Note: I do NOT own ROTG or HTTYD and all rights go to DreamWorks Animation

Chapter 22

Two days later, Sapphire and Jack were walking around the village, looking utterly dejected and exhausted.

"Okay…How many times was Bunny attacked by Yolk?" Sapphire mock quizzed her boyfriend.

"About ten times, also counting the two times his tail caught on fire when he tried to sit on him so that makes twelve." The winter spirit answered before asking, "What about the number of spikes that impaled Tooth to the barn's wall when she tried to inspect Molar's mouth for the fourth time yesterday?" To which the water spirit sighed, "Eight. Good thing they missed her and her wings by a couple of millimeters."

Sighing, they went to the Great Hall to grab some food to eat. It was late afternoon and they had spent the entire day trying to get their fellow Guardians to get used to their dragons. But like yesterday, today showed little to no signs of improvement.

Sure the Guardians had dragons now but that doesn't mean they liked them. In fact they were flat out terrified of their dragons, Bunny most of all.

And the dragons weren't exactly used to their new Riders. They pretty much started growling and snapping if they started to get too forceful and if they were really pushing it, fired a couple of shots.

And Jack and Sapphire were the ones mostly responsible for helping the Guardians to train them while their Viking friends had to help with battle preparations and the kids of course, couldn't be with them 24/7 so the two teenage Guardians had to handle all their problems on their own.

It's only been two days and they were close to throwing in the towel.

As they entertained those stressful thoughts to themselves, Jack and Sapphire leaned against the doors to the Great Hall.

"I just don't know what to do with them, Jack…" Sapphire sighed, exhausted.

"I've run out of ideas too…I'm exhausted." Jack groaned in agreement.

Suddenly they heard voices, familiar voices, coming from behind the Great Hall. Curious, Jack and Sapphire stealthily made their way round back…

"Guys, this has got to stop. You can't keep getting scared of your dragons." Jamie scolded the Guardians. "The more you fear them, the more they'll fear you." Donnie added, polishing his helmet.

"We know…It's just that…" Tooth said hesitatingly as Baby Tooth flitted about. "It's just that what?" Sophie asked them, her big blue eyes peering up at them.

"Look it's not that we're afraid of the dragons, mates." Bunny said in defense. "Then what're you all so afraid of? It'd really help us if we knew what you guys were scared of." Layla pointed out.

Sandy silently sighed and formed images of Sapphire and Jack wielding weapons over his head.

"It's just that…We're worried that Jack and Sapphire are starting to change because of the dragons." North admitted.

The kids looked at each other in confusion while Sapphire and Jack leaned in closer to hear more.

What did they mean 'change'?

They were still the same Guardians and teenagers ever since they joined the team!

"What's this I'm hearing about Jack and Sapphire?" Marina suddenly swooped in to join the conversation. "You know what we're talking about, Marina. They're beginning to be more like them." Millennium gestured to all around Berk for emphasis.

The swan considered it for a few minutes before ruffling up her feathers. "Why are you all so worried about them making friends with the Vikings and having dragons? You guys should be excited for them! It's a whole new adventure for them." She said indignantly.

"The point is Marina, how this 'whole new adventure' is making them act differently. They're using extremely dangerous weapons, performing insanely hazardous stunts and the outfits…!" Mother Nature said worriedly.

"We're just worried that they might start to neglect their duties and want to spend more time with them instead of us. That goes for you young ones too. Didn't you tell us before that they broke a couple of promises because of their escapades here and that you almost stopped believing in them?" Father Time's last sentence was directed at Layla and Jamie.

The two kids shuffled to their feet nervously. "Well yeah they did and we did…" Jamie admitted.

Jack and Sapphire looked at each other, their eyes wide.

Did Jamie really say that?

"But don't worry that was just one time! And besides, don't you see how happy they are?" Layla chimed in.

The other Guardians looked at each other, a little unsure.

Then Marina said, "Um…Guys…" she waggled her port wing at something. They all looked at the direction the swan was referring to.

Jack and Sapphire just stood there, staring at them.

The Guardians were startled.

How long had they been standing there?

How much had they heard?

Shaking their heads, the two teens turned around and ran.

Apparently they'd heard enough.

"Jack, Sapphire, wait!" the four kids yelped, giving chase to the two teens. But the Guardians of Fun and Equality didn't stop running.

And as soon as they called Blitz and Tridacna, they were long gone.

"They heard every word, didn't they?" Donnie asked meekly.

"What do we do now?" Sophie chimed in.

"Maybe we should just let them have their space." Layla suggested.

Jamie tried to think of a solution but he wasn't getting much luck with coming up with an idea. That's when Hiccup, Astrid and the gang arrived.

"Geez…Those two sure left for the Glen in a hurry." Tuffnut said nonchalantly. "We nearly spun around when they flew past us!" Ruffnut remarked.

"Glen?! Where?!" the four kids suddenly ganged up on them.

"Whoa! What's up with you?" Snotlout said, surprised. "What's so important that you guys know where they went?" Angrid asked curiously. "Did you guys have a fight or something?" Fishlegs inquired.

"Well it technically wasn't an argument…" Donnie said tentatively.

"But we need to talk to them." Sophie added.

"Hiccup, it's really important." Jamie pleaded with the auburn headed teen.

"Astrid, can you tell us where the Glen is, please?" Layla asked hopefully.

The blonde haired shield maiden looked at Hiccup for confirmation. "You guys get your dragons first." She told them.

"Terri!" "Sniper, here boy!" Sophie and Donnie cupped their hands and yelled for their Terrible Terrors. The little pink and orange dragons immediately swooped down from a roof they were napping on and perched on the kids' arms.

Jamie and Layla decided to use their Snaptrapper call, screeching with a subtle squeak at the end like how they were taught at the Dragon Academy. A minute later, their four headed friend swooped down from the sky and allowed them to get on.

Donnie and Sophie were on Aim and Winter while Jamie and Layla had Fire and Summer.

"Just hang on tight, okay? Guardian Glen's just a little bit past the Cove." Hiccup instructed as he and Astrid got on their dragons.

Nodding, Jamie and Layla nudged their Snaptrapper up while their little siblings let Sniper and Terri take flight. In no time, they were soaring over the village and soon, the forest was above them.

Suddenly Sophie cried out, "I see them!" she pointed down at a clearing with a waterfall where the two teenage Guardians' dragons were flying around.

"Alright let's land!" Jamie shouted.

"Hang on tight!" Layla reminded Donnie who adjusted his helmet and nodded.

Carefully, Toothless and Stormfly helped the kids' Snaptrapper land at the Glen. Sapphire and Jack were lying down on the grass near the lake edge and didn't seem to notice their friends' arrival.

"We'll leave you guys alone." Hiccup said softly, knowing that something was going on.

"See you kids later." Astrid smiled slightly before they left.

Almost immediately, Aim, Fire, Summer, Winter and Terri and Sniper joined Blitz and Tridacna in playing around the waterfall while their Riders went over to Jack and Sapphire. The winter spirit was forming snowflakes over his head with his staff while the water spirit lazily swirled a stream of water around.

"Uh hey, Jack?" Jamie said hesitatingly.

The Guardian of Fun tilted his head back to look at his surrogate little brother before resuming looking up at the snowflakes floating up in the air.

"You okay, sis?" Layla asked her sister awkwardly who merely shook her head and stayed silent.

"I'm taking that as a 'no'." Donnie said, taking off his plastic Viking helmet.

"Are you…mad?" Sophie asked timidly.

Finally the two Guardians sat up and motioned to them to sit with them. The four kids did so without any objections.

"We're not mad at you guys. North and the others…a little bit." Jack replied. "But we are upset about the fact that you two had kept from us how you almost stopped believing in us." Sapphire looked at Jamie and Layla.

The two kids blushed, feeling ashamed.

"It's just that…Everything's…so different now…" Sapphire sighed, looking down and fingered with a blade of grass.

"What do you mean 'different'?" Jamie inquired.

Jack looked around before saying, "For starters, we're in the middle of a war between our enemy and someone else's enemy. And to think this all started when the two of us met new people, discovered a whole new world and thought this would be just one big, fun adventure…Now here we are and…the others just don't trust us to handle this." He managed to say before flopping back down on the grass.

"Come to think of it, when was the last time the other Guardians trusted us to do something on our own without getting all worried? Oh yeah wait, last year. When we managed to get the Scepter of Creation to the Pedestal of Beginnings and you got killed, Jack." Sapphire piped up, lying on her back again.

"That's why you're upset?" Donnie asked in surprise.

"But you guys are Guardians, you can do anything!" Sophie chimed in.

"Except stop things from changing…" Sapphire murmured softly.

"We're scared that…you guys are just growing up so fast." Jack admitted.

Jamie looked at him confused.

Then the truth finally dawned on him.

Jack and Sapphire had every right to be afraid. He looked at Layla who had the same shocked expression when realization hit her as well.

Hadn't they almost stopped seeing their two best Guardian friends?

Hadn't they reached the age where childhood slowly began to lose its grip on them?

"Nothing lasts forever except change. Places that have always looked so familiar to you because you've been there countless of times…People you've known ever since like forever…They all change…But we never do." Sapphire continued.

"Since we're immortal…Well we never change so while the world's changing, the two of us stay the same. One of the downsides of being us…" Jack sighed, looking up at the sky as the sun began to set.

The kids were surprised at the duo's confession.

"You're afraid that when we grow up…" Jamie began.

"We'll forget about you and stop believing?" Layla finished the question for him.

Silently, the two Guardians nodded.

"We won't forget about you, Jack-Jack." Sophie chirped. "As if I'd ever forget you, Saph! You're my sister." Donnie grinned.

Sapphire and Jack nodded at them before looking at the older kids.

Jamie and Layla were quiet for a few minutes before speaking up.

"We may grow up, we may change…But if there's one thing we'll never change…It's our faith in you and all the Guardians." Jamie spoke first. "And growing up doesn't necessarily mean we have to stop believing, you know." Layla added, smiling slightly.

Jack and Sapphire looked at them amazed at how steadfast their friends were in their belief and finally smiled back.

"So if your friends tease you for believing in us 'childhood myths', you won't mind?" Sapphire asked jokingly. "Well we'll need advice when we hit the so-called awkward 'teen years'…" Jamie said sheepishly.

"We can give you that." Jack grinned.

They laughed.

"Group hug!" Layla, Donnie and Sophie shouted before they all wrapped their arms around the two Guardians.

Blitz and Tridacna saw their Riders in what looked like a weird huddle and decided to investigate. They nosed their way into the group and crooned as if asking, 'What're you doing?'

Suddenly Donnie realized something.

"Hang on, when this whole war's over…What'll happen next? Are we going to have to…say good-bye to them?" he gestured to the dragons.

"I don't wanna say bye-bye to Terri!" Sophie looked like she was about to cry. Jamie comforted her by giving her a squeeze.

"What are you guys thinking?" Layla asked hesitantly.

Jack and Sapphire looked at Blitz and Tridacna who didn't really hear seven year old Donnie's question and were blissfully playing around at the lake edge, splashing water at each other.

"I don't know…I mean yeah, being a Guardian's my top priority. But I can't just leave Blitz…" Jack said worriedly. "I don't think I can handle being separated from Tridacna forever either…" Sapphire agreed with her boyfriend.

"I guess you're right…But sooner or later, you'll have to…you know…" Layla mumbled. "Someday you two are gonna have to make a choice-it's us or them." Jamie pointed out.

"I sure hope we don't have to choose that soon…" Jack sighed. "Or choose at all for that matter." Sapphire sighed as well.

Then they noticed that it was getting late.

"Oh shoot! Mom and Dad are on their way back from their seminar right now!" Layla started freaking out. "And our mom's probably gonna start calling the police if we don't get back home now!" Jamie said in horror.

"Well get your dragons already!" Sapphire told them.

Using their Snaptrapper call, Jamie and Layla got to their dragon and hoisted their little siblings on while the two teenage Guardians got on their dragons. They quickly left the Glen and flew back to the village of Berk.

But upon arrival, they weren't expecting seeing North, Tooth, Sandy, Bunny, Mother Nature and Father Time on their dragons' backs with the Viking teens trying to coax them into taking off.

"Yay! Bunny's finally sitting on Yolk!" Sophie cheered, bouncing excitedly on Winter's head as they neared the entrance to the Academy.

Then to their horror, she wobbled uneasily and fell off!

"SOPHIE!" Jamie scream was drowned out by his baby sister's screams which didn't go unnoticed by Bunny.

"Quick, Yolk UP!" the Guardian of Hope shouted in alarm.

The sooty hued Monstrous Nightmare heeded his master's orders and flew out of the entrance, quickly climbing the air. Sophie shrieked as she continued to fall, flailing her arms and legs desparately.

"GOT YA!" Bunny reached her and caught the little four-year old in his arms.

Sophie tentatively looked at her surroundings and once she realized she was safe, went back to being her usual cheerful self.

"Thank God…" Jamie looked like he was about to pass out from the sheer relief.

Layla let out the breath she had been holding in a long grateful exhale.

Sapphire and Jack were freaking out earlier as well but now, they focused on Bunny and what he had done.

Suddenly they heard several more wing beats and saw the other Guardians joining Bunny up in the air.

Slowly they took it all in…

Jack was the first to exclaim, "Oh whoa! You're doing it! You guys are doing it!" his eyes were wide with awe and a huge grin lit up his face.

"Doing what?" Bunny cocked his head, confused. Donnie then pointed at Yolk and gestured to all around them.

The Guardians slowly looked around and realized that they were up in the air-riding their dragons.

"Oh would you look at that…" Tooth said brightly as she petted Molar's head spikes.

Sandy pumped his fist up in triumph while Snooze crooned joyfully.

Nutcracker let out a victorious sonic boom as North boomed jovially, "Klassno!"

Blendr purred as Mother Nature and Father Time laughed, enjoying the feeling of finally riding their dragon.

Bunny only looked at Sophie beaming proudly at him.

"Hey…This isn't so bad…" he smiled a little bit. "See? Told you riding a dragon's fun!" Sapphire laughed before challenging them.

"Race you guys!" Sapphire then urged Tridacna to zoom off.

"Try to keep up!" Jack whooped before he and Blitz raced off.

"Hey wait up!" "Wait for us!" the Guardians then joined their two youngest recruits in a quick race around the island, laughing and shouting in enjoyment.

'Success!' the two teens high fived when they landed after the race. The other Guardians were excitedly talking amongst themselves about their experience and that made Jack and Sapphire really happy.

"They did it…" Donnie whispered to the Viking teens who smiled.

Jack and Sapphire couldn't be any prouder of Bunny as he handed Sophie to Jamie who hugged her tightly.

"You did it, Kangaroo." Jack smiled at the rabbit.

"You finally conquered your fear of flying." Sapphire grinned.

"Guess all I needed was a little push…" Bunny said modestly. 'Or in my case, a real call to action.' He thought smiling to himself.

Bunny's smile never left his face as they went back home.

"They've what?!" Pitch spat in frustration when one of his Nightmare Soldiers came back from spying on Berk. Alvin was separated from the Nightmare King and was now sharpening his hatchet.

"So what's got you so irked, Black?" he asked nonchalantly. "Those Guardians are now riding dragons of their own! That's what irking me!" the Boogeyman snapped.

Rubbing his temples in an attempt to soothe his nerves, Pitch turned back to the map he had been studying. He and Alvin had already decided to give up on raiding Berk and stop taking over other Viking tribes and were now focusing on getting to Dragon Island.

"When we reach the island, how are we gonna wake the beast up? We only have one half of its fang." Alvin inquired. Pitch turned to him and smiled, his dark gold eyes flashing in the ship's darkness. "The island's not far from Berk. Just trust me, Al. I have an idea how to get the other half from them." He replied smoothly.

Alvin nodded, knowing that one way or another they'll both have their sweet vengeance.

Alvin on Hiccup, Pitch on Jack Frost and Sapphire Aquamarie.

Sleep came easily to the Guardians of Fun and Equality. In fact when they arrived at the Pole, they practically passed out on one of the couches as soon as they arrived!

"Wow…They must be really tired…" Tooth remarked, seeing how peaceful the two Guardians were in sleep.

Sandy sprinkled a little dream sand, giving them happy dreams of snowball fights, sledding, surfing and swimming with dolphins.

"Well can you blame them? They've been juggling two jobs. Their job here and their job as dragon trainers back at Berk." Marina said softly so as not to wake them up.

"Maybe we've been overworking them…" North wondered out loud. "I agree with you, mate. They deserve a vacation." Bunny agreed with the Russian's theory.

Jamie and Layla looked at each other.

"Are you two alright, my children?" Mother Nature asked them gently. The two pre-teens twiddled their thumbs nervously.

"Do you have anything to say about them?" Father Time adjusted his brass spectacles at them.

"It's just that…" Layla said hesitatingly.

"We had a talk with them and found out a few things." Jamie admitted.

"And what things did you find out?" Millennium inquired.

"Well they said that sometimes they feel like you guys don't trust them to handle situations like war threats and just letting them make their own decisions." Donnie suddenly blurted out.

The other Guardians looked at the little boy in shock.

"Maybe you should've said it slower." Sophie piped up.

"They actually said that?" Tooth asked in surprise.

"They think that because they're the youngest recruits, you guys don't have enough faith in them to do things on their own. I don't mean to be demanding but could…Could you maybe give them a little more trust?" Jamie explained before looking at the Guardians.

"They've grown and learned so many things. When we found out their secret, we discovered that Jack and Sapphire know how to do things that'll blow your mind. They just haven't gotten enough free time to show them to you." Layla decided to add, hoping that the Guardians would get her drift.

The other Guardians looked at the four kids, at each other then at Jack and Sapphire curled up, peacefully sleeping.

"We better get you kids home…" Mother Nature told them.

"Come on, Millennium and I'll escort you…" Father Time said firmly before opening a portal.

Before the kids could interject, Millennium herded them into the glowing vortex.

"Let's discuss the matter-behind closed doors. We'll let them rest." North told the other Guardians. They nodded and swiftly but quietly left for the Globe Room.

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