How To Train Your Dragon Unveiled

Zzyzx shielded his eyes against the bright, morning sun and set his things down.

"My father was very strict about making sure I have supplies at the start of each day."

He gestured to the number of different items. "Gauze, concentrated ethanol, vine, marigold, you name it."

(I'm so used to being able to list off actual medicine, I had to think hard.)

Zzyzx's eyes followed the ax with a sort of resignation or was it apprehension? He hummed softly, now distracted. Krypton must have sensed his rider's discomfort for he wandered closer and stayed close.

"You must have been very young..." Zzyzx concluded as he mulled over his statement. "When you started using that stuff."

Zzyzx hummed to himself, looking thoughtful.

"That's not how we do things in our village. Where I am from, weapons aren't used too often and are only used by wielders."

Krypton perked up, head tilted sideways as he observed the game. He rose to his feet, startling other dragons as they eyes him suspiciously.

Zzyzx paused and nodded eagerly.

"Will you teach me about your weaponry?"

Krypton sniffed the stick before taking it in his mouth and lifting off the ground, roaring as if encouraging other dragons to chase him. While most did not, he was more aiming his gaze at the Stormcutter, as if beckoning.

Zzyzx gestured for Katsura to take a seat next to him. "Sure, I'll start with the basics."

He pointed to some yellow dust in a leather pouch. "A trick from the plains. The pollen of a rotoba is enough to knock out a rampaging dragon. It is our main defense."

He pointed to green berries that had a rather foul odor. "These act as a deterrant towards certain harmful bacteria."

"Even to the most resilient bacteria, the enzymes break down their ability to reproduce and they eventually die out," Zzyzx explained as he waved a hand in the general direction of those green berries. "In my land, they are called sabip."

He then pointed to a familiar flower. "Marigold also prevents infections; I learned it from an archipelego not too far from here. I'm sure your familiar."

Krypton tucked in his wings and did a foward roll in mid-air, letting go of the stick and diving down to see who could retrieve it first. Asa's size gave her the advantage.

"This," Zzyzx said, pointing to a strange pink powder, "is boswellia. It helps with inflammation. My dad taught me how to make it into a poultice."

Krypton three tails un-braided, revealing venom dripping from each stinger. He dove straight for a Thunderdrum, angry it had cut him off. The Thunderdrum, however, roared deafeningly.

"Krypt!" Zzyzx shouted.

His dragon returned to the ground after being publicly scolded.

"Neither, actually," Zzyzx said and pointed to a rather large pitcher. "I use goat's milk warmed up to create a cataplasm. That way, there is some consistency."

He looked at the dragons and sighed, rubbing the corners of his eyes wearily. "Krypton is not quite used to being around other dragons in a sense where there is no imminent threat."

Just as he spoke, there was a distant roar. Krypton perked up, eyes alert as he spotted something flying in fast. Other villagers seemed to have noticed, too, and began to murmur---some even mounted their dragons in preparation.

Zzyzx practically shoved everything into his satchels at once, leaping on Krypton's back. However, his dragon unfurled all three of his tails and snapped his pincers.

"Hang on..."

"I know that rider!" Zzyzx shouted as he clicked his tongue.

Krypton shot up into the air as fast as lightning, over-taking all the other riders who had taken to the air. Krypton came to an abrupt halt before the mass of oncoming Berkians and flared out his wings, taking one dragon down with one tail, seizing a viking with another, and whipping a dragon and their rider with his third tail.

"Put me down!" the viking roared.

"Stop, I know that rider!" Zzyzx shouted and spotted a Singetail with a blue flame alight at the end of its smoking tail.

"It's Kamkar!" Zzyzx cried out, throwing an apologetic look solely to Katsura for angering her villagers.

The Singetail dove down, coming to a graceful stop. Its four wings flared out to keep it in place. On the back of said dragon was a boy who looked very much like Zzyzx, himself.

"He is my homeland's messenger," Zzyzx pleaded, trying to appease the crowd. "He has just come with news for me."

Kamkar looked around with wide eyes, terrified but staring back evenly.

The vikings roared louder, shaking their fists and weaponry until the Chief of Berk came soaring into view. His Night Fury roared, glowing blue as the black dragon demanded space.

"What's going on?" the Chief asked though his tone was sharp.

Kamkar said something in a foreign tongue, which Zzyzx was quick to translate.

"There was a huge wave," Zzyzx explained. "It did not come from an earthquake either. They think...my townspeople think it is from dragons..."

Zzyzx turned to Katsura, who was ridding one of the largest dragons besides another woman who was on a dragon of the same species. "None of us have experience with dragons let alone these legendary leviathans."

The Singetail bared its teeth, the blue flame glowing brighter on its tail tip. Its rider, Kamkar, looked worn out and tired as if the journey had been more than taxing.

"He must have left moons ago," Zzyzx said to the Chief. "Our land is so far from here."

The Chief patted his Night Fury's head, which seemed to settle the dragon down, and looked on thoughtfully. "All right. Do what you must, but there will be limitations for both of you."

Zzyzx waited patiently.

"No going beyond the border past the Winding Trees. You will know and see them. You must stay on the beach north of here, but there's plenty of space."

Astrid, the Chieftess, looked on approvingly. "This is only until we can better sort things out."

The Chief sighed. "During the day, you are allowed in the village, but at night, you must follow those orders."

Kamkar and Zzyzx both nodded. "Of course."

Zzyzx nodded appreciatively, beckoning Krypton to the ground.

The dragon who Krypton had first stung was finally able to start sitting up, but the effects of the venom were still present. The Singetail followed close in suit and for the first time, the villagers of Berk watched Krypton nuzzle the Singetail affectionately, the first sign of something other than aloofness or aggression.

"Kamkar is from my sanyii," Zzyzx said to Katsura, who was still above.