Chinese Dragon: Luong Lao-Shi 2: The Chinese Clan

by Fudogg

The second of four "films" that delve into Lao-Shi's past.

Chinese Dragon: Luong Lao-Shi 2: The Chinese Clan

Disclaimer: I don't own American Dragon or any of the characters. Just my OCs.

A/N: Here it is: #2 of 4. As a head's up, there will be more dialogue that is in English than the first film. Unlike last time, unless it says differently, the characters are speaking English. Except for the opening flashbacks. In those, they are speaking Chinese unless it is said to be different.

1957

In their school uniforms, both Lao-Shi and Khircy were walking down the sidewalk, nearing the school that Bao Chun attended. "Lao-Shi..." Khircy asked in English. "...Why are we walking this way? My place is the other way."

"To see Bao." Lao-Shi replied in English.

As they continued to walk toward the school, both of them heard the sound of the bell ringing from the school. Lao-Shi and Khircy could both see the doors to the school opening, uniformed schoolgirls walking down the steps after coming out the doors.

"And tell me why we're paying her a visit?" Khircy asked in English.

"She's a friend." Lao-Shi answered, still in English.

As the two of them got closer to the school, Lao-Shi's eyes widened as he saw Bao finish walking down the steps, her four friends following her down the steps. Smiling, Bao turned and walked to the side a few steps as her friends followed her. Then, she turned around, still smiling as Khircy and Lao-Shi approached her back. Bao started to open her mouth, but before she could, Jia Li opened hers and spoke: "Hey, is that your bodyguard?" She asked in Chinese.

"Huh?" Bao asked in Chinese, slowly turning around, just in time to see Lao-Shi and Khircy stopping a few inches in front of her. "Lao-Shi..." Bao continued.

"Hey, how come he doesn't follow you around anymore?" Niu asked in Chinese.

"I got fired." Lao-Shi shrugged in answer.

"Shame about that." Riu joined in. "You seemed to me like you really cared about doing your job."

"Yeah, you came into Mrs. Liu's class." Jia Li crossed her arms as she spoke with a smile on her face. "That took some bravery."

"Lao-Shi." Bao spoke again, repeating her question as she reached over and grabbed her opposite arm with her hand. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I..." Lao-Shi struggled to say as he lifted his arms up in a shrug. "...I...Can't I just say hello?" He finally asked as he lowered his hands to his sides again.

"Oh..." Bao seemed rather surprised by this.

"I mean, we are friends..." Lao-Shi continued.

"Yeah." Bao agreed softly as she dropped her hand away from her arm. "We are. We are friends..."

"Look..." Lao-Shi took a step back. "...I was wondering if you'd like to come to Khircy's with me. Last time, you said it was fun. Maybe it will be this time. You like soda..." He crossed his arms. "...There will be soda..."

"Well, I'd-" Bao said in a slow voice, but before she could finish, she gasped as she felt a hand come down on her shoulder, being forced to take three steps to the side as Hsui Mei stepped up to look at Lao-Shi, putting her hands on her hips.

"Maybe at a different time." Hsui Mei told him in Chinese. "Bao can't do it right now. She has more important things to worry about."

"She does?" Niu asked, turning her head to the side. "Bao, you should go. Have some fun. You need to have a little bit of fun in your life."

"Uh...Okay..." Bao slowly made up her mind as she looked down at her feet, then looking back up at Lao-Shi. "...I'll come with you."

FLASH

Khircy, Lao-Shi and Bao were all sitting at the table at Khircy's house. Khircy had the bottle in his mouth and was gulping down the cola as Lao-Shi watched him with a smile on his face. Pulling the bottle away from his mouth, Khircy slammed the bottom of the bottle down on the table with a smile on his face, while Bao watched him with a curious look on her face.

Finally, Khircy opened his mouth and belched loudly, making Lao-Shi laugh hysterically, hitting his open palm against the table three times.

Bao, however, had a look of disgust on her face. "That's so gross." She said.

"Now you do it, Bao!" Lao-Shi said as he turned his head to the side.

"What?" Bao's eyes widened. "You expect me to do that?"

"Why not?" Khircy asked in Chinese, turning his head to the side to look at her.

"Because it's disgusting!"

"Just try it." Lao-Shi told her, turning his head to the side as well.

Groaning, Bao rolled her eyes as she reached down and grabbed her soda bottle. "Fine..." She gave in rather quickly. "...But I know that I won't find it funny." She added before she put the bottle to her lips and then tipped her head back, gulping down all of the soda.

Both Lao-Shi and Khircy watched with looks of anticipation on their faces as Bao continued to gulp down the soda, finally pulling the glass away from her lips and setting the bottle down on the table. "Hap-?" She started, but before she could finish, she cut herself off by belching even louder and for longer than Khircy had.

As Bao closed her mouth, her eyes were wide. Both Khircy's and Lao-Shi's eyes were wide as well, but they were both growing a smile as well. As soon as she recovered from the shock, Bao pursed her lips as she struggled not to smile as well. Finally, after five seconds, she gave up on herself and allowed herself to smile, giggling softly, making her bring one of her hands up to her mouth. With Bao's giggle, both Khircy and Lao-Shi burst out laughing.

FLASH

January 1958

Bao had a smile on her face as she walked down the halls of her school. She was walking amidst several other girls, but it was like she was completely unaware of her own surroundings. That was, until she heard the sound of Hsui Mei's voice: "Bao!"

Stopping in her tracks, Bao's smile slowly started to fade as she slowly turned around to see Hsui Mei running up to her. "Bao, I need to talk to you." She said as she stopped in front of her friend.

"About what?" Bao asked as she reached over with her hand and grabbed hold of her opposite arm.

"You hardly ever spend time with me, Niu, Riu or Jia Li anymore, Bao." Hsui Mei told her as she put her hands on her hips. "You're spending all of your time with your bodyguard. I'm amazed that you're even able to get all your homework done. That's how much time you spend with him."

"Well, I enjoy spending time with him." Bao said softly, still holding onto her shoulder.

"Bao..." Hsui Mei said as she took her hands away from her hips.

"You guys are my friends." Bao told her. "But so is Lao-Shi..." She added as she slowly turned around, starting to walk off, leaving Hsui Mei all alone.

Pushing open the doors of her school a few moments later, Bao stepped outside and started to walk down the steps. As soon as she reached the bottom, she turned to the side and started to walk down the sidewalk.

However, after only a few seconds, she stopped walking and her eyes widened as she heard a "Psst" noise coming from above her. Turning around, Bao looked up to see Lao-Shi in his dragon on the roof of the school looking down on her. "Bao!" He called out in a whisper.

"Lao-Shi!" The smile returned to Bao's face. "You're here. What are we going to do today?"

"We're going to go for a flight." Lao-Shi told her. "Make sure you're not being watched first and then go into your dragon form."

FLASH

May, 1960

Khircy, Bao and Lao-Shi all sat at the table in Khircy's kitchen, all of them wearing their school uniforms. Bao was sitting back in her chair, gulping down a bottle of soda, while Khircy smiled as he and a nervous looking Lao-Shi faced each other.

"Finally." Khircy said in English as he brought his arms up and folded them behind his head. "We're finally finishing secondary school."

"Yeah..." Lao-Shi replied in English just as he heard the sound of a glass soda bottle touching down on the table, followed by a loud, six second long belch from Bao.

As Khircy and Lao-Shi turned their heads to the side, they could see that Bao had a smile on her face. "Your turn, Lao-Shi." She said in Chinese. "See if you can beat me." However, as she saw the worried look on his face, her smile slowly started to fade. "Something wrong?" She asked. "You've been acting strange today."

"It's nothing." Lao-Shi told her in Chinese as he turned his head back to normal, reaching out and grabbing his soda bottle.

"You can tell me." Bao offered.

"There's a dance." Lao-Shi gave in quickly as he turned his head back to the side. "For the graduating class. You wouldn't have a problem like this, seeing as you go to an all-girls school, but we're supposed to have dates and we're supposed to dance."

"You don't know how to dance?" Bao guessed as she folded her arms on the top of the table.

"I can dance." Lao-Shi cracked a smile. "I just can't dance the way that we're supposed to..."

FLASH

"You're going to teach me how to slow dance?" Lao-Shi asked in Chinese as he stood in his dragon form.

"Yes." Bao, also in her dragon form, said as she walked toward him. The two of them were standing on the roof of a tall building. "Are you ready for this?" Bao asked as she reached him, holding up her clawed hands.

Taking a deep breath, Lao-Shi released it as a sigh as he reached up and took Bao's claws in his own.

"Now, I'm not the best either, but this should give you an idea..." Bao warned him.

"Any practice is good." Lao-Shi replied.

"Okay, take three steps back..." Bao instructed, Lao-Shi doing as he was told. "...Now two steps forward..." Lao-Shi once again doing as instructed.

"Now just keep on doing that..." Bao said. She and Lao-Shi were holding one clawed hand each, while Bao had her other clawed hand on Lao-Shi's shoulder, Lao-Shi's other clawed hand on her side. "...Good..." Bao said as Lao-Shi continued through with the movements-back and forth, back and forth. "...If you want to add a little bit to it-and you should-you should turn."

"How do I do that?" Lao-Shi asked as he continued to dance.

"Just turn." Bao told him. "You can do it."

As Lao-Shi took a step back, he did as he was told and turned to the side with Bao, the two of them continuing to dance as Bao smiled. "Great job!" She praised him. "You did it."

As he continued to dance, Lao-Shi stared at Bao's smiling face, staring into her eyes. Before Lao-Shi even knew what her was doing her abruptly stopped dancing, separating his claws from Bao's and taking his claws away from her side as he took a step back from her.

"What's wrong?" Bao asked. "Why did you stop?"

Without saying a word, Lao-Shi took a step closer to Bao and leaned forward, planting a kiss on her lips. As Lao-Shi kissed her, Bao's eyes widened, but she did not pull away. The kiss lasted ten seconds, and after the ten seconds were up, Lao-Shi pulled away.

"Bao..." He said.

"You...You..." Bao could only stammer, lifting up her clawed hand and pointing at him.

"Bao, I'm sorry." Lao-Shi dipped his head in shame. "I shouldn't have done that." Slowly turning around, Lao-Shi started to walk over to the ledge of the building. However, after only three steps, he stopped as Bao reached out and grabbed one of his clawed hands in her own.

His eyes wide, Lao-Shi turned back around to see Bao, who quickly stepped forward and put her lips to Lao-Shi's, kissing him.

FLASH

June, 1960

With a smile on his face, Lao-Shi was in his dragon form, flying up above the waters as he made his way toward the houseboat that Bao lived on.

As soon as he reached it, Lao-Shi landed and seconds later, reverted to his human form in a bright light; as soon as the light faded, Lao-Shi stood wearing a tuxedo. Smiling, Lao-Shi strode over to the front door and knocked on it four times.

Still smiling, Lao-Shi pulled his hand away and took a step back, just as the door opened and Bao appeared with her long black hair in a bun, wearing a white silk dress and with a suitcase in her hands. "Hello." She smiled.

"Ready to go?" Lao-Shi asked smoothly as he brought up his hand to his hair, running his hand through it.

"Sure." Bao smiled. "Just give me a second. I started packing a second suitcase. Do you mind if I finish packing it?"

"Sure, whatever you-" Lao-Shi said as he lowered his hand. However, before he could finish, he abruptly cut himself off and his eyes widened. "Wait. You're packing?"

"Yeah." Bao said. "Back before we started dating, I applied for the University of Oregon. I just got my acceptance letter yesterday."

'Wait, you're going to college in America?!" Lao-Shi's eyes widened even more. "But...I'm not..."

"We were just friends when I applied." Bao said softly. "If I had known that we were going to start dating, I never would have applied. I'm sorry, Lao-Shi. I was going to tell you tonight."

"Wh...When do you leave?"

"Late September..."

Hearing this news, Lao-Shi's eyes widened even more.

BLACKOUT; PLAY OPENING CREDITS

Hong Kong, June 1965

Lao-Shi and Khircy, both twenty-three year old adults, were walking together along the sidewalk. While Khircy had a pleasant look on his face, Lao-Shi looked solemn, his hands in the pockets of his jacket.

It has been five years since Bao left for America to go to college. I have not seen her since. Khircy and I both stayed in Hong Kong and attended college. With Khircy's help, my English-speaking abilities strengthened to the point where I was very fluent in the English language. Likewise with my help, Khircy became fluent in the Chinese language.

Khircy turned his head to the side and looked down at Lao-Shi, whose head was lowered. "Can you please cheer up?" Khircy asked in English. "You've been the Depressed Dragon for a year. What the hell, man? Is it Bao?"

Sighing, Lao-Shi looked up and stared out in front of himself. "Of course." Lao-Shi answered in English. "Bao should have returned a year ago. College only lasts four years."

"Sometimes it takes longer." Khircy replied.

"Or maybe she just forgot about her friends." Lao-Shi replied sadly. "Forgot about Hong Kong. Forgot about me." Sighing, he dropped his head again as he pulled his hands out of his pockets, a very small box in one of his hands. Sighing, he used his other hand to pull open the lid at an angle, revealing a ring with a light blue jewel.

"You were only dating her for three months." Khircy told him. "So therefore you decided to ask her to marry you?"

"I love her, Khircy." Lao-Shi said as he closed the case and then put it back into his pocket.

The two of them continued to walk down the sidewalk, nearing a shop. Just as Lao-Shi and Khircy were about to reach it, the door was pushed open and Niu stepped outside, turning to the side and starting to walk toward them, only to stop, her eyes widening as she saw them in front of her. Niu was wearing a black jacket and slacks with a white blouse underneath. "Lao-Shi..." She said.

"Hello, Niu." Lao-Shi looked up at her as he spoke in Chinese. "Look, this might seem like a weird question, but have you kept in contact with Bao?"

"No." Niu shook her head once. "I haven't heard from her in about four and a half years."

"Oh..." Lao-Shi seemed rather disappointed by this. "...But, uh, what about Riu? Has your sister heard anything from here. In fact, the last time I saw her was before Bao and I even started dating. What happened to her?" Lao-Shi asked as he put one of his hands on his hips.

"Oh..." Something flashed in Niu's eyes; it looked like worry. "...Well..." Niu replied as she crossed her arms. "...She got very sick."

"Did she die?" Khircy asked in Chinese.

"No, no." Niu shook her head once. "She's just very ill. But to answer your question, Lao-Shi..." She changed the subject as she lowered her arms to the side. "...Neither of us have heard from Bao."

"Oh..." Once again, there was the sound of disappointment in Lao-Shi's tone.

"Well..." Niu tried to sound cheerful as she clapped her hands together. "...It was a pleasant surprise running into both of you. Now, if you'll excuse me..." She finished as she lowered her hands, starting to walk away, passing in-between the two of them. However, as Niu started to walk away, she yelped as the ground jerked up, throwing Niu out from underneath her feet and making her fall down in a sitting position.

From behind, Khircy was also thrown off of his feet, grunting as he landed in a sitting position, as Lao-Shi fell down on his knees.

As she heard car alarms going off, Niu grunted as she got back up on her feet. "Are you guys alright?" She asked as she turned around, watching as both Lao-Shi and Khircy got up on their feet.

"That felt really close." Khircy said in English.

"It was probably just an earthquake." Lao-Shi shrugged; putting his hands on his hips, he started to walk away from his friend, who had a look of shock on his face.

LINE BREAK

The door to a steamy bathroom opened and Niu stepped inside, immediately gagging. "Riu, you shouldn't steam up the room." Niu said as she closed the door with her foot. "I can't breathe when I come in here."

Looking out over to the bathtub, Niu could see that the black curtains were spread out over the side of the tub; Riu completely gone from sight. For about fifteen seconds, Niu got no answer. Instead, she could hear water being picked up from the tub and then she heard a splash as it made contact with skin. Then, she got an answer: "It makes me feel good." Was Riu's response.

"Riu, listen to me." Niu said as she made her way to the tub. "Did you feel that jolt?"

"Yes." Came a much quicker response from Riu, making Niu stop in her tracks, hearing the water in the tub slosh around.

"I was in the streets when it happened." Niu said as she crossed her arms. "It felt close. Really close..."

LINE BREAK

That night in his apartment, Lao-Shi sat in his chair wearing nothing more than a tank top and a pair of boxing shorts as he watched his black and white TV, a female news reporter saying in Chinese: "There is still no word on what the jolt many Hong Kong civilians felt in the late morning was..."

Lao-Shi continued to listen, but just as the reporter finished that sentence, Lao-Shi was forced to turn his head to the side as he heard five knocks against his door.

Moments later, Lao-Shi opened his door, now wearing a small bathrobe. As he looked up, he gasped as he saw Councilor Cantata in her human form, wearing her Dragon Council robes.

"Councilor Cantata, what are you doing here at this time of night?" Lao-Shi asked in English.

"You're going to need to come with me, Dragon Lao-Shi." Cantata said in English as she looked down on him. "Councilors Zkryo and Calyx are fetching Dragon Cason as we speak. Now come." With this, she turned to the side and started to walk down the hall. "Follow me!" She called.

Sighing, Lao-Shi quickly made up his mind to walk out of the room, turning to the side, Lao-Shi ran as fast as he could until he caught up with Councilor Cantata, stopping at her side. "Are you going to tell me what this is all about?" Lao-Shi asked.

"This is about that so-called earthquake today." Cantata explained. "As soon as we got word that it had happened, all of us flew down here as quickly as we could."

"It was an earthquake." Lao-Shi told her. "So what?"

"But it wasn't an earthquake." Cantata told him. "That is why I need you to come with me. The rest of the Council will expl-" However, before she could finish, another jolt hit, making the Councilor and Lao-Shi stumble to the side, both of them hitting the wall and putting their hands up against it.

"See?" Cantata asked as she quickly pulled her hands away and turned to the side, walking away from the wall, while Lao-Shi did the same. "That was too quick to be an earthquake." Cantata said as she stopped in the center of the hall.

"Man, that wasn't as strong as the first one." Lao-Shi remarked.

"That's because while you and Dragon Cason were in the street, you were near it. Now, we're farther away." As Cantata finished saying this, the two of them started to walk down the hall again.

LINE BREAK

In his human form, Councilor Klyntvo was leaning over a table, while Khircy sat on the bed, fully dressed in his human form, in-between Councilor Zkryo and Councilor Calyx, who were both in their human forms.

"Can you check and see if Councilor Cantata is coming?" Councilor Klyntvo asked in English as he looked up and turned his head to the side to address Councilor Zoila, who was standing behind him, to the side.

"Yes, Councilor." Zoila said in English before she turned around. She started to walk toward the door, but after only one step, the door opened and Cantata stepped inside, followed by Lao-Shi.

"Lao-Shi!" Khircy said in English as he stood up and turned his head to the side. "I don't know what I'm doing here. Do you know anything?"

"It's about the earthquake we felt today." Lao-Shi answered in English as he started to walk toward the bed.

"It wasn't an earthquake." Klyntvo said as he turned to the side, watching as both Khircy and Lao-She stared at him. "We actually believe it to be the result of a machine created back in 1109 A.D. by Nordic elves."

"The same Nordic elves that made the Ucrono Hourglass?" Khircy asked.

"Yes." Klyntvo nodded once. "The Dragon Council has believed the machine to be lost for several centuries..."

"There was a rumor that it was here in Hong Kong..." Came the sound of Calyx's voice, making both Khircy and Lao-She turn around as Calyx continued. "...And after today, we are now almost completely certain that the rumor is in fact true."

"Well, what's the machine called?" Khircy asked.

"It isn't what it's called..." Klyntvo said, putting his hands on his hips and making Lao-Shi and Khircy both turn back around. "...It's what it does..."

"What does it do?" Lao-Shi asked.

"It fossilizes anything that gets in the way of its blast." Klyntvo said as he crossed his arms.

"Its...blast?" Khircy asked.

"It fires green blasts." Councilor Zoila said as she walked up to Klyntvo's side and turned to the side to face Khircy and Lao-Shi. "Our guess is that the machine is being fired from below."

"How can that be?" Lao-Shi asked. "Does it shoot the blasts out on its own?"

"No, Dragon Lao-Shi." Klyntvo said. "It means that there is someone down there...and that they have found the machine..."

"The blasts can fossilize anything." Zoila repeated. "Even an entire city and everyone living in it. However, at the moment, it appears as though the blasts are not powerful enough."

"We must go down there and find the machine and stop whoever has found it." Klyntvo said. "The entire city and everyone living within it are in mortal danger..."

LINE BREAK

In the darkness of the dimly lit underground tunnels, Lao-Shi, Khircy, Councilor Calyx, Councilor Klyntvo, Councilor Zkryo, Councilor Zoila and Councilor Cantata were all walking in a straight line in their dragon forms.

"How much farther, Dragon Lao-Shi?" Councilor Klyntvo asked in English, turning his head to the side.

"We're going to make a turn fairly soon." Lao-Shi answered in English. "Then it will only be a few more minutes of walking."

"And then we'll be right below where you and Dragon Cason were this morning?" Councilor Calyx asked, turning his head to the side.

"We should be." Lao-Shi answered as Calyx turned his head back to normal.

"We don't know the underground tunnels very well." Khircy said.

"Well, let's hope that what you're telling us is correct." Klyntvo said.

LINE BREAK

A few minutes later, the dragons reached the turn that Lao-Shi had mentioned. "Well what do you know?" Klyntvo asked with a smile as he turned his head to the side to look at both Lao-Shi and Khircy. "You were right, Dragon La-"

However, before Klyntvo could finish, another jolt hit, throwing Lao-Shi to the side, making Khircy fall forward on his knees and making the Council members stumble around, but they managed to keep their balance.

Lying on his side, Lao-Shi rolled over onto his back. However, as he started to sit up, he froze and his eyes widened as he heard the sound of maniacal laughter.

His eyes wide, Klyntvo looked in both directions of himself as he spoke to the rest of his party: "We have to hurry."

LINE BREAK

The tunnel broke off into a large chamber. In the chamber was a large, dusty machine in the shape of a rectangle with a hole on all four sides, and even one on top, as well as a lever that was on each side right next to the hole.

Lying on the ground on his back was a male Pale Brown-colored dragon who was laughing maniacally. As he laughed, the dragon reached up with his tail and wrapped it around the lever on the top of the machine, pulling it, causing a green blast to come out from the top hole, shooting up to the ceiling and hitting it, causing a jolt, only making the dragon laugh harder.

However, as the dragon continued to laugh, several footsteps could be heard; seconds later, Lao-Shi, Khircy, Calyx, Klyntvo, Zkryo, Zoila and Cantata all ran into the room. Upon seeing the dragon's laughing form, Klyntvo's eyes widened in shock.

"What are we going to do?" Zkryo asked, turning his head to the side.

"Okay, okay..." Klyntvo tried. "...Let me think. Just give me a second..."

However, even as Klyntvo tried to think of a solution, the still laughing dragon brought his tail up again and wrapped it around the lever on top of the machine. "Councilor, I really don't think we have this much time!" Zkryo whispered urgently as Klyntvo held onto his head with his claws.

"Okay!" Klyntvo said as he lowered his claws from his head. "Okay, just...just go with me on this one. I'll go talk to him."

"You're going to talk to him?" Khircy asked, turning his head to the side.

"Yes." Klyntvo said as he started to walk toward the dragon and the machine. However, he quickly stopped and turned his head to the side to look at the rest of his party. "And while I try to talk to him, you all need to try and deactivate the machine. Trust me on this one." Klyntvo finished, speaking more to himself as he turned his head back to normal.

The dragon's laughter continued as he prepared to pull the lever. However, before he could, his laughter stopped as he heard the sound of Klynto's voice: "Hello."

Stopping his laughter, the Pale Brown dragon rolled over onto his belly and looked up as Klyntvo looked down on him. "What are you doing down here?" Klyntvo asked as the Pale Brown dragon stared at him with a blank expression on his face.

"Here." Klyntvo offered as he leaned over and put his claws on his shoulders. "Why don't you stand up?" However, as Klyntvo started to come back up, trying to help the Pale Brown dragon, the dragon stayed down, keeping Klyntvo leaning over.

"Can you understand me?" Klyntvo asked as the Pale Brown dragon continued to stare up at him. "Do you understand what I'm saying?" Then, he quickly changed to speaking in Chinese: "How about now?"

Still, the dragon just stared up at him with a confused look on his face, just blinking once.

Klyntvo was beginning to look worried. "Come on." He urged, still in Chinese. "Please get up on your feet." Quickly, Klyntvo used his tail, which he wrapped around the Pale Brown dragon's waist, to pick him up.

As soon as he set the Pale Brown dragon down, Klyntvo released his tail and then turned around, putting his scaly arm behind the Pale Brown dragon's neck. "Talk with me." Klyntvo said in Chinese as he walked the Pale Brown dragon away and seconds later, he stopped, turning to the side and turning the Pale Brown dragon to the side, forcing him to look at him.

"Can you tell me your name?" Klyntvo asked in Chinese, while the Pale Brown dragon just blinked in confusion again. "Can you tell me what you're doing down here?" Klyntvo asked as he was able to see Lao-Shi, Khircy, Calyx, Zkryo, Zoila and Cantata all tiptoeing to the machine from behind.

As soon as they reached the machine, all of the dragons all lined up together. "So how do we switch it off?" Lao-Shi asked, turning his head to the side as Zkryo stepped forward, putting his claws to the side.

"I don't see anything..." Zkryo whispered as he looked up at the top. "Do any of you see anything on the sides.

"Dragon Lao-Shi and I will check." Cantata said. As Zkryo turned back around, he watched as Cantata and Lao-Shi both walked over to the sides. As soon as she reached it, Cantata peered down. "Nothing." She said. "Lao-Shi, do you-" She started as she stood back up, but she could see Lao-Shi standing up just as she was as Zkryo stepped away from the machine.

"Nothing." Lao-Shi said.

"There might be something on the bottom." Zoila suggested as Zkryo reached the rest of them, turning back around.

"It's worth a shot." Cantata said as she turned to the side. "Dragon Lao-Shi and I will help you tip it over."

Nodding once, Councilor Zoila started to walk away from the rest of the dragons and started to make her way toward Cantata and Lao-Shi. "Okay." Cantata said softly as Zoila reached the side of the machine, she and Lao-Shi turning around. "Let's do this." All of the three dragons then crouched down. "On three." Cantata said as she put her claws down on the bottom.

Meanwhile, Klyntvo was still trying to talk to the Pale Brown dragon. "You're not in trouble or anything." Klyntvo promised in Chinese. "We just want to help you."

The Pale Brown just stared at the Councilor blankly. However, when the dragon heard a creaking noise and grunts coming from Zoila, Cantata and Lao-Shi, he whirled to the side and gasped as he saw the three dragons trying to tip the machine over while Khircy, Calyx and Zkryo watched.

Gasping, the Pale Brown dragon lunged for the machine, leaving a shocked Klyntvo to turn around.

As the Pale Brown dragon got closer, he grunted as he lashed out with his tail, wrapping it around the lever of the hole on the side. However, he was stopped as Klyntvo's tail wrapped around his waist, Klyntvo grunting and taking a step back as he pulled.

Grunting, the Pale Brown dragon tried to keep hold, but he soon failed. As he came flying back, his tail released the lever, only to pull it down as his tail released it. The hole whirred to life as it started to glow a green color.

Grunting, Klyntvo started to spin around as he pulled the Pale Brown dragon back, spinning the Pale Brown dragon to the point that he appeared as a blur. As soon as he had enough speed, Klyntvo stopped spinning and released the Pale Brown dragon, who flew back until his back collided with the wall, making him grunt before he slid to the ground, unmoving.

Klyntvo stared at the fallen dragon for a few seconds before he turned around, just as the machine, which had gotten warm enough, shot a green blast from the hole on the machine's side, heading right for Klyntvo; the green blast reflected off of Klyntvo's widening eyes as it came closer and closer toward him.

Finally, with a mighty grunt, Cantata, Zoila and Lao-Shi all managed to tip the machine over. Zoila slowly put her claws to the bottom, only to see that the bottom was bare. Her eyes widening, Zoila gasped. "Nothing!"

"Are you telling me that there's no switch?" Lao-Shi asked as he turned his head to the side. "That's stupid! This thing is dangerous!"

"That doesn't matter, Dragon Lao-Shi." Cantata said as she turned her head to the side. "We have it now and we've found out who was using it. Hong Kong is safe."

"Councilors!" Came the sudden call of Zkryo.

Zkryo, Calyx and Khircy were all standing in a half-circle around something: the fossilized remains of Councilor Klyntvo's dragon form.

"What is it?" Cantata asked as she, Zoila and Lao-Shi walked over to them. However, she soon gasped, while Zoila's and Lao-Shi's eyes widened.

"Oh no..." Came Zoila's response.

LINE BREAK

While the Councilors were crouched over their fossilized leader, an ill-looking Khircy had his back to the entrance, while Lao-Shi faced him. "I can't believe it..." Khircy shook his head once. "...What a horrible fate."

"Things like that happen, Khircy." Lao-Shi said softly. However, he soon gasped as he stared out from behind Khircy's shoulder, seeing the black outline of two dragons who were standing at the other end of the hall. One was shorter than the other and looked a little scrawnier.

"Lao-Shi, what is it?" Khircy asked, his eyes widening as he saw the look on Lao-Shi's face. Khircy slowly turned around, but as he looked out into the hall, he saw nothing. "What did you see?" Khircy asked. "There is nothing there." As he said this, the shocked-looking Lao-Shi used his clenched fists to rub his eyes.

LINE BREAK

The next morning, the Pale Brown dragon was lying on his side on the bed, chains wrapped around his upper body four times, pinning his arms to the side with his feet were bound together with more chains. Despite his circumstances, the dragon was sleeping peacefully as a dragon-formed Calyx stood over him. In the center of the room, Zkryo was sitting in a chair in his human form, his arms crossed.

Suddenly, the door opened, making Zkryo turn his head to the side as Lao-Shi walked inside in his human form, wearing a black T-shirt and a pair of slacks.

"Lao-Shi." Zkryo had a look of confusion on his face as Lao-Shi closed the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Where's the rest of the Council?" Lao-Shi asked as he walked closer to the sitting Dragon Councilor.

"Councilors Cantata and Zoila are getting breakfast." Zkryo said as he turned his head back to normal.

"And what about him?" Lao-Shi meant the chained up dragon as he turned to the side, crossing his arms. "Is he going to prison."

"Oh, no." Calyx said, turning to the side. "Last night, we finished testing him."

"Testing him?" Lao-Shi asked as he lowered his arms.

"We wanted to know who he was..." Zkryo said.

"What did you find?" Lao-Shi asked.

"Severe brain damage." Calyx had a hint of sadness in his tone. "He didn't understand what the machine was or what it was doing when he pulled a lever. He probably just thought it was amusing."

"What are you going to do with him?" Lao-Shi asked as he put his hands on his hips.

"We'll take care of him." Calyx smiled. "We'll take him back to the Island of Draco and we'll see if we can find a home that'll take care of him."

"Why are you here, Dragon Lao-Shi?" Zkryo asked, turning his head to the side as he put both of his hands down on the armrests. "I don't think you came here to talk about this dragon."

"No, sir." Lao-Shi said as he turned to the side to face him. "What I came here to do...is ask you about something..."

"About what?" Zkryo asked.

"Last night..." Lao-Shi said. "...I thought I saw two other dragons down in the tunnels."

"Where?"

"It was after we retrieved the machine and after Councilor Klyntvo died." Lao-Shi said. "I was looking out into the hall, and I could have sworn that I saw two dragons."

"Could you make them out?"

"No." Lao-Shi shook his head once before he put his hands on his hips. "I could just see their outlines. I was just wondering...about how many dragons live here?"

"Several." Zkryo said as he turned his head back to normal. "You might be the Chinese Dragon, but there are several other dragons that live here. Dragon Bao Chun once was one of those dragons, as was this dragon."

Nodding once, Lao-Shi turned around as he heard the door opening, seeing Councilor Cantata entering, followed by Zoila, who stopped to close the door as Cantata, who was carrying a large bag, walked further into the room.

"Dragon Lao-Shi..." She asked as she stopped. "...What are you doing here?"

"He was just asking a question." Calyx told her as he turned back to normal so that he was facing the chained up Pale Brown dragon.

"What about?" Cantata asked as Zoila made her way to Cantata's side.

"Just...something I thought I saw last night." Lao-Shi told her, looking up at both Councilors.

LINE BREAK

Closing the door to his bedroom, Lao-Shi sighed as he started to make his way over to his bed. Plopping down on it, Lao-Shi kept his face buried in his pillow, keeping it there for fifteen seconds before he heard the ringing of his phone.

Lifting his head up, Lao-Shi turned his head to the side to look at the 1960's telephone that was placed on his nightstand. Rolling over onto his side, Lao-Shi reached out, grabbed the phone and picked it up, slowly bringing it over to the side of his head and placing it down on his ear.

"Hello?" He asked in Chinese as he closed his eyes.

"Lao-Shi, is that you?" He heard a familiar female voice, speaking in English, making Lao-Shi open his eyes.

"Bao?" He asked, switching to English. "Is that you?"

He heard a small giggle before Bao spoke again: "I'm glad you recognize the sound of my voice, Lao-Shi."

"Are you speaking English?"

"Attending school in America for five years will do that to you." Was Bao's response. "Look, Lao-Shi. I've completed my schooling. I'm coming home."

"You are?" Lao-Shi's eyes widened even more, a small smile starting to form.

"I have a plane scheduled for this evening." Bao explained. "So, hopefully I will be back in Hong Kong in only a few day's time."

"That's...great..."

"I just thought you'd like to know that." Bao said.

"Thank you for telling me." Lao-Shi said as he sat up. "If you could...keep me posted...I'll be there at the airport to pick you up."

LINE BREAK

Four Days Later

Lao-Shi stood several feet away from a landed plane, the cockpit door opening after the stairs had been put in place. Lao-Shi watched as the first few people walked out and started to walk down the stairs. Crossing his arms, Lao-Shi waited.

Finally, Bao stepped out of the plane. She was carrying two suitcases in one hand and a third in another; her long black hair had been cut short and she wore sunglasses, a black blouse and a pair of baggy jeans.

Lao-Shi lowered his arms as Bao finally reached him. "Hi, Lao-Shi." Bao smiled as she spoke in English.

"Hey." Lao-Shi said, also in English. "Come with me." He added as he started to turn around.

"Lao-Shi..." Bao started. "...Wh...Where's our transportation?"

"We're flying, Bao." Lao-Shi smiled as he turned his head to the side to look at her.

LINE BREAK

High up in the air, Lao-Shi and Bao were both flying in their dragon forms, Lao-Shi carrying all three of her bags. "If you don't mind Bao, I was hoping that you wouldn't mind if you stayed with me..."

"That sounds good." Bao agreed, smiling.

"So, how was college in America?" Lao-Shi asked, turning his head to the side.

"It was interesting." Came Bao's response. "At first, I felt really intimidated, but after a few months, I really got the hang of it. Maybe one of these days, I'll go back to the States."

"Hmm..." Was Lao-Shi's response as he turned his head back to normal.

"So how was life back here?" Bao asked. "What did you do while I was gone?"

"I went to college here with Khircy." Lao-Shi said. "Everything was pretty normal."

"Did anything of major importance happen while I was gone?"

"Five days ago..." Lao-Shi began slowly. "...Councilor Klyntvo...was killed."

"What?" Bao's eyes widened, turning her head to the side. "Wh...What happened?"

"It was a mission that we all went on." Lao-Shi said as he turned his head back to the side. "Me, Khircy, Klyntvo, Cantata, Zoila, Calyx and Zkryo."

"What about your Dragon Master?"

"She died two years ago." Lao-Shi said.

"She wasn't that old..."

"One doesn't need to be that old to die." Lao-Shi said. "She got pneumonia."

"That's horrible..." Bao said with a sad tone as she turned her head back to normal.

"And Councilor Klyntvo was killed by a machine." Lao-Shi finished as he turned his head back to normal as well. "It happened fast. I wasn't paying attention. I don't think any of us could have done anything."

LINE BREAK

Night had fallen over Hong Kong. Inside his apartment, Lao-Shi sat in his chair, holding the open ring case in his hands, staring down at the ring. Looking up from the case, Lao-Shi stared out at the wall for a few seconds as he made up his mind.

Looking back down at the case, he quickly pulled the ring out. Using his hand to close the case, he put it back into his jacket pocket as he opened his mouth, using his hand to put the ring inside his mouth.

LINE BREAK

Sighing peacefully, Bao rolled over onto her side on the bed and closed her eyes. However, she opened them again as she heard the door creaking as it opened. Rolling over onto her back, Bao sat up to see Lao-Shi at the door.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Come with me for a flight." Lao-Shi gave her a small smile.

LINE BREAK

Both Lao-Shi and Bao were flying through the night sky above the city, passing tall buildings. As they flew, Bao opened her mouth and yawned loudly, making Lao-Shi turn his head to the side. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"Just tired." Was Bao's answer. "Do you mind if we start to head back soon. I've had a long day."

"Please just a little bit longer." Lao-Shi said as he turned his head back to normal.

"Fine..." Bao said with a sigh.

As the two dragons continued to fly, passing by a tall building, they were completely unaware of the figure walking over to the ledge. The figure, who was holding a staff in his hand and who wore a dragon skull helmet upon his head, the rest of his body covered in a Sunglow-colored suit, black boots and a thin, long black garment that was draped over his neck and went down both his chest and stomach and down his back. It had a blood red H that was encircled with a red circle and went down to his ankles on both ends, but at his waist, there was a webbed belt fastened.

"Dragons..." The Huntsclan member spoke in Chinese and with a male voice as he took his staff in both hands.

LINE BREAK

"You want to land?" Lao-Shi asked as he turned his head to the side to look at Bao as she yawned again. "We're getting close to Victoria Peak."

"Okay..." Bao agreed in a tired sounding tone.

LINE BREAK

Sometime later, the two dragons neared the mountain. Bao landed first, Lao-Shi landing right next to her a few seconds later; Lao-Shi smiled and turned his head to the side as Bao yawned again.

"Don't worry." Lao-Shi said as Bao finished yawning and turned her head to the side to look at him. "We'll go back to my place in a few moments."

The two dragons then turned their heads back to normal and started to look out in the distance. As they did, they were completely unaware of a hover board coming down and landing a few feet away from them, the Huntsclan member jumping off of it and landing on the ground.

"So, isn't there a temple here?" Bao asked as she reached up and rubbed the side of her neck with her claws.

"Yes, but only every thousand years." Lao-Shi answered.

"Do you know when the next one will be?" Bao asked as she crossed her arms.

"I think in the year 2007." Lao-Shi said as he turned his head to the side. "Hopefully, that will be in our lifetime."

"I know..." Bao agreed as she continued to stare out in front of her. "...I'd love to see it." She added before she yawned again.

Frowning, Lao-Shi turned his head to the side as Bao yawned, reaching out and putting his clawed hand on her shoulder, just as she closed her mouth, finishing her yawn. "Come on." Lao-Shi said as Bao turned her head to the side. "You're tired. We should be heading back..."

"Thank you, Lao-Shi." Bao smiled at him as Lao-Shi turned his head back to normal. However, just as he finished turning his head to the side, he feigned a pained moan, putting his other clawed hand up to his jaw, his moan making Bao turn her head to the side. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"It's my mouth..." Lao-Shi said as he turned to the side. "...One of my teeth hurt. Can you check it out for me?" He asked as Bao turned to the side as well.

"Well, I guess..." Bao said as she slowly reached up as Lao-Shi opened his mouth. However, before Bao could reach into his mouth, Lao-Shi screamed in pain as a blast of green light hit him, throwing him to the ground on his side as Bao screamed in panic.

Getting herself together, Bao turned around to see the Huntsclan member twirling his staff above his head. "No..." Bao's eyes widened with fear.

"Prepare to die, dragon!" The Huntsclan member said in Chinese as he stopped twirling it above his head and brought it down so that he was holding it in both hands as he pointed it at Bao.

"Did you kill him?!" Bao demanded, switching to Chinese as she pointed down at Lao-Shi.

"Don't worry, dragon scum..." The Huntsclan member said. "...He's not dead yet. I think I'll kill you both at the same time..." Then, with a grunt, he started to run toward Bao. Instinctively, Bao grunted as she flapped her wings, lifting into the air as the Huntsclan member reached her.

With a grunt, the Huntsclan member brought his staff up and tried to swipe at Bao's belly. Bao managed to avoid the strike by backing up and landing back on the ground a couple inches away. Growling, the Huntsclan member, took a step forward, thrusting the blade of his staff toward Bao, who grunted as she reached out with her claws and grabbed the staff, trying to pull it away from the Huntsclan member, but the Huntsclan member pulled harder, and with a grunt, yanked it out of Bao's grip.

"Taste plasma, beast!" The Huntsclan member growled as he took aim and fired a green blast of plasma at Bao, which hit her in the chest and belly, making her grunt as she was blasted back. With a second grunt, Bao hit the ground on her back, right at the ledge of the mountain; if she had flown back just a little further, she would have fallen off the side of the mountain.

Chuckling evilly, the Huntsclan member held his staff in both of his hands as he made his way over to Bao, who grunted as she lifted her head up, seeing the Huntsclan member reaching her and pointing his staff at her. "It's over, beast..." He said as the blade started to glow.

Meanwhile, Lao-Shi groaned as he started to come to. Slowly rolling over onto his stomach, Lao-Shi slowly looked up, only to gasp as he saw the Huntsclan member aiming his weapon at Bao. "No. Bao..."

However, suddenly, a large blast of fire appeared and flew over to the Huntsclan member, blasting him in the back; yelling in pain, the Huntsclan member was thrown forward, going over the ledge. Grunting, the Huntsclan member hit the dirt and started to roll down the side of the mountain.

Quickly picking himself up, Lao-Shi spun around and looked up into the air, where he could see the outline of a dragon in the sky. It looked rather small and scrawny, just like one of the two dragons that he thought he saw underground days earlier.

"Lao-Shi." He could hear Bao calling him in English, but Lao-Shi didn't listen. Instead, he lifted himself into the air, just as the small dragon turned and started to fly away.

"No you don't..." Lao-Shi whispered to himself in English as he started to fly after the dragon. Flying as fast as he could, Lao-Shi quickly caught up with the fleeing dragon, who he could now see was a small Tea Rose-colored dragon. "Stop!" Lao-Shi said in Chinese as he reached out and grabbed the dragon's shoulder, stopping the Tea Rose-colored dragon and turning it around.

"Let me go!" The Tea Rose dragon demanded in Chinese, with a female voice that sounded somewhat familiar to Lao-Shi, he just couldn't put his claw on it.

"Were you underground earlier this week?" Lao-Shi demanded in Chinese. "I know I saw you! I saw you and another dra-ughh!" However, before he could finish, he grunted as he was hit from his side, throwing him to the side making him flip once before he came to a stop, quickly turning around as he saw another Tea Rose-colored dragon hovering right next to the other one, who was now at the new dragon's side, looking quite small in comparison to the taller new dragon.

"Don't you dare hurt my doppelganger." The new, taller dragon said in Chinese, speaking with another familiar voice.

Lao-Shi stared at the two dragons as the second dragon said this, his eyes widening as the truth dawned on him. "Niu?" He asked, making the eyes of both dragons widen. "Niu, is that you?" Lao-Shi asked in Chinese.

"Lao...Lao-Shi?" The taller dragon asked in Chinese. "You're a...a dragon?"

"You're a dragon?" Lao-Shi asked her.

"Wait, so this is Lao-Shi?" The smaller dragon asked, turning her head to the side to look at the taller dragon.

"It looks that way, Riu..." The taller dragon, Niu, said.

LINE BREAK

Sometime later, Lao-Shi, Bao, Niu and Riu were all sitting in their human forms, Niu and Riu sitting together as they faced Bao and Lao-Shi. "You never told us that you were a dragon." Niu said in Chinese to Bao.

"How could I have?" Bao shrugged, speaking in Chinese. "Why would I tell someone that I'm a dragon unless I know that they'll either accept me or that they're magical themselves?"

"She makes a good point, Niu." Riu said in Chinese as she turned her head to the side.

"So, let me get this straight..." Bao said as she crossed her arms. "...You're a dragon...and Riu is actually your doppelganger."

"Exactly." Niu said. "I created her about a year before you and I met, Bao. I actually grew attached to her quite quickly. It was like I had a twin sister. I liked that. So, I stopped calling her just 'Doppelganger Niu' and actually gave her her own name. My parents never minded."

"That explains why she stopped coming to school after only about two years..." Bao said.

"I didn't think that Riu would never age." Niu admitted as if she were ashamed of being foolish. "So, I had to hide her."

"So, that was you down there?" Lao-Shi suddenly spoke up in Chinese. "I did see two dragons down there. I wasn't just imagining things."

"There were more earthquakes." Riu said. "So, Niu brought me along to check it out. Niu told me that it was close, so we checked it out."

"When we saw you, we both left." Niu said. "We didn't think that there would be other dragons down there."

"The entire Dragon Council was there." Lao-Shi said.

"Well, what was down there?" Niu asked. "What was causing the earthquakes?"

"It was a machine created by Nordic elves." Lao-Shi told the dragon and her doppelganger. "A dragon had found it and was using it because he didn't know what it was capable of doing."

"I guess that makes sense..." Riu said.

LINE BREAK

The Huntsclan member grunted as he limped, using his staff to help him walk, as he neared a large, lair-like building that looked like an "L" that was sticking up in the air.

Opening the door that led him inside the dark lair, the Huntsclan member moaned in pain as he limped inside. Stopping, the Huntsclan master turned around and slowly closed the door and then turned on the light.

Hissing as he slowly turned to the side, he finished limping out of the hall and entered the main room, which looked like the room of a normal home. There was a spiral staircase that led both down and up and there was a long bookcase that went around the entire perimeter of the room and in the middle of the room was a comfortable-looking chair, where there sat another Huntsclan member, who wore the exact same uniform and dragon skull helmet, only this Huntsclan member had a cape, which the hunter was sitting on, one leg on top of the other. "Hello, Zemin." The Huntsclan member said in Chinese in a female voice. "I hope you don't mind that I let myself in."

"I do mind..." The Huntsclan member, Zemin, said in Chinese as he used his staff to help him limp over to the chair that she was sitting at. "...You're breaking and entering."

"So disrespectful, Zemin..." The female Huntsclan Master shook her head once.

"I apologize, but I had a very off hunt." Zemin growled.

"Care to tell me what happened?" The female Huntsclan Master asked as she crossed her arms.

"I cornered two dragons at Victoria Peak." Zemin said. "I knocked one of them out and was about to slay the other. Then I was struck from behind and was thrown off the side of the mountain. There must have been a third dragon that I didn't see..."

"Well, we do all have our occasional off days." The female Huntsclan Master replied. "Look, Zemin..." She quickly changed the subject as she stood up. "...I am not here to listen to your daily troubles."

"Then why are you here?" Zemin growled.

"You are a talented hunter, Zemin..." The female Huntsclan Master said as she crossed her arms again. "...But the Hong Kong branch leader is getting concerned, and so am I..."

"Concerned about what?"

"You don't lodge at the Huntslair anymore." The female Huntsclan Master said as she lowered her hands to her side. "You live here on your own."

"What, does he think that I've forgotten about my Clan?" Zemin asked angrily, holding out his hand to indicate toward himself, running it down from his chest to his stomach. "Does it look like I have?"

"That's not our worry, Zemin." The female Huntsclan Master told him. "Our worry is that you no longer have any loyalty to the Huntsclan. You only care about yourself, not your fellow soldier."

"What?!" Zemin's eyes widened. "How can you even think that?!"

"Then prove to us that you are as loyal as ever..." The female Huntsclan Master said as she put her hands on her hips. "...I want you to come with me..."

LINE BREAK

Sighing with exhaustion, Lao-Shi leaned back in his chair back at his apartment as he closed his eyes. However, unbeknownst to him, Bao made her way over to his chair. As she reached it, she crouched down. "Lao-Shi." She said in English as she reached out and put her hand on Lao-Shi's shoulder, making him slowly open his eyes.

"Yes?" He asked, also in English and with a tired tone.

"Does your tooth still hurt?" Bao asked.

"Oh..." Lao-Shi's eyes widened as he remembered what he had told Bao back at Victoria Peak. "...Um, yeah. It still does..."

"Do you want me to check and see?" Bao asked.

"Please..." Lao-Shi told her before he opened his mouth.

Smiling kindly, Bao reached into his mouth and began to fish around in his mouth. Almost immediately, she found the tooth that Lao-Shi put the ring over, as the tooth was in the front row on the bottom, and put her hand on it, making Lao-Shi moan in pain.

"Oh, that's the one..." He moaned even though Bao's hand was in his mouth.

"Okay, let me see what I can do to help you." Bao said as she moved her hand down the took, finally touching the ring, making Bao's eyes widen. Pulling the ring off of the tooth, Bao pulled it out and stared at it, gasping.

LINE BREAK

"Here we are..." The female Huntsclan Master said in Chinese as she stepped into a dimly lit room in Zemin's lair, Zemin following her and reaching her side, just in time to see two Huntsclan apprentices turning to face him, both of them wearing the exact same uniform. The only difference was that they wore Sunglow-colored masks instead of dragon skull helmets. One was female and had a black pony-tail that reached her neck; she was about a foot taller than the other and looked to be about sixteen years old. The other apprentice was about a foot shorter than the girl and looked to be about fourteen; he was a boy.

"Who are they?" Zemin asked in Chinese.

"They are your new apprentices." The female Huntsclan Master said, crossing her arms. "They have some skill, but we don't feel as though they are reaching their true potential. Prove your loyalty." She said as she turned her head to the side to look at Zemin, who slowly turned his head back to normal as well. "Train them and mold them into powerful soldiers."

LINE BREAK

Zemin growled as he limped into another room, where there was a table with alcohol bottles in the center. As he walked toward the table, the male and the female apprentice followed him inside and stopped at the doorway as Zemin poured himself a shot.

"Tell me your names..." Zemin said in Chinese as he set down the bottle of liquor.

"I am Hunts-" The female started to say in Chinese, but she was cut off as Zemin slowly turned around.

"Just tell me your real names." He said in an irritable tone. "Like when you address me, I don't want to be called 'Master'. Just call me Zemin."

"I...I am Qiao..." The female slowly said.

"And I am Rong." The male said in Chinese, both of them bowing slightly.

"Good to know..." Zemin replied "...Now leave me."

As Rong and Qiao straightened up and both turned around, walking out of the room, Zemin turned around to face the table and his shot as he reached up and started to pull off his dragon skull helmet.

LINE BREAK

The next morning, Jia Li yawned as she entered her kitchen, wearing a pink tank-top, pink pajama pants and a pink bathrobe. Making her way to her refrigerator, she reached out and grabbed the handle. However, before she could pull it open, she could hear a woman's voice calling to her in Chinese:

"Jia Li, the phone in your room is ringing!"

LINE BREAK

At Lao-Shi's apartment, Bao was sitting at the side of Lao-Shi's bed with the phone to the ear. Finally, she could hear the sound of Jia Li's Chinese-speaking voice: "Hello?"

"Jia Li, it's me." Bao said in Chinese.

"Oh, hello Bao." Jia Li replied from the other end of the phone. "I was told that you were back..."

"I am..." Bao smiled even though her friend was not able to see. "...And I'm here to stay..."

"Good to hear." Jia Li said. "So, is there a reason you are calling?"

"Actually, there is." Bao said. "You remember Lao-Shi, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, we're getting married. He proposed to me last night."

"Way to go, Bao!" Jia Li had an amused sound in her voice. "That's great!"

"Yeah, well we're having a small ceremony." Bao continued. "We're not inviting very many people. Lao-Shi is only inviting Khircy and I'm inviting you, Hsui Mei, Niu and my mother. So, what do you say? Can you come?"

"I should be able to make it, yes." Came Jia Li's response. "What else can you tell me about the wedding?"

"Well, Khircy, Niu, my mother and Hsui Mei have already confirmed that they will be there." Bao said. "It'll be small, as I've already said."

"Do you know when it's going to be?"

"Next week." Bao nodded once. "It'll be at the Holy Cross Church."

"Well, you'll know that I'll be there." Jia Li told her, making Bao smile. "Look, Bao. I need to go."

"Alright, I'll see you then." Bao said. "Goodbye." She then pulled the phone away from her ear and then leaned forward, setting it back down on the receiver.

LINE BREAK

At Zemin's lair, both Rong and Qiao walked into the training room, where they could see Zemin waiting for them, his arms crossed. He watched as Qiao and Rong walked up to him, stopping in front of him.

"Today..." Zemin said in Chinese. "...You begin your training..."

Then, Zemin turned around and walked over to the wall, where his staff was waiting for him. Grabbing it, Zemin turned around. "Where are your weapons?" He asked.

"In our rooms." Qiao answered in Chinese.

"Well, go get them." Zemin ordered as he took his staff in both hands. Without saying a word, both Qiao and Rong both turned around and started to leave the room.

LINE BREAK

Both Qiao and Rong were both standing in the training room again, each of them holding green whips. Holding his own staff, Zemin faced them. "I've been told that you two have skill..." He said in Chinese. "...So prove it to me..."

With that, he grunted as he swung his staff at the two, making them both grunt as they had to jump back. As soon as Rong and Qiao touched the ground again, they both started to twirl their whip-like weapons, sending one ball of green plasma flying toward Zemin each.

With a grunt, Zemin jumped into the air and then landed again as the two fireballs whizzed past where he had been standing. With a roar, Zemin started to run toward them, the blade of his staff pointed at the two of them. As he reached them, both Qiao and Rong jumped to the side to avoid the blow.

Turning to the side, Qiao grunted as she started to run away from Zemin. As soon as she felt that she was far away enough, she turned around and cracked her weapon to the side like the whip it was, sending a green plasma ball at Zemin as Zemin swiped at Rong with his staff, making Rong jump back to avoid the swipe.

Turning his head to the side, Zemin could see the ball of plasma coming toward him. With a grunt, Zemin jumped to the side, making the ball hit Rong before Rong even knew what had hit him, knocking him to the ground.

"Hmm..." Zemin said as he turned around. "...She wasn't lying when she said that you two have skill..."

"Thank you..." Qiao said respectfully as she bowed.

"...And your skills will only improve..." Zemin said as he narrowed his eyes. "...With my help..."

LINE BREAK

Rong was walking down the hall of Zemin's lair, passing by an open door, only to freeze as he heard a grunt. Slowly turning to the side, Rong could see that Qiao was sitting on her bed with her mask off, her foot up on the bed as she pulled both of her hands away from her boot.

"What are you doing?" Rong asked as he leaned against the doorframe, making Qiao jerk her head to the side.

"What are you doing in my room?" She countered, narrowing her eyes.

"I heard noise as I was passing through." Rong told her as he straightened up.

"If you must know..." Qiao said as she stood up and turned to the side to face her fellow apprentice. "...I was simply making some modifications."

"Modifications?" Rong asked as he crossed his arms.

Without saying another word, Qiao lifted up her foot and gave a kick of her leg, a small dagger blade popping out of the toe-area of her boot.

"The more weapons I have on me, the better." Qiao said as she lowered her foot.

"I don't think that hidden weapons are the uniform standard..." Rong pointed out as he slowly lowered his arms.

"Please..." Qiao rolled her eyes before she started to walk over to her fellow apprentice. As soon as she reached him, she crossed her arms as she stared at him. "...I don't think that Zemin will mind, seeing as these weapons will make my attacks more effective..."

LINE BREAK

Qiao and Rong both entered the training room, their green whips handing from their hands. After passing through the door, Rong and Qiao walked side-by-side as they walked toward Zemin, who was holding his staff with both hands. Finally, the two stopped in front of him.

"Let us begin..." Zemin said as he looked at his two new apprentices. "...For the next week, the training will be grueling. I hope you are both ready."

"We are." Both Rong and Qiao said in unison.

"As you should be..." Zemin said. Then, with a roar, he charged toward Rong and Qiao.

LINE BREAK

One Week Later

At the Holy Cross Church, Bao, wearing a white, silk dress that went down to her knees and had a sash tied around her waist. Staring down at her hand where there was Lao-Shi's ring, Bao smiled slightly.

"Hey..." Came the Chinese-speaking voice of Niu. Looking up, Bao turned around to see Niu, who was wearing a black dress, walking up to her, a smile on her face. "...I just wanted to congratulate you." Niu said as she stopped in front of her. "I know that you two will have a long and happy marriage."

"Thank you..." Bao returned in Chinese, her smile growing.

"Oh, and Riu sends her warmest regards." Niu added. "I know she wishes she could be here."

"I can understand why she can't." Bao said.

"Still, she wishes you two the best..."

"When you get back home, tell her that I greatly appreciate her support."

Meanwhile, Lao-Shi, wearing a black tuxedo, was standing at a table drinking a cup of punch. Pulling the cup away from his mouth, he turned his head to the side as Khircy, who was wearing a red suit and tie walked up to his side and turned to the side, joining Lao-Shi in watching Bao and Niu talk.

"I remember when she absolutely despised you..." Khircy said in English as he turned his head to the side and looked down to look at his friend.

"And now we're married." Lao-Shi added in English before he took another sip of his drink.

Back in the center of the room, as Niu and Bao continued to talk, they both stopped, Niu with her mouth opened as they heard the sound of Jia Li's voice. Niu turned around to see her talking to Hsui Me, speaking in Chinese: "Why are you bringing this up now?" Jia Li asked.

Both women were nicely dressed. Jia Li was wearing a blue dress and Hsui Mei was wearing a white blouse and a black skirt. "This is Bao's wedding." Jia Li continued as she put her hands on her hips. "This should be a time of celebration."

"I'm bringing this up now because this is important and concerns you." Hsui Mei said in Chinese as she waved a finger in Jia Li's face. "Look at yourself, Jia Li. Every day for you is a celebration!"

"What do you mean?" Jia Li asked as she took a step back.

"What do I mean?!" Hsui Mei sounded annoyed as she threw her arms out to her sides. "Look at YOU!" Her shout caught the attentions of Lao-Shi and Khircy, whose eyes widened, and Dawei Chun and the pastor's attention, who turned their heads to the side.

"You don't have a job and you still live with your parents!" Hsui Mei continued.

"So?" Jia Li asked in a small voice.

"So, you're twenty-three years old, Jia Li." Hsui Mei continued. "You need to get a hold of your li-"

"Okay, I think that's enough..." Lao-Shi said in Chinese as he quickly made his way past Niu and Bao, stopping at the side of Hsui Mei and Jia Li, who turned to the side to face him. "...Look, this is our wedding. We wanted it to be small so that it would be-"

"We're sorry, Lao-Shi." Jia Li cut him off, clasping her hands together as Hsui Me frowned.

"Can it just wait until after the party?" Lao-Shi asked.

"Actually, I think the party is officially over..." Lao-Shi's eyes widened as he heard Khircy's Chinese speaking voice. "...Look who's here."

Turning to the side, Lao-Shi gasped as he saw Councilors Zkryo, Cantata and Calyx walking into the church through the doors. They were in their human forms, but like normal, they were dressed in their Council robes.

LINE BREAK

Moments later, the only ones left in the church were Bao and Lao-Shi, who were facing Zkryo, Calyx and Cantata. "Congratulations on your union, Dragon Bao Chun, Dragon Lao-Shi." Zkryo said in English with a kind smile on his face.

"Thank you, Councilors." Bao said politely in English. "And I am sorry about Councilor Klyntvo. Lao-Shi told me about his unfortunate end."

"Yes..." Cantata said in English. "...That was terribly tragic. We are currently working on trying to find a replacement."

"Oh..." Bao said.

"Is there any reason you showed up at our after party?" Lao-Shi asked in Chinese.

"We came to finalize your wedding in the Magical World." Zkryo said. "You see, many dragons choose to get married on the Island of the Draco because then their marriage is legalized in the Magical World and the members of the Council are responsible for legalizing it in the Human World as well."

"Oh, I didn't know that..." Bao said.

"How do we finalize our marriage?" Lao-Shi asked as he crossed his arms.

"Just set a date for a meeting at the Island of Draco." Zkryo said. "The Council will take it from there."

LINE BREAK

Moments later, both Lao-Shi and Bao stepped out of the church, pushing through the doors, where they could see that Khircy and Niu were waiting for them. "What did they want?" Niu asked in Chinese.

"For us to finalize our marriage at the Island of Draco." Bao answered in Chinese as she and Lao-Shi stopped in front of them.

"When are you doing that?" Khircy asked in Chinese.

"In about two weeks." Lao-Shi said in Chinese.

LINE BREAK

Meanwhile, at Zemin's lair, Zemin walked into the room where he kept his liquor. As he made his way to the table, Qiao and Rong both entered the room as well, side-by-side, watching as Zemin stopped in front of his table.

"I am very proud of both of you." Zemin said in Chinese as he turned around to face both Rong and Qiao.

"Thank you." Both Rong and Qiao said in Chinese, respect in their tones.

"Tomorrow night will be your first hunt." Zemin told them as he crossed his arms. "I hope both of you make me proud."

LINE BREAK

The next night, Lao-Shi, Bao, Niu and Riu were all flying in the air in their dragon forms. "I'm sorry I couldn't come to your wedding, Bao." Riu said in Chinese as she turned her head to the side to look at her creator, her friend and Lao-Shi.

"It's okay." Bao told her in Chinese. "Lao-Shi and I both understand that it would look awkward if you went."

"You'd have a lot of explaining to do." Lao-Shi said in Chinese.

"Exactly." Bao agreed. "Besides, we'll celebrate with you right now."

"Then tell me how your marriage is going so far." Riu requested.

"We've only been married for twenty-four hours." Bao told her. "But so far, so good..."

"What was it like walking down the aisle?" Riu was now smiling.

"Nerve racking." Bao confessed, looking down briefly before she looked back up. "But I had my mother by my side. It was easier with her."

"And Niu told me about something between Jia Li and Hsui Mei." Riu continued as she turned her head to the side again. "What was that about?"

"It was just Hsui Mei being uptight." Niu said in Chinese as she turned her head to the side to look at her doppelganger. As Riu looked down, Niu turned her head in the other direction to see that both Lao-Shi and Bao were silent, both of them eyeing her.

LINE BREAK

"Now..." Zemin said in Chinese as he stood on top of a tall building's roof, both Rong and Qiao behind him. "...Our hunt of the night begins..."

LINE BREAK

Still in dragon form, Riu was lying on the grass of a park, her scaly arms folded behind her head. Slowly turning her head to the side, she could see that Niu, Lao-Shi and Bao were still in their dragon forms and were sitting to the side of her, all facing her.

"It must be nice, Bao..." Riu said in Chinese. "...Hey, Lao-Shi. Can you make a doppelganger for me?"

"What for?" Lao-Shi asked in Chinese.

"I don't think it would work out, Riu." Niu answered the question in Chinese for her doppelganger. "Actually, I know that wouldn't work."

"Why not?" Riu asked.

"You're a doppelganger." Niu told her. "Besides, I think it would look really wrong if you had a relationship with the doppelganger of your friend's husband."

"I'm sure that Bao knows that I don't want Lao-Shi." Riu said, a small smile on her face. "Besides, it wouldn't last that long. I just would like to know what it's like. What do you think, Bao?"

"I-" Bao started, but she stopped and turned her head to the side as Niu put her clawed hand on her shoulder.

"I think it's time to go home." Niu told her doppelganger.

"No, you don't have to." Bao tried as she looked up, watching Niu slowly stand up. "You can stay. It's understandable."

"No, I really think it's for the best." Niu said as she turned her head to the side and looked down. "Come on, Riu." She said as she turned her head back to normal.

LINE BREAK

Around that same time, Rong grunted as he landed in a squatted position after leaping from a roof of the building right to the side of the building's roof that he had just landed on. Straightening up, Rong could see Qiao and Zemin to his side, speaking to each other. Rong could make out what Zemin was saying in Chinese:

"Patience, Qiao." He said. "There are plenty of magical creatures living in Hong Kong. You will get your chance tonight."

Hearing the discussion, Rong put his hand on his hip while he used his other to hold his whip-like weapon. However, he turned his head to the side when his ears picked up the sound of flapping wings. Looking out into the night, Rong could see two Tea Rose-colored dragons, one smaller than the other, flying toward them in front of the building.

"I see two dragons coming right for us..." Rong announced in Chinese as he turned his head back to normal.

"Why did you say that we had to go?" Riu asked in Chinese as she and Niu flew through the air, turning her head to the side.

"I just...thought it would be for the best..." Niu told her in Chinese.

"You thought it would be better?" Riu asked.

"Yes, Riu." Niu sighed. However, right after she said this, her eyes widened as she heard a whizzing sound. Turning her head to the side, Niu gasped as she saw that glowing green ball of plasma was coming right toward them.

"Riu, get down!" Niu shouted as she turned her head back to normal and reached out, grabbing her doppelganger's shoulder, making Riu gasp as Niu dived down, taking her with her, causing the ball of plasma to whiz past where they had been flying.

"What was that all about?!" Riu demanded as she turned her head to the side.

"We need to get out of here!" Niu told her.

"Why?"

"Because we're bring attacked!" Niu nearly screamed as turned her head to the side to look her doppelganger in the eyes.

On the roof of the building, the three Huntsclan members watched as Niu and Riu flew away. "They're getting away!" Qiao shouted in frustration.

Narrowing his eyes, Zemin lifted up his staff above his head and started to twirl it as a green plasma light engulfed it, the staff transforming. As soon as it finished transforming into a hover board, Zemin lowered his arm, the hover-board slowly lowering to the ground.

"Get on you two." He said, turning his head to the side.

Meanwhile, both Niu and Riu were flapping their wing as they flew as fast as they could. "Niu, who is hunting us?" Riu asked as she turned her head to the side to look at her creator.

"Hunting, Riu!" Niu told her. "Who do you think?" at that moment, Niu's eyes widened as she heard a whizzing sound coming from above her, Looking up, Niu gasped as she saw the hover-board above her.

"They're all yours..." Zemin said as he turned his head to the side.

With grunts, both Rong and Qiao jumped from the side of the hover-board, one from each side, Riu roared as Qiao landed on her back.

"Riu!" Niu shouted as he turned her head to the side, just as Rong landed on her back, reaching up and wrapping his hands around her neck, while Qiao reached out and grabbed Riu's left ear, making the doppelganger gasp as she flapped her wings, flying quickly away as tried to get away, spinning around in the air repeatedly.

"Riu!" Niu shouted, watching as he doppelganger disappeared from sight. "No, come back!" Niu attempted to fly after her doppelganger, but Rong, who was lying on her back, cracked his whip-like weapon, slowly started to stand up.

Her eyes, wide, Niu turned her head to the side as Rong started to twirl his weapon as it started to glow a bright green plasma color. "You're mine..." Rong said. However, before he could finish Niu off, he gasped as Niu rose up so that her feet were facing the ground, throwing Rong off of her back. Rong screamed with panic as he flew back, flying by the hover-board, making Zemin turn to the side and catch Rong with his hand.

Breathing heavily, Niu did not stay to have Zemin and Rong attack again. Instead, she flapped her wings and flew in the direction that Riu had flown in.

Meanwhile, Riu continued to fly erratically as Qiao remained on her back. "Get off me!" Riu begged as she continued to spin around in the air.

Growling as Riu straightened, Qiao lifted both of her hands away from the dragon, clenching her fists as two blades came out of her sleeves. With a grunt, she brought them down into Riu's back. Roaring in pain, Riu squeezed her eyes shut as Qiao pulled both of the daggers out as Riu continued to glide through the air.

However, abruptly, Riu's form vanished, bursting into a bright blue light, making Qiao gasp as she was thrown through the air, flying forward until she neared the roof of s high building, Qiao grunting as she hit the roof, rolling on it until she came to a halt.

Meanwhile, Niu was panting as she flapped her wings as hard as she could, flying toward her doppelganger. However, she stopped with a gasp as she saw a bright blue light coming right for her. Before Niu could even blink, the blue light hit her, absorbing into her body, while Niu's eyes widened in horror.

"Riu?" She asked softly after the light finished going into her chest.

LINE BREAK

Wearing a jacket over her clothes, Jia Li was slowly walking down the sidewalk in the late of the night. Sighing, she put both of her hands into her pockets and continued walking. However, as she heard the sound of flapping wings, her eyes widened and looked up, only to gasp as she saw a Tea Rose-colored dragon flying overhead.

"No..." Jia Li breathed in Chinese. "...Impossible..."

LINE BREAK

In Lao-Shi's apartment, both Bao and Lao-Shi were lying on their sides on Lao-Shi's bed. Both were smiling at each other. "Well, are we going to sleep or are we just going to look at each other all night?" Bao asked in English.

"It doesn't matter to me." Lao-Shi said in English as his smile widened.

However, within seconds, both of their smiles were wiped off of their faces when they heard a knocking at their door. Sighing, Lao-Shi rolled over onto his back before he slowly sat up. "Who could that be?" He asked.

LINE BREAK

Seconds later, Bao was at the door, opening it as she stepped back, only to see Niu in her human form, tears running down her cheeks. Her eyes filled with concern, Bao asked in Chinese: "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Can I come inside?" Niu asked in Chinese, her voice choked up.

"Of course."

LINE BREAK

Sitting at the table in the kitchen with a warm mug in her hands, Niu tried to breathe as Bao sat down in order to face her. "Tell me what happened." Bao said in Chinese as she crossed her fingers together.

"It's...It's Ri...Riu..." Niu managed in Chinese, another tear rolling down her cheek.

"What about her?"

"I think she's dead..."

"What?" Bao's eyes widened. "What makes you think that?"

"We were attacked by three Huntsclan members." Niu explained, Bao gasping as she brought her hand up to her lips. "While I was able to shake my attacker off, Riu flew away. The next thing I know, some of my chi comes back to me and goes back into my body."

"Oh, Niu..." Bao had a tone of sorrow in her voice. "...I'm so sorry."

Sniffling, Niu brought the mug to her lips and took a slow, long sip. As soon as Niu finished, she pulled the mug away and slowly lowered it down on the table again. "Do you..." She asked. "...Do you mind if I stay here for the night?"

LINE BREAK

"A what?" Qiao asked in Chinese as she stood alongside Rong with her arms crossed while Zemin paced back and forth in front of them.

"It was a doppelganger that you killed." Zemin told her in Chinese as he turned around, took a few steps to the right and stopped, turning to the side to face them.

"What's a doppelganger?" Rong asked in Chinese.

"A doppelganger isn't something that your taught about by Huntsclan Masters." Zemin explained as he crossed his arms. "And I really don't know why that is. A doppelganger is a clone that the beasts create to throw us off."

"So, it wasn't real?" Qiao growled.

"It was real." Zemin said as he lowered his arms to his side. "It just wasn't a real dragon."

"So, I don't get to become a full-fledged member of the Huntsclan?" Qiao asked slowly as she slowly lowered her arms to her sides and clenched both of her fists.

"I'm afraid not." Zemin told her softly. "Better luck next time."

Almost immediately, Qiao squeezed her eyes shut and growled loudly in frustration, making Rong quickly turn his head to the side as Qiao turned around and stomped out of the room.

LINE BREAK

The next morning, Niu was lying on the couch on her side, a blanket placed over her as she slept. However, her eyes slowly opened as she heard a knock on the door, seeing Bao slowly walking toward the door.

As soon as Bao reached the door, she grabbed the knob, turned it and stepped back as she pulled open the door. "Jia Li." Bao said in Chinese as she saw that Jia Li was standing out in the hall, a nervous, but also eager look on her face. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to tell you something." Jia Li said in Chinese.

"What?"

"Can I come in?" Jia Li asked.

"Uh, sure..." Bao quickly decided as she took a step back.

Smiling, Jia Li stepped into the apartment, only to stop as she saw Niu sitting up on the couch. "What are you doing here?" Jia Li asked.

"Sleep over." Niu explained in Chinese.

"So, what do you need to tell me?" Bao asked as she turned to the side to look at Jia Li.

"Well, now that I know that Niu is here." Jia Li said. "I guess I can tell her as well."

LINE BREAK

"So, what did you want to tell me?" Bao asked in Chinese as she sat down at the table in the kitchen, facing both Jia Li and Niu.

"I was out walking last night." Jia Li explained in Chinese. "All by myself. See, I was trying to get my thoughts together after my fight with Hsui Mei. Well, as I was walking, I heard this flapping noise. I look up, and I see this winged creature flying above me, just whizzing by!" As she finished, Jia Li lifted up her hand and quickly moved it to the side to indicate flying, making Niu's eyes widen. "I think it was a...dragon!"

Finally, with this, Niu gulped. "You okay, Niu?" Jia Li asked as she turned her head to the side.

"Oh, yes." Niu quickly said in Chinese, nodding once before she turned her head to the side, not wanting to act suspicious. "I'm perfectly fine. I'm just a little...shaken."

"Why?"

"Uh, Riu passed away last night." Niu told her quickly. "Remember how I told you that she'd been ill?"

"She's been ill for years."

"Exactly." Niu told Jia Li. "It finally caught up with her. She finally...passed..."

"Oh, I'm so sorry..." Jia Li's eyes were filled with sorrow as she reached up and put her hand on Niu's shoulder. "...Are you taking it well? Is there anything I can do?"

"No, I'm fine." Niu said as she stared into the eyes of Bao. "Bao has been a great help. In fact, I'd really like to talk to you, Bao. Alone."

LINE BREAK

Walking out toward the couch, Bao stopped while Niu took two more steps before she stopped and turned around. "Bao, she must have seen me as I was flying down here. What should I do?" She pleaded in Chinese.

"Just calm down." Bao told her in Chinese as she held up her hands. "Niu, she didn't recognize you."

"But she saw a dragon, Bao." Niu said as she took a step closer to her friend. "She could cause problems."

"What kind of problems?"

"She could go blabbing, Bao!" Niu told her. "The Dragon Council could learn of this! Then, I could get in trouble! You and Lao-Shi might even too, because Jia Li's now in your apartment!"

"Niu, that reasoning makes no sense..."

"Bao, she could be a problem." Niu said as she clasped her hands together, as if begging Bao to help her. "What should I do?"

"Well..." Bao started to suggest.

LINE BREAK

Jia Li was sitting back in her chair, looking around the room when she heard the floor creaking. Quickly turning her head to the side, she could see Bao walking back into the room, followed by Niu.

"Jia Li..." Bao said in Chinese as she reached the side of the table, putting her hands down on the surface. "...Niu has something to tell you..."

"What?" Jia Li asked in Chinese.

Sighing, Niu reached Bao's side. "I hope you're ready for this..." Niu said in Chinese. Then, in a bright light, she was engulfed. As the light faded, Niu was standing in her Tea Rose-colored dragon form. "Recognize me?" She asked.

LINE BREAK

Opening the door to his room, Lao-Shi walked outside. Entering the front room, he could hear chatter from inside the kitchen as his ear twitched.

Seconds later, Lao-Shi turned and entered the kitchen, only to gasp as he saw Bao standing at the table next to a dragon Niu.

"Niu, what did you just do?!" Lao-Shi demanded in English, reaching up and putting his hands to the sides of his heads, making both Niu and Bao turn around.

"It was her decision." Niu said in Chinese as she pointed at her side to Bao.

"Bao?!"

"I thought it would be best." Bao said in Chinese as she put her hands on her hips. "Jia Li saw Niu in her dragon form. Instead of risking trouble, I told Niu that perhaps it would be best if we tried to reason with Jia Li. If we explained it to her..."

"The Dragon Council will not be happy." Lao-Shi said in Chinese as he started to walk toward the table.

"Maybe they won't care." Niu said hopefully. "Look at Jia Li. She seems to be taking it well." As she said this, both she and Bao turned back around to look at Jia Li, who looked a little nervous.

"So..." Jia Li finally spoke up in Chinese. "...Does this mean that Bao and Lao-Shi are dragons as well?"

"Yes." Bao answered. "If you want to, we'll let you see our dragon forms..."

"Maybe later..." Jia Li said. "...I just...want to know why you kept this a secret from me and Hsui Mei."

"Well, humans aren't supposed to know about us." Niu explained as she put her claws on her hips. "We're supposed to be in hiding."

"Why?" Jia Li asked.

"Well, according to members of the Dragon Council..." Lao-Shi explained as he stood at the side of Jia Li's chair, making Jia Li turn her head to the side and look down. "...Humans aren't willing to accept us. We believe it, too. Seeing as there is the Huntsclan..."

"What's the Huntsclan?" Jia Li asked.

LINE BREAK

Night had fallen over Hong Kong. Qiao's eyes were narrowed as she sat on her knees on her bed, using the whip part of her staff, which was glowing with lethal green plasma, to shape a piece of metal that she had found. Wearing heavy gloves, Qiao paid close attention to her work as she slowly used it to form what looked like a dragon's skull, complete with a long, rectangular hole for her to see.

Sighing, Qiao pulled her weapon away with a sigh, the weapon ceasing its deadly glow as Qiao set it down. Then, she picked up two metal objects that looked like long and pointy dragon ears, both of them wrapped up in her fist.

However, her eyes widened as she heard her door creaking as it opened. She could see Rong walking into her room, his whip-like weapon in one of his hands. "What?" Qiao demanded in Chinese, her eyes narrowing.

"Zemin says that we're going on a hunt." Rong told her in Chinese. "I can see that you're ready. Come on."

"I'm not going." Qiao quickly said, just as Rong had turned around.

"What?" Rong asked, his eyes wide as he slowly turned back around.

"I'm not going." Qiao repeated. "I'm busy..." As she said this, she reached down and picked up the metal "dragon skull".

LINE BREAK

Back at Lao-Shi and Bao's apartment, Lao-Shi and Bao were standing in their dragon forms in the front room alongside the still dragon Niu, as Jia Li was squatting down, putting her hand on Niu's scaly knee.

"It's so scaly..." Jia Li said in Chinese as she looked up to look at Niu, who was looking down on her.

"I know." Niu said in Chinese.

Slowly standing straight up, Jia Li took a step back as Lao-Shi opened his mouth, speaking in Chinese: "It's getting late. Maybe you should head home, Jia Li."

"Wait." Bao said in Chinese as she held up one of her clawed hands to stop her husband. "She has to promise us something first."

"What?" Jia Li asked.

"You have to promise us that you won't tell anyone about this." Bao said. "Not Hsui Mei. Not any of your family members. No one. Do you understand?"

"Of course..."

"So, does that mean you accept us?" Niu asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" Jia Li asked as she put her hands on her hips. "Okay, so you might be large, scaly-"

"Fire-breathing." Niu added.

"Fire-breathing beasts..." Jia Li nodded once. "...But you haven't harmed anyone yet. So, why shouldn't I accept you?"

"Sounds good to me." Bao said with a smile on her face as she lowered her clawed hand. "I'll tell you what: How about we fly you home?"

LINE BREAK

Lao-Shi, Bao and Niu were all flying in the air, Jia Li on Niu's back. "This is amazing!" Jia Li exclaimed in Chinese as she looked down on Niu. "We should do this more often."

"Maybe next time, I'll fly you." Bao said in Chinese with a smile on her face as she turned her head to the side.

"How about tomorrow?" Jia Li asked with a smile on her face. "Do you fly any differently?"

"I don't know." Bao said as she turned her head back to normal.

"Well, I'd find out tonight..." Jia Li said as she turned her head back to normal as well. "...But we're almost at my apartment."

LINE BREAK

Meanwhile, Zemin flew through the air, grunting as he landed on the roof of a tall building in a crouched position. As he straightened up, Rong flew through the air and grunted as he landed standing straight up. Both hunters holding their weapons, Rong followed as Zemin walked to the center of the roof.

Then, Zemin turned to the side and started to walk toward the edge of the building, Rong following him. "Keep a close look out..." Zemin said in Chinese as he reached the edge of the building. "...You never know what could come passed us during our hunt." As Zemin finished saying this, Rong reached his master's side.

For several seconds, the two hunters just stood there, staring out into the night. However, after about a minute of just standing on the roof, Rong's eyes widened as he heard the sound of flapping wings.

"Do you hear that?" Rong asked in Chinese as he turned his head to the side.

"Of course I do, Rong." Zemin answered as he narrowed his eyes. "And from the sound of it, I'd say the dragon or dragons are coming our way..."

Seconds later, the two hunters could see Lao-Shi, Bao and Niu, Jia Li riding on Niu's back; all three of them flying toward the building that Zemin and Rong were standing on.

Gasping, Rong's eyes widened even more. "That's my dragon!" He exclaimed, extending his arm out and pointing at Niu. "That's the one that I tried to slay last night!"

"Well, it looks like you're going to have another chance, Rong." Zemin said as he looked down, watching as the four new arrivals stopped below them, hovering.

"I'm going to take Jia Li back to her apartment." Niu said in Chinese as she turned her head to the side to look at her friend and her husband.

"We'll wait here for you." Lao-Shi replied in Chinese. Then, in a flash, Niu dived down along with Jia Li.

"They're separating..." Zemin growled as he clenched his free fist. Then, he quickly lifted his head up and turned to the side, making Rong turn his head to the side. "...Change of plans, Rong." Zemin continued. "You deal with those two dragons." He pointed out, indicating Lao-Shi and Bao. "I'll take care of the other dragon and the human."

"But that dragon was mine..."

"That doesn't really matter." Zemin told him. "Now, those two are yours."

Then, Zemin moved Rong to the side and started to run toward the edge of the roof on the opposite end of the side that he and Rong had entered on. As soon as he reached the edge, he leapt off with a grunt and started to fall toward the ground dozens of feet below. Twirling his staff above his head, it started to morph into a hover-board. As soon as it had finished morphing, Zemin grunted as he front-flipped himself upward, landing on his feet on his board. Then, he dived it down toward the ground.

Back up on the building, Rong looked down on Lao-Shi and Bao, who were still hovering in the air. Taking a deep breath, Rong proceeded to walk backwards, taking ten steps back. Then, as soon as he had done that, he started to run for the ledge of the building. As soon as he reached it, he leapt from it, diving head-first for the ground.

He fell fast, soon falling passed Bao, only to reach out and grab her ankle. Gasping as her eyes widened, Bao screamed with fright as she started to fall to the ground.

Meanwhile, as soon as Zemin reached the ground on his hover-board, he reared up and turned it around the corner of the apartment building. As soon as he reached the open front doors, he turned and flew into the room quickly, making the front manager at the desk look up, blinking as he saw nothing.

Back up in the sky, Bao grunted as she flared her wings, stopping her fall, but making Rong lose his grip. Grunting as he fell, Rong cracked his whip-like weapon, sending the green rope up toward Lao-Shi, wrapping around his ankle. Quickly, Rong pressed a button on his handle, causing the rope to glow with green plasma, going out to Lao-Shi and engulfing his entire body, making him scream in pain.

"Lao-Shi!" Bao called in English as she jerked her head to the side, seeing her husband scream in pain as plasma assaulted him. Looking down, Bao growled as she saw Rong hurting him. With a swift movement of her tail, she sliced through the green rope, making Rong start to drop to the ground below, now screaming as he dropped his now useless weapon.

However, as he continued to scream, Rong's fall was cut short as Bao's tail wrapped around his neck, making him grunt as he came to a halt. However, he had no time to relax, for her tail tossed him away, right toward the building, making Rong flail and scream again, until he crashed into and broke through the window of a darkened apartment.

Meanwhile, inside the halls of the building, Jia Li was walking along the side of the now human Niu. Unbeknownst to the two of them, Zemin flew into the hall on his hover-board, only to jump off of the side, turning to the side to watch the two young women as he held up his arm, grabbing hold of his weapon as soon as it morphed back into a staff. Lowering his staff hand, Zemin then started to follow Jia Li and Niu.

"So, you really don't mind that Bao, Lao-Shi and I are dragons?" Niu asked in Chinese as she turned her head to the side.

"Not at all." Jia Li smiled. "The only thing, though, is that I'm curious."

"About what?" Niu asked as she turned her head back to the side, while Zemin narrowed his eyes from behind them.

"Traitor to the human race..." He growled in Chinese. "...But what should I expect?"

"Was Riu a dragon?" Jia Li asked.

"No." Niu said quickly, shaking her head once. "She was what is called a doppelganger. She wasn't even my sister. She was my clone that I created with my own chi."

"I don't...I don't follow..."

"She was never ill." Niu admitted. "I just stopped bringing her along with me because I was growing up while she stayed a teenager because that was what I was when I created her. She wasn't a human. She could never grow up." Then, Niu sighed as she lowered her head. "I miss her so much. I hope I run into that Huntsclan girl that destroyed her again. I want to kill her."

"You'll never get the chance, beast..." Zemin growled from behind them as he took his staff in both hands. Then, he yelled as he charged for them, making Niu lift her head up and spin around while Jia Li stopped.

With a battle roar, Zemin leapt off of his feet and sent them right into Niu's chest before Niu could go dragon. As Niu fell back, Zemin landed on his feet, watching as Niu struck her head on the floor; Niu lost consciousness immediately.

"Hello, traitor..." Zemin said as he turned to the side to face Jia Li, who had a horrified look on her face as she faced him.

"Please..." She begged. However, Zemin did not listen to her. Aiming his staff right at her, he fired a green blast of plasma at her. Jia Li shrieked as the blast hit her, sending her flying against the wall, slumping down to the floor after her back collided with it.

Outside the building, the still dragon Bao and the still dragon Lao-Shi neared the ground. In bright lights, they both reverted to their human forms and dropped to the ground. Picking themselves up, they both ran into the building lobby.

As soon as they passed the lobby and ran into the first hall, Lao-Shi spoke up in English: "Why are we coming in here?"

"We were just attacked by a Huntsclan member, Lao-Shi!" Bao replied, also in English. "We have to make sure that Jia Li and Niu are alright!"

Meanwhile, back up at the broken window, Rong groaned as he picked himself up, staring out the window, just as Zemin's hover-board flew up to it and stopped, the unconscious Jia Li lying behind Zemin on her back, taking up the rest of the board.

"Get on." Zemin ordered in Chinese as he turned his head to the side.

LINE BREAK

Back at Zemin's lair, Qiao pulled away a paste bottle from the back of the metal dragon skull, placing the long and pointed metal ear on over the paste.

As Qiao worked diligently, she was completely unaware that several stories below her, in a dark room where a Huntsclan staff was leaning against the wall, the staff was ringing, a blinking green light coming from the side of the blade.

After five seconds of ringing, a holographic image of the female Huntsclan Master that had brought over Qiao and Rong appeared.

"Hello, Zemin." She said in Chinese. "I just want you to be aware that I am coming over tonight. I want to see how your two new apprentices are progressing. I'll be arriving in about two hours."

LINE BREAK

Lying on the floor in the hallway, Niu groaned as he slowly opened her eyes. Groaning, she slowly started to sit up, just as Bao and Lao-Shi ran into the hall, Bao's eyes widening as they watched Niu slowly start to stand up.

"Come on..." Bao said in English, she and Lao-Shi starting to jog toward her. "...Niu!" She switched to Chinese as she and Lao-Shi reached her. "Where's Jia Li?"

"Bao, I don't understand..." Niu said in Chinese as she brought her hands up to her head. "...There was a Huntsclan member."

"There was?" Lao-Shi asked in Chinese, his eyes widening.

"I don't understand..." Niu repeated as she lowered her hands. "...He took Jia Li. Not me..."

"We have to save her." Lao-Shi said as he turned his head to the side and looked up. "If Jia Li was taken, then that means that the Huntsclan soldier might have mistaken Jia Li for Niu. Jia Li could be in mortal danger."

"I know, Lao-Shi." Bao said as she turned her head to the side and looked down at him. "That's why we're going to rescue her."

LINE BREAK

As Zemin's hover-board neared his lair, Zemin slowed it down from up front while Rong stood at the back, holding onto the unconscious Jia Li, keeping her in a sitting position. The hover-board came to a full stop and Zemin turned to the side, jumping off of the board. Taking two steps forward, Zemin then turned around, watching as Rong grunted, rolling Jia Li off of the side of the board.

As Rong turned and jumped off, he was completely unaware that from high above, Niu, Bao and Lao-Shi were all in their dragon forms, flying toward the lair. "There they are." Niu said in Chinese as all three of them watched Zemin and Rong working together to move Jia Li toward the door to the lair.

"Come on." Lao-Shi said in Chinese, starting to move forward, only to freeze as Niu spoke up in Chinese:

"Wait." She said, holding up a clawed hand. "Maybe we should think about this first. Maybe we should wait until they get her in there." She continued as she lowered her hand. "That way, once we attack, they could be trapped."

LINE BREAK

Placing the second long, pointy metal ear on the metal dragon skull, Qiao held it there for about ten seconds before she finally released her grip on the helmet. Then, she moved to the side and got off of the bed, just as she heard her door creaking as it opened.

Turning her head to the side, Qiao could see Rong stepping into her room. "Zemin needs both of us." He said in Chinese as he put his hands on his hips. "Come on. Now."

Then, he turned and walked out of the room. As soon as Rong was gone, Qiao quickly turned her head back to normal, looking down at her metal dragon skull helmet. Quickly, she reached up with one hand and pulled off her regular mask, revealing her face.

Quickly dropping her mask to the floor, Qiao reached down and grabbed the helmet, picking it up off of her bed. "I deserve this." She said in Chinese as she started at it. Then, she turned it around and lifted it up, finally putting it over her head.

LINE BREAK

Now wearing her hand-made dragon skull helmet, Qiao entered the main room, where she quickly saw Rong near the spiral staircase. Rong turned his head to the side to look at her. "What are you wearing?" He asked in Chinese.

"What I deserve." Qiao responded in Chinese as she crossed her arms.

"Whatever." Rong said as he turned around. "Zemin's down here." He added as he pointed down the spiral staircase that led down.

LINE BREAK

Jia Li was in a dungeon-like room, standing against a post in the middle of the room, a fireplace to her side, a length of chains wrapped around her upper body three times, binding her to it, while her hands were chained behind her. Jia Li gave a frightened grunt as she pulled against the chains holding her wrists.

"Don't do that..." Zemin said in Chinese as walked toward her, making Jia Li quickly look up at him.

"What do you want from me?!" Jia Li demanded in Chinese in a frightened tone, tears of fear starting to form in her eyes.

"I just want to talk to you..." Zemin said as he reached her, only to turn around as he heard footsteps, seeing Rong walk down the stairs, Qiao following him. "...Good, you two are here." Zemin said as he clasped his hands together, Rong and Qiao standing side-by-side as soon as Qiao finished walking down the stairs.

"Rong, turn on the fireplace." Zemin said. "It's a little chilly in here." Then, he turned back around to face Jia Li as Rong nodded, walking away from Qiao.

Tears were now rolling down Jia Li's cheeks. "Wh...What do you want to know?" She asked in a small voice.

"I want to know about those three dragons you were with..." Zemin narrowed his eyes.

Her tear-filled eyes widening even more, Jia Li turned her head to the side when she heard a squeaking noise, seeing Rong sitting on his knees as he turned a nozzle, fire coming to life in the fireplace.

Slowly turning her head back to normal, Jia Li asked: "Are you going to kill me?"

"Not if you tell me everything I need to know..." Was Zemin's reply. "...Can you tell me their names?"

"Why do you need to know that?"

"Because..." Zemin growled. "...Maybe you don't realize this, but those things are monsters! It is my job to destroy them all so all humans will be safe!"

"They're not dangerous..." Jia Li said in a small voice. "...They're my friends."

"So you're not going to tell me what I need to know?"

"Maybe if you could just meet and talk to them..." Jia Li tried, pulling against the chains around her body somewhat.

"No." Zemin told her as he turned to the side and started to walk toward the wall, where his staff was leaning. "I don't want to meet your so-called friends." As soon as he reached the wall, he grabbed his staff and turned around, starting to walk back toward Jia Li. "I'll give you one last chance..." As soon as he reached her, he turned to the side again, facing her. "...Tell me now, or I will torture the information out of you."

LINE BREAK

Meanwhile, the front door to the lair slowly opened, the still dragon Lao-Shi walking in and turning as he walked down the hall, stepping into the front room, Bao walking in right after him, and the finally, Niu walked in as well.

"Where do you think they're holding her?" Bao asked in Chinese as she turned her head to the side to look at Lao-Shi.

However, just as she asked this, all three of the dragons had their ears twitch as they picked up the sound of Jia Li's pleading voice: "Please, no!" She shouted in Chinese.

"Down there." Niu said in Chinese, pointing out at the staircase heading downward.

LINE BREAK

"Please, no..." Jia Li continued to beg in Chinese as tears rolled down her wide eyes, gently shaking her head as Zemin's staff blazed with green plasma. "...I don't want to be hurt!"

"Then tell me what you KNOW!" Zemin growled impatiently in Chinese.

"I...I can't..."

"Then I have to hurt you..." Zemin said as he brought the blazing staff closer to the terrified young woman.

"HEY!" Came the Chinese speaking voice of Lao-Shi from behind him, making Zemin's eyes widen. Quickly turning around, Zemin saw Qiao grunt as she was thrown forward and off of her feet, falling to the floor and rolling toward Zemin a few inches, Zemin seeing Lao-Shi, Bao and Niu hovering at the bottom of the stairs.

His eyes wide, Zemin quickly tapped the bottom of his staff on the floor, being encased in a bright green light, which then vanished, taking Zemin with it.

Quickly, Niu flew over to Jia Li as Rong turned to the side near the fireplace.

Grunting, Niu landed on her feet as she brought her tail down, slicing through the chains that held Jia Li to the post, as well as the chains that were around her wrists. As Jia Li stumbled away from the post, Lao-Shi and Bao flew over her head and landed behind the post and Niu.

"Get Jia Li out of her, Niu." Bao said in Chinese. "We'll take care of these two."

Nodding once, Niu flapped her wings and flew into the air. Rolling over, Niu flapped her wings again and dived down, picking up Jia Li, making her gasp as she was picked up off of her feet and flown away, as Qiao slowly picked herself up onto her feet. Watching Niu fly back up the spiraling stairs with Jia Li, Qiao's eyes narrowed.

As they flew up the stairs, Jia Li grunted and struggled against Niu's grip. "Let me go, Niu!" She demanded in Chinese, making Niu look down at her.

"I got to get you out of here!" Niu told her in Chinese.

"I know, but I can move on my own!"

Sighing as she finally reached the top step and the front room, Niu relented and touched down on the ground, setting Jia Li down. "Fine." She said as Jia Li smiled and looked up at the Tea Rose-colored dragon.

"Thank you." Jia Li said. "For rescuing me."

"Don't mention it." Niu said as she looked down. "You can mention it after we get out of here."

However, Niu's eyes quickly widened as she heard feet clanging against the stairs. Looking up, Niu turned her head to the side, only to see Qiao running up to them on the stairs. "Come on!" Her eyes wide, Niu turned her head back to normal and took hold of Jia Li, moving her to the side quickly as they started to run up the flight of stairs that led to a higher level of the lair, while Qiao growled as she reached the top of the flight of stairs. Without stopping, Qiao turned and started to run up the next flight, following her prey.

Running up the stairs side-by-side, Niu spoke up: "I thought Bao said that she and Lao-Shi were going to keep the two apprentices busy!"

LINE BREAK

Down in the chamber below, Lao-Shi and Bao were both facing Rong.

With a grunt, Rong jumped into the air and back-flipped as Lao-Shi tried to knock him off of his feet with his tail. Landing on the floor with a grunt, Rong started to charge toward the two dragons.

However, before he could take a second step, Bao wrapped her tail around his waist and she grunted as she took a step back, Lao-Shi turning his head to the side and watching as Rong grunted as he was forced off of his feet and was pulled forward.

After being pulled back, Bao grunted as she tossed him up, throwing Rong away. Grunting, Rong hit the wall face-first above the fireplace before he bounced off and fell to the floor.

Grunting as he landed on his knees, Rong unwillingly fell forward, face and hands first into the fireplace; into the roaring fireplace. Immediately, Rong started to scream in agony as he pushed himself up onto his knees, putting his steaming, bright red hands to his face, his mask on fire.

As Rong continued to scream in agony, both Lao-Shi and Bao turned around to avoid the sight. "Come on." Lao-Shi said in English as he turned his head to the side. "We have to get back to Niu and Jia Li."

"Right." Bao said in English as she gave one nod. Then, they both turned to the side, flapped their wings and flew away, leaving Rong on his knees, screaming bloody murder.

LINE BREAK

Meanwhile, Niu and Jia Li were still running up the stair, just about to reach the next level. However, Jia Li abruptly stopped and gasped in pain. Niu made it up two more steps before she realized what was wrong; stopping, she turned around to see that Qiao was standing behind Jia Li, whose eyes were wide.

Qiao quickly pulled her fist away from Jia Li's upper back, a blade coming out of her back. "I'm done with you..." Qiao said in Chinese as she shoved Jia Li to the stairs, where the young woman hit with a clang.

With wide eyes, before Niu could do anything, Qiao grunted as she jumped up, kicking out with both of her feet, kicking Niu in the chest, making Niu grunt as she was thrown backwards, grunting again as her back collided with the floor after flying passed all the stairs; as Niu hit the floor, Qiao landed back on her feet on the stairs.

Groaning as she picked herself up, Niu watched as Qiao walked up the rest of the stairs. "Alright..." Niu growled in Chinese as she slowly stood up on both of her feet. "...I've had it. This is it! It ends now!"

"Of course it does..." Qiao said as she reached the top of the stairs. "...For you..." Then, she held up both of her fists, one of her sleeves having a blade sticking out of it, another blade popping out of the other sleeve. With a grunt, Qiao ran toward Niu, finally stopping in front of Niu as she tried to swipe at the dragon with one of her sleeve-blades.

However, Niu just grunted as she took a step back. "So..." Qiao said as she grunted as she used her other hand to try to swipe at Niu, also trying to kick Niu in the shin, only to have Niu simply take another step back. "...You look similar to that doppelganger I destroyed..."

As Qiao said this, Niu's eyes widened as she took another step back, trying to avoid another swipe. "...Was that yours?" Qiao asked right before she took another swipe.

Niu managed to take a step back to avoid it, even as she narrowed her eyes and growled. "Yes..." She said as she brought up her tail and swung it over to the side of Qiao's head, slamming it into the side of the dragon skull helmet with such force that the helmet broke into many pieces as Qiao grunted and stumbled to the side as the pieces fell to the floor, revealing Qiao's dazed looking face.

One of the long, pointed ears rolled down Qiao's shoulder and started to fall to the floor, only for Niu to catch it with her tail.

With a scowl on her face, Niu took a step back and grunted as she thrust forward with her tail, sticking the point of the ear into Qiao's chest, into her heart, making Qiao's eyes widen in shock.

"...The doppelganger was mine..." Niu said darkly as she pulled her tail back, watching as the wide-eyed Qiao stumbled back three steps.

Watching with a look of hatred on her face, Niu suddenly gasped as her body jerked forward, a glowing green arrow tip bursting out of her stomach while the rest of the arrow stayed in her body.

Seeing this, Qiao managed one more step before she fell back into a sitting position, her open mouth dripping blood as she used her hands to keep her sitting upright as she watched Zemin, who was behind Niu, take aim with his bow and glowing green arrow again as Niu grunted, dropping to her knees, her eyes wide.

Then, with a thudding sound, Niu grunted again and her entire upper body jerked before she fell face-first to the floor, a glowing green arrow planted in the back of her skull.

As Niu gargled and her body twitched repeatedly, Zemin lowered his bow and arrow and quickly started to walk over to Qiao, whose eyes were starting to droop and close, her head bowing down. Finally, Zemin reached her and crouched down in front of her.

"Qiao, stay with me..." He urged her in Chinese as he reached up and put his hands on his dragon skull helmet, slowly pulling it over and off his head as Qiao struggled to look up at him, leaving on only a black facial mask.

"...Here, you deserve it..." Zemin said as he slowly slipped the dragon skull helmet over her head. As soon as it was fully on and Zemin pulled his hands away, Qiao stared at her master for about two seconds before her pupils rolled back into her head, a quiet exhale coming from her as she started to fall back.

However, Zemin managed to reach out and grab Qiao's body by her shoulders, gently setting her down on her back. Then, Zemin looked down on her lifeless form and reached down, grabbing both of her hands. He placed her right hand on her stomach and then placed her left hand on top of her right.

"Sleep well..." He told her, only to gasp and look up as he heard the sound of Lao-Shi's English speaking voice: "Where are they?"

Growling, Zemin reached down and picked up his bow before he stood up and turned, running down the hall.

LINE BREAK

Below, Lao-Shi and Bao were still in their dragon forms, looking in all directions. "You don't think they left?" Lao-Shi asked in English as he stopped looking, turning his head back to normal.

"I don't know." Bao said in English as well, doing the exact same thing as her husband with her head. "They should have."

"But I have this feeling that they didn't." Lao-Shi told her as he turned his head to the side.

"Maybe they hid upstairs or something..." Bao guessed.

"Maybe we should check..." Lao-Shi said as he turned his head back to normal.

LINE BREAK

Lying on the stairs, Jia Li moaned as she slowly lifted up her head, seeing Niu lying on the ground, as well as Qiao, neither of them moving. "Niu..." Jia Li moaned in Chinese. "...Niu, help me..."

However, as she heard clanging against the stairs that she was lying on, Jia Li gasped as she turned her head to the side, only to see Lao-Shi and Bao coming around about five seconds later. Upon seeing Jia Li, Bao's eyes widened as Lao-Shi quickly moved up to her, crouching down next to her, putting his clawed hand gently down near her stab wound.

"She needs medical attention." Lao-Shi said in Chinese as he looked up and turned his head to the side to look at Bao. However, Bao's eyes were wide as she looked at something passed Jia Li. Without saying a word, Bao started to walk up the steps and passed Jia Li as Lao-Shi turned his head back to normal. "Bao!" He tried, however, his wife ignored him.

Reaching the top of the stairs, Bao walked by Qiao's lifeless body, heading toward Niu...

LINE BREAK

Meanwhile, Zemin was panting as he turned and entered a dark room, where there was a helicopter in the middle. Turning to the side, the panting Huntsclan Master reached out and pressed a button that was on the wall.

Turning back to normal, Zemin looked up as the roof started to open up, allowing him to escape into the night.

LINE BREAK

Bao's eyes were wide as she knelt down next to Niu's body. "Bao, what are you doing?" Lao-Shi demanded in Chinese as he turned his head to the side. However, instead of answering, Bao slowly put her claws down on Niu's wrist.

"No pulse." Bao said in Chinese as she turned her head to the side. "She's dead."

Lao-Shi's eyes widened, but before he could say anything, they all could hear the sound of a helicopter's propeller starting up.

"What's that?" Bao asked.

"I guess we're going to find out." Lao-Shi said as he slowly stood up. Then, he turned to the side and bent over, grabbing Jia Li by her sides and picking her up.

LINE BREAK

Zemin's helicopter was flying higher into the air. Zemin sitting at the cockpit. Way below on the ground, the door to the lair was blasted off its hinges, Lao-Shi flying out the door with Jia Li in his arms, Bao flying out as well and flying up to her husband's side, both of them looking up at the helicopter.

"Come on." Lao-Shi said in Chinese as he swept up, Bao quickly following him.

Inside the helicopter, Zemin flew the helicopter forward. Sitting back in his seat as he held onto the controls, he was completely unaware of Lao-Shi flying into the cockpit. Taking a few steps, Lao-Shi quietly turned to the side and leaned over, setting down the injured and wide-eyed Jia Li as Bao flew into the cockpit as well.

As Lao-Shi straightened back up, he turned around and his wife joined his side as he stared at the unsuspecting Zemin, finding that his staff was placed up against the back of his chair.

Closing his eyes briefly, Lao-Shi slowly started to tip-toe toward the seat, and as soon as he reached the back of Zemin's seat, Zemin still oblivious, Lao-Shi reached out and took the staff, pulling it back.

"Okay." He quickly spoke up in Chinese, pointing the blade of the staff at the back of seat, making Zemin turn his head to the side to see the two dragons. "You're under arrest, hunter. Get up. We're flying this thing to the Island of Draco."

Growling, Zemin turned his head back to normal. "And what if I don't cooperate?" He asked in Chinese. "Are you going to murder me? If you do that, more Huntsclan soldiers will just hunt you down."

"Get up from your seat." Bao spoke up in Chinese.

"Very well, then..." Zemin said as he pulled his hands away from the controls and raised his hands. "...I surrender, dragons." Then, he started to stand up from his seat, turning around to face the two dragons.

"Bao, you sit down and fly the helicopter." Lao-Shi said as he turned his head to the side, Bao nodding in response.

Seconds later, the now human Bao sat down in Zemin's seat, reaching out and grabbing the controls, while Lao-Shi was standing with his scaly back to the open entrance of the helicopter, Zemin facing him a few inches away, his hands in the air.

"Did you kill Niu?" Lao-Shi growled.

"Which one was Niu?" Zemin replied. "You are all filthy beasts to me."

"She's the only one of us three that came to your lair that died!" Lao-Shi growled.

"Aw..." Zemin seemed to get the picture. "...She must have been the one that I shot in the head after she killed one of my two apprentices..."

"That's her, alright..." Lao-Shi growled as he kept the staff on Zemin. "...And I can tell you that the Dragon Council will lock you away for the rest of your miserable life for that crime."

"They probably would." Zemin acknowledged. "However, I don't plan to go down that way. I have a better idea..."

The second he finished saying this, Zemin quickly lowered his arms and grunted as he lunged for Lao-Shi, making Lao-Shi gasp as Zemin ran into him, making Lao-Shi lower the staff as he stepped back, falling out of the helicopter along with Zemin, Lao-Shi shouting in surprise, making Bao gasp as she turned her head to the side.

"Lao-Shi?" She asked in English.

Outside the helicopter, Lao-Shi tried to pull his claws that held the staff away from Zemin as Zemin blindly reached for it, the Huntsclan master trying his best to keep hold of Lao-Shi as the blue dragon flew erratically in the air, zigzagging in the air.

Finally, Lao-Shi yelped as he turned around and flew right toward the helicopter, landing on his back right on the front of the helicopter in front of the front window, making Bao gasp and turn her head back to normal from inside the helicopter.

As Lao-Shi hit the front, his tail came up and got caught in the propeller, making Lao-Shi gasp and his eyes widen as he was pulled out from underneath Zemin as Zemin held onto his staff, which he had managed to grab hold of.

Grunting, Lao-Shi stopped getting pulled toward the propeller, and instead of being chopped to pieces, he was merely tangled up in the propeller, causing the helicopter to start to plummet to the ground.

Grunting, Lao-Shi tried to pull himself free, while Zemin managed to stand up, turning to the side and pointing the blade of his staff at Lao-Shi, whose eyes widened.

"Finally, dragon..." Zemin said in victory. "...You are mine..." As he said this, the blade of his staff started to glow.

His eyes widen than ever, Lao-Shi grunted as he tried to pull himself away from the blades, finally succeeding. Flying up into the air, Zemin howled in fear and pain as the helicopter started to move again.

Back inside the cockpit, Bao watched with wide eyes as something quickly rolled down the window before it fell to the ground below, leaving a blotch of blood on the window.

Swooping in through the open door, Lao-Shi landed on his feet. "Bao." He said in English as he turned his head to the side. "Turn this thing around. We need to get Jia Li to the Island of Draco."

"Got it." Bao responded in English, keeping her eyes on what was ahead of her. From outside, the helicopter slowed before it started to turn around, starting to fly in the other direction.

LINE BREAK

It was night time on the Island of Draco and Councilor Zoila was walking out of the Main Hall in her human form when her ears picked up the sound of a helicopter propeller.

Seconds later, she was able to see the helicopter far off in the distance, heading toward the island. Entranced, Zoila started to walk toward the edge, reaching it just as the helicopter reached the island, slowly landing on the grass as the bloodied propeller slowly stopped spinning.

Turning to the side, Zoila watched as Lao-Shi, still in his dragon form, stepped out and jumped to the grass, holding Jia Li in his arms. "Councilor Zoila." He said in an urgent voice, speaking in Chinese as he hurried over to the Councilor, who took a step back in her surprise. "Councilor, this is Jia Li. She's a friend of Bao's. She's hurt and needs help."

LINE BREAK

The female Chinese Huntsclan master made her way toward the now permanently open lair. Stepping into the lair, she turned and walked down the hall, stepping into the front room, looking in both directions. "Zemin?" She asked in Chinese as she looked straight ahead, just in time to hear a moan of pain, followed by heavy footsteps against the stairs.

Seconds later, Rong appeared, hunched over as he held his still masked face in his hands, slowly making it to the top step. The female Huntsclan master watched with wide eyes as Rong continued to moan, taking another four steps closer her, only to stop and fall to his knees, moaning in pain again.

LINE BREAK

Two Weeks Later; The Island of Draco

During a bright day, both Bao and Lao-Shi were standing in their dragon forms in the Main Hall with smiles on their faces as Councilor Zkryo, who was sitting in-between Councilor Cantata and Councilor Calyx, looked up from the table he was sitting at, pulling a pen away from a piece of paper.

"Congratulations." Zkryo said in English with a smile as he reached down and pulled up a certificate. "Now, not only are you a legally married couple in the human world, but you are also legally married in the Magical World."

"Thank you." Bao said in English as she reached forward and took the certificate. "But, can I ask you a question?" She added as she lowered her hands.

"Of course." Zkryo said, still smiling.

"Two weeks ago..." Bao began. "...Lao-Shi and I delivered my human friend, Jia Li Peng, to Councilor Zoila after she had been injured by a Huntsclan apprentice. This is the first time we've been here since then, so...we were wondering how she's doing?"

"We saw Councilor Zoila this morning." Lao-Shi added in English. "We asked her about Jia Li. She didn't say anything, though."

"Can you tell us?" Bao finished.

"She is doing just fine." Cantata said in English. "She is recovering quite nicely."

"Unfortunately..." Zkryo spoke up as he put both of his elbows on the table, clasping his hands together. "...It was a poor choice of Dragon Si to reveal her dragon form to your friend. She can't go back into the regular world with this knowledge."

"There is only one thing to be done before we release her..." Cantata said.

"Okay..." Bao said, but she sounded disappointed. "...But, do you think we could see her before you erase her memories of us as dragons?"

"I suppose it couldn't hurt." Zkryo told her after a five second pause, pulling his hands apart.

LINE BREAK

In the hospital, Jia Li was lying on her back on a bed, a black strap keeping her on the bed. As Bao, Lao-Shi, Zkryo, Cantata and Calyx entered the hospital in their human forms, Bao in front of all of them, Bao gasped. "Why do you have her tied to the bed?" She asked as she turned her head to the side.

"Just a precaution." Cantata told her in English.

Sighing, Bao turned her head back to normal and started to walk toward the bed. As soon as she reached it, Bao sat down on her knees, smiling as she put her hand down on Jia Li's chest.

Slowly, Jia Li opened her eyes and slowly rolled her head to the side. "Bao..." She moaned in Chinese.

"Hello, Jia Li." Bao smiled as she spoke in Chinese.

As this happened, Councilor Zkryo reached into his robes and pulled out a vial, filled with a pink-colored liquid. Grunting as he crouched down, he held it out for Lao-Shi. "After you two get her back to her house..." Zkryo said in English as Lao-Shi took it. "...Give this to her..."

LINE BREAK

Sometime later, Hsui Mei was walking down the hall with a human Bao. "She has no memories of the accident." Bao said in Chinese. "We've told her that Niu didn't make it, and she knows that, but she knows nothing else."

"What does this have to do with me seeing her?" Hsui Mei asked in Chinese.

"You know...just be nice to her..." Bao told her as they reached the door to Jia Li's family's apartment. "...Don't give her a hard time for living with her family still." She said as she turned her head to the side.

LINE BREAK

Jia Li was sitting on the floor in her room right below the window, just blinking as she stared into space. Suddenly, the door opened and Hsui Mei walked into the room, turning as she closed the door behind her.

"Hsui Mei?" Jia Li asked in Chinese. "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to talk to you." Hsui Mei said in Chinese as she turned around to face her former friend. "And I'm...sorry about what I said at Bao's wedding."

"Really?"

"It was out of line..." Hsui Mei said as she started to walk toward her friend who she was trying to reconcile with.

LINE BREAK

Lao-Shi was sitting in his chair back at his apartment, watching a muted black and white TV, only to turn his head to the side when he heard the door open, seeing Bao walking into the room.

"Honey." Lao-Shi said in English, smiling as Bao turned around and closed the door to their apartment.

"Great news!" Bao said in English, a big smile on her face as she turned back around. "Hsui Mei and Jia Li are getting along now." She reported.

"Good." Lao-Shi said, his smile fading. "Bao, can I talk to you about something?"

"Sure..." Bao said as she started to walk toward his chair.

"This may seem a little too soon, but..." Lao-Shi said. "...Have you considered the possibility of...having children?"

BLACKOUT; END

A/N; It's finally over! It took me awhile to finish this. Yeah, I know the ending was a bit sudden, but it seemed like it was probably the best way to end it. What did you think? Please leave a review. I like reviews.