Friday morning arrived with all the subtle grace of destiny wielding a sledgehammer. Adrian woke to the sound of something large landing on his building's roof with a thud that rattled his windows and set off several car alarms in the parking lot below.
"That would be Kevin," announced his bathroom mirror cheerfully as Adrian stumbled toward his morning routine. "Right on time! Dragons are very punctual when it comes to student transportation!"
Adrian looked at himself in the mirror. His heroic pajamas had somehow managed to keep him looking neat despite a night of anxiety-filled sleep, and his hair had apparently decided to cooperate for once in his life.
"You look ready for adventure!" the mirror proclaimed. "Though perhaps we should do something about those nervous worry lines around your eyes."
"I'm not nervous," Adrian lied. "I'm terrified. There's a difference."
"Perfectly normal pre-adventure jitters! All the best heroes start their journeys with healthy amounts of fear. It keeps you alert!"
Another thud from the roof, followed by what sounded like a polite dragon cough.
Adrian's phone buzzed with a text message: "Good morning! This is Kevin. I've arrived for your 8:00 AM transport to Hero Academy. No rush, but the roof access door appears to be locked. Also, I brought pastries for the flight. —Majestic Kevin"
"The dragon brought pastries," Adrian announced to his bathroom.
"How thoughtful!" replied the mirror. "Kevin has an excellent reputation for customer service!"
Adrian went through his morning routine with the efficiency of someone who had learned that magical schedules waited for no one. His heroic grooming supplies seemed designed to work faster than their mundane counterparts—his magical toothbrush completed a perfect clean in thirty seconds, his shower somehow managed to wash and dry his hair simultaneously, and his clothes had already laid themselves out in the optimal order for quick dressing.
He was wearing his "First Day of School" ensemble—the heroic casual wear that looked normal but was apparently enchanted for confidence and monster protection. The seventeen-pocket jacket felt comfortably substantial, and he could feel the reassuring presence of the dignity pocket, though he hoped he wouldn't need to use it on his first day.
His magical trunk had sealed itself during the night and now looked ready for travel. It had also apparently grown a handle and wheels, despite having been a medieval-style chest the night before.
"Adaptive luggage," his closet explained when Adrian stared at it. "Adjusts to transportation requirements. For dragon travel, it optimizes for easy carrying and secure flight attachment."
Adrian grabbed the handle and was surprised by how light the trunk felt, despite being packed with enough clothing to outfit a small heroic expedition.
His phone chimed: "Kevin again! Just wanted to mention that I've received landing clearance from the city's Magical Transportation Authority. Also, one of your neighbors came up to ask about scheduling dragon taxi services. Very entrepreneurial! I gave her my card."
"Mrs. Patterson is networking with my dragon transport," Adrian said to his apartment.
The floating lights pulsed in what seemed like amusement, and his refrigerator hummed approvingly.
Adrian took one last look around his transformed living space. The magical mail had been cleared away, his enhanced furniture was arranged perfectly, and everything looked ready to maintain itself during his absence.
"How long do students usually stay at Hero Academy?" he asked his apartment in general.
"Standard heroic education programs run for one academic year," replied his phone, which had apparently been listening. "However, many students extend their studies based on their heroic specialization requirements. Advanced courses in dragon diplomacy can take several additional semesters."
"Dragon diplomacy is a real class?"
"Very popular elective! High demand in the current job market!"
Adrian picked up his trunk and headed for his front door. As he opened it, Mrs. Patterson appeared in the hallway as if she'd been waiting for him.
"Adrian, dear!" she exclaimed, holding a covered plate. "I made cookies for your journey! Kevin mentioned that dragons appreciate homemade baked goods!"
"You talked to Kevin?"
"Lovely creature! Very polite! He complimented my geraniums and asked about my cat-care routine. Apparently, dragons are quite interested in domestic animal management techniques."
She handed him the plate of cookies, which smelled like chocolate chip heaven with undertones of something that might have been magical enhancement.
"These are my special recipe," Mrs. Patterson confided. "I added a little something extra for good luck."
"What kind of something extra?"
"Oh, just a pinch of courage-boosting herbs and some confidence sprinkles. Nothing fancy! I get them from the magical grocery store that opened on Fifth Street last week."
"There's a magical grocery store on Fifth Street?"
"Oh yes, dear! Right next to the regular one! Very convenient! They have the most interesting selection of enchanted produce!"
Adrian accepted the cookies and gave Mrs. Patterson a grateful hug. "Thank you. This means a lot."
"You just remember to write, dear! And don't let them make you do anything too dangerous! You're still my favorite neighbor, hero or not!"
The stairwell to the roof was narrow and dimly lit, but Adrian managed to navigate it with his rolling trunk following obediently behind him. When he reached the roof access door, he could hear the sound of gentle conversation from the other side.
He opened the door and stepped onto the roof, where he got his first look at Majestic Kevin.
Kevin was magnificent indeed, but not in the way Adrian had expected. Instead of a massive, terrifying dragon from medieval legend, Kevin appeared to be roughly the size of a small airplane, with scales that shifted between deep blue and silver depending on how the light hit them. His wings were neatly folded, his posture was relaxed and friendly, and he was wearing what appeared to be a professional transport harness complete with safety equipment and a small luggage compartment.
"Adrian!" Kevin called out in a voice that was warm and surprisingly reminiscent of a friendly airline pilot. "Wonderful to meet you! I've been looking forward to this flight all week!"
Kevin was chatting with Mr. Henderson from building security, who was apparently giving the dragon a guided tour of the rooftop garden that Adrian hadn't known existed.
"Kevin was just telling me about the dragon transportation industry," Mr. Henderson explained. "Fascinating stuff! Very well-regulated!"
"Oh yes," Kevin confirmed, turning his attention to Adrian. "Safety is our top priority! I've been doing student transport for Hero Academy for over fifty years, and I've never had a single incident! Well, except for that one time a student tried to parachute off mid-flight, but that was more of a judgment issue than a transportation problem."
"Someone tried to parachute off your back?" Adrian asked weakly.
"Oh, that was Theodore the Overconfident. He thought he could impress his classmates by arriving with a dramatic entrance. Instead, he landed in the academy's decorative moat. Very embarrassing! But he became quite a competent hero eventually. Last I heard, he was specializing in underwater rescue operations!"
Kevin's passenger compartment was surprisingly comfortable. It looked like a cross between a small airplane cabin and a luxury tour bus, with cushioned seating, safety harnesses, and what appeared to be complimentary beverage service.
"I took the liberty of bringing some light refreshments for the journey," Kevin explained, gesturing to a small tray with his wing. "We have coffee, tea, juice, and some pastries from the best bakery in the magical district. Flying always works up an appetite!"
Adrian secured his magical trunk in the luggage compartment, which sealed itself automatically with a soft chime.
"First time flying dragon?" Kevin asked as he helped Adrian into the safety harness.
"First time flying anything more exciting than a regular airplane," Adrian admitted.
"Excellent! I love first-time flyers! Much more appreciative of the experience! Now, dragon flight is quite different from mundane aviation. We use a combination of wing power and magical lift, which provides a much smoother ride. The main difference you'll notice is that we can fly much more directly than airplanes—no need to follow designated flight paths when you're magically licensed!"
Kevin performed what appeared to be a pre-flight safety check, examining his wings, adjusting his harness, and consulting a crystal device that looked like a magical GPS system.
"Flight plan is filed and approved," he announced. "Weather conditions are perfect, magical atmospheric pressure is stable, and we should arrive at Hero Academy in approximately forty-five minutes. Any questions before we depart?"
"Will it be... scary?" Adrian asked.
"Oh no! Dragon flight is quite peaceful! Much gentler than commercial aviation! The only thing you might find startling is the takeoff—we need a bit of a running start to get airborne from confined spaces like this rooftop."
"Running start?"
"Nothing dramatic! Just a little hop and a flap! Hold on!"
Kevin crouched slightly, spread his wings, and with a powerful leap that Adrian felt in every bone of his body, launched them into the morning sky above the city.
The sensation was nothing like Adrian had expected. Instead of the mechanical drone and artificial sensation of airplane flight, dragon flying felt organic and alive. Kevin's wingbeats created a rhythmic, almost musical sound, and the magical lift Kevin had mentioned made the whole experience feel less like being carried by a flying creature and more like being gently supported by the air itself.
"How are you doing back there?" Kevin called over the wind.
"This is incredible!" Adrian called back, and was surprised to realize he meant it.
Below them, the city spread out like a detailed map, with people and cars looking tiny and inconsequential. Adrian could see his apartment building getting smaller in the distance, his former office building where yesterday he'd been a customer service representative, and the busy streets where he'd spent two years commuting to a job that now felt like something from another lifetime.
"First view from dragon-back is always special," Kevin said, banking gently to the left. "There's something about seeing the world from this perspective that changes how you think about everything."
As they flew, Kevin proved to be an excellent tour guide, pointing out landmarks and explaining the geography below.
"That's the Magical District down there—you can see it by the way the buildings don't quite follow normal architectural rules. And over there is the University of Applied Mysticism—they do a lot of research collaboration with Hero Academy. Oh, and that large green area is Central Park, which is actually much more central to magical activities than most mundane residents realize."
The flight passed surprisingly quickly. Adrian found himself relaxing into the rhythm of Kevin's wingbeats and the steady rush of wind. The refreshments Kevin had provided were indeed excellent—the coffee somehow stayed perfectly hot despite the open air, and the pastries seemed designed to provide exactly the right amount of energy and comfort for nervous first-day students.
"Academy coming into view," Kevin announced after what felt like no time at all.
Adrian looked ahead and felt his jaw drop.
Hero Academy was not a school. It was a small city. The central campus consisted of buildings that looked like they'd been designed by architects who had unlimited budgets and a complete disregard for the laws of physics. Towers spiraled impossibly high, bridges connected buildings that were miles apart, and the whole complex seemed to shimmer with its own magical energy.
"Impressive, isn't it?" Kevin said proudly. "I've been flying students here for five decades, and I still get excited every time I see it. There's just something about a place dedicated to teaching people how to help others that makes even an old dragon feel optimistic about the future."
As they approached the landing area, Adrian could see other dragons arriving with their passengers, along with students who were apparently arriving by other magical means—flying carpets, teleportation circles, and what appeared to be a giant magical bus that was traveling through the air without any visible means of support.
"Here we go," Kevin announced. "Landing in three... two... one..."
The landing was gentle as a feather settling to the ground. Kevin touched down on what appeared to be a designated dragon landing pad, complete with ground crew members who immediately began helping with luggage and passenger disembarkation.
"Welcome to Hero Academy, Adrian!" Kevin said as he helped Adrian out of the passenger compartment. "I have to say, I think you're going to do wonderfully here!"
"How can you tell?"
"Fifty years of transporting students," Kevin said with a dragon smile. "You've got the right attitude—nervous but determined, confused but adaptable. Those are exactly the qualities that make for excellent heroes!"
A young woman in an official-looking uniform approached with a clipboard and a welcoming smile.
"Adrian the Magnificent?" she asked. "I'm Sarah from Student Services! Welcome to Hero Academy! We're so excited to have you here!"
As Adrian collected his self-rolling magical trunk and said goodbye to Kevin (who gave him a business card and told him to call if he ever needed transportation during school breaks), he looked around at his new environment.
Students of all ages and apparently several different species were arriving and checking in. Some looked confident and eager, others looked as confused as Adrian felt, and a few looked like they'd rather be anywhere else in the universe.
"Orientation begins in one hour in the Great Hall," Sarah informed him, consulting her clipboard. "But first, let's get you checked into your dormitory and introduce you to your roommate!"
As they walked toward what appeared to be the dormitory complex—a series of interconnected buildings that seemed to shift and adjust their layout as they watched—Adrian realized that his old life was now officially behind him.
He was no longer Adrian Klutz, customer service representative.
He was Adrian the Magnificent, Hero Academy student, about to meet his roommate and begin his training in professional world-saving.
His seventeen-pocket jacket rustled reassuringly in the magical breeze, his dignity pocket stood ready for whatever embarrassments lay ahead, and somewhere in his luggage, Mrs. Patterson's courage-boosting cookies were waiting to provide moral support when he needed it most.
"Ready for your heroic adventure?" Sarah asked cheerfully.
Adrian looked around at the impossible architecture, the diverse collection of future heroes, and the magical energy that seemed to permeate everything.
"As ready as I'll ever be," he said, and discovered that he actually meant it.