When Drago woke up he couldn't breath, he couldn't move, and all he could think was, "Why do I feel so bloated?"
JADE'S HOUSE, 9:32 PM
Jade looked down in disappointment as she read the name on her Alert notice. Her mint-new Iphone 8+ gave out a small ding before the screen shone a bright "High Alert Notice: Drago…"
Rolling her eyes she swept the screen to reveal the full Alert.
"High Alert Notice: Drago, ID 177236, CONTAINED, Section 13;
All high notice personnel please report to room 2003 at Section 13!"
She crinkled her nose and she slid her light-weight device back into her slim black legging pocket. High Personal my butt, the only "High personal" in Section 13 is the Chan Clan. Which.. Included her. Huffing, she stopped her night-walk, wishing the cool night breeze goodbye, and snatched the keys out of her pocket. Twirling them on her finger, she slid her thumb over the divot on her keys, unlocking and starting her slick, red Chrissenine. For a moment she stalled, sliding her hand over the freshly waxed surface, before slipping down into the seat and taking off for her well-known secret location.
UNCLE'S SHOP, 9:34
Jackie was in the middle of dishes when the message came. He wiped his hands dry before slipping out his phone.
High notice personnel? Sounds like Jade- I better go to check on her. He thought to himself,
before dropping his phone back into his shirt pocket and setting a clean dish down.
He walked to the door and noticed Uncle and Toru sitting over a puzzle.
"Uncle, Toru, there's a high Alert at Section 13, maybe you should come too-"
"Ayia!" The old man snapped back, shoving a puzzle piece into place. "Can Jackie not see Uncle is hard at work!"
"Alright, I'll call if anything goes wrong-" His comment fell on deaf ears as Uncle snatched another piece from Toru. Jackie pulled up his coat and stepped into the cold night, fumbling to get his keys out of his pocket.
SECTION 13, 10:02 PM
Captain Black paced back and forth, sweat dripping from his brows. He could feel the stress seep into his body as every second passed.
Finally.
The click of a door as Jade entered the dark room.
"Hey, Captain Black, what's this about-"
"Jade!" He cut her off, rushing forward and grabbing onto her shoulders to hold himself steady. "Thank goodness you're here- we've got the Son of Shendu himself in our containment cell."
Jade gulped. "Right- about that, how, exactly, did he get here? I thought he was back in the past for good."
Captain Black felt the color drain out of his face. "Oh. Well… I thought you would know."
They were interrupted by the click of the door as Jackie entered. He looked relieved when he saw both Jade and Captain Black.
"What's this I hear about Drago being back."
"Jackie!" Jade rushed forward, embracing her Uncle in a hug. "It's so nice to see you, it's been months since we've met out of office."
Jackie gave a kind laugh, "Well, it seems like we're still in the office now, Jade."
"Oh yea." She let go, standing up tall as she felt confidence refill her.
Captain Black stepped in, motioning toward the door. As they walked down the hall Captain Black began from the beginning.
"We found Drago in our cell, actually. During a maintenance check-up one of our crew saw him passed out in our local jail. We have no idea how, or why, he got there. Our closest guess is that the past sent him forward and he just happened to stay in one place. The only problem is, I don't have any memories of recapturing Drago since he was sent to the Demon Realm. That's not the strangest part-"
Captain Black stopped in front of a steel door with no windows and a high-security eye scanner. He tapped the door, looking both Jackie and Jade in the eyes. "The strangest thing is, he doesn't remember anything either."
Before Jackie of Jade could ask, Captain Black turned around and looked into the scanner. A muffled clack could be heard before the door slipped open. Jade stumbled a little closer to Jackie when their eyes looked into the room, and saw something stretched out on a bed.
Captain Black moved first, walking into the room straight towards the dragon without any notion of fear. Jade followed him, guessing herself up to the task. Jackie was far more cautious, trailing behind.
"Look here." Captain Black leaned over the Dragon, lifting his grey shirt up to reveal a good portion of his scaley side.
Jade flinched in anticipation for a reaction until she looked at the demon's face.
He's out cold! She realized.
"He was found with these. We've tried everything, potions and spells, all the way to the Horse Talisman, nothing seems to be healing it."
Jade looked down to where Captain Black's finger motioned. A large, festering gash split his scales, revealing open pink flesh underneath. She tried her best not to gag. Captain Black let the shirt back down before moving down towards the Fire Demon's feet, where he lifted Drago's uncovered foot.
"Here too, just this one little scratch, although it doesn't seem to be healing either." His thumb laid inches away from a small scrap that was swollen and red next to Drago's footclaw.
Jade leaned back against the white wall in the blindingly bright room. "So where does the J-Team come into this?"
He folded his arms. He always loved her spark.
"Well, I figured since you and your family have the most experience with demons, more particularly Drago, I thought you could-"
"We're on it, Cap!" Jade interrupted, pushing herself off the wall and towards the passed out demon. Curiously, she lifted Drago's shirt up like Captain Black had before, peeking at the nasty gap.
Drago felt the darkness fade from underneath his consciousness. Suddenly every nerve in his body pinched, causing him to flinch in excruciating pain. Unaware of the group that stood inches from his unconscious body, he struggled to fight his way away from a deep sleep that begged to consume him. Finally, his body began to ache, and he could see a light shining from underneath his eyelids. Then he felt his body again, his conscious becoming aware of his every limb. He became very confused when he suddenly felt a lot bigger than usual- a strange feeling of-
"We're on it Cap!'
Something moved- something laying on him, he felt a cold breeze slither onto his abnormally large side. Then he couldn't breathe.
He needed air!
NOW!
"COUGH COUGH COUGH- HUUU COUGH"
Jade jumped back as Drago flung himself up in the bed, his large demon-chi infested claws grabbing at his side as he gasped for air.
"Woah- Fire Demon alert!" Jade called out, walking back towards the Captain. She stopped when she felt Jackie step forward and place his hand on her shoulder.
"We need Uncle."
UNCLE'S SHOP 11:05 PM
Uncle wasn't Happy. He let Toru know that the whole entire ride to Section 13. He wasn't happy when his special Friday night puzzle time was interrupted by Jackie calling about the juvenile demon. He wasn't happy when he had to dig through his "Super rare one-of-a-kind Antiques" to find his homemade chi-sucker. He wasn't happy when he had to pile into the car with Toru to go shoot the young fire demon with anti-chi magic. He really enjoys his puzzle nights.
SECTION 13, 11:28 PM
"Ayia! Uncle is here! Where is young demon?" Uncle entered the room, pushing Jackie out of the way.
"Uncle. Thank you for coming, I kn-" Captain Black began before Uncle smacked him on the head with two fingers.
"Uncle is not in mood for thanks! Is this Demon?" Uncle motioned to the lifeless lump of green slumped over on the bed.
Captain Black cleared his throat and readjusted his suit collar. "Yes, we… had to take measures to prevent-"
"We shot him with a big dose of sleeping juice." Jade cut in, walking towards the knocked out dragon. She plucked a small needle from his arm. "I mean, we literally shot him!"
Uncle cried before jamming two fingers into his niece's head. "Aya! Uncle needs young demon awake to perform chi spell!"
The room grew silent.
"Well that's going to be a problem. That stuff lasts for like, ever." Jade remarked.
"Not forever Jade." Jackie replied, moving his eyes from his niece to Uncle. "It will last for 24 hours. Sorry Uncle."
Uncle was interrupted from his puzzle time- for nothing? "AYIA!"
Uncle stepped forward, pulled his arm back-and
SMACK.
"Uncle what- you can't just smack him on the head and-"
Drago groaned, his eyes fluttering.
They all stood back, watching as Drago pulled his over-sized body up slowly. His eyes stayed staring down at the white sheets of the bed. His raspy breath rung out as he struggled to breathe. He wasn't used to this large amount of chi-
Uncle gave Jackie a spiteful look before lifting his chi-sucker gun up and began his chant. Toru knocked on the door.
Everyone's attention, including Drago's was taken toward the large man. Uncle never stopped chanting, focused on the task. Drago stared at the large man before his eyes widened and he became aware of his surroundings.
Why do I feel like I'm shrinking- His thoughts drifted off as he noticed a old man gripping tightly onto a machine that began to be filled by more and more-
"Chi."
He jumped at his own voice, and it seemed like the other's in the room jumped too. Before he could think the old man unscrewed a part of the machine and threw it towards the door, where everyone watched anxiously as the large man gracefully caught the container and disappeared from sight. For the first time Drago looked down at his body.
"GAH!"
He let out a low shout when he saw himself. When did his arms get so- muscular? When did- he get so- tall? Did he- age?
Jade could feel the tension in the room. After Toru snatched up the Chi and left no one dared move. Drago just stared at his claws, looking as if he was seeing his normal body for the first time. This is just way too strange. If no one else was going to interrupt, she would.
"Drago?"
He flinched when he heard his name. When he looked up he saw a teenage woman, her short dark hair swept gracefully over her face as long strands outlined her soft features. Her honey-amber eyes looked into his own and he felt himself blush. It was a child-like feeling, but he should be having those sorts of feelings right? After all wasn't he-
"How did you get here?" She spoke again, her voice was sharp and intimidating. He wanted to close his eyes and disappear. For a few minutes he didn't move, before she spoke up again. "Drago. How did you get here?"
His voice came out low and mature. He was shocked by how deep it was, last he remembered it was more- squeaky. "My- d-dad sent me."
He watched as she sent a glance toward another man in the room. The other man nodded before she took another step forward and stood up to her full height.
"Shendu? How did he manage to send you from the Demon Realm?"
This is strange. Jade thought to herself. Shouldn't Drago be saying something smart-alecky, not jumping as his own voice and stuttering all over himself. Something was off.
"Demon Realm? I- don't- my father told me he was going to send me to America- do you know my father?"
"Yes, we know Shendu…" She looked at Jackie again. "Drago- what's… why was Shendu sending you to America? To release him and his gross brothers and sisters?"
Drago looked even more confused. He looked down at his claws, flexing them. He bit his lip, holding back kiddish tears. He underestimated the size of his fangs and bit deep into his lip, causing him to cry out in pain.
Then the tears came. He tried to be a big strong demon like his dad told him to be but- he was alone and he was scared and he hurt all over and now his lip was bleeding and-
Jade couldn't believe tears could actually come out of the overgrown handbag. He began to nip at his lip when out of nowhere he burst into tears. He scrunched into a ball and began bawling, literally shouting as he cried. It almost seemed like some sort of alternate reality, she had to pinch herself. What was even stranger is when Uncle Jackie walked from behind her and sat down next to Drago. For a moment she felt herself tense as she considered the benefits Drago would receive from setting this type of trap but then-
"There, there." Jackie told him softly, awkwardly patting the far-too-old-to-be-crying dragon on the back. Drago stopped his bawling for half a second before grabbing onto Jackie. Jackie felt his muscles tighten as he prepared himself for Drago to reveal his trap- when the Demon shoved his scaley face into Jackie's chest.
What is happening? Jackie looked helplessly back at Jade and Uncle and even Captain Black, who seemed just as stunned as him. Then Drago began talking
"I- I ..don't know why i'm here! I don't know why I look like this-... I'm scared! I'm only 9! Why did Dad send me away! I want my Dad!"
Jackie felt a cold chill run down his back. Something was definitely wrong here. Drago shook him with his lunges of tears, his claws digging into his skin. 9?
SECTION 13, PRIVATE AREA, 12:01 AM
"There's no way he's 9." Jade snarkily replied, folding her arms and scowling.
"Maybe there's some sort of spell-" Jackie began.
"Or trap" Jade cut in.
"What do you think Uncle?" Jackie turned towards the old man scowling in the corner of the quiet room. Uncle scrunched his nose.
"Uncle thinks he wants to finish puzzle!"
"I mean about this."
Uncle sighed, "Uncle doesn't know any spells that could make Dragon think he is young again."
Captain Black cut in. "Well, maybe it's not something, i don't know, magical?"
There was a short silence before Jade shoved her way back into the conversation. "What do you mean, not magical?"
"I just mean, maybe there's a scientific explanation for this."
"Ha! YEa right- like what?"
Captain Black pulled his phone out of his belt loop before sliding his fingers over the screen. "How about- Retrograde Amnesia? It says here that patients who experience a traumatic event can temporarily lose their memories from a certain date."
Jade huffed and crossed her arms. "So if this was, whatever you just said, then that "date" would be his 9 year old self?"
"More specifically, right before Shendu sent him overseas..- to us."
Jackie mindlessly rubbed his wet stained shirt between his fingers before he looked down and noticed the water marks.
Something moved him.
"Wait-" The groups attention was turned to him. "Maybe this is a good thing- afterall, Drago has no idea who we are, or who he is. Maybe if we can work with him-"
"Jackie, did you miss the temporary part of that amnesia thingie?"
Jackie shrugged, motioning towards the patient that laid behind the steel door in front of them. "I think it's worth a try."
Silence.
"Uncle's in."
Everyone looked at the old man who leaned against a corner of the wall.
"I'm in too." Captain Black spoke up assuredly, in his usual monotone voice.
"Ugh, fine, but I get the full right to tell you I told you so." Jade remarked, brushing her black body suit from any dust off the wall.
Captain Black opened the door as it slid back and they reentered the room where the teenage demon laid looking hopelessly down at the floor. When he heard the clacking of shoes he looked up to see Jackie and rest entering. Without second thought he jumped off the bed and plowed into Jackie, wrapping his large arms around him and digging his sharp face painfully into Jackie's chest.
Half choking, Jackie tried his best to comfort the dragon.
"Please don't leave again- I'm scared!"
Some deep instinct in Jackie brought up a deep feeling of sympathy. Jackie was always a sensitive man anyways.
"Don't worry Drago, I'm not leaving."
Jade shot him a look before Jackie turned to Captain Black the best he could with the lizard leeching onto him.
"Permission to take Drago to Uncle's shop."
Captain Black raised his eyebrow before smiling. "Permission Granted."
"Cap- Jackie! Wh- you don't-" Jade began before she realized this was a battle she was going to lose. She growled before storming out of the room.
"You'll regret this- mark my words."
UNCLE'S SHOP 1:56 AM
"Is that alright, Drago?"
Drago nodded before pulling the covers over his scaley nose. He closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. Jackie got up to check on the still fuming Uncle when Drago's hand shot out. Their eyes met. Jackie noticed the shaking in the young demon's eyes, fear starting to take over. He began to whisper something.
"I'm scared. I feel like I can't remember something- something bad."
Jackie felt a chill run down his spine. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead but he did his best to conceal it for Drago's sake. Jackie smiled warmly and began to walk out the door.
"Don't worry. Have good dreams. Goodnight."
4:92 AM
Somewhere in the night Drago woke up. He stretched his muscles, admiring them, then he jumped up on his bed, crouching like a panther. He smirked before lunging of the mattress and swiftly catching himself from years of concentrated practice. He was fully aware of how he acted earlier, the memories coming back to mind. He mentally slapped himself for crying, but thanked himself for being able to get into the Chans house. He was now fully aware that, for a small moment of time, he had truly forgotten 9 years of his life, and for a moment he had really believed he was 9 again. He was sure that was over now that he recovered his memories, and as he slashed the wall he growled in anger for forgetting himself.
Then, slowly, he forgot what he was doing there again. Then he forgot year after year. Suddenly he was mentally 9 again, wondering how he got out of bed and if those were his claw marks in the wall. He felt horrible if those were his, he brushed his claw against them. Whoever had made them had been angry- really angry. He couldn't remember if that was him.