Chapter 1
Welcome to Dragon City
Hi, everyone.
So I am starting to repost my old stories. And some of these stories will be edited to a certain degree or be rewritten. I've wrote a few more chapters for this one when I went straight to DeviantArt, but now that it seems safe to come back, I am starting with this one.
I do not own Dragon Booster or The Legend of Dragoon.
It was a beautiful day in Dragon City. Well, save for the dragon traffic. The city was filled with everyday activities: People racing their dragons, shops open for business, and the casual banter. But there would be one thing new that day.
In a room within the underground catacombs, a man was waiting for someone. Someone he had been waiting 10 years for. Someone whose presence was going to mean big changes for the world. The room was circular and dark, circling the strange platform that glowed in the center.
"She should be here any minute," the man thought.
Then, a figure materialized in the center of the platform.
On the platform was a young girl about sixteen. She had shoulder-length blond hair and ice-blue eyes, wore a red tunic-like shirt with black pants, brown boots, and wore a red headband that kept her hair back. She was carrying a couple of bags that no doubt held her belongings and, on her waist, a leather satchel tied around her waist and a broadsword.
Conner smiled as he approached the girl. He knew her and not just from her info his contacts had given her. He knew her from when she was a child. But that was another story.
"Alexis Feld! Welcome to Draconis!"
The girl smiled as she hailed Conner, a big cheery grin practically brightening her face.
"Mr. Penn! Long time no see!"
Conner gave the girl a welcoming hug, an air of familiarity around them.
"I haven't seen you since you were a little girl! Look at how much you have grown!"
Alexis chuckled as she scratched her head.
"Well, it's been ten years. Still, I couldn't believe it when the delegates told me that you were the one that was going to be housing me for this exchange program. But I'm glad they did. I'd rather stay with a friendly, familiar face than with a stranger."
Conner released the girl from his embrace, still smiling as he gathered her luggage.
"I'm glad, too. We have a lot to catch up on and I want you to meet my sons. One of them is your age, actually."
Alexis continued to grin as she gathered her luggage. She was excited, Conner knew. Not many people from either Endiness, Alexis' home continent, and Draconis ventured into the other's territory unless it was for diplomatic reasons. Technically, the girl's visit was diplomatic, though.
A year ago, the reigning monarchs of Endiness and the ambassadors of Draconis were trying to figure more ways for both continents to open up more. For centuries, different ideologies had kept the two continents apart. Endiness being more down-to-earth and clung close to its history, while Draconis sought to improve the lives of its citizens with technology.
Needless to say, a lot of blood was shed and it took a lot more to get the two continents to talk again.
And it was during this last meeting between the nations that the Queen of Mille Seseau, Cecilia, came up with the idea of sending an exchange student to Draconis. If the exchange student stayed in Draconis for a year and no diplomatic incident happens, then the exchange program would be allowed to increase the number of exchange students, allowing the children of both nations to understand each other.
The exchange student from Draconis left a couple of days ago, with the student from Endiness arriving a little later.
Now she was here. One of the faces Conner could never forget after his last trip to Endiness as a younger man. And seeing the girl's excited face brought back some of those memories for Conner Penn.
"She looks just like her father, but has her mother's smile."
Conner shook his head out of his thoughts. Now wasn't the time to reminisce. He motioned to a different platform outside the room. It was similar to the one where Alexis came from, but it held slightly different functions.
"This teleporter will only take us out of here and into the city. Since there only two in Dragon City, we will have to ride on one of my dragons, Gawain, in order to get to my home."
Alexis' grin grew wider and Conner knew why.
On the continent of Draconus, dragons were as plentiful as people.
But on Alexis' home continent, Endiness, dragons were extinct for a few millennia, and with the cultural separation of the two continents, it was no wonder that Alexis had never seen a living dragon. From what the stable master remembered, despite not having any living dragons, the people of Endiness did know of the ancient race, but that knowledge went back as far as the beginning of the world. Such knowledge was judged as superstitious nonsense. The people of Endiness, known as Westerners, were a proud people that ABSOLUTELY retaliated when being told they were lying.
Conner could sense that same pride in the young foreigner, having met the same people when he was a lad.
"I can't wait! I've been wanting to see a real dragon ever since you told me about them when I was a little girl."
Conner laughed as they got on the teleporter.
"I don't doubt it. When I told you when you were a child, your eyes were so wide that I was afraid they'd be frozen in place. And it also took a lot of convincing to get you to stay with your family and not follow me back to Draconis."
"Yet, here we are." Alexis said with a chuckle.
Conner's only response was a chuckle. As soon as the two were teleported to the surface, Alexis began to cough lightly. Concerned about his charge, Conner turned toward Alexis and spoke.
"Are you alright, Alexis?"
Recovering from her light coughing fit, Alexis answered his question.
"I can barely breathe without inhaling this air. No offense, but how can you stand this?"
Another thing about Endiness was that there was little to no pollution on the continent due to the fact that they were old-fashioned, like three thousand years. So Alexis had always breathed fresh air, which was making it difficult for her lungs to adjust to this environment.
Conner chuckled lightly as he relived Alexis of her luggage.
"You will get used to it in time, Alexis. Believe me, I was just about the same when I went to Serdio when I was a boy. The clean air practically pierced my lungs."
The pair slowed down to allow Alexis to get use to the air. After the pair turned the corner, Alexis froze in her tracks.
Before her was a large creature that reminded her of a bull with forest green scales. It had a saddle on it built for two and was at least three times bigger than a horse. Sure enough, this was a dragon. Conner, seeing this, smiled.
"Alexis. This is Gawain, one of my Green Bull-Class dragons. He'll bring us and your luggage over to my home."
Alexis nodded in silence. It was about thirty seconds when she spoke.
"Are all dragons like him?"
Continuing to smile at this girl's innocent naiveté, Conner began to explain.
"Gawain here is actually one of the thirteen kinds of dragons here on Draconus. his breed is good for heavy work like construction, but not for Draconus' favorite sport."
"And that is?" Alexis asked.
"Dragon racing."
This made Alexis' curiosity grow even more.
As Gawain walked in the direction of Penn Stables, Conner began teaching Alexis about the different kinds of dragons, their draconium, magging, and the races. All of this information continued to fascinate Alexis. Never on Endiness could she have learned such amazing knowledge. It was then that a question came to her mind as they approached Penn Stables.
"Mr. Penn, I was wondering."
"Yes"
"Would I be able to ride a dragon before the year is out? I mean, other than Gawain."
Conner gave a hearty laugh as they approached the gate.
"Maybe, Alexis. But I would have to teach you how to ride before you could actually ride a dragon. Not to mention I had to check the legal channels before allowing you to ride. But if we play our cards right, I'm certain you might be even the first Endiness native to ride a dragon in three thousand years."
A smile came to Alexis' face as she sat back down. Conner said that she would get her own dragon soon, but neither knew how soon. As soon as Gawain entered the stables, he magged Alexis off of him and placed her onto the ground.
"I'm going to put your luggage and your sword in your room. Then I will give you a tour of the stables and have you meet my sons. I will be back shortly. And as for a quick test, identify any dragon that passes you." Conner spoke as he rode off, leaving Alexis in the open.
Alexis walked to and leaned on a nearby wall, a spot with a good vantage point. She could not help but be thrilled at the sight of the various dragons that roamed the stables.
"This...is...awesome! I wasn't sure about the exchange program at first, but now I'm glad I applied! Even after Mr. Penn left, I dreamed of seeing the dragons he told me about. I just wish I could have brought Claire and Isla with me. Or even Troy and Titus. Well...maybe not Troy. The bonehead."
At the thought of the owners of those names, Alexis sighed sadly.
"They would have loved to see this. Especially the girls."
Remembering her task, Alexis shook herself out of her self-imposed homesickness and went over the list of dragons Conner had told her about on the way over. Looking at the various dragons, Alexis began to make her list.
"Hmm, ok. The fish-looking one must be a Nautilus-class, the light purple ones must be Pack, white is Sky, black is Psi..."
But she froze.
Coming her way was a large black dragon with gold markings on it. It was twice her size in height and at least five times long. It had the physiology of large cats, fins that stuck out from behind each of its legs, a long fin-like tail, two small horns on its snout, and a row of spikes down its spine. With each step, Alexis could swear she was hearing thunder. Even after riding Gawain, something in her told Alexis that this particular dragon was powerful. And the last thing she wanted was to make it angry.
"N-nice dragon, good dragon."
She pressed herself back against the wall, looking for a way to escape and reach Conner. But she froze as the black and gold dragon made its way to her. Her heart raced as the dragon leaned in and started to smell here. She kept her eye on the dragon, not entirely sure on what to do. After a few tense moments, she saw the dragon's tail wag. Alexis hoped that, like with dogs, it was a sign that they were happy.
Alexis then dared herself to look at the dragon's eyes. Normally a bad move, since animals took it as a sign of a threat or a challenge. She didn't know why she did it. Maybe her subconscious was acting on its own, wanting to tell the dragon that she wasn't afraid or should be taken lightly. Her blue eyes locked with the dragon's dark eyes, somehow calming her.
There was a saying that the eyes were the gateway to the soul, that when you look at someone in the eyes, no secrets could be kept and all emotions would be bare.
So when Alexis looked into the dragon's eyes, she saw curiosity, courage, compassion, and a glint of mischief. They were noble eyes and they focused on her eyes.
Moments passed filled with nothing but silence. Alexis prayed that Conner or somebody would come back, but time seemed to have slowed down and it seemed like everything around them faded. It was just her and the dragon.
She nearly had a heart attack when the dragon moved not to attack her, but to nuzzle her like it was a horse. The move was so surprising that Alexis instinctively place a hand on the dragon's muzzle. The dragon didn't flinch or react badly, but allowed her to touch its muzzle as she gently stroked it.
Fear slipped away as the sensation of the dragon's smooth scales graced her touch, the markings shimmering in the sunlight like they were real gold. The dragon's tail wagged faster, a smile forming on it's face much to Alexis' amazement.
"And another new discovery. Dragons can smile."
A low rumble erupted from the dragon's through, but its mouth didn't open. If Alexis had to describe it, it would most definitely be a purr. So many questions filled her mind, but she set them aside as she finally smiled back at the dragon.
"Well...aren't you a sweet one."
The dragon's purr increased in volume as she complimented it, making Alexis realize something.
This dragon liked her.
It was only after Alexis put the thought together that a new voice broke the silence.
"Beau? Beau! What are you doing here?!"
And just like that, reality slapped Alexis out of her stupor as two figures ran up to her.
One was a boy her age. He had black hair with a single white strand in front and blue eyes. He was dressed in a blue outfit with red trim and was looking annoyed and panicky. The other was boy around ten. He had red hair as well as blue eyes and freckles, dressed in green and blue. And while the older boy wasn't happy, the younger boy stopped to laugh.
"Looks like Beau made a new friend."
The older boy rolled his eyes as he began to try and move the dragon away.
"I'm really sorry about Beau, miss. I don't know what got into him. I was grooming him one minute. Then the next, he walked off."
The dragon huffed at the older boy, clearly not wanting to listen to him.
Alexis, wanting to defuse the situation, held up her hands toward the older boy, making him stop.
"It's ok. I don't mind. I'm just surprised at how friendly he is."
She saw the dragon smirk at the boy as he allowed her to continue to pet him. Not wanting to disappoint the dragon, she continued as she spoke to the boys.
"So his name is Beau?"
The boys looked to each other for a moment before nodding to her.
"Yeah. It's short for 'Beaucephalis.' My dad named him after the Black-and-Gold Dragon of Legend." The older boy spoke.
Alexis raised her eyebrow, confused.
"Black-and-Gold Dragon of Legend? What legend?"
The younger boy, hearing this, gawked at the girl.
"What?! You don't know about the Dragon of Legend and the Dragon-Human War?!"
Now Alexis was thoroughly confused, but decided that maybe a bit of explanation would clear things up.
"Well, I'm new in town. Well, rather the continent, really."
At the word "continent," the older boy was quick to piece things together.
"Wait. Are you the girl from Endiness that's staying with us?"
Alexis nodded before managing to move away from the dragon and held out her hand to the boys.
"Yeah. I'm Alexis Feld. I'm from Serdio."
The boys, dragon included, were wide-eyed upon the girl, making her feel uncomfortable. Eventually, the trio shook their heads and the elder boy proceeded to shake her hand.
"I'm Artha Penn. This is my brother, Lance, and you have already met Beau."
He released her hand and started to scratch his head.
"Sorry about that. We, uh... We never saw a person from Endiness before."
Hearing this, Alexis breathed a soft exasperated sigh. With was was happening a few minutes ago, she forgot that she was supposed to expect such looks.
"The dragon must have turned my brain into mush if I forgot about that."
"Don't worry about it. I kinda forgot to expect that reaction."
The boys shrugged their shoulders, deciding to skip the subject. A move Alexis immediately agreed on.
"So what's this legend you mentioned earlier?"
Hearing the question, Lance was quick to answer Alexis.
"Well, 3000 years ago, dragons and humans got into a terrible war against each other. It was so bad that even today, people still remember it, calling it the Dragon-Human War. Both sides would have destroyed each other, but were stopped by a black-and-gold dragon and a human warrior called the Dragon Booster. They brought peace to both sides, which lasted for three thousand years."
Artha then decided to speak up.
"The Gold Star dragons went extinct after the war ended. Beau, here, is the first one born in centuries thanks to my dad."
This surprised Alexis.
"Woah. I know you must have cut some stuff up, but still..."
"Yeah. It was crazy." Lance replied.
"And your dad brought an extinct species back after three millennia? That's impressive."
"I'm glad you approve, Alexis." Conner's voice called out, bringing the group's attention over to him.
Seeing him, Artha spoke up as his father approached.
"Hey, Dad. Beau got away from me when I was grooming him to go greet Alexis."
Lance laugh.
"Yeah. He likes her."
Hearing the slight taunt in his voice, Alexis decided to joke back.
"Well, I am a likeable person. Though I never expected to be a dragon magnet."
To her surprise, even Beau laughed at her crack, making her smile.
"And apparently, one with a sense of humor."
Conner chuckled at the interaction.
"Yes. Beau is quite the character."
He then took a closer look at the interaction.
"You must have a natural talent for dragons, Alexis. While Beau is quite sociable, I have never seen him take such an interest before."
Alexis shrugged her shoulders as Artha pulled Beau away.
"Maybe? Hard to tell since Endiness has no dragons."
Her statement catching his interest, Lance spoke up.
"Endiness has no dragons? Why? I thought dragons were all over the place."
Hearing this, Conner shook his head as he placed a hand on his youngest son's shoulder.
"I'm afraid dragons have been extinct on Endiness for thousands of years, Lance. In fact, Gawain was the first dragon Alexis had ever seen in her entire life. An honor that, sadly, only diplomats from our sister continent could only receive until things get better."
Lance lowered his head upon hearing this, both saddened and surprise to hear such a thing.
"Must be nice..." Artha muttered, making sure nobody heard him.
Unfortunately, Beau heard this and wasn't going to take it lying down. With swift movement, Beau bolted forward a bit and then tripped Artha with his tail, catching the attention of the others. Artha growled in annoyance while everyone, especially Beau, laughed.
Alexis grinned as Lance led her to the house to get settled.
This was going to be a very interesting year.