Blackie Chapter 2

  Blackie

Chapter 2

By James Ray the Phantom Texter

March 2026

Chapter 2

“Now how do I activate the training montage?”

What an odd dream. Not really a question. I guess you can think of it as a wish. Because I’m definitely not the kind of individual who forgets the night before just because it was hard to believe. Nope, I know who I am or was. And I know the uncertainty of what is about to greet me this morning.

I guess what I wasn’t ready for is how it would greet me. As I open my eyes I’m greeted with the visual of a very fat and black lizard tail laying across my mouth and nose. And although I had seen movies and pictures depicting cats sleeping on their owners chest. And even dogs. This one is new for me in all respects. Well at least I don’t have to worry about morning lizard tail breath. I go to swat the appendage away. Which quickly wakes up my little Dragon. Who with the enthusiasm of a puppy but the speeding grace of a cat spins around to stare me in the face as though I were the one who is strange and unusual. And this is how I started my day. Or I guess you can say my second day adventure. Staring down at the face of a slanted eye, small horned, black Dragon, with faint signs of mist rising from her nostrils.

And good morning to you too Blackie. Are we comfy? Or am I too lumpy a mattress for you?

Master, funny.

Go ahead and say it I know you want to.

Master, hungry. Master funny.

Well, you little chunky terror. I’ve had children before so I knew you were going to go there. So if you’ll stop your unlawful restraint and get off of me I already have some milk for you.

She rolled and partially jumped to the floor in what seemed like the joy of knowing she wasn’t going to starve to death just yet. The only container I had was a small wash basin. It seemed clean enough, so I retrieve some of the milk from my inventory space. I had gotten a good deal last night. They don’t really have refrigeration here so typically any milk that doesn’t get sold starts to go bad due to the lack of. So the farmer was more than happy to have me buy so much of it. It took up a good chunk of my remaining gifted coins. But something had told me that Blackie was going to be a mouthful. All the comics I had ever read about dragons they tend to be rather big. So I filled the small basin with about a half gallon of milk to start off with. Since it doesn’t go bad in the space whatever she didn’t drink I would just put back. 

Waste not want not.

System, how much do black dragons drink in milk, would you say?

*Ping* Information not found.

System, if you keep saying that, I’m going to trade you in for the new android model.

*Ping* Query not understood please restate.

System, you do understand humor don’t you? Oh please tell me you understand humor. Or you’re not going to have a very good life.

*Ping* You are not this systems first user. I am well-versed in human humor. When I hear it.

Oh, burn system. Here I am with another smart ass Apple product. One day I’ll have to tell you about Chat GPT. Okay so could you advise me on what we should do next?

This systems purpose is management of awakened abilities, tracking of growth, efficiencies, analyzation, asset managing. To assist the user in on demand back-room logistics. The system cannot strategize overall strategies for the user.

Okay so let me get this straight. You’re the statistician of the team and I’m the general manager/head quarterback? For the most part you’re a nagging, information not found, voice in my head.

*Ping* If I’m understanding the user correctly, yes.

Ok, just checking. Well the big guy did say he was only giving me a chance to get it together. If it was easy everybody would do it. So I guess for the foreseeable future where the only two adults in the house with, (looking over at my little black Padawan) a very cute fat looking lizard. Blackie was sitting on her hind legs holding herself up. Her slitted eyes were somewhat wide and she seemed to sway just a little. With her lethargic movements if I didn’t know better I’d say my little one was drunk.

Hey there little one. Is everything okay down there?

Master, master fun. Master funny.

What? No master hungry?

As I said that her head seem to sway like I have seen a few black women in my previous life. Her blinking was slow and I had a weird sense of lightheadedness feeding back through the link between us. Yup. My little one is milk drunk. Well I think that pretty much gives us a good baseline, system. Blackie gets less than a half gallon or whatever unit of measurement is correct for her morning milk.

*Ping* Affirmative recorded.

I had to inwardly laugh. She was only just over a day old. And right this moment she looked almost like a black basketball with a tail and stubby wings. Trying not to laugh because then I would have to explain to either my little one or the system what’s so funny. And I know I didn’t want to explain basketball to either one of them. So I get up and get ready. Step one, go down to the Guild hall to register Blackie. Thank goodness Lee had already done the paperwork to register his ability. And since beast tamers get beasts the pre-paperwork for a beast had already been started. Now for what I suspect is going to be the hardest mission of the day.

Concentrating on the personal space I open the same shimmering portal as yesterday. And in my most loving and calm manner I gesture for Blackie to hop in. And still in her blissful milk bliss she turns her head from the portal then back to me blinking slowly I hear in my head.

Master, no. Master, stay.

But Blackie you could barely walk yesterday and now it would be easier to roll you down to town. Really, I promise, it’ll be easier for you in this room. You can take a nap.

Master, no. Master, stay.

Damn you and those eyes!

I gently pick up my bloated pet. And put her on my shoulders like a toddler. Her chin resting on the top of my head as though she were going to see a parade.

*Ping* User be advised transporting a tamed beast outside of the personal space at young ages is less efficient and the temperament of black dragons should be curtailed.

Oh, so now you want to try and be helpful. Dragon or not, this is not going to be a regular thing. For one I doubt she’ll be this small for long. For two there’s only so much real estate up there for her to sit on. And for three… Shut up and let me enjoy myself!

Affirmative

Yesterday’s parade into town came at the price of odd looks since it was later in the day. But today’s procession was in the morning. And it wasn’t on a day that would pass for a school day. So the main road to the town where all the excitement typically enters from was full of groups of children playing. And although not everyone recognizes a dragon least of all one in Blackie’s rounded shape. Any kid worth his salt would be interested in a black lizard with tendrils of wispy smoke coming out of its head. To that end we were quickly surrounded.

The children of the town new who Lee was. So they had very little fear of me. But with the curiosity of children being universal, they were very interested in Blackie. I thought this might make Blackie skittish like when she met the cat. But what came back through our bond was less nervous and more outright distain.

Master, short people noisy. Master, walk faster.

Lee! Lee, can we touch it? Lee, I want to see! Please. Please! Please!

Hold on guys. I say to the small crowd. Say hello to my little girl Dragon Blackie. The chorus of Ooh Blackie, Hi Blackie, Blackie! Would have warmed the hearts of even the sternest of curmudgeons but like a lot of other words Blackie doesn’t know that one. All I got back from our connection was more distain. As though the thought of them spending time too close to her would somehow make her dirty.

Master, walk faster. Master, short people nosy. Short people noisy. Short people smell funny!

Answering back through our link I put my foot down. Blackie, you are going to be nice. You’re going to let the short people touch you. And you better not bite one of them!

Master mean.

Whatever, I motion for the children to give me some room as I take Blackie off of my shoulders and place her down on the ground. I tell the kids to go slow and take it easy because she’s a newborn. Thank goodness the children in this realm aren’t as slow on the uptake as the ones in my previous life. They make all of their movements quite slow. It reminded me of all those TV shows where the host would have an animal trainer bring some new exotic animal on. There were the expected questions of are these her wings? Will she bite us? Will she burn us? Why aren’t her scales harder? I thought dragons were bigger.

This was my chance to be this town’s big shot for the first time. So I answered the questions that I could. Cheated and got some answers from the system where they couldn’t hear it. And just flat made up some of the others. Blackie had just taken on an air of: 

If this doesn’t end soon I’m going to eat short people.

With the exception of the onetime one of the children rubbed her against the grain of her scales, she did pretty good at being tolerant. Who would’ve thought a two day old could make such a face. The system informed me that her scales would not be fully hardened until she hit her third stage. They would still be hard to break through but for now my understanding more like the consistency of leather crocodile boots. I had to tell the children not to pull her wings because they were also more aesthetic than functional. I told all the children that you have to be nice to baby dragons because they do grow up to be big dragons. I even gave them the cautionary, and I’m not sure if they would much rather snatch up a tasty little morsel for dinner! Through our connection I felt Blackie get an odd sense of satisfaction at that. I assure the children that we would see them again. After all I did live in the town my whole life. And delusions of moving on up like the Jeffersons was not even an option. I picked up my darling Blackie and we make our way to the Guild Hall to do her registration.

The Guild Hall was the most ornate building besides the church. But of course it would be. Lots of money came in and out of this building. It’s the employment agency for this whole area. Nobody messes with the Guild! I go up to one of the administrators that I have in my memory. They’ve seen it all. But they were still slightly put off their guard by what they saw now. Hello. I’m Lee and I’d like to register my first beast.

Hello Lee. I see you found a beast. So soon? What type of beast are we registering for you?

With a chest full of pride I take Blackie off of my head with her still lethargic slitted eyes and place her directly on the table. I would like to register a mythical Black Dragon!

The administrator would’ve been impressed if he was looking at something other than a chubby looking lizard that looked like some child’s stuffed animal. And wondering why I put the thing on the table. And what is the name of this Dragon?

Her name is Blackie. We finished filling out the paperwork. The administrator pulls up a tablet with a magic crystal embedded into it. He recites an incantation and I could feel the magic swirling and testing its way around Blackie. When he was done there was a magical imprint on the tablet with the likeness of Blackie. He also handed me back my guild member ID tags and they were updated also.

So Lee, where did you manage to get a dragon? Aren’t those things expensive and hard to bond with? The last time I saw you, you looked lower than goat nuts. I wasn’t sure I’d even see you again let alone coming back with a dragon!

Well, that’s a bit of a long story and it involves gifts and old men. Of course the administrators eyebrow shot up. But this is a town of mind your own business. But secretly I knew he was going to try and worm the story out of me in time. When we both turned to focus on my new protégé we were greeted with the site of Dragon drool. My little girl was out cold. Even as an 18-year-old I still bore people.

Now’s my chance! The administrator gives me a weird look as though I were about to escape while my captor was asleep. I opened the spatial portal. I carefully lift little Blackie and place her gently into the personal space. And close it!

Uhm, Lee is there something I should know? I mean that was just your beast’s space? Why all the relief?

This is the first time I was able to get her to go into it. She’s only hatched yesterday and she seems to be very clingy.

Lee if you’re going to be a beast tamer you have to be in charge. Your beast should go in to their space because you tell them to not because they feel like it. If this is a dragon from all I know of dragons you really don’t want to train them to do as they feel. That wouldn’t be good for you and especially wouldn’t be good for this town.

I know, I know but I just got her yesterday. And she is adorable! You saw her? Tell me she isn’t the most adorable little lizard you’ve ever seen.

Looking at me like I had far too much stress in my life and wasn’t dealing very well with it. He looks at me and just says. Yes, she is cute in a fat little way. But she is not a pet. And especially in her case she really is not a pet. Now you have access to our archives for whatever help we can give you in training her. And I will assign you to Angie and she will help you with jobs and quests. Look, I know this is a bit much for you Lee. I know you don’t think that the town will stand behind you. And maybe they won’t. But Lee you’re a member of the Guild now. And we don’t turn our backs on our own. So whatever you need, ask. Will either do it or we won’t. But you’re one of us.

Thank you Malachi. It was a lot on me. But I’m getting better. I feel like I have a second chance now. Although I think the bonding has made me speak a little stranger. So please excuse any odd things that I might say. I’ll be okay, but I will sound a little strange from now on. As for Angie I’m probably going to need small jobs around town just to pay for the food and clothing for me and Blackie. As you can see she’s not going to be much help right now.

Yes, I can see that. Come in tomorrow bright and early ready to work. I’ll sit down with Angie and have her start working on it today. Is there anything that you need from us right now?

Well, do you have any quick and easy things I can do around the Guild. I’m afraid I have very little in the way of money right now.

I thought as much. Well we do need somethings swept up and moved around. Here, let me show you some things that need to be done.

Thank you Malachi. For a good portion of the day I spent cleaning up sweeping and basically being an all-around janitor. It would’ve been tiring if not for my enhanced strength. But it was still tedious and dirty. And at the end of it I earned just a few copper coins that would ease the food budget a little while longer. I decided to go down to the farmer to solidify a deal for some milk now and in the future.

I got down to the farm and made the deal with the farmer. Any way to get more of his milk sold before it went bad is a good day for him. He asked about Blackie so I decided it was most likely beyond time that I pull her out of the space. Opening the portal farmer John and me were met with the saddest site. Blackie sat peering out with watery eyes that were one step off of crying.

Master. Master gone. Blackie alone. Blackie alone…

Lee? Is Blackie okay?

She’s just a little sad John. This is her first time in the space and I kind of left her there while I did my work today. I guess she really doesn’t like that space. I need to put some things in there for her to do. I reach into the portal and pick up my little Blackie. I give her a hug as though she were a toddler and even patted her back. It worked! She even sniffled! I was proud of the both of us for about a minute or so. That is of course until she looked around her surroundings and realized where she was. The farm. The Cat! The horror!

“Strange bedfellows”

One thing I can say about her nap, she was rested and alert.

Master furry danger! Very smelly!

In no time Blackie was up on all fours. Wings tucked in tightly to her sides. White smoke continuously drifting up from her nostrils as she scanned and swiveled her head left to right. John and me saw the meeting of the minds the day before. John was as baffled by it as I was.

Uhm, I’m not sure where that cat has gotten off to Lee. But I really doubt your Dragon has anything to worry about. Aside from the fact that that cat thinks it’s a guard dog for the cows it’s just a stubborn mouse chasing tabby cat. I’m sure Blackie and the cat will get along fine.

John I think maybe it’s just the fact that your cat is the first real animal she ever got to meet. That and the fact that it didn’t seem to bow down and recognize her as a grand Dragon kind of threw her off her game. From all I know dragons are quite full of themselves.

Master! I’m not full! Cat smelly. Cat bad!

Thinking back through our link. Blackie it’s the cat’s job to guard the cows. If you would stop looking at them like you’re going to eat them you and the cat could be friends.

No friends! Smelly. Mean.

Blackie you will not hurt that cat and I mean that! You will learn to play nice until I tell you otherwise. You can play with the cat but if you hurt that cat, I will put you in the space and that will be your new room. You cannot attack creatures you don’t like just because you don’t like them. You’re a Dragon and you will act like a proper Dragon. Do I make myself clear?

Yes. I will try. But cat is mean.

Then we will both learn how to deal with the mean cat. But the cat is not our enemy. You are a great protector and so is the cat. The cat is older than you. You may learn something from the cat to be a better protector.

Will the cat teach?

I don’t know. But I know he won’t if you don’t find a way to get along with him.

I will try.

That’s my girl. Now do you think you can stay out of trouble while I talk to farmer John about your food?

I will try.

That’s my girl. I turned back to John who had a quizzical look on his face. So I let him know that I had a Master to Beast conversation with my little Blackie concerning his cat. And that I had made her promise to play nice. One thing that can be said about me is that I have a knack for making people laugh. My update seemed to be the funniest thing John has ever heard. And from my memories I would have to say it would be. After all I went from being a friendless penniless orphan to the beast tamer of the town’s first Dragon and I was treating it like a little child on a play date. I’ve always heard when in Rome do as the Romans. But I never like that saying. I was always a fan of the “Fuck around and find out tribe”. So as the deals were being made my little Padawan sniffed around and made her examinations of her local surroundings.

Master is too nice to smelly cat. Smelly cat is mean. Smelly cat is dangerous. Where is smelly cat!

Up in the rafters of the barn in a corner shaded away from the light. The farmers cat watched the return of the strange black creature from yesterday. Many thoughts went through its head. It didn’t quite know what to make of the strange creature. It had wings like a bird but it didn’t fly. It had a tail like a lizard. But it was too big and black. It had little horns on his head like a calf. But it wasn’t a cow. It had eyes like his. But it wasn’t a cat. It knew for sure he didn’t trust it around the cows. It may be small now, but the cat knew it wouldn’t always be that way. It was his job to protect the cows. And no matter what this new creature was he was never going to let it around the cows without supervision. He’d been doing this job for too long to quit now. So as the afternoon went into evening the cat watched the creature sniffing and searching. Undoubtably for him. And the cat laughed to itself on the many ways to include today that it was going to sneak up on this creature and scare the catnip out of it!