Chapter Text
They’ve stayed on Berk for a while now which resulted in some interesting events.
For one the Berk riders now all have saddles, why they didn’t have that prior Tucker didn’t know nor did he try to figure out why, which also ended up in Gobber doing dental care for dragons of all things on top of teaching the teens how to fight.
Something Tucker idnd’t always join in on, but he did help Hiccup get better at fighting. Adapting the others fighting style for more speed and agility then raw strength... hit the right spot and your opponent is done. the question where being able to hit that spot as well as to see it but there’s clear progress.
Why the twins didn’t have the same issue was quickly discovered. They’re not idiots in having no IQ no their IQ are likely ridiculous high they issue they found it boring and blowing things up or hitting something is more fun... resulting in the twins being good at fighting for their age as they manage to even the battlefield by sheer distraction if anything else.
Thought for the last week or so the fishing boats have been returning damaged, a dragon attack which ended with a rather interesting chain of events. while Hiccup tried to connive his dad that riding a dragon would prove useful in him getting around the island to do his work proved right it also meant that Hiccup had no dragon as his dad where riding Toothless.
It resulted in a search mission for the dragon who kept attacking the boats which in turn let them know that the only reason said thunderdrum where doing so where due to a friend where hurt and couldn’t hunt.
Stoick got a loud dragon as his partner, and the hurt friend where taken to the dragon academy to heal, while hiccup got his dragon back.
A few days layer a new adventure where starting which is why Tucker currently looking for Danny only to find him in the great hall in human form and head tilted to the side as he looked as a body builder hiccup?
“what the?” Tucker blinked at the painting, sure he heard that the chef and son each generation get a painting but to stretch it to such degree. “actually where are the other riders, and the chief?” Tucker asked realizing that he’s not seen them most of the day.
Not to surprising as he’d been helping with the hurt dragon but for them to just vanish. “they’re doing a treasure hunt” Danny commented making Tucker blink. “Hiccup didn’t like the painting” was the obvious statement.
“yeah that’s not hiccup” Tucker snorted before scratching his head. “should we go out and search for them? treasure hunts while fun old ones can get-” he didn’t need to finish that as Danny shifted in fluent motion.
Hands turning into clawed paws, and legs bending twisting from bipedal to quadruple while a tail grew out as Danny locked himself into quadruple stance of his dragon form... wings grew, as did his neck while face stretched to a beak like muzzle and horns extended back all while scales covered his body.
In two seconds he’d shifted from what berk calls his elf mage form to his more familiar dragon one.
Tucker grinned summoning the saddle into place from their pocket space and jumped on Danny’s back as they took off.
Danny focused on his spiritual senses, at the riders energy trail to track it down and flew toward their location. Using his spirit-sense to track humans down isn’t something he normally do. no it’s more useful on spirits, ghosts, but with how high and natural ecto is to this place every single human had naturally high amounts of spiritual energy, some more then others letting them become mages, witches, wizards or whatever they choose to call themselves.
This let Danny track down living people as well as spirits.
They arrived to a island where the riders, Stoick and Gobber where all digging in the ground with their dragons help which where rather worrying before seeing a area collapse with Hiccup and Toothless unharmed in it’s center.
“did they just?” Tucker muttered getting a agreement from Danny who had stopped to hover in the air.
Seeing how Stoick grabbed Hiccup for a hug the teen had clearly scared his dad, as well as the others for that matter before he showed them a scroll?
“what’s going on here?” Tucker asked as Danny landed.
“oh right we didn’t bring you along” Fishleg said in realization, sounding rather sheepish.
“of course not he were buzzy with the hurt dragon” Ruffnut huffed as if it where obvious which yes it where but still.
“one of the earlier chiefs where also a Hiccup he just changed his name later on” Hiccup explained, showing the picture that made Danny tilt his head slightly in question as to why?
“berk tradition, the smallest of the litter is often called Hiccup” Gobber explained which made Tucker raise a eyebrow incredulous at the fact as Danny blinked.
“now then we got the not treasure lets head back to berk” Snotlout commented with a huff. Being rather annoyed at the lack of gold and the constant traps at least none of them ended up hurt and maybe they should have brought Tucker along from the start.
Later that evening Bucket repainted the painting with Stoick and Hiccup this time with the helmet that Hiccup normally don’t use as well as the scroll he found.
This one thankfully more accurate depiction to Hiccups relief, now feeling more confidence in himself then before.
///
As trader Johan arrived at berk, causing a crown to form on the bridge as well as on the boat itself, as items where traded back and forth.
“ah, men riding dragons what a magnificent sight” trader Johan stated looking up to the sky, as Stoick left on Thornado his thunderdrum and dragon partner.
Mildew arriving for something specific from sounds of things as Tucker where dropped on the deck by Danny who stayed floating in the air, wings alight keeping him hovering.
“whoah” Trader Johan jolted back eyes wide as he stared at Danny at a dragon he’d only seen in a fairy tale he frankly hadn’t thought where real.
“oh right, we got a new rider on the island a month ago or so” hiccup quickly said as Tucker rubbed his head.
“one riding a fairy tale” Johan commented, making everyone there pause.
“you know Danny’s species?” Tucker asked to confirm it.
“sort of, I guess that even fairy tales may come from old myths, I honestly didn’t think that a story of looking to long at a star for it to come closer and fly path as a dragon causing a path of destruction in it’s wake to be well real” Trader Johan explained pausing slightly “well not as destructive, berk still stands” he finished.
Tucker chuckled. “oh no Danny’s a sky comet dragon alright, he just don’t want to destroy a place we almost consider home at this point” Tucker admitted getting a nod from Danny who landed on the bridge.
“sky comet?” Trader Johan asked because the way Tucker said it made it sound like a title not the name.
“it’s one of several titles the elder dragon Valstrax gained over who knows how long time. crimson comet, and star of despair are other titles for them, I think most if not all elder dragons have or gain one ones sighted” Tucker answered with a shrug.
“elder dragons eh, that’s a term I’ve only heard in far west and far east” Trader Johan mused, a term referred to dragons that’s more a living force of nature then normal mystical beast. “well is there anything here you would want to trade for?” Johan asked making Tucker pause in thought.
“I don’t know” he admitted curious.
///
The following day Tucker where relaxing in the sun, only to pause as Danny jolted up from his lying position to stare at the plaza down in the village where Hookfang just crashed.
“did that just?” Tucker asked.
*he crashed* Danny thrilled confused as Hookfang weren’t the only dragon right now crashing down, as Danny swiftly took to the air and caught Meatlug before the female dragon could hit the ground.
“thank!” Fishleg shouted as they where dropped down.
“it’s spreading to all of the dragons” Hiccup said.
“what’s spreading?” Tucker asked after he had jumped down the platforms on the cliffs to the roof before landing on the ground close to them.
“the dragon’s are all sick, well almost all of them” Astrid answered as Danny showed no signs of any fever.
Tucker frowned, no this wasn’t a flu if it where then danny would shown signs of a minor cold for a hour at the least before it faded due to their natural healing speed. “no he would gotten a small cold for a hour at least if it where a flu this is something else” Tucker dismissed... which meant that Danny’s paranormal immunity where preventing whatever is happening from spreading to him.
Thrilling for a moment before taking off toward Gothi’s and their hut where Gothi where currently on the hut’s deck reading a book which he prompty interupted by biting her shirt and lifted gothi up before dropping her on his back.
What’s wrong? Gothi asked not getting a chance to say no in coming with him.
*the mortal dragons are all getting sick* Danny thrilled worried not all to sure if she could understand his dragon tongue or if Gothi merely listened to the worry of his tone.
Flying back down to the upper plaza next to the chief’s house just as Gobber suggested they go and get Gothi.
“Gothi you’re already here, good thinking” Gobber said congratulating Danny for his swift action as Tucker and astrid helped Gothi down from Danny’s back.
“all the dragon apart of Danny are all getting sick” Astrid explained.
All of them? Gothi blinked before frowning, seeing thru the open door how Toothless hung on the floor.
Entering and approached the downed dragon, lifting his head and looked at both his tongue and eyes before writing on the ground.
“oh she’s saying they’re reacting to something” Gobber translated.
“allergic to what?” Hiccup asked.
“it explains why Danny’s not affected, our natural healing and paranormal immunity make us resistance to pretty much everything, even a lethal flu just end up as a weak cold for a hour at most” Tucker mused.
“to a moose wearing boots” Gobber said only to be hit in the head.
“it’s something new” Tucker huffed as he glanced at the scripture.
“yeah that didn’t sound right” Gobber agreed.
“but there’s allot of new things on the island trader Johan where just here” Astrid commented.
Get rid of all of the new things, Gothi said silently.
“of course, if something new is making the other dragons sick then we need to get rid of it all” Tucker agreed, as he also translated the silent words.
///
It didn’t help.
Frankly the dragons looks worse now then earlier and the other riders are all pissed while Danny looked to be a bit distracted by something as Stoick arrived with Thornado, seeing the other dragons sick and Danny scanning for something.
“what is it Hiccup? What’s wrong?” Stoick asked.
“the dragons they’re all” Hiccup started
“they’re sick and getting worse” Astrid finished.
“every dragon?” Stoick asked.
“well Danny’s more distracted by all of this but not sick due to his strong healing capabilities” Hiccup admitted, as even Tucker weren’t all to sure of what where distracting Danny.
“okay what’s distracting Danny?” Stoick asked bluntly finding that odd in itself.
“it’s not dragon nip, he would take a nap then” Tucker commented, as he went thru a list?
“you’ve been going thru various distractions haven’t you” it wasn’t a question.
“pretty much, I’m starting to think that what’s making the others sick is the same thing distracting Danny” Tucker answered making Danny freeze as he realized something.
*the scent they’re allergic to the new scent* Danny trilled straightening up before jumping forward and took off running.
“follow that Dragon!” Snotlout shouted as they all took off running.
Seeing how Danny every ones in a while would pause to scent the air before taking off again, coming to stop at the nearby plaza head turned toward a specific spot with allot of flowers?
Walking up to the flowers as hiccup picked one “do anyone remember seeing these flowers before?” Hiccup asked getting a bunch of negatives at that.
“flower scent distracting you huh” Tucker said to Danny who snorted
Fishlegs took the flower from Hiccup “it looks allot like the blue oleander, I recognize it from my botany book”
Tucker’s brows shot up at that “the poison flower?” Tucker asked startling slightly as Danny shifted back into human with clear frown on his face as he looked at the blue flowers not touching a single one or getting any closer.
“yeah a bit larger the I expected but it’s the oleander were a single leaf is enough to make a human really sick with short touch” Danny commented idly making Fishleg rapidly drop the flower.
“so it’s not only lethal to the dragons” Stoick asked or closer to demanded at that getting a nod from Danny.
“oh no it’s lethal to everything, the strength varies on color thought, red just make you really sick with white doing the same but lethal to children. Purple can kill if it where 4 or 5 leaves I think, and yellow only need a single seed” Danny explained, with thoughtful look as he tried to recount the details.
“meaning if we hadn’t caught the flowers now we’d end up falling as sick as our dragons” Stoick stated simply and Danny grimaced which told them enough.
“so how do we cure our dragons?” Ruffnut and Tuffnut both asked.
“activated charcoal” came the offhanded answered making them all stare at Danny who shrugged offhandedly.
“activated charcoal? Isn’t that also used for corpse poison?” Tucker countered finding the suggestion a bit odd.
“any poison really” Danny replied.
“what’s corpse poison?” Astrid asked hesitantly.
“a poison that will turn you into a undead corpse” where the deadpanned answer from the two of them making every one there flinch back.
“right I’ll have a few nightmares about that” Gobber muttered and wasn’t alone in that sentiment.
“do I even want to know why you know that?” Hiccup asked verily.
“my parents used to be a bit obsessed with hunting ghosts” Danny grumbled rubbing his templet for a moment. “lets see lemon to increase the efficiency of the charcoal but how where it made again” Danny trailed off.
“it where charcoal crushed to fine powered but weren’t it specific material to make it” Tucker mused thoughtful.
“Coconuts, bamboo, coal and normal wood” Danny counted.
Hiccup where writing down the ingredients, “if we get all of the ingredients then you can burn it to charcoal right?” hiccup asked getting a not from Danny at that.
“coconuts will be hard to get without being able to fly” Gobber mused.
“as will the bamboo” Stoick grumbled sailing to islands with either could take days, which they may not have “if the flowers are burned will it slow the poison?” Stoick didn’t really ask.
“it should as Gothi did say get rid of what’s new” Astrid mused as Danny shared a pointed look with Tucker.
The look earned them a confused one from Fishleg who noticed it, as Danny raised a brow to Tucker who silently grumbled. “fine I’ll help carry them” sighting.
“wait what?” Snotlout asked, blinking.
“what did you just say?” Astrid asked as all of them looked a bit confused.
“Danny and I will fly you to the islands” Tucker answered.
“Tucker also have a dragon form the elder dragon Eo Garudia the desert sun elder dragon. unlike me Tucker don’t find it any more comfortable then any other form so he stay in our base human one” Danny explained.
Earning a few baffled looks, “you, you can also turn into a dragon and chooses not to?” Snotlout asked stunned.
“Danny’s my partner” was Tucker’s only response to it.
“right” Hiccup stated, not going to try and figure out how a mage think, it likely just drive him more mad then choosing to understand dragons while being attacked by them each night.
“prepare the bags, we’ll head out soon” Danny stated as he lifted his hand and teal like flames burst into life in his hand before throwing it at the flowers who went up into smoke, not even ash remained, as the ground melted not leaving a trace behind.
So at least getting rid of the flowers aren’t an issue anymore.
///
A while later they had their bags and gear ready as Tucker stretched slightly while Danny rolled his neck for a moment before they shared a glance. “are you ready?” Danny asked.
“yeah lets get the cure for our dragons!” Snotlout shouted.
And Danny changed in a split second, scales forming, size increasing and bones shifting with his organs as his entire body changed all at the same time. from feet and hands into paws, position shifting from bipedal and locked into quadruple while tail and wings grew out as his neck stretched and face elongated to the beak like muzzle as nothing human visible remained and returned Danny to his for them familiar Valstrax form.
Tucker thought didn’t change as quickly or fluently, perhaps not as used to the transformation given they’ve not seen it prior, it took a few seconds, letting them somewhat see the sequence of shared changes.
Fingers mergings as claws grew out and form changed into paws, as the changes extended up his arms and shifted his feet as into matching paws making Tucker drop unto all fours as his legs stretched with the changes. Heels raising up high on the legs with thighs broadening and hips flattening to quadruple stance of a dragon, while his torso changed, expanding out to a arched curve while scales took over the fading cloths.
Scales that looked armored but feather like at points and clearly colored in golds, bronze, reds even some blacks to, as his back arched while a tail grew out, the scales layered and armored quite differently from any other dragon they’ve seen. wings formed, growing out from his back in feather like scales covering them while Tucker’s neck stretched out with his head shifting and face elongated into a similar beak like muzzle... if not slightly more avian like compared to Danny’s.
His size had increased, being slightly smaller then Danny but not by much, as Tucker now stood in front of them not as his familiar human form they’d gotten used to... but his own dragon one.
A fellow Elder Dragon like Danny but one they had called Eo Garudia earlier.
Wings shifted, almost appearing bird like if not for the clear scale armoring and was that an crystalline eye?
Fishleg were giddy at the new dragon species Tucker had assumed, and would love to know more as he had to forcible restrain himself from rapid firing questions. Questions Tucker at the moment couldn’t answer, due to his dragon form being locked to Dragon tongue not human speech.
“right legs get going, we’re short on time” Stoick commanded, as they split up between the two elder dragons. Saddles already materialized from who knows where, some personal storage magic most likely.
And moment later they where off, toward another island.
“huh, the saddle is specifically designed to help you stay on while Danny’s flying at max speeds” Fishleg mused, and in comparison the one Tucker where wearing is allot more simple or perhaps not as specialized.
Gobber thought where holding a map, “go east we can get the bamboo from a island in south east!” Gobber shouted toward Tucker who glanced at them for a moment with amber eyes before both of them shifted where they where heading.
*you’ll take them to the coconuts then?* Tucker growled earning a fanged dragon grin much to his surprise because Danny’s mouth wasn’t able to form one yet right now fangs glinting in the partially opened mouth gave that distinct feeling.
Wings ignited brighter as they split off.
“what the? Oh gather separate ingredients at the same time” Hiccup realized but also held on tightly to the saddle who did as Fishleg had said moment earlier, help you stay on, as Danny flew even faster.
Splitting up into two groups, one on Tucker with Gobber, Astrid, Snotlout and the twins. The other on Danny with Stoick, Hiccup, and Fishlegs.
It only took a day to gather the ingredients as it proved that elder dragons are both fast and very strong.
Tucker had completely ignored a storm, simply flying thru it, his powerful wings carrying him easily and appeared to be manipulating the wind to, increasing his speed even if his group ended up rather soaked by the time they had gone thru the storm and arrived to a island that had bamboo, much to their delight.
Because that meant they could gather up one of the ingredients.
For Danny’s Group he had flown far in short amount of time before stopping so fast that Stoick and Fishleg ended up thrown off landing unto the sand of the beach while hiccup somehow just manage to hang from the side much to his intrigue.
But the island had coconuts trees. Meaning they needed to climb the trees or no Stoick just struck them hard enough to make several coconuts fall down... discussing for moment on how much they needed before deciding that more is better then to little.
With both groups having the rare ingredients they could head back.
///
Gothi hadn’t made activated charcoal before but she had heard of it, and knew of it’s strength. so seeing Danny shift back to human form to get to work on it without as much as a word proved not only how much he cared but also the dedication toward those the dragon mage cared for.
He may not show it, but clearly the sky comet dragon had taken a liking to Berk... Tucker had as well but it where more obviously seen for him, compared to someone who’s typically a rather aloof dragon that found most humans amusing or ignored them.
On other hand Gothi did not want to know why Danny had learned and knew that very specific anti poison cure of all antidotes that exist.
Apparently one of the few he knew, as the other is honey to sooth a sore throat or irritated stomach which Gothi agreed is a well used cure for just both cases. Most of their healing skills where more treat injuries, like relining a dislocated shoulder, stitching a deep cut and so forth, which made sense given their more combat nature as elemental dragon mages.
The process where rather simple as you simply needed to burn into charcoal and then crush it into a fine powder, the actual issue was getting the fire hot enough to activate it. something thankfully not an issue with two fire capable elemental mages...
Then came a second problem none of them had actually thought of until now.
The riders needed to get the sick dragons to swallow the powder.
That proved to be potentially lethal with dragons who sneezed or others who outright refused to open their mouths to swallow it, even as Tucker blended the activated charcoal with water. Another rider had to force the dragons mouths open.
Which after that whole deal were over the riders stayed with their respective dragon while Stoick walked back and forth worried and divided between wanting to get the one who caused this whole mess in the first place and stay with both Hiccup and his own dragon Thornado.
“Dad they’re coming around” Hiccup said as a slightly shaky but allot better Toothless sat next to him.
Thornado blinked slowly afterward as Stoick laughed, glad that this where over and that it had worked.
“thornado!” Stoick cheered, which followed not soon after with roars from the other recovering dragons.
Danny had retreated to Gothi’s hut choosing to sleep in human form in his extra hammock... thought one eye did open for a moment before he smirked pleased. The morning would be interesting as Mildew who caused this whole mess where delt with and punished for trying to poison the island.
Oleander is lethal to everyone, and it could easily poison both water supply or the vegetables grown.