sixteen

ALORA HAD A LOT GOING ON IN HER MIND. A lot. She was so stressed out and on the brink of an explosion. Everyone on the Edge tried talking to her, but no one succeeded. That's when Hiccup remembered something she said.

"So then that happened," Alora said. "Anyways, how was your day Hookfang?"

The Monstrous Nightmare huffed.

"Snotlout is a pain in the ass."

She rubbed the worn-out leather bracelet.

"Damn, it's coming apart."
But weirdly the symbol in the middle was in perfect condition. The 'S' symbol reminded her of the symbol Kara wore on her costume.

Wait, you did what?!

Hiccup heard her every word.

Oh, forgive me for worrying about my best friend and wanting the best for her!

You stole my bracelet!

I fixed it!

He started getting to work. First he needed to get the bracelet off of her wrist. So he asked the twins to go talk to her and then asked Astrid to swipe it off. Then, he started getting to work on the wrist strap. But as he admired his work, there was something that was missing.

"Whoa! What is that? Gimme, I wanna see!"

"Snotlout!" Hiccup exclaimed. "It's Aly's bracelet."

"Wait. . .you changed her bracelet?!"

"I didn't change it! I fixed it!"

But you still changed—

FIXED IT!

"Didn't she say someone gave that to her? Ooh, she's gonna be so pissed!"

Hiccup rolled his eyes and walked out of his hut with Toothless, making sure the door slammed on Snotlout's face.

Meanwhile, Alora was a complete mess searching the Edge for her 'missing bracelet'.

"I'm sure it's here somewhere," Astrid told her, feeling guilty that she had to swipe it from her.

"I had it on me in the stables!" Alora yelled. "Then the twins did some weird dance and dragged me into it and now it's gone!!!"

"Easy tiger. Look, I'm sure that it must've fallen in the clubhouse."

"Already checked there."

"Hiccup's hut?"

"He was too busy with something so I didn't bother."

"The twins hut?"

"Ew. No way in hell would I go in there."

Astrid sighed. Fortunately, Hiccup saved her butt from being exposed when he said Trader Johann needed help.

So he gathered them in the clubhouse to discuss the problem and figure out how to save him. But Snotlout was convinced that they shouldn't since every time they did try to help him they'd always end up close to their deaths. Hiccup wasn't surprised to see Alora agree with him. But right now, he needs her by his side.

"Fine you two can stay here."

"With him? Hell no," she said.

"Uh, Aly, why are you walking towards Stormfly?"

Alora's eyes widened and she didn't dare to turn around.

"W-Well, I think today I should go with Astrid."

"O-Okay. But, I kinda need to talk to you."

But she was already gone with Astrid.

⬩⬩⬩⬩⬩⬩⧌⬩⬩⬩⬩⬩⬩

THE NORTHERN MARKETS WAS QUIET, TOO QUIET. Alora would be lying if she said she wasn't suspicious about the whole thing. And as they approached Johann, she decided to stay behind with Toothless as he laid down to nap. Alora sat beside him and soaked in the sun. The rays weren't as strong but she could feel herself recharging her energy. For some reason, she always felt like that every time she stood in front of the sun.

She didn't pay any attention to anything until she heard Fishlegs say something very peculiar.

"The Curse of Tears."

Without looking, she listened in on their conversation. She also learned that every time Tuffnut heard the word 'tears', he would end up randomly sobbing.

I had so much fun with that.

You're a terrible person.

Yet, you still stuck beside me.

Well it's not like I had much of a choice.

. . . Yes you did.

No I didn't.

HEY! I have an idea. Aly, why don't you continue your story?

*huffs* Only for you Fishlegs.

"Fishlegs, can you explain?" Hiccup asked.

"As I was saying the curse of. . .you-know-what is real, and I'm not saying it is, but many traders and valuables have fallen victim to it and vanished, never to be heard from again."

"He's gonna want to check it out," Alora whispered.

"Okay, we'll check it out. For now, let's split up and look around. Look for any signs of struggle. Aly! Go with Astrid!"

Alora groaned and stood up from her seat, following the blonde girl. Once they were alone, Astrid decided to speak up.

"Spill."

"Spill what?"

"Why did you not want to ride with Hiccup?"

Alora felt her cheeks heat up and Astrid realized what was happening.

Wait.

What?

You and Astrid weren't kidding? You guys had an actual talk about it?

. . . Did you just refer to yourself as an it?

. . .

*sigh* Aly it's pointless to try and explain it to him, just finish the story.

"You finally figured it out."

"Figured what out?"

"That you like Hiccup."

"I-I, what? Pfft. That's. . . No."

"Aly. . ."

"I hate feelings."

"Okay, let's get something straight. In the end, it's Hiccup's decision."

"Right."

"But at the end of the day, I love having you as a best friend."

"I love being able to lean on you."

"Right. So we're not going to be the cliché best friends who fight over one boy."

"Exactly. Honestly, let's just ditch him and get hitched ourselves."

"Aly!"

"What?! Am I wrong?!"

"No! Aly, Tuffnut!"

She turned and saw Thing One, Thing Two causing some trouble.

"Oh. OH!"

After trying to resolve the mayhem that the twins had caused, Alora's day got worse when Hookfang and Toothless came flying towards her. . .without their riders.

"Toothless?"

"Hookfang?"

"Oh, shit!"

The girls gathered all the riders in the market and started following the dragons out towards the edge of the island. Alora and the riders found themselves on a beach. She watched as Hookfang started digging into the sand. Astrid kneeled down and examined the sand.

"I don't understand," Astrid said. "Where are they?"

Alora glanced up at her.

"M-Maybe I can use my 'super' hearing to find them."

"But Aly, I thought you said you couldn't control it."

". . . Doesn't mean I can't try."

"Uh, guys?"

They turned towards Fishlegs who had Hiccup's metal leg in his hand.

"Son of a bitch," Alora whispered.

As the group looked around, Fishlegs noticed that the 'rocks' around the sand looked a lot like tears thus thinking it was where the Treasure of Tears was. And of course, the twins conveyed that while they had caused mayhem, they'd taken something from the trader. A map. A map to the Treasure of Tears. Astrid decided to go with the map, but Alora felt something was off.

Of course, she followed the blonde woman and they somehow ended up on the cliff top overlooking everything. Alora looked at her distraught friend.

"Astrid, we're going to find him and Snot," she said. "And I have an idea how."

They followed the brunette back to the beach area. Alora got on her knees and started feeling around. She closed her eyes and tried to find the boy's voices down below.

"You guys run! I'll keep it busy!"

Alora felt a sudden rush through her body. She leaned her elbow back and felt a source of energy course through her veins. The rays of the sun hitting down upon her gave the girl the ultimate confidence she could do it.

"STAND BACK!" Astrid yelled.

Alora yelled as she stood up — and without a second thought — used all her might as she punched the ground below.

Underneath it all, Hiccup shielded himself from the massive break on the top. Then, he heard a loud BOOM. When he looked towards the sound, he saw Alora with her hand still on the ground. There were fragments of the 'tears' everywhere. He heard battle cries and watched as his dragon, and his friends charged in to save him.

Alora jumped onto Toothless and grabbed Hiccup by his collar, forcing him to sit behind her. Snotlout was saved by Hookfang. . .and she saw a weird man in his claws. Alora didn't question it. She was just glad that she'd found her friends.

∾

"Hey Aly, can we talk?"

Alora looked at Astrid. But the blonde knew what it was about and nudged her forward.

"So, uh, don't be mad at me," he told her, "but I saw that your bracelet was coming apart so I fixed it for you."

He pulled out the newly made bracelet. The strap looked very familiar. Beside the symbol were two small green jewels.

"Is that. . .?"

"Dragons shed a lot," he said, flustered.

The strap was made of the skin that Toothless had shed, not only that but the jewels were literally the color of his eyes. And in the middle of the bracelet was the symbol that Kara had worn on her chest in her memory. It was like he was merging her two worlds. Alora smiled and slid the bracelet on her wrist.

"Thank you," she told him. "I love it."

"O-Oh. Good, I really thought— OW!"

"But next time, ask me before you just take it."

"Okay! Jeez."

"INCOMING!"

The two dodged the sword that Snotlout had stolen. Hiccup narrowed his eyes.

"I know that sword."

"What are you talking about?" Alora asked.

"That's-That's Viggo's sword."

"If that's Viggo's sword. . ." Astrid said.

"Who brought it here?"