The Dragoso Series 1: Discovery in Hardship

Trevor stretched as he stood in the gym. Breakfast was great, but it was time to start training. The first class he had all four of his siblings in, level one transformation control. One of the men he saw sitting with Sylark at lunch was the teacher, Zoymey.

“Alright newbies, line up!” Zoymey barked. He had his arms crossed but was smiling. He had discarded his hoodie a while ago and stood with a tank top now. Everyone in the class lined up and kept their eyes on their teacher as he walked the line. “Transformation is not a simple thing. You possess magic and that control over said magic can backfire. You might want to transform and end up summoning elemental magic, causing havoc. Some of you who do not have as much magical ability will change something you do not mean to change. Say you want to change your hand but instead sprout wings.” Zoymey held up his once dark skinned hand, it was now covered in green scales. “It takes a lot of concentration to change just one part of your body, so we’ll start with full body transformation. You can feel the magic in your being if you focus enough. When you manage to feel the magic, concentrate on the form you have. The size, the scales, horns, wings, everything to a dragon.”

Trevor closed his eyes and concentrated. He could feel...something...bubbling within his body. Was this the magic that was destroying his and his siblings’ bodies? Something flashed behind Trevor’s eyes and he was launched back a few feet. Students in the class looked at him before a few giggled.

“Lost the focus, huh, Trevor?” Zoymey teased. Trevor gritted his teeth before standing. “It’s alright, not everybody gets it on the first try.” A blue light flashed and Trevor looked to see a half grown blue dragon with four flaps at the end of his tail replace where David stood moments ago.

“Look at that, David, you’re a Water Dragon.” Zoymey started to clap and the other students did as well. David beamed and looked at Trevor.

“I did it!” David exclaimed.

“You were always a gifted kid, there’s no doubt you’d get it right away, buddy,” Trevor stated and he stood. David’s shoulder only came to Trevor’s shoulder.

“Few years and you’ll be full grown, David,” Zoymey informed. “Tell the students what it feels like as a dragon.”

“Oh...um...w-well...it uh...the magic is there...I think? But it feels natural. And weird at the same time,” David stammered and Zoymey nodded.

“It should feel natural, how do you feel health wise?”

“Better.”

“In your dragon forms, the magic in your bodies is being used, released almost. Your body can heal itself from the damages of the magic. Alright, who’s next?”

Everyone managed to change their forms. Brenda was the next one of Trevor’s siblings. She was apparently an Ice Dragon, like Sylark. Trevor changed after Brenda, being a clear colored dragon that Zoymey claimed was a Water-Ice Dragon. A rarer breed. Aya was the last who had snow white scales. A Snow Dragon.

“Great, now for the fun part.” Zoymey smirked before pointing to the opposite wall. “Walk to the wall over there and back.” Trevor looked at his siblings. They had only been standing around observing their new bodies. Aya puffed her chest out before taking a few steps and stumbling a bit. She regained her balance and managed to march to the wall and make it back.

“Last to change, first to walk, nice one, Aya,” Trevor praised. Aya beamed at her brother.

“You next, Trevor!” Aya exclaimed and shoved Trevor’s back leg.

“Oh...uh...I’m not too sure about...” Trevor looked at the students before looking at Zoymey, watching him. “What?”

“Go, Trevor. What are you, a chicken? Last I heard you were a football player. Go!” Zoymey pointed to the wall and Trevor exhaled. He took a few steps before falling forward. Groaning, Trevor lifted his head as the kids laughed yet again. Trevor hung his head before letting it fall back to the ground, huffing. “Shut your traps!” Zoymey snapped. “You’ve had weeks of practice already, the Williams kids just showed up last night. All of you, run the gym. Brenda, Aya, and David, c’mere.” Trevor looked up as Zoymey and his siblings managed to approach him as he stood.

“Made a fool of myself,” Trevor mumbled and Zoymey shook his head.

“No, you didn’t. For the record, when we started, everyone was only allowed to really feel the magic and just last week learned to change. You guys were thrown into this without warning. Are you ok?”

Trevor exhaled and shook his head. “No...my pride is almost dead...” He hung his head. “Why did we have to be put in this situation?”

“Your parents didn’t teach you at a young age. Don’t be too hard on yourselves,” Zoymey advised before looking at his watch. “You’ll have a harder time flying. Half of that class still can’t get off the ground. Don’t be hard on yourselves at all. You’re all learning late in your lives, it’s gonna be a challenge.” Zoymey looked up at the students running the gym. “Line up! If I hear anybody picking on the newbies, I will personally drag you to book organizing.” Everyone groaned. Zoymey looked at the siblings. “Focus the magic back into your bodies and turn human, you guys have had enough for one day. I didn’t expect you all to get the dragon forms right away.” Zoymey walked off to address the other students as Trevor and his siblings managed to turn back to their human forms. Trevor shuddered.

“Jesus, that was so weird,” Trevor stated.

“No kidding,” Brenda added. “Who has what next?”

“I’ve got Dragon Biology with David next,” Trevor answered.

“Aya and I have Magic. Do you think our breeds have different magic ability? Maybe Sylark and Kathey knew what breeds we all were before we even knew?” Trevor shrugged.

“They knew what Dad was and probably guessed what we would all be,” Trevor suggested. He rubbed the back of his neck before he and his siblings moved to sit by the wall. Trevor stood, however, with arms crossed and watching the other students go through simple movements as Zoymey commanded them.

“Don’t be hard on yourself, big brother,” David spoke up. Trevor looked down at him. “Zoymey said it himself, we weren’t taught when we were younger. We wouldn’t be having a hard time if we were.” Trevor smiled before sliding down the wall and ruffling David’s hair.

“Thanks, buddy.” David beamed at his brother. They sat and watched the lesson until Zoymey dismissed them all for the next class. Trevor and David started for the Biology room while Brenda and Aya headed for Magic.

“I wonder what Dragon Biology is gonna be like. Think we have to...dissect something?” David asked and he shuddered.

“Doubt it. We probably have to learn about how the dragon body works and probably how they breathe fire and whatever other stuff there is that they breathe,” Trevor advised and David nodded.

“Good, I don’t wanna have to dissect anything.”

“Neither do I, buddy. Biology in High School was bad enough. We had to dissect a pig.”

“EEEEEWWW!” Trevor laughed at his little brother’s response. They entered the room and spotted a woman with blonde hair with a streak of blue in it wearing casual clothes. She was standing behind her desk with a couple notebooks sitting on it.

“You two must be the new guys my cousin told me about. I’m Sincola! Kathey’s cousin,” she introduced as Trevor and David approached the desk. She handed them the notebooks and a few writing utensils. “There’s an open table in the corner over there and I’ve taken the liberty to write down the notes you’ve missed since this class started. They’re in your notebooks. I also ask you just keep up with the notes and study before tests, alright? Any questions you have you can come by anytime after classes are over, I’m usually in the Mess.”

Trevor nodded and led his brother to the corner table and sat down. He opened the notebook and found basic dragon anatomy on the first page. Organs that were common is all dragons, the bone structure, and how their body systems worked. Something he remembered from sixth grade health.

“Funny thing, this basic stuff is stuff you would’ve learned when you started sixth grade,” Trevor mumbled to David who was looking at the page in his notebook.

“Can you help me with this stuff then?” David asked and Trevor nodded.

“No problem, buddy.” They looked up when Sincola spoke up to the class.

“Ok! So we just finished covering all the basic bodily functions of dragons, not counting the baby making stuff, that comes later. Onto the fun part, the many organs dragons have to produce their breath elements!” Sincola exclaimed, clapping her hands once. Trevor observed she was probably always a cheerful woman. And judging by her eyes and hair, she was a Water Dragon, like David. Of course it was only a guess. “We’ll be going over one breath element a day, maybe two days for each, we’ll see how you all do. So first up on the list is the Flower Dragons!”

Trevor and David listened intently. Despite what the other students were doing, not paying attention, the two human born kids who never knew how dragons worked were interested in what there was to learn. Before they knew it, an hour had passed and class was over.

“What’s next, Trevor?” David asked as they stood in the hallway.

“You’ve got Potions with Aya. Why they have Potions and Alchemy here is beyond me. Probably something to learn in case you need to make them. I have Dragoso History with Brenda. You gonna be okay going to the basement again by yourself?” Trevor asked and David nodded.

“Yeah, I’ll be ok. I’m brave!” David hit his chest with a fist before rubbing the spot he hit. “Ow...”

“I’ll see you later then.” Trevor laughed and ruffled his brother’s hair before starting for his next class. Trevor entered the new class to find Kathey at the front of the room, standing behind the desk.

“Hello, Trevor. How’s your first day going?” Kathey asked and she smiled at him.

“Uh...it’s going good. So you teach history too?” Trevor wondered and Kathey nodded.

“We’re a little short on staff, so I took over as history teacher. I am part of the Royal Family and the Royal Librarian wrote the books himself. I translate them.”

“Translate?”

“Welsh doesn’t speak English. He’s the son of one of the Dragon Gods, immortal now.”

“Wow...” Kathey handed him a textbook and a notebook.

“Notes are already down for you. Don’t lose this book, alright?” Trevor nodded. He smiled back at her, but noticed dark circles under Kathey’s eyes.

“Are you alright?” Trevor asked.

“Yes...why do you ask?” Kathey wondered and Trevor tapped below his own eye.

“You have shadows under your eyes.”

“Sleepless nights. What with the...situation and I have a fledgling not sleeping well anymore. Poor thing is only a few months old and refuses to sleep in her room with her big brother.”

“So you’re a parent too?”

“To fifteen beautiful kids. Three adopted and two sets of twins.” Trevor’s jaw dropped.

“Jesus, that’s a lot of kids.”

“Its typical for dragons to have that many kids. Our original purpose was to repopulate until we all found other means of living. Some do have quite a few kids. What? Did you think your mom having four kids wasn’t odd?” Kathey smirked and crossed her arms.

“I...never thought about it.”

“Not many do. We’re gonna start in a few. Table right there is open, share with Brenda.” Trevor looked back as Brenda walked in. He sat down and waved her over. Brenda sat down next to him and jerked her head slightly towards Kathey.

“History teacher too?” Brenda questioned.

“Seems like it,” Trevor responded. He shut his mouth when Kathey set a textbook and notebook in front of Brenda before beginning the lesson.