The New Breed

Inanis(2)

I spread my wings to the morning sky, stiff from disuse. Flying didn't agree with me, as I had hinted several times then straight out told the teacher on my first day of flight class, but of course she didn't listed. She even had the audacity to claim that if I couldn't fly, then I wasn't a dragon!

I glanced around me. Most of the other first-years were still standing, but a few were airborne a few feet off the ground. I could fly since my first day of shifting, unlike them, however I could tell even then that my wings were not built for something normal like that. They were more like boat sails, not bird wings; better for catching the wind than creating it.

Nevertheless, I fanned my wings outward to propel me up a bit instead of flapping like the others. There wasn't much wind to start with, but the weredragons and hybrids around me were adding to the gusts of wind, and that helped a lot.

See, you might be thinking along the lines of why it matters how I fly as long as it works. Well, there's a big difference between controlling the winds and letting it control you. With a normal dragon just a slight tilt of their wings can keep them in place, not moving, whereas since my wings are like sails I can't stop moving unless there's no wind. Basically, I get airsick and throw up often. It's just not something I like to do except when necessary.

I stilled my wings so I stayed hovered several meters above ground, level with most of the other dragons. I felt eyes on the back of my head, but knew enough to ignore the stare. I knew from personal experience it was better to be invisible than memorable for a weredragon with my status.

A particularly large blast of air from the uncontrolled weredragon beside me hit the tip of the right wing, flipping that wing into a peculiar position, ruining my factor of equilibrium, and making me spiral out of control. I caught my balance just in time, but another unexpected blast hit again, and I fell on top of the weredragon below me, one I knew to be a lackey of Ignis and his twin. My instincts, which I always followed to the dot, told me to grab onto the secure flesh beneath me with my claws, and this in turn led the dragon to blast some heat into the sky, attempting to kick me off. Chaos ensued as this heat slammed into a cold-powered dragon, and soon enough all of those flying had their wings and claws tangled up in each other and were free-falling towards the approaching rock and our almost certain death. I felt a tugging in my gut, and some sort of burning sensation.

Suddenly we were swallowed up in blackness, and yet I knew we were not dead, for the ground had been some ways off. The blackness vanished, and we were all standing on the ground, safe and sound. The tugging and burning cut off instantly. I wasn't sure what had just happened, but I knew one thing.

I had accidentally just saved us all.

***

I was beating myself up in bed. How stupid I was to think everyone would just accept what I said, just like that.

After the incident, instead of getting rewarded and praised, the teacher grabbed my arm and yanked me over to an undetermined and a couple more dragons, whom had obviously just arrived now. The teacher made me apologize to the undetermined and thank him for saving me.

My first reaction was-what the heck?

My second-I told them I did it, not him.

Like I said, no one believed me. Instead they set the undetermined in a special class for dragons with 'classified' powers and I received suspension for three weeks.

Again, what the heck?

Now, I wish I could say I was one of those admirable people with a persistence like steel and demanded that I received fair treatment. I wish I could say I stuck up for my rights and privileges, perhaps even blackmailed or threatened them with my over sized dragon.

I chickened out.

Before you go on judging me, let me say a few things. First; I was bullied all my life. What do you expect me to be like? Am I supposed to suddenly get some huge amount of amazing courage like Peter Parker did after he discovered he was bit by a spider? Second; It's easier to say you would do that in my position, than to actually do it. Whoever has experienced that before, you are my new hero.

***

Suspension. Three weeks.

Actually, more like three days.

A few days had gone by before I was called out of my dorm and to the dean's office at school.

Now, before we continue, let me tell you a few things about the dean.

One thing he is not is stereotypical. He's not some senior citizen with streaks of gray hair, stern-faced, and does not enjoy decorating his office with various medals, awards, and certificates from high school. Heck, he doesn't even have a desk.

When I entered the room with only two chairs and a mechanical bird drinking water on the windowsill, I saw a red-haired, red-eyed college professor with goofy braces, checkered sweats, and a pair of thick spectacles perched on the edge of his slightly upturned nose. He wore an over sized tank top with a picture of a cartoon cat with rainbow colored wings and bold font saying 'I Am A Dragon' printed across its forehead. A trashcan overflowing with empty bags of Doritos, 7-Up straws, and plastic bags of cotton fluff sat off to one side, a gray kitten sleeping in an empty container of some unknown brand of cookies.

The dean pushed his glasses higher up on his nose and shook my hand. He motioned to the seat opposite him.

"So, miss Inanis, there are a few things I need to talk to you about. Most of those are required by the school board, and a couple are things that are not. However, I'm going to skip talking about the uninteresting, required things, and tell the truth."

He plucked a chip out of a bag and munched quietly on it. "Miss Inanis, do you know why you are here?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Something to do with the detention I suppose?"

"That's part of it, but the real reason is that the board knows things you are not supposed to know, but I feel are critical for your survival. Inanis, we know what your powers are. I'm supposed to tell you the undetermined kid saved your life, but we both know the truth. And you, Inanis, are in some serious danger."

I furrowed my brows, confused. Danger? Me? Because I saved others. "Sir, I'm not quite sure I know what you mean."

"You, Inanis, are a very rare breed of weredragon, once thought to be extinct. And, I fear that is the true reason your father did not raise you himself. I did some research on your name, girl. Do you know what Inanis means?" He narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice. "Void. Like many of us dragons you have been named after your suspected power. You have the power of chaos, the void. It has not been active in hundreds of years."

I stared at my hands, frowning deeper. "No, no. I can't have chaos. That's too...chaotic for me. Please, tell me something else, anything else. What about shadow-travel? That's pretty rare, right?"

But the dean was already shaking his head. "No, Inanis. I have seen shadow-travel with my own eyes, and I know what it looks like. You do not have that gift."

"But what is the void? Can you at least tell me that?"

The dean rose from the chair and walked to the little water-drinking bird, observing it like it was the most important thing in the world. "Inanis, what was just discussed in this room never happened. You will go out there and praise the child who saved your life and the lives of many others. You will move on in your life, never attempting to use your unknown power again. Do you understand?"

In those few moments the dean looked more vulnerable than anyone I've ever seen before, and I realized that he was risking everything telling me about this. If I ever said what really went on in his office, he'd certainly be banished from the school and most likely forbidden to use his powers ever again. All because he truly trusted me, that I wouldn't give him away.

Or, I realized with a shudder, deeply frightened of me.

1472 Words.