Hi! For anyone reading/following this story, please bear with me. I've already outlined all the chapters, but it'll probably take me about a year to write everything. I'm about 1/4 or 1/5 done with the story, so yeah. This is going to be a really long story, mostly because I want to develop the storylines and the characters. I also want to feature everyone as fairly and equally as possible. That's not so easy, considering I have to think of 10 main characters. Everyone will end up with who (I think) s/he ought to end up with. It all just needs patience. You know, like in the real world. Haha! Thank you to anyone who reads and appreciates the story, so far.

It's a Saturday, and yet three friends aren't just hanging out doing nothing. Instead, they're training – one training a little harder than the other two. Eugene is still as determined as ever to make the tennis team believe in him. Luckily, his two best friends are solidly backing him up and helping him out. It also doesn't hurt that one of them happens to have his own tennis court in his backyard.

"You gotta learn to anticipate your opponent's hits!" Hiccup calls from across the court as another ball catches Eugene off-guard and zooms past him cross-court.

"Yeah, I'm trying," he responds, kicking the ground in growing frustration.

"Your serves are pretty good, I'll give you that," Merida offers supportively. She and Eugene had previously tried to outdo each other in serving aces since that was Merida's forte. It turns out that that may be Eugene's as well. She had just narrowly beaten him.

"I think we can call it a day," Hiccup says, walking towards his friends. "You did really well, Eugene. It's almost like you're a natural. No one would suspect that you've only really started playing tennis last month. Who knew you'd be able to transfer your racquetball skills so easily?"

"Yeah, but it's not good enough," says Eugene, clearly disappointed with the latter part of his training.

"Trust me," Hiccup reassures him. "You just need a couple more sessions, and you'll have it down." Reaching balls cross-court and reading tricky returns were Hiccup's forte. He walks to the table by the lawnchairs, and picks up the intercom to call the kitchen.

"Hi, Maudie! Can you bring us some lemonade?"

"Right away, Master Hiccup," Maudie, their maid, replies. "Mistress Elsa told me to let you know that she was gifted with some pastries and is having them now with Master Hans in the family room."

"Pastries from whom and from where?"

"A Sir Macintosh delivered pastries from La Patisserie des Reves."

"Really? We'll be right there! Thanks, Maudie! Please have the refreshments brought to the family room instead." Hiccup hangs up the intercom and tells his friends to follow him.

In their haste to get to the treats, they forget that they are still toting their rackets as they enter the family room. Elsa and Hans glance up from the pastries they are munching on and smile at the amusing spectacle in front of them.

"You guys look so adorable, all carrying your rackets," Elsa teases them.

"You look like the three musketeers," Hans joins in.

"Ha ha," Hiccup laughs sarcastically before entering the washroom.

"I thought it was clever, Hans," Merida blurts out, mentally slapping herself for being so obvious when it came to him. Hans smiles shyly at her. Luckily, no one else seems to take too much notice of her compliment.

"I kind of like that label," Eugene says as he puts his racket down and waits for his turn to wash. "The three musketeers. It suits us, don't you think?"

"Well, you guys are practically inseparable," Elsa adds. "Enough talk. Eat!"

"A Sir Macintosh delivered these?" Hiccup repeats, helping himself to a Paris Brest. "At least the guy has good taste in pastries. I'm not so sure mother would approve even so, though. You'd better watch it, sis. Your behavior 'simply won't do.'" He takes a big bite out of the praline dessert and licks his lips heartily.

"Hiccup's right," Hans says, still working on his Mille-feuille. "I don't think she approved of the attention you drew last night. If you continue such bad behavior, more men might start sending gifts to the house. Think of the scandal!" He and his twin share a laugh as Elsa scowls at her two younger brothers.

"Oh, quit it, you two," she tells them, half-jokingly. "At least we get to have a nice afternoon snack. I'd forgotten how much I love these pastries. But too bad, Macintosh is such a bore. Still, it might be best if we finished all of this before mom and dad get home."

Eugene and Merida ask what the big deal with the pastries is, but they are more than willing to help finish them off. They had never tried anything so fancy, tasty, and authentically French in their lives. As Eugene helps himself to second and third servings, Elsa briefly recounts the previous night's incident.

"Would you like another one, Merida?" Hans offers her the box. As much as she would love to take anything that Hans offers, Merida is forced to decline with a slight shake of her head. She doesn't want to spoil her appetite for the dinner that Rapunzel is making for them later that night. She suddenly remembers that Rapunzel told her to invite Hiccup.

"Hiccup, are you doing anything tonight?" she asks. "Rapunzel's cooking dinner at her house and is asking if you want to come."

"Sure, I'll be there," Hiccup says.

"What about you, Hans and Elsa? Maybe you guys would like to join us?"

"No thanks, Merida, but thank you for asking," Elsa smiles sweetly. "Why don't you go, Hans? It seems like fun." She doesn't voice out her concern that the more reserved twin doesn't seem to have a stable group of friends unlike Hiccup.

"Yeah, Hans, join us!" Hiccup exclaims, seemingly thinking the same thing as his sister.

"No thanks, you guys," Hans says. "I have to work on some posters for Monday's pep rally. Maybe some other time."

Merida tries hard not to show her disappointment as she and Eugene get up to leave. They say that they still have to bathe and change out of their tennis clothes before heading to dinner. They tell Hiccup that they'll meet him at Rapunzel's at 8pm. They thank Elsa for sharing her pastries and say goodbye to the Isles siblings before heading to their own houses.