CHAPTER 1 - chapter 1.

   It was a normal tuesday at Richmond High. People were bustling about trying to get to their classes, teachers were yelling at the students, and some of us were just trying to fade into the background. My life was an ordinary one. I went to classes and socialized when I could. I never tried to excel beyond anything mostly because I never wanted to stand out. However whenever I tried there was always a certain group that found me no matter what I did or where I went. 

          His name was Calvin and he and his little crew were the bane of my existince. As if school life wasn't bad enough these people always had enough time to ruin my day. Sometimes it was little things like hiding my stuff or stealing my lunch money. Other times it would be shoving me into lockers and tripping me in dooorways. Sure it would seem like regular high shool tomfoolery but to me the more it happened the more resentment and fear clouded my heart. I hated it and I hated these people. Sometimes I wanted hide away and cry my eyes out. I'm always being told to grow up and stand up for myself but part of me knows it would just make things worse.

            There was one small thing that manage to keep my hopes high. Video games. They were my only escape from reality and one of the classrooms were specifically designed for gaming. It wasn't like a club but was a healthy alternative for reccess. The walls were covered in posters from classic video game franchises. Board games lined every shelf and there were several TVs in each of the four corners of the room. This was my tiny slice of paradise.

              One of my all time favorites was a playstation game called Spyro The Dragon. I fell in love with it the first time I played it. It was easy to just pick up and play. Plus with the amazing level designs and characters. I would often just sit there staring at the TV screen staring at Spyro the purple dragon, the main character that you play. His witty humor, his awsome gameplay feel, and his design made me feel something that I never felt before. 

                 There were other games for sure but none quite struck me like spyro did. Fun, peaceful, and addicting were some words that come to mind while playing but there was also another. Obsession. I would beat it 100 percent and then move to the sequal and 100 percent that. When I completed the last one I would just go back to the first game and repeat the process. Sometimes I would dream about what it would be like to live in that world and if I would screw it all up somehow.

                    When the reccess bell rang out into the halls I grabbed my school supplies and headed to the game room. With a smile on my face I opened the door expecting a game console waiting for me and a nice relaxing time ahead. However I stopped dead in my tracks frozen in place upon seeing Calvin sitting in a bean bag with the controller in his hands. I looked at the other spots hoping to find another place to game but all the TVs were smashed into pieces with the glass glistening on the ground. 

                    "Oh hey loser. Hope you don't mind but teacher don't want me outside right now. Got kinda bored so..." Calvin said laying upside on the bag.

                    "It's Nathan....you know there are other places in the building." I said crossing my arms.

                     Setting the controller down he stood up and walked toward me. With his fists clenched tightly he shoved me back against the wall pinning me there. "I don't care. Can't a guy just relax without being annoyed to death by someone. Why don't you go somewhere else for a change." He sneered at me letting me go. Then he started digging through the stack of playstation games looking for his next fix.

                      I was too scared to say anything to him and when he picked up Spyro the Dragon I felt increasingly aggitated. I knew it didn't belong to me but still this was my only free time in the day besides home. "Fuck this kids game." Calvin said tossing the game aside. I scrambled over to pick it up and noticed the large crack down the middle of the casing. I felt something boiling inside me at that moment. An uncontrollable feeling finally rising to the surface.

                      I ran over to him and pushed him sending Calvin up against the TV. He grinned at me running full speed toward me tackling me to the ground knocking all the air out of my chest. The spyro casing was sent flying impaling itself into the shattered television screen. Calvin held me down as his fists struck me in the face and all the while I couldn't do anything to defend myself. If only I didn't let myself get so mad via a video game. 

                        In our tussle the television sent out a loud spark with a visible streak of electricity near where we were. Calvin flung himself back off of me while I held onto my face. Both Calvin and I stared at the TV watching as the busted screen was sinking in on itself like quicksand. The boardgames around the room were slowly being yanked off the shelves and a few other objects were slowly being drawn towards it. Gravity itself seemed to invert as both Calvin and I were being dragged along the floor. 

                        "Fuck this!" Calvin yelled trying to get to his feet to scramble out the door. As soon as he grabbed the knob the pull got even stronger. It was like he was dangling from the doorframe in midair. Meanwhile my body was being dragged across the floor with my skin squeaking against the ground. I desperatly flailed about trying to grab onto anything but there was nothing. Soon I levitated upwards with my feet warping into the dark hole. Everything went black after that. Did I die? Was this how I went out or maybe I was on some kind of drug. I just didn't know

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                            When I next open my eyes, I was outside. The sky was beautiful. So blue and clear and yet something felt off. I sat up in a daze looking around to see the green grass and hills. Various trees and stone architecture littered around and it all looked so familiar. Suddenly something knocked me down and my eyes went wide trying to rack my brain on what I was seeing.

                                It looked like a dragon. Dark brown scales sheeming under the sunlight. Two twisted horns protruding from its skull. A long tail lashing about with a spear as the tip. It was on four legs and smoke was rising from its nostrils. Two spiky wings resting on its back. It's eyes were somewhat cartoony and the more I looked at it the more it reminded my of Spyro the dragon just a different color and specs. But why would one be here in front of me? Was I still dreaming?

                                  In a flash the dragon grabbed my collar shaking me wildly. "Th...fthuck....ha..you don!" It spoke as if chewing on its on tongue." My heart was pounding so hard I thought I was going to pass out again. Excitment , fear, and confusion all fighting each other to claim dominance. Still I had to do something. The fabric of my shirt was ripping in its claws each piece falling to the side. 

                                            Then I got to look at myself with my skin being a bit more saturated than normal. Before I could start asking question a voice rang out from the distance cuing the dragon ontop of me to stop shaking. My eyes went wide and I bit my lip noticing a familiar face but not one from school and not one from home but from the video game I do so love playing. 

                                              "Ah! I thought so! Ultramagnetic interferance.......stong magical forces......oooh and a gate of some kind. Apologies for the inconvinience I was just running some of my experiments and accidently dragged you two into it." A short anthropomorphic mole with brown fur and a lab coat. He had big cartoonish glasses. His teeth chewing on the end of a pencil and he smiled. "You can just call me The Professor and you might be....?"

                                                 It was! It was the character from the second spyro game! Except he was much more realistic and HD. "Im....ummm....Nathan." I managed to get out. The dragon that had been shaking my collar started trying to walk over to The Professor but kept tripping over his own feet. I could tell he was angry and the mole started backing up in response. "Tha.....Fathck is gon on!" The dragon said.

                                                  "Hmmmm let me see here....aha!" The professor said diggin in his lab coat pulling out what appeared to be a tablet. A green light shot out onto the brown dragon then immediatly turned off. "I see I see you are not native to the dragon world. In fact I would say you were never a dragon to begin with. Interesting. A very interesting side effect. Do you also have a name?" 

                                                        "Cavthin." It said. 

                                                      My jaw was left hanging open as my pure excitement turned into hatred. My high school bully actually followed me into this.....world. A world I only dreamed of ever visiting. A world that only existed in a video game. Not only that but he was actually transformed into a dragon. It was fair to be a bit jelous but I was still a bit hopeful that maybe just maybe that my life could improve here.

                                                           "Well since my equipment is needing replacement parts both of you might be stuck here for a bit. Not to worry I'll be able to send you back in maybe......a week or two. In the meantime however I know of a few people that can help with housing. Again apologies for the inconvenience. " The Professer signaled us to folled. I tried to keep myself composed but calvin had his usual angry look on his face but with his new dragon face it was harder to take it seriously.

                                                            Across the hills we were introduced to a building that was covered in vines and made entirely out of wood. I would have thought it was just a big tree if not for the obvious metal door.  I didn't remember something like this from the games but still I was curious. When the door opened Calvin stumbled inside getting his horns stuck on the sides of the door. "Fuhh..." I laughed behind his back as he cursed to himself. 

                                                                 Inside was built like the inside of an early 80s sci-fi room. The walls wer pure metal with gadgets and gizmos on every shelf that lined the walls. Beakers and test tubes on the tables and giant computers that sat around the room with huge wires running out the back into who knows where. Along with all the stuff I could make sense of there were more magical elements as well. Giant gates with sparkling yellow enterances , elevators that were just standing platforms that moved up and down, and different colored crystals that seemed to power most things.

                                                                 "This is my laboratory. The beginning of most of my experiments. We should be recieving company soon enough and we can get you both somewhere safe."

                                                                  ".....Alright you quack!" Calvin sprung to life getting more irate by the second. "I'm already sick of this shit. I'm not about to go on some colorful adventure with the fruity characters you got behind door number one! I'm going to wait right here till you fix this." He gestured at himself. 

                                                                       "Well thats one option I suppose but it isn't really safe here at the moment. Lots of break ins and I don't know what will happen if you should get injured in this form while I send you back to your regular body. Don't worry though these folks are most trusted and maybe you can learn a thing or two on manners." The professer laughed which only only made Calvin more mad. "Oh and for you Nathan might we get you fixed up. Can't have you walking around half naked."

                                        I blushed totally forgetting my ripped up shirt. It didn't take the professer long to find me some spare clothing. He gave me a fluffy jacket that was green on the outside and white and feathery on the inside. It was a little long as it hid some of my legs hopefully covering the jeans that I had worn for the last week straight. Then I hid my face when I got it on. Thinking to myself "Oh my god! I'm wearing something from another dimension!" 

                                              Then the next thought in my head popped in. Since I was in Spyro's universe....was it possible for me to meet the guy? That warm feeling filled my chest. Was it possible to meet the other characters? I was swimming in the possiblilities! In the middle of my thought session Calvin have trotted over to me. He stood on his hind legs and pushed me onto one of the tables sending some of the phials shattering to the ground. 

                                               "This is all your fault nerd! I swear if I miss my football weekend with my friends I'll find something else to shove you into that isn't a locker! I don't even have a dick!" He said pointing at the nothing between his legs. From this angle I could see the discoloration from his outer scales and inner. While the outer ones were darker brown the inner ones were more yellow that blended into each other.

                                                I was officially taller than him as well. His horns only reached up to my neck but still he was a dragon which only made it worse for me. Not only was I jelous but angry that he was making me dislike dragons. Once we went our seperate ways I would be so much happier. Then I could explore this world a bit and maybe meet some of my heroes but until then I had to tough it out. 

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                                                  A few short hours later and a loud knock came banging on the metal door. The professer opened it and in walked a slender figure wearing a short orange dress and a purple cape. They had whitish fur and long ears that hung down on her back. I almost immediatly recognized them from the game. Heck it was hard for me to contain my enthusiasm so I gripped my hands together trying to maintain my proffesionalism.

                                                      "Hello newcomers. I'm going to be your guide for the day. You can call me Bianca. You two sure know how to get totally lost huh?" She said. Calvin clicked his teeth probably getting more annoyed by all the cartoon characters that keep showing up. I don't think he ever played the spyro games and just saw the back of the case and decided it was some kids game. I still felt a little bad about trapping him here but then I remembered all the swirlies I got from him in the past and instantly stopped caring.

                                                   "So some bunny chick is going to let us crash at her place?" Calvin said.

                                                   "This bunny chick is allowing you to stay somewhere other than the outdoors." Bianca said sarcastically. " But hey if you want to stay outside and fight the rhynocs be my guests."

                                               Calvin gritted his teeth together as it was hard for him to be polite. Meanwhile I stepped forward and extended my hand in greeting. "Hi..I'm Nathan it's a pleasure." I said shaking a little. Bianca smiled widely with her fluffy cheeks and put her hand in mine. It was so soft I could die of a cuteness overload and be happy about it. "So where are we headed?" I asked.

                                                    From her backpocket Bianca pulled out a wand with a sparkling purple tip. I stared at it in awe as she waved it around directing the tip to the side of the wall. From completly out of nowhere a large mist appeared and as it dissapated a big wooden door appeared in its place. It was my first time seeing magic like this other than the portal that brought me here. Not the fake kind but real magic. Something that would be impossible in my world.

                                                      "Beyond this door is my home Avalar. There are all kinds of people to meet and every one of them is friendly. Well except the rhynocs but my wards are keeping them mostly at bay." Bianca said. "The Professer here will have everything fixed soon enough and then you'll be home in no time flat." The professer in the background was too busy talking himself to notice the conversation that we were having. 

                                                      "Alrighty but look rabbit girl." Calvin started to say. " I don't like being here at all. So no touchy feely stuff. I don't care to know anybody especially fruity characters like you."

                                                       "I have half a mind to change you into a donkey. It's up to you what you do with your time there. Sit around and do nothing for who knows how long or go around make friends." Bianca walked over and pulled the door open and a light shined through nearly blinding me. Excitment welled up in me. I took the first step and walked forward entering the portal. 

                                  Avalar. As soon as I felt my foot touch the ground a wave of shock and awe rushed through me. The bright yellow sun lit up the sky and everything underneath. The video game version of Avalar I remember being a hub world that connected each of the corners of that world through portals. It was still a beautiful world in pixels but now seeing it in real life was a lot to take in. The vibrant green grass casually swayed under my feet. The crystal clear pools of water. The stone walkways that led out to the massive round buildings with the golden domes. Water streaming down the sides of it like a waterfall. They also had flags attached to the front near the doors like accessories. It was a paradise.

                                 "What do you think?" Bianca said walking past me. 

                               "I think its amazing." I said walking around. 

                             "Thats good. By the way is your friend alright?" She said walking with me until we reached a bridge that led to one of the buildings.

                            "We arn't friends. In fact I try and stay clear of him usually." I said looking back at Calvin who was stepping through the portal. He had a bewildered look on his draconic face as he stepped foot in the grass. Bianca and I waited patiently for him to catch up. 

                            "Say bunny girl. Can you maybe do something about this body of mine?" Calvin said  trotting up to us. "I would much rather be my more attractive self than some lizard with wings." 

                             "If you were anything but a dragon I'd be happy to help. Sadly their magical defenses are really high plus I kinda promised someone to stop messing with dragons especially after last time....." Bianca said trailing off. 

                               As the three of us walked through some of Avalar, we eventually came upon a much larger building with a drawbridge that was lowered over a prestine moat that was filled with fish. Inside the stone fortress a small river ran through the middle and giant archways led to different areas of the building. One of which housed another portal but this one looking faintly familiar to me. It had a light blue hugh with golden letters at the top reading "The Artison Homeworld". 

                               "Here we are. A friend of mine helped make this portal but it definetly leads directly to the dragon's homeworld. I think the angry dragon would feel right at home there." Bianca smiled at Calvin.

                                  "Ummm excuse me?" Calvin raised an eyebrow. "I'm not going in there by myself. Just because I look like a dragon doesn't mean I am one." Calvin said clicking his teeth. Bianca laughed to herself while I was glued to the portal itself. 

                                     Slowly something emerged from the portal which immediatly got Bianca's attention. Out from the blue sky portal walked two large rhynocs. One was 8 feet tall with large horn on the end of its snout. It had bright blue skin and was decked out in iron armor that covered most of its body. The other was significantly shorter about as tall as I was at around 6 feet. It also had a horn but more broad than pointy. Blue skin and instead of armor it had plain green cloth on and an oversized knights helm that covered its face.            

                                      The two Rhynocs looked at each other in panic and prepared themselves for a fight. Bianca ushered Calvin and I to get behind her while she raised her wand. In a microsecond a spark flew from the tip of her wand igniting itself into a fireball that lit up the walls. Bianca sent it hurtling towards the ryhnocs that jumped to the side feeling the heat fly past their faces. They adjusted their armor and charged straight at the bunny sorceress.

                                     Calvian and I were watching the whole thing until we noticed that those were not the only two ryhnocs coming through the portal. A few more emerged and were immediatly looking to back up their friends in the fight. Fear began to take over my mind. What would happen to us if we were defeated? In the game you would game over and restart somewhere else but in this new reality what would happen? I held my head too scared to think or do anything of use.

                                        "Hey! What are you doing!" Calvin said grabbing me with his claws and shaking me. "I never played this game before so how do we beat them? I'm not going out in a colorful blaze of glory!" 

                                   "U-um just flame or charge them."

                                 "So just run at them?" Calvin said feeling up his horns.

                                  "Pretty much".

                               Calvin smiled aiming his horns downward planting all four of his feet into the ground. With all his speed he took off towards the growing crowd of rhynocs. A cloud of dust was left in his wake as he angrily charged at the enemy. Just as Bianca was getting surounded Calvin charged straight down the middle of the crowd practically splitting their forces in two. Some of the smaller ryhnocs being flung into the air.

                               "Suck it!" Calvin said screeching to a halt. The big armored Rhynoc growled a bit putting up his fists. Calvin pointed his horns at the big brute and ran head long into him. With a loud clang Calvin's horns made contact with the metalic armor. While it did stop the dragon dead in his tracks it also sent the rhynoc flying backwards a few feet into the wall. 

                                  With Bianca flaming some and Calvin ramming into the others, the rhynocs took the smart path and retreated. Scattering in every direction. Calvin laughed at the fleeing enemies as Bianca steadied her breathing. The two looking at each other with moderate satisfaction. It was all entertaining to say the least as I watched a magical duel with a dragon fighting rhynocs. Still I wished I could have actually contributed....even a little.

                                "Nice work!" Bianca said giving a thumbs up. 

                              "Fuck Yea! You see that! I'm a total powerhouse!" Calvin gloated jumping up and down. "Man I'm starting to see the appeal of all this now." 

                            "Well dragons are suppose to be tough. In fact I know of one dragon that single handidly defeated tons of rhynocs." Bianca knelt down to Calvin's eye level. " but he was a bit nicer." The two went back and forth while I sat there on my hands. I was starting to feel isolated but maybe that would change after a while. I just had to keep telling  myself not to get too jelous.

                                 "So why did you bring us over here in the first place?" Calvin said pointing at the portal.

                               "Well I was hoping to convince you to get acustomed to the dragon way of life there. But now after that attack I guess you could use it for training. There are a lot of dragons out there with a lot to teach and now that Ripto has likely escaped again we are going to need all hands on deck." Bianca said. "Don't worry though I fully plant on getting you back home."

                               "Finally something I can learn that itsn't stupid. If its to kick more ass sure I'm down. Maybe this world isn't totally garbage I guess." Calivin said walking over to the portal. Poking his head in he looked down seeing nothing but air. " Uhh how do I ....." Bianca slowly walked up behind him and with a flick of her wand a small jolt of thunder shot out striking him in his butt. The sudden burst of pain sending Calvin through the portal completly.

                                   "Don't worry he's fine" Bianca said turning to me. "Alright now it's your turn."

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                                   After several twists and turns, Bianca led me to a small village just on the outskirts of the castles and stone buildings. A small river ran straight through the middle of it all with a shiny blue hue. All the huts were made from well cut stone with some wooden furnishing on the windows and doors. The villagers themselves were almost exactly what I expected them to be. 

                                Small anthropomorphic mice with lamps attached to their heads. If memory served me I'd say they were from Glimmer in the second spyro game. I never played the sequals as much as the first game so everything is fuzzy after that but still. I felt excited for what happens next. Now that I didn't have to worry about Calvin or rhynocs I could finally enjoy my time in my favorite video game world.

   It didn't take long for introductions to turn friendly. Bianca said I was a lost traveler and the mice folk were of coarse happy to take me in. Instead of just giving me an already existing hut they built one from scratch using their excessive amounts of rock and stone. The hut looked similar to theirs except bigger and with human consideration. On the inside there were basic necessaties like shelves, a bed, and even a bathroom. It was a fresh start to something.

                                  In return for supplying me with home and furnishing I wanted to help out as much as I could. The mice folk helped Avalar with mining not only precious gems but neccessary stones that built many of the homes and buildings even some that were far away. For a few days I would accompany them to the mines with my own lantern helmet. The scent of iron and coal permeated the entire area. At first I thought it would easy. If small mice people could do this all day and not get tired surely I could as well!

                                  Turns out I totally sucked.Not only was I physically inept but I had no talent whatsoever. Some of the mice tried teaching me how to properly weild a pickaxe and even gave me a few pointers on where to strike on the wall and to pace myself. I had only swung the pickaxe for about an hour on a vein of iron and I was already exhausted. Still I did manage to get a few chunks off but compared to the mice who already had cartloads of the stuff made me feel kinda worthless.

                                  I tried moving carts, excavation, and I even tried my hand at cooking and yet I had no skill with any of it. Late in the day the only thing I could do was lay down in my bed with all my muscles aching. What was I expecting? Just because I was in a new world that I would get stronger? What was I going to to with my time here then? This was a once in a lifetime thing and I didn't want to just waste it and go home. Surely there had to be something.

                                  "Rhynocs!" a voice from outside exclaimed. Loud explostions rocked the side of my hut. I forced myself to get up shuffeling over to the door before it bursted open. I was sent flying backwards and landed on my back. In walked on of the large blue rhynocs with an oversized helmet and no shirt. It had a big iron buckle on its orange pants. What did I do to deserve this luck. 

                                   The Rhynoc reared his arm back and in once punch I was knocked out cold. I didn't know how much time I had spent unconscious. When I started to come around, I could feel my body being dragged by my feet. The heavy stomping of feet and jingling of chains in snync with one another. The odor of sweat and fear. I tried opening my eyes but I was blindfolded and gagged. My wrists were tied as well as my feet. I was scared to move. I didn't want to be punched again and I didn't want them knowing I was awake. It was like being paralized while awake. One wrong move could be disatrous though. 

                                      Suddenly I was dropped and I could hear fighting going on in the background. The ryhnocs were yelling and screaming and the clash of metal and loud thuds hitting the ground. Then the quiet. I struggled on my ropes trying to scooch myself backward on what felt like grass. I could hear footsteps approaching along with a buzzing sound. 

                                 "Well that was easy. Those rhynocs are toasted." The mystery person said as his footsteps grew louder. "You look like your having a bad day." I could feel them pulling on my restrainst. First my legs and arms loosening, then the gag and blindfold drooping down on my face. When I could open my eyes they immediatly went wide. Standing in front of me with a lot of unconscious rhynocs was the one and only Spyro The Dragon.