We Go Where No One Goes

[Astrid]

"That's for flattering me." A punch on the arm was Hiccup's first reward for his words; not an especially hard one by Astrid's standards, but still with enough force to be felt distinctly. Before he had chance to get more than a couple of words of protest out, however, Astrid had taken his tie in her hand, used it to pull him close and kissed him on the lips.

"That was for actually meaning it," she finished as she released him.

Because he did mean it, she could tell. Astrid wasn't sure how this whole outfit made her look anything beyond a little bizarre; but if Hiccup thought she wore it well, then she wasn't going to argue the point. She knew how to accept a genuine compliment, at least - and if her manner of accepting it was a little more violent than most's, that was simply Astrid's way.


"How about the classes? What do you make of them?" They were long overdue, Astrid figured, for a subject change. Strange how her one little remark about the uniform had become a whole topic of conersation; anyone would think they didn't have better things to concern themselves with.

[Hiccup]

He didn't even get a chance to protest the punch. Astrid had pulled him close and kissed him square on the lips. That was something he didn't protest, either. He allowed himself to loosen up and accepted the kiss. It only lasted so long, though, because soon he was let go and Astrid's second statement followed. A goofy grin formed on Hiccup's face and he contemplated giving her a kiss himself. There wasn't anything he could think of that he didn't like about Astrid. Sure she was blunt, a much better fighter than he was, and just all around his superior, but he didn't complain about any of that. She was just wonderful.

"Thanks for that," he finally managed to say. It wasn't long after that that Astrid asked her next question. This time, it was a question about classes. He knew he had at least one class with her, so that one didn't really need to be touched on. It was the others he wanted to talk about. For starters...

"Well, I ended up getting put in some kind of crafting class. That's pretty much straight up my alley, actually. I mean, if I made Toothless's first replacement tail fin, I think I can manage in that class. The others... They're definitely not what I expected," he answered. Maybe he should touch on that English class, after all. That class wasn't all that exciting, but it was something.

"I kind of like that English class, too. You know, the one we both have? I don't know... The reading's kind of fun."

[Astrid]

A sincere smile was given in response to Hiccup's thanks - he seemed, by now, to have got used to the fact that most of her kisses were preceeded by punches - and Astrid shifted her shoulders slightly to try and make her collar a little less uncomfortable while she waited for Hiccup to answer her question. While they had been on the subject of uniforms, she was almost surprised Hiccup hadn't questioned her choice to wear the tie at all if she took such issue with it; it was, she'd been told, optional for girls. Still, she'd gone for it anyway - she wasn't about to be outdone by Hiccup in the amount of impracticality to be endured - and since most of the other girls she'd seen still wore the ties, she supposed that fact might not have been common knowledge.

But if he hadn't brought it up, she wasn't going to, either. Especially not since she'd moved the conversation on now anyway.

She nodded as Hiccup mentioned his crafting class. Astrid hadn't taken anything like that - her hands were more made for swinging battleaxes and punching people's lights out than delicate work, which she often didn't possess the patience for - but she could see how well it suited Hiccup. He'd been apprenticed under Gobber ever since she'd known who he was; not to mention everything he'd created for Toothless; the fin, the saddle, and all the rest. He clearly had a creative streak that she lacked somewhat.

"I know what you mean," she agreed as Hiccup pointed out how the rest weren't what he'd been expecting. Astrid felt much the same. "The self defence class I'm in was standard enough, but beyond that..."

The English class, as he brought it up, was a prime example. The writing creatively, the reading... Astrid had often endulged herself delving into what little viking history there was to read about back on Berk, but this was something else entirely. Still. "It's not so bad. But the making up stories to write about? Was there even any point to that?"

[Hiccup]

"Self defense? Well, I can bet that you're going to kick anyone's butt in that class," Hiccup said. That much he knew for a guaranteed fact. If she was capable of kicking Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, and Fishlegs's butts, not to mention his own, then he could say with certainty that just about anyone who came up against her might have been in trouble. ...Provided that they weren't some vicious monster or something. However, the chances that Astrid would have to deal with something like that were so slim that they were practically nonexistent. Hiccup had nothing but faith in Astrid's abilities, it was plain to see.

"But I do have to agree. Most of these classes we're taking seem pretty useless. I mean... Unless this stuff is going to help prepare me for whatever dad has planned for me in the future, I doubt I'm going to be making use of any of these classes."

They both knew well enough what those plans might have been. After all, he was the chief's son. Unless Stoick disowned him a second time, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that Hiccup was meant to take over whenever Stoick retired. None of the classes in the school seemed as though they would help prepare him for that much, though. In fact, Hiccup was convinced that his father would laugh at the very idea of some of the classes. At least the crafting class would come in handy if ever the need arose for building something new in Berk. That might have been a problem before he'd befriended and tamed Toothless, since the dragons did destroy a fair amount of their buildings, but now it would only be useful if something terrible happened to their home. That was unlikely.

"Whoever's in charge should have thought of more useful classes to take. I mean... Sword fighting. That could be handy. Not that I think I'd be any good at it, but... You never know. Or archery! That would be a useful skill to have, don't you think?" Hiccup asked. Archery was something he thought he could excel at. Bows were light weight, as were arrows, and it would be the perfect weapon for him unless he somehow managed to make a sword for himself. But that seemed highly unlikely. Him? Making a sword? It would be laughable, and him trying to use the thing would be even more so. Who in the world would take a talking fishbone like him seriously if he couldn't even lift a sword? No one. Most of the swords on Berk were too heavy for him to wield properly. He'd been able to move them enough to sharpen, but that was about it.

"But, no. We get English. Nothing practical in the slightest."

[Astrid]

(ooc: whoops, I refered to a class Astrid wouldn't have attended yet in the past tense XD;;; Forgot Dragon's class was the day after this)

"We'll find out tomorrow afternoon. But I hope so." Astrid swiped a few blonde strands back from her eye. She supposed Hiccup was right, there wasn't really a lot of chance that she wouldn't do well there; but without knowing the exact details of the class to follow, Astrid wasn't about to boast of her chances in it. For all she knew, it could have been a theory class just as easily as a practical one; though she felt she'd still do just as well if that was the case, it was an indication of how little she knew about what the lesson would entail.

"Oh yes, future chief of Berk." Astrid grinned as Hiccup hinted at Stoick's future plans for him, and gave him another light punch on the shoulder. There was no doubt in the girl's mind that was what he was referring to; and while a fair bit ago it would have been ridiculous to imagine Hiccup in any role of responsibility at all, never mind actually being chief one day, the whole dragon thing had shown everyone that the young male really did have his own place amongst them. Sooner or later, Astrid was certain, Stoick would begin grooming his son in earnest to take on his own role somewhere down the line; it was just a question of when that actually happened.

She wanted to suggest that perhaps the classes might have more unconventional applications; but who was she kidding? If anyone knew about unconventional ways of doing anything, it was Hiccup himself; if not even he could see the use in some of the classes, then there probably wasn't one.

"Fighting classes would be more useful," she agreed. "But maybe they decided that since we're vikings, we should already know enough to get by?" Who could say, to be honest? Astrid didn't have much of a clue what those in charge had to have been thinking when they assigned out the classes. There could have been some rhyme or reason to it; or they could just have been dished out randomly.

[Hiccup]

Her fist met his harm, thankfully not strong enough to really do damage, and Hiccup briefly rubbed his hand against where Astrid's fist had been. At least she seemed happy about the whole thing. Him becoming chief had been a laughable thought prior to the dragon shenanigans. Now, though, he was certain that most everyone in Berk would approve of the idea. He was unconventional, granted, but it wasn't as if they could just ask someone else to be chief. But that was neither here nor there. The practicality of the classes was their present discussion at the moment.

"If that's the case, they sure have me pegged wrong. I mean, out of all of us I'm probably the least experienced when it comes to fighting," Hiccup said. He barely had gotten through Gobber's classes before he'd learned the secrets of the dragons. Hell, with his scrawny build Hiccup couldn't really wield stronger weapons. He could handle them, sure, but that was back home when he'd been the black smith's apprentice. Here it would be entirely different. Hiccup wasn't going to stand a chance with his pitiful little dagger in a fight. So, he'd have to try and use something else.

"But... Maybe if I don't end up in a class, I could find somewhere to practice. ...Maybe you could help me out, too?" Hiccup asked. It wouldn't necessarily be a date or anything, but it was a nice thought. He wouldn't have asked anyone else apart from Astrid to train with him.

[Astrid]

"Of course. I'm always happy to beat you up and call it training." For just a moment, Astrid might have actually sounded serious before a little smile tugged the corner of her mouth. By now, she was sure Hiccup was accustomed to her sometimes-violent sense of humor; the truth was that she'd never dream of seriously beating him up anymore, and they both knew it. The worst she'd willingly do was give him a dead arm from all the punching it sometimes took.

"I was looking around just today. There's a practice gym near the arena that we'd be able to use," she suggested, turning serious again. She hadn't really thought much of the way it was equipped, all told; but it would still be an ideal place to give Hiccup some lessons in serious brawling. It made sense for him to ask the training of her, too; quite aside from their relationship meaning that any bruises that might be picked up in the process would have been inflicted lovingly, she was the toughest of the teens on Berk. Even if Hiccup's scrawny build made him less than idea for any kind of physical combat, Astrid thought she could at least teach him enough to keep him alive if his name was drawn for the arena.

Although she hoped it wouldn't come to that. Astrid could still remember how she'd she'd felt, the day after she'd first taken an actual liking to him, when Hiccup had had to face down a Monstrous Nightmare in the kill ring back in Berk; even with his skill with dragons, she'd been afraid for his safety - not without reason, it had turned out - and unless his opponent here just happened to be a dragon too, he wouldn't even have that going for him this time. Though she showed very little in the way of outward signs, Astrid was truthfully afraid of what would happen if Hiccup got put in the arena. This time not she, nor Stoick, nor even Toothless would be able to burst into the arena to save him if something went wrong.

"And someone need to make sure you know enough not to die if you end up in the fights," she added, looking at him plainly; allowing him to see the shadow of concern that lurked in her blue eyes.

[Hiccup]

"Well, you know me. Pain; love it," Hiccup replied, equally as joking. He knew Astrid wouldn't go out of her way to try and hurt him for real. After all, most violence she turned his way these days was more affectionate than anything else. But his thoughts turned back to reality when he saw the concern in Astrid's expression at her last statement. She was right; someone really did need to make sure that he knew not to die. He didn't have Toothless or his father to save him here. Astrid he had, that was a fact, but what were the chances that she'd leap into the arena and save his ass if he wound up in trouble? Slim to none. ...Okay, that maybe was highly in accurate. Now that they were a pair, Hiccup felt more confident in saying she'd want to protect him just as fiercely as Toothless had before.

"I can't guarantee I'll be the best at it," he said at length, "but as long as you're the one teaching and helping me I think I'll be okay."

He hoped that was the case, anyway. Hiccup knew better than to get overconfident in his abilities. After all, he was the scrawniest Viking that side of Berk. Ruffnut, Tuffnut, and Astrid were fairly skinny as well, but those three had skills that he lacked. His best chance for survival if his name got drawn was for him to learn as much as he could from Astrid. Whenever that was... Hiccup was hoping it wouldn't be any time soon.

"Maybe we'll get a chance to go there sometime soon. The sooner we start, the better I'm going to get," Hiccup said. ...Right? They had to start soon so that he could actually get some skills to survive. That was all he could hope for.

[Astrid]

Wanting to protect him and actually being able to, though, were two different things. Though it was very rare Astrid would let anything stop her, she was sure that hurling herself into the arena to defend Hiccup, should she need to, would not only be highly frowned upon, but possibly have measures in place to prevent it from happening at all. Hence her newfound determination to make sure he at least knew enough to keep himself alive.

"Probably not," she agreed good-naturedly as Hiccup expressed his uncertainty that he'd be much good at the combat aspect at all. "But it's got to help at least a bit." His admission didn't come as much of a surprise to Astrid; Hiccup knew as well as she did that he was rather weedy, without any of the strength she or the twins had to back it up. It had been a major part of the reason no-one on Berk had taken him at all seriously for the longest time, besides his frequent mishaps. Still, that didn't mean he couldn't pick up some skills, with careful training; and while Astrid had no illusions that she would be the most patient teacher ever, the fact that she cared for Hiccup and sincerely wanted him to do well would go a long way towards keeping her from getting too frustrated with him.

"It wasn't that busy when I checked it out. We could probably head over there right now," the viking girl suggested after a moment. The fights were every Friday; and since she didn't have a clue whether Hiccup's name would be drawn for them or not, to Astrid's way of thinking, getting in at least one practice session before that was an absolute must. She didn't have any homework that couldn't be done later in the evening, and making sure Hiccup survived the week had fast become her highest priority.

[Hiccup]

"Sure. We could do that," Hiccup agreed. It would be better than just sitting around and talking about... Well, nothing in particular. Hiccup hadn't minded talking, but now it was a matter of learning to protect himself. He was nothing more than a beanpole, after all. Whether or not Astrid actually could jump into the arena and protect him, there was a possibility that someone might frown upon the idea. The last thing he wanted was for her to get into trouble just because she'd protected him. Hiccup wasn't worth that much trouble. Astrid might have thought otherwise, but still... Hiccup didn't think he was worth her ending up in serious trouble over.

He got to his feet and stretched himself out a bit. Sitting for that long had left him a bit stiff, and Hiccup wanted to get a bit more limbered up before he and Astrid actually did anything strenuous. Just what that strenuous exercise would be remained unseen, at least for the moment, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Well, one thing was certain... If nothing else, his metal foot might have come in handy if he wound up in a fight. It was light enough for him to use as a foot, but still metal. Surely it could do damage if enough force was applied behind it.

"So? Shall we be going, m'lady?" he asked.

[Astrid]

Well, he'd learnt better than to hold a hand out for her, Astrid noted wryly as she easily regained her own feet. While, unlike the first time Hiccup had tried to help her onto Toothless' back, she probably wouldn't have batted his hand away anymore, the viking girl was still independent enough that she appreciated his not trying to help her with something she could easily manage. Truth be told, it amused her a little, too.

"Of course, future chief," she sketched out a gently teasing mock bow, then slipped her hand into his. Perhaps an unusual gesture for her, since Astrid's typical display of affection was a punch in the arm that preceeded a kiss, but even if this form of contact felt mildly alien to her, something just felt right about doing it at present. It would only last for as long as it took them to walk to the arena and the gym within it; and mostly, it just seemed worth trying out.

"I left my axe back in my dorm, but I think we're better off without it today," Astrid mused as she started back the way she'd come, giving her boyfriend's arm a slight tug to lead him in the right direction. Hiccup would probably be thankful for that fact, all things considered; Astrid couldn't imagine him being exactly thrilled about her waving her favourite weapon around while she taught him to defend himself. It was probably the best idea to start off with hand-to-hand defense first, anyway. Once Hiccup had mastered defending himself in a good old-fashioned brawl, then she could move on to instructing him in weapons to the best of her ability.

"We can start with unarmed combat first and work up from there. You know the basics of that at least, don't you?"


(ooc: I guess we end this thread, after your response perhaps, and start another one in the practice gym about now? It's probably better than continuing this one through the scene change, I would guess.)

[Hiccup]

(ooc: Yeah, that's fine by me. Ors... Looks like this thread wasn't quite as fluffy as we would have liked. xD; )

Yes, Hiccup had long since learned his lesson about trying to help Astrid up. The first incident when he'd shown Toothless to her had taught him well, and while he was well aware of the fact that she probably wouldn't bat his hand away he knew better than to assume that Astrid needed help. She could take care of herself, he was sure. All that remained was making their way over to the practice arena. Astrid's little bow wasn't missed, though. He supposed the 'm'lady' comment wasn't quite as necessary as he'd thought it might be, but Hiccup had thought it was appropriate. After all, that's what she was... His lady. Not that he'd call her that to her face, but still. Hiccup could do that much.

Her hand laced between his was just enough to bring that goofy grin back to his face. Thankfully, Astrid had left her axe back in the dorms. He was thankful for that much. He had managed decently enough with light weight axes back home, but it was doubtful that there were very many of those on hand at the school. Besides, unarmed combat would probably be better for him. Hiccup didn't exactly have any weapons to make use of, apart from a pathetic little dagger, and he wasn't about to mention this to anyone. Besides... Astrid probably was right in starting with the basics. Better to start with something he could handle than something difficult.

"Sounds good to me," Hiccup said as he started after her. That much wasn't difficult to do since they were walking hand in hand. What else was there to even really say? Not a lot, sadly. Hiccup could only think of so much. ...Gods, he was so good at this.

"At least if we're starting from the bottom, I'll be at less risk of getting turned into a bloody pulp by the end of this."