The Ultimate Gamer's Guide To: Joining a Knight Academy

A Walk Through On: How To Live At A Dragon Ranch

Say what you like about Abigail Franklin and her Orphanage/Dragon Ranch..

Sure it was pretty minimal on furnishings.. there were no beds.. just a bunch of blankets and pillows in a small chapel filled with benches, a podium and a bunch of screaming children, with a kitchen that was pretty much in a barn..

And of course it was probably loud outside too because there were a bunch of ginormous paddocks next to the wheat field filled with ginormous scaly dragons of all colors, sometimes blowing flames at each other or grunting to be fed..

But despite all this... Sister Abby's cooking... was by far the best thing I had ever tasted in my life. Forget the McRib, Sister Abby could probably create her own brand and drive every restaurant in the Universe out of business.. FOREVER..

One taste of her homemade meatloaf, and I suddenly found myself stuffing my mouth silly, manners forgotten.

"She's really messy isn't she?" said one of the kids, staring at me as I chowed down on my plate of food.

"She's pretty but she's weird." said a little boy. "Why is her hair white?"

"Didn't you hear?" said a girl. "All demons have snow white hair.. if you see it, then it's already too late.. you get EATEN!"

"Hush child.. that's a myth." said Sister Abby, shooing away the kids from the bench where I was eating.

Most of the kids here seemed either very young or around old enough to match my age.. and by my age I meant the age of this body which was obviously younger than my original self... which explained why Abby seemed to treat me with a more motherly attitude than I expected.

She sat down next to me and smiled. "Well.. is the food okay? I don't know how long it's been since you've eaten, so I made plenty."

"It's.. so.. GOOOOOD" I said, swallowing my food. "Wh.. why don't you open up a restaurant or something.. you'd make a TON of money!"

Abby laughed. It was the type of friendly musical laugh that made me want to curl up in her lap forever. "Well we live too far away from any main points of commerce for that.. and I couldn't start such a thing.. not when so many children require the church's help.."

"So.. what..?  are you like a dragon rancher.. nun.. church runner?" I muttered, pausing between bites.

"Hmmm.. well Dragon Ranching is what funds the church.. nowadays faith has been wavering, what with bandits on the roads, Orcs crossing the high mountains, and knights numbering quite few." said Abby. "Not many make offerings to keep it up.. and without funding the children here cannot eat. There are only so many nuns who live here and help me. "

"What IS Dragon Ranching?" I muttered. "What do you milk them for rare item drops?"

"You really do have memory loss don't you?" murmured Abby worriedly as she put a hand to my forehead and felt it.  "Not knowing about Dragon Ranching.. "

I frowned. "Please don't make me feel dumber than I already feel..  pretend I'm a foreigner.."

"Oh.. dear.. my apologies!" said Abby hastily. "That was not my intention..  well.. Dragons are constantly shedding and regrowing their scales.. these scales are harder than steel and are very good for making armor and the engines of Spark Cycles.."

Engines? So this world had technology too? Magic and modern technology together.. now that was some serious world building! I liked it..

I nodded. "I get it.. "

"So what is your name?" asked Abby.

"Ste.. uh.." I almost said Steven, but I couldn't give her a guy's name.. I was effectively a girl, too many questions.  What was a girl's name?"