Chapter 5: Dragon Training: Day 1
The next day, Gobber opened the gates of Berk's Dragon Training Arena. "Welcome to Dragon Training." He said. "No turning back." Astrid said as she, Fishlegs, Snotlout and the Thorston Twins entered the arena. They looked around at the very arena where many Vikings before them have trained to become the best Dragon killers in all of Berk. "I hope I get some serious burns." Tuffnut said. "I'm hoping for some mauling. Like on my shoulder or my lower back." Ruffnut said. "Yeah, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it." Astrid said. "Yeah, no kidding." Hiccup said in sarcasm, surprising the others with his and Hicca's presence. "Yeah. Pain. Love it." Hicca said with the same sarcasm. "Oh, great! Who let them in?" Tuffnut asked in disappointment. "Hey! They have as much as every right to be here as us!" Ruffnut exclaimed, pointing her spear at her brother's nose. Hiccup and Hicca gave a small smile at Ruffnut defending them. "You guys too, huh?" Oflugin asked as he and his siblings walked in. "Let me guess. Gobber wouldn't listen either?" Hiccup asked in disappointment. "Listen? We couldn't get a single word in." Blóm said. "Yep. Stubborn as your father is." Hylli said.
"Alright, let's get started! The recruit who does best will win the honor of killing his or her first Dragon in front of the entire village." Gobber explained. "Hiccup, Hicca and your little quadruplets already killed a Fury. So, does that disqualify them or…" Snotlout said, making Tuffnut laugh. "Yeah, can I transfer into the class with the cool Vikings?" Tuffnut asked mockingly, making them both laugh. Suddenly, Astrid smacked them across their faces with her axe, knocking them down. "Leave. Them. Alone. Ruff's right. They have every right to be here like us. I trust them." Astrid said, looking at Hiccup with a smile. Hiccup smiled back before she and the others took their position. "Don't worry. You're all small and weak. That'll make you less of a target. They'll see you as sick or insane and go after the more Viking-like teens instead." Gobber assured as he brought Hiccup, Hicca and his quadruplet children to join the others. "But what if my headaches slow me down?" Hiccup asked. "Not to worry, lad. If that happens, I'll step in and stop the lesson." Gobber said. Hiccup, Hicca and the quadruplets took their position next to Fishlegs, trying to look as confident as the others while Hiccup tried to drown out the emotions of the Dragons in their cages.
"Behind these doors are just a few of the many species you will learn to fight." Gobber explained as he gestured to each of the shaking doors. "The Deadly Nadder…" "Speed 8, armor 16." Fishlegs diagnosed, having studied everything there was to know about Dragons. "…the Hideous Zippleback…" "11 stealth-times 2." "…the Monstrous Nightmare…" "Firepower 15." "…the Terrible Terror…" "Attack 8, venom 12." "COULD YOU STOP THAT?!" Gobber exclaimed, shutting Fishlegs up before continuing. "And the Gronckle." "Jaw strength 8." Fishlegs whispered. "Whoa, whoa, wait! Aren't you going to teach us first?" Snotlout asked. "Doubtfully. If there's one thing Gobber believes in. It's learning on the job." Hiccup said. "Exactly." Gobber said as he pulled a lever and unlocked the cage.
Just then, the Gronckle burst out from its cage and prepared to attack. The teens scattered out of the way. "Today is about survival. If you get blasted…you're dead." Gobber explained as the Gronckle slammed into the arena wall. But it quickly recovered and gobbled down a couple rocks. "Quick! What's the first thing you're going to need?" Gobber asked. "A doctor?" Hiccup asked. "5 speed?" Fishlegs said. "A shield!" Astrid answered. "Shields! Go!" Gobber ordered. The teens rushed over to the shields spread all over the arena and each picked one up. Though Hiccup and Hicca were having trouble picking theirs up. "Your most important piece of equipment is your shield. If you must make a choice between a sword or a shield, take the shield." Gobber explained as he helped the Haddock Twins with their shields and pushed them back into the fight. Ruffnut and Tuffnut started fighting over a shield with 2 flaming skulls. "Get your hands off my shield!" Tuffnut exclaimed. "There's like a million shields!" Ruffnut argued. "Take that one. It has a flower on it. Girls like flowers." Tuffnut said. That made Ruffnut smack him in the head with the shield. "Oops. Now this one has blood on it." She said. But as they were distracted, the Gronckle shot the shield with a Lava Blast. "Tuffnut, Ruffnut, you're out!" Gobber called. "What?" Tuffnut asked as they recovered, feeling dazed.
"Those shields are good for another thing. Noise. Make lots of it to throw off a Dragon's aim." Gobber instructed. The teens started banging their weapons against their shields. The Gronckle didn't like the noise as it was causing it to lose its focus. "All Dragons have a limited number of shots. How many does a Gronckle have?" Gobber asked. "5?" Snotlout guessed. "No, 6!" Fishlegs said. "Correct, 6! That's one for a select few of you." Gobber said. But then, the Gronckle blasted Fishlegs' shield. "Fishlegs, out." Gobber called. Fishlegs screamed as he ran for his life. Hiccup and Hicca hid themselves behind a wooden board, having no idea what to do. "Hiccup, Hicca, get in there!" Gobber exclaimed. Hiccup and Hicca slowly started coming out, another blast nearly hit them, causing them to duck back behind the wooden board. The Gronckle looked around for more targets, setting its eyes on Astrid and Snotlout. "So, I'm moving into my parents' basement. You should come by sometime to workout. You look like you work out." Snotlout said, trying to flirt with Astrid as she rolled out of the way before his shield got hit by the Gronkle's blast. "Snotlout, you're done!" Gobber called.
Astrid came up next to Hiccup. "So, I guess aside from Hicca and the Styrkarssons, it's just you and me, huh?" Hiccup asked. "Sure, looks that way to me." Astrid said. "Look out!" She ducked as another blast hit Hiccup's shield. Luckily, it wasn't destroyed, but it started rolling away. "One shot left!" Gobber called. Hiccup chased after his shield, trying to get it back. But the Gronckle started chasing him. "Hiccup!" Hicca cried, seeing her brother was in trouble. Hiccup ditched the shield and ran as he felt the Gronckle's emotion; rage. That caused him to receive a painful headache and clutched his head as he ran to the arena wall and became cornered. The Gronckle took its aim and prepared one last blast. But then, Gobber tugged it away with his hook, making it blast the wall. "And that's 6. Go back to bed, you overgrown sausage!" He exclaimed, tossing the Gronckle back into its cage and locking it. "You'll get another chance, don't you worry." The teens all started to relax as Hicca and the quadruplets ran over to Hiccup. "Remember: a Dragon will always…always…go for the kill." Gobber said, helping Hiccup up before walking away. Hiccup looked at the Gronckle's blast mark before he started thinking.
Whoa! How was that? Hiccup, Hicca and the Styrkarsson Quadruplets started their first day of Dragon Training with Astrid, Fishlegs, Snotlout, Ruffnut and Tuffnut. As Gobber released the Gronckle from its cage, it started blasting the teens' shields, quickly using up its 6-shot limit. But as it prepared its last shot for Hiccup, Gobber managed to stop it and throw it back in its cage. But then, as Gobber said that a Dragon will always go for the kill, that got Hiccup to start thinking. Why didn't the Fury kill him when it had the chance? Will Hiccup, Hicca and the Styrkarssons find any new answers? Leave a review if you want.