Chapter 16: Going through the Motions

Trigger Warning: Attempted Suicide

Hiccup's POV

I stood in the hut I lived in staring at the wall. The anger I felt in the room before was still in me, and I wanted to get out.

I closed my eyes and heard the taunting voices of the last people who triggered that anger.

We shall all be turned into frogs and eaten

What we do is bargain, trade.

We gave that wizard this staff.

The Staff of Time.

I closed my eyes and tried to think of something else. But the words haunted me.

I finally walked out of the shed and down the walkways, to the training grounds.

I looked at the training dummies around me. The anger became too much. I drew my sword and started swinging.

I fell into a blind rage as my sword cut through all the dummies. They burst into flames as I sliced through them.

Finally, I stopped. I fell to my knees. My vision cleared and I saw burning dummies all around me. I looked over to see Anna and Toothless looking at me with a worried stare.

Anna walked down to me. I sighed and got back up.

"Hey, Anna."

"Are you ok, Hiccup?"

I sighed deeply. "Just letting off some steam."

"That's some steam." She folded her arms.

"I know. It doesn't come out often."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Sure. Let's go for a walk."

Anna nodded and we walked down to the shore, with Toothless walking right behind us.

"So, you said that anger doesn't show up often."

"Yeah, the last time it happened; we were facing these three witches. We were in the Kingdom of Prydain, a Kingdom south of Corona, investigating an undead king that some young wizard foolishly raised back from the dead. The four of us, plus a young man who had faced this undead king before, went to find a cauldron that would help up defeat this undead king. We ended up in Marshes of Morva, We faced them. They told me that they gave an enemy of mine a weapon that messed up Berk and the Archipelago. So, I lost my temper and control. When my vision cleared, the witches were dead."

Anna nodded. "What was the weapon?"

I shrugged. "That's a long story."

"Ahh, some other time." She then looked at me. "I hope you haven't had anything like that happen again."

"Not really. It came close when Alvin shot Merida. But when Macintosh insulted us, it rose in me again."

Anna just nodded and shrugged. "I have a temper too. I understand."

I chuckled. "Yeah, you attacked Merida on the way to the New World."

"Yeah, I got her pretty good." She said with a laugh. She then turned to me and hugged me. "You can come to me for help, Hiccup."

I hugged her back. "Thank you, Anna."

…

Merida's POV

I shot the arrow at the target, watching it sail towards the other arrow, splitting it in half.

"Impressive."

I looked to see Cassandra standing behind me.

"Not many people can sneak up on me," I said.

"Yeah, I got a baby dragon to help with that." She said as she sat down. "But are you any good with a sword?"

I smiled, "Is that a challenge?"

She just nodded and tossed me a sword.

We sparred for a while. I never went as hard as I could.

"Come on, princess, you can do better than that!"

"Oh, you want to see me at my best. It might hurt your pride." I said tauntingly.

She laughed back. "Come on, show me what you got."

As I went to attack, Someone screamed my name.

"MERIDA!"

I quickly looked to see Jack flying over to me.

"Jack, what's wrong?"

"Rapunzel locked herself in her quarters, with a bottle of dragon poison from Hiccup's stash!"

I quickly whistled for Starlight. She ran over. I climbed and took off. Jack and Cassandra followed behind me.

I had Starlight land in front of Rapunzel's house, where I found Frederic and Adrianna at the door. Frederic was pounding at the door.

"Rapunzel! Open the door!" Frederic said.

"Move!" I shouted. "Starlight, blast."

As Frederic moved, Starlight blasted the door open. Darkness was the only thing in the room.

Frederic went to go inside, but I stopped him.

"No offense, your majesty, but maybe I should go."

"That's my daughter, I'm going to help her," Frederic demanded.

"You're her father. She needs a friend. Let me."

He paused then nodded.

"Please help our daughter," Adrianna said as she hugged me.

"I will." I nodded and walked in. I looked around the room. The daylight from the doorway was the only thing that lit up the room. All the other lights in the house were out. I saw Rapunzel in the corner, a blanket around her, looking down at a flask with a blueish liquid.

"Blondie?"

"Please go away," Rapunzel whispered.

"Then hand me that slitherwing venom."

She continued to look at it.

"How do you know what it is?"

"I have seen all of Hiccup's stash. Now hand it over."

"I can't do that."

"Why?"

"I'm going to use it."

"No, you're not."

"Merida, please do not do this. I have made up my mind."

"About what?"

"I can't jump off of anything high, Surge would catch me, I can't drown myself, too painful. Poison it is."

I sat down in front of her. "That will be painful too."

"Quick and painless."

"No, that will give you ale discoloration, green patches on the skin, extreme fatigue, and increasing pain. And it would take a day to kill you. But Hiccup knows the antidote. Now a razorwhip's tears would kill you quickly."

Rapunzel looked down at the bottle and set it down.

"Oh."

"Yeah. Now tell me what is going on."

She turned away.

"I'm a bad person."

"No, you're not."

"I cheated on my husband with a man who died and made him leave me. Bad"

I just moved closer to her. She tried to inch away.

"Please go away."

"Not going to happen, sister."

I came behind her and held her. She tried to fight me, but she finally stopped. The room was quiet. A shadow came into the room. Jack was peeking his head in. I shooed him away.

"Blondie, do you want to die?"

"The world doesn't need me," Rapunzel said as tears fell down her cheeks.

"I need you."

"No, you don't."

"Blondie, you help me get with Hiccup. That wouldn't have happened if I didn't have you."

"That was then."

"But I need you now. Because I love you. Your parents need you because they love you. Surge needs you because he loves you. Jack, Elsa, Anna, and Hiccup need you because we love you. Eugene loves you."

"No…"

"He just needs some time. If you go, we'd all be devastated. We can't lose you, Rapunzel."

She stayed quiet for a minute. Then she started crying.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

I just held her.

"Let's go."

I got up and picked her up. She curled up, just crying.

I got outside. Hiccup and Anna had joined the group. I handed Hiccup the flask.

"Lock it up."

He nodded. I carried Rapunzel over to Starlight. She sniffed Rapunzel and let her on.

I got on behind her and grabbed her hand. And Starlight took off. A roar rang out. We looked behind to see Surge flying after us.

As we flew away, Rapunzel just leaned up against me. I squeezed her hand.

Hold my hand, everything will be okay

I heard from the heavens that clouds have been grey

Pull me close, wrap me in your aching arms

I see that you're hurtin', why'd you take so long

To tell me you need me. I see that you're bleeding

You don't need to show me again

But if you decide to, I'll ride in this life with you

I won't let go 'til the end

I had Starlight fly up and go into a dive. As we dived, Rapunzel's blanket flew off and her hair started flowing in the wind. She gasped as the rushing air flew into her face. She smiled widely and started crying what I had to assume were tears of joy.

So, cry tonight

But don't you let go of my hand

You can cry every last tear

I won't leave 'til I understand

Promise me, just hold my hand

Raise your head, look into my wishful eyes

That fear that's inside you will lift, give it time

I can see everything you're blind to now

Your prayers will be answered, let God whisper how

To tell me you need me, I see that you're bleeding

You don't need to show me again

But if you decide to, I'll ride in this life with you

I won't let go 'til the end

So, cry tonight

But don't you let go of my hand

You can cry every last tear

I won't leave 'til I understand

Promise you'll just hold my hand

Hold my hand, hold my

Hold my hand, my hand

I'll be right here, hold my hand

Hold my hand, hold my

Hold my hand, my hand

I'll be right here, hold my hand

I know you're scared, and your pain is imperfect

But don't you give up on yourself

I've heard a story, a girl, she once told me

That I would be happy again

Hold my hand

Hold my hand

Hold my hand, hold my hand

Hold my hand, hold my hand

Hold my hand

…

We landed on a small, abandoned island where Starlight and Surge caught some fish. While Starlight ate, Surge just cuddled up to Rapunzel. The bright light in her was back. She leaned up against Surge and watched the sunset.

"Thank you, Merida. You got me out of a dark place. I hated it."

"Just don't go that low again. Promise?"

Rapunzel nodded. "Promise."

"Thank you," I said as I finished cooking my fish.

We watched the sunset, both of us knowing it would be okay.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.

I just want to say, If you have any thoughts of self-harm, please get help. The world will be a little less bright without you here. If you need to talk to someone, Dial 988. Someone will help you. Just know that I care.

The Song Used in this Chapter is Hold My Hand by Lady GaGa

Thanks for Reading. Please Review. Chapter 17 will be here soon.