After leaving the race that he had done, Hiccup walked over to his house to see Stoick there. They both walked in at the same time. "Sorry," Hiccup said awkwardly. "You go on first." His father nodded stiffly as Hiccup moved back, allowing the tight space to widen and for Stoick to enter. Hiccup entered his household, wringing his hands. There was something on his mind, something that he wanted to tell his father, but was a bit uneasy to do so. Stoick lifted a bushy eyebrow at his son standing there.

"So...what's the matter, son?"

Hiccup glanced up from his fingers. "What do you mean, what's the matter?"

Stoick sighed. "Tell me, son. Something's up, isn't it?"

He paused his hand movements for a moment, deciding on whether or not to tell him. Finally, he set his mind to it, and Hiccup started to speak. “Dad? I was wondering if...”

“Yes, Hiccup?” Stoick said; he was interested.

“I was wondering if I could start... exploring the other islands,” Hiccup finally spit out. He felt a twinge of regret.

“Why? We've explored so many other islands, what else could there possibly be?” Stoick asked thoughtfully.

“I think there are more than what other Vikings have explored, like the islands where the boats haven't been able to land on the shores of islands, and islands we've yet to explore?” Hiccup inquired softly, eyes shifting to a speck on the ground, and back to Stoick's confused face.

“What are you talking about Hiccup, we're Vikings, we find a way to every island and so far, we've explored and discovered every island from here to the end of the world,” Stoick argued.

“Well, I think you're wrong, I think there are still more islands to find. I look at the map and I see a lot of water, but where are the islands? I know I've been to some of the points on the map where there are islands, but on the map were labelled as all water. I think the maps need updating,” Hiccup said.

“Why would they need updating? From what I can tell, no one is going to attack us anytime soon, and what good will it do? We aren't going back out when we have so much work to do here, now that we have dragons to take care of,” Stoick said, starting to get frustrated.

Hiccup was getting tense as well. “Well, what if someone will? You wouldn't know where to go to find them and retaliate, and I would be the one going. I have Toothless, and no one challenges a Night Fury, right?” Hiccup answered. He was running out of things to throw at his dad in terms of points in his argument.

Stoick stopped and thought about what Hiccup said. He scratched his beard and furrowed his brow.

Hiccup started to sweat in anticipation for what his dad was going to say. He hoped he would allow him to go, but was willing to argue more if need be; he really wanted to go exploring.

His father sighed. "I suppose you can go."

Hiccup blinked, hardly believing his ears. "You really mean it?"

Stoick nodded, the red strands in his beard glinting in the dim light that streaked into the room. "I can't hold you forever, you know. You're already in your twenties; basically an adult. Besides, I think that this excursion would provide necessary experience for your future years as chief of Berk." The chair creaked as he shifted his weight, but Hiccup did not hear the minor disturbance. His head was already starting to fill with ideas, and he could barely hold his excitement.

"Son?" Stoick questioned with a degree of worry.

"I'm alright," Hiccup said evenly, though it was a slightly different matter in his head. "Thank you so much for this opportunity."

Stoick chuckled. "You're welcome. You may go off for roughly a week, no longer than two. Would you want to bring someone along?"

He thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Everyone is busy tomorrow. I think I'll go on my own. But don't worry, I have Toothless, remember? He's my best friend, and I'm sure it'll be fine," he reassured with confidence.

Stoick's expression betrayed his inner fears. "I suppose so," he smiled half-heartedly.

"So..." Hiccup faltered. "I think I should be going to bed. I'll pack the essentials tomorrow morning, and we can talk later."

"Alright." Hiccup left for sleep, his footsteps echoing into the now empty room. Stoick sighed heavily, staring at the spot his son was standing at a moment ago.

"Be safe."

After leaving the race that he had done, Hiccup walked over to his house to see Stoick standing there. He wore the same disapproving face as usual, even though there wasn't anything to disapprove of. Hiccup approached the entrance of the household. He wasn't feeling much hunger today, and was a bit sleepy. He decided he would go straight to sleep once he got assent from his father.

He started to enter, and they both walked in at the same time. "Sorry," Hiccup said awkwardly. "You go on first." His father nodded stiffly as Hiccup moved back, allowing the tight space to widen and for Stoick to enter. Hiccup entered the house, wringing his hands. There was something on his mind, something that he wanted to tell his father, but was a bit uneasy to do so. His head felt heavy with all the thoughts and images swimming in his vision. A few possible scenarios popped up, but they were rendered useless. He was battling his inner self to stop the madness of it all and to quieten the thoughts now. There was no way he'd agree, anyway. He rubbed his temples anxiously.

Stoick lifted a bushy eyebrow at his son standing there motionless.

"So...what's the matter, son?"

Hiccup glanced up from his fingers, jerking his head up in surprise. "What do you mean, what's the matter?" he croaked weakly, lips forming an unconvincing smile.

Stoick sighed. "Tell me, son. Something's up, isn't it?"

He paused his hand movements for a moment, deciding on whether or not to tell him. Finally, he set his mind to it, and Hiccup started to speak. “Dad? I was wondering if...”

“Yes, Hiccup?” Stoick said; he was interested.

“I was wondering if I could start... exploring the other islands,” Hiccup finally spit out. He felt a twinge of regret.

“Why? We've explored so many other islands, what else could there possibly be?” Stoick asked thoughtfully.

“I think there are more than what other Vikings have explored, like the islands where the boats haven't been able to land on the shores of islands, and islands we've yet to explore?” Hiccup inquired softly, eyes shifting to a speck on the ground, and back to Stoick's confused face.

“What are you talking about Hiccup, we're Vikings, we find a way to every island and so far, we've explored and discovered every island from here to the end of the world,” Stoick argued.

“Well, I think you're wrong, I think there are still more islands to find. I look at the map and I see a lot of water, but where are the islands? I know I've been to some of the points on the map where there are islands, but on the map were labelled as all water. I think the maps need updating,” Hiccup said.

“Why would they need updating? From what I can tell, no one is going to attack us anytime soon, and what good will it do? We aren't going back out when we have so much work to do here, now that we have dragons to take care of,” Stoick said, starting to get frustrated.

Hiccup was getting tense as well. “Well, what if someone will? You wouldn't know where to go to find them and retaliate, and I would be the one going. I have Toothless, and no one challenges a Night Fury, right?” Hiccup answered. He was running out of things to throw at his dad in terms of points in his argument.

Stoick stopped and thought about what Hiccup said. He scratched his beard and furrowed his brow.

Hiccup started to sweat in anticipation for what his dad was going to say. He hoped he would allow him to go, but was willing to argue more if need be; he really wanted to go exploring.

His father sighed. "I suppose you can go."

Hiccup blinked, hardly believing his ears. "You really mean it?"

Stoick nodded, the red strands in his beard glinting in the dim light that streaked into the room. "I can't hold you forever, you know. You're already in your twenties; basically an adult. Besides, I think that this excursion would provide necessary experience for your future years as chief of Berk." The chair creaked as he shifted his weight, but Hiccup did not hear the minor disturbance. His head was already starting to fill with ideas, and he could barely hold his excitement, bouncing a little on his good leg.

"Son?" Stoick questioned with a degree of worry.

"I'm alright," Hiccup said evenly, though it was a slightly different matter in his head. "Thank you so much for this opportunity."

Stoick chuckled. "You're welcome. You may go off for roughly a week, no longer than two. Would you want to bring someone along?"

He thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Everyone is busy tomorrow. I think I'll go on my own. But don't worry, I have Toothless, remember? He's my best friend, and I'm sure it'll be fine," he reassured with confidence.

Stoick's expression betrayed his inner fears. "I suppose so," he smiled half-heartedly.

"So..." Hiccup faltered. "I think I should be going to bed. I'll pack the essentials tomorrow morning, and we can talk later."

"Alright." Hiccup left for sleep, his footsteps echoing into the now empty room. Stoick sighed heavily, staring at the spot his son was standing at a moment ago.

"Be safe."