A serial tale of a hero/ine whose Manifestation offers hope to an entire mythical species, and gives promise to many awakenings in a sleeping world very much like our own.

--- --- ---
Sorry that this one is a little shorter than the first two, but I figured I should keep it that way due to the massive amount of exposition and background compared to stuff actually happening. That'll be fixed in the next part, but unfortunately I needed to set some of this up, as it's critical to where not just this story, but others that weave in and out throughout it, will go.

-Arianrhod.
--- --- ---

I awoke the next morning slightly groggy but otherwise refreshed. My alarm clock read 10:36am, which would mean that everyone else would already be up and out. My parents were both serious yard sale junkies, and my sister and I would usually tag along for something to do. Well, and because sometimes you could find stuff that you wanted for incredibly cheap.

Stretching languorously, I wondered what my plan of action for the day should be...and then noticed that I was still naked.

"Well I guess that answers that question," I chuckled to myself.

I had an old robe in my closet from about five years ago, and I guessed that I had shrunk enough that it would be roughly my new size. I attempted to put it on, and then discovered that my wings were going to be a serious problem. On a happier note, it looked as if the length was about right.

Twisting my head around, I tried to get a better look at my wings. They emerged from my body just a little bit below my shoulders and a couple inches in from my sides. Since they were basically miniaturized versions of my full dragon form's wings, they poked up and out on stalky appendages before the real wing material started...and this gave me an idea.

I rummaged around in my desk a little bit until I found a pair of scissors. Working my claws through the handles was a little obnoxious, but I eventually got it. I measured out how far in from the sides of my body my wings were, and cut two downward slats, one for each side. Then I tried to pull it on again, this time being careful to push the top half of the robe upward so that my wings fell into the slots. It looked horrible and squeezed me in certain places I didn't want to think about...but it worked.

Alright, one problem solved. What's next on the list? I thought as I went downstairs.

Mentally, I ran an Ice check. She was still coiled asleep up at the base of the scales, which were still nicely balanced. I was starting to get the impression that she was going to remain there in a weird kind of dreamstate unless she was actually needed for something -- like if I was in mortal danger.

Scrounging around for breakfast, I had my family's car in the driveway. I peered out the window and saw them unloading several baskets of goodies from the trunk. I was just about to go out and help them carry it all in when a police car pulled up at the curb, which made me remember that I wasn't exactly able to be seen in public at the moment. Oops.

I decided that it would be a good idea if I were upstairs, in case the cops wanted to come in to the house...which proved to be a wise intuition. The front door opened, and I heard Mom tell Michelle to take the yard sale goodies upstairs. Dad and at least one cop were talking about me. I decided it might good to hear what they knew so far about what happened, so I laid down on the floor upstairs, well out of sight but definitely not out of the range of my improved hearing.

"Are you sure that your son has never been involved in any gang activity? We found a swastika insignia on top of the roof where the remains of Will Langton were found," the policeman was saying.

I could tell from the tension in his voice that my father didn't appreciate that. "My son would never have anything to do with any of those people," he replied coldly.

"I'm sure not," the cop quickly smoothed over. "Just have to check all the possibilities, that's all." My sister's head appeared over the horizon of the floor. She looked a little startled, then had to stifle a giggle. I looked at her with a confused expression, and she knelt down and whispered, "Think about it. There's a dragon girl in a blue, torn robe laying on the floor." Then I heard something interesting and put a finger over my mouth.

"This is what we know for certain," the cop was saying. "We know that about fifteen people at the school and another thirty in the surrounding area witnessed a black dragon about the size of an SUV or a small van yesterday. It was first seen on top of the roof of the high school, then later in the skies around town heading back and forth to somewhere. Now ignoring the fact that dragons don't exist, we also have Will Langton, who was a real shady character by everyone's account, on top of the roof of this same school. We have your son and about six or seven other males skipping the same period, and we have the curious matter of this swastika, which showcases some minor heat scarring. Now if that doesn't sound like gang activity, I don't know what does."

I got up and went into my room, and my sister followed me, closing the door behind her. I'd heard all I needed to hear.

"We got some stuff for you this morning," Michelle said quietly. "Of course, we have no idea if it'll fit or not, but we had to try."

I just grunted noncommittally, and waited for the cop to go away. Unfortunately, he didn't. Apparently I should've listened a little longer, because now he wanted to investigate my room. Even as I panicked at the sound of his heavy boots on the staircase, I noted that it made logical sense. If he suspected me of being part of Will's little group of associates with ties to neo-Nazism, then of course he'd want to check out my room.

Ice! I need some help here, I yelled into the recesses of my mind. I checked the window, but there was no way I could fit through unless I didn't have my wings. Grimacing, I made a mental note that if I got out of this mess, I needed to find a way to shift to all human, not merely human-ish. A quiet part of me replied that it wouldn't be possible...not yet, at least. That part of me was ignored, though. Ice was waking up.

Hide, Ice. How do we hide?

There was another of those peculiar shifts as I felt Ice come fully awake, accessing my memories to discern the situation. Then she did something, and the world became slightly blurred and much darker, like if I was wearing sunglasses.

Humans can't see into the realm of the void

The realm of the void? I think it's about time we had a little chat, Ice.

For a moment, I thought I heard Ice laugh in my head. I think that you should leave this room first. While we may be invisible, we are not without form and substance. It would be awkward for this lawgiver to step on something that he can't see.

I realized that for the first time, I had actually communicated with the entity in my head. Before it had always been impulses and brief one-liners...but never anything approaching a defined and complete message.

My father knocked on the door, and Michelle opened it. "Hey. This is where you wanted me to put that stuff, right?"

At the policeman/detective's questioning look, Mom quickly inserted that some of the stuff was for my room, and that we usually passed the baskets around from room to room until they were empty. The cop looked a little suspicious, but ignored it for the moment.

He stepped into the room, and I ducked out before my parents managed to block the doorway. Then I went to an unassuming corner of the hallway, near the mirror, and sat down to have a mental conference with the being that I called Ice.

"Ice, are you in there," I called silently.

"You must go back, now. The lawgiver is departing. I cannot tell from here if he has found anything or not. Regardless, you must come up with an answer to this problem. The perpetual eye of the human government must not be fixed upon us, lest our plans be ruined. Now, go back. I will be here should you need me."

My field of vision shifted in that peculiar way again, and I found myself staring vacantly at the other end of the hallway. Shaking my head, and I stood up and stretched, then realized that I was still invisible.