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Here’s a list of all the LEGO shows and movies I miss, some of which I was too late for and watched them after they were discontinued anyway 😭

The Adventures of Clutch Powers (watched this again tonight, that was the thing)

Legends of Chima

Nexo Knights

Hero Factory (before Invaders from Below, but I still loved the characters)

Bionicle (I did watch the show on Netflix, it wasn’t horrible from what I remember, but the movies and the books were *chef’s kiss*)

Now two fun facts, because why not 🤷‍♀️

First, I did voice act in some Biotube things for a teeny bit. I am not good at emotion so they were not very good on my end (I also self depreciate a lot so they probably weren’t as bad as I think) and I was gonna make my own screen play and stop motion movie. It was gonna be a crossover between Hero Factory and Bionicle with my version of the origins of HF and Bionicle. It was going to have fun cameos from Skelly and Bones (iykyk) and I thought it would be really funny. But I never finished any sort of screen play for it and I only ever finished animating a trailer, which…I’m not a patient person, and you can tell in the trailer lol

Second, I’ve thought multiple times about writing fanfiction continuations of The Adventures of Clutch Powers. I was happy to hear he made a return in Ninjago, but I have not seen the episode so I won’t speak any further on that. It would be awesome if they revisited the movie for a 20-year anniversary since in 4 years it’ll have been out for 20 years.

I also want to know what happened to the life spark idea that made half of Bernie’s jokes in this movie possible. It would be interesting if there was an in-universe explanation for what happened with that since Clutch is at least Ninjago-canon.

I am here to share not only a Modern AU lore drop, but also a doggy lore drop, both via Minecraft.

Let’s start with the doggy!

This is my doggy in my Claws of Berk Minecraft server (yes, it is HTTYD if you are not familiar with the mod). I named her after my own doggy who passed recently and this felt right and it made me happy 😊

Next! No picture, but I named my base after the town the Modern AU takes place in, so I’ll do a quick name drop of that - Dremalt.

Can’t remember if I’ve name dropped it before, but if I haven’t there ya go. And yes, it is a combination of Dreamworks and Walt Disney. I didn’t want to call it Dreamalt since that would be even more obvious than this already is, so I removed the “a” from “Dream”

Finally, with another picture accompaniment, we have the title reveal (because I’m 90% sure I haven’t revealed this) for the Modern AU:

Zach: Uh, Tommy, who are they? *pointing at the kids*

Tommy: Oh, they’re my new-

Kira, immediately cutting him off: Kids.

Aisha: But…they’re like…10 years younger than you? When…?

Conner, always down to mess around and gaslight some people for the team: We’re *waves thumb between himself and Kira* adopted.

Ethan, gaslights people as a little treat: I was cloned.

Tommy: N-!

Trent, not sure what’s going on but always a team player: He kidnapped me, but that’s beside the point.

Angel Grove Rangers: ???

Tommy, realizing what they’re doing and sighing: I love how you think I would choose any of you. *motions to the kids* They broke into my house and wouldn’t leave.

Jason: *understanding nod*

Other Angel Grove Rangers: ??????

We have hit a milestone: just over 30 chapters have been planned, 12 of which have been completely written and 2 have been started but I’m going to scrap the start of one of the 2 so it’s more like 1 has been started and is being worked on.

If I get the chapters done by December this year, I have planned a sequence of four Christmas chapters, but I’m trying to decide if I’m going to share all 4 (3 of them take place on Christmas Eve) or if I’m just going to share the last one since it takes place on Christmas Day. The only thing with sharing any of these is that they are all set in the future of the story, about 8 years from the other Christmas chapter I shared on here last year, so they would have spoilers and hints of spoilers to chapters you won’t have read (because agin, not getting anywhere with this story as it comes to publishing).

I would still like to share something this Christmas, so it’s a good thing I have over half a year to decide still 😂

Anyway, I’ve been doing a lot of behind the scenes skeleton of the story planning and I’m super excited for the day I finally get this beast ready for readers! 😭

I’m thinking Eret or Rapunzel gets Kingdom of Fear by Cameron Whitcomb.

I like it for both. But I have no clue for anyone else so far. I need to get on that 😂

(I’m listening to the listed song on repeat and I’m loving it for both of them it’s so hard to choose, anyone have thoughts? 😭)

And

Well, let’s just say I’ve been having enough issues translating Merida’s story into a modern setting

But now, as I’m looking at the art ideas I have for Hiccup, Rapunzel, and Jack, i keep realizing just how dumb Merida’s modern story is more or less gonna be.

For example, the idea I just came up with for her is…a picture of a phone with “Mom” for caller ID and “Voicemail” underneath it (cause she didn’t answer her mom’s call). Meanwhile you have EVERYONE ELSE with genuine trauma

hElP

Like

I don’t want this art to spoil anything, but I also don’t want to put something in the art then forget to tie it into the story later

So, still trying to decide a few plot points, only one or two matter for the storylines I actually want to work on here soon (the one(s) I’m really invested in currently).

First, I’m trying to decide some plot stuff for Eret. Lately I’ve had the idea of him becoming a certain character’s ward until he ages out after Plot happens, but I’ve also played around with the idea of him just disappearing for a little bit. I’m torn between the two ideas so far, either one could be interesting depending on the character(s) I choose to focus on. The ward idea would be a fun plot to explore for one character, while the disappearing idea would be interesting to explore for a different character. I’ve also considered doing a combination of the two - Eret becomes a ward, then when he becomes of age he leaves to have some freedom for a little bit. This would be nifty to explore both other characters. (I do already have ideas for how to explore character 2 through Eret’s plot line if I go with the ward idea. These ideas will probably be incorporated either way because I’m Attached.)

Second, trying to figure out what I’m going to do with the Moon Stone plot from Tangled Adventures. Everything else about Tangled is mostly changed because of modern times (no Gothel trying to kidnap Rapunzel for Magic Hair when she was a baby mostly). I have what most people would consider good excuses for Cass to become a rebellious teen and stop hanging out with Rapunzel and fight with her dad etc, but I also don’t think that is something that this Cass would do. I am thinking I can include it a little with a Zhan Tiri storyline as, like, Cass’s grandma or something when Other Plot happens. Otherwise, I don’t really have much conflict for her and Raps to go through aside from trauma-related things stemming from Raps’ Plot Point. We’ll see on this I guess.

(And this whole post, specifically Cassandra’s part, was brought to you by the fact I’m on my sea shanties wagon again and I can’t stop thinking about Daughter of the Sea being a Cass & Captain of the Guard song, specifically the Colm McGuinness version because that’s the one I listen to.)

There are still plenty of other plot points I’m trying to smooth out, such as how/if the Eugene and Eret plot points will run together. I did somewhat decide one way I want Eugene’s Plot to end (not in relation to Rapunzel, but in relation to Raps’ Plot) and I’m planning for it to be one of the Christmas chapters if I don’t have the story being published by Christmas (we all know it won’t be published by Christmas…)

Like, SPD team kicks back. They’ve had plenty of time to grow in their abilities, they do their training and then they’re good, because the Shadow Ranger will take care of it.

It was so important that they had to re-learn their own skills, because they let those fall by the wayside, using Shadow Ranger as a failsafe. Like yeah, that’s kinda what he’s there for, but he wasn’t there for his own abilities to be abused.

Then you got Dino Thunder who just learned that their mentor is the longest standing human ranger on earth. Sure they have to rescue him and get him to morph again that way, but they still continued growing as a team, now with their mentor. They didn’t rely on him to come bail them out of every inconvenience when they could handle it, they never had to learn the SPD lesson.

Sure, they still relied on him for knowledge, looked to him for insight, and got tools and learned things from him, but he wasn’t part of the team.

This also says something for how Tommy and Cruger had different relationships with their teams: Tommy was 100% more friendly with his team, because the only teams he’d been on were with people his age, mostly; Cruger 100% handled it as a military team, kept a respectful distance, though he was clearly fond of his team, because that was kinda all he knew from his time as a ranger. And it shows how differently their Ranger days affected each of them: Tommy, while he had trauma sure, made life-long friends with a good deal of his teammates; Cruger, on the other hand, probably had those relationships with his former team, and then watched them get wiped out, no more life.

It's sucking that some of these chapters that I wanted to be earlier in the story are working better as flashbacks, but it is also slightly making my life a little teensy bit easier, because I don't have to worry about things not making too much sense until it's flashback time.

Like, I mentioned this story is feeling like Merida, Jack, Rapunzel, and Hiccup are just...there... But that's because I've mostly been writing flashback-style chapters for other characters that will come into play during the main timeline. The story is actually going to start with one chapter I'm really excited for (currently chapter IV) because it ties into all the other plotlines.

And slightly random, but I don't want to make five posts, I'm SO excited for three plotlines in particular. Two of them tie into the current chapter IV, and the other ties into the conclusion of that entire plotline. I'm so, so, SO excited to get to those points, but still trying to figure out a lot of the timing stuff for the plotline (specifically the conclusion of said plotline).

As of today, my character profiles for the majority of the characters, include their marriage age (Merida's is undetermined; Jack's is 29; Rapunzel's is around 23; and Hiccup's is 21; all as of right now, this could change of course!) and the emoji they are represented by for a specific plot at some point in the future of the story. (This is the conclusion plot I'm excited about!)

The chapter I was working on last night originally was scheduled to take place after a specific Jack Frost related chapter with trauma (probably not the one you’re thinking of but also probably the one you’re thinking of)

But I wanted one character to make a joke and be happy, but the Trauma from the Jack Frost chapter would not allow it, so I just moved it up in the chronological timeline 🤷‍♀️ no muss no fuss, don’t have to do any AO3 chapter editing, just changed my notes

It felt really nice 🥲

1. Nicholas Kringle Steven (“St.”) North

Man is constantly decked out for Christmas. Hair braided by Jack who was practicing to braid his sister’s hair. Santa slippers, yeti long sleeve shirt (that is now sleeveless), and candy cane sweats provided by Sandy, Bunny, and Tooth respectively. Also felt like he needed sunglasses for no reason!

2-3. Therese “Tooth” Thiana and Sanderson ManSnoozie

2. Tooth, sporting her camo pants and boots from the military, blue highlights in her hair, and a fairy shirt gifted her by Mary (Jack’s sister).

3. Sandy, all bundled up in the middle of summer (see sweat drop on cheek). He likes wearing his friends’ colors: blue coat for Tooth and Jack, red shorts for North, green scarf from Bunny. He also is doing the ASL for “food”, according to what I could find on Google as a reference - just a hungry little lad!

4. Edgar Aster Bunnymund

Already on duty for his shift with Dremalt Police Department. Tattoo peaking out from under sleeve. Almost gave him a friendship bracelet from Sandy or Mary, but changed it since he’s working. Really hard to draw human Bunnymund when I 1) have no drawing imagination and 2) am still trying to keep him close to his movie design, just more human lol (notice the giant feet? The frown? The kinda big nose? Long legs and large chest but slimmer waist? I know I just pointed out everything I was trying lol)

5. Full picture!

I definitely shouldn't, but I'm going to share chapter titles for the currently-planned chapters. This is not in chronological or publishing order, just the order in which I came up with the ideas (and the order I was writing them until Christmas came and last post's chapter came...)

Each chapter is from a different character's perspective. (If you want to take guesses on either the POV character or what the chapter is about, be my guest! We can make it another game lol)

Occupational Hazard (finished, excited for the chronological next chapter that has yet to be written or named)

A Girl Named Rapunzel (finished, love it)

Something Very Special Inside (finished, love)

Fate be Changed (finished, love how much it ties in with chapters 5, 6, 8, and 9)

When the Moon Blocks Out the Light of the Sun (finished, probably a bad person but love it)

No Heads to Call Our Own (finished, love it)

Be Careful Who You Trust (finished)

Empty-Handed (finished, love it)

We're Here. Together. (technically should be working on this one right now, but I was more excited for it when I came up with the idea...)

Someone Else's Needs

Hope, and Now, It's Gone

What Goes Together Better Than Cold and Dark? (currently working on this one because of inspiration, the beginning is featured in the last post)

And That's for Everything Else

Okay, Okay, I Asked Her

One's Destiny Intertwines with Many Others

The Most Precious Memories of Childhood

Something New and Strange

Safe with Me (super excited to work on this one and am probably going to skip ahead after I finish the other)

Something to Celebrate (Christmas special posted on here)

I'm either still super sleep deprived, or I'm making myself want to cry. Have this beginning section of that one chapter from my last post that I was excited to share now!

---

Bunny had always been the faster runner, and as soon as they heard that scream he was gone. Bunny made it to the lake long before they did. He did a quick assessment - a skill he'd learned from his many years in the military and as a police officer.

Mary was staring in shock at the iced over lake. Her skates were still on her feet. Her eyes wide, tears spilling down her face. She was gasping for breath.

Where was Jack? He might be a jokester, but he wouldn't leave his sister like this.

Bunny's eyes followed Mary's - his heart stopped. There, near the shore where Mary sat, was a gaping hole in the ice.

There was a splash. Golden hair peaked above the water then sank back below.

Bunny's body recoiled and objected at the sudden drop in temperature. He felt the air being forced from his lungs. Panic flooded his mind, for a moment he found himself swimming towards the surface with all his might. He forced himself down further into the water.

There!

Jack's brown mop of hair, his bluing skin. It helped Bunny focus. He pushed himself toward the boy.

When did you get so heavy? Bunny broke the surface of the water. He pulled and pulled until the body in his hands was forced onto the edge of the ice. He put his hand on it to pull himself up next, but the added weight sent a chilling crack through the surface and plunged the body back below. He pulled again, and the ice cracked again.

Bunny pulled Jack up one more time. Water splashed into Bunny's face just as he took a big gulp of air-now a big gulp of lake water. He choked and the wet shirt in his grasp slipped from his stiffening fingers. A hand reached out from ahead and grabbed the shirt before the body could sink below the surface. Bunny's legs began to give out and cramp. He held a pleading hand out and found himself being pulled into the snow.

"Jack!" a little girl screamed in the distance. Bunny started pulling his limbs into his chest, trying to get as much warmth from his body as he could before he was thrown back in. His eyes began to glaze over.

He didn't have the strength to fight the hand on his shoulder. He was cold, miserable. He wanted to get back to camp.

"Car, now, Sandy!" North's thick accent broke through the fog that had forced its way into Bunny's mind. He blinked and found Sandy pulling on his arm, pushing it through a coat sleeve.

Sandy signed "O.K." when he saw Bunny looking at him. North passed behind Sandy, carrying an unmoving Jack. Bunny forced himself to move. They finished getting the coat on and Sandy draped a couple blankets over his shoulders as well.

They were soon following North. Sandy had Bunny's hand in one of his and Mary's hand in the other, dragging them both along as quickly as his stubby legs could take them. Not that Bunny could go any faster. His legs objected to every step and Mary was still crying, though she had stopped screaming Jack's name.

North was already buckling Jack into the passenger seat. Sandy opened the back driver door for Bunny. North had to help him in, Sandy was too short and Bunny's legs were barely holding him up. Mary climbed in the other side and moved to the middle seat. Sandy reached around her once he was in to help Bunny buckle his seatbelt.

The car roared to life. Bunny felt his skin tingle when the heaters kicked in on full blast. His eyes began to droop. The blankets and coat had helped, but the heater was divine. His eyes closed.

"Bunnymund, call Tooth, let her know we are coming."

He forced his eyes open. He was met with the sight of a cellphone. What am I supposed to do with that? His teeth chattered harshly and he pulled one of the blankets tighter around him.

"Where are you?"

Bunny blinked. Sandy shoved the phone into his line of sight again, with the word "Tooth" on the screen facing him, before motioning to the shivering boy in the front seat. Ri-ight. "We're-We're on o-our way from th-th-the campsite," Bunny stumbled through the answer, his teeth chattering with every word.

"What happened?"

"Ja-Jack f-f-fell into-into a-" The rest of his answer was drowned out by North's booming voice.

"Jack fell into frozen lake. Bunnymund went in after him. We are on way now. Will be there shortly."

Bunny blinked. He could hear Tooth's voice, but his mind didn't hear a word she said. Her voice wasn't like North's. Her's couldn't cut through the daze. Instead, it lulled him further into the void of sleep that was calling him.

When he opened his eyes again, it was because he was being shaken awake. Sandy was holding his shoulder. He pulled at one of the blankets over his arm. Bunny forced his stiff form to move - they had to go. This was their chance.

Sandy helped him out of the back seat and led him inside. Tooth was waiting for them, so was a wheelchair. He stood staring at it for longer than he should have; his legs were shaking something fierce beneath him. All it took was a small nudge from Sandy, all it took was "O.K.", and he allowed himself to be wheeled off to a hospital room.

His body trembled from the cold and he once again pulled the blankets tighter around him.

---

*Spoilers*

I took Bunny saying he didn't like the cold in Rise of the Guardians and decided he needed trauma to explain why...

I may just settle with sharing the summary for the chapter, maybe the first section that doesn’t spoil the not-twist.

I will say, in case you’ve read the above listed book, the chapters that inspired me to write this chapter again are “The Second Person Eddie Meets in Heaven”, “The Second Lesson”, and “The Fifth Person Eddie Meets in Heaven”

[A little longer than I intended, but please enjoy!]

Christmas break was only a school-day away - this particular school-day, to be exact. Everyone had final plans with their friends before they stopped seeing them everyday. Hiccup most looked forward to finalizing some ideas for his and Fishlegs' Book of Dragons before they were forced to go their separate ways for a short time. Then he would go over to Astrid's to put his hat in the ring for a Snoggletog gift exchange before going home to his parents.

Thankfully, the timing for him to talk with Fishlegs was perfect. Astrid had one final wrestling team meeting before the holiday break was in full swing. As long as Merida, Mauchty, Blether, and Broc didn't start at each other again, their meeting would be done in 15 minutes tops. At least, that's what Astrid said.

Hiccup stuffed his sketchbook into his bag and headed for the door. Fifteen minutes is more than enough time to finish Snow Wraith's profile.

"We're going, Dad!" he yelled back into the house.

Valka was waiting for him in Stoick's Ram. He quickly climbed into the passenger seat and buckled his seatbelt.

"Ready to go, my Hiccup?" Valka asked.

Hiccup nodded. "Yup!" He shoved his backpack onto the floor. "Oh, you remember I'm going to Astrid's after school, right?"

Valka nodded, glancing at the rearview mirror. "Aye. And will she be joining us for dinner?"

Hiccup hit his palm to his forehead. "I forgot to ask her!"

"Then you best extend the invitation at school," Valka laughed. He noticed her glance down at his bag. "And how are the dragons of Berk coming along?"

"We're still working through Snow Wraith. We finished its design yesterday. I'm hoping to at least get its class and habitat figured out today while I wait for Astrid."

"Ah right. I forgot she has that team meeting."

"Yeah, thankfully!" Hiccup let out a sigh of relief. "I don't know how Fishlegs and I would finish this if she didn't have the meeting."

Valka chuckled. "And when do your father and I get to meet this Snow Wraith then?"

"Tonight! If we get it finished…"

"I'm sure you will."

Hiccup couldn't wait for lunch to start. It wouldn't be the longest amount of time to work on the dragon, but he hoped they could at least knock out its class during lunch.

He was the first to the table. Torvold Ingerman, who went by Fishlegs, was only a few people behind him in line. While Hiccup waited, he pulled his notebook and pencil out.

"Not this again!"

Hiccup glared at his cousin Snotlout, well, Jivale Jorgenson. "You know you don't have to sit with us, right?"

"Yeah, and-and I wouldn't be sitting with you, but Dad wants to know what the plans are for Christmas."

"What are you talking about?" Hiccup glanced at the Thorston twins as they sat down. "Our families never do Christmas together anymore."

Snotlout waved him off with a sheepish laugh. "Yeah I know, right? That's what I tried telling him too!"

Hiccup narrowed his eyes. "Uh-huh."

"Hiccup! Hiccup! I figured out the perfect habitat for the Snow Wraith!" Fishlegs announced, falling onto the bench across from Hiccup.

He pushed his own food aside, ignoring Ruffnut stealing his apple slices and Tuffnut stealing his pudding cup. It wasn't the progress he'd intended to make at lunch, but at least it was progress.

"Get this: Glacier…Island!"

Fishlegs' eyes were glowing. Hiccup's eyes were glowing. Snotlout's eyes were rolling.

"Great job, Fishlegs," Snotlout took a bite of one of his apple slices, "very creative."

"I love it!" Hiccup was already writing the island name down on the sheet.

"Of course you do," Snotlout groaned.

"And I was thinking," Fishlegs continued, ignoring Snotlout's grumblings in his excitement, "what if their claws are strong enough to dig into ice? Glacier Island is full of snow, and potentially high winds, and they'd get blown away if they didn't have an anchor, right?"

Hiccup tapped his pencil against his chin. He examined the claws they'd given it. "Good idea, Fishlegs!"

Ruffnut cleared her throat as Hiccup began writing. "Excuse me, good sirs, but if there are blizzards, how does it see? Does it just starve to death?"

Snotlout laughed. "Or does it have beady little goggles for its beady little eyes?"

"Oh that's a good point." Fishlegs frowned.

Hiccup frowned too, tapping his pencil to his chin again.

Ruffnut and Snotlout were laughing. Tuffnut joined in on the laughter and added, "Or does it have heat vision?"

The lightbulb lit for Fishlegs and Hiccup at the same time.

"Right?" Tuff looked at Ruff and Snotlout. "Wouldn't that be- wouldn't that be dumb?" His amusement died down as Ruff and Snotlout glared at him.

"Tuff, you're a genius!" Hiccup exclaimed, beginning to write again. "We give it thermal vision so it can still see prey during the worst blizzard!"

Fishlegs was vibrating with excitement. "That's perfect!"

"Hold on!" Tuffnut objected. "I said nothing about Therma Lou! I don't even know who that is. I said heat vision." He folded his arms and, sticking his nose in the air, averted his gaze. "Who's the genius now?"

Hiccup looked proudly at the near-complete entry. Island, habitat, hunting patterns - all filled out. "Now we just need its class."

Fishlegs was already pulling out the base information cards he had been working on. "I've narrowed it down to two: Strike and Tracker." He began excitedly waving a Deadly Nadder card. "Tracker would be perfect for his thermal vision."

"And Strike would be perfect for sneak attacks." Hiccup agreed immediately.

"Nerdsss!" Snotlout motioned to Hiccup and Fishlegs while addressing Ruff and Tuff. "Ow! Hey!"

Snotlout rubbed the back of his head, glaring at Astrid while she slid onto the bench beside Hiccup.

Hiccup lit up. "Astrid!" He shoved the book with the Snow Wraith's information toward her. "We need a tie breaker on the Class."

Fishlegs nodded. "Right! I was thinking Tracker class, because it has thermal vision; and Hiccup was thinking Strike Class, because of its ability for sneak attacks."

Astrid looked over the page. "Aren't most of your Trackers labeled that because of their sense of smell? This guy wouldn't really fit in, so I'd say Strike Class."

"That makes sense too!" Fishlegs agreed while Hiccup filled the information out.

"Oh!" Astrid looked around the table. "Are you guys going to be around after classes? I made something I want you to try."

"What kind of something…?" Snotlout asked skeptically.

Astrid was beaming - Hiccup loved seeing her so excited about something. "A new holiday drink?"

"What ki-" Snotlout started, but was cut off by Tuffnut.

"Who cares what kind? It's free holiday food!"

"That's the spirit!" Astrid cheered. "I have a couple thermoses of it in my bag. I wanted to share with the wrestling team too, so how about we all meet by the gym after our team meeting?"

"I don't know if I'll be able to," Fishlegs said. "Mom and I were going to do some more Christmas shopping."

Astrid waved him off. "That's okay. I'll save you some and we can meet up a different day."

Fishlegs frowned. "It's something that will save that long…?"

"Yeah probably!"

That sounds promising, Hiccup grinned sheepishly at Fishlegs.

--

Classes were over for the season. Hiccup was happy he, Fishlegs, and Astrid had finished the Snow Wraith's entry at lunch. Fishlegs' mother had been there to pick him up almost on the dot from when the last class got out. He really hadn't been joking when he said they were going Christmas shopping: the back seats were down and the trunk was packed with reusable bags that Hiccup could see from the school steps.

Hiccup tapped his pencil on the near-empty information sheet. While his friends played snowball fights - Snotlout, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut against Jack - he was fighting his own dragons, specifically this one: the Night Fury. It was his job to fill in the details; Fishlegs didn't want to touch this one.

"The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Never engage this dragon. Your only chance: Hide and pray it does not find you."

It was the only dragon idea Stoick had ever given the boys and there wasn't much to go off of. It didn't help that Stoick told them about it when Fishlegs was six. Scared him half to death and gave him nightmares for months, years even. But it intrigued Hiccup.

Why don't my parents know more about you? And what about our ancestors, was there really no one who ever survived an encounter with one of you? He stared pointedly at the name, as if it were the dragon's eyes itself. Somehow, I don't believe that. "But if it's true," he muttered, "it must have been very lonely."

"What must have?"

Hiccup jumped, instinctively slamming the notebook shut to protect the pages inside.

"A bit paranoid there, aren't we, Chief?" Eret asked, shifting his weight and glancing at the book.

He relaxed while Astrid took a seat on the table, her bag on her lap. "No, he's using the right amount of caution."

Astrid, always coming to his defense.

Eret shrugged. "Whatever you say, Captain."

Jack slid over at that moment. "Astrid! The 'nuts said there was something you wanted us to try."

Astrid grinned. She'd already poured a cup from one of the thermoses. As the others gathered round, she handed the first one to Jack. "There is. Here!"

"Hey no fair!" Ruffnut complained.

"Yeah you offered it to us first!" Tuffnut agreed.

Even as they complained, Astrid already had five more cups poured. "Relax, guys, there's plenty to go around."

Jack smirked at the twins and Snotlout. "Race to see who can finish their cup first?"

"You're o- hey!" Snotlout shouted as the other three started without him.

Eret, Cassandra, and Merida picked up a cup each.

"Cheers, Hauptmann." Eret saluted Cassandra before downing his cup.

Hiccup smiled at Astrid and took a sip. What is that?! His eyes widened and he couldn't swallow. He forced everything to his cheeks to get it as far from his tongue and taste buds as he could. It wasn't working.

Jack spat his out almost as quickly as he'd taken it in.

Cassandra discretely spit hers back into her cup.

Merida locked eyes with Hiccup. He could see the regret in her eyes and, judging by the size of her chipmunk cheeks, he supposed she had taken a bigger drink than he had.

"Woo!" Eret shook his head and shoulders as if there was a chill. "That'll put some hair on your chest."

Hiccup watched Merida's eyes die a little more.

"My parents told me I could make a new holiday tradition this year, and I thought a new festive drink was just the thing to bring some holiday cheer!" Astrid looked straight at Hiccup.

What do I do what do I do what do I do what do-?! Hiccup swallowed. He gagged, almost threw it back up, then forced it to stay down. Why did I do that? Oh it's so gross!

"How was it?" Astrid's cheeks were red from the cold. Her hair was tucked back in the usual braid. She looked so excited. She looked…

So beautiful. "Mmhmm!" He nodded with a thumb's up. I'm so dead. "Um, what is it, exactly?"

"It's called yaknog! It's like eggnog, but more…yak-y."

That was the last straw for Merida. She spit hers out as unceremoniously as Jack and the twins. "Where did ya find a yak?"

Astrid's cheeks grew redder. "Well, okay, it was made with goat milk. But goatnog doesn't have the same ring to it."

Snotlout gawked at her. "You have a goat?!"

"No," Astrid rolled her eyes, "but my Uncle Finn does. And he's visiting for Snoggletog and brought me some goat milk."

Tuffnut was in the process of scraping the tastebuds from his tongue. "'Y 'a' i' chewy?"

Astrid shrugged. "That's probably the feta."

"Feta?" Cassandra muttered, eyeing the abomination again.

"Probably?!" Jack exclaimed.

Eret grinned, looking to Mauchty, Blether, and Broc. The three had been smart: they had waited for others to try it first.

I envy them a little, Hiccup thought, dejectedly. He could still taste the soggy feta on his tongue.

"Bottoms up, lads," Eret ordered the three horrified teens, "if you know what's good for you."

Or not.

Astrid filled another cup and offered it to Jack, the twins, and Snotlout. "Anyone want seconds?"

Ruff and Tuff began backing away slowly, in sync, before Ruff shoved Tuff toward Astrid and made a run for it. Tuff was right behind her.

"What, are you trying to poison us?" Snotlout yelled at her before darting off as well. He hit a patch of ice  and fell face first into the snow.

Jack held up his hand and shook his head, so Astrid offered it to Cassandra next.

"Thanks, Hofferson, but I gotta get Raps her Christmas break homework." Cassandra pulled her bag further up her shoulder. "And before you say anything, I don't think yaknog will help her feel better - mentally, maybe, not physically. But, she would've loved the idea, so I'll tell her all about it." She waved over her shoulder as she walked away. "See you all later."

"Merry Christmas, Cassandra!" Astrid, Hiccup, Jack, and Merida called after her.

Hiccup let out a sigh of relief when he saw Astrid start pouring the yaknog back into the thermoses. "I guess we should start packing up too."

Jack tilted his head. "Hey, Eret, where'd the three stooges go?"

Eret waved off the confusion in Jack's voice. "They went to see if the school was still open."

Hiccup grimaced. I can't imagine what that's going to do to the school bathroom…

"Ach they'll be fine!" Merida rolled her eyes. "Astrid, yer still lettin' me join yer Snoggletog thing aren't ya?"

"I was actually thinking," Astrid zipped her bag up, "why don't we do a Snoggletog celebration between our friend groups or the wrestling team, or both, after CHristmas? So everyone can participate."

"Aye!" Merida's hand went up immediately and her face hardened. "But not a word to me mum."

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Eret drew their attention, "but…what is Snoggletog?"

"An excuse ta get weapons and give 'em to yer friends!" Merida grinned.

She always jumps right to the weapons. "And armor. Weapons and armor," Hiccup clarified.

Jack leaned against the picnic table. "Or decent substitutes."

"You're welcome to join us, Eret." Astrid told him. "You are part of the team."

Hiccup pulled out his phone. "I've been meaning to get your number. I can add you to the group chat." He pulled open his contacts and began a new one, then looked expectantly at Eret.

For what little it made Hiccup feel better, Eret's dad did seem pretty strict. Eret had stared at Hiccup and the others for a few seconds when asked about his phone number. And he acted like his life was on the line when they heard the car horn.

"Ah that'll be…" Eret glanced at the curb. "Maybe next year." He gave a playful salute to the four. "Chief, Captain, Merida."

"Yup, I'm here too!" Jack yelled after him.

Hiccup got up from the bench, shoving his phone back in his pocket. "I wonder why his dad always picks him up."

They watched Eret throw his backpack in the back seat and slide into the front passenger seat.

Merida shook her head. "Some parents are too protective."

"You three know better than anyone the kind of world we live in," Astrid pointed out, getting down from the table. "You can't blame some parents for wanting to protect their kids."

Jack smirked as they made their way to the curb to meet Sandy, who had pulled in behind Eret's dad. "What's that say about our parents then?"

Merida punched him in the stomach. As Jack keeled over, she stood over him. "That's what it says about my parents." She patted him on the back with a grin. "Don't worry, Jack, I can protect ya."

Hiccup grimaced, but joined in anyway. "Besides, Jack, you're the only one with bodyguards for uncles."

Astrid playfully jabbed Hiccup in the rib. "Yeah, and you have a bodyguard for a girlfriend."

Jack started snickering, still holding his midsection.

"Hey!" Hiccup grinned. "I have a perfect defense mechanism."

"Oh an' what's that?" Merida turned on him, her hand on her hip. "Ya gonna talk them ta death with," -she plugged her nose- "yer nasally high-pitched voice?"

"Or-or," Jack joined in through wheezes, "or bore them into giving you back with all your-your dragon talk?"

"Hardy-har-har," Hiccup rolled his eyes. "None of the above."

He saw the twinkle in Astrid's eye and knew she was hooked. "Okay, how?"

I love being the nerd. "You know lizards?"

After that last day of school, Christmas came in a flash. Hiccup spent Christmas Eve with Astrid's family, then Astrid spent Christmas with his. He woke up Christmas morning to a text from Jack in their group chat of a lizard shedding its tail and darting across a pond, followed by a text of "Merry Christmas." Merida thought the gif was funny, and Rapunzel expressed her confusion but repeated the holiday greeting.

One by one, they signed off to go spend the holiday with their families.

Eret 100% would’ve liked yaknog. I don’t know why. I don’t know how. He just feels like someone who would like it, and not ironically either.