how to train your dragon

The next morning we all woke up due to a loud sound.

"WAAHHH!" I covered my ears and removed my barriers.

'Are you kidding me?'

I made barriers around Brendon, myself and Christine. 

'If I don't let Lindsay scream I'll probably regret it.' 

I made a small theory. 'Since a small amount of mana is being released other dragons will hear it.'

"And if it seems like I'm trying to stop it." 

I shook my head. 

"Ouch, my ears are gonna be damaged." Brendon was covering his ears, while Christine looked fine.

We waited a good couple minutes.

"Have you calmed down?" I asked.

The dragon stared into my eyes for a little while.

[Your power is being evaluated]

[how much do you want to reveal?]

'All titles except co-owner of lucid party. All skills except Analysis, and all passives except Regressors secret.'

I knew I could hide basically everything, but I didn't need to.

"WHO IS THAT?" The dragon asked looking at Christine.

"She's Christine." I said again.

"WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH ME NOW?" Now the dragon sounded more threatening.

"Do you know how to transform?" I asked waving the wand. 

"....." Silence.

"I guess that's something you'll have to learn." I sighed.

"Also, can I just call you your name?" I asked.

"SURE, BUT WHAT IS YOUR NAME?" The dragon asked.

"Joseph." I answered immediately, again.

"How did you break out of the cage?" I asked.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?" Lindsay asked.

"Welp, if you were strong enough to break out at any time, I feel like it would be better to break out another time, or earlier."

This time a purple light came out of the wand.

"YEAH, YEAH I'LL ANSWER. THERE WERE BLUE LITTLE PARTICLES ALL AROUND ME FOR SOME REASON." Lindsay said sounding grumpy.

'Where have I heard that before?' 

"Are you hungry?" I asked. Lindsay nodded.

"Oh, no I don't have enough food for a dragon." I said to myself.

"WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING?" Lindsay sounded suspicious.

"Nothing, let me just cook some food." I pulled out food from my inventory.

"This probably won't be enough." I sighed.

*******

I was quite annoyed. 'That definitely isn't enough for me.' 

"HEY, CAN'T WE JUST HUNT FOR FOOD? I asked.

"I don't really want to ruin this forest." Joseph answered.

'Dang it. If only I could transform.' 

The ability to transform isn't simple. It isn't just to change appearance but also body structure.

'I should've practiced more.' I started regretting being lazy studying. 

"Anyway, I can't just let you starve. Here is half." He put about 3 pounds of meat on a big wooden mana covered plate.

"WHY IS IT COVERED IN MANA?" I planned to kill him if he didn't answer properly.

"I don't want to make another plate. It's for durability."

I stared into his eyes for a little bit.

'He wasn't lying?'

I got severely confused.

"YOU CAN ACTIVATE THE SLAVE MARK RIGHT?"

Joseph looked at me blankly.

'I didn't say anything stupid right?'

As if he read my mind he answered. "That's a stupid question."

I couldn't really do anything about it.

I watched them eat their meal.

Joseph glanced at me, and made a translucent barrier.

I quickly "read" the mana.

'It's a one sided mirror?'

I casually looked at them eat.

'Dang it. I want to try.'

I tried to transform.

The cave filled with mana.

'Why doesn't it work?'

All I succeeded in doing was decreasing my size.

I continued.

Then I felt something I've never felt before.

'Why does it feel nostalgic?'

It was like a spirit was guiding me.

I followed its instructions, and continued.

The next thing I knew I was on a grass field.

I looked around, and saw Joseph.

'What the?'

I followed him.

He cut a couple trees down, and made many things.

He made wood plates and cutlery.

Then all of a sudden he was flipping a wooden coin.

'What is this?'

[You have been gifted a system]

I looked at the message.

'What is that?'

Then Joseph disappeared.

I was about to say something when a message startled me.

[You will temporarily enter Lucid Party]

"What?"

Then I got teleported.

'What was with my voice?'

I was teleported to a room with a bed, sofa and plushies.

"Is this a kids room?" I accidentally said out loud.

"That's a little mean." I quickly turned around, and saw Joseph.

'Why is he here?'

[Please relax yourself]

I flinched a little.

"I'll try to help you transform within this space." Joseph sounded sincere.

"O-okay?" 'What is he?' I looked at myself.

"Why do I look like this?" I was almost human.

But I had scales.

And I couldn't properly see myself.

Joseph looked awkward.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I'll have to get permission to touch your back." I stared blankly at him.

"Is this what a fetish is?" I asked.

He quickly shook his head.

"No, I have to help you transform properly."

I quietly looked at him.

"Are you qualified?" 'He definitely is but, is he trustworthy?'

"You can trust me Lindsay Solis." He said confidently.

"How do you know my name?"

He didn't respond.

[with this]

Another message popped up.

"Are you sending me these?" I asked surprised.

He simply nodded.

"Fine I'll trust you."

[thank you] "Thank you."

I focused on transforming, and he was behind me touching my back, and manipulating mana.

'Who is he anyway?'

'He's able to control mana this well. Is he an EX rank adventurer?'

I couldn't think anymore, and fell asleep.

*****

"How is she?" I asked Aileen.

["It's going well, except I think the slave mark is making this harder."]

'Thought so.'

I nodded, and broke the wand.

A bunch of purple smoke came out.

I collected it by making a dome.

"Free mana.."

["Stop!"]

I quickly realized, and destroyed it.

"Thanks for that." 'It is technically free mana, but it's probably dark magic.'

"The red system works pretty similarly."

["Seems so."] 

'You gain power but you lose something every time.'

I focused more on helping Lindsay.

I made a human body with minimal features.

'This should help.'

["It definitely will."]