Chapter Thirty-Eight: Zhang -Part 1-
"Well, it's not hot but it will do. Probably." Kate said and examining him. "I don't need to look hot, I need to look unsuspicious." Hiccup growled as she pulled at some strands of his hair. "Sorry mate but that ship has sailed. Even if I didn't know you I would think: Weird." "No one cares what you think Josh. Now shut up. It could be worse." "Could you stop insulting me Kitty?" "Not as long you don't call me by my name." Kate countered but Hiccup could see her hidden smile. She shamelessly enjoyed this.
He couldn't hold it against her. After all he had allowed her to play 'dress-up' with him.
Okay, not all 'dress-up' but close. He had to cover his bandage somehow that still circled his forehead. The mark was healing, yes but he still didn't dare to take down the bandage.
So he asked Kate to cover it up for him.
And boy, she had taken the opportunity first hand!
For over two hours Hiccup sat on a stone while she rummaged through her bags, trying this and that and searching for something that: "went with his outfit" (end of quote).
All Hiccup had wanted was some piece of cloth he could warp over the bandage so it wouldn't catch any unwanted attention. He'd already seen plenty of people that walked around with such things. Called them bandanas or something like that.
Finally Josh had had enough and had torn a long piece of his cloth from his tunic and had handed it Hiccup. It was plain black cloth. Just what he wanted. So while Kate again was somewhere inside her bags, he wrapped the cloth around his head and turned to Josh. "So, what do you think?" Josh had grinned. "Hot. Bad-ass. If I was a girl I would want to date you. You look mysterious." He glared at his new friend. "Kate?" he asked. She had eyed him critically. "Well it's not hot but it will do. Probably." …
He jumped to his feet and clapped his hands. "Great let's go. I want to reach Talkin at least tomorrow noon." He said while rolling up the map.
"Sir yes Sir." Josh said with a mock salute. "Shut it."
Because Josh had no dragon, something Hiccup intended to change very quickly, they took turns carrying him on their dragons.
Right now, Josh sat behind him and would not stop screaming with glee. "This is so awesome!" he screamed into Hiccups ear, which was something Hiccup didn't need. His head already hurt.
"Great, could you be a little less loud while being happy?" he snapped. "Okay okay."
Ten seconds there was silence but then Toothless had to went into a slow dive and Josh probably felt like on cloud nine (no pun intended).
At least that was what Hiccup thought, when he started whooping again.
Toothless looked equally annoyed. His eyes begged Hiccup to pull a little stunt that would make Josh lose his balance and fall down.
But Hiccup didn't.
He was pretty glad that Josh accepted the dragons that easily. After all: like Hiccup he had grown up in a land that hated dragons.
And if he wanted to get Josh a dragon, Josh needed to have only positive experiences with the creatures.
Line-break-line-break-line-break-line-break-line-break-line-break-line-break-line-break-line
Due to the long morning they didn't reach their target before sundown.
The sun was about to touch the horizon and orange and red dominated to sky, along with some deep blue and purple, when the first shreds of mist rolled past underneath them.
None of them paid them any attention, mist was nothing uncommon.
Hiccup was having one eye on the map the whole time.
There was an assortment of island further ahead and he was sure they could make it there before total darkness.
"You guys!" he called out. Kate was next to him in seconds and Josh, who had changed dragons a while ago, peered over to him.
"There is an island somewhere up ahead. It's uninhabited island. The most north one of a whole group but there is no point in flying further. We do it tomorrow. Okay?" "How do you know its uninhabited? I don't want to end up as supper for cannibals, you know!" Kate said. "It's marked white. White means no humans." "So there are other nasty things?" Josh guessed. Hiccup grinned at them. "Probably. Let's find out."
Hiccup had never liked mist very much. He didn't like it when he couldn't see. He could always rely on his hearing but he liked it when he knew what the danger looked like so he could think of a way to fight it.
Also the mist was always cold and wet. Two more things he didn't like.
He just realized: Who in the seven worlds name did he survive all these years on Berk, where it's always cold, wet and misty?
The simple unsatisfying answer? His father.
Trying to please his father all those years, Hiccup had put his own needs and happiness in second place.
Looking back on it, it was all for nothing.
With these gloomy thoughts about home and his father and dread in the pit of his stomach he entered the mist that surrounded the island, which top just poked out of the heavy mist-clouds.
"Stay close to me. If we get lost, we might fly into the wrong direction. And losing each other in mist is even worse than losing each other in a labyrinth. But if you do lose me or I you, don't try to find me. Fly upwards because mist get's thinner the farther it travels upwards. There we can meet again. Okay?" They both nodded.
"Okay. Now we stay low, close to the water surface because that's the other spot where mist and smoke aren't so dense. Let's hope we find the shore very fast."
They didn't find the shore very fast. Hiccup was sure that when they entered, the Island couldn't have been that far away. But he didn't panic. It was possible that they were flying in a circle or past it.
He turned around. Even though Kate was practically flying on Toothless' tail, the mist covered them pretty well.
"Let's head upwards so we can overlook where we are." He didn't know why but he had the urge to whisper. Something wasn't right with this mist.
"Okay." He could hear the faint answer behind him.
"Come on bud." Carefully Toothless began to ascend. Not being able to see ahead Hiccup was on edge. There could anytime appear something in front of him!
Toothless could sense his riders' tense statue on his back. Something was setting his human off. But what?
Thanks to his sonar Toothless couldn't sense any dangers ahead.
Hiccup clenched his teeth. When did that damn mist finally broke?
Doubt sneaked into his mind. What if he was wrong? What if he put his friends in danger?
It's so typical for you to get lost in mist! That voice scolding him sounded awfully like his father's voice. You really are pathetic.
Thanks, I get it conscience! He thought bitterly and turned around. "Guys it looks like there is more mist than thought stay near to me, we…" he stopped midsentence. Oh no.
There was no one behind him anymore. Nor could he hear anything.
"Kate? Josh? Where are you? Can you hear me?"
Nothing.
Great, you lost your only friends. Who knows what happens now to them!
Hiccup clenched his teeth again, fighting to ignore the voice in his head.
But really, who wonders you are a walking disaster and it's a miracle that they followed you this far.
"That's not true." He said.
Cold laughter echoed through his head and the voice changed into the voice of his cousin.
Look at you. All weak and hopeless. Good riddance if you die! Them I will be chief and can safe everybody.
Well, it was true somewhere. What was so special about him? He'd killed the Red Death. Wow! Snotlout probably wouldn't have lost his leg in the process.
The voice changed again. To his absolute horror it sounded like Gobbers.
You know lad, I really don't know why I put up with you. Probably just to please your father. I mean you could never do a job right or do as told!
"NO! That can't be true!" Hiccup pressed his hands on his ears to bloke out the voices whispering around him.
He barely heard Toothless cooing underneath him.
The dragon, sensing his riders' immense distress hovered where he was and turned his head as far as possible.
Hiccup had his eyes shut firmly and tried to ignore the voices of his father, Snotlout and Gobber, which all spoke together in his head.
You're weak and stupid. What do the gods see in you? And your friends. What can you do, what we can't?
Nothing was the simple answer. Tears streaked down Hiccup cheeks and they felt like acid burning his skin.
Look, now you're even crying. That is really pathetic. Just go away Hiccup and let the real heroes handle this. People like you are not made for this job. Just look at your ancestor.
It only made Hiccup sob harder.
The mist danced around him. He felt like he was suffocating.
Suddenly there was silence. Hiccup thought it was over and he shaking tried to relax when a whole new voice echoed through his mind.
It had been too long to remember but he would never forget this voice. Soft but also strong and demanding. Now it was cold and harsh.
You are no son of mine. I was a hero. Your father was. Our whole line was! But then, then you came around. We should have killed you like our traditions demand it. Only the strong can belong! Look at you. A son of mine would never sink as low as you. A slave!
Hiccup had been very young when she had died. He didn't remember the incident at all but he remembered her face, the sound of her voice and her hand on his head.
His mother. Valhallarama.
This was too much for Hiccup. He let out one last scream full of agony.
In the mist, the wings of a giant dragon fan more of the mist at his prey to drive him mad and easy prey.
Josh's PoV:
Josh had never claimed to belong to the highly educated class. True his father had insisted hat he went to school but many or the things they tried to teach him seemed useless to him.
How was it helpful to know how many citizens Derandolia had when someone was pressing a knife against your throat?
He'd always been one of the practical kind orientated people.
Knifes can be used to kill and ct the vegetable for your soup. So learn how to handle one.
He of course new the basics of everything else, but if someone was to ask him to do some higher math or to make some potions… yeah that wouldn't be very successful.
But he definitely knew that mist or weather in general, didn't act like that.
When they had lost Hiccup on their way up he had been determine to follow his friends' advice and keep on flying upwards.
But as they kept going up, there seemed to be no end. And no Hiccup.
Kate pulled the reins.
"It doesn't seem to work. Let's head down. We know there had to be the water somewhere." She suggested. He nodded. "Yeah sounds like a plan. Maybe that way we find out of the mist." Kate hesitated. "What about Hiccup? Should we search for him?" "He has Toothless, he'll be fine." "Okay. Nightlight let's…"
She stopped midsentence and he head shot up.
"Kate?" She didn't respond. And then he heard it. A faint voice in the mist brushing against his ear. It sounded like the voice of a girl, older than them.
Katrina. Oh Katrina what have you done now?
Under different circumstances Josh would have laughed. Her real name was Katrina?
But seeing her tense up and looking like a deer caught by a group of wolves, he stopped himself.
You are a constant source of embarrassment for the kingdom! I mean look at you. What are you wearing?
"Shut up Joanna." Who was Joanna? "You controlled me too long. Just shut up."
A princess should not talk like that!
Princess? Okay, what had Kate not told him?
"I'm nothing like you Joanna. You're not my mother."
Yes, because our mother died giving birth to you! You are so useless and stupid. Mother would still be alive if it wasn't for you.
"That is not true!"
So her mother was dead too.
It is. You are disappointment to all of us.
"It is my life and I decide what to do with it. I didn't want t be born a princess."
You are so selfish. Your own happiness is more important to you than your people.
"That is not true. I've given up so much my entire life. I'm not your doll anymore!" Kate shouted.
"Kate, calm down!" Josh tried to ease her but nothing.
Suddenly the voice changed. It sounded male and strong. And disappointed.
Katrina. Why do you do these things? I thought you were cleverer than that. Running love stroked behind a guy you just met.
Kate choked. "Dad?" she whispered. Love struck? Josh wondered.
And then all the fights and dangerous situations you get in. A lady shouldn't do such things. You might get hurt.
"I can fend for myself." But Kate's voice sounded very weak and she leaned heavily against his chest.
You're girl. Bad enough my first born was a female. But now you are even more of a disappointment.
"You can't choose what you are born like." Kate whispered. "I'm sorry I can't please you but this is who I am."
The voice of her father disappeared but a new one spoke up and Josh cringed. The voice that whispered now around them was horrible familiar.
Oh Kate. What use does a hero like I am, has for a girl like you. I mean, it's cute how you fancy me, I mean, who would not but you are nothing to me. Once I successfully saved the world I'm going to marry your sister. She's incredible. You're just a child that never kissed before. I don't want you. Besides you really looked ugly with that rash.
What the hell?
"Hiccup." Kate sobbed. Josh was sure his head just experienced an overload of information.
Then suddenly voices disappeared. Kate slummed together. "Kate? Are you alright?" She swayed and he grabbed her closer.
Instead of a real verbal answer Kate just screamed and slumped forward. He hold on tight. "Kitty-Kat!"
"Just tiered." she mumbled. Tears swam in her eyes.
"Let's get out of here." She sighed, already nodding off. "Don't worry, we'll figure it out."
AN: So, the jinni is out of the bottle! Oh and yeah, sorry it took so long.