Jack had much more trouble getting Hiccup unseen through the village than he'd expected. After an internal battle with himself, Jack decided he'd just have to wing it. Literally.
Jack turned to the dragon beside him as they both hid behind a small hut, Hiccup in Jack's arms. "Look," Jack said, turning to Toothless, who, noticing the urgency in Jack's tone, listened intently to his words, "We need to get this kid to his house and fast. That leg of his isn't going to get any better if we stand out here and wait to get caught. And to tell you the truth, I don't want to get cornered by a bunch of Vikings when I look like I've stepped out of the modern world. Which, I sort of did but that's not the point. Will you help me or what?"
Toothless's bright green eyes shone with a clear message: Only for Hiccup. Jack shrugged, as the dragon's reluctant cooperation was better than nothing at all. "Okay, now here's the plan. You ..."
Toothless edged away from the hut and began to awkwardly walk through the village, his wings pinched closed to his back in order to conceal the two boys. The Vikings glanced at Toothless in confusion, noticing the lack of Hiccup's presence. However, if they thought the dragon's behavior was strange, they didn't make a move to apprehend it in any more detail than a few seconds glance. That was, until Astrid saw the midnight black beast.
She strode forward, expecting to see Hiccup with the dragon but was sadly mistaken. She furrowed her eyebrows and tapped the dragon's leathery wing, startling the dragon and causing it to jump.
"Um, hi, Toothless," Astrid said, noting the odd pinch in the dragon's wings and the wide guilty eyes that stared at her with a hint of impatience. "Where's Hiccup?"
The dragon gave her a look as if to ask if she was an idiot and suddenly gave a growl. Astrid backed away from Toothless, her hands raised, palm out, in defense.
The reason for the dragon's snarl was Jack, who had tried to peek past the wings at the girl who glanced over her shoulder at the dragon, her brow furrowed and mouth set in a thin line, as she hurriedly walked away, grumbling under her breath. Jack had slipped slightly and his nails had dug under a few of Toothless's scales. Jack whispered a "sorry" and Toothless was on his way again, going to the back of Hiccup's own hut, at least that was what Jack suspected it was.
Jack slipped off of Toothless, holding his hands out to use his force to keep Hiccup in place (which Jack actually has, with his will over the wind). Hiccup stayed where he was and Jack turned to open the giant door and let the dragon inside.
Jack followed the dragon, before a surge of heat hit him in the face. Jack coughed and stepped back, winded at the sudden difference in temperature. Toothless turned, watching the boy struggle to step into the room and then hit the wall as far from the fire as possible. Toothless opened his wings to reveal Hiccup's body and gave Jack a pointed look for him to come take off the extra weight.
Jack sighed and edged to the dragon, who didn't make it any easier for him by stepping closer. No, it seemed as if the dragon stepped away everytime Jack seemed to get closer. Jack realized the game and smiled, pressing his hand to the wall. The start of icy ferns blossomed underneath Jack's palm before stretching across the wall and glazing the floor underneath Jack's bare feet. "You wanna play hard to get?" Jack shouted across the fire to Toothless who shivered at the sudden cold.
Jack slid over the slick ground and chased after the dragon in a bizarre game of tag. Toothless shrieked and stumbled over the ice, trying to use his wings but all that did was dim the fire's light and warmth. All was quiet in the hut as Toothless gazed around the darkened room before a cold finger jabbed him in the back of his head. "You're it."
Jack picked Hiccup off Toothless's back and walked him to a makeshift bed that was about Hiccup's size. He laid Hiccup on it and tugged the fur blanket over his puny frame. Jack took a seat at the bottom of the bed and thought for a moment. How would he explain this to Hiccup?
Toothless watched Jack with unblinking emerald eyes as Jack thought over his situation. "Oh, yeah, you might've drowned twice in one day and your leg-" HIS LEG, Jack jumped from his spot on the floor and ripped the blanket from Hiccup before trying to undo the metal contraption strapped over his bleeding stump. Toothless perked up at the sudden panic that strung high in the icy air and hurried over to see what Jack was doing.
Jack finally got it off, but by then, Hiccup's leg was bleeding profoundly and Jack had no clue what to do. He ran around the house, looking for something - anything - to stop the bleeding. His sweatshirt rubbed against him and he looked down at it, biting his lip and glancing at the boy's leg before ripping it over his head and pressing the frosted material to the stump. The part of the sweatshirt he'd pressed to Hiccup's bleeding leg was now purple and growing. Jack sighed, reminding himself that he could always get a new hoodie but Hiccup couldn't get a new leg other than the metal one. Jack pressed harder until it seemed as if the bleeding episode was over.
After a while of Jack staring solemnly down at the purple mess of fabric in his hands, Hiccup stirred, rewrapped in his fur blanket. Toothless rubbed his face to Hiccup's and Hiccup groaned, trying to push Toothless away.
Jack turned, the ruined sweatshirt in his hands forgotten. Hiccup reluctantly opened his eyes and shivered violently at the cold. His eyes searched for an open window or door, but there weren't any. The fire was still big and bright, leaving Hiccup in confusion. Then he caught a glance of silvery white hair and blue eyes.
Hiccup looked over at the boy and it all came rushing back. The ocean, the beach scene, their meeting, the cold on his lips and blacking out at the sight of his own blood. Hiccup, not feeling the cold of the metal leg, pulled his blanket away to reveal his bruised stump. Hiccup sighed at it and looked back to the boy.
The boy smiled and at that smile, Hiccup remembered his name: Jack. It was an odd name, especially here in Berk; Hiccup suspected he was from a different Viking clan and must've come on a ship and noticed Hiccup not breathing. Hiccup had no recollection of getting on the beach or how his leg had gotten hurt, he just knew that Jack had saved him and he was grateful.
"So ... Jack ... How'd you get in here?" Hiccup began awkwardly, noticing Jack's odd clothing. He wore a light cream long sleeve shirt, made from material Hiccup had never seen before. Over that was a leather vest with odd circles of brown that seemed to slip into slits on the other side of the vest. Hiccup thought Jack's choice in clothing was odd but seemed to fit him nicely. Hiccup glanced at the blob of purple and blue clothing at the foot of his bed and recognized it as what Hiccup had first seen Jack wear; blood was seeping under it and Hiccup knew for a fact it was his own and that Jack had used it to stop the bleeding.
"Your dragon showed me the way," Jack said, glad to see Hiccup awake again. Toothless's eyes widened at the accusation and gave an indignant roar.
Hiccup turned to Toothless and kidded, "Glad I can count on you, Toothless. He could've been a sadistic Viking!" After a moment of silent uncertainty, Hiccup glanced through his hair to Jack and asked, "You're not ... Are you?"
Jack laughed and shook his head, pulling a knee up for him to perch his elbow on. "No, I don't think so. Last time I checked I wasn't, at least." Jack smiled to show Hiccup he was joking and Hiccup grinned back before his smile faded slightly as Hiccup's eyes gazed down at Jack's ruined purple mass of cloth.
"I'm really sorry about that," Hiccup mumbled, glancing at Jack. "The ships bring in material like that; I could try to make you a new one."
Jack smiled and shook his head. "No, no, it's fine. Don't worry about it."
There was an uneasy silence and then Hiccup asked, "Where are you from? I mean, I haven't seen you around and I think I'd remember that hair."
Jack ran his hand through said hair and racked his mind for a back story. "I'm from modern-day America. You don't know what America is since it hasn't been colonized yet. I'm also here because we have a bit of a problem; Pitch Black, you know, The Boogeyman, he's kind of in power again and you're a Defender and Guardian of Childhood and I was sent here by the Man in the Moon to get you and two others heroes so the world doesn't fall back into The Dark Age. I'm also dead."
Jack didn't say any of that, of course. He didn't want to look completely insane. Instead Jack shrugged. "This color's normal where I'm from."
Hiccup stared at him. "You're from Jotunheim?"
Jack stared back before quickly saying, "Yeah. That's what it's called. Now, my question. What exactly is your name?"
Hiccup decided to ignore Jack's weird behaviour (he blamed it on the freezing temperatures in Jotunheim) and answered, "My name's Hiccup. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock The Third, to be precise."
Jack had to bite down on his tongue to prevent from asking if Hiccup's parents hated him; in retrospect, maybe naming your kid after a human function was normal for Vikings or they wanted to toughen their kids up by giving them names that would get them tormented in a modern-day learning environment.
"That's a bit of a mouthful," Jack said, smiling.
Hiccup nodded, glancing away. "You can just call me Hiccup. That's what my friends do. That's what everyone does, actually."
Jack grinned. "We're friends?"
Hiccup seemed surprised by the question. "Well, you did save my life."
Twice, Jack thought. I also kind of caused it, but you don't need to know that.
Toothless, annoyed by the lack of attention, barked out a sharp roar. Hiccup turned to him and held out his arms. "C'mere, buddy," Hiccup said and Toothless grinned gumily and leapt forward, his front paws on the bed and his head nuzzling Hiccup's playfully.
Jack watched the two for a moment and felt a smile tug at his lips. There was so much affection between the dragon and the boy that Jack almost joined in on it but there was a thought that stopped him.
You're on a mission. Not a vacation. You can't waste your time making friends, Jack.
Jack inner voice laughed at the first one. There's no rule that I can't have fun while I'm here; if there was one, I'd break it. Simple as that.
...
The kingdom of Corona was not aware of the panic welling inside the palace. However, the news was leaking from every crack of the palace walls; it was whisked away by the wind and whispered into the ears of the early risers, who then reported to their families and friends.
It was the gossip of the town in mere moments; Princess Rapunzel Fitzherbert's hair had magically grown back over night, even the strand that had been cut as a child. It was as if it had never been snipped at all.
The palace was on high-alert ever since the scream broke the night like it was a pane of glass, its clear shards like piercing octaves that shot higher and higher until the scream grew into unbelieving sobs and then silence.
To say that The King and Queen were surprised would be a severe understatement. This hair was what had given them their daughter, which they were grateful, although it was also the reason for eighteen years of not knowing where their daughter was or even if she was alive. That pain was worse than death.
Eugene had been the first to react when he'd been startled awake; he called for the palace guards as he tried to calm Rapunzel down, although Eugene was having trouble keeping his voice at one level pitch and his heart from clenching in panic. All Eugene could think of were two things: it would be really weird in bed now with seventy feet of hair to get in the way and the fact that in his (not so) final moments he had given her a 'trim' that they had both finally been getting used to. But, here it was, again, gleaming up at Eugene like the gold he used to steal. He wasn't a thief, not anymore, as the old habit had died hard with him only last year but he was still trying to overcome the shock of it. How could all of that hair grow back after one night?
The King was thinking the same thing. The hair had been magical from the start; could the magic just regenerate the hair or was it something completely different than the magical flower?
There was another thought on The King's mind, one that made him want to remove his high position as father and King so that he could choke on his own tears; what would happen once people like the one who had stolen his daughter away heard of the news?
Everyone looked to The King for advice in times of panic but now, he was the one who needed advice. He didn't know what to do and with his daughter at risk once again; he was afraid of messing up their chances at rekindling their relationship with their daughter.
The King did something most of the guards didn't expect: he ripped away his mask of blank emotions and took a seat beside his wife, daughter and son-in-law and engulfed them in a tight comforting hug as tears pricked his eyes.
...
Merida walked through the kitchen doors, a cake stuffed in her mouth as she entered the feasting area where her parents and brothers were seated. Her brothers scowled down at their haggis and roots; her mother and father conversing over the other three clans and private matters throughout DunBrouch.
Merida took a seat and glanced at her own plate of haggis before sighing and turning her attention to her parents' conversation. She only caught bits and pieces that went through one ear and out the next so she turned back to her plate and bit into a root, chewing it. Merida remembered her new bow and turned to her parents, her face alight. Her mother noticed and turned, smiling. "Yes, Merida?"
"Guess what I did today," She sang, her food forgotten.
Her mother raised an eyebrow, asking herself a silent question: Would she see eye-to-eye with whatever Merida had done or would the relationship she'd built with her daughter flake away?
"I took Angus out for a ride," Merida began, beaming, "Shot my bow." Merida was practically bursting from the held information of her new bow, but she didn't mention it. She had a feeling it wasn't something she should flaunt to her parents about; it wasn't every day you found a magical bow tied to your destiny.
"How many bulls-eyes, lass?" Fergus asked, his blue eyes alight with the same glow as his daughter's.
"All of them," Merida grinned in pride.
"That's my girl," Fergus laughed before turning to the boys. "None of you have touched your haggis!"
They all squirmed under his gaze and he shrugged. "More for me, slide them over, c'mon," Fergus cheered the boys as they slid their plates to their father, who didn't actually get the chance to indulge himself in the sheep's stomachs as the two wiry-furred mutts raced in and grabbed them.
...
The Man in the Moon watched the four Defenders via moonbeam, rubbing his chin once again. The chin rubbing was a bad habit, he had to admit, but he'd gotten so used to it over the past decades that he simply couldn't break it.
He knew Jack was going to need to get comfortable with the Defenders before he out and told them why he was really there. The Man in the Moon stood and thought for a moment before a lightbulb went off in his head.
"Ah," The Man in the Moon hopped from his floating stool to beckon to a moonbeam. "Call Father Time and ask if he's busy. I have an idea."
...
Father Time materialized in The Moonship, moonbeams popping under his shiny shoes. He wore a sharp pinstripe suit, his hair styled professionally and permanent seven o'clock shadow trimmed to stunning precision. His shoes met the floor and he greeted the Man with a raised eyebrow.
The Man in the Moon clapped his pale hands and smiled, his swirl of hair bouncing as he stepped forward. "You came earlier than I expected, Timothy."
"Yes, well, always fashionably early, that's me," Tim said, casually tugging his sleeve over a black scythe tattoo.
The Man in the Moon frowned; it looked odd on the man's usually kindly face. "Oh no, you didn't do ... that before you came here, did you?"
Father Time shrugged and glanced at the Man with tired golden eyes. "Every mortal's life comes to an end, I'm afraid. Sadly, I'm the only one to dirty my hands with disposing of them as Happy is 'far too young to frolic in the affairs of mortal death.'" Father Time sighed heavily, rubbing his temples; in the moonlight, his face seemed to crinkle in wrinkles and worry lines and his dark hair seemed to gleam grey. In a moment, it was gone and Father Time looked young and healthy although his gold eyes betrayed him and showed generations of sadness and built stress. "What was it you wanted, Tsar?"
"I was wondering if perhaps you could freeze time," The Man in the Moon began and hurriedly continued at Tim's widened gold eyes that resembled the backs of pocket watches. "You see, I need more time for the Defenders to group. I wouldn't want to rush them as it is certain that they'd need to care for one another."
"I suppose I could ask Old Man Winter," Tim thought for a second and nodded. "He does owe me ... Sure, I'll do it. Just keep Heat Miser as far away from me as possible and you've got yourself a deal."
The Man in the Moon raised an eyebrow in amusement. "What have you done to him?"
"Let's just say he's still in his awkward stage," Tim smirked. "I'm sure it's only a phase." Tim's eyebrows arched as he glanced at the wristwatch on his right hand. "It was great seeing you again, Tsar, but alas, time waits for no one. Anything else before I go?"
The Man in the Moon pressed his lips together. "Do you still have your aurora signal?" Tim nodded and the Man continued, "Make sure the rest do, as well. I may need you all in the-"
"-future. Yes, Tsar, I know. I am Father Time, after all." With that, Tim pulled on a chain around his neck. It was a collection of gold and bronze disks; in the center of it was a small hourglass of silver sand. He twirled the disks until they were whipping the air and nodded his good-bye to the Man before he was sucked into a portal that popped open under his feet.
The Man in the Moon sighed and glanced at his own aurora signal, the chubby outline of his handprint still etched in the dust. He had a feeling he'd be pulling it again soon.
So many time puns you go Tim
Headcanon: Jack wears his colonial clothes under his hoodie because it's a memory of his past and what he awoke in so he decided to keep it (it also makes it easier to explain when he's in Berk and the following places since he doesn't have to try to explain the future of the cotton industry).
While I'm here, I should explain that in my version of these legends, Old Man Winter and Jack aren't the same person. Winter's been around since The Golden Age and Jack's part of the Defenders/Guardians so they really don't like to cross paths (Winter thinks Jack's up to trouble and Jack thinks Winter's a cranky old guy).
I figured Rapunzel's reaction to her hair was granted, I mean, how the hell does that happen. I'm trying not to make her seem ditzy (as she really isn't) but her reaction may seem that way. It's called shock; look it up please.
I'm also sorry for ruining Jack's hoodie but Jack had to do it. His hoodie was too much for the time when everyone can see him and they'd all get suspicious so I just got rid of it. But let me tell you, he's having a conniption. He'll just have to deal with it.
EIGHTEEN REVIEWS, SIXTEEN FOLLOWS AND TWELVE FAVOURITES. YOU. ARE. ALL. AMAZING. AND. LET. ME. LOVE. YOU.