written by DragonLovingGirl6
Danny p.o.v
If Berk has one bad point (except for the tough and tasteless food sometimes), it were the storms. A mix of hail and rain was pouring down out of the sky, soaking everyone that dared to even just open the door. It was so bad that Gobber had called off todays lessons and Stoick allowed Toothless and Newtsbreath to stay inside. One person however was crazy enough to come outside with this weather, namely me.
I still had to bring lunch to my friend and I thought he might like some company with this weather. Because the fisherman hadn’t been able to bring a fish basket I had went to his hut and filled one myself. As I ran through the village I was almost blown over a few times and when I reached the edge I changed into Phantom and phased trough the wind and rain. I flew to the ring and phased through the large doors of the den so Sparks wouldn’t get wet if I opened them.
The captured dragon was looking up and listening to the rain until I came in. I became visible and he jumped up with a shriek and looked at me with large eyes. “Oops, sorry Sparks, I didn’t mean to scare you.” But he didn’t relax, he just looked confused and studied me as if it was the first time he saw me. “What’s wrong?” I asked just before I realized the den wasn’t completely dark like it used to be when the door was closed. I looked down at myself and discovered why Sparks was so tense; I was still in my ghost form.
“Oh, sorry again.” I said, changing back. Sparks flinched because of the bright flash but as soon as he saw me turning human again he relaxed. “You see, I’m half ghost or demon as the people call it here. What you just saw was my ghost form.” I explained to him as he came forward and started sniffing me. He ended by sniffing the basket end happily perked up at the smell of fish. “Okay than, here you go. And as soon as you are ready I have a little surprise for you.” I said, patting a little pouch that hung on my belt.
Immediately Sparks looked back up and tried to sniff out what I brought. I just stepped back where he couldn’t reach me and pushed his nose back. “Ah ah,” I said “First lunch, than the surprise.” Sparks snorted and tried to glare at me. When he realized it wasn’t going to help he turned to his food and gobbled it up. “Wow, slow down! If you eat to fast you’ll get a stomach ache!” Wow, since when did I started sounding like a parent. He just ignored me and kept on wolfing down one fish after another. “Okay than, if you don’t feel good afterwards it’s your own fault.”
I stood there watching as the contend of the basket went down the dragon’s throat in a matter of seconds. Than he rolled the basket back and looked at me expectantly. “Okay.” I opened the pouch and grabbed it’s content. “Who wants some...” I pulled out the green and yellow plant and held it up where Sparks could see it clearly, waving it around alluringly. “...Dragon-nip.” I sang.
Sparks pupils became ridiculously large and shiny. His mouth hung open in a insane smile and he reached forward, longingly. The message was very clear; ‘I wanna!’ I laughed out loud and walked to his side. “I thought so. Hiccup said you guys love to be rubbed with it, so I figured you would like it if I used it to scratch around your wound for a bit.”
He didn’t just like it, he LOVED it! He was purring loudly and leaning towards me, if it hadn’t been for the chains he would have fell on top of me. I took this opportunity to inspect the wound. I sighed. This was never going to fully heal on it’s own. It was an open, vulnerable gash that could easily rip open again by a wrong move or hard hit. And I had no idea if it was properly healing on the inside. I sighed. When I heard a soft whine I looked up to see Sparks studying my troubled face. “Your wound didn’t quit heal properly, it will stay a weak spot.” Sparks sighed too and looked down. “I gently patted his side and started scratching him with the dragon-nip again. “Don’t worry Sparky, we’ll figure something out.”
He gave a “Hmm?” in surprise and looked a little puzzled. It took me a few seconds to figure out what confused him. “You wonder why I called you Sparky? It’s kind of a nickname. My real name Daniel but I don’t really like being called that, so everyone calls me Danny. Except for that Froot Loop of an arch enemy of mine, he used to call me that when he was still around.” Sparks seemed to be delighted with my explanation before he let himself being carried away by the feeling of the dragon-nip again.
Suddenly he jerked up and yelped in surprise. I looked at my hand and saw it was resting on the skin very close to the wound and had a soft bleu glow. My first thought was my ice powers but than I noticed it wasn’t a cold pale bleu but a warm, dark fire-like bleu. Where it was closest to the wound the edges were glowing the same bleu color. Carefully I pulled away and looked as the glow around the wound started fading again. I placed my hand next to the wound again, only a little closer. Sparks flinched and the edges of the wound glowed again and even seemed to pull closer towards each other. ‘No way!’
“Okay Sparky, I don’t know what this is going to feel like to you but I need you to stay as still as possible.” He swallowed nervously and placed his claws apart, getting ready. I moved my hand to the edge of the wound and placed it there. Sparky’s claws scraped over the floor as he gritted his teeth and tried to control his shivers. I gritted my teeth too as I felt as if my intestines turned into ice and energy started draining from my core in a similar way the ghostly wail used to do. Automatically to create more energy I changed back into my ghost form. The wound and my hand were both glowing brightly right now. I looked in wonder as first the deeper muscles and than the skin that were torn pulled towards each other and started interweaving and healing. Eventually I let the power go and gasped, dropping and hands and knees. I changed back and started panting, feeling completely drained.
Sparks yelped and I heard him pulling at the chains. I looked up and saw he was trying to reach for me. A little dizzy I grabbed the spike on his nose. Immediately he calmed a little and pulled me up. I leaned on his nose because my legs felt like jelly. Slowly with me still hanging on to his snout he guided me until I was in front of him, than he let me sit down. He gave short careful shocks, wondering if I was okay and asking what that was. I looked past his head and at the wound. It was gone! All that was left was a smooth light grey line.
“I did it.” I gasped out, still a little breathless. Than I looked at Sparky and laughed. “Oh my gosh, I did it!” I cried out, wrapping my arms around Sparky’s snout and hugging it tightly. He was a little surprised but let me do. “Finally, now I can use that gift to help others too. I always wished I could heal others but now I finally can do it. I’m gonna have to practice because that was very tiresome but right now I don’t really care. I did it! And you are going to be completely okay too!” I pressed my forehead against Sparky’s forehead and hugged him a little tighter. Sparky sat still for a minute, not really sure what to make out of the embrace, but than he relaxed and started purring again.
We sat there for what felt like hours until Sparky gave a short whine. I looked at him and asked “What’s wrong?” Sparky lay his head down and small wisps of smoke started rising out of his nostrils. Than there was a low rumbling sound. Understanding what was wrong now I started laughing “You see, I told you eating to fast would give you a stomach ache.” Sparky puffed a small cloud of smoke in my face and snickered as my hear was blown back and stayed that way. I frowned at first. But than, remembering laughter was next to sleep the most effective core for little illnesses, I laughed along with him.
*ROOOOOOOOOOOWAAAAAAA!!!*
I shot up and covered my ears to block out the blood chilling wail. What the heck was that? Hiccup was still asleep while Arrow sat right up and was softly whining too. He looked at me with sad eyes as he felt me move. “Arrow, what is that boy?” I asked scratching behind his horns. Another cry ripped through the night and now I recognized the ‘voice’ of the owner.
“Sparks!”
I checked if Hiccup was really deep asleep and jumped out of my hammock, changing before my feet even touched the ground. I shot up and as soon as I phased through the roof I heard Toothless yelp in surprise. “Toothless, is that Sparks?” The black dragon nodded and gestured for me to go and see what was wrong. Without a second thought I shot forward and over the roofs. I noticed that most of the dragons were awake and listening to my friend’s lamenting with pity on their reptilian faces. Non of them seemed nervous or alarmed so at least he wasn’t hurt or in danger.
I transformed back as I arrived and opened the gate, letting the moonlight illuminate the cage. I the middle lay the forlorn pile of misery that was Sparks. He was lying on the floor, shaking violently and shocking with sobs. Big tears were dripping down his nose and he was pressing his head against the ground, as if the wanted to push out whatever thoughts were making him so upset.
“Sparks.” I said out loud and ran to him. I kneeled down, taking his head in my arms and gently rocking it from side to side. “Sssst, it’s okay. I’m here, everything is going to be just fine.” Sparks sent a rather angry shock through me, I groaned as I got the message in the voltage; whatever caused his sorrow was never going to be fine! “What happened?” I got another shock full of despair, hurt and...loss? But this time I saw and heard something as well. Cold grey stones colored blood red and a roar and pure pain and agony echoed through my head. A roar that clearly belonged to a Skrill.
I opened my eyes and breathed rapidly. Sparks let out another teeth gritting cry and burst out in another fit of sobs. Now I knew why this happened so suddenly, eating fast gives you stomach aces AND nightmares, it did to me at least. I sighed “Don’t worry, maybe it is never going to be completely okay, but I’m here now and you don’t have to worry. I’m going to be here for you, I promise.”
Sparks looked up and into my eyes, as if he was looking in there for something. His shaking slowly stopped but he kept on sobbing. Sniffling he nuzzled is head against my chest and now started to cry more silently. My shirt was soon drenched with salty tears and he kept giving me short voltages, mentally and emotionally begging me the same thing over and over again: ‘Pleas don’t leave me alone, pleas don’t leave me alone, pleas don’t leave me alone.’ Never before he had seemed that much like a lone lost child.
I hugged him a little tighter and gave him short, comforting shocks, telling him, both through my words and through me heart, “I won’t.”
Hiccup p.o.v.
I had had a feeling something was wrong when Toothless didn’t wake me up like usual, than I noticed Danny’s empty hammock. Arrow didn’t seem to worry about his sort-of-master being gone. As soon as I had walked outside I noticed that Toothless was still asleep, as if he hadn’t slept this night. I had immediately mustered the rest and we started a search party.
I ran to the center of the village again to meet up with Gobber and the other teens. We all arrived there panting. “Did *gasp, gasp* any of you *gasp* find him?” I wheezed. Heads were shaken and dropped. “No, no sign of him.” Astrid breathed out, starting to get her breath under control again. Gobber massaged what was left of his right leg. “Where in Wodan’s name could he be?” He wondered out loud. “Maybe he has gone home after all?” Snotlout suggested.
I shook my head. “And leaving his vest, sword and most importantly his boots behind? No, he must be around here somewhere. Did anyone of you noticed something strange tonight?” The rest scratched their heads and looked at each other. Ever since we didn’t have to fear constant dragon attacks in the middle night a lot of us had become deep sleepers. “Well, I did hear something unusual last night, I’m surprised non of you guys heard.” Fishlegs said silently, but loud enough to hear.
Everyone looked at him. “What was it?” I asked. Fishlegs became a little nervous with all this attention but answered. “Last night I heard a dragon screeching. It went on for a while but that it suddenly stopped.” We exchanged glances before a short sound got our attention. I looked up to find Toothless siting on one of the roofs.
“Well, look who decided to wake up and join in. Hey Toothless, did you by any chance know where Danny is?” He jumped off of the roof and pulled at my vest, wanting me to follow him. “I think he knows where he is.” Astrid stated as Toothless started running and we followed.
It took me a while before I realized where we are going. “Of course, why didn’t I think of that.” “What?” Gobber asked, hobbling next to me. “Danny often goes to visit the Skrill, maybe he went to look if that sound from last night was him.
When we arrived Toothless was leaning against the bars of the spectator area. He was looking down, looking for something. We joined him and noticed the gate to the Skrill’s cage was open. “Do you think he secretly wanted to free the Skrill and got...” Fishlegs didn’t finish his sentence and swallowed. I shook my head. “No, Danny is can be a valiant sometimes, but he is a smart kid. And I have seen enough to believe he can handle a dragon Toothless’ size on his own.” “And the Skrill is still here, I can see the tip of his nose.” Tuffnut added ducking low to get a better look at the inside of the den. Following his example I crouched too. Indeed, now I noticed the dragons nose and saw his nostrils move slowly as he calmly breathed in and out.
We all ran down to the entrance gate. Gobber pulled it open and we halted in amazement. Gobber’s eyes want wider and he mumbled “Impossible.” “That is so cute.” Ruffnut said and Astrid nodded in agreement, smiling. I had to admit that this was indeed very endearing to see.
Both Danny and the Skrill were nestled against each other, sleeping soundly. Danny had crossed his arms over the dragon’s forehead, his head resting on them. He had pulled his knees up to his stomach so they were lightly resting against the dragon’s lower jaw. The Skrill was lying on his stomach and slightly leaning towards the opposite side from where Danny was. His back was slightly curved and it was very clear from the way his tail lay that the chains had prevented them from curling it around both of them. One of the giant claws on his wings was also gently resting on Danny’s back.
Slowly we walked forward to get a better look. Gobber’s leg however turned out to make to much sound. The Skrill started stirring and his eyes blinked open. Immediately as he saw us his eyes went wide and his body tense, not really sure with to do. Slowly he shuffled around and place his limbs under him so he would be ready to move if needed. But his head stayed still on the ground, as if he didn’t want to wake Danny. The boy noticed the agitation anyway and started waking up.
“Sparky?” He mumbled sleepily. The dragon gave a short happy purr and with Danny still holding on to his head started lifting it. Slowly he pulled him up until he was on his feet and held his head by his side until he stood steady. Than he looked back at us.
Danny tiredly scratched his head and yawned. “Did I sleep here?” He asked the dragon, until he noticed he was looking at something else. Only now he noticed we were here. “Oh, hey guys.” Danny said cheerfully cracking his back. “Why were you sleeping in that dragon’s cage?” Astrid asked. “Oh, nothing special.” Danny said, stretching. “Sparky had a nightmare so I came here to comfort him. I guess I fell asleep.” We looked at him strangely. ”Sparky?” Tuffnut wondered.
Danny’s eyes widened and he face palmed. “I can’t believe I haven’t told you yet.” He scolded at himself. Than he perked up and gestured at the dragon. “Viking teens and gentleman, may I present you; Sparks, aka Sparky.” He announced proudly. Than he leaned against the dragon’s neck and added “I gave him a different name so he could start over. And Sparky, these guys and girls are Hiccup, Astrid, Fishlegs, Snotlout, Ruffnut and Tuffnut and up there is Toothless, Hiccup’s dragon partner.”
The Skrill, Sparky, relaxed seeing Danny was completely comfortable with us being here and he perked up at hearing Toothless’ name. He tried to stand a little taler but winced and tried to stretch his muscles as much as the chains allowed him to. Danny frowned and walked to the dragons back. He pulled out on of the pins that held the chains pinned to the ground and started pulling the chains loos.
“Wait a second, wait a second, what are you doing?!” Gobber asked a little shocked. Danny pulled the end of the chain through a larger ring at the end and created a loop. “Something I think he is ready for.” He answered, putting the loop around Sparky’s neck and patting a certain place on his neck. To my surprise the wound from two weeks ago was nothing more than a clearly visible but healed light grey line. Danny picked up one of the pins and used it as a crowbar to pry open the large collar around his neck. It fell down with a loud ‘clang’.
Surprised the dragon started raising the spikes on the back of his head and smoothing them out again. Than he turned to look at Danny. “Go on, rock out.” He told him, gesturing at the open gate. The dragon didn’t waist a second as he jumped out and ran past, completely ignoring us. In the middle he stopped, stretched and shook himself, making his scales rattle.
Than he became exited and started running and jumping around, happily clinging to the walls and climbing upside down on the barred roof. He flapped his winged and made short glides over the ground, since the inclosure was to small to actually fly. “What are you thinking?!” Gobber asked. “We can only let it go if Stoick gives us the permission to!” “Well technically he isn’t really free yet, isn’t he?” Danny objected, gesturing at the large ring and the chain of which he had tied the other end to the lever. It didn’t look like it could hold back a dragon but Sparky seemed to respect this limit a lot more than being tied to the ground.
“Oh well, and I also guess you haven’t noticed that hole over there?!” Gobber yelled gesturing at the large hole Toothless had made when he came to save me from The Monstrous Nightmare. The Skrill hadn’t noticed yet because it was just above his cage, but now he heard Gobber yelling it out loud he stopped in his tracks and looked at it. Immediately we all went silent and Danny turned pail. “Uh o.” Gobber said. I leaned to the side and sarcastically mumbled “Nice job, Gobber.” No one moved, even not the Skrill who was staring at the hole intensely. It probably wouldn’t be a disaster if he escaped now, he hadn’t attacked or even acted very aggressive towards anyone, though we would all get yelled at by my dad. But we couldn’t help but wait tensely for what would happen.
“Sparks?” Danny whispered. The dragon’s trance was broken for a second as he looked at him. He looked back up one more time and than completely averted his eyes and walked towards Danny, sitting down in front of him. Danny smiled and stroked his nose. “Thanks bud.” Sparky answered by purring loudly.
Curious to meet this dragon I walked forward. Sparky lifted his head and looked at me, nervously. “Hé, hé, it’s OK. This is Hiccup, he is a friend.” Danny explained. The dragon leaned past him and sniffed me. “Hey.” I said nervously and held out my hand. He sniffed it and pushed his nose against my hand. I pulled back with a yelp as a sharp pain spread through my entire arm. “Sparky, don’t!” Danny warned the confused dragon. “You can harm normal humans like that.” The dragon looked at him strangely before a look of comprehension mad it’s way onto it’s face. Than he turned back to me, looking like a very big apologetic puppy.
“Sorry, I should have warned you. Skrills electrocute each other as a greeting.” Danny said. “And it doesn’t bother you?” Snotlout wondered. Danny shrugged. “As you already know I’m pretty tough, I’m also partly immune to electricity.” Turning back to me, he said “You can try again if you want to. He now knows he shouldn’t do that to you, so you’ll be okay.” A little hesitant I stretched out my hand again and Sparky slowly pressed my nose against my hand again. There was no pain this time, so started petting him. Now the other teens dared to come closer too. Sparky reacted a little nervous but calmed down as soon as Danny put his hand in his shoulder. There was a soft roar behind us and we turned around to see Toothless standing there, in a playful crouch position. Sparky made a happy sound and ran towards him. The two started playing.
“Hey, don’t get started without me!” Danny yelled, running forward to join in. Gobber sighed and said “Looks like I probably won’t get you guys to class anymore. I got to go and consult something with Stoick.” And with that he hobbled out. Considering what I just heard I ran to the playing dragons and human to join they little game. The other teens followed shortly.
Tired from all the wrestling and running around, we were all lying down in the ring, enjoying the rare sunlight that had managed to break through the clouds. I sat against Toothless’ side while Danny was lying down, his arms spread out wide in a similar way Sparky had spread his wings to catch more light. Everything was calm and peaceful.
Until suddenly vikings started appearing at the spectator area, looking down and pointing at Sparky and Danny. Sparky stood up and shuffled nervously closer to his favorite human, who was sitting up and looking around too. The large gates opened and my dad came through, accompanied by Gobber. Newtsbreath was keeping a close eye on his human from the entrance, but didn’t come in. Also some of the other dragons had come to see what was going on.
Dad walked up to Danny and looked at Sparky. “Well,” he said “Looks like he came around.” “Yes,” Danny said getting up. “And look at this.” He grabbed my father’s hand and help it up encouraging him to pat Sparky. “And now no shocking, okay buddy?” Sparky nodded eagerly and came closer so this new human could pet him. Stoick smiled as he rubbed the black scales on his nose. “Good job Danny, looks like he is ready.” “Ready for what?” Fishlegs asked. “Well to set him free of course.”
Mixed emotions passed over Danny’s face. I could imagine him being happy for Sparky, but at the same being sad and reluctant to let him go. I put my hand on his shoulder and said “Danny, it’s best for him to go now. he is a very good friend and I’m sure he will visit again.” Danny sighed and looked down. Than he took a deep breath through his nose and walked towards the lever, pulling loos the chain. He walked past the dragon and mumbled “Come along, Sparks.” He didn’t have to pull to get the dragon to do this. He just stood up and walked along next to the black haired human. The gathered crowd, including us, followed.
In the middle of the bridge he halted and turned back to the dragon and embraced his large neck. “I’ll mis you.” He whispered taking the chain loop in his hands. He stepped back and pulled it along, over the dragons head so there was nothing left to hold him back. He showed it to the dragon, who widened his eyes, and dropped it to the ground. “You can go now, you are free now.” The dragon looked shocked at Danny and the chain, his pupils contracting until they ware nothing more than slits.
He lifted himself onto his hind lefts and roared at the sky in triumph, his wings spread out wide. An electrical currant around him crackled through the air, causing everyone who stood too close to get a very bad hair day. Than he pushed of, diving of the bridge before catching himself and shooting straight up. He flew a wide circle up above, roaring and breathing fire, before he gave one last roar and flew away, disappearing in the distance.
Some people started leaving as soon as the dragon did, some stayed for a while, still marveling at the memory of the joyful dragon’s lap. But just one stayed as everyone had left. Till late hours Danny sat with his legs dangling over the side of the bridge, watching the sunset in the direction his friend had flown.
(Two days later)
I sat waiting for Toothless to call me up. I looked up again to see Danny, who was looking at the ceiling and absently stroking Arrow. He had been very silent and stand-off since Sparks left, even more than he was when the dragon was still here. “Danny.” I tried to get his attention. He didn’t react. “Danny!” I tried a little louder. He blinked and looked at me. “Yes?” He answered.
I sighed. “Danny, it has been two days now. You should really stop mourning, Sparks is not dead. He’ll surely come back to visit, the Boneknappers visit Gobber too from time to time.” He sighed to, frustrated. “I know, I know, there is just something...different about this goodbye.” Hearing the tone in his voice I sat up. “What do you mean?”
*BOOM*
“You should go outside, Toothless is calling you.” He commented “Toothless can wait.” I objected “Just tell me.” Danny looked back up at the ceiling. “It’s just...I have said goodbye to friend I knew I would see again before. But now that Sparky is gone I feel as if...something is missing.”
My eyes widened. Sneaking away to visit Sparks, being a little absent towards others, naming him and handling him like a best friend. Feeling like something irreplaceable was missing, just like I did when Toothless left to find my helmet. Oh my Gods, Danny had bonded with Sparks.
*BAM*
Danny let out a surprised yelp and fell out of his Hammock. We exchanged glances. That hadn’t been Toothless. We both scrambled up, pulling on vests and boots and ran outside. Toothless was the first one to come into view. “Toothless, what is going on?! What was tha-!?” Now I noticed there was another dragon next to him. Carbon black scaled were glistening in the light of the morning sun, accompanied by a dirty-white belly. With a light grey scar on his right shoulder and a relatively fresh scratch under his left eye.
Danny walked past me. His voice was shaky as he wondered: “Sparky?”
