Aiden's Room: Enter the Dragon

[Drake Martin]

Drake studied the nameplate, trying to place the name. He leaned his rolling suitcase against the wall and knocked on the door of his new room.

[Aiden Mitchell]

After a moment or two Aiden opened the door. He was dressed casually and not in uniform though he was wearing his Praetorian dog tags.

"You must be the Drake Martin that the housing people emailed me about," Aiden said.

[Drake Martin]

"That would be..."

Drake's weird draconic ears shot straight up.

"You... you're that Praetor on all the posters!"

[Aiden Mitchell]

Aiden stood up a bit straighter.

"Galahad, yes," Aiden smiled. "You're Genoshan then."

[Drake Martin]

He regained his composure and reigned in his ears before nodding.

"Delgado Bluff, born and raised."

Aiden would know that as a middle-class part of the island just outside the city.

[Aiden Mitchell]

"I've seen your district from the Heights and when returning to Central, though I've never visited it myself," Aiden said amicably the Heights being where rich families, politicians, and the ruling party lived. Central was Praetorian headquarters, which was adjacent to the heights.

"You got a permit to study abroad? That's impressive."

[Drake Martin]

"It was a short story contest, actually. Something about investing in the future of Genoshan culture."

"My parents never thought I'd sit still long enough to write it," he chuckled.

[Aiden Mitchell]

"Yes, show the rest of the world that Genosha doesn't bathe in human blood and that their world lacks... order," Aiden smiled. "Having the ability to fly makes one restless I think. At least from what I've seen."

[Drake Martin]

"God yes. I've flown every part of the island that the military doesn't shoo people away from."

[Aiden Mitchell]

"Well, here you have another island," Aiden smiled. "With far fewer Praetorians to keep you out of trouble."

[Drake Martin]

"Me? Looking for trouble? Perish the thought," he smirked.

[Aiden Mitchell]

"Just don't cause an incident," Aiden smiled. "The humans here probably aren't used to seeing dragons anywhere other than on television."

[Drake Martin]

"Hide your cattle! Guard your princesses! Summon your knights!" he joked merrily.

"Don't worry," he smirked, turning human in a quick and painless shift, "I have a disguise."

If not for the bare feet and slightly oversized clothing he'd blend right in. In attractive circles at that.

[Aiden Mitchell]

"Flying dragon by night milquetoast mortal by day," Aiden said quirking an eyebrow at the transformation.

[Drake Martin]

"Milquetoast?" he scoffed, "I'll have you know I'm a damn fine mortal."

He changed back. "When I want to be. This feels more like the real me."

[Aiden Mitchell]

"Oh, simply by comparison to your draconic personage of course," Aiden said perhaps mocking, maybe it was hard to say. "I'm sure many animal shifters feel that way, especially ones that become animals."

[Drake Martin]

"Of course, a dragon is more than a mere animal," he pointed out. "If I could assume my truest form, I would put them all to shame. I would be majestic."

[Aiden Mitchell]

"Truest form? You can shift further?" Aiden asked.

[Drake Martin]

His ears drooped dejectedly. "Not as yet..."

"But I feel it in my soul that I will."

[Aiden Mitchell]

"Indeed, something to work on," Aiden said sounding almost...disappointed perhaps. "What area did you do your civil service in?"

[Drake Martin]

"I'm immune to most fire, so I did an internship with the Fire Control Bureau in my district."

[Aiden Mitchell]

"Sensible," Aiden said, "No doubt there will be plenty of fires here to help put out."

[Drake Martin]

"Real firestarters, these X-Men?" he asked with a small grin.

[Aiden Mitchell]

Aiden chuckled.

"More somehow constantly getting themselves lit on fire," Sean said.

[Drake Martin]

"Well then perhaps a fireproof lizard could be of service," he said, smirking, "Or I could just light them on fire myself." He puffed out a small flame as an example.

[Aiden Mitchell]

"We should be kind to our chaotic cousins," Aiden said wryly. "Not light too many of them on fire unless they request it."

[Drake Martin]

He chuckled as he started bringing his luggage in.

"So is helping the hapless X-Friends something we're allowed?"

[Aiden Mitchell]

"Assist carefully," Aiden said, "Don't want to upstage them too much, but can't have them dying either."

[Drake Martin]

"Bah. As a dragon, my very presence upstages them," he smirked.