Chapter 1
Maroon was nervous. This was going to be his first day of training. He wouldn't know anyone there or anything. "But mom. What if the other dragonets don't like me?" Maroon asked his mother Quartz.
His mother smiled at him. "You'll be fine," she said. "There isn't any reason for them not to."
"But I won't know any of them! They all met at the nursery and I never grew up there like most Skywings!" Maroon reasoned.
"Yes, but now will be different since you are… older and, uh… larger," Quartz explained awkwardly.
"But I'm still not as large as most dragons my age or even younger. I'm the smallest three year old dragon in the Skywing Kingdom! Don't you think–"
"Oh look! We're here," Quartz interrupted. They landed in front of a large Skywing training ground. "You have to report to the central building for group assignment. From there you will be put in a class."
"Why are all the Skywings training? We aren't in a war," Maroon questioned.
"Queen Scarlet wants the Skywing army to be the strongest in all of Pyrrhia. Nothing wrong with that," Quartz answered.
"I think the arena would keep most tribes from attacking us. Is this really necessary?" Maroon ventured.
"Are you questioning your Queen, Maroon? Queen Scarlet is the best Queen the Skywings have ever had! She's smart, strong, and a great leader! You'd do well to watch your tongue," Quartz scolded.
"Sorry," Maroon squeaked. "Was just wondering."
"Well instead wonder on how you are going to ace your classes," Quartz responded. "And stay out of trouble please."
"I will," Marron promised.
"Good. Now have a great first day," Quartz quickly touched her snout to his. "Remember. Go to the central building and be assigned to a class."
"Got it," Maroon said. "Central building."
She gave him one last look and took to the sky. Maroon looked around and realized his mother never told him which building was the central one. He started wondering around the place. Nope, not this one…. These are the sleeping bunkers….. Why are they here? Those are grown dragons training….. This is a storage building. This is dumb…. Why is this so stupid? he thought in frustration after about five minutes of searching.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Maroon was startled and whipped around.
"Only dragonets three years old are allowed here. You should still be in the nursery."
"Actually, uuhh. I– I am three years old," Maroon answered nervously.
"Then why aren't you in class?"
"I'm looking for the Central Building to be assigned," Maroon responded.
"The Central Building? What are you doing out here? Did you not see the signs?" Maroon looked around and saw some directional signs maybe twenty yards away. How had I not noticed those before? "This is the training grounds. For actual soldiers. You are a long way from where you should be." The mystery dragon narrowed his eyes at Maroon. "I'll tell you this now dragonet. We don't tolerate lofty dragons here. We want doers. Not dreamers."
"Yes sir. That won't be a problem," Maroon said as he stepped away from the dragon. "And thanks for the directions sir."
"The name is Garnet. Your Overseer," he responded.
Oh great. The one who controls my future and I just made a bad impression, Maroon thought gloomily.
Maroon was late to class. He had learned he was on the complete other side of the grounds. He entered the room where an instructor was introducing everyone.
''What are you doing in here dragonet?" the instructor demanded.
"This is my class. I'm three years old and was told to come here," Maroon answered.
"Really?" The instructor looked over Maroon skeptically. "Alright. Then your name should be on my role. What is it?"
"My name is Maroon. And yours is?" Maroon inquired.
"Mine doesn't matter. Just refer to me as 'sir'," the instructor said grouchily. "You are on the list. Well, Maroon, these are your fellow trainees." Maroon turned and noticed just how much smaller he was compared to everyone else. He gulped. He could see classmates whispering. "We've only got through a few before you interrupted. The three we listed were Stone, Magma, and Emerald. You'll just have to be like every other dragon and listen to the rest." The instructor frowned after Maroon stood there for a little. "Am I going to have to hold your talon? Take a seat!" Maroon quickly walked to an open spot as the room giggled. He saw there was about 19 dragons in the class not including him. "As the rest of you know, that spot will be yours for the rest of the year. Now, if there are no more interruptions, I'd like to be able to get through these names before tomorrow."
After everyone was introduced, the instructor explained this is where the dragonets will take notes for assignments. He then took them to an open spot outside where he said the training would be done. They started doing some exercises and then it was time for a lunch break. His class filed into the lunchroom where Maroon started looking for a secluded spot to eat. He sat down at a table near the corner of the cafeteria. He started to eat, but soon he was confronted by four dragons he recognized from class: Stone, Rubble, Pyro, and Spark.
"This is going to be our table, small fry. Move," Stone told Maroon.
"What do you mean your table?" Maroon questioned. Are the tables assigned like the desks?
"I mean move out of the table and save me the trouble of moving you," Stone growled.
This is my chance! Maroon thought. I can stand up to these dragons and show I'm not to be messed with because of my size! Maroon stood up in Stone's face. "I'd like to see you try."
The next thing Maroon knows, he's screaming as Stone holds him on the ground while twisting his arm. Stone's friends take their seats laughing with most of the lunchroom. Stone leans down close to Maroon. "Next time I ask something of you, move Pebble."
The rest of the day wasn't too great either. Maroon couldn't do some of the exercises due to his arm, and he was deeply embarrassed. He believed once the day was over, the next day of school would be better. He'd just have to be more careful. The next three days weren't better though. Stone and his posse started bullying Maroon and "Pebble" became his name. He tried complaining about it to his mother, but she said that "they were just playing" and that in time they would be Maroon's friends. Maroon dealt with the bullying the next two days before the weekend. He complained to his instructor who said he should "Stop being a coward." Maroon was miserable.
