Staring out the window in his upstairs room, Kenta could hear the remnants of a song drifting past him on a breeze.

Anytime you need a friend
I will be here
You'll never be alone again
So don't you fear
Even if you're miles away
I'm by your side
So don't you ever be lonely
Love will make it alright

Craning his neck around the corner of the building and squinting past the oncoming stormclouds, he could see the old man on the corner with his guitar. A retired navy veteran, he was there day in and day out, from the time he went to bed to the time he woke up.

When the shadows are closing in
And your spirit diminishing
Just remember you're not alone
And love will be there
To guide you home

They said his name was Les Romero.

Anytime you need a friend
I will be here
You'll never be alone again
So don't you fear
Even if you're miles away
I'm by your side
So don't you ever be lonely
Love will make it alright

Kenta trudged down the stairs and to the corner.

"Anytime ya need a friend...Oh, hey son...I will be here. Siddown son, I'm nearly done with this here song. You'll never be alone again, so don't you fear..." The acoustic twang of his guitar died prematurely in the humid air.

"Even if you're miles away..."

Even if you're miles away. Kenta liked those words. He found himself singing along with Les.

"I'm by your side. So don't you ever be lonely - love will make it alright."

If you just believe in me
I will love you endlessly
Take my hand
Take me into your heart
I'll be there forever baby
I won't let go
I'll never let go

Anytime you need a friend
I will be here
You'll never be alone again
So don't you fear
Even if you're miles away
I'm by your side
So don't you ever be lonely
It's alright
It's alright

Les nodded at him, flashing a gap-toothed grin.

"Ah respect a fella musician when I sees one." He cocked his head at Kenta, laying the guitar down on the pavement. "Whatser name, son? It ain't Son, Ah can tell ya that. Nobody names ther son Son. Ther ain't no sense in that."

"My name's Kenta. You're Les, aren't you?"

"Well that depends. Who da you want me ta be? Les? Jus' plain Les? Or yer friend, Son? Ah mean Kenta?"

"Friend. Be my friend, Les."

"Ther's mah boy." Les put his face up to the cloudy sky and sniffed softly. "Somethin's a-comin', boy. Ah can feel it. Yah smell that?" He stood up, turning his face to the lightning in the distance.

"Thar! And thar! I sees em. Even if nobody else do. That's-a dragon smoke I's smellin. I'd know it anywhere. Ah swear ta you that ain't a smell a man ever fergets."

Kenta leapt up. "Dragons? For real?"

"Fer real, son. Ah ain't kiddin ya one bit. I seen em with mah own eyes. They doesn't believe me, son, but I's seen em."

"I believe you. I've seen them too. Well, sort of. Dragons are real, Les? Really?"

"Fer real. Ah swears it to ya. THAR!" He grabbed Kenta's wrist and lifted his hands to the sky. "You can see em! THAR'S another one! AND ANOTHER! Ya see there, son?"

With every crack of lightning, a long snake-shaped body was silhouetted against the clouds.

"Once that thar rain starts ta fall they's a-gonna come down here and attack this here town. I seen em. Get inside, go!" He shoved at Kenta's back insistently. They hurried together into a store.

"You really think dragons are real, Les? You've really seen them?" he gasped breathlessly, his face fogging up the window of the store.

"Ah seen em'. An' this here town's doomed if someone don't do somethin'. You gotta do somethin', boy", he hissed urgently, holding on to his shoulders. "You gotta do somethin'. They ain't gonna leave this town till they finds what they's lookin' fer, and they gonna tear us limb fra limb ta do it if they has to."

"If there really are dragons out there...what do you think they're looking for?"

"It ain't no matter a what's much as WHO. They's probably lookin fer one a' there young, what wandered off inta tha wild. Er one a' their own what got captured by scientists er somethin'. Or even one a' them's chosen ones what was supposed ta come home ta them."

"Chosen ones?" Kenta blinked. "What do you mean by that?"

"Some a' them's chosen the ones what had a lotta spirit, ta be human repreesentatevs for ther race. Some of 'em go rogue er go missin'. Er they break from the power an' reveal the lair." His gaze went foggy. "Ah knows. Ah was one a' them. But Ah got benished from the harem cuz ah betrayed tha secret location."

"Is all of this really true?" Kenta whispered. "Because if you're for real...I think I know what they're looking for."

It was then that a huge crash was heard from the square. And a moment later the huge head of a reptilian legend swung around the corner...