Hey, I'm so happy to have the second chapter up so fast. This story really is inspired. Or that's just how I feel about it. Anyway please enjoy.

I do not own The Inheritance Cycle, Yu-Gi-Oh, How to Train Your Dragon, or Rangers Apprentice.

Joseph Wheeler had always been one to dream big. Living in distant Hedarth made realizing those dreams marginally difficult. He had wanted to go enlist and become a part of Queen Nasuada's army leaving his hellish existence with his drunk father far behind. The problem was, the new capitol Belatona was across the Hadarac desert. He had neither the money nor the time to get the supplies needed to cross the hot sands. So, unless some generous soul came by and offered to take him there on their own money, he was out of luck.

Well to be honest, his real dream was to become a dragon rider, but his chances of getting that far were not only nil but laughable. That was why he'd never shared this particular dream with anyone. Okay, his sister knew, but she wasn't here anymore. Joey sighed as he stared at the sky above. It was mostly clear today, as it had been yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that, and- well, he lived on the edge of a desert. Not a lot of rain passed their way. Not even lying in the tall grass was helping him cool off today. Maybe Tristan would want to go fool around in the Edda River.

Joey was still trying to find the will to actually get up and find his friend when something large and shadowed hurtled past overhead. He sat up startled and alarmed only to gasp in awe at the sight of a huge yellow dragon. He stood up and ran after it a few steps only to give up as he realized the futility of that exercise. This was absolutely incredible! He'd never seen a dragon so close before, and it was beautiful. Its underbelly was a creamy yellow leading up into a slightly darker golden color towards its spine. A thrill of excitement shot through him like a bolt of lightning as he realized the dragon was headed towards town.

Joey took off running as his hopes began to rise that the magnificent creature would land in town. He'd never run so fast in his life.

The dragon had indeed landed in town. There was already a huge gathering in the square by the time Joey got there, but he was still able to squeeze through to the front of the crowd. The dragon was even more beautiful up close. The sun glinted off those golden scales making them look like a pile of gold coins, but best of all, he was close enough to see that there was actually a black stripe along the dragon's spine. It was a bit lost under the black saddle and the fold of its great wings but the stripe continued all the way to the tip of its long tail.

"Wow!" he breathed. Dragons were everything he'd imagined and more. His heart swelled with joy and he was walking forward before he even knew what he as doing.

The dragon made a deep rumbling noise as it turned and for a breath taking moment looked straight into his eyes. No, not it, she. The dragon was a she.

"Wonder what your name is," he murmured.

Blaze.

Joey startled at the rich female voice he'd just heard, and startled again at the chuckle just to his right. He turned to see a tall man with slightly wild but close cut blond hair. His blue eyes twinkled with mirth. He wore simple clothes underneath an odd mottled green, gray, brown cloak. There was a sword at his hip and a bow slung over his shoulder.

"It's not often she gives out her name to strangers," the man said. "She likes you. Tell me your name young man."

"Joey, uh- Joseph Wheeler, but most people call me Joey," he stammered.

"I'm Gilan," the stranger said reaching out to shake hands with him. "Nice to meet you Joey. Maybe I'll see you around, though perhaps you could do me the favor of pointing me towards your mayor?"

Joey glanced around in slight panic until he caught sight of the old man. His expression was absolutely mortified. He drew a finger swiftly across his throat with a venomous glare and Joey gulped. Whelp, he'd be staying out of town for a few days.

"He's there," Joey said pointing at the man. "Mayor Wilks."

Gilan clapped him on the shoulder. "Good man." Then he walked away.

Joey had just resolved to run off and make himself scarce when he chanced to glance back at the dragon. She was still looking at him, her golden brown eyes twinkling with intelligence and knowledge.

See you later, Joey.

The dragon moved off to follow Gilan and Joey realized with a jolt of surprise that the man had been her rider. He glanced at the rider and watched him greet the mayor.

"I see you met Joey," Wilks said. "Son of the town Cartwright and drunk. Sorry about that."

Anger flared in him at the mayor's harsh words. He didn't stick around to hear the rest of the conversation. First dragon and rider he ever meets and the mayor just has to go bad mouthing him. He was tackled suddenly from behind and Joey almost took a swing at the culprit until he realized it was Tristan.

"Joey you lucky son of a-"

"Drunk?" Joey finished for him bitterly.

Tristan pulled back with a slightly hurt glare. "What, I thought nothing would wipe the smile off your face after an encounter like that!"

"Yeah, until Wilks has to go spilling it that I'm the son of the town's black sheep," Joey raged. "I'd stay away from me for a while Tristan. I know for sure Wilks is gonna send his goons to come teach me my place again."

"I could help," Tristan offered.

"You and me against five trained thugs," Joey said. "Yeah I think I'll pass. Look I'll just stay outa town for a few days."

"But Joey," Tristan said darkly. "He'll be furious."

Joey turned and put a hand on his friend's shoulder halting their slow amble. "Better one furious drunk than five sober goons."

Tristan sighed and took a step back, letting his concern for his friend shine through in his expression for once. "Watch yourself Joey," Tristan told him seriously.

Joey smiled and clapped his friend on the shoulder appreciatively. "You too," he said before running off.

Over the next few days, Joey would watch two more dragons join Blaze and her rider. There was a dusty silver one even larger than Blaze and a bronze tan made up the smallest of the group. Their riders were all trained fighters, though the youngest of the group seemed like more of an apprentice still. All three wore the same strangely mottled cloaks, and he'd found out why they wore them. He'd once watched the oldest of their party take off for the forest and as he got further into the trees it was like he just sort of... faded. It wasn't that he had turned invisible, it was just almost impossible to see him. These guys had some serious skill.

Joey was too busy avoiding the mayor's thugs and his drunk father to hear any news of why there were so many dragon riders visiting the town. He figured it was a question that simply would never be answered, at least, not for him. This whole situation was just cementing just how trapped he really was. There was just no possible way he'd ever become a dragon rider, and there was just no possible way he could ever go to Belatona and become one of Nasuada's soldiers. He'd be stuck in Hedarth forever, and become the next Cartwright and town drunk.

It was his worst fear; to fall into the same path of his father and lose himself to a constant and angry drunken haze. But he simply could not let himself give up hope yet. It would mean surrendering to the agony of being a no good waste of space who would be lost in the folds of time with not a soul to morn his passing. Yeah, that was what fate had in store for one Joey Wheeler. At least he could choose to never put any children through this hell. No, he would die alone and unloved, and as long as it was just him, that would be fine. For now though...

Joey grinned widely from his position up in a tree. He supposed it wasn't too wise to be climbing trees in the dead of night, but this was definitely worth it. His constant snooping had uncovered where the dragon's had been bedding down for the duration of their stay. The three were scattered around in a large clearing, sleeping or merely resting. Blaze was closest to him from his position. It would be nice to get close to her again, hear the deep swoosh of her breath, feel the warmth coming off her scales. It would be nice to imagine just for a while that Blaze was his dragon.

Heart in his throat, Joey climbed out of the tree and began creeping up to the clearing. The moon was striking white sparks off of Blaze's dazzling coat and he longed to run a hand over her scales. Were they as smooth as they looked? Were they sharp? There was a sharp snap and Joey startled, glancing sharply down at the twig he'd just stepped on and broke. When he looked up, Blaze was staring straight at him. He couldn't tell if she was angry or not.

"Heh heh, sorry," he said nervously. Well this whole thing had been a mistake. "I'll just g-."

Joey.

He paused frozen at the idea that a dragon had taken the time to learn his name.

"Uh, yeah?"

Come sit with me, she requested lightly. Gilan has a question for you.

"He does?" Joey asked apprehensively. Well, he was in trouble.

The dragon rolled onto her feet with a low rumble, but she did not stand up as Joey had been expecting.

You are not in trouble, she assured him.

"We just wanted to offer you an opportunity," Gilan said from behind him.

Joey jumped about a foot in the air in shock and surprise. He turned to look aghast at the tall man.

"How would you like the chance to become a dragon rider?"