Sorry for not updating the past couple of nights, it's been crazy busy. How was everyone's Christmas? :D
This one is a Big Four story, I've wanted to do one for a while, but it'll probably be all drabble or something, 'cos- surprise surprise!- I don't have ideas for this one either! I do not own Jack and Hiccup- DreamWorks- or Merida and Rapunzel- Disney- and if they are OOC, I'm real sorry, not really written/never written these characters before. Any suggestions to improve characters are greatly welcomed! Merida's accent might not be right, just pretend she has her regular accent anyway.
"This had better be good, Frost." Merida grumbled, trying to coax Angus from the ship. Rapunzel was running about the deck, her magical blonde hair fashioned in a braid that swished about her ankles.
"Hurry up!" She urged her friend excitedly, eager to meet Jack's Viking buddy. "Angus, go!" She ordered. The horse whickered and edged down the gangplank at a faster pace. He leapt the last bit, whinnying proudly. "Maximus!" Rapunzel called, bouncing off to find her steed.
Jack alighted on Angus's back, petting the horse to reassure him and grinning cheekily. Merida rolled her eyes at him, stomping back abroad the ship to locate her belongings. Jack had advised them to pack for a long trip and to pack warm, for them and their horses. This ins mind, he had convinced Rapunzel to wear shoes. Much to Merida's amazement.
The two princesses followed Jack about the island, firing questions at him. Rapunzel wanted to know where the dragons were and were Hiccup was and if she could have a small dragon and would Pascal be OK? Merida wanted to know if they were nearly there and if she could shoot anything.
"Let's find Hiccup first." He told them, floating ahead. "Then he can answer your questions."
"Are we OK to be here?" Rapunzel asked, pushing her fringe from her eyes. "These Vikings won't freak out, will they?"
"Hopefully not." Maximus snorted indignantly and came to an abrupt halt, adamantly not moving. "Hiccup will make sure you're OK, don't worry." Maximus still didn't move. "He may even have apples." That got the horse going again.
They heard distant cheering and then a black dragon shot into the sky, looping and then falling back down. Jack grinned. "There he is!" Rapunzel nudged Maximus into a canter and Merida, after muttering something, followed suit.
Dragons raced through the air above them, a sheep bouncing from rider to rider. Nets hung from a stage, doors open to allow access to them. Each door had a dragon symbol painted on it and some of the nets had sheep in.
"What's going on?" Merida called over the cheers of the crowds.
"Isn't that animal cruelty?" Rapunzel demanded simultaneously, green eyes wide and fixed on the miserable animals.
"I don't know!" Jack replied to both. "Wait here!" He shot up, quickly catching up with the Night Fury and sitting behind his rider. "Greetings!" Hiccup started and looked back. He was wearing a full face mask and some sort of leather suit. His emerald eyes widened behind the mask.
"Jack?" His voice was muffled and full of disbelief. "Long time no see!"
"Yep." Jack agreed. "What's going on?"
"Dragon racing! Now shoo! I need to beat Astrid!" Hiccup unceremoniously shoved Jack off and spurred Toothless on. One of his friends on a red dragon threw the sheep to the girl on the two-headed dragon. Before she caught it, a blue dragon zipped up and intercepted. Hiccup and Toothless went after that one.
Jack returned to the two girls and their horses and explained. Merida looked intrigued and watched the race eagerly. Rapunzel ranted about how rude it was of Hiccup to push Jack off like that.
"I can fly."
"Still! I'm going to have a word with him!" Jack sighed, smiling. There was no changing Rapunzel's mind when it was set on something.
A loud, low horn sounded and the crowds cheered louder. The dragons flew with more urgency and the riders started shouting at each other. Another sheep flew up from the catapult, but this one was black. Must mean something else, Jack thought.
"Get back, Hiccup!" Someone- a girl- yelled. The Night Fury shot past the blue dragon and grabbed the black sheep. "Hiccup!" Hiccup waved cheekily and Toothless sped ahead of the other dragons. The black sheep was dropped in his net, no contest.
The horn blew again, the race had ended. Hiccup had his arms up in victory while the blue dragon rider made straight for him. She leapt from her dragon and onto to Toothless, strangling Hiccup. Apparently, that was funny.
Jack rushed to help, holding his staff at the ready. Then he realised Hiccup wasn't in true danger- his friend was just a sore loser.
With a start, he recognised the young woman as Astrid. How long had he been gone? The thing with immortality was that you didn't age and time was difficult to follow at times. Having mortal friends eventually left you lonely and you could never tell if you had been away for a week or a year.
Toothless landed and tipped Hiccup and Astrid off. The other dragons dropped too, their riders looking disgruntled at losing and amused at Toothless's antics. The black dragon had now pinned the fighting pair to the ground. Astrid had one arm trapped and was still trying to punch Hiccup. Merida and Rapunzel were looking at Jack questioningly. Jack just watched the pair fighting, proud of how Hiccup was more relaxed and laughing around Astrid now, not some tense, jumpy and stuttering hiccup.
"Need some help?" He offered eventually. "Toothless, off. Shift." The dragon chortled and proceeded to drool all over his two captives. They stopped fighting each other, arms thrown over their heads and complaints rising drastically. Jack snickered and scratched Toothless behind the ear, finding the favourite petting spot instantly. Toothless rolled aside, pawing at the air and cooing happily. Hiccup helped Astrid to her feet, flicking Night Fury salvia from her hair and his arm.
"Stupid dragon." Toothless snorted disapprovingly, narrowing his eyes at Hiccup and growling. "No, you deserved that one. Roll over." The dragon stubbornly turned his head away. "Big baby boo!" Hiccup teased. Toothless bounced up and knocked Hiccup flat, promptly licking him and covering him in another few layers of drool.
It was another twenty minutes before Jack got to introduce Hiccup to the two friends he had told many stories to.
It was also then that Hiccup had his helmet off for the first time.
"What happened to you?!" Jack marvelled.
"I grew up." Hiccup replied calmly, his eyes gleaming in amusement. Jack stood next to him and saw that Hiccup was practically the same height as him now. Hiccup teased him further by swishing his hand across the tops of their heads, comparing. Jack froze his hand in a heavy block of ice. "Hey!"
"I can see why Toothless goes off you from time to time."
"Oh, no. Quite often actually."
"Still unsurprising. Where is Toothless anyway?" It was then Jack noticed Astrid, standing a little away and eyeing Merida and Rapunzel dubiously. "Is she OK?"
"Toothless is running around somewhere with Stormfly, probably pulling down trees and Astrid is alright, she just has her suspicions about new girls to the island. Did I ever tell you about Heather?"
"Who?"
"Later then." He turned and waved Astrid over. "Try not to kill anyone though, please."
"I can't make any promises." She waved him aside, her eyes locking on Jack and narrowing.
"Can she see me?"
"She can hear you too." Astrid answered curtly. Jack held his hands up at the hostility in her tone. Hiccup nudged her lightly and she exhaled slowly, tension slipping from her shoulders.
"Awesome." Jack held his hand out and she shook it. "Right, this is Rapunzel and Merida. Ladies, this is Hiccup and his friend-"
"Fiancée." The two Vikings cut in.
"When did that happen?"
"A few months ago." Hiccup answered casually, grinning cheekily at Jack's shocked look. Astrid smiled too. They left Jack to gape at them and shook hands with the two visitors. "Which one of you has the flying pan?"
"Frying pan!" Rapunzel corrected. "That would be me!" She added happily. Then she remembered she was angry at him. "And you!" Hiccup started. "Pushing Jack off like that!" She retrieved her frying pan from one of Max's saddlebags and squared her shoulders at Hiccup, even though he was a foot taller than her. "That's just plain rude! I thought you were friends!"
"We are, it's just… we pick on each other all the time, so-"
"Not the point!" Rapunzel raised her frying pan. Astrid reacted before Hiccup did, kicking Rapunzel's feet out from under her and booting the frying pan away. Merida chortled happily.
"I like you already!"
"Are all Vikings this rude?" Rapunzel despaired.
"You did come to our island and tried to attack the chief."
"Chief?" Jack spluttered. "Hiccup, you have some serious explaining to do!"
"Alright, alright, keep your hair on."
"Next you'll be telling me your leg's grown back or something."
"No, but I did find my mum." Jack fell back into a stunned silence, staring at his old friend open-mouthed. He dutifully helped Rapunzel to her feet, ever the gentleman. She seemed more appeased at that, dusting herself down. "Come on, we'll give you the tour. You OK?" He asked Astrid. She was inspecting the horses.
"Will you be able to keep up on those?" Maximus snorted in protest, stomping his hooves and tossing his mane in annoyance. Angus's ears flattened and he huffed. Astrid smirked. "Alright then." She and Hiccup let out two strange sounds. Within seconds, their dragons arrived.
"What was that?" Merida asked.
"Dragon calls." Toothless chortled and bit playfully at Stormfly. "Hey, behave!" Toothless mewled, pawing at his rider. "No, don't pull that face. We have guests." Rapunzel was already petting Stormfly, laughing quietly and amazed.
"She's so pretty." Hiccup hummed in agreement, but he wasn't looking at the Deadly Nadder. He was looking at Astrid. Jack elbowed him, smirking. Hiccup nudged him back.
"Come on. Before Dad finds me."
"Why before your dad finds you?" Merida quizzed, slinging herself up into Angus's saddle.
"Probably some more chiefly lessons or something." Hiccup made a face and they all smiled.
How's this? :D