Author's Note: Hmm, I feel like I'm losing steam with this fic. Ah well, hope this chapter makes up for it. On a side note (and I know I'm one day late), Happy Hijack Week!

To anon guy here: Thanks for your review! Sorry about the lack of action, I wanted to build up some background dynamics before we get to the more interesting episodes (this chapter being one of them ^_^). I hope it is to your liking, and feel free to let me know if you think there is more I can improve on. Till then, please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians, How to Train Your Dragon or Portal/Portal 2.


Hypothesis

Chapter 4: Teething

:: The Vital Apparatus Vent will deliver a Weighted Companion Cube in three, two, one. ::

At the end of the corridor from where they exited the lift and made their way over to the next test chamber, another metallic cube was released from the ceiling, dropping into Jack's outstretched arms as he waited underneath the dispenser to catch it.

:: This Weighted Companion Cube will accompany you through the test chamber. Please take care of it. ::

"This one looks different somehow," noted Hiccup, tracing light fingers over the pink hearts decorating the pristine white cube, one on each side. The contrast was stark: all the other cubes they had used previously were dull grey and had scratches and scorch marks on them, clearly having seen better days.

Jack shrugged in response. "It's still only a cube, we just get to take it along with us this time," he said. "What, you want to name it or something?"

Hiccup actually looked thoughtful for a moment as he stared intently at the cube and contemplated the idea, frowning when his partner balked.

"Seriously?" Jack laughed incredulously, shoving it into Hiccup's arms. "Come on, Hic. Quit wasting time and let's get a move on! The test isn't going to finish itself, you know."

"Toothless…" Hiccup whispered, looking down and smiling shyly at the cube in his hands.

"What?"

"I'm calling him 'Toothless'," the brunet declared, sending Jack a look that dared him to object or tease him about it. The white-haired teen blinked and merely raised an eyebrow, prompting Hiccup to defend himself. "It's the first word that came to mind," he said simply.

Jack chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Well, it definitely isn't going to be biting anybody anytime soon, that's for sure. Now let's go already!"

:: The symptoms most commonly produced by Enrichment Center testing are superstition, perceiving inanimate objects as alive, and hallucinations. ::

'Toothless', as it turned out, was far more useful than Jack had initially given him ("He's not an 'it', Jack!" / "How do you know he's a boy and not a girl? He has pink hearts on him, for crying out loud!" / "He just is, now shut up!") credit for. Aside from providing them with a boost of height when they had to climb up ledges that were much taller than usual, he was also pretty handy in redirecting the plasma balls which were discharged from the white circular contraptions mounted on the grey walls. Unfortunately, much to Hiccup's distress in particular, using Toothless as both a deflector and a shield left angry black scorch marks on the once clean and white surface, the resounding clang of condensed plasma hitting metal eliciting a wince from the brunet each time it happened.

:: The Enrichment Center reminds you that the Weighted Companion Cube will never threaten to stab you and, in fact, cannot speak. ::

"Hic, you know it – he's just a cube, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"So he won't talk back no matter how much you fuss over his 'injuries'."

Hiccup opened his mouth to retort with a witty comeback, but paused halfway and snapped it shut with an audible click, turning away from Jack with gritted teeth hidden behind a frown. The white-haired teen didn't say anything more, getting the uncomfortable feeling that he had offended his friend. Shifting uneasily, he wordlessly hopped onto the next ledge in front of him, using his blue laser to point out a switch in the room on Hiccup's left before disappearing into the next section.

Sighing, Hiccup picked up Toothless from where he had set him down on a button, causing the door which Jack had just passed through to slide close. He had been rubbing at the most recent scorch mark Toothless had earned, trying unsuccessfully to smudge away the black burn, when Jack had piped up with his little comment.

"Come on, bud. We're almost there," he whispered to the Companion Cube, patting him gently on one side before making his way over to the switch.

:: In the event that the Weighted Companion Cube does speak, the Enrichment Center urges you to disregard its advice. ::

Jack jumped off the final raised platform, flashing Hiccup a thumbs up to let him know that he had reached his side of the exit safely. Hiccup smiled back and retrieved Toothless from on top of a button, jogging over to meet Jack as the platform behind him lowered back to the ground.

:: You did it! The Weighted Companion Cube certainly brought you good luck. ::

Chuckling, the white-haired test subject prodded the battered cube in his partner's arms good-naturedly. "All right, I admit it. He's pretty cool," he conceded, basking in the growing smile that lit up Hiccup's face.

:: However, it cannot accompany you for the rest of the test and, unfortunately, must be euthanized. Please escort your Companion Cube to the Aperture Science Emergency Intelligence Incinerator. ::

Hiccup's euphoric expression vanished faster than Jack's trigger-happy fingers could fire portals. They shot each other horrified looks, and it was only then that they noticed an ominous lone button sitting on a stand in the room next to them, presumably the switch for the seemingly innocuous chute in front of the sealed exit doors.

:: Rest assured that an independent panel of ethicists has absolved the Enrichment Center, Aperture Science employees, and all test subjects of any moral responsibility for the Companion Cube euthanizing process. ::

Jack sneaked a worried glance at his partner, taking in his tense shoulders and white-knuckled grip on the Companion Cube. Hiccup's wide eyes sent him a pleading look, but they both knew that there was no room for argument. They had tried countless times to talk to the voice, asking her questions and demanding answers, but she had never told them what they wanted to hear. She seemed capable of only repeating the lines she had said before, leading them to question if there was really someone watching them from behind the scenes.

Regardless, they had no other choice.

:: While it has been a faithful companion, the Companion Cube cannot accompany you through the rest of the test. If it could talk – and the Enrichment Center takes this opportunity to remind you that it cannot – it would tell you to go on without it because it would rather die in a fire than become a burden to you. ::

"Hiccup…" Jack began slowly, both hands splayed out in a defensive gesture in an attempt to calm him down. "I don't want to do this either, but we have to if we want to keep going."

"But –" Hiccup choked out, shaking his head and looking so torn and helpless that Jack felt the sudden urge to just hug him and never let go. "What if we just stayed here?" he asked hopefully, his eyes sparking with desperation. "We've been moving from test chamber to test chamber without any real destination, so why can't we just stop? There's no need for us to keep going," he argued, hugging Toothless closer to his chest.

Jack sighed and frowned, clenching his fists in frustration at Hiccup's stubbornness. "Come on, Hic. You're telling me you want to stay here for the rest of your life?" he snapped impatiently, eliciting a flinch from the other test subject at the harsh tone.

:: Testing cannot continue until your Companion Cube has been incinerated. ::

"I can't believe how selfish you are!" he continued, all the annoyance and exasperation that had slowly built up during the test finally bursting out of his mouth. "You'd pick an inanimate object over your own partner, an actual living person?"

Hiccup froze, and suddenly Jack didn't feel so big and righteous anymore. There was a strange tightness in his chest as he caught sight of Hiccup's hurt expression, especially knowing that it was he who put it there. The brunet took one last look at the Companion Cube in his hands before spinning around on his heel. When he made his way to the switch, Jack noticed that his eyes had become a dull, empty green.

"Hic, I –" One arm reached out and Jack tried to apologize, but the words died in his throat as he watched Hiccup hit the button emotionlessly (perhaps with a bit more force than necessary) and walk back to the chute.

The burst of heat that erupted from the open entrance forced Jack to step back, strangely having no effect on the other test subject. He could only watch as Hiccup cast one last fond look at Toothless, giving him a final gentle squeeze with his hands and a small, sad smile, before tossing him into the fires below.

Almost immediately, the chute entrance slammed shut and the exit doors slid open with a loud hiss. Panting slightly in relief from the sudden loss of heat, Jack silently followed his partner into the next lift, trying to ignore the twinge of pain in his heart when Hiccup roughly shrugged off the tentative hand he placed on his shoulder in comfort and apology.

:: You euthanized your faithful Companion Cube more quickly than any test subject on record. Congratulations. ::


Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Comments are greatly appreciated :)