Chapter 2: Call to Scale Pt. 2

To those who have been following this story, I decided to add a part towards the end of this chapter that I think might be an interesting read.

Enjoy!

Having just found some mysterious scales which seemed to give them strange powers and allowed them to take down a group of bad guys, Astrid, Snotlout and Fishlegs all look to each other as Snotlout states, "Ok, let's just get our stories straight. These guys attacked us first, and we were just defending ourselves. Right?"

Astrid replies, "I'm not even sure if anyone WOULD believe us if we said anything."

Fishlegs then looks down to his large yellow scale and comments, "Clearly these things are what gave us the abilities that we just used, but how? And why?"

"I think I can answer that." Said a female voice from nearby. The trio look to see Alicia, the orange-haired woman wearing white robes, standing near them with a smile on her face.

Snotlout then smirks and asks, "Well, hello there. What's a pretty gal like you doing all the way out here?"

Astrid adds, "His cocky attitude aside, he does have a point, who are you?"

Alicia takes a bow. "I am Alicia, and I happened to see everything that went down here. Don't worry, I'm not here to turn you in to authorities or anything like that, however I would like to take you somewhere…special."

They all blink to this as Fishlegs asks, "So…we're just supposed to follow you? A random person we don't know?"

Alicia nods. "I know it sounds odd, but trust me. I know all about the Drago Scales you three have in your possession, and what power they hold."

Snotlout asks, "Drago Scales? You mean, these things?" He holds up the red scale in his hand.

Alicia nods again. "Correct. I'm sure you saw it during that battle, but those scales hold a great deal of power, and it seems that the scales chose you three to be their keepers."

Astrid then asks, "I mean, we did sort of take them from the briefcase that this guy dropped. Maybe they just jumped into us because we grabbed them."

Alicia shakes her head. "That's not it at all, for you do not choose the Drago Scales, it is the scales that choose you. Yes, you three reached out to them but they must have jumped into your hand once you did." The trio look to each other in realization as that's just what happened. "I'd love to explain more now, but I believe more of those guys will be here soon. Here, grab on." She holds out her arm.

The three of them look to each other before stepping forward as Fishlegs comments, "Ok, great, so we're just going with the weird lady."

Astrid then points out, "Would you rather take your chances with more of those guys?"

Fishlegs blinks to that. "Fair point."

Alicia then closes her eyes and takes a deep inhale before a deep exhale and the four of them teleport away in a flash.

Meanwhile, deep in a dark lair somewhere else in the world, Vigder, the leader of the Shedders that were taken out earlier, walks up to a throne-like chair before kneeling. "You summoned me, my lord?"

From the shadows of the chair spoke a man in a deep voice. "Do you sense it?"

Vidger replies, "Sir?"

The man chuckles a bit. "Oh, my apologies, I forgot that your senses aren't as attuned to my own, my apprentice. I…sense a disturbance in the balance that we've been trying to create. I fear that the other Drago Scales have found their...owners."

Vidger looks down and comments, "That could mean the spawn of new Power Rangers."

The man nods. "Indeed. I don't have to tell you how dangerous the Power Rangers are when they have numbers. We must act quickly if we want to stop them."

Vidger nods. "I shall send my best Shedders to do the job, sir." He says before standing back up.

The man replies, "About that, I fear that your Shedders may not possess the…skills to take out these new Rangers."

Hearing this, Vidger turns around and points out, "With all due respect, sir, my Shedders are some of the highest in the business."

The man replies, "Then prove it to me. Have them do battle with these Rangers, then report back to me. If they come back with just one Drago Scale, then I will be impressed, but if otherwise..." He chose to leave out what would happen as Vidger is well aware.

Vidger nods. "Understood, sir." Before walking out.

After another flash, Astrid, Snotlout and Fishlegs find themselves in some kind of temple in the middle of the forest. Moss covered stone buildings, large pillars, and a pond in the middle of the main area where they all stood. Snotlout then asks Alicia, who brought them there, "So…what is this place?"

Alicia replies, "This is the Dragerium. Home to some of the most incredible creatures to ever walk this Earth, the dragons."

Snotlout scoffs to that. "Uh, don't know how to break this to you, mystic lady, but dragons aren't real."

Alicia laughs as she shakes her head. "Well, if that's true, then have a look." She gestures to behind them. They look to the edge of the platform on top of a huge flight of stairs they were on when, all of a sudden, something sweeps in right in front of them.

Ducking, Astrid asks, "What was that?"

Alicia replies, "See for yourself."

The trio look and spot what Alicia was talking about. Soaring through the air was a mechanized blue dragon with two legs, wings, a very large head, and yellow spikes lining its head and tail. Astrid comments, "…Whoa."

Then, Snotlout points out something flying near it, a mechanized red dragon that also had two legs, but had large horns extending out of the head. They also spot a yellow dragon which was relatively smaller than the other two, but was much chubbier, had a club-like tail and very short wings.

Finally, they spotted a black dragon with bat-like wings, a finned tail, four legs and bumps on the side of its head zooming through the skies.

Alicia then explains, "We, here, at the Dragerium protect these dragons with all of our hearts, and in return they protect us."

Astrid then points out, "Uh, you said we, who is this other person?"

Alicia then sighs. "Right, guess you'll need to meet him." She looks into the main building where, leaning against a wall, stood the same auburn-haired boy that ran into the trio earlier that day.

"You?" Astrid asks. "You're part of this?"

Hiccup didn't reply, so Alicia added, "Hiccup, here, has been a member of the Dragerium almost as long as I have. Hiccup, I would like you to meet Snotlout, Astrid and Fishlegs. Our new members."

Hiccup just raises a brow and steps up to the other three. He seems to look them over visually, glancing up and down them, before he lets out a scoff. "These guys? You're saying these guys are who the Drago Scales chose?"

Alicia nods. "Hiccup, you know that the Scales had their choice and, well, this is what they chose."

Hiccup sighs. "Very well, let's see what I have to work with." He approaches Snotlout first and looks the fairly short but muscular boy up and down. Snotlout makes a show by flexing his biceps with a big smirk, Hiccup nods to this and moves on to Astrid and does the same thing to her. Astrid didn't want to show off like Snotlout, but gives him a grin with a warrior's look in her eye. Finally, he approaches Fishlegs who also tries to flex, but that just ends with him falling to the ground.

Hiccup scoffs again. "You have got to be kidding me, these guys don't have what it takes to join my ranks. I suggest the scales go and find someone new." He then turns around and begins to walk away.

Astrid then steps up and asks, "And just who are you to say that we can't join you?"

Hiccup stops in his tracks before turning back around to give Astrid a glare. "…Just know that I've seen what real protectors look like. You three are not those...I will aknowledge that you, young lady, have a hint of potential, but otherwise I wish you all a good day."

Alicia states, "Hiccup!" but Hiccup was already heading right back into the stone building.

It was then, seconds later, that Hiccup hears something hit the stone wall next to him. He looks and sees a yellow spike lodged into said wall. Turning around, he sees Astrid in a position where she looks like she just threw something. Putting the pieces together, Hiccup chuckles a bit. "Alright, so you have the Scale's abilities. However, there's no way that will convince me that you're worthy to join us."

Astrid then crosses her arms. "I suppose we'll just have to prove ourselves then." Hiccup raises a brow again. Then, in a mere second, Astrid finds herself with her face inches from the ground, left arm strung behind her back with Hiccup holding it. "Wh-what the?" Astrid asks.

"Fury speed." Hiccup explains. "Something you'd need to keep up with if you intend on joining me."

Peeved at this stunt, Astrid makes a spike extend from her arm, making Hiccup leap back in pain from having his hand poked as Alicia calls for them. "Will you stop it? Now listen, Hiccup, I brought these three here because I thought that maybe you could finally open up and let them into your life, but clearly that's not the case."

Hiccup scoffs as he shakes his hurting hand. "I assumed you'd bring people who are actually skilled, not some kids* that I'd have to babysit."

Snotlout comments, "Hey! I resent that!"

Alicia adds, "Hiccup, please! These three only just found out that the Drago Scales and these dragons even exist! Of course they need someone to guide them, someone who has much more experience than them."

Hiccup thinks about this for a moment when, suddenly, a two-tone alarm goes off. Fishlegs asks, "What is that noise?"

Alicia replies, "It's the alarm that tells us there's trouble afoot." She then looks into the pond in the middle of the main area where everyone was standing while Hiccup runs over to join her. The water shimmers a bit before an image of the same street that Hiccup fought in the night before, only it seemed to be swarming with Shedders, about 30 of them. Alicia comments, "My word. I've never seen this many Shedders in one place!"

Snotlout asks, "Sorry, Shedders?"

Alicia nods. "Yes, Scale Shedders, at least that's what they call themselves. A group of bandits that want to steal things from other people, and they've been after our Drago Scales for a while now."

Hiccup nods. "Well then, I better head out." He stands up and turns around and was about to bolt out when Alicia stops him.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Alicia asks.

Hiccup stops and looks around to Astrid, Snotlout and Fishlegs. He then deeply groans, "Do I have to?"

Alicia stands up and replies, "Hiccup, you know you can't take this many Shedders in one time. You need help, and these three are here to do just that."

Hiccup looks to the other three then to the pond with still showed the 2 ½ dozen Shedders terrorizing the city. He lets out a deep sigh. "I guess you guys did want to prove yourselves."

The trio smile as Alicia stands up and brings up another metal briefcase. "Here, if you're going out there, then you'll need these." She opens the case and shows three arm bands that each had the face of the red, blue and yellow dragons mentioned earlier.

Snotlout asks, "What are they?"

Alicia replies, "These are your Drago Morphers. You'll need them to turn into Power Rangers."

The trio look to each other with looks of amusement, shock and excitement. Fishlegs then pumps his fist. "I told you guys! I. Told. YOU! Power Rangers are real!" He says as he grabs the Morpher with the yellow, bumpy headed dragon while Snotlout picks up the Morpher with the red, big horned dragon and Astrid takes the Morpher with the blue, spiked dragon.

Alicia then explains, "Fishlegs, bearing the power of the heavy yet powerful Gronkle, you will be our Drago Yellow Ranger. Snotlout, weilding the inferno heat of the Monstrous Nightmare, you will be the Drago Red Ranger, and Astrid, taking on the speed and wit of the Deadly Nadder, you will be our Drago Blue Ranger." The three of them hold their new Morphers up, feeling excited about getting to use them soon.

Hiccup rolls his eyes. "Great, they know their colors, now I feel even better."

Alicia rolls her eyes and tells them, "By accepting these Morphers, you three will be taking on a huge responsibility, to protect and serve your ow-"

"For the love of whatever's above us, can we just go now and talk later?" Hiccup asks.

Alicia rolls her eyes a second time and says, "Good luck, new Rangers." The trio nod as they go to join Hiccup. They grab onto Hiccup's arm and, in a flash, they teleport to just outside that streets where they were on a ledge that had an overview of the Shedders.

Vidger, who also decided to show up, was observing the Shedder's raid when he notices Hiccup and the others on that ledge. "You just have a habit of showing up wherever I do, don't you? Oh, and you brought some friends, I see."

Hiccup nods. "It's a pleasure to see you too, Vidger."

Snotlout comments, "Wow, I barely even know who these guys are and I already hate them."

Hiccup nods. "You'll get used to that. Alright, if you really want to help here, and please feel free to back down and any moment, then you'll follow me." He pulls up his right sleeve to reveal a Morpher with the face of a black dragon with nubs on the side of its head.

Hiccup then flips the switch on the bottom of the Morpher, opening the dragon's mouth, before saying the code, "Drago Fury…" He makes a fist and puts that arm next to his head before pumping his fist saying, "…Fire up!" and pressing a button on the Morpher with his other hand.

From the Morpher, a series of black scales emerge and come together to form the shape of Hiccup's body, Hiccup holds his hands out to the sides and lets the scales come to him, surrounding his body in the black suit, then the same dragon's mouth opens up around Hiccup's head and takes it in, covering his face.

Once all was done, Hiccup yells out, "Drago Fury, Black Ranger!" while holding his hands out and curling his fingers like claws.

Astrid, Snotlout give a brief comment about how cool that looked while Fishlegs comments, "That was the coolest thing I've ever SEEN!"

Hiccup nods to that. "Hope you enjoyed it, now it's your turn."

With that, the three of them look to each other and nod. They step up next to Hiccup while Fishlegs comments, "Alright, it's morphing ti-"

"Please don't say that." Hiccup comments. "I've heard enough of that."

Fishlegs sinks his head into his body. "Sorry." Before whispering to himself. "It's morphing time."

Snotlout then asks the other two, "Ready?"

The other two reply, "Ready." Before flipping the switch on their Morphers to open their dragon's mouths before, just like Hiccup, raising their fisted arm to the side of their head and then pumping their fist while saying, "Drago Fury, fire up!" and using their other hand to press the button on their Morpher.

From Snotlout's Morhper, a bunch of red scales pool out and, going from the feet to neck, form a suit around Snotlout's body before head of the horned dragon on his Morhper pops up and swallows his head, covering his face. Snotlout was now in a red Morph suit where the helmet had horns extending from the top and his chest had the symbol of that same dragon.

From Astrid's Morpher, a bunch of blue scales come out and surround her body, going from her feet to neck until she was completely covered, the blue dragon's head pops up and takes in Astrid's head, covering her face. Astrid was now in a blue Morph suit where the helmet had some yellow spikes extending from the top and her chest had a symbol of that same dragon.

From Fishlegs's Morpher, a bunch of yellow scales pool out and surround his body, going from feet to neck until the head of the yellow, bumpy headed dragon pops up and swallows Fishlegs's head, covering his face. Fishlegs now popped up in a yellow Morph suit that had several white patches to show the bumps and ridges of that dragon.

Once all three were morphed up, they all look at their new form and comment on how cool they look.

Vidger then groans to himself, "Rangers."

Hiccup says to the others, "Well, you guys have the suits, now let's see what you can do."

They look to each other before facing Vidger and the Shedders where Vidger yells, "GET THEM!" and the Shedders charge towards the Rangers. In a flash, the four rangers leap off of that ledge and jump right into the battle.

Snotlout pulls out a head sized, red blaster from his belt that had the same dragon head design as his Morpher and suit. "Nightmare blaster!" he says before firing bolts of very hot blasts at the Shedders, making sure to turn around and kick the Shedder that ran up behind him.

From her belt, Astrid pulls out a blue axe with yellow spokes lining just below the blades yelling, "Nadder Axe!" before swinging it at Shedders and taking them out.

Fishlegs pulls out a yellow bludgeon yelling, "Gronk bludgeon!" As he swings the club around, knocking Shedders onto the ground.

Hiccup had pulled his black sword as he swiftly takes out Shedders while paying attention to what the others were doing to assess their skill levels.

While that was going on, Vidger was silently observing the Rangers in action as he says into a device on his watch, "Send in the Admin Shedder." Just like that, a Shedder who had a red stripe running along his chest leaps in and drops a double kick onto Snotlout.

Clutching his thigh in pain, Snotlout asks, "What is that thing?"

Hiccup replies, "Admin Shedder, and they are not fun."

Before anyone else could reply, the Admin had raised the very long, green sword in his possession and was about to swing it at Snotlout when Astrid interjects with her blue axe. Astrid tells him, "You want to get to my friend, you'll have to go through me."

The Admin replies with a venomous voice "With pleasure." Before pulling out his hand, which had a series of claws on the glove, and stabbing Astrid right where she stood.

He was about to slash at them again when, in a split second, Hiccup had knocked himself into the Admin, pushing him to the ground. Hiccup then asks, "You guys ok?"

Astrid grunts in reply, "We'll live."

Hiccup was about to take further action when Fishlegs runs in and, using his yellow bludgeon, smacks the Admin Shedder's arms and legs, taking the air out of him and making him drop his sword.

Hiccup comments, "He's weakened, now's our chance. We can combine our weapons to finish him."

The rest nod as Snotlout puts his red blaster out front, Astrid clips her blue axe to the top, Fishlegs's yellow bludgeon to the bottom right and Hiccup slips his black sword to the bottom left. They all yell, "Drago Fury Blaster! Fire!" Suddenly, a beam with a red base and swirling blue, yellow and black energy is fired to the Admin Shedder and sweeps him right off of his feet.

Once that was done, they all realize that the battle was won and they begin high-fiving each other as Vidger makes a quick escape.

Back at the Dragerium, the new Power Rangers all stood in front of Alicia as she gives her congratulations. "Well done, to all three of you. You have more than proven that the Drago Scales made the right choice."

She then looks back to Hiccup, who was leaning against the stone wall, and expecting him to say something. Hiccup sighs. "For amateurs, you guys did fine. I think I will enjoy working with you."

They smile to that as Alicia holds up three vests, one red, one blue and one yellow. "Now, it is time to make you all official members of the Dragerium, and to show you which of the Drago Zords you will be linked with." She hands the red vest to Snotlout. "Snotlout, you will man the hot-headed Nightmare Zord, who will regularly light itself on fire to fend away enemies."

Snotlout grabs the vest and comments, "I always knew I was great, but this makes me even greater!" the other two roll their eyes to his cockiness.

Alicia gives the blue robe to Astrid saying, "Astrid, you are linked with the speedy Nadder Zord, whose sharp tail spines match with your sharp wits."

Astrid nods. "It will be an honor to work with you."

Alicia then gives the yellow vest to Fishlegs saying, "Fishlegs, you will take the slow but powerful Gronk Zord, whose rock hard head can withstand many attacks."

Fishlegs holds up the yellow vest saying, "If this is a dream, then I never want to wake up."

Alicia then tells them, "You will no doubt face many tough opponents in your time as Rangers, there will also be times when you'll need to call upon your Drago Zords to help you win these battles, but do know that your service will be greatly appreciated."

Astrid then asks, "So what Zord do you have, Hiccup?"

Hiccup replies, "Well, it's the only Zord you've seen that hasn't been mentioned, but if you must, I have the speedy and stealthy Night Fury Zord, which I don't need to tell you is one of the most powerful Zords in the Dragerium."

Astrid replies, "Yeah, that's about the answer I was expecting. Oh, hey, who was that guy we saw earlier? I think…Vidger was who you called him?"

Hiccup looks to Alicia who sighs and explains, "Vidger is the leader of the Scale Shedders, and is incredibly dangerous. He doesn't fight, but his intelligence seems to be his best strength. Hiccup has been trying for many months now to capture him and bring him here, but to no avail. Hopefully we can take him down someday, but at this moment it just doesn't seem likely."

Hearing all this made sense, but there was something that was bugging Astrid from the moment she arrived at the Dragerium. "This is all well and good, but I do need to know, what is the deal with these Drago Scales? And this place? And, I guess, the idea that dragons exist in the first place!"

Alicia and Hiccup exchange a glance again as they wordlessly agree that the Rangers should know why they are fighting if they are to continue fighting, so she has the three of them sit down as she explains. "Alright, I'm going to tell a story that's been passed down for generations. Centuries ago, back in the time of the Vikings-"

"About 1,300 years ago!" Fishlegs adds, making Snotlout mouth the word 'nerrrrrrd'

Alicia nods. "Yes, precisely. Anyway, there tells tales that dragons really did exist during that time and would roam the skies like giant birds. Now, many people think of dragons as being savage beasts who raid villages, steal loot and recklessly burn down villages. However, on an island village towards the Arctic, a young boy became the first of his village to figure out that dragons aren't the monsters that they've been claimed to be, but instead are kind, intelligent beings who simply want a place in the world. However, soon after that discovery, the dragons suddenly disappeared off the face of the Earth, headed to a world hidden beneath our own that only dragons are allowed in and out of, a dragon utopia if you will.

The Dragerium was built as a safe ground so that should the dragons decide to return to Earth, they will have a safe haven to return to. Of course, not everyone wishes to have the dragons return to allow them to live with us peacefully, some wish to harness their powers and use them to cause chaos, so the Dragerium remained a secret to only those who truly care about dragons and keeping them safe."

Astrid then asks, "The Drago Scales?"

Alicia nods. "I was just getting to that. The Drago Scales that you all possess appeared seemingly out of nowhere, as if the dragons in the hidden world are trying to contact us and let us know that they're still there. As soon as myself and Hiccup found the Drago Scales, we both sensed the immense power that lies within them, so we kept them well guarded until their keepers, you three, finally came around."

Snotlout then comments, "Wait, wait, wait. I don't know if you heard earlier, but we just grabbed the scales by chance."

Alicia shakes her head. "And it's as I said earlier. It's not as if the Drago Scales jumped into your hands just because you reached out to them, it is because the scales saw something in you that they deemed worthy of calling you their own. Once the Drago Scales went to their keepers, they then fused their power with your DNA to give you all the powers and abilities that you possess now, many that you have yet to discover."

Astrid then asks, "Hold on, if the Drago Scales already chose us, then why DOES Vidger want them?"

Alicia sighs to that. "I'm afraid that, as powerful as the scales are, they can also be dangerous. If they were to fall into the wrong hands, the Drago Scales, even after finding a keeper, can be used to create weapons that hardly any force on Earth could stop. It is why it's your job to protect your scales at all cost."

This all seemed to make sense to the trio as they exchange knowing glances. They then stand up as Astrid says, "Alicia, Hiccup, we promise to do whatever it takes to make sure no one gets their hands on these Drago Scales."

Hiccup then scoffs and adds, "Well, good. Because you three need to get started on training as soon as possible, and based on that first battle, I can tell that we have a lot of ground to cover." The three new rangers didn't care, as they were excited to get their new lives started.

Meanwhile, back in the Shedder lab, Vidger approaches the man behind the throne-like chair and the man asks, "Well…?"

Vidger sighs. "I'm afraid that my Shedders have failed you. I underestimated these new Rangers. My apologies, my lord."

The man replies, "Your pathetic Shedders aren't what concerns me, it's the fact that they got taken down by some…kids." The chair turns around, revealing a man with pointed-white hair. "The time for just fighting Haddock is over, now it is time to take some real action!"

*In the context of this story, Hiccup is actually 5 years older than Astrid and the others.