Author's Note: A short chapter, this is. Not much plot progress, but I promise the next one will contain an interesting episode.
Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians, How to Train Your Dragon or Portal/Portal 2.
Hypothesis
Chapter 3: Calibrating
:: Excellent. You're both doing very well. ::
Hiccup and Jack shared identical grins as they raced each other down the grey corridors towards the next lift, using the platform railings at the sides and jumping down stairs to give themselves a boost of speed. It was a tie this time around with both of them slamming their palms against the back wall of the lift simultaneously, laughing breathlessly as the thick metallic doors slid close behind them.
:: Please be careful. ::
As the tests went on, they were quick to realize that there was a lot of coordination and teamwork needed for progress and eventual success. Judging by the way the test chambers had been built so far, they knew that they had to capitalize on each other's strengths if they wanted to complete each test.
:: The Enrichment Center is committed to the well-being of all participants. ::
Jack was fast and agile, able to jump through portals and land nimbly on his feet without breaking a sweat. His athletic abilities allowed him to climb ledges quickly and reach difficult areas easily, helping them to map out the test chambers and locate the buttons and switches that needed to be activated. He was also rash and reckless at times however, often finding himself stuck at a dead end where the doors were still sealed. Whenever that happened, Hiccup would redirect him with his green laser, pointing him towards a switch he had missed, indicating where he should fire his blue portals, or simply use his own green portals to provide him with an exit on his end, chuckling lightly when the white-haired test subject would emerge and greet him with a sheepish smile.
:: Once again, excellent work. ::
Hiccup, on the other hand, preferred to analyze each section carefully before proceeding, planning a route through the obstacle-filled room before shooting portals to travel through. He was sharp, quick to find the path to the next area, and he would use his laser to direct his partner towards certain locations, pointing him towards buttons that needed to be pressed at certain times, helping them to coordinate their actions when timing became crucial to completing the current test. Despite his speed at solving the puzzles, he moved slower and more hesitantly, his physical capabilities not as developed as the other test subject's. But Jack would always wait patiently for him to finish, giving him an encouraging smile and no few helping hands up when they came across a particularly high ledge or so.
:: As part of a previously mentioned test protocol, we can no longer lie to you. When the testing is over, you will be missed. ::
They chatted and laughed as they did the tests, learning more about what little the other knew about himself. It was tiring at times, running around and solving puzzles seemingly endlessly, but they had each other for company at least. Hiccup suspected that there was some sort of chemical agent in the air, supplying their systems with adrenaline and suppressing their body's need for food and water. How else could they have gone on for as long as they did without rest? And speaking of which, how long had they been testing since they were woken up in the relaxation vault?
:: Very impressive. Please note that any appearance of danger is merely a device to enhance your testing experience. ::
Something was wrong. Hiccup couldn't put a finger on it, but something in his mind was nagging at him about the whole operation, alerting him to the fact that something just didn't feel right. He had shared his thoughts with Jack, slightly worried about the bigger picture in this game of tests they were playing with no foreseeable end. But the other test subject had shrugged it off, assuring him that everything was fine. After all, other than redirecting live lasers and plasma balls, there was no real danger in the test chambers. Besides, Jack had argued, the tests were fun and they were completely safe, just like the mysterious person had told them countless times.
:: Cake and grief counselling will be available at the conclusion of the test. ::
Hiccup still wasn't entirely convinced. They didn't know where they were, they didn't even have a name to put to the robotic female voice that spoke to them every now and then. Not to mention that some of the things she said were just downright creepy, sending chills down his spine when she talked. Things clearly weren't as they seemed. There had to be a reason why they were there and he hoped that whatever it was, it would not come back later to haunt them.
:: Thank you for helping us help you help us all. ::
Author's Note: Sorry about the time jumps/scene skips. If they make the chapter hard to follow or just generally cause confusion, please do let me know. Thank you for reading!