The Adventures of Ozzie Astaroth

Chapter 29
Chapter 29

Chapter Description: Ozzie travels to a new world where he discovers a little dragon who was not always little and not always a dragon.

After a few more days of mental preparation, Ozzie was ready to search for Luna again. He had grown back up to his twenty-year-old self and dressed in his mage robes, diaper, and boots.

“I can't thank you enough for all you've done.” said the skunk mage.

“You are very welcome.” said Shiro. “I, like you, like to help those who need it.”

“I have learned much from you.” said Ozzie. “I promise I will return some day and help you and the others be free from the abuse of others.”

“I will keep an eye out and help where I can.” said Shiro. “So long Ozzie.”

“Good bye Shiro.” said Ozzie. The two hugged tightly, then Ozzie closed his eyes and concentrated again. He felt out Luna's energy signature until he finally got a lock on it. A portal opened in front of him and he stepped through.

The portal closed behind him, and in this new world it again looked very much the same. The trees seemed larger and healthier though, and the leaves seemed to be turning their red and yellow fall colors. Ozzie always did love the colors and cool weather the fall brought. He looked around but did not see any dwellings.

“Must have missed the target again.” he thought. He began exploring and found much of the terrain to resemble the previous world. Only here there were also large mountains with caps of snow and large fields of yellow grass. Eventually he saw a dirt path and followed it. It led him by cave, so he decided to explore it.

It was dark inside, so Ozzie made a sphere of magical light to illuminate the way. “Hello?” he called out. “Anyone there?” But there was no response. He continued on, seeing some spiders and bats, but nothing threatening like back in Devzla's cave. The inside went on for a long distance until finally he saw daylight again. When he came out on the other side, he saw a rocky area surrounded by hills and mountains. A bit further down was what appeared to be a village. He decided to get closer, but tried to stay out of sight just in case.

The village had huts made of stone and clay. The people there seemed to be large reptiles with wings and horns. He had seen these on the TV back in Shiro's world. They called them dragons, but is that what these were? They didn't look like the cartoonish ones he had seen. These were very real. They also wore very little in the way of clothing. They only seemed to wear necklaces and wrist jewelry. Some had green scales while others had red, blue, or even black.

Ozzie stayed in the tall grass, observing the people, and saw some dragon children playing. They were extremely cute. While the adults were very tall, muscular, and intimidating, the little ones had much softer and rounder features. The adults had large wings and horns while the children had very small ones. He observed one of them struggling to fly and had to stifle a giggle. Suddenly a leather ball landed on Ozzie's head and one of the little hatchlings came over. He was a boy, about toddler height, and had green and brown scales. His horns were small, and he had a pointy spade-shaped tip at the end of his tail.

“Oh, hewwo.” he said. “Who awe you?”

Ozzie stood up, rubbing his head. “My name is Ozzie.” he said. “What is your name?”

“My name is Deven!” said the little dragon boy. He picked up the ball and smiled. “Mommy! We has a visitor!” The little dragon boy walked out of the tall grass with Ozzie behind him.

Ozzie walked up to the giant mother dragon and kneeled. “Hello mother dragon.” he said. “My name is Ozzie. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise.” said the motherly dragon. She was as tall as a house, with black and white scales. Her horns curved down to her jaw, and she had glowing rune marks on her face and thighs. “No need to kneel. We are not kings or queens, though I appreciate the respect you've shown. I do not use a name, but a title. Mother dragon will do.”

Ozzie stood up and smiled. “I have never seen dragons before.” he said. “I know almost nothing of your culture. You see, I'm from a different world than this one.”

“A different world?” asked the mother dragon. “That explains the other-worldly magic I felt earlier. We are aware of other worlds. Dragons exist in some form in all of them.”

“There are none where I come from.” said Ozzie. “At least none I am aware of.”

“They likely live in lands inaccessible to others.” she said. “We dragons do not often reveal ourselves to the younger life forms.”

“Younger life forms?” Ozzie asked.

“Yes, we dragons have existed since the dawn of time.” said the mother dragon. “Though we are aware of other life forms, they tend to come and go while we remain everlasting.”

“Fascinating.” said Ozzie. “Have you seen life forms like myself before?”

“No, not specifically.” she said. “We dragons know of humans and a few other mammal races, but I have not seen one like you before. Please tell me what you are and why you wear coverings.”

“I am a skunk.” said Ozzie. “Though I used to be a human. I became a skunk in another world in order to blend in, since the people there were mostly animal hybrids called anthros. These coverings I wear are clothes. They protect me from the elements and also serve to hold various items I carry.”

“Interesting.” said the mother dragon. “Our dragon scales are the only protection we need. The rain rolls off and the dirt does not stick to us. The only time we wear any sort of garment is when we are first hatched.” She motioned toward a baby dragon being held by an adult dragon. It had on what looked like a cloth diaper. “They do not yet know where to relieve themselves, but they learn within a few months time.”

“Oh, I see.” said Ozzie. “Our young are much the same, only they wear those for the first two to three years of their life.”

“Mommy! Mommy!” said Deven, who had caught a peek at Ozzie's diaper. “He weaws em too!”

“You still need those kind of garments?” asked the mother dragon.

“Well, yes.” Ozzie blushed. “We call them diapers. You see, I am incontinent. That means I cannot control when or where I relieve myself.”

“Most mammals seem to be weaker than us.” said the mother dragon. “But I did not know even some of their adults needed this protection.”

“Some do, but most do not.” said Ozzie. “Though I am older than I look even now, I was once reduced to an infant and remained that way for a long time. During that time, I was cared for by someone very special to me. She became my new mother and we loved each other very much. She was lost in a portal to another world and I have been traveling in search of her.”

“A most interesting tale.” said mother dragon. “That young one next to you was in a similar situation.”

“You mean Deven here?” Ozzie said, looking down at the little dragon boy.

“Yes.” said mother dragon. “He was once a human, as you were. He was tricked by a crooked salesman who turned him into a dragon egg with the intention of selling him on the black market.”

“That's terrible!” said Ozzie. “My situation was very similar. A witch was using a demonic crystal to regress unwitting adventurers into babies, then either sacrifice or sell them on the black market.”

“Such evil exists in all worlds.” said the mother dragon. “I found him, and rescued the egg he had, and turned him into a Cerberus pup as punishment. I sold him to someone looking for a guard dog.” She chuckled and the laugh echoed throughout the valley.

“Sounds like he deserved it.” said Ozzie. “The witch that was killing children was killed herself, by my hand.”

“Sometimes there is no redemption for evil doers.” said the lady dragon. “Poor little Deven here became a baby dragon and forgot most of his human life. I took him in and helped raise him. He too is older than he looks though.”

“Oh, how so?” asked Ozzie, looking at the toddler dragon.

“We dragons all heave different magic abilities.” the mother dragon explained. “Deven is a healer. He can heal any injury, but if he uses his healing powers on someone who is already healed, it backfires and causes them to regress. This goes for when he uses it on himself as well, which is how he practices. Unfortunately, he can't age anyone older, only younger. Anyone regressed by his magic must grow back up as one would normally.”

“Oh I see.” said Ozzie. “So he healed himself into a toddler. How often does that happen?”

“Fairly often.” she said. “He has been with us for about thirty years now. Though he has never aged past being a pre-teen.” She shook her head. “It seems he will always be a toddler, but it also means he has to keep making new friends each time he regresses.”

“Well, he can count me among those friends.” said Ozzie. “I can change my age.” He demonstrated by regressing himself down to Deven's age, which appeared to be about three-years-old. His clothing changed to match his new size.

“Wow!” said little Deven. “You wegwessed too!” The little dragon walked around, inspecting the toddler skunk. He examined his fluffy tail. “Yer taiw tickles!”

“Hehe, yah, it does.” Ozzie smiled and waved his tail around, tickling the little hatchling, making him giggle.

The mother dragon smiled. “You have the spirit of a child at heart.” she said. “I have looked into you and seen a loving glow deep within.”

“Yah, dats my connection to Wuna.” said the little skunk wizard. “I wuv her so much. She is a taww waccoon wif purkle n blue fur. Have you seen hew?”

“I have not.” said the mother dragon. “However, months ago I felt energy similar to the one I felt when you arrived here. She could have come here.”

“Oh I hope so!” said Ozzie excitedly. “I need to find hew.”

“If your connection is deep, you should be able to feel where she is.” said the mother dragon.

“I twied but somefin is bwocking owr connection.” said Ozzie.

“Hmm, let me see.” said the motherly dragon. She closed her eyes and her runes began to glow. Afterward, she opened her eyes and looked down at Ozzie. “Indeed, there is some sort of powerful magic out there. It appears to be interfering with other magical fields and sources from other worlds.”

“How do I fix it?” asked Ozzie. “If I can fix it, I can find hew.”

“You must go to Heaven's Tower.” she said. “It is in the middle of a lake far from here.”

“I dunno how to get dere.” said Ozzie.

“Ooh, I do!” shouted little Deven. “I can show him!”

“Good idea.” said mother dragon. “Deven may be a hatchling, but he is more capable than most adult humans. Take him along with you and he can help guide you.”

“Okay.” said Ozzie. “I am mowe capabow as weww.” Just then, he felt a pressure in his bowels and sudden relief. He blushed when his diaper drooped low.

Little Deven covered his nose and giggled. “He pooped!” he announced.

“Y-yeah, sowwy about dat.” Ozzie said with a blush. “Can't hewp it.”

“Think nothing of it.” said the motherly dragon. “I can help with that.” She gestured toward the little skunk an he began to float in the air on his back. His robes were removed and his diaper exposed.

Ozzie blushed as his messy diaper was undone by invisible hands and opened.

“Yucky!” said Deven, teasing the little skunk.

“Be nicer to our guest.” said the mother dragon. She used her magic to clean the little skunk front to back and incinerated the soiled diaper with dragon fire. She then got one of their diapers and fastened it onto Ozzie's waist. She redressed him in his robes and sat him back down on the ground. “There we go.”

“Um, fankoo.” said Ozzie. “I appweciate da tweatment you have given me.”

The mother dragon smiled and chuckled again. “My pleasure.” she said. “I have not changed a hatchling in ages. I am glad to see that I still have the motherly touch.”

“I dun need diapews!” Deven bragged. “I knows how n whewe to potty.”

“I guess dats good.” said Ozzie. “I kinda wike my diapees. I was towd to howd onto my chiwd-wike heart. Diapees hewp me do dat.”

“I understand.” said the mother dragon. “Diapers are obviously part of a mammal's youth much longer than they are for us. I hope you have more.”

“I do.” said Ozzie. “I have wots of em. Othew stuff too.”

“I am glad you are well prepared.” said the motherly dragon. “Please take some food with you. We have plenty, and it may take you a day or two to get there.”

“Fankoo again.” said Ozzie. He watched as a bag of food and supplies was given to Deven. The little dragon seemed to carry it with ease.

“Take care, and good luck to you.” said the mother dragon.

“Fankoo, we wiww.” said Ozzie.

“Bye mama!” said Deven. “Wuv you!”

“Love you too dear!” said the mother dragon.

The two regressed boys began their journey, first heading into the forest. They both flew, as they both had the ability to do so, and Ozzie stayed near Deven's age.

“Ish it fun bein a widdle dwagon?” Ozzie asked.

“Yush.” said Deven. “I dun wemembah much of bein hooman, buh bein a dwaggy is wots of fun.”

“Especiawwy when you get to stay widdle.” Ozzie giggled.

“Ish embwwassin sometimes.” said Deven. “Cuz my fwiends get owder buh den I get youngew. Dey get jobs n I dun see em much. I hafta make new fwiends evwy time it happens.”

“I imagine so.” said Ozzie. “I has met othew peopwe dat wegwessed n got stuck as babies or kids. Ish hawd for dem too. One of em has a son da same age as dem, and dey jus four-years-old.”

“Dats gotta be weiwd.” said Deven. “Buh I hope dey can be happy. I happy bein widdle. I dun hafta wowk and I can pway aww day.”

“Do you go to schoow?” asked Ozzie.

“Kinda.” said Deven. “Dey teach us fings and we pwactice owr abiwities. We wearn da histowy of dwagons and wead fwom scwolls.”

“I see.” said Ozzie. “Education is impowtant. I wearned a wot fwom schoow but wearned mowe in wife.”

“We wive a wot wonger dan hoomans and othews.” said Deven. “So we ends up knowin' a wot.”

“I have been awive for a wong time.” said Ozzie. “Mowe dan most hoomans. I jus keep wearnin new fings aww da time.”

“Wha kinda fings?” asked Deven.

“Wots of magic n othew abiwities.” said Ozzie. “I jus watch em and den I know how.”

“Dats pwetty coow.” said Deven. “I can do some twicks. I can make twees and pwants gwow.”

“Dats hewpful.” said Ozzie. “Ya can make food and wesources fow ya peopwe.”

“Uh huhs, and I hewp pick it!” said Deven proudly. “I a big hewp to my cwan.”

“I bet ya are!” said Ozzie smiling. The two continued on and eventually Ozzie spotted something ahead.

Deven looked and saw a group of goblins. They were humanoid creatures with green skin, pointy ears, long noses, ratty hair, and tattered clothing. “Be caweful!” he said. “Ish gobwins! Dey ish dangewous.”

“Maybe we avoid them den?” asked Ozzie.

“We can twy.” Deven responded. The two tried going around the group, but they were confronted at every turn. They eventually began to charge with weapons drawn.

“Wook out!” shouted Ozzie, using a magical force field to knock the goblins away.

“Fanks Ozzie, buh watch out.” said Deven. “Dey dun give up easiwy. Wet me take cawe of dem!” He flew up and suddenly cloaked himself in flames, then charged at the goblins, spinning like a drill.

The goblins shrieked and were instantly burned to ashes.

“Whoa, wha was dat?” asked Ozzie.

“Dats one of my speciaw abiwities!” said Deven. “My fwames can buwn anyfing, even me. So I use my heawing powah to constantwy heaw mysewf as I enguwf mysewf in fwames and charge da enemy!”

“Wow, dats so coow!” said Ozzie. “No wondew mommy dwagon said ya can take cawe of youwsewf.”

“Yup!” said Deven proudly. “I'm a stwong dwaggy!”

“I gwad to be yer fwiend!” said Ozzie. The two continued on, their journey just beginning.