“What would you like to know,” Jeff asks.
Ace shrugs, “anything really,” he says, “anything that would help me act appropriate and not raise suspicion, if you get my drift. Plus… I am really curious what a human teenager like you does… I mean… what is the “typical life of a human teenager”?”
Jeff chuckles, “well, being a teenager is… not really exciting,” he says, “we have to go to school, which is where we learn “important” stuff, that supposedly helps us as we grow older and become adults”.
“Sounds… exciting,” Ace says, sounding rather sarcastic.
Jeff snorts, “yeah… but apart from that,” he continues, “we teenagers are rather adventurous, we love exploring stuff, experiment with ourselves, find our mates, hang out with friends and a lot more”.
“Sounds like a well fulfilled life,” Ace says, “what about family? You said you had a… “girlfriend”?”
Jeff nods, “I do,” he says, “a girlfriend is what you’d describe as “mate”: someone who you love and, when it goes as planned, spend the rest of your life with. As for family, I have a mother, who works in an office, my dad is a lawyer, which is someone who, if a bad person does something wrong, tries to save them from having to go to jail. A Jail or Prison is a place where extremely dangerous humans are kept, locked up, so that they don’t cause any harm to other humans. I also have a little brother, his name is Jared, he is 10”.
Ace nods, “your parents sound like they made it far in life,” he says, “your brother… does he look like you? I mean, is he also athletic?”
“Well,” Jeff says, “Jared is not a lazy kid, he really enjoys hanging out with friends and he does do sports. He enjoys parkour, which is where you jump from roof to roof, climb up buildings and just try to make your “own path”. So, yeah, he is pretty athletic”.
Ace nods, “now, tell me about this… thing you used to bring me to life,” he says.
“What would you like to know,” Jeff asks.
Ace shrugs, “I dunno… you said it has some transformation and mind control/hypnotic… powers,” he asks, “I guess… What kind of transformation powers does it have?”
Jeff shrugs himself, “I really don’t know,” he says, “as I said before: I just got it today. But I guess any kind… like change a male into a female and vice versa, make someone older or younger, transforming something living into an object, transforming a human into an animal, change someone’s appearance… I guess anything what comes to mind. And apparently, it also is able to alter the reality”.
“Alter the reality,” Ace asks, “what does that mean?”
“I guess it means, making something, that is not normal… normal,” Jeff says, “in other words: if I would transform myself into… let’s say… a girl, and if the reality alteration setting would be turned on, everyone would think that I have always been a girl”.
“Okay,” Ace says, “so… if you were to… transform into a female Dragon, and this reality alteration thing were activated, then…”.
“… then every one would think I have always been a female Dragon,” Jeff says, not asking why Ace had chosen that example.
Ace scowls, “so… instead of activating this reality alteration, to make your kind think it is normal for a Dragon to exist and that nothing is to fear, I would not have to be in this form,” he asks.
“Well…,” Jeff hesitates, “… yeah”.
“But you chose to have me transform into a human,” Ace says, “why?”
“Be-Because…,” Jeff says, he then lets out a sigh, “because I thought it would be the easiest way and the safest, since I am not yet really experienced with the program. And before anything bad happens… especially to you… I figured I’d rather have you use your own powers”. Jeff hangs his head, looking sad, “I… I have done enough damage as is,” he mumbles.
Ace looks at Jeff in silence for a while, ‘he might be a foolish human,’ the former Dragon thinks to himself, ‘but, apart from that, he is actually a good kid. He looks as if he is regretting what he has done, it seems he is beating himself up, and all he wanted was for something, that is not real to be real… to be his friend’. The now teenager looks around Jeff’s room, everything he sees is related to Dragons, ‘he really loves Dragons that much,’ Ace thinks to himself, ‘and of all the different Dragon types he has… he picked me! Come to think about it… being converted from something non-living into something living, feels weird… but in a good and kinda exciting way’. Ace looks back at Jeff, who still has his head hung, Ace then notices a tear fall to the ground and he hears quiet sobbing, Ace sighs, he then gets up and walks over to Jeff. The former Dragon kneels in front of Jeff and lies a hand on Jeff’s shoulder, which causes Jeff to look up, Ace notices that Jeff’s eyes are red from crying. Ace lets out a sigh, “listen, Jeff,” he says, “I am sorry for acting the way I did. It is just so… alien to me… knowing that I was a simple “object” that you have given a life. There is so much I don’t understand, though”.
Jeff sniffles, “l-like what,” he asks.
“Well,” Ace says, “if I was just a painting some done. How come do I seem to know that I have magic powers? Why do I think I come from another reality? Why do I have a name? Why is my personality so… fierce… so dominant?”
Jeff shrugs, “I… I honestly don’t know, Ace,” he says, he then looks over at his laptop screen, “I… I guess that the Chronivac somehow got that information from somewhere. May-maybe it kinda felt what the artist, who created you, intended you to be”. Jeff picks up the drawing of Ace/Ice and both look at it, “the artist drew you as a fierce/dominant looking beast, your scale color looks like Ice and maybe he or she had this idea that Dragons are magical beings, so I guess his or her thoughts were kinda pictured in the drawing and the Chronivac has a way to convert that into… I dunno… a “soul” or “personality”… in order for the converting to be a success?”
Ace looks at the drawing of his Dragon form, he tilts his head, “that… kinda makes sense,” he says, “this is all so confusing”.
Jeff nods, “I… I am sorry,” he says, he then starts to sob again.
Ace rolls his eyes, “Jeff,” he says, “I might not have been kind to you… I might have been mad at you for being such a foolish human”. Jeff looks at Ace, “but...,” he says, “after thinking about it… it is kinda cool having a life. You might not be my “creator”… but you are the one who gave me a life”.
Jeff is surprised, “a-are you saying, that… that you are starting to enjoy it?”
“Well,” Ace says, “I still am trying to adjust… this human form… feels weird to me, I miss my tail, wings and I miss being a Dragon in general. BUT, being a human is not as bad as I thought, I’ll get used to it, besides: I can transform myself into my original form any time. So, if I feel like wanting to be a Dragon again, I can always become one. I know I can’t be my true self in a City, but we could head into the woods… to the clearing, where you gave me life… from time to time, so that I can be my true self for a while”.
Jeff nods, “I… I want you to feel comfortable and happy,” he says, “so I want to be able to give you the freedom to be yourself from time to time”.
Ace smiles, “that is more than I ask for,” he says, “and one more thing”.
“What’s that,” Jeff asks.
Ace looks around Jeff’s room at all the statues, stuffed toys, pictures and everything Draconic-looking, “seeing all these Dragons,” he says, looking back at Jeff, “and knowing that you picked ME… honors me”.
Jeff smiles, “I… I just think you are the coolest looking of all,” he says, “you have something… majestic about yourself… some kind of “ruler” vibe. I can easily picture you being the ruler of all Dragons and anything living”.
“Hmm… Ice the king who rules them all,” Ace says, “King Ice… Lord Ice… hehe… it does have a nice ring to it,” the teen grins at Jeff. Unaware to Jeff, he gave Ace an idea, ‘and YOU, Jeff,’ he thinks, ‘will be the QUEEN!’
Jeff chuckles, “yeah… it does kinda suit you,” he says, “so, what would you like to do, my lord,” he adds, jokingly, unaware of how Ace will react.