Winds of Change

Chapter Four

They emerged on a concrete dock.

"Okay, we're in Boston," said Merida, "now what?"

"We look around all of the pubs," said Hiccup.

"Why there?"

"This person likes to get drunk."

Jack looked at Hiccup weirdly. "Who is this guy?"

Hiccup started walking, a black cat tail poking out of the bottom of his shirt. "You'll find out."

"How?"

"Well, I brought Toothless, didn't I?"

"But how did ye get him into Jamie's house?" asked Merida.

"I had Toothless turn into a mouse, and snuck him in with me in a pocket."

"That is really gross, Hiccup," said Jack.

"Do you want to get into the Library of Alexandria or not? Yes? Then stop complaining and follow Toothless' nose."

* * * 

Eight pubs later, the pre-dawn light was beginning to show. 

"Who is this crazy guy," Jack said. "Every place we've been to that Toothless has sniffed out reeked of him."

"Or her," Merida said. 

"No, it's a guy," Hiccup said, holding his sleeping cat.

"Why am I not surprised," mumbled Merida. 

The trio -- and a cat -- was about to walk into a pub when a tall man stumbled out. He had long black hair, broad shoulders, a chiseled chin and looked like he had pinkeye in both eyes. He stumbled in front of the trio of Spirits, and started laughing. He took Merida by the shoulders, and stopped laughing long enough to examine her face. He glanced over at Hiccup and started giggling.

"How drunk is this guy?" Jack whispered to Hiccup.

"Well, considering all of the pubs that Toothless smelled..."

Jack grimaced just as the man sat on the curb and took a bottle out of his pocket and took a swig. 

"Ah," he said, "much better. Now, how can I help this squad of Spirits?"

"Well," Jack started, but the man held up a finger.

"No loud noises," he said. "I'm still hung over from last night."

"Um... okay?"

The man looked over the three of them and Toothless. 

"Do any of you know who I am?"

Merida and Jack looked at Hiccup. Hiccup shrugged his shoulders. "I know where this guy hangs out, basic info about his Spirit power, but no name."

"How do ye not know his name?" Merida asked.

"No, don't harp on the shape-shifter," the man said. "My name is a pretty big secret. I just figured that if you found me, drunk as I am, then you gotta know my name."

He took a drink out of the bottle, and slumped to the ground, leaning against a parking meter. "Cupid. The name is Cupid."

None of them could help it; they all started laughing. Hiccup and Merida only because they had lived through the Roman Empire, and Jack because he was the most up-to-date on modern-day media. 

"Ha ha, go ahead, laugh at the guy who could give you a heart attack at any moment," Cupid mumbled. "And 'Cupid' is only a nickname. Sir Codireu Spesus is the whole thing."

"Cupid, though," said Merida, ignoring what Cupid just said. "This is the guy that's going to help us get into the Library of Alexandria?"

Cupid spit his drink all over the empty street. "What? You guys want to go to that library?"

"They do," said Hiccup. "I told them not to."

"Well, at least you have some sense. How do you know that that place is dangerous?"

"I was the guy that burnt it down. Me at Toothless, at least."

"It is a pleasure to meet you... Um... What's your name?"

"Hiccup."

"Pleasure to meet you, Hiccup. Now, to the other two, I'm wondering why you would want to go there. No sane Spirit would go there, unless you're this guy to burn it down."

"We're looking for someone," said Jack.

Cupid blew air across his bottle, creating a low, ringing noise that bounced off of the buildings. "Let me guess. That one neutral Spirit that was kidnapped a couple years ago. Rampion... Lettuce... Cabbage...?"

"Rapunzel," Merida said. 

"Riiiight, that one. She's been there for two years now, hasn't she? That's not good, for any kind of Spirit."

"Which is why we need to find her," Jack said earnestly. "And I -- well, Merida and I -- think that the Library of Alexandria holds the secret."

"Oh, that place sure holds the secret, just not the one that you're looking for. Trust me."

"But I burnt it down," said Hiccup. "Nothing escaped. I even started the blaze in that section."

"Which is noble, I'm sure," Cupid said, standing up and brushing off his pants. "But it's harder to destroy that section then you think. Scores of Spirits before you tried to get rid of that section, but to no avail. Why would a little Night Fury fire do it any harm?"

Toothless the cat hissed at Cupid, but Cupid just waved his hand. "If you want help getting in, you're going to have to get in either by yourselves, or with another Spirit like me. I sure won't. Now, if you excuse me, I need to get drunk. This conversation has put a downer on my decade."

Cupid started to walk away.

"Please," Jack said, unable to keep his voice from cracking. "Please. Without you, Rapunzel might die with Gothel and Pitch leeching her powers. You are honestly our only hope. Her only hope."

Cupid turned around. "Love," he started, "is a fickle thing, Jack Frost. If I help you, and only if, you and you alone will bear the consequences. Not Hiccup, not your redhead friend, you. No matter what happens, this and everything that happens after this is your fault."

"I would do anything," Jack whispered so softly that Hiccup could barely hear him.

"What is he talking about," Hiccup whispered to Merida.

"Shut up," she whispered back.

Cupid and Jack stared at each other, neither moving, neither blinking.

"All right," Cupid finally said. "I'll help you find this Spirit. But on one condition."

"Which is?" Jack asked.

"I get to drink."

"No way!"

Cupid held out his hands, palms up. "That is my condition. I'll stay sober, or as sober as I can be, until you guys get the info that you need. Then I'm outta there, drinking my brain cells to death."

Jack turned to Hiccup and Merida. "What do you guys think," he said.

"We have no choice if we want to get Rapunzel back," said Merida. 

"I agree with Merida," Hiccup said. 

Jack raised his eyebrow, but said nothing. He turned back to Cupid.

"We're in. What do we do next?"