That Dragon has Attitude

It came in a cardboard box. It came in a cardboard box stuffed with foam and bubble wrap. It was green. It was scaly. And, obviously, it breathed fire on Mum’s favourite rug (well, what do you expect?). It might have been a dragon. Or, as my sister, Louane, said, ‘that’s one messed-up gecko’ before putting her air pods back in her ears. I bet it’s a dragon. I mean, even a really messed-up gecko can’t be that messed up.

I’m Darren by the way. I’m twelve, with crazy black hair (rather snazzy if I do say so myself) and mis-matched eyes. Well, technically I wear contact lenses, but I chose some cool colours- indigo and pitch black. It is super cool.

Anyway, back to Kaiza. Did I tell you I called my dragon Kaiza? Well, you know now so I don’t think I need to explain any more than I already have. When Mum saw Kaiza, she screamed. Like, actually screamed. I thought it was funny. Kaiza did not. Mum, on the rare occasion when she does scream like a six-year old, could shatter windows. It’s probably why she doesn’t scream more often. My dragon thought it was time to make a dramatic exit, and then left a dragon sized hole in the sitting room door.

“Darren! What is that thing?!” my Mum squealed.

“Well it clearly doesn’t hold a high opinion of doors.” smirked Louane.

I sniggered and turned back to Mum. She was hopping anxiously from foot to foot. “ I believe it is a dragon, Mum. I cannot be sure, but the shape of the hole in the door and the smouldering carpet are evidence of dragon-ish activity.” Mum looked down at her carpet, and re-commenced her shrieking.

I left Louane to deal with Mum, and wandered up the stairs to my room. As I had guessed, Kaiza had busted through into my bedroom. He had left another dragon-hole in the door, and currently was lying on my bed, licking his bum. He did not look up as I walked in.

“Hello?” I said, “ I have entered my room, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

The dragon still didn’t look up. I was about to open my mouth again, but he interrupted, “I have noticed, yet I find my rear end infinitely more interesting than you.” I gawped. HE COULD TALK?! Kaiza paused his licking, then scowled up at me. “You should really think about mending that door. It’s rather draughty in here.” I glared staight back, and was about to respond with a pretty good comeback (it’s very rare that I get them instantaneously) when Kaiza interrupted again, “I also think you should consider clearing up a certain ‘little something’ that mysteriously happened under your sister’s bed before she comes up.”

“What ‘little something’?” I asked nervously.

“Let’s just say that it will be a lovely surprise when you discover what the ‘little something’ is. I wouldn’t want you to miss out on such a treat.” he replied, grinning wickedly.

“Why don’t we say I’m a very nice person and I am happy let my sister claim the ‘little something’ for herself.” I said.

Kaiza shrugged and went back to licking his bum. “You’d better hope she comes quickly. I can smell it from here, and it’s putting me off my future dinner.”

I gulped and sat there for a moment. The dragon glared at me, and said, “that was your cue to leave, by the way.” I sighed, and walked out. I heard a muffled “remember to fix the door” as I padded down the stairs.

Louane had managed to calm Mum down somewhat. She pulled me to one side, and said, “I convinced her to keep the dragon.”

“OK, cool.” I replied. I couldn’t think of what to say, because we hadn’t had a massive argument or anything, so I figured we would keep him anyway.

* Dinner time *

Kaiza slunk moodily down the stairs. He crawled into the dining room, and sat in my seat. “Oi! That’s my seat!” I said.

He just glared at me again, and retorted “no, it’s not.”

No other three words could make me angrier. But, as I was good at controlling my temper, I just huffed and sat in the spare seat. Breath in, breathe out. Mum set the stew pot on the table with trembling hands. Kaiza smiled his most charming, toothy smile and stood up, holding out his talons. “Plates please.” No one contradicted him when he filled the dishes with the food. It was quiet, until he spoke again “I believe I have yet to know your names. My name is Kaiza.”

How did he know?!He held out both paws to Mum and Dad. “And you are...”

Mum took a shaky breath, “Joanne, and this is Carlos.”

“Pleased to meet you.” For a dragon that was only three feet long and one foot tall, he held a remarkable amount of authority. He nodded regally to me and my sister. “Darren. Louane. Darren, I hope we can be friends, despite a slightly rocky start. Louane, I already like you a lot, so I have left you a ‘little something’ in your room.” He flashed me a devious look, and I returned it as best as I could. I couldn’t wait to see her face.

“ Are you going to grow any bigger?” I asked. He shot me a funny look.

“You are a terribly rude child, but no, unless I decide to go on a seafood diet. I see food,” He clacked his claws, “then I eat it!”

Dad chuckled, and said, “I like you already, Kaiza.”

The dragon grinned, and responded with, “I like you too, Carlos.”

* One year later *

Yep. That was the day we got Kaiza. The sarcastic, silly dragon. I still remember Louane’s face when she saw the ‘little something’. It had to be the best day of my life. Kaiza wandered in, holding a book in his left paw, obscuring his face, and a slushy in the other. “Fun fact of the day: grapes explode in the microwave.”

“Huh.” I said. Then, “ why are you hiding your face?It looks kinda devious.”

He lowered the book, and rolled his eyes sarcastically. “Oh really?”

I laughed. His eyes were magnified tenfold by huge ‘nerdy’ glasses that belonged to my Dad. “Yesterday you said you ‘despised them with utter detestation’!” I sniggered.

“There is such a thing as a drastic change of heart, dandy.” he sighed dramatically. Yep. That’s my dragon. I can’t help smiling when we’re together.