[HIGH SEAS] APPLICATION FOR

[summing_it_up]

[Name]: MK
[Age]: Veintisiete
[Contacts]:
♦ DW: N/A
♦ AIM: MMKIII
♦ Plurk: MK_otro
[Timezone]: PST (-8 UTC)
[Other Characters]: N/A



[Name]: Hiccup (Horrendous Haddock III)
[Canon]: How To Train Your Dragon
[Age]: 15-ish
[Gender]: Male
[Canon Point]: End of film. GUESS WHAT, HE'S PRACTICALLY A PIRATE ALREADY.

[History]:
The was no peace on the Isle of Berk. Although the Vikings had inhabited it for the longest time, they had also struggled to protect their homes and their livestock from pests. Those pests were bigger than the usual kind most people dealt with; they were dragons. Like many of the Vikings who fought off the dragons the best they could, Hiccup wanted to go out there and fight alongside them. However, he was...different. Small. More of a nuisance to them than actual help, really. But no matter how many times they tried to discourage him, the boy was even more determined to prove he could be one of them. Half of the time, he was left to man the forge with the weapons smith, Gobber the Belch. It was safer to keep him inside than to have him running around unsupervised. To change the perspective of his people and his father, Stoick the Vast, Hiccup finally took the chance to win them over when he actually brought down the dreaded Night Fury.

It didn't take long for him to find the dragon. With the fearsome creature injured and ensnared by the bola sling Hiccup fired only hours earlier, it made it easier for the young Viking to kill it right then and there. But no matter how much he psyched himself up for the moment, he couldn't bring himself to do it. At the last minute, he decided to free the Night Fury from its bonds. This resulted in him getting pinned down and screamed at before it tried flying off; the experience caused him to faint shortly after that.

Later, he found out Stoick was home sitting by the fire, waiting for him to return from the day's outing. Here they started to talk simultaneously, Hiccup letting Stoick go first before regretting the choice he made – according to the latter, the boy was to go into dragon training with the other Vikings his age. Besides, it was what he wanted to do. It would help him fit in with the rest of the Vikings. But Hiccup protested, failing to persuade his father to rethink the decision. And so, with obvious reluctance, the boy resigned himself to his fate. With that, Stoick wished him luck before leaving Berk to seek out the dragon nest.

The very first day of dragon training...did not go as planned. During the course of the impromptu lesson, Hiccup almost got himself killed by a Gronkle. However, Gobber told him that dragons went in for the kill. This led him to wonder why the Night Fury hadn't done so in the first place. With the thought in mind, he came upon a small opening in the forest where said Night Fury had been residing. Here he also noticed that the dragon was missing half of its tail fin and couldn't fly. But from this point on, he would continue to visit after every training session to watch the dragon closely. Feeding the thing fresh fish and partaking in the regurgitated remainder was the next step in this strange relationship; although gross, it helped ease the tension between man and beast (or boy and dragon). Every moment spent with the dragon eventually created a stronger bond, letting Hiccup earn the dragon's trust when the boy stepped over the scrawled lines it 'drew' in the dirt.

With every moment spent with Toothless (the name Hiccup gave the Night Fury due to his hidden set of teeth), Hiccup learned more about dragons than he could have in the reading material he was assigned during his training. And whenever he couldn't be there, he set to work on a prosthetic tail fin. Testing it out the next time he saw Toothless showed how well it was crafted; it just needed some refinements and additional items in order to keep its shape in flight. Enough hours were spent working with Toothless to fly properly, working out a system that let the two cooperate and depend on each other. In a way, each dragon moment helped him excel in dragon training and surpass one of the best Vikings in his class: Astrid, the one Viking girl he was smitten with who could easily crush a dragon's skull in. Stoick saw this as a good thing, of course, thinking that it gave him and his son something in common, something to talk about. Astrid, however, didn't share the others' enthusiasm for Hiccup's sudden success. It didn't get any better when he won the spot to kill his first dragon in the ring. Her suspicions were answered later when she caught Hiccup trying to escape in his riding regalia; the failure to explain everything was curbed when he and Toothless showed her what they had been doing. That same night was also the night they unintentionally discovered the dragons' nest. They both knew the day of the test was quickly approaching, and Hiccup needed time to think of what he was going to do.

On the day of the test, Hiccup was set to fight against the Monstrous Nightmare. It was difficult to do the test with the whole village and his father watching, but he resolved to put an end to the fighting. He tried to show the others the dragons were nothing to be afraid of, but Stoick ruined the chance, upsetting the Nightmare with the sharp clang of the hammer against the metal caging. If it weren't for Toothless' intervention, Hiccup would have been dead meat. Sadly, Toothless was subdued and Hiccup was disowned for not telling Stoick about his dragon venturing; Hiccup made a mistake telling his father about the dragon nest, and he couldn't do much about it as the Vikings set sail once more with the Night Fury in tow. But it was Astrid who talked him into doing something about the situation; it led him to round up his peers and teach them how to handle the dragons with care before setting off to help the adults facing the mother of all dragons – the Green Death.

The very thought of getting a team of dragon riders together in a matter of hours was almost impossible, but Hiccup managed to pull it off, all of them flying in right when help was needed. Under Hiccup's leadership, each member of this team was given a job to do while he went to retrieve Toothless, who was still chained to one of the ships before everything burned and sunk into the ocean. Hiccup almost drowned trying to free his friend, but Stoick intervened, rescuing the boy first before diving back into the water to free the dragon for him. A brief but sincere apology from his father was given to him once he saddled up, adding on the fact that he didn't need to do this, but Hiccup said they were Vikings – "it's an occupational hazard." Hiccup and Toothless then took to the sky, distracting and forcing the giant monster to fly after them. The battle raged on until the two risked a move Hiccup discovered during his dragon observations, letting Toothless blast a fire ball into the open mouth of the Green Death. All went well...but the fact the false tail fin caught fire, causing the dragon and its rider to lose control while trying to avoid the huge body was sent crashing into the ground below. Unfortunately, Hiccup got knocked out by the Green Death's club-like tail, falling with Toothless, the latter trying to reach him as they were surrounded by flames...

Due to being unconscious, Hiccup knew nothing of what happened. But he found out he was at home in bed...with Toothless inside of his house. In a panic, he was worried about anyone knowing about the dragon's presence, but that came to a pause once he realized he was missing a leg. The dragon aided him in walking to the door – a reverse and a mirroring of the situation Toothless was in early on. From there, Hiccup found that his village had incorporated the dragons into their daily lives, leaving him somewhat speechless and wondering if he was dead. But Stoick and the other Vikings were happy to see him awake, and everything from then on was good...

...Well. It was okay.


[Personality]:
To be concise, Hiccup does not fit any of the descriptive terms used for Vikings. He is the odd one out; no matter how hard he tries to be a Viking, he is nothing like them. The title of being the chief's son doesn't help him either; even if he is Stoick's boy, he doesn't get the respect he deserves. Everyone sees him as an annoyance, more or less, and this only fuels the feelings he has to be accepted by his tribe. Through the obsession of wanting to fight alongside the other Vikings and earn the Viking-ness that will set him in a good light, Hiccup shows how stubborn and determined he can be, just like them. Of course this causes problems when he doesn't follow directions to stay out of the way during the dragon attacks, and it would have probably gotten worse with time.

He just wants to fit in, after all.

Although he wants to prove himself, he finds it isn't easy being a ruthless Viking. He blows the chance to kill Toothless because he saw a reflection of himself in the dragon's eyes. That vulnerability is a type of fear he tries to ignore, one that reveals his inevitable weakness, his own sense of helplessness, and the major differences that set him apart from everyone else. He doesn't want to be weak or afraid, and he knows this. This is why he tries so hard to be the opposite of what he is.

He also has a tendency to overestimate his abilities. Calculation and hypothesizing is fine. The actual execution of the ideas...can use some work. Hiccup does realize how the consequences of an idea can backfire on him. And due to these misfires, he is quick to regret his actions as soon as he does them.

But not being up to Viking standards also reveals how strong a character he is in other ways.

As Viking-like as his stubbornness allows him to carry out his goals, he is undeniably awkward physically and socially to certain extents. But he has his moments. Unlike the Vikings his age, he is an introverted soul. While he doesn't mind being alone, he has also grown use to the fact that not everyone will want to hang out with him. During his sudden rise in popularity in the training ring, he is visibly outside of his element. While it's nice to have the attention, it's a bit much. Again: Vikings. However, it's not like he shrinks back into his shell. This kind of exposure helps him reconnect with everyone in his tribe. In the long run, it helps him to connect with anyone who isn't a Viking (because not everyone will be a Viking where he's going).

What he lacks in strength is compensated through the use of his brain; this attribute lets him become more observant and thoughtful of his surroundings. He also takes what he learns and puts it into practice (i.e. watching Toothless and his behavior, taking what he sees and using it in dragon training). And as much as he wants attention, he is use to shying away from it and keeping to himself. He can also be very sarcastic at times, a sense of dry humor that doesn't go well with most in his Viking clan, but he means well. Sometimes. It's a way of expressing his opinion on certain matters. Call it a defense mechanism as well; it's one way he can handle the criticisms he hears from his father and friends.

Still, he is a good kid at the core. A curious one, in fact. He's the first Viking to tame and train a dragon, after all. The observations made lends a hand to wondering how dragons behave, how they fly, etc. Learning from the old Viking teachings (Gobber-infused) also gives him a way to put everything into perspective. It's only natural to see things click in his mind once the gears get turning.

He can also be sincere whenever the mood leans in such a direction. When he wanted to show Astrid that Toothless wasn't dangerous, or when he wanted to prove to everyone in his tribe that dragons were not all that they seem, his heart is in the right place. It's easy to tell when he does get serious like that. If pushed for answers, he'll be annoyed, but he'll tell the truth. He still struggles with communication at times, but he does understand why people react a certain way and how they feel. That's so not Viking-like and it's okay.

With these traits, Hiccup also makes a transition from a wandering follower to a good leader. The flaws he has balance out the good in him; he just doesn't realize that he can be a great person with the accomplishments he manages to keep under his belt. Someone has to tell him he's doing all right and let his mind wrap around the idea before accepting it as truth. He doesn't get to hear appreciation and praise much, and it may still take time for him to get use to the fact people can like and respect him no matter who he is and what he does.


[Abilities / Strengths & Weaknesses]:
Physical Strength - While this can be considered a strength, it's actually a weakness. In his world, most Vikings are able to lift objects three times their size and weight. They can wield heavy weapons like axes, swords, clubs, and hammers. They can rip a dragon's head off of its body with their bare hands. Hiccup...lacks this kind of strength. So much. The boy's a stick, what more can he do about that? He doesn't have the muscle to pick up rocks twice his size. (Or small boats. Or cows.) He can barely hold an axe and a large wooden shield at the same time. This is just one of many ways to make him feel inferior to "real" Vikings.

All Ninja-like - What he lacks in physical build, he makes up for it in his tiny form. Being smaller means he's quicker and easier to miss. He can climb up rocks and walls...sometimes roofs, too, fall into this category. He fits into tight spaces with ease. He'll slide in between two people (or a dragon and a person) in the nick of time to keep them from hurting one another. Sometimes it comes to a point where Hiccup will tackle the other person down in order to keep them from being injured; whether or not that works is left up in the air.

Eye For Detail - His observation skills and a keen eye for detail help him collect and gather useful information, storing learned knowledge away until it is necessary to put what he knows into practice. Being an apprentice to a Weapons Smith also adds to his creativity and skill, leading him to invent and refine his handiwork over a period of time. So he's like an engineering student. A Viking engineering student.

Piloting Skills - Dragon Piloting, to be more precise. In all of Viking history, he is the first Viking to ever fly. He figures out how the tail fin works for a dragon, creating a rig system that hooks up to the saddle and the pedal to maneuver it. Flying a dragon comes naturally to him during his test runs with Toothless. He's like a B-2 Stealth Bomber pilot and his dragon is the B-2 Stealth Bomber. It all comes together beautifully.

Instinct - He writes down the maneuvers for Toothless' tail fin to make sure he gets it right. Even if he has it written down, he still messes up. But when he loses that precious cheat sheet, he's left with nothing. And yet the boy is able to kick things into gear in order to wind through a rocky obstacle course that could have easily killed both him and the dragon. What is that. GUTS.

Handicap: One Leg To Rule Them All - Oh. Right. He loses his left leg during the battle with the Green Death after he and Toothless bring the monster down in a firey ball of explosion. It takes him some time to get use to, and since he's missing a limb, it's possible for him to become off-balance. Also, a metal leg can get stuck in knotholes and between floorboards if he's not careful on deck. Also really bad for mud, sand, quicksand, anything that isn't flat, level, and solid.


[Limited Powers]:
Limited Powers, what Limited Powers HE'S A VIKING (Which is to say this isn't applicable to him)


[Other Important Facts]:
Smithing - He's sort of like an apprentice to Gobber in the weapon smith shop? While this was more to keep him out of the way during dragon attacks, he is actually very good at tending to weapons making his own brand of Dangerous Things.

Leather Craft - Boy, he can be very crafty. The leatherwork in his flight vest and for Toothless' saddle rigging look really snazzy. He does all of this in a very short period of time. If he can make it look that good, then that means he's been at it for a while.

Drawing - He keeps a journal for writing down important things. He also draws in this. His drawings are pretty top-notch.

Left-Handed - Yeah, left-handedness is seen as a bad thing in general. This also sort of adds to the riff between him and all of the other Vikings. Cultural beliefs and all. Fun stuff.


[Additional Additional]:
1) Every Viking in Hiccup's tribe is built Ford-tough. Some of them don't share the same vast, solid physiques (because that would be frightening), but they make up for it in the strength they can use for the daily grind of life or dragon fighting. Hiccup obviously got the short end of the stick in the physical department, but that isn't the only thing that makes him stand out (in a bad way) from all of the other Vikings. The boy is the only member of the tribe to have left-handed dominance over the right – a trait that is normally seen as "unusual" or "naturally wrong" in most cultural contexts. Although the trait is subtle, it still adds to his minority status.

In more societal terms, he is classified as a thinker. This is far removed from the Viking warrior personality he should have. It's like having someone from the realm of science or arts being transferred into the realm of sports and warfare. He asks questions, explores, and tries to figure out how to actively work with whatever he has on hand to fit in with the best of them. For example, in the tv series episode "Portrait of Hiccup as a Buff Young Man," a treasure map left behind by one of Berk's former leaders; in order to find the treasure, one has to figure out the complicated clues leading to it. These clues only made sense to someone who uses their brains more than their brawn (in this case, it was Hiccup who was able to solve all of the problems – with a little extra help from the dragons, of course). Unfortunately, this being a Viking world, all of his attempts are seen as weak and ridiculous. The pressure to fit in is what causes the rift between worlds; Hiccup's effort to go with the flow creates more of a mess for himself and as a nuisance for everyone else. His use of sarcasm also acts as a shield to lessen the pain of all of the criticism and shunning he's heard for most of his life, but it's still a strong running trait once he becomes a little more acceptable to the tribe.

When it comes to dragon-killing, Hiccup finds he cannot do what needs to be done. Coming face to face with a downed, defenseless dragon (Toothless) caused him to see a different, more human side to a dragon's nature, one that mirrored his own fear in that moment. While this may appear to be a weak, soft-hearted decision on his part, Hiccup does show true Viking spirit and stubbornness when it comes to aiding his father and his people during the battle against the Red Death. In fact, every dangerous situation following that battle increases his Viking tendencies while somehow maintaining his true sense of self (however nerdy and sarcastic he may be).

2) Hiccup's ability to create stems from his apprenticeship in Gobber's smithing forge. The original intent was to keep him inside and out of the way during dragon raids, but this just opened another gateway into what he could do with the resources provided. He uses the tools to build and modify weapons, making them become an extension of a strength he doesn't possess. Although they are finely built, they sometimes need some minor adjustments for better accuracy and control.

The kid basically takes an incomplete sketch of Toothless and, with the tips Gobber mentions in terms of taking down dragons, recreates a working tail fin with a gear shift system connected through a saddle. Numerous estimations and test runs are made to perfect it. Aside from Gobber recreating everything for Hiccup after the battle with the Red Death, no one else in the tribe can create such intricate items or have the same amount of thought put into them.

Outside of the forge, Hiccup uses his head to come up with strategies that can make or break a situation depending on the information he has to go off of. While some of these plans are good, others do not follow through the way they should; it's in the latter case that a "plan B" isn't readily available, causing him to try making things up on the fly. Or, if things turn for the worse, run.

Going back to the choice of "not killing the dragon" – Hiccup's choice affects everyone by showing that not all dragons are terrible fire-breathing lizards that plunder livestock and fish for their own well-being. Well, his first attempt to show them this was during his final test in the dragon kill ring (spoiler: that doesn't go well for anyone). But once he's able to prove what a person can do while riding a dragon (and setting up his own little squadron of dragon riders to help save his father and the rest of the tribe's butts), the very idea of coexisting peacefully with these creatures went pretty well. Sort of. While dragon fire power, flight, and strength help the tribe with their defenses, save time in traveling, and physical labor, the television series sets up a few more bumps in the road for the teens and their dragons, but its progression into full-on acceptance is apparent.


[Samples]:
♦ Thread:
ATTACK ON PIRATE SHIP?1!?

♦ Post:
[A whole string of runes neatly run across the page, each angle connecting with another line or two to form different shapes and lettering. Another row stops short of the halfway point when the letters shift, turning into something a little more...standard.]

–thing's on fire, sacks of food and other stuff galore.

Sorta reminds me of home.

[Another line forms, leaning far too long into its scrawl before it comes back up.]

I was suppose to load everything onto the deck and down below it, but they changed their minds. I'm sure I'm bruising from the first sack they tossed at me. I don't think the back of my head was suppose to meet the floor like that.

I'm tough. I'm a Viking!

But I gotta find Toothless. I hope he's okay.