A/N: Okay. I can't wait for the next chapter because that's where Jack comes in so I'll make this a quick one, if no one minds. Even though I know the last chapter was quite short. Only 992 words, according to my doc manager. But I'm sure Jack showing up will make it worth it. Yes?
Solutions
Tragically, right after the birth of a new life comes a funeral of the one who brought forth the said newborn. Everyone gathered to the shores of Berk, where Vahallarma's caravan of no return shall take place. Her corpse laid on a well-decorated raft, prepared to go out to sea. In the Viking way, it is considered an Honor to die during the heat of battle, but instead of pride, Stoick only felt grief as he held his offspring close to him, the last thing Vahallarma was to ever give him.
Stoick knelt down in front of the raft. The Guardians stood right behind him, paying their respects and feeling the guilt of having fail their duty as Guardians to protect their closest friend. Gobber pushed the raft off to sea and when it was far enough, horns were blown steadily and a flaming arrow was shot towards Vahallarma's watery grave.
Soon, the Berserkers set sailed back to their own island and the villagers of Berk returned to their homes, with only Gobber staying behind with Stoick, his child and The Guardians.
"Stoick, I apologize for your loss. As guardians, we regret and feel guilt for not being able to stop Pitch from his evil doings." North apologized. "Please forgive our inefficiency."
Stoick shook his head, and stood up. His head held high, putting up a tough front. "No one is to blame here, but Pitch." He scolwed. "My concern now is my child, how will I protect him from getting killed at his thirteenth birthday?"
"Eh, well, we can try not celebrating his birthdays." Gobber shrugged. Everyone narrowed his eyes at him. "What? Pitch can lose track of his age that way."
Stoick sighed, shaking his head. "North, is there nothing to be done?"
Sandy sighed, about to answer that, when he looked up and saw the moon shining down on them. Alarmed, he tried calling for the attention of the others but he was in the back and without the ability of speech, he had a hard time getting their attention. He tried whistling, hollering, and calling them with sand flags to no avail.
"We don't have the ability to do anything about it," Tooth said apologetically. "Pitch has already closed the deal with Vahallarma's... Uhm... Blood."
Stoick scowl got deeper. "There must be something, I'm not going to let Henrik die easily!"
"Calm yourself, Stoick. Of course we will not let Pitch easily get way with Henrik." North huffed. "You have our word that we will do anything we can to..."
Sandy finally had it and threw a rock at Gobber.
"Oy, who on earth...?!"
This caused everyone to look at Sandy and Gobber. Sandy created a half moon symbol above his head and pointed above to the night sky. They all looked, to see the moon shining brighter. North laughed.
"Ah, Man in moon. Sandy, why didn't you say so earlier?"
Sandy looked incredulous as steam of dreamsand blew from where his ears were.
"Manny, help us." North gestured his large arms towards the moon. "What must be done? We have to save child."
Stoick kept Henrik close to him. He knew how Manny had the tendency to ignore the pleas called out to him, so by taking initiative to actually speak was a big deal. He only hope his prescence involved his son.
The moon cast a ray of light down, like a spotlight directly pointed to Henrik who laid quietly in his father's arms. Stoick felt the overwhelming power flow from the light until it completely vanished and the moon was silent once again.
"What... What happened? What did he did to Henrik?"
North's eyes were wide and he seemed to be in good spirits. "Ahahaha! That's Manny we know and love, he has provided solution to problem."
"What is it North? What did he do?" Tooth asked, was glee going back to her spirits. "What's going to happen?"
"Child may or may not still encounter the fearling," North started. This did not seem like good news to Stoick at the slightest.
"Oh. Perfect."
"Maybe you misplace your judgement on the silent orb?" Gobber suggested wearily.
North held out a finger. "But there is catch. In the event that he does, Henrik will not be dead. But just in deep sleep until something special Manny has prepared comes to wake him up."
Stoick nodded slowly, seeming to regain some hope. "And that is what?"
"Uhm," North rubbed his beard. "I don't know. Not exactly."
Bunny groaned in exasperation. "'Not exactly' he says." He mimicks. "Can you believe this guy?"
Sandy let out a question mark symbol.
"Yeah, you can say that again, Sandy."
North huffed. "Look, it is good thing. It will work out, I feel it." He held his big round belly. "In my belly."
Stoick sighed. "No offense to your belly, but I'm not taking any chances." He turned to Gobber. "Every night for the next thirteen years, I want torches lit up around the whole town. Let no shadows be darker than a yak's fur. No one sleeps without a night light from now on, we will not risk fearlings coming out from the shadows."
Gobber nodded, and went out to get to work.
The Guardians returned to the sleigh. Bunny tried taking the tunnels but North pulled him into the sleigh and took off. He flew them to his home at the North pole. He was still frustrated that no one believed him about Manny's good tidings but decided to at least talk them into a meeting of what else they can do to help.
"I swear if that ratbag shows himself again, I'm gonna make him wish he never born!"
Tooth sighed. "Bunny, watch your temper." An elf put an eggnog in front of her as she gave instructions to little babytooth fairies to take care of the castle while she was away for the night. "Thank you," She said to the elf.
Bunny then got to his feet and punch a fisted paw to his open paw. "I got it! We can turn the little anklebiter to a fierce dragon! No one kills them anymore, right?" he stated. "And Pitch will never see it coming."
Sandy narrowed his eyes and made figures of Dragons fighting each other and one of them being shot down.
"Oh... Yeah, that's something to consider."
Tooth shook her head. "Come on guys, you really think Stoick is going to let Henrik be sent away for his protection? With Pitch out there anywhere at all, it's obvious that Stoick will keep him close and won't even think about hiding him anywhere else."
North's eyes brightened and he got out his swords, raising them to point at his fellow guardians. "IDEA!"
"Oh boy." Bunny rolled his eyes. "Fine, let's hear it."
"I know people who are trustworthy that Stoick will allow to hide child and protect him from Pitch and keep him hidden. They be glad to do it, too."
Tooth cocked her head. "Well, they seem nice to do that. And if you say Stoick trusts them... Well, who are they?"
"Turn around." North instructed, where a glacier of ice was placed nearby. When they did, North threw a snow globe which promptly turned them to humans.
"Crikey!"
Bunny was a tall man with gray hair tied in pigtails, and clothed in a normal vest with an dress shirt for the inner garment.
Tooth was now a wingless young woman, with a color dress just above her ankles.
Sandy was still his round, small self, only with normal human skin color and no longer made out of sand.
All of the Guardians stared at their reflection, gaping, then at North as if he grew a second head... Or grew thinner, as he know seemed to look. And not exactly thin, but he lost his roundness. His physique so like that of Bunny, and was clothed with a black scarf, vest and inner red tunic.
"We take care of kid."
"WHAT?"
"We protect child, hide him from Pitch till thirteen years are up. Like Tooth said, Stoick wouldn't think of sending Henrik away. And Pitch won't guess of him doing otherwise, yes?"
"Okay, too much eggnog for you." Bunny huffed. North glared "At least turn us back!"
North narrowed his eyes at him. "We need disguise so Pitch won't know it's us. We failed to save Vahallarma, now we must protect Henrik for Stoick. It was least we could do."
The guardians looked at each other and conceded to the idea.
"Well, now that I think about it, this will be exciting!"
Bunny narrowed his eyes. "Except we have to change dirty diapers..."
"And feed him,wash him, bathe him, clothe him!" Tooth giggled. "I know right! I'll feel like a real mother."
Sandy gave thumbs up.
North put his hands on his hips, smiling in satisfaction. "Now see? It's piece of cake." He got a snow globe ready to make a portal to go back to Berk.
"Well," Bunny shrugged. "At least I got my powers to help us, so raising a little kid wouldn't be too-"
Alarmed, North turned to his fellow guardians. "No, no, no! After snowglobe transportation back to Berk, no more magic! It's like beacon to say 'We are actually guardians Pitch! Come get us and kill Henrik!' No, no magic!"
Tooth can no longer fly, so there wasn't much to give. And Sandy didn't mind, he was no longer made out of sand anyway. Bunny gawked at North, putting his boomerangs and eggs far from North as possible.
"You mean like mere mortals?" He tried hopping away but couldn't, and he wasn't able to summon his tunnels. "For thirteen years?!"
North approached Bunny.
"No w-wait a minute North! We don't know how!" Bunny hid behind Tooth. "We never done anything normal for human standards!"
North rolled his eyes. "It'll be fine." He said and tried to grab the gears. "Let me have it, Bunny."
Bunny brought it higher, only to have yetis to take it from him.
"Ah, hey!"
"Good job, Phil. Hide in workshop."
Bunny grumbled dejectedly as his boomerangs and exploding eggs were taken from him. Even if he tried, it's take centuries to find anything in this workshop if he didn't know the exact place.
"Now come, we must tell Stoick at once before dawn." North threw down the snow globe.
After much convincing and plenty assurances, Stoick stood by the door of his home as the Guardians took his child away at the dead of the night.
