Dragons: Riders Of Berk

Episode 2

Viking For Hire

Everybody needs a place in the world. Some people are born to theirs. Some people discover theirs. And some people create theirs. But then the world around them changes, and the place they made is gone.

It was Odin's Day morning at the newly opened Berk Dragon Academy was holding one of its first sessions of classes. The arena, which was previously used to kill dragons back in the days when Berk was constantly at war with the flying reptiles, had been converted into a proper dragon training academy the a few weeks ago and was now occupied by the six teens on Berk who made up what was now known as the Riders of Berk team. Currently, the head of the Academy, Astrid Hofferson, was standing by a black board with tally marks on it (considerably more on one side than the other) and holding her notebook in her hand. It was the End of Week Pop Quiz, with Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III and Fishlegs Ingerman on one team and the Thorston Twins and Snotlout Jorgenson on the other.

"Every dragon has its own unique abilities that give it its own special place in the world," Astrid noted, adjusting her favourite leather metal-studded headband which was supposed to keep her fringe out of her eyes - it failed but she liked it. "Which dragon makes the best organic synthesis?" she asked. Hiccup instantly cut in with an answer.

"Oh! Night Fury!" he spat out excitedly. This was his area of expertise by far - Hiccup owned a Night Fury named Nightshadow and had updated the entire section in the Book of Dragons on the species.

"Its acetylene and oxygen-shaped plasma charges let metal or metallic alloy used when melted to join metallic surfaces," Fishlegs added to explain the reason behind the answer. Astrid smiled and added another set of tallies to the black board behind her.

"Correct! Point to Team Hiccup," she announced. The other team was slumped behind its desk, looking far from amused. "Score is now one hundred to ten," Astrid added, double-checking her notes. Hiccup crossed his arms and made a smirk at the other team.

"And you started with ten," he pointed out smugly.

"Oh, yeah?" Tuffnut glowered. "Well, the game's not over!" He paused for a moment. "Wait, what team am I on?" Astrid refrained from facepalming - she was used to this by now - and continued with the quiz.

"Next question," she cleared her throat. Hopefully the twins could get this one. "What is the shot limit of a Hideous Zippleback? Team Snotlout?" she asked. Hiccup snorted from his team's table.

"I don't think they can count that high," he snickered. Astrid covered a laugh with a cough - she had to agree there, the twins had never been able to count past nine for as long as she could remember.

"Oh, really?" Ruffnut jeered back. "Well, let's find out! Barf!" she called. One head of the Hideous Zippleback poked up behind the table.

"Belch!" Tuffnut called - the second head rose into view. The twins gave the signal for the Zippleback to fire which it did, burning six holes in the wall behind Team Hiccup.

"Looks like it's about three," Tuffnut smirked. Astrid rolled her eyes - yep, they definitely couldn't count. Case closed.

"Told you we could count that high," Ruffnut poked her tongue out. Astrid stuck half the usual number of tally marks on the black board behind her.

"It's six," she corrected. "You're half right. Five points."

"Yes! We're up to thirty!" Ruffnut cheered. This time they were off by double the amount of points they had which was fifteen...wait, how did they know the number thirty existed when they couldn't count past the number of fingers they had? Hiccup pinched out a stray bang of hair that had been singed by Barf-Belch's shots and glared at the twins.