Let's timeskip up to the series. See how Hiccup and Ace's relationship phase goes from best friends to, 👀.

This takes place during season 3, episode Hiccup and Toothless were captured and taken to the arena, yes, that episode named stryke out.

Barely reached 4120+ words!

But let's get a little summary of the beginning then to what happened for today's chapter, shall we?

.

It has been 3 years since the end of dragons and vikings war. Hiccup and Ace are always the talk of the town, but hey there are other dragon riders the children often talk about, competing which dragon rider is the best in their opinion, but if anything, they can all agree Hiccup is the best of all of them.

Accustomed to his new life as a dragon, Ace is an adventurer, carefree, active and eager, so eager he and Hiccup often flew through the skies using his dragon form, which also made him more comfortably accustomed to being a dragon, but hey he switches back into a human whenever he feels the need or Hiccup is in grave danger or when he wants to use his human form for a stealth mission. Thanks to his boredom that one day he decided to learn how to be a stealthy and sneaky bastard.

Finding out Hiccup can finally understand Ace with literal words to exchange between them was surprising for both of them. It's probably the bond they had for each other that they've gotten to the level of understanding each other, literally. Finding out Ace can speak and talk to dragons, dragon form or not was something surprising to Hiccup, knowing he's the only one who knows the real identity of his dragon, his dragon, the night fury who can shapeshift into a human, a human form which he used to have as a human before his death, a pirate human with so many things he's done to be considered a legacy, well for pirates and some people who used to know, admire and respect him.

But hey, at least Hiccup and Ace can understand each other whenever. with the raven-haired letting the brunette know what the other dragons are thinking while the boy approached them with caution and gently to show he's no threat, to understand what they're thinking. If they think Hiccup’a a threat, then he'd show nothing that includes threatening things to spook the dragons, if they think he's scary then the brunette will just have to smile and speak softly not to scare them. Perks of having a dragon-human friend so he could be helped with taming the dragons easily and with care, and Hiccup is thankful for that.

Because of that, Hiccup is always out with his dragon, unable to make time to be with his father or the rest of the vikings for 'as a chief's son duties' or meet his fans, the little ones at that, because both of them have been soaring through the skies all day and exploring way beyond his archipelago, (okay maybe not too far around berk since the two of them are often scolded not to go past), determined to find more new islands, awesome new dragon species, new people out there and everything new! After all, it may have been Ace’s stories with how vast the sea and new islands to explore because of his compass (in which the man explained is a log pose), and that he  Hiccup believes their sea is out there, and they can find it. Who knows, maybe Ace's night fury species aren't extinct and is out there, maybe they can find the grandline, maybe there are new things they never knew existed and they had to be explored.

There are so much.

Thanks to the Dragon Eye, they were able to decide to explore beyond their berk's archipelago with the chief’s permission. At first it was Hiccup and Ace only, while the rest of the dragon riders thinking they were done with exploring. But eventually they came back and the brunette was happy with them coming along.

Finding new dragon species and finding out about dragon hunters, Hiccup and the dragon riders have gotten into danger yet again against those who hunt, capture and use dragons for their evil deeds. They were in for serious challenges and games Viggo wanted them to play, but thanks to Ace being the cautious and often asked for a discussion with Hiccup about their fight seeming odd, they were (often) able to outsmart the hunters all the time, irritating the grimborn brothers.

One day, Hiccup and Heather are both in the main hall kitchen, the brunette was learning to cook for everyone to thank them for everything they've done with all their helpful work and fun activities they did while they were not thinking of the dragon hunters. Although Snotlout came in the kitchen running, looking for their leader and Hiccup answered his call fortunately. Something about dragon hunters swarming an island, and the brunette agreed to come along just the two of them and their dragons.

However, there aren’t any dragon hunters on sight to blast them, Hiccup felt baited at first, he gave his cousin a deadpanned look but Snotlout kept persisting he and hookfang found those said enemies around with dragons in their cages, now it's all gone. But their dragons growling at something tells them otherwise.

“Snotlout’s right, there's something wrong down there, hookfang and I aren't feeling too good about it.” Ace spoke, continuing on growling at where he's focused. Hiccup hummed and nodded at Snotlout who smiled as soon as his cousin believed him.

Entering a cave which the bloodcurdling screams and roaring of dragons had led them into, Snotlout wanted to leave immediately with attempts to drag his cousin from the cave but Hiccup denied, telling his cousin it was his idea and they should go further To free the dragons, they had to find a lever or something to open the cages. However, a barrier kept Hiccup and his dragon from regrouping with Snoutlout, who was coincidentally the one who pulled the lever in the first place. Panicked, Snotlout pulled the lever the opposite way and purple gas (dragon root) came out of the ground where Hiccup and Ace were trapped. Before inhaling them further, the brunette pleaded with his dragon to get them out of the cage, “Okay bud, time to go, get us out of here please!” and on cue Ace used plasma blast on the barrier, but it barely worked, seeing how it's made of steel (I forgor what it's called,) a steel made to prevent dragons from destroying them. Maybe burning them to molten would help them get out of there, Ace thought, but Hiccup had inhaled most of the gas, coughing and weakly begging Snotlout to get help and passed out, causing Ace to forget his plan and run to his human, inhaling gas and he too passed out.

Snotlout left the cave with hookfang panicked, he is definitely getting help alright.

Waking up, Ace felt something preventing him from moving his mouth. He glanced around to see Hiccup still unconscious, laid on the floor and bruised. Alarmed, Ace ran to the brunette, only to be stopped by chains around him and a leather muzzle strapped around his mouth. Seems like dragon hunters got to them and they were out cold that they've been unconscious the whole time when they were transferred to a different place, unaware they were actually transported to another island far from where the dragon riders couldn't even think of exploring.

“Hiccup!!” Ace hollered, he couldn't even approach and nudge his snout to his human. He could have already broken out of the chains as a human, but he couldn't let the vikings and dragon hunters see him if one ever enters the cellar they've been inside along with other wild dragons around him. The said dragons approached the unconscious brunette, with thoughts that scared the dragon-human to the point he using his claws to drag Hiccup close to him. “He’s my human, don't even dare thinking of eating him!” he hollered with fury in his tone to the other dragons.

“But we're hungry!” they excused, but Ace continued to growl angrily, and until the evening he watched over the brunette until the said other have awoke gasping for air. “Ace!!” the boy screamed out frantically, but he felt familiar paws around him, soothing him and wrapped his arms around his dragon’s neck. “I’m so glad you're okay..” he muttered and Ace crooned. “Stay this way doofus, you're pretty warm.” Ace mumbled and Hiccup rolled his eyes. “You’re already pretty warm yourself, let me go.” he demanded from his dragon.

Finally released, Hiccup observed his surroundings with the dragons curled up to the wall shaking. The brunette frowned, but hearing the sudden hollering and dragon roaring from the outside made him approach the wooden barrier that prevented them from leaving only to see how dragons outside were fighting to death. “Dragon fights.. We have got to get out of here.” He spoke out loud for Ace to hear unbeknownst to him he was already beside the boy watching the dragon fight with a grin.

You can't really blame the dragon-human, it was quite an entertainment for him.

The cellar door opened and the dragon hunters entered with a single bucket of fish with them. Angrily provoking the starving and injured dragons, causing Hiccup to glare at the hunters treating the dragons badly. One hunter questioned who the boy chained up and stood close to his dragon is, only for the other hunter to respond that the brunette was the night fury, gossiping he's the one who's friends with the dragons, and that they've got something special planned for his dragon, obviously hinting at the dragon fights.

Hiccup didn't like that, and Ace wouldn't want to get any more scars around his beautiful dragon skin any further. Irritated, he used his brain to think and take off his muzzle by himself, blasting a small fireball right at the hunters who immediately perked up alarmed and pointed their spears at the night fury. “Lort! I'm sorry about my dragon, leave him alone, he just got irritated at your presence!” the brunette blurted out, running in to stand in front of Ace to cover him from behind. “Your dragon took off the damn muzzle! That's already enough proof he's threatening and needs to be put in place!”

“I’m sorry Ace but if we want to get out of here, we should take this nice and slow.” he muttered to the other, putting back his muzzle to show the dragon is already in place by his rider. “See? Now leave us alone.” he demanded from the hunters and fortunately they did, with a warning they should not do anything to the muzzle at all. Snapping his head to his human, Ace glared at him. “What was that for?! We could have easily gotten out after taking out those two idiots!” and Hiccup sighed loudly.

“Look Ace, we're going to use our brains and think of a plan to get out of here once and for all while freeing the other dragons. We can't just waltz out of the place and leave the dragons behind!” The brunette argued back and the two of them calmed down. “I’m sorry.” the dragon immediately spoke, softer at that. And Hiccup hummed, smiling at his apology and sat down beside Ace. “I’m sorry too bud. I got carried away, but hey I'm not mad alright?” he reassured, petting the dragon by his snout and Ace crooned, “Don’t worry Ace, we won't be staying here for long. We'll find a way out of here. We won't worry the dragon riders for being held captive for too long.”

Ace hummed, trusting Hiccup with his plan.

The dragon hunter from before announced there's a night fury against a razorwhip. Hearing the dragon night fury immediately made the vikings watching the dragon fights perk up, excited for the night fury to show up for they haven't seen one. Hiccup felt his stomach churn. They're not going to force Ace into a fight he wouldn't want to get into.

-

Morning came, and Ace noticed how Hiccup barely got any sleep, making the fire fist frown. He watched as the boy attempted approaching the dragons, but they angrily roared at him.

“Get the hell away, beast!”

“You filthy human, just like the rest of them!”

“You’d be better off eaten!”

Angered by their remarks at his human, Ace growled but Hiccup hugged his dragon before he could ferociously pound on one of them. “We gotta back off bud.. They can't help it. They're scared or angry, injured and starving..” he spoke as he observed them. “Not that, those little shits just called you a damned beast or even compare you with those bastard hunters!”

“I wouldn't care, they've had bad experiences with humans before, because of those dragon hunters. I don't really mind, they're just-”

He noticed Ace wasn't listening, his glare continuing to pierce through the dragons looking at Hiccup with anger in their draconic eyes. “Ace..” the brunette called out. “Okay, okay. Thank you for your concern, useless reptile.”

Looking at the gronckle, Hiccup noticed the fear in it's expression. “What about you?” he questioned and the said dragon growled at the brunette for trying to approach. But no, he didn't give up, he wanted to let the dragons know he isn't like the hunters. “Hey, it's okay..” he reassured. But the gronckle calmed down, its stomach growling hungry and it immediately licked the wall. Frowning at the scenario, Hiccup glanced down at his peg leg, picking it up and he immediately got to work on smashing the wall for bite size pieces of rocks until they were enough. “What are you doing?” Ace piped up from behind, but Hiccup barely answered, approaching the gronckle a few feet before handing out the rocks and the hungry dragon approached him willingly and ate the rocks the brunette offered. “There you go. Silly dragon.” he chuckled softly, watching the gronckle happily munching on the rocks. “He doesn't think ill of you at least.” the night fury spoke and Hiccup hummed. “He’s just scared.” the brunette added, petting Ace by his snout, and eventually the gronckle approached him, allowing Hiccup to pet his by his snout as well.

“That’s a start.” The brunette spoke, while both dragons fought for Hiccup’s hand to let him run his palm through their snouts. The cellar door opened, and the gronckle immediately ran off to his side. Ace growled lowly, glaring at the hunters who pushed the razorwhip into a cage. “Get the night fury.” the other hunter ordered, and Hiccup immediately covered his dragon from their sight. “You stay away from him!” he hollered angrily, but he was pushed back and Ace hollered for his rider, which was translated into an angry night fury roaring in the other hunter's perspectives. Eventually, he was pushed back to the cage while Hiccup was pinned to the ground by the hunter’s foot, helplessly watching his dragon forced into a cage.

“Don’t turn. Not yet.” he mumbled so low only for Ace to hear. Which made the fire fist consider and sigh, obeying his human because he trusts the brunette.

.

“You did so well Ace, I am so proud of you!” Hiccup spoke, caressing Ace by his snout and the dragon warbled joyfully with the praise, to the point he pushed the boy to the ground and then dragged him closer, holding the brunette between his paws. “Ace what the- you scared me!”

“My bad.” was all he can say.

“'My bad' ?! A little warning could have been great!?” he questioned rhetorically and the dragon just hugged him.

The cellar door slammed open and a dragon hunter entered with three fish on his hand. “To the victor goes the spoils-” he stopped midway to see Hiccup trying to push his way off of his dragon’s grasp and been mumbling incoherent things not even Ace can understand. Hiccup eventually got out of his dragon's crushing hug, getting a lick on the side of his head and the brunette let out a disgusted grunt. He looked up to the hunter while swatting away the night fury saliva around his head. “Alright, he fought for you, made you a nice fortune, now let us out of here.” The brunette demanded but the said hunter had other plans. “Why would I do that? When word gets out that I have a night fury, vikings from all over will come see it fight!” he stated and Hiccup clenched his fist.

“Night Fury, meet your next opponent, the Triply Stryke!” he announced and as Hiccup and Ace peeked through the wooden barrier, they saw another kind of dragon being let out of its cage.

In the morning the remaining fish Hiccup hid from Ace is being offered to a green monstrous nightmare. The said dragon approached the brunette and ate it, but screeched and threw the fish to the ground, feeling obvious pain it let out a small fire ball on Hiccup’s right and thankfully he managed to dodge that. “I know this, I’ve seen this before.. Hang on.” Hiccup began to mutter, picking up the fish again, and Ace perked up, walking closer to his human. “He has something stuck in his teeth.” and Hiccup nodded. “That’s the problem.” he added and swung the fish in front of the monstrous nightmare, getting it to open its mouth again. “Call me old-fashioned but I'd prefer not to lose another limb.” he remarked, seeing the hook stuck in the dragon’s gums and immediately swooped his arm in, grabbing the hook and dragged it out, getting an angry screech from the dragon. Almost immediately, Ace wrapped a wing around Hiccup to protect him, but the monstrous nightmare never attacked. “That’s it!” Hiccup exclaimed, gently pushing away Ace’s wings to let him know he's good, smiling at the monstrous nightmare and he fed it the fish, letting it chew and swallow it's food.

And yes, the dragon placed his snout close for Hiccup to hold and pet, “It’s okay! It's okay.” he reassured, caressing the dragon by it's snout and chin and walked over to the deadly nadder next. Ace watched as Hiccup attempts to tame the dragons, and it never ceases to amaze him that not long Hiccup is already scratching the nadder’s blind spot and it melted at his touch. “They like you now.” the dragon began and the brunette chuckled. “I’m getting them out of here.” the boy spoke and the night fury approached Hiccup, picking him from the nadder getting a little too close to his human and puff smoke at the nadder glaring at him.

The wooden gates opened, and the dragon hunters forced the razorwhip back inside. “Make sure you lock that manacle tight! A razorwhip’s tail can cut through anything.” the hunter snarled at his subordinates and Hiccup glared at him. He was sure to be the first Ace can get to burn into crisp once they get out of the cellar. “Okay Ace, new plan, we're getting out of here tonight.” Hiccup finally began and Ace perked up. “Now we're getting it!”

-

‘Turn back into a human while it isn't time yet and burn the manacle to the point it's vulnerable and weak against dragon fire. Then participate in the fight against the triple stryke. Fight him but make sure you tame him by the time the dragons and I destroy the manacle and blast the gates open. Use loads of smoke to cover your human form and shoot fire right at the air, use as much firepower as you can in ten seconds and then return back into a dragon before the smoke fog clears.’ Hiccup’s orders rang in his head. Ace managed to burn the manacle, and was now standing in the middle of the kill ring in front of the ferocious dragon charging at him.

Attempting to talk the triple stryke out of this, Hiccup and the dragons in the cellar managed to burn the manacle to molten, freeing the razorwhip’s tail and the said dragon approached the brunette and warbled as a thanks. “And now for the final strike!” the hunter announced and rather than Ace pouncing on his opponent, he crawled closer and nudged his snout at its wing, giving him reassurance he's not going to kill it, and getting 'boos' from the spectators above. Ryker and the dragon hunting men were already at the gates on the other side, with a leather muzzle on his hands showing he's obviously going to capture Hiccup’s dragon, and thankfully the brunette and the dragons managed to destroy the manacle and now blasted the gates open. “This ends now!” Hiccup hollered angrily at the vikings watching and Ryker trying to approach his night fury with a muzzle. On cue Ace managed to use smoke, fog, covering the entire kill ring and Ace created flame commandment, not as gigantic however but enough to burn the iron roof above and everyone else from their spectating seats. He's currently the definition of no mercy, for capturing dragons and using them to fight each other for entertainment. If it doesn't make Hiccup happy about it, and so does Ace.

Right in time, the dragon riders managed to arrive and Ace returned back into a night fury without being seen he was a human before, both he and the triple stryke ready to fire a fireball right at Ryker. He left eventually, then Snotlout and Fishlegs began to scare off the remaining vikings that haven't been burnt to crisp at least. Hiccup is going to scold Ace for accidentally getting the spectator vikings involved in the fire. But hey, at least they still breathe. “Justice, get your justice here! Get it while it's hot!” Snotlout hollered, having hookfang to blast fire while Fishlegs chased off the vikings. “Dragon fighting, I’ll give you dragon fighting!” the blonde riding his gronckle angrily spat and glared at everyone from the spectators. They truly cared for dragons.

Ace approached Hiccup, getting a pat on the head in return. “Great to see you too bud.” he spoke softly and the triple stryke watched their interaction, genuinely curious and lonely. With the roof burnt to molten, they're all free, and the wild dragons took off first, after making sure they nudge their snouts at Hiccup’s hand to show they were thankful they've been set free. The triple stryke however just stared at everyone, and Hiccup began to gesture it is free. “He’s been in captivity for too long Hiccup.. He doesn't know how to be free.” Fishlegs began, his gronckle landing with him above her. But Hiccup wasn't going to just abandon it and let it stay here. “Ace? Do you mind?” he asked and the night fury nodded, speaking in dragon language and the triple stryke understood, flying out of the kill ring with Hiccup and Fishlegs cheering.

“Come on guys. Let’s go home.”

.

“Good to have you back, we were really worried.” Astrid began while they were in the air and Snotlout denied every last bit of her words, but Fishlegs made sure to expose him.

“Sure deny all you want, but as long as I remember you screaming in terror and panic as soon as you couldn't see Hiccup and Ace anywhere from where they last been.”

“Ahaha.. Shut up, fishface.” and Fishlegs smirked at the prideful Jorgenson.

“It’s true, Snotlout was most worried out of all of us!” Heather added followed by a chuckle and Snotlout gaped at his newfound crush. Astrid was lovestruck by Heather’s laughter and Hiccup smiled warmly back at his cousin. “Didn’t know you had it in you.” the brunette remarked teasingly and Snotlout snarled at Hiccup, no longer able to deny the fact he did worry the most. After all, after all these three years Hiccup and Snotlout had been closer as best friends, cousins, as if they are brothers.

The triple stryke appeared in front of Hiccup, and Ace translated its friendly roar. “He wants to follow us.” and Hiccuo nodded at his dragon’s statement.

Glancing back behind him, he smiled at his team. “Gang, meet the triple stryke. He's coming home with us.” he announced, and Tuffnut eventually named it 'Sleuther'. A small chuckle escaped the brunette’s lips and Ace swore his heart thumped. They all laughed and bickered, along with the new dragon coming home to the edge with them.

“Sleuther, I think you’ll like the edge.”