Chang felt troubled as he ran towards the park. Whatever fell out of the sky, it was huge. It was also in the morning when he was supposed to go to school and he was sure to be late at that rate, but it was the object that worried him most. For whatever reason he appeared to be the only one to feel that way. At least it seemed that way at face value. People would pause their everyday routines to stare at something, but it was the teenage school boy scouting the sky more than he did the sidewalk (or, thrice, the road). It was not a plane, that much he knew. But something was in the air above Hong Kong and no one noticed? Even with all the high rise buildings it was not that hard to see that the sky was still blue.

Perhaps I'm only being paranoid, he thought mid-dash. Ever since he first found that heart shaped locket buried under blankets in a trunk and transformed into a superhero upon reading the inside inscription villains appeared everywhere. Battles with thieves, gang members, and the occasional monster increased in frequency as the weeks strolled by. In all honesty the boy had no idea exactly what he was chasing after. The mysterious object could've been something as banal as a weather balloon. That was of course, assuming there was a mysterious object to begin with. If it was a figment of his imagination--

He stopped in his tracks in a circular clearing surrounded by trees. Unsure how to initially react he only stared wide eyed and wide mouthed. A dirtied shoe stepped backward.

It definitely wasn't a figment of his imagination. In front of him was a dragon.

Chang had heard legends of dragons since he was a baby. For all of Mao's attempts in wiping traditional Chinese cultural minutiae from existence the legends survived and thrived. So did the actual creatures apparently. It was easily longer than a city bus, perhaps twice as much, but it was difficult to tell as the creature's body curled up and twisted around itself. The long, slender creature's red scales glistened opalescent against the sun. Under its stubby blood red horns and above the scraggy orange beard and yellowed fanged teeth in the exposed mouth its nostrils flared with each labored breath, as did its frail body. The eyes remained closed for a moment until slowly a jade green eye showed itself from its raggedly red curtain. Chang startled in surprise.

Not to worry child, the older sounding words flowed into his head, I will not harm you.

It didn't take long for him to realize what was going on. "What happened? Did someone harm you?"

The dragon never changed expression. No.  I dropped here when I could never keep myself afloat...

Chang sadly frowned.  Although his newfound role as protector partially frightened him the motive to help outweighed it. He looked down at his palms, recalling the time he helped heal a mugged woman that took a bullet the week before. It took so much of his strength to unleash the sparkling white energy."I wish I could help you fly again. But I'm worried it may be beyond what I can do right now..."

Don't be. It's my time to go. Forty thousand years I've lived. Some things you cannot avoid, I'm afraid.

He continued frowning. "It still hurts, though."

The dragon focused his eyes further at the far smaller human. The worn jaws lightly opened and closed, then opened again.  You possess the rainbow locket.

A stunned Chang removed the locket from his pocket and forwarded it to the dragon, the pendant swinging by its golden chain. "This?"

Yes. That's it. It may seem simple, not in the least extraordinary, but it is special all the same. The same is true for whoever possesses it. I'm afraid I may not last long enough to continue explaining its significance dear child, the creature communicated with a pained grunt, but for the rainbow locket to choose you as a protector means you possess great heart and courage.

"A protector? Am I the only one?"

No. The dragon slithered in further pain. There are two rainbow lockets I know of, one for each head of the two headed Hong that forged them out of the five elements and air. For there to be only two worthy people in the world to be protectors appears preposterous however. Regardless, do not fear. Even though you're alone now...

The scales molted off one by one. A foam enveloped the dragon. ...You won't be soon.

The last of the white foam engulfed the creature. Chang ran into it to find the dragon in vain. Within seconds the foam vanished as well. Only his wet uniform provided proof that his encounter did indeed occur. His eyes stung and his mind raced. For such a brief encounter the impact was great already. He clasped his hands in prayer for the departed dragon's soul to reach wherever it needed, then realized he still held the locket's chain in his hand. He swung the golden heart into his right palm, rolled it around along its chain.

I'm... Not alone?