"This is your territory, young dragon," said an elderly Chinese man on a rooftop, gesturing over the city of New York to a teenage girl. "And you alone are responsible for protecting the magical creatures within it." He looked frail, tiny and withered, with scraggly gray facial hair, dressed in dark blue robes with green silk cuffs intricately patterned with gold.
The operative word there is looked. However, appearances can be deceiving.
Luong Lao Shi – or Lao Shi Luong, as he was known here in America – continued his speech. "From the centaur herd of Hybridge Park to the secret leprechaun stock exchange, from the gargoyle nests of Empire State Building to the mermaids of the East River."
"Hey kid, if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere," chuckled the overweight Shar-Pei next to him.
"No problem," the girl said, waving off her grandfather's obvious concern, her face twisting into a cocky smile. God, she still couldn't believe this. "I'm totally on…"
"But first," Lao Shi cut in," You must master your dragon training one step at a time. Even a falcon must stand before it can fly."
"Check this out G!" Jackie interrupted," Dragon up, yo!"
A coat of flames overtook her body and standing where she was, was a tall red western dragon.
"I'm not ready to fly, I'm ready to soar," she boosted." Represent." She jumped off the edge of the roof soaring up into the air hovering above a nearby building.
"Wo-hoo!" she cheered," Bad dudes beware. The American dragon is in the house!" She flew towards Lao Shi and Fu doing a victory dance in mid-air.
"Yeah!" She exclaimed happily. But sadly, her victory was short lived when she shifted into her human form. She screamed flapping her hands wildly falling towards the streets of New York, but luckily Jackie managed to grab the hand rail of a fire exit.
"I'm cool, no prob," she played of trying to regain whatever dignity she had left, she struggled to lift herself up.
"Could you guys… a little help down here?" She asked sheepishly, frowning while looking down at the fall to come. Lao Shi shook his head in disappointment.
"We dragons are creatures of immense magical power," Lao Shi explained as he walked throughout the park," But to unlock your potential, you must keep training and master the fundamentals."
"Dragon fire," Jackie blew out a small stream of fire.
"Dragon teeth," she shifted her head to a dragon's and opened her mouth showing sharp canine teeth.
"Dragon tongue," she blew her tongue like a party horn.
"Dragon claws," her arms turned to that of a dragon's.
"Dragon tail," her tail popped out as did her wings.
"Ha right. I'm all over it grandpa," she stated proudly going into a kung-fu stance.
"And a dragon student must always obey the dragon master, without question or hesitation," reminded Lao Shi pointedly.
"Totally, I'm all about obeying. Whenever you say it wherever you say it," Jackie vowed confidently.
"Oh, bleeh!" Fu gagged sniffing a bush," Blue cheese with a touch of sweat sock, it's the huntsmen. I know that foot stink anywhere."
"The huntsmen, you sure Fu dog?" Jackie asked shifting back into her human form," What's he doing here?" She questioned as Fu threw some magical dust, the footprints glowed leading a trail.
"Ah. You tell us young one," said Lao Shi gesturing to the black haired girl," The huntsmen's footprints are heading north south on the night of a full moon." Jackie bit her lip struggling to think. Seeing she was in trouble, Fu made an imitation of a unicorn behind Lao Shi's back.
"He's hunting unicorns," she gasped silently thanking Fu.
"Ba-ba-bingo! Give the kid a prize," the talking-dog cheered.
"Ah yes," said a man wearing a dragon skull spying on the unicorn's through a telescope," Unicorn horns, always a valuable quantity at the magical black market." He gloated spinning his telescope; it turned into a staff instantly. He sliced the bushes in front of him to shreds and ran towards them his red eyes glowing.
"What's going down?" Jackie questioned spying on the Huntsman behind a bush," Are we gonna crack a can of smack-a-daddy on this huntsman here or what," she said slamming her fist into her palm.
"Ahh, not we," replied Lao Shi calmly," You."
"Me?" gulped Jackie pointing at herself," As in alone? Solo?" She said her voice getting higher by the minute.
"I will not be around forever," he reminded clapping his hands together," It is time to put your dragon training to the test." Jackie let his words sink in and frowned.
"Right," she smirked hiding her panic," Haha, to put my mad skills to the test. I'm all over it," she said hoping over the bush they were hiding behind.
"Hey, hey, hey, make it quick kid, I'm calling Ernie and laying 50 biscuits laying on you," said Fu urgently suddenly sporting a drinking head gear and cheer clap gloves, his phone ringing.
"Hey Big Ernie!" Fu greeted on his phone," It's Fu; I need to make a bet."
Nearby, the Huntsman was moving closer to the unicorns stealthily hiding from tree to tree with Jackie following closely behind him. She peeked at him from a nearby tree as he eyed the unicorns with greed.
"Now," whispered Lao Shi softly," Give him dragon fire," he ordered from afar. As if reading his mind she transformed her head into her dragon form's and said.
"Now taste my breath dirtball," she took in a deep breath and everything went downhill from there. Instead of a stream of fire coming out of her mouth, a stream of fire came out of the other end. She farted a fire ball and it headed directly towards where Lao Shi and Fu dog were hiding.
"Incoming!" Fu yelled as he and Lao Shi dove out of the way. The fire ball came in contact with the bushes and it burst's into flames. The unicorn's neighed in fright as they galloped away disappearing into the background.
"Sorry," Jackie apologized," My bad guys. Whoa!" She exclaimed now noticing her butt on fire.
"Hot cheeks, hot cheeks," she panicked hoping into a nearby river and let out a sigh of relief as she felt her butt cool down, but the Huntsman was immediately on alert.
"Dragon," he said running towards Jackie.
"Oh come on dragon up oh, dragon up oh," she panicked struggling to transform herself into her dragon form," Now would be nice."
"Say goodbye dragon," the Huntsman announced slashing his staff at her, but fortunately, Jackie managed to dodge the attack doing a back-flip that would give an Olympic gymnast a run for their money. And when she landed, Jackie found that she was in her dragon form.
"Is that all you got?" she sneered, trying to hide her pounding heart beneath a thin veneer of bravado. "'Cause I'm about to come up there a-" she was cut off with a swift kick to the gut by none other than the Huntsgirl.
"How was that, Huntsmaster," she gloated bowing in respect.
"Very nice Huntsgirl," praised the man, glancing down at the dragon who was recovering from the blow.
"Your training has served you well," he continued. Jackie groaned as she got her head back together, but was immediately greeted by an attack by Huntsgirl.
"Come on now," said Jackie circling her opponent while he did the same," What's a nice girl like you doing hunting unicorns," she flirted, trying to punch her, but ended up missing. Jackie often did this, flirting with Huntsgirl. She didn't really care if the other girl was gay - in fact, she rather assumed she was straight or aroace. After all, the Huntsclan was a fascist group and with some exceptions, LGBT people were less likely to be fascist than cishets. The flirting was a joke, and if she happened to make a dragon-hunting fascist uncomfortable while making it, she didn't really care.
Huntsgirl suddenly grabbed Jackie's out-stretched arm, and delivered a swift blow to her chest causing her to burp out fire much to her embarrassment. She jumped over her twisting her arm the wrong way while doing so.
"What's a nice guy like you doing out here as a dragon?" She shot back; Jackie didn't have time to answer as she was immediately shoved aside harshly. She couldn't have, anyway. The slayers thought she was male, and she really didn't want to find out what would happen if she corrected that assumption.
"You a golden opportunity to slay your first dragon," announced the Huntsman as Jackie got to her feet.
"Finish her," he ordered tossing Huntsgirl her staff.
"With pleasure," agreed Huntsgirl, catching the staff effortlessly as it glowed a bright shade of green. She didn't have a chance to do anything else as a ball of fire was fired and instantly became a fire wall, preventing the Huntsgirl from doing anything. Jackie looked to her right and saw her grandpa walking calmly towards them with Fu trotting closely behind.
"This is not over, dragon!" Yelled the Huntsman as he and the Huntsgirl teleported in a green flash of light.
"Ahh, tough break kid," said Fu as soon as the Huntsmen disappeared, "Almost as bad as when you tangoed with those mountain trolls last week." All Jackie remembered was getting tossed around like a football. Fu chuckled.
"Or the week before that, when you took on the giants," he added, Jackie still had stiff joints from being flattened like a pancake. Fu was now rolling on his back erupting with laughter.
"Or the week before that, when those field pixies tossed you a beatin'," he said between laughs, Jackie's face went even brighter than her scales at the thought. Let's just say, she was never going to underestimate a pixie again.
"Young dragon," began Lao Shi," You must learn that smack-a-daddy does not come in a can," he reminded. "Tomorrow we step up your training, be at roof top right after school." He ordered poking at her chest.
"Ahh, okay I'll be there grandpa," Jackie replied crestfallen as they walked back home.
"Which brings us back to the topic of dragons," said a ginger haired man with a thick Scottish accent.
"Now if you turn to chapter 237 of my groundbreaking, yet unpublished, scientific study of the magical creatures among us, you'll see that I describe dragons as a evolutionary offshoot of the dinosaurs," he announced proudly while fiddling with his ruler," Thus, what can we conclude about the size of a dragons brain?" He asked stopping behind Jackie who was playing with her textbook.
"Miss Long!" Professor Rotwood exclaimed, slamming his ruler down onto her table making her jump.
"Urh, well- we can conclude that dragon's have very large brains," she stated smiling nervously," I mean they'll probably be pretty smart, cool-"
"Incorrect!" He yelled in fury," We can conclude that a dragons brain is about the size of a pea," Professor Rotwood stated," Maybe a walnut."
"But I thought-"Jackie protested in irritation. Sure, humans didn't know that an actual dragon was in the room - and she wanted to keep it that way, if this was how they'd react - but it was so uncomfortable, at the same time, to hear them talk about her like this.
"Nah, nah nosh, quiet," he ordered," Write that down Miss Long, it is certain to be on your final examination."
"Oh man," Jackie groaned slumping in her seat.
"Ay yo Mr Rot-"
"Professor," he corrected tugging at his bow tie.
"'Yeah, Professor Rotwood," a pretty black girl with her hair in little puffs waved off. "This is mythology class if I'm saying it right, so how can you know about the size of dragons brain. I mean, um, elves, unicorns, that stuff isn't even really real yo."
"Yo, ee yo, yo, huh ww-ell," the professor stuttered laughing nervously as he pulled at his bow tie, "Yes well this is certainly the belief now isn't it you know, however from great mind have devoted their ideas, their life to proving otherwise," he exclaimed mumbling random things. "This kind of academic courage, you know doesn't show- well you know come without a prize, unless like being ridiculed in front of by ones colleagues or being banished from every respectful education institution." The class blinked at him. "…Or even being reduced to teaching in the public school!" He screeched snapping his ruler in half as he sunk to the floor.
They gawked, whispering about what a freak he was…for like 2 seconds. As soon as the bell rang, they sprinted out the door like wild horses leaving 'Professor' Rotwood on his own.
"Okie dookie class dismissed."
Jackie walked out the door happily, as she recalled what happened in the previous class.
"Ay yo Jackie," came a voice, Jackie turned her head to see her best friends Trixie and Spud.
"What's cracking lately baby," said Trixie stopping in front of her.
"Yo what's up Trixie," she greeted fist bumping with her," Spud."
"We cruising over to Washington park right about now," Trixie explained grinning," Last time we hit that place, Spud got a concussion," she said knocking her helmet to emphasize.
"Hahaha, no way," Spud cut in," That was all totally a case of sub-contagious little trauma." He chuckled as Jackie stared at him blankly.
"No worries bro," he reassured in his drunk-like tone.
"Yeah," said Trixie shoving Spud into a bin," So are you in or are you in!" She said although it didn't sound like a question.
"Oh, I wish Trixie," said Jackie looking at her with a weary smile," But I got to work at my grandpa's shop today." She said looking down crestfallen.
"Again," popped in Spud," Oh man that's like the…" he started counting using his fingers," 1, 2, 3, 20, no eleventeenth time this week. What up? Stressing me out," he said rubbing his helmet.
"Yeah man for real!" Trixie exclaimed," So what we got some child labor laws in this city or something."
"Yo maybe next time guys alright," said Jackie coolly although desperately she was eager to go with them, but then again duty calls.
"Holla," she said putting out her fist.
"Yeah holla," sighed Trixie bumping her fist with Jackie's.
"Yeah adios buddy," said Spud bumping her fist as well. Jackie started to skateboard on the streets of New York. But unfortunately, she was skateboarding backwards so she banged into someone causing them to drop their books.
"Oh my bad, I'm sorry about that-"Jackie stopped when she saw her. "H-hey." She just stared into those ocean blue eyes for a few minutes, feeling her face redden. God, she was awkward around pretty girls, and this one was the prettiest of all.
"Hi yourself," Rose greeted back, smiling a small smile at her. Jackie wanted to melt right there. Her eyes, her hair. Everything about her was screaming perfection.
"Nice tattoo," Jackie blurted out feeling her cheeks becoming hot, and it wasn't cause of her dragon blood.
"Actually it's a birthmark," she corrected chuckling slightly," I'll umm, see you around okay?" She said standing up with Jackie following suit.
"Yes! Yes! Most definitely!" Jackie exclaimed gathering her thoughts together and looked back to see she was gone and her archenemy Brad looking at her strangely.
She looked down in embarrassment and cleared her throat," I mean if I have some time and you have some time, we could chill sometime," she rambled now clearly talking to herself. When she was sure no one was looking she stared longingly after her in a daze as her long, forked reptilian tongue became numb and rolled to the concrete pavement floor beneath.
"And 3! 2! 1! She's la-late!" Fu cheered.
"I'm here! I'm here! Whoa!" Shouted Jackie as she flew into a clothes line and promptly crashing in front of her grandpa's feet.
"Ahh, you are late young lady," said Lao Shi pointedly.
"Say what! By like 3 seconds," Jackie whined as a blanket landed on her head.
"3 seconds or 3 hours!" He yelled his face turning red with rage, "Late is late!"
But unknown to them, they were being watched by none other than the Huntsman.
"Ahh," he said wistfully," Yes, do you know what would look magnificent on the hunting wall of the hunts slayer?" He asked as Huntsgirl landed neatly beside him.
"Let me guess," said the seventeen-year-old girl taking the telescope from him. She watched that adorable - no, not adorable - male dragon tie himself up with his tail as a failed attempt to fly.
"A pair of dragon skins," she offered. The evil laughter she received was all she needed to know as she too himself erupted into evil laughter.
"Today we will begin old school dragon training," said Lao Shi as Fu closed the shop.
"Yo, bring it G," she smirked," What are we starting with today? Extreme aerial maneuvers?" She back-flipped and landed next to the counter.
"A little fire ball action?" She cringed when she heard a scream but quickly recovered. "I'm ready to rock over here."
"You will begin in bathroom," stated Lao Shi slamming down a bucket next to her.
"Say what?" She shrieked glancing at the pail and slumped.
"You must learn toilet using circular motions," Lao Shi explained opening the toilet bowl," First clockwise, then counter clockwise.
"Uhh, if you say so," Jackie said uneasily, she reached out to grab the toilet brush but it was smacked away before she could.
"Not with hand," he stated firmly," You must clean toilet using only dragon tongue," Lao Shi explained sticking out his tongue.
"My tongue?" She questioned pulling out the toilet brush, it was cover head to toe with slime and flies and other things that she wouldn't want to know.
"Na-ah, no way, forget about it," she refused crossing her arms
"Are you not dragon student?" He protested," Did you not pledge to obey 'dragon master'?"
Jackie looked at anywhere but her grandfather not wanting him to know she remembered.
"I really don't remember every single thing we agreed on…" she tried to play off but couldn't as her grandpa pointed at the mirror and an image of her in dragon form pop up like how cartoons play on TV.
"Totally, I'm all about obeying. Whenever you say it, wherever you say it," she vowed confidently.
Guilty as charged. Jackie grinned innocently and tried to give him the 'eyes'. But unfortunately for her, he left the bathroom leaving her alone to do her job. Seeing there was no way out of this, she reluctantly grabbed the hilt of the toilet brush with her tongue. She tried not to gag at the smell but her 'other' dragon senses didn't exactly help in the situation.
"Oh man!" She complained through her tongue," You cannot be serious." But did as she was told to but it definitely wasn't done quietly.
"Hurry up!" She heard grandpa through her groans and complaints," Grandpa has more 'old school training' waiting."
Jackie finished quickly and prayed that the 'training' wouldn't be as bad as this. Lady Luck didn't seem to be on her side as she was met with more ridiculous training by yours truly, Lao Shi.
She swept the floor with her tail and made her sweep the dust into the mouth which she gagged at.
She had to do their laundry using her underbelly.
She had to balance the TV reception in her dragon form while Fu and her grandpa watched football.
Massage their feet using her dragon claws and that definitely wasn't a pretty sight to see.
She had to balance the TV reception again and got it that time.
Chop the grass on her grandpa's roof using her dragon teeth and Jackie swore she accidently ate a bird.
"Uhh," she groaned," That's foul."
Her ears perked up to the sound of familiar laughter, Trixie's and Spud's to be exact. She looked out at the street, careful not to let humans get too good a look at her dragon form, as she watched them having fun skateboarding and her ears dropped at the fact that she was here and not with them. She continued to watch them ignoring the sounds of the toilet bowl flush and smell coming from it.
"Oh Jackie," said Fu, "I think the toilets gonna a touch up," he announced laughing as he went back to doing his business. Annoyance ran through her blood and showed when she blew steam out of her nose.
Next she was throwing away garbage using her tail while her grandpa and Fu sat on the couch drinking green tea.
"You are done with training for today," her grandpa announced.
"Training?" She questioned," You call this training? I call it being your house girl," she complained. "What's cleaning your toilet and sweeping your floor, have to do with being the American dragon?"
"A seed does not question where the wind takes it," he answered wisely.
"In order words," Fu cut in," Listen to the old man, come back tomorrow and get ready, Fu dog's gonna need a de-wrinkle massage," he said moving his head like jelly. Jackie looked at him in disgust.
"I'm telling you mom," Jackie complained to the busy woman," Grandpa has seriously lost it."
"Yeah, uh-huh," she replied not really paying attention," Haley!" She yelled then in a much softer tone," You can chop the vegetables now." Haley, Jackie's annoying goody-little-two-shoes sister came bustling in eager to do his job.
"Alright," she cheered, running towards the table with the vegetables on it," Check out my Japanese Teppanyaki technique," her small hands turned into violet colored claws. She chopped the vegetables at lightning speed.
"I mean he's trying to turn dragon training into gag me trained," Jackie continued over the noise," Days like today make me wish that I could just be a normal human just like dad." A familiar sound echoed through the house as she heard her dad singing.
"Haley, claws," her mom said hurriedly, Haley's claws shifted back to her normal tiny hands. Dad continued to sing a weird and ridiculous song that made Jackie regret what she said.
"And I use the term 'normal' very loosely," she deadpanned, her mom glared at her pointedly.
"Hey great news familiar," her dad cheered," I just landed the wholesome heifer a cow," he said pulling out a small milk carton," Okay the wholesome heifer is the largest organic milk producer, the head honcho and his wife are coming over for dinner tomorrow night to 'seal the deal'," he explained his voice getting faster by the minute showing that he was excited.
"Congratulations honey," congratulated her mom giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"Daddy, daddy, daddy," Haley squealed," Look at the violin piece I composed in school today," he gloated trying to impress him.
"Oh peanut," said her dad as Hayden dragged him to the living room," That is so cute," he praised following Hayden to the living room.
"Uh mom," Jackie began once her dad was out of earshot," Are we ever gonna tell dad that he married into a family of magical reptiles?" She asked nonchalantly.
"Well um, of course dear," replied Susan," It's just that your father has always been so uhh… you know. I think we need to wait for the right moment, a time when uhh…well," she trailed of struggling to find the right words," A time when umm-"
"There's a spider on me!" Came the panicked voice of her dad," Get it of me! Get it of me!" He flailed in his woolen jumper. "Oh wait, it's just a fuzzy, false alarm," Jonathan said laughing lightly as if nothing had happened.
"A time when we think he can handle it," Susan continued and Jackie couldn't agree anymore.
"Argh," Jackie gagged brushing her unusually long tongue," All I can taste is toilet brush," she complained. Her tongue turned back into its normal length when she heard the bathroom doorknob turn.
"Listen, Jackie," started her mom entering the bathroom," I know this whole thing has been hard on you," she sympathized.
"First you find out you're a dragon-"
"That's all cool," said Jackie looking at her pitch-forked tongue in the mirror," It was the whole 'by the way, your responsible for protecting a whole magical underworld' that's freaking me out," she stated turning to face her mom.
"That's why it's so important for you to master your dragon powers," explained her mom bending down to Jackie's level," Believe me, I know your grandfather can be a bit…eccentric," she chuckled," But you just have to trust him ok."
The school bell of Milford Filmore High School, signaling sweet freedom. Jackie exited the school a frustrated look on her face as she thought about the 'training' to come. Her eyes widened at the sight of Rose talking to one of her friends, she glanced at her and their eyes met. Jackie immediately went into a daydream of them, together. Skipping through the park. Going ice-skating. Watching a plane fly by writing 'Jackie & Rose 4-ever'.
But sadly she was snapped back out of her daze by Trixie, who was constantly snapping her fingers in front of Jackie's face.
"Aye, yo Jackie," Trixie said," Don't tell me you're still crushing on that Rose girl. She's so far out of your league, you won't even know," she sympathized.
"Yeah dude, she's like a tiger burning at 18th pebble beach," Spud piped in," And you're like 9 plodding a windmill at Coney- Island mini golf," Jackie rose an eye-brow. Okay, weird analogy. But also...this wasn't exactly helping. She had a hard enough time with love. Everyone seemed to think bisexuals had the biggest dating pool ever, with everyone to choose from. And sure, with some bi people that was true. But Jackie Long was definitely not one of them.
"Yo, forget her," waved of Trixie," We got some serious business. They just reopened the 14th street skate park," she explained excitedly.
"We gonna hit that," Trixie and Spud said in unison fist-bumping.
"Sounds sweet Trix but," Jackie glanced at her watch," You know I gotta-"
"Dude no," Spud interrupted," Not working in the shop again, that's like the 1, 2, 4…" he trailed of counting.
"Wake up Jackie!" Trixie exclaimed," That old dude is like stealing your youth man."
"Argh," Jackie struggled to find the right words to explain, she couldn't exactly tell them she was doing dragon training and not actually working.
"I can't do it Trix," she sighed defeated," Sorry."
"All right," Trixie shrugged," But I'm telling you Jackie, ya missing out here." She said skating away. As soon as they had left, a small blue pixie wearing a postman's outfit came fluttering towards her.
"Sign here," the pixie said bluntly handing Jackie a tiny clipboard. Jackie did so and was given a small envelope. She tore it in half and in a cloud of smoke, her grandpa's face formed.
"Hurry up and get to training!" Yelled her grandpa," You must use dragon teeth to scope sludge out of grandpa's rain gutter." Lao Shi's face flashed and disappeared. Jackie began having second thoughts now. Trust her grandpa…yeah not so much anymore.
"Yo Trixie, Spud," she called after a moment's thought," Wait up."
"Ay ya," sighed Lao Shi disappointedly on his roof top," Jackie is 1 hour late for training. I've got a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach." He worried a lot about his granddaughter. He'd known since she first started showing signs of dragon powers that she would face great danger as a dragon. His fears only grew when she revealed that she was, in fact, not his grandson. He'd seen the news, and he didn't want her to end up as another statistic.
"Agh," groaned Fu," You're telling me. That's what we get for eating at a place called Chucky's Chippy's Chilli wagon. Aghh, hold down the fort gramps, nature's calling 911. Arghhhh!" He said quickly disappearing into the bathroom.
"Jackie, where are you? Something must be wrong," Lao Shi said thoughtfully. A bright green light flashed and Lao Shi had to look away in order to not be blinded. The flash disappeared and there the Huntsman and Huntsgirl stood.
"How right you are dragon," said the Huntsman, Huntsboy flipped so that he was behind Lao Shi and was now currently surrounded. But he didn't look fazed.
"It is always a pleasure," he spoke confidently," To defeat you." He let out a battle cry as his body morphed into an extremely long and large snake-like dragon. Lao Shi faced the Huntsman and shot a grenade of fire balls with deadly accuracy. But the Huntsman deflected them effortlessly with his staff. Using the distraction, Huntsgirl jumped onto the dragon's body. Lao Shi noticed this and tried to grab hold of her. But Huntsgirl was too lithe and quick for him to capture and his body ended up being tangled into a knot, he growled at them. The Huntsman aimed his staff at the dragon and a net flew out trapping the dragon against the wall.
"Forget it old man," said the Huntsman as Lao Shi struggled against the net," its pure sphinx hair." Slowly but surely, Lao Shi morphed into his human form now powerless. He hated every second of this.
"Well, one dragon down one to go," the Huntsman gloated staring down at the old man as if eyeing his prey and let out a evil cackle.
From not so far away, Fu watched as Lao Shi struggled against the sphinx net and the hunters standing before him. Knowing how serious this was he quietly slammed the door shut but unfortunately for him, this action didn't go unnoticed.
"Okay Fu dog," he said softly to himself backing away from the door softly," Just keep quiet, there'll never know you're in here."
"Who's in there?" Demanded a voice," Open up!"
"Oh, I really got to stop talking to myself," Fu panicked as he watched the door knob shake wildly. He glanced around looking for a way to escape until his eyes landed on the toilet bowl.
"Here goes nothing," he gulped and flushed himself down the bowl. As soon as he had gone, the door opened to reveal the Huntsgirl eyeing the toilet bowl in disgust as it bubbled.
Elsewhere, Jackie was having the time of her life. "This is honestly the best day ever," she said, for once feeling carefree.
Down below…
"This is the worst day ever," Fu complained wadding through the sewers," Lost in the sewers, no cell service." He listed off slumping his shoulders," How could Lipkowski make this getting help stuff look so glamorous?"
"Who there's to enter the lair of the one-eyed troll," a voice echoed through the sewers and the single red eye, eyed Fu.
"Easy there tiger," said Fu uneasily backing up," I'm just wait- Stan Lipkowski? Is that you?"
" Fu-ster?" Stan questioned coming out of the shadows to reveal a purple troll," Hey, you're a sight for sore eyes. What's it been, 2, 3 hundred years?" He shrugged grinning widely," What brings you down here?"
"Serious trouble Stan," Fu answered," I got to get to the east village pronto," he said urgently.
"Say no more," said the troll bending down gesturing for the dog to climb on," I know a shortcut under the zoo."
"Sewers," Fu gagged.
"Jackie," greeted her mom," You can wash up. Dad's clients are already here. Uh Haley, a little help honey."
Hayden's mouth morphed into his dragon's and blew a stream of flames at the dishes cooking them instantly.
"Who's ready for mushroom cakes," called Susan cheerfully as Hayden trailed behind her. As Jackie was about to turn on the tap water, Fu seemingly popped out of the sink causing Jackie to recoil back in shock.
"Fu?!" Jackie exclaimed," Yo dog, we do have a doggy door."
"Kid where were you?" Demanded the dog drying himself.
"Dude, I don't even want to hear it," said Jackie," Grandpa must be bugging if he thinks he can make me clean his whole house-"
"You don't understand!" Fu protested grabbing the collar of her shirt," You left me and gramps wanting for you on the roof. We were sitting ducks out there when the Huntsmen showed up."
"The Huntsmen?" Jackie gasped in realization," Where's grandpa now?" She asked stretching the dog's wrinkly head.
"Look kid," said Fu," Long story short, it ain't looking good for the old man."
"This is all my fault," said Jackie letting go of his face letting it retract itself.
"We gotta go get help," ordered Fu already padding towards the door.
"No!" Interrupted Jackie determinedly," I've gotta do this."
"Uhh look," said the dog turning to face her," No offense kid, but we don't got time for no dress rehearsal. It's show time and you haven't even mastered going full dragon yet."
"Watch me," Jackie said confidently," Dragon up!" Flames coated her body as her claws formed and soon enough, she was in full dragon form. She let out a roar.
"Hey," said Jackie happily," I did it, check me out. I'm the American dragon." She cheered letting out yet another roar. She bent down allowing Fu to climb onto her.
"Let's fly," said the dog pumping his fist in the air, before looking at her doubtfully," Uh kid, you can fly can ya?"
Meanwhile in the living room, Jonathan was promoting his merchandise to his clients.
"So as you can see," he explained cheerfully," We're just your normal, wholesome milk drinking family- whoa!" He exclaimed dropping the carton of milk," Whoop-sie." He bent down to pick it up. At that exact same time, Jackie clumsily flew in with Fu clinging on desperately to her back as she tried to maneuver her way out. The clients stared opened mouthed and their eyes as wide as the saucers on the table. Jonathan looked clueless as Susan tried to break the silence.
"So, who'd like salad?"
"I'll ask you one last time old man," said the Huntsman," Where is the American Dragon?!"
"Right under your nose, dude!" came Jackie's voice, they turned around to see her landing on a wired box," I'm like a booger that way. Ha!" Then she looked up thoughtfully," Wait… that didn't come out right." The Huntsman made a step towards her but was stopped by Huntsgirl.
"Allow me," she said taking the staff off him," I have unfinished business with this dragon," she announced narrowing her eyes.
"Hi ya!" She yelled letting out his battle cry. She tried to swing at her but Jackie dodged to be kicked in the stomach. She regained her balance as she landed in front of Lao Shi. Huntsgirl swung at her once again and Jackie instinctively ducked, causing her to take of a part of the chimney instead. Jackie yelped as fallen bricks collided with her head.
"Yo big Ernie," called Fu from afar," Yeah its Fu. I want to lay down some cookies on a bet," he said over the noise and cringed when Ernie started yelling over the phone. Behind him, Huntsgirl through Jackie into the wall.
"What are we strangers? You know I'm a good boy," he cringed yet again when Ernie started yelling, Jackie was zapped by Huntsgirl but recovered quickly and huffed at her opponent in annoyance. He took a swing at her but was instead kicked away. His grip on the staff loosened and it flew out of his hand into the Huntsman's.
"Try my fastball!" She yelled blowing out a fireball onto her hand and threw it with deadly accuracy as it zoomed towards the boy. Unfortunately for Jackie, she managed to dodge the fastball and it came into contact with the water tower behind her causing it to drench her as the contents spilled.
"Enough!" Proclaimed the Huntsman as he pointed his staff at her," American dragon, prepare to become a pair of boots." He stated shooting a net towards her.
"Young one!" Shouted her grandpa," Clean toilet bowl!" Jackie made a face at that trying to catch the meaning behind it, instinctively her tongue shot out of her mouth straight towards the flying net. She spun the tip of her tongue entangling it.
'First clockwise, then counter-clockwise,' she thought as the net aimed towards the Huntsman.
"What?!" He exclaimed in shock," How did she-"He was cut off as he struggled against the net
.
"Hey," Jackie exclaimed in realization," It worked! Haha, who the w-" she had to stop herself before she said woman. "Who the man now huntspunk," she taunted," You want some, there more where that came from."
"Hi ya!" Yelled Huntsgirl as she dashed towards her, Jackie looked in panic. Seeing this Lao Shi shouted," Young one! Sweep floor!" Jackie got into stance and slapped the boy away with her tail.
"Ernie! Ernie! Wait! Wait!" Said Fu," I change my mind, put all my biscuits on the kid. Yeah that's right, the whole thing." Huntsgirl let out a battle cry as he and Jackie engaged into hand-to-hand combat.
"Hey, check you out Huntsgirl," she flirted," You're good."
Jackie dove for her, but she jumped and dodged as she ran across her back.
"Whoa, you're really good," Jackie said eyebrows raised.
"Not so bad yourself dragon boy," she shot back as they began their fight. Unaware to Jackie, Huntsman managed to pry himself free from his own trap. Jackie got Huntsgirl's fist with her tail, and accidentally slipped her glove off.
"Hey!" she yelled, covering her un-gloved hand.
"Kid! Behind you!" Fu warned waving pudgy arms wildly. Jackie turned to see the Huntsman charging up his staff for another shot. Even worse, Huntsgirl trapped her arms together so she couldn't move them to dodge. And she had a tight grip.
'I am so gonna regret this,' was the only thought running through her head as she concentrated. Sure enough, she farted a fireball towards him. The Huntsman was so shocked he forgot to dodge and ended up implanted into a signboard on another building. Lao Shi screamed a battle cry as Fu freed him from his net, shifting back into his dragon form. Seeing as he had no chance, Huntsgirl let go of Jackie's arms and retreated backwards as Lao Shi landed beside her.
"We'll be back," said Huntsgirl, shooting her a glare.
"And we'll be ready," Jackie answered confidently as she crossed her arms. She slipped on her glove, covering his dragon tattoo and gracefully leaped onto another roof top. Seeing he was gone, Lao Shi and Jackie morphed back to their human forms.
"I knew you could do it kid," congratulated Fu," I didn't doubt you for a second." Jackie raised her eyebrows at him.
"Okay maybe I did," he admitted," But that's why you love me right, come on!"
"Well done young dragon," Lao Shi praised and Jackie's grin couldn't get any bigger.
"But word to wise," he continued," It is not good idea to flirt with mortal enemies. Trust grandpa, he's been there," he said his tone becoming grave.
"Tch, even a mortal enemy that fine," Jackie smirked," C'mon gramps."
"Many battles lie ahead," replied Lao Shi," We pick training up tomorrow right after school," he said poking at her chest emphasizing his point.
"I'll be there grandpa," Jackie promised," Right on time. I'm sorry that I doubted you," she apologized bowing her head in shame.
"Come now it's late, Fu dog and I walk you home," said her grandpa smiling a small smile.
"Ahh okay," said Jackie thoughtfully as they walked, now in human form," So I get cleaning the toilet and the tongue thing now. No problem, very use stuff, disgusting but useful."
"Right," her grandpa agreed nodding his head.
"And the whole sweeping the floor with the tail thing," she continued uneasily," I see how that's gonna come in handy too," she grinned. Lao Shi hummed in agreement.
"But what about the part where I did all your laundry. I mean, you had me scrubbing all your nasty socks and jocks eghh," she gagged," What's up with that?"
"What's up was, grandpa needed his laundry done."
"And tomorrow you get to do mine. Hehehe."
"But-bb-ut I just-ohh man."
