Lucian let out a breath as he placed the final book back onto the shelf, surveying the now-tidy room. The morning sun had fully risen, bathing the house in a soft golden light. The once-chaotic mess had been reduced to order, though he had a feeling the quiet wouldn't last long with Simba around.
Speaking of which…
Lucian turned to the bed, where the little merlion lay sprawled out like a lazy cat, one fin dangling off the edge. He was fast asleep again, snoring faintly, a soft puff of frost curling from his nostrils every few breaths.
"Alright, troublemaker," Lucian muttered with a smirk.
He walked over, scooped the creature up gently, and wrapped him snugly in one of the soft blankets. Simba stirred slightly, giving a sleepy chirp before settling into the warmth of the cocoon.
Cradling the bundled merlion in one arm and clutching the edges of the blanket with the other, Lucian stepped outside.
The village had come alive.
Faint trails of smoke drifted from chimneys. Blacksmiths hammered at their forges, fishmongers arranged their catches, and children darted between market stalls, laughing. A few villagers greeted Lucian with a nod or a polite wave, which he returned with a subtle one of his own.
He kept to the side roads—less foot traffic, less attention.
As he made his way down a quieter path near the outer edge of Berk, someone rounded the corner and nearly bumped into him.
"Whoa!" came a startled voice.
Lucian took a step back just in time.
Standing before him was Hiccup, holding a woven basket filled to the brim with freshly caught fish. A few of them flopped lazily, still alive.
"Hey! Fancy seeing you here!" Hiccup said with a nervous chuckle, trying to steady the basket. "Didn't expect to run into you this early."
Lucian arched a brow. "Where are you going?"
"Me? Oh! I'm just, uh… going to fish."
Lucian glanced pointedly at the fish-filled basket. "With those fish already in your basket?"
"Right. Heheh." Hiccup scratched the back of his neck. "I meant… fishing for more. Y'know. Can never have too much fish, right?"
Lucian gave him a flat look, then shifted the bundle in his arms.
"How about you?" Hiccup asked quickly, eyeing the blanket Lucian was carrying. "What's with the... uh, bundle?"
"I'm going to the shore to wash this blanket," Lucian replied, deadpan.
"I see," Hiccup said, nodding slowly.
Then the blanket moved.
Just a tiny twitch. But enough.
Lucian's eyes darted to him. "Well then, I'll go now."
"R-right! Sure, yeah!" Hiccup stammered, stepping aside as Lucian brushed past.
Lucian didn't look back.
Hiccup gave him a little wave. "See you later!"
Lucian raised a hand briefly in return.
As soon as Lucian turned the corner, Hiccup leaned forward, eyes wide.
"Was that a tail?"
Before he could investigate further, a fish flopped out of his basket and landed on his foot with a wet slap.
"Ah—come on!" he muttered, scrambling to scoop it back in.
Then, casting a cautious glance around, he broke into a jog toward the woods.
Meanwhile, Lucian reached the edge of the village and made his way down the winding path to the shore. The sound of the waves grew louder, rhythmic and calming.
The blanket wriggled again.
Lucian sighed.
"You're not going to make this easy, are you?"
From inside the bundle came a muffled, contented purr.
Lucian smirked slightly. "Yeah, yeah. Just stay still until we get there."
He stepped onto the sandy shore, the sea breeze ruffling his hair, and knelt by the water's edge.
The waves rolled gently against the shore, their soft rhythm calming and familiar. Lucian stood for a moment at the edge of the sand, the salty breeze brushing against his face. The sky above was a crisp blue, clouds scattered like drifting feathers.
He unwrapped the bundle and gently set it on a flat, sun-warmed rock. The young creature inside—Simba—was still dozing lightly, breathing slow, his body curled like a pup after a feast.
Lucian stood and began to undress.
Piece by piece, he removed the rough woolen tunic, the thick leather belt, and the worn trousers that clung damply to his legs from the walk.
Now naked, Lucian stepped closer to the water's edge, where the tide crawled up the shore before retreating again like a cautious animal.
A pulse of white light burst from below his waist, blinding for an instant.
The transformation was swift. Scales shimmered into existence, forming from the tops of his thighs downward, cascading into a long, elegant tail. The colors were ethereal silver streaked with hints of sapphire, like moonlight caught on water.
His feet were gone, replaced by powerful, finned ends that fluttered softly in the breeze like streamers in the wind.
Lucian exhaled and flexed his new tail. The feeling was always strange at first—no ground beneath him, just fluid motion, weightless and alien, yet natural in its own way.
Behind him, the blanket stirred.
The little beast poked his snout from the blanket, eyes wide and golden. He blinked a few times, taking in the sight of Lucian... transformed, glistening under the sun, then shifted his head toward the ocean.
He sniffed once.
And then his eyes lit up.
A joyous, almost squeaky roar burst from his tiny throat. He wriggled free from the blanket and plopped ungracefully onto the sand with a flump before scrambling toward the water, his tiny fins paddling awkwardly across the beach.
Lucian gave a quiet chuckle. "Easy there."
But Simba didn't wait.
The moment his body hit the waves, his form reacted instinctively—fins lengthening, gills flaring to life, his tail adapting to the water as if he were born in it. He dove beneath the surface with a joyful chirp, a trail of bubbles following him.
Lucian followed.
With a powerful push of his tail, he glided into the ocean, the cold embrace of the sea wrapping around him.
Below the surface, everything came alive.
Sunlight filtered down in golden shafts. Schools of tiny fish darted past in synchronized flashes. The sand was soft beneath the tide, and curious crabs scuttled into hiding.
Simba twirled around Lucian with uncontained excitement, his glowing eyes wide with wonder. Every turn he made sent ripples spiraling outward, and occasionally, he'd let out a happy rumble, like a kitten discovering a new toy.
Lucian moved with practiced grace, his tail slicing through the water in long, elegant strokes. He let himself sink deeper for a moment, then spun upward in a spiral, breaching the surface for a breath before diving again.
He turned his head just in time to see Simba perform a clumsy somersault, narrowly avoiding a collision with a rock.
Lucian let out a rare, soft laugh.
"Guess I'm not the only one who's clumsy in here."
Simba responded with a series of chirps and a flick of his tail, splashing Lucian in the face before darting ahead.
The two of them swam farther out, past the breakers, into deeper water where coral reefs lay hidden and strange silhouettes moved in the distance.
The water shimmered around them as Lucian and Simba swam side by side. Simba, though still learning, was gaining confidence, paddling along with a playful energy that sometimes sent him spinning into Lucian's tail or chasing his reflection in the waves.
Lucian kept close, adjusting his pace for the little creature. "Smaller strokes. Push with your legs… no, not that hard." Simba splashed in response, letting out a cheerful baby roar as if he were laughing.
Then Lucian slowed as he saw faint movement ahead.
Three familiar figures swam closer, shapes that shimmered in the morning light. Ariel's bright red hair was unmistakable, followed closely by Andrina's sleek silhouette and Flounder, bobbing anxiously between them.
"Ariel," Lucian muttered, recognizing the red hair and signature curious glide.
Ariel noticed them first. Her eyes lit up. "Lucian!" She swam faster, waving. "There you are!"
"I said I'd come," Lucian replied, keeping his voice calm. He flicked his tail to slow beside them.
Flounder popped out from behind her, peering around. "Uh, Ariel? What's that… fuzzy thing next to him?"
She froze mid-sentence as she spotted the tiny golden creature swimming near Lucian's tail.
"Oh my seashells… what is that?" Andrina gasped, pointing.
Simba blinked at them curiously, tiny ears perked. He gave a cheerful little roar and did a quick flip in the water—almost showing off.
"Is that a baby sea lion? No… too fuzzy," Ariel muttered, eyes wide. "He's adorable!"
Lucian stopped and gave a short nod. "This is Simba."
Simba blinked up at the newcomers, then swam forward and gave a tiny roar.
Ariel gasped. "Oh my gosh, look at him! He's so… fluffy! And his little fins—Hi there, Simba!" She reached out, and Simba didn't hesitate to nuzzle into her arms. Ariel giggled, hugging him like he was a living plushie.
"He likes you," Lucian said with a soft smirk.
"Look at that face!" Ariel cooed.
Andrina swam over with a playful but cautious expression. "Okay, but seriously… where's your dragon? That huge, scary-cool one?"
Lucian shook his head. "Scauldy isn't mine. I only saved him from an accident. He was injured and needed help. He's likely returned to his pod by now."
"Oh…" Andrina nodded slowly, then grinned.
Simba suddenly spun toward Flounder, sniffing with interest.
Flounder stopped cold. "Uhhh… Why is he looking at me like that?"
Simba lunged playfully, jaws open just a little too wide.
"Ahh! He's trying to eat me!" Flounder squealed, darting backward.
"Simba!" Ariel gently grabbed the baby beast and pulled him back, laughing. "Hey! No biting friends, okay?"
Simba gave a sheepish huff, nuzzling into her.
"You're hungry, aren't you?" Ariel said softly, brushing a bit of seaweed from his snout.
Simba blinked and gave a tiny whimper.
"Let's go to Atlantica. You'll love it there—we can get you something to eat."
Andrina said, "Come on, Lucian. It'll be fun. Plus, I wanna see everyone's faces when you show up with Ariel."
Lucian gave a slow nod. "All right."
With that, the group began swimming together. Simba held gently by Ariel, Lucian gliding beside them with effortless motion. Andrina swam ahead, flipping gracefully, while Flounder trailed behind warily, keeping one eye on Simba.
As they moved past coral reefs and winding sea cliffs, a new light began to shine in the distance—a shimmering glow beneath the sea.
"Look," Ariel said, pointing ahead.
There, rising like a jewel carved from living coral, stood the kingdom of Atlantica. Towers of pearl and crystal spiraled upward, seashell spires gleaming in the sunlight filtering through the water. Schools of colorful fish danced between the structures, and music echoed faintly even from afar.
Simba's eyes sparkled as he beheld it all, mouth open in a silent, awestruck roar.
Lucian watched the cub's reaction, then allowed himself a rare smile.
"Welcome to Atlantica," Ariel said warmly.
They swam forward, toward the heart of the ocean's most vibrant kingdom.
______
[Trivia: In the How to Train Your Dragon book series by Cressida Cowell, Toothless is not the powerful Night Fury we see in the DreamWorks movies. Instead, he is a small, common or garden dragon about the size of a housecat or small dog. He's green, with red wings and not particularly impressive looking, instead of black ]