If there is one thing that is mind breaking about turning into a dragon. It is the actual transformation, growth and adapting to the new body. Pride does come with this but never had an issue to keep it in check and only allow it to be a factor in few things. No plants for me from now on which is both good and bad, I didn't grow as big as usual dragons which is good.

Because modern weapons are no joke, but, it isn't my intent to be a danger, although unfortunately that is very difficult to read from a scaly thing like me as average man is about third of my height. My passion has always been learning and a fitting price is set, if the individual who approaches me wishes to learn something, this has to inform me of something new or teach about it.

The solitude never bothered me but, encounter with a human is always interesting. So far, half and half. You know, half running away and half start praying for their lives until hearing my voice and realizing I am an individual capable of human speech, have intelligence and awareness of the world.

Usually those who meet me at my request don't spread the news which is delightful and they will have my thanks, if they have the bearings to search for me. I notice somebody in corner of my eye as I rest on the ground looking at this river area, I do not turn my head too much just enough that I can observe it with one eye.

It is a human, when it got close enough I turn my gaze fully at it 'Human, you may stop trying to approach me without me noticing now' I said gently. No answers, I do suspect that this might have a firearm that could hurt me. After few seconds though of me staring at the location of the human. She stands up and reveals herself.

She doesn't have a firearm with her, so, I just turn to look at the view again. 'What kind of dragon are you?' she asked 'Hmm... An eccentric one' I said 'So, no fire breath or massive hoard of gold and valuables?' she asked sounding little bit surprised 'No, to both. You have no idea how painful it would be to have the former and while shiny things are nice, I am not that type' I said.

'Why are you here then?' she asked and arrived right next to of me then looks at the view. Finding it just as beautiful as I do 'I have appreciation for finer things, such as solitude, beautiful view such as this and stillness of air' I said and look at the lady. In human standards she is pretty but, more in the graceful side than actual beauty.

She sat down on a rock to admire the view 'What do you do then?' she asks breaking the long moment of silence, which is not irritating as having somebody to talk to every now and then is very nice. 'It isn't obvious?' I ask in a slightly snarky tone but, it should be pretty obvious 'Just living your life? I... Got to admit, I was expecting a bit more grandiose answer' she said.

I chuckle 'Quite big bearings you have m' lady' I said and turn to her 'So, what would you like to learn?' I asked. She seemed to almost hiccup from becoming nervous as I turned to her and asked my question 'There is a price in this isn't there?' she asked, smart woman. 'There is, knowledge, for knowledge' I said. She looks at me into my eye.

'You really are a strange one' woman said still surprised of my eccentricity 'Individuality can be quite a strange thing lady' I said 'Well, that is a statement I can not disagree with' she said, I chuckle a bit and she looks a bit annoyed of being outwitted 'So, how about it? Knowledge for knowledge?' I ask.

'I need to ask, what I would like to know and in turn I need to teach you something new?' she asked keeping her emotions in check 'Correct' I said straightly. She thinks for a while 'We can exchange as many times as we desire?' she asked and does sound like she is buying time 'How much are you willing to gamble?' I asked. This made her quite nervous.

'So, it has to be a fair trade' she said realizing the gravity of the situation 'Indeed' I said 'Does the previous questions count?' she asked 'No' I said 'There isn't really any knowledge I wish to learn but, travel home is long' she said. I chuckle 'Ma'am, no, however if you have a rope just tie a knot around my talon and tie yourself tightly, but, for that you must teach me two things I do not yet know' I said.

'Well, it should be easy but, I am nervous' she said and pulled out a phone to start browsing the internet. I chuffed in amused manner.

"Chuckle bucket, why aren't you eating your peas?" Nancy's voice sounded both cheery and concerned as she peered over at my plate.

It's not unusual for my stepmother to sound cheery. I think that's what drove me so crazy. No matter what, her high pitched voice rang like a happy clappy church bell. She was the only person I'd ever met that could sound both cheery and sad, or cheery and mad... and it made me want to rip my ears off.

"Because I'm turning into a freaking dragon, Nancy." I growled, "and dragons. Don't. Eat. Peas."

"Oh, sweetie, is this from one of your video games?" Nancy frowned, "and I thought I said no more growling! That's not how we communicate with people in this house." She said, authoritatively. She might as well have wagged one of her fat, pudgy fingers at me.

"No," I said, gritting my teeth, "it's not a game. I found an ancient scroll and I'm turning into a dragon."

"Sure, honey." Nancy sighed, "Have you---"

"It's not HONEY," I cut her off, "it's Shadowmancer now. GET. IT. RIGHT!" My voice was loud now, booming. No doubt part of my transformation.

"Shadowmancer. Did you take your mana beads this morning?" Nancy asked.

I didn't know what the hell 'mana beads' were supposed to be, but I recognized one of my stepmother's tricks when I saw one.

"DO NOT PLAY GAMES WITH ME, MORTAL," I bellowed across the dinner table. "FOR I, SHADOWMANCER, AM--"

Just then I heard the door to my dad's truck slam. He had gotten home late. Another late night. Probably not at the bar- it had been years since he'd given up the drink. Whenever he came home late, I'd still always get nervous that he might relapse and stumble into the dining room like he used to do.

This evening, he was running, not stumbling, though. He ran straight into the house to the medicine cabinet and got my pills.

"YOUR MAGIC BEANS CAN NOT SUPRESS THE INEVITABLE, OLD MAN, FOR I AM--"

Dad shoved the pills and a glass of water in my face. "I've had a long day, boy. Please, just..."

He sounded sad. He looked even more sad, and tired.

I took the pills, against my better dragon judgment, and hugged him. About an hour later, I apologized to Nancy.

Perhaps, when my transformation is complete, I will spare her. Only for him, but at least she will live.

I admire my face in the mirror. I've seen it millions of times before, so why does it feel so off today? Is there a stress pimple trying to hide somewhere? Is my mind playing games on me? I've felt that I looked weird before, but not like this. Just what is it? I move my face around to study it more, to try and make that nagging feeling that something isn't right go away. I tilt my head upward ever so slightly. There, there it is! Something glimmering in the light, just below my chin. But, what is it? I run my finger over the red glimmer and feel a coarseness I've never felt before. It can't be a freckle, freckles don't feel this way. Is it... cancer?

I pull out my phone and frantically google whatever it could be, but no pictures match it. And I just scared myself and saw tumors and decay for nothing. Great. I decide to call my mom. Whatever it is, it probably has something to do with her god awful genetics. It rings twice before she answers.

"What is it sweetie? You never call me. How are you? You know I worry."

"Well, yeah. It's not great. Between work and everything..." I trail off. "Anyway, that's not why I called. There's a spot right under my chin and it's freaking me out. Do you have any idea what it could be?"

"Acne again? Or something else? You'll need to be more specific. I can't read minds." I scratch my head.

"Right. I'll just send a picture." I snap one and send and sit through about 5 minutes of silence before it delivers.

"Just got it. Let me see." She pauses. "Oh, sweetie... they told me it wouldn't happen this early. I thought I had time. I thought you'd be normal for longer." I freeze, panicking about it before cooling down and trying to play it off.

"Well, you know, I've never really been normal." I force a laugh. "What is it though? Does cancer run in our family?"

"No, no sweetie. It isn't cancer." I sigh in relief before she continues. "It's just a little, really itty bitty...um...curse." she laughs awkwardly.

"A what? How? When? Why?"

"Well, your great grandfather on my side...." Of course it was from her side of the family. I stand, lost in thought, ignoring her long winded story. "And so you're turing into a dragon."

"Oh, a dragon, that's not bad. It's not cancer. Wait WHAT!? REALLY?"

"Yes, but if you get true love's kiss, then you'll revert. What about that nice boy, William?"

"Mom, Will is my friend. My GAY friend. He likes men. Plus, not interested. Don't wanna touch people."

"But, honey-" I ignore her.

"Being a dragon sounds just fine. Don't gotta pay for gas. I can just fly wherever. Now food and a job will be tricky, but I could do circus shows? I guess? I'll figure it out later."

"Sweetie, you DON'T want to be a dragon. I can intruduce you to my friend's son. You can get true love's kiss, get married, give me grandkids-" I narrow my eyes.

"No thanks, bye Mom. Love you." I hang up and give myself another once over in the mirror. "A dragon, hmm? Wait till the DND boys hear about this!"

Sarah tried to free herself from the ropes that tied her unsuccessfully, her captors kept dragging her and threw her onto a wooden floor. Someone removed the binding that had been covering her eyes. The first thing she noticed was the strange circle that had been etched into the floor. The runes on it were pulsating with light under a thin coat of something she really hoped wasn't blood.

Then, she noticed her. Amber, she was sitting on an old sofa in front of her, the low living room table in front of her was filled with strange tools and ingredients. A few men in masks were assisting her as she prepared, though Sarah wasn't sure what for.

"What the hell Amber" she groaned. "Don't you think this whole cult bullshit is a bit of an overreaction?"

Amber lifted her head angrily "You took everything from me! And now you will pay..."

"Holy shit, really? Listen, if you used your energy to get better at cooking rather than doing...well, whatever this is... I'm sure you'd win the next contest"

Amber muttered something under her breath and two men came and helped Sarah to her knees so that she could look Amber in the eyes.

"You know i love Daniel, he was supposed to try my cake and fall in love with me. But yours won, so he didn't even try mine, now... I'm going to make sure you can never cook again"

Sarah sighed "Girl, Dan is my DM and my friend. He would have tried my cake even if i had lost... On the other hand you haven't ever spoken to him. Stop being a creepy stalker"

Amber looked at her with horror in her face "YOU! You have made my darling play those horrible satanic games??"

The brunette just looked around in disbelief, but found no sympathy in the masked men. This HAD to be some kind of prank. "D&D isn't satanic Amber. Whatever the hell this is really looks the part, though. LET. ME. GO"

The girl in red robes sneered at her and turned around "It's time" she snapped.

Amber placed the old parchment close to the open flame of a repurposed Bunsen burner (most likely stolen from the local college) and read from it as her assistants threw ingredients onto her makeshift cauldron. Once she was done she let the edge of the parchment catch flame and slowly placed it atop the mix .

Sarah cursed remembering she never did share her location with the group after the d&d session was over, whatever these idots were trying to do would surely not end well for her.

Amber stood up holding the cauldron with some old-yet-matching red oven mitts. She was smiling triumphantly as she walked towards Sarah.

"You don't expect me to drink that, do you?"

"Oh of course not!" She grinned as she flipped the pot over Sarah's head, bathing her in the scalding hot potion.

Amber stepped out of the circle quickly as Sarah screamed.

"Agghh it burns you psycho!"

"You have been cursed!! Soon you will become a beast!! Something so monstrous your mind won't even survive the change"

Sarah curled inwards in pain, she was panicking, she knew she needed to go to a hospital fast...these were surely at least third degree burns. She needed to release herself from the ropes somehow. Sarah looked down at her hands in hopes of finding a way out and then.. she noticed. Her skin which had always been of a beautiful tan was now mottled with silver scales. Whatever Amber had done.. it was actually working! There had to be a way to resist this, she focused all her mind and energy staying her breath..on not becoming whatever this was..and then Amber spoke again.

"You're already changing! You will be an ugly dragon! As stupid as any animal! People will come to hunt you and you will die and be hung up as a trophy somewhere" she cackled maniacly as she watched.

"Dragon?" Sarah blinked twice. "I'm becoming a dragon?!" The horror and fear immediately left her and she grinned happily as she let go all resistance. Her transformation finished almost instantly.

The dust hadn't even settled when Sarah bulldozed her way out of that room, her restraints had not survived her transformation and she was set on making the most out of that. As she was escaping she managed to find her things. She put her head through her messenger bag's armstrap as best she could and broke through the kitchen door into freedom.

As soon as she was out she took flight. The cool air of the winter night felt like bliss itself on her scales and the clouds made her feel safe and at home.

She parked herself atop some clouds noticing she could actually rest upon them and then she took a moment to evaluate how much she had changed.

Under the moonlight she inspected her new shape, marveling in the majesty of her scales, wings and tail. She let out a giddy laugh. This has always been one of her fantasies but more than that, now it felt right, like this is what she truly was meant to be, even if it meant she could never be normal again.

Once the excitement and shock had settled down, it suddenly dawned on her.. "Oh I've GOT to tell Dan about this!" Laying her bag onto the solid cloud she pushed through the contents until found her phone, she grinned upon finding it and said "Ok Google, Call DanDan"

People don't understand how curses work.

Yes, Matti wanted to be a dragon... and now he was one in new york. Kaijus of course aren't too common so Matti ended up under lock and key somewhere in Area 77. They don't have much to etnertain them; just a big tv. don't have games for something that size and theirnot allowed out too often.

After all their massive.

coruse the funny thing is that it spreads. a lot of peopel with ancestry from Europe (the eastern dragons can take human form... they're just insufferable) began taking the shape of dragons. whether it's magic or ancestry or a curse no one is sure but it's... odd.

some are lucky to be able to communicate. others go feral, insane...

sadly, these days were not built for dragons.

Okay, this is a great prompt. Also, r/usernamechecksout. (apologies if the opening is weird, it all makes sense later)

"BUAHAHAHAHA! DO YOU THINK YOU PITIFUL MORTALS CAN DEFEAT ME, SCALES OF THE DRAGON KIND?!"

My armored scales easily cause arrow and laser alike to bounce off my monstrous form. I spread my massive wings and jump into the sky, vomiting rainbow fire down upon the unfortunate armies of the 7 States. I laugh manically while doing so, but I stop because I ran out of Magic Dragon Juice^(TM). The effects of the concoction are wearing off! My scales dissipate and my wings shrivel up and burst into glitter as I fall to earth, the last of my draconic power shielding me from the fall. I turn to see the armies rushing at me with their sticks and Christmas ornaments, lobbing the later like grenades. With no option to defend myself, I can only hold uselessly my arms in front of my face as the hordes of soccer moms and stoners descend upon me.

My eyes shoot open. I had just woken up from what had quite literally been the most absurd yet awesome dream I have ever been in. Quietly noting to myself never to lucid dream while drunk ever again, I think about how boring today will be in comparison. And yet, despite being in the same old bed in the same old house, I feel... different. Even after the heavy drinking last night, I'm not even hungover! Speaking of which... I really need to figure out what I did last night. Can't remember a damn thing. Oh well, it'll come to me later.

I get up and put on my outfit for today, which feels strangely tight. Odd. I try another combination, same result. Maybe something happened with the laundry machine? Eh, it's not too tight, so I can pass on it for now. Maybe I can go shopping later, I need to get more food anyways. I pour the meager remaining portion of cereal (even though I just opened it last week, it ran out. Maybe it's just me eating it consistently?) into a too-small bowl, then add some milk and begin to eat my breakfast. What happened to my decently sized soup bowls anyway?

Doesn't matter. I turn on the news and watch, dreading the coming workday. Turns out that the company I work for is doing mass-firings and shoving heavier workloads on employees to save money. Yikes, better hope I can adjust to that. On the plus side, IF I'm ever unemployed I can always write fantasy like I dreamed of when I was a kid. On my way to the bathroom, I bang my head on the door frame and groan in frustration. I had made sure that the frame was a good few inches/cm higher than my head, with just enough clearance for me to walk through. Maybe it's started sagging under the weight of my roof. As I start brushing my teeth, I accidentally snap my toothbrush in half. Sighing, I crouch and grab a spare toothbrush from one of the cabinets. As I squeeze the toothpaste onto the brush, the canister explodes from my grip and splatters all over my clothes. Maybe I'm just too stressed right now to do things properly. I quickly change into new clothes and finish brushing using what is essentially a toothpaste-coated stick.

I hop into my old and deteriorating car and adjust the seat size as it feels too small. The damn thing never stays put and it's basically a coin flip on whether it'll stay at the setting you put it at or just a random one it sets while you're not there. As I drive some asshole with a souped-up car with whackass suspension blasting the worst rap songs I have ever heard cuts me off and nearly crashes into me. I slam my hand on the horn and, to no one's surprise, the part of the wheel breaks. This day just keeps on getting better.

As I arrive at my office and head up to work, I look at my watch and see that I at least made it on time. Sitting down on my chair and desk in my undersized cubicle, I begin typing up reports; as I will apparently be doing until the end of gundamned time if my work hours say anything about it. As I finish writing up an email to some guy who's supposedly important, Kevin passes by. He's an absolute workaholic, and his several inch thick glasses always bounce and slide across his nose bridge whenever he moves. I briefly pause and ask him:

"Hey, did the budget cuts reduce desk and chair size too?"

He responds tiredly:

"It wouldn't surprise me at this point."

I was going to get back to work when my best friend Kyle walks in. He's a very straightforward guy who would give me a direct answer to any question, even if the response is a little insulting I know he's just being honest.

"Heya Kyle! Are the chairs changed to be smaller now or is it just me?"

"Oh, the boss never said anything about reduced workspace size. You sure you don't need to check your weight?"

I chuckle nervously and say that I appreciated his input before continuing work. As I sip some coffee I got from a machine close by, I accidentally drop the cup, spilling piping hot coffee all over my screen. I immediately rush over to grab tissues and paper towels from the bathroom and try soaking up all the coffee I can before any damage is done. As I vigorously wipe a terrible scratching sound screams through the office. I move my hand and find a terrible scratch mark cutting across the screen. Looking at the pathetic brown wad of absorbent paper I used to clean up the coffee, I see that it's practically been bisected. I glance at my nails, and they look... sharper? Somehow?

It doesn't matter. I need to finish up my presentation for later today after the lunch break. Even if my screen is cracked I'm sure the IT guy has some stuff for repairs. Speaking of lunch, I take out my leftovers from last night and put it in the office microwave and set the time for 2 minutes. Without warning, I sneeze and the microwave explodes.

I get up, notice my arm is on fire, then yell that there's a fire. Then I stop. Even though I have no barrier between my skin and the flame, I feel, no, am, completely unburned. Quickly swatting the fire away, I see coworkers walk into the room and begin dousing the flames using fire extinguishers. They ask me if I'm okay and check me for any injuries. By some kind of miracle I'm unharmed, or so they say. Glancing at the smoldering remains of my pizza, decide I'm skipping lunch now...

The presentation rolls around and I walk into my boss' room. He looks intimidating. I begin presenting when I notice my right hand looks like it's covered in... scales. I ask to use the bathroom and he gives me 5 minutes.

First I rush in and close the door, checking I'm alone. Then I examine my hand, checking nervously to see if I can just pick it off and call it a day. Nope, as I painfully found out they're firmly bound to my skin. I grab the moisturizer located on the left hand side of the sink and begin covering my hand with it. I hope that it's working. I scrub with increasing force on my scaly hand, hoping it'll go away. Then, the memories of that night flood back:

That night I had been alone at a bar. Too many drinks had lead me to becoming so irresponsible I decide to drive home despite being so dead drunk I might as well be in the afterlife. And of course, I get very lost. So much so I end up in the woods next to my house. As I swerve across the empty off road trails to my house I fail to notice the elderly woman crossing, her black cat perched on her shoulder like a parrot. Well... I failed to notice until I felt I ran something over. I stumble out of the car. She's been hurt bad, fatally even. Her cat was completely flattened. Yet despite these wounds she gets up and staggers over to her cat, as if that was what was at stake here.

"Oh Mittens! Mittens! Please, no, god no! You were my favorite familiar..." She trails off in the last sentence and bursts into tears.

Now, me being drunk I decide to do the worst thing possible and say something so insensitive that, looking back on it, could have saved me from this.

"'Ey misserie... Iz jut a cat, dun be sucha such a sour-push *drunken laughter at my own dumb joke*"

She turns to me:

"YOU! You killed Mittens! And yet you treat her like some kind of ordinary house cat! I will take everything you loved, just as how you've taken from me! Oh great magic, grant me your might! Let me punish some fool's poor sight! May his form be twisted, turned, and more! Let him cause destruction evermore!"

She begins to chant this and I swear I saw her wounds mend.

"Miz I dun spek nonshenshe."

"Oh be quiet you! You'll live to regret this!"

Then she disappeared in a puff of purple smoke.

[removed]

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