It had been exactly 19 hours since the invasion started, going on 20. Fighting these things bored Alan the Dragon, who sat perched over a heap of beaten Banshee bodies. Smoke omitted from his nose as he looked around.

"Who's next?!" He shouted.

No response. He sighed. They kept coming. That Velocity kid was right. He tried taking out the machines that produced them, but...no avail. He didn't know how long he could keep on fighting, but he had to. It is his duty. To protect this planet and all who inhabit it. He made a vow.

"Promise me, Alan. That no matter what, you'll act as a helping hand to the people of this planet. Whether in public, or in the shadows." The last words his mother gave to him rang in his head. He thought about them every day. Every time he woke up. But with that quote...came that night. He remembers it. Every. Single. Detail.

2 years ago.

The silence of the night. The streets quiet, everyone minding their own business. They were either headed home, headed to a hotel, or simply taking a stroll in the beautiful night. That's how Strongham City was. The day's busy, but the night's calm.

Tonight, that calmness was interrupted by the sudden sound of police sirens. Two armored trucks ahead of the police cars. Racing down the busy streets, drifting and swerving, causing a panic.

A winged figure appeared in the sky. The pursuing police officers become startled, looking up. The figure looks down at them. A nod. Telling them to back off, he's got this. The police cruisers slow down, but don't halt completely.

The armored cars push ahead. The two drivers communicate over a radio.

"I think we got the pigs off our tail!" The first speaker shouts into the radio.

"No, no. Something's not right." The second one stated, almost in a whisper.

"Oh, come on. Be happy for once. We lost 'em. Doesn't matter." The first speaker spoke back.

"But it's like...they stopped. Intentionally." The second speaker explained himself.

Just before the first speaker could reply, a loud thud is heard on the hood of the first armored truck. The 3 guys in the first truck are startled. The driver picks up his pace. It's not enough. Another loud BANG! is heard on the hood of the car. The first driver can't go any faster. He curses to himself. Then, the hood of the car is ripped in half! A dark, looming figure with wings on his back stands above. Everyone looks up, except the driver, who is focused on getting the hell out of there. The figure reaches out, grabbing one of the passengers, yanking him out of the car. The passenger looks into his eyes. It's inhuman. Reptile-like eyes. Like a demon from hell. The figure head-butts the passenger, tossing him off the hood and onto the street, remorselessly. He looks to see the second passenger is already gone. More than likely out of fear. But the driver is on it. The barrel of a shotgun reaches the shadowy figures head. It fires, sending the figure flying off the hood and down to the street, rolling, skidding. Both the armored trucks halt to a stop. The driver of the first truck gets out, shotgun in hand, approaching the figure. 3 people come out of the second armored truck. They all stalk the figure. But the figure isn't dead! He rises, not phased at all! The shotgun wielder's eyes widen. His arms tremble as he hoist the shot gun again. Everyone can see the figure now. A human-dragon hybrid. Human features, human stance, human shape. Dragon skin. Dragon eyes. It's almost demonic to them. This is...

Alan the Dragon.

A smirk crosses his face. He sends a breath of fire at the shotgun wielder, burning the gun to a crisp. With impossible speeds, he is in front of the now gun-less man. He grabs him by the neck, snaps it in one go. Again, zero remorse in his eyes. Zero remorse for the criminals that plague his hometown. His birthplace.

He turns to the other men. They're scared. They start to run. Alan's not going to let that happen. He appears almost instantaneously in front of them. Grabs the first two criminal's heads, smashes them together with brute strength, an instant knock out. The last guy is out of reach, but he uses his tail to catch him. Wrapping his tail around the man's waist, he flips him over, slamming him into the pavement. Alan draws a sword from his back, looking down at the man. He sees his eyes. Whimpering, pleading. As "big and bang" these criminals might seem, they are all the same thing: a cowardly bunch. Each and every one of them, reduced to nothing in their final moments.

"My advice?" Alan spoke, his voice deep, gritty. He sticks his blade into the man's chest, right in his heart. The man gasp. Still alive, but not for long. And only because Alan wants him to hear his next words.

"You should've just let the cops catch you."

With that, Alan yanks the blade from the man's heart. The man gasp, bleeding out. Alan smirks as he turns, walking away. He leaps into the air, his wings spreading out wider as he begins to fly into the dark of the night.

Alan landing on the outside of a medium-sized house. This was his home. His sanctuary. Him and his mother, who he had been taking care of since the passing of his father. Another tragedy ridden day.

He reverted his body back to his full human form, walking down the cobblestone pathway that lead to the front door of the house. The blue, illuminating color of the house shined the brightest, even in the dark night. Even the decorated windows, with all it's flowers, gave off only positive vibes. But positive wasn't the word to describe the next thing Alan would face upon turning the doorknob and entering his home.

He looked around. Everything was destroyed. The paintings and pictures hanging barely on the wall. Vases smashed, tables broken. Whatever happened here, it was a fight.

"Mom?" Alan spoke loudly as he navigated through the house. He walked into the living room, only to see an image that he would remember for the rest of his life.

His mother, laying there, limp. Bleeding. Groaning in pain.

Alan's eyes widen as he approaches her. He kneels down, and their eyes meet. Alan notices her skin is different. The skin of...a dragon. A secret his mother kept from him all this time. Alan couldn't believe it. But he didn't care about that now. His mother was dying, there had to be something he could do.

"Alan...son..." His mother spoke weakly. She reached her hand up to touch his cheek. Small tears formed in both their eyes. "I'm sorry I never told you...I just couldn't find the right time to say it..."

Alan shook his hand. "Don't be sorry. We have to get you some help, we have to-"

"No, it's too late." His mother responded, calmly. Noticing the panic in Alan's voice, she stated, "Relax, son. It's okay, it's going to be okay..."

"YOU'RE DYING!" Alan fired back. "WHO DID THIS?! TELL ME! WHO DID THIS?!"

"Tia...Tia..." Alan's mother croaked. She was running out of time.

"TIA WHO!?" Alan held his mother in his arms, not wanting to let go. Not wanting her to slip away. "Mom, stay with me!" His voice lowered.

"Alan, promise me...one thing..." His mother started to drift away. A smile forming on her face.

"Anything, mom. Anything!"

"Promise me, Alan. That no matter what, you'll act as a helping hand to

the people of this planet. Whether in public, or in the shadows. Continue to bring the bad guys to justice. Justice. Not vengeance. Not revenge. And please, son, no killing. That's why when you hunt out the man who killed me...Tiamat...I want you to bring him to proper justice...don't succumb to his level...please..."

And with those final words, Alan's mother died. In his arms. Alan could only close his eyes, fighting back tears. He had to remain strong. Confine to his mothers wishes...

Modern day.

Now, Alan stood outside of the Orbital Watcher. How he found his way here? It took a lot of convincing. He was going to give this one more shot. For his people. For Mobius. For his mother.

He walked inside, the automatic doors swinging open, as if inviting him in. When he stepped inside, he saw various people standing around, like they were waiting for him.

Syeed the Hedgehog. The one who got this idea in the first place. At least, that's what Alan figured. Syeed had confronted Alan and convinced him to come up here.

Strife the Fox. Syeed's best friend and possibly the smartest guy in this room. No, definitely the smartest guy in this room. Alan quite liked him.

Eli the Squirrel. Dressed in a G.U.N armored suit. Alan only met Eli once, earlier today, saving him from an ambush by the Banshees.

Along with Eli's friend, Jawez the Echidna. He was the "silent bad-ass" type, but didn't impress Alan at all. He'd seen 'em before. He wondered how much of a punch Jawez would pack.

Flame. His fire-y companion. Alan never had a problem with Flame. He's heard of Flame's past heroic deeds.

Zarge. Alan snickered, only slightly. He wondered if the kid had matured in the last couple of hours or not. Regardless, he won't let this be a hindrance to the current task at hand.

A team was forming. And Alan knew it would be the only way to stop this invasion.