It was after a few moments in my new form that I realized the problem, I was naked.

The solution should have been simple just shift into something less… naked. But I was having none of it.

I needed to be clothed and now. I wasn't some coward that was going to shift back into my featureless state. I really hated the way it was just so blank, empty.

With a huff, I raised to a standing position from the rough floor. Why couldn't I just shift my body to have clothes?

I felt the same shiver down my spine as my body shifted once more. Clothes began to form on me, simple clothes nonetheless but clothes.

I took one step forward, my shoes made almost no noise in the near-empty room. It was strange wearing clothes that were part of me.

I looked down at what I was wearing simple sneakers, jeans, and a gray sweatshirt. The clothes looked and behaved like normal clothes. They even felt like normal clothes.

I gazed at my hands, how much could I change? I focused on my hands slowly making them converge into one point making them into a blade. Cool that would have been useful in fighting the ABB. Maybe not, the guy hinted at me using unnecessary force, and something told me that stabbing people was unnecessary.

Effortlessly I shifted my hand back to normal. I was going to be stabbing anyone today.

I looked at the cameras, were they recording all the time? There were no red lights I could see around the lens. All the cameras were the same, half-sunken into the walls, four of them in every corner. All angled in such a way that there were no blind spots.

Did I actually want to become a hero? While I wanted to be a hero, wouldn't being part of the Protectorate hold me back? They were government, and it didn't seem like the ABB could kill me. I was an amnesiac pseudo immortal shapeshifting alien demon with a name that wanted to be a hero that was being chased by a gang. Man, I was messed up.

That's what I would be. A hero and not part of the Protectorate. I would definitely help them but I would not let them hold me back. Especially with the rules and regulation that I knew they would have. Unwritten rules my ass, and as they say rules like laws are meant to be broken if for the greater good.

I would give the wannabe hoplite my answer when he came knocking again.

I looked down at myself, something told me I should not show them everything that I knew I could do. Even though I did not want to do I did. There was a shiver down my spine and ripple across my body as I shifted back to the form I used when fighting against the ABB. It almost pained me to lose my features.

Soon minutes turned to hours before I was contacted again. It happened while I was sitting on the ground trying and failing to reconstruct the cot that I had destroyed. I heard the crackle of the microphone as it turned on. I spun around rising to my feet before facing the screen in the wall.

Great, wannabe hoplite was back.

"Mr. Harper, I have some news for you." At a nodded from me he continued. "It looks like if you join the Protectorate I can get you out within the week."

Time for me to give him my answer, "I will not be joining the Protectorate."

"Oh." The man considered my words, "Are you sure you don't want to join? We could give you training and support."

"Yes, I'm completely sure." I asserted myself.

The man sighed, "Given the… the severity of your crimes, without joining the Protectorate you will be sent to prison." I almost interrupted him but he continued, "You may even be sent to the Birdcage. We cannot have capes that have killed and are willing to kill running uncontrolled in the city."

Ok... maybe I did need to join the Protectorate. Even though it seemed like he was threatening me now.

"Nevermind. I just had an epiphany."

He gave me the oh really look, "Have you?"

"Yeah. I'll join the Protectorate." he did say they were like superhero police so I would think they are the good guys right?

"You're not lying, are you? Just a second ago you told me that you weren't joining the Protectorate."

Better salvage this before I get sent to the Birdcage. "I was saying I was going to not join the Protectorate yet. But now I think I'll just join right away."

The hoplite gave me a 'yeah sure' look, "I'll come down to you and have a face to face conversation. Then I will decide if you're fit for the Protectorate."

Well, that could've gone better. Even though I was sure I could break out of anything they threw at me yet I didn't want to be a fugitive of the law. I mean, get sent to prison, break out of prison, then what? Destroyed the people that sent me to prison? They were just doing their job sending an unknown superpowered killer to prison. Even if the killed were criminals, I wasn't supposed to be the judge, jury, and executioner.

My thoughts were interpreted by the sound of what seemed like a thousand bolts opening. Slowly the heavy door opened with a groan. Man, what was that thing made of? There was a horrible screech as the door connected with the metal floor. Someone needs to redesign that door, preferably before the sound killed someone.

There was a quick chirp over the intercom system outside the cell as a mechanical said. "Cell four, door open."

How many cells are there?

Then I saw my interrogator for the first time. He was for sure a hoplite wannabe, he stepped into the cell wearing full hoplite regalia. But what drew the most attention was his spear, slung across his back. The four-foot-long weapon seemed to be made of white lightning. The other piece of equipment that seemed different was his boots. They were encased in the same stuff as what his spear was made of. Even the shield on his left arm was emitting the same energy.

All in all, he struck an imposing figure.

He offered his right hand to me a grim look on the part of his face that I could see. "Dauntless." He introduced himself.

Tentatively I took his hand, half shaking it, expecting to be electrocuted, "And you already know my name." I commented dryly.

Dauntless grinned beneath his helmet, "It would seem so." He motioned towards the door, "Right this way."

I wasn't so quick to follow, "Where are we going?"

"To a conference room. We'll talk there." he supplied as he motioned me out of the cell.

I stepped out of the cell into a hallway that gave the impression of being a hospital, white empty walls. To my right, the hallway extended for a bit before ending. On either side of the hallway, thick metal doors protruded every eight feet. Quite a bit of heavy-duty cells, I thought, wonder who else they have locked up in here?

Almost immediately my question was answered, whether I wanted it or not. One of the cell doors on the farthest end of the hallway exploded outwards, a torrent of flame pushing it. After that what I could only describe as an eight-foot-tall dragon-man covered in scales walked out of the cell. It would have been cool with the smoke and the flames, but I think he was going to be hostile.

Dauntless and I shared the same response, one word, four letters. That was all that was needed to describe our situation.

Even as I watched the dragon-man stalk down the hallway he seemed to be getting bigger.

"Who's that?" I spared a quick glance at Dauntless who like I was slowly edging backward.

"Lung, he gets stronger as he fights."

Ok, not what I wanted to fight someone that gets stronger as they fight! Nope, count me out!

The newly identified Lung continued the slow deliberate walk of someone that thought of us as nothing more than ants. And something told me that if I didn't act now that was going to be true. It took a lot of willpower but I stopped, no longer was I stepping back. I pushed myself to take one step forward, my hands curling to fist as I did so.

Lung seemed a little surprised at my actions, his eyes narrowed. Opposite of his fire his eyes were cold, a stark contrast. I knew his type, willing to kill, no value was attached to anyone's life except his own.

The space between Lung and I was rapidly disappearing as the dragon-man stalked down the hallway.

Dauntless who had been backing up before now stood at my side, his face blank of emotion. He now held his spear of lightning firmly in his right hand.

Lung in a sudden explosive motion barreled at us. His long strides making quick work of the distance.

Using his forward momentum Lung made a wild swipe with his now four inches claws. All the while red flames spread from his rapidly changing inhuman mouth.

Before I could react Dauntless was in front of me shield raised as it expanded like a forcefield. With a sizzling pop, the dragon-man impacted the shield. The kinetic force of Lung's strike drove the hoplite nearly two feet back.

Dauntless twisted his shield giving him an opening as he stabbed Lung in the chest. The chest hit did stop Lung as he paused to backhand the Hoplite into the wall.

I leaped into the fight ready to protect Dauntless. Like a human missile, I smashed into Lung throwing him back with me on top. As we collided with the floor I cocked my arm back delivering a punch square at Lung jaw. Lung responded with inhuman reflexes, grabbed my punch, twisting my wrist and shoving me into the wall. As he pinned me against the wall his other hand grasped my neck. The idiot thought he could choke me. Using my free hand I shifted my fist into a blade jamming it into the monstrous arm of Lung.

Lung took a step back not expecting the blade fist. Even with the injuries he had sustained, I saw the wounds closing. He was a regenerator like me, but his regeneration was not as fast as mine.

Capitalizing on Lung's confusion I kicked him in the nuts, which actually didn't do what I thought it would... Lung hardly even noticed the kick.

I could see that he was no longer just eight feet tall. More like nine, covered in steel-like scales he had to hunch in the abnormally tall ceiling.

With a swipe of his claws, Lung sent me flying through the hallway. Red hot flames washed over me, not doing harm but certainly heating me up, like a car in the hot sun.

While Lung blasted me with fire I tore a piece of the wall off. Hefting it with both my arms I threw it. The throw was a success in that it stopped the fire and hit Lung. on the other hand, it was a failure as it only enraged Lung more.

With no chance to react Lung charged at me, using his superior bulk, he smashed me into the floor once again. As I lay on the floor Lung seized my head, before he repeatedly smashed my head against the metal ground.

I need to end this fight before Lung pummeled me into a paste. Using the ground as a brace I kicked Lung in the chest with both feet. I rolled to my feet ready for the next beating. My body already almost healed of all damage. Lung's scant wounds likewise healed in moments. Lung was getting bigger and stronger while I was the same as when we started.

Lung hit me like a train, his momentum brought us through the thick walls and into one of the cells. With a feral growl, the dragon tossed me into a wall. Without hesitation, I grabbed the toilet in the cell. I tore it from its place on the floor, water sprayed everywhere. With a swing, I threw the hardware at the dragon man.

Hitting him smack in the face only dazed him for a moment. With a roar of rage Lung let a torrent of flame leap from his maw that was now shaped like an "X". Man, this guy really was turning into a dragon.

I raised my left hand creating a hard shield made of the same stuff as my body. The flames continued for a second before Lung made his move. He smashed through my shield, it shattered like glass. Too thin, I scolded myself. Lung grabbed my left arm and body in separate hands and with another inhuman roar, he tore my left arm from my body. My arm turned to black goo in the dragon hand, it landed on the floor with a splat.

Almost instantly it twitched like it was alive before flowing across the floor with unnatural speed and reconnecting with my body. Ok, that was kind of freakish.

Lung, who was rather annoyed with the fact that my arm was almost already regenerated, hurled me through the ceiling into the floor above.

With a leap from Lung onto the floor above our fight continued. Lung was all rage as he fought but his eyes even though they burned like embers were cold. There was still intelligence in those eyes, even as he grew more bestial.

With an explosive punch, I knocked Lung back. Even with all the strength, I had I needed to kill Lung. My punches were becoming less effective too fast. Making a wild swing with his now six-inch claws Lung nearly took my head off. Dodging under another strike I turned my right arm into a blade. Swing my arm wildly I slashed Lung across the belly. Lung reared back roaring in rage, as fire exploded from his jaws.

I stepped back to inspect my handy work. Lung's guts spilled from his belly, I had eviscerated him. My laugh died as I watched Lung push his guts back into his bowels, the wound closing up.

I rushed forward narrowly avoiding a swing from Lung as I slid under him. Coming up behind I kicked his left knee out from under him, forcing him to his knees. I shift my arms into blades stabbing him in the back. My blade arms slid into his bulk emerging on the other side coated in crimson.

Alas for all my efforts Lung would not be killed by that strike. With unbridled strength Lung twisted around, backhanding me through several walls. Again.

I raised myself to my feet, red light surrounding me, as an alarm blared. Water from the sprinkler system that had finally been set off washed over me. As my arms went back to normal, fist curled I watched as Lung strode through the destroyed building. He was now almost ten feet tall, tall enough that he had to hunch over. Even hunching Lung made a mess of the ceiling. Fire curled off his form, so hot that it turned the water from the sprinkler system to steam. Spear-like nubs stuck out of his shoulders, the beginning of what I was pretty sure were wings.

Lung let out a breath of fire. For the third time, I felt the shiver down my spine as my body shifted again. But this time I wasn't shifting my body, this time I was adding. Wings made of the same material as my body sprouted from below my shoulder blades. These wings would not let me fly, no these wings would be like extra arms with of course complete blades. I extended my razor-sharp metal wings to either side of me. They were quite heavy, only offset by my superhuman strength.

I curled my wings around me like a shield.

Lung only paused momentarily when he saw the wings.

I rushed forward, smashing through a wall, only one room separated me and Lung. Lung was the first to make a move, fire curling around his clawed hands, he rushed towards me destroying the wall that separated us. With a primal roar, he sent torrents of fire at me from his maw and hands.

My wings raised to block the fire. Lung slammed into me, his bulky and super strength threatened to throw me back. With a mad swing, my right-wing hit his face, the razor blade wing easily separated part of his face from his head. The dragon screamed in rage as he grabbed me throwing me to the floor. Due to the impractical bulk of the wings, I was trapped on the floor a second too long. One of Lung's feet pinned me to the ground, his right arm raised to deliver what I could only consider the final strike.

Dauntless chose that moment to catch up to the fight. He soared through the air and with a resounding crack his shield collided with Lung. the dragon stumbled from impact, as Dauntless hovered in the air his boots encased with white energy. Lung made a swing at the flying hoplite, only to miss as his target circled around him. I struggled to get to my feet with the bulk of my wings covered by debris. I dropped the wings, they disappeared back to where ever I had originally got the mass.

On my feet I watched as Dauntless flew around the dragon, his spear of lightning, flashing in and out. I knew that one small mess up on Dauntless' part would mean death for him. I struggled to find an opening with the flying hoplite going every which way.

Dauntless was tiring out, I could see it, his spear thrusts became slower, his movements became sloppier. All it took was one strike from Lung, Dauntless barely had enough time to bring his shield up. There was a reverberating thud as the flying hoplite hit the ground, then the wall. He was out cold.

With Lung briefly occupied with looking at Dauntless' prone form I rushed the dragon. Lung didn't have time to respond before I was on him. A strike to his calf with my blade arms resulted in a snapping sound as his Achilles tendon coiled up his leg. The dragon screeched in pain as he dropped to one knee. I knew that if I waited one-second longer Lung would heal. I performed a ferocious slash at his back. Crimson blood exploded, staining the ground. Lung twisted, grabbing at his back. The dragon's clawed hands dragged me to the side, I left deep lacerations as he pulled.

Lung tossed me against another wall. I crashed through at least two rooms, both of which appeared to be office space. As Lung advanced towards me again, I considered my woefully depleted options. I began to grab various assorted office supplies and furniture and throw them at the raging dragon. A chair he batted aside only to be hit by a computer monitor straight in the face. I tossed more office stuff at Lung, which all only served to enrage him more.

I quickly ran out of supplies to throw at the dragon. I knew needed to end the fight fast before he grew too powerful to defeat. I rushed forward, my arms turning into blades. Red flame washed over me obscuring my vision of lung. I lunged where I thought Lung would be, with blade arms swinging. I was correct, the flames ceased as Lung recoiled from the strikes.

With the fire gone, I got a good look at the dragon. Now at nearly twelve feet tall Lung's massive frame had destroyed the ceiling above us. He looked more dragon than man now, I wondered whether there was at all a hard cap to his transformation?

If was going to win this fight I needed every advantage I could get. I, myself, was just a little over six feet; Lung was twice my size, something I had to change. I felt myself shift again, adding mass. I could feel my height and weight, and subsequently my strength increase. The floor below me groaned under my weight. I snuck a glance at the floor which appeared to be sagging a bit.

Lung examined me carefully, something told me he wasn't too sure he could win this fight. I had an epiphany. Before he had been toying with me. I was going to have to be more careful.

There was another shift as my body took on a different color, a glossy black. The effects were immediate I could feel a new density to my body.

Lung and I slowly circled each other, Lung's eyes were narrowed, I was pretty sure mine would have been too if I had eyes. I was the first to move, I pushed off on the balls of my feet blade arms ready. I could see every muscle in his body tense as he leaped forward to meet me. We clashed mid-air, my momentum carried me farther, almost through Lung. I was the bigger of both of us now.

Smashing through a few walls I rolled myself over Lung, shifting to normal arms I slammed a fist into his face. His face may have caved just a little, but it healed quickly enough it seemed almost an illusion. Fire blasted from one of his hands, but it only served to blind me. Another fist to the face turned the fire off as the dragon lost his focus.

Then I remembered what Lung had done to me early on in the fight. Clutching his forehead I began to repeatedly smash the back of his head against the ground. Every time I forced his head down there was a resounding thud. Lung struggled more with every strike, his struggling served to make me smash his head with more ferocity. Soon a pool of blood covered the floor flowing from Lung's head. There was a crack and the thuds turned to splats, Lung's skull was gone. Every wet spalt sent Lung into a ferocious frenzy as he struggled beneath me.

Soon Lung was barely responding to the head smashing.

With one finally forceful effort, I brought his head to the floor. My hand went through the massive skull. I had utterly pulverized Lung's head, turned his brain into a bloody mess.

I stood up to observe my handy work. The dragon's body looked fine due to his healing factor but his head… I wasn't sure it was a head anymore, kind of reminded me of a squashed grape The back of his skull was gone and his forehead had caved in courtesy of my head smashing.

The raging dragon was dead.

There was a ripple across my body as I shifted back down to my original size. No use in testing the structural integrity of the building further.

Dauntless floated up beside me. I glanced at him, he looked fine except for being a little battered up. Nothing a week of sleeping wouldn't fix.

The Hoplite looked over Lung cautiously, "Is he dead?"

I bit back the retort of no he's just sleeping, "Yes." I answered simply.

Dauntless' voice was without emotion, "Good."

AN: Lung is fun to write, too bad I had to kill him.