Bloom's sitting on the floor of her cell, telling Brightfire to keep the dragons they rescued at Raven's Point for the time being - she's a little held up, but she's alive and unharmed and she'll be there soon. Brightfire isn't happy about that, but she agrees after a bit. When Bloom looks around, she nearly bursts out laughing - she could tap on any of these walls with the tiniest amount of her magic behind it, and they'd come tumbling down.

The door opens, and two guards Bloom doesn't recognize are standing in the doorway. "The Chief has ordered to speak with you."

"Really? Good for him." She doesn't make any move to get up, however, since her arms were bound behind her back - she could get up in moments, but she figures it's time for a little payback for Berk.

"Get up." One of the guards gestures at her with his sword - Bloom's pretty sure she made that sword - but it doesn't faze her in the slightest.

She simply says "Standing goes a lot easier when you can use your hands, you know." The guards glare at her, then hoist her to her feet roughly. Bloom shrugs, readjusting her armor in the process with her magic, and then heads towards the Great Hall.

Asher's pacing back and forth, trying to make this feeling of anticipation go away - he can't though, no matter what he tries to tell himself. Gobber's expression as he examined the stuff this Rider had on her changed from merely interested to…almost hopeful - Asher's heart is jumping to conclusions, even as his brain tries to say there's almost no chance this Rider is Bloom.

Despite the fact that she took off with a Light Fury and the dragons from the ring - there's probably more Light Furies out there, after all, and dragons come in all kinds of colors. Stop it, your being ridiculous. As if Bloom would ever willingly come back here. She hasn't been sighted in the past three years, after all.

The doors suddenly creak open, and he pushes himself to the front, fiddling with the braid running down the side of his head - he's grown it out a bit since Bloom left, and has taken to braiding it down the left side of his head.

The Rider gets 'escorted' in with guards on both sides of her - neither of which look very happy to be there, point of fact they look like they'd rather be on the other side of the island from her - and he takes the chance to examine them more closely.

From their height and slender build, he thinks they're a girl, though the colorful hood and cloth mask make it hard to tell for sure. And even though he's the one that tackled her, the armor didn't give much away. They just assumed the Rider's a woman thanks to the colorful outfit.

She's got leather armor on, but it's been reinforced with…white material that glitters and sparkles in the torchlight and orange material that looks like fire. Considering the patches are over rather vital areas on her body…he thinks it might be that same metal used in her blades. Or…Light Fury scales. Which would mean all the orange is also dragon scales.

Though, where this person found a fiery-orange dragon is beyond him, no dragons anyone on Berk knows of come in colors like that.

The orange is breaking the white in a flame pattern, but the entire outfit has a white sheen for some reason.

Another weird thing? There's a large patch of orange scales on her back across her shoulders, he saw it when she was being led away. Just a large patch of orange scales, going from her shoulders to the small of her back.

What little he can see of her skin is pale, and she's got a slender build that likely makes dodging attacks easy. The most striking feature about her, that he can see anyway, is her eyes - bright blue, sharp, and…no, where would he have seen those eyes before? There's only one person that would have a glare like that for- no, its not her! It can't be!

The guards push her to her knees, her arms still bound behind her - that must be uncomfortable, it just has to be. Still, she doesn't make one sound as she straightens up.

Bloom sits up straight, then looks around casually - she spots Asher in the crowd, and can't help noticing he's changed some. Shoulder-pads linked by an iron ring in the center of his chest, his belt wrapped several times around his waist, and he's got armor for most of his arms that shows a bit of the muscles on his upper arms. He's still got the headband to, even though his hair grew out a bit and is braided down one side of his head.

Dammit, he was never interested! You got over this dumb, useless crush a long time ago, Bloom! Get it together, its just like all the other times you've washed ashore on a dragon-hating island!

After she forces her eyes to wander around the hall a bit more - Snotlout, Fishlegs, and the Twins haven't changed at all, really - she sarcastically says "Great welcoming party, really. Let me guess, the fool's coming next, right? Or am I just special?"

Stoick coldly says "Silence."

Bloom rolls her eyes, and says "Yeah, that's going to happen. See, you're going to expect me to answer whatever questions you have anyway."

Asher gets the feeling this girl's smirking under her mask - why, oh why, does she seem so familiar? All he needs is one more hint to who this woman is...

Spitelout growls "You'll be respectful in front of your chief, and you'll stand in his presence. You should consider yourself lucky he's even listening-"

She bursts out laughing at that point, laughing until her body's shaking. There's a stunned silence in the hall, as she winds down. When she's finally got herself under control, she says "First off, Stoick the Vast doesn't listen to anything or anyone but his own decisions. Never has, likely never will. I don't think he even knows what listening is. Second, I'm not one of your tribe so he's not my chief. Or have things changed and now even total strangers are automatically accepted even when they're being questioned?"

Everyone looks a bit nervous at that, as she says "Third…whatever. Just ask your questions already. But, if you're so keen on me being on my feet after you lot threw me down here…" She's up in a flash, and by the time people have their weapons drawn she's on her feet with her hands in front of her.

Stoick looks like he might be sick for a moment, then asks "Who are you?"

She fires right back "Nobody you would care about. You aren't going to ask about the ship? Who they were, why they had a dozen injured dragons in their hold?"

Gobber nods, and says "Alright, start there. Why'd you attack them?"

"Simple. I'm in a war against them, have been for nearly three years now." It escapes nobody's notice how she seems to relax some, or how she seems perfectly willing to answer questions if she wants to. "They're a group called the Dragon Hunters. They hunt dragons down, and sell them for profit…no matter what that profit entails. Auctioning dragons, using them for their natural abilities, turning them into stuff, it doesn't matter what they have to do to get some money. They're led by a man named Viggo Grimborn, with his older brother as his second. Ryker's big, strong, and a man of action. Viggo, on the other hand, is cold, ruthless, and calculated. A bit obsessed with Maces and Talons, to. Always looking at the bigger picture…which, for him, means bigger profits."

The anger that seeped into her tone surprises most everyone, and Mildew incredulously asks "You care about the dragons? Those savage beasts?"

Her blue eyes land directly on Mildew, pinning him in place with a vicious glare, and she hotly says "Dragons have been better company to me than most people ever were. They're both my friends and my family, really. Yes, you grouchy, disgusting old man, I care about dragons. And I don't care what you think about it, or what temper tantrum you throw because of it."

There's a thick silence in the hall, then Stoick quietly says "Take down your hood."

She goes still for the briefest moment, then asks "Why? So you know the face of who your about to kill? No, not happening. I'll take my stuff and leave, if it's all the same to you. Or, if it isn't. Doesn't make a difference to me." She takes two steps towards the table with her weapons and other items, but the twins immediately get in the way.

Tuffnut goes for the pins, asking "What're the-" as soon as he touches a pin, he promptly collapses into a limp pile on the floor.

"What're those for? That. They're coated with Speed Stinger Venom. It makes you go limp like that for several hours, depending on some factors. For you, I'd say…mm, bout five and a half. Maybe a little less. given how active you and your sister probably are."

Ruffnut picks up the Tulwar, swinging it around again and asking "How'd you make this thing let loose all that fire? I really want to try that!"

She holds her bound hands up, and says "Wasn't from the sword, that was just for direction. Watch." The ropes suddenly burst into flames and burn away in moments, making everyone gasp and back away as she takes the sword from Ruffnut with free hands.

A few even mutter about witchery and her being a demon. She just rolls her eyes, and says "I get that a lot. You see just how much its stopped me." She then rubs one wrist with her hand, and Asher notices the rope-marks disappear - healed like they were never there to begin with.

Ruffnut breathes out "Wicked…were you taught that?"

The dangerous, deadly, magical woman casually says "Something like that. But, before you ask, I can't and won't teach you or your brother. I was born with these powers. I was taught control of them." She puts her gloves back together, the knives in the hidden sheaths for them, then puts them on. "Before anyone suggests burning me at the stake, go ahead. Try it. I'm extraordinarily nonflammable. Even without my armor."

Spitelout charges her, sword held high and a battle cry on his lips - she slices his sword in half with one of the hidden knives in one clean swing, then slams her palm into his chest while he's still staring at the clean break. Spitelout goes flying all the way back into the back wall of the Great Hall.

As everyone stares in shock, she starts checking her weapons for any damage. Its when she unfolds her metallic bow that everyone's attention snaps back to her. "Hm, no damage. I figured someone would break them. Suppose I should have more confidence in my own work at this point."

Gobber asks "You made this stuff?"

She nods, saying "All of it. What do you think? Seeing as your the blacksmith and all."

Gobber's expression turns to realization, but he keeps his voice neutral when he says "Good workmanship. How'd you make the bow?"

A wave of her hand, followed by "It'd take too long to explain right now. We ever get some time, I'll show you how." She then folds it up and slips it into a slot on the side of her off-hand arm-guard. What they think is her off-arm, anyway.

The pins then get put back into their metal-lined leather pouch, they somehow float in there to everyone's amazement, that gets closed, and she straps it to her lower leg.

The quiver full of arrows goes on her back, across the sword sheath stitched into the armor - then picks up the small tube with holes, only to take down her mask, put the tube to her lips and play a few notes on it. It's an instrument, then - probably not dangerous, unless she can put them all to sleep with it.

The pouches go at her hips as she pulls the mask back up, the sword goes on her back, all with an ease that speaks to a long time spent using the items and putting them away.

Mildew yells "We're not seriously letting her just walk out of here when she-" Mildew doesn't get any further, as the mini-quiver suddenly opens and one of the pins flies into the side of his neck and he collapses.

Asher quietly asks "Bloom?" Spitelout's attempt at stopping her convinced him, because only Bloom could do something like that. Seems she's gotten better at controlling it.

The Rider stills for an instant, then quickly finishes putting her stoppered vial of glowing blue liquid away before heading for the doors without another word. Though, something about her pace seems hurried, like she doesn't want anyone asking more questions suddenly.

Snotlout darts out, and somehow manages to get her hood down by surprising her - revealing Bloom's most distinctive feature, hair the exact color of fire. It's been somewhat tamed in a messy braid, but with Bloom's hair revealed it's obviously her.

She sighs, rolls her huge blue eyes, then pulls the cloth mask down and snaps "Happy now?"

There's a stunned silence in the entire hall, even as she undoes her braid while muttering about seawater messing it up and damn Viggo Grimborn for knocking her into the ocean like that.

Asher takes the chance to note every change in her - for one, she had a growth spurt in the three years she was gone. Grew up a lot. Her jawline got more defined, and he could feel some real muscle underneath her armor when he tackled her to the ground. If only because that leather armor was stiff and heavy enough that it must weigh a good ten pounds. And her body itself got…wow.

Every guy in the room, her age or older is staring in shock and drooling - lots of curves, slender and toned body, and now that they know its Bloom... And…when he patted her down, searching her for more weapons - now, that makes him blush ferociously, his face going redder than her hair as he looks at the floor.

It's a big change from three years before - seems life with the dragons has been good to her, as backwards from Viking tradition and knowledge as that sounds.

Stoick's the first to find his voice, and asks "Your alive?!"

Bloom glares at him, and coldly says "I'd say 'sorry to disappoint,' but that's all I ever was to you, right? One big disappointment?" She turns away, looking like she's thinking for a minute, and says "There was something I promised I'd do if I ever had the misfortune to end up on this gods-forsaken rock again. Now, what was it? Oh, right…"

She decks Snotlout hard, then knees him in the gut…then throws him over her shoulder, landing him upside down on his back in a wall. All in about three seconds tops - likely less, really. She dusts her hands off, saying "You've had that coming for years, Snotlout Jorgenson."

Asher asks "What are you- why didn't you...?"

Bloom glances at him for the briefest moment then looks away, asking "Why didn't I come back? To what, exactly? The endless disappointment? The being picked on, beat up, and ridiculed? The people telling me I should've been shipped off the island? Tell me, exactly what, other than Gobber, would I have had to come back to? And that's assuming we weren't killed on sight."

Snotlout groans, and asks "So why are you here, then?"

Bloom snaps out "Not by choice, I can promise you that! The four of us happened to be in the area, and discovered the Dragon Hunters were to! We raid the ship, free the dragons they'd captured from the area, only to find special orders from Viggo Grimborn to find a way to make Berk tell him what the lot of you know about me! Not that it was ever much."

Stoick tightly asks "So why send them to Berk?"

Bloom scoffs, and says "Oh, please. If you mean the Dragon Hunters, we started tracking down their ships at once, and somehow or other Viggo Grimborn either learned or guessed I lived here before we even knew they were in the Archipelago. It was supposed to be a week or two at most that we were back in the area. Instead, its been nearly a month. And, if you mean the dragons, trust me, if there were any other landmass within flying distance for them, that's where we'd be right now! If I had my way, none of this would be happening and I'd never see this Gods-forsaken rock again!"

Stoick finds his voice first again, as everyone is stunned speechless once more, and says "As your father-"

Bloom holds a hand up, stopping Stoick in his verbal tracks, and bitingly says "Except your not. Not anymore, that is. You disowned me, remember? Something along the lines of 'you've thrown your lot in with the dragons, your no daughter of mine.' As such, you're not my father, I'm not your daughter…and, according to Viking law, you have no power over what I do. Now, whether you'll excuse me or not, I've got things to do. And, in case none of you figured it out, not a one of them involves any Viking living on Berk."

The way she says all that, its like she's spitting out bits of ice - oh, she must be mad about what happened.

As most everyone picks their jaws up from the floor, and Bloom puts her hood and mask back up, Ruffnut says "Wicked. What do the metal balls do?"

Bloom smirks, then gets one out, saying "Let me demonstrate…" She throws it on the ground, and black smoke erupts from the spot it hits and fills the hall. When it finally clears…Bloom's gone, and the door is open.

Gobber, for one, looks ecstatic - everyone else just looks utterly stunned.

Expect for Snotlout - he looks like he's in pain.

And Mildew and Tuffnut, they're still down for several hours due to the Speed Stinger poison on Bloom's pins.

AN: Hey, everyone! Hope you like the chapter - yeah, Bloom wasn't back on berk by choice, so sorry Asher, Stoick, Gobber, and company. Bloom's not that forgiving, not without a reason to be. Unlike Hiccup, the single most forgiving Viking I've ever heard of.

Anyway, enjoy! More updates coming soon! Please review!