Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Hey there!

The name's HotPatooty! If this is our first meeting, then nice to meet ya! If it ain't, then good to see you again!

This chapter isn't necessarily a chapter, more of an intro to the story to come. If you're reading this at a later date, then by all means, skip ahead!

For those of you who don't know, for the last three months I've written an Encanto and HTTYD crossover story, known as The Dragon and the Butterfly.

It was kind of a big hit, which still shocks me if I'm being honest. Thanks to everyone who enjoyed it!

Last week, I finally wrapped the story up. And swore that I'd give myself a good long break from writing.

But then, something funny happened.

As it turns out, during the process of making my first story, writing has become a form of stress relief for me.

And sure, when you're up at six AM every night cranking out chapters so you can get your beloved readers their daily uploads...

Taking a few months off sounds awesome!

But once I was actually on that break, twiddling my thumbs, trying to fight my naturally creative urges...it wasn't working out.

I couldn't help myself! I'm a storyteller, this is what I was made for!

Any plan I had to put off writing for months and months was scrapped. There was more I had to say, and I was quickly growing tired of repressing the urge to say it.

But I also value a healthy sleep schedule, so I think I've managed to reach a compromise.

This fanfic here isn't gonna be a long-running, consistent narrative. It's a collection of short stories, with the occasional two-parter here and there. It'll be easy to take a few hours out of my day, and write a cute or funny scenario.

Also, I'm not gonna devote myself to daily uploads anymore. If I just so happen to have a few chapters ready to go back-to-back, then great! But if not, I'm sure no one will mind waiting a few days. This fanfic's upload schedule will be much more relaxed.

But I won't leave you guys waiting for weeks and weeks, don't worry!

It was my decision to sacrifice my health for the story, and I'm not blaming anyone for it. But it's also not something I plan to repeat.

So with that said...

Welcome to Dragons, Butterflies, And Who Knows What Else?

(Funny title, right?)

As I said, it's a collection of short stories! From anywhere in the TDATB timeline, even a bit before or after the events of the main plot!

I think it'll be fun, getting glimpses of events that weren't shown in the story. There's a couple time skips, in that fic. Plenty of gaps for me to fill in!

I'll also be fudging the early events in the timeline just a smidgen, to give Hiccup and Mirabel more time to interact before the events of Encanto take place. In hindsight, I think I could've handled that a bit better. But I was a very inexperienced writer, so y'know...

For the readers who like sharing their lovely ideas, I'm open to accepting prompts! Just drop a concept you have for a chapter in the comments, and I'll check it out and see if I can make it work. And don't worry, any ideas I use will most definitely be credited!

This new adventure is set to begin in the first half of May! It sounds a bit far, but if you look at a calendar, it's a week or two away. I hope to see you there!

And before I go, there's just one last thing I'd like to share.

The currently untitled proper sequel for The Dragon and the Butterfly is in development. I'm working out the plot's kinks, and I plan to start actually writing it during the summer. Perhaps it'll release in the fall, but we'll see.

It'll run concurrently with this story. This is where I'll drop fluffy one-offs, silly shenanigans, and other ideas. While the sequel is where the real story is gonna go down!

There's not much I can say about it now, but Hiccup, Mirabel, their triplets, and all our other favorites are in for a wild ride.

And the last bit I'll reveal is that the story's main antagonist will be...

...Uh...

...I'm blanking on the name...

...Something...something...

Dargo Bloody-Fist?

Whatever.

Alright, that's enough yakking from me!

For those of you in the present, I'll see you in a few weeks! And for those in the future, what are you still doing here? Skip ahead, and get to reading!

And now, there's nothing else to say but...

It's good to be back!

See you soon!

Chapter Text

The Encanto.

A mystical place of wonder, made to protect its inhabitants from the dangers of the outside world.

Hidden in between towering, insurmountable mountains. And cradled in the heart of the tropical jungles of Colombia.

A peaceful, vibrant village. Populated by carefree townsfolk.

This magical land…

Has been invaded.

And currently, the young invader was out for a walk. Being led through the town by a bespectacled girl.

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, a young Viking of fifteen years, had recently crash landed in this strange place. Tumbling through the skies on the back of his dragon, a Night Fury he’d named Toothless.

Lost, confused, and more than a bit scared, a local girl had taken it upon herself to be his guide.

Fellow fifteen-year-old Mirabel Madrigal, youngest granddaughter to an incredible family. And perhaps the best choice to be his guide, considering her sheer love for her home.

With a skip in her step, and a bright smile, Mirabel took Hiccup on a tour of her village.

He’d only been here a few short days. And while it was a small town, he still hadn’t seen all there was to see.

She wouldn’t feel right as his guide, if he wasn’t acquainted with every inch of the Encanto.

As they strolled, one teen merrily marching along, and another slouching after her, they couldn’t help but notice the legion off odd looks they were getting.

The usually happy-go-lucky inhabitants of the Encanto eyed the duo with trepidation, and more than a bit of fear. The scrawnier of the teens, specifically.

When they first arrived, Hiccup had wanted to lay low. But when Toothless got roped into playing with a young and rather fluffy boy by the name of Antonio, the locals freaked out. Terrified that some sort of demon was coming after the children.

Hiccup of course came to his friend’s defense. And now the whole town saw him as a crazy, unnaturally skinny, child-kidnapping dragon boy.

He didn’t entirely blame them, it’s not like he made a great first impression. But it was still disheartening, to be hated by an entirely different village than the one he came from.

He released a sullen sigh, one that wasn’t missed by his guide.

Mirabel looked back, a glint of concern in her deep brown eyes.

“You still worried about everyone being afraid of you?” She asked.

Hiccup took a moment to survey their surroundings, taking note of the townspeople hiding behind anything they could. Of the mothers pulling their children closer. Of the villagers stepping outside, before quickly rushing back in when they saw him passing by.

And he shrugged.

“That’s a possibility…” He answered, sardonically.

Mirabel caught onto his sarcasm. She turned around, now walking backwards, and tried to cheer him up.

“Hey, it’ll be okay!” She said, a bright smile on her face. “You just kinda…spooked everybody!”

“Give them some time. Once everyone knows the real you, I’m sure they’ll warm up to you!”

Hiccup severely doubted that. Everyone who knew the real him hated him even more.

But he kept that comment to himself, as the girl continued her rather impressive reverse walking.

“Trust me! All you gotta do is- “

Mirabel’s reassurance was cut off, when she knocked into with something. She fell forwards, catching herself on the ground.

She had collided with someone. Someone neither she nor Hiccup had seen, as they were turning a corner.

“Sorry!” Mirabel quickly apologized, as Hiccup helped her to her feet.

That someone was Isabela, Mirabel’s oldest sister. And she regarded her younger sibling with a sneer.

“Ugh! Would it kill you to not be in the way for once?” She groaned, smoothing her flowing dress of any and all wrinkles.

The bespectacled girl’s apologetic face twisted into one of annoyance, while Hiccup cowered behind her.

“I said I was sorry.” She said, exasperation already seeping in.

Isabela leaned in, a harsh whisper on her lips.

“And yet, you keep doing it.”

The woman backed away, and sauntered around the two. Like a predator circling its prey.

“Honestly, how desperate for attention are you?” She asked. “You know most people grow out of that phase after kindergarten, right?”

Mirabel crossed her arms, a deep glower forming.

Hiccup felt incredibly awkward.

“Don’t you have anything better to do?” Asked the girl, in a hushed voice. Her gaze was fixed firmly on the ground, refusing to look up even for a moment.

“I do, actually…” Isabela nodded. “I’m gonna be really busy, contributing to society.”

“You should try it sometime!”

With that, she began to leave. A trail of petals flowing behind her.

Though before she was gone, she spotted Hiccup. Just a bit behind her sister.

It seemed she hadn’t even noticed him.

Immediately, her face morphed into a kindly and demure smile. A stark contrast to the smugness and arrogance on display a few moments ago.

“Oh, buenos días Hiccup!” She greeted, suddenly all too cheery. “Have you been keeping well?”

Hiccup froze for a second.

Because he was terrified of Isabela.

On the day of his tumultuous arrival, the village elder brought him in for an interrogation. And with the assistance of the botanical woman, an assortment of whip-like vines were used to keep him contained.

It was the first real magic he’d ever witnessed, and it scared the daylights out of him.

He couldn’t even look at a grape vine anymore without breaking into sweats.

Jittering with fear, he gave a shaky nod.

“Y-Yeah, I’ve been alright!” He answered, mostly just trying to avoid incurring her wrath.

He was sure that one day, she’d take him out. And make it look like an accident.

She gave a dainty titter, despite the fact that he didn’t say anything funny.

“Perfect!” She replied.

And with a practiced wave, she bid him adieu. Sashaying off into town with graceful movements.

Leaving a fuming Mirabel, and a confused Hiccup.

“So…what was that about?” The boy asked, referring to the woman’s earlier behavior. “I-I mean, I don’t mean to pry, but…”

“I’ve never had any siblings, but I really don’t think they’re supposed to act like that…”

Mirabel huffed, her aggravation only increasing.

“Someone needs to tell that to her!”

With frustrated stomps, she trudged over to a nearby bench. Plopping down with irritation. Hiccup took an apprehensive seat next to her.

“Y-You don’t have to tell me about it, if you don’t want to…” Quickly added the scrawny teen. He didn’t want to make the only person in this town who tolerated him uncomfortable.

But Mirabel did feel like talking.

“She’s been like that for almost as long as I can remember!” She groaned. “All nice and sweet with everyone else, and a total jerk to me!”

“She acts like I’m such an inconvenience to her! Like I’m stopping her from tossing a rose petal in the air, or making goo-goo eyes at her boyfriend, or any of the other oh-so important things she does…”

Something about what she’d said shocked Hiccup.

“She has a boyfriend?” He asked, in disbelief.

When Mirabel nodded, the boy could only release a sigh of pity for the man.

“He’s not gonna last…”

“Well, they’re getting married, so…” His guide shrugged.

“No, I mean she’s gonna kill him.” Hiccup clarified.

Mirabel looked to him, stunned into silence-

Before she burst with laughter.

In her mind, he was referring to the woman’s frustrating nature sending her partner to an early grave.

But Hiccup was completely serious. He thought Isabela would take that man’s life.

Her giggling died down, and the young Madrigal soon wore a somber expression.

“She’s always so…mean to me. Insulting me, and…y’know…” She sighed. “And I don’t know why! I never did anything to her!”

Hiccup’s face became one of dawning realization.

“Oh, I get it!” He gasped. “She’s your Snotlout!”

Mirabel faced him with a baffled expression, having no clue what the word he just spoke meant.

“She’s my what?”

The scrawny teen elaborated.

“Snotlout was a guy I knew, back in my old village.” He explained. “I think we’re technically distant cousins?”

“But clearly he wasn’t feeling the familial love, because that guy hated me…”

Mirabel listened intently. She knew very little of the outside world, besides what she’s read in books. Having this harmless invader tell her about a village beyond her own was very interesting.

“He was always making fun of me, bragging about how much of a real Viking he was, and kicking me around…” The boy grew a grimace, as unpleasant memories resurfaced. “And he did it in broad daylight! Nobody stopped him!”

Mirabel gave an understanding nod, though her circumstances were a bit different.

“Isa makes sure to bully me when no one else is listening. So I look crazy when I try to tell somebody…”

The girl then put on a snooty voice, as if imitating someone.

“Why would the perfect princesa pick on you? Stop lying about your sister, Mirabel!”

Hiccup released a few snickers.

“You sound like the chief.” He said. “Your grandma.”

“That’s who I was going for…” Replied the girl.

And now that the topic of her grandmother had been raised, she had a whole new list of grievances to air.

“Don’t even get me started on my abuela…” She groaned.

“All I wanna do is help the town, like the rest of my family! All I wanna do is make them proud, and maybe get a little respect!”

“But every time I do, something goes wrong!” She exclaimed. “And if it doesn’t, that just so happens to be the time when no one is around to notice!”

This all sounded very familiar to Hiccup.

“And Abuela…I swear, it’s like she’s trying to forget that she has a fourth granddaughter!”

“She’ll address everyone in the family, except for me! She’s got something to say to everybody at breakfast, except for me! She’ll walk right by me, sometimes! But she makes sure to greet everyone else in the house!”

The girl’s crossed arms tightened their fold.

“The only times she does notice me, is when I screw something up…”

“She doesn’t want me out in the town, helping. She doesn’t want me out there with my family.” Mirabel muttered. “She wants me to stay out of the way, and out of her sight. She wants me to just…”

“Stay inside…”

Mirabel looked over, as Hiccup finished her sentence.

“Stay inside…so she doesn’t have to think about you…” He added, in a whisper.

He noticed the shocked expression he was being given, and grew an awkward smile.

“I-I’ve had some experience, with this sort of thing.” He admitted, with a shrug.

“All you wanna do is help your people, make your family proud. But you’re different…” He said. “You’re different than how everyone thinks you should be.”

Mirabel nodded along, agreeing wholeheartedly.

“And you keep trying, despite that! You keep trying to prove that you can be a worthwhile part of the community!” She continued. “To prove that you’re not- “

“Useless.” Hiccup finished. The word leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

That very same word, and the way he said it, resonated throughout Mirabel’s entire being.

“You keep trying…” He repeated. “Even when everyone’s telling you to give up.”

Mirabel couldn’t entirely relate to that last bit.

Her parents tried very hard to be there for her, even if it was clear that neither of them understood what she was going through.

But…somehow…

This scrawny invader did.

When she was with him, she didn’t feel like she usually did.

She didn’t feel like she was being was pitied, for being the gift-less Madrigal. Or that he didn’t think she was worth his time. When he could be talking to Isabela, or Luisa, or Camilo.

She felt something she, in truth, had never felt before.

She felt like she found someone who got it.

Someone who knew what it was like to be her, at least a little.

And Hiccup felt the same.

He didn’t feel like he was being looked down on, for not being able to hold an axe or a hammer. Or that they were laughing behind his back, because his very existence clearly must be a cruel prank at his father’s expense.

He felt like he found someone who got it.

They both sat on the bench, staring at each other with odd expressions.

Neither of them had ever felt this way before.

Neither of them had ever felt truly understood.

They couldn’t even place a name to the feeling, at the moment.

It was all just so strange.

This teen, who rode on the back of a dragon. Who’d managed to pierce the magic protecting their home. Who, despite a rocky introduction, just seemed lost and confused.

“Who is this boy?”

This teen, part of an incredible family. Yet she appeared to lack magic herself. But despite her circumstances, she still tried her best each and every day. Never losing that spark of optimism.

“Who is this girl?”

After an inordinate amount of time, just gawking at each other, Mirabel cracked a smile.

“It’s gonna get better!”

“Huh?” Hiccup asked, taken out of the impromptu staring contest.

The girl lightly took his hand, in a show of solidarity.

“I dunno when, and I dunno how…” She began. “But it’s gonna get better for me! Things can’t stay like this forever, I know it!”

“And I know things will start looking up for you too!” She said, with a beaming smile. “I’m not giving up, so that means you can’t either!”

Mirabel’s positive outlook seemed to clash so much with Hiccup’s cynical edge.

But it looked like they had more in common than they thought.

The girl’s energy was positively infectious, and soon Hiccup was slightly smiling as well.

“Now come on!” Mirabel said, as she brought him to his feet. “We aren’t done with the tour!”

“Lead the way!” Replied Hiccup.

And so, the two continued their stroll. Feeling more comfortable with each other than ever.

Neither of them knew it, not yet.

But in their hearts…

The fire of friendship had already been ignited.

Chapter Text

Mirabel and Hiccup had very similar habits.

Every day, they’d go out into their respective villages and try to help.

Try to be of assistance to their communities. Try to prove that they weren’t useless.

And they were usually left with a harsh scolding from their respective elders, and sent to their homes feeling like failures.

Only to get right back up, and try again the next day.

But these well-intentioned antics were always performed solo.

Now that they were in the same town…

What would happen if they combined their forces, and tried to help a village together?

The Encanto was bustling with activity.

Young Antonio’s gift ceremony was rapidly approaching, and everyone was devoted to making sure things went smoothly.

Especially because the last one…

Didn’t.

The already busy Madrigals were now even more busy.

And Mirabel knew.

This was her chance to strike.

With all the work that needed to be done, surely there was something she could help with.

While the rest of the family were all given various tasks for the day, Mirabel was given nothing. As usual.

Her abuela used to dress it up as something nice.

“You get a day to relax, how wonderful!” The old woman would say.

Now, she didn’t even bother. Barely acknowledging Mirabel in any real capacity.

But that was just fine.

If no one wanted to give her anything to do, Mirabel would just find something herself.

With determination in every step, the girl made her way into town. Weighing her options as she did.

Whatever Isabela was doing, she wanted no part of it. That woman was positively insufferable, and she didn’t feel like being insulted today.

Her mother’s food stand was always open to her, and she was truly grateful for that. But there were times where she couldn’t help but feel like it was an act of pity. Something to appease the gift-less Madrigal, and make her feel useful for an hour or two.

Mirabel needed something different. Something that’d really show everyone that she could do her part, just like the rest of her family. Gift or no gift.

As Mirabel was pondering her situation, she wasn’t exactly watching where she was going. And she suddenly collided with a wall, before falling onto her rump.

Looking up, the teen saw that it wasn’t a wall. But the wall of muscle that was her sister.

“Woops! Sorry, sis!” Spoke Luisa, as she moved to assist her sibling.

With a powerful yank, Mirabel was back on her feet. She had to fight not to fall over on her front, from the strength of the tug.

Mirabel looked to her sister, ready to thank her.

But she was a bit taken aback, from just how haggard the woman seemed.

From the glint of sweat on her forehead, the gritting of her teeth, and the slight twitch in her eye, she was clearly very stressed.

“Are you okay?” Mirabel asked, overcome with concern.

“I’m fine.” Luisa quickly answered, not even taking a moment to think about. “There’s just a lot that I gotta get done.”

The hulking girl began stomping forth, in search of her first objective. Mirabel scrambled to keep up.

“I gotta reroute the river, again. And the foundations for the new houses need to be built. And I gotta flatten out the cobblestone on the new roads. And there’s the decorating for Toñito’s party…”

Luisa then released a frustrated sigh.

“And, of course…the donkeys are out again…”

Mirabel paused, her eyes widening.

Just like that, she’d been given her opportunity.

And she spoke three words. Words she found herself saying a lot.

“I can help!” She squealed, quickening her pace to walk side-by-side with her sister.

A look of doubt crossed Luisa’s features.

“I dunno, sis. You can’t do…anything that I can.”

Ignoring the pang of insecurity that stabbed at her heart, Mirabel continued to smile brightly.

“I may not be able to reroute rivers or flatten roads…” She began. “But I can herd a couple donkeys!”

Her massive sister was still unsure.

“They’re really tricky!” She stressed.

But Mirabel responded with a relaxed grin.

“Think about it.” She requested, leaning against a building. “It’ll be one less thing for you to worry about!”

And that made Luisa pause.

She definitely wasn’t feeling overworked. She could handle everything just fine.

But the thought of having just one obligation taken off her already overloaded plate…

It was an enticing one.

Luisa knew she was wasting time. Time she should be using to work.

So she made a split-second decision, and hoped it wouldn’t come back to bite her in the butt.

“Okay, fine!” She agreed, launching into another march. “You handle the donkeys!”

Mirabel pumped a fist in joy.

Yes! Finally! A chance to prove herself!

“I promise! I won’t let you down- “

“Alright, alright, alright!” Luisa quickly cut off what was sure to be an inspirational statement. She simply didn’t have the time.

“They’re in the plaza.” She said. “They’re all over the place, you can’t miss them!”

After thanking her sister profusely for the opportunity, Mirabel set off into town. The spark of joy, swelling in her heart.

She would succeed.

She would show everyone that she could be just as useful as the rest of her family.

This was going to be great!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Things were not going great.

Luisa had said the donkeys would be tricky, but Mirabel wasn’t expecting them to be downright impossible.

The hot sun kissing her bronze skin, Mirabel peppily found herself in the plaza.

And as expected, an assortment of donkeys were milling around in the square.

Looking upon all the laid-back animals, Mirabel grew a grin.

This would be easy!

Unfortunately, it was anything but.

They’d mosey about their immediate area. Nipping at grass that peeked through the cobblestone, with lackadaisical expressions on their muzzles.

And as soon as the girl came close…

That’s what they continued to do.

They just loitered around, at their own paces. And nothing could move them.

No amount of gentle urging, or stern commands, would get them to budge.

Any attempts to entice them with carrots resulted in the vegetables being snatched up, with an unnatural quickness.

And when all else failed, Mirabel opted to try and shove the creatures along herself.

Rolling her shoulders to ready herself, the girl marched for the nearest donkey.

Planting her feet on the ground, gripping her hands on the animal’s sides, and ignoring the smell, Mirabel pushed with all her might.

Every ounce of strength in her body was used to nudge the donkey towards the farm, and she could already feel her muscles trembling.

The donkey was barely moving an inch.

As Mirabel continued this harrowing ordeal, and the donkey remained as carefree as ever, she heard a voice.

“Uh…what exactly am I looking at?”

Opening her eyes, shut tight from the exertion, the young Madrigal spotted the one who made that comment.

It was the Encanto’s recent invader, who was far too skinny to pose a threat, Hiccup.

He regarded the odd situation before him with a raised eyebrow, and a confused frown.

Still pushing as much as she could, Mirabel managed a friendly smile.

“H-Hi, Hiccup!” She greeted, voice quivering just a bit. “What are you up to?”

“I think you’re the one who needs to answer that question…” The boy snarked, while he tugged at his green tunic’s collar.

He really wasn’t accustomed to this heat.

“Oh, y’know…just trying to herd these donkeys!” Mirabel casually replied, switching from pushing with her hands to pushing with her back.

Hiccup took note of the minimal progress she was making.

“…And how’s that working out for you?” He asked, already knowing the answer.

Mirabel huffed, and stopped shoving for a moment.

“At this rate, I’ll be done in about…” She placed a hand to her chin, and nodded with thought. “Twenty-five years.”

Hiccup laughed, surprised by her quip. And she gave a few chuckles as well.

Though soon after, she sighed. And slumped into a sitting position.

“I just…I really don’t wanna screw this up…” She admitted. “This could be my chance, y’know?”

Hiccup did know.

He’d been in her exact same position for pretty much his entire life.

The only reason he wasn’t anymore, is because he had no village to prove himself to. No family to make proud.

But she did.

And after all the help she’s given him, asking for nothing in return…

The scrawny teen was suddenly filled with a strong drive, to assist her in any way he could.

But how?

Hiccup surveyed the area, trying to spot something that could help.

He saw a pair of unaccompanied wagons, a few feet away.

And suddenly, his inventive mind was overflowing with ideas.

Mirabel was stewing in her insecurities, just a little. So when Hiccup spoke again, it shocked her slightly.

“There’s no way you can move that donkey yourself.” He said.

This made the girl groan a bit.

“Thank you, for your overwhelming confidence in me…” Mirabel grumbled.

With a nervous smile, Hiccup continued.

“But! Maybe we can make you something that can!”

This captured Mirabel’s curiosity.

“What do you mean…make me something?” She asked.

The trepidation in the boy’s grin turned into eagerness.

“Just gimme half an hour!”

 Without a word, he sprinted over to the nearby wagons.

Mirabel watched with confusion, as he wheeled them into the blacksmith’s shop. Which was close by.

Hiccup had stricken up a deal with the shop’s owner, and was allowed to use the smithy for the duration of his short stay in the Encanto.

Meaning he had everything he needed to do what he needed to do.

The bespectacled girl followed the scrawny teen into the forge, still not quite understanding what was happening.

Hiccup quickly ran up the stairs, before coming back down with what looked like a shower curtain in his arms.

“It’s the spare!” He reassured.

The girl’s confusion increased tenfold.

After taking a moment to gather the necessary tools, the young inventor got to work.

Sawing through wood, welding together chunks of scrap metal, cutting and sewing fabric into shape…

Mirabel’s eyes were sparkling with intrigue, as she watched the boy construct complex mechanisms.

And he was moving fast.

With practiced hands, and a precision he didn’t display anywhere else, Hiccup brought his latest contraption to life.

And finally, after twenty-nine minutes and forty-five seconds, it was complete.

Wiping his forehead of sweat, Hiccup took a step back. Standing beside Mirabel, to get a good look at his work.

The two wagons had been fused, joined together by newly added metal bits. Creating a double-sized wagon, capable of carrying much more cargo. A pedal was implemented on its side.

At the wagon’s front, lied a small platform. Held in place by steel rods. Towards the back, the curtain was turned into a large net. Standing vertically behind the wagon’s handle.

While it definitely appeared slapped together, it also had a sophisticated edge to it. Mirabel had to admit, it looked kind of cool. And the fact that he made it so fast was supremely impressive.

Now if only she knew its purpose.

“So...what is it?” She wondered.

“I’m glad you asked!” Hiccup replied, bursting with the joy of a creative.

“Presenting…the Bane of Donkeys!”

Mirabel’s eyes widened, at such an overdramatic name.

Hiccup then proceeded to detail the contraption’s primary function.

“Here’s how it works! You put a carrot or something onto the platform…”

“Then…” He placed his foot on the machine’s side. “Once the donkey is in place, you push the pedal!”

The platform then sprang up, swiveling backwards.

“The donkey will be launched into the net, which’ll drop them into the wagon!”

“And then you can wheel them back to the barn!” He finished, proudly patting his creation.

Mirabel took a moment to take in just what he was saying.

“…You built this whole thing out of two wagons, a shower curtain and some scrap metal?”

Caught off-guard by her shocked tone, the boy’s enthusiasm died down a bit. He tentatively nodded.

That left the young Madrigal with another question.

“And you made it…for me?”

Hiccup glanced away, and fiddled with his hands anxiously.

“W-Well, y’know…you’ve been helping me so much lately.” He stuttered. “I-I figured I’d return the favor…”

An appreciative smile grew on the girl’s lips.

“Okay, first of all, you’re a genius!” She praised, as she moved to take the wagon’s handle.

The genuine compliment shocked him to his very core.

Hiccup’s stuttering turned into sputtering. “I-I dunno about genius…”

“And second of all…thanks!”

As she said that, she began to wheel the wagon outside. Ready to test it out on any offending animals.

“Rounding up those donkeys is gonna be a breeze with this- “

“HOLD ON!”

Hiccup’s hasty cry stopped her in her tracks, as he shuffled in front of her.

“We have to test it out first!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luckily, Hiccup knew the perfect test subject.

“Hey Toothless!”

At the boy’s call, the unsuspecting dragon plodded down the stairs.

Every time Mirabel saw this creature, it was still such a surprise. Even though she’d known him for a few days now.

It was simply astounding to her. Dragons, beasts from fairy tales, were real. Or at least this one was, but Hiccup insisted that there were more out there.

And considering she lived in a magical village, she supposed fantastical things had a habit of being more than just fiction.

Toothless greeted Mirabel with a sociable warble, and the girl was shocked at how friendly he looked. A stark contrast to how horrifying he appeared, on his first day here.

But she knew. She knew he was a gentle creature. With a kind heart, and just a twinge of sarcasm.

“Hola, perro lagarto!” Mirabel cheerily said, as she scratched under the dragon’s chin.

When he started writhing with delight, she giggled.

“Alright, guys.” Hiccup called, while he wheeled the Bane of Donkeys outside. “This way!”

Once they followed him, it was time to begin the test.

“Okay, bud. Just stand right here!”

Following his rider’s instruction, Toothless stood on the machine’s platform. Eyeing it with curiosity.

Hiccup waved Mirabel forward, with an over-the-top flourish.

“Would you like to do the honors?” He asked.

The girl stepped forward, and placed her foot on the pedal. With a firm push, the machine sprang into motion.

In an instant, Toothless was launched backwards. Tossed into the air with a surprised shriek.

He was then caught by the net, and deposited into the wagon.

The whole process went relatively smoothly, and only took a few seconds.

And considering a Night Fury was far heavier than the average burro…

The Bane of Donkeys was a success.

Mirabel was amazed.

Hiccup was ecstatic.

And Toothless had never felt so humiliated.

With an agitated rumble, he slunk out of the wagon. Glaring at his best friend on the way back inside.

But the dragon’s disapproval did nothing to sour Hiccup’s mood. He was just so happy.

Not only had he created a properly functioning invention, a rare occurrence for him, he’d be able to help his guide.

Mirabel was quite pleased herself.

With this, she could complete her task with ease. And maybe she could show everyone, her grandmother in particular, that she was more than just wasted space.

The girl grabbed Hiccup’s hand, and feverishly shook it. Jostling him about as she did so.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She joyfully said, smiling brightly.

“D-Don’t m-mention it…” The young inventor replied, his speech wavering from the forceful shake.

Now armed with a powerful tool to use against the donkey menace, Mirabel set off to finally get her job done.

“If you run into any problems, just come and get me.” Hiccup said, as she began to leave.

But once he stopped talking, Mirabel stopped moving.

She’d just gotten an idea.

“Actually…”

She turned around, and faced him.

“There’s no telling what could happen, out there on the field…” Mused the girl. “Maybe it’d be better if you were around, in case something goes wrong.”

Hiccup gained a stunned expression.

“…A-Are you asking me to…”

His unfinished question was answered, by another question.

“You wanna come with?” Mirabel asked, wearing a small grin.

For reasons she both understood and didn’t, she felt good whenever she was with this boy. Talking to him, laughing with him, showing him things, even just hanging around him.

Hiccup felt the exact same.

Their collective inexperience in this field meant neither of them really got it. Not yet. At least.

But what they were feeling was the warmth of friendship.

And they wanted more of it.

Meeting her eager grin with a lopsided smirk, Hiccup joined her in her quest.

And together, bespectacled girl and scrawny teen wheeled their way into town. In search of rogue donkeys.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hiccup’s invention wasn’t just a success, it was a rousing success.

With two pairs of hands on the Bane of Donkeys’ handle, Mirabel and Hiccup rushed throughout the village.

Using carrots and apples as their lures, any and all donkeys were swiftly scooped up into their oversized wagon.

No matter where they were, they were found, and they were caught. Any that tried to run were rounded up by a helpful Toothless.

It wasn’t very long at all before it seemed that all the creatures were apprehended. And so the teens pushed their fully loaded cart towards the fields.

It took a lot of effort, on both their parts. Those donkeys were heavy.

Soon they arrived at the farmland, and tipped their wagon over. Dumping the donkeys into their barn.

And once those red doors closed…

They’d done it.

They succeeded in their task.

Mirabel helped the village, and her family. And she hadn’t gotten in anybody’s way.

Hiccup created a functioning invention, that served its purpose well.

They were feeling pretty good about themselves, right now.

“We did it!” Mirabel cheered. Releasing a celebratory hoot.

“Yeah…I guess we did!” Hiccup replied, slightly in disbelief.

His eyes then widened, when he saw what his companion did next.

Grinning widely, Mirabel held her open palm out. And kept it there.

The Viking eyed it with confusion, and a drop of distrust.

It looked like she was trying to hit him. Very, very slowly…

“Come on!” Said the girl. “Don’t leave me hanging!”

Hiccup continued to gawk at her hand, and leaned away a bit.

And she could tell something was up, because her grin started to fall. As did her outstretched arm.

“I-It’s okay. We don’t have to high-five, if you don’t want to…” She muttered, the slightest bit disheartened.

She supposed it made sense. She didn’t know why she thought he’d want to high-five someone like her…

Though before she could slip further into insecurity, her cohort’s eyebrows fell.

“No, it’s just…”

Hiccup gave a brief sigh.

“I’ve never done it before…” He said. “I’ve never exactly had friends…”

Mirabel’s smile faltered, briefly being overtaken by a wince.

“Yeah…m-me neither…”

Once again, the beaming smile returned.

“But that changes for both of us! Today!”

She held her hand back out, enthusiastically.

And Hiccup couldn't help but share in her energy.

A moment later, his palm met hers. With a quiet slap.

And, almost mystically, they could feel it.

The energy, coursing through his body. Racing up into his arm, and onto his palm.

It then transferred onto her palm, and flowed into her body as well.

The connection had been established.

Their fates were sealed.

There was no going back.

They were buds now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The two teens returned to the plaza, Hiccup taking the now empty wagon.

They strolled, casually. Basking in the glow of their victory over the donkeys. Making idle banter as they did so.

The scrawny teen was in the middle of trying to convince the bespectacled girl of something.

“I know it sounds gross, but I’m telling you! On a cold winter night, it hits the spot!”

“It doesn’t just sound gross, it sounds like the work of the devil.” Mirabel shot back.

“First of all, I don’t know who that is…” Hiccup replied. “And second of all, don’t knock It ‘till you’ve tried it!”

“I will knock it, and I’m never trying it!” His companion grimaced. “Seriously, I dunno how you could possibly eat something like eel soup- “

Their conversation was interrupted by a stern shout. One Mirabel was unfortunately very familiar with.

“LUISA!”

Both teens watched as Alma hastily stepped towards the hulking girl, who was in the midst of carrying lumber elsewhere.

“Abuela?” Luisa asked, in a voice far too small for one as big as her.

The old woman regarded her granddaughter with a strict glare.

“Weren’t you supposed to be handling the donkeys today?” She questioned.

Luisa nodded. Not quite knowing what was happening, and already not liking it.

“Si, I was…”

This answer displeased the matriarch.

“Then can you tell me what that is?”

With a harsh finger, she pointed to a nearby shop.

Luisa, as well as Mirabel and Hiccup, followed her gesture.

And they all shared simultaneous gasps.

There was one remaining donkey. One the teens had missed.

It stood outside a store, lazily flicking its tail. As if it hadn’t done anything wrong.

But the inside of the building was a wreck.

It was, or it used to be, a shop devoted to selling plates, bowls, and mugs. All made out of porcelain.

But all that remained was a pile of broken glass shards. As well as toppled shelves, and the store’s busted window. Where the creature must've made both its entrance, and exit.

Not a single plate was intact.

Someone’s livelihood had been completely annihilated.

It was a good reminder as to why the donkeys shouldn’t be allowed to roam freely.

“If you were handling the donkeys, then how could you allow this to happen?” An unhappy Alma asked.

In her mind, mistakes of any kind were undesirable. And this was a big mistake.

Luisa quaked under the power of her grandmother’s scolding, and flailed for a response.

“Uh-I…I didn’t-Uh- “

Watching her sister under such scrutiny put a pit of guilt in Mirabel’s stomach.

She promised to handle the donkeys.

This was her responsibility.

And she wasn’t about to let someone else take the fall for her mistake.

“It was me.”

Alma ceased her reprimanding, and turned to her youngest granddaughter.

“What was that?”

Mirabel took a brief exhale, knowing this wasn’t about to end well for her.

“I asked Luisa to let me look after the donkeys.” She admitted. “This is my fault.”

For a moment, the old woman’s face was one of sheer confusion.

Though soon, it fell into a massively disappointed scowl.

Of course.

She should have known Mirabel was behind this.

Whenever things go wrong, that’s usually the reason.

“Mirabel!” She snapped. “What have I told you about interfering?”

The girl held her hands up, and backed up a bit. Inadvertently bumping into Hiccup.

All the while she tried to defend herself.

“I-I know! But I really wanted to help, and Luisa seemed so stressed- “

“Luisa is fine!” Interrupted Abuela. “And she doesn’t need you bothering her while she’s trying to work!”

Mirabel averted her gaze, her hands clasped together with uncertainty. She spoke in a small, pitiful voice.

“I just wanted to help…”

Alma gave a huff, and pointed to the donkey induced destruction before them.

“And look what that caused.”

The girl seemed to wince, and shrink even further into herself.

Her abuela gave another sigh, her anger fading just a bit. And she spoke more softly.

“Look, this community depends on the family.”

Mirabel caught the use of “The family” and not “Our family”. She didn’t say anything, but she caught it.

“They rely on us to keep things running smoothly…” Said Alma. “And I know you want to help. But whenever you do…things like this happen!”

Hiccup was suddenly hit with the strongest sense of déjà vu.

He’d been in this scenario a million times before. He’d heard these words spoken to him nearly everyday of his life, up until recently.

She really was just like him.

Despite how frightened he was of the village elder, he mustered up an ounce of confidence. And decided to do what no one would’ve done for him.

Stick up for the hiccup.

“That’s not entirely true.”

Mirabel, Alma, as well as Luisa all looked to the boy with surprise. Mirabel hadn’t expected him to speak up, and the others had forgotten he was here.

“She caught all the other donkeys.” Hiccup said, stepping forth to stand beside his companion. “They’re all at the barn, right now. Safe, sound, and not bothering anybody.”

“A-And yes, one donkey was missed. And it kinda caused a huge mess, and this really isn’t an ideal situation…”

“But…can you really say she hasn’t helped at all?” He asked. “She did her job! Most of the donkeys were taken care of!”

“Look, I-I’m just saying…” His boldness was rapidly fading, as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

“Maybe cut her a little slack?”

Mirabel was positively dumbfounded.

No one-

Ever-

Stood up to her abuela.

And for such a meek and skinny boy to do just that…

In defense of her?

It was mindboggling, to say the least.

Alma, on the other hand, turned her frustrations to the talking fishbone.

“Don’t you take that tone with me, young man!” She demanded, hitting him with the full force of her grandmotherly abrasiveness.

“What are you even doing out here?” He was asked. “Shouldn’t you be working on your device, so you can leave?”

Hiccup knew he should probably keep his stupid mouth shut. But under the domineering stare of a surprisingly intimidating old woman, he found himself compelled to reveal the truth.

“She needed help, with the donkeys…” He admitted, pointing to the wagon behind them. “S-So I made something for her…”

Alma eyed the Bane of Donkeys with increasing agitation.

“See? This is exactly what I mean!” She huffed, looking back to Mirabel.

“You couldn’t do anything without some sort of contraption, while Luisa could’ve done it just fine by herself!”

Once again, her frustration cooled. And she regarded the girl with an almost pleading look.

“Please, just…stop.” She implored. “Just stand back, and let us handle things. It’s better for everyone that way.”

The light in Mirabel’s eyes seemed to fade, and a deep frown worked its way onto her face. Sluggish arms rose, crossing themselves morosely in front of her belly.

She didn’t give any other response.

Alma then faced Hiccup again, stern glare returning.

“And you! If you have time to make donkey-machines, you have time to make that device for the dragon!”

“I want you back in the forge, at once!” She commanded.

With a heavy sigh, she left both teens to think about what they’d done.

“Take the donkey, por favor…” She said to Luisa, who swiftly did as instructed.

Properly assessing the damage, she could already see the repair costs in her mind. And she wasn’t liking how high the number was.

“MY SHOP!”

An anguished cry alerted them to a man, who was currently on his knees. Looking at the busted building with watery eyes.

“My plates!” He wailed. “My precious plates!”

His shouting had started to garner a bit of a crowd, all looking at the destroyed dinnerware with shock.

And from that crowd, came a graceful voice.

“Don’t worry!”

The people parted, to allow Isabela entry. She sauntered forth with the poise of a princess.

Upon seeing her, Mirabel’s already sour evening just got worse.

Upon seeing her, Hiccup resumed internally writing his will.

Isabela sashayed up to the disheartened man, and gave him an encouraging smile.

“Even in tragedy, there can be beauty!”

With the flick of her wrist, the busted shop was coated in beautiful flowers.

The crowd released oohs and ahs, applause was had, and the shop owner was now crying tears of joy.

Grinning proudly, Alma proclaimed something about her eldest granddaughter being a perfect princesa. While Isabela waved to her audience.

Hiccup was floored.

“She didn’t even do anything!” He noted. “The shop is still wrecked, now it’s just a wreck that’s covered in flowers!”

Mirabel rolled her eyes, agreeing with him completely.

“Welcome to my world…” She groaned.

The day had been going so well.

And yet, it still ended up how most of their days did.

A harsh scolding from an elder.

But even though it certainly disheartening…

Neither of the teens could say that they felt as bad as they usually did, in this moment.

Because now they had someone who understood.

Someone who knew exactly what this felt like, when no one else did.

They weren’t alone anymore.

And even though today didn’t go as they would’ve hoped…

They both knew.

They were going to get right back up, and try again the next day.

And they’d do it together.

Chapter Text

Peep.

It was a forbidden name.

A terrible, horrible name.

One that struck fear into the hearts of Berkians.

One that was said to be able to end lives, at just its utterance.

So imagine Stoick’s surprise when he learned of his second granddaughter’s name.

“You named her WHAT!?”

The man’s frightful shouting agitated the babies, and all three began crying soon after.

Much to the annoyance of his wife, his son, and his daughter-in-law.

“Thanks for that, dad. Really…” Hiccup groaned.

“Just got them to sleep…” Mirabel added.

Valka lightly swatted her husband’s beefy arm, with a disapproving glare.

“Honestly! Your first time meeting your grandchildren, and this is how you behave?”

Casita’s nursery was filled with the sound of three wailing babies.

Karla, Pedro, and Peep. Mirabel and Hiccup’s triplets.

A few days after their birth, Stoick and Valka had come to meet the little ones. And apparently, a certain name was quite unexpected.

The grandfather coughed awkwardly into his hands, while the new parents tried to soothe their babies.

“Sorry about that…” He said. “It’s just…of all the names in that book, why’d you have to pick that one?”

“It’s cute!” Mirabel shrugged, before looking down at the whining bundle in her arms.

“Isn’t that right, mi amor?” She cooed. “Isn’t your name just the cutest little thing?”

Her mother’s loving voice calmed Peep down, just a little.

“I really don’t see what’s so bad about it.” Stated Hiccup, before blowing a raspberry on Pedro’s tummy. Making the infant giggle.

“You shouldn’t have said that.” Valka chided, running a gentle hand through Karla’s red hair. “Now he’s going to launch into a tall tale…”

And sure enough, soon Stoick was speaking in a grave tone.

“Not so bad, you say?” He asked, rhetorically. “We’ll see how you feel after you know the truth.”

“This is the true story, of why that name is forbidden…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Almost two-hundred years ago, on a little island known as Berk, a baby was born.

A girl, who was given the name Peep.

And through the years, as she grew, one thing became very clear.

Peep was nuts.

At the age of five, she tackled an entire flock of Monstrous Nightmares. And she tore them to shreds.

With her teeth.

When she was ten, she ate a wasp hive. Full of live insects.

And then she did it again, for every meal. Claiming it was delicious.

When she was a teenager of fifteen, she tore all the spines off a Nadder’s tail. And used them to repeatedly stab a boy who broke her heart.

They weren’t romantically involved at all, but she decided they were. And when she caught him talking to his actual girlfriend, she didn’t take it well.

And when she grew into a woman…

She was terrifying.

Standing at a monstrous ten feet tall, with rippling muscles, demonic eyes, and an animalistic grin-

Peep was a force to be reckoned with.

For a time, dragon raids were barely an issue. She could solo them by herself.

Until the day when she got bored, and started attacking with the dragons. Just to entertain herself.

On some occasions, she’d level the entire village with her bare hands. And then build it back up, just to tear it down again.

And of course there was the grotesque instance where she devoured a whole sheep. While it was still alive.

In front of the whole village.

She was unpredictable, unstable, and unstoppable.

Her very presence was a danger to the people, and so she was banished.

They tried to ship her out to sea, but she just tore through the rope and hopped off the boat. Climbing back onto the island by sinking to the bottom of the seafloor, and walking.

They tried to slay her, but her dense muscles rendered her invulnerable to most attacks.

It was almost like she was invincible.

And so, with no other options, they locked her away.

Deep, deep underground. In the core of the island. Chained to the very earth.

But that did nothing to end her reign of insanity.

With every pull of her chains, the island would begin quaking.

They said she could twitch her neck, and pinpoint the exact locations of villagers. Specifically to target them, and send something like an avalanche of boulders to their home.

Fear took hold of every heart. Each and every person prayed and prayed that they weren’t next on her list.

It got so bad, that even just speaking her name would make weaker men faint. And in some cases, the shock of hearing her name would cause heart attacks.

But one fateful day, after years of terrorizing the people, Peep’s life came to an end.

She planned to sink the island into the sea, just because it’d be funny.

After a rigorous session of chain pulling, causing earthquakes and landslides and other such things, the cavern she was imprisoned in began to collapse.

Before she’d even noticed what was happening, she was crushed.

But even though the mad woman was gone, her legacy remains.

To this day, even just hearing her name causes some to panic. Accounts of her monstrous mischief are told as ghost stories, or warnings for naughty children.

If you don’t clean your room, Peep will come for you in the night.

And seeing as how it was still such a sore spot for a lot of people…

The name Peep was outlawed on Berk.

No one dared to give their child such an accursed moniker, for fear that their baby would turn out just like the last.

For centuries, there were no more Peeps.

Until now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“That sounds…highly implausible.”

The end of the tale was punctuated by this comment from Hiccup.

As Stoick finished his story, his audience of three was rather unimpressed.

“Yeah, I’m willing to bet none of that stuff happened.” Mirabel said.

“Ah, that takes me back. My parents used to tell me that Peep would come after me, whenever I misbehaved!” Valka sighed, nostalgically.

“I never believed them, but that’s what they told me…”

Stoick bristled with mild agitation, knowing his tale wasn’t being taken seriously.

“True or not, the name is still taboo!” He insisted.

Hiccup shrugged.

“Yeah, well…so was my name.”

“It was a name you gave to a kid who, supposedly, didn’t look like they would be worth anything.” He said, with a slight grimace.

Though that grimace soon lifted into a small smile.

“But we managed to change the name’s perception!”

“Weren’t there like, three Hiccups born on Berk this year?” He asked.

“Four.” Valka corrected.

Mirabel smiled warmly at her youngest daughter.

“We were hoping that maybe she could do the same thing.” She gently spoke.

“Take a bad name- “The word bad was joined by air quotes. “-And turn it around!”

“I can already tell, this kid’s gonna do great things!” Hiccup grinned. “Give it a couple years, and there’s gonna be a whole lot more Peeps!”

From within Hiccup and Valka’s arms, both Karla and Pedro began squirming. Whining with indignation.

The new father scrambled to fix his mistake.

“Y-You’re both gonna do great things too!” He sputtered. “I wasn’t trying to leave you guys out!”

As both parents would soon come to learn, balancing your attention between three children was very difficult.

Mirabel stood beside Stoick, and he looked down at the bundle she was holding.

From the baby’s dark little cheeks, her wispy black hair, and her pine green eyes, the same shade as he and his son’s…

Taboo name or not, she really was precious.

The young mother caught him staring, and smirked.

“You wanna hold her?”

His giant hands were as gentle as possible, as he graciously accepted her offer.

And the moment he held that wiggling little thing…

When those big eyes looked up at him…

And she made an adorable little gurgle…

Suddenly, he didn’t care if the name was forbidden or not.

In fact, he’d make in un-forbidden.

He was the chief, he could do that!

He’d do anything for any one of his darling grandchildren.

With a warm chuckle, he used a mighty finger to poke at the girl’s tiny belly.

And he spoke a name he swore never to speak.

“Hello, Peep. I’m your grandpa!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The truth behind the banishing of the Peep name remains hidden.

Centuries ago, the people of Berk made a pact. They swore to keep a secret.

A secret that only the eldest of Berk’s elders knew, today.

The stories of Peep, of a brutish and nonsensical woman who terrorized the people…

Were entirely made up.

In truth, once upon a time, on a little island known as Berk…

A baby was born.

A girl, who was given the name Peep.

She was the second child of the then chief of Berk. Younger sister to the boy who’d take his father’s place, when he grew up.

She was an awfully tiny thing, smaller than all the other kids her age. And she was quite frail.

But she didn’t let that stop her.

Peep had a positively insatiable curiosity. No matter what it was, she wanted to know more about it.

She also had a great love of adventure. Fearlessly braving the wilds, in search of treasure to acquire or foul demons to slay.

But for such a small and fragile girl, the big wide world was a very dangerous place.

Her father and her brother tried to keep her safe, tried to keep her inside. But she was always finding ways to wiggle out of their sight, and get wrapped up in something else.

She had no sense of fear, or danger. Anything and everything was just a new adventure to her.

She was a handful, no doubt about that.

But her father loved her dearly.

All it took was one glance of her big, blue eyes, and he was putty in her hands.

But one fateful day, when Peep was out playing in the forests-

She saw a bird.

A beautiful blue bird, singing a cheery little song.

And when it started flittering away, of course she had to follow it.

She chased the bird, giggling with glee as she ran through the underbrush.

Her imagination was already envisioning how she’d catch it. How she’d feed it, and name it, and listen to its song as it woke her up each morning.

The world around her didn’t matter, her focus was solely on that bird.

She didn’t notice as she exited the forest.

She didn’t notice as she approached the cliffside.

She didn’t notice when she ran straight for the edge of the cliffside.

All that mattered was the pretty bird.

…

The chief was devastated.

He’d already lost her mother, to a complicated childbirth. And now he’d lost her too.

For months and months, he was drowning in his grief.

He’d stay holed up in his home, for weeks on end. Not even eating, or sleeping.

Just staring off into space.

The island tried to continue on as normal, but without leadership, things were getting rough.

His teenaged son, who was dealing with his own grief, tried to step in. But he was still only a boy. The people needed their chief back.

One night, the boy had a talk with his father. No one knew what he said.

But the next morning, the chief was back to running things as normal.

The sudden turnaround was quite shocking. One would think he didn’t just lose his daughter.

Unless her name was mentioned.

Offers of condolence, questions regarding a funeral, or even if someone else with the name was nearby…

Any utterance of Peep led to the chief having a breakdown.

Collapsing to the ground, crying and wailing. Shouting broken apologies to the girl he couldn’t protect.

It was decided, in the interests of the village and for their chief’s mental health…

That the name Peep would be no more.

No one was to speak it. Anyone with the name would have to change it. Remove any references of historical Peeps from view.

It is forbidden.

And if ever an outsider, or future generations, were to ask what had transpired, a story was crafted.

The Berkian people told tall tales, in hushed whispers.

Tales of a horrible beast of a woman, as their reasoning for the name’s banishment.

Any natural disaster or mishap on the island was blamed on her. They said that she was haunting the island, still causing trouble to this day.

After long enough, to newer generations began to believe the stories.

People actually began quivering in their boots, if the name was mentioned.

So the name became taboo.

For centuries, there were no more Peeps.

Until now.

Chapter Text

The battle was won.

The Tyrant Lizard Queen…

The Red Death, queen of dragons, and hidden origin behind centuries of war on Berk…

Had been slain.

After a harrowing battle, a group of scrappy teenagers managed to fell the foul beast. With the help of their dragon companions.

And thankfully, there had been no casualties.

Though for a moment, it looked like there may have been one.

For a brief, horrifying moment, it seemed that a boy had been lost.

The son of Stoick the Vast, the young love of Mirabel Madrigal…

It looked like Hiccup had given his life, to end this war.

But miraculously, he survived.

He survived a fall from dizzying heights, hurtling through a cyclone of fire. Toothless risked everything to bring him back alive, and the dragon succeeded. To everyone’s eternal joy.

However…he wasn’t exactly in good health.

Underneath the grey skies, a single boat floated on the gloomy seas.

It was a bit scorched, and the sails were a bit tattered. But it was intact enough to be used.

The same couldn’t be said for the other ships.

All of their other boats had been destroyed by the monstrous reptile. The beast clearly intended to cut off any methods of escape.

A vast majority of the warriors who’d come on the excursion to Dragon Island had to be left on said island, as there was only one boat in sailing condition available.

The chief instructed them to stay behind, while they went to get some more vessels. Despite how irritable Vikings tended to be, no one made any arguments. The direness of the situation was understood by all.

This wasn’t just about getting back home.

They needed to get Hiccup medical attention as fast as possible.

Immediately after the queen dragon’s demise, Hiccup and Toothless were separated. Leaving the both of them flailing in the air, falling towards certain doom.

Toothless used every bit of power he had left in his being to surge forth, and catch his rider. To save his friend from death.

And the only way Toothless could catch him was with his mouth.

The Night Fury caught him by his ankle, and was successful in rescuing his friend. But unfortunately, his powerful jaws crushed the boy’s limb. Easily snapping through muscle and bone, and turning his foot into a mangled mess.

With a scattering of Madrigals here as well, a bit of magic food should have fixed that up in an instant.

But all the arepas Julieta had made for their journey were used up. The very last crumb was eaten by Mirabel, to heal a devastating burn wound.

Hiccup’s only hope was with Gothi, the healer. Back on Berk.

So that’s where they were heading.

The mood on the ship was dour, despite the fact that their greatest conflict was now over.

They should have been celebrating. Singing songs of victory, dancing and drinking and making merry.

But now was not the time.

Gobber steered the ship, trying his damnedest to get them home as soon as possible.

But the murky seas weren’t favorable today, as rough waves tossed the ship off course more than a few times. At this rate, it looked like their return would take longer than expected.

Mirabel, and her relatives were on the boat as well. Along with Stoick, and a more medically inclined Viking.

Their new dragons followed a bit behind, flying through the grey skies.

And a flightless Toothless remained as close to Hiccup as he possibly could, his green orbs filled with guilt.

None of them took their eyes off Hiccup, not even for a second.

The boy lied on a crate, large enough to support him. Stoick had removed his cape, and wrapped it around the teen’s body. And some rope was tied around his leg, just above his injury. To try and stop the bleeding.

It wasn’t working.

A trickle of red began soaking the fur cape, and dripped down the side of the crate he lied upon.

Isabela winced at the sight, and directed a glare to the front of the ship.

“Can’t this thing go any faster?” She demanded. “He needs help! Like, now!”

“I’m trying my best up here, lass!” Gobber shouted back, steering against the rocky waves.

She groaned, but didn’t say anything else. Returning her worried gaze to the injured teen.

“W-What if we took our dragons?” Camilo suggested. “We’d have him back in fifteen!”

The medic Viking shook her head, shutting down the idea.

“We need to keep him stable. In his condition, that much movement could make things worse.”

Stoick knew this woman, she’d studied under Gothi for years. He figured she of all people would know what to do, and that was exactly why he brought her with them.

But even with her knowledge, he still felt so lost.

They all did.

Until they returned to Berk, which may not be for some time considering the disagreeable ocean…

What could they do?

For a time, there was an uneasy silence. The only sounds coming from the creaking ship, the winds above, and the waters below.

But then, a noise.

Everyone jolted in surprise, when they noticed.

Hiccup was moving.

But while that should have been a positive thing, they would soon discover that this was bad news.

The boy’s condition had only worsened. His already pale skin now appeared devoid of color, and was covered in sweat. His breathing was harsh, rushed, and uneven.

The bleeding seemed to increase, creating a sickening pool on the deck. And he was weakly squirming about, using the minimal strength he had to twitch in pain. His face locked in a grimace.

Toothless rumbled with worry, and tried licking his friend’s face. This did nothing to relieve the boy’s suffering.

Mirabel was beginning to grow frantic, overcome with fright.

“W-What’s happening?” She questioned, scrambling closer to her boyfriend. “What’s wrong?”

The medic stepped forth. And after taking just one look at him, she grew a dire expression.

“Chief…he’s not going to make it to Berk.”

Feelings of horror gripped the hearts of everyone present.

They very much hoped she wasn’t implying what they thought she was implying.

“What do you mean?” Stoick asked, in a frightened whisper.

In response, she pointed to the boy’s injury.

“The leg.” She said. “It’s only getting worse.”

“We need to deal with it here, or he’ll die.”

Or he’ll die.

Die.

That little, three letter word sent waves of fear throughout those present.

“W-Well, how do we deal with it?” Wondered Luisa, her mighty frame beginning to quiver.

The woman released a deep sigh, knowing what she was about to say would be tough.

That noise told Stoick all he needed to know, as well as Gobber.

They’d seen situations like this before. Gobber had been in several.

Terrified realization dawned on both of them, as they understood what needed to be done.

But the four Madrigals were still in the dark.

“What do we need to do?” Mirabel asked.

To which the medic decided to cut to the chase, as they didn’t have much time.

“We have to amputate his leg.”

There was silence, again. It took the magical relatives a moment to fully grasp what she said.

But when they did…

“WHAT!?”

Mirabel rushed over, standing in between Hiccup and the medic.

“Are you crazy!?” She shouted. “You can’t take his leg! He needs it to walk, a-and- “

“Not the entire leg.” Argued the medic. “Just the lower- “

“NO!”

Mirabel feverishly denied anyone’s attempts to get close to the boy, even as he continued wriggling behind her.

He’d already been hurt enough. They weren’t taking a limb from him, she wouldn’t allow it.

Luisa tried to reason with her. “Sis, come on…”

But Mirabel wasn’t having any of it.

"There has to be another way!" The girl exclaimed.

“Please…” Stoick attempted. “We need to…”

She refused.

“You can’t! You can’t! I won’t let-I won’t-you can’t just- “

“LISTEN!”

It was the medic Viking’s turn to shout, they didn’t have time for this.

“Do you care about this boy?”

The question caught Mirabel off guard, and paused for a moment. Breathing heavily.

Then, she stiltedly nodded.

“I-I love him…”

Despite the ghastly situation they were in, her proclamation of affection still managed to touch the hearts of those present.

The older woman placed a surprisingly gentle hand on the girl’s shoulder. A pleading look in her eye.

“Then let me save him.”

Tentatively, the bespectacled girl looked back.

She saw the suffering, the sheer pain Hiccup was experiencing.

She began to calm down, realizing that she was acting irrational.

It's been a rough day. Her mental state wasn't entirely in peak condition right now.

She also realized something else.

It was only going to get worse.

If they didn't do something, anything...

Hiccup was only going to get worse.

She hated this. She hated it.

But…

If it was to save him…

Reluctantly, she stepped aside.

The medic gave a grateful nod, before she began to gather what she needed for the procedure.

Stoick glanced to the Madrigals, with a regretful expression.

“Head to the back of the boat, a-and turn around…” He softly commanded.

“You…You won’t want to see this…”

With heavy steps, they did as they were told.

Mirabel had to work very hard to convince Toothless to go with them, he was vehement about staying near the boy.

But once they were there. Once their backs were turned, and all they could see was the depressing ocean….

They waited.

They waited for it to start, souls filled with dread.

They all knew it was coming, but they didn’t know quite when.

Before it’d even started, they wanted it to be over with.

And just when it felt like the anticipation would kill them…

They heard the most horrifying combination of sounds.

A bloodcurdling, agonized scream.

Metal, cutting through flesh and bone.

The spurting of blood, the ripping of muscle and skin…

It was enough to make them sick to their stomachs.

Isabela tried to keep her composure, but her face was contorted with disgust and dismay.

Luisa kept her hands over her ears, trying to block out the atrocious noises. To little success.

Camilo couldn’t take it, and vomited over the side of the ship. Just hearing what was happening behind them was too much for his stomach.

Toothless released a distressed wail, and tried to hide himself within his wings. Shivering with guilt and sadness.

And Mirabel couldn’t help but let the tears flow.

She silently wept, as she was forced to listen to a loved one be put through such anguish.

She felt one, or perhaps several pairs of arms around her. But she couldn’t see who they belonged to.

She was too absorbed in her misery.

He didn’t deserve this.

None of them deserved anything like this.

But this was the reality.

The grisly, gruesome reality.

It was moments like this that really made them wish they were back. In their beautiful home, with their wonderful family.

Not having to deal with, or even think about things like…

This.

After what felt like an eternity, a torturous eternity, it was over.

Hiccup’s lower left leg was completely removed.

No one wanted to look at the wound.

But for as awful as that was…his condition had improved a little.

He was no longer writhing in pain, he simply lied there. Eerily silent.

They hoped, if he wouldn’t improve any more, he’d remain stable until they reached their destination. At the very least.

With wet eyes, sniffling noses, and heavy hearts, Toothless, Stoick, and the Madrigals gazed upon what remained of their Hiccup.

They had so many questions.

How would he walk?

Would he still be able to fly?

Would he be in constant pain?

Would he ever live a comfortable life again?

They all supposed their answers would have to wait, for when he woke up.

…

If he woke up.

Chapter Text

Every couple has a fight, here and there.

It’s perfectly healthy. When two people form a partnership, there are bound to be disputes.

Though when a relationship is new, and the glow of the honeymoon period is just starting to wane…

The first fight can be quite the experience for those involved.

The sun shone down on another lovely day in the Encanto.

But despite the pleasant weather, a few individuals weren’t very happy right now.

Antonio Madrigal, the six-year-old animal whisperer, was overcome with sadness. While his cousin Mirabel, and her boyfriend Hiccup, tried their bests to comfort him.

Earlier in the day, a sullen toucan had the misfortune of bringing him some bad news.

One of the boy’s animal friends, a friendly old tapir who’d laxly roam the forests surrounding the Encanto, had been eaten by a panther.

The gentle hearted child broke down into tears on the spot, and was almost inconsolable.

It was especially jarring, because no one else in his family had any idea as to why he was so upset. Not until he managed a sniffly translation.

He received a lot of hugs and kisses and apologies, but nothing served to lift his mood.

And Mirabel, hating to see her darling primo like this, got an idea.

She knocked on his door, and offered to hold a funeral for the poor animal.

Hiccup had come to Casita to spend some time with his new girlfriend, and was invited to attend.

And now they all stood in Casita’s backyard, at the edge of the forest. Supposedly Señor Tapir’s favorite spot to graze. And they paid their respects.

“We are gathered here today to honor the life of Señor Tapir.” Mirabel morosely said, as she held a weeping Antonio’s hand.

“A kind soul, who never lifted a hoof to harm anyone. Taken from us far too soon…”

Antonio stepped forward, and softly placed a white flower on a mound of dirt.

“I’ll miss you, Señor Tapir…” Sniffed the boy.

Hiccup released a sigh, not enjoying seeing such a usually jovial child be so upset.

He bent down, and placed a hand on Antonio’s back. Patting it reassuringly.

“I’m really sorry about your friend…” He said, softly. “But y’know, sometimes these things happen…”

“I mean…that’s just nature. The circle of life.”

Antonio now looked quite fearful.

“The circle of life means all my friends are gonna die?” He shakily asked.

Hiccup scrambled to reply.

“No! Well, technically yes, but I mean- “

Mirabel butt in, an annoyed glare on her features.

“What are you doing?” She asked, in an irritated whisper. “Are you trying to make him feel worse?”

Hiccup glanced to her, shrugging.

“I-I’m just trying to let him know that this is a natural process, that everyone has to deal with!”

Those words seemed to frighten Antonio even more, his eyes wide with terror.

“EVERYONE I LOVE IS GONNA DIE!” He wailed, burying his face into Mirabel’s skirt.

She held onto him, trying to console him, while shooting her boyfriend another harsh look.

“Now look what you did!” She scolded.

Hiccup stood, and tried to get his point across.

“Look, it’s just a part of life!”

“Well it’s a part of life he shouldn’t have to worry about yet!” She griped. “He’s only six!”

“I had to learn about death from the moment I could walk!” Hiccup argued, throwing his arms up in his blue ruana.

A grimace worked its way onto Mirabel’s face.

“We’re not in Viking-land, Hiccup.”

The scrawny teen groaned, he was beginning to grow annoyed with this exchange.

“Right, of course. We’re in magic-land, where real-world concepts can just be ignored…” He mumbled, while rolling his eyes.

The continued crying of the child in her arms only served to upset Mirabel more.

Both with how sad he was, and with how clueless her boyfriend was being.

“Ya cállate mejor!” She snapped. “You’re just making it worse!”

Hiccup’s agitation faded, when he saw just how upset the child was.

Shame washed over him, and his expression became one of dejection.

“Listen, I-I was just trying to help…” He said.

To which Mirabel regarded him with a deep frown.

“And you screwed it up.”

That little string of words.

They shouldn’t have been significant at all.

But to Hiccup, they brought back flashes of every single time those words were uttered to him.

Every single time he was made to feel like a failure. A disappointment. A curse.

A hiccup.

And Mirabel could tell.

Because those words did the exact same things to her.

She could see it in his eyes, the moment the words left her lips. She could see the immediate sting of a familiar pain, followed by a deep resignation.

But she was too angry to care, right now.

Hiccup hung his head low, his hair covering his eyes.

“I’m sorry…” He whispered, before hastily making his way out of the forest.

He trudged his way through the backyard, heading back towards the town.

And on the way, he passed a pair of couples.

Julieta and Augustin, as well as Pepa and Felix.

Both pairs were coming to check on the kids, but they were surprised to see a dour Hiccup walking away from the girl he spent almost all his time with.

They saw his face, he looked quite gloomy. And when they looked to Mirabel, they could see she seemed very fristrated.

And they all knew what happened.

“Uh-Oh!” Felix laughed. “First fight!”

“I’m surprised it took them so long.” Pepa commented. “Honestly, those two are so cuddly!”

“That of course means the first fight aftermath…” Julieta sighed. Both concerned for her daughter, and also remembering the chaos that comes with a teenager’s romantic struggles.

“Should I get the ice cream ready?” Augustin asked, earning him a nod from his wife.

It was obvious that Mirabel’s parents would help the girl through the incoming storm of emotions that came with a couple’s initial disagreement.

But that begged the question of who’d help Hiccup through his tumultuous feelings. The boy didn’t exactly have parents.

Julieta and Augustin usually stepped in where they could, finding his lack of parental guidance disheartening. But they’d have their hands full with their daughter.

“I guess it’s up to us!” Pepa shrugged, grinning to her husband.

Felix chuckled at the idea. “Yeah, we got little bro!”

The other couple gave a small sigh of relief, happy that the scrawny teen was in good hands.

They’d grown awfully fond of the boy, recently.

And so, the two pairs set out.

To help each half of a young relationship through their first fight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Soy tan estupida!”

Mirabel sat in her bedroom, a tub of ice cream in her grasp.

Now that the makeshift funeral was over, and Antonio had calmed down, she calmed down as well.

And she finally realized just how much she’d hurt her boyfriend’s feelings.

Yes, he was being a bit tactless. But that was no excuse to break their promise.

She lied upon her bed, face shoved in a pillow. Only looking up to grab another spoonful of ice cream.

“I ruined everything!” She cried, voice slightly muffled by the pillow.

“Now, now…I’m sure that’s not true…” Spoke a warm, soothing voice.

Julieta sat beside her daughter, on her bed. Augustin sat next to his wife.

They were both trying their bests to console the girl, who’d become sufficiently more upset over the ordeal.

“But it is!” Mirabel argued. “I broke our promise!”

“What promise?” Wondered her father.

“I said…”

Mirabel froze for a moment, the words feeling like they’d burn her tongue.

“I said he screwed up!”

Both her parents paused, and shared a confused glance. Not really getting the gist.

“That doesn’t seem like a big deal…” Julieta uttered.

“It is to us!” Countered the bespectacled girl.

“Those words mean something different to us! And when we started this relationship, we both promised to never say them to each other!”

“A promise I broke!” She groaned, downing another spoonful.

They got each other in a way most people just didn’t, Mirabel and Hiccup.

They both got the isolation of being an outcast. The pain of being considered the screwup.

When they were together, they felt understood. Appreciated.

And in her mind, Mirabel had completely botched it.

“He’s totally gonna dump me…” She moaned. “Probably for Paulita, her hair’s way prettier than mine…”

Augustin reached over, to rub his daughter’s back.

“First of all, your hair is beautiful!” He said. “And second of all, that’s just something you have to apologize for!”

Julieta nodded.

“If you make a mistake in a relationship, you try your best to fix it. And make it up to your partner.”

“I know you didn’t mean to hurt him, and I think he knows too.” She gently spoke. “So just…tell him you’re sorry. I’m sure he’ll understand!”

Mirabel looked to her parents with big, wet eyes.

“But what if he doesn’t want to forgive me?” She asked.

“Then give him a little time.” Answered her mother. “But I know he will eventually…”

Her grin grew a glint of mischievousness.

“He’s nuts about you, you know!”

The girl groaned, hiding her face in the pillow as her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“Mooooom!”

Augustin joined in on the teasing.

“No, she’s right!” He chuckled. “You can see it in his eyes! That boy’s thoughts are occupied solely by you!”

The girl rolled over, her back facing her parents. So they wouldn’t see just how red her cheeks were.

But while she was floundering in her flusterment, she was also filled with an unwavering determination.

To make things right with a certain scrawny teen. The boy she adored, and who adored her in return.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Gods, I’m stupid!”

Up in the clouds, his only company being the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself, Hiccup stewed in his previous foolishness.

“She was totally right!” He exclaimed. “That kid didn’t need the death talk yet!”

From beneath him, Toothless gave a concerned rumble.

To which Hiccup sighed.

“It doesn’t matter if I wasn’t trying to make him upset. It doesn’t change the fact that I- “

“WOAH!”

Toothless quickly had to dodge, as a lightning bolt struck just in front of them.

Before either of the two could react, another jolt hit just behind them.

And from the crackling in the air, it sounded like more were on the way.

“Come on, bud!” Hiccup said, as he urged his dragon to dive.

Evading more bursts of electricity, the two soon arrived at the surface. On a clearing, surrounded by towering palm trees.

And it was there they found Pepa and Felix.

“Impeccable aim, mi vida!” Felix complimented, planting a kiss on his wife’s hand.

The woman giggled, the storm cloud above her head becoming a rainbow.

She then lightly swatted him away.

“Not now, Felix!” She tittered. “We have a job to do!”

Hiccup took note of their presence, and thought back to the abrupt shift in weather a few moments ago.

He realized there could only be one responsible.

“So…you wanna tell me why you were trying to zap me?” Asked the boy, leaning on Toothless’ side. Crossing both his sandaled feet as he did so.

Felix laughed, as they both made to approach.

“We were just trying to get your attention, bro!”

“And a simple ‘Hey!’ wouldn’t suffice?” Snarked the teen.

Chuckling, they both stood on either sides of him. Though soon their amused countenances were overtaken by concern.

“So?” Pepa asked. “What happened back there?”

Hiccup’s gut reaction was to brush them off.

But, for whatever reason…

He always felt more comfortable sharing his feelings, when it came to this family.

Hiccup sighed, already beginning to slouch.

“I dunno, I just…I said something that was kinda insensitive.” He answered. “And I thought I was helping, but clearly I wasn’t…”

Once again, his big stupid mouth had gotten him into trouble.

All he could think about was the misery in Antonio’s eyes, and the anger in Mirabel’s.

Both emotions that he’d caused.

“I ruined everything!” He groaned, conking his head against a palm tree’s trunk.

Two hands found their way to his shoulders.

“Come on, chico!” Felix tried. “I’m sure it’s not that bad!”

“But what if it is?” Argued the despairing boy.

“What if I lost the most wonderful girl in the world, because I couldn’t keep my fat mouth shut!?”

And he was doing so well, too.

A few months into his life in the Encanto, and Hiccup could confidently say that no one hated him.

…He didn’t think Isabela hated him, just a very strong annoyance.

But not only had his moronic tendencies definitely gotten him on someone’s bad side, she just so happened to be the most amazing someone imaginable.

He was certain. He’d completely botched it.

“She’s totally gonna dump me…” Moaned the boy. “Probably for Mattias, that guy’s got abs for days…”

“And a brain the size of a pea…” Pepa added, in a mumble.

But now she had a question to ask.

“Did you mean to be insensitive, when you said those things?” The weather woman inquired. Earning a morosely shaking head from Hiccup.

She grew a small grin, and tried an encouraging pat on the back.

“Then all you have to do is say you’re sorry!”

“Actually, telling your girl you’re sorry is a good idea any time!” Chuckled the short man, as he elbowed the teen’s side. “Even if you did nothing wrong!”

Hiccup questioned that logic, but he figured a man who’s been happily married for decades would know better than him.

“Listen, Hiccup. Do you really think Mirabel is the type to hold a grudge?” Asked Pepa.

Hiccup didn’t even need a moment to think on it. He swiftly shook his head again.

She was too wonderful for something like that.

Pepa smiled brightly. “You see? So if you just apologize, I’m sure it’ll be fine!”

“And maybe make it up to her, by taking her out!” Felix suggested.

Toothless gave an agreeing rumble, to back up their statements.

Despite the usual anxieties threatening to cloud his perception, and convince him that everything was over, Hiccup tried to keep a clear mind about this.

He nodded, resolutely.

“You’re right.” He said. “I-I just gotta apologize.”

Both faces lit up, beaming with joy at their success.

“There you go!” Felix cheered, already shoving the boy to his dragon. “Now go on! Go find her!”

“I bet she’s forgiven you already!” Pepa said, with a teasing grin. “She’s head over heels for you, you know?”

They both snickered at the blush that overtook his pale face.

Mounting his dragon, Hiccup gave the two an appreciative smile.

“Thanks for the help, guys. Y-You didn’t have to- “

“Don’t even try it!” Felix interjected. “You know we all got your back, bro!”

Hiccup did.

And he was really grateful for it.

Pepa was curious about one more thing.

“So…what did you say?” She questioned, wondering just what started their disagreement in the first place.

Hiccup was about to answer.

But then he remembered that he’d be telling Pepa that he made her precious baby boy cry.

Intentionally or not, he didn’t feel like being shocked into cardiac arrest.

“LOOK AT THE TIME GOTTA GO BYE!”

With that abrupt shout, Toothless rocketed into the skies.

And as the wind shipped through his hair, he was filled with an unwavering determination.

To make things right with a certain bespectacled girl. The girl he adored, and who adored him in return.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They found each other in their favorite spot.

That gorgeous river, that almost seemed like something out of a fairy tale.

But it was very real.

And when Hiccup soared over the lake, he spotted Mirabel waiting.

Was she looking for him? Or did she just…know that they’d meet here?

Either way, it was time to make amends.

Mirabel heard the familiar beating of mighty wings, and looked up to see her boyfriend. Descending onto the surface on the back of a Night Fury.

When he dismounted, and Toothless shuffled off to watch the butterflies, the two of them were left just ogling each other.

They simply stood there. Neither knowing how, or when to start.

Their hearts knew that they had to talk, but their bodies weren't cooperating.

Finally, they both decided to begin speaking.

At the same time.

“I want you to know…”

“I just wanted to say…”

They paused, and realized they were speaking over each other.

“Y-You go first.” Mirabel offered, nervously.

But Hiccup awkwardly declined. “No, by all means…”

And so, after a small exhale, the girl went first.

“I’m sorry!” She said, shocking Hiccup with her passion. “I’m sorry I called you a screw up!”

Hiccup was a bit taken aback.

“I-It’s fine!” He shakily answered. “I was acting like a muttonhead, you were just calling me out!”

“But I know what those words mean to us…” Mirabel sighed, somberness in her tone. “I know how much they hurt. And I still said it!”

“And you wouldn’t have felt the need to say it, if I handled myself better back there.”

“So…I’m sorry. F-For that.” Hiccup replied.

They both stood in a rather awkward silence. Their eyes anywhere else but each other’s.

“So…” Mirabel began, an anxious grin spreading. “Can we agree that we both messed up a little?”

Hiccup grew a lopsided smirk.

“Looks like we’re still just a couple of hiccups!” He said, making her laugh.

Soon her laughter was joined by his, and the two teens were content to just chuckle in each other’s company.

But once the laughter died down...

They crashed into each other, in an endlessly warm hug.

The embrace radiated with the power of their burgeoning love for each other.

In hindsight, their first fight really wasn’t a big deal.

A petty squabble, at worst. Definitely not a relationship ender.

And so, with their little crisis resolved, the young couple dislodged from the hug. And went off to find Toothless, hand in hand.

They both agreed that a romantic flight would be the best way to make this nonsense up to each other.

Chapter Text

Hiccup never knew his mother.

She died, before he even had the chance to properly know her.

And he’d gone his whole life without any sort of maternal figure. It wasn’t like any of the older women in his last village were fond of him.

The boy had never felt unfulfilled, or as if something was missing. Some people just didn’t have a mom, for one reason or another. He knew this.

But there was always that curiosity.

What would it be like, to have a woman like that in his life? A woman who loves you more than life itself, and slathers you with untold levels of affection. Even at the most embarrassing of times.

A woman who’ll always be there. To help you through or problems, or just talk about them for a while. Who can make anything and everything feel better with just a simple hug.

What would it really be like to have a mom?

It sounded awfully nice.

During the darker period in his life, before he’d found the Encanto, he began to think that perhaps it was better that he didn’t have a mom.

That meant one less person to disappoint. One less person to regard him as a mistake.

He didn’t know if he could take it. The woman who brought him into this world, seeing him as nothing more than a failure.

But that time in his life was over.

He was in a better place, both mentally and literally. Thanks to his wonderful life in his new village, and the support of a magical family. Who all accepted him as a friend.

And in some cases, just a little bit more.

Because among the Madrigals, Hiccup did have a mother.

But neither he, nor the woman in question, knew that quite yet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a simple request.

One she’d heard many times, from many people.

But coming from this boy in particular, it was rather surprising.

Though…when Julieta really thought about it…

It wasn’t that surprising.

Wanting to help was just in Hiccup’s nature.

Here in Casita’s kitchen, Julieta was doing what she usually did. Cooking.

Cooking for the entire village was a tiring task, one she had to repeat each day. But every time she saw a poor soul be filled with relief as their wounds were healed, it reminded her of why she loved what she did.

If she had the time, she liked to get started on the next day’s supply the evening before. On slower days, when there wasn’t much healing needed. A few hours before dinner would start.

Technically, it meant she’d spent the entire later half of the day cooking nonstop. But it gave her a bit less to do the following morning.

And as she was whipping up the batter needed for her trademark arepas, she heard a yelp from the skies.

Followed by a loud thumping, and the strangest collection of words.

“SON OF A HALF-TROLL!”

The odd swear was spoken by a familiar voice, a very nasally one.

Julieta left the kitchen, and made her way to the courtyard. To find a sixteen-year-old lying face first on the ground. Groaning with pain.

She was at his side in an instant, rolling him over before he had the chance to do so himself.

“Are you alright?” She asked, her natural caretaker tendencies activating.

His nose looked a bit red, and swollen. But otherwise, Hiccup was fine.

“The only thing bruised is my pride, Miss…” He grumbled.

Julieta gave a soft exhale, relieved that he was unharmed.

And then she asked another question.

“What happened? How’d you end up like…that?”

A nervous smile crossed the boy’s features, and he shrugged.

“I-I was testing out a new invention. A catapult, specifically for human recreational purposes.” He admitted.

“I call it the Splatapult!”

The healer regarded him with a stern glare, and lightly swatted him on the arm.

“Ay, Hiccup! You need to be more careful!” She scolded. “You could have been really hurt!”

“I-It was just a mild calibration issue…” The boy responded, quivering under her stare.

“I don’t care what it was!” Julieta shot back. “The next time you invent something, test it out in a way that won’t break your spine!”

“Comprende?”

Her tone left no room for dissent, and he hastily nodded.

Satisfied that he got the message, she quickly cooled down. Releasing her slight agitation with a sigh.

She didn’t want to be harsh on him. But she couldn’t have him hurting himself, in a reckless attempt to try out his latest contraption.

She’d always be there to heal him, of course. But she’d rather they avoided the nasty part altogether.

Wiping off the dust from his blue ruana, and putting back on the sandal that’d flown off his left foot, Hiccup took note of their surroundings.

The sounds he’d come to love. The noises of rowdy Madrigals, shouting and running and dancing through the halls, weren’t present.

It seemed the house was vacant, aside from himself and the woman beside him.

“Just you, huh?” He asked.

Julieta nodded. “Everyone else is in town.”

“I got off early, so I’m getting started on tomorrow’s batch.”

This seemed to make Hiccup think.

“So…you’re already cooking the food for tomorrow?” He questioned, earning a nod.

“And after that, you gotta start dinner.” He noted. Which got another nod.

“Geez, that’s a lot of cooking!”

The healer smiled tiredly, and gave an exhausted chuckle.

“You’re telling me…”

With the matter settled, Julieta was about to kindly send the boy on his way. Or perhaps offer him a snack.

It’d be remiss of her to let someone go hungry. Especially someone so skinny.

But then he made a simple request.

“Can I help?”

Her eyes widened, when she heard this.

She quickly looked to him, eyebrows raised.

“Pardon me?”

Hands in his pockets, Hiccup shrugged.

“I-It just seems like you’re really busy…” He muttered. “And I figured maybe you could use a hand.”

In truth, it wasn’t that crazy a request. She’d received assistance in the kitchen many times over the years.

But she still hadn’t expected this from the boy.

“You…want to help me?” She asked.

A blush found its way onto Hiccup’s cheeks.

“Well, y’know…you’ve been nothing but kind to me…” He said. “Even when everyone else thought I was nuts. I…I’m really grateful for that.”

“And besides, it’s the nice thing to do.”

Something about his words tugged at her heart, and she soon found herself smiling.

This boy could be awfully sweet. She could see why her daughter liked him so much.

“Do you know how to cook?” Julieta wondered.

“…Not really…” Hiccup admitted. “No one trusted me around any food. They probably thought I’d end up poisoning the village, or something…”

The woman frowned, at this. She always hated hearing about just how much his old people seemed to dislike him.

It made her want to grab her rolling pin, and bash every one of those musty Vikings. Repeatedly.

And now she was all the more determined to accept his offer.

She gently grabbed his shoulders, and began shuffling him towards the kitchen.

“Well then…” She grinned.

“I’ll just have to teach you!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To his surprise, Hiccup found the process of cooking rather enjoyable.

Mixing the batter, kneading the dough, shaping them into little balls…

Making arepas was actually pretty fun!

He began to wonder what cooking other things was like…

Julieta was surprised herself. Because for a total rookie, he seemed to take to the process like a duck takes to water.

It required very little effort on her part to teach him the basics, and he took it from there.

He wasn’t ready to cook the caliber of meals that she did, not yet. But in his future, she definitely thought he had potential.

“You can cut the cheese a little faster, dear!” Julieta smirked, watching him knife through an orange block with meticulous precision.

He gave a sheepish smile, and began to chop just the slightest bit quicker.

Even though he moved rather slow, especially compared to her mastery of the kitchen, he was still quite adept for a first timer.

In fact, the experienced chef would go as far as to say he had an innate talent for the art of preparing food. One that simply needed to be developed.

“I’ve got to say…you’re a natural!” Julieta praised, placing a tray into the oven.

The boy averted his gaze, to hide his blushing.

“N-Nowhere near as good as you…” He mumbled, a bit flustered.

“That may be true…” The healer began. “But I’ve been in cooking all day, every day, for over forty-five years. You’ve been cooking for half an hour, and you’re pretty good!”

“That means you have talent. And I’m not going to let you deny it!”

The way she said that reminded Hiccup a lot of Mirabel. Especially whenever she was reminding others to stay true to themselves, or to love themselves, or something of the sort.

He supposed she really was her daughter.

Something else about what she said stuck out to him.

All day, every day, for over forty-five years.

She’s been doing this constantly, since she was just a few years out of diapers.

“You cook a lot…” He stated, softly.

Her hands covered in flour, Julieta could only roll her eyes.

“A lot is quite the understatement…”

Hiccup thought of Berk. And how a large number of the populace were missing limbs, or had ghastly scars all over their bodies.

Here in the Encanto, nobody was like that. Not in the slightest.

And some of that was due to the fact that this village was completely isolated from the world outside. No violence or war could enter.

But accidents still happened. Someone could fall off a ladder, or trip down the stairs, or accidentally cut off a finger.

That last thought reminded Hiccup to be careful with the knife.

But despite just how many things could go wrong, even in the most mundane and peaceful of environments…

The people of the Encanto were all in one piece.

And they had Julieta to thank for that.

A gentle soul, who worked herself to the bone every day. To ensure no one would have to suffer.

“You’re amazing…” Hiccup absent-mindedly whispered.

Julieta looked up from her kneading, and gave the boy an odd look.

Hiccup realized he’d spoken aloud, and quickly tried to clarify.

“I-I just mean…what you do. For everyone. It’s amazing.”

“Where I’m from, injuries are commonplace…” He said. “Crazy injuries! I know at least fifteen guys who don’t have feet!”

The healer winced, her kind heart hurting for those who’d been harmed. Even if she still had issues with them.

“But there’s nothing like that here, all because of you…” Hiccup continued to say.

“Once the knowledge that magic is real finally takes hold, it’s really easy to forget…but you guys are all incredible!”

“And don’t tell the others I said this…” Whispered the boy, with a sly grin. “But I think you’re one of the most incredible!”

“Not just because of your gift, but because of, well…you!”

Hiccup then remembered that every conversation he had was being listened to.

“Wait, Dolores probably heard that…” He uttered.

With the fear of retribution in his eyes, he looked up to the ceiling. Speaking to someone who wasn’t physically there, but he knew could hear him.

“Hey, Lor? You’re awesome too, I-I’m not trying to play favorites!”

“Antonio’s my real favorite, anyway…” He jokily added.

But as he held this one-sided conversation, Julieta was still in shock at what she’d just heard.

It’d come almost out of nowhere, and it was surprisingly heartfelt.

She gawked at the boy, while he looked up at the ceiling. Her movement had completely stilled.

She’d always liked him. Aside from that brief period, where she was unsure if he was dangerous or not.

He was an intelligent, caring young man. Who was always willing to help those in need. She still remembered those bee suits he made for her husband.

He was a friend to her daughter, in a time when they were all failing her in one way or another. Despite her best efforts, Mirabel had been increasingly gloomy during that period. But whenever she got to spend time with her new friend, she’d light up like the sun.

Julieta couldn’t thank him enough, for being there for her. When it seemed no one else would.

And now, he was dating her daughter. Something she was completely supportive of. The two were clearly great for each other, and she wouldn’t mind having him around permanently. If the relationship progressed that far.

But that was the extent. She saw him as a nice boy, who was good for her daughter, and pleasant to speak with here and there.

But now…

There was something. Something new.

Something in her chest that just felt…warmer at the sight of him.

She couldn’t quite place the feeling, but she knew it felt familiar.

It was similar to how she felt about her daughters.

The drive to nurture. To watch your child learn, and grow, and be happy.

And the overwhelming desire to make sure they were fed, at all times.

Before she could ponder this any more, a loud ding caught their attention.

The timer had gone off, the newest batch of arepas were done.

Equipped with cozy mitts, Julieta removed them from the oven.

They looked delicious.

Which was to be expected, from her. But seeing as how this was the first batch Hiccup assisted with, it was a pleasant surprise.

“They look good!” Julieta said, with a smile.

“We won’t know until we taste them, though…” Hiccup sardonically replied.

The woman’s grin only increased, and her eyes sparkled with eagerness.

“So let’s taste them!”

That was not the answer Hiccup was expecting.

“Woah, woah!” He yelped, as she plucked one from the tray. “Shouldn’t we wait for them to cool down?”

“You can’t burn your tongue with my food.” She answered. “It heals right after.”

She then grew a very mischievous smirk. “I didn’t tell the kids that, though!”

Hiccup was surprised, not used to seeing her portray a sneaky side.

Though soon, he was grinning himself.

“Your secret’s safe with me!” He said, grabbing another arepa.

They gently tapped the two together, in a show of comradery, and each took a bite.

And they both moaned with delight.

They tasted even better than they looked.

“These are great!” Julieta said, resisting the urge to scarf the rest down like her oldest nephew.

Hiccup had to admit, she was absolutely right.

“I mean, o-of course they are. They’re your recipe!”

But the woman shook her head.

“Nuh-uh, there’s a difference. I can tell!” She said. “And that difference is you, pequeño cocinero!”

She laughed, as he gained yet another blush. Nudging him playfully with her elbow.

“And you’re sure this is your first time cooking?” She asked. “Your mamá never taught you?”

She only realized her mistake after she’d spoken.

But it was too late.

Hiccup’s eyes widened significantly, and he froze in place. His pupils seemed to quiver, while his smile dropped into a stunned thin line.

Julieta’s playful mood evaporated, and she scrambled to make up for her mishap.

“I-I’m sorry!” She hastily apologized. “I didn’t mean to-I forgot- “

“It’s alright.” Hiccup quietly said, his composure returning.

“I don’t blame you for forgetting, it’s not exactly something that comes up in casual conversation…” He chuckled.

Relieved that she hadn’t hurt his feelings, the healer simply nodded.

It was always so strange, to remember that he was technically alone.

He had no family. His mother was gone, his brute of a father disowned him, and he had no siblings. Or uncles, aunts, cousins, or anything of the sort.

Well…according to him he had a cousin of very distant relation. But from his stories, they definitely weren’t on good terms.

He was all alone, in this great big world.

He had a lot of friends, here in the Encanto. He even had a girlfriend, who was also his best friend. It wasn’t as if he lacked companionship of any kind.

But family was so very important, to the Madrigals. And the knowledge that the boy’s flesh and blood had either left this world, or didn’t want him at all…

It nearly broke her heart.

They both stood, in a fairly awkward silence. Hunched over the counter, waiting for the next batch to bake.

After a short while, Julieta spoke up again.

“…How?”

Hiccup looked to her, an eyebrow raised in confusion.

She expanded her question. “How did you do it? Before you met Toothless, before you found this place?”

“Your mother was gone, your father didn’t want you, your village didn’t want you…you were all alone!”

“How did you survive, all those years?” She asked, her voice dripping with sadness for the teen's past suffering.

Her question was a rather unexpected one.

The scrawny teen’s eyes were clouded, by dark memories. A frown subconsciously tugged at his lips.

“It sounds really tough, when you put it like that…” He muttered, somberly. “And I’m not saying it didn’t suck, it did. But…”

“After a while…I got used to being alone. I-I just came to grips with the fact that nobody wanted me.”

It was something he tried to change, many times. But it was also something he had to understand.

And what he said sent a shiver throughout Julieta’s body.

Last year, when they’d just gotten Bruno back, she asked him a similar question.

How did he do it? Living in the walls for a decade. So close, yet so far.

And he gave a very similar answer.

It was tough. But after a while, he got used to being alone.

He thought that nobody wanted him.

In that moment, her sadness for the boy’s plight combined with her feelings of guilt over her brother’s disappearance.

And she couldn’t fight the urge.

In an instant, she crushed him into a hug.

The most tender, most comforting embrace she could manage. As if she was trying to singlehandedly heal years of mistreatment, just from her touch.

“You’re okay…you’re not alone anymore…” She whispered. “You’re with us, now. We want you…”

Hiccup was positively confounded, he really wasn’t expecting this.

But…

There was something else about this hug.

Something he’d never felt, not even once.

There was this overwhelming warmth, emanating from her body. And seeping into his.

He felt safe, and protected. A strange tranquility overtook his mind.

He felt wanted, and appreciated, and…

And loved.

Without knowing what he was doing, his arms rose to return her embrace.

He didn’t know just what he was feeling, but he knew it was incredible.

He wouldn’t figure this out until later, but Hiccup had just felt a mother’s love. For the first time in his life.

And it was blowing his mind.

Soon, the hug broke up. The both of them not quite knowing how to feel about the sudden, emotional moment.

“Uh…thanks…” Hiccup stiltedly mumbled.

Regaining her coolness, Julieta donned a kindly smile.

“I should be thanking you! I’m already done with the arepas, in half the time!”

“O-Oh, that’s great!” Hiccup said. “So what next?”

This surprised the healer.

“You…want to keep cooking?” She asked.

The teen vaguely gestured in the direction of the dining area.

“You gotta get started on dinner, don’t you?” He rhetorically questioned. “Twelve mouths to feed…that’s a lot of mouths!”

Seeing this boy, still so willing to help her even after all he’d already done…

It reminded her so much of her Mirabel.

No wonder they got along so well.

“Thirteen.” Julieta said.

When Hiccup gave her an odd look, she elaborated.

“I have thirteen mouths to feed!”

This did nothing to dispel the boy’s confusion.

“If you’re helping me make dinner, you get to join us for dinner.” She said, before pointing straight at his chest with a spoon.

“And that’s an order!” She poked him, just to make sure he got it.

With a small and very lopsided smirk, Hiccup raised a palm to his forehead in a salute.

“Aye, aye, captain!”

Chuckling at his silliness, Julieta got to work. Hiccup dutifully assisted wherever he could.

Though before she had to start touching food again, she made sure to ruffle his hair.

She watched him squirm under her touch with a newfound affection, a motherly grin on her features.

And while Hiccup pushed his hair away from his eyes, that hug was still on his mind.

Neither of them knew it.

They wouldn’t know it until much later. When Hiccup, along with a few others, would return from a harrowing battle. And he’d call Julieta by a certain word.

But in their hearts, the connection had already been made.

Julieta had just gained a fourth child. Hiccup had just gained a mother.

He didn’t have any parents?

Fine.

He was hers now.

Chapter Text

Titles are very important to Vikings.

They’re the names that follow you throughout history. And in most cases, it portrays a lot about the Viking in question.

For example, Stoick the Vast. Immediately, the man’s imposing frame comes to mind.

Or Gobber the Belch, highlighting his eccentric qualities.

And in the case of a title like Dagur the Deranged…

It really tells you all you need to know.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Magic was weird.

The strange, golden storms that seemed to like tossing people across time and space had become much more reliable recently.

If either Hiccup or Mirabel thought really, really hard, they could summon one to take them to Berk. At any time they wished.

Mirabel found the whole thing especially amusing.

“I’m like a mini-Tía Pepa!” She said, at the time of their discovery.

The storms themselves were far less severe, as well. Barely any rain or thunder, only mild winds…

In time, perhaps they wouldn’t be needed at all. Perhaps the two would be able to instantaneously warp from one destination to another.

The storms were needed today, however.

Hiccup and Mirabel were on a very important quest.

To get some wood.

On one of their recent Berk trips, they came back with presents for the family.

Bruno was given a wooden carving, in the shape of a Hobgobbler. The same as his draconic companion.

To their surprise, he found the quality of the wood to be perfect for knocking on.

But for as much as his knuckles were yearning, he wouldn’t dare ruin a gift from his sobrina and not-quite-sobrino with his superstitions.

And so, he joined them on an excursion to Berk. In search of some proper knocking wood.

Soaring out of a burst of magic clouds, Toothless and Mariposa glided over the island. Bruno sat just a bit behind Mirabel, hanging on for dear life.

The seer peeped a frightened eye open, to gaze at the hunk of rock that lied below.

Despite this being his first time here, the island looked very familiar to him.

From the towering mountains, to the screaming statues, to the quaint little settlement. He’d seen it all before, in a vision.

The same vision that showed Mirabel and Hiccup being married, some day in the future.

The family enjoyed teasing the teens about it, much to their embarrassment.

“S-So, this is Berk?” Bruno asked, raising his voice over the rushing winds. He was already shivering from the abrupt weather change.

Mirabel looked back, regarding her passenger with a cheery smile.

“Yep!” She replied. “You can tell by the stink!”

As if on cue, the foul odor of the archipelago assaulted the scruffy man’s senses. And he swiftly moved to pinch his nose.

“There’s nothing like the smell of wet yak in the morning...” Hiccup sighed, nostalgically.

The Night Fury and the Stormcutter drifted down towards the island.

Though once they were close enough, their riders noticed something strange.

“Where are all the dragons?” Mirabel wondered.

In the time since the defeat of the Red Death, the reptiles had pretty much moved in. Seeing them tromping around the town was a common sight.

But the village was devoid of any draconic life.

“Something’s up…” Hiccup noted.

Though while they didn’t spot any dragons, they did spot something else.

A pair of Vikings, heading for the docks.

And they figured they could get some answers.

Stoick and Gobber both jolted with surprise, when a pair of flying reptiles suddenly appeared from the bright blue sky. Landing behind them with twin thuds.

“Hiccup? Mirabel?” The chief spouted, caught off guard by the new arrivals.

He squinted his eyes at the third member of their party, and tried very hard to remember his name.

“…Brunhilda?”

The seer huffed, and crossed his arms.

“That’s Bruno.” He corrected.

“Right, excuse me…” Said Stoick, awkwardly coughing into his fist.

He then grew a stern expression.

“Not that it isn’t good to see you, but now isn’t the best time.”

As his three guests grew confused looks, he faced his friend.

“Gobber?”

At his call, the blacksmith hobbled forth. Waving his hand and hook in the direction of the two dragons.

“Alright, let’s go!” He said, shoving the lizards onwards. “Get a move on, beasties!”

Toothless and Mariposa were quite confused, and resisted the man’s attempts to herd them.

Their riders were overtaken with worry.

“Wait, what’s happening?” Mirabel asked, nearly moving to intercept the one-legged man.

Stoick placed a large hand on her shoulder.

“It’s for their own safety, lass.” Spoke the chief. “All the dragons on the island have been hidden, and for good reason…”

“Today is the yearly signing of the treaty, with the Berserker Tribe.”

It was then that Hiccup noticed his birth father was wearing the ceremonial belt, the one he only busted out on important occasions.

“Aw jeez, that is today…” He whispered, realization dawning on him.

“Aye.” Stoick nodded. “And they don’t exactly know about our…change in attitude, when it comes to dragons yet. It could be considered a sign of aggression, and we don’t want to provoke them.”

“Ye really don’t wanna get a Berserker riled up.” Gobber added, still trying to wrangle the dragons. “They tend to go…well…berserk!”

“Yeah, but this is Oswald the Agreeable we’re talking about.” Hiccup noted. “He’s not exactly one to start a fight.”

“His title is ‘The Agreeable’?” Bruno quietly repeated, with a snort. Finding such an oddly personable name amusing.

“That may be so, son. But I’d rather not risk anything.” Said the chief. “Better safe than sorry.”

Mirabel shrugged.

“Alright, we’ll just head home.” She proposed. “We can come back another time-”

Just then, a horn was blown. The loud noise reverberating through the air.

And Hiccup knew they’d be here for a while.

“Too late…” He groaned.

Down at the docks, a massive fleet of ships had arrived. Decked out with shields, equipped with brutal weaponry, and each sail depicting a ferocious Skrill.

The Berserkers were here.

Mirabel, Hiccup, and Bruno couldn’t just fly away now. The fleet was right there, they’d surely be seen. And then all of Berk could be in danger.

They were stuck.

“Gobber, the dragons!” Ordered Stoick.

Toothless and Mariposa continued to struggle against the blacksmith’s attempts, so both their riders attempted to soothe them.

“It’s alright, bud.” Hiccup whispered, while scratching his dragon’s chin. “Go with him.”

“We won’t be long!” Reassured Mirabel, as she caressed one of her dragon’s frills.

Though in all honesty, she had no idea how long this would take.

Establishing diplomacy with other villages wasn’t exactly a thing in the Encanto, seeing as how they were completely isolated.

Reluctantly, their dragons finally allowed Gobber to shove them towards the hiding spot.

Now that the matter was taken care of, the chief faced the trio.

“Hiccup, you’re with me.” He said, already beginning to stomp off.

It was customary for the chief’s heir to be present, during such events.

The boy nodded, knowing this fact well.

He just hoped a certain someone else wouldn’t be there.

Though considering that someone was present for every other Berserker visit, the teen didn’t count on it.

Hiccup then turned to face Mirabel and Bruno. “I gotta go greet Oswald, and pray that his offspring isn’t present. I’ll catch up with you later.”

Brushing the odd comment aside, Mirabel grinned.

“I think I’ll come with.” Said the bespectacled girl. “I wanna see just how agreeable this Oswald is!”

“What about you, Tío?” She asked her uncle.

“I-I’ll stick with you kids.” He responded. “I dunno if I wanna hang out here-y’know, alone…”

Hiccup simply shrugged, and waved them forth. Gesturing for them to follow.

Once they reached the docks, they were met with a large ship. Armed to the teeth.

Atop this ship was a man, draped in very spiky armor.

He waved his bident around wildly, as he proudly introduced his leader.

“Presenting the high chief of the Berserker Tribe!” He shouted. “Cracker of skulls, slayer of beasts!”

“The great, and fearsome…”

“Oswald the Agreeable?” Bruno asked. Those descriptions did not fit the title.

But as they would soon come to learn, Oswald was not the one in charge here.

“Dagur the Deranged!”

At the warrior’s final proclamation, he moved aside. Allowing them view of a teenaged boy.

To Mirabel and Bruno, he was a complete stranger.

Stoick was quite confused.

And Hiccup now feared for his very life.

“Oh no…”

The boy, Dagur, regarded the group with a crazed grin. A few unstable chuckles slipped past his lips.

His frame was lean, and he stood a solid foot taller than Hiccup and Mirabel.

His pale face was marked with tattoos, over his left eye. Resembling claw marks. A similar marking lied on his arm.

Leather armor covered his body, aside from steel shoulder pads. And a spiked helmet, with horns that were far longer than what could be considered reasonable.

His red hair was pulled back into a tight braid, and his green eyes twitched with insanity.

His unstable gaze fell on Hiccup. And in an instant, Dagur retrieved a dagger, flinging it towards the boy.

He only had a split second to dodge. Ducking down, and allowing the blade to lodge itself into a wooden pole behind him.

If he moved just a moment too late, his brain would’ve been split in half.

“Odin help me…” He muttered.

While Mirabel uttered a string of very harsh curses, with Bruno holding her back, Stoick stomped forward.

“Dagur, where’s your father?”

The crazed boy sauntered down his ship’s platform, casually advancing towards the island.

“My father has been…retired…” He said, in a tone that promised a much more sinister truth.

“He lost his taste for blood. I, on the other hand, am starving!”

After a moment of more insane giggles, his face suddenly dropped into a more serious one.

“Besides, I’m the one who should be asking you questions.”

The Hooligan chief raised an eyebrow, his mighty hands placed at his sides.

“What do you mean?”

Dagur placed his arms behind his back, and paced back and forth along the dock.

“I’ve been hearing a lot of things about Berk, Stoick…” He said. “A lot of things…”

“For example…”

He swiftly brought out his sword, and slashed it towards Hiccup’s neck. Making sure the tip grazed his Adam’s apple.

“I heard that Hiccup here, flew off on the back of a Night Fury!” He said, pushing the blade just a bit closer. “That’s why he was gone last year!”

Stoick moved to brandish his axe, and Mirabel balled her hands into fists. But before either of them could charge, Bruno intercepted them both.

“M-Maybe not in front of the armada?” He suggested, anxiously.

The entire flotilla looked ready to jump straight to violence, at the slightest move.

And there were a lot of them.

It’d be wise to not agitate them.

Begrudgingly, Mirabel and Stoick laid down their weapons. Though they kept a close eye on their fishbone.

Hiccup nervously grinned, his quivering pupils locked onto the weapon that threatened to cut open his throat.

Frantically, he tried to come up with a good cover story.

“A-Actually, that was just a big misunderstanding!” He squealed. “I was trying to kill the Night Fury!”

“Oh really?” Dagur asked, in a disbelieving manner.

The scrawny and very frightened teen nodded, while trying to save his neck from puncture wounds.

“Y’see, I had it in a headlock! B-But then it flew away, and dragged me with it!” He answered. “Then it dropped me out in the sea, and it took me a year to find my way back!”

“That’s how I lost my leg!” He quickly added, trying to legitimize his lie.

The Berserker chief placed a hand to his chin, humming with thought.

“…Then why was Stoick so pissed last year?” He questioned. “Ranting about you being a Dragon Lover, and other stuff like that.”

“Uh…from where he was standing, it did look like I flew off with the Night Fury.” Responded the struggling boy. “And he, y’know, didn’t take it too well…”

He looked to his father, his eyes pleading.

“I-Isn’t that right, dad?”

The man quickly tried to back up his claims.

“A-Aye, it’s as he says!” Agreed Stoick, stiltedly. “Just a big misunderstanding!”

Dagur still didn’t look entirely convinced, but he decided to let the point drop.

“Fine…”

Hiccup released a gasp of relief, as the sword was finally removed from his throat. Mirabel insisted on checking it herself, to ensure her boyfriend wasn’t truly injured.

All while fighting the urge to strangle Dagur.

The crazed teen wasn’t quite done yet, though.

“But that’s not all I’ve heard!” He exclaimed.

“I know a guy, who knows a guy, who knows a group of guys, who knows a lady…who says that Berk has been amassing an army of dragons!”

“So where are you hiding them, Stoick?” He asked this question with a manic twitch on his sneering lips.

“I assure you, Berk has not been doing anything of the sort.” Responded the bearded man.

Though the thought of someone amassing an army of dragons, with the intent of laying siege to the archipelago…

It was disgustingly familiar to Stoick.

Dagur surged with indignance, fury flashing on his features.

“DO I LOOK STUPID TO YOU!?” He shouted, his voice cracking a bit.

Bruno stood on the tips of his toes, to whisper into Stoick’s hear.

“Don’t answer that, it’s a trick question…”

Dagur regain his minimal composure, and tried to act cool.

“Just know that if I find these claims to be true, my armada will attack with the force of fifty-thousand brave Berserker soldiers!”

The men behind him nodded with his assertion, itching for a fight.

Stoick tried to keep the peace.

“Stand down, Dagur.” He reasoned. “There won’t be any need for the armada.”

Once again, the teen seemed distrustful.

“And y’know what? I’ve also, also heard…that there are demigods on Berk!”

“Warriors, with the powers of Gods!” Said Dagur. “Equipped with supernatural abilities!”

Mirabel, Bruno, and Hiccup all perked up with shock at his words.

They knew exactly who he was talking about.

Stoick shook his head, his brow furrowing.

“There’s no such thing as magic.”

“That’s not what I was told!” Dagur shot back, in a sing-song tone.

“Well even if there are demigods out there, they aren’t here.” Huffed Stoick.

The Berserker rubbed his hands, shivering with a murderous excitement.

“They better hope they’re not…” He mumbled, forebodingly.

“Can you imagine?” He asked. “Real magic, real demigods?”

“If I killed one of those, I’d be the most feared and respected man in the entire archipelago!”

Dagur released a devilish cackle, howling his sadistic glee to the skies.

Hiccup, Mirabel, and Bruno blanched with fright. Quivering with fear for the lives of themselves and their loved ones.

“Well unfortunately for you, it’s as I said.” Spoke Stoick. “There aren’t any demigods here.”

“Now let’s sign that treaty.”

Dagur was brought out of his laughter, and he gave a heavy sigh. Annoyed that his homicidal fantasies were interrupted.

Brandishing his own axe, he examined it as he spoke.

“Fine then. According to the treaty, I’m to be given a tour of Berk.”

He held a finger up, silencing the other chief before he could speak.

“But!” He interrupted, a demented smirk growing on his face. “I want Hiccup to be my guide!”

The boy quaked with uncertainty.

“Uh…why?” He asked, really not liking the way Dagur was looking at him.

With a savage smirk, the crazed teen approached with a predatory glare.

“Because I missed you…brother!”

A surge of fear ran down Hiccup’s spine.

A surge of confusion coursed through the Madrigals.

“Wait…” Bruno began, eyes wide with shock. “You have a brother?”

While Dagur was looking away, Hiccup took the moment to feverishly shake his head no. Denying any relation.

“Oh yes!” Confirmed the Berserker chief. “Me and Hiccup go way back!”

“From the very first moment I laid eyes upon him, and tried to break his neck, we’ve been brothers in all but blood…”

“Attempted murder doesn’t seem like a very brotherly thing to do.” Mirabel seethed, her arms crossed.

“Pfft, like you would know. You probably don't even have any siblings…” Dagur scoffed.

“Very well, Hiccup will lead the way.” Stoick decided, to his son’s chagrin.

Dagur hooked a crushing arm around the smaller teen’s neck, pulling him in for a suffocating hug.

“This is gonna be great, brother!” He cheered. “We can do all our favorite things!”

“Like drowning you in the lake, or throwing knives at your vital organs, or locking you in a cage for three days!”

But for as riveting and life-threating as those things sounded…

Hiccup had a better idea.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What the heck are we doing here!?”

Hiccup, Dagur, Mirabel, Bruno, and Stoick were currently standing in a cozy little woodworking shop.

Carvings of warriors and dragons lined the shelves, each one meticulously crafted. The tools of the trade were present on a desk, in the corner.

Bruno examined each trinket with great interest, trying to see if any spoke to his knuckles. A kindly old Hooligan lady patiently watched his every move, ready to strike if he broke anything.

Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck, shrinking under the Berserker chief’s scathing glare.

“Every good tour starts with a woodworking shop! It’s tour guiding 101!”

In truth, he was just trying to do what they came here to do in the first place.

Dagur didn’t like this answer one bit. He stomped his foot, his fists clenched tightly.

“I’m getting bored!” He shouted, with an aggressive snarl.

Hiccup swiftly dodged, as another dagger was flung his way.

“And when I get bored…I get violent…”

Mirabel, who was observing an owl carving that reminded her of her dragon, huffed with annoyance.

Deranged or not, this guy needed to get his act together.

“Well I’m getting sick of your attitude!”

She marched over to him, a deep frown on her face.

“You’re the chief, now. Quit acting like a kid!” She said. “This isn’t your birthday party, it’s a diplomatic visit!”

As much as he wanted to keep things civil, Stoick had to admit. He was impressed.

Her tone then became downright threatening.

“And I swear, if you throw one more knife at mi cariño- “

“Okay, okay!” Hiccup hastily stepped in, before things could get any more heated.

“Let’s all just calm down here!” He nervously pleaded. “It’d be awfully unfortunate if the first Berserker war in years broke out, wouldn’t it?”

His eyes were begging her to drop this, lest they provoke an altercation. And with a heavy sigh, she cooled her aggression.

Dagur gave Mirabel an odd, startled look. He truly hadn’t expected that.

After a second of surprised silence, he spoke.

“…I don’t like your new servant, Hiccup.”

Mirabel’s patience snapped so hard, it was almost audible.

She looked about ready to lunge at him. To grab the nearest thing she could find, and bash him in the face until he stopped talking.

But before she could, another voice ring out from outside the shop.

“Hey, Rat Man!”

All eyes turned to see a rather stout boy, jogging into the shop.

He stopped, right in front of Bruno. Before taking a moment to catch his breath.

“Didn’t expect to see you here!” Snotlout said. “How’re you doing-actually, don’t answer that. I don’t care.”

With a cocky grin, he leaned against one of the shelves. Jostling the items placed on it.

“What I do care about, is my future. And that’s where you come in!”

Bruno knew where this was going, and he wasn't a fan.

Though thankfully, another teenager ran in a moment later.

“Snotlout, what are you doing?” Astrid sharply asked, yanking his beefy arm. “We’re supposed to be hiding Hookfang before Dagur sees him!”

“But I want him to look into my future!” Whined the Jorgenson. “He already gave a vision to Tuffnut!”

“How else am I gonna know how many Snotlout Juniors we’ll have?”

A loud thumping signaled the shattering of Snotlout’s nose, as Astrid delivered a wicked punch to his face.

But once he fell to the ground, she finally noticed who else was in the area.

“Who’s Hookfang?” Asked Dagur, with a deadly grin. “And why do you need to hide him from me?”

Hookfang was an awfully draconic sounding name. And that fact didn’t escape the crazed boy.

Everyone in the store began sweating, as if they were put under a massive spotlight. Including the old lady, who had no clue what was happening.

“Hookfang is…uh…S-Snotlout’s grandpa!” Astrid shakily answered. “He’s super old, and super wrinkly, and saggy, and smelly, and just…gross!”

“So-So we figured we’d keep him away from you!” Hiccup said, jumping in. “So your glorious eyes won’t be subjected to such…elder-ness…”

The shop owner sent Hiccup a withering scowl, and he shrugged in response.

Dagur grimaced in disgust.

“Yeah, that does sound gross. I hate old people, especially my dad…”

The thought of his father ignited a burst of rage from within him, but he managed to stay focused on his second question.

He turned his unsettling gaze to Bruno.

“But what’s this about…seeing into the future?”

“Are you an oracle? A soothsayer?” He inquired, as he slowly stalked forth.

Bruno took jittery steps backwards, his frantic pupils darting around.

“Y’know…” Dagur started, scratching his chin. “That’s a pretty impressive ability. One might consider it…”

The next word was spoken in a murderous whisper.

“Godlike.”

Mirabel hastily stepped in between her uncle and the boy.

“He can’t see the future!” She said, glowering defensively. “He’s just really good at making guesses, and people think he saw the future!”

Her uncle nodded, as fast as his head would allow him.

That was actually a scenario that’d happened to him multiple times, so it wasn’t entirely untrue.

Once again being confronted by this strange and fluffy girl, Dagur bristled with frustration.

“Okay, who are you!?” He demanded, before turning to Hiccup and pointing to her. “Who is she!?”

Hiccup moved to join them, hoping an introduction would calm things down.

“These are my friends! This is Mirabel, and her uncle Bruno! I met them while I was out, y’know, hunting the Night Fury!”

A soft hand found his, grasping it protectively.

“We’re more than just friends.” Mirabel said, with a tone that carried the undercurrent of “So stop throwing things at him, before I beat the snot out of you.”

Dagur had heard a lot of crazy things, recently.

A scrawny teen, taming the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself.

Berk, raising an army of dragons.

Demigods of otherworldly power, somewhere in the archipelago.

But this?

This was unbelievable.

“Now I know you’re lying!” Dagur exclaimed. “There’s no way Hiccup would have a girlfriend!”

A manic finger of accusation was pointed. “In fact, you’ve been lying about everything else too, haven’t you?”

“Where are the dragons, huh? Where are the demigods!? Where- “

A large, firm hand found planted itself on Dagur’s shoulder.

“Enough nonsense, Dagur.” Stoick said, in a soft yet commanding tone. “I think it’s time we continued on with the tour.”

As much as Dagur wanted to protest, he was currently without his armada backing him up. So he agreed, trudging forth with a grumble.

Once they were reasonably out of ear shot, Hiccup turned to face Astrid and an aching Snotlout.

“I thought you guys hid all the dragons. What’s up with Hookfang?”

“We did hide him…” Said Snotlout, holding his pained nose. “But he got out!”

“He’s shedding his scales right now.” Astrid informed them. “And apparently, whenever he sheds he gets crazy!”

“We have to find him, before Dagur does. But he’s running all over the village!”

Not only did they need to keep their dragon training a secret, they also had to keep Dagur from learning the truth about the so-called demigods.

It wasn’t exactly an ideal scenario.

“Alright, you guys go round up Hookfang.” Hiccup said. “I’ll keep Dagur distracted.”

With unanimous nods, they all began to run out of the shop.

Except for one.

Mirabel skidded to a stop, and turned around.

“Tío Bruno?”

The seer was lightly rapping his knuckles on a block of wood, an enraptured twinkle in his eyes. He held it like a child in a toy store, holding their new doll.

The size, the sound, the weight, the wood-to-knuckle ratio…

“It’s perfect…”

With an amused eyeroll, Mirabel tossed a few coins to the lady who ran the shop.

At least they got something done today.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was like a dance.

A dangerous, incredibly risky dance.

Hiccup and Stoick would lead Dagur through the town, intentionally directing him so he’d miss Hookfang. And the four individuals who were chasing after him.

If Hookfang was tromping to the left, Stoick would swivel Dagur to the right. If the dragon was flying above, Hiccup would direct the young chief’s attention to the ground.

For as unstable as he was, Dagur wasn’t an idiot. He definitely knew that something wasn’t quite right here.

Which made the moments when he’d just miss the tip of a red tail, disappearing behind the side of a building, all the more nerve racking.

And Hookfang definitely wasn’t helping.

For whatever reason, the shedding season made the dragon act incredibly erratic. He wouldn’t listen to anyone, even his own rider.

Though he didn’t listen to Snotlout much in the first place.

That didn’t stop the stout boy from trying, however.

“Hooky!” He harshly whispered, trying not to draw too much attention. “Hooky you get down here this instant!”

From his position atop Berk’s armory, the Nightmare refused.

“Dang it, Hookfang! Stop making me look bad- “

Snotlout took a moment to glance to Astrid in Mirabel, with a slimy smirk.

“-In front of the ladies!”

The girls were now filled with the desire to throw him off a cliff.

From beside them, Bruno was filled with worry. Constantly looking around the immediate area, for any signs of a Berserker.

He knew that Dagur could be anywhere, they really needed to get that dragon away from here.

Just then, his eyes briefly flashed a bright green.

He saw Dagur, exiting the armory. The position of the sun told him that this event would take place mere moments from now.

Which meant that Dagur was in the armory.

Right now.

“Hide…”

His muttering wasn’t quite understood, as the teens gave him an odd look.

So he said it again.

“Hide!”

He quickly grabbed Mirabel’s hand, and ran around the corner. Astrid and Snotlout followed soon after.

And not a moment too soon.

The armory’s doors swung open, just a second after. Revealing a very disinterested Dagur.

“Gods, that was boring. None of the weapons even had blood on ‘em!” He groaned. “Why’d you bring me here?”

“Because you asked me to?” Hiccup responded, shuffling after him.

This earned him a very hard punch to the arm.

But as Dagur stopped just outside the armory, surveying the village in front of him with extreme apathy, Hiccup felt something funny.

Small, light, red objects. Pelting his head.

Monstrous Nightmare scales.

Looking up, he saw Hookfang perched on the building. Scratching himself with a hindleg, and scattering scales to the world below.

Jolting with fear, Hiccup waved his arms. Trying to shoo the beast away.

Trying to get the creature’s attention, while also trying not to earn the other boy’s attention, was definitely an ordeal.

And then, Dagur began to turn around.

“Y’know, there’s something peculiar going on here…” He said, suspicion in his voice.

“There is…?” Hiccup asked, trying to play innocent. While still waving his arms.

The Nightmare seemed unbothered.

“Yeah, there is…” Said Dagur, almost facing the scrawny teen again.

Hiccup’s movements grew frantic, as he silently begged Hookfang to leave.

Just then, Dagur completed his turn. Hiccup winced, bracing for impact-

“Your clothes. They’re weird.”

Hiccup was incredibly shocked by this reaction.

That was all he had to say, when faced with a dragon?

No proclamations of killing it? No suspecting that Berk truly was building a dragon army?

He looked upwards, and saw something quite relieving.

Hookfang was gone.

Whether he understood, or was just following his own whims, the dragon seemed to have flown away.

With a brief sigh, Hiccup replied to the young chief’s comment.

“Uh, yeah! I-I picked them up on my travels!” He held his arms out, proudly displaying his blue ruana. “I think they look pretty good!”

“Nah, they look dumb.” Dagur said, with complete indifference. “But they do make me wonder…”

“Is that what you wore when you beat the Red Death?”

The question caught the scrawnier boy off guard, and he sputtered for a response.

“W-Woah, woah, woah!” He stammered. “Me? Beating the Red Death?”

“How is that even possible? I-I mean, look at me!”

He gestured to all of himself, presenting his physical shortcomings.

“That’s what I thought too!” Dagur chuckled, before taking on a more interrogative tone. “But then I heard about the trained dragons.”

Hiccup was sweating so bad, one would think he was in the middle of a Pepa-induced heatwave.

“Trained dragons?” He repeated, incredulously. “That’s ridiculous! How would you even train a dragon!?”

“I dunno…” Responded the Berserker chief, before he got up close and personal.

“How would you?”

The two stared at each other, in an uncomfortable silence. Face to face.

Before Stoick finally made his way out of the armory, and raised an eyebrow at the sight.

Quivering under not one, but two scrutinizing gazes, Hiccup tried to weasel out of is current position.

“Uh…who’s hungry?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The tour’s next stop was the Great Hall, where a feast was to be held. In honor of the peace, between the Hairy Hooligans and the Berserkers.

A peace that felt more and more shaky as the day went on.

Hiccup sat at a large table, an assortment of foods laid out. As well as Stoick, Gobber, Dagur, and an assortment of Berserker soldiers he’d plucked from the docks.

The next time he smelled something fishy, he wanted to have men ready to stab it.

Dagur voraciously gobbled down on a chicken leg, while Berk’s chief spared his son a worried glance.

“Please tell me your friends have gotten that dragon under control.” He whispered.

Hiccup’s shrug did nothing to ease his mind.

While Dagur was in the middle of a toast, devoted to death in battle or something equally morbid, the hall’s doors shot open.

“HOOKFANG! YOU IN HERE?” Shouted Snotlout, flanked by Astrid, Bruno, and Mirabel.

He clearly had no idea the area was occupied, as the sight of the feast and its participants made his jaw drop.

“Uh…Grandpa Hookfang?” He said, scrambling to rectify the situation. “Where are you, you old geezer?”

He continued calling out to his fictional grandpa, as he and his search party began to leave.

Though not all of them made it outside the doors.

“You two, stop!”

Dagur’s command stopped Mirabel and Bruno in their tracks, the both of them turning to face the Berserker chief.

“Come, feast with us!” He offered, with a manic grin. “Any friend of my brother’s is a friend of mine!”

The two shared a confused look, before they both glanced to Hiccup. Who was just as confused.

Deciding against angering the unhinged boy, they both took seats besides Hiccup. Joining in the massive meal.

The food was of the quality they expected from Berk food, but they managed.

While picking his teeth with the tip of his axe, Dagur asked Mirabel a question.

“So what’s with the glasses?”

The girl paused, not expecting to be asked such a thing.

“...I need them to see?” She answered, tentatively.

This made the crazed boy laugh.

“Ha! You got stupid eyes!” He chortled.

“Now that I’m in charge, any and all physical impairments will equal life in the dungeons!” Proclaimed the young chief. “The Berserker tribe is only for the strongest!”

His men cheered in agreement, raising their glasses high.

“How progressive…” Gobber snarked.

Both Hiccup and Mirabel looked like they wanted to grab a butter knife and stab the boy, though they kept themselves in check.

“I’m getting really tired of this guy…” Whispered the bespectacled girl.

“Tell me about it…” Agreed the scrawny teen.

The feast was beginning to wrap up, and Dagur was prompted to sign the treaty. So they could finally send him on his way.

Terribly bored of the island, and resigning himself to the fate that the fight he wanted wasn't here today, he agreed.

“Yeah, sure, I’ll sign it…” He nonchalantly said, before hopping up onto the table.

“BRING OUT THE DRAGON’S BLOOD!”

His cry echoed throughout the hall, and caused Bruno to shiver in his seat.

“D-Did he say dragon’s blood?” Asked the seer.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Dagur!” Stoick awkwardly laughed. “Your father and I haven’t signed a treaty in dragon’s blood for years!”

This prompted the boy to shove his face into Stoick’s, a belligerent glint in his eye.

“I’m not my father, am I!?” Asked the over-aggressive teen.

A smirk soon grew on his face.

“Besides, this shouldn’t be a problem…”

“Unless of course, you don’t kill dragons anymore?” Questioned the boy, poking and prodding for the response that he wanted.

But as he tried to insist that they still killed dragons, with an overeager Gobber chiming I to help, Bruno sat up straight in his seat.

The sudden movement caught everyone’s attention, as his eyes flashed an eerie green. Glowing brightly in the dimly lit hall.

Mirabel and Hiccup jolted with fright. There was no way Dagur hadn’t seen that.

Bruno saw the outside of the building. He saw Hookfang, stomping about wildly. With Snotlout hanging onto one of his feet.

He saw the dragon knock into the side of the hall, causing one of the mighty statues that resided inside to topple.

Heading straight for Dagur.

As soon as the involuntary vision ended, the Great Hall harshly shook. Causing everyone to wobble in their seats, and hold onto the table tightly.

And Bruno knew he didn’t have much time.

“LOOK OUT!” He shouted, tackling Dagur to the ground.

The crazed teen struggled from underneath him, rage in his eyes.

“How dare you!?”

But before he could call his men, or attempt to strike the seer himself…

The statue started to fall.

Everyone present swiftly ducked to the side, as the massive pillar of stone crashed to the ground. Decimating the table, and creating a small crater on impact.

Dagur looked at where the statue lied, where he was sitting just a moment ago, with wide eyes.

He then turned to Bruno, his jaw agape.

“You saved me…”

The scruffy man grew an awkward smile.

“Y-You’re welcome, heh…”

They were both helped to their feet, Mirabel frenetically fretting over her uncle’s wellbeing. All the while, the young chief’s eyes never left his savior.

“…You tackled me before the statue fell…” He noted.

“You knew to get me out of harm’s way, before I was in the way of any harm…” A psychotic smirk tugged at the boy’s lips.

“Almost like…you knew it’d happen!”

Hiccup and the Madrigals caught onto the implication, and they did not like it.

“Uh…I noticed the statues behind us!” Said Bruno. “And after that shake, I figured they’d fall!”

“But why not save Stoick? Or Hiccup? Or your four-eyed niece?” Asked Dagur. “You only went after me.”

“And it just so happens…that the statue behind where I was sitting was the only one that fell!”

“Uh…well-uh…” Bruno fumbled around for a response, but he wasn’t able to find one.

Mirabel bristled with agitation.

“What’s with the interrogation?” She snapped. “He just saved your life! A thank you would be nice!”

The Berserkers stepped forth to handle the girl for daring to question their chieftain, but they were stopped by the boy.

“Right, right, of course. Where are my manners?”

Dagur performed a slight bow, still wearing that unhinged grin.

“Thank you, for saving me!” He said. “But…if you’ll allow me one last question…”

“Why’d your eyes glow green?”

That was a very good question.

One they didn't have a solid excuse for.

“…Trick of the light?”

Bruno’s answer earned him bemused glances from not just Dagur, but everyone in the hall.

“Trick of the light?” Repeated the crazed teen.

Bruno nodded. “Light can be very tricky.”

For a moment, Dagur just stared. His green eyes, narrowed.

Then, a grin slowly spread across his face. A murderous quality to his smile.

Hiccup and the Madrigals did not like that smile.

But what he did next surprised everyone.

“Oh, dearie me!” He abruptly yelped. “It appears as if there’s some very important Berserker business that needs to be done!”

“Guess I better head on back to the ol’ homestead!”

He waved his baffled men onwards, as he began to saunter out of the hall.

“Gotta say, it’s been a gas! We should do this again next year!”

He laid an unexpectedly gentle hand on Hiccup’s hair, and ruffled it.

“I’ll miss you the most, brother!” He grinned.

He then nudged Mirabel with an elbow.

“Take care of him, would you?” He requested. “He’s a real peach!”

Chuckling at her baffled expression, he continued on his way.

Gobber hobbled forth, a parchment in his hand.

“What about the treaty?”

“Consider it signed!” Said Dagur, as he finally exited the building.

And after his men followed him, and the doors were shut…

That was it.

“…I guess we’re done.” Mirabel uttered, not expecting this situation to end like this.

“Dagur’s always weird but…that was really weird…” Said Hiccup.

Stoick nodded. “Aye, but at least the treaty’s been signed.”

“Considered signed, anyway…” Gobber mumbled.

With that ordeal over with, and the perfect knocking wood acquired, it was time for Hiccup and the Madrigals to go home.

Though first…

“W-Where exactly could I find the facilities?” Bruno sheepishly asked.

After Hiccup gave him directions to the village’s outhouses, the man released a groan.

“Right, I forgot…” He sighed.

“No indoor plumbing…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In truth, the lack of indoor plumbing wouldn’t be too much of a hassle for Bruno.

In the walls…he had to make due.

But now that he was used to actual toilets again, it would certainly feel off.

Whistling an idle tune, the seer made his way to the farthest outhouse.

He didn’t want to feel like people were watching him.

Once he located it, he readied himself to enter.

But he stopped, when he heard a rustle in the bushes...

Turning back, he saw that the wind had simply been blowing through the leaves.

The man gave a few chuckles, after this.

He could be so paranoid.

Bruno began to turn around, prepared to do his business. All the while he was praying they had toilet paper.

But then-

Pain.

Pain, and darkness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hiccup and Mirabel were waiting in the plaza, back with Toothless and Mariposa.

Bruno was taking longer than expected.

“How much did he have to pee?” Hiccup mumbled to himself.

“At this point, I severely doubt it’s a pee…” Mirabel responded.

Deciding to leave the gross topic behind, they busied themselves with banter. Making light conversation, as various Vikings and dragons passed by.

Snotlout was still chasing after Hookfang.

One of the Vikings who passed was Tuffnut, who appeared surprised to see them.

“Woah, you guys are here?” He asked.

“Then again, I should’ve guessed that you were. Considering I just saw the Rat Man a second ago…”

The teens perked up at this.

“You saw Bruno?” Hiccup questioned. “Where?”

“Heading down to the docks, with his buddies.” Shrugged the male twin.

Mirabel and Hiccup shared a confounded glance.

“What buddies?” Asked Mirabel.

“His Berserker friends!” Answered Tuffnut. “They looked really close!”

“One of them gave him an affectionate noogie, with a hammer! And then he took a nap! Then another one hugged him, and kept hugging him all the way onto one of their ships!”

Mirabel’s blood ran cold, and Hiccup broke out into panicked sweats.

What Tuffnut just described sounded like a…

“Tío Bruno was kidnapped?” Mirabel frantically asked.

This seemed to confuse the Thorston.

“What? Kidnapped?” He repeated. “Haven’t you ever heard of platonic affection between bros before?”

With a scoff, he left the teens to their panicking.

And panicking they were.

Dagur the Deranged, certified nutjob with a desire to destroy “demigods”, had just kidnapped Bruno.

Frail, harmless, completely defenseless Bruno.

“Oh, this is bad…” Hiccup muttered. “This is very, very bad…”

“What’s bad?”

Their harsh breathing and frenzied pacing was interrupted by a familiar voice.

Turning around, both teens were quite shocked to see Julieta and Pepa standing in front of them.

Julieta’s Gronckle, Paprika, sat behind her. The same could be said for Pepa’s Skrill, Moody.

“Mom? Tía?” Mirabel asked, startled. “What are you doing here?”

“We followed you into that cloud.” Said Pepa. “We got all turned around in there!”

“We would’ve gotten here sooner, but Pepi had to pee.” Julieta added. “Twice.”

She chuckled, at the harsh glare her sister gave her.

“Okay, but why’d you follow us?” Hiccup wondered.

Julieta reached into the box her Gronckle had strapped to her back, and brought out three plates of delicious looking food.

“I made you lunch!” She grinned, warmly.

“And this just couldn’t wait until you three got back.” Groaned Pepa. “Someone had to make sure she didn’t get hurt out here…”

The weather woman looked around, and noticed that the trio that had left was now a duo.

“Hey, where’s Brunito?”

Mirabel and Hiccup shared a horrified look, wondering if they should break the news.

After a moment, Mirabel sighed.

“Well…”

An instant later, Berk was engulfed in the biggest tornado the island had ever seen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It smelled like bag.

Bruno hadn’t known what bag smelled like before, but he did now.

As consciousness slowly returned to him, he realized that a burlap sack had been placed over his head.

He tried to move his hands, and remove the bag that had somehow gotten there. But he found that he couldn’t.

His wrists were tied with thick rope, behind his back. And they were tied around a long, rigid object. His feet were bound too, which he discovered when he attempted to stand.

He could hear the wind, and the waves. As well as the shouting of unfamiliar voices, tons of them.

But the one voice he did recognize, was chuckling.

The sack was quickly removed from his head, and Bruno had to squint as the bright sun assaulted his eyes.

When his vision cleared, he saw that someone was standing over him.

Someone Bruno did not want to see, in a situation like this.

Dagur the Deranged, with a grin befitting his title, looked down upon his latest catch.

And he greeted his prey with a sinister whisper.

“Hello, Demigod!”

Chapter Text

Sometimes, Bruno almost swore that God hated him.

If he were a spiteful man, he’d chalk up the years and years of misfortune and sorrow to some higher power being out to get him.

But he wasn’t a spiteful man, and he knew better than anyone that things just happened. Good or bad, that was just life.

Though his life in particular seemed to take him to the strangest of places.

And right now, he was being held captive. By an armada of brutal and quite possibly homicidal Vikings.

Led by their chieftain, Dagur the Deranged, the Berserker Tribe had staged a kidnapping.

Bruno didn’t know quite why they took him, but he knew it couldn’t be for a pleasant reason.

As the island of Berk became smaller and smaller in the distance, the seer struggled against his constraints. His arms were held behind his back, his wrists tied to the ship’s mast. His legs were also bound.

Dagur watched his struggles with a sadistic glee, an unhinged twinkle in his eye.

“Good afternoon, Sunshine!” The mad teenager cheerily greeted. “Allow me to be the first to extend a hand of friendship!”

He held his hand out, and looked to his hostage expectantly.

“Go on!” He prompted. “Shake it!”

Considering he was all tied up, Bruno could only give the appendage an odd look. Before shifting his frightened gaze to the hand’s owner.

Dagur retracted his hand with a chuckle.

“Oh wait, you can’t!” He cackled, chortling at his little prank.

The men on board laughed as well, to their leader’s displeasure.

He swiftly turned, facing his troops with a furious expression.

“Who’s laughing? Who’s laughing at me!?” He demanded, spittle flying from his mouth. “You think I’m some kind of clown?”

The men all piped down, looking away in fear.

Now that the only sounds were the waves and the distant cries of seagulls, the Berserker chief regarded his prisoner once more.

“Y’know, you must’ve thought you were really clever…” He began, stalking forth with a predatory smirk.

“Telling me to my face that demigods weren’t real, while one was hiding right under my nose!”

“It’d be funny!” He jovially said, before his face contorted into one of rage. “If it didn’t PISS ME OFF!”

Snarling with anger, he punched the nearest Berserker. Sending him tumbling off the boat, and splashing into the sea.

Bruno began quivering, his fear increasing.

“Lo síento! I’m sorry! I-I’m sorry for lying please-please don’t kill me!” He frantically begged, feeling the panicked tears springing to his eyes.

He’d just gotten it all back, and more. His life was finally in a good place.

He couldn’t lose it now.

“I-I have a family! I have sisters and brothers and a mom and-and nieces and nephews and a wife! Por Dios, I have a wife! Please! Please don’t- “

His pleas were cut off by amused giggling.

Dagur held a hand over his stomach, as he laughed with joy at what he was witnessing.

But for as much as he wanted to savor hearing someone beg for their life, he decided it was time to tell their captive the truth.

“Relax, Oracle. We’re not gonna kill you…” He left out the part where they would kill him, once he outlived his usefulness.

Dagur began to pace, as he laid out his grand scheme.

“You see, I consider myself a simple man.” Said the teen. “A simple man, with a simple goal…”

A demented grin grew on his face.

“To become the most feared, respected, and powerful Viking in the entire archipelago!” He shouted.

“And if I kill me some demigods, I’ll have proven myself as the mightiest warrior in history!”

He added a quick mumble. “Better than my stupid dad…”

The thought of this kid getting anywhere near his family made Bruno release a frightened yelp.

Unhinged green eyes met petrified hazel ones, as Dagur described the next part of his plan.

“That’s why I need you!” He smirked, pointing right at the man.

“You can see into the future! Show me exactly how my conquest goes, and all the steps I need to take to emerge victorious!”

Despite how horrified he was, Bruno still managed to roll his eyes.

A vision.

Of course that’s what he wanted.

“Y’know kid, the future isn’t always what you want it to be…” He warned. “I-In fact, more often than not- “

A harsh slap to the face silenced the seer’s words.

“Did I ask for a lecture?” Dagur questioned, enraged. “No! I asked for a prophecy!”

“Now hurry up and say me some sooth, Soothsayer!”

The Berserkers on the ship all brought out their weapons, dark scowls on their faces.

A promise that, should the scruffy man not do as instructed, there would be consequences.

Bruno knew that his niece and her boyfriend would figure out that something was wrong, eventually.

He knew that they’d grab their dragons and fly out to save him.

Or at least…he hoped they would.

Until then, he just had to survive.

Bruno managed a nervous smile.

“Well I’d be happy to help, but uh…” He shrugged through his constraints. “My hands are tied!”

Dagur eyed the thin man with suspicion.

On the one hand, losing your leverage over a prisoner was generally not a good idea.

But he had no idea how this fortunetelling thing worked. Perhaps his hands were needed.

With a scrutinizing glare, the young chief issued a threat.

“You better not try anything funny!”

“W-Wouldn’t dream of it!” Bruno awkwardly replied.

With a raised eyebrow, Dagur nodded to one of his men.

A brief slice of a hatchet later, and his wrists were released from the rope.

Bruno exhaled with relief, gently rubbing his aching wrists.

“The legs too, please.” He requested.

Dagur bristled with agitation.

“Why do you need to stand to see into the future?” He asked.

“The process requires me to stand up.” The seer calmly responded.

Grumbling with displeasure, Dagur cut the rope binding his ankles.

Now completely free, Bruno stood on wobbly feet. It didn’t help that the boat was swaying this way and that, floating on the waves.

But once he managed to find a balance, he had a nice long stretch.

When his arms fell back to his sides, he scratched his belly with a laid-back expression.

“So what’s there to eat around here?” He casually asked.

The pure confoundedness on Dagur’s face almost made this whole experience worth it.

Almost.

“IS THIS A JOKE TO YOU!?” Shouted the crazed boy.

“I could snap my fingers, and your head would roll!”

To illustrate the point, the warriors on deck brandished their weapons again.

He pointed a thumb to his chest, gesturing wildly.

“I have the power here! Me! Not you, ME!”

“Who do you think you are?” Asked Dagur, pointing a harsh finger at the seer’s chest.

Despite the fact that every instinct he had was telling him to cower, Bruno held firm.

He needed to buy time, for his sobrina and her boyfriend to rescue him.

He needed to stall.

He needed to use his real gift.

Acting.

Bruno took on a haughty tone, and adopted an offended expression.

“Who do I think I am?” He asked, rhetorically. “I think I’m the guy who can see the future!”

Dagur was taken aback by the sudden shift in demeanor, and even more taken aback by the harsh finger that was now pointing at his own chest.

“For your information, I can’t give prophecies on an empty stomach!”

Dagur furrowed a brow.

“That doesn’t make any sense…” He uttered.

Bruno scoffed, as arrogantly as he could.

“Oh please, by all means, tell me how the process works!” He exclaimed. “You’d know so much better than I would!”

As Dagur mulled over the situation, another Berserker stepped forth. By the name of Savage.

“I dunno, sir…” He groaned, giving their captive a dirty look. “Something smells fishy…”

Bruno flippantly tossed his hair, and crossed his arms.

“I mean hey, if you don’t want a vision…”

Dagur jolted with alarm, the prospect of his conquest slipping away not being a favorable one.

He hastily faced his crew, and began barking orders.

“Somebody get him some food!” He commanded. “NOW!”

As the men scrambled to scrounge up a meal, Bruno released an unseen sigh of relief. Happy that he’d managed to stall just a little bit.

If he gave Dagur a vision the boy didn’t like, he’d be killed.

If he gave Dagur a vision he did like, it could spell disaster for the archipelago and his family.

So he’d like to avoid giving Dagur a vision for as long as humanly possible.

But while the men scurried about the boat, looking for anything edible, the ship started swaying rapidly.

Harsh winds blew into the sails, the waves were becoming rough and violent, the bright blue above shifted to dark greys…

A storm was on the horizon.

And it was coming fast.

“Huh, that’s weird…” Dagur noted. “Just a second ago…”

“There wasn’t a cloud in the sky.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the history of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe…

This was the worst storm they’d ever seen.

Wicked winds blew throughout the village, tossing anything that wasn’t bolted to the ground into the air. Including a rather unfortunate flock of sheep.

Any dragons that tried to fly were whipped into the whirlwind, and Vikings who hadn’t found cover were violently hurled about.

A heavy downpour assaulted anyone and anything that was standing in the open, drenching them immediately. And the threat of flooding was very real.

Thunder rumbled, lightning crackled, the winds howled…

Pepa was not happy.

In fact, she was terrified.

Her baby brother had been kidnapped, by a nasty group of barbarians. Their leader was literally named deranged.

Suffice to say, she wasn’t handling the news well.

Mirabel, Hiccup, and Julieta crouched behind a building. Their dragons used their wings to shield them from the storm.

Paprika’s wings were so small, there wasn’t much she could do. But she tried her best for Julieta anyways.

Even as she was in the middle of a cyclone, Julieta was overtaken by horror as well.

“Brunito…” She whispered, her quiet voice quivering with fear. “Oh, Brunito…”

She had no idea if he was hurt or not. She had no idea what they were doing with him.

She had no idea if he was alive.

Mirabel noticed her mother’s fright, and tried to reassure her over the winds.

“It’s okay, mamá.” She said, placing a soothing hand on the woman’s arm. “We’ll get him back!”

“She’s right, mom.” Added Hiccup, trying to help. “I know Dagur, there’s definitely some scheme attached to this. Bruno’s still alive.”

“For now, at least…” He thought.

Julieta looked, both at her daughter and the boy she’d accepted as one of her own.

Their certainty that her brother was alright was so strong, it began to instill a bit of confidence within her as well.

And when her Gronckle administered some loving nudges to her belly, she couldn’t help but crack a small smile. Despite the direness of the circumstances.

“Gracias, both of you…” She said, before her dragon gave an indignant rumble. She hurried to correct herself.

“All of you!”

With that matter settled, the more important issue came into question.

Hiccup peeked his head around the corner, his eyes widening with shock when he saw an entire Yak blowing by.

“We gotta calm Pepa down, before she sinks the whole island!” He yelled.

“She’s scared!” Replied Mirabel. “How could she not be?”

Julieta took note of all the havoc that was being caused, and grew a resolute frown.

“I understand that, and I don’t blame her…” She began to stand, bracing herself against the building’s side. “But people and dragons might get hurt!”

She looked back to her daughter, and her adoptive son.

“Besides, we can’t rescue Bruno if she’s like this.”

Her tone was serious, but it also carried a sense of adventure and daring.

One that sparked the determination in the souls of both teens.

Though that begged the question of just how they were going to calm Pepa down.

She was in the center of the village, pacing in frantic circles as she hugged herself tightly. It seemed she had no idea of the destruction her fear was causing.

This storm was immensely intense, it wasn’t as if they could simply walk or fly up to her.

If Felix was here, he’d probably stroll through the tornado like it was nothing.

The three looked around as best they could, trying to find a way they could safely reach the distressed woman.

And they spotted the strangest thing.

The wind was causing a wagon to roll down the way, and a sheep was using it for protection.

Skittering in time with it when it moved, and hastily stopping whenever the cart stopped. Using this method, the animal could safely traverse the windy village without fear of being blown away.

And it gave Julieta an idea.

“Paprika!”

At her call, the reddish-brown Gronckle tromped over to her rider. A bit hesitant, due to the state of things.

The healer turned to her kids, with a stern look.

“Stay here!” She ordered. “Let me handle this!”

Mirabel attempted to move forward, a protest on her lips. But one look from her mother silenced that.

Using Paprika’s sturdy body, Julieta followed the sheep’s example.

Slowly, they inched ever closer towards Pepa. Occasionally stopping when the weather got too rough, or to duck under a flying axe or hammer.

As they approached, they saw that the woman wasn’t alone.

Her Skrill, Moody, sat at her side. Gently hissing to her.

He was trying to soothe her, to offer some form of support, but she was too lost in her panic.

He noticed Julieta nearing. And instead of his usual hostile behavior, his reptilian eyes sent her a pleading look.

The healer understood what he was asking, and wordlessly nodded.

Now in the eye of the storm, Pepa’s frantic muttering could be heard.

“I’m gonna lose him again I can’t lose him again I just got him back and I’m gonna lose him again I can’t do this again I can’t- “

Over the raging winds, and the panicked rambling, Julieta tried to get her sister’s attention.

“Pepa!”

Her cry was unheard.

“Pepa, please!” She tried. “I know it’s scary, but you have to calm down!”

Once again, there was no reaction.

The storm seemed to intensify, and she could swear she saw one of the Viking teenagers her kids hung out with being flung through the air.

But just asking the woman to relax clearly wasn’t working.

Perhaps she was going about it the wrong way.

Perhaps instead of just asking her to stop being scared, she needed to address why she was scared.

With a steely glare, Julieta braced herself.

She stepped forth with the heaviest gait she could manage, trying to both root herself to the ground and move forward at once. Using her arm to shield herself from the rain.

It was tough, she was nearly blown away a few times, if not for the dragons assisting her.

But soon enough, she was close.

Close enough to pull her sister in for a hug.

“I’m gonna lose him again I’m gonna lose him again I’m gonna- “

Pepa’s ramble was cut off by a startled yelp, as she was suddenly pulled into a tight embrace.

“Pepita…” Julieta began, gently. “I know you’re afraid, I am too…”

She pulled away a bit, to look her sibling in the eyes.

“But we will get him back!”

“We aren’t going to lose him.” She declared. “Never again.”

In the warm hold of her older sister, Pepa finally allowed the tears to flow.

“I’M JUST SO SCARED!”

Julieta released a sigh, and pulled the other woman in close again.

“Oh, come here…”

She simply let Pepa wail into her shoulder, as she slowly rubbed her back.

As she did, the storm seemed to lessen.

The winds gradually slowed down. The rain turned into a meager drizzle. The thunder and lightning dissipated.

Pepa let it all out.

Now that the chaos had subsided, Vikings began to apprehensively come out of hiding. To assess any damages.

Luckily, no one was injured. And no homes were destroyed, just the items that were thrown about.

“No!” Tuffnut cried, as he sank to his knees.

In his hands were the broken halves of a mace, wrecked in the hurricane.

“Not Macy!” He cried. “Why? Why do the good die young!?”

“Oh, so that’s why you’re still alive…” Ruffnut mumbled.

The people began to gather in the plaza, wondering just what was up with that freak storm.

Not only had it come out of nowhere, it was gone in just a few minutes.

“What in Thor’s name was that?” Stoick asked, wringing out his cape.

Hiccup and Mirabel shared a worn-out grin.

“Not Thor’s name...” Hiccup smirked. “Pepa’s name.”

The woman in question smiled sheepishly.

“Sorry about that, heh…”

Moody nudged her side with his snout, before giving the crowd a harsh glare. Snarling aggressively.

If anyone has any problems with her, they’d have to get through him first.

The Hooligans all looked upon Pepa with a newfound sense of fear, and reverence.

And they made a solemn vow.

Never…

For any reason…

Make her mad.

“What I wanna know, is what got her so upset in the first place?” Gobber wondered, scratching his rear end with his hook.

Mirabel’s grin fell, and was replaced with a grimace.

“Dagur kidnapped my uncle!” She revealed.

This earned gasps from the crowd, and Stoick especially seemed surprised.

“Brunhilda?” He questioned, earning him a poke in the elbow from Gobber.

“Ye mean Bruno.” Corrected the blacksmith.

Surprise boiling into rage, the chief huffed his displeasure.

“The Berserker Tribe may be Berk’s ally, but so is the Encanto…”

His hands balled into fists. “To abduct a member of its ruling family, and a relative of my future daughter-in-law…it’s no less than an act of war.”

Stoick faced his people with a dire expression.

“I don’t wish for an altercation with the Berserkers…” He began. “But they cannot be allowed to get away with this crime. Especially when an innocent, and particularly skinny life hangs in the balance.”

He brandished his axe, and raised it to the clearing skies.

“With the strength of Berk’s strongest warriors, we will rescue Brunhil-um, BRUNO!”

The Hooligans raised their fists, bellowing out war cries. The dragons released ferocious roars and screeches.

Most of them didn’t even know Bruno. But they knew Hiccup, and they knew Mirabel.

Anyone who screwed with them, had the whole island to answer to.

But for as nice as it was to know that everyone had their backs, the young couple weren’t exactly fond of the whole war idea.

“W-Wait!” Hiccup yelped. “Hold on!”

“There doesn’t need to be a war!” Mirabel said.

The crowd quieted into whispers and mumbles, everyone giving the teens odd looks.

Stoick huffed again, this time in discontent.

“It’s not like I want to start a fight…” He said. “But how else do you propose we save your uncle?”

“In case ye both are forgetting, Dagur’s got an entire armada!” Gobber reminded. “Not to mention he’s nuttier than a squirrel!”

“What do ye have?” He asked.

Mirabel and Hiccup both glanced to each other, and grew identically lopsided grins.

They spoke at the same time.

“Pepa!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Here you are.”

Bruno eyed the bowl that was presented to him with a level of disgust he didn’t know he was capable of.

The food, if one could call it that, was a grey mush. Odd bits of green and brown speckled throughout the strangely gelatinous substance.

And to top it off, a skeletal fish head poked out of the middle.

Turning his nose up, Bruno swatted the bowl out of the Berserker’s hands. Crossing his arms as it fell into the sea.

The seer looked over the side of the ship, and saw a section of the water had become quite discolored.

A few fish were bobbing up to the surface. On their sides.

“Whatever that was, it definitely wasn’t food…”

The Berserker who’d given him the mush, Savage, groaned with exasperation.

“First you said it was too cold, then you said it was too hot, then you said it was too lukewarm, and now this!” He snarled. “You’re just wasting our time!”

“What can I say?” Shrugged the Madrigal. “I’m a picky eater!”

“Picky eater?” Dagur repeated, as he began to advance. “Picky eater!?”

“Let’s see how particular your tastes are, when you don’t have any teeth to eat with!”

The Berserker chief looked to be a few seconds from strangling Bruno, and the scruffy man knew he had to act fast to save his skin.

“You want a good future?”

The question caught Dagur off guard, and he stopped in his tracks.

“H-Huh?” He dopily asked.

“Do you want a good future?” Bruno said again, slower this time.

After a second, he received a nod from the crazed teen.

Bruno gave him a kindly smile.

“Good!”

The smile dropped in an instant, replaced with an irritated look.

“Then I need some real food!” Snapped the man, acting with an uncharacteristic snootiness.

“Better food equals better future, got that?”

Dagur bristled with anger, but not towards his prisoner.

“Yeah, you got that?” Questioned the teen. “Go get some actual food up here, you idiot!”

Savage sent him a withering glare, before grumbling his way below deck.

And now that it was just the two of them, Bruno decided to try something risky.

“Hey, y’know what I think?” He asked, in a hushed tone.

Dagur faced him, an eyebrow raised in silent inquiry.

“I think he was trying to sabotage the mission.”

This seemed to surprise Dagur, as he even took a brief step backwards. Before leaning in, suspicion in his gaze.

“What do you mean?” Questioned the young chief.

“I think that guy gave me sucky food on purpose, so I couldn’t have a vision…” Whispered the seer. “I think he doesn’t want you to see your, uh…glorious future.”

Bruno could see that his little attempt at manipulation was already working, as Dagur’s eyes began darting around the ship. Ogling each crew member with an increasing paranoia.

“You might be right…” He muttered. “Savage is just a few letters away from sabotage…”

Bruno watched as he stomped off, and sighed in relief yet again.

He’d always felt extremely unlucky, he still was unsure if he was actually cursed or not.

But right now, he had to be the luckiest man alive.

He was managing to avoid having a vision, by tricking the Berserkers with a growing number of excuses.

But he knew, eventually, that his luck would run out.

He really hoped Mirabel and Hiccup found him before it did.

As he thought this over, the rough seas they were sailing on calmed significantly. The cloudy skies cleared, and the winds relaxed.

It seemed the weather had returned to its previous, pleasant state.

For about ten minutes.

Abruptly, a dense fog rolled onto the ocean. Obscuring everyone’s view significantly.

“What the-what is this?” Dagur cried, waving a hand in front of his face.

To Bruno, these rapid shifts in weather felt very familiar…

There was shouting, from one of the boats.

“Dragons!”

Reptilian shadows could briefly be spotted, flying in the fog. Each time they appeared, they seemed to be getting closer to the ships.

“Dragon attack!” Dagur cheered. “Finally, something to kill!”

“Archers at the ready!” He commanded.

“But sir, we can’t see them!” Responded a Berserker.

The young chief growled with annoyance. Sometimes he swore he was the only one who could get anything accomplished.

“What are you talking about?” He agitatedly asked. “They’re right- “

He turned around, to point out the dragons.

But he literally couldn’t see anything.

The whole world was a misty grey.

As he was turned around, too busy trying to find his own self within this smog, he didn’t catch the beast that was approaching.

He didn’t catch the flying lizard, soaring ever closer to his ship.

He didn’t catch the dragon as it snatched Bruno into its claws.

But he heard the noise.

Dagur quickly swiveled around, hearing the barest hints of a strangled scream-

But no one was there.

The soothsayer was gone.

Dagur felt the fury rising up through his body, like lava bubbling in a volcano.

And he just had to let it out.

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?”

High in the air, obscured by the fog, Bruno was being suffocated by a crushing hug.

“Hermanito!” Pepa said, with a beaming smile. Suffocating her brother with her embrace.

Bruno was never happier to have his lungs annihilated.

“G-Good to see you, Pepi!” He said.

Mariposa flew up beside Moody, Mirabel on her back.

“Tío, are you okay?” Asked the bespectacled girl.

“He didn’t throw any knives at your vital organs, did he?” Hiccup wondered, atop Toothless. “He really likes doing that…”

The seer shook his head, his wavy hair shuffling with the motion.

“No, nothing like that!” He said. “Don’t worry about me, I-I’m fine!”

Hearing that her brother was unharmed made Pepa’s heart blossom with joy.

And it showed, when the fog cleared into a beautiful rainbow.

Allowing every Berserker to see who was making off with their prisoner.

“We kinda needed that, Pepa…” Hiccup sighed. “Y’know, stealth mission and all?”

Dagur’s eyes were as wide as they could be, as he took in the sight before him.

Hiccup, Mirabel, Bruno, and two women he’d never met…

All riding on the backs of dragons.

“I was right…” He whispered, before the full weight of the realization hit him.

“I WAS RIGHT!”

His enraged shout caught the attention of everyone present.

“YOU ARE TRAINING DRAGONS! YOU LIED TO ME!”

He was made a fool of. Deceived by an entire island.

This would not stand.

Dagur faced his men, his teeth bared in a snarl.

“Well?” He impatiently asked. “You can see the dragons now, morons!”

He sharply pointed to the small group of airborne lizards, murderous intent in his green eyes,

“FIRE!”

A storm of arrows were fired at the Madrigals, their dragons swiftly attempting to dodge.

“We gotta get out of here!” Said Mirabel.

She flew onwards, and the others followed her. Hiccup surged to the front of the pack.

With Bruno acquired, he was trying his hardest to summon another golden storm.

“Come on…come on…” He whispered to himself. “Take us home…take us home…take us- “

He was interrupted by a loud shriek, when Toothless was hit by a boulder. Launched by a catapult.

“Bullseye!” Dagur shouted, from below.

Dislodged from his dragon, Hiccup tumbled to the ocean. Managing to avoid soaring arrows and boulders as he did so, miraculously.

Before his fall could continue any longer, he was caught by a pair of purple talons.

Looking up, he saw that Moody had saved him. A smug Pepa grinned down on him.

“You can’t die yet!” She chuckled. “I still haven’t seen the wedding!”

Mariposa had caught Toothless, and she joined forces with Moody to get the boy and the Night Fury back in the air.

But the boulders were still flying, as the legion of boats continued to fire their ammo at the dragons.

Toothless ducked and dodged, Mariposa spun in the air, Julieta narrowly avoided being bludgeoned, when her Gronckle caught a hefty rock in her mouth and ate it.

Every direction they went, they were met with more attacks. They were being corralled into a tight circle.

The teens required focus, to send them home.

And it was hard to focus in these conditions.

They needed something that’d get the Berserker’s off their backs, even for a moment.

Pepa was observing the ships, clutching her braid with fright, when she suddenly remembered something.

They were in the middle of the ocean.

A memory of herself as a child, splashing around in the tub, sprang to her mind.

The absence of her favorite rubber ducky angered her. And all that water, plus a little lightning...

Her mother was very mad that day.

And that gave her an idea.

A dark cloud already forming over her head, she quickly flew her Skrill over to Mirabel.

“Catch!”

Bruno was dropped onto Mariposa, and Mirabel wasted no time in fretting over her uncle.

The weather woman then faced her sister, atop her Gronckle.

"Juli!" She shouted. "I've got a plan!"

After a brief description, Julieta gave a nod.

"Stay put." She said, turning to her kids.

"That's twice in one day..." Hiccup noted.

Pepa’s cloud was growing bigger and bigger, darker and darker.

They flew towards the fleet, dodging enemy fire with steadfast glares.

Julieta surged ahead, before bringing her round dragon into a dive.

"DRAGON INCOMING!" Shouted a Berserker.

But before they could do anything to her, she was in the water.

Though she was out of the water, a second after.

Repeatedly, Paprika leapt out of the sea. As roughly as possible.

Splashing all the ships she could, making sure every warrior was dripping wet.

A large number of the ships had an abundance of puddles on their decks, the ones up front most of all.

Now that Julieta was done, it was Pepa's turn.

She hovered above the front most ship, and spotted the teenage boy who stood on it.

From Hiccup’s description, she knew it had to be Dagur.

The boy himself didn’t miss that there seemed to be a cloud that followed this woman wherever she went, and he knew that wasn’t normal.

“Another demigod…” He realized.

A demigod on a Skrill, no less.

Pepa regarded the fleet with a scowl, and raised her voice for their leader to hear.

“LEAVE US ALONE!”

Her plea was met with a soaking Dagur sticking his tongue out at her.

“No can do!” He said, before pointing to her. “Fire!”

Pepa just sighed, giving a shrug as her cloud rumbled with energy.

“You try to be reasonable…”

She thought of what these people did to her brother.

Her precious baby brother, who was lost to them for years.

She thought of just how scared she was, that she’d lose him again.

She thought of who’s fault that was.

And she got pissed.

After releasing a furious cry, her thundercloud zapped with a powerful jolt of lightning.

It hit her Skrill’s body, supercharging him with electricity.

With a wicked screech, Moody let loose. Firing bolts in all directions.

Every Berserker who was drenched with water, or standing in a puddle, was hit with the lightning.

Including Dagur.

The unhinged teen dropped to the ground, spasming as the electricity coursed through his body.

The entire front of the armada had been thoroughly zapped, all the metal helmets and weapons certainly didn't help.

The back half was unsure as how to proceed. Lest they be shocked as well.

And Julieta and Pepa took this moment to make their escape.

Flying back to the rest of their relatives, the middle child wore a victorious grin.

“That’s what happens when you mess with my baby brother!”

Bruno groaned, from behind Mirabel.

“You’re only five minutes older than me!” He argued.

“It still counts!” Countered Julieta. As Pepa dried her off with sun rays.

The seer pouted, looking like a grumpy child. As the others around him laughed.

But the laughter ceased, when he suddenly released a horrified gasp.

“Oh no!” He squealed. “Oh no, no, no, no!”

He frenetically patted himself down, reaching into his ruana for something.

“What’s wrong?” Mirabel asked, filled with concern.

Bruno turned to her with wide eyes, filled with dread.

“Emilia!”

This made everyone pause.

“Who?” They all asked, at once.

“Emilia! My favorite rat!” Elaborated the scruffy man.

“She’s not in here! She-She must be back on the ship!”

Hiccup looked back, to the front most ship.

And sure enough, if he really squinted…

He could see a little white thing, scurrying about the deck.

“Oh for Thor’s sake…”

Using Toothless’ impressive speed, he zipped back down.

Luckily, the fleet was too dazed to fire at him. Though he didn't expect this to last for much longer.

Once on board, he quickly tried to pluck the rodent from the ground. Before the shocked Berserkers regained their senses.

“Come on!” He urged. “Before we get killed!”

Emilia sniffed at Hiccup’s fingers, before finally scampering onto his palms.

“Finally…” With that last groan, he began to rise.

Only to quickly stop, as a dagger was tossed right where his head was about to be. Implanting itself on the boat’s mast.

He already knew who threw it.

“I was right…” Snarled Dagur, his clothing charred and slightly smoking. “About everything!”

“You are training dragons! You did tame a Night Fury! There are demigods! You don’t have a girlfriend!”

Hiccup raised an eyebrow.

“Three out of four ain’t bad…”

Dagur then seemed to be overtaken by an emotion that almost seemed like…

Betrayal.

“How could you lie to me like this!?” He demanded. “I thought we were brothers!”

Remembering all the torment he suffered thanks to this psychopathic teenager, Hiccup sent him a harsh glower.

“I’ve learned a lot about family recently, Dagur.” He began. “And there’s one thing I can say for certain…”

“We are not brothers.”

And then he hopped onto Toothless, Emilia in hand, before the Berserkers could try anything else.

“T-THIS ISN’T OVER!” Dagur shouted after him. “YOU HEAR ME!?”

“I WILL DESTROY YOU, AND EVERYTHING YOU LOVE! THIS MEANS WAR!”

The voice crack really soiled the intended, threatening effect.

Back in the skies, Hiccup handed Bruno his rat.

“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you Hiccup!” Bruno gratefully said, snuggling his rodent to his cheek. “Say thank you, Emi!”

The rat gave a little, peppy squeak. And the scrawny teen presumed that was a thank you.

“See, this is why you’re my favorite Viking!” Grinned the seer.

And just then, a rumble of thunder broke out.

“Don’t look at me!” Said Pepa.

But she wasn’t responsible for this storm.

Because it was golden.

Mirabel looked to her mother, aunt, uncle, and boyfriend with a warm smile.

“Let’s go home!”

And so, with their Rat Man rescued, they flew into the magical clouds. All eager to return to the Encanto.

Though Hiccup had to warp back really quick, and inform his father that the mission as a success. Before he jumped into a conflict while they were gone.

But as Hiccup and the Madrigals enjoyed that night’s dinner, trying to avoid telling the rest of the family that there was a homicidal teenager out to kill them all…

A certain someone was plotting…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Let’s assess the situation!”

Dagur’s bold voice resounded throughout the waters, the whole armada could hear it.

Except the men in the very back, who just nodded along anyway.

“Berk has been training dragons, for use in battle!” He said, pacing back and forth. "Including a Skrill, and even a Night Fury!"

Surprised whispers were had among the men, those were two of the most illusive and deadly dragons of all. Even though they'd seen it, it was still a shock.

And Berserkers had history with the Skrill species.

Dagur kept talking.

“And not only that, they’ve allied themselves with a band of demigods!”

“With this much power, they could take over the entire archipelago!” He shouted, garnering boos from the crew.

“But we can’t have that, because I wanna take over the archipelago!” This statement got applause, instead.

“So I think our next course of action is obvious…”