In Another Lifetime

Chapter 24 - Mental

Merida woke one morning a couple of days after they'd almost got caught and found something felt wrong. Like an ache or something. Something that wouldn't go away, something that wasn't right. But it wasn't bodily functions gone wrong. It was something inside her, and she couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. It felt like something had been cut, a vital organ disconnected somehow but without her dying. She sat up and rubbed her eyes groggily. That was wrong in itself. She never felt groggy in the morning.

Rapunzel seemed to be feeling the same way. She had bags under her eyes even when they'd gone to sleep in perfectly good time, and her hair was falling greasily around her face. This wasn't right. Rapunzel's hair was always perfect and shining.

"Punzie?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't feel so good. Something's up. Something feels wrong."

"I'm feeling like that too."

"Hang on. This is too coincidental."

"What d'you mean?"

"Why are we both feeling strange?"

"Something we had for dinner?"

"No." Merida shook her head. "I think Mordu's doing something."

"Like what?"

"Well how am I supposed to know?"

"Look," Rapunzel stood up and started dressing, "let's go and talk to Jack and Hiccup about this. If they're feeling the same way we need to go and speak the the wit- I mean, the art teacher."

Merida nodded and began to dress too: a checkered top, trainers and shorts. Rapunzel was wearing a simple purple skirt and pink t-shirt with a small piece of lace across the shoulders. They headed out of their dormitory and knocked on the boy's door. A sleepy Hiccup answered.

"Who is it?"

"It's us."

"Ugh. Come in."

Hiccup opened the door to let the two of them in. What they didn't know was that Jack and Hiccup were in the process of getting dressed. They had jeans on but that was it.

"Jack?"

"Hiccup?"

"Shit." The two boys spoke in unison, realising they were both topless.

"Well," Jack grinned, "I guess we do have swimming today - you're going to have to get used to us in less than thi-"

"I really don't want to think about it," Merida said firmly, very firmly. But at the same time she didn't really want Hiccup to put a top on over his toned stomach. His muscles weren't particularly visible when he had a shirt on and he was pretty fit when you looked at him like this to be honest...

"Merida!" Rapunzel giggled, "Stop staring!"

Hiccup blushed beet red and pulled a light green shirt on whilst Merida mumbled, "I was not staring, god, staring? Why, why would I be staring..."

Rapunzel giggled but was making a point of not looking at Jack so she wouldn't allow the same embarrassment to get her too. He grinned and pulled a light blue shirt on.

"It's safe to look at me Rapunzel!"

"Thank God."

Jack turned to Merida and asked her why they were even here. Merida suddenly remembered how she had woken up and how she had felt, and the sensation of having something missing inside her returned in full flow. She suddenly felt angry and unapproachable. When she saw the others looking at her she snapped at them.

"What're you looking at?"

Hiccup seemed pretty taken aback but the effect seemed to pass on to him too.

"Nothing. It's not our fault you woke up the wrong side of bed this morning."

 "Stop it!" Rapunzel said quickly, pushing them apart. "This is why we came to talk to you!"

"What?" Jack was still confused, the weird feeling hadn't passed onto him yet.

"It's Mord'u," Rapunzel explained. "I think he's realised that he can't separate us physically, he's trying to separate us mentally."

"That would make sense," Jack nodded. He felt something rising in his stomach, an empty feeling. He scrunched his eyes and concentrated with all his might to repel this weird force. After a few second he found it had vanished.

"How did you do that?" Rapunzel stared at him in disbelief. She saw the effects rising then going again as Jack concentrated hard.

"Think of something happy with all of us." Jack replied, scratching his neck. "That's what I did anyway."

Rapunzel got Jack to explain his theory to the now incredibly irritated Merida and Hiccup who obliged grudgingly. They found it worked and they immedietly apologised.

"So basically," Merida worked out, "we have to remain close mentally as well as physically for Mord'u to stay weak and stuff?"

"Yep." Hiccup sighed and sat down on his bed. "He's going to try anything isn't he?" Merida nodded and sat down next to him, looking at him and trying to catch his eye but Hiccup just stared at the floor. Merida pulled him round so he looked into her eyes, startled.

"This is what I mean! You can't ignore us Hiccup! We have to stay together!"

"I'm sorry," Hiccup stuttered, "I didn't mean to, because I do like you. A lot. And I want to get rid of Mord'u. Obviously I do. Yeah. It's not you. It's not you at all, I um - I just - I don't know..."

"None of us do," Rapunzel said, folding her arms over her chest. "which is why we have to be doubly strong against it."

"I never thought I'd say this Punzie," Merida grinned, "but you speak words of wisdom."

"Guess being locked in a tower with nothing to do does have its perks," she smiled.

"Swimming!" Jack cried, flourishing his timetable in their faces. "We have a double session!"

"You have got to be kidding me." Merida groaned. "I hate swimming. And a double session? Are you kidding me?"

"Jack wants the exscuse to stare at Punzie," Hiccup sniggered and Jack gave him the death glare. Merida and Rapunzel chortled and giggled before leaving to get ready. They'd decided to skip breakfast here too, for their own safety.

A/N I haven't updated in ages - I'm so sorry. Seriously, this chapter was such a bore to write and I don't know why. It's really confusing me - I'm writing my other stories fine but this has kind of become a task rather than something I'd actually like to do. I'm still looking for ideas so please message me if/when you can.

And WTF?! 2.8K?! Oh. My. Gods.