[ TT ] You did n't realize just how blind you were until you went in and got prescription glasses ... Now you can see the leaves in the trees , the pebbles on the ground , and that your dog is actually a tiny dragon .

# Part One 
 
 `` Ohhh, Sparky! Yer mah only friend.'' Harold smiled as he pet his hairless dog. A rare breed, it was always one of those dogs with an electric personality, often attracting many odd glances from passerby every time Harold walked him in the park. 
 
 Harold hobbled around on his cane, smiling at at a nice young girl as she ambled past, glancing up from her touchscreen phone in awe at his precious doggo. `` That's a cool pet you've got there!'' 
 
 Harold grinned as he walked along with Sparky. `` Yeaaap, he's mah pride'n joy! Have a nice day, ma'am!'' 
 
 With a whistle and a bit of pep in his step, Harold and his best friend walked down the path towards his local doctor's office. He had three appointments today, but he was n't in a big rush since they were hours apart. As an old geezer, he had plenty of time on his hands anyway. Retirement was great! 
 
 Pushing against the glass door, he swung it open as he left his dog outside, chained to a post. One thing he was sure of, even in New York City, nobody had ever tried to steal his doggy. They always seemed a little scared of the pupper. So odd! He's just a cute little bugger, nothing to be scared, of, the little scaredy cats. 
 
 The lady at the clinic smiled as he gave her his information. `` Harold Heimmer, was it? The doctor will see you down in 2B. It's down the hall and to the right, past the second door.'' 
 
 `` The what door? Speak up, I ai n't got mah hearing aids in!'' 
 
 The lady's smile faltered as she repeated it. He nodded and hobbled down the hall, arriving in the empty room as he planted his butt on the waiting chair. 
 
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 Time passed. Harold was starting to get a little antsy as the seconds turned into minutes. `` Goddamn doctors, charge ye a fortune then they take their time gettin' here.'' 
 
 As he muttered and grumbled, a tall, skinny man walked in the room. `` Ah, John, was it?'' 
 
 Harold was still grumbling under his breath but he jerked his head up when the doctor walked in. `` Took ya long enough. Let's git it over with!'' 
 
 The doctor nodded. `` Hmm. You're a lot older than I was expecting. Anyway, this... _procedure_... it's highly experimental. I've only tested it on a select few people, but the results have been quite astounding.'' 
 
 Harold glared at the doctor. `` Procedure? Just git on with it, boy! I'm payin' good money, ya know!'' 
 
 `` Ahaha... yes, _good money_ indeed.'' The doctor winked knowingly as he glanced at the zeroes on his notes, but then he grimaced. Glancing back at his notes, he frowned slightly. _John Brown, huh? He really is a lot older than I expected, but anonymity is supposed to be the highlight of this test. Ca n't risk losing my funding over too many questions._ 
 
 Pulling his eyes back up, he smiled quickly. `` Well, in any case, let's get this over with. Please drink this, and come with me.'' He handed Harold a glass of strange green liquid. Harold sniffed it curiously and then downed it in one gulp. It tasted like shit, but at his age, everything tasted like shit. 
 
 `` I gots two more appointments after this, boy! Let's git a move on.'' 
 
 The doctor smiled a pained expression as he turned away from the annoying old man. _I'm so glad they're paying me top rate for this._ 
 
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 [ Recommended listening ] ( https: //www.youtube.com/watch? v=EMtlQhreXQQ ) 
 
 Harold stepped out of the doctor's office and walked over to his dog, his stomach feeling a bit weird. `` Ahh... that was th' weirdest checkup they ever done, Sparky. I tell ya h-wat, that just did n't feel quite right to me.'' 
 
 Unhooking the leash from its pedestal, he ambled away from the doctor's office as a man in a black suit rushed past him. Almost tripping over Harold's dog, the guy grimaced. `` Ah! Sorry, I'm late!'' 
 
 Harold grumbled at the guy but kept walking. `` Kids these days, no respect for their elders.'' 
 
 As he walked along, he thought he heard a strange voice mumbling in his head. It sounded guttural, like the sound a caveman would make. Harold glanced from left to right but could n't make heads or tails of where it came from. Ignoring it, he kept walking towards the dentist. His eyes felt very strange, and he rubbed them repeatedly, noting his vision was blurring moreso than normal. 
 
 `` Damn, ca n't see anything with these nutty prescriptions anymore. Almost better without'em.'' As he pulled his glasses off, he gasped quietly. In fact he _was_ better off without them. Looking all over the place, he mumbled in confusion. He could see an arcade across the street, and as his vision cleared, he could even see the exact numbers for the high scores on the screen. 
 
 His perception of time seemed to slow and then speed up, as time itself ebbed around him. Across the way, he watched two young boys in Central Park tossing a baseball back and forth. Sometimes the ball would rocket forwards, others it would crawl through the air slowly. 
 
 As Harold tried to make sense of it all, he once again heard that strange voice in his mind. This time though, it was clear as day. 
 
 `` Master, are you feeling well?'' 
 
 Glancing around, he brought his eyes down to his dog, and- _holy Jesus and hail Saint Mary! That ai n't no damn dog! _ 
 
 `` Sparky? What kinda animal are ya? Ye ai n't no dog I never seen!'' 
 
 Sparky nodded as his voice once again seemed to speak wordlessly in Harold's mind. `` I am a dragon, of the element you know as electricity. You appear to have awakened your dormant genes.'' 
 
 `` Son of a gun! Yer a dragon? And you kin' TALK? This is mah lucky day! Now yer a true best friend!'' 
 
 `` I'm more than just a friend, Harold. I am your spirit guardian. I am bound to you by a soul contract.'' 
 
 `` Spirit Guardian? Wassat? What'chu talkin''bout, boy?'' 
 
 The dragon solemnly nodded its head. `` In due time. You have always possessed a secret power, the dormant latent ability known as Luck. Now that you have acquired age and the wisdom needed to use it, Gaia has decided to make you one of her Guardians. You have been called upon Harold. You were chosen.'' 
 
 Harold stared incredulously at the dragon as he leaned backwards against a wall. Without meaning to, his hand rested on a metal protrusion sticking out of the wall, suddenly shattering it in his hands. Stumbling to the side, Harold gasped at the realization he was suddenly extremely strong. 
 
 `` Mah body... it's...'' 
 
 `` This is only the beginning, my dearest friend. This is what your entire life has lead up to, this is what you must perform. Now listen! In the distance! What do you hear?!'' 
 
 Harold cocked his ear and listened carefully, as the sounds of a world around him entered into his mind. People arguing, people chatting, birds chirping... and in a distant alley...'' 
 
 `` Please! No! Stop!'' The sound of a scuffle. A man falling to the ground. Other men chuckling as they closed in on their prey. 
 
 Harold glared as his vision narrowed to a slit. `` Not in _mah_ city.'' 
 
 [ If you like stories, why not read my WIP reddit webseries? ] ( https: //www.reddit.com/r/TheCryopodToHell/comments/56tvbw/tcth_index_list_and_subscribing_for_updates/ )
