Revelation
SLAP!
The sound of Merida's hand hitting Hiccup's face echoed off the walls of the cavern. And Hiccup, who was caught off guard by her attack was actually spun by its force. He gripped the edge of the computer desk to stabilize himself before looking back to Merida in bewilderment.
He brought a hand up to his stinging cheek. "Why would you do that?!" he asked in utter indignation. He stood up to confront her when she slapped him on the other side. This time he only stumbled to the side a bit.
"OH GOD!" he screamed in pain.
Off to the side Jack chuckled at the scene. It was hilarious. Until…
"OWWWW!" he screamed as Rapunzel came forward and stabbed her heel into his foot. With her super strength he felt it even through his boots. He yelped and jumped up and down while cradling his injured foot.
"Moons woman, what the hell was that for?!" he shouted out at her.
"You were flirting with me," she said with a glare. He cocked his head to the side in confusion. "You were flirting with me when you were planning to seem me when you didn't know I was me."
He blinked in surprise. Then he furrowed his brows in confusion. "Huh?"
"You were flirting with Limelight when you already asked Rapunzel out," she explained with narrowed eyes.
"Oh…well yeah," he said with a sheepish smile.
Both girls crossed their arms over their chests and glared at the men. They shifted nervously on their feet, unsure of what to do. Then with angry 'hmphs' the women turned their noses up and walked away. To add insult to injury Toothless followed after Merida.
"Toothless?" Hiccup sputtered surprise.
The woman disappeared deeper into the base, leaving the shocked men behind.
"Dude, she took my dog," Hiccup said in shock.
"Yeah…and I think they put us in the dog house…in our own house," Jack said bewildered.
Inside her quarters Merida sat on her couch with Toothless' giant head in her lap. From what she'd been told by Hiccup he wouldn't be able to change back for a few hours. She absentmindedly stroked the dog's head as she thought back to what she'd just discovered.
Hiccup was Fury. Hiccup had discovered her identity ad blackmailed her. Hiccup had broken up with her. Hiccup had fought her. Hiccup had kicked her off the team. And she'd fallen in love with him twice.
It made her angry. All this turmoil she'd been feeling and it was all over the same man.
"Fury requesting entry. Granted or Deny?" came a computer voice.
Merida scowled angrily at the direction of the door. "Deny," she hissed angrily.
Outside the door Hiccup waited to be let in. "Access denied," came his computer's voice. Hiccup sighed. Looks like she was very angry with him.
"Eve, open this door. Command override H-001," he said aloud. Within a moment the door opened and he stepped in. But when he did an arrow flew straight into the wall on his right. He gulped before seeing Merida sitting on her couch, bow in hand.
He raised his hands up in surrender. "I just came to talk," he said nervously, very much afraid she'd turn him into a pin cushion.
Merida glared at him before removing herself from under Toothless. The wolf dog perked up and watched as she made her way over to Hiccup.
She stopped in front of him and glared. "Alright then, start gabbin," Merida huffed.
Hiccup shifted on his feet awkwardly and rubbed the back of his head. "I just wanted to say sorry for hiding this from you," he stammered out.
"Is this why you broke up with me?" she asked out of the blue.
"Huh?" Hiccup asked as he flinched in surprise.
"Is THIS," she said as she gestured to his armor, "why you broke up with me?"
Hiccup fiddled with his hands nervously. "Well…yeah," he admitted.
"Why?" she demanded icily.
Hiccup gulped nervously. A little afraid to talk as he saw her temper on the rise. "I just thought it would be for the best," he said with a nervous shrug.
"Because it would be too 'complicated'?" she said saying the last word bitterly.
"Uhm…yes?"
Merida narrowed her eyes at him and huffed. "And how would this be too complicated," she said gesturing between the two of them. "The way Ah see it we would nae have to hide anything from each other, there would be no secrets," she argued.
"Well yes, but you and I have enemies as both Hiccup and Merida. Then you throw Fury's and Archer's enemies into the mix and it gets complicated," Hiccup pointed out.
"So what you're saying is…ye were trying to protect me?" she asked lowly.
"Kind of," he admitted. As soon as his words left his mouth Merida reacted. She threw a punch that he barely had time to avoid before she swept his legs out from under him. Before he could get up she placed her foot on his chest and had drawn and notched an arrow.
She aimed it right at his face. His eyes were wide in terror. "Does it look like Ah need anyone to protect me?" she asked dangerously. Almost daring him to argue.
Hiccup sighed. "No."
She lowered her bow and stepped off him. He got up with a frown and looked into her amused face. At least she was smiling again.
"Look Merida. I know you don't need protecting. But," he paused. He took a breath and ran a hand through his hair. "A long time ago I lost someone. As Fury because I couldn't save them. And it was all my fault," he revealed.
Merida's eyes widened in slight surprise. "What happened?"
"It's a long story," he said with sigh.
"Ah have time," she said with a shrug. She looked at him expectantly until he caved.
With a sighed he relented. "Alright. So this was when I'd just broken up with Astrid. It was my second year of college and well…I was pretty bummed. I got kind of depressed and I thought I could use some distance. So I decided to spend a semester abroad," he began.
Merida nodded in understanding.
"I went to Japan. It was supposed to be kind of like a vacation and a study/research trip. I went to San Fransokyo and transferred into San Fransokyo Tech. While there I started developing the early designs for my armors and this," he said pointing to his chest. "This is the Plasma Core. A perpetual energy battery that powers my suit. And this base," he said gesturing to the lights above them.
"I made some good friends there. Additionally I met someone," he said with a fond smile. "Her name was Keiko. She was a fellow student and we sort of just hit it off," he said with a shrug. "She had also just gotten out of a break up so we kind of understood each other. It was good. We fell in love. Not the forever kind but it was a good, healing kind of love," he explained.
Merida nodded. But didn't quite like the fact that he had found someone.
"But while I was there this really bad criminal started popping up. He threatened the lives of the people and was going on a rampage. He and his terrorist group once took an entire bank hostage. Keiko happened to be in there, and I happened to have finished up my first armor and prototype plasma core. So I helped. And that was the beginning of my career as a super hero. I stopped the guy and his gang and I left. But…Keiko recognized me. I'd shown her my designs so she figured out who I was immediately," he said palming his face.
"She was cool with it though. She thought I was awesome. She actually encouraged me to keep protecting the city. So I did. All the while I would take Keiko flying and on dates as Fury. She loved it," he said smiling. But then his face dropped and became hard. "But I got too careless. The man I'd put away escaped. One of his men happened to see us together while I was Fury and he took her hostage. He was planning something big, really big, something that would take the lives of thousands of people," Hiccup said grimly.
"And he sent me warning. To stay away or else," he said as his looked at the ground. "But I couldn't. Not if people were going to die. I was the only one who could stop him. So piece by piece I took down his plans. But every time…he would," he paused as he swallowed a lump in his throat. "He would send me a message, showing me a piece of her," he finally revealed.
Merida gasped in horror.
"But I couldn't stop. Even though it killed me every time. People would die if I didn't do anything," he said as tears came to his eyes. "Finally I destroyed his plans and managed to track them down. I found Keiko…but I was too late," he said as tears ran down his cheeks. "She never stopped believing in me. She never told them who I was. She died…in my arms," he said miserably. Pain and heartache laced his words.
Merida was shocked. She could see the pain in his eyes at the memory.
"The last thing she said to me was…'Why didn't you save me?'" he said as he wiped away some tears.
"I went to a dark place after that. I killed the man and his men in revenge. And I didn't even care," he said shrugging. "When I came back everyone noticed the change in me. But they all assumed it was because of my break up. Who could I possible tell the truth to?"
"I continued to be a hero in Berk. And while I never killed again I became cold, calculating, and brutal. People were afraid of me. Both the good and the bad. I was drowning in my anger and hatred…until I met my friends," he said looking up. A small smile formed.
"They pulled me from the darkness. I told them what happened and thy saved me. Got me back to this," he said gesturing to himself. "The real me," he explained.
"And this is why you won't let anyone close to you," Merida finished.
"Yeah. If it were just Henry Haddock who'd found somebody then fine. But Fury can't…I just can't," he mumbled shaking his head. He closed his eyes as he let Merida fully absorb his story. But he opened them when he felt a hand on his face. He looked into her eyes. Eyes that held boundless affection for him.
"Hiccup, I'm not her. I'm a hero too. I know the risks," she said softly.
"I know. But what if I have to do that again. What if I have to choose the lives of millions or you?" he asked seriously.
"Then you choose the millions of people. And you do it every time," she said firmly. He opened his mouth to retort when she placed a finger on his lips. "I know the risks Hiccup. And I'll gladly give my life to save the lives of millions. But that doesn't mean I will let that stop me from loving who Ah want," she paused as she wrapped her arms around his head and pulled him down for a kiss.
Hiccup was surprised but he didn't fight it. She deepened it and moaned, earning a groan from him in response. Then she pulled away.
"Ah make my own fate," she said with a smile. "Now come on. We need to gather the team. Ah think it's time I told ye all about the sword," she said as she walked passed him. "Toothless come," she commanded as she paused at the door. The wolf dog obeyed, getting up he padded after her.
Hiccup followed, feeling lighter than he had in days.
"So are you guys back together or what?" came Jack's voice. He turned to see him and Rapunzel standing off to the side with smiles on their faces. Apparently having made up themselves.
He cocked his head to the side. "I'm not entirely sure."
Inside the lounge area of the base the team gathered so Merida could reveal the history of the sword. Rapunzel and Jack sat together. She leaned against him while he had his arm wrapped around her. Hiccup sat by himself with Toothless at his feet. He had his hands clasped together as he patiently waited for Merida to explain.
"Ok, so first off, the history of the sword begins with a story," she began. "Once upon a time there was an ancient kingdom in Scotland, ruled by a fair and honest king," she explained.
"On his deathbed the king divided his kingdom amongst his four sons. With hopes that they would respect each other's rule and work together. But the oldest and most powerful of the sons wanted the entire kingdom for himself. He went to a witch and asked her to grant him the strength to rule all. She obliged. Granting him the strength of ten men. Using that power he defeated and killed his brothers, making him the sole ruler of the land," she continued.
"But that wasn't enough for him. He set out to conquer more lands. And during his travels he came upon a weapon that could help him. The Sword of Mor'du," she elaborated. Then she paused as she closed her eyes. In the next moment a wisp appeared beside her. Frost and Fury gasped in surprise. "This is a wisp. A little spirit I can summon up thanks to my bow," she said lifting her bow up slightly. "The Sword of Mor'du is said to do the same but with darker, evil spirits," she said seriously.
Everyone gulped nervously, knowing the havoc black magic and spirits could reap.
"Anyway, eventually his warpath took him to the realm of my ancestor, the Bear King they called him. Mor'du, as the prince came to be known, commanded that he submit to his rule. But my ancestor refused. He and his allies faced Mor'du and his army, intent of driving him away. But Mor'du alone was too powerful. He could take on an entire clan by himself. And his cursed sword made him all the more dangerous and deadly. Things seemed bleak, the war seemed to be lost for the Bear King and his allies," she said pausing to take a breath and clear her throat.
"And then what happened?" Hiccup asked.
Merida turned to look him in the eyes. "A hero," she said. "From across the sea a hero emerged. Said to be carried upon the wings of the offspring of lightning and death itself. He was said to be clad in black armor and wield a sword that blazed with the power of dragon's fire," she explained. "He offered to help the Bear King but he was refused. Luckily, he was stubborn and the Bear King's daughter, the princess, was rebellious. Together they came up with a plan to defeat Mor'du. It's said that Mor'du was about to do something that would completely win him the war. Something that would turn him into a god. But the hero faced him, he challenged him to a battle. Mor'du was hesitant but accepted when the princess offered her hand in marriage should he win."
"And he accepted?" Jack asked incredulously. "I mean if it was a sure fire thing then why risk it?"
"Mor'du was said to be very prideful. And the princess was said to be quite the beauty," Merida said with a shrug. "So they dueled. Normally Mor'du could crush any opponent, even smash their shields apart with one swing of his sword. But the stranger carried a shield that was said to be indestructible. The duel was hard fought on both sides, but eventually the hero was victorious. He dealt Mor'du a fatal wound before taking his sword. Mor'du fled for his life. Never to be seen again."
"So what happened to the princess and the hero?" Rapunzel asked curiously. The story was kind of sounding like a love story.
"The legend is a little unclear. Some say he went back home. Others say he died from the wounds from his battle with Mor'du. But the legends always say that he and the princess promised themselves to each other should they meet again in the next life. And before he left he gave the princess the sword to safeguard, should Mor'du ever return," she finished.
"So if it was given to your family, why don't you have it?" Hiccup asked as he raised an eyebrow.
Merida sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Supposedly the princess and her descedents hid it. But I guess a little too well. So well that they forgot where it was. But apparently someone found it. And here we are," she concluded.
"So what does Mor'du Blackwood have to do with this?" Hiccup asked narrowing his eyes.
"He's the descendant of the original Mor'du…how do you know about him Hiccup?" she asked cocking her head to the side.
"I've been trying to nail him to the wall for years. And I have reason to believe he's been funding Drago's research all this time. But this confirms it. He's working with Drago," Hiccup said seriously.
"Well I say we're winning. They still don't have the sword," Jack said with optimism.
Hiccup smiled and nodded in agreement.
"Agreed," Merida said with a nod. "But I think we need to fill in some missing pieces," she added.
"Like what?" Rapunzel asked.
"I don't ken. Like why Mor'du wants the sword back so suddenly. And urgently. We need answers," she said firmly.
"So where can we get them?" Hiccup asked.
Merida smiled. She looked him in the eyes and walked over to him. He flushed at her gaze. Then she leaned down. He backed away until his head was pressed against the headrest of the couch. But Merida advanced. She cupped his face and pulled him in for a gentle kiss. Then she deepened it, not caring about their friends in the room. She'd been wanting to do that for weeks damn it. She'd be damned if privacy stopped her.
When she was sated she pulled away to see Hiccup with a goofy grin. She giggled. Glad he was looking at her like that once more.
"We need to go to Dunbroch castle. So pack your bags Hiccup. We're going to Scotland."
New chapter. Hope everyone likes.