Hello friends! I'm writing this note ahead of time so I don't forget. I'm not sure where the confusion came from for last chapter so let me clear up a few things: in no HTTYD canon are Hiccup and Dagur blood related. Dagur calls Hiccup brother in the shows but that's part of the Deranged Dagur thing. He's just an oddball like that lol
Adrianna is a Haddock. Brandyn is Dagur the Deranged's son, thereby an Anderson (the name we gave him), which does not make Brandyn and Adrianna blood related. Adrianna has one sibling (obviously Finn, her twin), and Brandyn has no siblings.
This chapter should clear up a few things. Last chapter's reviews were juicy beyond belief. I enjoyed all of your reactions! Also, we broke the 600 review mark! Woot woot! Thanks so much, you guys are AMAZING!
Chapter Twenty-Five: Game Plan
Finn awoke to sunlight streaming through his bedroom window. With a long stretch he sat up and blinked into the sunlight. He frowned at his rather untidy room, wondering when he'd become so lazy. Checking his neck for the Fortis necklace to make sure it was still there, he hopped out of bed, grabbed a towel and headed for the washroom.
Twenty minutes later he returned to his room feeling clean and wearing fresh clothes. It took about ten minutes to clean up his room (really, he hadn't taken his dirty clothes to the washroom in over a week) before he stopped in his tracks halfway down the stairs.
His side wasn't hurting.
Finn took a deep breath and exhaled. A slow smile crept onto his face. He couldn't believe that he actually wasn't feeling any pain! Not only that, he felt really good, like he'd finally woken up after countless weeks of exhaustion.
It took all his willpower not to cheer with excitement. Adrianna did not like being woken up early and now that she was in her second trimester she needed all the sleep she could get.
Dropping off his large load of laundry into the wash room, Finn trotted into the kitchen and nearly squeezed his mom to death in a bone crushing hug.
Astrid yelped when her feet left the ground. She chuckled and patted her son's back. "Good morning. What are you so happy about?"
"Mom, I feel really good today. Like…" He set her down and couldn't help the grin. "Like I could run a mile."
Astrid smiled and patted his shoulders. "Great, Finn! You know what I'm going to say though."
"Don't overdo it, yup!" Finn opened the icebox in search of food. "What's dad doing today?"
"Hmph. I can't say that I can answer that question." Astrid said, tossing her braid over her shoulder.
"Why?" Finn asked, pulling out the juice. "What time did he get home last night?"
Astrid gave him a level stare.
"You're kidding me. He isn't back yet?" Finn asked, incredulous.
"Nope. No warning, no note." Astrid huffed. "I really hate it when he does this."
Finn winced. "Well he hasn't made a habit out of it."
"No, rather he'd better not fall back into old habits. He used to do this all the time when we were young."
"Oh." Finn smiled a little while he cooked some eggs. "I always forget that dad used to be a bit nomadic when he was younger."
Astrid gave a derisive "hmph" that made Finn bite back a laugh. In all seriousness though, it was strange that his dad had returned from Hjart just to turn back around and leave again. Where had he gone? Why hadn't he at least told them before leaving again? Surely they wouldn't have cared so long as they knew where he was going.
"If he's not back by dinner time then I'm going to go look for him."
Finn faced his mother, who was pushing oatmeal around in her bowl distractedly. Her blue eyes were fixed on the window. "I'm sure he's fine; Toothless is with him."
"I'm not worried; I'm irritated." Finn hid another smile; she was totally worried. Her spoon dropped into the bowl with a clatter. "There's no reason to hide anything from us."
"Hide? What would he be hiding?"
Astrid looked at him. "Finn, where else would your father go without telling us?"
Their closest allies-Brawn, Bog Burglar Island, Berserker Island, and now Hjart-couldn't be in trouble. Hiccup would have notified the entire council, which included Astrid. So that only left their less than friendly allies. Mainly, Rune and Outcast Island. And that meant-
Finn stared at his mom. "You don't think-"
"Oh, I do think." Astrid muttered, looking back out the window. "Your father is smart, but when he's exhausted, he thinks too much, and when he thinks too much, he makes less than smart decisions. Mainly stupid." Standing and dropping the remains of her breakfast in the trash, she began to wash the dishes.
Finn finished his breakfast and helped her, which only took a few minutes. He nudged her with an elbow. "I'm sure he's fine; he'll be back soon and then you can kick his butt."
Astrid raised an eyebrow at her son. "Usually I'd tell you to watch yourself, mister."
"Come on, I've heard the story. You used to keep him in line."
A proud smile slipped onto her face. "The only woman to ever do so, mind you."
Finn laughed a little. He hadn't really thought about it before, but it was true. The only person the Great Dragon Conqueror had ever answered to was his wife.
"You guys have been best friends for a long time." Finn marveled.
Astrid dried the last dish and met his eye. "Yes. Granted, I wasn't very kind to him for the first fifteen years of our lives."
"Yeah, but for the last twenty years…" Finn trailed off.
He could feel his mom watching him, even as he thought. "What are you thinking about?"
"I don't know." Finn leaned against the counter. How did he put his sudden weird emotions into words? "I guess it's… something desirable to want something similar someday. If it's not weird to say to your mom."
Astrid laughed. "There's nothing weird about that-telling me or wanting a strong relationship. It's been a while since you've dated anyone."
Finn blew air past his lips. "That's because I didn't deserve to date anyone. Heck, I probably never should have dated anyone to begin with."
"Maybe so, but you've learned a lot. How to act and especially how not to act."
"Yeah…" Finn allowed a few memories to cross his mind before shoving them away.
"What is it?" Astrid asked.
Finn looked at his shoes. "I don't know… Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be better than that. I don't want to screw up again."
"Finn, you have changed so much the last two years." Astrid replied. "Your father and I are so proud of the young man you have become. I know it hasn't been easy and you still have your moments, but that's part of being human. Nobody is perfect, and the right girl won't expect you to be."
"Yeah, but it's a legitimate fear."
"Yes, it is." Astrid rested a hand on his arm. "But I know that you'll do the right thing when the right girl comes along. It's good that you're sensitive about it. Just don't hold yourself to such a high standard so much that you aren't you."
Finn gave her a wan smile. "Yes, if I ever have the pleasure of meeting Miss Right."
"Oh she's out there somewhere. Who knows, maybe you already know her." Astrid winked and marched to the doorway to grab her boots. "I'm off to the Academy; if I don't leave now I'll be late. What are you going to do this morning?"
"I'm going to take a walk in the woods I think. I'll take Zap." Finn replied, pulling on his own boots. He stuck his hand out the door and winced at the morning chill. "Wow."
"Cold weather is coming early. Don't be out too long and don't ov-"
"Don't overdo it, I won't." Finn lightly rolled his eyes and followed his mom outside.
Together they strolled into the barn where the dragons were nipping at each other or blowing smoke rings, as was Lily's case. Finn gave the Nightmare a scratch on the nose as he walked by. He resolved to give the dragon a wash later, knowing she was probably bored without being able to fly with Adrianna.
"Hey Zappie girl!" Finn grinned as the Shockjaw shoved her face over his shoulder and snuggled him close. She growled deep in her throat, making his insides shiver. He scratched her scales and winced when a few flaked beneath his nails. "Yup, both of you ladies are getting baths today."
Astrid nodded in agreement. "They'll enjoy that. Maybe I'll bring Stormfly back in time for one later. You guys have a good day."
"See you, mom!" Finn waved as she and Stormfly took off out the door. He turned back to Zap and Lily. "Who wants to take a walk?"
Both dragons danced with excitement and charged out the door, nearly knocking him over as they went. Finn was very glad he was feeling better; a mere week ago if he'd been bumped around like that, he'd have been writhing on the floor in pain.
With a little trepidation, Finn jogged after the dragons toward the trees. He was again surprised when he felt no pain in his side. He laughed and sped up a little to keep up with the tussling dragons, careful to stay clear of their barbed tails.
He followed them for a while through the woods, pausing every few minutes to catch his breath. He was definitely out of shape. Thankfully the sun rose over the trees, chasing away the shadows. It didn't take long for the morning chill to disperse and soon he was taking off his jacket.
When the dragons stopped to take a drink from a small pond, Finn lay down on a log with a sigh. The smell of pine needles and sap and dirt filled his nose and he sighed again, feeling the tension from the last few months recede. He'd forgotten how much he loved the woods.
A shadow filled his vision and he opened his eyes in time to see Zap open her mouth. Water fell from her mouth onto his face and he recoiled, rolling off the log, hacking. He spit a slimy wad of water out of his mouth, refusing to gag.
"I really hate it when you do that." Finn grumbled, wiping his face off with his jacket.
Zap chortled and pranced away.
He still didn't know why she did it. His dad had assumed Shockjaw parents brought water to their young via mouth to mouth. Finn had not been sure how to feel about that information-the fact that his dragon knew when he was thirsty or that she treated him like he was her youngling.
Finn watched his dragon play with Lily, a little surprised the Monstrous Nightmare had complied so easily. Usually she got irritated with Zap and her antics.
As he stood from the ground, a sharp pain lanced his side and he inhaled sharply. Two dragon heads swiveled toward him. Finn waited for the pain to subside before exhaling, testing the area with a hand. His side didn't hurt to touch but inside he could feel the area warming up, like it had it's own pulse.
He sighed. "That's my cue to go home, I guess. Come on, ladies."
The dragons followed him closely, which he could tell was motherly instinct. It was strange to have dragons watching his every move as if they were waiting for something to happen. Thankfully they arrived at the house a short time later accident free, and while he felt tired from his morning walk, it left him feeling energized.
Lily growled excitedly and ran to the porch. Zap took to the air over the house as Finn turned the corner, finding Adrianna sitting in one of the chairs. She scratched her dragon's nose affectionately and smiled at him in greeting.
"Hey. You went for a walk?"
"Yeah." Finn sighed, taking the seat beside hers. "I've actually felt really good today."
"Good!" Adrianna smiled again.
Finn smiled back. "You must be feeling good if you're this cheery."
"First night I didn't wake up halfway through the night. Well..." Adrianna paused, reconsidering. "Okay once because I had to pee. But I didn't wake up because I felt barfy or because I simply couldn't sleep. It's really obnoxious you know-"
He closed his eyes as she prattled, shaking his head. He listened as she talked and talked and talked… After a while Finn didn't know what she was talking about, so he half listened to his sister and the Terrible Terrors growling at Zap as she flew in tight circles around the house. Finn opened his eyes to call her down when he saw a black shape in the sky heading towards them.
"-such a nuisance, and you know what he said? He said that mosquitos and spiders are each good for the ecosystem. I mean I suppose they're good for something or they wouldn't exist-"
Finn stood. "Adrianna." He vaguely heard her stop talking as he left the porch and stood in the front yard while his dad and Toothless came in for a slow landing.
Adrianna joined him in the grass, her green eyes wide. "They didn't come back last night?" She whispered hoarsely.
"Nope." Finn ushered her back as Toothless finally landed, kicking up a cloud of dust from his wings and legs. The Night Fury growled in exhaustion, his wings flopping to the ground on either side of him.
Hiccup didn't look any better. In fact, he looked about ready to drop. But that wasn't what made Finn's heart rate pick up. It was the hollow, empty expression on his dad's face as he dismounted and began untying the saddlebags. Despite this, Finn didn't hold back his irritation.
"Where have you guys been?" He demanded. "Mom was up half the night worried."
Hiccup didn't reply. In fact, he wasn't sure if his dad had even heard.
Adrianna put a hand on Finn's arm, probably to keep him quiet. She stepped closer. "Daddy? Are you okay?"
Finn watched as his dad's movements became jerky. He stepped up and put a hand on the saddle. "Dad, I can take care of Toothless."
Without responding, Hiccup turned and wrapped Adrianna in a hug. She hugged him back but stared back at Finn with shock. He knew his expression wasn't much better. Something had happened.
Hiccup pulled back and cupped Adrianna's chin in his hand, brushing her cheek with his thumb. "I love you, Addie."
"I know, daddy. Tell me what's wrong, what happened? Where did you go?" Adrianna asked.
In a blink, his demeanor changed. Finn knew exactly what he was doing: he'd closed the door on his emotions to ignore their questions. He grabbed Toothless' saddle and bags and walked to the barn. "We'll talk in a little bit." Dropping his things off on the table, he watched Toothless crash in his pen full of hay. Finn thought the Night Fury must really be exhausted if he preferred hay over his lava stone inside the house. "Tell your mom I'm home. I'm going to bed."
And with that, Hiccup turned and went inside the house.
When the door snapped closed, Adrianna whirled to Finn. "What in the world was that?"
Finn shook his head. "I don't know. But it almost looked like-"
"Like he's seen a ghost." Adrianna finished, looking back at the house with worry. "You have no idea where he went?"
Biting his tongue, Finn shook his head. He had a theory, but he had no intention of sharing it with his sister. She didn't need the stress. And besides, Hiccup said they'd talk later. There was no use speculating when they'd find out soon enough.
Finn sent a message to his mom via Terrible Terror that Hiccup was home. He traipsed through the village in search of Erick or Cliff, needing one of his "bestest bruhs" to discuss the most recent goings-on of the Haddock household.
He couldn't get his dad's strange behavior out of his head. If his hunch was correct, Hiccup should have returned with some sense of retribution. Instead he looked the exact opposite. What could have happened?
It had been a long time since Finn had seen that empty look on his dad's face. When Finn had been nothing but a thorn in his parents' side two years ago, he'd caused his father some serious pain. Not even that could equate to this hopeless despair. No, the last time Finn had seen Hiccup this distressed was when his parents had almost divorced and the circumstances revolving around that horrible duel…
Finn kicked a pebble across the street with a huff. It was almost high noon; his dad had only been home for about an hour. If he had any hope of getting answers to his questions, he probably would have to wait until after dinner.
"Hey!"
Inga suddenly appeared at his side, matching his gait. "Why the long face? It's almost harvest season!"
The thought did brighten his mood a little. He loved harvest season. "True; you'll be happy to know that I've felt really good today."
"Oh good! So you'll be able to help with the harvest for sure!" Inga grinned.
"Yup." Finn's smile tapered.
Inga poked his arm. "Come onnnn, don't be a crab apple."
Finn huffed a laugh. "I am not a crab apple."
"You Haddocks always have something to be upset about."
Indignation flared in his chest. She didn't know, so he needn't get upset. Taking a deep breath, Finn shoved his hands into his pockets and tried for a patient response. "It's been a rough year."
"It's been a rough life, I say." Inga nodded. "But alas, why wallow in self pity when you can do something about it instead?"
"What makes you the expert in the trials of life?" Finn countered.
Inga raised an eyebrow. "Maybe not expert, but I've had my fair share of problems. Just because they're not your problem doesn't mean they're not important."
"Yeah, I know," Finn sighed. "Though I could also say right back at you."
She tossed her dark hair over her shoulder. "I'm not really succeeding in making you feel better, am I?"
"Nope."
"What exactly are you bent out of shape about exactly?"
Finn halted in the middle of the street. "Ya know, maybe it's something serious and not a joke."
Inga blinked up at him in surprise.
"There's a lot going on in my family right now and my dad is acting weird. I'd appreciate it if you stopped with the brash comments for two minutes."
Inga's blue eyes had narrowed to slits. "So what? You don't want to talk to me?"
"That's not what I said!" Finn managed, despite his anger. "I like talking to you about stuff but sometimes you don't know when it's the right time for jokes."
"Oh, that's really fresh coming from you," Inga tossed her head. "Considering you always have the most tasteless jokes."
"What is that even supposed to mean?" Finn threw his hands up in the air. "That has literally nothing to do with this conversation."
"Actually it does if you listened to more than just yourself." Inga snapped, marching away.
"Okay! So I guess we're not talking then!" Finn yelled after her.
"Nope, I guess not!" Inga sashayed away.
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
Finn growled in irritation and stomped away, ignoring the few odd looks he was getting. He hadn't meant for things to get so out of hand, but was it too much to ask for her to just stop and listen? She'd come up to him after all and if she wanted to know what was wrong, why didn't she take it seriously? Maybe it was old news that his family had a new tragic development and maybe she didn't really want to hear it, but he'd wanted someone to talk to. Again, was that so much to ask?
It was no secret that Inga liked him. He'd figured it out weeks ago, what with his staying at the healers and all. People had been teasing him about her for years and for some reason, Finn was just on the fence. He liked Inga as a friend and wondered if they had the potential for something more…
But he couldn't get past the fact that she was only thirteen. She didn't see the world like he did. He felt horrible for being so unsure about his feelings for her… and for being, as she put it, a crab apple all the time.
Finn turned a look over his shoulder. Inga had long since disappeared. He chewed on his lip for a moment of indecisiveness.
"Ah blast it."
Turning on his heel, Finn sprinted through the streets after her. Confused feelings or no, she was his friend, and he didn't want to have any lingering animosity over something so petty. Ducking past a few carts, he saw Inga walking towards the healers. Before she even made it to the door, he caught up with her, though he was panting with the exertion.
Inga's initial irritation disappeared. "Breathe, Finn. You're going to-"
Finn held up a hand through his wheezing. "Don't say it, please." Standing up straight he finally caught his breath enough to say: "I'm sorry."
Inga blinked in surprise.
"You're right; I'm a crab apple. I don't try to be, I just get frustrated with everything that's going on. And I don't need to take it out on you."
A slow smile crept across her face. "No, you really don't."
Finn felt a little disappointed, unsure what kind of response he'd hoped for. Why was it all so confusing?
Inga shrugged. "It's fine; I could cut back on the joking."
Finn relaxed a little. "Thanks."
"I have to go to work now, give my mom a break." Inga slipped past him. "I'll see you later?"
"Yeah, later." Finn watched her go inside and finally traipsed away from the building. Shoving his hands back into his pockets, he once again felt the day's anxieties building. On top of his father's strange behaviour, now he had to try to figure out Inga too? Combine that with his sister's pregnancy hormones throwing her out of whack every day…
Finn sighed. It was a wonder he hadn't gone insane yet.
Cliff flattened his hair with his hands once again, grinning in triumph when it stayed. He opened his mouth to cheer when his curls regained their former volume with what he swore was an audible poof. This was absurd, of course. He didn't hear anything, but if his hair had to be so wild then it might as well have a sound effect.
This was his dilemma: how was he going to impress Mr. Brand and ask for permission to date Taryn if he couldn't even get his HAIR under control?
Mismatched footsteps caught his attention before Erick leaned into the room. "You ready?"
"No."
"You look good, bro."
Cliff looked down at his clothes. After some time searching through his closet, he'd finally found a pair of nice brown trousers. However, he'd had to find a shirt elsewhere. Finally his mom had lent him a nice blue shirt that had once belonged to his dad. The simple dyed wool was soft and warm. Combined with his jacket and boots, he hoped he looked more put together than he felt. He felt like he could see every wrinkle and stain, but Erick didn't lie. Maybe he didn't look half bad. Now if only his hair would cooperate.
He slumped. "Ughhhh I'm so not ready."
Erick laughed and stepped into the room. He squeezed Cliff's shoulders, which surprisingly released a lot of tension in his muscles. "It'll be fine. Clyde's not so bad once you get to know him."
"I feel ridiculous." Cliff muttered. He'd never cared before about appearances, but the Brands did. He had to look the part if he was to get a chance, but what if Clyde saw right through him and shot him down before he could even speak?
"Cliff, come on," Erick leaned against the desk, peering down at him. "He'd be stupid not to give you a chance. If anyone in the village deserves it, it's you."
Cliff's stomach dissolved into butterflies and he swallowed hard. "I think I'm going to be sick."
"It'll be f-"
"No really, what the heck am I doing? I don't know!" Cliff stood and paced the room, shoving his hands through his mess of brown curls. He stared at Erick with wide eyes. "There should be a book on wooing women and impressing their fathers!"
Erick looked like he was holding back a laugh.
"This isn't funny, Erick!"
His bro coughed, trying to regain composure. "You're right, I'm sorry. This is a big deal."
"A very big deal!"
"Super big deal."
The small house was quiet for a moment. Cliff continued running his hands through his hair. "What do I say?" He asked meekly.
Erick straightened and gently slapped Cliff's hands down from his hair. He straightened his jacket and looked him square in the eye. "Tell him that you believe his daughter is very special. She deserves the world. And while you're not perfect, you're willing to do whatever it takes to prove yourself to him."
Cliff gulped and nodded resolutely. "Whatever it takes."
Erick nodded. He pointed at Cliff for a moment as if to say "wait" and left the room. Cliff waited in curiosity before his friend returned a moment later with a bottle.
"I don't use this very often because it's expensive," Erick held it up. It had a small nozzle on the top. He sprayed it once on Cliff's jacket and smiled. "There, now you smell good too."
Cliff lifted his arm and gave a tentative sniff. It was a nice musky, woodsy scent. He raised an eyebrow. "I don't think Mr. Brand is going to care what I smell like."
Erick shrugged. "It's all about impressions. Now let's go!" Shoving Cliff by the shoulders, he frog-marched him outside.
"WHAT?! NO!" Cliff scrabbled for any furniture he could latch onto, which was most things since his reach was longer than Erick's. The blond (despite his laughter) continued to shove and slapped Cliff's hands when he didn't release the couch.
"You are GOING and you are going RIGHT NOW!" Erick finally shoved Cliff onto the porch. Their neighbors ignored their shenanigans, as usual.
Cliff stared at him imploringly. "I'm not ready!"
"You are completely ready, Cliff, it's now or never!" Erick crossed his arms. "If you don't do it now you won't ever be ready! Besides, it's your own fault for setting yourself a time limit of one day."
"Huh?"
"You told Taryn you'd talk to him today!"
"Well yeah, but surely I didn't mean TODAY!"
Erick grinned. "So if not today, when?"
Cliff pulled on his face with a nervous hiss.
"Cliff, really, you'll feel better when it's over."
"Unless he kills me."
"He won't! It's going to be fine!"
Cliff stared up at his bestest bro hopefully. "You wouldn't care to join me on my final walk would you?"
Erick snorted. "No. I've got stuff to do."
"But-"
"No!" Erick stepped down from the door. "You are going to talk to Mr. Brand, you are going to do it right now, and you're not going to come back to this place until you have a date in the works!"
Cliff stared at him with ever wide eyes.
"Sounds good!" Erick grinned, walking back up the porch. "We can celebrate when you come back."
"But-"
"Good luck!" Erick turned and shut the door in his face.
Erick had kicked him out! The injustice! The rudeness! How could his bro do this to him! After all he'd done to be there for him and Erick couldn't just...just…
Cliff took a long, deep breath. "Okay." He glared at the front door, half hoping Erick would change his mind. His blond bro did not return. He had more hope for pink snowflakes to fall than for Erick to coddle him further.
"Okay! Fine!" Cliff yelled, earning a glare from his neighbor Marcy. He walked toward the village square, towards Taryn's house, towards his doom. "I'll show that Larson boy a thing or two. I'll show him that I can do this and this is no joke and no time for fun and games. What's he think, now that's he's practically engaged that this is just simple pickings for the rest of us! Finn won't even ask a girl out!"
Cliff rambled to himself the entire walk. This was obviously a result of stress… and all completely Erick's fault, of course.
He's screeched to a halt. Taryn's house loomed above him.
Cliff wasn't the reader that Erick and Adrianna were but he'd done his fair share of reading storybooks in his shyer days. One of his favorite books had been about a haunted mansion with ghosts and ghouls and poltergeists and… well, at the moment, he'd rather face all the horrors inside that house than knock on the Brands' door.
"Okay, Cliff. You got this." he muttered, taking several deep breaths. "You are smart. You are funny. You are adorable. You have got this. Yeah, you got this! I got this! I-"
"Cliff?"
Cliff's blood ran cold. He had been so busy trying to encourage himself that he had failed to notice that the door was open and Clyde Brand was looking him right in the eye. It didn't help that his eyes were exactly the same shade of brown as his daughter's.
"Hi." He squeaked, his voice cracking as if he were still going through puberty. He cleared his throat. "Uhh, hello, Mr. Brand."
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Clyde asked, though he certainly didn't look pleased.
"Mr. Brand, I wanted to have a civil, adult discussion about your daughter, Taryn." Cliff said rather quickly. He had rehearsed several lines in front of the mirror and he had no idea why this one had popped into his head.
Clyde stared at him for a moment, his expression unreadable. "She's not home right now. But please, come in."
Come in? Cliff's mind was in a whirl. Maybe Clyde planned to tie him to a chair and chop him up into teeny tiny little pieces-
Cliff shook himself and walked in, not eager to incur the wrath of Clyde so soon. The man was, after all, standing at the door and waiting for him to come inside. The door closed and Cliff surveyed the tidy house. It had a very warm, cozy feel to it. The colors of the curtains matched the towels and napkins, and Cliff blinked in surprise at the beautiful teacups sitting high up on a shelf. If anything were to happen to those, Mrs. Brand would-
"Please, sit down."
Cliff took the closest seat at the table. Clyde took the seat at the head of the table and watched him with a level expression. Cliff resisted the urge to fidget, drum his fingers against the table, or run his hands through his hair. He was always in constant motion; being forced to sit still at any time was akin to being sent to bed without dinner before the sun had even set. Talk about torture!
"I don't know what to think of you, Cliff Smedley." Clyde broke the silence, his deep voice calm. Cliff held eye contact and forced himself to hold still. "But the Chief and your friends speak highly of you. Taryn seems to enjoy your company. Therefore, I will let you speak."
Cliff's heart lurched. The Chief had vouched for him? Mr. Brand had talked to his friends?
He realized the house was growing quieter because Clyde was patiently waiting. He took a deep breath and pushed his fears aside. He was here and Mr. Brand was giving him a chance to at least speak.
"First off all, Mr. Brand, I'm sorry about that one afternoon. I tend to make quick decisions without thinking. I should have known to ask your permission to spend time with Taryn. So, I'm sorry that my ignorance caused problems."
Clyde nodded silently. Was he merely affirming Cliff's screw up, or accepting his apology?
"Secondly," Cliff continued, his knee beginning to bob up and down beneath the table. "I hope Taryn isn't in trouble because of me. I'd never want her or her reputation to be tainted because I screwed up."
"Her reputation?" Clyde asked.
Heart in his throat, Cliff nodded. "Yes. Um… How loyal she is to you and her mom. She's a family girl and wants to make you guys proud."
Again, Clyde nodded. "But?"
"But… I think she agreed to go with me because she wanted to have a good time. Granted, both of us should have known better," Cliff added. "But I don't think she did it to rebel against your authority."
"Even though she knows better and she chose otherwise, that's not rebellion?"
"In some cases, I think it could be translated that way. Other kids it might, but not Taryn."
"Kids like you?"
Cliff cracked a smile. "I'm not rebellious, sir, I'm just free spirited."
"And you think that's good for Taryn?"
Cliff subtly wiped his palms on his pants. "I think Taryn knows who she is; she has strong values and knows what is a waste of time and what is more productive."
"Yes, she does. But where exactly do you fit into the picture?"
"Well... I don't exactly know that yet, sir."
"Yet?"
Cliff gulped. He was so going to get the boot. Clyde certainly didn't look impressed.
"Son, I want you to tell me this honestly," Clyde leaned back with steepled fingers. "What exactly are your intentions with my daughter? You seem like a good young man, but so was Brandyn Anderson."
Cliff flinched.
"That's not to say that I think you'd ever harm my daughter in such a vile way." Clyde added gently. "But you must understand why I'm so bent on protecting her."
Cliff nodded in agreement, despite his pounding heart. "I'd never."
Clyde took a deep breath. "Then what is it about Taryn that has you so interested?"
Memories filled Cliff's mind in a blink. Showing her the little oasis, seeing the light in her eyes when experiencing new things, her uproarious laughter after she'd shoved him into the water. The pun games and showing up at his house late the night before because of all the people she wanted to adventure with, it was him (not that Clyde needed to know that bit).
"You really do like her don't you?" Clyde's voice interrupted his thoughts.
Cliff found himself smiling. He blushed and looked down. "A bit, sir."
"So?" Clyde sounded a bit more amused than he had a minute ago.
So Cliff told him. He told Mr. Brand all the things he thought about Taryn. It felt a little strange at first, but Cliff found that he was less afraid the more he spoke. Clyde wanted to hear the truth and, despite his rambling, Cliff spoke best when he was honest. Taryn was beautiful and kind, she worked hard, perhaps a little too hard, and when it came down to it, she needed more fun in her life. She had a hilarious laugh and her pun game was strong. She was confident and outspoken and everything perfect that he wasn't.
"I don't say this at all to sound like… I need her to fulfill anything for me like fill my empty spaces or parts of my personality that are lacking, but… the way Taryn interacts with me feels like more than just a simple friendship. It's not like Inga Jorgenson or Helga Ingerman, or even Adrianna, who's more like my sister. I obviously don't know the future or what's best for Taryn; that's ultimately for you to decide. But I do care about her as my friend, and I respect her a lot. And…" Cliff paused, looking down at the table. "I know I'm not the traditional guy that you might want. I talk too much and I'm constantly running around doing something. But what better girl to get me back in line than Taryn?"
Clyde chuckled, seemingly in agreement.
Cliff sighed. "I could go on, sir, but I could probably talk until your ears bleed."
"Well we can't have that."
Cliff blinked; did Mr. Brand… just make a joke?
"Alright, Cliff," Clyde sat forward, hands folded. He watched the teenager for what felt like eons. Cliff waited with bated breath to hear the fated words, "you're out of here!"
"I want her home by nine pm sharp." Cliff's heart lurched. "I want you two to be in public places until I give permission to go elsewhere. No leaving Berk. I want to know where she is."
Cliff nodded vehemently, his curls bobbing. "Yes! Yes. Of course. I'll totally keep you informed-"
"And," Clyde raised a finger, silencing the teenager. "You may come over at any time."
Joy exploded through Cliff's chest so hard that he thought he might explode! Or pass out… or throw up-
Female chatter sounded outside the door before it opened to reveal Mrs. Brand, Taryn, and Alton. The ladies arms were full of vases and flowers as they spoke to Alton. The trio paused, Taryn's eyes wide in fear.
"Hi!" Cliff grinned.
Mrs. Brand raised a brow at her husband. "Hello, Cliff."
Clyde stood and clapped Cliff on the shoulder. "Taryn," He said with a smile, taking the flowers from her arms. "I do believe you have some catching up to do with Mr. Smedley."
Alton was grinning as widely as Cliff, who stood and pushed his chair back in. Taryn looked utterly confused. "What?"
Clyde kissed her forehead. "Have fun with your new boyfriend."
Cliff wanted to melt at the shocked, surprised and utterly happy look on Taryn's face. "Aw daddy!" She hugged him tightly and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you."
Clyde smiled widely and followed Mrs. Brand to the kitchen, who was also smiling widely.
"It is about time!" Alton cheered.
Cliff had no words. Taryn had already turned to him and given him a dazzling smile. He couldn't believe his luck! How was this even possible? He'd thought he was dead meat!
"Let's have an adventure Mr. Smedley." Taryn said knowingly.
Cliff never thought he would almost die at seventeen, but he nearly did that day. He nearly did.
Discouraged as they were by their dad's behavior, the twins ended up having a productive day. Finn gathered some supplies at the nearest dragon wash and together with his sister, gave Lily and Zap a much needed bath. Of course, the kids got more wet than the dragons, with Lily's heated skin evaporating the water and Zap's constant shaking.
They were soon joined by Erick and Cliff, the latter regaling them with his tale of bravery. When he said Clyde Brand had given him and Taryn permission to date, the Haddocks cheered. Even Zap gave a mighty splash in the tub, though Finn suspected she was merely growing bored with all the chatter.
After a few hours drying in the sun, the Haddocks grabbed their things to return home. The afternoon had dwindled into dusk, and while they had yet to eat dinner, they were eager to get home and figure out what was wrong with their dad. They didn't share their concerns with their friends, even though Erick followed. Cliff bid them good night, saying he was meeting Taryn at the Great Hall. They wished him luck, snickering at his awkward blushing, and marched to the Haddocks home. Their conversation and laughter dissipated when they stepped into the house and found it to be different than before.
Finn noticed the change first. All the doors and windows had brand new locks, and the distinct smell of pine filled the house. Astrid was sweeping wood shavings off the floor. It took Finn another minute to realize there was brand new window trimming, especially on the window beside the door. A dragon attack a few years ago had damaged the wood, but they'd never replaced it. Now it seemed that instead of sleeping most of the day like he probably should have been, his dad had made some serious upgrades to the house.
Hiccup was sitting at the table, writing in a journal with a pensive expression. He looked up when they walked in and slapped his notebook shut. "Good, you're both home. Where is Erick?"
Adrianna paused in taking off her boots, using Finn's shoulder to keep her balance. "He's putting Lily and Zap away for us."
"Good." Hiccup slid his things off to the far corner of the table. "I need him here for this conversation."
Astrid wordlessly sat down beside him. She crossed her arms against her chest and stared at the table. Finn wondered if she already knew the story or if her agitation was due to being kept in the dark.
Adrianna sat in one of the empty chairs just as Erick stepped inside. His easygoing smile dropped the second he saw Hiccup, who nodded at the remaining two chairs.
"Sit down, guys."
Erick took the seat beside Adrianna while Finn sat on the end opposite of Hiccup. The house was quiet for several minutes. Finn's shoulders were drawn tight like a pulled bowstring. Adrianna rested her hands on her belly while she waited, though she gnawed on her lip nervously.
Hiccup finally broke the silence. "First off, everything in Hjart went well. It was my plan to come home afterwards. But I decided… looking for Brandyn was a better idea."
Erick took Adrianna's hand. It took a moment for her to find her voice. "And?"
"I didn't find him." Hiccup murmured, eyes downcast.
"Okay, so what happened then?" Finn demanded.
"I spoke with Lofn most of the night."
Finn grimaced. "Does she know where he is?"
"No, but she thought he could be on Berserker Island." Hiccup sniffed derisively. "It would certainly make sense."
"Why does it even matter?" Adrianna asked. "I just… I wanted to let this all go. I thought we had." Hiccup finally met her eyes. "Why reopen old wounds?"
Hiccup swallowed. "I know. I did for a long time and… last night I couldn't." He scowled at the table. "Now I'm glad I went looking. Otherwise we'd still be clueless."
"Clueless to what?" Finn asked.
"Just what exactly Brandyn is. And how much of a fool I've been."
Astrid reached out and held Hiccup's arm in comfort. So apparently she did know.
Hiccup crossed his arms against the table and took a moment to look each of them in the eye. "I can't hide this from you three. I can't…" He paused, perhaps a bit fearfully. "I can't protect you from this. But you each have to understand the magnitude of what I'm about to tell you. It's important that this information does not leave this house. No one can know about it, at least not yet. Not even Cliff." This he directed at Erick, who frowned in confusion but nodded. Finn and Adrianna slowly nodded in turn when Hiccup met their eyes.
"Brandyn is heir to the Berserker Tribe." Hiccup said. "His father was Dagur the Deranged."
Silence took over the house for nearly a minute before Finn burst out laughing. The others looked over at him in shock. His shoulders shaking, he leaned back in his chair and rubbed his face. "Right."
Hiccup stared back at him sternly.
"You can't be serious." Finn dropped his hands. "Dagur died without producing any heirs! He wasn't even married!"
"Marriage has nothing to do with it," Astrid replied stiffly.
"And nobody knew about Brandyn's existence." Hiccup added. "They practically kept him under lock and key."
"B-but-" Finn broke off with another laugh, this time less amused. "This is ridiculous. How do we know that's true? Lofn told you, did she? How do we know she's not lying?"
"Why would she make up something so-"
"Preposterous?" Finn asked cynically.
"She wouldn't." Erick finally spoke. His teal eyes were focused on the wall as he thought. "What would she have to gain by something so huge?"
"What if it's just a claim?" Finn interjected. "She can't prove his birth and Brandyn's dad is dead, or at least we all assumed he's dead. Maybe he's a deadbeat who took off when he was little, and she's a poor single woman who wants to make it rich. And besides that, Sven is the Chief of Berserker Island now. When you won the duel, Berserker Island was yours by right. But you chose a new successor instead. Nobody can just barge in and make proclamations of being royalty if there's no proof!"
"They've kept it a secret this long, they'd have to have proof." Astrid countered.
"Yes, but we don't know that; this is all speculation based on a lonely woman's rambling to freak dad out!"
"Lofn has nothing to gain by lying to me, Finn." Hiccup replied sharply. "She has nothing but her freedom."
The word struck Finn dumb. For a few seconds he only stared. Erick blinked out of his reverie, seemingly confused by the word choice.
"Lofn was a pleasure slave. Her mother was forced to give her up at birth and she has known very little kindness all her life." Hiccup explained calmly. Erick glanced at Adrianna, who'd been quiet this entire time. "Dagur bought her and they had Brandyn a time later. He was seven when Dagur and I dueled." Hiccup sighed, running a hand down his face. "In fact, she said he was present for the duel."
"He watched?" Erick asked incredulously.
Hiccup nodded. "He watched as I killed his dad."
Finn was still shaking his head. "That doesn't explain the last three years. Heck, the last four years. He offered you and Anna a place to stay and rescued you both when you fell into the frozen river. He moved out here and stayed here for this long. What's the point? Did he try to forgive you so he could have peace and then-"
Adrianna suddenly lurched from her chair and leaned into Finn's face. "Brandyn doesn't want PEACE, Finn. There's nothing peaceful about a scumbag who attacks his girlfriend's friends, threatens their safety, and proceeds to rape her!"
Finn leaned back in his seat with wide eyes. "Okay. You're right; sorry."
Erick rested a gentle hand on her waist but she stepped away, wrapping her arms around her chest. She paced the living room. Hiccup stood but she whirled around. "This was his plan the entire time, wasn't it?"
"I don't know, Addie." Hiccup murmured.
"I'm sure the baby wasn't part of his plan, assuming he had one." Astrid replied. "That would explain why he took off."
"Except he didn't know about the baby when he took off. And besides, Finn has a point." Erick said. "Why go through all this trouble? By all rights he should want nothing to do with Hiccup. Unless-"
"It's all a revenge play." Hiccup finished. "Addie, did Brandyn ever tell you anything about his dad?"
Adrianna sighed. "He told me a long time ago that his dad was a good man. He'd had a disagreement with another man and they fought… the man killed his dad." She curled her lip in disgust. "He said his dad's name was Dirk the Daring."
"It was all a cover…" Finn whispered in shock.
Erick shook his head. "I always knew he was messed up but… it makes so much sense now. Everything he did, alienating Annie from the group, poisoning Cliff to keep her in line, nearly choking me to death… All his violent tendencies. How did we not see it sooner?"
"How did we not see it sooner?" Hiccup gestured to himself and Astrid. "We're the ones who should have noticed."
Finn huffed, slumping in his seat. "So what? Brandyn wanted to get back at you by having a fake relationship with all of us, especially Anna?"
"Explain Dagur." Adrianna demanded, arms still crossed tight across her chest. "What was he like exactly?"
"It's in the name: Deranged." Hiccup took his seat once more. "He was… resilient, I'll give him that. He was loud, arrogant, controlling, a bit unhinged. Smart in the sense that he could always come up with a plan, but not smart enough to realize the flaws."
Astrid nodded in agreement. "His execution was always off."
"He became a bit… predictable." Hiccup frowned. "Honestly I don't know how he pulled this off."
"What if someone else came up with the plan?" Erick mused. "Was there anyone he trusted?"
Hiccup and Astrid both made faces. "Not really."
"Savage?" Finn asked.
"No, too unpredictable."
"If the man was deranged, why would unpredictable be a bad thing?"
"Dagur was psychotic, but he wasn't insane. He wanted people to obey orders. Anyone who thought for themselves didn't make a good minion." Astrid explained.
"And Savage is one such man?"
"Savage isn't the issue." Hiccup folded his arms. "Lofn told me that Brandyn likes to be the smartest in the room. Well, I can see how he's just like his old man. Dagur wanted to beat me but he never could; he wasn't smart enough."
"So he had a kid and trained him to be smarter than you?" Finn raised a single eyebrow. "I think you're thinking about this a little too hard. The man has been dead for twelve years."
Hiccup scowled. "One way or another, Brandyn is Dagur's son. He got this far without us knowing about it and it could have caused our family irreparable damage."
Adrianna huffed. "What if Brandyn was just another accident baby? That seems to be the trend. It just worked in Dagur's favor. I have a hard time believing he had a kid just to be the Haddocks downfall."
"Don't underestimate this, Addie."
"I'm not, but what's he going to do that he hasn't already done?" Adrianna demanded, throwing her hands up in the air. "I understand why this is a big deal to you, but he's already a criminal. Who cares who his dad is? He should still face justice."
Astrid leaned forward. "Adri, he will face justice but think about this logically. How did Brandyn get so close to us for so long without any of us knowing, any of the council knowing what his true heritage is? Dagur was our greatest enemy, our biggest threat. We've had peace in our islands ever since he died. We came to terms with Alvin the Treacherous of Outcast Island, and while we aren't on the greatest of terms with Allie, we've never had a serious fight with her. So how does the son of Dagur the Deranged get this close to us without any of us knowing?"
Even Erick didn't have an argument with that logic.
"I think," Hiccup said. "That Brandyn is a whole lot smarter than we ever gave him credit for."
"I still don't understand why he'd go through all this trouble." Finn muttered.
"To get back at me, Finn. If Dagur had killed me and you'd been forced to watch, don't you think you'd want revenge?"
Finn looked like he'd tasted something bitter. "I don't know. Maybe?" He seemed to reconsider his words and his eyes lowered. "Yes. But still, he offered you guys help, befriended us, moved here, dated Anna all this time. What kind of revenge is that?"
"Getting married would have been a big deal." Adrianna said so quietly they almost missed it.
Erick turned in his seat. "What?"
She shrugged nervously. "Not that we ever talked about marriage, but… I'll admit that I considered spending my life with him. That was around the time that he… he started getting more…" She scowled as if she'd bitten into a lemon. "Forceful."
"So…" Finn drawled. "You think Brandyn's master plan was to get you to fall in love with him, marry him, and possibly move to Berserker Island with him in time to take over the throne again?"
"Yes." Adrianna said. She looked a bit confused, but she spoke with confidence. "And when I didn't give him what he wanted… well. Here we are."
"To think if he'd never been so pushy, he might have succeeded." Erick mused.
"Again, why?" Finn asked. "What would he gain by marrying Anna and taking her to Berserker?"
"She'd have to decide who she was most loyal to." Hiccup said quietly. "Me or her husband."
Adrianna's eyes widened. "But… how could I possibly make that decision?"
"Exactly." Astrid said.
"That's where he underestimated you, Addie." Hiccup said. "You were already loyal to us. You had values and you stuck to them. You weren't willing to give him what he wanted."
Adrianna scowled. "I still dated him like an idiot. I'm the one who invited him to Berk. I still…" She huffed and turned her face away from her family. "I still walked into that barn with him by myself. I should have figured it out. I should have known. Am I just stupid?"
"If you're stupid, we all are." Hiccup said darkly. "He played everyone."
"Adri, you couldn't have known. Who would have guessed he was Dagur's secret child? Up until a few hours ago, the idea would have been absurd." Astrid stood up and walked over, slipping an arm over her daughter's shoulders. "What's done is done. And your dad is right; he did underestimate you."
"What if he tries to come take the baby back? Make him or her the heir? Can he do that?" Adrianna put a protective hand on her belly.
Erick stood up, teal eyes alight. "Not if you get married."
Adrianna's eyes widened. "What?"
"He's right." Hiccup looked between Erick and Adrianna. "If he marries you before the baby is born then as long as Brandyn doesn't show up to contest it, Erick gets all paternal rights by our laws."
Adrianna stared at Erick, her mouth slightly agape. "You… would do that? Marry me in the next few months? I just…" She pressed her hands to her cheeks. "That's so soon."
Smiling at her puckered lips, Erick took her hands in his. "I already promised I wasn't going to leave. This just makes it official."
"Woah, hold on, okay!" Finn finally rose from his seat. "Isn't she a little young? Heck, aren't they both a little young? I mean Erick's only eighteen and Anna-"
"Is having a baby." Astrid interrupted. "I think the circumstances are already kind of extreme."
"Yeah but-" Finn broke off.
Hiccup gestured patiently. "Go ahead, Finn."
"What if this is all for nothing?" Finn asked. "I'm not trying to disagree with everything you're saying, but this is all conjecture."
"It's not conjecture, it makes sense." Erick said.
"We don't have the facts." Finn stressed. "What are we going to do when we announce the reason we are doing this?"
"We won't announce it." Hiccup said, a gleam returning in his eye. "Here's what we are going to do. Nothing. Barring their marriage, if it's really what we want to do to protect the baby, we aren't going to breathe a word about Brandyn. When he comes forward with his big announcement, he won't have a head start on us."
Erick smiled conspiratorially. "Brandyn will lose all his advantage."
"As long as we keep it quiet, yes." Hiccup agreed.
"But who would tell him?" Finn asked. "Do you think he has like, spies here?"
"At this point I'm not ruling it out."
"Dad, you're totally assuming that our enemies have completely infiltrated our island! They can't have gained that much an advantage, there's no way!"
"Didn't I say it's smart?" Hiccup countered. "How do you fool a strategist, Finn?"
"You have think like a strategist." Erick replied.
"You have to be smarter than a strategist." Hiccup pointed at Erick. "However, there's always a flaw: Lofn was that flaw."
"His own mother." Erick mused.
"But why would she tell you about it?" Adrianna asked. "If it's true, that information is vital for all the tribes, not just Berk."
Hiccup shrugged. "I think she felt that she owed me an explanation for Brandyn's behavior. It certainly clears up a few things."
"Wait…" Finn said suddenly.
"What?"
"That man who came and visited. What was his name…" Finn snapped his fingers. "Roscoe! I ran into them in the woods and Brandyn was telling him… I don't know, something about waiting as long as he tells them to."
Hiccup frowned. "I knew that whole thing was fishy."
"They made their arguments sound so natural." Astrid remarked.
"We've already established that Brandyn is a good actor." Hiccup sighed. "I think there is a lot we don't know. He really had us fooled."
Finn seemed convinced at last. "Well, it doesn't matter. He can come at us with everything he's got because you guys have something that you didn't have with Dagur."
Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"
"Us." Finn nodded to his sister and Erick. "We aren't little kids anymore. We can fight back now. We don't have to stay home."
"Well…" Adrianna gazed down at her stomach.
Finn waved a hand. "Okay, me and Erick don't have to sit home and wait for news. We can go with you and do whatever we have to to fight back."
"Well let's not rush into things…" Hiccup held up his hands. "I'd prefer peaceful negotiations to fighting."
"That didn't work with Dagur. I don't think it will work with Brandyn."
"No," Hiccup sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You're probably right. But let's not worry about that right now. Let's focus on the family." He looked at Adrianna expectantly.
Astrid turned to Adrianna, rubbing her shoulder. "So, what do you want to do?"
Adrianna swallowed nervously. "I want to talk it all through. Getting married… it's a good idea, even if this is all a hoax and Brandyn isn't Dagur's son. He could still try to claim the baby someday." She looked up at Erick, a nervous smile on her face. "Let's get married."
Erick beamed back.
Finn sighed heavily. "I need a vacation."
"You can vacation when you're dead, Valhalla's not going anywhere." Erick sassed.
Hiccup and Astrid burst into laughter. Adrianna walked into Erick's arms and inhaled deeply. He smelled like leather and cedar wood.
"We'll figure it out." He murmured into her hair.
"One day at a time." She murmured back. Her heart gave a lurch in sudden excitement and nervousness. Erick would most likely plan a proposal! A million questions flew into her head about the possibilities and the things they would need to plan. Where would they live? Would they find a house to move into or build a new one? They'd have to find a place for Lily and Charger to go… Oh gods, she'd need a dress-
Adrianna stepped back and stared up at Erick. He looked down at her quizzically. "How are we even going to manage this before I pop?"
Erick snickered. He opened his mouth to reply when Finn suddenly whined out loud. "That means I have to wear a suit, doesn't it?"
Adrianna rolled her eyes. "We've got bigger fish to fry than your outfit, Finnegan."
"One thing is sure," Astrid grabbed a strand of Finn's hair and tugged. "Haircut." She looked over at her husband, who winced. "Both of you."
Adrianna and Erick chuckled as both male Haddocks whined in argument. Adrianna realized that while yet another mishap had befallen their family, they'd discussed it rationally and had come up with a plan, and within minutes they were laughing. The stress lines had lessened on Hiccup's face and she wondered if Finn was whining intentionally just to lessen the tension.
One thing was sure, if Brandyn was the son of Dagur the Deranged, he was in for a treat. She and Finn were children no longer. They would stand by their parents' sides for whatever he might have planned. And if he so much as took one step in her child's direction, she wouldn't hold back. Brandyn Anderson's days would be numbered.
Woohoo! A chapter has been posted! We're totally not slacking at all!
Actually, we're not slacking at all. We're just busier than usual. It's crazy how much we've been up to. Some of Em's friends are getting married (not me, of course!) and I've got quite a few projects going on.
So, by the way we've been updating, it looks like we might not get another chapter up before my game releases. I don't know whether or not that's a good thing because it may free up some time, on the one hand, but I am going back to college in the fall so I might be busy for totally different reasons! Regardless, look the game up on GameJolt! It's called The BOSS: A Jacksepticeye Fan Game. It's been one of the biggest projects I've ever been involved in and there are a few little Growing Up Haddock easter eggs embedded within. In fact, I even threw all the main characters into one room to kind of pad it out. And, of course, Cliff is a main character within the game itself and his personality hasn't changed a bit (though his looks definitely have). The game releases on August 7th, however I will be livestreaming with the second in command of the game stuff, my friend Jessica, on Combustible Pasta Studios, a channel we've set up that's associated with the game! So if you want to talk to us, definitely tune in! The livestream will be at 6 pm EST on August 6th and we'd love to talk to you guys! Only one person who is also a reader here has played the demo and said that my writing isn't necessarily distinguishable but honestly, being versatile in writing is a good thing. I hope when you play it, you'll be able to tell that I wrote it (and Em helped a bit with Cliff) but I won't be horrified if you can't tell.
Anyway, I'm really excited about all of this and I hope you are too! This is a huge deal! And I hope you're excited about the Ericanna developments. Lots of fluff to come! I think you'll love it!
Also I wanted to thank those of you who left me encouraging messages with the Cliff Notes. I know it's annoying when I announce stuff that way but no one got snippy or angry and I really appreciate it. Your comments were so sweet and they helped me a lot, since escaping from the abusive situation was very difficult and sank me into some pretty deep depression. I'm getting out of it now, though, with the help of medication and just having really loving and supportive people around me. I think releasing the game will do a lot to help with that as well. Andy, I don't know who you are but your comment was wonderful and I really appreciate what you said about my writing. It's hard to stay positive when people are that vicious to you and it helped me so much.
Thanks for sticking with us and I hope you'll play my game when it comes out!
~Katie