American Dragon: Jake Long
Season Three
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the American Dragon: Jake Long concepts or characters, nor do I claim ownership over them. They are copyrights of Disney.
Chapter 53: Flight of the Phoenix
Jake, Trixie, Spud, and Rose were waling to their new high school. It had been two months since they'd returned from Hong Kong, and Jake had just turned fifteen-years old. He had a great birthday, but it was his best because Rose had returned with them.
Rose, like Jake, was a young student at their old middle school. But, due to Jake's interference in a wish to destroy all of the Huntsclan, she had been spared, the alternate reality being made for her consequentially forcing her to lose her memory of all the times Jake and her had spent together.
It wasn't long before Jake and Rose had officially become girlfriend and boyfriend; the two had been in love since Grade Eight. With Rose's return, Jake found himself doing better in school, and loving life.
He thought about all the times he and Rose had fought, he the American Dragon and she the Huntsgirl. Remembering the times of hate (though they didn't know each others' secret identities then) just made Rose's return all the sweeter. The fact that they went to high school together didn't take away from the love, either.
"Dang, I am LOVING high school!" Trixie yelled, pumping her fist into the air and grinning madly.
Jake laughed. "Yeah, you're telling me. But man, we've got exams soon. How am I supposed to do all that studying and protect the magical world, all at the same time?"
Rose bent down and kissed Jake on the cheek. "Don't worry, Dragon-boy, I'll help you study. After taking down the Dark Dragon, it should be a piece of cake, right?"
Jake huffed. "I'd rather take the Dark Dragon. Still, it's lucky that you got your dad posted back here."
Spud frowned mockingly. "Whaddaya mean lucky, dude? Now Trixie and I have to watch you to going all kissy-kissy all the time!" He made a mock kissy-kissy face, smooching the air and holding his hands lightly at the side of his head.
Trixie dealt Spud a sharp blow to the back of the head, stopping the teasing. "Oh come on, Spud, like you and Stacey are any better? Dang baby, I see you and her making out with each other everywhere; janitor closets, the back alleyway. Come on, player, get with it!"
Jake and Rose shook their heads and sped up. The two would be arguing all the way to school. They went to their lockers, on opposite sides of the school, and got their Physical Education stuff.
They met in front of the change-rooms, and were forced to stifle the laughs when they saw Brad go into the boy's change-room. With her hand still against her mouth, Rose giggled, "Are you sure that he didn't threaten Rotwood to get past Grade Nine?"
Jake laughed, not bothering to hold them in. He held his sides as his laughter died down; Brad had been wearing a sign on the back of his shirt that had the picture Jake had taken of him in a tutu. That was a particularly memorable trip into the dream realm.
"No, he passed. I don't get why people say there's no such thing as miracles. Alright, I guess this is some kind of freak curse for us, but you feeling me, right?"
The both of them burst out laughing as they went into their respective change-rooms.
Gym class was to be utter hell on that day; Professor Rotwood was substituting for their gym teacher. Jake groaned as he came into the boy's side of the gym, with #88 and #89 following behind, pushing a cart of basketballs. Rotwood began speaking in his trademark high Bulgarian accent.
"Listen up, hoodlums! It is to your own misfortune that your teacher is…away on medical issues. Until further notice, I, Hans Rotwood, shall be your gym teacher." He beckoned to #88 and #89, and the both of them came running. Rotwood began explaining the rules of his new sport, "Rotball," but Jake and Spud weren't listening.
"Man," Jake muttered, "what's Rotwood doing here? I thought they replaced him in middle school!"
"Come on, man," Spud sighed. "He's just filling in for the gym teacher. Why are you so suspicious of him?"
Jake rolled his eyes and looked to the ceiling sarcastically, counting on his fingers. "Oh, let's see, first he tried to expose a Dragon to the world, then he tried to fail me out of school, then he found out I was a Dragon and tried to expose me. Oh no, I have no reason to be suspicious, not one!" Jake looked darkly over at Rotwood, who was fumbling clumsily as he tried to bounce a basketball. "Anyway, didn't you see how he hesitated when he said our teacher was away? That sounds pretty suspicious, don't you think? And what about those two?" Jake jerked a thumb at the clumsy #88 and #89. "I thought they were still in middle school."
Spud shrugged. "Beats me, dude; they probably wormed their way with some kind of suck-up junk."
Both of them jumped as Rotwood suddenly shouted, "Roll call!" The weird teacher went down the list, calling all of the names for the boy's class. He paused when he got to Jake's name. "Jake Long?" Rotwood nearly jumped for joy. "Oh, wonderbar, another chance to expose that scaly monstrosity to the entire world!" He rubbed his hands together, muttering to himself incoherently.
On the girl's side of the gym, Rose was staring at Jake. Trixie giggled. "Man, girl, you really dig him, don't'cha?"
Rose cocked an eyebrow. "Really, what gave it away? The kissing, the spending loads of time together, the saving the magical world together, or was it that I made my dad move back here from Hong Kong?"
Trixie jerked her head left and right as she bumped back the volleyball Rose had served. "Mm, mm, no need to get snappy, girl. I'm just saying you REALLY love him; not all that boyfriend-girlfriend junk, I mean the real thang."
Rose slammed the ball back in a spectacular spike. The floor-boards shattered under the force of the spike. Trixie was sitting on the ground just behind the small crater. "Ok, I don't get it; you were NEVER in the Huntsclan, but you STILL have that kind of strength? What kind of vitamins you taking? I want some!"
Rose blushed, embarrassed as some of the girls gathered around to marvel at her achievement.
After the long day, the four went home. Jake's head was hurting from the math he'd been forced to take in. "Man, I hate algebra!" he complained.
"So," Trixie asked, "How'd P.E. go for you guys?"
Jake frowned. "Rotwood's back, how do you think it went? He was muttering to himself all class. When he wasn't doing that, he was making up some stupid rule for his 'Rotball' just to get me in trouble! He's back to get me, you guys, I just know it!"
"Well," Rose grinned, "At least you've got Huntsgirl to keep him under wraps."
Jake snorted, laughing derisively. "Rotwood is bent on exposing the whole magical world. If he can't do that, he'll go for me. He thinks that magical creatures can live in peace with humans. You have no idea how much I wish that were true, but do you actually think that humans and magical creatures can live together? Just look at the Huntsclan and the Dark Dragon! Hey, the Dark Ages! That was when the magical creatures were forced into hiding; humans just couldn't get along with them. They hunted Dragons, poached pixies, and burned witches! That doesn't sound like a great relationship to me."
Rose smiled sympathetically. "I know, Jake, but still; Rotwood might have something."
Jake shook his head, clearing it a little. "Anyways, I'm off to Gramps' shop. I've gotta train; you wanna come with?"
Rose nodded. "Yeah, I need to train too." The both of them said goodbye to Spud and Trixie, and went off into an alleyway.
Jake looked around. "Is the coast clear?" Rose nodded. "Dragon up!" In a burst of blue Chi, Jake transformed into his Dragon form. "Climb on, Rose." She climbed on, and Jake took to the skies, flying straight for Lao Shi's shop.
Not twenty minutes later, the two of them were on their cell phones.
"I'll be home soon, dad," Jake said. "I'm just getting some Dragon training in."
"Don't wait up, Daddy," Rose said. "I'll be home soon; I'm just doing an extracurricular activity." The both of them hung up their phones and rolled their eyes. Lao Shi and Fu Dog came up the steps onto the roof.
"Alright kids, keep it clean," Fu Dog called. "I've got all my biscuits on the girl."
Lao Shi shot Fu a disapproving look before directing his attention to the two young warriors. "Remember, young ones, a victory without honour is not a victory at all."
Rose's voice was menacingly sweet as she picked up her Pu-Dao blade-staff. "I love you, but that doesn't mean I'm going to take it easy on you, hun."
Jake laughed. "What, you think I will? Right, dream on." The two launched themselves at each other, getting into a fierce sparring match.
It was only a few minutes before they talked again. "Come on, hun, you're better than that," Rose chided.
Jake sniggered. "Yeah, but I don't want to actually hurt you now." The two separated and clashed again, Jake blasting a fireball at Rose.
"Please, Jake," she laughed, "I was trained as a Dragon slayer!"
Jake dodged a blow from the Pu-Dao. "Yeah, but you were out of it for like, two or three months."
Rose swiped again. "But I've been training for more than two, so I'm back in the game!" With a tremendous show of force, Rose whacked Jake off to the side with the flat of her staff. Jake pushed himself up, narrowly dodging a swipe from the blade. They returned to combat, and not another word was said till they finished.
Jake's dad came up the steps. "Hey now kids, don't you have a patrol to go on?"
Rose held up a hand to stop the fight, and checked her watch. "Ah! Jake, your dad's right!" She grabbed Jake by the hand and dragged the Dragon down over the rooftops, calling over her shoulder, "Thanks Mr. Long!"
Jake awoke the next day to his father calling, "Come on kids, it's breki-weky time!"
Jake groaned. "Come on, just let me sleep in for once! It's Saturday!" And stop using those lame rhymes! he thought privately.
Jake's mom came in and pulled the pillow off of his head. "Come on, Jake, your grandfather is downstairs; he needs to talk to us."
Jake yawned. "Aw man…fine, just let me get dressed. He quickly threw on his clothes and gelled his hair. He arrived downstairs, completely unaware that he only had white socks on and no shoes.
He yawned loudly and obviously. "Alright Gramps, what's the big emergency?"
Lao Shi frowned disapprovingly. "I am here to discuss our encounter with the Dark Dragon over the summer."
Jake's dad turned to look at Lao Shi from the stove. "What about it; didn't we kick his keister good?"
"Yes," Lao Shi said, "But it is not of him that I am here to discuss. It is Chang." He turned and looked significantly at Jake. "The Dragon Council has searched the mountains and surrounding countryside and cities for the past few months, now. I have been helping them several times now, which is why your Dragon training has been so slow lately."
"So why wasn't I there?" Jake asked indignantly. "Why didn't you call me out?"
"Because you are a child, and still in school. You are only fifteen, young Dragon, and we would not wish to deter you too much from your studies. As Haley so rightly said those months ago, being the American Dragon is not an easy job, and we wouldn't want to take you away from your duties."
Jake brushed that off. "Please, business has been slow. Pandarus has only attacked once, and Brocamus hasn't had any trouble with the gold lately."
"I'm not surprised. After your fight with the Dark Dragon, and with the absence of the Huntsclan, things will seem to be fairly slow. Even so, with Chang on the loose, we cannot let our guard down."
Jake's sister, Haley, piped up here. "I threw her out of the Temple, so there's no way she could've been sucked into the vortex." She looked at Lao Shi thoughtfully before adding, "That net that I caught her up with was Sphinx hair, right? She wouldn't have been able to escape with that on her."
Lao Shi nodded. "Yes, but that strange monkey also escaped. He could have freed her. They are both on the loose at this very moment. With them at large, the Dark Dragon could be brought back, more powerful than ever."
Fu Dog jumped up on Susan's lap, and looked at Jake seriously. "The thing is, kid, that Resurrection Spell isn't just a Resurrection Spell; it's also a Relocation Spell; if the person being brought back isn't dead, it makes them more powerful. Needless to say, it's kind of pointless for everyday use, but if they manage to get all the runes and ingredients again –"
Jake finished Fu's sentence ominously: "Then they could bring the Dark Dragon back…"
Lao Shi nodded gravely. "Indeed. We must be cautious; Chang needs the blood of a Dragon to bring them back. Usually, it is the Dragon in the country that is assigned the duty of protecting the magical world within that country that will give the person being brought back by the spell more power, but any Dragon will do. If she is in Brazil, or Serbia, or any other country, and the Dragon isn't ready, she could bring him back from that dimension."
Jake squinted and rubbed his forehead. "Aw man, now my head hurts…Why'd you have to tell us this in the morning?"
"Eh, sorry kid," Fu said, "but the Dragon Council ordered us to tell you this morning."
"Hold on Fu, you said that the spell makes people who haven't died more powerful. Does that mean we didn't kill the Dark Dragon last time?"
"That's right, kid."
"What is he, immortal?" Jake exclaimed, slapping his head.
The expression on Fu's face was serious as he explained. "Well, kid, Dragons like you and Gramps don't have lives as short as humans do. When you turn 19, you get to choose between living the full life of a Dragon, or the life of a human. Magic and all that, you know."
"Still, Dragons can be slain by weapons, right? The Huntsclan –"
"The Huntsclan used special weapons," Lao Shi interrupted. "Weapons designed specifically for slaying Dragons. A Dragon's scales cannot be pierced unless the weapon is running against the scales, the weapon hits behind the Dragon's left ear, or it impales the underbelly of the Dragon. There are also certain modified energies that can bypass the scales of the Dragon and damage the insides."
"So what, we can't be hurt by being crushed? Because I remember –"
"Yes, young one, it can. The scales are impenetrable, but flexible. You will remember that, before your graduation, you were cut by a crane. The crane pulled at the flaps of your scales, it didn't go through the scales themselves."
Jake sighed exasperatedly. "So how do we get this guy then? No matter what we do, he comes back!"
"We wait, Jake," Lao Shi said. The old man seemed to have resigned himself to the idea.
"But if the Dark Drag lives as long as a normal Dragon, that could take more than a thousand years!"
"But if we keep banishing him," Jake's father said, "he'll never be able to get back."
"Sorry Pops," Fu said. "That spell can bring people back from different dimensions."
Jake sighed and walked over to the window. What would they be able to do? "Well," Jake said quietly, "We'll worry about this later. This isn't the thing we should rush into, we've gotta plan this."
Lao Shi smiled and patted Jake on the shoulder. "Yes, you are learning, young Dragon. He who runs into battle headfirst is often the first to lose his head."
Jake threw on his jacket. "I'm going to head off and get Trixie, Spud, and Rose. We're gonna hang for a bit, then I'll be back home for supper, 'kay?"
Jake was walking out of the door when his mother called. "Jake, don't you think you need your shoes?" Jake looked at the white socks on his feet and slapped himself in the face.
Rose dragged Jake by the jacket down Magus Bazaar. Jake was struggling to keep up, having to take longer paces to compensate for his legs being shorter than Rose's. "Hey, Rose, hold on!"
"No, Jake," Rose said sternly. "If what you said is true, we've got to do what we can; we need to start by getting information."
"Come on," Jake groaned, "Can't we just chill for a while? Even Gramps agrees with me!"
"Well it's a good thing I'm not your grandfather then. We had a hard enough time taking the Dark Dragon down last time, we don't need another hassle. We need to find where these ingredients for the spell can be found, and we have to be able to keep them out of Chang's claws at ANY cost."
"Rose, be reasonable. Do you have any idea how many places sell those things in America, let alone the world? It's easier just to wait for the Dark Dragon to come back and beat him again!"
"But what if we can't beat him, Jake? What if he comes back even more powerful, like the spell is supposed to do, and he becomes unstoppable?"
Jake sighed, almost tripping over a rock jutting out of the ground. "Fine, but where do we start?"
"How 'bout Veronica's place? She always has a lot of information about magical ingredients for spells and potions."
"Well, you can stop dragging me; she's right there." Jake pointed to a cart just in front of them. Set up against the wall was a small stand filled with exotic magical ingredients. Rose wheeled and pulled Jake, stumbling and tripping, towards the cart and stand.
The Arachne looked at them curiously, but with a happy smile. "Hey Jake, what can I do for you? Is Fu around?" Veronica's voice was as smooth and fluid as the silk she spun.
"Nah, he's back at the shop with Gramps," Jake said dismissively. "Veronica, do you know anything about where we can get ingredients for a Resurrection Spell?"
Veronica kept the pleasing look on her face, but she squirmed a little. "Why do you need to know that?"
"Because," Rose said, "We're trying to keep the Dark Dragon from coming back. We need to know where all the phoenix feathers and hydra scales are kept, so we can protect them."
"Well," Veronica said thoughtfully, "I know that hydra scales are pretty common; there's a bit of a shortage now, though. Phoenix feathers are the really hard ones to get; at least, the ones in the right condition for use in a spell, anyways."
Jake frowned, nonplussed. "Whaddaya mean?"
"Well," Veronica said in a matter-of-factly tone, "Phoenix feathers can only be used in a resurrection spell if they are in good condition. Phoenixes are reborn as soon as they die, and their feathers are burnt as they're reborn; it's the feathers that bring them back to life. But, once they are used up like that, they are no good for anything except a fancy quill; the resurrecting properties will have already been used up."
"So why is it so hard to find one? Phoenixes must molt all the time."
"Actually, Jake," Rose said, "Phoenixes only molt once every thirty or so years, kind of like Dragons only molt once every ten."
"So to get a good feather, you'd have to pick it right off of the bird?"
"Seems like it."
"Well," Veronica interjected, "Not many places have phoenix feathers, because of this, and it's almost impossible to pick one off of a phoenix; they are very defensive and protective of their young."
"But," Jake reasoned, "Phoenixes are smart like Dragons. Maybe if we explained to them why they'd have to protect their feathers more…aw man, now my head hurts." Jake rubbed his temples as a wave of shock crossed Rose's face.
"Jake! What about #88 and #89? What if they know how to bring back the Huntsman?"
Jake laughed. "Rose, please, those two aren't even smart enough to tie their shoes, let alone bring back the Huntsman. You're worrying too much." He turned to Veronica and waved, pulling Rose back to the exit of Magus Bazaar. "Thanks Veronica!" She waved back and started serving a troll. Jake transformed back into a Dragon and flew Rose home. She needed rest, he could handle today's patrol.
He went off to Wall Street first; if anything was happening, chances were it was going to happen there. Jake wasn't too far off from this assumption either.
He hadn't been flying for five minutes down Wall Street when he saw Pandarus talking to # 88 and #89. Jake frowned and landed on the top of a nearby building. He leaned against the railing, straining his ears to hear what it was they were saying.
"Now hold up," Jake heard #88 say, "you're telling me that if we get some hydra scales, a phoenix feather, and do some kind of hocus-pocus rhyme, we can bring back the Huntsclan?"
"Yes, you imbecile," Pandarus growled. "That's what I've been trying to tell you for the last fifteen minutes!"
"Well," #89 said suspiciously, "What's wrong with us? Why can't we do your job?"
"Because," Pandarus scoffed, "You two are hardly the best Dragon-slayers. I need an expert, not a pair of babbling bumbling baboons, to kill this Dragon." Pandarus paused, and said, "I'll be right back; I have some business to take care of."
Jake looked over the edge and saw Pandarus vanish in a puff of smoke. "Aw man," he groaned. "Rose was right; they're going to try to bring back the Huntsclan! I've gotta warn everybody!"
"Not in this lifetime, Dragon." Jake turned around, only to be blasted full in the chest by Pandarus' magic. He shot off the edge of the rooftop, the spell causing him to revert back into his human form. He dangled there, hanging onto the edge with both of his hands.
Jake was pulling himself up when Pandarus came and stamped on his left hand. Jake cried out and let go, looking down at the thirty-story drop below.
"It looks like we have a spy," Pandarus mocked. "Hmm, I wonder what you'll look like when you've fallen thirty stories, plastered to the pavement."
"Like you'll find out," Jake said through gritted teeth. His grip was slipping.
"Oh here, let me help you," Pandarus said. He placed his foot on Jake's hand again and pushed down. With a cry of pain, Jake fell from the roof. Three-quarters of the way down, he regained his senses and transformed, redirecting his flight and shooting up to the rooftop.
Jake massaged his fingers as he glared at Pandarus. "Hmm, what do you think: will getting your butt royally kicked again teach you anything?"
Pandarus shot a spell at Jake. Jake dodged right and head-butted Pandarus across the roof. "A talent-less weakling like you has no chance of beating me," Pandarus gritted. He fired another curse, only to be rebounded by a whack from Jake's tail. Pandarus narrowly dodged it, and he found himself facing a fireball as he tried to regain his balance. The blast knocked him off the edge. Jake wasted no time, he flew off into the afternoon, racing back to the shop so he could relate the entire story to Lao Shi.
"Gramps!" Jake yelled, slamming the electronics shop door behind him. "Hey gramps!" Jake heard a loud bong from the back room, and a string of Chinese flowed past the curtains.
"Aiyah!" the old man yelled. "Jake, what is the meaning of this?" Lao Shi pushed the curtains aside irritably, rubbing the back of his head.
Jake wasted no time. "It's Pandarus; he's trying to bring back the Huntsclan!"
Suddenly, Lao Shi turned serious. "Are you sure Jake?" When he received a nod in response, he sighed deeply. "I see. Explain, young Dragon." Jake quickly went over the entire conversation that he'd overheard. When he was done, Lao Shi's face had turned grave. "Jake, we must stop him at all costs. If he brings back the Huntsman, let alone the entire Huntsclan, we will be in serious trouble!"
"Don't worry Gramps, Veronica's our inside agent. She'll tell us if anything goes on."
"Very well, but we must keep on top of this. Don't let your guard down, Jake, and keep a close eye on #88 and #89." Jake bowed in response. What was it that Pandarus wanted to Huntsman for?
