and felt them trying to push the door open. But Ronja was much stronger than she looked, and held firm. Then she smirked rather cruelly at the opposite wall and spoke loudly enough for Elsa and Annukka to overhear.

'' Please, go right ahead and enjoy the snacks and drinks in the kitchen. The ones my grandmother and I so nicely laid out for the three of us to enjoy. And while you're at it, why don't you explain to my grandma that I'm going mushroom hunting.''

***WPov.***

There was a sharp inhale from both Hiccup and Fishlegs which had me turn to look at them questioningly.

'' Uh... what?'' I asked them, slightly confused by their reaction.

'' Well... ummm...,'' Fishlegs stuttered out.

'' Well, what ?'' I asked with a raised eyebrow.

'' Ummm... it's just that your smirk there reminded me, and probably Fishlegs, of someone that I'd very much wish to not see again any time soon,'' Hiccup answered with a nervous chuckle which had the other teens, and the adults nearby to glance at us rather curiously, until realization seemed to strike at least Astrid and Snotlout (the twins still looked very much curious, and out of the loop).

'' OH, HIM!'' Astrid and Snotlout cried out at the same time.

'' Huh... oh, right... him,'' I muttered with a weak chuckle in the teens' direction as Astrid and Snotlout stared each other down with slight glares.

Then the screen came back to life, drawing the glaring contest to a close...

...

With that, Ronja immediately took off running across the downstairs hall, skidding around the corner.

Ronja practically raced up the wooden stairs and burst out the door that divided the upstairs hall and the stairs going downstairs to the guest- bedroom and sauna area.

She then immediately ran towards the vestibule across from the door and locked herself in before leaning doubled over against the nearby wall to catch her breath.

After a few moments had passed she quickly slipped on the closest footwear she could reach and pulled her backpack off her shoulder.

Ronja slipped her diary into her backpack and 'zipped' it shut again. She could hear the noise of the door being rattled.

Elsa and Annukka were attempting to open the locked door.

But Ronja didn't look up at them. Instead, she straightened and grabbed her black leather gloves and jacket before taking her mushroom basket off the rack.

Finally, she turned to glance briefly at her former friends who were looking at her from behind the glass with panicked and pleading expressions on their faces.

'' Hope it was all worth it, reading my diary,'' Ronja thought and turned her back on them, the wooden expression still visible on her face.

Ronja opened the door that leads outside and slipped out, squashing the urge to violently slam the door shut behind her.

She bounded down the short flight of dark-green painted steps before changing her course towards the back of the house where she scaled the uprising terrain that leads to the woods.

Which for Ronja was the epitome of safety?

Her feet cut across the familiar terrain that leads back to the dirt road. From there, Ronja knew to jog up a small hill that leads to the house belonging to her second cousin's grandparents house. And once she'd reached the top of the hill she would jog down that dirt-road before coming back to the path leading towards the woods where she knew there were still golden chanterelles at this time of year.

And the funnel chanterelles (yellow-foots) were already in season in the pine- woods.

Ronja just hoped that by the time she decided to return after hours, her ' friends' had already left my grandparents house and that my grandparents wouldn't be angry at her for having run off like this all of a sudden.

''Maybe, if I come back with a decent mushroom catch will soften the reprimands, at least a little,'' Ronja murmured half-heartedly as she brushed away the tear-tracks trailing to her cheeks.

...

'' I-I can't believe that really happened,'' Astrid gasped out as she bowed her head for a moment, not minding the long straw-coloured bangs that fell over her eyes.

'' They were practically bullying you down there in that room,'' Hiccup added with a deep frown to his face.

His words had the other teens wincing sharply at the reminder that some of them had constantly bullied the brunette haired boy for the way he looked and acted within the society of the village of Berk.

And it wasn't that long ago that they had viewed him as a waste of space!

'' It wasn't like they had no ground at all in saying some of those things,'' I commented, glaring at up at the screen that had frozen in the image of myself running to the woods.

'' But what Elsa and Annukka did had still been very wrong,'' my father sighed.

'' And I was wrong in bullying my own sister, dad!'' I retorted and sharply turned my head around to give him a pained look.

'' I suppose I got what I deserved after writing those words in my diary at a time when I couldn't care less about my sister.''

'' You made serious errors in judgement that year, Ronja, but you aren't heartless in your actions. You never have been, and that's why it pains me to hear you say that you deserve the bullying yourself,'' my father answered firmly as he hugged me against his side.

'' Not heartless?! I was awful to Ronja, and she didn't deserve to be treated like that by me when she was only trying to tell me I should put more effort into learning,'' I whimpered, hiding my face into the side of his neck. My shoulders were beginning to shake from the suppressed sobs threatening to loosen from my lips.

'' You say no one deserves to be bullied but it doesn't change the truth that for weeks I was pushing my sister away. I detested the sibling bond between the pair of us. You cannot deny I was an absolute abomination of an older sister that year.''

'' But you went into great lengths to earn that sisterly bond back,'' my father whispered, rubbing a palm gently over my back.

'' Oh yeah, sure,'' I bit back with sarcasm.

'' But who is to say that would have happened if I hadn't injured myself out in the woods. I could have come back unhurt and given my sister that same horrid treatment that had been going on since that day you and mom told us about that trip!''

'' But what happened, did! And you took the moment to decide you do love your sister very much and want to be the caring older sister, again,'' my father murmured into my ear as he tightened his hug and rubbed my back soothingly as my shoulders continued to shake.

I whimpered quietly and hid my face into my father's long hair, but gave a small start when I abruptly felt Anca's warm snout nuzzle the back of my back, and then my neck with soothing rumbling croons.

'' If you still think your all bad,'' my father murmured, looking up at the large animal who had moved to comfort her Rider.

'' Then look at Anca! You think she would have stayed by your side if she saw you as what you believe yourself to be.''

A watery laugh escaped my lips as I peeked up at my father, and then looked into Anca's large, golden coloured eyes that were looking at me sadly.

I reached over with my palm but paused just centimetres from Anca's snout. But almost immediately she leaned forward to the touch.

I gave another watery laugh when she gently blew air (from her nostrils) against my hand.

'' Thanks, dad. Thanks, Anca,'' I murmured as I stroked my fingers against my dragons warm scales.

I then looked over at my friends who were all looking at us with subdued expressions. My uncle and cousin carried similar expressions.

I wanted to say something to them, to assure I was feeling a bit better, again, but before I could the next part of my past began to play on screen and all our attention was drawn to the image of me walking alone in the woods.

Or... not so very alone, it turned out...

End of Chapter 22 Hidden Acrimony

...

Author Note(s):

 (*1)  This happened to me once, for real, heh! 

Constructive Criticism is always welcomed by me, the Author!