How To Train Your Dragon- From One World To Another, And Yet I'm Home  

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):

West Across The Ocean Sea- Vangelis

Ending Credits Soundtrack:

Home to Dragons- Planet Earth

Author Warning, Notes:

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

Viewpoint Signs:

*D*** (means Diary Text)

*ED*** (means End of Diary)

*BOF*** (means the Beginning of Flashback)

*EOF*** (means the End of Flashback)

...

Chapter 8

I only smiled cryptically at him and resolutely moved towards where my saddle was strapped over Anca's neck just slightly behind her jutting horns, and nimbly climbed on. Someone had put the saddle on her, but it hadn't been me.

...

'' Ronja, what do you think you are doing?'' Dad gasped out as I held my hand out to him, smiling encouragingly.

'' As I said, and you said, I'm going to ride her, dad. What else does it look like to you?'' I gently quipped out with another giggle.

BANGGG

The other side-door opened with a loud 'bang' and judging by the sounds of human voices, I honestly believed, without looking, that it was the people of Berk being let inside the screen- room.

The sudden appearance of the other dragons from our Dragon Training group had been quite a heads-up.

Nevertheless, my heart skipped a beat as sudden nervousness took hold. Nervousness over not yet knowing the exact reason for why we had all been brought into this Modern Cinema Theater.

'' Come on, dad, get on! It's almost like riding a horse, and you like horse-riding,'' I encouraged again, trying to hide my nerves.

'' How is this even close to horse-riding?'' dad mumbled as I moved my legs from the rigid stirrup-contraption and scooched forward a little more before holding out my hand towards him again.

'' Oh, never mind,'' dad sighed before finally taking my offered hand.

I chuckled as he expertly lifted his right foot onto the stirrup and nimbly pushed off the ground.

Anca grunted slightly at the added weight to her saddle but thankfully she didn't seem too bothered by it. She moved her head back to peer curiously at my father as he adjusted himself into a sitting position behind me and slid his feet onto the stirrups I'd left vacant for him.

I moved my hands to grasp the base of my dragon's horns and dad quickly took hold of the horns where they jutted in two directions like tree branches.

'' This is crazy, Ronja! Absolutely crazy! When in the name of Loki, did you become a dragon rider?'' my dad stuttered out breathlessly.

I only grinned as I felt his breath against my ear.

I glanced back at him to see how stiffly my father sat on the saddle. I could understand how he felt at that moment, though, and could find no insult in the words he had just spoken.

As far as dad had been concerned, Berk had still been at war with the food raiding dragons like it had been for the past three centuries. Therefore, the thought of riding a creature previously believed to have been extremely dangerous would surely have earnt the title of 'being crazy'.

But dad was no stranger to riding a horse! He had been doing horse- riding as a hobby since the time he had been an eight-year-old boy.

I just knew he would eventually decide to stand on Anca's stirrups once his equilibrium was restored, and he had internalized and come to terms with the fact that he was sitting on the back of a majestic flying reptile. 

He would come to enjoy this experience! I just knew it!

From the corner of my eye, I could now see the people of Berk filing into the room filled with rows upon rows of Cinema- tiers.

The teens being on the front lines to spill into the wide hall, and I threw a quick grin in the direction of Hiccup, Snotlout, Astrid, Fishlegs, Ruffnut and Tuffnut as they stared at the scene of my father and I sitting on Anca's saddle.

Their expressions were one of surprise, confusion and shock, but before they could voice their surprise and shock out loud, I quickly nudged Anca lightly on the side of the neck and urged her to take flight.

Anca immediately unfurled her wings and took off, my father uttering a slightly nervous cry as the mighty creature took to the air with powerful swipes of her wings.

We soared over the large, tall-ceilinged room and I laughed in delight as I looked down at the confused and surprised expressions on the faces of the people of Berk, and dragons alike.

'' HE'S MY DAD!'' I hollered out to everyone in happiness induced euphoria. I couldn't help myself!  I was still reeling from the fact that my father was actually here. 

'' MY DAD'S FLYING ON DRAGON BACK! HAH, HAH, HAH!''

Hiccup gave a loud cheer that was echoed by Toothless's, and Ancalagon's excited roars. The other familiar dragons soon followed forth as they watched the three of us soar over them.

As we were flying, I turned to see how my father was coping and smiled even wider.

My dad, though obviously very new when it came to riding a dragon, was actually coping pretty well and was clearly in raptures by the whole experience.

He had, just as I'd believed he would, begun to adjust his stance with every new muscle movement my dragon made so as to not make himself a dead-weight on Anca's neck.

I could feel my heart swell with pride over my father's long welded knowledge on how to ride horses, and that he was now using that knowledge to ride a dragon.

...

We made a few more wide swoops around the room before I told Anca to land on the floor near the teens who were all waiting for us to come back to solid ground.

Hiccup, Snotlout, Astrid, Fishlegs and the Twins all hurried forward the moment Anca landed on the pristine, carpeted floor and stepped straight in to hug me tightly.

There was a look of, what I believed, was relief on all their faces; possibly from seeing me safe in such a strange place in which no Viking had ever set foot into, aside from the days my family had visited a similar sort of Movie- theatre in Finland.

'' I'm glad your okay, Ronja! We were all startled when we suddenly found ourselves brought to this strange place. And even more so when we realized you weren't among the rest of us,'' Fishlegs sighed.

'' You were the one scared, Fishlegs,'' Ruffnut and Tuffnut exclaimed as one, which made me smirk at the annoyed expression on the pudgy- teen's face.

'' Will you two quit it?! '' Astrid hushed the two with annoyance ringing in her voice.

'' But seriously, were you here all this while?'' she then asked inquisitively.

'' True, that's what I'd like to know, too,'' Hiccup added and Snotlout vigorously nodded his head in agreement.

'' Yeah, I was brought straight here to reunite with my dad,'' I answered, turning to briefly glance upwards to where dad still sat on Anca's saddle, watching our interaction with a soft smile on his lips.

My dad then dismounted the saddle and petted Anca along the entire length of her neck as he approached us, teens.

Anca purred at his touch (likely finding the whole experience very pleasurable) and I smiled as I peeked at the pair of them from over Hiccup's shoulder (the others had still not let go of the group-hug).

The 'petting along the neck' was actually something I'd picked up on when dad had introduced Sonja and me to the whole horse-riding experience. Sonja had clearly been the better horse- rider, but I'd still managed to remember some of the things dad had taught us.

And I'd used that knowledge on Anca for quite some time.

My friend nuzzled us all before crawling with her winged front feet and back legs towards where the other dragons were standing in the background, watching on with serene expressions as us humans had our group-hugging moment.

Anca nuzzled Hookfang on the side of his jaw before settling beside the larger Monstrous Nightmare whom she had come to see as the wiser, older individual since they had met; though I could tell Anca had often found the way Snotlout and him always antagonised each other somewhat aggravating compared to the peaceful interaction between the pair of us.

'' Wait, he's your dad?'' Snotlout gasped out, blue eyes wide-open as he, and the other teens finally dispersed from the group hug.

'' Yeah, he's my 'ol dad,'' I answered with a big grin to my lips.

'' He's much shorter and less buff than I thought,'' Tuffnut commented, and Ruffnut hummed in agreement.

'' And what's with the dark-circles over his eyes?'' Ruffnut murmured to his twin- brother.

And yet I could still hear her very well. And other's too, apparently.

'' Are you two idiots or what?! He's obviously been worried about his daughter!'' Snotlout exclaimed, fisting his hands and rolling his eyes at the twins antics.  

'' True, aren't you two being rude,'' I grunted out, a scowl replacing my smile.

But dad put a hand on both our shoulders before either of us could reach over and clobber Ruffnut and Tuffnut for their rudeness.

'' It's a granted observation, as there seems to be a number of very tall Vikings in the tribe,'' he answered with a shrug as he patted our shoulders and peered around at the gathered people fanned out all along the theatre.

'' Doesn't mean I have to like that sort of observation being spoken out loud,'' I sighed in exasperation as dad released the hold on Snotlout's, and mine, shoulders. 

I leaned my head back against my dad's chest.

'' Well, he is certainly shorter and less stocky than our parents for sure but he doesn't seem to lack muscle either. He has a wirier built opposed to stockiness,'' Astrid commented, appraisingly looking my father over with a 'warrior's eye of observation'.

'' Would you all be so kind as to introduce yourselves to him? I mean, my dad has never met any of you until today,'' I sighed out in exasperation.

'' I'm Snotlout Jorgenson,'' Snotlout immediately introduced himself, holding out his hand, which my father took to immediately and shook hands with him.

'' Fishlegs Ingerman,'' Fishlegs said next, coming in for the handshake.

(*1) '' Tuffnut Laverne, and Ruffnut Eugene Thorston,'' the twins did the handshake together, much to my father's amusement.

'' Their twins, dad,'' I whispered to him as he uttered a chuckle at their antics before nodding in silent understanding.

(*2) '' I'm Camicazi Astrid Hofferson, but I much prefer to be called Astrid,'' Astrid answered with a kind smile as she firmly shook my father's hand.

I could hardly contain my laughter at the stunned, and a slightly pained expression on my father's face.

Astrid really was a strong fifteen-year-old!

In fact, all the teens were strong in terms of strength and stamina. And for me, both qualities had doubled, perhaps even tripled in the past fifteen months.

Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle

Toothless suddenly wandered over from the group of two Monstrous Nightmares, a Deadly Nadder, Gronckle and Zippleback, and my father jumped at the midnight- black dragon's sudden appearance as Toothless came to stand beside his Rider.

'' This is my dragon-friend, Toothless,'' Hiccup spoke up, then, and reached over to rub a hand across said dragon's head.

I raised an eyebrow at his words. I found myself slightly surprised by the fact that he would introduce Toothless before himself.

But he probably had his own reasons for doing it and I certainly wasn't going to interfere with his logic.

'' Whoa, what kind of dragon is Toothless? My wife did tell me what different sort of dragons lurked in the forests of her world but she never mentioned a dragon that looked like him,'' dad exclaimed, looking curiously at Toothless who calmly stood by the young Viking's side.

'' That's probably because the information your wife had on these dragons was very slight. Even our tribe had no idea what his kind even looked like until some full-moon circles ago,'' Hiccup answered and smiled as my father averted his eyes, slowly dropped to one knee and slowly held out a palm towards the black scaled dragon that looked quite like a gecko with large, feline-like yellow-green eyes. (*3)

And Toothless shifted closer and closer until he was cautiously sniffing at my father's palm.

'' Wait a minute! Is Toothless a... Nightfury?!'' dad gasped out just as Toothless pressed his nose into my dad's palm.

'' Ah, so your wife's tribe has given them the same sort of name as our tribe,'' Astrid cut in with a raised eyebrow.

But I took note that she didn't have the same sort of suspicious look to her expression that had been a recurring trademark on her for the whole of the time Hiccup had been doing 'fantastically' in dragon-training. And before she had discovered the secret of Toothless's and Anca's presence near the Village.

AH!''

Astrid, as well as the other teens, uttered exclamations of shock when Toothless pounced at my dad without warning and made him fall right over onto his back.

The big tongue slipped out as Toothless proceeded to nuzzle him on the chest before licking him wetly across the face.

'' Ugh, what the...?!'' dad sputtered in shock as the slimy tongue left a path after path of slime across his cheeks. He grunted and tried to push the rather small (compared to the other dragons), yet heavy dragon off his chest.

'' HAHAHA! Perhaps he is reacting to the fact that you smell of an adult who has never killed a dragon,'' I giggled in delight as I dropped to my knees to hug Toothless around the neck.

Toothless twisted his head in my direction and licked my cheek in answer to my cuddling.

'' Okay, that's enough, Toothless,'' Hiccup finally cut in as he started pushing against said dragon's chest to get him to move away from my dad's chest.

I could hear the other teens, and some of the other nearby Berkians laughing themselves silly at the humorous scene.

And true, it was hilarious, and adorable to see my dad getting pounced on and drenched in saliva by a dragon once known as the 'unholy offspring of lightning and death itself''.

After a moment, the extra weight was lifted off my father who gasped in the air for a short moment before he pushed himself into a sitting position, then back onto his feet.

'' I apologise for him, '' Hiccup said sheepishly as he came over for a handshake which my father immediately answered.

'' I'm Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III,'' Hiccup introduced himself.

I could see my father schooling his features into a neutral smile as the teenager introduced himself. And I could understand, why! For by revealing his name, Hiccup had basically introduced himself as my mother's nephew. As well as the blood cousin of Sonja and myself.

'' And I'm Klaus Sakari Aho,'' my father introduced himself before giving me a wry smile and a wink.

'' And my daughter you have become very familiar with, I presume? But there is more to her name that I believe she has told you all. Unless she has told you all the nickname her mother and I bestowed on her.''

The teens shook their heads, though all were clearly very interested.

I gave my dad a nervous glance.

'' Well, you see, back in the world our society calls 'Earth' Ronja's mother and I had wanted to give her the official Viking name, but there were strict rules from the officials of the said world when it came to naming a child. Thus, we were, unfortunately, unable to give her the full name,'' my father answered with a smile, clapping his hands over my shoulders.

'' Did you say 'Viking name'?!'' Fishlegs, Astrid, Snotlout and the Twins exclaimed.

'' Why yes, the official name we very much wanted to give our firstborn daughter is Sharpstryke Ronja Aho.''

'' Huh, that sounds very much like the names our village gives to children to scare off gnomes and trolls,'' Hiccup added with a rather stunned expression to his face.

I shifted a little uneasily and answered,'' Hiccup, I told you once that my mother was a Viking of your world, even though I was born in the Modern century. What I didn't tell you was that years ago, when she was but a teenager, Odin took my mother away from the Village of Berk and transported her into my father's world.''

'' Wait, so your mother was from OUR Village?''

This time Hiccup had joined the chorus of exclamations given in unison.

'' Yes, my mother was born on the island of Berk, guys, which makes me a part of the land just as much as any of you. Well, if you want to disagree with me, then...,'' I sighed, shrugging my shoulders.

'' We're not disagreeing!'' Astrid gasped out, rushing forward to put her hands on my shoulders.

'' But this was unexpected news!'' Fishlegs practically squealed in amazement as he approached me as well.

'' HAH, HAH, HAH! YOUR ONE OF US!''

'' YOU're A REAL VIKING!''

I couldn't help but burst out laughing at the Twin's, and Snotlout's, simultaneous exclamations as they formed another tight group hug around me with Fishlegs and Astrid watching on with amused expressions.

'' But if your mother was from Berk,'' Hiccup spoke in a more hushed tone as he, stayed in the sidelines to watch the group hug.

'' What was her maiden name?''

I was about to stutter out an answer when suddenly a mysterious, albeit very familiar voice (to dad and I) called out,'' There is a time for more introductions and explanations later, young Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III. But now that we have all resembled, I must ask you all to find seats in the Theater and sit down so that we can begin the 'Movie'.''

'' WHO ARE YOU?''

'' WHY HAVE YOU BROUGHT US ALL HERE?''

'' WHAT'S A 'MOVIE'?''

Such was the general outcry in the background from most people spread throughout the theatre.

And I certainly couldn't blame the outcry!

I wanted to know why we were all here just as much as everyone else in the Village, and my father, did.

'' You will see scenes of a person's life through moving paintings, as you might say, and understand.''

'' Well that answers that! No doubt as to the origin of the person who brought us all here, huh?!'' I murmured sarcastically to dad as the pair of us stayed rooted to the spot.

My eyes were still fixed upon my cousin who gave me one last appraising glance before turning and walking away with the other members of our Dragon- riding team who had already begun to follow the strange individual's message. Albeit with wariness and scepticism on their faces.

I felt a slight nudge to my back, and I looked up to see my father who was gesturing towards the Cinema tiers with his head.

I started walking as he started gently shoving me towards the stairs leading to the wide platform where all gathered.

I couldn't help smiling at the scene.

The other dragons of the group, Hookfang, Stormfly, Meatlug, Barf and Belch, had respectfully hung back to allow Toothless to acquaint himself with the new human adult who had a binding scent with one of their human friends.

But now that the dragons had their reunion with their respective Riders, one could tell that human and dragon were equally happy to see the other again and were gladly obliging the other's need for attention.

Even Snotlout was being more affectionate with Hookfang, and the Monstrous Nightmare was thankfully not causing a common scene by biting the teenager. Or lighting him on fire!

Anca was there amidst her teammates, squeezed onto that one platform, and was looking back at me in a way that looked as if she was asking,'' Are you coming here or not, or must I come to fetch you?''

'' Was there ever a doubt as to who brought us all here in the first place? And was there ever any doubt as to the reason why he did so?'' father asked me suddenly, a slightly worried expression crossing his face as heavy footsteps could be heard descending the stairs, and we were suddenly approached by Stoick the Vast Haddock.

The Chief of Berk!

The tall, well muscled and bushy, red-bearded Chief opened his mouth to say something to the both of us but the mysterious voice from earlier stopped any further introductions from being issued.

'' I offer you my apology, Chief Stoick the Vast Haddock, but we have a time- scheduled to hold. Therefore I must ask you to spare whatever words have for young Ronja and her father for a later time. Please take your seats so we can begin, Vikings of Berk.''

Stoick gave an exasperated sigh and glanced at my father appraisingly, for a moment, before turning back towards the way he came.

He found a seat on the row of the platform seating area.

'' Oh, here we go, Ronja,'' dad said to me with nervousness creeping into his own voice.

'' I'm just as nervous as you are,'' I muttered and physically winced at the realization that if my suspicions towards the reason we had all been brought to a Cinema theater turned out to be very much true, the things I'd been keeping to myself for the past several months could all be revealed here today.

It wasn't that I hadn't wanted to talk about my family relations to the younger and older Haddock, but circumstances and logic had been very much in the way ever since I was first introduced to the whole tribe of Berk.

Neither was it that I didn't want to shrug off 'the coat of guilt' for being forced to keep some things about myself a secret from the people who had welcomed a stranger, though a child, into their village- life.

But this situation, where my secrets could be revealed in a way that resembled a movie from my old world, was very much unexpected and quite nerve-wracking, to be honest; especially when I didn't know just how much of my former life would be shown to everyone.

I took a seat on the pristine floor of the platform and dad sat down on a chair near me.

Anca squeezed past the others and lay down in front of me, the warmth of her skin seeping through my leggings when she lightly leaned into me and I felt around for my dad's hand and grasped it, squeezing tight as the lights in the room suddenly went out.

The second the room went dark, I could hear the people of Berk suck in startled, nervous gasps of air all around the Cinema- theatre room.

'' This changes everything,'' I thought as I stared at the screen coming to life with a bird's eye view of a sea and land.

It looked like the person filming was flying over the cliff's as the waves crashed against the hard surfaces.

I squeezed my dad's hand even tighter as music could suddenly be heard coming from the speakers in the theatre.

We could all hear the waves and the wildlife mixing together with a quiet, serene music!

But what made the music sadder then serene to me was the blurred photo of our family that appeared on screen for the duration of the serene instrumental music.

https://youtu.be/X6Xvx6SGDG0

BOOM

The people of Berk uttered yelps as a loud drum-beat suddenly cut through the speakers before it flickered off, too.

But only for a moment until a new music appeared on screen, along with the title of the 'movie' we were about to watch

From One Word To Another, And Yet I'm Home

The title was against the image of a colourful setting sun, along with a dark silhouette against it.

I stifle a gasp as I recognised the silhouette as myself standing on the edge of a sailing Viking boat with two others I recognised as Dagur the Deranged and Fishlegs Ingerman.

All of us were staring in awe at a spectacle of something far, far in the distance, but yet something that was clearly seen from the distance our ship was sailing.

A great, tall, massively wide formation of thick grey and white smog surrounding rock- formations and concealing an island from the eyes of all humans.

I swallowed hard even as my father tightened his grip on my hand and whispered,'' That's 'Helheim's Gate', isn't it?''

'' Yes, dad, that is Helheim's Gate. The dragons former nest, '' I answered in a strained voice. I could remember the very first time I had seen said place back on that ship, and most vividly, the second excursion into the very soil of the place a year later.

It was the day that Stoick the Vast and Oswald the Agreeable had decided to hold a course that ran parallel to the island of Dragons on our way to Berk.

But despite the headed course being at a safe distance from which all on board could set their eyes upon the monstrosity of an island that had claimed many a Viking's life, one could still spot the different species of dragons either circling the island for a landing or emerging majestically from the thick, 'soup- like' mist.

The music eventually faded away, along with everything else on the screen, leaving only a black in its wake...

End of Chapter 8

...

Author Notes:

(*1) These names were mentioned in:

http://howtotrainyourdragon.wikia.com/wiki/Ruffnut_Thorston

(*2) Camicazi was never in the 'How to Train your Dragon' movie Franchise, but apparently, Astrid Hofferson is considered to be Camicazi's film adaptation. Therefore I decided to give Camicazi as Astrid's first name.

http://howtotrainyourdragon.wikia.com/wiki/Camicazi

(*3) This description of Toothless was found here:

http://howtotrainyourdragon.wikia.com/wiki/Night_Fury