Old Friend

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I fall into the cold snow as they're flown away, most likely to where ever Kent is. I sigh, getting up on my hands and knees. I feel a hand on my shoulder, and look to see Kaldur lending a hand down to me. "Thank you." I say, standing up. I don't look him in the eye. I don't look any of them in the eye. It's silent as we all stand there.

"What should we do?" M'gann asks. They all turn to me. "What?" I ask. "You're the one that knows this place better than any of us." Superboy states. I sigh. "Come on. This way. With any luck, the Tower will be kind and give us a door out of here." I say, walking away from where the hatch door was earlier. Once again, it's silent as we walk.

"So, Dracona... You're a-" "A dragon? Maj. I am." I cut Megan off. "Why didn't you tell us?" Kaldur asks me. "The last time someone knew what I was... That was a very dark time for me; people were afraid of me, and plenty got hurt. Whether or not it's how I came to live with Fate and Kent is irrelevent." "And you lived with them for eight years? Wasn't that lonely?" Megan asks.

"Mier." I shake my head, "When Fate found me, I was angry, hurt, and scared, which caused me to have rather irrational thoughts. Because of that, I destroyed an entire park in my dragon form. Many were put into the hospital. I even fought against the Justice League. They had managed to beat me when Fate stepped in and saved me from death... Here, at the tower, alone but for Kent or Fate, I was completely at peace. Dragons have always had very high tempers, and often resulted in tantrums, battles, and even wars. The whole reason Fate even brought me here was for redemption. To calm myself. Everyday, I kept myself busy with reading books from the library, meditating, and practicing to control my powers and my temper. I didn't mind being alone, away from the outside world. I couldn't hurt anyone, and even better, they couldn't hurt me. Besides, who would want to be friends with a monster like me anyways." I state that last part sadly, walking on.

It's silent for a while as we walk. I don't know what they're thinking, and right now, I don't want to find out. Right now, I should be more focused on controlling my temper. It's what caused all of this trouble in the first place, well, besides Wally not listening.

"I don't understand Wally. It's almost like he needs to believe the impossible can't happen." Megan says, changing the subject. "Wally uses his understanding of science to control what he cannot comprehend. Acknowledging the existence of magic would be to relinquish the last vestige of that control." Kaldur'ahm explains. A crack sounds and a door appears a few feet to the side.

"And there's the door to lead us out." I say. Two hands grab mine, and I look down to see Kaldur's holding one, and Megan's holding the other. Superboy grabs Megan's other one. I look up searchingly into Kaldur's eyes, and he nods. I nod back and we all go up to the door together. Maybe even a monster like me can have friends. Superboy opens the door, and we're all sucked up, and fall from the ceiling to the floor in the next room.

Eyes closed, I land on something other than the floor. Hearing an 'oof', I'm pretty sure I landed on someone. I open my eyes and look down. Sure enough, I landed on top of Kaldur. Blushing red as a rose, I quickly get off of him, and help pull him up. "Friends of yours?" I hear Kent ask. I look up to see him, Artemis, and Wally. "I'm your friend, too, Kent. Don't forget that." I tell him. A yellow flash falls over me, and I look down to see that once again, the Tower changed my clothes for me.

A blast  comes flying our way, and we all duck down. I look up to see a man, a boy, and a cat. Wait a minute... I know that cat. And I know that boy! "Klarion!" I yell. "What the hell are you doing, you blockhead?!" I scream at him. "And who are you to call me that?" He calls back, cackling.

"You ought to know damn well, be saatrejat!" His look turns sour. "There's only one person who can get away with calling me that, and you're not her!" He yells, sending a black at me. My wings come out of my back, and shield me from his blast. "Are you so sure?!" My wings pull back from my front, showing me in my half-human form. My skin turns to scales, my wings elongate, my teeth sharpen, my eyes turn to their red, draconic slits, my hands turn to sharp claws, and my tail grows out. Finally, my crown changes, and my mask disappears to reveal my dragon eyes. His face falls in realization, before hardening once more.

"Klarion, what are you doing here?" I ask. "I want that helmet." He growls, looking down. "Then you're gonna have to go through me." I tell him. "You know him?!" Artemis and Wally yell. "He was my best friend growing up." I tell them. Artemis sends me a glare, running over to us, while Wally and Kent go to the giant bell in the center of the room. Kent rings the bell, and they go inside.

Klarion goes after them, and I jump in to try and stop him. I appear at the top of the tower, in between Kent and Wally, and Klarion. "Klarion. You don't have to do this." I tell him. "Oh, but I do. I want that helmet!" He yells, sending a blast. I try to block it, but it doesn't even hit me. I hear a scream behind me. I turn around, and see Kent falling back. "Mr. Nelson!" Wally yells. "Kent!" I scream. He mutters a spell to cast a barrier around the two, and turns around to say something to Wally, before falling to the ground. I freeze in horror. No... This can't be happening!

"No!" Klarion screams, outraged. I turn to him, not understanding, not caring, not feeling anything anymore. He's throwing red fire blasts at the shield, throwing a fit like a little kid. Suddenly, I snap. Anger builds up inside of me, and I let out the loudest roar I've ever made, resounding from the back of my throat. I throw fireball after fireball at him, not caring if they hit their mark, or completely missed.

"How could you?!" I scream. Tears fell from my eyes. "He was my friend!" "What about me? I was your friend, Es. And you left me alone!" He yells back, blocking each of my shots. "That's not on me. I never wanted to leave!" I wail, tears falling faster, "I swear I'll never forgive you for this, Klarion. Tivier!" He grabs me, using a large, magical hand, and lifts me up in the air, squeezing. I gasp in pain. He turns back to the bubble, and throws more blasts at it.

I want that helmet, and I want it now!" He states. The bubble starts to crack. "Wally! Put on the helmet!" I yell, trying to break free. The hand around me tightens, and it gets harder for me to breathe. 'Wally, Emma, we're in trouble. Tell Kent we need Doctor Fate.' Megan tells us through a link. 'Gyaaah!' I scream internally. What feels like bolts of energy shoots through my mind, and I know that they're all being electrocuted by Abra-Kadabra.

Klarion drops me from the hand, and another one appears, both attacking the bubble. I lay on the ground, breathless. "W-Wall-ly." I gasp. "P-put on th-e h-hel-met." I heave. "Hey, dumb kid, you put that on, you may never get it off." Klarion warns him, ripping the bubble to shreds. Wally stands up straight, and puts the helmet on as Klarion sends streams of fire. After that, I black out.

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