Well, I'm back! I've noticed that not a lot of updating is happening on my end, so I really hope that this super long chapter makes up for it.

So, as is custom with most of my fanfics, there's a large time skip. Well, not that large, only a few (5) months long. Hope you guys will like where this is going, even if it's a little hard to tell at this point.

Leave reviews if you have any questions or concerns, or if you're just feeling generous. Anyways, hope you enjoy!

5 months later...

Jack POV

"Jack!" Merida yelled, wiping the snow off of her face.

I laughed and took off in the opposite direction. I had managed to nail Merida in the face with a snowball while she was preoccupied with training in the gym, and her reaction had been absolutely priceless. Her face had almost turned the colour of her hair, a bright orange offset by the flames she held in her hand. I decided it had been totally worth it as I fled down the hallways on a thin sheen of ice.

"I'm gonna bloody murder you!" Merida called. She sounded like she was getting closer.

"Have to catch me first, Princess." I yelled over my shoulder, grinning brightly.

I ran up the stairs onto the second level. We had only recently been allowed into the tech hallway, mostly due to Gobber's lack of trust when it came to us and our powers. The second floor housed the more office-oriented half of HQ. It's where the technical workers liked to hang out, and where Gobber often went to escape our crazy antics; until we started bringing the antics to him.

I passed three rooms with glass walls that held the chemistry labs and made my way towards the very back of the building, where I knew Gobber's office was located. Gobber's office was the only room with a window that opened; a perfect escape route for a flying boy and a girl whose feet were stuck on the ground.

I smiled as I heard the sizzling of snow being melted, knowing that Merida followed closely behind me. I swung Gobbers door open, and saw the giant man sitting at his desk, glasses too small for his face perched on the bridge of his nose, peering at his computer.

"Jack? What in the name of Thor are you-" He began.

"Hey, Gobber." I said nonchalantly. "I need to jump out your window."

I leaped over a pile of loose papers on the ground and made my way to the large glass pane.

"What is going on-"

"Jackson Overland Frost! When I get my hands on you-" Merida shouted from the hallway. I increased my pace.

I fumbled with the latch and swung the window open, standing in the frame. I saw a flash of red down the hallway and knew Merida was only seconds away.

"Don't tell her I was here. Thanks, Gobber." I called. I tumbled backwards out the window and summoned the wind to catch me. I fell only a few feet before hovering steadily in the air, smiling when I realised I had gotten away.

"Oi, Gobber." I heard Merida's thick accent cut through the rush of wind. "Where did-"

"Out the window." Gobber answered without hesitation.

"Traitor!" I called from where I hovered in the air.

I didn't hear what Gobber muttered under his breath, but assumed it was some crude comment about Merida and I's constant fighting. Merida walked up to the window and stuck her head out, her red hair twisting and fluttering in the wind.

"Frost, I swear-"

"Sup hothead?" I asked casually. I swooped through the air so I was just below the window. I lay on my back, hands in my pocket.

Merida didn't say anything, just dropped a small fireball from the window pane.

"Woah!" I called, narrowly dodging the flaming balls of death she continued to throw at me. "Careful Princess, you might actually hit me one of these days."

"That's the point." She growled. She continued in the assault.

"Would you two mutton heads cut it out." Gobber said from his office, still typing away in his swivel chair.

I looked up to the window. Merida glared at me, but pulled back inside. I warily rose up to the window and landed unsteadily on the pane. Her hair was still smoldering, but I deemed it safe to enter, because Gobber was standing in between the two of us.

Gobber was frowning, though not at us, but at a large tablet he held in his left hand.

"What's the problem?" I asked him. I stayed a cautious distance away from Merida, whose hair I was sure was still smoldering..

He stayed silent before swiping the screen.

"Oi, earth to Gobber." Merida said, not looking as intent on killing me as earlier.

Gobber muttered something under his breath before tossing the tablet onto his desk. His jaw was set and he looked grim.

"Get Rapunzel and stay in the meeting room." He ordered. His tone left no room for arguments. "Well, what are you waiting for? An invitation? Go!"

We left the room urgently, Merida and I's feud forgotten for the moment. We raced down the stairs to look for Rapunzel. First, we checked the gym, then the living area. We finally found her in her room, painting.

"Punzie, Gobber told us to go to the meeting room." Merida informed her.

Rapunzel turned around, looking concerned. "Why? What's wrong?"

I looked grimly at Merida.

"We don't know." I admitted. She nodded.

The three of us made our way to the meeting room silently. Our shoulders bumped each others as we shared worried glances and panicked expressions.

We had formed an easy comraderie with each other these past months, one that was only strengthened with the secrets we shared. Despite Merida's stubborn personality, and Punzie's naivite, we became quick friends. I hadn't felt this close to anyone since Emma...

We reached the meeting room silently. As soon as the glass doors slid shut we sat in our respective seats, adjusting our positions. I had the hood of my blue sweatshirt up, nowadays always covered in frost, creating what Merida liked to call the 'hoodie of solitude'. Rapunzel was the first to speak up.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Merida was busy trying to kill me." I said. Rapunzel barely batted an eye, as this was a regular occurence here. "Before Gobber got all freaky and sent us down here."

"He had his tablet, and looked worried." Merida continued. "Next thing we know, he's telling us to go find you, stay in the meeting room."

"What could have been on that tablet?" Rapunzel said, spinning around in her chair.

"Whatever it was, I pretty sure it's not good news." I said, pulling down my hood.

"Thanks, Frost." Merida droned. "What was your first clue?"

We stayed silent for a few moments before I began rolling around in my chair, out of sheer boredom. I saw Merida roll her eyes from where she was sitting, and I grinned, knowing my lack of focus annoyed her to no end.

We ended up sitting in the meeting room for nearly half an hour, and by then we were so bored worrisome thoughts were far from our minds.

Twenty minutes later, we were playing x's and o's using our powers in the air. Punzie had projected a grid for Merida and I's fire and ice x's and o's to play on. After Merida had won nearly five times in a row, Punzie dropped the grid and Merida and I's figures disappeared. I was about to suggest we go find Gobber, when the doors behind us opened revealing two figures.

Two figures?

Hicccup POV

I awoke to stark lights, harsh flurouscent lightbulbs that hurt my eyes. I groaned and squeezed them shut, the brightness hurting my eyes, weak from slumber.

Where was I?

That one thought was enough to propel me from my lethargy into full conciousness. I sat up, my head reeling with the sudden movement. I was in a very bright room, and there were rows of beds across from me, empty.

Was I in a hospital? But then why was it empty?

I looked around the empty space some more. High-tech equipment lay neatly around the room, none of it in use. To my surprise, not all of it was hospital equipment, or at least, it didn't look like it. I did, however notice a few I.V poles and one or two EKG's.

I turned and sat on the edge of the bed, when a rush of memories swamped me. The machine, the explosion... gods, what had happened?

My legs dangled off the edge of the bed, well at least my leg did. I realised my prosthetic wasn't attached, and was glad I had noticed that before trying to stand. I had woken up and forgotten to attach the contraption before far too many times, and had earned quite a few bruises to show for it.

I looked around, slightly panicked, wondering where it was. I caught sight of the shiny glint of plastic and metal from beside the bed. It was propped up against a white cement wall. I grabbed it, grateful it hadn't been lost. I put it on and once again looked around the room. When I was sure it was secure, I stood.

I looked down at what I was wearing. Surprisingly, it wasn't a hospital uniform, or a robe of any sorts. It was one of my many green shirts from home, and a pair of jeans that came down to my ankles. I spotted my torn pair of black converse laying at the foot of the bed, and I gratefully slipped them on.

I stood quickly and walked around the room, glad to find my legs still worked, and searched for an exit. One of the walls was made of a single glass panel, and the other three painted cement. None of them seemed to hold an actual doorway. An electronic beep, and then a quiet woosh eminated from the glass wall on my left. I spun around and faed a familiar acquaintance.

"Hiccup!" Gobber said, striding into the room.

"Gobber, what-" I began, my voice scratchy from sleep.

To my surprise, Gobber walked right up to me and held me in a bear hug, crushing my body. To my surprise, it didn't hurt as much as I was expecting it to.

"Gobber, hold on-"

"Haha! They said you weren't gonna wake up, but I told 'em you would. Stubborn, just like your old man." My old mentor said brightly, setting me down onto the floor again. I stretched my right arm, which had been pinned to my side during the painful hug.

"Wait, hold on. Not wake up?" I asked, trying to make sense of the situation. "Gobber, where am I?"

Gobber's smile slowly faded and he looked suddenly very tired. He gestured for me to sit down on the bed. I frowned, suddenly worried. Did this have anything to do with the explosion the charged particle manipulator caused?

"What do you remember?" He asked, looking at me through his bushy eyebrows.

"I remember the CPM exploding, and then... I-I guess I fell asleep. Why?" I asked.

"Hiccup, you were asleep for six months." He said, far gentler than normal.

I blanched. Asleep for six months? Half a year, gone, spent asleep, lost in dreams I couldn't remember. Had... had I really been asleep that long? Shouldn't I be dead?

"What happened?" I asked.

"When the CPM exploded, it shook up a lot of people." He said. "And for a few... it changed them."

I stayed silent. This wasn't real. Something so simple as the CPM couldn't have affected anyone. Did I hurt anyone? Gods, if someone had died-

"How did it change them?" I asked weakly, fearing the answer.

Gobber shook his head and gave a short laugh. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

I swallowed.

"I'll try." I challenged, peering at the man carefully.

Gobber smiled, for once, the grin reached his murky green eyes.

"Well, then, let me introduce you to a few people."

We walked down a clean, white hallway with pale laminate flooring. From what I had seen so far, this building was very high-tech, with all the new gadgets anyone could ever want. How Gobber and I of all people had ended up here was beyond my reasoning.

I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans as I followed behind Gobber anxiously. I vaguely wondered where my glasses went, and why I could actually see where I was going without them. The anxiety and nerves that twisted through my gut were enough to distract me from the fact at the time.

We turned a final corner and came face to face with a glass wall, with small frosted glass words explaining which room this was. The small font was still slightly blurry to me, and it was at that moment I realised I still very much, needed my glasses.

I followed Gobber through the simple hallways tensely, and noticed that he walked straight towards the glass pane. Just as I was about to note that he was about to hit it head on, a glass panel suddenly slid open. I entered the room as well, turning to watch as the door slid closed behind me.

I rotated once again to face forwards, observing the scene before me quietly. Sitting inside the room were three teenagers all of them with bright, uncommonly coloured hair. One of them even had a ridiculous amount of it. Simultaneously, they all turned around, and stood when they saw Gobber. Quickly, there eyes darted to my form, still half hidden behind Gobber, back to the door. I felt like I should say something, but nothing would come out.

"Who is he?" The curly-haired redhead demanded. She had an uncommon accent, Scottish, I would presume. The other girl stepped forwards, the one with the unnaturally huge braid of golden blonde hair.

"Are you okay, Gobber?" The blonde asked. "What happened?"

"I had to go get him." Gobber explained, suddenly placing a thick arm around my shoulders, forcing me to bend down so he could rest it comfortably around my neck. Wait, bend down? I was a whole foot shorter than Gobber, I shoudn't have to-

"Who's the boy?" The redhead demanded once again, crossing her arms.

Gobber sighed and removed his arm. I ran a hand through my hair and shifted nervously.

"I think some introductions are in place." Gobber prompted. I remained silent as the boy with bright blue eyes and startling white hair stepped forwards.

"Jack Overland." He said, holding out a hand.

I stared at it for a moment before realising he wanted me to shake it. I reached forwards to grab it, when Jack suddenly jumped back, looking surprised.

"Ow! You shocked me." He whined.

"S-sorry." I muttered, pulling my hand back quickly.

I saw the redhead roll her eyes as she stepped forwards, not bothering to hold her hand out to shake.

"Merida Dun'Broch." She said, and air of pride lancing through her words. I nodded back at her, noting the way she studied me closely.

Finally the blonde haired girl stepped forwards, holding her hand out to shake as well. I reached out warily, and to my surprise she jumped back as well.

"S-sorry." I apologised yet again. "I guess I'm, uh, charged up." I said weakly.

She smiled warmly and dismissed my apology.

"It's fine. My name's Rapunzel Corona."

"Thanks." I muttered, feeling bad about shocking her. There was a short awkward silence before Gobber nudged me, nearly knocking me over.

"Wha-?" I asked, before seeing the small jerk of his head towards the three people standing in front of me.

"Oh, yeah, right." I cleared my throat. "Well, I'm Hiccup Haddock."

Merida snorted. "Hiccup?" She asked. Jack mirrored her expression, and I tried my best not to visibly show my embarassment.

"Great name, I know." I droned.

Gobber frowned at them, but stepped forwards and walked into the center of the room, where an oblong glass table rested. To my surprise, when Gobber tapped it, it lit up and the BERK industries logo appeared in the center. A touch-screen table. I never thought I'd see one f those.

"Why is he here?" Merida asked, jabbing a thumb in my direction.

Gobber snorted. "Why do you think? He's one of you."

The three of them looked like a bombshell had fallen in the room.

"But you said-" Jack started.

"I know what I said." Gobber replied.

"How is he one of us?" Merida asked.

Jack rolled his eyes.

"What would be the only way he could be like us?" He demanded. He then turned to me, looking excited.

"So do you know what your powers are yet?" He asked.

I looked at him like he had gone mad.

"What?" I asked. This was all just a little too much weird for me in one day.

Gobber sighed, and I could tell he was beginning to think, putting together a string of sentences that could help me begin to comprehend what was happening.

"You remember the explosion the CPM set off?" He asked me, the touch screen table lighting up his face in a blue glow.

"Well, I mean, I was there." I answered.

"When I said it affected people, I meant it gave some of them powers." He continued, as though he hadn't heard my sarcastic comment. He gave me a moment to think it over.

"I knew it." I deadpanned. "You're crazy too."

"Can we show him?" Jack interrupted. I looked between the two of them, wondering what kind of practical joke this was supposed to be.

Gobber nodded and Jack looked like Christmas morning had come early. The white-haired boy held out a hand, palm facing the ground. I watched with uncertainty as he swept it to the side and grinned. I looked down at my feet and noticed a thin sheet of frost covering the ground. I cursed and stumbled away.

"What the hell?" I asked.

Jack laughed and slid across the frost. He then held his hand out again, and a snowball appeared in his palm. The snowball disappeared from his grasp and I stared, terrified, as he calmly tucked his hands back into his pockets.

"Jack the cryokinetic, at your service." He mock bowed to me then stepped back with a flourish.

I said nothing, the shock overwhelming me. I was dead. I died in the explosion, or I was still in a coma, hallucinating. This wasn't real. Or maybe I was in a mental hospital, finally having gone crazy. I should have known that much time in the lab around Gobber couldn't be good for my mental health.

Merida stepped forwards, a small smile playing on her lips. Before I could begin to get over the shock of what had happened, her hair burst into flames. I did what any rational person would do, and that was panic.

I jumped back at the sight and rested heavily on a chair resting beside the table. Her hair wasn't burning, as in turning black and shrinking into black slivers. I couldn't smell the acrid scent of hair crisped, I saw no smoke. Her hair was on fire... but it wasn't burning.

"I'm a pyrokinetic, in case you haven't guessed." She stated calmly. Just as fast as the fire had appeared, it dispersed, and I was left gaping at the smug looking redhead.

"I can't control fire, or ice," Rapunzel said quietly. "But I can heal people, and control light."

"Of course." I muttered weakly. "What about you, Gobber? Can you fly?"

"Nope." Gobber said.

"I can." Jack jumped in.

"I knew it. I'm dead." I said, knowing this was the only scientific conclusion.

Gobber chuckled. "No, but you gave it your best shot. Come here." He gestured to the chair beside him.

With my knees shaking, I walked over to the chair and sat down heavily, leaning my elbows on my knees and holding my head in my hands.

"Did I-did I do this?" I asked, not wanting to hear the answer. Gobber's silence was enough. "I really screwed this up, didn't I?"

"Wait a second, you did this?" Merida asked. She turned to Gobber. "He did this?"

"Merida." Gobber cut in, frowning.

"Gobber, if he's the one-"

"Merida." Gobber said, a bit more forcefully, glaring at her. I had seen that glare before, only once, and it had been enough to scare away a Dragon. Merida however, didn't run as I had expected her to. Instead, she became quiet, and retreated back to where she was sitting. The other two followed her lead, until eventually we were all seated around the oval-shaped table.

"Hiccup," Gobber began. "You've got powers too."

I stayed silent.

"How come you weren't this caring when you told us we had powers?" Jack asked. His voice sounded muted.

My head spun, and I felt light-headed. No, no, no. I didn't-I couldn't. No. Powers were not real, there was no science behind it, they didn't exist. People having powers-especially people like me-were reserved for comic books and movies. This wasn't a comic book nor was it a movie.

"Are you ok?" Someone asked me. Rapunzel, I think.

"No." I answered.

Apparently that wasn't the answer she was looking for, beacause she went silent.

"It was hard for us too, but once we start training you it'll get better." Merida told me. "It'll be so easy using them will be second nature."

For some absurd reason, I laughed.

"You don't understand." I said quietly. "Nothing's ever easy for me."

"Stop being so down about it." Jack told me. "Having powers is awesome, not to mention tons of fun."

I sighed. It looked like this was actually happening. I looked up at Gobber, who watched with a careful eye. If I was going to at least try and understand this, I needed to push logic out the window and start believing anything was possible, which apparently, it was.

"Alright." I sighed in resignation. "Explain this to me again."

Gobber nodded. Everyone else grinned.