"Hmmm... Here maybe?" Rapunzel questioned Jack. She pointed to a clump of bushes a little off the trail in a well hidden area.

"No," Jack said in response. "A little too hidden. Remember, it needs to be in an open area easy to see."

"Then what's the point of hiding it in the woods?"

"I was thinking more in a tree or something. Somewhere hard to get."

The large area of land they were using was reclusive and was used as public hunting grounds. Jack had observed that it was the perfect spot to play Capture the Flag.

"It's a fun game which involves teams," Jack had said the previous day to Rapunzel and their friends, Merida and Hiccup. "I think we should play it."

Merida swept her hair back. The fiery red curls would not keep out of her face. "I think it sounds kinda borin'," she remarked.

"Well, what are the rules Jack?" Hiccup said, shooting a look at Merida. "After all, we've never played it, so let's not judge yet."

Jack nodded. "Each team has a flag," he started, "and each team has a 'territory' where they can hide their flag. The object of the game is to capture the other team's flag. But there are a few catches. The other team can take you 'prisoner' by tagging you. Now, in between the two territories is a neutral zone. You cannot be caught in a neutral zone, and you cannot be caught in your own territory. If you are caught, then you go to the opposite team's designated 'jail'. While in this 'jail', you are not permitted to look for the flag. Another rule is when you get to the flag without being tagged, you have to carry the flag into your own territory. If you are tagged with the flag, you become prisoner and the team you stole the flag from has the option of re-hiding the flag, or to put it back in its original spot."

"Can you break from jail?" Rapunzel asked, interrupting Jack's lecture.

"Your team has to break you out. They do so by going to the opposing team's jail and tagging you back. Once you are tagged, you go back to your territory while the person who helped you escape has to make it back without being tagged. So, if Hiccup were being held prisoner by Merida, and I were on Hiccup's team, I could go into Merida's territory and rescue Hiccup. If I succeed in freeing Hiccup, he gets to go back to our side, but I can still be tagged and taken prisoner. Hiccup is, like, regenerating his life."

"So if aye notice yu are freein' Hiccup, aye can take yu prisoner, but cannot re-capture Hiccup," Merida reasoned.

"Yes. But once he gets back to our territory, he is vulnerable again."

Rapunzel was rubbing her hands together. "I say we play this! It would be fun! How about tomorrow?"

Everyone nodded, and Jack said, "Okay. Let's split the teams now. Rapunzel and I will be on team, and Hiccup and Merida are the other. And I almost forgot, the flag needs to be visible to the eye. It cannot be buried."

"Two-on-two?" Hiccup asked. "That doesn't seem like fun."

Jack grinned. "You can-how should I put it? Recruit people. Work with your team member and get people on your side. If you have no team tomorrow, oh well."

...

All the team captains had managed to recruit proper team members. Jack had gotten all the guardians, including their helpers, on his team (even though Bunnymund was difficult to persuade in the beginning). Rapunzel had added Flynn, the Captain of the Guard, the Piano Man from the Snuggly Duckling and his buddies, Max, and a handful of palace guards.

Merida had grabbed her three brothers, her father (her mother had gently declined), the lords and their sons (along with a few clan members), and a few of her own clan members. Hiccup had had the most luck, with his entire tribe joining and a whole herd of dragons with them.

Now, they had five minutes to hide the flag. When those five minutes were over, a horn would sound the end of the flag hiding time. Then they would have another five minutes to discuss team strategy before the team captains met in the neutral zone to start the game. Jack was beginning to worry they wouldn't be able to hide the flag in time.

"Oh look," Rapunzel exclaimed. "Under this rock. There's this little space."

Jack looked at the large rock half embedded in the soil. Underneath, there was a small bit of space, like a small cave, and just large enough to hold the flag. But it was hidden enough.

"Perfect." Jack stuffed the white piece of material that was their flag under the rock. The opposite team's flag was identical to theirs, so they knew what to look for.

"I say we have about a minute," Rapunzel commented, looking back in the way they came. The rest of their team was back at headquarters, and the jail was located in a ditch nearby. It was in the middle of an open field, and the field was being guarded by the palace guards. "We'd better get back before the horn sounds."

"No prob," Jack said with a smirk, pulling Rapunzel into the air. She shrieked as her feet suddenly left the ground.

No sooner than they had landed back at HQ, the horn sounded. "Okay!" Jack shouted. "The flag is hidden in those woods over there. " He pointed to the large stretch of woods just beyond the field. "It's under a rock, but just underneath is a small cave-like hole. The flag is hidden in there. It would be dangerous to show you all where it is, but I show our flag guards where it is."

Flynn had other ideas. "If someone on the other team were walking through the woods," he began showing this by sauntering toward the Piano Man," and were to see a person standing there," he pointed at the Piano Man, " wouldn't that be a bit... I don't know, obvious?"

"That's why the guards will be disguised." Jack glanced at Bunnymund. "I was thinking your sentinel eggs would be perfect. They would go perfectly with the scenery."

Bunnymund glared back, but sighed. "Fine."

"Alright then! Rapunzel, show the sentinel eggs where the flag is and position them around it. If anyone comes near, take 'em prisoner.

"Now, who would like to be on offense?"

A number of hands went up; the Snuggly Duckling group, Flynn, Tooth.

"Okay. I will instruct you later. First let's work out defense; that will be the rest of you. Now, we never know when they will attack, so you always have to be ready. They can't take you prisoner in your own territory, so there's nothing to worry about there."

"Jack, hurry up," Rapunzel hissed.

"I want half the palace guards to patrol the field. Make them to think something is here. The other half is going to patrol the perimeter and look for intruders. Scout the neutral zone carefully.

"North, I want you to patrol from the air. Take Bunny with you. Look out for their dragons and put them down. WITHOUT HURTING THEM.

"Captain, I want you and the Yetis to check on everyone to see if it's all operating smoothly. If something is wrong, fix it. You are in command here at home base.

"And finally Sandy." Everyone looked at the Sand Man with interest. Jack obviously had something special in mind.

"I want you to generate some kind of a force field around the perimeter. If you can, make it invisible. That way we will know when someone breaks in."

Sandy nodded and grinned.

"Rapunzel, go show the eggs now. I takes awhile to get to the flag. Remember where it is?"

"Yes."

"Okay, go!" As Rapunzel hurried away with the large sentinel eggs following her, Jack turned back to the group. "Alright. Defense. Got it?"

A chorus of "yes" and "yup" erupted from the group.

"Now. Offense is a bit more complicated. Tooth, you are offense, correct?"

"Yes Jack," Tooth responded with a sneaky grin.

"Your fairies will scout. They will look for the flag and also spy on the other team. You instruct them where to go.

"Offense is a job that involves sneakiness, stealth, and trickery. Sneakiness and stealth may seem the same, but stealth is hiding, and sneakiness is more of a spy business. Snuggly Duckling gang," Jack said, addressing the large group of muscular men with eyepatches and excessive amounts of weaponry. "You will be focused on more of the trickery part. Lead the other team away from the real attack, sort of like a diversion. This will be especially effective after we locate the flag, because other team members will be going into enemy territory to capture it. Your job is to lead them away from them.

"Flynn and Tooth, you will also scout for the flag, but let the Tooth fairies take the real hard places and try to keep the other team busy. Stealth will be the fairies' job, but you have sneakiness. Spy. Lean information. Study battle plans. Hiccup's entire tribe was trained for war, so they might do more of a direct approach. In general, learn information.

"Ah," Jack exclaimed when he saw Rapunzel hurry back.

"Everyone ready?" She asked, excitement in her eyes. "The eggs are in position."

Jack nodded and said, "We have to go meet Merida and Hiccup anyway. Its been about five-ish minutes. Okay!" He shouted turning back to the team. "When you hear the horn the second time, the game has officially started!"

A whoop sounded from Flynn, and everyone else cheered. Rapunzel waved as Jack scooped her up and began flying toward the designated neutral zone. Sandy shot bursts of sand into the cloudless blue sky, causing the yellow light to gradually begin to protect the borders. Everyone ran off to perform their duties, waiting anxiously and eagerly for the game to start.

...

Hiccup and Merida's team was not having such luck. After producing a larger team than the opposing one and choosing the better part of the grounds for their territory, they had been certain that they were going to have an easy win.

It was not as easy. The flag had taken them more than five minutes to hide, and team planning was difficult because most of Merida's recruits were not willing to listen to her. "We're from different clans," they protested. Merida was seriously ready to start shooting some of them. Hiccup's tribe was naturally stubborn, as all Vikings were, so no obedience came from them either. So really, the only team they had was the dozen men Merida had grabbed from her clan, her family, and Hiccup's girlfriend, Astrid.

"Ugh," Merida said for perhaps the fourth time in one sentence Hiccup was trying to get out. Outside of the small group of obedient members, everyone had their own idea. The Berkians wanted a direct approach, and the other members of the clans agreed. Lord Macintosh was already forming a plan while Stoick the Vast was filling in details. Lords Macguffin and Dingwold wanted the Berkians on their sides, and of course the sons where fighting on the sides of their fathers. Stoick and Macintosh had hit it off with each other, making the other lords angry. Hiccup was desperately trying to get their attention, but having no luck.

"This is not going to work," Hiccup whispered to Merida after failing to grab everyone's attention. "They're fighting each other already."

"Whut 'bout yur friends?" Merida whispered back while peering over the civil war the had already started.

"Only Astrid will listen. Fishlegs is scared Meatlug will get hurt, and claims she doesn't like battles and warfare. Snotlout never will listen to me. He says I'm his 'archenemy', but that is NOT TRUE. The twins just want stuff blown up. Just look at them now!" He motioned to the Thorston twins, who were sitting on their dragon observing the brawl. They were cackling and slapping each other while yelling for destruction. Hiccup shook his head. "This is never going to work. Just look at them!"

"Do yu think wee should tell Jack and Rapunzel?"

Hiccup shook his head. "That would be a sign of surrender, and Vikings never surrender. Besides, this game would be fun IF WE ACTUALLY HAD A TEAM TO PLAY WITH!"

Merida sighed. Hiccup was right. "Let's just go to the border. Go meet our opponents."

"No," Hiccup said. "Gather the 'loyal'," he said this with air quotes, "team members. I have an idea."

"'Course yu do," Merida muttered, then remembered "proper" princesses didn't mutter.

...

Jack tapped his foot against the ground, anxiously waiting for Hiccup and Merida. Sandy's shield was being tested by Rapunzel now, and when he saw a large flash of light, he knew she had gone in. The only problem with the shield was that the team members would confuse their team from the other team. But no matter; Jack was confident in his plan.

Rapunzel ran back out, giddy with excitement. "Here yet?"

Jack shook his head. "No. They should be though. Only five minutes. Maybe we should have had the horn blow again."

As he was saying this, a shadow swooped in above them. Toothless the Night Fury landed in front of them, and Hiccup jumped off. Merida came riding up behind him on Angus. Immediately Jack was alert; it had to be part if a plan. There was no need to ride in on separate animals.

"You're late," he said when they were all assembled.

Merida shot him an icy glare. "Yu try gettin' together a team that can't play together!"

"What Merida is trying to say is," Hiccup laid a hand on Merida's shoulder, "our team is made of stubborn Vikings and enemy clan members. That was a bit of stupidity on both our parts."

"Aye said leave 'em," Merida grumbled. "Let 'em fight while we raid yu."

Rapunzel groaned. "Can we start already?"

Jack nodded. "You guys ready?"

"Seems yu are," Merida said. "Yu have a shield an' everythin'."

"Merida!" Hiccup shouted. "Don't be bitter. Even though most of our team doesn't cooperate, they still want to win. Okay?"

She just glared.

"Fine," Hiccup said, exasperated.

They all shook hands, and the horn sounded. Almost immediately, Hiccup and Merida took off back into their own territory. Jack and Rapunzel grinned, eager to put their plan into action. Everything had fallen perfectly in place.