text: I am not what you might call, *heroic*. i was completely content living my life, ignoring other's problems, i had a few friends but no one close. that is, until one day i leave for a run, i walk out the door and feel the quake, 'huh, has doom eternal released?' i wondered. i turn and notice a silver dragon of about twenty feet in length from head to tail, ten feet at the shoulder, and crimson red eyes staring right into my soul. i open my door once more and slowly back away inside, then, "ALEX! Where have you been?" i hear in my head. 'what?' i wonder to myself. "I've been looking everywhere for you. why are you even hiding in this dimension?" She, judging by the voice in my head anyway, looks around. "it's so beyond bland" i frown, 'why has she been looking for me?', "dimension?" i ask aloud, then shake my head. "sorry, but i've never met you before, you've got the wrong guy," i explain. i then slam the door shut and run to my basement. i grab my shotgun, and wait, "Alex, for the love of god, stop with the games." i hear in my head, "Crystal is worried sick and rocky is about to die of boredom!" she angrily exclaims, "i haven't a clue what you're talking about." i shout in my head. "not so loud you're gonna give me an aneurysm." she chided "you have the wrong guy, i've lived here my whole life, just stop will you?" i plead, not wanting the dragon to destroy my house but not wanting to leave for fear of my life. "oh please," the dragon said again, "as if i'd ever hurt you." great, she can read my mind, "because you gave me permission to do so" she said annoyed, that gave me an idea, so i poured out all my memories, relived my life and showed her everything i knew. "oh," was all she said, "deep cover?" i frown, "what?" i ask, "nothing. you're right, i have the wrong person," i smirk, "finally," then frown some more, "what did you mean by 'deep cover'" but i didn't hear anything else, i slowly walked up the stairs, not believing for a second that she's gone, i look outside to see the world has gone back to normal. i look at my hands to find them empty, no shotgun. how is that possible? i looked at the clock, "damn, need to get to work," i rush up to my room, get ready, wondering what the hell just happened. i get into my car and sit there for a second, something was bothering me, i grab my car registry and take out my license, 'Richard Margret'. i rub my temples, the dragon had called me Alex, and it felt completely normal. i shuddered, remembering the dragons question "deep cover". i shove the registration into the glove box and my license into my wallet and drive to work, something's wrong, and i need to figure it out before i can return to my precious status quo. "this is gonna be annoying, isn't it?" i ask no one in particular, and drive to work. "well, it could be worst," i mumbled, typing away on my computer. my job was simple, find ways for my clients to save money. of course, my clients were a few small business owners who wanted to make their hobby their job and haven't a clue, so i more or less have to explain that the best thing they can do is to do as i say or close up. i deal with the occasional ass, but all in all a good and well paying job. i find myself only an hour into my shift when i'm forced to engage a 'Mr. Positive'. "sir, your numbers look quite promising, if you keep up with the plan you'll be well on your-" "that's bullshit and you know it!" he shouts, i mute myself and give a sigh as he berates me. i look at the cubicle across the way and see an old friend smirking at me. "what?" i ask, he just smiles and looks over my shoulder. i turn to see my boss's secretary stealing glances at me. so i wait until she looks once again, giving a wave, i make her blush and look away. i turn on the microphone and interrupt the screaming man and decide to call his bluff, "sir, if i find you are attempting a bankruptcy scam i will call my supervisor and-" he apologized, thanks me and hangs up. i shake my head, been there done that. i get up and register my 1 hour lunch break. "oof, pleasant customer?" my friend asks, "shove it Michelangelo" i reply. i sit down and begin eating my salad, until that secretary from before sat down next to me, "hey," i smile, "hey," i sit there, waiting. i always find silence is the best answer for women, "look, i hear good things about you from mike and-" i groan, "dammit Mike" her eyes widen, "what's wrong?" she asked. i look at her, she looks back at me with a concerned, well-meaning gaze, and she's pretty cute. no harm in trying, "he keeps trying to get me hooked up," i smile, "though i suppose a date with a beautiful woman isn't the worst way to spend my evening," her eyes widen, her blush deepens. "what do you say? meet me at Rodear's?" i ask, she beams, lighting up like a spotlight. "see you there." she nods, gets up, and walks away. i smirk, catching Mike's eye, he winks and i flip him off. tonight's gonna be a good night. i left the club with the secretary, Alice apparently. As we both stumble in the night, she pulled me into an alley and straightened up, this put me on edge. she lost her stupor and i frown. "you look way to sober," i mumble. she grinned then opened her mouth, a pair of fangs revealing themselves, "what?". i awaken in bed, i get up and go through the motions, until i'm at the table. i grip my neck and rub the area she would have bitten, "what was that? a dream?" i groan as i look at my bare chest, i was covered in bruises. "ouch" i hiss, then i realized something, i don't have a hangover. "what the hell?" this was getting ridiculous. i go to work, and notice mike at work early. i go up to him "hey mike" i say, smiling. he starts, "Rich?" he asked in genuine shock, then recovers. "Alice called earlier, said you guys hit it off. wanna share details?" i laughed a bit, his shock was enough proof for me. "so, why did she try to kill me?" i asked, going dead serious. he looked guilty, Mike sighed, "and here i was hoping you really didn't remember".