A/N: The phenomenon that happened to Rapunzel in the last chapter is explained here and is explored further throughout the story. It is the only other creative liberty taken with the character. It makes sense in the context of this story.
The Big Four had returned to the tower shortly passing midday. Shame and disappointment kept them from seeing Hachiman inside right away.
Merida and Rapunzel were washing out all the bits of nature stuck in their hair, and scrubbing the mud off their skin and clothes at the river.
Hiccup tended to Toothless' care at the horse stable built beside the tower.
Jack was perched on the roof, brooding with his hood on. His arms were crossed over his knees, pushing them up to his chest. He burrowed his head in guilt, upset with himself at the fact that he could not talk through to Susano.
Elsewhere…
Susano and Kitsune rested deep within a cave. Natural rain poured down outside.
The witch placed a teapot over the warming fire.
"Those four…" Susano pondered.
"They are nothing to worry about," she calmly sipped her herbal tea.
"They almost stopped us today."
"Almost."
"They will continue to be...persistent."
"So?"
"So conjure all the knowledge there is to know about them."
Kitsune set down her cup and removed the teapot. They had won at the Crescent Isles. She did not see the need to be concerned with these Four. But it never hurt to know more about one's enemy.
The witch performed a spell over the fire. The flames turned blue and grew larger. The controlled inferno showed their four adversaries. It then began to show the individual origin stories of each hero:
Where they each came from...
How they each came to be...
What challenges they each faced...
Their triumphs and losses...
To how they ultimately all came together...and the many adventures they have been on over the years since then.
After everyone was cleaned up and rejuvenated by Rapunzel's healing, they finally met with Hachiman.
The warrior god noticed all their long faces upon entering, "I'm assuming we are down to only two remaining volcanoes?"
"Yore arrows barely scratched him! Ah shot straight through his bloody heart and nothin'!" Merida threw all the blame onto him.
Normally Hachiman would be insulted by the tone in which he was just spoken to. But the fact that his metal could not slay the deity killed his confidence in stopping Susano and preventing Kagutsuchi's resurrection. He brushed his hand up his forehead and through his loose hair, "He has grown more powerful than I could imagine."
"Then wot now?" The redhead lowered her temper.
Jack sat on the window sill, staring out dramatically with his hood still on and staff resting in between his legs as everyone else discussed.
"Can we try destroying the volcanoes?" Hiccup proposed.
Hachiman shook his head, "Would not work, they are of mystical properties formed by the gods themselves."
"Did you make some of them?" Rapunzel asked.
"No for I was not there at the time, but I could have. I could move mountains if I were at full strength." He proclaimed.
"You'll get there," She walked over to him and her hair glowed as she touched his bandaged arm. It reverted back to normal when she finished briefly checking his condition. She sat beside him on the bed, "I need to ask you something."
"Of course."
"During the fight today, the Sun Goddess came to me in what I think was a vision."
"Amaterasu?" his face lit up with both hope and puzzling intrigue.
"Yes. She told me the full story as to why Susano was doing all this. Then when she was about to tell me how to stop him, our connection broke off."
Hiccup remembered his first encounter with Susano, "When I first came across this whole mess, I saw a woman in like a red flower dress trying to talk to him. But she looked like a ghost."
Hachiman nodded, "Yes that was also her."
"How come she didn't come to me in a vision?" Hiccup wondered.
"I believe it is because Amaterasu only shares a particular bond with," he looked to Rapunzel beside him, "you, princess."
"Me, why me?"
"Your abilities perhaps? Tell me, where did they come from?"
"Um, well my parents told me that a drop of sunlight…" she immediately put two and two together upon saying it, "ohhhh."
"That is what you share with the Sun Goddess. A part of her is in you."
"That's why she came tae yuh!" Merida interjected.
"You need to talk to her again!" Hiccup stated right after.
"But she's the one who came to me. I don't know how to reach out to her."
"You must concentrate all your energies inward. Let your abilities guide you to its original source." Hachiman tried telling her.
The pressure piled on on her. Doubt and nervousness took over, "B-but I've never used my powers like that before, how can they-"
"Hey" Jack stepped, removing his hood to show his charming smile. "The power may have come from that drop of sunlight, but it's a part of you now. It doesn't come from the sun anymore, it comes from you."
Her pretty green eyes started to emerge from the depths of uncertainty.
No matter how low Jack was feeling, he would always and will always put that aside to help the ones he cares about. Cheer them up, give them hope, or even inject a little fun into their lives. It was what made him a Guardian. It was who he is.
"I used to think my power came from this," he lifted his staff, "but after Pitch broke it, I realized that my power actually came from here," he tapped his chest. "I put this back together using my powers, the powers that come from in here."
Rapunzel returned a gleaming smile at Jack.
"The moon may have made me who I am today, but who I am is Jack Frost…not the Man in the Moon."
He bent his knees to drop down and look up at her. Rapunzel's oh so caring friend laid his hand over hers on her lap, "You can do this. Just focus on your center…and you know…" he cocked an eyebrow, "believe."
She let out a tiny giggle and looked to Hachiman. He nodded at her with a reassuring smile.
"Okay I'm ready to try."
Jack stood up and stepped back next to Merida and Hiccup. Hachiman got off the bed, and Rapunzel stood with him.
"Do as I do." The deity sat on the floor in a Half Lotus meditation position. Rapunzel copied and closed her eyes just as Hachiman closed his.
"Deep breaths…"
She did so.
"Now focus…"
Rapunzel concentrated on her center, trying to guide her powers through the bond she shared with Amaterasu in order to reconnect with her.
Inside the cave, Susano and Kitsune had finished watching all the origin stories of these 'Big Four'. "Interesting..." Susano uttered, rubbing his chin. He found Jack's origin particularly fascinating.
Now they looked into the all-showing fire as they tried to make their decision.
"The red one's parents possess an army in DunBroch," Kitsune suggested.
"Begh, what good is an army of mortal men."
"Then what about the boy? He is the Chief of his village, a village full of dragons."
"Hmm, could be useful…but no, his Night Fury became an Alpha, remember?"
"Ah yes."
"The Alpha controls them all. They would be of no use to us."
"Let us look to the spirited Guardian then…"
"His closest are surely all the other Guardians. Warriors I do not wish to trifle with."
Kitsune squinted into the blue flames, "Actually no…his closest is…a lover. A young woman by the name of Elsa."
Susano examined the fire, "My…what power…"
"Indeed, and she is a mortal."
He was in disbelief, "Noo…"
"Yes. She will not be too difficult to…convince."
Back at the tower, Rapunzel's friends had far passed invaded her personal space while she was meditating. They did not want to miss it when she made the connection with the Sun Goddess. The blonde princess did not seem to notice.
After what felt like hours, her hair began to illuminate the room with its golden hue. Hachiman opened his eyes, admiring the success beside him. Everyone else shouted with joy.
"You did it!"
"Finally!"
"Woo!"
Her glow dimmed away. Rapunzel immediately flared open her eyes in furious aggravation, "Will you stop! I can't concentrate with all you screaming into my ear!"
Her friends pulled away.
"Okay, you're right, sorry."
"Our bad, Punzie."
"Best we get out yer hair then."
They each exited the tower to give her space.
Rapunzel groaned out of irritation, "I almost had it!" She fell back on the floor with her feet up, pulling her hair down over her face.
Hachiman peacefully closed his eyes, "They were just happy for you."
She looked up at him, making an opening from her curtain of long locks.
"Now, relax, calm your mind, and try again."
Rapunzel brushed her hair out of her face and sat back up into position. A deep breath and she was back at it.
"That's it…focus…"
Hiccup and Jack peeked in through the window. Merida hit them in the head with perfectly thrown stones. After an 'Ow' from the thud, the boys looked down at her on the ground.
"Ye two come down here this instant!" She scolded them, trying her best to keep her voice down for Rapunzel's sake.
Jack flew down with his head low and hand tucked in his pocket. Toothless landed for Hiccup to shamefully get off.
"Punzie wants us to be quiet. Why can't you be quiet? Let her be!"
"We weren't making noise, we just wanted to-" Hiccup tried to explain.
"Hush! Ah don't want tae hear it."
"And you say you don't resemble your mom." Jack dished out with a smirk.
"AH AM NOTHING LIKE MY MOTHER!" Birds flapped away from the trees at the loud disturbance. She could not help it. Jack knew just what to say to push her buttons.
Both the boys gave her a long shush with their fingers pressed to their lips.
"Thought we needed to be quiet?" Jack grinned from cheek to cheek, enjoying Merida's fuming face.
"But-ah-though-ye made me-UGH!" She threw her fists down.
Toothless mocked her little temper tantrum, making Jack chuckle.
She pointed her finger at the sassy dragon, "Same goes fer yuh." Toothless threatened to bite it off. She pulled her hand away and glared at the Night Fury, fearlessly.
Jack and Hiccup enjoyed the intense eye staring contest.
"They still can't get along, huh?"
Hiccup shook his head. "Nope"
Merida broke her stare down with Toothless and spoke to everyone, "Look…the sooner she can connect with the goddess, the sooner we'll know how ta stop that madman. So let's all just give her room ta breathe."
Jack looked over at the sky, "She better hurry. The sun's setting. I don't know if that'll affect it."
"Also, for all we know, Susano could be on his way to the next volcano right now." Hiccup added.
Night covered the land of Arendelle. Queen Elsa and her sister Anna stared out the window.
"What...is that?" Anna worried.
"I do not know," The Queen admitted, but she kept her head up high.
From the tallest tower of their palace, they observed an unnatural storm creeping down the far out mountains of the fjord.
"It…it's getting closer…" Anna's concerned eyes shifted to Elsa who remained focused on the anomaly with the eyes of a strong leader who knew something needed to be done.
A few moments later and after a short debate, the Snow Queen marched down the royal palace. Anna followed close behind.
"Are you sure about this?"
"The storm is moving like it has a mind of its own. I must find out what it really is before it reaches my kingdom."
"Will you at least be taking guards?"
"No need."
"But-"
Reaching the front doors, Elsa turned around to look at her worried little sister, "It's nothing I can't handle."
She sighed, "…okay"
"I'm leaving you in charge until I return."
Anna nodded and her sister gave her a quick hug before heading out.
"Be-" the doors shut after Elsa's exit, "careful."
She looked to an officer stationed by the wall. Anna straightened her posture and tried to have the same authority in her voice that her older sister articulated so masterfully. "Ready our defenses just in case, and spread the word to our people to remain calm and stay in the safety of their homes."
The officer gave a salute and left to carry out the order. Anna was left nervously rubbing her hands together, having a terrible feeling about all this.