37. X Marks the Spot

Isabela’s new room was quite different than her old one.

Its terrain shifted to suit her mood, and so did the plant life that inhabited it. Sometimes a dry, arid desert, littered with cacti. Sometimes a murky bog, filled with lily pads and water sausages. Or an expansive field, populated by tall sunflowers swaying in the breeze.

But no matter what, her living space always stood in the center. A greenhouse, with her bed and other personal accommodations being placed inside.

It was colorful, versatile, and ever-changing.

What it wasn’t was pristine, pink, or perfect. And she loved it for that.

Today, it was a lush jungle. Vines and overgrown fronds hanging from the treetops.

Mirabel fought her way through the greenery, pushing leaves and branches aside to try and find the center of the room. After a few minutes of struggling through the dense foliage, leaves getting in places she definitely didn’t want them to be, they all parted on their own. Revealing a very excited Isabela waiting for her.

“Hey sis!” She held her arms out, requesting a hug. Her request was eagerly accepted, and the sisters shared a loving embrace. Bright smiles on both faces.

Isabela’s smile fell when she heard the voice that followed.

“Aw jeez, I think I’ve got a twig up my- “Hiccup stumbled into view, trying his best not to trip over vines and dense roots. Mumbling his displeasure the entire time.

“…Mirabel, I thought this was sister time? Last I checked, that didn’t include him!” She glared at her younger sibling with questioning eyes, demanding an answer.

“He’s here to help us!” Mirabel cheerily responded. Noticing her sister looking even more confused, she held her hand out to Hiccup. He produced something from his pocket, and gave it to her.

In her hands she held an old looking piece of paper, splattered with cryptic symbols. The most prominent of which being a dotted line, leading to a bright red X.

It looked like a…

“A treasure map?” Isabela asked, not quite believing what she was seeing.

Mirabel nodded. “I was walking to my room, when Casita stopped me. It opened up a wall, and this was hiding inside. I have no idea what it’s for, and nobody else did either. It’s clearly a map, and who knows what it leads to?”

She grew excited at the prospect of discovery. “That’s why I brought Hiccup, so he could help me figure this out! And I want you to come with us!”

Isabela was unsure.

An adventure with her little sister did seem fun…

But with him?

However, upon seeing Mirabel’s eager grin, se knew she couldn’t decline.

“Yeah, okay. Sure…” She agreed, though she didn’t sound too thrilled.

“Great!” Mirabel cheered. “With the three of us working together, there’s nothing we can’t do!  There are four pages in total, and we need them all to find the treasure. So let’s get a move on! Vamos!”

She gleefully led the way, flanked by her sister and her more-than-friend. Right before the trio could leave the room, she suddenly froze.

“Oh no!” She cried, dramatically bringing her hands to her face.

“What’s wrong?” Hiccup asked, concerned.

“I promised Mama I’d help her with something!” She turned to the pair, looking apologetic.  “I’m sorry guys, I can’t be part of this adventure…”

In response, Isabela shrugged. “It’s fine, we can do this another time.” Hiccup nodded his agreement.

Mirabel shook her head. “No, we can’t. Look!” She pointed to a pair of symbols on the paper. Twin suns, but one was crossed out. “This means it has to be done today. If we wait, we’ll lose the treasure!”

“You got all that from a couple doodles?” Hiccup asked.

“I studied doodology…” Mirabel murmured, before gazing at the two with an unwavering determination. “You two have to go on without me. Work together, and find the treasure!”

Hiccup and Isabela eyed each other, trying to imagine what a journey between the two of them would be like…

And immediately realized it wouldn’t work.

“No way, sis.”

“I’d like to live, thank you…”

Mirabel groaned. “Come on, guys! Don’t you want to know what this map leads to?”

At her question, Hiccup fiddled with his hands. “As interesting as it looks, I’d rather not risk death by carnivorous plant…” He grumbled.

“I wouldn’t have to threaten you if you didn’t keep giving me reasons to!” Isabela hissed.

Mirabel could see that they weren’t going to cooperate. With a sigh, she knew she had to break out her ultimate weapon.

“Please…for me?” She asked, with the biggest, saddest eyes she could muster.

She could almost see the resistance physically leaving their bodies, as they both deflated. They glared at each other, clearly not liking what they were about to agree to. But they agreed nonetheless.

Mirabel’s grin returned, and she pumped her fist in victory. She handed Hiccup the map, entrusting him with the key to the mission.

She then gave each of the two a hug. “I can’t wait to see what you find!” And then, she left to find Julieta.

Now standing alone, Hiccup and Isabela stood in an awkward silence.

The scrawny teen nervously gestured forward. “A-After you!” He offered.

Isabela scoffed, but she went on ahead. Hiccup sulking closely behind.

It was gonna be a long treasure hunt…

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

Now in the hallway, the beauty and the geek checked the map. The dotted line seemed to be leading them just a bit down the hall, and the X was marked with the symbol of sound waves.

Their destination was obvious.

They knocked on Dolores’ door, and were shocked to see it open for them by itself. Even though Dolores was nowhere to be found.

The two entered the room, immediately being surrounded by the gentle noises of the cascading waterfalls.

“Alright, what’s next?” Asked Isabela, standing in the cool waters. In response, Hiccup looked over the map once more.

Next to the X and the sound waves, signifying their current location, were symbols that looked to represent the waterfalls they now stood amongst. And on top of them, a rectangle with a 2 on it.

“That must be the second page…” Hiccup noted. “And it’s…”

They both gazed upwards, looking to the top of the mountainous walls the water was falling from.

“…Up…there…” He gulped, intimidated by the size. Isabela seemed unbothered.

“I could make a vine and ride it to the top…” She then grew a sly smirk. “But I just had a better idea!”

Before Hiccup could ask what she meant, he felt himself being elevated. Looking down, he saw that he was now standing in the center of a giant flower. The plant being pulled back by a vine that was wrapped around its stem.

He couldn’t help but realize that if the vine were to let go, the flower would swiftly snap back into a standing position, tossing him in the process. And he couldn’t help but notice that the flower was aimed right at the waterfalls…

Uh-Oh.

With a grin, and a teasing wave goodbye, she dissipated her vine with a flick of her wrist. Just as a swear was about to leave his lips, Hiccup was forcefully launched from the giant flower and into the air.

Screaming as he soared high above, he saw the peak of the cliff rapidly approaching. And he didn’t miss the piece of paper resting on top of it.

Soon his trajectory reached its apex, and he was starting to descend.

Unfortunately, his descent caused him to miss his goal.

Instead, he slammed face first into the cliffside. Down below, Isabela winced upon seeing his collision. Though she did so with a smile on her face.

As Hiccup stayed firmly planted in the Hiccup-shaped indent that was now on the mountain, gravity began to take effect. He felt himself slipping, and frantically tried to climb up the wall.

His hands caught onto a small ledge, and he sighed in relief. But then the ledge broke, and the poor boy was left flailing in the air.

Luckily, he grabbed another ledge on the way down.

“Oh no, don’t help me or anything!” Hiccup called down. “By all means, just stand there and watch me plummet to my death!”

“If you insist!” Isabela smirked.

In truth, she had a vine ready to catch him. And she’d come close to deploying it multiple times.

But he didn’t need to know that.

With a groan, the boy concentrated on scaling the cliff. He would only get a few inches, before he’d fall and scramble to catch himself. Over and over, he repeated this perilous process. Pebbles would pelt his head, his hands were developing small cuts from the jagged stone, but he never gave up. It was admirable.

A bit pathetic, but admirable.

He wasn’t making any progress. And soon, it wasn’t fun to watch anymore. Just sad.

Rolling her eyes, Isabela summoned a large palm tree beneath herself.

Ascending to Hiccup’s level, she patted a spot beside her. “Need a lift?” She asked, smugly.

Swallowing the “Took you long enough.” That was building in his throat, Hiccup carefully dislodged himself from the cliffside and joined her on the tree’s large leaves. “Th-Thanks…” He muttered. She didn’t give him a response.

A rode to the top, Hiccup tried to make small talk. “You’re getting pretty good at growing stuff, that flower was huge.”

“Yeah, I guess I am improving. Now that I get to do more than pretty pink petals.” She grinned, bursting with pride. “Feels good, not having to be the golden child anymore.”

From his seated position, Hiccup hugged his legs closer. “Funny. I’d have given anything to be the golden child, back on Berk…”

After a moment of considering his words, she turned to him. Looking graver than he’d ever seen her before. “It’s not all its cracked up to be. There’s constant pressure, everyone’s eyes are on you. Always. You always have to be perfect, because you represent the family. You represent the town. You’re not a person anymore, you’re a mascot. You’re not allowed to just be…you…”

She turned away, sullenly. “I would have taken being the village screw-up any day…”

To Hiccup, it was almost incomprehensible. He wouldn’t wish his treatment as the runt of Berk on anybody.

…Maybe Snotlout.

But her perspective from her time spent being what he’d always aspired to be, it really made him think. Obviously being treated like a pariah wasn’t good, but clearly having the respect and adoration he’d always dreamed of came with its own problems.

Perhaps the ideal was somewhere in the middle.

“…I’m sorry.” He mumbled.

She turned back to him, surprised. “For what?”

“For you…not being allowed to be you. It sounds really tough.” He answered, quietly.

She was taken aback, truly not expecting to hear that from him. After a moment, she spoke. “…You’re not useless.”

At his own stunned expression, she attempted to save face by crossing her arms and donning an annoyed scowl. “You’re a lot of things, obnoxious most of all…but you’re not useless.”

Despite her now hostile demeanor, Hiccup was still faintly smiling.

Finally, they reached the top of the waterfalls. Dismounting the abnormally lanky palm tree Isabela executed, Hiccup stepped forward and grabbed the page that was waiting for them.

“Two down, two to go.” Hiccup said.

This one was also covered in various symbols, and this time the dotted line led to an X marked with a jaguar’s paw.

Their excursion to Dolores’ room now complete, they set off for Antonio’s.

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

Hiccup hadn’t been to Antonio’s room in a while, and he was honestly surprised. It was more beautiful than he remembered.

…And a bit smelly.

Its layout was unchanged from how it was before Casita’s reconstruction. Thankfully, the child had never developed any emotional problems that needed to be addressed in a redesign.

Strangely, Antonio didn’t seem to be here either.

As Hiccup and Isabela walked underneath the gargantuan treehouse, the noises of various animals echoing throughout the room, he took a moment to glance at the new map they’d acquired.

The symbol representing the third page lied underneath a doodle of the tree, and was enveloped in a cage of pointy triangles.

“It kinda looks like…teeth?” Isabela pointed out. At this, Hiccup’s nose scrunched in confusion.

What kind of tree had teeth? He wasn’t taking magic for an answer, not on this one. Trees do not have teeth.

They searched the miniature rainforest, keeping an eye out for anything tooth-like. Only occasionally stopping to pet curious animals.

Even though they were on a mission, they couldn’t stop themselves from climbing and swinging through the massive woodland playground.

It started small. They had to climb a net, and Hiccup was crawling just a bit faster than Isabela. She took it personally, and starting clambering frantically to overtake him. Soon the two were feverishly vying for first place.

They engaged in all sorts of little competitions after that, like best bird catcher, or seeing who’s faster than a monkey. Antonio’s room was just inherently fun.

So fun, that they seemed to temporarily forget their feud, and genuinely enjoyed horsing around together.

Isabela conjured a pair of vines, and the two leapt from a wooden platform. Trying to swing onto another. However, the vines both snapped. Sending the two tumbling to the waters below with twin splashes.

But their now soaking wet states didn’t seem to dampen their moods, and they laughed while being half-submerged in the river. Childishly splashing each other.

Hiccup immediately ceased laughing, when he spotted it.

The third page, sat on a log. Peacefully drifting in the river.

Isabela grinned. “And that makes three!” She began wading through the water, towards the page.

But Hiccup was confused. It was just sitting there, waiting for them. They didn’t have to do anything to acquire it. It seemed a bit too easy.

And he noticed the distinct lack of any teeth.

He froze, as he felt the water shifting behind him. He quickly turned to see…nothing.

Nothing but the ripples of movement. Something was there.

He turned back around, just in time to see a large green…thing poke its beady eyes out of the water. Staring right at Isabela. Hiccup called her name in fear, but as she faced him, the eyes quickly ducked back under.

“What is it?” She asked, sensing his increasing fright.

Still staring at the water, looking for any sign of what was stalking them, he quietly spoke. “We need to get back onto land…now.”

She looked like he was about to question him, but when she saw just how serious he looked, she wordlessly climbed back onto dry land.

Hiccup followed her lead, but just as he was about to pull himself out of the river-

A massive set of jaws launched out of the water, mere inches from Hiccup. Snapping shut with enough force to shatter bones.

They both screamed, as the scrawny teen scrambled onto land. The duo backed away in fear, as a large and scaly beast climbed out of the stream. It eyed the two with a dangerous glare.

Its wide body was covered in dark green scales, and rows of spikes lined its back and tail. Beneath its beady eyes, was a long maw full of deadly teeth.

And now Hiccup understood the drawing.

“I thought you guys said there weren’t any dragons in the Encanto?” The boy asked.

“There aren’t! That’s a crocodile!” Isabela replied, eyes not leaving the intimidating beast.

Hiccup thought it over for a second. “Okay, it’s a Kroc-o-Dial. Weird name for a dragon. What is it, boulder class? Tidal class?”

“HICCUP!” She snapped, begging him to focus.

Looking back to the large reptile, who was glowering at them dangerously but still hadn’t moved to attack, Hiccup got an idea.

It may not be a dragon, but it was a lizard of significant size. That had to count for something, right?

Isabela, who had readied some thorny vines for self-defense, watched in confusion as Hiccup slowly crept forwards. Hands outstretched.

“Hiccup!” She whispered. “What are you- “

“Just trust me…” He whispered back, as he approached the hostile crocodile.

The creature was hissing at him, and baring its teeth, but it still wasn’t striking.

“It’s okay, big guy…” The scrawny teen muttered as soothingly as possible. “We don’t want to fight…”

Hiccup’s hand neared the creature’s snout, and it released a warning growl. He backed away a bit, before turning his head and closing his eyes. Hand still outstretched.

The crocodile placed its snout in his hand a moment later.

Isabela stared, dumbfounded, as Hiccup scratched the river monster under its chin. “Do you just have a thing with lizards?” She finally asked.

“That’s a distinct possibility.” He replied.

The now docile crocodile returned to the river, purring happily. As it swam deeper into the waters, it swished it’s tail around. Creating a current that brought a log near the duo, along with the paper that sat atop it.

Isabela took the third page. “Now that makes three.” Hiccup smirked

They both perused its contents. The X was marked by the symbol of a chameleon this time.

Both dripping wet, and not too bothered by it, they set off for Camilo’s room.

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

Bright stage lights illuminated their path, as Hiccup and Isabela entered the magical bedroom.

A constantly morphing place, themed both after carnivals and theatre. Wonky mirrors of all shapes and sizes lined the walls, your reflection would never look the same in any of them. And in the center, a massive stage stood proudly. Though now, a large red velvet curtain was added. The shifter didn’t have to perform at all times, not anymore.

The shifter himself was absent from his room, just like his siblings.

They didn’t have to check the map for a clue, not this time. Immediately upon entry, the duo noticed a giant arrow had been painted on the ground. Pointing elsewhere in the room. There was something written on it, which Isabela read and translated for Hiccup.

THIS SHALL BE YOUR FINAL TEST

FAIL AND IN PEACE YOU SHALL REST

“Well that’s not foreboding…” Hiccup griped.

They followed the arrow, Hiccup becoming quite disoriented as the floor beneath him shifted, until it led them to a closet door. Before any of them could reach for the handle, it opened by itself.

A hooded figure in a dark cloak peered out from the closet, and spoke in a low voice. “Who dares disturb my slumber?”

“Hola, Milo.” Isabela greeted, as Hiccup waved.

“I AM NOT CAMILO!” The figure, who looked and sounded suspiciously like Camilo, snapped. He cleared his throat, and spoke again. “You may take the prize you seek, if you answer me these questions three!”

They both shrugged. It seemed simple enough.

He grinned, and asked his first question. “What are your names?”

“Hiccup.”

“Isabela.”

“What is your quest?” He asked.

“To get the last map piece?”

“To finish this up so I can finally have some time with my sister!”

Finally, he asked his last question. “What…is your favorite color?”

“Uh…green.”

“Anything but pink.”

With a cheery smile, he left the closet and gestured for the two to enter. “Alright, go on ahead!”

As he sauntered off elsewhere, Hiccup and Isabela looked at each other. Stunned at how simple that was.

They both shrugged, and entered the closet.

“How anticlimactic…” Hiccup noted, which got a snicker out of Isabela.

There it was, the final page. Sat on a cardboard box.

Hiccup grabbed it, but they both furrowed their brows in confusion at what they saw.

No dotted lines, no X, no myriad of drawings. Just one symbol.

An arrow, turning in a circle and pointing to itself.

They both stared at it for a short while, trying to decipher its meaning. “Do we…have to spin?” Hiccup asked.

Realization struck Isabela. “No…we have to go back!”

It hit Hiccup as well, and they both spoke the answer at the same time.

“Back to where we started!”

Grinning excitedly, they ran out of the closet and out of Camilo’s room.

Back to Isabela’s own bedroom.

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

The duo walked along the forest path that was Isabela’s bedroom, chatting along the way.

“Y’know, I gotta say…hanging with you wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be!” Isabela smirked.

“You flatter me…” Hiccup snarked. Despite his bitter tone, he was smiling. “I uh…I had fun too.”

After a few minutes of struggling through the dense foliage, leaves getting in places they definitely didn’t want them to be, they found themselves where the whole journey began. The center of Isabela’s room.

And sitting on the ground, waiting for them, was a small treasure box.

As they approached, Hiccup motioned for Isabela to move forwards. “You should open it. You helped us up the waterfall, after all.”

“Yeah, but you stopped that crazy crocodile.” She countered.

With a chuckle, Hiccup proposed a compromise. “Fine, we’ll open it together!”

They both got on their knees, placed their fingers underneath the chest’s lid.

Finally, after a long but surprisingly fun journey, it was time to get their treasure.

Their imaginations running wild as to just what could be inside, they opened the box…

To find another piece of paper.

“Another clue?” Isabela asked, disappointed. As Hiccup reached inside to pick it up.

He was incredibly shocked at what he saw on it.

Isabel looked over, and her jaw dropped when she saw what he was seeing.

The ultimate culmination of their quest…

Was a colorful drawing of Hiccup and Isabela, giving each other a high-five.

They both sputtered in disbelief, utterly confounded at what they were looking at.

Until they heard the clapping.

Broken out of their confused trances, they looked behind them to find the source of the noise.

It was Mirabel. Clapping, with a proud smile on her face.

“Congratulations!” She cheered.

They both just stared at her, wide-eyed. Silent questions in both their eyes. She chuckled at their reactions.

“You’re probably wondering just what’s going on…” She began to explain. “I made it up! Casita didn’t give me the map, I made it myself! And mama didn’t need my help today! I set up the entire quest, with some help of course. I asked Dolores, Antonio, and Camilo if they wanted in. Luisa too, but she was busy today…”

“But…why?” Hiccup quietly asked.

“Because I wanted you two to get along…” She answered sincerely. “I love you both, you’re some of the most important people in my life! And I could tell you didn’t like each other…so I tried to change that.”

She grew an expectant grin. “And I think it worked! Nothing brings people together like a perilous expedition! Can you honestly say you don’t like each other anymore?”

As baffled as the duo was, and as off-put they were by the lengths she’d go to just to try and get them on better terms…they had to admit she was right.

Hiccup didn’t quite see Isabela as a scornful witch. And Isabela didn’t quite see Hiccup as an irritating little dweeb. Not anymore.

They’d both fostered new appreciations for the other.

They weren’t best buddies or anything…but they were cool. They’d only tease in jest, now. Instead of genuine disdain.

They looked at each other…and very slightly smiled.

Mirabel saw that they agreed with her, and her own smile brightened. “See! I knew it would work!”

“So…the real treasure was the friendship we made along the way?” Hiccup asked, causing Isabela to roll her eyes.

“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard…” She snorted.

They both stood from their crouched position, and they were both swiftly brought into a hug by Mirabel.

As they looked at her, beaming from the joy of having two of her loved ones finally connect, they knew they couldn’t be mad at her for her shenanigans.

The fact that she would go so far, to these ridiculous extremes, just for those she cared about…

It was why they both adored her.