The sign paraded itself before my face.

I had woken up in some kind of shallow grass, peppered with tiny yellow blossoms. Trees and rocks were everywhere. Birds were chittering insipidly in the distance. I yanked myself to a seat. I gagged.

"ARGGGGGGH LEEF IN MY MOUF LEEF IN MY MOUF GIT IT OUT GIT IT OUUUUT!"

"Chirr?"

A small, green creature hopped away from me. To tell the truth, it was kind of cute. Extenuating that was the fact that it had just puked leaves in my mouth.

"You-thing! What the heck was that for?"

It bobbed its head up and down, with a ridiculously attentive expression on its face.

Sighing, I stood up. Casting a glance around me, I noted the intensely bright blue of the sky, with equally brilliant clouds affixed to it. It became apparent that I was standing on an island surrounded by sky. Nothing weird about this, I tried to convince myself. Something else caught my eye, but it was in the form of a pile of pale blue stones covered in runes. A faint humming sound was emanating from it. Suddenly, a random person appeared, sporting a white beard, a beer gut, and a purple wizard costume.

"Hello, shocked person!" smiled the stranger. "You're a new park owner, aren't you?"

"Park?"

"You're standing in it! Didn't your wizard explain it to you?"

I was about to tell him I didn't know what the heck was going on when another weirdo appeared. He wore a sour look, orange robes, a tall red hat and carried a staff. He was much more gaunt and much less affable than the plump "wizard" in front of me.

"Ah yes, the explanation...Welcome to Dragonvale, blah blah blah, here is your first dragon. You must build a habitat for it and care for it."

I didn't argue. I had no idea what else to do, anyways. I followed them to the blue stones, which I was informed were a "portal", and we warped to the market to purchase a habitat, which I would require if I were to showcase my future dragons(!). It was only when I got there that I realized I didn't have any 'DragonCash', little gold coins that were earned through showcasing dragons.

Which was kind of paradoxical.

As if by magic (hah!) some immediately appeared. The habitat cost 100 Dragoncash, and I still had a couple hundred left. The habitat looked like a little grove, brimming with tall grasses and a single tree. The small green creature hopped into it, looking happy as a clam.

"Alright. Time to buy an earth habitat for your earth dragon."

I blindly followed each instruction. Warping back to the island, I saw the results of our journey. The earth dragon egg was off-white, and studded with rock fragments. It took five minutes to hatch. Each time I completed a task, I was given Experience Points, used to unlock certain parts of the market.

When I bought a Treat Farm, the sour-faced wizard disappeared into thee cottage-like building with one last instruction: "Feed your dragons, and feed them well. They are noble creatures - not meant to be mistreated."

Okay.

The next day, I dragged myself out of bed, and prepared for school.

After six long hours, I went home and took a quick little catnap.

I dreamed that I woke up.

Back onto that island.

Oh, gosh.

It could be worse.

I could've been force-fed expired yogurt.

I could've been forced to do calculus.

I could've been framed for murder.

It really could be much, much worse.