Dragon or Person

I busted through the door to Bill's house leading to his kitchen. A disheveled sleep-deprived Mabel trudged behind me. I announced my presence loudly, "Good Morning everyone! Do you like my new look?". I was still only wearing a sports bra and pants, but that outfit showed off my scales. I did a small twirl, letting everyone in the room see the new scales that covered my back. The guys all looked shocked, but Mrs.Horn simply rolled her eyes. Mabel collapsed onto the couch, too tired to deal with people.

"When did this happen? How long have you had these? Did they hurt like your horns did?" Jasper rambled in a worried, yet intrigued tone.

"Well two days ago I got super itchy, and I asked Mabel for help when the itching got too bad. She noticed that scales were coming in when she was rubbing itch ointment on my back. Then I slept for two days, and woke up with these beautiful babies." I explained, and rubbed my smooth scales on my arms.

"Okay what about her?" Bill asked, pointing to Mabel.

"Oh, she had to tend to my dragons, as well as hers while I was asleep, and I also slept in her bed for those two days, so she didn't get the best sleep." I explained.

"You seem very chill, actually... excited, about this. Why?" Will asked.

"She has joined the dark side." Mabel said with a grunt from the couch.

"All hatchlings get excited when the get new shiny scales after a molt. She is just a little late to the game is all." Mrs.Horn said before sipping her cup of coffee.

"She isn't a dragon, you can't call her a hatchling." Jasper scolded Mrs.Horn.

"Really? Okay here is why I am referring to her as a dragon and will continue to do so. She has eyes that turn yellow and slitted. She has scales. She has super senses. She can smell emotions. She can talk to dragons. She thinks of dragons as equals." I growled at Mrs.Horn at that last statement.

"Oh and she growls to scold dragons, and me apparently. She is inhumanity fast and strong. She spars with dragons. She trains with dragons, and trains dragons. Her body is physically stronger and more durable than ours, which is why she can spar with dragons. Even when she only discovered dragons existed, she was instinctively mothering towards them, and she didn't treat them like animals. She can sleep for days on end without food or bathroom breaks, and she never gets cold. Oh and to top it off she sleeps in a cave. Did I miss anything?" Mrs.Horn said in a condescending voice, while staring Jasper in the eyes.

"Show her the claws!" Mabel groggily yelled at me from the couch. I had forgotten about those. I walked over to the kitchen island where Mrs.Horn, Bill, Will, and now Jasper flocked to. I unfurled my fingers, and pictured my fingernails as claws, and just like they had done before they slowly changed into long dark claws. Everyone stared in awe, while Mrs.Horn simply smiled smugly. I pictured my nails going back to normal, and as quickly as they had shown up, they disappeared falling as ash. "See dragon." Mrs.Horn said.

I rolled my eyes "Will!" I shouted to Will, just after he had shoved a spoonful of cereal into his mouth. "Give her all of the reasons why I should be referred to as a human." I said. He swallowed his mouthful of cereal and began, "Umm... uh you look like a person...mostly. You uhh... think like a human. You have human friends. You can talk to humans. Oh and...uh your family is human." Will said. "Wow compelling argument big bro." Jasper said with a condescending tone.

"Wait you have a human family, wouldn't they know if you were some mutant dragon lady?" Bill pointed out.

"Meh, I was probably adopted. I don't have any baby pictures. Also my skin is darker than my brother's." I said calmly.

"Seriously! That is not something to be assumed lightly. Most people who find out they are adopted have some sort of internal crisis." Jasper said.

"Well I have had bigger surprises since I have been here. I don't see my family anymore anyways. Also Vinny is older than me and has two kids who are totally normal. If they were like me they would have known by now. It would also explain why neither of us knew we had a great aunt Edna. Because it seems only I did, and since she never had kids, and is dead now, we have no further leads. She was normal too, so it must be a paternal gene anyways." I explained. Everybody seemed to cling onto every word that came from my mouth, except Mabel, who I could hear snoring from the couch.

"You thought that out very quickly Will said.

I grabbed the bowl of his now mushy cereal from in front of him, I put it on the floor and soon Wisp and Nymph appeared from the shadows and began eating the mush. "I am alone or with dragons most of the time, so I have thought about this. I can't very well call Vinny and explain why I think I am adopted, and it is pretty obvious. To me anyways." I said with a shrug.

"Why are those two eating human food?" Mrs.Horn asked, completely changing the very serious conversation. Well with these to all they want to do is copy me so when I eat people food, they want to try it too. They hate most of it, but over soggy cereal has been a favorite." I said, smiling at the two Shadow Sights eating cereal.

Mabel shot up straight, making all of us jump. "Ahh feeding and roaming time. Jasper come with me and help with all of the dragons." she said frantically.

"Mouse don't worry. Somnolent reluctantly agreed to babysit with Valorous they are letting them roam in Somnolent's field. My hatchlings are working on their training, and Cortelco is sleeping in my phanny pack." I explained. Though you should probably go back and prepare bottles for the Herd Hiders." I said calmly.

I was confused as she scowled at me. "You do it I babysat those little demons of yours for two days, and you didn't tell me that they should have been training that whole time." she practically growled. I began to chuckle.

"Mabel I am not their mother they won't take bottles from me, even if I just hook them up to those things on the fence. They will smell that it is not from their adoptive mother, and won't trust it." I said with a devious smile. She growled at me and got up from the couch, and walked out the door. "Text me when you get to the cabin I will tell Valorous to bring them home!" I yelled to her.

About twenty minutes later I got a text saying that the bottles were ready. I had forgotten how long it took for regular people to walk there, as I was much faster. I told Valorous to escort the hatchlings back, as I was sure Somnolent was already asleep.

I hadn't noticed that Bill had left the room, but he came back holding a box knife and a screw driver. He came over to me with the tools, his eyes on my scaly arms. "Let me see those scales girly." he said. I folded my arms against my chest. "I know my scales are strong and amazing, but I don't want you to scratch them and marr their beauty." I said defensively, though it came out more pompous than intended. Bill rolled his eyes and thrusted the screwdriver onto my chest. I didn't expect that. I looked down to my chest wide eyed, shocked by what just happened, and worried that he may have scratched one of my scales. There wasn't any type of mark on my scales, but I looked to see a bent screwdriver in Bill's hand.

"Still worried that I will scratch one of your scales?" he asked in a cocky voice.

"Fine do your worst." I said with yet another type of pride for my scales. Next he tried the knife, which didn't do anything, then a flamethrower. I couldn't feel the heat through my scales at all.

"Okay Ivy other than your Femoral artery all of your major arteries are covered by your indestructible scales. Also any weak spots: like your back, and stomach. These scales aren't an aesthetic feature like your horns. They are armor." Bill said. I was a bit awestruck that he figured that out before me, but I was happy none the less. It just gave me another reason that my scales were amazing.

"Tonight get your Mystic Whisper to shock you, to see if those scales of yours are insulated." Bill said like a real dad. It made me giggle.

"Okay Dad" I said sarcastically, "I will try to electrocute myself later. In the meantime I am going to show my dragons my new look. I ran out the door waving goodbye as I got outside. First I ran to the lake to show the Gull Wings.

"Mama is a real dragon now." Blithesome said excitedly.

"Mama your scales are very pretty." Reticent said.

"I know right! I am so happy with them!" I said excitedly.

"You sound like a hatchling Mama." Blithesome said with a giggle.

I huffed. I must really be acting like a hatchling if Mrs.Horn AND my dragons think I am.

"Ivy your scales will make good camouflage in the woods and at night." Peculiar said. That little Gull Wing may be disabled, but she could use just about anything to her advantage.

"You are wise beyond your years Peculiar. Though I guess technically you aren't even a year old yet. Thank you for that idea. I will put it to use when I help with hunts." I said. I nodded goodbye to them, then ran off to show Switch. When I got there I saw Switch was training Un and Deux in fighting. As I came into sight though all three dragons stopped.

"Mama, you look like my tail looks." Switch said, as she swished her tail to show off the dark scales. The two hatchlings simply chirped and rubbed on my pants. Un's sharp scales cut a hole into my jeans and he started whimpering and licked my jeans. I laughed "It is okay little one, you didn't hurt me." I said out loud.

"You may continue training now, I just wanted to show you my scales." I ran off again this time to Callalilly's field, where I could smell the scent of Vainglorious as well.

"Hey you two look at my new scales aren't they pretty." I said excitedly.

"Feathers would have been prettier Mama. I could have shown you how to keep those fluffy." Vainglorious said.

"Eh-hem I think what you meant to say was 'Those scales are beautiful Mama'.", I said to Vainglorious. He looked to the ground "Those scales are beautiful Mama." he said glumly.

"Thank you my handsome boy. It is very sweet when you praise other's looks, and not just your own. I hugged his neck tightly and petted down his feathers causing him to purr.

"Mama you really look like a dragon mama now. Even though you are always Mama." Callalilly said. I kissed her forehead. "Thank you Little Flower." I said. "It is time for me to show the other dragons now. Wisp and Nymph who had been at either of my sides the entire time in silence decided to comment.

"Your scales are very pretty Mama." Nymph said

"I do wish it was fur instead though...then we could cuddle more." Wisp said, sounding genuinely sad. "It is okay Little one, I can still snuggle with you, I just won't be as fluffy as you and your sister are." I told Wisp in a gentle tone.

I walked to the ice barn, as I could smell Coruscant inside. I ran inside and saw her sleeping. I smiled and stood still for a moment. I put a still sleeping Cortelco on Nymph's back, so he wouldn't get cold. I walked inside and began rubbing Coruscant's snout gently to wake her up. She kept her eyes shut, but purred at my touch.

"Hello Mama." she said.

"Hello Little Snow. Open your eyes for me, so I can show you something. She opened her eyes slightly and purred again before closing her eyes. "You look lovely Mama." she said as she snuggled her large head into my lap. "You seem extra tired, tell me have you been training Trois at night?" I asked her.

"Yes Mama. That little one is difficult, and she won't speak to me." I began petting her snout again. "I like you petting me and being soothing. You are usually busy and wound up Mama. This is nice." Coruscant said. Her words made my heart break a little. Was I not spending enough time with my dragons? Or was I favoring the ones who had jobs. I needed to fix this.

"I will stay and rest with you." I told her.

"Nymph. Wisp. Can you take Cortelco somewhere safe to rest? It is too cold in here for him." I asked the two. Wisp grumbled a bit, as she wasn't fond of hatchlings, but they did as asked.

"I am sorry I have been neglecting you my Little Snow. I will make sure I spend time with everyone of you." She purred once again before her breathing slowed and deepened, showing that she was asleep again.

"Valorous can you have a talk with Trois. It seems he hasn't been behaving during lessons, and he needs to fix his attitude." I asked Valorous through my mind.

"Yes Mama." was all he said in response.

"Thank you little one." I said.

I wasn't the least bit tired after sleeping for two days, so I simply sat and petted Coruscant for about two hours, until she awoke.

"How was your nap Coruscant?" I asked gently.

"I slept very well. Aren't you cold Mama?" she answered.

"I am a little cold, but my new scales seem to help me stay a bit warmer. I am glad you slept Well." I will try to spend more time with you and the others. Thank you for telling me. Let me ask you my little snow, what do you think I am? A human or a dragon?" I asked

"Mama started like a human, but now you are like us. You are dragon now."