I watch Soren expectantly. He rocks back and forth, embarrassed.

“Petra? I have to take off my clothes to transform…” He says uncertainly. Oh, of course. That makes sense.

“Well go ahead, do what you have to do.” I shrug. He’s blushing and makes no move to remove his clothes. I think he’s shy. I take the cue and turn around so he can change. It’s funny that he’s shy now, when he was at BioMod he was given no sense of privacy.

I count to sixty, figuring that gives him enough time. When I turn back, my breath catches in my throat. Where the tall but thin young man was standing, is a creature twice the size of a horse, armored with glittering pearly white sales, with gold horns and spikes running down the back and long winding tail. It has huge wings like the sails of a boat. It’s actually the most beautiful creature I’ve seen, if a bit thin.

Soren the dragon stretches his wings wide, and then gallops on his four clawed feet across the rocky ground, scales glinting in the moonlight, leaping playfully about. I just stand there, dumbstruck. I’m staring right at him and I have no words. I can’t believe what I’m seeing.

The dragon’s monstrous head turns and the blue and brown eyes fall on me. He shakes his whole body, rattling his scales, and trots back over to me.

Watching this whole scene I’m feeling very confused about something. Why a dragon? A fantasy creature from ancient fairy tales. The scientists could have made him anything. Why would they choose a dragon? Something's not adding up.

Soren is standing in front of me expectantly.

“Hm?” I say. The dragon looks at the clothes on the ground and up at me.

Oh, of course. He wants to transform back to human. I shrug and patiently turn my back.

A second later I hear Soren yell, and I turn around quickly.

Three masked people are approaching from the woods, heavily armed. Soren is standing frozen, still undressed, clutching his shirt. I grab my dagger and shout at the dark figures.