Merida refuses to acknowledge Flynn anymore. Hiccup doesn't know if it's a good thing or not.

Jack squirms uncomfortably, as he sits in between the two of them. Hiccup feels bad for him.

He manages to catch Ivory's eye, and she tilts her head and stands up, beginning to walk over to him.

"What's up?" she whispers to him, voice soft so the others don't hear.

"Can you switch me and Merida's places?" he says back, just as quiet. "Jack looks really uncomfortable, and I don't want him to sit between them right now."

She nods. "Of course!" Turning to face Merida, she says, "Would you mind switching spots with Hiccup? You don't have to if you don't want to."

"Yeah, sure." Merida stands up and begins to drag the thing she'd been sitting on to the other side of Hiccup. He shifts over so that he's right next to Jack.

"Thank you," Jack whispers to him.

"No problem." Hiccup smiles softly at him. "You looked really uncomfortable sitting there. I felt bad."

Jack shrugs in response, before turning back to the screen in front of him.

[Toothless, Hiccup, and Flynn fly above the clouds. Fly clenches his arms around Hiccup's waist.]

"Oh ho ho." Jack grins cheekily at the older man. "Scared are we?"

"Shut up," Flynn says, squinting at him. "Not all of us are great at flying y'know."

Jack laughs, and Hiccup can't help but be reminded of wind blowing through wild flowers.

Hiccup (hesitantly): So. . . Do you have an idea on where we can hide out?

Flynn: [After a moment's hesitation] I think I know a place.

[The scene cuts to a beautiful cove. In the center of it is a very tall tower with vines wrapping around it. After a moment the scene cuts, and we see a curtain of vines being pushed out of the way by Flynn. Hiccup and Toothless follow cautiously.]

Flynn: Here we are.

"How do you know where that is?" Rapunzel tilts her head at the man.

"Oh, um, I was being chased by a couple of guards. I hid behind the vines that were covering the entrance and saw that there was a tunnel."

"And you didn't think to hide in the tower?" Jack raises an eyebrow at him.

"Do you understand how much effort it would take to climb that thing."

"Oh. Well, why didn't you go back to, uh, investigate it or something?"

Flynn says nothing for a moment. "I just never needed to, I guess."

Jack hums in response.

[Hiccup gazes around the cove, an expression of awe on his face.]

Hiccup: Oh wow.

Flynn, jokingly: I know, I know. It's pretty awesome.

"You're so narcissistic." Merida scowls deeply at the screen.

Flynn opens his mouth to respond and leans forward with an arm outstretched, his brow scrunched up angrily, before Jack grabs his arm.

"Not right now," he whispers to the man, "please? I don't want you two to worsen your relationship."

Flynn has half a mind to ignore the young boy—because he doesn't give a damn about his relationship with the Scottish princess—but then he sees the expression on the teen's face.

Jack—Jack had died and been brought back to life with no knowledge of who'd he'd been before. Hell, he's a child.

So Flynn inhales deeply, shoots one last withering glare at Merida, and leans back in his beanbag.

[Hiccup shakes himself out of his stupor. He gazes up at the tower.]

Hiccup, to Toothless: How do you feel about dropping us off up there, bud?

[Scene cuts to Hiccup and Flynn awkwardly clambering in through the tower's window while Toothless hovers in the air, a disgruntled look on his face.]

"Graceful," Jack snorts.

"Don't be mean!" Rapunzel says.

"I'm not being mean! They're just not very good at breaking and entering! See, you're laughing too—"

[Flynn finally tumbles in.]

Hiccup, to Toothless: [leans out the window] Alright, go hide somewhere near here. Come back if you hear anything strange, okay?

[Toothless gives an affirmative huff before flying away.]

[Hiccup and Flynn explore their new surroundings. Hiccup discovers a small kitchen area. The oven is still warm.]

Rapunzel purses her lips. They don't know she lives there. Should she say something?

"Hmm, don't think that should be warm." Hiccup makes a face.

"Aye." Merida nods in agreement. "Someone was there recently."

Or is still there, is left unsaid.

Flynn: (looking up at the ceiling) Hey, look.

[Hiccup looks up. There are tons of murals painted on the walls and ceiling, most of them featuring a blonde haired girl and some sort of sun symbol.]

Fishlegs lets out a small 'woah'. Whoever painted those is super talented.

[There's a loud clang, and Flynn topples over, knocked out. A young teen with long blonde hair that vanishes into the dark steps out from the shadows, a frying pan held defensively in her hands.]

". . . Rapunzel?"

Rapunzel winces at the baffled tone in Merida's voice. She seems. . . Weirded-out, almost. "Um, yeah." She fiddles with the hem of her skirt nervously. "I, um, live up there."

Don't ask why don't ask why don't ask why don't ask why don't—

"Why?"

Rapunzel chews her lower lip. "I—I'm not sure. Mother raised me there all my life."

"Can't you go outside? Like, on the ground?"

"No."

Hiccup pauses. He opens his mouth to say something—

"Your mum doesn't sound very nice." Merida frowns. "She sounds sort of controlling."

"Maybe," Rapunzel says hesitantly, "but I know she loves me."

She does, right?

[Hiccup glances between Flynn's unconscious form and the girl, blinking owlishly.]

Hiccup: Uh. . . Hi. . .?

[The girl hefts her frying pan up, glaring at Hiccup suspiciously.]

Girl: Who are you? How did you find my tower?

[Hiccup blinks owlishly.]

Hiccup: Um, I'm, uh, Hiccup, and that (he gestures to Flynn's body) is Flynn Ryder. He kinda led me here.

Girl: Who else knows my location?

Hiccup: Er. . . No one?

"Why are you so defensive? Hiccup's a twig. You could snap his spine in half with no problem." Astrid snorts, her tone serious and unforgiving.

Hiccup winces, his shoulders tensing.

Rapunzel, deathly serious: So, what do you want with my hair? To cut it?

Hiccup, taken aback: What?

Rapunzel: Sell it?

Hiccup: Wha–No! Of course not!

Rapunzel: Ye–Wait. You don't want my hair?

Hiccup, snorting: Why on earth would I want your hair?

Rapunzel, amazed, confused: You're… telling the truth?

Hiccup, hesitantly: . . . Yes?

[Pascal squints at him distrustfully. Rapunzel makes a 'hold on a moment' gesture, before turning around to converse with Pascal.]

Rapunzel, whispering: I know, I need someone to take me.

[Pascal motions, to the two boys.]

Rapunzel, nodding: I think he's telling the truth, too.

"That—I don't think you should trust two random strangers that just broke into your house," Hiccup says dryly.

"It's only you and Flynn!" Rapunzel defends, sounding a tad indignant.

"Well, yeah, but future you doesn't know that!"

[Pascal motions.]

Rapunzel: (arguing) He doesn't have fangs, but what choice do I have?

Jack tilts his head curiously. What was she talking about? Where does she want to be taken?

He opens his mouth to ask, and then closes it. He'll find out soon, right? In the direction this conversation is headed, there is a fairly good chance.

[Flynn stirs on the ground. Hiccup nudges him with his foot until Flynn rolls over onto his back, groaning loudly.]

Hiccup, deadpan: Oh. You're alive.

"You wound me," says Flynn dramatically, placing a hand over his heart. "How dare you hope I'm dead."

Hiccup snorts.

Flynn: Ouch. You're so mean to me. [He notices Rapunzel.] Uh, who's the blondie?

[They catch him up on things. Flynn's eyebrows progressively reduced father into his hairline.]

"I think your eyebrows are trying to escape," Jack says in a completely serious tone.

Flynn lets out a strangled sound, and something akin to a squeal flies out of Hiccup's lips, before he slaps his hand over his mouth, his cheeks beginning to flush red. The five fall silent, before the unnamed three burst into loud, cackling laughter.

Tears stream down Merida's cheeks as she clutches her stomach, her face flushed as she wheezes, barely audible. Rapunzel covers her mouth with her hand, shoulders shaking, and Jack leans heavily on her shoulder, seemingly laughing. Hiccup can't tell; the white-haired boy isn't making any noise.

(Snotlout's mouth twitches upwards, but it, just as quickly, falls back into a thin line, his brow furrowed.)

It takes a moment for the five to collect themselves, and when they do, Merida hiccups from laughing so hard, tear-streaks evident on her face, and Jack has to inhale and exhale deeply to get his breathing under control. Flynn, a bit of a grin on his face, pats Rapunzel's back.

Merida wipes her cheeks and gives Flynn a cheeky smile. "Your eyebrows are escaping," she hiccups, and Flynn sticks his tongue at her.

"I told you they'd make up," Hiccup whispers to Jack. Jack gives him a small smile in response.

"Yeah. I guess they did."

Rapunzel, thoughtfully: Huh. Okay, I'm prepared to offer you a deal.

Flynn, hesitantly: Deal?

Rapunzel: Look this way. [She moves over to a pair of curtains and pulls them back, revealing a beautiful mural of what appears to be glowing lights in the night sky. Below it is a forest, and atop one of the tree tops there is a blonde girl with long hair, gazing at the lights.]

Gorgel growls under her breath. If she'd known this little obsession of Rapunzel's would get this out of hand, she would have done more about it a long time ago.

[Rapunzel points to the painting with her pan.]

Rapunzel, boldly, loudly: Do you know what these are?

Flynn: (raises an eyebrow) You mean the lantern thing they do for the princess?

Rapunzel: Lanterns? (under her breath) I knew they weren't stars. (To Hiccup and Flynn) Well, tomorrow evening they will light the night sky with these lanterns. You will act as my guide, take me to these lanterns, and return me home safely.

Hiccup: (shrugs) Yeah, sure.

Flynn, taken aback: I—what?

Flynn huffs. "I did not consent to that."

"Shut up and just deal with it." Merida rolls her eyes, though it is less out of malice and more of fondness.

Rapunzel: (ignores Flynn) So I have made the decision to trust you.

Flynn, dryly: A horrible decision, really.

Rapunzel: (ignoring Flynn) And if you take me to see these lanterns— [she stops. She has not thought this far ahead.]

"You should have thought about that more." Hiccup bites the inside of his cheek as he glances at Rapunzel.

She nods in agreement. "Yeah, I should have."

Hiccup: You don't have to give us anything. It'll be a fun experience. [He gives Flynn a pointed look. When the older man doesn't say anything, Hiccup elbows him in the ribs.]

Flynn: Ow! Ow. (Notices Hiccup's expression.) Right. Yeah. A fun experience.

"Aw, don't be like that." Hiccup leans on Jack's shoulder to get a better look at Flynn. "You looooooove us."

"Unfortunately, yes."

[Flynn glances between his two companions as they begin talking, their voices growing more and more lively. He heaved a sigh, as if saying "what have I gotten myself into?"]