Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Hiccup fiddled with his hands as he stared outside the his window, nothing but vast ocean in view. It had been three days, three long days since his departure from Berk, the small island which he grew up on. While he was not regretting his decision, Hiccup would be lying if he said he wasn’t feeling homesick for that small Isle.

“Get it together Hiccup, you haven’t even arrived yet…” Hiccup whispered to himself, rubbing his forehead. He had to be stronger than this, he reminded himself. After all, the entire reputation and future of his country was in his hands. If a little homesickness was already enough to shake him, what would happen when the real tests began? He took a slow breath, forcing his thoughts back into order. There would be time to miss home later. For now, he had to focus on his objective.

After centuries of isolation, Berk had finally decided to open its borders to the world a month ago, with its leaders finally deciding that it was safe to do so. Of course, this was largely due to the events that transpired that very same year, when the island’s biggest threat, the Red Death, was defeated by none other than Hiccup and his friends. The death of the monster resulted in an alliance between the vikings and the dragons, giving rise to a golden age in the island.

Hiccup still sometimes couldn’t believe everything that had happened in the past year. A few months ago, he was just at the mercy of a Night Fury, the most feared dragon of all, fearing for his life, but now he was about to make contact with the outside world, the first of his tribe in centuries as an ambassdor, along with the very same Night Fury who had spared him that day.

While still only a teenager, the citizens at Berk almost unanimously chose him to be the island’s very first ambassador, thanks to his knowledge about dragons. He was the one who tamed a Night Fury after all. His father Stoick, while hesitant at first, finally allowed Hiccup to go after being convinced by his close friend and advisor Gobber, on the condition that he accompany Hiccup as his guardian and personal bodyguard.

He looked outside his window again; still no land. The captain did say the trip would take around five days, but still, Hiccup could not help himself from growing insanely bored. He was a teen after all, patience was not his strong suit.

He grabbed his journal for some distraction, skimming through its pages. He smiled to himself as he scrolled through his memories with his family and friends, reminiscing about their adventures back at home. 

“I miss you guys…” Hiccup thought, sighing as he closed his journal to rest his eyes. It had only been three days, but it was still the longest he had been away from them. He thought about writing to them, but remembered they were on a ship. Standing up, he walked to Gobber’s room, but the loud snori ng told him that now is not the time to disturb the man.

With nothing better to do, Hiccup walked around the ship. It was a massive ship, the biggest one in Berk, and the most modern one too. It was built by the best engineers of Berk, originally as a war ship to battle the dragons. It was soon reconfigured to become the first passenger ship of Berk immediately after the dragons were tamed.

He greeted the viking crew men as he wandered around, trying to stimulate his mind. He thought about visiting Toothless down at the hull, but he was probably getting some sleep too.

Hiccup engaged in some small talk with the crew, mostly about life back at home. Eventually, the topic of their destination came up.

“I heard they have this thing called ‘cars’. Fella said they were like steel horses, but a hundred times faster!,” One viking said.

“I heard this fella talking about the ‘internet’. Thing supposedly made it so you can talk to anyone you want instantly, without waiting for weeks for your message to be delivered,” another viking added.

Huh. Talk to anyone you want instantly. That would literally solve his problem right now, Hiccup thought, if that internet thing was real, that is.

“How about you, Hiccup? What kind of things have you heard from them?”

Hiccup blushed as the attention of the group suddenly shifted to him. He tried to think, but nothing was really coming to his mind. He recalled the day when the first outsiders came to the island. They arrived in a strange boat made of metal, and what they wore were even stranger. Fortunately, the outsiders spoke English, making communication possible. They introduced themselves as scientists from a country called Greenland, a few hundred miles south of Berk.

“Um… I heard of this thing… called uh,” Hiccup stuttered, trying to think of something. The meeting was brief, and while he was present at the meeting, his mind was on Toothless and the other dragons at the time.

“Uhh- computers! Yes computers- supposedly it’s like a machine that can do all sorts of stuff”

“Like what?”

“Like, you know… stuff… like computing… stuff…” Hiccup was becoming more embarassed by the moment, wishing that he was more attentive during the meeting with the foreigners.

“Computing?”

“Yeah, you know, like-” Hiccup was about to stutter again but he was interrupted by the captain.

“Lads! Look!” The captain bellowed from the stern, pointing towards the ocean.

What they saw next made everyone’s jaws drop. It was what looked like a ship, but it was almost thrice as big as theirs, dwarfing it both by height and by width. It was nothing like the small boat the foreigners had arrived from. Despite the lack of visible cannons, it was clear that this giant of a ship could easily crush their ship if they so choose.

“I sure am glad we aren’t at war with those guys,” a viking said, a sentiment clearly shared by the other crew men.

Hiccup stared in shock at the ship. If this wasn’t even the war ship, then Berk is truly in deep trouble. What if the outsiders decide to attack them? Even the strongest dragons were no match for these steel monstrosities.

Suddenly, a deep pit formed in Hiccup’s stomach. What if they did decide to attack? All his friends and family would be killed, or worse, enslaved. There would be nothing they could do to stop them.

Hiccup thought the pressure had already peaked, but it only grew heavier, pressing down on him even more. He absolutely CANNOT fail now. Failure would mean death, not just for him, but for his entire people, his culture, his home. He had to do this right.

______________

The viking ship continued its voyage, and along the way, they saw many more different kinds of ships. The crew would stare in awe at each one, and the captain had to scold them into doing their work.

Hiccup retreated to his room, shutting his eyes off to get some sleep. But no matter how hard he tried and how tired he felt, his brain just refused to shut off. It kept repeating the same thought over and over again.

“What if I failed?”

He felt tears form in his eyes. Hiccup hadn’t felt this small, this weak since he met Toothless. Back then, he had no confidence, no friends, no accomplishments. He remembered how awful it felt, being weak and helpless.

What if that happened again? He would be essentially on a different world, thousands of miles away from home, with people he had never met. The fate of his country rested in his hands, and this time, there were no family or friends to help him. He was on his own.

Hiccup cried. A big part of him longed to be back home. He badly wanted to hug his parents, to see his and laugh with his friends again. Especially Astrid, his best friend. The thought of their voices, their warmth, made his chest ache. For a moment, he wished he could trade all of this, the responsibility, the distance, the fear, for just one more day with them.

But as the feeling settled, he realized that was exactly why he had to endure this. Every hardship, every lonely night, was for them, for the people who had believed in him, for the life they deserved to live without fear or uncertainty. He straightened, drawing strength from the memory of their faces. If he succeeded, they would never have to carry this burden. That, he decided, was reason enough to keep going.

A few hours later, someone knocked on his door.

“Hiccup! Get out here!” Gobber’s unmistakable voice shouted out.

“Just a second!” Hiccup woke up from his nap, rubbing his eyes. He opened the door to see Gobber’s excited but nervouse face.

“What is it?” He asked.

“We’re here” Gobber answered.

Hiccup immediately rushed upstairs to the deck, his curiosity about their destination too strong. Once on deck, he finally saw it.

Bright, colorful lights covered the city as their ship entered the port. A massive red bridge can be seen just outside the city, overseeing the entire place. Massive, high speed pieces of metal, that Hiro can only assume as cars, roamed the city, while even bigger and faster pieces of metal on tracks sped around the city. It was like looking 1000 years into the future, Hiccup thought. He had never seen anything like it.

So this is it, huh. Hiccup thought.

“San Fransokyo,” he whispered under his breath.

Chapter Text

“Wake up, Hiccup!” Gobber’s booming voice echoed through Hiccup’s room.

“Coming…” Hiccup replied groggily, rubbing his eyes. He reached for his phone, checking the time.

Pretty sure that says 6… Hiccup scratched his head as he tried to remember his numbers.

It had been a week since they arrived in San Fransokyo. After getting over the initial shock of living in a new, futuristic world, Hiccup found himself adjusting better than he expected in his new home. To help ease them into their new lives, Hiccup, Gobber, and Toothless were arranged to live in the countryside, away from the busy streets and prying eyes. However, they were told that this would only be temporary, as they would eventually need to move donwtown when they were ready.

Over the week, various researchers and scientists of all kinds visited them in their temporary home. They would come each day at 7 am and usually take the whole morning interviewing Hiccup and Gobber about life at Berk. In the afternoon, they would then teach the two vikings about modern life, teaching them about electricity, how to use phones and the internet, how to read and writein english, and many more.

The whole ordeal left Hiccup drained. He had little energy left to do anything for the rest of the day except sleep, and it made him feel guilty for not spending time with Toothless.

“I’m sorry bud…” Hiccup muttered to himself as he forced himself to get dressed and ready for the day.

After a quick shower, Hiccup ran a comb through his auburn hair and quickly got dressed. He looked at himself in the mirror, it still looked a little weird seeing himself in such different clothes, but he can’t deny that these modern clothes were much more comfortable. He was wearing a brown hoodie and jeans, slightly similar to what he wore back at Berk.

Seeing as he had time left before their meeting, he decided to go check on his dragon for a while.

“Hey, buddy, did you miss me?” Hiccup whispered as he approached his sleeping dragon.

Toothless lazily opened his eyes, letting out a big yawn.

“Oof… you definitely need to get your teeth cleaned soon…” Hiccup went to his side. “But hey, only a few more days, alright? Soon, we’ll be back home at Berk in no time”

Hiccup spent some time just relaxing and hanging out with Toothless in the shed where he was kept. It felt good just playing with Toothless like they did in Berk, and the moments passed so quickly that he hardly noticed it was nearly time for his meeting.

“I’m sorry buddy, I gotta go…” Hiccup sighed as he got up and walked to the door.

Toothless whinnied softly and gazed at him with eyes that pleaded for more time together, and for a moment, Hiccup almost gave in.

“I promise, I’m gonna make it up later tonight, okay?” Hiccup said as he opened the door and walked out.

____

Hiccup sat next to Gobber on the couch, waiting for the men to arrive. Waiting was always the worst part, it made him nervous every time. They were always so serious, asking their questions like machines. He fidgeted a little, wondering what type of men would be coming this time.

“They’re taking their sweet time today, aren’t they?” Gobber said, tapping his foot impatiently.

Hiccup turned to him and nodded, too nervous to speak. He looked at his phone to look at the time; the men were already almost an hour late.

“I don’t think anyone’s coming today Gobb-”

Hiccup was suddenly interrupted by loud knocking.

“They’re here, finally,” Gobber said with a yawn, stretching his arms as he got up from the couch. He walked to the door, dragging his feet a little, and paused when he heard the faint voices outside. After a quick look back at Hiccup, he turned the knob and pulled the door open.

Hiccup looked up as the door swung open and immediately noticed something was different. The men outside weren’t dressed in the sharp uniforms he’d grown used to. Instead, they wore plain shirts and jackets, the kind he and Gobber have been wearing since they’d arrive at San Fransokyo. One of them, a young guy who couldn’t have been much older than Hiccup himself, gave a small, uncertain smile. He didn’t have the usual stiff posture or cold stare that the previous men had, if anything, he looked a little nervous. Beside him stood a tall man with gray hair, his presence calmer but harder to read. He didn’t look intimidating, exactly, just composed.For the first time in a while, Hiccup felt his shoulders ease a little.

The young man stepped forward with a sheepish grin. “Sorry we’re late,” he said. “My little brother wouldn’t get out of bed, and he was about to miss school, so I had to give him a ride.” He let out a short laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. The tall man beside him just shook his head slightly, like he’d already heard enough about it during the ride over.

“Hah! That’s quite alright. Happens a lot with young lads. Just ask Hiccup here,” Gobber said with a grin, tossing a glance over his shoulder.

Hiccup let out a quiet chuckle, caught off guard by the sudden attention. “Yeah, I’m not exactly a morning person either,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

The young man laughed. “Glad I’m not the only one.” Even the tall, gray-haired man cracked a faint smile, softening his face.

“Well,” Gobber said, clapping his hands lightly, now that everyone’s finally here, why don’t we get started?”

The older man gave a small nod and stepped forward. “I’m professor Robert Callaghan,” he said. “Head of the Science and Technology Department at San Fransokyo Institute of Technology, or SFIT for short. This is Tadashi Hamada, one of the university’s top students.”

Tadashi gave a small wave. “Thank you, professor Calaghan,” he said. “Hiccup, it’s an honor to meet you. We’ve heard a lot about you and the people of Berk, and we’d like to discuss an opportunity for you”

Hiccup blinked, taken aback. An opportunity? This was already the most interesting meeting so far, and it hadn’t been even 10 minutes.

Professor Callaghan stepped closer, his gaze steady. “We know it’s been hard for you being away from home in an entirely different world.We also know how overwhelming it can be to take in so much new information in such a short time. Our goal is to make your life here a little easier.”

Hiccup shifted slightly, crossing his arms as a twinge of doubt crept in. “And how would you make that happen?”

Professor Callaghan gave a small, reassuring nod. “The university is more than just a place to study,” he began. “It’s a community. You’ll be surrounded by peers who are learning and discovering just as you are. Being part of that environment helps you absorb information more naturally, and you won’t have to face it all alone.”

Tadashi leaned forward eagerly. “Yeah, Hiccup. You’d be learning alongside others who share your interests and challenges. Having friends alongside you makes learning a lot easier. Trust me.”

Professor Callaghan added, “We’ll guide you, of course. You’ll have mentors, like Tadashi here, and classmates who push each other to understand and apply what you learn. That’s how knowledge becomes something you can actually use.”

Hiccup considered their words. He already had friends at Berk, of course, but making new friends here didn’t sound too bad. Especially since he would be staying for a while. It sounded real tempting.

But he still hesitated. His instincts refused to ignore the possibility of a catch. “All right,” he said slowly, keeping his voice steady, “this sounds… promising. But what do you want in return?”

Professor Callaghan and Tadashi exchanged a quick, knowing glance. The professor then turned back to Hiccup, his expression calm and sincere.

“We want nothing from you in the way you might expect,” he said. “All we’re asking is that you share your knowledge, your culture, and your experiences with us.. The program is built on exchange. You learn from us, and we learn from you. That’s the only way it works.” He shurgged.

Tadashi nodded eagerly beside him. “Exactly, Hiccup. Just by being there, sharing your culture, you’d be doing something groundbreaking. You’re basically the first person from Berk to go out in the outside world, and the other students would be fascinated to learn from your unique experiences. You’d be opening doors for all of us, while still getting the guidance and support we promised.”

Hiccup leaned back, still thinking it over. It sounded tempting, but he wasn’t ready to make a decision yet. His eyes drifted to Gobber, looking for some kind of hint.

Gobber caught his gaze and, for the first time that day, Hiccup saw a flicker of interest in his expression. Gobber winked at him, a clear sign of support.

Hiccup took a deep breath and nodded. “All right,” he said. “I’ll do it. But… how is this going to work?”

Professor Callaghan’s face softened with a small smile. “You’ll start at the beginning of next term, two weeks from now” he explained. “We’ll integrate you into the program gradually, pairing you with mentors and students so you can learn and share at the same time.”

He paused, his expression turning serious. “There’s also an upcoming student exposition, a chance for you to present and share your culture with a wider audience. I want you to start preparing for that. Think of it as your first opportunity as ambassador for your country.”

Tadashi leaned forward, eyes bright. “Don’t worry, Hiccup. We’ll help you get ready for it,” he smirked. “Though, I have to admit… I already have a feeling you’ve got something up your sleeve that’s going to blow the audience away.”

Hiccup blinked, caught off guard, a flush creeping up his neck. “H-How did you?” he stammered, trying to hide his surprise.

Tadashi just grinned, clearly amused. “Let’s just say I’ve heard a thing or two about you, here and there. Don’t worry, though, it just makes me even more excited to see what you’ll do.”

“Well, I think that’s it for today, if you’ll excuse us,” Professor Callaghan said, interrupting Hiccup before he could respond. “Tadashi will give you our contact details and we’ll continue our communication online.”

Tadashi pulled out his phone and quickly sent the information. “Goodbye, Hiccup,” he said with a friendly smile. “We’ll see you on campus soon.”

“Bye…” Hiccup waved, unsure what he had gotten himself into.