Several hours later the four found themselves at the science facility. And utterly, completely, bored.
"This is the most boring thing I have ever done. And I was once shoved in a giant sack!" Jack said, approaching his friends. They raised their eyebrows, but knew better than to ask. Jack was strange, and they didn't really want to find the extent to that strangeness. Jack's eyes lit up.
"I know what we can do! Let's play truth or dare!" Rapunzel smiled as she thought of the perfect thing. A way to answer a question she'd been wondering for a long time.
"I call going first!" She shouted. "Jack. Truth or Dare" She knew what he would probably pick, but had the perfect backup plan.
"Dare" He said with an impish grin.
"I dare you to tell me how old you are."
Jack paled, if that was even possible "I... um..."
Merida snickered "Wha', scared o' a li'l question?"
"W-why do you ask?" Jack said, ignoring Merida. Rapunzel looked at him seriously.
"Because Jack. You look exactly the same as when I met you. 10 years ago." She stated bluntly. Merida and Hiccups eyes widened. "I grew used to it because I was young, and I never thought to ask. But that isn't normal Jack.
"Well. Tell us!" Merida said impatiently.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Jack said, still trying to avoid the question.
"Try me." Rapunzel said, thinking of her own secret.
"Make guess." He said.
"18?" Merida guessed.
"Give or take a few." Jack replied nervously. Hiccup eyed him suspiciously.
"A few what?" He said. Jack cringed. He had hoped nobody would notice that.
"Centuries."
They all stared at him, wide eyed with shock. After a few minutes of silence, Hiccup spoke up.
"Well.. as long as were tossing around shocking oh-my-freakin-god-are-you-serious? secrets, I might sort-of kind-of own a dragon." He said sheepishly. Merida gulped.
"Alri' 'en. This go' a li'l strange." She said nervously. Jack looked at her questioningly.
"So Mer, what's your secret?" Before she could reply one of the scientist yelled "It's activating!" and they all hit the deck. A strange blue light bolted from the tesseract and created a portal and within the instant of it creation it collapsed with an explosive boom, knocking several people (including the Big Four) out. It had glowing blue energy collecting near the ceiling above it. A dark robed figure rose up where the portal once was. He had eerie grey skin and pitch black(pun totally intended) hair. But the strangest thing was his eyes. As he lifted his head slowly, you could see the evil yellow orbs narrowed above the wicked grin that was his mouth. He gripped a black scepter with a dark purple orb and a malicious looking spear at the end.
"Sir, put the spear down." commanded Fury, who had walked in unnoticed a few minutes before. The grey-skinned mans smile dimmed, and like lightening he shot out at Fury, who barely missed the arc of dark energy. Without missing a step, the strange man used the spear and several more energy blasts to finish off everyone else still conscious in the room except the head scientist, who was still a little dazed. The man took the spear and thrusted it towards the scientist's heart, but instead of impaling him, he stopped right before he pierced his skin and let purple-black energy into his chest. The scientist's eyes went dark for a moment before returning to there normal color.
"I'm going to need that" said a velvet voice with a slight British accent. It came from the strange man, and was directed at Fury, who had started to grab the tesseract and put it in a case. Before anyone could say anything, a certain wooden staff was jabbed into the man's back. But the man smiled as if everything was going to plan. Before anyone could react he spun around and ever so carefully yet ever so fast he jabbed the spear at a stunned Jack Frost, whos eyes flashed black as what could now be seen by Fury and the half-conscious Merida as strange black sand. Jack immediately stopped attacking the grey-skinned man and shot a bolt of frost at Fury, stunning all of the now conscious Big Four(Besides Jack of course). The man grinned with wicked glee as Fury fell over and Jack took the tesseract. As the three of them started to leave, Rapunzel, the first to recover from their initial shock, shouted.
"Jack!" She cried. Fury, who was mostly okay due his bullet proof vest, yelled at the four.
"Get after them! We can't let them leave without that damned spirit or the cube, and sure as hell not both!"
Merida and Rapunzel ran after them, confused as hell, but Hiccup stayed back with Fury.
"Sir, that things going to blow. We need to evacuate, but by the looks of it there may not be a minimum safe distance" He said, eyeing the growing energy orb.
"Go after Frost and the cube. I want them both secured." Fury ordered.
"But Sir-" Hiccup began.
"Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on." Fury said. Hiccup bit back a remark and nodded as he went after his friends.
