A.I.: Orphans of Terra (HTTYD)

27

Chapter 27

"Lad did ya just say Nightfury?! Gobber sputtered as he stared at his godson with wide eyes and disbelief.

"Who cares!" Ruffnut said as she elbowed Gobber. "It's mischief! We're in, right Tuff?"

"Most certainly my troll-like sister!" Tuffnut answered as he had picked up Chicken and was cuddling her.

"Who are you calling troll-like, Lardbrain?!" Ruffnut shouted back.

"Just you, you cricket-kisser!" Tuffnut shot back.

"That was one time! One time! It doesn't count you Mulch-for-Brains!" Ruffnut got red in the face as she shouted that.

Hiccup thought he remembered 'the cricket incident' or at least heard about it as they were traveling the wastelands. He wasn't so sure if bringing up the entire chain of events would be good for his health though. Especially with Ruffnut already looking like she wanted to murder her brother. "Guys... guys...." Hiccup quickly got between the twins as Ruffnut's eye twitched dangerously. "Do you guys want to hear the details because I have to go convince Snotlout as well."

"Snotlout?" Ruffnut asked while Gobber muttered "Oh boy."

"I'll just go get him." Ruffnut then said and made her way to the door. "It might be best if this is explained in one go." She then walked out of the room leaving the trio inside.

"That was extremely logical." Tuffnut whispered as he hugged Chicken close in paranoia. "Do you think my sister was replaced by shapeshifting aliens?" He murmured.

"She called you a lardbrain. I highly doubt that." Gobber stated.

"Oh..... Oh.... yeah right. That is like sister dearest." Tuffnut perked up. "But what if the shapeshifter is just as good!" Tuffnut's paranoia returned and both Hiccup and Gobber groaned.

Ruffnut returned a few minutes later while dragging a squirming Snotlout by his ankles into the room. "Will you let me go you madwoman!" Snotlout shouted and tried to wiggle out of her grasp only to hit his head on the doorway. Ruffnut dropped the ankles and shut and locked the apartment door again while Snotlout got to his feet and glared at the group.

"Just what is going on here?" He asked as Tuffnut shoved a mug into his hand.

"You might want to drink that before Hiccup explained." Tuffnut said as Chicken tried to take a sip of the mead.

Snotlout frowned at the mead and then said "Guys just tell me. I was about to start my beauty regimen."

"Alright........" Hiccup said as all eyes turned to him. "It started like this......."

When he was finished the group was giving him dumbfounded looks. "Okay okay lad. Let me get this straight...... The Nightfury is here..... In the Infirmary........ After fighting a large cat. And Mildew knows and hasn't blabbed?" Gobber asked incredulously.

"Oh, remember that time Mrs Larson shut up your dad, Snot?!" Ruffnut suddenly remembered. "I bet she used the same type of threat on Mildew!"

"Soooo........." Hiccup mumbled. "Will you guys help me? Toothless doesn't seem like a bad guy and he's worried about his friends. You all know what will happen if dad finds out about him."

"We're in!" The twins said once more while Gobber said "I'm in too. I'll make sure they don't blow Mildew up in the process." Everyone then looked at Snotlout.

"Alright alright! I'm in!" Snotlout waved them off and then asked "So how are we going to do it?"

The twins immediately started throwing out ideas which then turned into a full-blown debate that Gobber was trying to control.