Blackthorn Academy...

It was just after midnight and Sera was restless.  Her mind had been consumed with the new classes for the upcoming school year. Sure, there were students there for the summer session, but the new space program meant extra work.  It was going to be wonderful and worth the effort, but she tended to obsess over her students and the quality of the courses offered.  She decided to patrol the school grounds and clear her head.  A walk always seemed to help her sort things out.

She walked along the perimeter of the school grounds and noted that the zombies were a little more restless than usual.  As long as they stayed on their side of the heavy iron fence, she wasn't interested in them tonight. Suddenly, Mittens trotted up to walk along beside her and she couldn't help but smile. "Well hello, Mittens.  I see that you are doing your rounds too". The feisty feline meowed and paced her steps with the headmistress.

They were approaching the back of the main building, when they heard a loud crash in the woods just outside the fence.  Mittens took off at lightening speed in the direction of the sound.  Effortlessly she slipped through the rails and out into the dense woods.  Sera called after her friend, "Mittens be careful!  You don't know what is out there!".  Usually she didn't like to use her powers on school grounds but this was an emergency.  With a wave of her hand, she disappeared in flames and reappeared next to Mittens.

Laying at the foot of a large broken tree was a young, unconscious girl.  She had silver dragon wings protruding from her back and talons that were all rapidly disappearing.  Sera leaned over and opened one of the girls eyes.  Her eyes were a brilliant silver but she was out cold and her injuries weren't obvious.  Without hesitation, Sera picked up the teen and headed back to the academy.  Mittens followed quickly because until they were back inside the fence around the school, they were exposed to zombies and other things that lurked about the woods at night.

Once inside the nurses office, Sera laid the girls limp body on the stretcher.  She carefully looked the girl over but other than being diry and in tattered clothes, she observed no injuries.  "Mittens, you stay with her while I go find her some clean clothes."  They had a closet full of extra clothes in the hall because, when you work with supernatural kids, it pays to keep  the closet well stocked.  A frightened shriek brought her running back to the office to find the girl hysterical and backed into a corner.

Sera approached her carefully, so as not to scare her.  "It's okay.  You are safe here.  Can you tell me your name and how you wound up in the woods?"  The teen answered but didn't look too sure that she was safe.  "I am Mahleia but people just call me Mal. I have no idea what you're talking about.  I was...I think I was riding my bike and then...I woke up here?  Where is here?  Who are you?" Sera motioned to Mal to come and sit on the stretcher, as she backed up to give her some room.  Mittens just stood watching with curiosity.  "My name is Sera and you are in Blackthorn Academy.  I found you in the woods unconscious and brought you here."  Assuming the child knew of her powers, Sera asked, "How long have you been able to transform into a dragon, Mal?"

Mahleia  was listening to  Sera somewhat but she was also trying to figure out what had happened to her.  Suddenly time stopped and she looked bewildered. " Dragon?  Did you say dragon? I am NOT a dragon, lady, and I don't know what drugs you are on but I want to go home."  It was then that she realized that she didn't even remember where home was and she began to cry. Sera walked over slowly and put her arm around Mal's shoulders. "It's ok, sweetheart.  You have had a rough day and we can clear things up later.  Let's get you all cleaned up and into some fresh clothes.  It's very late, so you can stay here tonight and we will figure things out tomorrow. Okay?"  Mahleia nodded and followed Sera to a dorm room and a hot shower.

Once the teen was safely tucked in bed with Mittens laying curled up at her head, Sera picked up the phone to call her good friend, Dagger.  He was a dragon himself and general  of the armies in Dragonia.  It was no surprise that she got his voicemail considering the hour, so she left a message. " Dagger, this is Sera. I found an unconscious teen girl in the woods tonight. Her name is Mahleia and, when I first saw her, she had silver wings, eyes, and talons. She was transforming back to her human form but, when she awakened, she seemed to be in shock and had no recollection of being a dragon or much of a memory at all.  Please give me a call when you get this. I am afraid I am going to need a lot of help with this one".

Kingdom Dragona...

"Another Dragon? In Blackthorn?" The words came from the Lady of Dragonia speaking within the throne room of the main palace. Dagger nodded "yes my lady. It has been confirmed by your sister herself, their is no doubt". From across the room the visiting King of Japan, Philip Temp'elar stepped forward "I find it unusual that a young Dragon with no memory would find herself in the very town where experiments on Dragon DNA had been carried out. It may not be a coincidence". Dagger held flashbacks to finding his sister Jacinda and felt a hint of protectiveness growing within him.

"My Lady, your highness... She is clearly going to be distressed. Scared. May I suggest that she be allowed to stay where she is for the time being. I will monitor her progress myself and gradually educate her on our kingdoms culture". The two looked to each other and nodded. "And if it is not a coincidence that she found her way there... I will discover the truth".

The End