Making friends.

It didn't take much to memorize the words myself with the memory boost I had from my new body.

As such, I could use less mental strain talking now.

I didn't want to transform at all, it was so uncomfortable, like being cramped in a tiny box.

But gramps found my weakness. I am a disgrace to every other dragon, because my weakness was the same as every other child: candy.

No matter how many times I bounced up and down or flung my tail around he wouldn't give me the damn candy until I transformed or bit his hand off.

As much as I wanted to, I simply put up with the intense discomfort until he gave it to me.

'Try to train me, will you? We'll see who's laughing', I planned.

"<Invisibility >!"

I am quite the smart baby. This geezer will never expect me to turn invisible just to steal his stash of candy!

As planned, the elderly human leads me straight to the goods, but I am foiled by a door and a magic lock.

Operation steal the sweets is ready!

"Um, <Open Sesame>!" I was absolutely shocked that such a joke spell worked, the magic usage was huge but indeed it seemed that anything could work as long as it vaguely captured the intent.

Quickly, I sneak in and start sniffing around for where he keeps it, however I failed to realize the invisibility didn't work on him at all.

"What do you think you're doing in here?" The old man catches me in his room checking containers.

'Damn it! I was so close!' I wail as I'm dragged back to the room I've been kept in for days. 'Fine! I'll stay in the horrible transformation...'

Gramps is very excited to see me transform and stay.

"Perfect! Now we just have to introduce you to your new family."

I waited for a few minutes until he brought back another child that looks as small as my human form.

"This is Ria, your new sister! You should get along with your family." He beamed.

"Hi, Lava!" The girl cries and tries to hug me.

This is much better than living with my former mother.

If I knew it was this easy to get adopted I would have ran away ages ago.

As I let this child keep hugging me I realize I can sense she has great magic potential.

"You want to be friends?" I ask.

"Yes!" Ria jumps wildly.

'What a joke... If you saw what I really looked like, you'd be gone already!' I think internally.

This was another reason I hate this transformation, everything about me is a lie in this form.

They aren't my friends, they're friends with my human avatar. They would run the instant they knew what I really was.

Perhaps I'll start seeing them as family over time, but it doesn't much change that fact...

The geezer seems to think I've learned enough to be let outside and mingle with the rest.

But the truth is I just start waiting until it's dark and then wander around in my normal form.

So what? I can't stand that cramped ballooning feeling. The relief is immeasurable.

Soon rumors of a red dragon in the night start spreading around from the kids that caught glimpses of me.

Gramps is unhappy about that information but I don't really care.

This is my home now, and I do care how they see me but I was sure I could just disappear and come back in human form without questions.

Ria was undoubtedly the closest to me, always trying to sleep next to me.

I can only assume it feels good to sleep next to me because of the abundant Mana around me.

Tonight was the same, at least until I was about to be done and I felt a small scraping under my wings.

I didn't think it was anything important until I saw the pitiful Ria pushing my wings up and trying to cuddle me.

'Ah, I'm screwed. This time gramps is surely going to find a way to punish me.'

But all was not lost! I'm sure I can still say I'm just some kind of guardian dragon or some nonsense like that!

"Lava!" She cried, barely shivering from the size difference or the huge imposing teeth parted in surprise.

... 'I'm dead'

"Your Mana is so special!" She spewed carelessly.

I'm such an idiot! How could I forget to conceal my Mana?!

"You can't tell anyone! This is a... secret! That's right, a secret between you and me!" I panic.

"Okay!" She agreed so much easier than I thought.

"What is even wrong with you? Shouldn't you be hiding?" I ask in frustration now that my time to myself is destroyed.

"No! Grandpa trusts Lava. Lava wouldn't eat me!" She states confidently.

That is some insanely blind faith to go trying to hug a dragon.

"Do you have fire breath? Can you fly? Do I taste good?" Ria bombards.

'What was that last one again?!'

"Ugh. Yes. Not yet. Why would you even ask me that last one?!"

I can't say I hate how she likes rubbing my scales, it feels nice.

"Alright, go to sleep. You've fulfilled yourself enough, haven't you?" I complain.

"No, I want to sleep with you!" She explodes.

'My god, this little idiot won't leave me alone...'

"Whatever, fine..." I give up and let the little girl start using me as a blanket.

Now I can't move, so I use <Invisibility > again so I can sleep without being exposed further.

Thankfully, that worked, since Kale and Mino are out looking for us in the morning.

I decided to stealthily sneak Ria back to her original sleeping spot and then regretfully resume my human appearance.

Of course, I get punished just like everyone else would for disappearing.

Shouldn't they cut me some slack for being a dragon? Maybe I wanted to go fly around, not that I know how to fly yet.