49. Setting Out

Hiccup honestly did consider just flying off to Berk.

Only for a moment. He banished the thought as soon as he realized that once he was done, he’d be coming home to a very pissed-off Mirabel.

And that would be more frightening than any monster.

So instead, he went for a flight. To clear his mind.

In the clear open skies, the wind whipping through his hair, he pondered his situation.

On the one hand, she was right.

He had no idea what this queen dragon was capable of. And he’d be going to an island he wasn’t exactly fond of, full of people he wasn’t exactly fond of.

On the other hand, the thought of innocent dragons being slaughtered for hundreds of years, because they’re being forced to raid villages…it made his blood boil.

He had to put an end to this. He had to save those dragons.

Saving Berk in the process would just be incidental.

He looked down, at the Encanto. His home.

The vibrant village full of vibrant people, the only place where he felt truly accepted.

He really didn’t want to leave it. But it wouldn’t be forever, just until the dragons are free.

But that meant an extended amount of time on Berk.

Hiccup released a groan at the thought. Perhaps sensing his rider’s annoyance, Toothless looked back to check on him with a curious croon.

“I’m fine, Toothless. Just…questioning my life choices…” The scrawny teen reached over to pet his companion. “What do you think, bud? Feel like going on a rescue mission?”

The dragon smiled with an affirmative chuff.

Hiccup smiled as well, happy to know that his draconic best friend would always have his back.

Grinning mischievously, he started teasing his friend. “Nah, you don’t care about those dragons. You just want the glory! You wanna show off to all the she-dragons!”

A slap from an ear-nub silenced his joking. “Alright, alright!”

Hiccup had made up his mind. He would be going to Berk.

But that still left the question of Mirabel.

He didn’t want her in any danger, and would feel much better if she stayed here.

But she would be insistent on coming, and he knew that.

It wasn’t like she was helpless. She could handle herself in a perilous situation.

But this wouldn’t be an average perilous situation, it would be a war against a tremendous beast of untold power.

Could he really risk bringing her into that scenario? He’d never forgive himself if anything happened to her.

But if he went, she went. She wouldn’t let him do this alone. He knew that’s how it was going to be.

It was quite the conundrum, and he couldn’t say he had an answer to it…

But he’d have to figure that out later.

He was going to Berk.

So he’d need to start packing.

He brought Toothless into a dive, and the two began approaching the forge.

Strangely enough, Mirabel herself was heading for the same location.

She was running, and holding something tucked under her arm. Hiccup couldn’t quite make out what it was, but it was definitely green.

She stopped at the forge’s entrance, and was about to go inside. But when she heard the familiar flapping of wings, she looked into the sky to spot Toothless coming in for a landing.

“Hiccup!” She cheered, walking over to the duo. “I’ve been looking all over for you!”

She marched up to them, smiling brightly. “I’m going with you to Berk!” She declared.

Toothless started sniffing at the odd object she was holding, as Hiccup dismounted. “I figured you’d say that…” He sighed with amused exasperation.

“Do you wanna know why?” She asked with wiggling eyebrows.

She moved her green slab away from Toothless, afraid he’d nudge it too hard and break It somehow, as Hiccup shrugged.

“Enlighten me.” He said.

She beckoned him to hold his hands out, and he did so.

“Last night…Tio Bruno had a vision…” She spoke, eliciting a shocked look from the boy. “He saw me and you, going to Berk. And after, he saw this…”

Ever so gently, she placed the vision in his hands.

Hiccup was so surprised, he almost dropped it.

It was an older version of him, who looked significantly less scrawny, and an older Mirabel as well. Her cascade of curly black hair flowing further down her neck.

Everyone he held dear was in the back, smiling joyously. And there were some kids he didn’t recognize.

Most likely because they didn’t exist yet.

It was hard to make out their faces. One, old enough to stand, was partially hidden behind Valentina. Clutching her dress shyly. The others were being held by who he presumed to be their respective parents, and their backs were facing the viewer.

He’d learned a bit about how weddings were performed here, and how they differed from his old country’s ceremonies. And from what he could tell…

He and Mirabel were getting married.

“W-Wow, that’s…that’s really- “He couldn’t find the words to describe how he felt about what he’d seen, but it was definitely positive. Despite his stammering, a wide, dopey grin was plastered on his face.

The bespectacled girl, seeing this reaction, felt butterflies erupt in her belly. Was he this excited to…?

Hiccup could hardly believe what he was seeing.

It was exactly what he wanted.

Him, Mirabel, Toothless, and everyone else. They were all happy, all together.

And not only that…

He becomes a Madrigal.

He’d get to live in that house, with that family, his family, for the rest of his days.

The very thought sent shivers down his spine.

“A-And this is if we both go to Berk?” He asked, shakily.

She nodded, before bringing up another point. “It won’t just be us.”

He looked up from the tablet, once he heard that. Eyebrows raised inquisitively.

“Isabela and Luisa are coming with us!” Mirabel spoke.

Now that made Hiccup feel a lot better.

A girl with supreme strength and durability, and a girl with a masterful control over plants. Having those two along for the journey would definitely be a big help.

“Alright, I-I guess we’re really doing this.” Gulped Hiccup, still not quite believing what was about to happen.

The sheer excitement over the wonderful vision beginning to wear off, and a fear of the unknown beginning to creep in, Mirabel gave a slightly trembling nod. “Yeah, I…I still gotta go pack so…”

“Yeah alright uh…” Hiccup looked around for a moment. “We’ll meet at the cracked mountain?”

“Sounds good…sounds good.” With that, the two began to part. Setting out to make the final preparations for their journey.

But before they’d fully left, they stopped. And turned, facing each other.

The both of them, wide eyed. Neither really knowing what to say.

“…We get married.” Hiccup stated, softly.

Mirabel slightly nodded. “I-Is that a bad thing?” She asked.

He feverishly shook his head. “N-No! Not at all! It’s just…weird having something like that be told to you. Or in this case, shown to you…” He chuckled nervously. “But…it’s not bad…”

He gazed deeply into her eyes, and she met his stare. Becoming lost within each other. “…It’s not bad at all…”

Hiccup was broken out of his reverie by a slap to his head, courtesy of Toothless.

“Okay, okay! I’ll start packing now, geez!” He groaned, rubbing his head.

He then grinned to Mirabel, pointing a finger to the Night Fury. “You sure that’s not the tyrant dragon we have to deal with?”

The bespectacled girl snickered, and she then walked back to her home.

Hiccup then entered the forge, and up into his room.

For what would be the last time until the war was won.

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

He hadn’t packed much. Just some clothes, a few tools, his sketchbook, and a spare tail-fin.

Mirabel had told him her mother was handling the food, so he didn’t take anything from his own kitchen.

Besides a banana. For luck.

His beloved ruana would have to stay. This mission was too risky, and he wouldn’t see it destroyed. He folded it neatly, and placed it on his bed. Ready for his return.

Placing his bag on his back, he took one last look at the room that had become his own.

Pictures on the walls, and trinkets on shelves, silently telling tales of the adventures he’d been on this past year.

He’d miss it, but this wouldn’t be the last time he’d see it.

He was coming back.

Descending the stairs, he found Toothless waiting for him at the forge’s entrance.

In the back, the local blacksmith was pounding some metal with his hammer. Until he noticed Hiccup’s arrival.

Ceasing his hammering, Ignacio hurried to speak to the boy.

“So…I hear you’re taking a little vacation?” He asked, a bit awkwardly.

Snorting, Hiccup nodded. “Oh yeah, we’re heading to this real nice resort. Gonna get a tan, do some surfing, fight a giant monster…Y’know…”

The man chuckled at this, before his expression became more somber.

“Look kid, just do me a favor while you’re out there…try not to die, alright?” Suddenly, his morose face burst into a wide grin. “Because if you do, I’ll have to start doing my job again!”

What followed was a round of belly laughter, and a slap to Hiccup’s back. Their usual routine.

The boy gestured to the entrance. “Okay, I gotta get going. We don’t wanna get there and the Vikings are already gone, so…”

He began to leave, with Toothless trailing him.

The blacksmith could only wave, as he watched his young friend embark on a perilous quest. “Good luck, kid…”

Looking back, Hiccup grinned and held up his banana. “I’ve got all the luck I’ll need!”

Sharing one last chuckle, the two said their goodbyes.

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

It was a beautiful sunset.

The Encanto was covered in a golden glow, as Hiccup walked to the edge of the village. The town almost seemed like it was sparkling.

It was as if nature was trying to make his last moments here as memorable as possible.

He waved to his neighbors as he went, wondering just how long it would be until he saw them again.

He hoped it wasn’t too long.

The village’s children all arrived, looking quite distraught.

“We heard you were leaving!” One cried.

“And taking Mirabel with you!” Whined another.

Several more kids lent their voices to the disheartened chorus.

“And Luisa!” “And Isabela!” “And Toothless!”

The swarm of big, sad eyes was almost too much for the boy to handle.

“Yes, I’m going. But it won’t be forever! We’ll be back before you know it!” He said, trying to calm them down.

“But who’ll take us flying?” One child asked, lips quivering.

“And who’ll teach us about dragons?” Asked a sniffling kid.

Sighing, Hiccup crouched down to their level.

“Alright, listen up! I’m going on a top-secret mission!” He spoke in hushed tones, and made a show of looking around for would-be listeners.

Suddenly, their sadness vanished. And was replaced with intense intrigue.

They huddled closer, as he continued to whisper.

“Every dragon in the archipelago is being enslaved, by an evil dragon queen…We’re going on a mission to save them!” Their eyes lit up with wonder at this revelation.

They all asked a myriad of questions in their excitement.

“How’re you gonna get there?”

“How’re you gonna beat it!”

“Will it take long? Like, two hours?”

“ARE YOU GONNA DIE!?”

“Sorry, kids. Can’t answer those. Like I said, top-secret!” He then grew a grave look on his face. “But I have a very important mission for all of you, if you’re up for it…”

They all nodded, silently. Even the jittery kid didn’t make a peep.

“With me gone, you guys will be the leading dragon experts in the Encanto. It’s up to you to keep the village educated.” He looked at them all expectantly. “Think you can handle that?”

Once again, they all nodded. Determined glares on every face. It seemed they were taking their job very seriously.

They all ran off, presumably to pester their parents with dragon factoids. Hiccup imagined they’d have some choice words for him when he returned.

Turning around, he faced the edge of town. The cracked mountain, looming in the distance.

He could already see the Madrigals standing there, waiting for him. Once he arrived, it would be time to go.

Hiccup took a deep breath, and tried to still his quivering nerves.

Toothless nudged his arm, concerned.

“I-I’m alright, bud…” His expression became firm. “I have to do this. For the dragons, for the family…”

He thought back to his supposed future self, and how if he continued on this path, he’d wind up looking fairly attractive.

“…Maybe a little for me.”

Wasting no more time on second thoughts, he marched forwards. In a few minutes, he was amongst the Madrigals.

They all smiled upon seeing him, though some smiles were noticeably apprehensive.

“We thought you’d never show up!” Camilo snarked.

“Hey, I’m not late. You’re early!” Hiccup shot back.

Camilo then turned into Hiccup himself. “I’m not late, you’re early!” He mocked in an exceedingly nasally voice.

He moved through the crowd, to stand with his travel companions.

Mirabel, Isabela, and Luisa. All equipped with bags of their own, ready for the trip.

Julieta stepped forward, and handed a large suitcase to Luisa. “I stuffed it full with as many arepas as I could fit!” She spoke, more rapidly than normal. She was clearly nervous. “If you ever get hurt, even if you’re not really hurt but you think you’re hurt, just go and eat one!”

“B-But don’t eat too many at once!” Augustin interjected, sweating with anxiety. “Because then you’ll run out! And if you run out, you won’t be able to get any more! Because you’ll be in an entirely different country! Far away from us! Fighting dragons! And- “

“Papa, please!” Mirabel interrupted, before her poor father could have a heart attack. “We’ll be fine! You saw Tio Bruno’s vision!”

“She’s right!” Pepa agreed. Despite the flurry of snow above her head, she was smiling brightly. Trying to swallow her fears. “His visions always come true! They’re all coming back home, without a scratch!”

Bruno approached, looking more awkward than normal. “Yeah, they always come true. Especially when you don’t want them too…” He shook his head, to clear his mind of the incoming negativity. “B-But this vision? Definitely. Definitely want it to happen…”

He reached a hand to touch Mirabel’s shoulder, and gently smiled. “Go make it come true, kid!”

Isabela and Dolores were enveloped in a hug.

“I’m so sorry I have to miss your wedding…” Isabela sighed. “Take lots of pictures for me!”

Dolores pulled away from the hug, and grinned. “You won’t need any pictures.”

At her cousin’s confused expression, she giggled. “I can’t have my wedding with a fourth of my family missing, now can I?”

Mariano appeared, wrapping his arm around his fiancée’s shoulders. “The wedding was already put off. What’s a few more weeks?”

Speechless, Isabela simply gave the two of them a heartfelt smile.

Valentina was trying to give Hiccup some last-minute fighting tips. “Alright, little guy! Show me what I taught you!”

Rolling his eyes, he brought up his fists and crouched a bit.

She whistled, impressed. “Alright, not bad! But you’ll wanna widen your stance a bit…”

“I really don’t see how this is supposed to help me fight a giant dragon…” He groaned.

But the gruff woman looked perplexed. “Dragon? This is for the Vikings!”

Antonio surged forth, hugging Toothless as best he could. “Be extra careful, okay? And look after my cousins!” The boy then whispered to the dragon. “Especially Hiccup, he can be a little stupid sometimes…”

The dragon warbled with laughter.

Camilo sauntered forth, ready to say his goodbyes, before he suddenly stopped.

Abruptly, he turned and ran back towards Casita. While shouting “I GOTTA PEE!”

Everyone present gawked at the potty-related strangeness.

“That boy ain’t right…” Felix griped.

Luisa was showering Alma with questions.

“And you’re sure everything will be fine without me?” Worried the hulking girl.

“Si, Luisa. We’ll manage.” The old woman spoke.

But Luisa’s fears weren’t quelled. “B-But what if a building needs to be moved? Or if a tree falls over? Or the donkeys get out again!?”

Her abuela regarded her with a deadpan stare. “I’m positive the village can handle a few rogue donkeys…”

In response, Luisa smiled shyly.

Mirabel and Hiccup were approached by Julieta and Augustin.

Mirabel was brought into a warm embrace by her mother. “Please…be careful.” She pleaded.

“I will, Mama.” The girl softly replied.

Augustin placed a firm hand on Hiccup’s shoulder, and gave him a stern look. “Take care of my daughter.” He commanded.

His face then softened, portraying his overwhelming worry and paternal affection for the boy. “And…take care of yourself.”

Hiccup silently nodded. Determined to accomplish both tasks.

Julieta gave the boy a warm hug as well, and he almost didn’t want her to let go.

He’d had several father figures, some more positive than others. But having a mother figure was still so strange to him.

Finally, all that needed to be said was said. It was time for them to head out.

Alma stepped forward, looking strict and professional.

“You have two missions.” She spoke in an authoritative tone. “Firstly, defeat the dragon queen and free the enslaved dragons. Secondly, return home. Alive.”

The departing group nodded, resolutely.

As soon as she was sure that they understood the assignment, her hard demeanor diminished.

She opened her arms wide, and her three granddaughters eagerly returned the embrace.

She squeezed them, almost as if she hoped it would keep them here. “I’ll be praying for all of you…” She muttered.

Hiccup watched this moment, smiling warmly.

But then, Alma’s eyes opened and she shot him a funny look.

Before Hiccup could wonder if he’d something wrong, she spoke again. “I said all of you.”

Was she…telling him to…?

As he was questioning this, Luisa’s burly hand grabbed him and yanked him into the hug.

He didn’t move, completely stunned.

He and Alma shared a cordial relationship. He treated her with all the respect she was owed, and she’d look the other way if she caught him kissing her granddaughter.

Sometimes he’d make her chuckle a bit with an awkward joke, but that was the extent.

She was never, ever affectionate with him.

This was very shocking indeed.

Finally, it was time.

Despite how worried they all were, the Madrigals (and incoming Madrigals) all gave the group their best smiles.

Except Camilo. He wasn’t there.

Hiccup was just about to say something, an inspiring little speech he’d been working on perhaps longer than necessary…

When a familiar stomping alerted them to a presence, coming from the cracked mountain.

They all turned, partly in surprise and partly in annoyance, as Stoick appeared from the woods.

His large strides quickly brought him over to the group, and he towered over Hiccup. Staring him down intensely.

Hiccup met his glare with contempt, despite the fact that he was about to agree to help this man.

Everyone watched in tense silence as the staring contest continued, wondering who’d be the first to speak or move or do…anything.

It was Stoick who moved first. But what he did was completely unexpected.

He bowed.

He got down on his knee, and bowed to Hiccup.

Seeing this giant man bowing to such a small boy…it was odd to say the least.

As Hiccup’s eyes bugged out of their sockets at the sight before him, Stoick began speaking.

“I come to you, not as your father, but as Stoick the Vast. Chief of the Hairy Hooligan tribe…” His voice was as gruff as always, but he spoke clearly and officially. As if he was discussing a treaty, or something of similar importance.

“My people have been attacked by dragons for centuries, and it has come to my attention that you have the power to end our suffering…” He lowered his head, staring at the ground. “Please, I ask only that you save my people. Save Berk from the dragons, end the war. Please…”

He was silent now, awaiting Hiccup’s answer.

Scoffing with perturbance, Isabela moved to answer. “We were already- “

Hiccup slapped a hand over her mouth, to silence her.

He could use this…

He put a hand to his chin, and stroked it in thought.

“Hmm…alright.” The bearded man looked up, seemingly shocked by the boy’s answer.

“W-What?” He asked.

“I’ll help you.” Hiccup answered, before holding up one finger. “But I have three conditions.”

Stoick stood, and nodded. “Name them.”

“First of all…” He pointed to Mirabel, Isabela, and Luisa. “They’re coming with me.”

Stoick agreed.

“Second of all…” Hiccup now held up two fingers. “You must keep the existence of the Encanto, and the magic itself, a secret. No one outside of Berk can know. Half the people on Berk probably shouldn’t know, either…”

That one stumped Stoick. “And why is that?”

Hiccup raised an eyebrow, as if the answer was obvious. “Picture this. A blabbermouthed Viking tells another blabbermouthed Viking about this magical place full of magical people. Then that guy tells another guy, and that guy tells another guy, and that guy tells a whole tavern…and now you’ve got a power-hungry warlord trying to storm the Encanto and take the magic for himself…”

That…was actually a good point. The idea sent chills throughout the Madrigals.

“Well, how do we explain them?” The chief asked, gesturing to Hiccup’s companions.

“You let me handle that…now do we have a deal or not?” Hiccup snapped.

Once again, Stoick nodded. “And the third condition?”

The boy groaned, knowing this would be the hardest sell.

“No dragons are to be killed, once we get there.” He declared.

Stoick bristled in shock. “W-What are you saying? Are we not supposed to defend ourselves against those demons!?”

Hiccup felt his own rage building. “They’re being controlled! They don’t want to fight, but they’re forced to! And they shouldn’t have to die when they’re not even in control of their own bodies!”

He sighed deeply, trying to calm his anger. “Defend yourselves, if necessary. But you can’t kill them. It isn’t right…”

The bearded man seemed very offput by this idea. “I don’t know about this one…”

“Then we won’t come.” Mirabel spoke, casually.

The group began to stroll back into town, without a care in the world.

Seeing their salvation slipping away, Stoick shouted to bring them back. “W-Wait! WAIT!”

With a huff, he reluctantly agreed to the final condition. “No dragons shall be killed, once we return…”

Glaring daggers at the man, Hiccup held out his hand.

“I want your word…” He demanded.

Stoick took the boy’s tiny hand in his giant one, and gave it a firm shake. “You have my word.”

Hiccup nodded, satisfied.

He, along with the others, turned to face their family. Smiling wistfully.

They’d really miss them all.

“Go make us proud!” Alma urged.

Stoick began walking back to the Viking camp, and the three and a half Madrigals made to follow him.

“Let’s get this over with…” Hiccup moaned.

Mirabel, knowing how hard this would be for the boy, tried to cheer him up. “Don’t look at it like that! Try to come at it with a positive outlook!”

Grinning wryly, he put on an overexaggerated smile. “Let’s get this over with!” He cheered. Earning laughs from the girl.

Isabela rolled her eyes. “Are they gonna be this dorky the whole way there?” She asked.

“You know they are!” Luisa snickered, making her older sister groan.

The entire family watched as Stoick left, disappearing into the mountain’s crack. Followed by Hiccup, Mirabel, Isabela, Luisa, Toothless, and Snotlout.

“WE LOVE YOU!” Julieta called out to them, even though they couldn’t be seen anymore.

She hoped they’d heard it.

They all stood, just looking at the mountain. All silently praying for their safe travels, and their swift return.

As the sky began darkening, they knew it was time to head back.

But as they were walking home, Bruno couldn’t help but realize something odd. “That’s strange…”

“What’s strange?” Julieta asked.

“No, it’s just…that Snot-Kid left with the others. But I don’t remember him showing up with the big guy.” He stated.

“Maybe he’s so small, we couldn’t see him behind the big fatty!” Felix joked.

This earned a few laughs from all who were present.

Except Pepa.

Pepa froze in place, her eyes shooting wide open.

Camilo had abruptly left, and didn’t return.

The Viking chief arrived, alone.

But he left with one of the Viking teens.

And Camilo was still nowhere to be seen…

Realization hit her like a lighting bolt, and an actual lightning bolt hit her soon after.

“Uh…Pepa?” Felix tentatively asked, as an intense thundercloud began building above her.

Her fists clenched, her eyes twitched, and through her grit teeth, she shouted one name with such ferocity that it promised groundings for all eternity.

“CAMILOOO!!!”