THE BIG FOUR! WATCHING THE MOVIE! ALTERNATE UNIVERSE! RUN AWAY!
Watching the Big Four Untie.
Chapter Two: The Four Unite
"So…" Rapunzel trailed awkwardly, unsure how to start a conversation with a warrior princess, a Winter Spirit, a Viking boy and a flipping Dragon!
Everything her mother told her was fighting against her naturally friendly nature.
The first thing her mother told her about ordinary strangers is that they were all cruel and selfish and just wanted to use her hair for themselves. Sure, she had defiantly seen feats of cruelty during the fight between the red-haired girl and her own mother, but the girl said herself that she regretted it afterwards. Then there was the Winter Spirit. Jack Frost. Sure, she believed him, but only because of the scary stories her mother told her about him. About how he was a bloodthirsty giant who came and snatches little kids who get lost in blizzards. But Jack appeared so nice, approaching a Yeti, who he, apparently, has a rough history with (on the Yeti's part), just to fix the redhead's bow. And then the Viking boy. Gothel told her that Vikings were vicious people who only had conquest and kill on the mind. And admittingly, while there defiantly was a bit of a dark persona and a sarcastic attitude surrounding him, he seemed so… broken. Like he put up a wall as tall as her tower to prevent getting hurt again. Then there was the dragon. She was told that they were vicious, bloodthirsty creatures that will always go for the kill. But the one in front of her right now was so calm and seemed more like a docile pussycat than a vicious reptile.
Thankfully for the blonde, it looks like she wasn't the only one feeling awkward. Merida looked out of place as well, and Jack wasn't sure how to interact, being alone and unbelieved in for so long. Hiccup gave up on human interaction months ago and the dragon can't talk, so he just stayed curled up on his stone bed.
Jack clicked his tongue in the silence. Merida leaned back and forth on the balls of her feet. Hiccup fiddled with his fingers.
Then the screen flicked on, and began to work, saving the four any more embarrassment.
"Finally!" Spirit shouted then sat back and stayed quiet.
The camera soon shows the forest, then zooms to ground view, to see Jack and Merida have finally made it to Corona, and were drifting down the stream by boat.
Elinor and Fergus looked sad again. She really was leaving.
Angus let out a small neigh as the boat rocked a bit, and Merida chuckled, giving him an apple to calm his nerves. Jack was standing on the boat and acting as a ferryman, using his staff as an oar. Jack was looking at the trees every now and then with a fond smile when a lotus fell into his hand, causing it to frost a bit.
"What's wrong?" Merida asked in slight concern, having noticed his stares.
Jack smiled. "Nothing. It's just, the trees. They're singing." Merida looked at the trees and frowned.
Silence.
"Frostbite, what have been drinking?" Bunny asked, wondering what the hell he was on about. Tooth whacked him in the back of the head, making Jack giggle.
"I don't hear anything."
"That's because you're not a child of Mother Nature."
"Mother Nature? She's your mum?" Jack chuckled, his eyes and smile growing fond.
"I suppose, by adoption terms." he sighed, his eyes staring off into the distance in thought. "When I first woke up, I was alone, afraid, unsure of what to do, for no-one even knew about my existence, so they couldn't see me. Back then, I couldn't understand why. She reached out and found me, and took me in as her son. Manny may have brought me to life, but Mother will always have my loyalty and trust."
The Guardians were surprised by the sincerity and gentleness in the Winter Spirit's voice. They were beginning to see him as more than a mischievous troublemaker. Though Bunny was still being a little stubborn.
The rest of the four exchanged looks with him and smiled at him.
Pitch was inquisitive. Sounds like Emily Jane has changed over the recent years. Before, she was neutral at best, only interacting if it concerned her interests, such as nature and her family… then again, Jack Frost being a creature of the elements, it would make sense, Pitch supposed…
Merida stared in silence, before smiling a bit, as he had spoken the truth. But then Jack frowned in sorrow.
"I haven't been a good kid lately. I haven't seen her in years." Merida placed a hand on his shoulder for comfort and he grinned, though it was small.
Then the boat shifted roughly, and Angus let out a nervous whinny.
Everyone jumped at the interruption and stared. What happened?
Jack looked below and groaned.
"Brilliant."
"What's wrong?"
"Bedrocks, that's what." he then looked to the sky and noticed that it was getting dark. "And Manny's bringing the night. We're gonna have to camp here and continue in the morning on foot."
Merida groaned a little.
Merida groaned with her future self, and the four couldn't help but chuckle.
The screen changed to show night time, and Jack and Merida were fast asleep, so was Angus. Merida was curled up on the floor in her cloak, while Jack was prompt up against a tree, hood up and holding his staff tightly.
Then there was a faint whisper and Merida was stirred from her sleep.
She sat up, a worried look on her face before it faded to awe when she saw something she hasn't seen in a long time.
"A Will O' the Wisp."
Everyone was slack-jawed at the sight of a mythical sprite, while Merida took the opportunity to look smug.
"I told you I saw one."
Fergus couldn't close his jaw.
She continued to stare in awe as the sprite waved at her to follow with its misty arms, before looking at Jack's sleeping form. "Jack, wake up!"
He shifted and grunted, "Bring it on, you Kangaroo." he mumbled, not getting up.
Bunny glared at the snickering head of white hair.
Merida scoffed, and got up, grabbing her bow and sword, pulling and knocking an arrow and firing at Jack's behind.
Everyone winched in pain or gaped in shock while North, Bunny and Sandy laughed and Jack looked at the redhead in outrage. She merely shrugged in response.
"OW!" Jack yelled, reaching back to pull the arrow out of his butt and looked up at Merida in anger.
"What was that for?!"
"To wake you up. You said you can't die."
"DOESN'T MEAN I STILL CAN'T FEEL PAIN, YOU CRAZY-!"
"Shh." She shushed him, pointing to the sprite, silencing him immediately. They exchanged looks and what Merida said next set them off on what they were going to do next.
"They will show us the way."
They followed the Wisp for a while though, but movie time only showed at least a few seconds. Eventually, they lead to what looked like just a simple cliff with a curtain of vines hanging over a particular area.
Gothel's eyes went bug-wide and leaned forward in her seat in anger and shock. They found it. They found her entrance.
As soon as they reached distance, the wisp disappeared.
Merida frowned as did Jack.
"That's it?" the Winter Spirit asked, quickly getting frustrated. "I got woken up from an awesome dream, by an arrow to the butt, only to be lead to this cliff. Are you kidding?!"
Then a bloodcurdling scream echoed across the field.
Everyone in the audience jumped out of their previous humour from the Winter Spirit's comment, as did the four and Rapunzel especially. That was her!
Merida and Jack looked around, guards up, but couldn't see anything. They then turned to the curtain of vines. Jack reached out with his staff and brushed some of the vines away.
A cave was on the other side.
They looked to each other, and nodded, knowing what they were going to do. They rushed in, leaving a frightened Angus behind.
When they reached the other side of the cave they were meet with a very amazing sight.
Scene changes to show a large tower, at least 10-12 meters long, a pointed roof and a single window. But that wasn't what has their attention.
It was the Grim Gnasher dragons circling the tower, as screams from inside ring out and bounced around the rock pit the tower was in.
Gothel's eyes were wide with fear. Her spells were wearing off. Now those stupid dragons were going to harm her flower.
One Grim Gnasher, the red one, the leader, landed on the window and reached his head in, ready to grab his prey. Jack and Merida began running towards the tower, Jack beginning to fly as he did, similar to a jet on a runway.
Jack acted fast and turned to Merida, "You handle the dragons outside, give me some cover fire. I'll help whoever's in the tower."
"I'm all over it." Merida knocked an arrow ready and charged, while Jack flew up, using the wind to fly as fast as he can to the window.
Gothel honestly hoped they would make it in time.
One Grim took notice of the Spirit and prepared to follow, before an arrow zipped by, nicking the Grim Gnasher's cheek and making it roar in pain. The vulture-like dragons turned to see Merida running towards them before stopping when she got into the distance, knocking another arrow.
Two other Grims were approaching her quickly, getting ready to pounce, before Merida fired an arrow. They dodged by taking to the sky mid-run and flew up, firing their teeth as they went. Merida shielded herself from the blast with her cloak, before picking up one of their teeth in realization.
"THEY'RE SHOOTING THEIR TEETH AT US?!"
"That's actually really awesome!" Jack's faraway cry answered, making the Princess groan as she threw the tooth to the ground.
A few people laughed. Hiccup shook his head, a small smile. He didn't even know this guy that well, but he sure knows how to turn a negative situation into a positive one.
Screeches sounded off in the sky and they looked up to see the Grim Gnashers getting ready for another attack.
Merida knocked another arrow. The Grim Gnashers roared. Merida fired an arrow.
The scene changes to show Jack just flying through the window and looking around, the staff at the ready. Pots cluttered, rough footsteps skittered, any noise that was made, made Jack turn in that direction, only to find emptiness.
Many kids hid behind their parents, and the adults couldn't blame them. They felt chills go down their spine with every shadow that cut through the screen and every clang of pans, pots and other household objects.
Everything was silent for a moment, before Jack heard a gasp of fear, and spun to see a woman with very long blonde hair peek her head out of the closet.
"Are you alright?" before she could answer, her eyes went wide with fear and she pointed behind him.
"LOOK OUT!"
He turned just in time to be pinned down by the red Grim. (Everyone jumped at the sudden appearance of the hungry dragon) He kept his snapping jaws away with his staff to her throat, but Jack was steadily losing strength with how much he was struggling to get him.
After a few seconds, Jack's arms began to shake. He was losing. He leaned his head away from the Grims snapping jaws. The dragon seemed to grin maliciously, before a chameleon jumped onto Jack's forehead, then shot his tongue straight into the Grim's eye.
"HAH! Wreaked by a frog!" Snotlout gloated.
"He's a chameleon." Rapunzel corrected, but the Jorgenson paid her no mind.
The dragon roared in pain, before a frying pan hit the dragon in the face, knocking him off the Spirit's body. Jack and the girl continued to hit the dragon anywhere on its body with their respected weapons, before the dragon decided it had enough and jumped out of the window, calling out to its pack members to reconvene.
Scene changes to show that the Grims were hovering over Merida, getting ready for another attack, only to respond to their alpha's call and they flew away. Merida relaxed her posture and placed her arrow back into her quiver. Back on the tower, Jack leaned outside of the tower, his crook hanging off the hook on the top of the window, watching as they flew away.
"AND LET THAT BE A LESSON TO YA!" he yelled at the Grims with a smile.
Merida groaned, her fingers rubbing in between her eyes.
Once more, there were low chuckles
Jack turned back to the girl.
"Are you okay?" Rapunzel stood there, shocked that this flying stranger was able to help her. She nodded, stunned. Jack smiled, before looking back down at Merida, the redhead already starting to climb up the tower with her arrows.
"You don't mind if I bring my friend up here, do ya?" Rapunzel was silent, before slowly shaking her head, unsure of herself. Jack smiled and flew down. Camera changes to show the outside of the tower, Merida slowly climbing up, before Jack floated down behind her and then plucked her off the tower, carrying her up to the window.
As soon as the two entered, and it was now silence.
Meanwhile, Gothel was glaring at the screen with wicked eyes. She was glad her flower was safe from the Grim Gnashers, but now she was angry that her flower has allowed strangers into her tower.
With the situation less tense, Jack and Merida studied the girl. The woman had long blonde hair. VERY long hair, at least 70 feet long. Green eyed, barefoot, pink dress, and a chameleon on her shoulder, wearing a pink and purple dress, barefoot and a frying pan at hand.
Jack quirked an eyebrow, "Who are you?" he asked the girl. She looked at him shyly.
"Rapunzel. And this is my friend, Pascal." She then gestured to the chameleon on her shoulder. Pascal gave a casual wave but kept cautious eyes on them.
Jack and Merida blinked.
Rapunzel then addressed them, "And who are you?" she asked, holding her pan in front of her threateningly.
Jack held up his hands in surrender with a smile. "I'm Jack Frost, and this is-" Merida stood tall and proud, "Merida. Firstborn descendant of Clan DunBroch."
Fergus was glad she still carried her title with pride.
Rapunzel looked unsure if she could trust them, before lowering her pan and walking off toward the kitchen. "You… guys hungry?"
Jack looked over to Merida, who nodded. "Yeah, I could eat."
Rapunzel smiled and walked over to the kitchen.
The scene fades away to the group on the table, having some Hazelnut Soup. Jack was eating his soup casually as was Merida (much to Elinor's annoyance, but she didn't say anything). Rapunzel was eating a little uneasily, her eyes drifting from Jack then Merida, and then back to her soup. The scene quickly changed to show Pascal jumping onto the rim of the cauldron of Hazelnut Soup, and lapped at it, before burning his tongue and jumping off, squealing.
Toothless laughed to himself, making the chameleon glare at him.
"So… you lived here all your life?" Merida asked her carefully. Rapunzel nodded shyly, stirring her bowl with nerves.
"Yeah."
"And you just live here alone?" Jack asked, "With your mother and pet chameleon? With nothing to do. Doesn't seem like much fun." Rapunzel suddenly looked excited.
"Oh, no! I have plenty to do. I do chores, (she ignored their sounds of disgust) ((much to everyone's amusement)) I bake, play the guitar, read a book or two, games like chess or ventriloquy." She then went quiet, thinking, before her eyes beamed, "Oh!" she jumped up, and flung her hair up on a hook, quickly hoisting herself off the floor and on top the fireplace. She then pulled back the curtains.
"And I love to paint!"
Jack and Merida looked in awe at the painting (as did the audience). It was showing the Corona Woods, under the veil of night, and floating overhead were many different coloured lights. And sitting on one of the trees, watching the lights, was a painting version of Rapunzel.
"You know your way with a paintbrush there, Shelia." Bunny complimented, and Rapunzel blushed.
Gothel scolded.
Jack asked the big question.
"Is that supposed to be the Coronian Lanterns?" Rapunzel frowned in confusion before it cleared in realization.
"Lanterns. I knew they weren't stars." She whispered to herself, before turning back to Jack and Merida.
"You know about these lights?"
"Yeah. They do that every year on the Lost Princess's birthday. We were heading there now to see."
Rapunzel looked excited at the prospect. Before she cleared her throat and pointed at the lanterns calmly.
"You think maybe you can take me there before the end of the week?"
"WHAT?!" Gothel roared in outrage, making the girl flinch. Toothless immediately shifted himself closer to the girl and raised his wings, shielding her protectively from the woman's fiery glare.
"Um… it's ok… dragon? It's just my mother. She's just overprotective." Toothless did not move. He did not trust the woman who was up on the higher levels with the Dragon King he despised. This girl was going to be a part of Hiccup's life, according to the Tomb. Until he knew more, he was going to protect these four with every fiery breathe in his body.
Jack looked surprised, as did Merida. "Why?" Rapunzel looked like she was looking for a reason, before tossing her hair up to another lever, shining a light on some other paintings and moving the curtains.
"I've watched the stars, and their always constant, but these lights appear only on my birthday. And every night, I would sneak out to watch them, feeling like their… calling to me."
Jack and Merida watched, mesmerized as she continued. "I need to see them, not just from my window, in person. I need to see them for myself."
Jack and Merida looked at each other and nodded, smiling.
"Rapunzel, you'll see those lights in record time." Rapunzel was suddenly in front of him, beaming widely.
"REALLY!?" she then couldn't hold herself back anymore and hugged the both of them tightly. Jack and Merida looked at each other over her shoulders, before they smiled and returned her hug.
Queen Arianna couldn't help but smile warmly at the bubbly girl.
Scene changes to show Merida climbing down the tower again, having, this time, refused Jack's help, who merely watched her, floating 'on his back' and with a small smile. He then looked up at Rapunzel.
"You coming, Blondie?"
Rapunzel looks down, her hair hooked around the window hook, looking below, before looking out into the world. Slowly, she looked over to her painting. For a second, she looked like she was having second thoughts, before taking a deep breath and then.
She jumped.
A trail of long blonde hair fell, then Merida ducked closer to the tower when she saw Rapunzel sliding down. She laughed joyfully, before freezing when she was inches above the ground. Carefully, she touched the grassy earth with her toes, before planting her feet fully onto the ground. She laughed as she wiggled her toes.
She was finally free.
With a happy laugh, she ran off, leaving Jack and Merida in the dust. Merida moaned as they watched her run around the field of the tower, before heading off towards the curtain.
"I'm glad there was a shortcut for her." Jack laughed at Merida's sarcastic response.
Many laughed lightly.
Scene changes to bird's eye view Rapunzel just as she exits the curtain. She twirls around, laughing joyfully to herself.
She spins until she spots Angus, who just stood there watching her with curiosity. She jumped fearfully before Merida and Jack burst out of the curtain and Merida got in between Rapunzel and Angus.
"It's alright, Rapunzel. It's just my horse Angus. He wouldn't hurt a fly." Rapunzel looked out from her frying pan and slowly approached the horse, hand raised peacefully. Angus snorted softly, making her flinch before she braved it and place her hand on his snout. Angus nickered to her and Rapunzel giggled.
The scene shows Merida and Jack, the two smiling before Jack looked up and saw that it was getting dark.
"We better get moving. The sooner we get the Corona the better. And this neck of the woods is no place for us after dark." Merida and Rapunzel nodded, though Rapunzel did it much more timidly.
The scene fades out to show its evening, and Jack was leading the charge, with Merida and Rapunzel right behind them on Angus, Pascal seated on top of the horse's head.
It was quiet for a moment before the weather became a light drizzle. Jack held his hand out, catching the droplets, which quickly froze the moment it hit his palm.
Jack began looking around for any shelter that they could use for the night, just as the rain started to get a little heavier. He then spotted a small cave not too far ahead. He grinned.
Some girls swoon. Merida rolled her eyes, to which Rapunzel giggled at. Hiccup just ignored it. He was used to the 'hot guys' getting the attention.
They all sighed once they reached the shelter of the cave. Rapunzel ringed out her hair, Merida took her bow and quiver off and set them aside, and Jack froze the water on him, then tapped his body with his staff, shattering the ice off.
Time cuts to show Merida clanging flints together near a tent of sticks. Jack was standing by the cave, making sure to stay as far from the heat's rays as he could. Merida finally got the fire started and began to blow on it softly, making it bigger and stronger. Merida smiled, proud of herself before she began to dig into her bag, pulling out two loaves of bread, handing one to Rapunzel.
The blonde smiled, before looking over to Jack. "You want some, Jack?" the spirit smiled at her, but shook his head.
"No thanks. I have no need to eat." Rapunzel looked shocked.
"You can't eat?"
"I can eat. I just don't have to in order to survive." Jack explained.
Rapunzel nodded in understanding and began to dig into her meal. Jack sat his staff over his shoulder and began walking outside. Merida noticed and frowned.
"Where are you going?"
"I'll be back soon as the rain lets up. The cave is getting a little too warm for me." Merida and Rapunzel nodded, though Rapunzel looked concerned, watching as the wind lifted Jack from the ground and began to maneuver through the trees.
He flew for a bit, flying 'on his back' and with no care in the world. He began singing to himself quietly.
"Where the Northwind,
Meets the sea,
There's a river,
Full of memory,
Sleep my darling,
Safe and sound,
For in this river all is found"
Jack looked a little embarrassed as his future-self finished his secret lullaby. Everyone was looking over at him, and he pulled his hood over his head.
"Where did you learn that tune, Jack?" North asked, the rest of the Guardians curious as to where he got that from.
Jack stayed silent, before sighing. "I don't know. According to Mother Earth, memories of the past are never gone, they're buried, and some rare ones find a way to surface if they're close to the heart. So my best guess is that that song was from my old life before I died. I don't remember all the words though."
The Guardians were surprised. While it wasn't unheard of for a new spirit to forget things when they first wake up, it was extremely rare, and those rare ones usually remember in the long run. Jack had been around… for…
When was his spirit actually born? They asked themselves, realizing, rather horrifyingly, that they knew almost nothing about the winter spirit.
They decided to remain silent and continue watching the show.
Jack smiled, bittersweet before he heard the snap of a twig.
Many stiffened at the sound of the twig. What's happening now?!
Jack was immediately startled and hide behind the closest tree. He peeked over, his hand about to touch the tree to lean over, but decided against that, believing it would give him away. Flying up to the high branches, he spotted what exactly made the noise.
It was a boy.
Stoick and Valka sucked in a breath. One of shock and slight grief. It was their son!
The boy appeared fourteen years of age, with auburn hair and mossy green eyes. Freckled skin and a scrawny frame, he did look like he wouldn't last long in a fight against a boar. From what Jack could gather of the boy's fur vest, green tunic and brown trousers, the boy was of Viking heritage. But this boy didn't seem Viking like.
In fact, he looked sad.
Sad and angry.
The boy suddenly began swatting at low-hanging twig-branches, until one flicked upward, hitting him in the face and nearly taking out his eye, leaving a thin trail of blood.
Jack winched.
That had to hurt.
Many others winched along with the future spirit, but there was a few, namely the Berkians, who couldn't help but chuckle.
Only Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the III could turn a harmless twig into a weapon for his own demise.
Others couldn't help but jab at him for it.
"Some Viking. Can't even handle a twig." Dogsbreathe whispered, not so well, to his friends. "Thank Odin Stoick banished him." Jack frowned at the crew of boys who laughed quietly (not really) to themselves, before looking over to Hiccup.
The boy didn't even react. As though he was used to it by now.
And that was probably the scariest thing he just learned about him right now.
Hiccup began making noises of anger and frustration and began taken his anger out on anything in his range. Ripping grass out of the ground, throwing rocks and small boulders into the creek nearby, and then punching the pine trees and surrounded them for miles.
Whatever humour that was around from the previous situation had long dissipated to show genuine concern for the boy.
Valka looked like she wanted to burst into tears, and Stoick was struggling to keep his eyes on the screen and not waver to the boy in the front row.
What was wrong with their son?
"WHY?!" he suddenly roared up into the sky. Jack looked up to see what he was yelling at, and was surprised to see, shining through the gap between the numbers of trees, was the full moon.
"WHAT IN LOKI DID I DO TO MAKE YOU ABANDONED ME!? IF YOU HATE ME THAT MUCH, WHY NOT JUST GET IT OVER WITH AND KILL ME ALREADY?! OR DO YOU GET SOME SORT OF SICK PLEASURE WATCHING ME GET MY HOPES UP ONLY FOR THEM TO COME CRASHING DOWN?!"
Everyone was silent after the outburst from the usually silent boy. Valka was full-on sobbing now, and Stoick couldn't feel any more ashamed.
Toothless warbled worryingly for his brother and nuzzled him. Hiccup smiled, though it was bittersweet and hugged Night Fury close. The girls' awed while Jack smiled.
Hiccup let out deep breaths, before plopping himself on a rock and burying his face into his hands, and began crying softly.
Jack felt bad and made to approach him, but a rustle in the bushes made him freeze, and what he saw made him break a slight sweat.
A dragon. And by the looks of it, it was a Dramillion.
Albeit it was a baby Dramillion, but still. Fire-related animals give him a right to be nervous.
Valka settled down, but Stoick gripped the arm of his chair even harder. When there was a baby, the mother wasn't too far behind.
Jack stayed back and watched as the baby approached Hiccup carefully, before gently nipping at the skin of his hands and tugging. Hiccup pulled his hands from his tear-stained face and chuckled tearfully, tenderly scratching the baby's chin.
Jack smiled, glad that the kid seemed to be feeling better.
Valka smiled while Stoick only stared in shock and slight anger at the situation.
Before a shrill scream and battle cries of shock and anger echoed through the forest.
Both Jack and the boy shot up and Jack immediately shot towards the girls. Hiccup was left standing there with the Dramillion baby in his arms, his eyes clearly following the spirit.
Jack leaned back, amazed. He had three believers? Where had they been all his life?
Meanwhile, others were tense. Elinor, Fergus and the triplets were waiting for the screen to change, hoping to see that their redhead sharpshooter was alright. Queen Arianna and King Frederic were also deeply concerned about the long-haired girl. For whatever reason, they can't fathom.
Gothel, meanwhile, was only hoping that no damage had come to her flower.
The scene cuts to Rapunzel screaming as Merida pushes her back behind her to protect her, bow out and arrow poised in front of her.
They were being surrounded by two Dramillions. A red one with blue spots and stripes, and a yellow with purple. And they were all slowly backing the girls out of the cave.
Rapunzel and Merida kept their eyes on the two in front, before they were halted by bumping into one more Dramillion. Turning around, tense and scared, they saw a dark blue one with red patterns on his body. And looking just as angry and hostile as the others.
A bird's eye view shows the Dramillions slowly backing the two against a large boulder, where Angus was rearing and bucking lightly, nickering in fear. Rapunzel whimpered, gripping her frying pan tightly, Pascal hiding in her hair. Merida gritted her teeth, baring them at the colourful dragons in a warning.
They paid little heed and the yellow one made to make the first attack.
Elinor and Gothel tensed.
Before Jack suddenly landed in front of the girl and whacked the dragon back.
The two relaxed slightly.
The Dramillion shook their head and snarled. Blue growled, before opening his mouth, preparing to fire, making Jack flinch and prepare to shield the girls...
When the boy from before suddenly jumped in front of them, hand out, palm facing the now silent Dramillions.
Many of the Berkians were shocked and confused. What was he doing? What was he going to do?
Jack and the girls looked shocked. Jack prepared himself to protect the girls and now the mystery dragon boy if things get too out of hand.
"Alright. Easy, easy." Hiccup began to talk to the dragons in a calm tone. "Stand down."
Close up on Hiccup turning towards the blue one, "Stand down." blue snapped at the air between them. "Hey! What did I just say?" The camera pans towards the yellow one slowly approaching him from the side. "Octavia, I see you! Back UP!"
The Berkians looked on, amazed. Is he... controlling the dragons? Valka smiled, proud of her son, while Stoick only looked confused. The dragons were obviously incapacitated, so why not finish them off while their guard's down?
Very, very slowly, the Dramillions began to calm down. Before the blue one started making noises. That sounded like… laughter. After a moment of frowning in confusion, Hiccup made a face of realization and began to laugh.
Stoick frowned even more. Were the beasts… laughing?
"Oh! Ok." Soon, all the dragons around then began making laughing sounds. Jack and the girls were terribly confused.
The audience even more so.
"Yes. Yes, yes. Very funny." The Dramillions all preened, looking quite proud of themselves. "Yes. We're all laughing at your little joke. We're all laughing." The boy gestured to himself and the dragons, before gesturing to Jack and the girls. "Strangers. They aren't laughing. They're screaming."
"'Screaming' is a bit of a stretch."
Every let out a laugh at Jack's off-the-hand comment.
The boy turned over to the others at Jack's comment and gave them a soothing grin.
"Is everyone ok? Nothing broken?" they all simultaneously shook their heads.
Hiccup sighed in relief. "Good. Sometimes the kids would go a little too far with their pranks on strangers that come within the border," he told them in a humorous tone.
"Kids?!" Snotlout shouted in disbelief. "They were kids?!"
Before a chirp from his feet made them all look down to the same baby Dramillion from before. Hiccup smiled and picked him up, not minding as the baby began climbing all over him.
Merida didn't know how to react. Rapunzel immediately relaxed and cooed at the baby. Jack couldn't help but grin playfully. This boy just stopped several Dramillion dragons from apparently 'joking' them, and was now letting a baby scrabble all over him. Pascal was looking between the Dramillion trio and the baby, unsure of which one to fear. Angus was still hiding behind a tree but was slowly calming and coming back out, hiding behind his mistress now.
They all then just stood there awkwardly. Before Hiccup pointed off into the woods, "We better catch up with the pack. You guys want to tag along?"
"Won't they eat us?" Hiccup chuckled at the blonde's paranoid question. "No. Their diet is berries. You're perfectly safe. "He then began walking off down a small forest path, the Dramillions following close behind. Slowly, the three followed them. Angus slowly followed close behind, not wanting to be left alone.
Many chuckled at the horse. Merida couldn't find it in herself to be embarrassed by her mount.
The three continued to follow the 'dragon' boy.
They then reached some bushes, and Hiccup turned to the group. "Now, listen. Giving how Dramillions were nearly driven into extinction by hunters, it has made them especially suspicious of humans. I was lucky to have Toothless vouch for me, or I might have been dead by now. So, from here on out, weapons away," he clearly looked to Merida, who scowled, but complied and threw her bow over her shoulder and took off the quiver, hiding them in the bush, "No acts of mischief," he then looked at Jack, who playfully looked hurt, but the seriousness on Hiccup's face made him roll his eyes and nod.
More laughs ensued.
"And please, for the love of Freya, do. Not. Bother anyone. Just mind your own business, and they'll mind theirs."
Everyone nodded, agreeing to these three simple rules.
Tomb snickered. Not so simple.
Hiccup nodded, glad, turning around and pushing back the bush. What they saw, was enough to blow them away.
In front of them was a grassy field, and a lot of Dramillion dragons. They were of all ages, from adult to whelp, and of four tiers of colours. Dark blue with red, bright red with blue, yellow with purple and purple with yellow. And they were doing an assortment of things. Many adult males and females were bathing in a shallow hot spring not too far from the rest of the pack, some were just sunbathing in the field. Some teenagers and hatchlings were chasing each other and play wrestling. And some mothers were feeding their babies with twigs carrying a large number of berries.
It was calm. Peaceful. The sort of break that they needed after that little attack. Hiccup stepped forward, then spun around, arms out in a presentation.
"Mommy! It's so pretty!" a little Coronian girl cried out to his mother, pointing at the screen in her exclamation.
The mother smiled sweetly, as did Rapunzel, as she couldn't help but watch.
"VARIAN!"
A booming voice suddenly echoed across the theatre, and the four teens noticed how a boy with black hair was carefully approaching the yellow Dramillion, Octavia, who noticed the approaching boy after his father's cry and turned to him, making him freeze.
For a moment, everything was deadly quiet, and Hiccup was about to get up and maneuverer Octavia away to give the boy a chance to flee, only for the yellow Dramillion with slowly trailing her tongue across his cheek in greeting.
Varian let out a shaky laugh before Octavia ran off and began looking around. Before long, sounds of crashing glass echoed off in the next room, and Tomb sighed, irritated. "Looks like Octavia found the greenhouse."
A moment later, the yellow Dramillion came back with a twig of berries, dropping it at Varian's feet. The boy couldn't help looking a little confused.
"Consider it a peace offering." At Hiccup's instructions, he turned to him. "When Dragons meet for the first time, they'll give each other food as a sign of peace. Octavia is basically saying 'I don't want to fight you, let's make friends'. If you want to accept her friendship offer, give her food in return."
Varian nodded, picking up the berries and then digging into his pockets, pulling out a small loaf of bread. Octavia chirped happily, glad that her offer of friendship was accepted and took the loaf happily.
Rapunzel watched with an even bigger smile as she watched the boy laugh in relief and slowly began to pet the dragon. How can this boy possibly be born 'selfish and cruel' as her mother claimed?
Gothel continued to scowl. All of her years of manipulation and hard work crumbling before her.
"Welcome to the pack!" The three looked around in awe at the tranquillity of the place, before following Hiccup and staying close.
The view around them was reason enough for them to be awed by the sight around them. Everything was somewhat quiet, save for the chatter and calls of the Dramillions surrounding them. The camera closes up on Merida's face, showing her looking around nervously before she noticed something not that far ahead.
"Those dragons aren't like the others."
Hiccup looked over to where Merida was pointing and smiled. The camera cuts over to two other dragons, who weren't Dramillions. One was a Hobblegrunt, who was spying her claws with a disinterested expression. Another was a Monstrous Nightmare, but with a strange colouring. He was a silvery grey with a darker grey pattern, and this Nightmare merely looked bored with whatever Toothless was talking about.
Fishlegs looked curious. "Is the Nightmare sick? He has no colouring."
Hiccup shook his head. "No, Killer is as healthy as ever. He was just born as one of those dragons with rarities."
Said grey Nightmare let loose a mighty, proud roar, letting everyone know where he was.
Hiccup cupped a hand around his mouth and called out. "Moody! Killer!"
The two looked up and cawed to him. Hiccup came up to Killer and scratched his chin. "How are you guys?"
And then Moody, the Hobblegrunt, surprisingly spoke. "Well nothing interesting happened, so I guess you can just call this an average day."
The Berkians were as silent as a graveyard. Hiccup almost found it funny, and he nearly lost it when Moody found that moment as an opportunity to show off her years of learning and hard work.
"You'll catch flies if you keep your maws open like that." She said in a flirtatious tone.
Snotlout lost it as well.
"HOW?! How can you talk!? You're a dumb dragon!"
"And yet I'm talking to you, you inconsiderate sleazeball." The Hobblegrunt growled, immediately turning red with anger. Literally.
"Moody's family lived by a village of dragon lovers and picked up the language." Hiccup explained before a fight could break out. "Moody is one of the only dragons I know of that can speak Norse and other languages." Moody went from red to green, clearly showing her pride in being one of the only dragons who could speak the human tongue.
Stoick couldn't stop looking at his son as he scratched the talking dragon's chin.
Jack and the girls looked on in shock. The Hobblegrunt talked. Dragons only speak Dragonese, but this one full-on spoke plain English.
Then a black blur suddenly shot passed the screen and crashed into the Viking boy.
Everyone jumped in surprise at the sudden appearance.
"HICCUP!" Stoick roared out in worry.
Jack and the girls jumped, while Rapunzel screamed until Hiccup's laughter reached their ears.
"Hey, bud! It's good to see you too!" Toothless purred at the boy, before looking over to the extra company.
The three of them stepped back cautiously. Hiccup placed a hand on Toothless's head. "It's alright bud, they're friends." At this, Toothless immediately lightened up his cautious glare and purred, shoving himself towards the three, making them flinch.
"This is my best friend Toothless. A Night Fury." Hiccup introduced as Toothless sniffed at them, disregarding entirely the way Rapunzel froze.
The Vikings froze as well.
A Night Fury?
His 'best friend'?
Surely he's joking. Right?
"'Night Fury'? As in 'Offspring of Lightning and Death' Night Fury?" Rapunzel whimpered before Toothless gently licked her cheek in greeting. Rapunzel was frozen before she started to giggle and began gently stroking Toothless's head, causing him to purr.
Jack and Merida soon calmed down as well and smiled at this supposed 'Offspring of Lightning and Death' behaving like a pussycat, before there was a mighty roar, and a thud of steps and the three turned around to see… nothing.
Everyone in the audience was tense and confused. What was going on?
At first, the three of them were confused, while Hiccup was unaffected and Toothless even looked excited. Then there was another thud.
And then, finally, Jack spotted a shimmer, before the 'shimmer' started to take colour. And before long, the culprit is revealed.
A Titan Wing Dramillion.
It looked identical to any other Dramillion here, dark blue with red spots and stripes, save for the obvious size advantage and the lighter blue scars littering his body. And he held an air of dominance. It was clear, this was the Alpha of the Dramillion pack.
Jack was still anxious and prepared to take flight when Hiccup gripped his shoulder. "It's alright. Titan just wants to check if you're trustworthy enough to be in the pack. Dramillions were nearly hunted into extinction by hunters. So he wants to be extra sure."
Titan approached the Winter Spirit and the two girls carefully. Merida looked mesmerized, while Jack and Rapunzel broke a sweat from nerves as the blonde hid behind the winter spirit (much to the audience's humour). After reading a volume of dragons that her mother gave her, she feared the day she would ever come across a dragon. And considering dragons are normal creatures of fire, Jack tries to keep his distances from them should he ever cross one.
After Titan sniffs the three of them a few more times, he lets out a grumpy, dismissive snort towards them, and then turned around and left, looking as regal as he entered.
Jack let out a deep, shuttering breathe, and bent down in relief, hands on his knees as he took in deep breaths.
"That… was terrifying."
Everyone began to have a laugh at the frost being's obvious discomfort towards the typically flame-throwing creatures.
The Berkians found it no laughing matter. The boy was right to be cautious.
The scene fades from the group laughing at the Frost spirit's words to a later time, and the four were now with Hiccup and Toothless on a hill, overlooking the flock with Titian. They're now sitting around a small fire, eating some berries while surrounded by the two oddball dragons. Their conversations were somewhat muted, as the Dramillions triplets kept coming and going to retrieve more berries for the group.
"So, how did you get here, Hiccup?" Merida asked him, after ensuring the berries she was given weren't poisonous. Hiccup was silent for a second, before Toothless nudged him, encouraging him to answer. Hiccup sighed, seeing no harm into telling his story anyway.
"Well, it all started after I was forced out of my village for having a friendship with Toothless."
"WHAT?!" Stoick's roar echoed throughout the theatre.
It was ignored in favour of Hiccup's side of the story.
"Life… wasn't good."
This made Stoick freeze. What?
"I was born the runt of the litter. If my mum hadn't have disappeared and my father remarried, I would have been sent out to sea from the moment I was born. Everyone treated me like I would break myself, or the village. Or just acted like I didn't exist. I tried to tell my father about all the bullying and… beating, but he never listened. The only way I could possibly climb the ladder and get his attention was to kill a dragon."
Rapunzel held a hand over her mouth and looked like she wanted to hug Hiccup, but was respecting his space. Merida remained silent on Hiccup's behalf. She knew better than anyone what it was like to have a parent that doesn't listen to you or understand you. Jack was similar to Merida. It was one thing to not know that you're real. It was another thing entirely to know you exist, and people just ignore you regardless. Jack knows how both of those aspects feel.
"So, I shot Toothless down."
"WHAT!?" that caused another uproar, not just from Stoick, but from all of Berk.
"You mean you weren't lying?" Hiccup looked at Snotlout with a deadly serious expression.
"Have I ever lied in the time you've known me?"
That made many Vikings grow quiet.
Jack looked between the dragon in question and the boy, but the dragon didn't even look bitter, let alone angry. In fact, he looked sad, but not for him being shot down, but for Hiccup looking like he might cry.
"No-one believed me though. Never did actually. So I decided to go after him myself. I found him. I held my dagger right over his head." Hiccup's voice started to shake as he mimes holding a dagger, his hands shaking in their place as well. "He didn't even try to getaway. He just looked at me and… gave up. He just laid his head down and gave up."
Tears began to well up and show in Rapunzel's eyes, and Jack and Merida were silent as graves. Toothless warbled soothingly.
"I couldn't do it. Instead, I let him go. He looked ready to kill me, but he didn't. Instead, he let me live when a dragon is supposed to 'always go for the kill'. So I continued to wonder; why didn't he?"
Everyone was silent for a good amount of time, as the Vikings thought Hiccup's words over. If what Hiccup is saying really is true, then why didn't the Night Fury kill him? And more so, why didn't Hiccup kill it?
Hiccup sighed sadly before a trail of golden sand came into his view. He watched it carefully, before following the trail to see where it came from, and saw Sandy, who was silently encouraging him to touch it. He did so with a light tap of his finger, and a massive eagle owl spread his wings in front of him and flew around his head, before dissipating.
Jack, Merida and Rapunzel did the same. Jack got a dolphin, which swam around him and did many tricks and summersaults. Merida got a bear, which stood on his hind legs, appearing to be sniffing her before galloping around her hair. And Rapunzel got a canary, to which the blonde cooed at as it sang and fluttered around her head before snuggling her.
That immediately lifted their spirits.
"I eventually decided to figure things out for myself, and I learned that everything we ever knew about dragons was wrong. That they were not as bad as they were made out to be. I tried to tell the people in my village, but they didn't understand. So I left."
The camera changed to Jack, who was still watching with sympathetic eyes. Merida looked on with understanding and respect, for still coming on strong despite all the obstacles thrown at him. Rapunzel didn't hold back anymore and threw her arms around the younger boy, much to his surprise. But he slowly wrapped his arms around her as well, excepting the warm gesture as Jack patted his shoulder while Merida softly shoved his other with her fist.
The camera cuts to Toothless's face, close up and with a smile on his face.
Rapunzel did the same, and Hiccup couldn't help but chuckle at the blonde copying her future self's action.
Rapunzel eventually pulled away and wiped her tears away. "So, what happened next?"
Hiccup then smiled a true, genuine smile. "Well, afterwards, I got the shock of my life and found out that my mother was alive."
And once more, an uproar occurred. This time, Tomb got too annoyed with all the erupting noises.
"QUIET!"
That silenced them pretty quickly.
Gothel merely sneered at the mention of that naive woman.
"Your mother?"
"Yeah. The last anyone ever heard of her, she was eating by a Stormcutter dragon. But it turns out, that Stormcutter, Cloudjumper Mum called her, thought that she belonged with dragons more than her own people. More than her own husband. Her son."
Valka covered her mouth to muffle her sobbing as Cloudjumper attempted to comfort his Soulful One. Stoick heard her muffled sobs and wanted to go over to her, but there was no way he was going anywhere near the same damned dragon that took her away.
"At first I was mad. But after hearing her side of the story, I understood, to some degree. And for a few months, things were good. I made a flight suit, a shield and saved a few dragons from hunters. Life was good."
The group continued to give him sad and comforting stares, especially Rapunzel.
"But then, I expressed my desire to bring man and dragon together in peace. It was my dream for a good while. But my mother refused, believing that the two worlds of man and dragon were better off apart. Our differences eventually lead to arguments, so I left. This time I had nowhere to go. No one to turn to. But then Toothless brought me here, to the Dramillions. His family. And eventually, they became my family." As he finished saying that, the blue Dramillion, Mojo, appeared from behind and nudged his shoulder, making him laugh and turn to scratch his chin.
Rapunzel asked the next question, "And you've been living with dragons ever since?" Hiccup nodded, still looking down as he stroked Mojo's beak.
"Yeah… my dad wanted me to be a Viking. My mom wanted me to be a dragon. The dragons don't care who I choose to be. So long as I'm following my heart."
Everyone was touched by his words.
As were the audience.
The Viking Teens were watching the real Hiccup, looking at him in a whole new light.
They were beginning to understand, and even question themselves on why they abandoned him in the first place.
Especially Astrid and Snotlout.
Rapunzel's next words baffled the lot of them to no end.
"Come with us."
"What?"
"What/what?"
"Roar?"
Most laughed at Toothless's involvement with the question. Other were just as curious about Rapunzel's request.
"Come with us to see the Lanterns of Corona. That's where we're going. They do this every year on the same day, the same day as my birthday actually, but that's beside the point. You should come! You might enjoy yourself!"
"It's your birthday. I wouldn't want to impose-"
"Not at all! You're more than welcome! Right guys?" as Rapunzel said this, the soundtrack for Bryan Adams's 'Here I Am' began to play in the background.
Meanwhile, Gothel was glaring at the Rapunzel on the screen. The more people she involves in her life, it will be harder to convince her of her original views.
"Yeah, sure thing."
"I have no problems with it."
Rapunzel smiled at their responses, before turning back to Hiccup for his answer. He was unsure of how to respond to such a generous offer before Toothless nudged his shoulder. Toothless gestured his head to the three, conveying him to say yes.
"Really? You too?" Toothless then said some words in Dragonese, but Hiccup didn't quite understand. He turned to Moody, who sighed in mild annoyance.
"He said that interactions with humans will do you good. How do you expect to bring the worlds of man and dragon together if you don't relearn human social techniques."
Mention of Hiccup's dream made Hiccup really think. And as he turned to the group, the music in the background started to build. He looked to Toothless, who nodded before he sighed and turned to the others with a small smile.
"We're in."
The four smiled.
Screen changes to show Jack flying beside Hiccup and Toothless, giving each other smirks every now and then as either of the two race against the other, Jack flying through the trees and Hiccup on Toothless, who bounded through the woods like a panther, lithe and agile.
~Oh! It's a new world. It's a new start~
Then it shows Merida and Rapunzel galloping right behind them on Angus, Pascal holding a tight grip on a strained of Rapunzel's hair in the panic of falling off. They all smiled at each other in excitement.
~It's alive with the beating of a young heart~
Jack zooms ahead, Hiccup and the girls dodging trees in order to catch up and beat the winter spirit.
~It's a new day~
Jack flew up above the trees, watching from above how the other three continued the race, unaware of where he went. Jack smiled. He had three believers.
This was the best century of his life.
~In a new land~
Jack smirked, and waved his staff around, creating a snowball, which steadily grew bigger.
~And it's waiting for me~
The girls and Hiccup were unknowing of his tricks before they stopped to take a breath after realizing they lost him, before Jack flew by them, a massive snowball tailing close behind them. The camera takes the snowball's POV, taking in the group's shocked expressions before the screen went black and cut to Jack laughing with his arms around his stomach before the camera panned to the group, now covered in snow. Pascal was now an icy shade of blue as Angus shook himself free of snow and Toothless glowered at the winter spirit. The girls laughed, while Hiccup just chuckled and he shook himself free of snow as well. They go to continue moving as the screen fades to another scene.
~Here I Am~
The four finally found something they were all looking for.
Each other.
As the melody continues, the next scene is shown to be the group passing by a dragon pack of all shapes and sizes. They were all digging the ground, looking for some water, before Jack created some stalactites, which immediately began to melt under the sun's heat. The dragons cheered, as they let the hatchlings drink first. One hatchling, a Nadder, decided that the really thick, really low hanging stalactite was the most promising and licked it, only for his tongue to get stuck. It struggled for a bit, as the camera panned to the group, only for a large snap to come off the screen and they looked to see the Nadder trotting proudly into the camera's view, the entire stalactite in his mouth.
The group laughed at the sight, while Rapunzel mostly cooed at how cute it was.
The screen changes once more, to show Rapunzel and a trio of Thunderclaw babies playing in a pond. Rapunzel was giggling, while the camera cuts to Hiccup, Jack and Merida were by the side of the lake, Hiccup and Merida filling up their flasks while Jack kept watch, perched on his staff.
"How do you have so much balance?" Hiccup asked. Jack shrugged, looking smug.
"Practice. For years." Hiccup rolled his eyes as the spirit giggled.
Rapunzel knelt down into the water, not caring that her dress was getting wet, before ripples in the water made the Thunderclaw triplets cry out in panic, startling the blonde as they rushed back and hide behind their mother at the pond's edge.
Rapunzel looked to the Thunderclaws. They were calm, but they also looked nervous. She then looked to her friends. Merida and Jack were looking behind her in awe and a little bit of fear, while Hiccup just smiled.
The camera then shows Rapunzel with her back against something big. Steams of air appeared on her sides as the creature snorted, making Rapunzel turn around in shock.
A Foreverwing.
Anyone who was holding a drink or a meal dropped them in unison at the sight of a Gigantic Dragon only seen in stories.
Fishlegs started to hyperventilate, stuttering the dragon's name over and over before fainting, making many that were sitting around him laugh.
Hiccup smiled fondly at the screen as it showed the Foreverwing as he recognized this particular Gigantic, before noticing how pale Rapunzel looked.
"You don't need to worry. Vitur looks menacing but he's a real gentle giant. And he's probably the only Foreverwing I know that doesn't just sleep all day."
"You know this dragon?" Hiccup nodded at the redhead's question. "Yeah. Vitur once lived on Berk before I encouraged him to move. I was worried that the Vikings would blame him and try and hurt him, thinking he was the one sending the raids."
Stoick listened to this and felt like he failed as chief. A Gigantic dragon was on his island, and he didn't even know it. How does one miss a dragon that could pass for a mountain…?
Oh…
Tomb heard his thoughts and chuckled. Poor Stoick. This is not his day.
Rapunzel could only look at it in shock and fear as the goliath looked back with its unflinching gaze. Pascal fainted off of his place on her shoulder.
The Foreverwing then looked over at Hiccup, who smiled and gave a low bow, making the others look at him in surprise, before they saw it best to bow too. The Foreverwing looked to Jack, then Merida, and then finally the terrified blonde in front of them. He then looked back to the Viking boy for a small period of time, a question in his eyes.
Hiccup then smiled and nodded.
"Yeah. They're a part of my pack." The camera cuts to Jack and Merida, who looked at each other weirdly.
"Vitur and I have a bit of a telepathic connection."
Stoick rubbed between his eyes. What now?
Tomb was finding it hard to contain herself.
Before camera cuts back to the worm's eye view of the Foreverwing, looking down at Rapunzel, who had slowly stood back on her feet since their little talk, Pascal long since scaled back onto her shoulder. She didn't dare move.
Before the Foreverwing seemed to smirk and let out a gentle bellow, letting Rapunzel's hair fly in a gust of wind, as Pascal was once again sent flying.
Rapunzel looked amazed, before she smiled and giggled, and did a ballet bow just as the others did. She then gently placed a hand on his large chin, fascinated.
"Blondie!" Rapunzel turned to Jack, who was smiling at her interacting with a creature she otherwise would fear. "Time to go!"
Rapunzel nodded and stroked the dragon one more time before running over to the others. As Merida helped Rapunzel onto Angus and Rapunzel helped Pascal onto her shoulder, she looked to the Foreverwing one more time, who let out another bellow in farewell.
Rapunzel smiled.
As did the present Rapunzel.
No way could dragons be the bloodthirsty monster her mother portrayed them to be. And Jack was a normal teenage boy, not a flesh-rendering frost giant. And Hiccup and Merida were just like her to a degree. Normal. Scared. Wanted to follow their own path.
Her mother was wrong about the outside world.
She reached over and grabbed Angus's reins, making Merida cry out as Rapunzel pulled Angus into a rearing pose, bidding the Foreverwing a farewell of her own, before they galloped off, going far ahead of the boys. Hiccup and Jack looked at each other, then the girls, and then quickly got themselves ready and took off, determent to catch up with them.
The camera cuts much later in the day, long since the pond scene. The group were coming to a stop near a hill, where they see a kingdom just ahead.
"Corona," Merida said in confirmation, as Rapunzel looked on in awe and excitement.
Rapunzel looked excited at the thought of finally seeing the lights up close and clapped her hands together in joy. The others smirked at her excitement.
"Amazing."
"We better get moving. Sorry Bud, but you're gonna have to stay in the forest. I don't think Corona is quite ready for giant, flying, fire-breathing reptiles yet." he tried to joke, and they chuckled at his light sarcasm.
"Sarcastic and brainy. Kid, you're the whole package!" Jack nudged his shoulder, and Hiccup smiled, a little embarrassed.
The screen zooms out to show the same bat as before spying on them from a branch. It let go and flew off.
'That bat again. What does it want now?' everyone thought.
This time, the camera followed him to where he was going. It continued to fly until it came upon a dark hole and dived in. When it existed, it was in a dark, shadowy place.
North leaned forward. It couldn't be. Could it?
It approached a dark throne, where a figure consumed by the shadows, resting his head on his hand in a rather posh manner. The figure held a hand out for the bat then held it up to his ear. It chirped in his ear softly, and his shoulder stiffened.
"What? The prophecy is already beginning?" the bat chirped a 'yeah!' before the figure sent it off.
"'Prophecy'? What's a 'prophecy'?" Tuffnut asked, making most Vikings groan.
He stood up, his face still shrouded in darkness. Just then, hellish stallions made of black sand came flying in, carrying an old man with a long white beard, bushy eyebrows and a wrinkled face. He wore a long blue robe with white accents, as well as a wizard's hat, and carried a staff, similar to Jack's, but the hook had a golden pocket watch hanging from it.
This was Ombric Shalazar. Otherwise known as…
"Father Time?!" Tooth cried out, worried about the Spirit of Time.
"'Father Time'?" Hiccup leaned over to ask Jack, who was as wide-eyed as the Guardians.
"The Spirit of Time. He knows what happened in the past, and he knows what's gonna happen in the future. He can even tell what you're dreaming about and at what time you went to sleep."
"That's a rather, uh, unsettling image," Hiccup muttered, turning back to the screen.
Ombric unsteadily got up after he was dropped and leaned heavily on his staff. He looked at the pocket watch, which clicked open to show him the time and he nodded.
"As I predicted," he said in a withered, British accent.
"Ombric! Good to see you after, how long was it? A hundred years?"
"Two hundred, actually."
"Of course, of course. Now, I need to know the-"
"Prophecy? I know."
"I know you know. Now, are you absolutely certain that these little pipsqueaks are the ones? One of them is hardly capable of lifting an axe."
"Ouch. That's a blow to my pride." Hiccup pouted, while Toothless just nuzzled him.
"You doubt my prophetic powers, my boy?"
"I just want to make sure they don't spoil my-"
"Plans for world domination. I know."
"I KNOW! You know. I get the concept." the shadowed man said, sounding desperate, and ready to snap.
"Grouchy!" Jack muttered, making the four chuckle.
He walked over to a dark pool in a birdbath, Time coming up beside him, unnerved by his close presence with the shadowed man. "Look into the pool, and tell me what my future awaits."
Time sighed and dipped his pocket watch into the bowl and swirled it around until it had a whirlpool effect. Then a circle of white appeared and began showing images. He then began to speak.
"The Winter Spirit." Jack's mischievous face was shown as he held a snowball.
Jack smirked.
"The Rebellious Princess." Then shows Merida's look of concentration as she poised her bow.
Merida looked proud.
"The Flower Maiden." Then showed Rapunzel, holding a lotus in her hands.
Rapunzel blushed behind her frying pan.
"And the Dragon Rider." then showed Hiccup as he hugged Toothless's neck.
Toothless cooed, and Hiccup wrapped his arms around him.
Then it began showing other images.
Shows the silhouettes of the four kids, at first in four corners of the images, before they slide together.
"Four Lonely Souls will unite as one.
Then they swirl together to show the Earth.
And determine the fates of the worlds among.
Then an image of a Nightmare rearing on its legs appears.
To battle the forces of darkness and fear.
Then shows the four with their eyes calmly closed, before they opened with determination and power.
And compel their potential to appear.
Then shows each of the four separately.
The Spirit, the Rebel, the Maiden and the Rider.
Then it shows six eyes glaring through red smoke before it opened its mouth to reveal razor teeth.
Will first fight the Dragon King and set alight his Pyre.
Then it shows the Demon Bear, Mor'du, claws out against a hoard of arrows.
Then they face the Demon Bear, whose mere face would instil fright.
Then shows a hooded figure, raising her arm to cast a spell of thorned vines.
Then, the Enchantress will put up a fight.
Then shows the shadowed figure himself, standing in front of his throne, the Dragon King, Mor'du and the Enchantress at his side.
No matter what they do, a word of caution to this tale.
Then the four come out from the skies, weapons ready as the King looked panicked.
Should this group fight, the Nightmare King will fail."
The four stared in shock. Were they really destined for all this?
The shadowed figure, now revealed as the Nightmare King was shaking with rage before he roared and tipped the bird bath over.
"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Jack whispered to the four, trying to lighten the mood, and succeeded.
Ombric seemed relaxed. He predicted for that reaction.
"Now, if you don't mind, I must be getting back. I was having tea with the groundhog, and my tea is starting to get cold." he twirled his staff around. Golden clock hands appeared in front of him, winded up then opened a portal.
"Farewell, Pitch Black. I'd say 'good luck' with your plans, but I already know how they are going to turn out." he stepped through the portal, leaving the man alone.
Pitch seethed in his seat. Ombric had to be wrong. He had to be. Right? I mean, there's no way mere children would spoil his plans, right?
The figure finally stepped out of the shadows, revealing that he was indeed Pitch Black, Lord of Fear, and King of Nightmares.
The Guardians exchanged looks of horror at the sight of the Fear King himself.
"Be prepared children. No matter what Ombric says, I will win this war."
He then began to laugh evilly, as the screen zoomed out and soon faded to black.
Silence.
Rapunzel whimpered, still hiding behind her frying pan.
Merida was silent, clenching her bow tightly.
Hiccup still had a protective arm around Toothless's neck.
And Jack had frost coating his staff, as the theatre started to snow.
"Now, the projector is having some difficulties again, so feel free to talk like morons," Tomb told them, grabbing a wrench and her phone to look up the mechanic's page.
So here some changes. Instead of Hiccup being with Rapunzel, he's alone with dragons living with Toothless's adoptive family, which is a pack of Dramillions.