- Tower -
When Hiccup woke up he found himself in a daze. It was an odd state of mind where he expected to wake up in his bed, back on Berk. But instead of a dimly lit wooden room he found walls covered in paintings and decorations.
Blinking his eyes and wrinkling his freckly nose, the male sat up and tried to recall what had happened. Home… Berk… Dad. His dad was sick and he was searching for a flower… Then he meets.. Jack and Merida. Ugh, those two keep fighting. Then a tower. He's in the tower. What happened? And why does his head hurt so bad?
Slowly Hiccup climbs out of the bed and wanders through the doorway. Jack sits by the stairs, watching two girls chatting below. When Jack turns and sees Hiccup he motions for him to come over. "Shhh, the girls are talking." He tells Hiccup, who cautiously sits by him. Downstairs, Rapunzel and Merida sit side by side.
"So, Rapunzel. I told you who Hiccup and I are… Is this where we, oh I dunno'… Address the elephant in the room?" She lifts up a heap of golden hair. "Or shall I say, hair?"
Rapunzel smiles sheepishly and snatches the hair away, hugging it to herself. She shakes her head, "I'd rather not… There's really not much to know."
"How about how scared you are? I've seen— ahhh!" The princess yelped, something was crawling in her hair. Quickly she snatched the intruder out and held a squirming chameleon in her hand.
"No, don't hurt him! That's Pascal, my friend!" Rapunzel shrieked. Complying, the redhead released the creature, watching him scurry to Rapunzel. Not before she could have sworn he stuck his tongue out at her.
Jack smirked, "What is up with animals and her hair?" He said to Hiccup, who grinned in return.
Rapunzel pet Pascal as he rested idly on her shoulder, eyes locked on the redheaded stranger. Merida blinks. "He's kind of the only friend I got. Besides Mother."
Merida raised a brow, "Oh? Not the social type?"
"No… I never got the opportunity to make new friends. I never left this tower." She replies with a smile. Everyone's jaw dropped.
"What…?"
When Rapunzel explained how her mother has told her only of the bad things the world had to offer, everyone could see the pain on Merida's face. And as Jack put it, "We've got a princess who would give anything to be free and a girl who is willingly staying in captivity." Hiccup looked at Jack, who returned the gaze. "They're so different." Hiccup says. "Not just because of that…. Yet…. they still seem to get along"
Jack pursed his lips. Was Hiccup trying to get him and Merida to make amends? Now? Subject change. "She's cute, isn't she? That Rapunzel."
Hiccup's face flushed and he looked away. "We don't get girls like her where I'm from."
"What are the girls like at Berk?"
"… Like Merida."
When Jack howled with laughter, Merida shot her gaze up at him. She gasped, though, to find Hiccup awake. Rapunzel didn't see Jack, but she saw the boy she knocked out and quickly stood. The boys both made the trip downstairs to accompany the ladies.
"Uhm… Hi there. I'm Hicc—"
"I know." Rapunzel interrupted with a giggle. "Merida told me. It's an adorable name by the way! Sorry I hit you with my pan, I'm sorta' jumpy… want some tea? Merida declined—"
Merida set a hand on Rapunzel's shoulder while Hiccup's eyes went wide. "Rapunzel, you are babblin. Calm down. Trust me when I tell ya Hiccup is nothin ta be afraid of. You are more of a man than he is." She whispered the last part, Rapunzel giggled and Hiccup rolled his eyes. "I heard that."
"Can I introduce myself yet or what? Come on you guys!" Jack whined as they sat sipping hot cocoa. Merida looked at Hiccup, who shrugged. Impatient, Jack swung his staff. Instantly everyone and especially Rapunzel's cup of heated liquid froze. Solid. She yelped.
"Eeep! Did you…!?" She glanced at Merida and Hiccup who were giving Jack, thin air, a nasty glare. "Okay, Jack, we were getting to that!" Hiccup groaned.
"Who's Jack…?"
"Our other friend." Hiccup glances at her. She raised her eyebrows. "…. Other friend…. riiiiight…"
"No, Rapunzel. He means Jack Frost. Ya know, old man winter? The guy who nips yer nose…?" Merida tried explaining. Rapunzel stared blankely and rubbed her nose. "A darn winter fairy froze yer chocolate over!"
"Winter fairy!" The blonde lept up with excitement, glancing around the room with wide eyes. Jack raised his staff angrily at Merida. "You have to believe to see." Hiccup says, shoving Jack out of the way.
Rapunzel smiled as she believed with all her heart, stuff of storybooks always lifted her spirit… why else would she be excited to meet a princess? When she saw Jack she was shocked. Her smile turned embarrassed.
"Oh… Well that's a princess AND a fairy who don't look like what I expected…" She blinked, tilting her head and smiling.
"Because I'm not a fairy!" Jack shouts before pausing, "Wait, you can see me?"
"Yes?"
"Prepare yourself, he's goin to wet his pants from excitement." Merida said, before screaming "OW!" When Jack clonked her on the head with his staff.
The spirit leaps to Rapunzel's side and takes her hand, shaking it eagerly. "I'm Jack Frost. Probably the coolest one out of these dorks."
Hiccup and Merida frown as Rapunzel laughs. "Haha, I get because you're cold, heehee. Oh, your hand is cold too!" She's all bubbly with excitement, and Jack just vibes off it.
Jack lets go and smiles. "We also have a dragon!" Rapunzel giggles and jumps up and down before stopping and blinking.
"—Wait, what?"
