A/N: Italics represent Norwegian/Swedish
Disclaimer: I don't own Metalocalypse.
Toki hated going into the village almost more than he hated going back home. The children always made fun of him, usually for his girlishly long hair but sometimes for his silence and his parents. Toki could deal with that, however, since he dealt with worse at home, but what he truly couldn't stand was the adults. They all stared at him, normally with fear, and he often heard them whispering about him, calling him evil and a devil child. Many wouldn't even sell to him when he came to buy supplies, and the ones that did allow him to buy did so out of fear for his 'wrath'. He would've taken the punishment for refusing to go if not for his one refuge, the music shop. The American shopkeeper was kind, even though their communication was often lacking due to the man's poor Norwegian and the fact that Toki knew no English. He'd even given him a guitar and taught him to play, and asked nothing in exchange. The loud, heavy music that played, which he learned was called metal, gave him goosebumps every time he heard, especially a new band called Dethklok. The man gave him their first CD and he smiled the rest of the day, even when his father whipped him and ordered him to stop.
It was late one Tuesday evening when he left the shop and saw them, Dethklok, marching through the town like demons sent from hell. Upon seeing him they came over, the big frontman in the lead.
"Hey uh, kid. Do you know how to get to fucking Oslo? We don't know where the hell it is, and we got lost in a damned snowstorm," he snarled, and Toki flinched away, thinking he would hit him.
"Stupids, he ams probablies nots knowing de English," a tall, skinny blonde scoffed, and the black haired man glared.
"Then you fucking talk to him, smartass," he spoke, and made a dark haired man with a goatee laugh. The blonde pouted and looked back at Toki, who was almost ready to run away, and spoke his native language in a low, almost soothing way.
"Do you know how to get to Oslo? We got lost in a snowstorm on the way there."
"No, I don't... I'm sorry, I've never been away from here before," Toki whimpered, still frightened of the large men despite his love of their music. The man who'd laughed looked at him worriedly, as did the red head who'd been staring off into space.
"What in th' hell did ya say to 'im Skwis, he looks scared shitless," the red head slurred.
"I's only asked him ifs he knew de way to Oslo, he ams justs stupids like everyone elses in dis dildos town," Skwisgaar scoffed again, any sense of comfort he'd held before having vanished.
"Well what did he shay?" asked an odd looking man with triangular hair.
"He saids he amnest knows where it is, and dat he has never lefted here."
"Damn. Hey, Skwisgaar, ask him if he knows a place where we can stay for the night, or at least use a damn phone to call Charles," the man with the goatee rolled his eyes, and looked at the small boy with barely veiled concern. Skwisgaar did.
"No, there is an inn, but the owners don't cater to musicians like you. They've forced others to stay on the streets before," Toki spoke a bit more bravely now, having decided that these men were more bark than bite. Skwisgaar translated.
"So he uh, knows who we, you know, are?" Nathan questioned. He hadn't really thought the small, innocent looking boy would have heard their songs, especially not in a town like this.
"I guesses so," Skwisgaar shrugged.
"Damn. Whatever, so there's nowhere to fucking sleep?" Nathan roared.
"Nos, I guesses not," the blonde sighed, and the others looked around dejectedly. Toki bit his lip as they walked away, and finally spoke again.
"Wait! Maybe... maybe the man who works here will let you stay with him. He sells your music."
"Really? Introduce us then. I do not want to sleep on the streets," Skwisgaar spoke haughtily as he walked back, the others following him confusedly. Toki nodded rapidly as he knocked on the door. A balding brunette answered, and opened the door quickly as soon as he saw who the little Norwegian boy was with.
"Hello! What brings a band like you to a religious little town like this?" he asked with a grin.
"We got lost in a fuckin snowstorm," the red head answered, now swaying back and forth a bit.
"Ah, of course! Sorry for that, it happens a lot around here, to be honest. If not for that there probably wouldn't be any visitors at all," the man smiled some more.
"Ja, ja, I's can tell. Dis place ams awful. Now, cans we stays here for de nights? Dis dildo said dat we could," Skwisgaar sniffed.
"Man, I'm not sure. That guy seems drunk, and I can't afford more damage to the store. The bastards around here fuck around with the windows and shit every week to try and get me to leave," the man rubbed his balding scalp and looked nervously at the comparatively larger men.
"What if he stays too. You know, to keep us in line or whatever," Nathan gestured at Toki, who looked at him nervously.
"That's not-" the man tried to protest but Skwisgaar broke in.
"You will stay with us for the night, to make sure our drunk friend does not damage the property."
"No, no, I can't! I'll be in trouble already for staying out so late," Toki whined, looking down the pathway towards his house. His back stung in memory of the last time he'd stayed out too late. The store owner put his arm around him.
"Don't pressure him that way. He can't stay," the man spoke roughly, his kind demeanor lost.
"Why the hells not?" Skwisgaar spoke angrily, and the goateed man glared and hit his arm.
"Don't be a damned dick Skwisgaar. If the kid can't stay he can't stay."
"Does you wants to sleep on the fuckings street den Magnus? Hims family will fuckings live without him fors one damned night!" Skwisgaar's lack of sleep and women was making him angry, and Toki curled into the man's side.
"Yer scarin the kid Skwis, stop it," the intoxicated red head spoke, close to passing out.
"Yeah Skwishgaar, if Magnus thinksh you're being a dick, you're really being a hugesh dick," the pug nosed man lisped.
"Toki, go home, quickly," the man gave him a light shove and Toki tried to leave, but Skwisgaar took him by the arm.
"He ams stayings," Skwisgaar said finally, shouldering by the shopkeeper and dropping his guitar case on the ground.
"Damn it!" the shopkeeper finally yelled, "His parents are going to beat the shit out of him anyway, do you want to make it worse?"
"De hells does you mean?" Skwisgaar asked slowly, loosening his hold on the fearful Toki.
"Look at his fucking back," the shopkeeper sighed after a while. Skwisgaar pulled up the short-sleeved blue shirt the boy wore quickly, before he'd have time to protest, and gasped in shock at what he saw. The others, who'd come in as well, did the same.
"He's fuckin stayin wit us," the red head mumbled immediately, memories of his own childhood abuse returning.
"Pickles is right, for once in his useless fucking life. We're taking the kid to Oslo with us, and then back to America," Magnus growled, his sharp eyes angrily noting each and every raised mark, some of them fresh and only just scabbing only. Skwisgaar merely ran his fingers gingerly over the boy's back while the other two stared on, silenced by their shock. The shopkeeper was stunned, but he was suddenly laughing happily.
"Thank you, thank you so much! Toki, they're taking you from your parents, you won't ever have them hurt you again! He's very strong, for his size, they worked him hard. He can help you carry things, if you need it, and he's very quiet. I even taught him some guitar," the man smiled and shook all of their limp hands and hugged Toki tightly. Toki stared at them, wide-eyed with shock and fear, and wondering if going with them would be better.
About five minutes later the men got over their shock, and Skwisgaar had gently pulled Toki down to sit beside him while the frontman used the phone on the front desk to call Charles and explain their situation. He seemed displeased that they would have a new traveling companion, but eventually just sighed out his acceptance and agreed to send someone to get them by morning. He'd already learned that what Dethklok wanted, Dethklok got.