Hunting a Burning Rose
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maybe you're harsh on the outside, but perhaps that's just like with the thorns of a rose
Jake Long to Rose (translated from German)
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The blonde teenager held her head low in front of the five members of the council, strands of her golden hair covering her face, her eyelids shielding her aquamarine-colored irises from the world as her grandfather walked forward.
"What is your business with us, Chinese Dragon? We do not have all day." Council member Chang was impatient and harsh as ever sending ripples of fright through the young girl's veins. Lao Shi, however, was used to his old acquaintance's antics and wasn't impressed in the least.
"I ask you to artificially grant my granddaughter dragon chi, eldest." As urgent whispers of indignation went through the rows of the council the geriatric dragon hurried to clear his point out. "As... preposterous as my plea might sound – and very well be – it is fact that America needs their dragon, and I am by far too old for that task, and Haley might be developing powers already, but by all means, she is too young. We need her. She should have gained powers by now, any lack of them up until now are more of an obstacle than anything else."
"That doesn't excuse your coming here and asking such a hideous thing of us!" Council member Chang was gaining a new high of anger and outrage as she raised from her seat and yelled at the top of her lungs. Lao Shi didn't even blink as he let her calm down somewhat, the red of the rushing blood never leaving her cheeks and the part of her neck that was visible.
The dragon of Atlantis spoke up with her voice like rippling water. "Fact is, if we grant your request, another dragon will have to lose his chi in the process." Her eyes widened. "Unless you-"
Chang shot her colleague a short look before her own, raven-colored eyes widened and stared at her old friend in horror. "You're not asking us to give her the chi of one of our dead comrades, are you? Has the age finally caught up with you? Pitiful. This is sick, and you know it, Lao Shi!"
The old dragon's expression never wavered. "We keep their chi for this exact cause, or am I wrong? If ever there was the need of more dragons there would be chi we could grant them."
Chang was firing up again. "Lao Shi, you are crazy if you think we'd seriously consi-"
The African Dragon's hand in front of her face stopped her rant, calm as ever. "You are of course right, Lao Shi, but how are we to know it wasn't meant for your granddaughter to not have any powers? Maybe it's fate, life has strange ways to show us what the future is meant to hold."
Her heart began beating in her throat at these words. She wouldn't be able to look in her grandfather's eyes again if they didn't grant her powers. She wanted nothing more than be able to make him proud. She couldn't do anything else but this.
The Chinese Dragon didn't even blink. "Even life makes mistakes."
The shadow of a smile ghosted over the Norwegian Dragon's face as he lowered his head while the African Dragon smirked and shrugged his shoulders. "I expected that answer, Lao Shi."
Chang looked horrified. "You aren't granting his request, are you?"
The white-haired Norwegian Dragon glared slightly at her. "We are, like he said, we store their chi for no other purpose. Each of them volunteered to do so, each of them knew it would be used like this if such a case ever occurred."
"But-!"
"No more protests, council member Chang. It's settled."
And the old woman stared after the blonde, teenage girl and the African Dragon as they walked towards the ancient catacombs underneath the council hall – and sealing the failure of her boss's plans.
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First: A Twist of Fate
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The old Shar Pei walked up next to the Chinese Dragon. "Are you sure it's wise to let her have powers?"
Lao Shi sighed as he looked after his granddaughter. "She asked me to try everything," he smiled sadly. "How could I deny a request of hers, Fu Dog?"
-o-
"So, the Chinese Dragon convinced the old geezers to grant the girl powers? Unfortunate."
"But what should we do? Now we'll be faced with two American Dragons."
The monstrous dragon smirked showing his sharp canines. "Only if the boy discovers his parentage, and only if he sides with them. And who is to know that the girl's destiny won't cloud her better judgment? We still have time, and chances, plenty of them. Patience..."
-o-
Aquamarine-colored eyes jerked about as she tried to take in her surroundings as best as she could with what little light she had. Torches cast orange and red light over the raw stone walls, creating more shadows that only deepened her anxiousness. "W-where are we going... if I may ask, eldest?"
The African Dragon smiled at her over his shoulder, trying his best to reassure her. "We're in the catacombs underneath the council halls. We store our most precious treasures down here." With that they entered the ancient chambers that had been untouched for ages.
The teen's eyes went wide upon gazing at the powerful dome above her. Catching sight of dozens upon dozens of orbs that hovered over solid marble sockets all about the huge dome-like cave her breath caught in her throat. "Are these...?"
"Yes." The dark-skinned man waved her over, the teen pacing towards him with uncertain steps. A golden light illuminated his features, showing every sharp aspect of his southern face. It was disheartening to her. She wished she looked like her mother, or her little sister, but instead she inherited her father's western appearance.
No wonder I have to go out of the way to get my powers...
The African Dragon smiled warmly at her. "You should try to be less timid, it's better to have self-confidence. People admire that in others."
The blonde teen smiled shyly. "I guess you're right."
With sure hands the council member got a grip on both sides of the glowing aureate orb. A swirling mist moved inside of it like a storm cloud, ready to let lose lightning and thunder, wrecking havoc in its wake. As he held it in front of her the mist formed the shape of a glowing golden-brown, snake-like dragon, the teen's eyes transfixed on its form.
"May I know your name?"
The blonde jerked at his sudden serious tone.
"Rose."
A small smile made its way back on the African's dark face. "Well then," the golden orb dissipated into a flash of lightning, shooting right into the girl's heart. "It's an honor to make your acquaintance, Rose Long."
-o-
The black-haired child was running for all it was worth, panic and adrenaline forcing his legs and muscles to go faster, to hold out, to just get away from the danger and the sure death that would await him if he halted in his movements for even a second.
His lungs burned from the desperate need for oxygen, his lips and throat dry, his body shivering and burning at the same time from all the running and the rain that had drenched his clothes, his hair and his skin down to his bones, down to his very core.
How had they found him in the first place? He only got his powers about 3 months prior to this horror. What had given him away? He was at a loss, and it didn't really matter anymore. He was being hunted, and he couldn't hold his transformation well enough to even consider flying through this nightmare of a storm.
His foot caught in a puddle of mud and earth. He slipped and fell face first into the wet and hard forest ground below him, soaking him further. Throughout the heavy patter of the rain he could hear footsteps nearing him.
A foot clad in black came to a halt in front of him, sealing his fate.
-o-
It would be his night, he knew that as soon as the Huntsmaster demanded he accompanied them for tonight's hunt.
It would be his time to kill a dragon and finally become a real, full member of the clan.
Yet, for some reason, that made a bile rise in his throat.
Maybe it was the thought of killing a living being, mythical or not?
God, he was being pathetic.
He was raised to kill their kind, he was destined to do so, to act his purpose out until the day he died. There was no place for doubts or sudden soft spots because they breathed oxygen and copulated and what else defined a living being on earth – he really had no nerve to count every single aspect biology defined 'living being' by anyhow.
No doubts.
No regrets.
No going back.
He chose that path, chose to follow his destiny a long time ago.
And he wouldn't chick out on the night everything was to change.
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His deep purple and black robes were soaking wet from the cold, icy rain falling from the heavens, the harsh wind stealing the last of his body's warmth from his flesh as he chased the dragon in human shape. It was a pain, the thought that creature was forcing him to kill him while he was still in this form, mocking his purpose entirely.
Though it made it far easier as well.
And when the other fell on the muddy forest ground his last second had arisen.
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A hand pale as a ghost grabbed him harshly on his collar heaving him up from the ground and in front of a masked face, blazing black eyes glaring at him. "Transform."
The young dragon blinked, rain still pouring from the black clouds that reviled his enemy's irises. "What?"
"I said," the others voice was strained, and with a jerk he had thrown him across the clearing and into the trunk of a tree. "Transform. I'm not here to kill a dragon in human disguise, but in its true shape. Transform already, or I will make you, creature."
The black-haired boy shivered, his sight blurry with raindrops and tears, voice hoarse as he only barely brought the words over his bloody and cold lips. "D-dragon... up..." A mist of olive green color surged up around him, expanding in volume and finally dissipated to reveal the form of a green dragon.
The hunter laughed sardonically. "That's it? You look like a sea anemone with boat sickness."
The giant reptile glared. "Take that back! Mom said I look frightening!"
With a dark smile the violet-clad recruit came up in front of him, holding his blade up to the creature's neck. "Don't you see the flaw in your statement? The 'compliment' came from your mother, point clear?"
He pressed the wet, gleaming blade closer to the dragon's neck. "Tell me your name, I want to know who I cleansed off this world."
"G-gre-gory."
It was the last word that escaped his lips before sanguine liquid stained the flawless, jagged blade, blood dripping from its surface and mending with the mud and rain.
"Well done, apprentice."
-o-
The Huntsmaster stood in front of him amidst the assembled members of the clan, black candles enlightening the cold and raw cave dimly.
"Today, you finally killed your first dragon, and proved yourself worthy of serving our ancient clan in its task of cleansing earth off all mythical creatures.
"Do you agree to serve our laws until you take your last breath, and swear to kill every mythical creature daring to cross your way?"
Slowly he raised his head, face emotionless, eyes blank. "Yes."
"Then rise and face your brothers and sisters, Jake."
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Okay, the fact he actually killed a dragon (and it had nothing to do with the fact I hate his cousin's guts) should show that this fic is going to be darker than the actual show – which is fully intended.
Wanted to do a serious fic for another fandom but Bleach for ages now – let's see how it goes^^