Code Name: Draconis [Ace Draconis - ON HOLD; see my updated profile for info!]

Chapter 14: The Results Are In (Part 1)

 

I paced around John's office at headquarters, waiting on the lab results to come back on my blood.  I'd been able to retract my wing once I got here, but unfortunately I sensed some resistance this time.  It was as if someone, or something, was trying to take over my body.  How could I live if this kept happening to me?  Would I ever be normal?

              My phone vibrated in my pocket.

I glanced down and sighed; another text from Clarissa:

 

Hey Ace.  Dunno what's going on, but Borgos said to leave you alone.  Just wanted to let you know I'm here for you, always.  Come home soon.  Love you. 

 

I closed my eyes and drew a long shuddering breath, clenching the phone in my hand tightly.  "I love you too," I whispered to the empty room, "and that's why I may have to let you go..."

              I finally sat down in a chair facing John's desk.  Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my ipod and started listening to the Goo Goo Doll's "I'm Still Here." I leaned back then, not really looking at anything in particular, just lost in my own thoughts and the lyrics of the song.

I am a question to the world, not an answer to be heard, or a moment that's held in your arms...

              Somehow I'd always felt a connection to this song.  It seemed to describe me perfectly.  I'd always been an introvert, but that was influenced to greater levels because my childhood had been so hard.  Humans generally stayed away from me, as if sensing the monster I was. But Clarissa, she was different...        

              And you see the things they never see. All you wanted I could be.  Now you know me, and I'm not afraid.  And, I wanna tell you who I am, can you help me be a man?  They can't break me, as long as I know who I am.

              I rested my head in my palms.  Could I tell her what I was?  That'd be the simplest thing to do.  But then again, I'd done that before.  I leaned back, as I was assaulted with a bitter memory.

              Years ago in gr. 2, I'd had a friend.  A friend other than Borgos.  I hadn't really had a friend other than Borgos throughout my entire life, but Nick had been the exception.  All the others had been afraid of me, but Nick had been different.  So one day we were playing in the park after school.  It was getting dark and we'd been flying a kite.  The other kids had gone home for supper a long time ago, but Nick's mother had let him stay out.  As for me, the only one who'd miss me was Borgos, and I had no mother to call me home. 

              The kite had gotten stuck in a tree, and Nick had begun to cry because he was supposed to be leaving to go home any minute, and he didn't want to leave his kite.  Seeing as we were pressed for time, I told him I was going to do a magic trick.  So I grew my wings, jumped up, and grabbed the kite out of the tree.  I'd floated back down to Nick, and handed him the kite.  His eyes had been wide with fright.  "It's okay," I said. "I'd never hurt a friend."  I guess my fangs must have also been out or something, because these older boys came over after seeing me, and started shouting "Nick! Get away from him, he's a freak! He'll bite you!"

              "No! I wouldn't!" I'd yelled back, but they didn't listen, they just yelled louder.  I turned to Nick then, and grabbed his hand, "Let's go."

              And that's when the reality of what I was finally set in.  I still remember the look of horror on Nick's face as he shook his head in fear, tears still rolling down his cheeks.  He jerked away from me, and ran home with his kite.  I'd been dumbfounded, why would he run away from me?  That's when the other boys started throwing rocks at me and chasing me.  "Go home, monster!"

              They'd said other things too but that lesson was forever branded into my memory: never, under any circumstances, expose yourself.

              It was the first time Borgos and I had moved, and marked the tradition that we move multiple times every few years.  I never really got close to anyone else after that, especially because there were the odd times during puberty that I couldn't control myself, and my fangs used to grow at random.  I'd been ridiculed for that too.  And although Borgos and I were both dragons, because he was only half of one, he seemed to have an easier time making friends.  It was as though they sensed he was different, but not enough to be a threat.  He'd even had the occasional girlfriend.   

              They can't tell me who to be, cause I'm not what they see.  Yeah the world is still sleeping while I keep on dreaming for me.  And their words are just whispers and lies that I'll never believe...

              Funny how one song could relate so well to me.

 And how can the world want me to change? They're the ones that stay the same. 

              That particular line had always seemed to speak out to me.  How could they want me to change, if every time I tried, they made fun of me for it?

              The door finally creaked open fifteen minutes later, and John walked in, followed by George.  John sat down at his desk, while George took the seat next to mine.

              I sat up, putting away my ipod, "Well?"

"Do you want the good news first, or the bad news first?" John asked wearily.

              "I'm a pessimist, mate."

"Bad news it is.  You're stuck like this for a bit, until we can make an antidote.  It appears the orange crystal from your last mission must have somehow gotten into your blood while you were fighting those skeletons."

              "But the good news," George began, "Is that if we can get a second crystal, which we have a good idea of its whereabouts, I should be able to extract some energy from the first and third crystal, to give to you which should neutralize the effects of the orange crystal."

              I sighed, "So, I've gotta go on another mission?"

"Yes, but this one shouldn't be as huge as the others.  This time, the crystal should be somewhere in the town.  We're not sure where, but our best guess is someone is using it as a piece of jewelry or something," John said, "your Z-phone can act as a homing device, and it'll vibrate like crazy when you're close to a crystal."

              "Alright, so how come the first crystal didn't affect me the way the second did?" "Well, what we believe is that these crystals house the power of dragons from a long time ago.  Just like there are five main elements, air, water, earth, fire, and spirit there are five main dragons that honed the same powers.  The first crystal you brought in was purple, which, we suspect is air.  The second is probably fire, judging by the vibrant orange colour.  The third one we're looking for you to find should look like a sapphire, which we guess, is water.  Since the components of the fire triangle are air, water, and energy, we figure we can neutralize the effects of the fire crystal with the air and water crystal," George explained.

              "Alright.  So the crystal's somewhere in town, should look like a sapphire, and my Z-phone will buzz when it's nearby?"

              "Exactly.  It should also be somewhere in the northern side of town too," John added, taking the Z-phone and showing me a map of the town.  True to his word, there were blue-wavelengths coming mainly from the northern side of town. 

Unfortunately, George hadn't been able to give me anything for my wing to control it, so that put even more pressure on me getting this crystal as quickly as possible.  After all, my wing would only get worse over time. 

             

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