Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In a state of tormented slumber, wrestling with invisible troubles that plague his mind. Every attempt to rise from the dreamlike fog only served to entangle him further, leaving him paralyzed and trapped in a waking nightmare. As if bound by invisible chains, he felt the weight of his distress weighing down on him. 

Each moment felt like an eternity as he tried desperately to free himself from the confines of his own troubled thoughts. His breaths shallow, his eyes darting restlessly beneath closed lids, a physical manifestation of the inner struggle raging within him.

His limbs refused to obey his silent commands, locked in an unresponsive paralysis. Frustration welled up inside him as he tried in vain to twitch a finger or even flutter an eyelid, each failed attempt adding fuel to the fire of his mounting despair.

As he wrestled with his helplessness, the silence deafening. Every attempt to break free from the paralysis only seemed to reinforce it, the more he fought, the more trapped he felt.

He noticed something stirring within the depths of his consciousness. It was a subtle shift, almost imperceptible at first, but it marked a break in the oppressive stillness. The sensation was faint, yet it sent a wave of curiosity coursing through his being, momentarily overriding the despair that weighed on him.

He could sense the foreign presence within him, its origins a mystery. It wasn't a part of him, but it was there, a new element in the landscape of his poisoned thoughts. The unknown nature of this intrusion both scared and intrigued him, adding another layer to his already troubled psyche.

In response to the mysterious presence, he felt his body stirring, albeit weakly. The paralysis that had held him captive seemed to loosen, allowing a faint sense of movement to return. Though it was a small victory, it ignited a glimmer of hope within him, a sign that he might not be as powerless as he had felt before.

“Oh, this is really starting to chap my tunic.” A deep unknown voice swirled in his head.

As Yopo regained a slight sense of control over his body, his awareness shifted, and he became aware of something new ensnaring him. It was like a silky, yet strong substance wrapping around him, a perplexing sensation that hindered his movement. The more he attempted to wriggle free, the tighter the grip around him seemed to become.

“What took you so– Skullcrusher? Skullcrusher!”

Despite the unfamiliar and disconcerting feeling of being entangled, the warmth that enveloped Yopo felt strangely comforting. It was as if he was cradled in a cozy embrace, a comforting sensation that seemed to soften the edges of his despair and made him reluctant to break free. Until he warmed up, anyway.

Chapter Text

After a while, when Yopo felt the weight of his distress had lifted and the warm embrace still enveloped him, he finally decided to emerge. With a deep breath, he allowed his eyelids to flutter, his world slowly coming into focus as he emerged from the dreamlike state.

He blinked, bewildered as his vision cleared and he realized he was ensnared in a tangled mess of silky, vibrant ginger-red hair. He tried to move, but the silky strands clung to him, binding him gently.

A mixture of confusion and curiosity washed over Yopo as he tried to make sense of the situation. He tried to free himself, but the silky, ginger-red strands wrapped around him like a cocoon, unyielding to his attempts to break free.

Frustration bubbled within Yopo as he realized that not only was he ensnared in a mass of silky ginger hair, but it was also tied around his mask's tiny round ears and teeth, completely immobilizing his head. He tried to jerk free, but each movement only seemed to tighten the strands around him.

The more he tried to move, the more tangled he became, the silky red strands wrapping around him like an impenetrable web. It was as if they had a life of their own, refusing to release their hold on him. Yopo could feel his frustration mounting as he tried to free himself, only to find himself further ensnared in the silken grip.

Amidst the chaos, Yopo felt the owner of the hair erupt into deep, booming laughter, oblivious to his plight. The shaking and vibrations from the laughter echoed through the confines of the silken strands, actually slightly loosening the hair. He could feel the laughter reverberate around him, the sound muffled by the mass of hair that cocooned him.

Frustration quickly morphed into annoyance as he twisted and flailed, trying to escape from the cocoon of silky hair. To his surprise, the uproarious laughter abruptly ceased, replaced by a moment of silence. Finally, Yopo's struggles had finally caught the owner's attention.

Feeling the owner of the hair begin to move, their hands reach out to gently rake through the tangled mass of silky strands, Yopo felt a strange sense of relief. At least someone was trying to free him, but the awkward sensation of being brushed against made him even more uncomfortable.

A hand grasped his long-sleeve, off-white tunic, while the other hand began to pull at the tangled knots and strands of silky hair. His trousers were dark grey and brown boots completing the look. His long, snowy white, messy hair poked out in every direction, framed by a sheepskin hat, only partially held back by a half ponytail adorned with sky-blue tassels. 

It wasn't very tangled like the red, so it didn't get all that stuck.

Above the mask of white and orange, accented with gold, resembled the face of a fearsome tiger, complete with the open mouth, sharp teeth, and furry cheeks, rounded ears - which had their own problems with the silk cocoon - the red, rhombus patterned scarf wrapped around his neck was hands down the most tangled in the red hair.

 With a few more vigorous tugs, Yopo felt the hair snap around him, and he was finally freed from the cocoon of ginger-red hair. He let out a sigh of relief and looked up, taking in the sight of the person who had held him captive in their tangled locks.

He found himself face-to-face with the towering figure of a giant of a man, who looked down at him with a mixture of disbelief and bewilderment. The man's massive frame and imposing presence made Yopo feel even smaller than he already was, reminding him of Tsadi, the Golden Wasteland Elder. 

He was trapped in the man's thick beard. It reminded Yopo of Daleth, the Isle of Dawn Elder, but not nearly as long and bright red instead of white. Well, there were more than a few strands of grey hair. He didn't have normal, glowing, eyes like him or his sisters. They were a bright green like the grass at Home surrounded by white with a black dot in the middle. He was strange.

A small gasp - that sounded more like a high-pitched flute - slipped from Yopo as he was suddenly dropped onto a firm bed covered in fur. The impact of his landing on the soft, furry surface jolted him, and he sat up, a little disoriented. He looked up at the man nearly as big as Tsadi so closely that he almost missed the other man next to him. 

This man looked a lot like the Tsadi man in form, but shorter and a bit more around the belly, like Ayin, the Daylight Prairie Elder. He didn't have normal eyes either, these ones were a bright blue like the Daylight Prairie sky surrounded by white with a black dot in the middle. Unlike Ayin, this man had no hair on top, a long, braided blond mustache, and his face got bigger under said mustache.

These men definitely weren't Skykids or Spirits or Elders.

Still reeling from the surprise of the Tsadi man, he sprang to his feet and bolted away. As the Ayin man reached out to grab him, his instincts kicked in, and he darted through the room, evading the outstretched hands.

Yopo's escape from the room was short-lived as he burst outside only to find himself surrounded by even more giant men and women. The sight of so many towering figures left him feeling small and powerless. Heart racing, he realized he was still very much outnumbered, and he resumed his dash, running as fast as his feet would carry him.

He tore through the village, his small feet carrying him as quickly as they could towards the woods. The shadows of the tall trees loomed ahead, offering the promise of cover. Yopo's mind raced with adrenaline as he drew closer to the edge of the village.

It’s not that he was afraid, really, they didn't give off the feel of Darkness like Krills or Crabs did. But he just wanted a break from all things cage related. He didn't want to deal with them right then, and running semi-free was a plus.

Yopo raced through the forest, his feet dodging over roots and leaping over dips in the ground, but his careless dash through the foliage led to an unexpected tumble down a cliff. He landed in a heap, his small body rolling down the rocky incline, feeling the branches and greenery smacking against his arms and legs. 

However, as he reached the bottom of the cliff, he was relieved to find that he hadn't been hurt too badly. Despite the fall, he quickly picked himself up and dusted off, looking around to assess his new surroundings.

Catching his breath, he laughed at his own thoughts, realizing that they weren't actually giants, but he just appeared small compared to them. Yopo glanced up at the towering treetops, his eyes filled with determination. Despite his small stature, he felt empowered to have outmaneuvered the much larger beings.

Yopo looked around and, since he had to idea where he or the first Winged Light was, he quickly decided that the first step was to find the highest place he could to get a better vantage point. With his hand on his forehead, he scanned his surroundings, searching for a tree or hill that stood taller than the rest. 

He knew that from a higher vantage point, he could get a clearer view of the area, potentially spotting landmarks and figuring out where he was. 

Spotting a large tree a short distance away, its tall and sturdy trunk reaching high into the sky. 

Fixing his tiger mask so that the teeth are parallel to each other, he channeled his inner Juna and marched confidently toward the tree, careful to avoid any fallen branches or obstacles in his path. Once he reached the base of the tree, he looked up, craning his neck to get a better view. The treetop seemed to stretch endlessly towards the heavens, promising a better perspective of the surrounding area.

Yopo took a deep breath and began scaling the tree. His small hands gripped the bark of the lower branches, and he pulled himself up. With each step, he climbed higher and higher. Every so often, he glanced down just to make sure he put his foot in the right, then quickly looked up, keeping his focus on reaching the top.

He'd be pissed if he missed a step and fell. Might even cry.

Getting higher and higher in the tree, the wind whispered through the trees. The view grew clearer with each step, and the world around him slowly came into perspective. The leaves of the trees beneath him looked like a sea of green, and the forest beyond stretched out in all directions. Yopo continued climbing, pushing himself higher and higher, determined to find the right spot to gather his bearings.

Halfway up, he caught a glimpse of a larger hill than the tree in the distance, and he quickly decided that it would be the best landmark to find his bearings. Without wasting any time, he jumped down to the longest branch and jumped off in the direction of the hill.

He landed on the ground, his feet sounding like a soft clarinet with scratchy recorder undertones, already halfway up the hill. The walk was peaceful, and the forest was quiet around him. It looked like the Hidden Forest, except less rainy and miserable.

Trekking through the forest, his small legs carrying him across roots and leaf litter, he finally reached the hill he had spotted from the top of the tree. He felt a sense of satisfaction as he looked around, the higher elevation giving him a panoramic view of the surroundings.

Squinting as he scanned the area, looking for higher vantage points, his determined eyes spotted an even taller tree in the distance. Without a second thought, he fixed his white tunic and headed towards the tree, ready to climb it.

Yopo approached the tall tree, its massive trunk towering over him. Without hesitation, he reached up and grabbed onto a sturdy branch, pulling himself up. His small frame scaled the tree quickly, and with each step, he ascended higher and higher. The leaves around him rustled as he climbed, filling the air with a soothing sound.

Looking down, a sense of pride welled up within him and he puffed out his chest. The view from the treetop was incredible, and the world below seemed so small and far away. He took a deep breath, smelling the crisp, forest air. It smelled like something. 

He wouldn't know, Yopo can't smell. He didn't even need that breath or know why he took it.

As he looked around, spinning in a slow circle on the edge of the tree, he nearly tumbled off when a gust of air blasted past him. His scarf almost came off with it, he caught it, but he didn't catch his beloved Acorn Hat off with it.

A glowing exclamation point appeared above his head as he tried to lunge and catch it before gravity took hold. “No! Acorn Hat!”

He actually caught it. He was not expecting to catch it.

Cheering, he proceeded to fling it. He watched helplessly as it sailed through the air, cursing gravity. He really atta go find a Winged Light and get his cape. 

Yopo let the top half of his body slouch as he wandered back over to the tree and slumped his head into the bark. He groaned exaggeratedly and then kicked the tree. Collecting himself again, he looked down through the branch at Acorn Hat, laying dejected on the roots. 

With another dramatic bass sounding groan and a red popped vein floating over his head, he began making his way down.

Chapter Text

When he hopped off the last branch, he immediately began looking around. His Acorn Hat must've been around the tree somewhere, but he didn't see it on the ground. Taking his search to the boulders and smaller trees around the area, and still no sign of his favorite hat.

Time to widen the search. He's not leaving till he finds Acorn Hat.

An hour later, Yopo finds a… thing. It's a sleeping giant animal that Yopo's never seen before. Not a manta, not a cosmic manta, not a bird, not a nightbird, not a whale, not a jellyfish, not a cosmic jellyfish, not a fish, not a seal, not a crab, not really a worm or krill, definitely not a king krill. Not anything he knew. 

Yopo was 3 feet; average for a Skykid, yet he only came up to giant animal's overbite. 

This magnificent beast was black with a bright rainbow trim on its scales and a beige underbelly and jaw. It had big, jagged white teeth and large, bright pink spikes all over its head and body that Yopo could see. It was so beautifully colorful.

The beast must've smelled him because it exhaled sharp, fiery hot air and little hints of soot in his face. It was such an intense heat in such a short time that immediately dissipated afterward that it had Yopo stumbling backward. 

Blinked a few times, a loud combination of whistling sound effects and chimes played together as he jumped forward and hugged its largest horn, the nose horn. The beast lifted its head and brought Yopo over to its wings. 

From up high, Yopo could see even more bright colors on its smooth, black body. Its wings looked like the Shattering Ultimate Krill Cape, but they didn't look much like a cape. Besides, with the sharp spikes on its back, there wasn't really a place for a cape to lay.

It made a squawk sound and tilted its head down onto its wings. Yopo got the hint and slipped down onto its wing, and there slid down to the ground. “You look like a megabird, but you're not white. I don't think you're a megabird.”

The beast squawked again, now turning its head so that it could actually see him. “I'm gonna call you Megabird anyway. What do you think?”

Coating the tail was a series of brink pink spines, which started rattling like maracas. “Yeah, I think you like it. Now, I was looking for something before I found you.”

Yopo crossed his arms, tapping his foot into the ground – which made a drum beat – doing a mental check of what he was wearing. 

Dark brown boots? Check. Dark gray trousers? Check. Off-white tunic? Check. Red scarf with rhombus pattern? Check. White and orange tiger mask with an open mouth? Check. Sky blue hair tassels? Check. Ah, right.

“I remembered, Megabird! I'm looking for my Acorn Hat. Do you know where it is?” Megabird squawked confusedly. Yopo rubbed the beast's overbite. “Of course you don't.”

“Well, nice meeting you, Megabird. I'm gonna go look for Acorn Hat.” Yopo turned and immediately tripped on a bush. “Ow. Oh! Acorn Hat!” 

In the bush next to Megabird, was Acorn Hat. Yopo jumped up and collected the little brown hat and plopped it on his head. “I'm complete now.”

“Alright, Megabird.” Yopo turned around again and marched over to the giant beast. “Would you happen to know where to go to have fun around here?”

Megabird sniffed at him. Lots of sharp fiery exhales after cold inhales. Then Megabird tilted its head and grabbed Yopo by the waist, then got up and spread its wings. 

Taking a running start, Megabird flew into the air, not unlike when Skykids fly. If Yopo screamed like a trombone, that's nobody's business but his.

Chapter Text

“Well, tha’ was weird.” 

“Is me beard really that dirty?” Stoick stroked his beard. “I guess I know what I'm doing tonight.”

“Eh, it don't look tha’ bad.” Gobber waved a hand in dismissal. “More importantly, I told ya trolls exist.”

Leveling an unimpressed look at Gobber, Stoick raised an eyebrow. Gobber chuckled, “I'm just surprised it didn' steal any socks.”

“Gobber…” Stoick shook his head softly, watching Gobber limp to a desk with a piece of parchment. “Writin’ ta Hiccup?”

“Ya know it. He was the most broken up about yer stay here.” Gobber grabbed a charcoal parchment. “Almost let a couple dragons get hurt.”

“Ah…” Stoick stayed quiet to stew on his thoughts, while Gobber finished up. 

Spitelout crashed through the door. “WHAT THA HELL WAS THAT??”

“A troll that got stuck in Stoick's beard,” Grobber said. He limped over and pushed past Spitelout. “Excuse me.”

“A what?? A troll? In yer beard, Stoick?”

“We don’t know it's a troll, Spitelout. It was just a kid in me beard, somehow.” 

“Ya should probably clean yer beard, then.” 

“Yeah, yeah.” Stoick waved him off. Gobber limped back in with Gothi right behind him.

“I heard the troll ran into the woods. Didn't take anythin’, didn't do nothin’; just… into the woods it went,” Gobber said. 

“Right, the troll. What’re we gonna do about it, Stoick?” Spitelout asked, turning to Stoick. “Should we go… find it?”

“Ya bes’ guard yer left socks, Spitelout. Tha's whatcha ought ta do.”

Spitelout looked at Gobber, his brows furrowed and his frown more prominent. Stoick just watched on while Gothi checked his bandages, an amused smile on his lips.

“Now, why would I do that?”

“Cause trolls only steal yer left socks. Everyone knows tha’.”

“Ya only have one leg, Gobber. Use yer right socks.” 

“I do. But you have both legs, so I’m warnin’ ya ta guard yer left socks.”

“I think we ought ta do… nothing.” Stoick said over Gobber and Spitelout's bickering. “That troll, or whatever it was, hasn't done nothin’ ta us. We have no reason ta go track it down in the woods.”

“Yes, Chief.” Spitelout crossed his arms, nodding.

“If ya say so, Stoick. Don’ come cryin’ when yer left socks get… well, whatever the trolls do with ‘em.”

“Our socks are fine, Gobber.”

“They might not be for long.”

They all stopped talking when a trumpet blasted over the village.

It was muffled by the hut, but it was still loud. 

Even the buzz of insects stopped.

“I've never heard Berk so quiet,” Gobber said. Spitelout nodded in agreement.

Nothing happened for a few long moments, before the wind returned, then hesitant chatter.

A throat cleared.

“What did I miss while I was asleep?” Stoick asked, bringing their attention back to him. “Any traitorous traders show their faces? Attacks? The village's still standin’, I hope.”

“Ya didn' miss much,” Gobber said. “Let's see… Everybody voted Hiccup Acting Chief. Which he ran off from, surprisin’ nobody.” 

“He put some real thought into comin’ back, though.” Spitelout argued. “At least give the boy that much.”

“Regardless, Hiccup ran off ta stop the Hunters from gettin’ the King of Dragons. An icy dragon that can mind control the other littler guys.”

“Yup. Turns out tha big guy’s on Berserker Island.” Spitelout chuckled. “Crazy, huh?”

“That is pretty crazy. What about Johann?”

“He's died. Frozen over by the big guy himself, actually.”

“Viggo?”

“I'm pretty sure Hiccup said he’s died, too. Sacrificed himself, remember?”

“Right.” Stoick nodded. “And Krogan?”

“Escaped. We're on tha lookout in case he comes back, but otherwise he's in tha wind.”

Speaking of “in the wind", Megabird took Yopo to get his first Winged Light from the tippy top of the giant mountain. A fluffy brown cape with a black and beige trim, and a beige interior.

NOW, he's complete. 

Next step; to find something fun to do.