Best Trick Competition isn't much of a competition
Flying fast, they weave in between the sea stacks, coming to land on a sea stack just north of Berk. Good old Berk. For generations, it was Viking against dragons. The battles were ferocious... then one day, everything changed.
“Alright guys! Best trick competition, who’s up first?”
“Uh,” Fishlegs looked around.
“Me!” Snotlout butts in.
“Actually I think it’s-”
“Me!”
”Sweet baby Thor in a thunderstorm, GO!” Astrid yelps
“Oh, don’t worry, we’ll go. And when we go, Hookfang and I are gonna light the sky on-” Hookfang launches of the cliff and the others can’t help laughing as his voice jumps with fright. “F-FIRE! Oh-h no” Hookfang flips around and goes underwater, causing Snotlout to nearly wet himself (Thor that would be funny). When they get back Snotlout celebrates the joy of being alive. “I’m alive...? I’m alive!” Awkward silence as they all stare at him blankly. “Of course I am.”
“It’s my turn! Ready, Meatlug? Here we go!” Fishlegs shakes his head at Snotlout and takes off, flying in a small sized circle before landing. “Yes! New personal best!"
“My turn!” Ruffnut shrieks loudly.
“No, my turn!” Tuffnut yells back at her.
“Uh, guys same dragon.” Hiccup sighs.
“Right!” Tuff sighs,
The next part continued thus:
Tuffnut: Go left!
Ruffnut: No, right!
Tuffnut: N-no, right!
Ruffnut: No, left!
They narrowly miss colliding into another sea stack. Barf and Belch suddenly fling the Twins off their necks and high into the air.
“OH, NO! WHOA! THIS IS AWESOME AND SCARY! AAAH!”
Barf and Belch then catch the Twins before they can go splat, then fling them up, and back onto their necks. They then land on the sea stack.
“We almost died!”
“Yeah, I know... go again?!”
“Hey! It’s my turn!” Astrid smirks at Hiccup “Ya might wanna take notes. Let’s go! Yah!” They shoot off the sea stack, flying directly to the ocean. “Alright, Stormfly, tail flip!” She sticks her tail into the water, spraying water up into the air. “Now twirl!” Astrid squeezes her eyes shut as Stormfly spins forward. ”Quick, upwards spiral!” Finishing the routine with a final spin, high into the air. “Alright Stormfly!”
“Wow!”
“Good job!”
“Cool!”
“Yeah, but can you do that without your dragon?” Snotlout asks, then yelps as her fist collides with his shoulder.
“Astrid, we talked about this. No violence toward other people!” Hiccup doesn’t mind, not really.
“Well I can’t exactly punch myself! Anyway, your turn.”
Toothless makes a vertical takeoff, then dives down the sea stack, right to the ocean. Hiccup pulls up at the last second, and shoots forward at breakneck speed. The two boys skillfully swerve in and out through the maze of sea stacks before coming across two conjoined rocks. As soon as they get close enough, Hiccup unhooks his metal leg, and jumps onto the bridge between the two rocks, while Toothless glides under. Hiccup runs across the rocky bridge, then jumps onto Toothless on the other side. The boy and the Dragon rocket towards the sky, leaving the other Riders amazed and awestruck. Toothless then shoots out multiple plasma blasts, which explode like fireworks. It’s obvious who won the competition.
"They're still the best." Astrid sighs in awe.
Toothless turns toward the village and flies home.









Hi there!
I just started reading How to Start a Dragon Academy and I’m really enjoying it so far! I love how you bring the Berk dragons and riders together especially the way Hiccup’s efforts to train and understand dragons creates such a fun, adventurous start. The mix of action and dragon lore really pulled me in.I’m excited to keep reading and see how the academy and the bond between dragons and riders grows from here! 😊 Lizzy