"In those days, dragons were hunted and used for their raw magic. The one known as Skylord was the only person who befriended a dragon. He would become the inspiration for Dragon Academy." -History of Dragon Academy, By Althur Vinn
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It was Hotshot's turn. Saber seemed to merge no problem. He saw Pixie struggle to walk in, but she eventually succeeded. Thunderbolt still hand his hands on his dragon but he was having some trouble. Hotshot knew he could do it, but he admitted to himself that he was nervous.
"Pepper," Hotshot took a breath, "may I merge with you?" The yellow dragon wagged its long tail. It gave its signature chirp and showed Hotshot his side. Peppers scales began to glow, "it's working." Said Hotshot.
A white oval along Pepper's side began to appear. It gave off a bright light. Hotshot had seen Windclaw walk into the side of his dragon like a doorway. He might as well give that a try, he thought. He placed his hands on the spot. It didn't feel hard or rough like dragon scales. It felt warm and soft. There was something calming about the feel.
He took one foot and tried to place it at the spot. It went right through and into the dragon. He couldn't feel his foot anymore. At first he was scared, but the warm feeling of the touch allowed him to keep going. He stepped in with his other foot and he was gone.
For a second he couldn't feel anything. Then he opened his eyes. He was much taller. He felt stronger. He looked around and he saw everyone. The students were all attempting to merge with their dragons. He looked down. He saw yellow scaly dragon legs. Hotshot began to freak out, but something was calming him down. It was his legs. They felt like they were always his legs. This was always his body. It felt normal. He could feel the muscles of his wings and gave them one night flap. He couldn't believe it. It felt like he had wings his whole life.
"How does it feel?" A voice was inside his head. Hotshot tried to speak but nothing came out if his mouth.
"You have to think out loud. Focus you mind. Try to speak without speaking. I know it's confusing at first, but you will get the hang out it." Said the voice which Hotshot now could distinguish as Windclaw's.
"It feels incredible." Hotshot responded within his mind. "How are we talking to each other?"
"We aren't really talking. Dragons are beings of magic and connection. They communicate through links with one another. We can use magic to create and use those links, which allow us to talk to one another." Windclaw stepped in front of Pepper. Merged with his dragon he was much bigger than Hotshot.
"I'm ready to start flying!" Hotshot stood in his hind legs and flapped his wings.
"Patience young one. When everyone is merged we will begin."
Hotshot couldn't take the wait anymore. He ran forward and dove off the side of the platform.
"Hotshot wait!" He could hear Windclaw's warning in his mind. Too late old man, thought Hotshot. He opened his wings and instinctively began to bend them to glide. He was finally here. Hotshot felt the air on his face. The wind rush passed his scales. His wings touch the currents. His tail guide his flight.
"I get why you wanted to be a Pilot, father." Hotshot shed a tear. He didn't know dragons could cry until now. Hotshot's father was a Dragon Pilot. One of the best, people say. He was raised on the stories of the famed Silverwing saving lives and fighting bad guys. Just stories though. He never got to meet the great Dragon Pilot. Never got to learn from him what it was like to fly. Hotshot had to learn himself. He stared into the distance. The sun was hanging over the mountains. He felt at home.
Hotshot didn't notice the green blur rushing towards him. Not until his tail was grabbed.
"Got ya, you have to land." Pixie's voice was in his head.
"What why?" Said Hotshot.
"Tail tag. Grab the dragon's tail and they are out. I grabbed your tail." Pixie and Hotshot both looked at his tail which was very much in the claw of the green dragon that she chose.
"Alright." Said Hotshot. "But I'm coming for ya, Pixie."
Tail tag was a blast. They took turns, two at a time in the sky. Both dragons would try to grab the tail of the other. The winner would stay in the sky. The loser would land and another dragon would try their shot at the champion. Pixie was taken out by Thunderbolt, who had merged with his black dragon. Thunderbolt defeated his challenger by being bigger and tackling them. He was then defeated by a blue dragon with arrow signs glowing down its neck. That dragon was fast and was only beaten when Saber was up. Her White Sword-Tail Dragon had an advantage in this game. Nobody wanted to grab her tail. Not until Hotshot's turn.
Hotshot kicked off by diving as fast as he could towards Saber. She was gliding in a circle around the platform, where she could see every angle that you were coming from. Hotshot knew he couldn't trick her. Saber would be able to see him no matter what. He had to rely on his speed to be better than hers.
He was mostly right. Pepper was the smallest dragon, but naturally very fast from what he had seen. He could outrun Saber, it was true, but her dragon was far more agile. It rolled as Hotshot closed in and she whipped her tail away at the last second before he could grab it.
"I almost got you!" Hotshot turned around for a dive straight down at Saber's location.
"Almost, but not quite." Saber pointed her tail straight up next to her head. The blade of the tail reflected sunlight into Hotshot's eyes.
"Cheap move!" Hotshot opened his wings to stall in the air. His tail was exposed. Saber apparently noticed, because she flew straight at him. There was only a moment where Hotshot could come up with a plan.
Saber soared towards Hotshot and as got close she grabbed his tail. "I win." She said calmly.
"You sure?" Hotshot held up Saber's tail just below the bladed tip. "I got you at the same time. When you were the least prepared."
"So you did." Saber nodded. Her dragon was slender and held very little imperfections on its scales. "What happens now?"
Before either of them could react a rush of wind blew past them. Hotshot felt his tail get grabbed for a moment. "What happened?"
"I don't know. My tail was grabbed again." Saber began to look around. It wasn't too long before both of them saw Windclaw above them.
"I win. Both of you are out. Next challenger please." Hotshot could hear the cackling of that old man in his head.
"I thought this was just for students? How is it fair if you join?" Hotshot yelled within his mind.
"Fair? I'm just trying to have fun. I only get to play this whenever we get new students." Windclaw glided downwards towards the two of them. "I've been doing this since my first year at the Academy. Can you believe I've never lost?" Windclaw scratched his neck with his claws. "Your father came close but even he couldn't dethrone me!"
Windclaw mentioning Hotshot's father took the wind out of his wings. He glided down and watched the others get demolished by the fastest dragon in history. They started going at him two or three dragons at a time, but nobody could grab that gray tail. By the end of the day. Windclaw was still champion.