𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐘𝐑𝐈𝐄, how to train your dragon ¹

xii. Sore Winner; Great Loser

Gobber shook his flag in greeting, stuck where his hook usually was. He bounded with a fresh spring in his step a man of his age usually didn't hold. It was hilarious to watch, "Dragons!" he exclaimed happily. "They are now officially apart of Thawfest. There will be three━" he held up three fingers, "━additional events: The Fly and Shoot━" Fishlegs 'ooohed' in his interest, "━which will require you to fly straight and shoot straighter━"

Gobber yelped and ducked as a column of fire soared over his head. He spun around to glare at the Twins. "Hey!"

"Oh, sorry!" said Tuff. Valkyrie frowned to see him on Barf instead of Belch. He quickly swapped around with his sister. "We're on the wrong head."

"Ow━" Ruff let out as he shoved her, "━I knew something felt weird━" Barf gurgled out some noxious smoke, and Belch sparked it (and Gobber ducked yet again). Standing back up, the Blacksmith scowled at his burnt flag.

"Ahhh," sighed Tuff. "Much better."

Gobber gritted his teeth, but continued on. "Next is the Freestyle. Where it's up to you to impress the judges with a trick of your choice━"

Hearing the squawk above them, Valkyrie hadn't even realised Astrid had taken to the air. Soaring over them, she hooked herself from her saddle and perched up in a handstand. Stormfly rounded the arena steadily and Valkyrie scoffed.

"Please, what a show off..."

(In reality, she was just annoyed she didn't take the chance to show off herself).

"Ahh," Gobber nodded, impressed. "The Nadder Wingwalk. Impressive, Astrid!"

Fishlegs rose a finger in question, "Uh━excuse me ... Meatlug and I━" he gestured back to his dragon distracted by some rocks; she gobbled them up, "━were wondering if there were gonna be any intellectual event━" Meatlug spewed up the rocks to lava at her feet, "━a puzzle, perhaps?"

Gobber arched a brow. "I'll take that under advisment, Fishlegs ..." he moved on. "And let's not forget the Hurdles! Where you'll be asked to━"

"Wooohooo!"

Hiccup was met with a faceful of dust as Snotlout and Hookfang skidded to a landing on the stone of the arena. Leaping from his saddle, Valkyrie crossed her arms in seeing his chest and shoulders weighed down with ten Thawfest medals━all to showoff and showcase ... his usual gloating. They were all used to it by now, and just ignored it. (Which wasn't hard, since they ignored Snotlout on a daily basis anyway).

"You know what I love about the Thawfestival games?" Snotlout marched up to Hiccup, throwing out his chest of medals for him to arch an annoyed brow down at. "Winning! You wanna touch one of my medals? Just to see how it feels to be a winner━" he shoved one in Hiccup's face and he reared back.

"Uh ... I think I'll pass," he said.

"My family━"

"Oh, here we go..." mumbled Astrid as she landed back down.

"━has never lost a Thawfest games ever," Snotlout crossed his arms, holding his head up smugly. "Dragons or no dragons━" the Twins mocked him on their saddles, Ruffnut moved her hand back and forth, controlling her brother who mimicked Snotlout like a puppet, "━I'll do what I do every year: bring glory to the Jorgensen Clan. And you'll do what you do," he started back to Hookfang, "embarrass yours." Laughing, he set a foot on the saddle. "Let's go, Hookfang━whhaaaaaaaaaa━!" they took off, and Snotlout dangled below with his foot caught in the styryp. They heard his calls, getting distant━ "I WILL CRUSH YOU ALL...!"