Fiery Inspiration
Written by Flyingtaco2002 and LevelInfinitum
~ ~ ~
It was a rainy Friday afternoon. Kieran Blaze was in the Year 8 class at school with his
teacher, Miss Patricia Webster. He was currently taking an English Test. Kieran was twelve
years of age, sporting messy brown hair and blue eyes. He was dressed in a plain green
t-shirt, blue denim jeans, and white trainers. He had his eyes down, and his pen was merrily
writing away at the exam paper.
Across the school, Alexander Carson was currently in math class in Year 10 with his
teacher, Jacob Mosquera. He was doing his work, but he also helped others who needed it,
since he was very talented at it. He had very dark hair and dark brown eyes. Alex liked to
wear his black sweatshirt and black sweatpants since he practiced jogging. He also wore
his dark grey running shoes which were his favourite.
Alex couldn't help but look out the window at the rain pouring from time to time, but he
quickly got back to his work. Kieran on the other hand was so focused on his work that he
didn't take any notice to the weather.
At the stroke of 3:10, the school bell went. Everybody put their stationery down, and went to
the front of the class to hand their papers into the teacher for marking.
Everybody then went out into the corridors to get their things and head home. Kieran politely
spoke with some of his friends in the corridor when he could, and as he headed to his locker,
he bumped into Alex. Alex was the best friend that he had, having gotten to know him the
most. They had neighbouring lockers.
"Hey Alex."
Alex looked up and saw Kieran. "Oh hey Kieran, how was your day?"
"It was great. I really think i've passed my English test with flying colours. So how did you
get on?"
"Oh well you know, just working on some algebra stuff in the class. Piece of cake really."
"I hope my artwork skills have improved enough today to start drawing my own comic. I've
been practicing in art class to draw more professionally."
"Wait, did you say comic?! Awesome! What is it about? Superheroes? Scary stuff?"
"I'm yet to decide. I've been planning it for quite some time, but I still need to get inspiration
from somewhere or someone."
"Well I love comics, but what should it be about...well, that's up to you."
Kieran put his bag on his back. "Well, I'd better get home. I just hope I won't get too wet in
this pouring rain."
Kieran headed out of the school, making a jog through the rain for two miles to get home.
~ ~ ~
Alex lived on the same street as Kieran, but down the other end of it. Neither of them were
yet aware that they lived close to one another.
As Kieran entered his home, he put his bag next to the radiator to dry, having been soaked
from the rain. He then went straight upstairs to his room, grabbed a towel to dry his face,
and turned on the dehumidifier.
Kieran would always have a rest after school before dinnertime. As he laid on his bed, his
feet would initially dangle over the end. He kicked his trainers off of his feet, revealing that
he wasn't wearing socks. Kieran didn't ever feel comfortable wearing socks. He then
crawled over to put his entire body on the bed, his head on the pillow, and got his eyes shut
for an hour.
Alexon the other hand didn't even bother to dry himself, as his clothes were designed to dry
quickly. He did however put his bag to dry against the radiator. Alex didn't like to sleep after
school, as he considered it a waste of time; he just liked to take a very good book and read it
with some hot chocolate. If he wasn't reading, then he was on the internet reading stories
on Fanfiction, Deviantart, or Archive of our own. He read mostly about transformation, as he
was fascinated by the idea of people changing into something out of reality.
As he sat down in his computer chair, he also took his shoes off and put them beside his
bed. His red socks were soaked along with the rest of his clothes.
That evening after dinner, Kieran was at his computer. He was looking at the comic he was
trying to start working on, but so far, he had only worked on the first panel of the first page.
It showed a character of his own creation walking in the forest.
"Hm, where to go next?"
Kieran was always thinking hard about what he could do next with his comic. But thinking
about it so hard always gave him a headache, and it always stopped him from carrying on.
More often than not, Kieran would lose interest in what he was drawing, scrap it, and start
again.
But this time was different. Kieran began working on the next panel, albeit with no
knowledge of what he was going to put in it.
Alex was bored. This happened very rarely, as he always found something to do, and he
hated being bored. He remembered that Kieran was doing a comic, so he decided to check
on him. Alex went to his computer and loaded up his Discord. He typed up a message to
Kieran, asking him how he was getting on with his comic. He got a response very quickly:
'I'm really struggling. I've been working on only the first panel of the first page for the last
three months, and I've only just started on the second panel.'
Alex typed... 'Well, what is it that is keeping you from continuing?'
'I'm struggling to find inspiration as to where to go next.'
'What can I help with?'
'I'm not sure. Perhaps you could come round to mine tomorrow. I'm at 127 Kings Street.'
'Wait, I live on the same street!'
'Really?! All this time you lived just down the road from me?!'
'Well it seems like that's the case XD.'
'So, I'll see you tomorrow, shall I?'
'You shall and definitely will.'
'Excellent. See you then.'
'See you.'
Alex just looked at the screen, thinking about Kieran. He decided to leave it aside and watch
some Netflix.
Kieran had stopped working on the comic for now, because he was getting a headache from
thinking too hard about it. He'd changed into his pyjamas already, consisting of a green
stripy shirt and trousers, and was wearing brown suede slippers. He was currently playing
Lego City Undercover on his Nintendo Switch. He was up to the point where he was just
about to join the fire department...
"Okay recruit, what is your name?"
"Pete. Peterson, sir."
While the cutscene continued playing, Kieran still had his comic in his head, but was trying
desperately to let it go.
~ ~ ~
The following morning, Kieran had just had his breakfast, and was getting changed into a
clean red t-shirt with his jeans. Just as he put his belt on, the doorbell rang. Kieran headed
downstairs to answer it, and found Alex there. Unlike Kieran, he was still in the same
clothes as yesterday, and had his cellphone with him.
"Alex?"
"Hi Kieran."
Alex came into the house, politely wiping his feet and removing his shoes.
"So tell me Kieran, what can I help you with?"
"I was hoping that you would be able to give me some pointers. I really need to get
inspiration for my comic, but I haven't got a clue where to start."
"What is the comic about?"
"Come up and see what i've already done."
Kieran led Alex up to his bedroom. Kieran sat at the computer desk and loaded up his
laptop. Alex pulled up another chair to join him, and as Kieran loaded up the file, Alex
showed concern as to how little had been done.
"So from what I can see, nothing big has happened."
"I've only done part of the first page. I've really been struggling to get anywhere with this."
"Is it a TF comic?"
"I'm hoping so. I tried transformation comics in the past, but I always scrapped them very
early on with very little progress."
"So you don't know what your character should turn into?"
"Not yet."
"I have an idea. What about a dragon?"
"A Dragon, huh?"
"Yeah of course."
"They're quite tricky to draw. The tail could be quite easy, but getting the jaw and wings right
might prove a challenge."
"Still, I think that would be awesome."
Kieran pondered for a moment. "Let's see if I can look up some pictures of them."
Kieran went onto Google Images, and looked up various artworks of anthro dragons.
"So what do you think?"
"I think I could give this a go. But I'll need some help getting started."
"That's why I'm here."
"Well, I have to go into town to do a few things first this morning. Maybe while we're out, I
could get some design inspiration from somewhere."
"Fine with me."
Kieran and Alex headed downstairs to get their shoes on. Kieran of course wore his trainers
sockless, which concerned Alex.
"Why don't you wear socks?"
"I find my trainers more comfortable without them. I tried it a few years ago, and it really felt
much better to me. I only wear socks when it's really, really cold; like when it snows."
"Interesting. But wouldn't you be concerned about getting infections?"
"I'm used to getting athlete's foot often. I always know how to deal with it though."
"If you say so, although it still worries me."
Nevertheless, Kieran stayed with how he felt the most comfortable.
~ ~ ~
Together, Alex and Kieran travelled into town. Kieran had to get his regular food shopping
as well as other things, but because he had to get frozen food, he waited until last to do it.
So firstly, to get inspiration for his work, Kieran paid a visit to a model shop.
Alex was surprised by Kieran's choice. "A model shop? Awesome! I love models too!"
"I come here often to collect the latest models based on comic book heroes. Many of them
have tried to give me inspiration, but none have succeeded so far."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
But Kieran wasn't looking at comic book heroes today. For potential inspiration for his
comic, he looked at a model of an anthro red dragon. Alex was very silent at his model of
choice.
"You've gone very quiet Alex. Is something on your mind?"
"W-what? N-no i'm fine!"
"Are you sure? Your face has gone awfully pale."
"Y-yeah, I'm sure."
Kieran was not convinced, but tried not to tell his friend. He looked back at the dragon
statue, and the price tag. However, it was much too expensive for Kieran to afford. Alex
had now calmed down and looked at Kieran.
"What's wrong?"
"I can't afford it. It's much too much."
Alex looked at the price tag. £230 this model cost, because it was a hand painted cast iron
make.
"It makes sense to give it such a high price. Cast iron is not cheap."
Alex smiled "You know what? Take it."
"What? Steal it?"
"No dummy, I'm going to buy it for you."
"It's just the way you made it sound." Kieran picked up the model and passed it to Alex. "It's
my Autism. I think very literally."
"It's fine really." Alex smiled as he took his wallet out.
After the model shop, Kieran and Alex went to do Kieran's food shopping together. 40
minutes later, Kieran brought the shopping back to his house, where Alex helped him to
store it away.
They then went back upstairs with the model dragon, and Kieran put it by his computer. He
loaded up the comic page once more, and worked a bit with Alex to get started.
"Well, it is a very good start."
Kieran had now added himself and Alex into the story. As before, they were walking
together through a forest, talking to one another. It was a half-moon night, and both boys
had their arms around one another.
Alex was really intrigued; he loved comics, but Kieran's was very interesting. He didn't know
why, but he seemed more interested in it than he thought. Although Kieran only opted for
flat colouring due to his lack of experience and confidence, Alex still felt happy that he could
help.
By the early afternoon, and after completing the first two pages together, Kieran's eyes really
began to strain. "Whew. We've been going at this for hours."
"Yeah, it is quite late in the afternoon. I should let you rest."
Kieran's stomach started rumbling then. He had been working so hard that he had
completely missed lunch. It was already 3PM. Alex could clearly see that Kieran's eyes
were heavy. Seconds later, he fell asleep at his computer chair.
"I'm not surprised. You deserve some shut-eye."
But Alex couldn't let Kieran be uncomfortable on his computer chair, so he carefully picked
Kieran up from his uncomfortable position, and carried him to his bed, where he laid him
very softly. Kieran was even in such a hurry to get on with the comic when he started, that
he'd forgotten to take his shoes off. Alex, knowing Kieran too well, noticed this, and took his
shoes off so that he could be more comfortable.
"You get yourself a good sleep, Kieran. I'm glad I could help."
Alex smiled; he looked for his things and left, still thinking about the comic. There was
something about it that affected him deeply, but he didn't know what. He just decided to
forget about it and go home.
~ ~ ~
As the early evening fell, Alex was cooking his dinner. He was still deeply in thought about
Kieran's comic, and as to how well he was getting on with it. Something was still bothering
him, and he still didn't know what it was. It was just that something was affecting him in a
way that he had never felt before, and that didn't make it any better. For the best, he just
decided that he would think about it later, because he was hungry and really wanted to eat.
He needed time to think to himself, how was he going to be able to break a deep dark secret
to his best friend.
Kieran meanwhile, had just woken up from his rest. It was ten to six in the evening, and his
stomach began growling within the minute of waking up.
"Aah, I really needed that sleep."
Then, Kieran looked at his alarm clock, and was shocked at the time. "Blimey, is that the
time?!" He checked his watch to make absolutely sure he wasn't seeing things. "I was
asleep for nearly three hours?"
Kieran had left his computer on, and Discord was still running. He got a notification from
Alex.
'Hey Kieran, you there?'
Kieran could see the comment from his bed. He first realised that his feet were bare, after
he noticed that his shoes were on the ground. But he bypassed this issue, put his slippers
on as he got off his bed, and then went to his computer as Alex prompted him again.
'Kieran? It's important!'
Kieran answered the second prompt. 'Hi Alex, just woken up. What's on your mind?'
'I need to tell you something, a secret. I can turn into a dragon.'
'You what?'
'I have the power to turn into a dragon.'
'You cannot be serious! Dragons aren't real!'
'WE are real!'
'What proof do you have?'
That question stumped Alex, as it took him longer to answer it. 'I-I don't have any...'
"I thought so. I don't believe people unless I see the right evidence. So how do I know
you're telling me the truth?'
'So you don't trust me?'
'This isn't about trust, this is about honesty. And unless I can see evidence of what you're
saying, I can't take your words seriously. Anyway, how have you been getting on this
afternoon?'
'Goodbye Kieran.' And with that, Alex disconnected.
Kieran's heart began to pound. He didn't want to believe what Alex had just said, but the
thoughts about it began to worry him. "Have I offended Alex?"
Kieran put his hand on his pounding heart and closed his eyes.
Alex was mad, very mad. He'd just confessed to his biggest secret, and his best friend
thought he was lying. He felt very offended by it, which caused him to not want to do
anything, or even try to talk to Kieran again. He just laid on his bed to calm down.
Despite his feelings, Kieran hadn't eaten since breakfast, and really needed to get
something in his stomach. He cooked himself a double cheeseburger with fries. And after
that, the thought of him offending his friend was still making him worry too much.
He headed up to his room and put his trainers on. But strangely, he then grabbed his towel
and went into the bathroom. He began to run the shower head, and when the water was
warm enough, stepped under it without undressing first. In such a situation, Kieran felt that
the best way to calm down was to have a shower with his clothes on. Having wet clothes
and shoes cling to his body, made him feel like he was using his weighted blanket to relieve
his tension.
Meanwhile, Alex was still awake. Although he had calmed down, guilt washed all over him.
He shouldn't have been rude to Kieran, but still the thought of him being considered a liar
made him angry, so he avoided it at all costs. Alex then thought that maybe he should
apologize, and give some definite proof of his secret to his friend.
"Ugh, it's no use. I can't stop thinking about Kieran. Maybe what I did was really bad, I
should apologize. But I wonder what Kieran's thought are about me as well?"
While Alex was thinking about what to say, Kieran was still showering. After five minutes of
letting his clothes and shoes get soaked, he felt calm enough to want to wash properly.
Kieran removed his shoes, baring his feet, and placing them outside the shower. He then
pulled off his shirt. Then, he unbuttoned his fly and removed his jeans. He wasn't wearing
underwear today, because he'd had no clean pairs left in his drawers. Now nude, Kieran
picked up the bottles of Palmolive and Head & Shoulders, and began to wash himself
properly.
~ ~ ~
After Kieran had come out of the shower and gotten himself changed into his pyjamas, his
wet clothes were put straight in the washing machine with other laundry. His shoes were put
on top of the radiator, as the washing machine and tumble dryers would have damaged
them. He had some clothes left for the next couple of days, but really needed to get some
undergarments done so that he didn't have to go commando again.
Alex was looking out of the window of his bedroom, and thinking to himself... "How am I
going to prove to Kieran that I'm telling the truth?"
Then it hit him, a very simple answer really. Alex felt stupid for not thinking about it. He
would turn into his dragon form in front of Kieran, that would definitely make him realize he
was indeed telling the truth.
Alex headed out to the back yard in his pyjamas, and some old black ugly shoes. He wasn't
going to transform indoors, and not directly in front of Kieran tonight. Instead, he would pay
a little visit as a dragon; this really made him excited to see Kieran's reaction.
Alex entered deep thought for a moment by closing his eyes. When he opened them again,
they had become golden. Alex's skin began to turn red and scaly, and the moisture began
to dry out, making his scales hard. Claws began to form on the ends of his fingertips, and
his thumbs sank inwards, leaving him with four digits. A muzzle then pushed out of his face.
It wasn't painful to him, because he had done it many times before and he was used to it.
His head turned red and scaly like his hands, and his hair fell out as his ears changed shape
and position, as well as horns growing from the top of his head. His teeth became sharper
and pointed. He soon felt his body begin to grow some, gradually making his clothes feel a
little tighter. He then felt something begin to grow from his bottom. A long red scaly tail
ripped out of the seat of his pyjama trousers. Then, two more somethings began to form on
his back. Those two somethings ripped out the back of his pyjama shirt; a pair of dragon
wings.
"Kieran would have to be a fool not call me a liar now."
Alex's voice had dropped a few octaves already. He looked down at his feet as he felt them
scratch his shoes. The toecaps gave way as his feet lengthened. He remembered that he
wasn't wearing socks with his shoes this time, and it didn't bother him to have ripped out of
worn out shoes. His feet also became red and scaly, and his toe count reduced from five to
four, as well as growing foot claws. As he grew some more, he realised that his pyjamas
weren't going to last much longer.
"Let's get rid of these."
Alex used his claws, and ripped his pyjamas from his body, letting them fall to the ground in
tatters. Boy did he miss being a dragon from time to time! The sensation of power was
overwhelming, but he didn't let that affect his being. He grew a little more until he was about
ten feet tall, before his transformation was eventually complete. Alex smiled as he flapped
his wings, and launched into the air. The remainder of his shoes fell off as he took off. He
had missed the sensation of freedom, and he loved it. As he was flying, he remembered
that he was going to Kieran's house to give him a little surprise.
Kieran himself was just getting ready to hit the sack. He had just come out of the bathroom
after brushing his teeth, when he heard a faint tap at his bedroom window.
"A woodpecker?"
Kieran opened the curtains to see Red Dragon Alex there, smiling at him. In his shock,
Kieran fell on his bottom.
That reaction was hilarious. Alex was trying not to burst into laughter, as that was more than
he could ask for. He decided to wait for Kieran to talk to him, as he would have many, many
questions.
Kieran stood up and looked in horror at Alex, but still didn't believe it was him. "I am
mistaken. Dragons are real."
Alex decided to act a little more 'Draconic' for the sake of it.
"Oh we are, little one."
"A friend of mine from school tried to tell me that he could transform into one of you. I didn't
believe him."
"You made a big mistake, little one."
"So I've noticed. But how do I know this is not just a dream? How do I know you're actually
here, right now?"
"Well, you can touch my scales if you'd like. That will prove I am real."
Kieran nervously opened his window, and reached out around it to feel the scales on Alex's
arm, as he outstretched that arm so Kieran could reach.
"Now, do you still believe this is a dream?"
Kieran pondered for a moment as he took his hand back in. "Not anymore."
But the shock that Kieran was feeling made him faint. He fell onto his back on the floor of
his room, losing consciousness on impact.
Alex smiled at this, but then something came into his mind. What if Kieran then thought this
was a dream, and that it never happened? That would really make him furious, and he didn't
want this moment to be a waste of time. A solution came into his mind, he took his hand,
and ripped a scale off his arm. It hurt, but it was worth it. He took the scale and placed it
next to fainted Kieran, and with that, he took off.
After a couple more hours of being his dragon self after so long, Alex returned to his garden.
He didn't want to turn back just yet; his garden was so big that he could sleep there. So he
curled up, and then just drifted into sleep.
~ ~ ~
It wasn't until Monday morning that Kieran awoke from his coma. It was 10AM when Kieran
finally became conscious. His first feeling was that of a migraine, to which he put one hand
against his forehead.
"Ugh, my head."
Reaching to the side, he felt the scale that was left for him. "Huh?" Kieran picked up the
dragon scale and took a closer look at it. "Is this what I think it is?"
On the other hand, Alex was already awake, and had changed back. He felt uncomfortable
with his human self, and that was very normal after being a dragon. He was currently in his
bed, thinking about his moment with Kieran which went better than he expected. However
he didn't notice that some of his hand still looked a bit red and scaly; a reminiscent of what
had happened on Saturday night.
"I've still got a scale on me?"
Alex gently scratched the scale, and it stung. He had no idea why was it still there, since the
other occasions he turned back into his human self, nothing from his dragon self remained;
so this was a new experience for him. He went to look for something to cover it up, and
found some fabric strapping to put on it.
Kieran was just getting his clothes for the day out of his drawers. Although he had socks for
colder days, he decided once again to give them a miss, for it was sunny and clear outside
today. He got out some clean underpants, some green jeans for lack of shorts, a grey
t-shirt, and a black belt.
He got himself dressed, and then looked at the time. It was twenty past ten when he'd got
himself together, and it began to worry him. After getting his wallet, phone, and house keys,
he headed downstairs to grab a breakfast drink. He was about to head out of the door to get
to the bus stop, until he realised that he had no shoes on.
"Oh, sugar."
Kieran went to his shoe rack. With his favourites being dried after his clothed shower, he
had to wear some others. Kieran had three pairs of hi-top converse, some white asics,
some formal black suede shoes, a pair of wellies for dirty jobs, some brown hiking boots, two
pairs of suede summer shoes, and a pair of camo zip boots.
"So many pairs to choose from. Which ones?"
After a moment of thought, Kieran picked up the camo zip boots. He went to sit on the
stairs, rubbed his feet, and put the boots on, sockless of course. Kieran usually wore these
boots with socks, but they were surprisingly quite comfortable really, so he decided to leave
them on.
~ ~ ~
A little later, Kieran made his way into town. He was heading to the video game store, as a
new game was now available for the Nintendo Switch. That game was Super Mario
Odyssey, and Kieran had his eye on it for quite a while. Now that it was released, Kieran
was going straight to buy it. He'd been paid today from his parents to help with living
independently, so he had plenty of money with which to afford the game. He wanted to get
the pair of Red Joy-Cons to go with it, but knew that he also had to get more clothes today.
The clothes shopping came next. He needed new jeans and more underwear. He also
needed a couple of jumpers for the upcoming cold weather that was due this weekend.
After he'd made his purchases, Kieran went to take a seat outside, under the shade of the
trees so that the sun didn't burn him. He began feeling sweaty nonetheless, because it was
forecast over 20 degrees outside.
Meanwhile, Alex was at the game store. He was looking for a game for his PS4, Battlefield
1. He loved shooters, and so a WWI shooter was an awesome idea for him. He eventually
found it and paid for it. He then decided to go look for some ice cream, since it was hot
outside. Luckily, there was an ice cream truck parked outside, so Alex wasted no time going
for a strawberry knickerbocker glory. After he'd paid the man for it, he turned around to find
Kieran sitting at the bench, and approached him. Kieran had his eyes closed, and a smile
on his face.
"Hey Kieran."
Kieran awoke. He'd only been asleep for a couple of minutes. "Alex?"
"Yeah, it's me."
"I thought you'd gotten mad with me the other day, because I didn't believe you about your
confession."
"Let's please not talk about it. I owe you an apology anyway. I shouldn't have just cut off the
conversation so rudely, but when you called me a liar about it, I became offended."
"I can understand."
Then, Kieran saw the ice cream in Alex's hand. Alex pointed to the ice cream truck behind
him, which Kieran then went to. Kieran opted for a good old english 99 flake. He came back
to the bench, and they both enjoyed their treats.
"So what have you been up to?"
"Oh you know the usual, reading and watching Netflix. What about you? How's that comic
coming along?"
"I haven't worked on it for the last couple of days. I fell asleep on Saturday night after a
dragon came to my window. I only woke up this morning to notice that I'd been unconscious
throughout the whole of Sunday. I've never missed church before."
"A dragon? After you said they weren't, oh sorry, we weren't real?"
Kieran was frozen solid now; not because of the ice cream, but because of what Alex had
said.
"You know, that is very unusual for you to say that."
"I had to disbelieve you that day. What evidence did you have to prove to me that you could
become one?"
Now Alex became frozen solid. He didn't want to confess to the truth in public, in case
people started becoming scared of him.
"Do you want me to give you proof?"
Alex began unwrapping his hand. When the scale became visible, Kieran couldn't help but
stare at it.
"There you go, now do you believe me?"
"That's an exact match of a little gift I was left this morning."
"A gift?"
"When I woke up this morning, I found a red dragon scale right next to me. Something that
dragon probably left me after he paid a visit, and I didn't even catch his name."
"It sounds very familiar." Alex smiled.
Alex and Kieran finished off their ice creams just before they melted in the heat. After that,
Kieran got out his copy of Super Mario Odyssey, and began reading the back cover.
"Super Mario Odyssey, huh?"
"I can hardly put my Nintendo Switch down. I completed Mario and Rabbids within the week
of buying it."
"It's like me and first person shooters. I can't stop playing them."
"Oh boy. What is it with people and shooting games?!"
Alex chuckled. "What? They're fun."
"Not for me. I can't stand the bloodbaths and the level of violence they need to be realistic.
Splatoon is the only exception, because it's all about paint as opposed to blood."
"Splatoon? I hate that game, pretty boring for me."
"Not my first choice of game either. I've always been more used to platformers and
puzzles."
"Seems I don't share that point of view."
Kieran put his game back in his bag. "I really think I should be getting home. What
happened that night has given me good inspiration for my comic."
"Oh really? You will get some more."
"I hope so."
Kieran gave Alex a hug as friends.
~ ~ ~
By lunchtime, Kieran made his way back home. He grabbed a can of odour eaters as he
removed his boots, spraying some into them, and onto his sockless feet. After getting lunch
and sorting out his clothes, Kieran loaded up his computer once more to continue his comic.
Having that dragon visit him last night, gave him a really good idea as to what the dragon in
his comic would look like.
Alex was on the couch, smiling. Today would be the day that Kieran would see him
transform right in front of his eyes. So he went upstairs and to get some old clothes and
shoes, since he didn't want to ruin his favourite black athletic clothes. He had plenty of old
garments for this type of occasion, so he didn't have to worry. Alex got himself changed into
some blue denim jeans, and had taken his underpants off as well. He changed his favourite
t-shirt for a red singlet, and after removing his socks, he put on some old dirty grey trainers
which already had holes in them.
But even after he got himself changed, Alex had to decide whether the time was right for
Kieran to see it now, or later.
"Should I show him now?" Alex asked himself, looking out of his window.
"Nah, not yet. He's probably working on his comic right now, so let's not bother him right
now."
Realising the time, Alex decided to grab some lunch.
~ ~ ~
8PM. Kieran had once again been working much harder on his comic. He felt much more
confident and influential after the events he'd been through. He had now completed four
pages of his comic; it was the point where Alex had just begun his transformation into a red
dragon to Kieran's horror. His shoes were straining with the growth, and eventually gave
way to the changes.
He was now working on page five, where the tail ripped through Alex's trousers, and his
wings ripped out of his t-shirt.
"My gosh, I'm getting much further with this comic than I actually imagined. But, I wonder
how Alex is going to feel when it's complete? And, is Alex really telling me the truth, or did
he just get a tattoo?"
Kieran continued working on his comic, until he heard a knock at his door. When he went
down to answer, he saw Alex there. "Hey Alex, what are you doing here?"
"I came to show you the truth."
Alex came into the house, politely wiping his feet, but not removing his shoes.
"What's with the worn out clothes?"
"When you turn into a dragon, you don't want to ruin your favourite clothes."
"So that mark I saw on the back of your hand today...that wasn't just a tattoo like I thought it
was?"
"Nope, that wasn't a tattoo."
Kieran gulped.
"Come in the garden with me and I'll prove it."
"Uh, let me get my shoes on first."
Kieran went back to his rack. He put on a pair of his summer shoes, which were red with a
white stripe on each side, and had white laces. He then went out into the garden with Alex,
who was waiting patiently for him.
"The time has come for me to expose the truth about who visited you that night. But you
must promise me that you will not scream."
"I promise."
Kieran stepped back to give Alex some space. Alex closed his eyes, and reopened them
with a golden glow. Before Kieran's very eyes, he began his transformation. The wings and
tail were the first to emerge. Alex's head and hands quickly formed into his dragon muzzle
and claws. His shoes fell apart as the growth started, and his feet became foot claws. Alex
shredded his old shirt off his body, and Kieran watched as his chest became scaly and dry.
Alex then grabbed his old jeans by the front of the waist, and ripped the two sides from his
legs, allowing them to freely transform with the rest of his body. But Kieran didn't need to
worry about anything private being shown, as that had already been dealt with before the
jeans came away. Within 20 seconds, Alex was back to his red dragon form, standing twice
as tall as the boy.
Kieran was seated on his bench, but was still worried.
"The dragon that visited you was actually me all along."
Alex squatted to look Kieran in the eyes.
"It WAS you who gave me that reminiscent of yourself that night."
Alex outstretched his arm, and Kieran once again felt the scales. The scale that he had
trimmed from himself before, had been replaced by a new one.
"It was me. I wanted you to really believe in my kind." Alex looked sadly at the grass. "It
really hurt me when you didn't believe me."
Kieran slowly stood. "I take my scepticism back." He then proceeded to give Alex a warm
hug. Alex was still squatting so that Kieran could wrap his arms over and around him, and
while the dragon was embracing the boy, he was careful not to rip Kieran's clothes with his
claws by mistake.
"I'm glad to have a friend like you, Kieran."
"And so am I."
They let go, and looked each other in the eyes. Then, an idea came into Alex's mind. He
smiled.
"Hey Kieran, how about we go flying?"
"Flying?"
"Ever dreamt of what it's like to sail through the sky? Here's the chance of a lifetime to see it
with me."
"I'd love it."
Kieran climbed onto Alex's back. He saddled himself behind Alex's wings, which were
scaled for him to be seated comfortably.
"Hold on tight."
Alex slowly flew into the air, being careful so that Kieran would not fall of by accident. He
continued gaining altitude until he considered it was enough. Kieran and Alex were soon
flying about 3,000 feet in the air. Alex decided to check on Kieran.
"So Kieran, how are you holding up?"
"This is definitely an experience I'll never forget."
Although a dragon was cold blooded, Alex's skin felt so warm that it relaxed Kieran as he
rode. They flew together over the city, and over the neighbourhood. They even flew over
their street, as seeing it from above was quite the sight. What's more, Alex even had
enough energy to fly to the capital city to see the famous sights, such as the Royal Bridge,
the future tower, and even the monument of freedom. Kieran had always wanted to see the
sights, but never had the funds to afford the ticket prices, or the independence to travel as
far as this.
"I always wanted to come here!"
Alex smiled. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."
They had now been flying together for a good hour and a half. It was past Kieran's bedtime,
and he started becoming drowsy. Alex noticed this, and decided it was time to return Kieran
to his house. Half an hour later, Alex touched down in Kieran's garden. The boy had now
fallen completely asleep with the turbulence draining him.
Alex didn't even notice Kieran fell asleep. "Oh great, now how am I going to take him in?"
It was then that Alex remembered something else about his kin...Dragons were always
blessed with magic. After lifting Kieran off his back, he snuggled the boy in his arms.
Without changing back to human form, Alex shrunk down enough for him to get through the
door. Carefully, he carried Kieran upstairs to his room, where he laid him in his bed and
remembered to take his shoes off for him.
Alex then proceeded to use his magic again, to change Kieran's clothes. Kieran's favourite
green stripy pyjamas came out of the boy's wardrobe, while his jeans and t-shirt were silently
peeled from him, repairing themselves in midair and being stored away, so that the pyjamas
could cover Kieran over. Alex then tucked the boy snuggly under his covers.
"Good night Kieran." Alex said softly, gently rubbing Kieran's forehead.
Alex left the room, closing the door behind him.
~ ~ ~
Tuesday morning. Kieran was still out like a light when the sun rose into the sky. Alex,
surprisingly, was still in the house. After he discovered Kieran had a sofa-bed, he knew he
had to try it, and it resulted in being so comfortable that he fell asleep. He wasn't his dragon
self, so he didn't damage anything. But after noticing it the sun had already come up, he
decided Kieran had enough sleep. After all, he wasn't the one who was flying.
As Alex got out of bed, he didn't have to worry about sleeping nude either. He'd used his
dragon magic to bring his favourite silver pyjamas to him from his own house, putting them
on after changing back. Alex slowly snuck upstairs in his slippers, and gently opened the
door to Kieran's room, approaching his bed. Alex gently tickled his friend's cheek, and he
stirred.
"Morning Kieran."
"Morning."
Amazingly, Kieran wasn't in shock that his friend was waking him up in his own house.
"I couldn't let you sleep more than I, it would be very unfair considering I was the one who
did all the flying."
Kieran sat up. "I take it you discovered my sofa bed?"
"Oh I did! It was like sleeping in a cloud!"
"But, if you were a dragon last night, how come you're not stark naked now?"
Alex sat on the side of the bed. "Dragons are blessed with magic. I shrunk myself down to
get you through the door and tucked in, changing you into your pyjamas, and even having
my pyjamas flown over from my house to here."
Kieran was in awe. "This is incredible!" He exclaimed under his breath.
"That is one of many perks of having a dragon as a friend." Alex smiled.
"If we weren't best friends before, we definitely are now."
Alex pulled an even wider smile, making Kieran follow suit. They then hugged tightly.
After some time, Kieran and Alex had gotten dressed, and enjoyed breakfast together. As a
sign of true friendship, Kieran prepared a cooked breakfast. He made sausages, beans,
hash browns, and buttered toast.
"You think last night has given you many ideas?"
"I've got lots of inspiration now...Thanks to you."
"Hey, we're friends. That's what friends do for each other."
"Indeed."
"So did you sleep well last night?"
"I slept like a rock. All that turbulence really drained me."
"It makes sense. Flying doesn't wear me out as much as you'd think."
"Really? You mean to say that you can go for hours without needing to rest?"
"Exactly. One time I was flying for days."
"Wow!"
They continued downing their breakfast.
~ ~ ~
By Saturday, Kieran had finally completed his comic. He'd originally planned to do eight
pages, detailing only the transformation. But after the events of the flight, he added more
pages, detailing what happened after Alex took kieran for a ride, albeit sticking to his flat
colour and basic diagrams. He uploaded all of the pages to DeviantArt.
In his house, Alex checked Kieran's DeviantArt account, and found the comic there. He read
it all with a big warm smile on his face. He was very happy Kieran had completed his first
ever comic, adding some other things too.
"I knew that he could do it if put his mind to it. Well done Kieran."
