The Crystal Dragon

“CATCH HER!”
“Don’t let her get away!”
These shouts echoed behind her and, with each beat of her heart, she could practically feel them gaining ground. She had to lose them somehow. If the police caught her…if she was thrown in jail…it would all be over. Julia ran as hard as her legs would allow and gripped her only treasure in her arms tightly. Clutched in her sweaty and shaky arms was a simple statue, about 2 feet long and a foot tall. It was some kind of long and elegant dragon made of red crystal! It was so beautiful, and it seemed to catch every ray of light that hit it and bounce it back twice as bright. It was the only thing she’d ever stolen that she could never bring herself to sell. She’d been holding onto it for almost 2 years now and she’d grown a sort of attachment to this dragon statue. She had to protect it…she had to keep it.

Julia was a thief, plain and simple. She was no master criminal and certainly no mugger…she was just a petty thief. She’d had no choice because she knew no other life. She’d grown up on the streets, and the concept of schools or jobs didn’t appeal to her. She’d had no mother or father to teach her the value of hard work or the necessity for a family. Instead, the streets where her home and the life of a thief was her only education. It’s where she learned the most important lesson life had to offer: How to survive. How to be just one step above the rest. She held onto nothing…except for this small dragon statue.
About two years ago, she had snuck into an old Asian pawn shop and seen it sitting on the shelf for all creation to see. It glowed so beautifully and Julia had planned to steal it and sell it for a lot of money, but the moment she touched it, she felt a strange sense of connection to it…like it deserved to be treated with care. She had grabbed it and snuck out with it and taken it back to the small apartment building that she often hid in at night to sleep. Every day she would plan to sell it…but something would stop her. Soon she found herself speaking to the statue…as if it could hear her. She would hold it, polish it, treat it like a diary and a pet. It became a daily routine for her to look after this simple little jewel. Why had she grown so attached to it? She didn’t know…but she did know that now she had been caught and the police were going to take it away from her, along with her freedom.

“I will survive…I will escape.” She told herself over and over. Her legs, obeying her commands, kicked harder and she turned a corner into a dark alley which she was sure would lead her away from the cops and to safety. It was bound to work. The alley opened up at the end to the next block over, and she could lose them in the manhole near the drugstore. She was going to escape! She was going to do it!

“No!” Julia squealed. She came to a dead stop as she saw that there were 4 police officers standing at the opening to the alley. She was boxed in…no way out. Behind her the other 2 officers had finally caught up to her and they were ready to apprehend her.
“That’s far enough. Hand over the crystal dragon and put your hands on your head where we can see them.” The officer behind her warned.
“N-no! I can’t!” The now frightened Julia pleaded. “Please, just let me go!” The officer grunted and stormed forward, grabbing her arm to take the dragon out of it.
“I wasn’t asking your permission. Unhand the dragon this instant, you thief.” He snarled. Julia struggled and yanked her arm away, but lost her balance, falling to the ground, the dragon flying out of her arms and to the gravel below.

*CRASH*

The crystal shattered sending shards of red gems and sparkling specks everywhere. The officer growled and grabbed Julia, yanking her to her feet as the poor girl watched the only treasure she’d ever kept for herself, fall to the earth in shambles.
“You’re going to pay for that.” The officer said. This was the end, her luck had finally run out…she was going to jail. “You’re under arrest for theft and….and…” The officers voice trailed off as he stared at the crystal shards. The crystals suddenly began to glow brightly and there was a blinding red light…a furious roar  like nothing Julia had ever heard before, and intense heat! Julia stared at the remains of her treasure as it disappeared and began to fly in a spiral.
“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?” The officer ordered. The truth was that Julia didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t doing anything and she had no idea what was causing this. Finally, the light faded and, standing before them all was a boy. He was slightly taller than Julia was with long black hair and a red streak running down one of his front bangs. He had a red tattoo on his arm that resembled the dragon statue that had broken, and he had on a black t-shirt and jeans with no shoes or socks on. His body was fit and his eyes were closed. When he finally did open them, Julia was stunned to see how blood red they were. This boy…he wasn’t normal.

“Who are you!? Identify yourself!” The officer ordered. The boy didn’t respond but looked at himself, as if stunned by his own appearance. He breathed fast and his chest heaved in and out in shock. Why did he seem so surprised by his own body? Was he amazed to be alive? “I SAID IDENTIFY YOURSELF!” The boy finally turned toward the officer who spoke and glared at him, causing the officer to back up a few steps. He then turned his attention on Julia and stared at her. Julia felt a familiar presence…did she know this boy? The boy stepped closer to her and she stepped back.
“Are…you Julia?” The boy asked. Julia gasped in surprise and nodded.
“Y-yes, I am.” She whimpered. The boy bowed his head a little and smiled.
“My name is Yura…it is a pleasure to finally speak with you…the one who has kept me safe these last two years.” Julia stared at this boy who called himself Yura. Why did he seem so familiar? How had she kept him safe for two years? She’d never met him before, right?
“KID THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING!” The officer bellowed as he pulled his gun. “IDENTIFY YOURS-”
“Silence.” Yura ordered. He stood up straight and his furious red eyes fell on the officer who spoke. “You are the one who attacked Julia and, as a result, lead to my release. For that reason, I shall offer you one chance to flee…decline this offer, and you will feel the full wrath of the Dragon of Albion.” There was a terrifying silence that fell over the alleyway as the officers had no idea how to respond to this threat. The police all pulled their guns and the officer who had spoken snarled. Though he tried to maintain his cool, it was clear that he was terrified of this boy. He fired his gun.

It happened in a flash of movement. Julia expected to watch the boy Yura collapse to the ground, a bullet hole in his face…but instead he stood still. His fist was held out in front of him and he opened it to reveal a still smoking bullet. The officer gasped in horror…Yura had literally caught his bullet out of thin air.
“So you decline my offer?” Yura asked. “Very well…you bring this fate upon yourself.” Yura stepped back and fell on his hands and knees. Julia felt a rush of power wash over her and she had an overwhelming desire to let go and pass out…the energy flowing from Yura was too strong to handle! However, she watched in amazement as Yura began to grow and morph before her very eyes. His body grew longer and snake like. His black hair ran down his back like a long mane and his hands and legs became like long claws. His skin was replaced with scales and his already sharp teeth turned to fangs. His face became inhuman and grew to look like a very familiar head…the head of her beloved dragon statue! His black shirt morphed into color and, before her very eyes, was a long black dragon with a long mane…it was the same dragon statue she had kept for so long! The red tattoo on his legs was all that she recognized of the boy that stood before her earlier. Yura…was the dragon!
“What in the hell are you!?” The officer screamed as he started firing desperately at Yura. The other police either fled of fired their guns as well. The bullets merely bounced off of Yura’s diamond hard scales. Yura opened his mouth and let out the loudest and most horrible roar that Julia had ever heard, causing her to fall over and cover her ears in fear and pain. The officers staggered back and at least two literally fainted from fright. The only one remaining was the same officer who had knocked Julia to the ground Yura glared down at him and then smiled, licking his chops. The officer was shaking now.
“I AM ORDERING YOU TO STAND DOWN!” The officer squeaked desperately.
“I do not take orders from pigs.” Yura responded in a monsterous voice. “I eat them.” The officer squealed like a little girl and fell to the ground, unconscious. Julia watched as Yura reared back his head and laughed in a booming but…warmhearted laugh.

“You humans…so entertaining.” As he laughed, he slowly began to grow smaller and less dragon in appearance. His scales vanished and became a shirt, his mane was reduced to normal hair, and his body was once again like that of a human. Yura turned to Julia, a smile on his face and a hand outstretched. “I apologize for scaring you.” He said.
“What are you?” Julia asked.
“Do you not recognize me?” Yura laughed. “After all those nights you’d talk to me and tell me your secrets and your desires? Those days where you would polish my sides so I wouldn’t be dirty?” Julia gasped and smiled.
“I knew it! You’re the crystal dragon!” Julia squealed. “It’s really you!” Yura beamed happily and opened his arms, embracing Julia in a tight hug, causing Julia to gasp…and the moment he touched her, she felt that same connection she did from the first day she found him on the shelf. “But how are you alive!?” She asked.
“It was centuries ago.” Yura explained. “I was once a mighty dragon who reigned in the land of Albion…but a wizard found me and turned me to a mere crystal statue. He believed me to be a threat to Albion, in an era when technology and industry was beginning to dominate magic and sorcery.”
“So all these years you’ve been trapped in a crystal statue?” Julia asked.
“Most saw me as some ornament…something valuable and able to sell to make a profit. However, you saw me for what I was...and you cared for me. You took me in and you shared everything with me. I owe you my life and my freedom, Julia.” Julia looked up at him and giggled girlishly. It wasn’t until she was this close to him to realize just how cute he looked.
“Oh you don’t owe me anything…you should go back to Albion.” She said.
“I’m afraid that is impossible. The world of Albion has been long dead and forgotten. I am the last relic of that era. I have nowhere to go and no place to call my own.” Julia felt a twinge of guilt for this lost dragon and moaned a little.
“I wish there was some way I could help. Is there anything at all I can do?” She asked. Yura suddenly dropped down on one knee and bowed before Julia.
“My only request is that you allow me to repay my debt to you. You have cared for me and protected me for these many years and now I shall do the same for you. I shall be your companion and your friend. I shall learn about this world and I shall help you rise up within it. If you will merely allow me to stay with you.” Julia stared at him for a long moment and thought it over in her mind. Having another person around her would prove difficult and, she wasn’t really used to having a friend or family by her side at all times…but this wasn’t just anyone. It was Yura; the dragon who she had loved and cared about as a statue. Now here he was in need of her help again…she smiled and nodded her head at the dragon boy.
“Yes, I would love for you to stay with me, Yura.” She took his hand and he followed her out of the alley into the open street. People clamored from all around to see what the commotion had been that had lead to 4 officers unconscious and others running away wetting themselves. Little did they know that the cause of the commotion had been the boy walking alongside a young thief. A dragon and a thief…what a bizzare combination. Yet…it worked so well for them, that they wouldn’t have it any other way.