Standing on a nearby rooftop, Elsa discreetly observed the commotion below her.

Red and blue lights flashed. The once deserted alleyway now filled with shuffling bodies and scraping boots. Police arrived just moments ago and were currently rounding up the disoriented thugs into their cruisers. They had to call for backup and a truck to fit Ivar, the large one, separate from the others. Several of the officers carried heating devices that they used to slowly thaw off the frozen cuffs and appendages she left on them. Those became way more streamlined in the two years since she donned the moniker, but the defrosting process still remained tedious and uncomfortable for the ones subjected to it, or so she heard.

Honeymaren, the woman she saved, spoke quietly to the two detectives fielding her with questions. No doubt she'll be asked to give her full statement once they were driven off to the police station. Medical assistance was provided to her brother, Ryder, soon after he regained consciousness. They reassured him that other than suffering from a mild concussion, there was no serious damage done to his health.

Frowning to herself, Elsa replayed the events in her mind. Reviewing her performance, dissecting every move and decision she made in the heat of battle. Despite how the media might portray her as a reckless vigilante, with little thought given to the collateral damage she might cause during her exploits, she in fact was her own worst critic. And she came to the unsurprising conclusion that she could have handled the entire situation better.

She became too complacent. Three days of downtime shouldn't be enough to let down her guard, yet it happened all the same. To say Elsa is disappointed in herself would be an understatement. Sure, she can rationalize that she's been focusing more on her work life which has been beating her ass lately with this new deal she has negotiate and prepare for, but that's no excuse to give less the effort in protecting the city.

Elsa pinched the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger, squeezing her eyes shut.

Nothing to be done about it now, she supposed. She was just thankful that the situation didn't escalate even further than it needed to. And that Honeymaren didn't resent her or notice the guilt she felt at nearly failing to stop the assault on her by that delusional thug.

Speaking of which...

She opened her eyes and glanced intently at the disgruntled man as he was led to the back of the police car, his wounded hand bandaged along with a pair of handcuffs secured tightly around his wrists.

"The Sons of Muspelheim," she muttered to herself, then groaned aloud. Great, another gang or criminal group out there in Arendelle looking to cause trouble. As if she doesn't have enough problems on her plate.

"Long night?" A deep voice from behind her asked.

Elsa stiffened. Her heart nearly leapt to her throat.

Despite knowing that he might be somewhere nearby, it didn't make it any less unnerving how easily he can just appear and disappear like that without uttering a sound. Unless he wanted you to know he was there, you would be none the wiser.

A strange tingling sensation formed in the pit of her stomach, which puzzled her momentarily before she ignored it.

Elsa didn't turn around. Allowing the evening breeze to gently dance across the bare skin of her face. Strands of blonde hair swept behind her, tied in a single tight braid that fell over the crowned snowflake symbol on the back of her navy blue jacket. "Par for the course, I'd say."

Which is the thing that really irks her the most. Despite getting caught off guard by that thug, the entire situation isn't something new to her. It should've been clockwork by now. A lengthy patrol topped with catching the bad guys in the act, beating them up, and then leaving them tied up for the authorities to arrest, sprinkled with some evasion on her part from the police. A piece of cake. By all means, a standard night for her.

And she still somehow managed to fuck it up.

Faint footsteps followed, and soon another presence joined her perch in watching the rest of the proceedings below.

Elsa glanced at the tall, lean figure that stood next to her. He was clad in sleek black armor, segmented across his body and streaked with hints of red along the side. On his right pauldron, the symbol of a curled scarlet dragon gleamed menacingly under the pale moonlight. A frightening mask greeted her, faceless besides the slits of green lenses and three sets of short spines jutting from the forehead to the back of the helmet.

Night Fury, the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Vigilante. Outlaw. One of Berk's top ten most wanted criminals; accused of assault, vigilantism and interference in police investigations. Also suspected of having affiliation with a crime syndicate operating in the city led by the mysterious individual only known as the Red Death.

Or so the tabloids say.

"Fancy seeing you here," she muttered. With him around, Elsa couldn't say for sure how long will things stay normal in Arendelle. His last visit here didn't exactly endear himself to the public or even herself, albeit initially.

Night Fury inclined his head towards her.

"Y'know, I could say the same for you. Heard you've gone dark these last few days."

Elsa blinked. "You've been keeping tabs on me?"

He shrugged noncommittally.

She eyed him dubiously. "How long have you been in Arendelle?"

"Since yesterday," he replied casually, which sounded odd coming from him. "Didn't patrol the streets myself until tonight."

"Right," she raised an eyebrow. "You expect me to believe that you've been lying low and doing nothing in the twenty four hours you've stayed here."

"Now I didn't say that." He raised a gloved finger. "And believe it or not, there are other things that occupy my time which are just as important."

Elsa hummed ponderously, unsure on what to make of that.

Silence resumed once more, which prompted her to examine him more closely.

"New suit?" she inquired, realizing that his armor looked vaguely different from the one he wore the last time they met. Less roughly patched, more refined and polished. With none of the wear and tear present that suggested its protection is frequently utilized in battle.

He nodded, turning serious. "Things in Berk have been escalating a lot lately. I need to be one step ahead of my enemies, and if that means upgrading my gear then I'll adjust accordingly."

Night Fury gave her a look. Even though the lenses covered his eyes, Elsa thought she could feel that gaze scrutinizing over her. "And it seems like I'm not the only one. That's... quite the improvement."

Elsa flushed at the compliment, once again thankful for the purple scarf covering her now red cheeks.

Her blue and white suit was certainly a far cry from the hoodie and cargo pants she used to wear up until six months ago―when she first met Night Fury.

Their first meeting... did not go well. She had panicked at the sight of him in Arendelle. Knowing next to nothing about him other than what she heard from the news, Elsa labeled him as a threat.

Not that he was any better. He had been searching for a certain individual that's been supplying a gang in Berk called the Outcasts. His subsequent interrogations of the local goons about his target garnered unwanted attention. Which typically ended with injured bodies and broken bones in his wake. No one ever got killed, but she was shocked at the sheer brutality of his methods and how little he cared for privacy when it involved acquiring the information he needed.

They were deeply suspicious of the other and had clashed numerous times before eventually realizing that they were working towards a similar goal in mind and grudgingly decided to cooperate. But not before the media caught word of their quarrels and blew it out of proportion. It was embarrassing to see the hundreds of theories online discussing about them, whether or not they were accomplices, ex-lovers, rivals and all kinds of ridiculous stuff. It didn't help that Anna became so engrossed in the whole story and would speak of nothing else every time she returned to their flat. Olaf did little to mitigate her headache when he kept the discussion going in the office.

However, it did help build some sort of camaraderie between her and Night Fury. Born out of mutual disdain for news outlets and opportunist reporters.

While she had experienced media attention before, it hadn't been quite as explosive as this. Probably because there were now two freaks out there causing trouble in their cities. Night Fury merely told her to brush them off, annoyed that they were being a hindrance to his investigation. And she more or less agreed with him, but there was one aspect that she couldn't ignore and, as petty as it seems, had to admit has some validity to it.

Elsa can argue on a lot of things about Night Fury, but the one that she can't deny is that he definitely looked the part of the mysterious, skilled vigilante more than she did. And she has two years of experience on him!

Even Olaf mentioned that Arendelle's superhero, as he sees her as bless his little heart, didn't really look the part and felt lacking compared to Berk's own. Granted, he never meant to say it with any sort of ill intent but it was the straw that broke the camel's back for Elsa.

So she decided to call in a favor given to her by an eccentric fashion designer she saved during her first year as Snow Queen. Despite the heroine's protests, she kept insisting on a reward for her rescue and wouldn't let it go until Elsa reluctantly agreed. The short woman was pleased when she finally received the message and sounded delighted when she explained her request.

To acquire the exact measurements and preserve Elsa's anonymity, they agreed to meet at her private estate in Metroville. Elsa was glad for the short woman's endeavor at keeping her secret. She couldn't imagine asking Anna to start measuring her without asking too many questions.

The entire process took about a month to finish, with several back-and-forths between the two discussing minor details and readjustments. When the suit had been presented to her for inspection, Elsa could honestly say that she was completely amazed and dumbfounded by the end product, much to her tailor's smug satisfaction.

Elsa felt indebted to the short woman, or Edna as she had come to know her, for the quality craftsmanship she poured into the suit and often prioritized her protection whenever she visited Arendelle.

Though she still couldn't entirely understand her disdain for capes when she first suggested it.

The leather jacket, however, was entirely Elsa's own input. She thought it added a bit of ruggedness to the otherwise pristine costume.

No more words were said after that, and they lapsed into another comfortable silence.

Which wouldn't remain long, she knew. Experience taught her that other parts of the city would soon need her attention. After an encounter like that, Elsa couldn't hope for things to go that smoothly again. There was much more work to be done, which means she had a long night ahead of her, not to mention an early morning. So much for a quiet evening, she thought glumly.

"Thanks for that, by the way." Elsa nodded towards the alleyway, now devoid of life once the police wrapped up and left.

Night Fury glanced at her, questioning.

Elsa sighed internally. For someone known for their sharp mind, he can be quite dense sometimes.

She slipped a hand inside her jacket and pulled out the folded furyfang, which she decidedly swiped from the crime scene. No need for the police to start wondering just yet about Night Fury's presence here in Arendelle. Elsa had a feeling she'll find out soon enough.

"If you hadn't stopped him in time I don't think I could've handled the situation any better," she clarified.

But Night Fury shook his head. "You had it under control," he replied, his voice firm. "And you responded well enough against a threat you didn't account for."

"I'm flattered you think so but in truth I was completely rattled." Rather than be embarrassed, Elsa was grateful for his interference and could freely admit that the appearance of the grenade spooked her into a moment of uncertainty.

"You're not the only one that got caught off guard." He chuckled at her widened eyes. "Not even some of Berk's more gung-ho criminals have retaliated with grenades before. It's usually costly for gangs to acquire and dangerous enough to handle during raids, not worth the effort for them to clean up if something goes wrong."

Well, that's not exactly comforting. If their own brand of criminals have started to expand their use of weaponry faster than even Berk's notorious underworld is willing to do, then things are not looking too well for Arendelle's future.

Night Fury must've read the expression on her face when he said, "You don't have to worry about it."

"Don't I?" she scoffed.

"Yes, because he was holding a fake."

Elsa was taken aback. "What?"

"It was a fake," he repeated. "He was bluffing, buying time to get near the alleyway entrance and plan for his escape. If you hadn't made your move by then, I figured he would have thrown the grenade between you two or shoved it with the hostage. Either way, you would've been distracted with keeping her safe long enough for him to make a clean getaway. Fortunately, he became too enamored by his own stunt and gave me the chance to help."

"How can you be sure?"

"The color of the grenade. Dummy grenades manufactured for military use normally have the casing and lever painted blue to differentiate it from the actual grenades. My guess is he bought it off somewhere, either as a trinket or a last resort if he ever gets cornered. It's not like he expects the majority to know the difference."

"That's—" Elsa cut herself off before she could say 'ridiculous'. She has very limited knowledge about grenades after all, so she couldn't exactly contradict him on that statement. It made her feel a bit embarrassed that there was apparently no danger to be concerned about and that the thug nearly outsmarted her by exploiting her inexperience with explosive equipment.

Still, she can't help but voice her doubts. "You couldn't know for sure."

"Crooks like him, by nature, are a superstitious and cowardly lot. I encounter them every night in Berk, preying on the weak and incapable. They talk big game, boasting their deeds as if something to be proud of. But give them a moment's uncertainty and they wilt and scamper away like rats. They fear the unknown. Unwilling to take that final step, not knowing what will greet them on the other side. I highly doubt that man had the courage to actually take his own life especially after that ridiculous spiel."

The cold hard tone he used felt similar to that first night, when she first witnessed him interrogating a thug he had beaten and incapacitated. That sharp glare she could feel through his featureless mask when he turned his attention towards her. It made her shiver, got her to wonder some nights at what could have shaped him to be that way towards criminals.

And a small, annoying part of her is curious to find out.

Elsa met his gaze evenly, calm blue staring into piercing green.

Night Fury exhaled. "But true enough," he admitted reluctantly. "There is the likelihood that it could have been real and he would have actually pulled the pin. Regardless, fake or not, it doesn't change the gravity of the situation. He could've easily pulled a different stunt that's equally dangerous. You handled it efficiently in spite of the circumstances. The next time it happens, you'll be ready."

She gave a single nod. "On that, I suppose we can agree."

He nodded in return, then glanced down at the furyfang she held towards him. "Withholding evidence now, Snow Queen? Your number of offenses just keep piling up. I might have to hand you over to the station for tampering with a crime scene."

Elsa tried not to snort. "Of the two of us, you're far more guilty of that than me. Maybe I should hand you over. It'd be poetic after all. The brave queen singlehandedly taking down the monstrous nightmare of a dragon plaguing her kingdom. Berk and Arendelle would hail me as their hero."

Night Fury chuckled as he took the furyfang and placed it back in his utility belt. "No knight in shining armor to come save the day?"

"Oh please, I'm tired of that cliché. Why would I need a knight's help when I already have this?" She waved her fingers, summoning a flurry of frost on the palm of her hand.

"You never know," he shrugged, moving closer to her. The faint glow of her powers highlighted the black plating of his chestplate. "The clever dragon might prove too much for the overconfident queen, especially if she keeps underestimating it. Just one mistake is all it takes and she'll be trapped in their talons, too late to realize that she bit off more than she can chew."

"Is that so," Elsa whispered, raising her chin up to meet his gaze. She noted with some annoyance that he's almost a head taller than her.

"That sounds like a challenge, Fury."

He crossed his arms, and Elsa could almost imagine him smirking from behind that helmet. "It was meant to be taken as such."

Her eyes narrowed. Arrogant berk.

Though it didn't stop the slight smile from forming on her face.

It felt relaxing, bantering with someone who gets it. Sure, she doesn't know who Night Fury is under the mask, nor is she certain what kind of person he is outside it. But the glimpses she had point to a man who is steadfast in his beliefs of stopping crime, not letting politics or greed stop him from bringing someone to justice.

Their methods of achieving it may be different from each other and their reasons for doing so even more varied, but fundamentally they were built by the same foundation that drove them into putting on the mask in the first place. To prevent others from suffering the same tragedy as they did.

It's comforting, Elsa thought, to know that I'm not entirely alone in this world.

"You're welcome for that by the way. The police would've alerted the entire precinct immediately if they find out you're here. I merely delayed their findings so that you can do what you needed to do with very little interference as possible."

"I definitely appreciate the foresight. Not that I didn't enjoy our... 'sparring matches', but I'd rather not have the press catch wind of it again and stalk us throughout the night hoping to fabricate the next big scoop instead of focusing on the real issues."

"Yeah, tell me about it."

The less she has to say about the Arendelle Tribune, the better. Hopefully Anna can bring some integrity back to that place with her new job there.

"Well," she stretched her arms over her head until she heard a satisfying crack, before rolling her shoulders. "If you ever need help, you know I'm here." She felt her phone vibrate, pulled it out, and cringed at the time. "Just... maybe not tonight."

Damn, she almost forgot about that meeting tomorrow. And she had another hour or two of patrol left to do before she's satisfied for the night. After her recent run-in with those thugs, Elsa was far less optimistic about the city staying peaceful for the rest of the night.

She was about to turn around and skate off the building when she felt a firm grip on her shoulder. Surprised, Elsa turned to find Night Fury still there, looking stiff and... uncomfortable? Awkward? She couldn't exactly tell, despite growing used to discern his emotions based on body language. Odd, he'd usually disappear right about now once they conclude their talks.

"How about you let me handle patrol tonight?"

Elsa blinked, not sure if she heard him right.

"Uh, what?" she said intelligently.

Night Fury coughed into his fist before pulling his hand back.

"Let me deal with patrol for the rest of the night," he replied smoothly, his posture composed once again. "I've only just started, and can take watch over the rest of districts for the remaining hours before dawn."

"But your mission," Elsa protested, unwilling to let him carry all the burden. This was her city after all. "Don't you need to focus more on that? I don't want to distract you or anything."

Night Fury waved it aside. "It can wait," he said dismissively. "This is just as important. You need rest. Even I can't function properly without having to recuperate and attend my personal demands every now and then. Or so I've been told." He muttered that last part to herself.

Elsa wanted to say no, her pride not willing to back down from her duty. She was just as capable of handling her city without asking for help, thank you very much. And she's been doing it for two years longer than him!

But then, is it really something worth arguing?

She had an important meeting tomorrow that she has yet to prepare for. If she made it back home right now she'd have enough time cram the necessary tasks she has to do before catching some shut eye. It's been distracting her this entire week, and she hasn't been performing properly both at work and her 'other' job.

Her double lives have clashed numerous times in the past, and she always ends up having to sacrifice one for the other. She doesn't like it, but it's usually the best course of action to follow considering her lifestyle. Maybe it doesn't have to be that way this time.

Elsa bit her lip, torn. "Are you sure about this?" she tried again.

"Yes," he said, his voice firm but assuring. "I have no doubt you'll make it up tomorrow once you've sorted things out. I'll be waiting then."

That settled it for her.

For all her protests, Elsa couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief at the thought of a good night's rest. Her shoulders sagging as if a weight had been suddenly lifted off them.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "I really owe you one."

He shook his head. "Think nothing of it."

After a moment, both of them turned around and walked over to the ledge of the building. The wind blew around them. Streets and corners looming below marked where their paths would diverge for tonight.

"But really, I do owe you for this," Elsa insisted. "You sure you don't need my help or anything? I can skate you to the sketchiest part of the city first before I leave. Though you'll have to hold on to me to make sure you don't slip and fall over," she pointed out rather cheekily.

Night Fury gave her a dry look. "Thanks, but I've got that covered."

He tinkered with something in his utility belt before stepping on to the ledge and remained still. Puzzled, Elsa was about to ask what he's waiting for when he suddenly took one step forward and jumped over the side of the rooftop.

The building stood at about six stories high and he plummeted downwards at an alarming speed. Then, a pair of black wings sprouted from his back, turning rigid as the fabric caught air and slowed his descent into a glide. Somewhere in the streets below, a lone vehicle blared its headlights, the engine roaring to life, autonomously weaving through the near empty streets towards the designated location.

Brisk, autumn winds carried Night Fury over the lower buildings, gliding until the silhouette of a sleek black and purple motorcycle came into view. The vehicle skidded to a stop and performed a complete turn just as he retracted his wings and dropped securely on the seat, revving the throttle before zooming straight into the night, leaving only a faint hum behind.

Elsa stared at the retreating figure, idly noting how he executed the entire maneuver in one flawless run with little to no hesitation on his part.

Sometimes she wondered if Night Fury was actually bullshitting her when he said he had no powers at all.

Shaking her head, Elsa took a deep breath and then jumped over the ledge. Chutes of ice greeted her feet already forming an uneven path right to her apartment.

One quick bath, a hot cocoa and pajama change later, Elsa sat comfortably on her bed, comforter pulled up to her waist as she typed on her laptop and scanned the notes she prepared days ago.

Despite having quite the eventful night, she had to focus now and review her notes for the upcoming deal tomorrow between her firm Breaking Boundaries and Haddock Holdings.

She learned all she could about their famous CEO, his contributions to the steady success of the company, the tragedy that befell his family, and the philanthropic institutions he spearheaded to prevent others from suffering the same loss of his own children.

Truly, Stoick Haddock is a man to be admired for his steadfast character and resilience in the face of hardship.

Now if only she had more information on the representative he sent in negotiating this deal.

Her eyes hovered over an image open in one of the browser tabs. The face of a comely young man with vivid green eyes, unruly brown hair, and a rather large nose greeted her.

Hiccup Haddock III, prodigal son and recently returned heir to the Haddock fortune.

Elsa wondered just what kind of person he is. Oh well, she'll find out soon enough.

Right now her mattress demanded her attention.

Sorry this part took a while, hope you enjoyed it.

I'm honestly surprised no fanfic has tried to make a connect between Hiccup's flightsuit in HTTYD 3 and the Batman Beyond suit. Seriously, it has the same color palette and the retractable wings look exactly similar. I thought of it immediately when the first trailer came out. Would've liked to see more fanfics try that concept. Just look at the concept drawings of it in Hidden World Artbook and see how good it is, man I'm actually jealous that it's not real.

His motorcycle is like a mix between the Batpod from TDK trilogy and that self-driving motorcycle from the recent Hobbs & Shaw. That thing stole the show in the movie.

If I were to actually write an actual multi-chapter fic for this vigilante AU, it has to be separate stories right? One to focus on Elsa's origins and the other for Hiccup. I already have a fair outline on how I want Hiccup's story to begin, as you've seen from the glimpse in this chapter. But it would still need some refinement. It's Elsa's that I'm having trouble brainstorming. My idea is that her origin would be somewhat similar to Spider-Gwen's but I'm not yet sure how I might fold it that way. Any ideas would be grateful.

Both stories would certainly take a while to manage. But if any of you want to try writing it out yourself, then please do it'd be interesting to read.