Chapter 3

The shift should have happened but instead Dr. Banner was staring into the most violet eyes he had ever seen. There was something about them…reassuring…calming. She smiled.

His soul was calm once more. He slid down into a chair. "I should have…I can't…why," he asks turning toward me, "how did you…" Something makes a strange noise. It sounds like one of the killer bees that live on New Abarath. We both jump, but I am crouched in a low position ready to defend myself. "It's ok."

I couldn't trust him and stayed in my crouched position. He slowly picked up a metal object and pushed something on it. I crept closer. What was this object? He started talking to it and I thought he must be mad.

"Banner? You there," Agent Romanoff asks.

Banner replies, "Yes, I am here. Kind of in the middle of something right now."

"Drop it. We need you…well, erm, him…here right away. The situation is a bit out of hand."

"Well, I don't really know…"

"I am already on my way. The plane lands in fifteen minutes approximately 10 miles northwest of your current location. Be there."

She hangs up and he sighs. How could he explain what had happened a few minutes before? He should have turned into…him but she…NO…it must have been a freak accident. He turns and Zerra is looking at him as if he was crazy.

"Look," he says, "my team needs me with them to handle…something. I need to be with them."

Of course! How could I have been so blind! The magic metal was the call. I must go with him. "May I escort you?"

"Well…yeah. I don't think I should leave an alien alone. I mean you could cause a lot of trouble. I mean I don't know if you'll shape shift and eat someone's cows or something."

I chuckle. "I don't shape shift that is the Kwoki people. However, I understand your argument. It would be my honor to escort you and a privilege to assist in any way I may."

"Well alright then. Do you have anything to pack? Well, I guess when you fall out of the sky you're stuck with what you have."

"I fell from the sky?"

"Yes it was if you were a shooting star." I close my eyes and search the dragons' memories for shooting stars. They are so beautiful, but could I have looked as they did? "Don't you remember?"

"I…I cannot recall." It was so strange as if my memory was wiped clean for a while.

"Hmm…well we'd better get going don't want to keep them waiting."

"Yes. Of course."

We walked out to a metal beast. I realized it was the same one he had carried me to a few nights before. I must have looked a bit confused because he led me to one side and unfolded the creature's wing. He lifted me up but I was a bit cautious. I had no idea what the belly of the beast held. He folded the wing back down and went to the other side. He proceeded to unfold that wing, climb in and fold the wing from the inside. This was a strange beast with things jutting out. He put something in a hole and turned the beast roared to life. I clutched the insides digging in praying the beast would not be disturbed. "Are you ok?"

"What is this beast?"

"Ha ha. This is no beast, well in a way it is, it is called a truck. It's a type of vehicle. Now you'll have to buckle your seatbelt, this is going t be a bumpy ride."

"Seat belt? I don't understand."

"It's alright….you know what I'm kind of in a hurry so…" He slid over and reached across my shoulder. I tense. What is he trying to do? He proceeds to grab a sort of thick piece of rope and pulls it across my chest. Where does this rope come from? He puts the end into something with a click, like the rock dragon makes when it mines. He slides back over and pulls a "seatbelt" over him. "There we are ready to go."

He grabs a sort of stick and moves it. The beast, "truck," lurches and I slam against the seat belt with a grunt. He mumbles an apology and tries shifting the stick again. This time the truck roared with a ferocity that would make a dragon proud. He presses his foot into the floor and the beast lurches forward again slamming me into the seatbelt. We start going forward. Soon it feels as if we are flying over the ground, but it feels as if I am riding on a rock dragon. The way is bumpy; I dig in my nails to the seat, and am continuously slammed against the seatbelt. Finally we reached the destination as the truck lurches to a stop. The seatbelt releases and then retracts quickly as I smash into. It takes my breath away from me for a moment. I must look bad because he looks at me with an apologetic look and says, "Sorry. I know that was a rough ride."

"Oh. It is fine. I have had much worse." He untethers his seatbelt and gets out. I cannot figure out how to untether mine. He opens my door and reaches across me; my heart misses a beat, and his hand reaches down and *click* like magic he has untethered my seatbelt. He slowly retreats and offers a half smile. My heart stutters again. What is wrong? Is it this new planet slowly interfering with my body?

I step out of the truck and he closes the door. "Shall we go?"

"Certainly," I reply.

We start walking for a short while, through some trees. We emerge into a clearing and suddenly I hear a monstrous roaring. Oh no! Without my sword I feel powerless. I prepare to leave if the situation calls for it. He gently rests his hand on my shoulder and articulates, "I am here. Do not worry. No one will hurt you when I am around."

"When you are not around, what will happen then?"

"Have no fear."

"I shall try."