Look for the Dragon (A TMNT fanfiction)

Prologue

The starlit sky cloaks the city in a blanket of darkness. No clouds are in sight.

I stand on the edge of a building, allowing my body to be silhouetted by the weak glow of the half moon. Few humans roam the streets, however I am fine with this. I don't want anyone to see me. Nights like this are my favourite.

My eyes close slowly. It's time. The familiar rush of heat followed by the chilling flow of coldness enters my senses. My body is changing. Scales. Claws. Ears. Wings. A tail. They all emerge quickly and take their place. My eyes open once again. They have changed too. They are even sharper than they were before. The iris has grown, taking up a little more space in my eyes. The pupil has become narrower, and has lengthened in height a little as well.

Scales now cover my plastron. The lower half of my arms and legs are now covered in scales as well. Sharp claws have taken their place on my fingers. Dragon ears have emerged from the top of my head, few scales surrounding them. Wings have emerged from my shell. The height of the wings are the same height as I am. Many scales surround the two wings. And yes, a tail. I swish it along the ground, choosing to make it a long, slow movement.

I flash a fanged grin to the sky. Some teeth have grown into fangs.

Bunching my legs, I jump, folding my wings tightly, letting myself plummet to the cement ground. A few seconds before it was really necessary, I unfold my wings, floating safely down to land on the ground.

With a smile, I take to the air again. My wings flap in a set rhythm as I soar through the sky. I smile and let out a laugh, reaching up to the stars.

As I fly, a different need begins to build up. I need to be more than halfway between turtle and dragon.

I let myself shift completely, still in flight. My mask and gear melts into my own body. My hands turn into feet. All four feet grow slightly, widening into dragon legs. My head changes, growing a muzzle. My iris completely covers my eyes, my pupils touching both the top and bottom eyelids. My wings grow a little more. My tail grows a little bit more as well.

I continue smiling as I let out a happy roar, my black and dark blue scales looking as if they're glowing under the light of the moon.

Sometimes, if I stay out long enough, the humans living in the city will chat, discussing where and what the dragons roar may be coming from. "A dragon in New York? Don't be so silly. They're nothing but mythical characters," they will tell each other. I can't help but let a small growl escape my lips at these comments.

I am no made up creature.

I keep myself airborne for a few more minutes before touching down on a building. With a quick glance behind me, I disappear into the alleyway below. I don't notice someone else watching me.

Whoever had been watching me turns and leaves using the rooftops.

I notice there is someone else standing in the alley. Kraang. The aliens that have tried to take over my planet. I let out a roar and attack. Within a few seconds, I have taken them out. The element of surprise helped greatly in my little surprise attack. Quickly, I let fire erupt from my mouth, burning the robots to a crisp as the little pink aliens that had been controlling them run. As soon as the last turns the corner, I let water come from my mouth and put out the fire.

Ice remains unused.

Satisfied, I shift again. Not halfway between two species, but right back to a mutant turtle. Only a few seconds pass before I have finished shifting.

The moon continues to light up my dark emerald green skin. The familiar feeling of my mask and gear has returned. My blue eyes gaze around the dark alley. The tails of my blue mask flutter a little in the light breeze disturbing this part of the city.

My name? Hamato Leonardo.