#viking performance training

[vikingperformancetraining]

Elevate Your Performance with Sport-Specific Trainers in Morgantown

In the picturesque city of Morgantown, athletes of all levels are raising the bar on their performance with the guidance of sport-specific trainers. These dedicated professionals bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and specialized training techniques to help individuals excel in their chosen sports. Whether you're a seasoned athlete or just starting on your fitness journey, sport-specific trainers in Morgantown offer personalized coaching that can take your skills and abilities to new heights.

Tailored Expertise:

Sport-specific trainers in Morgantown understand that each sport demands a unique set of skills, techniques, and physical attributes. That's why they tailor their training programs to cater to the specific demands of your chosen sport. 

Enhanced Performance:

The beauty of sport-specific training lies in its ability to enhance your performance in ways that generic fitness routines cannot. These trainers focus on improving the specific muscle groups, agility, speed, endurance, and mental fortitude required by your sport. 

Injury Prevention:

Sport-specific trainers not only aim to enhance your performance but also prioritize injury prevention. They work with you to improve your form, technique, and body mechanics, reducing the risk of common sports-related injuries. 

Goal-Oriented Training:

Whether you're training for a specific competition, aiming to reach a personal milestone, or simply looking to elevate your game, sport-specific trainers in Morgantown help you set and achieve your goals. They provide the accountability, motivation, and expertise needed to stay on track and push your limits.

Comprehensive Approach:

Sport-specific trainers take a holistic approach to your training. They focus not only on physical conditioning but also on mental preparation and nutritional guidance. This comprehensive approach ensures that you're well-equipped to excel both on and off the field.

Conclusion: Unleash Your Potential

In the realm of sports and athleticism, every edge counts. Sport-specific trainers in Morgantown offer a unique opportunity to tap into specialized knowledge and training techniques that can significantly impact your performance. By enlisting the guidance of these professionals from Viking Performance Training, you're not just investing in your physical abilities – you're unlocking your full potential as an athlete. 

[incorrect-thuggory-quotes]

Thuggory, yawns: I'm tired. Guess I'll go take a nap. (Now where's my my hammock?)

[luvendiary]

3 times hiccup asked you to marry him + the time you realized he meant it

hello! this was an early draft for this request: Hello!!! Imagine hiccup telling reader "I'm in love with you" / "Marry me" out of blue after a stare down (can be established relationship or not muahahaha) I like how this turned out, except for the ending. it's sort of shitty in my opinion. also, this isn't proofread. and sorry for any mistakes, english is not my first language. feel free to point them out. also, there’s a slight corpse bride reference with the vows!! as always, thank you for reading. let me know what you think and if you'd like more of this. requests are always open!

1.

Snoggletog was one of your favorite festivities. The beautiful coat of snow that hugged the soil, and the way the sunlight softly reflected on it was perfect to you. You loved to see how vikings busied themselves by hanging up ornaments and mistletoe on the doors. You loved hearing the out-of-tune carols that echoed across Berk. And you loved the late cold nights as you and the dragon riders sat around a warm fire and talked about the day’s happenings.

One thing you did not love though, was the Snoggletog play, specially because it had been assigned to you all this year. It was the dragon riders’ responsibility to plan, organize and act it out the day of Snoggletog.

“What about the start of dragon races?” Snoutlout suggested.

“They did that two years ago,” Astrid replied as she sharpened her axe.

“We could do Loki-”

“We’re not doing Loki day Tuffnut,” Hiccup interrupted him.

A moment of silence passed amongst all of you.

“What if, we make a reenactment of Odin and Freya’s marriage? How they stopped the Aesir and Vanir war,” you said while nibbling on your thumb.

“That could work,” Fishlegs said.

“I like it, we could even get the dragons in on this,” Astrid suggested.

“Of course, brilliant idea (Y/N),” Snotlout said as he stood up with a cocky attitude. “Specially because I would make the perfect Odin.” He flexed his muscles and stroke a victorious pose.

You chuckled and pushed him away, “Sit down Snotlout. I was actually thinking that Astrid and Fishlegs could be Freya and Odin.”

“Oh no,” Astrid said immediately. “I’m not good at performing. Plus, you gave the idea, you should be Freya.”

“Alright,” you said. “If no one else is up for it, I’ll be Freya. Fishlegs, are you ok with being Odin?”

“Ye-” his reply was interrupted by Astrid elbowing him. “I mean, I wish I could but…I-I don’t like performing.”

“What but you love perfor-?”

“Hiccup! Why aren’t you Odin?!” Astrid chimed in as she placed her arm around your shoulder while the other went around the brunette-boy’s shoulders.

“Uh…I-I guess,” Hiccup said.

Astrid grinned while looking at you, “Great! It’s settled then!”

“Why would you do that?!” you shrieked as you pressed the palm of your hands to your eyes.

Astrid, who sat next to you overlooking Berk from a nearby cliff, shrugged, “Oh I don’t know. Maybe because I’m tired of you two beating around the bush. Why don’t you kiss already? It’s obvious you want to.”

“Shut up Astrid,” you said while sitting up. You rubbed your hands together to provide some heat to your body. “I’m not even sure if he likes me.”

“You’re as blind as Gothi is mute,” she replied.

“How can you be so sure? Has he said anything about me?”

“You’re hopeless Y/N.”

The days went by, and Snoggletog drew closer and closer. Right after training, you went to rehearsals, and while most of it went by in fits of laughter and jokes, you all managed to build a production. You often tended to practice with Hiccup, since you had the most line together, and it gave you an excuse to spend more time with him. During this period, you had managed to gain some small victories in the love department, holding his hand, dancing with him, and hearing him laugh while you acted out some of your scenes being some. However, there was something you both had been avoiding: the marriage kiss. It made your heart flutter and your stomach swarm with butterflies every time you though about the possibility of kissing him; on the other hand, it also felt like Gronkle iron swishing around your intestines. What if he didn’t want to kiss you? What if he just did it out of pity?

Your mind was plagued with questions up until the big day.

“Good luck,” Astrid said while she gave you a knowing look. She was looking forward to the kiss, and if what she had told you was true, all of the dragon riders were too.

The play started out good, Snotlout and Tuffnut played the Aesir family, while Ruffnut and Fishlegs played the Vanir.

The scene changed and the Aesir were complaining with Hiccup about how Freya’s magic and her help towards the Vanir was the reason for their shortcomings.

I was then your time to appear. After several attempts from the Aesir to try to kill Freya, you and Odin came to an agreement: you were to marry each other.

“Marry me,” said Hiccup. And as you looked into his eyes your breath hitched. He had a smile plastered on his face, and his eyes gleamed.

“I will marry you,” you replied as you offered him your hand and he put the ring on your nuptial finger.

The scene was supposed to end there, you were about to take a step backwards so that the actual marriage scene could take place, however you felt a hand wrap around your wrist, and before you knew it you were being kissed. You were being kissed by Hiccup Haddock.

Your shock was palpable, however you dissolved into the kiss once the initial incredulity had passed. Once Hiccup felt the kiss was reciprocal, he wrapped his arms around your waist and drew you closer.

2 .

Dragon racing was a hefty sport. Ever since it was created, it became a fan favorite amongst Berkians. Once every full moon, a match was held that was sure to be the talk of the town for at least a week. On summer and winter solstice, you held the dragon riding tournament, that usually lasted for about a week; except for that one time when the black sheep had wondered deep into the woods, and you weren’t able to find it for two days.

Point of the matter is, dragon racing was a serious issue for vikings. And that’s why victories where celebrated so grandly. You never particularly cared for the celebrations, however wining was important to you; your usually carefree nature was irrecognizable when it came to the sport as you became a furiously competitive rider. This change, spared no one. Not even your boyfriend.

“Incoming!” you called out before snatching the black sheep from Hiccup’s arms, as you held on with your legs to (Y/D)’s saddle while she flew in an upside down position.

“Hey!” he shouted in response with a light chuckle.

“I wish I could say I’m sorry, but I’m not!” you replied with a shit-eating grin directed his way. With the black sheep secure in your arms, you flew away, not a hint of remorse visible on your face.

You returned to your upright position and quickly flew up to your basket and threw in the black sheep. As soon as you do so, you hear the crowds cheers and applause mixed with the blow of the horn, signaling that the match has ended.

Astrid joined you on the platform, followed by Ruff, as they cheered you on and celebrated your team victory.

Hiccup watched you, still mounted on Toothless with a lovesick smile present in his features, “I’m going to marry her,” he said as he took in your beautiful smile.

“I don’t think you’re her type,” said a voice next to him. Tuffnutt flew next to him with a pissed expression -probably because of their defeat- “but go for it. I’m sure my sister would be flattered.”

3 .

“Do you think there are other people out there?” you asked as you stared blankly at the stars. “I mean, besides us dragon riders and dragon hunters. Do you think that maybe there’s another civilization that has been familiar with dragons long before us?”

You heard Hiccup chuckle, “Possibly, maybe they even know of species we have yet to discover.”

“I wonder if they maybe think the same of us. Maybe we’re some strange advanced civilization to them”, you said with a light giggle as your thoughts went wild with the idea of the unknown. “Or maybe, we’re cavemen in comparison to their civilization. Maybe…they know about our existence, and they have just decided to leave us alone because we’re not worth their time.”

“That’s a bit depressing isn’t it?” Hiccup asked, humored by your rambling.

“I don’t think so. I think it’s exciting…” you said slightly breathless as you stared at the vast abyss of twinkling lights that spread above you and beyond. “Just imagine everything we’ve yet to discover.”

You faintly heard the huffs and growls of your dragons, who were entertained by Hiccup’s prosthetic leg as they fought each other for it.

Hiccup allowed himself to steal a glance at you for a fraction of a second. He thought that the view in front of you was beautiful, but to him, the real wonder was sitting right next to him. You looked breathtaking with the starry abyss reflected in your eyes. Yet, you were so unaware of it.

“Marry me.”

He didn’t mean to actually say it. But he just couldn’t control himself when he was with you.

Your trance was broken and you stared at him wide eyed, in disbelief at what he had just said. However as soon as you saw his expression mirroring yours, you burst out laughing. You couldn’t say truthfully that you had never though about marriage, especially with Hiccup.

Hiccup’s startled expression morphed into confusion.”W-What? Why are you laughing?”

“Are you sure you want to marry me?” you asked in between giggles. “You don’t seem very sure.”

“What? Y-Yes! Of course I’m sure! Why wouldn’t I want to marry you?” his eyebrows furrowed in the way you loved. The way that told you you had successfully managed to get in his head. He had turned his body so that it was now mirroring yours, and his shoulders were raising up and down as they usually did when he was trying to explain something or defend a point.

“Fine then. I’ll marry you.”

His rambling stopped immediately. “What? Y-You will?”

You shrugged your shoulders nonchalantly. “Sure. Why not?”

You stood up then as you walked around the small island you had stumbled upon earlier that day. Leaving a very flustered and confused Hiccup behind.

“Wait! Where are you going?” he called after you as he struggled to get up. He rambled on as he chased you, asking about arrangements and other things.

“Aha!” you said victoriously as you crouched down over a patch of grass with some wildflowers sprouting out.

Hiccup peered over your shoulder, trying to see what you were doing.

Eventually you stood up and extended your hand towards him. He stared at you blankly for a moment, and muttered to himself, tryin to understand your actions. Still, an amused smile was present on his face.

“Well?” you said after a bit. “Give me your hand.”

He did as you instructed, and then you took out your other hand from behind, which gently held a blade of grass along with some small wildflowers intertwined with each other, forming a ring.

“I know it’s not the best craftsmanship, but I figured we couldn’t get married without rings,” you explained with a soft giggle.

Hiccup grinned down at you, and laughed incredulously. He wondered how he ever got you to agree to be his. “I’m afraid to tell you dearest, but I don’t have a ring for you.”

You sighed mockingly and rolled your eyes. “I know that. I assumed you would be too in your head about your future duty as chief and the dragons to think about me.”

“Hey!” he protested immediately. “I’m always thinking about you-”

“But worry not!” you said as you giggled playfully. “Since I know you well enough to be married, I know you well enough to be prepared for our wedding.” You reached into one of your pockets and puled out and identical ring, which he gently grabbed.

He stared down at you, with a skeptical expression.

“Well, go on with it. Do you want to marry me or not?” you asked as you tilted your head slightly to the side.

Hiccup sighed and then locked his eyes with yours. “I, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock, the Third, make this oath. With this hand I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine. With this candle, I will light your way in darkness. With this ring, I ask you to be mine."

Once the traditional vows were finished he gently took your hand and slid the delicate ring onto your nuptial finger.

You watched with a smile as he carefully placed it, and once he was done, you repeated the vows and slid his ring onto his own finger.

With your ceremony done, your lips met in a gentle and warm dance. You felt as his hands slid down your back and rested on your hips, holding your body closer to his.

“This is the second time we’ve been married now,” he whispered as he broke apart form the kiss,

“How scandalous,” you whispered back with a soft laugh, as you remembered the Snoggletog performance and how it ended up with your first kiss.

“Maybe the next time we get to do it, you’ll actually be wearing white.”

You stared up at him with a raised eyebrow. “Is that so? Does that mean you’d like to bed me next time?” you teased.

“I’d love to bed you now,” he said with a slight chuckle. “But I’m aware you’d rather follow the traditional path.”

You laughed and patted his chest. “Well, you’ll better get me that white dress quickly then.”

4.

Hiccup had been acting weird all day. Evading you and whenever you managed to track him down he responded any question you had in a dismissive manner. You had figured you should let him alone for a while, at least until he was ready to talk about whatever was bothering him.

He did tend to get too into his own head whenever he was worried, and it took you telling him about it for him to realize he could share his burden with you. But this time it was different.

When you had asked what was bothering him he dismissed you as soon as he could and continued what he was doing.

It had hurt you. It made you think if you had done anything wrong, but you couldn’t think of anything. It was scary thinking about what this could mean for the both of you.

“And you’re sure he hasn’t ever acted like this before?” Astrid asked as she tried to make sense of the situation with you.

You where both sat in the Great Hall, as the rest of the vikings ate their dinner. You however, couldn’t seem to make anything go down past your throat, as worry consumed you.

“Yes Astrid, I am sure,” you replied rather harshly. “I don’t even know where the hell he is right now. For all I know he’s probably off in another girl’s house. Maybe he got tired of waiting for me. Maybe he realized he doesn’t want this sort of commitment…”

You knew that this was irrational thinking. Hiccup had never given you signs that he didn’t want to be with you anymore, on the contrary, he was always very reassuring on how much he liked being with you. Up until now you had never had any reason to doubt your relationship; but up until now, Hiccup had never behaved like this either.

“Don’t say that! That boy is crazy for you. He has been since we where thirteen.”

You sighed and buried your hands in your hair. “Then why is he acting like this?!”

“I think you should ask him yourself,” Astrid said as she placed a comforting hand on her friend’s back.

“I’ve already tried that…” you groaned out. Your voice muffled by your arms, on which you were resting your head.

“Give it one more try. Maybe he’ll snap out of it.”

Reluctantly, you agreed and made your way up to the watch tower. It was Hiccup’s turn to keep watch tonight, so you knew he wouldn’t be able to escape this time.

You felt the heat of the fire before you saw it, and you knew he was there.

“You need to cut the crap Haddock,” you started as you saw the faint outline of his shadow as you were nearing the end of the stairs. “If I did something wrong, just tell me right now because I can’t keep doing this. We’re not teenagers anymo-”

Your throat closed up as soon as you saw him. A gasp escaped your mouth and your hands flew to your face.

In front of you, Hiccup was down on one knee and a small wooden box sat comfortably on the palm of his hand.

“You bastard,” you whispered just to yourself.

He chuckled at that and smiled as he saw your reaction. He then opened the box to reveal a small silver ring in the shape of some intricate patterns.

“My dearest Y/N…” he started, but the lump in his throat wouldn’t let him go any further.

“Oh Hiccup…” you breathed out as you approached him slowly.

“Please marry me,” he said finally.

You crouched in front of him with tears in your eyes and held his face in your hands.

“Of course I will marry you,” you replied as a teary laugh escaped your throat.

To him, it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.

He laughed then, as he slid the ring in, and looked up at you. He cupped your cheeks with the palm of his hand and pulled you closer until your lips met. He tasted tears and relief in that kiss.

You eventually separated and you hit his chest lightly.

“Don’t ever do that to me again you bastard!” you said as the tears flowed, and you whipped them off as nervous laughter escaped your lips.

“I swear this is the last time love,” he chuckled as he crouched his head slightly to help you whipe your tears.

“Not that! Don’t ever avoid me like that again Hiccup! I was starting to think that maybe you didn’t want me anymore…”

Hiccup grabbed your chin gently and made you look up at him. “Theres no one else I’d rather want.”

You laughed nervously once again and offered him a teary smile.

“I’m sorry I scarred you love. I just…I was so nervous.”

“It’s ok…” you reassured him. “I understand.”

He smiled down at you and whipped another tear. You didn’t mean to keep doing it, but you had been so worried all day long that it was finally coming out. You didn’t want to ruin your moment like this. It was supposed to be a moment for celebration and happiness. You tried to make it stop.

“You can cry. I will lift your sorrows,” Hiccup said with a soft laugh as he whipped another tear.

You smiled then, tears still flowing out. But you knew it would be alright. He would make you feel alright. He always did.

[hotdaemondtargaryen]

EWAN MITCHELL PHOTOGRAPHED AND INTERVIEWED FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE.

ABOUT BEING RECOGNIZED

Like most people, Ewan Mitchell is accustomed to anonymity.

So during a recent trip to Manhattan, he was surprised by what a hotel doorman asked when he arrived: “You haven’t packed your eye patch?”

The actor is still getting used to strangers making the connection in public.

“I wouldn’t think people would recognize me, but they do.”

“I think it’s because of my strong chin.”

“When I’m dressed up as Aemond and catch myself in the mirror, he scares even me a little bit.”

When he’s not in character, Mitchell is soft-spoken and occasionally flashes a boyish grin, though he retains much of Aemond’s seriousness and quiet intensity.

He is also very private: He stays off social media and in the past has shied away from sharing much with the public.

“Once you lose the mystery, you can’t really get it back.”

HE KNOWS THAT AEMOND'S KEY ROLE IN S2 MEANS HE MUST ALSO EMBRACE THE SPOTLIGHT

“There is a point where you have to go, now’s the time to pull back the curtain.”

Like Aemond, Mitchell is a second son.

He grew up in Derby, an industrial town in the middle of England, and his parents expected him to follow his older brother’s footsteps and work at Rolls-Royce (the aerospace and industrial technology company, not the carmaker).

HIS INSPIRATIONS AND BECOME AN ACTOR

Inspired by films like “Citizen Kane” and “Taxi Driver,” Mitchell knew early on he wanted to become an actor.

When he was 13, his teacher asked each student in his class what they wanted to do when they grew up.

“Then it came to me, and I said, ‘I’m going to be an actor,’ and everyone laughed at me.”

His family could not afford tuition for drama school, so Mitchell attended a two-year vocational school, where he studied design and technology while working part-time at a restaurant and in customer service at a local soccer club.

Midway through the program, at 17, he was accepted into the Nottingham Television Workshop, a drama group that trains young people in acting.

Through the Workshop, Mitchell landed a leading role in a 2015 short film called “Fire,” about a young man who leaks fire from his hands.

Once the short was released, Mitchell downloaded it onto a dozen CDs, took the train to London and stopped by the offices of every agent he could find, handing them each a copy.

The one person who called back continues to represent Mitchell.

“By hook or by crook, I wanted to make sure that I was going to be in this business.”

ABOUT BEING CASTED AS AEMOND TARGARYEN

Aemond’s growing prominence in the show requires Mitchell to embrace the spotlight as well.

“There is a point where you have to go, now’s the time to pull back the curtain.”

But being cast as Aemond in “House of the Dragon” has been his biggest professional turning point by far.

“Since landing him, I feel like I’m able to now steer the course of my career.”

Mitchell had been rewatching the classic Hollywood adventure film “The Vikings” (1958) and musing about how he wanted to play a morally dark character similar to the one played by Kirk Douglas when he received an email inviting him to submit a taped audition for Aemond.

When he eventually auditioned in person, he left a lasting impression on Ryan Condal, the showrunner for “House of the Dragon.”

“When Ewan came into the room, he just had this presence to him that I can best describe as unsettling,” Condal said.

“It was kind of quietly terrifying the way he performed it, and it was totally different than everybody else. And then he thanked us very politely and left the room.”

Condal recalls asking Kate Rhodes James, the casting director, “Is he always like that?”

She replied, “Oh no, he’s just a very intense northern boy.”

To prepare for his role, Mitchell did not watch “Game of Thrones.” Instead, he read portions of “Fire & Blood,” the book by George R.R.

Martin that inspired the show, and studied the performances of Michael Fassbender in “Prometheus” and Peter O’Toole in “Lawrence of Arabia,” each playing a figure who wields power for his own ends.

ABOUT MATT SMITH AND DAEMON TARGARYEN

On his first day on set, Mitchell consulted with Condal and decided that he would avoid interacting with Matt Smith, who plays Aemond’s similarly menacing uncle and rival, Daemon, in order to heighten the tension between the two characters.

Mitchell had grown up admiring Smith’s performance in “Doctor Who.”

But on set Mitchell avoided any eye contact with him, keeping his distance until the climactic scene near the end of the first season when Aemond and Daemon finally face off.

“There’s this addictive kind of quality when you’re in the shoes of a character.”

“When you lose yourself for a moment, it’s almost like a dream.”

ABOUT HIS HOME AND HIS DOGS

When he isn’t acting, Mitchell still lives at his family home in Derby and spends time with his dogs, three whippets named Eva, Bella and Bonnie.

“Now that I’m on it.”

“I’ve just got to stay on the dragon.”

[funkyfreshman]

Somthing for my Archerylout au where Snotlout starts working with a bow in battle rather then hammers and axes cause it’s so silly

Anyways wrote this in like a day so it’s sloppy but whatever

Also have no clue how to write hiccup I just wrote him sassy but whatever

‘Fuck this” Curses Snotlout from his hiding spot which is located on a cliff overlooking a group of hunters who he assumes got the jump on Hiccup, Fishlegs and Astrid, how they managed that he has no clue, especially with Astrids freakish ability to just know someone is sneaking up on her. From what Snotlout can see and hear the group have Hiccup hostage sword held to his throat to keep him from attempting escape as well as keep Astrid and Fishlegs off them. Speaking of those two, he can hear them attempting to negotiate with the man who held Hiccup hostage. He then finds himself asking where the dragons are, with a quick skim of the campsite below he can see them immobilized, most likely the work of dragon root. His fist clenched at the sight of Hookfang among the rest of the dragons, he could see from here the dragons breath heavy and eyes closed from exhaustion due to his body fighting against the poison of the root. Great hiccup might get another limb cut off, his dragon is poisoned, and Snotlout has yet to have dinner. ‘This shit better wrap up quick’

He felt from the very beginning this trip was gonna be a bust, it wasn't even a mission or anything just some team bonding but nooo, Hiccup had to go and make himself a hostage. Snotlout had just returned to camp from hunting having caught some rabbits and ducks for dinner just to arrive back to see this mess.. Really he heard it before he saw it.

Snotlout eyes flick over to his bow, a semblance of an idea forming in his head. His bow, which was a gift from his grandfather, is something incredibly important to him a lot of his down time within his hut at the edge or while hunting he does maintenance on the bow, as well as the quiver which is something he’s made himself, it’s his pride and joy. He however typically only uses it for hunting and only practices when he is bored of his other training which as of late has been a lot. His skills have increased dramatically and yes, around others he will brag and overhype himself(something he will never admit) he’s very self critical of his performance. Especially when it comes to archery as it was something that meant a lot to his grandfather.

He continues to eye the bow, his hands slowly reaching to grab it. Maybe he could..if his father heard he took out a Viking with something other than brute strength and force...but oh it would be so easy, he knows he can hit this shot, he’s hit birds from so much further.

Once again he mutters a “fuck this” this one more forceful then the first and he snatches his bow with his left hand and grabs an arrow that sits in his quiver with his right all in one swift turn and quickly lines up the shot. Within that movement all noise stops for him, his brain almost seems to shut off as he stares at the scene below for a moment looking for his target, once spotted he draws his bow, his right hand drawn back to his cheek, and waits like that for a moment waiting and watching the hunter holding Hiccup turns towards him and- THWIP

Hiccup was very tired of being yanked around by this guy, like he gets it he’s like a stick that weighs like an apple but oh my gods, he’s mostly annoyed at the fact that they got the jump on them, also the fact that they are even here. This was supposed to be just a team bonding camping trip as he could see everyone was getting antsy and stressed with the dragon hunters. This is what he gets for being nice he guesses. He’s yanked once again and zoned back in when the blade skins his neck a little and he can’t help but voice his complaints “maybe you can loosen up on the blade a litt-“ THWIP

He is cut off when the grip on his bound hands lets up as does the stinging pressure on his throat from the sword, he hears a thump as the large Viking falls and he turns to see what happend and to his shock as well as everyone in the damn clearing. There is the man, an arrow right through the eye, shot dead.

He stands there in shock at what the fuck just happend. “what the fuck.” He finds himself muttering. He is not alone in this shock as the group of hunters stare at their now dead captain. Some backed away slowly from the campsite. Well slow until a second is hit in the shoulder, then quickly after another once again in the shoulder, yells of retreat shouting out and the men running for their lives. It is silent until a loud familiar voice raises from above

“I FUCKIN HIT EM, YOU SEE THAT HICCUP.SNOTLOUT SAVED YOUR LIFE…AGAIN! SNOTLOUT SNOTLOUT OI OI OI” Snotlout shouts from his hiding place, having jumped up from behind the brush his hands raised victorious above his head, he then turns quickly still shouting his victory and raises his hunts above his head as well “I ALSO GOT DINNER~~” he then goes comes bolting down the side of the cliff, and presents it to the group.

“What fuck snotlout”

[canmom]

I think Farya Faraji has realised that hour long videos about the difference between actual historical music and modern historically themed music is a great way to get people to watch stuff about music theory. Which, you know, guilty, I haven't watched his older videos on medieval music yet but I did watch this one!

Anyway it's fascinating stuff - I didn't realise how new our current approach to tonal harmony is. I tried to be careful to distinguish between the general and the culture specific in my music theory posts, but even in my own culture, it turns out I was picking out emphases that are very modern. If Farya is right, medieval European music actually sounded a lot more like the 'modal' approach that still exists in middle Eastern, Balkan and Mediterranean music. Instead of supporting a melody with chords, you would improvisationally add various kinds of what modern Western music calls ornamentation. Towards the end of the middle ages you'd get a greater degree of polyphony using e.g. a sustained drone note or additional melodies that don't really try to harmonise in the way we write them to today. At this point the level of ornamentation dies down, and it lays the groundwork for the modern system of harmony to appear in the early modern period.

In contrast to actual historically informed music, Farya describes a genre he calls 'bardcore', which aims for a superficial appearance of medieval style to modern ears but uses a modern folk-inspired performance style - strummed chords, modern classically trained singing styles, modern instruments like the Irish bouzouki invented in the 70s. (As with the viking music and orientalism videos, he's at some pains to emphasise that anachronistic music isn't bad music and he likes a lot of these 'bardcore' bands.)

Anyway, I appreciate it because it expands my horizon for 'ways music can work' and gives a narrative to the evolution of tonal harmony - maybe an oversimplified narrative, and I'm still not entirely sure what the term 'modal' is getting at (presumably something to do with the modes [roughly, scales] that music was written and embellished in?), but it's a starting point. one of the most interesting youtubers to come along recently...

[guide-to-world-domination]

I can’t stop imagining spider becoming an absolute badass, like the amount of ideas literally keep me up at night. For example, imagine that one day, Neytiri just goes off on Spider and says the most foul things to him - stuff that was so horrendous, even people who equally hated Spider being around had to try and calm her down, because what she was saying was completely out of line. To spider, he’s heard this all from the People, the Scientists, the McCoskers - but Neytiri always strikes a cord that can’t be fixed or shrugged off easily. The only thing that snaps him from his thoughts, was what Neytiri said next while she was being pulled away from the situation.

“You will never be One of the People. Your father is a Demon, and your mother is worse for ever loving him and producing such Spawn”

There it is the breaking point. Spider has always turned the other cheek when it comes to people that insult him or insult him by comparing him to his father. He always found that retaliation and tantrums only proved his accusers assumptions correct. But nobody. Nobody insults his mother. Spider could have screamed back and shouted bloody murder at her, but at this point, he just doesn’t care. She isn’t worth trying to prove himself to. His siblings know who he is, that’s enough.

From that day on, he doesn’t go to High Camp again and doesn’t wear his loincloth. He starts wearing cargo pants and tank tops, but he keeps his armbands, knife and jewellery. He wants to come into his own identity, but he can’t shed what remains of his past life (trying to be part of the Omaticaya). Personally, I don’t think that Norm and the other Scientists wouldn’t care too much about what spider does until he crosses a line or breaks a rule that they haven’t outright told him (that kind of behaviour is traumatising, I would know 🙂). So when figures out to give himself piercings and tattoos, they are livid. They are shocked at the transformation - where painted blue stripes used to be, there were inky black stripes that passed over every limb and even on his face; where dirty brown locs used to be, golden blond hair was fashioned into a Viking braid reaching down his back (similar to a kuru).

The only person that understands and doesn’t overreact is Max. Personally, that man was a dark horse in his family before he came to Pandora, I know it in my soul (Headcanon coming soon or after this post). He takes it on himself to support Spider and nurture his clear talents. He wishes he could have raised spider as his own, but knew that he would be shunned by his colleagues for raising his son - he couldn’t be seen as a disgrace after his time as a child.

Spider had a number of talents and skills, including Engineering, Chemistry, Languages, Marksmanship and martial arts. Max helped to nurture each and everyone. Some days, he would have Spider build and repair weapons and tech. Other days, Spider would learn chemical reactions or a new language. Every evening, Max would instruct Spider in combat and would exercise and lift with him to encourage him. Over the course of a month or two, Spider was unrecognisable. He took in information like a sponge and soon Max was running out of things to teach him. Piloting Samsons and Scorpions - took a few tries, but Spider was truly a born pilot like Paz. Stealth and parkour - He was already a natural, but he was fooling Na’vi warriors more often than not after a week of practice.

Eventually, when Jake started performing raids on RDA Trains, Spider knew it was time to put this all into practice. You see, deep down, he still wanted to prove himself to the People, but not so he could be one of them. He wanted to prove himself, to show them what he forged himself into despite them. However, he knew Jake would never approve him going along - he was still a child. The thought to Spider was ludicrous; Spider never believed he was a child, because no child goes through what he did and remains a child. So he decides to go anyway and doesn’t bother with permission. Though, he does ask Max, who understandably forbids this from happening. After reasoning that he would be safer if he got support to complete this venture, Max relented after hours of back and forth.

And thus, Araña was born. Imagine Winter Soldier getup (Hydra-controlled Bucky, not White Wolf armour) where the half mask acts as his rebreather so he doesn’t risk glass from a regular mask entering his eyes. All manners of weapons are strapped to his body including an Assault Rifle, a revolver (nobody knows that it was actually Quaritch’s revolver that delivered the fatal shot to Grace), A bow and quiver, a LOT of knives and a grenade or two. He looks terrifying but despite this Max feels proud - not about his boy going to fight in a war that has devastated everything he loves, but because this kid, his son, has stepped into his role as a defender and Max is proud of how far Spider has come to reach his goals.

Queue Spider being the biggest menace to RDA society that has ever existed. There was no reason for the Na’vi Ground forces to blow up the rail line, because Spider had already hijacked the train and pulled the breaks. The look of an anonymous Sky Person swing around the train killing and disarming grown men confused everyone in the raiding party, especially the Sully’s. There was something familiar about the acrobatics of this mysterious warrior, the answer on the tips of their tongues. It was only after Spider saved Lo’ak and Neteyam from the missile strike, that everyone realised who this person was. Nobody believed it until Spider spoke and then all he’ll broke loose.

I apologise if this too long or weird, I just needed to get this out of my head. I’ll definitely be adding to this given time, regardless of whether or not people like it, and the only thing that can stop me is my undiagnosed AuDHD.

Farewell to all, Yours sincerely,

Your Favourite Evil Overlord

[winxrus]

I was rewatching how to train your dragon and I found myself getting extremely emotional again over the romantic flight scene, but this time only purely because of Astrid.

Here are some facial expressions of our viqueen in the film's first half.

Astrid is an ambitious and determined young girl. She carries this weight on her shoulders that is becoming a warrior and protecting her village.

"Our parents ‘war is about to become ours (...)"

Throughout the movie, she´s just so focused and hardworking. She has her mind set on accepting the responsibility that is to fight. She´s a perfectionist. She´s hard on herself, (sometimes making her feel frustrated) and on her performance. She’s practising continuously with her axe as if it was a vital part of her. I have wondered whether she thought she would live a short life considering their circumstances and the price of going into battle.

Her face is always wearing a frown. Her posture is stiff.

The first time we see Astrid smile is during romantic flight.

It´s like as soon as she took flight, opened her eyes and let herself emerge into the splendor of her surroundings, she let go of that pressure. Seeing her admiring the colors, the clouds, savoring the wind on her cheeks… GAH I just started to bawl my eyes out. You could see the weight being lifted off her shoulders. She became lighter, like the air around them. The way she was just touching the sky, spreading her arms and leaning back, feeling FREE!

Up here there is no war. Up here she can be who she wants to be. She was just smiling and feeling happy, seizing the moment and acting her age. AHHH ;-;

Look at all these beautiful facial expressions on the second half of the film I...

I just really love Astrid's development. She was the prime example of your ideal viking and she was the first to believe in Hiccup, to believe in change and she gained so much from that mutual trust that these teens developed. Sure, they achieved peace, but Astrid built such a beautiful and strong connection with Stormfly, she engages in her friendships, she makes jokes, she's more affectionate (at least with dragons and the love of her life), she laughs more, she's more expressive, she's just lighter...Like she's finally found that joie de vivre, which is also cleverly translated through her character design (hair, clothes...). Some people say she looks more feminine and thus less a baddie but I still see my warrior queen who's just happy with where she in life.

Seeing her throughout the franchise blossoming into the incredible powerful woman she is just makes my heart grow three sizes.

Bonus: RTTE Astrid <3 Bless her loud laughter in the series

[astridhoff03]

Astrid Hofferson/America Ferrera/Nico Parker

I just hope Nico Parker will do justice with her performance as our fiery Viking Queen. Because America Ferrera gave Astrid already with her performance so much depth and personality. Her performance was fantastic and not only because Astrid is a very well written character. Just like Hiccup, she feels so real and so human. Like us she has fears, disbelief and flaws but she’s also full of Love and compassion. She’s a fighter, a hardworker, a protective mother, a graceful Chieftess, a affectionate wife and most importantly she’s herself and that makes her strong.

These are my favorite lines from her:

I am the person I am today, because of you. - the way she said this always made me emotional 🥹

No one is kissing me on the lips, ever! - except Hiccup😂

Sweet baby Thor in a Thunderstorm, GO! - to Snotlout of course

Yeah, it’s only fun if you get a scar out of it. - first dragon training

Yak-Nog! Get your Yak-Nog! Come on get a frothy delicious cup of cheer! - Snoggeltog comes soon guys, so hide when Astrid cooks again🫣

Please. If that happens, I'll kiss Snotlout on the lips. - no, you prefer Hiccup, my girl☺️

[brongusthearcanist]

I know Dalinar doesn't have a beard, and I know Wayne doesn't have a curled mustache, but I refuse to picture them that way. When I picture Dalinar he looks a lot like the ghost of the king of Hyrule from the breath of the wild. I don't know why, that's just who my brain cast. As for Wayne I just think it's the hat and his rapscallion nature. It always takes me out of the book for a sec when they reference his clean shaven face. Rock looks like the Viking from how to train your dragon who has a rock for a tooth and is missing a hand and foot, I think his name was gobber, great performance for him around, cannot thank my brain enough for this clusterfuck of a production.

[spacenintendogs]

7 4 and 11 for the httyd ask game :DDDD

4. What is your favourite type of dragon and why?

this is what peak performance looks like.

school of dragons baby whispering death model t pose my beloved

whispering deaths will forever and ever be my number one fave dragon. they were so important in riders/defenders and i thought they were just the COOLEST. they have rows and rows of teeth that rotate to dig through the ground which is so often SOLID ROCK on those islands in the barbaric archipelago and blow RINGS of FIRE?? ALSO THE LACK OF IRISES AND PUPILS UUUGH THE GHOSTLY EYES!!

i love these sharp noodles <3<3

7. Do you have any OCs? If so, talk about their appearance, backstories, and personalities.

ermintrude!!

she's a bog burglar who's a musician!! she plays the lute mostly but she dabbles in other things!! the flute, pan flute, the lur (basically a wooden trumpet vikings played!!), and more!! she genuinely enjoys making and playing music and she uses it to her advantage! she plays in public places to distract people while her fellow bog burglars are pickpocketing :)

she's born and raised a bog burglar, her mother is a bog burglar & she doesn't know and doesn't care to know who her bio father is bc no bog burglar does bc ew men. she's as vocal as any bog burglar comes and is not a fan of men. she's quick-witted, dry, passive aggressive, and very empathetic, despite trying to hide it due to a slight worry of judgement from her fellow bog burglars (some do judge, not all). she's all talk and doesn't have much of a bite but her talk will have you so confused she escapes or you'll be on the floor crying.

smth i've mentioned but haven't gone in depth abt is her fear of dragons. it runs deep and is paralyzing, due to witnessing a friend of her's and camicazi's be killed by a hideous zippleback during a dragon raid (bog burglars experienced similar dragon raids like the hooligans). when rumors circulate abt berk amassing a dragon army/training dragons she laughs and finds it to be the most ridiculous notion of all time.

until she meets snotlout and hookfang. hookfang helps her slowly get over her fear, although she nevers gets a dragon herself. she thinks snotlout is pathetic but can be alright (for a boy, of course :)) they're never in a fully commited relationship but when they're around each other they have each other's full attention & when ermintrude realizes she's fallen in love... he fell first, she fell harder. but at her core she can't bring herself to leave her life as a bog burglar and it's why they never marry. but they write to each other. she writes songs for him and he'll write poetry to act as lyrics & she's one of the only ppl he'll do that for.

depending on the au they have a child together :)

i'm still working on her and her story but!! i like developing characters as i write & figuring out how they respond to situatuons rlly quickly narrowing down their personalities!! i gotta do more with her ;_;

11. What are your favourite locations in the Barbaric Archipelago?

oooooo......

(old) berk is def one of them!! i used to want to live there so badly!! i love the cove so much and i'm saddened it never came back in the films (it did come back in riders/defenders :'))

dragon island looks cool as fuck esp the concept art

dragon's edge is also cool!! as a teenager i also yearned to be there </3

[sanfangirl-cynicalromantic]

All's Fair In Love And Dragon Racing

Happy @httydhiccstridweek everyone! When I saw the alternate prompt 'dragon racing' I just had to do something with it.

Summary:

The Archipelago hosted a prestigious Dragon Race every year. Astrid Hofferson, beloved celebrity and champion of the game, is determined to secure her position this year as the best, and nothing - not underhand tricks, bribery, or irritating rivals - will stop her.

This year was Berk’s turn to host the games. The spectacle of Astrid Hofferson and Hiccup Haddock going at each other in the last dragon race had become the most famous part of the dragon races, much to Astrid’s chagrin.

She was the goddamned champion of the game, one of the best. But of course Hiccup Haddock had to be the other best.

She supposed she hated him so much because she had worked so hard to be the best, but then the stupid heir could just waltz in late on his stupid Night Fury and win the game effortlessly because, yay, an extremely rare dragon had chosen to bond with him and that made him better than anyone else.

This year, though, this year, for sure. She was going to stand on that podium with Stormfly and smirk at the chief as he handed her the prize instead of his son. He could croon all he liked now, but he’d be singing a very different tune soon.

Hiccup Haddock didn't know what was coming for him.

Hiccup and Astrid are The Hidden World age, so 21.

Read on AO3

Dragon racing had become unprecedentedly popular in the few short years it had become an official sport.

They had been mostly at peace with dragons for years. A wild dragon was treated like a wild boar or bear, just a little more dangerous, but plenty of dragons had also sought out Vikings to bond with. They only chose the most worthy, so being bonded was a great honor, and of course, the stronger the dragon, the more glory to the one who was worthy of their bond. Bonded dragons were basically dragons that could be tamed once they had chosen their person. Of course, it was up to the bonded human to train their dragon and adhere to the laws, but the Vikings of the Archipelago and Beyond had found many ways to incorporate dragons in their day to day tasks.

But dragons were not meant to work without play, and after a few disastrous attempts at hosting a Regatta with dragons (those with sea dragons were banned due to cheating and apparently most dragons got seasick), a new game had sprung.

It had started as a small competition when rounding up the sheep, but then the chief’s family had taken the idea, added a few rules and bonuses, and all of a sudden Dragon Racing had become the Archipelago and Beyond’s favorite pastime.

Now, every year a tribe hosted the games, providing various prizes for the competition, a racetrack (the more difficult and flamboyant the better), and used the event to show off their own prosperity and boost their own economy, because it had truly become a business. Merchants flocked to the host’s island and eagerly paid fees to gain access to customers in a spending, indulgent mood. All the attendees paid for boarding, docking for their ships and or dragons, and seats for the dragon races. Bets, of course, were placed on how many points certain riders would score, and who the winner would be. Mead was distributed liberally, and fans would spend a ridiculous amount of coin on various costumes, face paint, or even woven banners to display their support to their favorite rider. 

Aside from the economic benefits, it also served as a lighthearted precursor to the Thing later that year, as different tribes approached each other with various treaties, alliances, and overall ass-kissing while they bonded over the mead and games. Her father hadn’t been present for an entire game for three years, as he handled the bargaining on behalf of her clan, and the best contracts were those signed during the games.

Astrid had become a bit of a celebrity in the game, and while she cared little about the fuss of performing or speaking to admirers and more for the thrill of the game, she had to admit that it was the merchandise sales and not the prize money that allowed her family to live as comfortably as they did. So she saved her stories to tell Father at the end of the day, and wore what Mother told her to and smiled when she was exhausted after the games but was still in public. As someone so well known for her performance, the pressure to win was always exceptionally high.

This year was Berk’s turn to host the games, and the chief could proudly show off the project Gobber the blacksmith had been working on for the past few years. Berk was a big island, but with the steady increase in population and dragon bonds, it would have been far too crowded to host multiple other tribes. Plus, there was always the issue when someone’s fields or house that was part of the racetrack got damaged and they demanded extravagant compensation, so Gobber had come up with the brilliant idea to dedicate an entire smallish island to the task. Chief Stoick had readily approved, and now the island was ready. She had never been to that specific island herself, but judging by her chief’s practically giddy manner, she bet it was spectacular.

She climbed the deck and found her way to the mast, trying to see the island as they came closer. Stormfly, her beloved dragon, was still on Berk, and an attendant would fly her over to the new island that night, as her girl got restless if she was forced to stand in a stall for too long. Sadly, Astrid had been forced to come along without her, as her mother had deemed her presence important the first day of the games even if she did not officially participate or even attend. Colorful painted wooden roosts rose proudly from the island. Flocks of dragons were already circling, looking for a place to land. She looked keenly past the dragon stables and tried to guess what the racetrack looked like. There were still trees covering the island, would there be a section where they had to fly around trees? Stormfly and her had been practicing such maneuvers all year.

The stands, she noted, reached all around the island, were built not on the land itself, but extensions over the ocean, and reached around the entire island except for the large stretch of land dedicated to the boats. The island wasn’t big enough to inhabit and live in the same way Berk was, but it was sizable enough that there was enough lodging, meals, and seats for  at least ten tribes across and even outside the Archipelago. A good deal of the island’s lumber had been lost, although there was still  a forest pathway, Astrid had overheard. The seats were situated over the water in hopes of dousing any wayward fire that might ever hit the wood. Plus, it made that insignificant trash the audience inevitably dropped simply be swept away and save them the hassle of cleaning up as much. The wooden pillars were multicolored with various banners and crests hanging from them, connected to large decks or bridges that the traders walked along, calling out their wares and performing various tricks to catch the eye of a bored spectator.

The docks were already teaming with Vikings bargaining and haggling and the poor council members walking around with their clipboards yelling at the top of their lungs. Fishlegs Ingerman, a young man around her age, was an apprentice who had quickly risen up in the council’s ranks. He gave her a nod of acknowledgement and checked something on his clipboard.

“Ah, Mrs. Hofferson. Astrid,” he greeted them. “It says here you’ve booked lodging on the south side of the island, a luxury stall in the stables, and a docking spot for two boats?” He looked at their one boat and absence of a certain Deadly Nadder with a raised eyebrow.

“My husband and our dragon will be arriving tomorrow or maybe even later tonight,” Astrid’s mother clarified.

“I see,” Fishlegs smiled. I’ll tell the next shift to keep an eye out for him.” Her mother thanked him and handed him a large pouch of coins. He peered into it and nodded after a moment.

“Here is your key,” he handed Astrid’s mother said key. “And here are the documents for your stable and boat reservations. Let me just sign them -” he reached into the pouch belted across his middle for a quill. “And there!” he finished, signing the documents with a flourish. “The lodges are down that way,” he pointed. “And should you appreciate a map, Hoark is at the Hall handing them out.

“Thank you,” Astrid’s mother said gratefully. Astrid smiled as thanks as well and patted Meatlug, Fishlegs’ loyal Gronckle affectionately. His face lit up at the acknowledgement of his dragon.

“Good luck in the Dragon Games, Astrid,” he wished her.

“Thanks,” Astrid replied.

When the Grimborn tribe hosted the Dragon Races four years ago, it had been hailed the most successful race, in terms of profit, aesthetic, and entertainment. That had been the year Astrid had irrevocably gone head to head with a certain heir to her tribe, and their rivalry had gone down in history. Astrid and Haddock had always stood out as some of the best dragon riders, but in their earlier years they had just been considered talented, not prodigies. They also commonly raced in different sections, as Astrid preferred the early morning races and Haddock was always tardy, so he participated in the afternoon set. Until Viggo Grimborn had suggested top flyers of the sections compete against each other in one final, dramatic race. Haddock, who had won the races easily without any true competition, had suddenly been given a run for his money, and Astrid, who was determined to win as easily as she had all the other games with her superior flying, was outraged to find someone who could best her so infuriatingly easily. She and Stormfly worked completely in sync but Haddock and his dragon - they were like extensions of each other with no care of where one ended and the other began. He could just swoop in and steal her target and she wouldn’t have even seen him creeping up on her! She had quickly lost her temper and their trash talking had become as entertaining as the actual flying stunts themselves. The other players had quickly realized they had no chance of winning against the two so they had settled for egging the bickering on.

That had also been the year that brought about the vulgarity restrictions.

Viggo Grimborn had been hailed a genius, and the spectacle of Astrid Hofferson and Hiccup Haddock going at each other in the last dragon race of the event had become the most famous part of the dragon races, much to Astrid’s chagrin.

As she looked around at her surroundings, Astrid had a feeling that this year, Chief Stoick might have outdone Chief Grimborn. She wondered idly how furious the latter would be. No one had ever dedicated an entire island to the Dragon Races. Maybe even next year Berk’s Thawfest would be held here as well, and the island would become an event destination.

The first day was the beginner racers. One could start participating officially in the races when one turned fifteen, but of course the little teenagers had no hope of comparing to the likes of Astrid. There were a lot of young new dragon racers this year. Perhaps she should suggest the idea of a junior league to Gobber or the Chief. Mothers were encouraging their children and Astrid watched carefully for any sign of some exceptional talent. She had started out like this, and she wouldn’t make the mistake some of her opponents had made in her earlier years by underestimating someone due to their age.

There wasn’t much to see. Gustav Larson, who had idolized and hit on her ever since puberty, was sixteen and had finally been allowed to be in the race (he had been suspended last year due to unsavory behavior). He had finally gained some maturity and his bond with his dragon, a Monstrous Nightmare, was stronger. They cooperated better on the turns and he even managed to score a few points. Astrid nodded in satisfaction. He would never make it to the last race and compete with her, but there was hope for him down the line. Probably.

She watched the competition and chose her favorites while her father bargained with various traders for cuts in the profits of distributing her merchandise.

“Astrid! Astrid!” cried a few children, not much older than eleven. She turned and talked with her fans, handing out some dragon advice and handing one shy girl a seal with Astrid Hofferson’s Nadder, Stormfly, carved on it.

She heard nothing about the Heir of Berk’s whereabouts that day, but could have been due to him helping his father set up, negotiate treaties, or simply be too lazy to make it to the first day of the games.

The next day she woke up at dawn and visited the stables. Stormfly greeted her cheerily, and Astrid brought out a leg of chicken she had brought as a treat. She had discovered Stormfly’s speed flourished under her consumption of chicken, and it happened to be her favorite treat, so Astrid frequently indulged her.

They weren’t allowed to ride on the tracks before they were ready, so Stormfly was sadly stuck in her stall. Astrid had insisted on the best, of course, so the stall was roomy and colorfully painted, for Nadder’s liked pretty things.

“I’ll be back, girl, I promise,” Astrid told her when it was time to grab breakfast at the Hall. I’ll see if I can get you out as soon as possible so you can stretch your wings.” Stormfly crooned mournfully but nudged her toward the door. She patted her girl one more time before she slipped out of the stables.

The morning was spent dealing with business, so Astrid snagged an attendant and told them to let Stormfly out to stretch her wings before they prepared her for the race. Then, after lunch, her mother dragged her to get ready for the race. Just because she was a warrior didn't mean she couldn’t look her best in front of everybody. Her hair was undone, brushed, and then rebraided, a few red and blue beads added to the small braids by her temple that merged with the main braid. She had taken a bath the day before, which was the only reason they didn’t chuck in the tub anew, and brought out her riding outfit reverently. They weren’t overly fancy clothes, as dragon racing was a rough sport, so her leggings were thicker than they normally were and a dark navy blue. Her skirt’s spikes were dulled and shorter so it was uncomfortable to sit in her saddle. Her shirt was red then she shrugged on the turquoise vest with tassels on the shoulders because it was the safest place to put them without potentially hindering Astrid’s movement. Her arm bracers were also embellished with iron cuffs and lined with newer fur, and she added her hood from last year because she liked the familiar weight at her back. Her shoulder pads were carved Gronckle iron and lined with the softest layer of fleece. Every year her riding outfit was more and more costly, but Astrid liked looking pretty and the fleece or fur linings were a nice contrast to the hard metal that used to scrape her collarbone and shoulders a few years ago. Then, mother brought out the face paint, and Astrid sat perfectly still as her mother dipped a brush in the paint and began. The cyan over and around the eyes, then a stroke from the brow down the bridge of her nose to rest along her cheekbones, the shape reminiscent of the wings of a butterfly. Her chin was marked with the turquoise and orange was added as another V atop her brow, and then highlighted her eyebrows to curve down and rest on top of her cheekbones on either side of her face. Astrid sucked on her lips as they added a dab atop her chin and then it was time to meet Stormfly.

She walked in the middle of the group so they could ward off well wishes shouting encouragement or, for some supporters of Haddocks, abuse. Father had sold some of their merchandise to merchants, and she saw a few of them peddling flags in her colors and gesturing toward the children.

Stormfly was practically itching with excitement when she reached the stall. She pulled herself up into the saddle and paused to let the attendants hold torches close to Stormfly’s legs to dry the remainder of the wet paint. Then her mother nodded at her and everyone stepped back as Stormfly took off into the stadium.

A cacophony of shouting and bright colors under the harsh sunlight greeted her as they made a lap around the stadium, waving and laughing as they screamed her name and stomped their feet as she pumped her fist in the air. Stormfly shot eight spines in the air, forming a perfect circle and then showered them with blinding white sparks. The crowd applauded raucously. Astrid waved her arms slowly, quieting the roar into a dull murmur until she held everyone’s attention before she performed a backflip on Stormfly and the crowd went wild again.

She flew a quick lap around the stadium, hanging easily off her saddle and reaching her hand out as the stands fought to touch it.

Before their applause had even fully died down the stands registered a high pitched whistle. “A Night Fury,” they whispered in awe and Astrid scowled as she patted her girl’s head and they retreated to their place. The sound grew louder and louder as people began to chant excitedly. A dark figure could be seen in the sky as it hurtled toward them. The children pointed excitedly and some of the newcomer’s eyes widened. Closer and closer they came until they could see the blast building in the dragon’s mouth.

“Get down!” someone cried and it echoed across the stadium, but not in true fear. The black dragon released the shot and it exploded just above everyone’s heads. The sparks winked out harmlessly between outstretched fingertips as some of the young spectators screamed in excitement.

The young man and his dragon landed heavily on the ground right in front of the decks that led to the stands. Some of the traders in the near vicinity jumped in frightened surprise. The sound reverberated across the stands before the Vikings broke into loud cheers.

“The Champions of Berk!” the announcer called.

Astrid made a disgruntled noise in the back of her throat, too quiet for anyone but Stormfly to pick up on. She was the goddamned champion of the game, one of the best. But of course Hiccup Haddock had to be the other best. He couldn’t have been from another island and let her enjoy her victories in peace, no. He just had to be constantly there, gloating over his wins when he beat her and sulking when she had won that year.

She supposed she hated him so much because she had worked so hard to be the best, but then the stupid heir could just waltz in late on his stupid Night Fury and win the game effortlessly because, yay, an extremely rare dragon had chosen to bond with him and that made him better than anyone else.

She landed on a thick perch behind the baskets used for scoring. The perch reached from the stands to the docks on land - it was essentially a beam that had never had a bridge built upon it. It was supported by multicolored wooden pillars with various banners and crests hanging from them, connected to the large decks or bridges that led from the land or the docks to the seats around the dragon racing track. She spied multiple banners bearing the Hofferson insignia and Stormfly captured in her majestic flight around the stadium, signifying support for her. A few Vikings had painted their faces or arms turquoise and orange, too. But as many colors she saw for herself, she saw an equal amount of drastic black masks in support of Haddock. 

Her eyes drifted to the main dias where the chief sat. As the sponsor of this year’s games, he wore nothing to indicate his preference for any rider, but as Haddock’s father, she can’t help but begrudge him, even though she knows his interference in the game if it is needed will be nothing but fair.

There were five players in the final race. Astrid and Haddock, of course, as the undisputed champions. The announcer read off the names of the three players admitted in the final game, which was considered the greatest honor they could achieve, as no one stood a chance in the wake of Astrid and Haddock’s competitiveness.

“Heather the Unhinged!” the announcer cried and the Berserker tribe jumped up with howls of delight. Astrid allowed a smile to break out over her face. She liked Heather, who had competed in the final round last year as well. At this rate, she was well on her way to becoming a champion as well. The dark haired Berserker waved from atop her Razorwhip and the Berserker chief (Heather’s brother) jumped up and let out a bloodcurdling whoop. She flew to roost on the perch next to Astrid’s.

“Congratulations,” the female champion greeted her warmly. “Nice to see you back again.”

“It’s good to be back,” Heather returned. “Good luck this year.”

“Oh, I’ll get the black sheep this time.” Astrid’s face darkened. Last year she had claimed all of the sheep in her basket save for one. Haddock hadn’t stood a chance for most of the game until he had swooped in and stole the black sheep right out from under Stormfly’s claws. The black sheep was worth ten points, so all her hard work was rendered invalid when the scoring system declared his one sheep worth double the five of hers.

She was still salty about that. And the other time he had beat her a few years back. It just wasn’t fair he could just get as good as he did, but, well, life wasn’t fair.

Heather chuckled as she followed Astrid’s line of thought across her face.

“Lars Grimborn the second!” was the next name called. Lars was a cousin of Chief Grimborn, and was bonded with an enviable Skrill. The only dragon more powerful than the skrill known to bond with a Viking was the one and only Night Fury in their midst. Of course, a powerful dragon was only an advantage to a certain point. Lars was heavyset and his dragon was large, but his weight would be a disadvantage against his opponents whose main strengths were their speed and his dragon’s size would only make it more open for attack. His triumphant expression looked more like a leer underneath his trimmed mustache that was the Grimborn family style (it was an ugly look). He took his place next to Heather, leaving the spot between him and Haddock empty.

“Earmug Micketson, of the Outcasts!” declared the announcer, gaining Astrid’s attention. The Outcast, an average built man in his late twenties pumped his fist and yelled, “Yeah!” so loudly he could be heard over the applauding crowd. Astrid remembered him. His strengths were stamina, as his Gronckle was a slow dragon, but it also was a smaller dragon, and he excelled at attacking his opponents from beneath. He usually waited for someone else to catch the sheep before then fighting them and claiming the sheep as his own. Well, if Earmug thought he could overpower Astrid he had another thing coming.

She chanced a glance at the figure furthest from her. He was patting his dragon’s head and speaking to him. He must have sensed her eyes on him and turned to meet her gaze. A cheeky smirk spread across his face, messing up the red lines painted across his cheekbones just slightly. She scowled at him and faced forward again, fighting the urge to scratch her own painted face in the heat. Mother would kill her if the orange and turquoise swirls were married before the start of the game.

There wasn’t much that counted as cheating. Only killing or crippling a rider or dragon, or injuring one of the spectators. Of course, since the pastime was dangerous in and of itself, it was scarily easy for an opponent to blame any maiming as an accident, so one always had to be extra cautious. Weapons were allowed and liberally used, as was ramming into other dragons, jumping on them, sparring with them in the air, and ambushes. Sometimes riders would team up and sabotage others by attacking the person with the sheep from two sides or more. A lot could happen in one lap around the island. Astrid was a self sufficient rider, so she never worried much about betrayals from a partner.

She allowed a cool smile to grace her face as Mulch stood by the horn that would start the race. Her fans knew her as aloof and most of all, confident, so she hid her nerves expertly.

“On your marks!” bellowed Gobber from the podium. Astrid petted Stormfly’s flank.

“We got this, girl,” she whispered.

“Get set,” continued Chief Stoick, even louder than his friend. Astrid lay herself flat on the saddle to make her and Stormfly more streamlined. The chief gestured to Mulch who was standing by the horn.

Mulch paused and flashed the contestants a winning smile. He was delaying blowing the horn on purpose. Slowly, achingly, he lowered his mouth to the tip of the horn, but didn’t blow. Astrid’s muscles felt they were about to explode from holding their position for so long, even though it had only been a few seconds.

At last he puffed his cheeks and blew. They were off like a shot before the sound even had a chance to register.

The rush of wind on her cheeks and the familiar sensation of her stomach bottoming out felt better than being welcomed home after a hard day. The crowds were screaming as Haddock had already disappeared and strid had taken the lead.

Stormfly swooped left and Astrid immediately cataloged the new track in front of her.

There was a five hundred meter stretch of clear air before the track branched off into two obvious segments. She scanned the land for any hidden catapults. There were no sheep thrown in the first round, but after one rider crossed the scoring baskets for the first time, sheep were launched into the fray. She spotted one catapult, but it looked open and abandoned so she doubted any sheep would come from it this game. She had tried to keep track of the sheep launchers from the other games with little success, but she was pretty sure she recognized a location or two sheep would fly into the sky in the coming rounds.

She had slowed down a little in her quick lap around the track, so as she came out of a half natural half built set of caves she found Grimborn emerging from one of the branches, not too far behind her.

(She’d seen no sign of Haddock in her perusal of the path she had chosen, but there were plenty of other paths he could have chosen and he liked to hide. And she hadn’t really looked for him, just idly wondered where he was.)

Pride dictated that she had to be the first one over the line, so she patted Stormfly behind her crown of spikes and they sped up, streaking across the line in a flash of bright blue. The audience cheered. She nudged Stormfly with her foot and they slowed down almost imperceptibly, waiting for the sheep to go flying. The sheep didn’t always fly, though. Sometimes no sheep were launched during a round, which meant riders had to scour the track looking for them. She calculated the fork in the path in front of her. The one she had taken in the first round had plenty of trees, caves, and colorful obstacles, so a sheep wouldn’t likely hide there. But she didn’t know the other path at all. Did it have the sheep or not?

She heard the telltale whistle of a Night Fury going full speed and felt a whoosh of air go down the unexplored path. Well, if that was where he was going that’s where she would go too. She urged Stormfly on.

“Why hello Milady,” his annoying nasal voice greeted her as she pulled up beside him. “Are you following me?”

“No,” she replied huffily. “I’m looking for a sheep, if that wasn’t obvious, seeing as it’s the point of the game.”

“You wound me,” he snarked. “Implying I’m not smart - how will I ever recover?”

“Hopefully, you won’t,” she replied with sickening sweetness. A flash of paint caught her eye amongst the brush and her hand reached for her ax as she urgently nudged Stormfly with her foot. She would swing at him if he tried to steal her sheep. It wouldn’t kill him, but a few bruises? That she’d gladly hand out for free.

Their eyes met for a split second and she dove. Haddock’s dragon was sleeker and faster than Stormfly when it came to maneuvering (with Stormfly’s careful diet of chicken, her Nadder could beat Toothless’ speed under certain circumstances) but Astrid was a fierce fighter, and Hiccup was too close to her to be able to get away safely if he took the sheep from her now.

Stormfly scooped the sheep with the painted wool up in her claws and the track led them back to the stands.

“Hofferson’s got the sheep!!” called the announcer. “But oh, will she have it for long?”

Earmug tried to sidle up to her dragon but Stomrfly sent a few well-aimed spines immediately. He swerved away from her. Hiccup had disappeared temporarily, but Astrid knew he wouldn’t be gone for long.

Indeed, Haddock and his dragon tried to tuck in their wings and dive under her dragon but Astrid stood up in her saddle and kicked him away from her. He let out a pained ‘oof’ and the crowd screamed in encouragement and outrage. Of course, that wouldn’t stop him for long, and it was difficult to make sure the sheep stayed in Stormfly’s claws: she might let it go on reflex if someone attacked her softer lower belly.

Stormfly zoomed through the air and now Heather was right on her heels. The other girl began to slowly pull up even with Stormfly.

“Hey, girl!” Heather called, addressing Stormfly. “Remember me?” The Berserker pulled out a leg of chicken out of her saddle pouch and waved in enticingly. Stormfly perked up at the sight of her favorite treat.

“Oh, no. Hey, girl,” she soothed her dragon. “Remember I’ve promised you an extra barrel of chicken tonight if you don’t get distracted, yeah?” She patted Stormfly’s left flank, a signal for her to speed up so they could leave Heather and her bribery behind, but the dark haired girl chucked it ahead of them, intending for Stormfly to dive after it.

Unfortunately, her aim had placed the leg of chicken right in front of them so Stormfly caught it in her mouth without straying from their straight line of flight. The stands burst out into delighted laughter and Astrid chuckled in relief.

“And Heather Berserk attempts to play dirty, but is defeated by unfortunately straight aim,” cried the announcer into his horn. “But oh, don’t worry, we like a little extra excitement. Speaking of which -” A huge boulder came hurtling straight at Astrid but Stormfly spun gracefully to avoid it. “And Hofferson twirls out of the way with enviable grace!” he finished.

Next, a bola was shot at Grimborn, a barrel on fire launched at Hiccup, who didn’t even have his dragon move out of the way, he just jumped off of Toothless and glided back down onto his saddle with the help of the wings built in to his armor. Plenty of people who hadn’t seen his armor before screamed in excited fear, but Astrid, who had been subject to his testing out his prototypes all over Berk for the past year, rolled her eyes at his inability to stop showing off.

Her expression of attitude cost her. She didn’t notice the second boulder heading towards her and it crashed into Stormfly right above her right leg. Astrid gave a little scream.

“Stormfly!” she cried, worried her girl might be hurt, but the dragon shook her head and gave her a reassuring squawk as they righted themselves. Micketson, who had been right behind her, had his dragon simply eat the boulder. Stupid boulder class dragons. She had lost her sheep. She narrowed her eyes at Micketson and nudged Stormfly toward him, but before they had even begun to gain on him, Haddock flew upside down and plucked the sheep out of Earmug’s arms.

“HEY!” Astrid’s scream of outrage was louder than Micketson’s. “That’s MY sheep!!!”

“Looks like mine now!” Hiccup called and Astrid growled. He began to speed up but Heather quickly bumped into him and his Night Fury flared his wings. Astrid joined the fray as Heather reached for the sheep but missed. Lars Grimborn, with his Skrill crackling ominously, found that the intimidation factor didn’t work so well on the rider who rode a goddamned Night Fury, and Astrid swung off her saddle to use his helmet as a stepping stone to get back in her saddle because she felt like it.

The Heir of Berk clutched the sheep to his chest with an infuriating smirk and Stormfly sent a stream of spines towards him, which he dodged. Astrid had lost track of the announcer’s comments on the game but she heard the laugh from the crowd at his avoidance of Stormfly’s spines and glared.

They rounded another bend and avoided a few more obstacles. Grimborn threw a hammer but it missed, and Astrid urged Stormfly ahead as she planned her next attack. She and Haddock now were definitely ahead of the others. Hiccup’s head turned to look at her and she had Stormfly slow down slightly so it wasn’t obvious they were doing it on purpose instead of lagging behind. He turned around again and Astrid guided Stormfly up, up, grateful they were flying so that their shadows fell behind them. She stood up carefully, and the audience oohed but Hiccup didn’t notice. Stormfly flew a little bit ahead so that Astrid would land on her moving target but not enough that they noticed her, and then she jumped.

Hurtling through to air was nauseating when she wasn’t attached to a dragon, but she landed heavily on Haddock’s mount, causing them to dip in their flight and Haddock to lose his balance. She leaped on top of him, wrestling his arms to his side and kicking the sheep off of his dragon. The Night Fury tried to follow it but Stormfly was waiting and coasted a little underneath them to catch Astrid. Hiccup tried to reach her and when that didn’t work, he tried to lay atop her to stop her from escaping.

“Arrgggh, get off!” she yelled at him angrily.

“Not a chance, Milady, unless you’d be so kind as to release my arms.” She hissed in response. She chanced a glance behind her, furious to see the other riders speeding up to try to steal the sheep from Stormfly while she and Haddock were occupied. Gathering all her strength, she shoved him hard enough away from her he had to scramble and hold on the saddle while she slipped off his dragon.

She landed on her saddle. “Good girl,” she muttered quietly to Stormfly and the crowd went wild as she deposited the first point in her basket.

Of course, she wasn’t that triumphant all game. There were fifteen total points one could score out of six sheep, and Haddock scored the second point with a mocking kiss he blew at her while she swore at him. He scored the next point too, but Astrid caught the fourth sheep out of the air and flew so fast no one even got the chance to attack her until after she’d deposited it safely in her basket. She’d screamed her triumph out loud and the crowd had roared with her until the fifth sheep was shot up into the air.

This round was tougher than the other ones as the two champions doubled down on their efforts to gain an obvious lead on the other before the break between the painted sheep and the black one. The participants knew this of course, and Astrid had no less than two flaming boulders, a bola, and a barrel of Monstrous Nightmare Gel launched at her before the sheep was even in the air.

Astrid snapped her head round at the sound of a spring and saw Micketson catch the sheep first. She let a slow grin spread across her face as she nudged Stormfly toward him. Earmug’s face was paler than it had been all game, but he flew straight for the path with the forest and wove quickly through the trees while she chased him. He was surprisingly agile with his dragon, Astrid had to give him that.

He was ambushed as he cleared the trees. Grimborn had somehow gone ahead and waited for him to clear the trees. He slammed his Skrill into the smaller Gronkle and the Outcast grunted as he lost his grip on the sheep. Lars caught it smugly and sped off, Astrid hot on his heels.

“Eat my dust, Hofferson!” he snarled at her.

“Funny, I was just about to say the same,” Astrid returned. Not her best comeback, but it irritated him all the same.

He dodged her attempts to sneak up on him, and Astrid growled in frustration. The trick she’d pulled with Haddock wouldn’t do; he’d be expecting that and would probably be able to overpower her. His Skrill was bigger than her Nadder, so she couldn’t bump into him and get him to drop the sheep. She could challenge him to aerial combat but that would be difficult. Maybe if she cornered him into an obstacle? A net came flying suddenly and Astrid barely had time to duck out of the way. The heavier Skrill and its rider were not so fortunate. He tried to keep hold of the sheep, but as his Skrill stopped flapping he cursed and let go of it while he tried to untangle the net around his dragon’s wings.

The sheep bleated pitfully as it tried to find a way off the scary flying dragon. Astrid flew to Grimborn’s side, sliced a sizable hole in the net, and reached for the sheep. It shied away but not before she grabbed a firm handful of wool and dragged it forcibly off onto her dragon.

“Haha!” she crowed just as Hiccup appeared, aimed a kick at her ribs, and snatched the sheep.

“COME BACK HERE!!!” she screamed furiously. “YOU SON OF A RAT-SHITTING, TOE LICKING, TROLL EATING MUNGE BUCKET!!!!!!!” She heard the audience’s amusement at her rage. Haddock simply cackled.

Stormfly flew up beside them and Astrid reached over and grabbed the sheep’s hind legs.

“Hey!” the Night Fury rider snapped. “Get off of my sheep!” He pulled at it.

“It’s my sheep!” she argued back. She pulled on her side of the sheep harder.

“Let go!” he cried.

“Never,” she sneered back at him. He glared at her and tried to fly off in an effort to make her let go. Astrid held tight as Stormfly banked alongside them.

“Stubborn woman,” she thought she heard him mutter. “Toothless, roll!” Astrid tugged suddenly at her side of the sheep as they rolled over and pulled the front legs out of Haddock’s hands. Unfortunately, the momentum cost her her grip on the animal as well and it flew back in the air.

“No!” she cried. Haddock righted himself beside her and tried to reach it, but it was plucked out of the air by none other than Heather and she dumped it swiftly into her basket.

Astrid pulled up short. The last time someone had scored a point other than her or Haddock during the last game had been years ago. Her jaw fell open in outrage, surprise, but admiration, too.

“Would you look at that!!” the announcer cried. “Heather the Unhinged of the Berserker tribe scored a point!!!!”

Heather let out a battle cry, thumping her chest and her tribe followed suit. “That’s my sister!” Chief Dagur screamed. Astrid heard a small laugh beside her and turned to look at Haddock.

“Would you look at that,” he marveled. “We were so busy fighting over the sheep we gave her the point.”

“Would have been avoided if you had just given the sheep to me,” Astrid said nonsensically, but in truth she was quite proud of her friend despite the wound it caused in her pride.

“Haddock and Hofferson remain tied for first place, Heather the Unhinged in second,” the announcer declared. “But there is hope for Micketson and Grimborn yet: next round we have the black sheep!” the crowd oohed with him. “But first, let’s have a break! Rest our dragons and sore rumps!” the adults laughed with him. “And we’ll see you again in an hour!”

~

His hips pinned hers to the wall as he devoured her mouth. She moaned quietly and arched her back, fingernail scrabbling to find purchase on his leather armor, finally retaliating by biting his lip as he tried to pull away. Hiccup growled as he surged back towards her and hefted her right leg to set it on his waist as they met in another clash of lips.

“You bastard,” she growled as she nipped at his lips to punctuate her words. He hissed as she ran a tongue over the sting to soothe it. “I’m still angry at you for stealing my sheep.”

“Which one?” he taunted, dipping down to suckle at her collarbone, his smirk pronounced against her sweaty skin. One of his hands slipped under her skirt, hastily folded so as to not stab anyone with the metal spikes. It trailed up her thigh to squeeze at her ass appreciatively, drawing a moan from her throat as she ran her hands over his shoulders before pulling him closer.

“Nnnngh,” she shot back eloquently as he licked a hot wet strip up to her ear and made her buck her hips into his involuntarily. “The last one. Oh, and those two sheep you scored with too, of course.”

“Weren’t yours once they were in my basket,” he remarked casually, pressing her further into the dark walls of the empty stables.

They had an arrangement. Dragon Racing was thrilling, and with the adrenaline came a rush of. . . other hormones. Astrid’s parents would never allow her to go acting on such impulses unless she was properly tied to the person, but Astrid wasn’t ready for anything of that sort yet. She was content solidifying her career in racing and perhaps living out the rest of her days as a shieldmaiden. Luckily Hiccup was looking for a person with no commitment to suit his needs as well - as the heir of a prominent tribe, it was a risk that any girl he dallied could end up with enough incentive to force him to marry her - so it was a mutually beneficial agreement for both of them. A way for them to blow off steam and cool off - or heat up, which was the case more often than not.

The bagpipe players changed their tune, signaling it was time to start getting ready to head back. Hiccup let out a groan of frustration as he pulled away from her lips, making a satisfying smack. He leaned his forehead against her heaving chest for a minute, trailing light fingers along the strip of exposed midriff above her waistband while they caught their breath and attempted to steady their breathing.

“Better go draw those red lines on your face, Haddock,” Astrid said at last, breaking the silence.

“Yeah, you’ll need them,” he retorted. “You already miss me plenty with the helpful red marks giving you a perfect target.” She hissed and bared her teeth.

“If you think you’re going to win this year, you’re wrong,” she threatened. Hiccup cocked his head mockingly.

“Tell me, who was taking your sheep in that last round, huh, Astrid?” he asked infuriatingly.

“I was winning it back,” she sniped back at him. “So I actually have the most claim on that sheep out of the both of us.”

“Before you threw the sheep away from you and let Heather catch it,” Hiccup reminded her.

“It was your fault,” she insisted. “I had to win it back from you.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Hiccup cut in. “I’ll get the black sheep, and that will be the end of your delusions about winning.”

“You’re not gonna get the black sheep,” she scoffed.

“Wanna bet?”

“Sure,” she said, a slow smile spreading across her face. “If I win . . . I’ll do that thing you like afterwards.”

Hiccup’s eyes darkened and then he shook his head. “You’re not going to bribe me into losing,” he rolled his eyes.

“It’s not bribery, it’s consolation for when you inevitably lose and I’ll be in a good mood,” Astrid said with mock innocence.

“I’m winning this game, Astrid,” he warned her, although she could see lust warring in his eyes. “But, if we’re doing things that way,” he stepped forward into her space again and rested one of his arms on the wall above her head, smiling down at her wolfishly. “If I win, I’ll do that thing you really like,” he breathed into her ear. Astrid tried to feebly suppress her shudder but he sensed her tingling nerves and pulled back with a self satisfied smile.

He might have had a point about being bribed to lose.

No, she felt anger rise up at the part of her that dared to consider the possibilities of her losing. No matter how fun their little arrangement was, she was not going to give up enviable glory for a whole year in favor of a few minutes of pleasure.

. . . Well, it was usually more than just a few minutes.

“Fuck you,” she spat, mostly at herself, not that he needed to know that, and pushed him away from her.

“Is that an expletive or an intention? Because if it’s the last, then please, by all means.” Ugh, she hated when he got all smug and snarky like that. Probably because it usually made her want to crack a smile against her will. She forced her face to look angrier than she was and turned to face him again.

“It’s a fucking threat, asshole, so stay out of my way,” she poked his chest. “I’m winning this thing.”

She brushed past him, pulling her skirt back down and fumbling a little as she tried to tuck her shirt back in. Her clandestine encounters with Hiccup - he always insisted she call him by his name when they were together - usually gave her a mix of satisfied, shy, and increasing irritability at his insufferability that never failed to draw her back in. Their covertness was almost laughable because the only part of their antics their parents would disapprove of was the secrecy, well, and the debauching. But as much as they enjoyed the other, they didn’t like each other, which was why she didn’t like herself starting to understand him (because that would lead to liking him, and she couldn’t have that).

 She heard a low whistle behind her and rolled her eyes but couldn’t bring herself to be truly offended.

“See you from the podium, Astrid,” he crooned as she reached the end of the tunnel. She turned around to give him a double middle finger. He could croon all he liked now, but he’d be singing a very different tune soon, because she was going to win. She was going to stand on that podium with Stormfly and smirk at the chief as he handed her the prize instead of his son. She was going to grin at Father tonight and tell him all about her victory, and Mother would give her an extra helping of dessert.

And then, after the evening was over and everyone had gone to sleep, she was going to wake the Heir up and give him the ride of his life.

[mariacallous]

Elon Musk just dragged ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence programs into the Trump crosshairs by repeating his warning that current AI models are too “woke” and “politically correct.”

“A lot of the AIs that are being trained in the San Francisco Bay Area, they take on the philosophy of people around them,” Musk said at the Future Investment Initiative, a Saudi Arabia government–backed event held in Riyadh this week. “So you have a woke, nihilistic—in my opinion—philosophy that is being built into these AIs.”

Although Musk is himself a polarizing figure, he is right about AI systems harboring political biases. The issue, however, is far from one-sided, and Musk’s framing may help further his own interests due to his ties to Trump. Musk runs xAI, a competitor to OpenAI, Google, and Meta that could benefit if those companies become government targets.

“Musk clearly has a close, close relationship with the Trump campaign, and any comment that he’s making will hold a big influence,” says Matt Mittelsteadt, a research fellow at George Mason University. “At a maximum he could have some sort of seat in a potential Trump administration, and his views could actually be enacted into some sort of policy.”

Musk has previously accused both OpenAI and Google of being infected with “the woke mind virus.” When Google’s Gemini chatbot produced historically inaccurate images, including black Nazis and Vikings, in February, Musk saw it as proof of Google using AI to spread an absurdly woke outlook.

Musk is clearly no fan of government regulation, but he backed a proposed AI bill in California that would have required companies to make their AI models available for vetting.

The first Trump administration also targeted perceived bias at Big Tech companies with an executive order that sought to hold platforms such as Twitter, Google, and Facebook accountable for censoring information for political reasons. The pressure had a tangible impact, with Meta ultimately abandoning plans for a dedicated news section on Facebook.

Mittelsteadt notes that Trump’s VP pick, JD Vance, has also talked of reining in Big Tech companies and gone as far as to call Google “one of the most dangerous companies in the world.”

Mittelsteadt adds that Trump could punish companies in a variety of ways. He cites, for example, the way the Trump government canceled a major federal contract with Amazon Web Services, a decision likely influenced by the former president’s view of the Washington Post and its owner, Jeff Bezos.

It would not be hard for policymakers to point to evidence of political bias in AI models, even if it cuts both ways.

A 2023 study by researchers at the University of Washington, Carnegie Mellon University, and Xi’an Jiaotong University found a range of political leanings in different large language models. It also showed how this bias may affect the performance of hate speech or misinformation detection systems.

Another study, conducted by researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, found bias in several open source AI models on polarizing issues such as immigration, reproductive rights, and climate change. Yejin Bang, a PhD candidate involved with the work, says that most models tend to lean liberal and US-centric, but that the same models can express a variety of liberal or conservative biases depending on the topic.

AI models capture political biases because they are trained on swaths of internet data that inevitably includes all sorts of perspectives. Most users may not be aware of any bias in the tools they use because models incorporate guardrails that restrict them from generating certain harmful or biased content. These biases can leak out subtly though, and the additional training that models receive to restrict their output can introduce further partisanship. “Developers could ensure that models are exposed to multiple perspectives on divisive topics, allowing them to respond with a balanced viewpoint,” Bang says.

The issue may become worse as AI systems become more pervasive, says Ashique KhudaBukhsh, an computer scientist at the Rochester Institute of Technology who developed a tool called the Toxicity Rabbit Hole Framework, which teases out the different societal biases of large language models. “We fear that a vicious cycle is about to start as new generations of LLMs will increasingly be trained on data contaminated by AI-generated content,” he says.

“I’m convinced that that bias within LLMs is already an issue and will most likely be an even bigger one in the future,” says Luca Rettenberger, a postdoctoral researcher at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology who conducted an analysis of LLMs for biases related to German politics.

Rettenberger suggests that political groups may also seek to influence LLMs in order to promote their own views above those of others. “If someone is very ambitious and has malicious intentions it could be possible to manipulate LLMs into certain directions,” he says. “I see the manipulation of training data as a real danger.”

There have already been some efforts to shift the balance of bias in AI models. Last March, one programmer developed a more right-leaning chatbot in an effort to highlight the subtle biases he saw in tools like ChatGPT. Musk has himself promised to make Grok, the AI chatbot built by xAI, “maximally truth-seeking” and less biased than other AI tools, although in practice it also hedges when it comes to tricky political questions. (A staunch Trump supporter and immigration hawk, Musk’s own view of “less biased” may also translate into more right-leaning results.)

Next week’s election in the United States is hardly likely to heal the discord between Democrats and Republicans, but if Trump wins, talk of anti-woke AI could get a lot louder.

Musk offered an apocalyptic take on the issue at this week’s event, referring to an incident when Google’s Gemini said that nuclear war would be preferable to misgendering Caitlyn Jenner. “If you have an AI that’s programmed for things like that, it could conclude that the best way to ensure nobody is misgendered is to annihilate all humans, thus making the probability of a future misgendering zero,” he said.

[upismediacenter]

UPIS GVT snatches silver at the Manila Sports Conference

UPIS Girls Volleyball Team (UPIS GVT) won 1st runner up at the 1st season of the Manila Sports Conference (MSC) last Sunday, April 7, at the World Citi Colleges Gymnasium.

UPIS kicked off their season with a fourth-set victory against the Marikina Titans last March 3. In their next game held March 10, they earned three straight sets from the Hiraya Volleyball Club. Their winning streak was cut short by the WCC Lady Vikings on March 17. After the loss against WCC Lady Vikings, the team fought harder in their elimination match against the Assumption Antipolo Amazons (AA Amazons). With service aces from Anya Callo and quick spikes from Janella Guarino and Elisha Capus last March 24, the team won their place to compete in the MSC Semi-Finals. At the finals, UPIS GVT clashed once again with the Marikina Titans for the championship title and fell short, becoming 1st runner up.

Their outstanding performance earned three members individual awards in the league. Janella Guarino took home the Best Opposite Hitter award, Khloe Long, the Best Setter award, and Sofia Inandan, the second Best Middle Blocker award. Asked about how she felt about the recognition, Khloe Long said, “Nung natanggap ko yung award na yun, mas lalo akong ginanahan na mas pursigihin pa mag-improve at mag-ensayo araw-araw.”

After their MSC championship game, they immediately played and won against MGC New Life Christian Academy Team (MGC-NLCA) on April 9. This was their first game and victory for the Smart Spike Volleyball Tournament, which they were preparing for while playing at the MSC.

“Medyo mahaba din yung naging tournament namin so every game ang dami po naming nakitang need i-adjust at need i-practice sa training. Kaya naman every tungtong namin sa court, nakikita ko na naaapply at nag-iimprove kami isa-isa at bilang team na rin,” said Long.

The UPIS GVT is also participating in the ongoing Smart Spike Volleyball Tournament and in the Shakey’s Girls’ Volleyball League that is to be held in June.

//by Athens Hombrebueno

[bjsmall]

DreamWorks How To Train Your Dragon Deluxe Edition soundtracks.

The 'How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World' Deluxe Edition soundtrack by John Powell was released on the 26th April.

It is the third and final deluxe album instalment that has been released since the first in 2020.

Each album was released by Varèse Sarabande and distributed by Back Lot Music and Universal Studios Music.

Varèse Sarabande web link:

https://varesesarabande.com/products/how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world-deluxe-2-cd

They are available to stream digitally on major platforms such as Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube.

The albums also come in CD format as well as a 'limited edition' Vinyl format. Each CD album contains 2 CD discs. They were released on physical formats first and then released digitally a month later.

The deluxe editions of each score features all of John Powell's music used in the movies, including extended versions of tracks and bonus unused track demos.

Each track is labelled with a time-stamp which shows when it is used in each film.

The original soundtracks came out with the movies when they were released in 2010, 2014 and 2019. All of the music was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London.

Alternative artwork is used on the deluxe album covers for the second and third soundtracks.

Scroll down for information on each album, year released and number of songs.

How To Train Your Dragon:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Train_Your_Dragon_(soundtrack)

December 2020

Track list:

This is Berk (Alternate Film Version) [1m2alt]

This Is Berk (with Original Opening Version) [1m2]

Anybody See That? [1m6]

War Room [1m7a]

Training Out There [1m7b-c]

Hiccup Comes Homes [2m8]

Dragon Training [2m9]

Wounded [2m10]

The Dragon Book [2m11]

Hiccup Focus [2m12]

Offering [2m13]

Forbidden Friendship [2m14]

New Tail [2m15]

Teamwork [3m16]

Charming The Pziiffelback [3m17]

See You Tomorrow [3m18]

Test Drive [3m20]

Not So Fireproof [3m21]

This Time For Sure [3m22]

Astrid Finds Toothless [3m23]

Astrid Goes For A Spin [3m24]

Romantic Flight [3m25]

Dragon’s Den [3m26b]

Let’s Find Dad [3m26c]

Kill Ring/Stop The Fight [4m27-28]

Not A Viking [4m30]

Ready/Confront [4m31]

Relax/Stroke/Hell [4m33-34]

Over/Less Okay [4m35-37]

Wings [4m38]

Counter Attack [5m39]

Where’s Hiccup? [5m40]

Coming Back Around [5m41]

Sticks & Stones (Written and Performed by Jónsi)

The Vikings Have Their Tea [5m50]

Bonus Tracks:

The Vikings Have Their Tea (Alternate Version) [5m50alt]

This Is Berk (Demo) [1m2]

New Tail (Demo) [2m15]

See You Tomorrow (Demo) [3m18]

Test Drive (Demo) [3m20]

Romantic Flight (Demo) [3m25]

Coming Back Around (Demo) [5m41]

42 songs, total: 1 hr 47 mins (107 minutes)

How To Train Your Dragon 2:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Train_Your_Dragon_2_(soundtrack)

May 2022

Track list:

Dragon Racing (1m1-INS) [Alternate Film Version]

Dragon Racing (1m1) [Original Opening Version]

Where No One Goes (1m2s) (performed by Jónsi)

Together, We Map the World (1m3-4)

Hiccup’s Gonna Be Chief (1m5)

Eret Educates Hiccup (1m6)

Drago’s Coming (2m7)

Eret Has Visitors (2m8)

Me Likey (2m9)

War is What He Wants (2m10)

Hiccup and Toothless Attached (2m11)

Dragon’s Lair (2m12)

Should I Know You? (2m13)

Valka’s Dragon Sanctuary (2m14)

Hiccup & Valka Bond (2m15-16)

Valka’s Flash - Good Alpha (3m17-18)

I Grew Facial Hair For You (3m19)

Flying With Mother (3m20)

Can We Start Over? (3m21)

Meet Drago (3m22)

Stoick Finds Beauty (3m25-26)

Get’ Em You Son of Eret (3m27)

Courting Song (3m28s) (performed by Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson & Mary Jane Wells)

Courting Song Instrumental (4m29)

Battle of the Bewilderbeast (4m30)

Hiccup Confronts Drago (4m31)

Stoick Saves Hiccup (4m32)

Off to Valhalla (4m33)

Riding to Drago’s (4m35)

Alpha Comes to Berk (4m36-37)

Toothless Comes Back (5m38)

Challenging the Alpha (5m39a)

The Chief Has Come Home (5m39b)

Where No One Goes Reprise (5m40)

Bonus tracks:

Dragon Racing (1m1) [DEMO]

Together, We Map the World (1m3-4) [DEMO]

Valka’s Flash - Good Alpha (3m17-18) [DEMO]

Flying with Mother (3m20) [DEMO]

Off to Valhalla (4m33) [DEMO]

Toothless Comes Back (5m38) [DEMO]

40 songs, total: 1 hr 48 mins (108 minutes)

How To Train Your Dragon 3: The Hidden World:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Train_Your_Dragon:The_Hidden_World(soundtrack)

April 2024

Track list:

Rescue Mission-Busy Busy Berk (1M1-21-B)

Marry Her - Grimmel's Terms (1M26-3)

Legend Has It (1M4)

Mysterious Creature (2M5)

Toothless In Love (2M6)

Dart Trap (2M6B)

Grimmel Visit - First Fight (2M7A-B)

Town Hall Speech-Exodus (2M8A-B)

Setting Up Camp (2M9A)

Valka's Warning (2M9B)

Forbidden Courtship (3M10)

Toothless Flies Alone (3M11)

Near Miss Valka (3M12A)

Romance In The Clouds (3M12B)

New Berk Feast (3M13S)

Ambush - Cage Fight (3M14A-B)

Stronger Together (4M15A)

New Island (4M15B)

Into The Hole (4M16A)

The Hidden World (4M16B)

With Love Comes Loss (4M17)

Grimmel's Surprise (4M18)

The Hiccup I Know - Armada Battle (5M19-20)

Ultimate Sacrifice - Freedom (5M21-22)

Viking Wedding - Boat Epilogue (5M23-24)

Jónsi — Together From Afar (6M24S)

The Hidden World Suite (6M25)

Bonus Tracks:

Busy Busy Berk (1M2A-B) Demo

Legend Has It (1M4) Demo

Forbidden Courtship (3M10) Demo

Toothless Flies Alone (3M11) Demo

Romance In The Clouds (3M12B) Demo

Viking Wedding (5M23) Demo

33 songs, total: 1 hr 56 mins (116 minutes)

Conclusion:

I really enjoyed listening to the third movie deluxe soundtrack.

I think it is a fantastic musical journey through 'The Hidden World' and a brilliant addition to the 'How To Train Your Dragon' extended soundtracks.

I have added it to my Spotify library along with the other two deluxe albums and music from various other animated movies I like!

Overall, each deluxe album completes the franchise and tells the stories in each one really well.

[hitchell-mope]

Descendants celebrity au

Benjamin LeRoi. The latest in a long line of French born Australian family of Shakespearean actors. Wanting to get out of the pigeonhole he was raised in he auditions for and wins the role of dashing rogue Balthazar Buckingham in Persey Pantheon’s directorial debut Reincarnate next the highly sexually intriguing Mallory Perrault as Emmeline Atkinson.

Mallory Perrault. A rockstar whose act would make the Pussycat Dolls look like the nuns from The Sound Of Music. Her first acting role is alongside Ben in her half sibling Persey’s directorial debut Reincarnate as the ingenue Emmeline Atkinson and Ben as the dashing rogue Balthazar Buckingham.

Evangeline Grimhilde. An accomplished singer known for her sugary sweet stage persona which she hopes to break out of with her boyfriends latest movie Baby It’s Cold Outside as the seductive demon Seraphina

Douglas Greenman. An EGOT winning director, actor and dancer. He’s been reluctant to cast Evie in his works for fear of nepotism accusations. But she’s finally persuaded him to cast her as Seraphina in Baby It’s Cold Outside alongside him as Reverend Oliver Bentley after a very spirited late night talk.

Carlos De Vil. A sitcom actor known for his role in The Isolation Room as the nerdy technology teacher Miles Carp who has a long winded relationship going with the rebellious art teach Allen Qasim that he oversees detention with. Unfortunately this has led to a rather rabid fan base who insist he and Jay are dating in real life despite the both of them being in very stable relationships with other people.

Jane Babineaux. A rather mousy Broadway actress with a very powerful voice. Carlos’s girlfriend. Currently cross cast in a revival of The Phantom Of The Opera as Erika the Phantom. Tries to be okay with Carlos’s TIR fans. But the invasion of privacy is starting to affect her performance

Jay Tahan. Carlos costar in The Isolation Room. Dating Gil. Decidedly less kind to the fans than Carlos and Jane are to the point that he’s disabled all of his social media accounts except for the shows official twitter account. Sadly no amount of flaunting his and Gil’s relationship has quelled the fandom yet.

Gil Legume. A lead on the adult fantasy epic The Norseland Empress as Viking Chieftain Sigurd Nordling alongside Lonnie as Ancient Chinese Empress Liu Cheng. Dating Jay. The fanbase is for TNE is just as bad if not worse than the TIR fanbase due to all the contractually obligated love scenes that Gil and Lonnie are required to do which the fanbase uses as “proof” of an offscreen romance.

Li Lonnie. Gil’s leading lady in The Norseland Empress. Liu Cheng is her first leading role in a drama show. Her background is Janeane Garofalo type standup comedy. As such. She wasn’t ready for how rabid the fanbase became. But fortunately for her, she’s got Jay on her side to tell the fans where to shove it.

Nedahk Thatch. Singer, dancer, choreographer and actor. Playing Patrick Swayze’s role in a musical adaptation of Dirty Dancing alongside his girlfriend Uma. They’re celebrated for their chemistry. But a favour for her father threatens to overhaul the movie.

Uma Facillier. Actress and singer. The Dirty Dancing musical is her first leading role. Before this her biggest role was one of the muses in an off-off-broadway production of Hercules. She’s enjoying the newfound recognition. If only her dad hadn’t begged her to play act at dating a volatile train wreck.

Harold Hook. A punk rock singer. Wants to be the next Sid Vicious. He doesn’t have a single talented bone in his body. Well. Unless you count his almost prodigious ability to cause scandal and ruin everywhere he goes. It’s gotten so bad that his father and Uma’s dad had to set them up in a fake relationship in the hope he gains some good will from the press. It’s not working.

Persey Pantheon. Actor and director. Reincarnate is their prospective comeback after losing over half of their fanbase when they came out as non-binary. They didn’t plan on Reincarnate being political. But it’s an occupational hazard when you make a movie set throughout and beyond human history

Maddox Hatter. Persey’s girlfriend. Recently played Margaret White in a revival of Carrie but had to be let go after an on stage psychotic break led her to fall to pieces during “And Eve Was Weak” at the start of the eight performance. She’s on medication now and is the researcher on Reincarnate

Hadie Pantheon. Persey’s twin brother. Harry, Mal and Evie’s half brother. Aspires to be the next Johnny Cash. Only he can’t play guitar. He can however play the piano. So he’s settled for being a mix between Johnny Cash and Ray Charles. He’s also a gifted song writer and serves as the lyricist on Reincarnate.

Antony Tremaine. Hadie’s boyfriend and singing partner. Guitarist. Serves as the composer for Reincarnate. Gave Persey the idea for the movie by gifting them The Time Traveller’s Wife for their birthday. He’s also giving Mallory elocution lessons in preparation for the Regency and Victorian segments of the movie.