Jake Long III (Season Two)
Disclaimer: I don't own Am Drag.
Chapter/Episode One: Journey to the Center of Lin-Lin's Past
It was the first day of February, and Jake Long III sat alone against the wall of a building on the Island of Draco. He hadn't trained in a month. Why hadn't he trained in a month? He hadn't trained in that long a time because his trainer, Cherri, hadn't been seen in a month. Jake had no idea where she was, and he hoped that she was alright.
"Mr. Long." The sound of Councilor Yara's voice made Jake III lift his head up and stare at the human-formed Councilor Yara, who was standing a few feet away.
"Yes, Councilor?"
"I don't understand why you still come here every day." Yara shook her head once. "Dragon Solorio hasn't come here since we buried Agent Rogers."
"Well, maybe she'll come back." Jake shrugged his shoulders.
"Perhaps." Yara replied. "But it doesn't look like she'll be coming today. You should go home and stop coming here every day in the hopes that she'll come. Why don't you go home and have some fun? When she comes back, we'll contact you. Frankly, Mr. Long, she might not come back."
Then, Yara's eyes widened as she heard a scoff coming from behind her. "Speak for yourself, Councilor." Cherri said from behind, making Yara spin around.
With his eyes wide, Jake III walked up to Yara's side, seeing Cherri, in her dragon form and with her clawed hands on her hips, standing a few feet a few feet away, a smile on her face.
BLACKOUT; PLAY THEME SONG
BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW
Yara and Jake both watched in surprise as Cherri walked up to them, smiling from ear to ear. "Miss me, Jake?" She asked.
"Wh...Where were you?" Jake III asked.
"I was at a month long getaway to recover from the stress Savannah's death caused me." Cherri continued to smile. "I spent the entire month emotionally healing."
"I take it by the look on your face that you've finished your recovery process." Councilor Yara guessed.
"Yes." Cherri said. "I feel much better now. Jake, I wasn't in any condition to continue teaching you. I hope you understand."
"Of course I understand, Cherri."
"I'm back now." Cherri said. "Do...Do you want to train?"
"I'd love to." Jake III told her, smiling.
LINE BREAK
Jake grunted as he jumped back, avoiding a slash from Cherri's claws. As Jake III stood in place, panting from exhaustion, Cherri smiled. "You're good." Jake III said as he straightened up. "I'm really impressed. I mean, you were good before, but now-it's like you're more powerful."
"I didn't notice." Cherri replied, smiling. "Thank you for the flattery, though."
Jake III smiled. "I'm glad you're back, Cherri." He said.
"Here to stay." Cherri replied.
"That must have been some healing process." Jake III stated before he ran at Cherri, trying to throw a punch at her. However, Cherri grunted, easily jumping back and avoiding Jake's blow. "What did you do?" Jake III asked as he carefully took two steps back. "How exactly did you spend the time healing?"
"I spent it with Lista." Cherri replied. "I also did some other things." Then, she lashed out with her tail, Jake grunting as he jumped over it, landing back on his feet.
"Yeah, like what?" Jake III asked as he held up his hands in a defensive stance.
"Mainly, Lista and I thought back on something your grandmother said." Cherri said after she casually dropped her fighting stance.
"What did she say?" Jake asked, also lowering his fighting stance.
"It was when we first met." Cherri replied. "We were all looking for the dragons responsible for the murders of your maternal great-grandparents. We lost one of our friends, and Rose told us, after it was all said and done, that she saw this friend actually ascend to heaven."
"Yeah, I remember her saying something like that." Jake nodded.
"Well..." Cherri smiled again. "...Savannah's got to be there, then. Don't you think?"
Jake III blinked once before he responded: "Yes. I think that sounds about right."
"Do you mind moving, Mr. Long?" The sound of Sillian's voice could be heard from behind Jake, before he could resume his training session with Cherri. Slowly, Jake III turned around to see that Sillian was standing before him, in his dragon form, a bruise on the side of his face. He did not look happy.
"Well, I-" Jake started.
"Please just move." Sillian narrowed his eyes. "You're in my way."
"You do know that you can just walk right around us, right?" Cherri asked as she walked up to Jake III's side.
Sillian sighed, quickly dropping his head before he looked back up at Cherri and Jake. "Yes, I know that." It was obvious that Sillian was frustrated, by the way that he was clutching his clawed hands into fists.
"Is something wrong?" Jake asked.
"What does it look like?" Sillian retorted, putting his clawed hands on his scaly hips.
"I think it looks like your bad mood has something to do with that mark on your face." Jake III replied.
"You'd be correct." Sillian crossed his scaly arms.
"Who did that to you?" Cherri asked.
"Agent Clark."
"Yeah..." Jake smiled knowingly. "...I know that feeling." He brought his hand up to his face. "What'd she hit you for?"
"For giving her orders."
"Why don't you talk to the Dragon Council about it?" Cherri suggested.
"You know Councilor Jennings." Sillian shrugged his shoulders. "I would love to send her packing. I have a feeling, however, that Councilor Jennings would not like that." Then, he sighed again. "She's such a witch. Personally, I think she's been more trouble than help."
"I say talk to the Dragon Council." Cherri said again. "That isn't right. She should not be allowed to hit you."
"The Council wants her to serve as magical community service." Sillian replied before he sighed yet again. "In a few months, she'll be gone. I think I can deal with her until her required time ends. I just wish I knew why she's always so angry."
LINE BREAK
Later that night, Jake III walked along the grass on the island. Lifting up one of his hands from his side, he uncurled his fingers and looked down at the dream charm that he held. His grandmother had left it for him, having told him about the Dream Realm. Sighing, Jake looked back up so he could see where he was going.
Finally, he found Sillian, who was facing Regan. Both were in their dragon forms and both had their swords drawn. With a grunt, Regan lashed out with her Katana, but Sillian retaliated with his Urumi, throwing Regan's attack back.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything important." Jake III spoke, revealing himself before Regan could try and strike again, and as a result, both Sillian and Regan turned their heads to the side to look at Jake, who smiled and waved. "Hey."
"Not to be rude, or anything, but yes." Sillian said as both he and Regan turned to face him. "You are interrupting something of importance. Agent Wido and I are in the middle of a match."
"Well, I apologize." Jake said, taking a step forward. "It's just...I thought about what you told Cherri and me earlier today."
"About Agent Clark?" Sillian asked.
"What about her?" Regan shrugged.
"You said you want to know why she's such a witch..." Jake said before he held up the dream charm. "...Why don't we find out?"
"We're going to find out why she's so angry just by going into her dreams?" Sillian raised an eyebrow. "I...don't think that's possible." He shook his head twice.
"I think it could be." Jake smiled. "If...we go deep enough into her subconscious."
LINE BREAK
At Haley's house, Haley sat up in her bed, wearing a pink nightgown, sat up in her bed, reading an old book. With a sigh, Haley turned the page and continued on. However, unbeknownst to her, down the stairs, the lock on the front door clicked as it was unlocked from the outside. Then, the door was opened slightly.
Back upstairs, Haley once again turned the page of her book, but then she jumped in surprise when she heard the sound of her front door slamming, making her drop her book.
As she panted, Haley jerked her head to the side, staring out into the hall. She waited for about five seconds before she heard a creak. The creak sounded like it came from the bottom of her stairs.
Breathing slowly, Haley climbed out of bed. Then, in a bright light, she transformed into her pink dragon form. Carefully, she stepped out into the hall and turned as quickly as she could, seeing no one in the hallway.
Instead of sighing with relief, Haley held up her claws in a defensive stance before she carefully started to make her way down the hall.
Finally, Haley reached the stairs and quickly turned. Carefully lowering her claws, she looked down the stairs. No one was there.
Haley briefly considered going back to her room and going to sleep. Perhaps it was just her mind playing tricks on her. However, before she could move, her ear twitched as she heard yet another creak. This time, it was coming from her kitchen.
Flapping her wings, Haley quickly flew down her stairs and turned, landing in the doorway to the kitchen. Looking around, Haley was surprised to see that there was nobody in the kitchen.
"I must be going crazy..." Haley whispered to herself, rubbing her temples.
"No." Came the sound of a familiar voice behind her. Gasping, Haley spun around, and with wide eyes, she could see Socorro standing right in front of her, Kay and Cleo at her sides.
"Socorro..."
"You're not crazy." Socorro said with a grin. "You just fell right for our trap. Grab her!" She then pointed out at her mother, Cleo and Kay charging for Haley, and before Haley could move, grabbed her by the arms and forced them behind her back. Or, perhaps Haley just let them hold her.
Haley watched as Socorro walked over to her. "Socorro..." Haley tried.
"Don't." Socorro said, holding up a clawed finger. "I don't want to hear what you have to say."
"No, you're just here to kill me." Haley narrowed her eyes. "Just as long as I'm the only one you kill...go ahead."
"I'm not going to kill you." Socorro replied, still smiling.
"I thought that's what you wanted to do." Haley replied. "You've tried to kill me twice."
"But not tonight." Socorro reached out and grabbed her mother's chin. "Not tonight." She repeated.
"Then why are you even here?" Haley challenged.
"To get you on the edge." Socorro said, taking her hand away from her mother's chin.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Haley challenged.
"You'll find out soon enough." Socorro said before she took a step back. "Alright, let her go." Cleo and Kay did as they were told, shoving their mother down onto the ground.
Haley quickly pushed herself up, looking at Socorro as Cleo and Kay reached her sides again. "Just a warning." Socorro said. "We'll be back. When you least expect it."
"I'll always be expecting you."
"Doubt it." Socorro told her. "We'll get you, and it'll be a surprise."
LINE BREAK
Sillian sighed as he closed the door to his room. Now in his human form, he turned around to face Jake and Regan, who was also in her human form. Jake III grinned as he held out the dream charm again.
"This feels wrong." Sillian said.
"How so?" Jake III asked.
"We're going into her dreams, Mr. Long." Sillian put his hands on his hips. "That is an invasion of privacy."
"And she punched you in the face." Jake countered. "That's an invasion...of...your...personal bubble..."
"What if she finds out?" Sillian changed his reasoning.
"She won't." Jake III replied. "There's no way she can. The only way she would be able to is if she's visiting her own dream door, too."
Sillian seemed to think about what Jake said for a few seconds. Finally, he started to walk over to Jake, and once he reached him, snatched the dream charm out of his hand.
"Hey!" Jake III protested. "What do you think you're doing?!"
"We better find a good reason." Sillian said dangerously, pointing at Jake.
"If you really want to know..." Jake told him. "...Then you know what to do."
Sillian just stared at Jake for a few more seconds before he spoke: "Alright, help me get this thing working."
LINE BREAK
A short time later, a hole was ripped from the wall of the dream corridor, Jake III jumping in, followed by Sillian, and then Regan, and together, all three of them stared down the corridor.
"Okay..." Jake said as he started to walk forward. "...Now all you have to do is follow me. Together we'll find her dream door." He finished as Sillian and Regan started to follow him.
"Should we split up?" Sillian asked.
"Nah." Jake III replied. "This shouldn't take too terribly long."
"There are millions of doors." Sillian protested. "It could take us hours to find her dream door."
"Then we best keep looking." Jake replied, continuing on.
LINE BREAK
A short time later, they all stood at Lin-Lin's dream door. Jake III smiled, putting his hands on his hips as Sillian and Regan stood at his sides. "Told you it wouldn't take too long." Jake bragged.
"Alright, go and open it." Sillian said with narrowed eyes.
"Gladly." Jake said, walking forward and opening the door, walking in. "Keep up and follow me."
Sillian sighed as Regan started to follow Jake. Then, Sillian followed, all three of them walking into Lin-Lin's dream door.
BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL
BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW
A basketball bounced off of the ground as an Asian-American girl of about eighteen, who wore an old pair of jeans and a Dark Champagne-colored basketball jersey bounced it back and forth, a smile on her face as a thirteen year old Lin-Lin watched.
"Catch!" The older girl said as she tossed the basketball over to Lin-Lin, who gasped and managed to catch it before it hit her.
"Okay, now throw it back." The older girl said.
"I don't want to play catch."
"Then we can shoot some hoops." The older girl smiled.
"But that's lame."
"No it's not." The older girl said with a smile as she started to walk over to Lin-Lin. "How is basketball lame?"
"All sports are lame."
"Then what do you want to do, Cousy?" The older girl asked as she took the basketball from Lin-Lin. "Tell me, and we'll do it."
"I-" Lin-Lin started, but before she could finish, both girls heard the sound of the chain fence to the lot they were in clanging. Both turned their heads to the side and saw Lin-Lin's mother watching them.
"Mom!" Lin-Lin said happily as she and the older girl turned and started to walk over to the fence. "You came to pick me up?"
"Had no choice." Her mother didn't seem pleased. "Sorry, Cong-Min..." She crossed her arms. "...But Lin-Lin is going to have to say good-bye for today. She needs to come to the store with me."
As Lin-Lin smiled with excitement, Cong-Min smiled acceptingly. "I understand, Auntie."
LINE BREAK
Moments later, Lin-Lin closed the door to the backseat of a futuristic car. Beside her sat her older brother, who, while about sixteen years of age, did not act like it. As Lin-Lin buckled her seatbelt, her brother laughed like a child and clapped his hands repeatedly as he turned his head to watch his younger sister.
"Honey..." The sound of their mother's voice rang out, making Lin-Lin's brother turn his back to normal, both staring at their mother, who had her head turned so she could look at her two children.
"...Honey, how about when we get to the store, you pick out something that you want?"
"Sounds awesome!" Lin-Lin grinned, pounding her fists excitedly down on her knees. "Thanks, mom!"
"I was talking to your brother, Lin-Lin." This got a laugh from Lin-Lin's brother, who clapped his hands again.
"But, mom-" Lin-Lin tried, the happy look dying from her place, being replaced with a sad, but unsurprised look.
"Sorry." Her mother said, turning her head back to the normal. "I don't have that much extra money. I can only pay for once extra item. I'm sure you understand."
LINE BREAK
All three of them walked into the store and started to walk around, and unbeknownst to them, Sillian, Regan and Jake all followed them in. "So far, I'm not seeing anything good." Sillian said.
"Be patient." Jake told him.
"Maybe we just need to look a little further?" Regan suggested, turning her head to the side to look at JakeIII, but he just lifted up his arm and pointed.
"No we don't." He told them. "Look."
Both Regan and Sillian turned their heads back to normal and watched as Lin-Lin, her mother, and her brother all stood at a shelf.
Lin-Lin's brother had a big grin on his face, turning to face his mother, two toys in his possession, one in each hand. "Are those the ones you want, sweetie?" Her elder child managed a nod.
"Okay, then." His mother replied with a smile, while a shocked Lin-Lin walked up to her side.
"Excuse me?!" Lin-Lin exclaimed, turning her head to the side and looking up at her mother.
Quickly, her mother turned her head to the side as well and looked down. "Don't talk back to me like that." She narrowed her eyes. "What do you think you're doing, young lady."
"You say that you have enough money for only one gift, but now you tell him that he can have two?!" Lin-Lin was furious. "Tell me, do you see anything wrong with that picture?!"
"Well, I can always put something back." Her mother replied. "Like...the cherry soda."
"I like the cherry soda!"
"Well, you can live without it for a week or two." Her mother told her. "Your brother is more important than soda."
"Obviously!" Lin-Lin shouted before she scoffed, turning and storming away.
"And where do you think you're going?" Lin-Lin's mother demanded as she turned to watch her daughter storm away.
"Like you care!"
"If you're not as the register in ten minutes, then you can walk home."
Moments later, Lin-Lin walked around a corner and started to walk across an isle; on both sides of her, the shelves were filled with glass objects. As soon as Lin-Lin reached the middle of the isle, she stopped in her tracks.
First, she clenched her hands into tight fists, and then she squeezed her eyes shut, lowering her head as she started to breath heavily.
That heavy breathing ceasing only a few seconds later, Lin-Lin jerked her head up, her tear-filled eyes now open as she opened her mouth and screamed in frustration before her body became engulfed in a bright light, transforming her into her dragon form.
Breaking down, the distraught young dragon turned and grabbed two glass object from the shelf. Turning, she screamed again before she smashed them against the floor. With yet another scream, she turned and pushed the entire shelf over, the shelf falling to the ground and all of the glass items shattering.
Still not satisfied, Lin-Lin turned around and charged for the second shelf, slamming into it shoulder-first. Like the first time, the shelf tipped over and fell, most of the glass items once again shattering.
Breathing heavily, Lin-Lin turned and reached down and grabbed two of the glass items before she turned and threw them against the ground.
Then, and only then, did Lin-Lin completely break down, weeping as she collapsed to her knees. "Lin-Lin Clark!" Lin-Lin had had her head lowered, but when she heard her mother's angry voice, she looked up, her eyes filled with tears, but a smile on her face.
"M...Mom..." She managed, just before her dragon-formed mother grabbed her by the hair, making Lin-Lin cry out as she was yanked back.
"Is this what you wanted, Lin-Lin, huh?!" Her mother was furious. "Because if it was what you wanted, congratulations, you little brat. You just broke a few hundred dollars' worth of merchandise, if not more!"
"Th...That's not what I wanted!" Lin-Lin managed through her tears.
"You're a child, Lin-Lin!" Her mother hissed. "Grow up!" She finished before she shoved her daughter down onto her belly on the floor. As she stood up straight, turned, and walked away, Lin-Lin was left in her dragon form and on the floor, sobbing.
"Lin-Lin..." Regan said in a small voice, her eyes wide as she watched along with Jake III and Sillian. Jake's eyes were also wide, while Sillian had an empathetic look on his face.
"Alright..." Sillian said softly. "...I think I've seen enough."
"I haven't!" Regan declared before she stepped forward and turned, facing Jake III.
"You want to see more?" Jake III asked.
"Listen to me." Regan said as she reached out and took Jake by his shoulders. "This must be why Lin-Lin is the way she is."
"Obviously." Jake told her.
"I need to know..." Regan said, her facial features practically were begging. "...I need to know how much of this she went through."
As Regan took her hands off of him, Jake III sighed. "Why?" He then asked her. "We did what we came here to do."
"Because, I don't know about you two, but...I like her." Regan replied.
"Fine." Jake replied, holding up the dream charm again.
FLASH
Lin-Lin, now a year older, panted as she ran into the kitchen in her house, where her father was at the sink. "Dad, I need your help!"
"Can it wait, Lin-Lin?" Her father asked, not even bothering to turn his head to the side. "I'm busy cleaning up this mess that your brother made."
"But Dad, the carpet is on fire!"
"What?!" Her father asked before he quickly spun around.
Seconds later, both Lin-Lin and her father ran out into the living room, where Lin-Lin's father found that the carpet was indeed on fire. His eyes wide, Lin-Lin's father ran over to the carpet. Lin-Lin watched as her father reached the carpet, stopping to transform into his dragon form. Quickly, Lin-Lin's father bent over and picked up the carpet, yelping in pain as he stood back up.
Quickly, Lin-Lin stepped to the side as her father rushed into the kitchen. Lion-Lin then turned around and watched as her father set the flaming rug down into the sink and turned on the faucet.
Sighing, her father took a step back before he turned around, seeing Lin-Lin step into the kitchen.
"How in the world did that happen, Lin-Lin?" He asked.
In response, Lin-Lin held up her arms, as if she was searching for someone to hug her. Indeed, that was exactly what she wanted, for she walked over to her dragon-formed father. "It was me." She said innocently.
"What?!" Her father had a look of absolute disgust on his face. However, he quickly tried to hide this, instead opting for a look of understanding. "Well, I'm sure it was an accident."
"No." Lin-Lin admitted as she reached her father, still holding her arms out.
Now, the look of disgust returned to her father's face, and quickly, he backhanded her, making Lin-Lin cry out as she jerked her head to the side.
"What did you do that for?!" Lin-Lin demanded as she turned her head back to normal.
"For being a downright imbecile!"
"No!" Lin-Lin narrowed her eyes. "I'm not the child that's dumb!" This got Lin-Lin another slap across the face.
"Don't you talk about your brother that way..." He growled dangerously.
"Hey, I'd rather be an absolute retard than myself!" Lin-Lin declared as she turned her head back to normal again. "No matter what he does, you never get mad at him. He can do no wrong! Me, on the other hand, I-"
"You're in control of your own actions, Lin-Lin." Her father said sternly, pointing a clawed finger at her. "Your brother is dependent. He isn't capable of cleaning up after himself, but you... you are and you're capable of rational thought. Or so I thought. Lin-Lin, your brother is not stupid. You, on the other hand, are."
Out in the living room, Jake III, Regan and Sillian all watched as the memory version of Lin-Lin walked out of the kitchen, tears in her eyes. Then, Lin-Lin turned and walked away, not knowing that Sillian, Jake and Regan were all there.
"Happy now?" Jake asked sarcastically, turning his head to the side to look at Regan, who looked like she was on the verge of tears.
"No." Regan said softly. "O...Okay. Let's go back now."
FLASH
Moments later, Jake III, Regan and Sillian, who were all lying on the floor in Sillian's room in a circle, all woke up.
Moaning, Jake pushed himself up into a sitting position, watching as Regan did the same.
"How about you?" Jake III asked as he turned his head to the side to watch as Sillian sat up.
"No." Sillian said. "That...That was one of the most depressing things that I've ever seen."
"Well, you got what you wanted." Jake III told him.
"Yeah..." Sillian said softly, his eyes shifting down to the floor. "...I guess I did get what I wanted. Now I understand."
LINE BREAK
At Haley's house, Haley, still in her dragon form, stood on her roof, looking exhausted. Still, she clenched her hands into fists, trying to keep herself standing strong. She narrowed her tired eyes.
"You want me on the edge..." Haley said softly. "...That's exactly what you wanted, and you've got it. I'll always be expecting you, and I know that you're going to attack me when I least expect it. I bet you three are even watching right at this moment."
At that moment, Haley's knees began to shake before her legs just gave out on her from the exhaustion of staying up all night. With a mixture of a sigh and a grunt, Haley fell down into a sitting position.
"You truly have been possessed by dark magic..." Haley continued. "...I just wish I didn't have to stop you. I wish there was something I could do to save you..."
BLACKOUT; END EPISODE
A/N: Yeah, it's a little shorter than usual, but I don't really care. Not quite sure how I feel this one. Don't like the Haley/Socorro, Cleo and Kay part. As for Lin-Lin's memories, I feel a little bit better about those parts. I'm hoping that you can see how the parental neglect made her into the woman/dragon she is in the present. I also think that the scene where she trashes the store shelves fit with her violent tendencies.
So, in any case, please review.