Jason knew it was Kevin and that something must be wrong because he wasn't online at clan practice. So Jason immediately headed over to Krazy Kottage, the neighborhood nickname for what was now Kevin's home.

Kevin's Great Aunt Jane had taken care of him ever since he was orphaned at 3. She was an odd spinster who indoctrinated her charge and his friends with regular doses of allegorical science fiction. Kevin mourned her passing a few months ago, but the inheritance softened the blow for him in a way that bothered Jason.

Jason and Kevin had been best friends since 2nd grade. Jason worshiped Kevin as the kid who had everything and Kevin loved to be worshiped, which worked out well for both of them.

When Jason arrived, he detected a burning odor that he couldn't classify - which was odd because he had set everything on fire from inflammable pajamas to lizards, a secret crime that still haunted him.

Jason knocked. No answer. He shouted and rang the bell. Nothing. He opened the door and ran around the house, with panicked breath. Finally, he heard a noise coming from Krazy Jane's room and ran in finding what looked like a human sized lizard that had been set on fire. Jason fainted.

He woke up on a couch in semi-darkness.

"My bad. I didn't hear you come in." It was Kevin's voice, though with an unusual timbre.

"What's with the lizard costume?" Jason asked groggily.

"Heh. Get this. I found a secret cellar. There's lots of old lady crap there but I also found a box with a cool dragon ring. Now. remember that book Krazy Aunt Janey read us about the kid who put on a bracelet and turned into a dragon?"

"Yeah, he couldn't get it off and it turned out to be a story about greed. I think his name was Kevin." Jason clearly sounded irritable.

"Yeah, whatever. I can't get the ring off either. Heh. At first I was upset, but think of the cool things about being a dragon. Like, you can set anything you want on fire just by breathing on it!" Kevin's voice sounded raspy and almost bubbly.

"You're a dragon." Jason said blandly. He was relieved. It wasn't the ghost of the immolated lizard coming back for revenge. The light came on and Jason took a good look at his friend Kevin sitting on the floor with what might have been a dragon-smirk on his face. He wasn't on fire, he just had some flame coming out of his nostrils and some tendrils of smoke.

"Let's go wreak some havoc! 'Sides, I'm hungry. We'll go to that expensive seafood restaurant. I'll chase everyone out and then we can feast to our heart's content."

"Um that's kinda illegal." Jason said hesitantly, but the idea obviously intrigued him.

"Get over it, man. You're like the warez superstore. Like you care about illegal."

Dragon-Kevin tore up the leather of the SUV trying to fit into the back seat, but they were on their way without further incident. After they parked in an alley, Kevin was anxious to try out his wings and after a couple of painful sounding false starts he fluttered to the front door of the building. About a minute later, Jason entered the upscale restaurant through the back, apologizing to the kitchen staff for his 'mistake'. He arrived in the dining area just in time to see the visibly shaken Maitre'D walk up to the manager and say "Sir, we have a problem. There is a dragon in the lobby. He says he is a dragon. It is an amazing costume in that he, well, made the lobster tank boil with his breath."

Dragon-Kevin made his appearance in all his glory. He set an unoccupied table on fire, flopped in the air a bit but landed semi-gracefully in the center of the room and roared "Boooooyaaaaahhhh". Jason recognized their clan battle cry and stifled a giggle, while ducking under a table. Kevin announced his hunger for human flesh and the restaurant emptied instantly. Jason and Kevin quickly gathered all they wanted onto a conveniently large table and feasted happily, finding time to snicker in-between mouthfuls of some of the most expensive food in the city.

Suddenly, Kevin stopped being a dragon at about the same time as several canisters of tear gas were tossed into the room. Immediately, there were police and dogs and guns and gas and choking followed by the feasters tasting the concrete in front of the restaurant. Kevin managed to show Jason the fact that the ring was missing before they were separated and brought to "justice".

It was weeks before they were able to communicate privately.

"So what happened to the ring?"

"Well, you know how I was dipping everything in that big vat of butter sauce?"

Jason shuddered at the memory, "Yeah. but I was trying not to watch you, man."

"Well, I think the ring came off with the butter when I was putting that big lobster tail in my mouth. and I must've swallowed it, I guess."

"So you mean."

"Yeah when I heard the clunk I was sitting there trying to figure out how to get it. And well you know how you got no privacy and well my cell mate didn' t like the smell and took matters into his own hands."

"He flushed?"

"It's gone, man." Kevin sighed and shook his head. "It's gone."

"So some fisherman. some day."

"Will have my ring. Forget it." Kevin shook his head.

Jason thought about the ramifications and wondered if Kevin had actually learned anything from their ordeal.

"Man I almost forgot! I found something else in Krazy Aunt Janey's secret room! I think it reads minds!"

Jason sighed heavily and followed Kevin to the cellar.