Dragon Music Tales

Rotten to the Core

Summary: The Misfit Trio and Astrid launch another attack and dragon rescue; but this time on their old home, Berk. Everyone was horrified and/or surprised to see how much the four of them had changed, but none more than Stoick, who had never forgave himself for what had happened three years ago.

Part two of Runaway AU. Read "Ways to be Wicked" chapter first before continuing.

It was late at night on the isle of Berk. Stoick was out on a late night stroll through the village. He kept his mind on that day, the day when they left. Everything that happened that day three years ago was still very vivid; as if it all had happened yesterday.

Flashback

Stoick glared with anger as he looked down at the legendary Night Fury that was being held down by some Vikings. He glanced over to the Misfit Trio. Hiccup was struggling in Astrid's arms, pleading to them not to hurt the dragon, while Ragnar and Juno were blocking other Vikings from getting to those two other rare dragons.

A Viking handed him an axe, silently asking him if he wanted the honor to kill the Night Fury. He took it and slowly raised it up high above its head. The Night Fury looked up at him, and for a split second, Stoick thought there was fear in that beast's eyes. But he immediately dismissed the thought. Dragons are dangerous, heartless monsters. He held the axe tight, ready to smite it down on the beast's head.

"NOOOOOO!" Three piercing loud cries screamed out from the Trio's lungs. Hiccup finally removed Astrid's arms from around him, charged up to his father, and with all his might, pushed him away from the Night Fury, making him drop the axe.

Seeing that this was its chance, the Night Fury jumped up high and shook off the Vikings that were holding it down with a loud roar. Stoick saw that the dragon was now back to battle stance, so he grabbed his dropped axe and was about to attack, but Hiccup quickly got in front of him and blocked him, his arms outstretched to both sides, making him stop.

"Hiccup!" He exclaimed, seeing that his son was glaring at him with pure anger in his eyes, those eyes that resembled his mother's.

"I won't let you hurt him!" Hiccup shouted.

"Neither will we!" Ragnar added as he got next to his foster brother.

Juno was running past the cage doors containing the other captive dragons besides the Monstrous Nightmare, and one by one, she quickly pulled down on their levers, opening them up. The Deadly Nadder, the Hideous Zippleback, the Terrible Terror, and the Gronckle all came out, happy to be free. It was like there was a dragon attack in the Arena.

"Time to blow this joint, guys!" Juno called to Hiccup and Ragnar as she jumped onto the purple dragon.

The boys nodded, and Ragnar signalled something to the Boneknapper. The dragon fired a red-hot fireball over near Stoick, making him and some other Vikings dodge it. That bought enough time for Hiccup to jump onto the Night Fury's back and for Ragnar to leap up high and climb onto the back of the Boneknapper.

As all the dragons scurry out of the Arena and outside, the Misfit Trio, who were on top of those rare dragons, followed suit; Astrid even jumped on behind Hiccup on the back of the Night Fury as they flew off into the horizon with the other five dragons.

End of Flashback

That had been three years ago. And there was still no sign of them; if they'd be dead or alive. Stoick still thought that if they were still alive, they would've come back by now.

Suddenly, a roar echoed throughout the sky. Four dragon silhouettes appeared in the night sky, and then they all split up, heading into different parts of the village.

"Dragon attack!" Someone shouted, and immediately, it was like the whole village was armed to the teeth and ready to fight. But Stoick was confused. It was only four dragons. Why the need for such preparation?

He soon found out why. There were human figures on the dragons. As Gobber, Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut; the teens now were all around eighteen years old now, gathered around him as one of the dragons landed in front of him. To their horror, it was a Night Fury.

The figure slid off the dragon's back. It was an eighteen-year-old boy with shaggy auburn hair; two braids behind his right ear, a lean figure, fair skin, and haunting green eyes that glowed brightly as fireballs started raining down, getting some of the buildings on fire. His cheeks had red stripes painted diagonally across, and he wore a red tunic, brown leather armor on his chest, matching armbands, and light brown pants with leather boots.

"Me likey." Ruffnut purred seductively at the sight of him. But Stoick recognized the young man anywhere.

"Hiccup?" He questioned. The young man only glared at him, confirming his suspicions.

"Hiccup?" Everyone else asked, shocked.

Hiccup only glared at them as he pulled out a sword from a sheath on his hip. Suddenly, the blade was lit on fire as the rogue Rider twirled the sword in his hand and began to sing.

Hiccup: They say I'm trouble.
They say I'm bad.
They say I'm evil,
And that makes me glad.

From another part of the village, a Boneknapper flew overhead and another Rider jumped off it, landing right in the square, twirling two similar silver sword in his hands. He also had auburn hair like Hiccup, except his was more red and wild, and it glowed brightly with the sparks flying everywhere as his dragon fired down at the ground. His blue eyes were illuminated by the red flames, and he also had fair skin. He had on a navy blue tunic, black pants, brown leather boots, metal leg guards on his knees, and leather armbands. He had blue and silver face paint on in triangles, decorating his face in two jagged thunderbolts across it. It was Ragnar Iverson, Hiccup's adoptive brother.

Ragnar: A dirty no-good,
Down to the bone.
Your worst nightmare
Can't take me home.

Running through town towards the Arena where captive dragons are kept, a young woman dodged and fought her way past Vikings with two curved daggers while a red and black Grapple Grounder spiralled through the sky, dodging attacks. The woman was quite beautiful, with long brown hair tied into twin high pigtails, bangs down her left cheek, chocolate brown eyes, and lightly tanned skin. She wore a dark green shirt, a brown leather skirt, navy blue leggings and brown leather boots. Her face was painted with yellow and purple swirls. It was Juno Solheim.

Juno: So, I've got some mischief
In my blood.
Can you blame me?
I never got no love.

And landing beside Hiccup, who was confronting familiar faces, another woman came down from the back of a blue Deadly Nadder with a battle axe in hand. She was also quite lovely, with golden blonde hair in a braid, steel blue eyes, and fair skin. She wore a blue shirt with metal shoulder pads, a leather skirt with skulls emblazoned on the waist, blue leggings, and brown leather boots. She had an orange and light blue shield design painted on her face.

"Astrid?" Stoick asked, immediately recognizing the Hofferson girl. She only glared at him hatefully.

Astrid: They think I'm callous,
A low-life hood.
I feel so useless.

From all sides of town, the four of their voices echoed throughout Berk as they did their assignments.

All: Misunderstood!

Girls: Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who's the baddest of them all?
Welcome to my wicked world.
Wicked world.

All: I'm rotten to the core,
Rotten to the core.
I'm rotten to the core.
Who could ask for more?

I'm nothing like the kid I was,
Like the kid I was before.
I'm rotten to the core.
I'm rotten to the,
I'm rotten to the core.

Hiccup fought against Snotlout with fire sword clashing against sword, while Astrid sparred with the twins. Fishlegs was terrified as the Night Fury snarled at him while he fought off Stoick and Gobber.

Hiccup: Call me a schemer.
Call me a freak.
How can you say that?
I'm just unique.

With Ragnar, he was fighting with some Vikings while taunting them.

Ragnar: What, me a traitor?
Ain't got your back?
Are we not friends?
What's up with that?

Juno had just reached the Arena and immediately knocked out a male Viking that was a few years older than her, and who had whistled at her when he saw her, much to her disgust. Especially since she already had a boyfriend.

Juno: So I'm a misfit.
So I'm a flirt.
I broke your heart.
I made ya hurt?

Astrid had just finished sending Tuffnut onto his back while breaking his spear before taunting Ruffnut to continue fighting just so that the female Thorston can keep her predatory eyes off of her boyfriend, Hiccup.

Astrid: The past is past;
Forgive, forget.
The truth is,

All: You ain't seen nothing yet!

Girls: Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who's the baddest of them all?
Welcome to my wicked world.
Wicked world.

Over in the Arena, Juno had unlocked all of the cages, and beckoned to the dragons to follow her. Seeing that the human was not going to hurt them, the dragons did so and took off into the sky. From their positions, the other three saw all of the captive dragons take off and quickly finished up their battles.

All: I'm rotten to the core,
Rotten to the core.
I'm rotten to the core.
Who could ask for more?

I'm nothing like the kid I was,
Like the kid I was before.
I'm rotten to the core.
I'm rotten to the, I'm rotten to the core.

As soon as they had finished with their battles, the rogue riders whistled to their dragons. Hiccup got on the Night Fury and sent his father one last glare before zooming up to the sky. The other three followed suit on their dragons, and they and the freed dragons disappeared into the night.

Stoick looked around. Snotlout was clutching his jaw where Hiccup had punched him during their fight, and spat out a couple of teeth that had been knocked out. Ruffnut held a bruised arm, while Tuffnut was still on the ground, unconscious. Fishlegs came out of his hiding spot, rubbing his sore head. Gobber only stared at him with deep worry. Though the four of them are still alive, it seems that they could easily become the village's worst nightmare.

A/N: Whew! Finished in the nick of time! I hope you guys enjoyed the last of my Halloween one-shots. I'll see y'all in a couple of weeks, hopefully. Please leave some song suggestions if you want.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Got to fly! ;)