So it was pointed out to me in modern times it would be super easy to tell someone's identity if they were just wearing a face mask. Of course this is true, but im trying to stick to the old fashioned superhero style. So, even though yes in the real world you could tell who they are, in superhero world you cant lol
hope you all enjoy!
About twenty seconds after flying into the sky for the first time, Hiccup realized it was not all it was cracked up to be. If he moved his tail too much, he flipped on his side. Flapping his wings too much caused himself to become unstable, while not flapping them enough practically had him falling out of the sky.
"Don't crash, Hiccup." The female voice crackled in his ear. He thankful Wiz's invention had actually worked. "We don't have time to bandage you up."
Hiccup gave an irritated snort and tried to keep his tail steady. The cars sped below him, weaving in and out of the traffic among them. His thoughts immediately went to the people in them and wondering what they thought when they looked out their windows; what they would think when they saw his reptilian, ominous figure speeding above them.
"Hiccup!" This time it was Wiz. "I want you to try something. You have a bunch of built up heat in your throat. Make a movement like coughing and see what happens."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Astrid's voice crackled with skepticism and Hiccup glanced down at the Challenger below him. "We're in 'saving people mode.' Not 'let's see what happens when I do this mode.'
Hiccup didn't really see the problem. Opening his mouth a bit, he tighten the muscles in his throat and then-BAM!
His wings flailed in the air, a surprise screech cutting through the air as a blue blast shot from between his jaws. His teeth and gums could feel the heat, but it didn't burn. It travelled a small ways in front of him, before exploding in a fiery blast. He flew through the smoke, the flames and burning air not harming him at all. Several voices crackled in his ear at once, but Hiccup could only focus on one thought running repeatedly through his mind.
He just breathed fire.
"Hiccup!" Astrid yelled, slamming a fist against her steering wheel. Punzie leaned forward, watching the explosion in the sky. Both girls could hear Hiccup's screech through their earpieces and from above them. "God, he's going to blow up the city."
"Is Hiccup breathing fire?" Snotlout groaned from the car in front of them.
"Apparently," Astrid grumbled. "Hiccup, keep that bottled up."
There was an answering roar from above them.
Punzie gave Astrid a raised eyebrow, but didn't say anything. She kept her eyes on the road and the large shadow covering them. It wasn't swaying as much, thank goodness, but Astrid was still concerned about his flying and his apparent ability to freaking breathe fire.
They raced into the city a mere few minutes later. Astrid's car squealed to a stop in front of a line of police cars surrounding one of the tallest buildings. There was a crowd of people as well, but they were being held back on the opposite sidewalk. As usual, there were cheers of admiration as Astrid and her friends stepped from the cars, but they ignored it.
"What's the situation?" she asked briskly, as the police chief approached her. She liked the man. They'd had many encounters in the past and she was never disappointed with his work ethic.
"They want a ransom," his gruff voice answered. She didn't miss the worry and anxiousness there as well. "There were at least ten men who took over the building, firing bullets in the air. We know they're keeping the hostages somewhere near the top, but we haven't been able to get far enough in to figure out more."
"There has to be more than ten for them to take the whole building," Astrid muttered, gazing up at it. Her friends joined by her side and Punzie nudged her arm.
"Shadow," she hissed. "Wheres-?"
Her question was cut off as a high pitched whistle stung their ears. The officers and the crowd of civilians all ducked, some screaming and some shouting out in surprise as a large set of black wings crashed into the nearest police cruiser.
Astrid slapped a hand to her forehead and squeezed her eyes shut. Leave it to Hiccup to crash land into the chief's cruiser. She heard the click of the officers' guns as they pointed it to the wreck.
"Oh God," she mumbled, slowing opening her eyes again. "Don't uh-don't shoot. He's one of us."
"One of you?" the chief asked hesitantly, before lowering his gun.
The black mass had slightly embedded itself into the pavement as well as the crushed car. Hiccup rolled over, his wings stretching far above his body. Frightened gasps could be heard from the crowd, but the screaming at stopped. Without warning, the wings shrank down and the black mass could no longer be seen. Hiccup popped up from the wreckage. His brown strands of hair were messy and he had slight smudges of dirt of in face, but otherwise he was unharmed.
"Uh, sorry about," he said, awkwardly climbing out of the shards of metal. "Guess I have to work on my landing."
Snotlout snickered, but stopped when Jack gave him a sharp jab in the ribs with his staff. Astrid rolled her yes, but turned her attention to her friends when Hiccup joined them.
"Okay everyone. We've got lives at risk here. If those bombs go off, not only do all those people die but the building will most likely collapse. Chief, get everyone off the street. We can't take any risks. We don't know how many men are in there, but they're armed and dangerous. They're most likely patrolling the hallways and any staircases or elevators. Evo and Battery, you guys stay on the first floor. Any one makes a run for it, you stop them. Tank, make your way upstairs with Canary. You two take anyone out on the way. Wiz, anyway you can get inside the security cameras in the building?"
"Sorry, Shadow. They've shut off the power. I can't get in. I think you guys are on your own here."
"No problem. We can handle it."
Hiccup was in awe of her leadership, her drive to be control. It wasn't greedy power or a large ego, but her natural calling. The determination on her face took over the members of the group. No one had a problem when Astrid called out a plan.
The blonde turned to Jack and Hiccup, braid swinging and blue eyes narrowing. "Frost, you and I are going straight to the top. We need to bypass the men patrolling. First we'll try to negotiate and if that doesn't work…well, you know what we'll need to do. And you-." Her penetrating gaze landed on Hiccup.
"Night Fury," he interrupted.
"Night Fury," Astrid started again, a small smirk on her face. "You're getting me up there."
The group dispersed. Evo, Battery, Tank, and Canary all took off for the double set of glass doors. Jack slid towards the side of the building, ice flowing in front of him as he slid upwards. There wasn't time for Hiccup to ask if Astrid was sure she trusted him enough to carry her up in the air, but he gave her one last skeptical look to show his fear before phasing.
Astrid didn't miss a beat as she grabbed his neck and pulled herself up on his inky black scales. She removed her gun from her hip, tightened her hold around his neck. It was too large for her to wrap her arms around and she had the momentarily fear of falling, but a moment later the wings were unfolding next to her and his legs were crouching, before he shot upwards.
The wind stung her face and whipped her braid behind her, but she didn't mind. Instead, she was more focused on him staying steady than anything else. He was less wobbly than he had been on the highway, but his body still shifted uncomfortably beneath her and the large, blanket like wings beating on either side of her were disorientating.
The ordeal lasted less than twenty seconds. Hiccup skimmed the flat top of the building and Astrid slid off his body, dropping to the ground. Just as Jack jumped from a sheet of ice onto the roof, Hiccup skid to a stop, slamming into the cement set of doors. Astrid rolled her eyes again and stalked to him as he phased back into a man just trying to get his balance.
"Sorry," he muttered again, noticing a large crack in the wall.
"At least you didn't drop me," she muttered, shoving past him and wrenching open the door. The incoming sunlight provided enough light for them to see the beginning of a staircase, but below them was pitch black.
Jack tapped lightly on her earpiece. "Battery, we need some light in here."
"I'm already on it," the voice hissed in their ears. "They shut off the power. I'm stealing some from across the street now. It'll be a second."
"We don't have a second," Hiccup said to the pair standing next to him. "C'mon."
To Astrid's surprise, he grabbed her hand and started descending down the stairs. She quickly holstered her gun and grabbed Jack's forearm, ignoring the coldness of it. They descended into the darkness and Astrid had to rely completely on the invisible hand in the dark that was clutching her own.
"You okay?" Hiccup voice suddenly said from the gloom as they rounded a corner.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Astrid snapped. She was the one who'd been doing this for years, not him.
"I dunno," his voice answered. She could feel his arm move as she shrugged. "I can hear something thumping, like dully, but really fast. I think it's your heartbeat."
Jack coughed back a laugh and Astrid dug her nails into his forearm, wondering if Hiccup would be able to see her red face in the darkness.
"So, now you breathe fire and hear well," she mumbled.
"Only because it's so quiet," he whispered back. "Trust me, it's weird for me too."
They continued in the black for only a moment later, when Hiccup stopped and fumbled with a door handle. At that moment, the hall lights flickered on. Astrid immediately threw Hiccup's hand away and dislodged her nails from Jack's arm.
They were in a long hallway. It looked like an office building. There was glass shattered from broken pictures on the floor and bullet holes in the ceiling. Astrid dislodged her gun again and took the lead.
"Thanks for the lights," she mumbled, tapping her earpiece. "Tank? Canary? Progress?"
"Making our way up," Tank's brute voice answered. "We've run into two people so far. The cops weren't kidding when they said they're armed. They've got some heavy duty stuff."
"We'll be careful," Hiccup replied to his own earpiece.
"You be especially careful," Astrid said, raising her gun and stepping quickly through the hallway. "Until you figure out how to do this, try to stay on the sideline. I don't have time to keep you out of trouble to."
"Got it," Hiccup answered sarcastically.
They rounded a corner and Hiccup jumped back as a piece of the wall exploded in front of his face. Astrid's gun jerked twice and two thuds hit the ground. The bodies of the men now slumped against the floor were in heavy duty vests, cargo pants, and combat boots holding onto pairs of guns that could do some serious damage.
"Did he get you?" Astrid asked, nodding towards the bullet hole in the wall aligned with Hiccup's face. He shook his head and the three continued to the double set of doors the men had been standing in front of.
"Your hearing would come in handy right now," Astrid hissed in front of the door. "What's on the other side?"
Hiccup looked at the door and focused, furrowing his eyebrows and ignoring the slow thump of his companions hearts, the soft air of their breathing…there were hushed voices. Many of them to be in fact. A soft sniffle. Nearly silent whimpering. The click of several weapons…
"They're there," he answered. "The hostages and…whoever these guys are."
Astrid didn't need any prodding. She burst through the doorway, gun raised with Jack and Hiccup right behind her.
It was exactly what Hiccup guessed. In the middle of the large office, were two dozen people. Each had a black vest with several wires and dark gray box attached to it. Hiccup's mask of intimidation faltered when he saw the faces; wet, trembling, and full of petrifying fear. His worry instantly turned to anger when he saw the faces of four small children in the middle.
It was no longer a mask of intimidation. It was true rage and ferocity. He wanted to make these men pay for what they were doing.
There were fifteen of them in all. All standing around the civilians, guns raised and faces set in hard sneers. Their leader was clear. He was a large man, with black eyes and a yellow smile. His gun lay casually at his side and he took a step closer to Astrid. Her face never faltered nor did the steady grip on her gun. Jack slightly raised his staff, eyeing each of the men around them.
"Ah, supers," the leader chuckled darkly. "I was wondering when you'd show up. Like what I've done? I know bombs are rather unoriginal, but they get they get the job done."
"What do you want?" Astrid demanded.
The men all stepped closer. Astrid shifted her gaze, but kept herself pointed at the one in charge. Jack angled himself on her right and Hiccup did the same on her left, a little unsure what he should do if things went sour.
"I've already told them," the man said, almost like he was bored. He took a small box from his pocket and Hiccup could see a small button. "We want cash. Fifty million to be exact."
"What makes you think they'll hand over that kind of money?" Jack asked, narrowing his eyes at the men in front of him.
The man laughed again and it only fueled the fire that starting burn inside Hiccup's chest. "I've got a button here that can end the lives of these people very quickly, but they're also on a timer. I'd say we have about ten minutes before this building goes down."
One of the children, a small girl with red braids, gave a small wail of fear, more tears overflowing her puffy eyes.
"Shut up!" One of the men yelled, pointing his gun into the middle of the crowd. A second later, he fell to the ground with a crash, his body covered in a sheet of thin ice. The leader raised a hand, a single finger on the button.
"Watch it!" he yelled. "I move my finger, we all go."
"Just let them go," Astrid said softly. "We can all leave together. We can help you talk to the police-."
"I don't think so," the man interrupted. "We've come this far. I want the money. Now. Or this whole place blows."
"Freeze the bombs," Astrid hissed out of the corner of her mouth.
"Not when they're strapped to their bodies," Jack whispered back. "They'd freeze too."
"I'll be honest," the man continued. "I might just blow them up for fun, money or no money. I'm sure the kids will love that."
Suddenly, Hiccup's head erupted in pain. A high pitched wailing pierced his head and clouded his vision. He clamped his hands over ears. Turning, he was greeted with the sight of Punzie and Snotlout in the open doorway. Punzie mouth was wide open, screaming wildly at the group in front of her.
It ended as sooner as it started. In the moment of confusion, some of the men dropped their guns. Jack's staff slashed out and the leader agonizing yell filled the room. His hand enveloping the small box was covered in a thick sheet of ice. Astrid's gun went off, in several directions, causing multiple men to drop. Snotlout ran to the civilians and began tearing off their vest strapped so tightly to them.
A man ran at Hiccup, who dodged the hit and shoved the man into the wall beside him. When he was knocked out cold he turned and saw the room cleared. The leader kneeled on the ground, pounding his ice fist into the tile, but doing it no harm. His men laid on the ground around him; some covered in ice, some shot down, and others taken out by strength.
"Start leading them out. Tell the police what happened," Astrid said to Snotlout. "We'll get the rest."
The burly man led out a large group of tearfully relieved civilians with Jack, while Punzie began unstrapping the remaining people. Astrid approached the man, stalking up to him slowly with the foulest look of reproached evident on her face.
Hiccup wanted, craved, to join her, but instead he went to Punzie.
"Get them out," he said, nodding towards the people she'd manage to unstrap. "I'll finish up."
Punzie nodded and left with the people she saved. Hiccup turned his attention to the few who remained; a middle aged man with a suit that looked like it cost more than Astrid's car, a grey haired woman, and the small, red haired girl.
"Bless you," the woman sniffled, when Hiccup removed the contraption off her. "Bless you all. Who are you?"
"Night Fury," he replied, ripping off the man's as well. They both left the room quickly while Hiccup undid the girl's. Tears still flowed freely, but silently down her face and he felt a rush of guilt when her lip trembled.
"I want my mama," she said softly when he had finished.
"I know," he answered.
Astrid had evidently silenced the leader. She looked up at Hiccup as he dropped the bomb into the pile with others. For a moment, the grief of what almost happened vanished. She smirked lightly but gave Hiccup an approving nod. Hiccup felt himself smile back, the warmth in his chest changing from a raging fire to soft embers. The girl, small and fragile, wrapped her arms tightly around Hiccup's leg and Astrid's small laughed echoed in the room.
Then, suddenly, everything went horribly wrong.
Several beeps came from the pile of black vests and Hiccup's insides turned as cold as Jack's skin. He looked down, at the girl clinging to him knowing he could phase with her, burst through the wall and get her out. Then his gaze snapped to Astrid, clear across the room, who wasn't any kind of fireproof.
Hiccup had about two seconds to decide who to save.
duh duh duhhhhhhh
please review!