Sun and Nightstalker flew in silence.

Luckily Nightstalker's tail hadn't been broken in the battle, otherwise they would have been stuck on a half-sunken ship out in the middle of nowhere. Nightstalker wasn't open to conversation, leaving Hiccup to his own thoughts.

Who in the name of Thor is this guy? What does he want from me on Berk... of all places! Oh, the gods so hate me. And I have to go back and see everyone again. Gobber, Astrid, Fishlegs, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, Snotlout... Stoick.

Hiccup had long since stopped calling Stoick his father once Toothless finally told him who his father was and what had happened. He was incredibly lucky to not have run into him Hiccup's last time on Berk.

What would he say if he saw me now? Nothing, probably. Just pretend I never existed and later have me killed in my sleep.

The nightmare kept coming back to haunt Hiccup. He knew it wasn't real, but there was something in the back of his mind that kept telling him it could be real. And that little voice was enough to keep Hiccup from being his usual self with Toothless, and to keep him pondering on the small horror his mind had created.

Hiccup was nervous to see the place he had called home again, all the people he didn't remember. Sure, he could name all the Vikings in the village and outside on the island, but the only one he could remember personal memories with was Gobber, and even that was only for forging, really.

He remembered all the events of his life, being pushed around by the gang, eating alone in the mead hall, the "dragon training", and all the times sneaking away to go hang out with Toothless, and pretty much all the major events after he had been chosen to kill the Monstrous Nightmare, at least he thought.

But how his father treated him, an apparent romantic flight, being forced to "hang out" with Snotlout, they were all drawing blanks before Toothless described them.

It's like watching my life through a screen or pages of a book. I remember all the events, but no actual memories or thoughts... Astrid, damn. I almost miss that girl.

Almost.

Astrid was one of the few people he had subconscious memories about. Before when he thought about the young shieldmaiden, warmth of some old crush glowed in his heart. But that was when he was a fifteen year-old muttonhead. Now he was twenty, and that crush was long gone.

"I think we're in Berk waters, Hiccup. You might want to actually put on your mask this time."

Hiccup chuckled dryly and pulled pulled up and over the Defender face mask he had, knowing last time he had almost gotten himself into huge trouble.

"Alright. You happen to remember where we landed?" Sun asked, craning his neck to see the island he used to call home.

"Suuuuuure, I completely remember an insignificant beach from five years ago."

"Well I was just wondering, Mr. Sassy Dragon."

"Don't you mean Mr. Super Awesome Night Fury?"

"...useless reptile." 

Toothless laughed for the first time in a while, relaxing in the air, the calm before the crazy.

"Let's just land in the cove if there's nothing going on. You'll just have to stay hidden."

"I'm a Night Fury. Easy peasy."

"Until you get bored and blow up a tree."

"...I don't know what you're talking about..."

Hiccup rolled his eyes playfully at his best friend, and watched in nervous awe as the great island of Berk drew nearer. They could see the docks and low ships that gave them both bad memories, all the little houses clustered around a plaza, the Great Hall built into the mountain, the kill ring. Hiccup shivered at the sight of the chain dome arena, and pointed to go around the far side of the island.

"You sure you'll be okay, Hiccup?" Toothless questioned worriedly, pacing around the cove. There had been evidence that someone visited the cove from time to time but it all looked old and worn.

"Yeah, yes bud. It'll be like starting over, won't it? And hopefully we won't be here long. Maybe a week at most. Depends on how long this guy takes to show himself."

In all honesty, Hiccup was NOT ready to be back on Berk. He had said he was never going back, and he wanted to get off these cursed grounds as soon as possible. Too many bad memories, and he knew he had a lot more locked away in his mind. Plus that nightmare wasn't helping at all.

Is that really how they thought of me? I can understand Toothless being mad at me... But would Astrid actually KILL me? Did Gobber actually think I was useless? Does Toothless actually still hate me...?

Hiccup's breath hitched, although he didn't think Toothless heard him. The dragon accepted his lie of an answer and gave the human his signature gummy smile for encouragement.

"Go on then, fishbone! Show those Vikings they were wrong about Hiccup Haddock, the Dragon Whisperer!"