In hindsight, there had to be a reason as to why Jade hated Drago so much.
Present day, preteen Jade had no idea that said reason was so utterly perverse.
In her young, naïve girlish mind Jade could've come up with a plethora of reasons that would've been more than enough to go on hating him until the day she finally became her future-badass-head-of-Section-13-self. For one, he was Shendu's son, so, complete dislike was had then and there. For two, he even acted as evil as an evil dragon sorcerers son should. And the final, and most important, reason was because that scaly cold-blooded freak show had hurt Uncle and Uncle Jackie-and no one messed with her family.
Those were the reasons she could come up with if she thought about it, 'cause, really, Drago was a bad guy and good guys like her HAD to hate bad guys like HIM. It was a black and white sort of thinking that made her so set on helping Jackie take down all to any forces of evil…
But Drago was neither black nor white. And he was a dragon
Dragons were known to be malicious and deceiving.
He supposed that not even he could've foretold these events, but he can't deny he had had his suspicions. He was from the future, after all, and being trapped in the past things became clear to him.
Future Jade always gave off the notion of keeping a well hidden secret. Every time Drago would fight against her, he could always tell that she had something in her eyes. Something she knew but he didn't. Something Jade had against him. It drove him crazy, that a human like her seemed to know something that he, son of a supreme magical being like Shendu, did not. He would always try to pry it out of her, but she never gave. It infuriated him.
But now he knew.
Now it all made sense.
Jade was so innocent. The past her. The one who didn't have a clue. The one that could be molded like putty in his hand.
It was a genius plan, he'd take out his future enemy now that he had her right her in front of him. Killing her would've been easy enough, but her uncle was always there to defend her. Protect her. And not only him, after his first attempt on her life-a whole legion of people became a barricade around her. They would protect her, tooth and nail.
But what they didn't know is that she'd hate it. One thing was for Jackie to always being telling her to stay put and stay save, now everyone wasn't giving her room to breathe. Drago, never admitting he failed a good plan, found the opportunity salvageable. If you can't destroy em, make em join you, right? Or something like that…
It was so easy to trick her, play her for the child she was. As cautious and paranoid she was, she also had the heart that told her to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Never judge a-well, you know. All he had to do was play the 'changed dragon', that he repented for all he did, that all he wanted was to turn over a new leaf.
She bought it, hook line an sinker.
His good boy act got her thinking of convincing her uncle to stop. Got her saving him every time he was In danger. Drago became her friend. Her best friend. The one she turned to whenever she needed to cry, the one that listened to her when she rebelled against her guardians, the one that was there for her. Her loyalty shifted from her Uncles to him, he could as her anything and she would do it.
But Drago was power hungry, it was in his nature, dragons loved power. That's why he needed more.
Friendship only took you so far.
Loyalty only lasted as long as it took family to intervene.
Drago needed more than that, he needed her set on serving him. Jade was someone who could walk into Section 13 and walk out with over hundreds on powerful weapons under her shirt. He needed her at his side, unconditionally.
And that's what sent his dragon blooded gears in his head turning.
Jade would make a great ally…especially if she just so happened to be madly in love with him.
The seduction of a child takes time and patients. It takes kinds words that are hollow and empty, doubled with gentle touches with evil intentions. Drago had to get close to her, really know her, he had to convince her of himself. He remembered every important day to her, indulged her every desire. Little by little she would give in. Jade would blush and smile by just looking at him. A crush. A schoolgirl crush. A little girls crush. Something so easily manipulated.
Their first kiss was one she'd always remember. Nothing fancy yet potent. It was in her room, on her birthday, late at night when no one would see. No one would judge. She had no idea that a grown dragon and a girl like her were forbidden for this. But her heart beat fast and her soul flew high above the clouds. To her, Drago was her knight in shining armor.
Forbidden love was toxic. It poisoned innocence and fueled corruption. The more she let herself go to the emotion the more he indulged in evil. She was to far gone and Drago was so close to fulfilling his plan. The future would forever be changed. Jade would be his ultimate key to the world. And, hey, since she was already given in…
He didn't know exactly how he made the decision, but he did. And she was willing, in her naivety. A simple kiss turned into a passionate one, and passion turned to lust. Drago would lean into her, and that's all it would take. Passionate nights and their breathe mixing in the tight air around them. Rough kissing on her skin that only he was allowed to give. Arms holding him close, promises that he'd stay true to her, 'your beautiful's and her name coming out of his lips. Jade's heart burned with his name.
But Drago did not love her.
He didn't cherish her brown eyes or adore the taste of her lips. He didn't kiss her raven black hair for any reason other than to help his trick. He didn't hold her close or trace circles on her skin because he was calm when he was next to her. He didn't look forward to the nights he had her. Nights where he's run his hands up white thighs and delicate torso. Where'd he feel his rough scales against her soft skin. That meant nothing. How she said his name as he buried himself in her. How she pressed herself close to him. Kissed him. He didn't yearn for her. He didn't indulge in her. He didn't mean all the beautiful things he said to her. They were lies. She was a lie. "His Jade" was a term only used to fool her. Shouting her name was just a reflex. Peaking as she called his was coincidental. Kissing her swollen lips, ones he'd showered with his own, that was an accident. Always. Caressing her, the afterglow that did not exist.
Drago didn't even mean it when he told her 'I love you'.
Poor Jade who believed it.
Poor Jade who had no idea.
And poor Jade who found out that Drago was nothing but a son of a dragon.
Dragons were power hungry. Malicious. Deceiving.
She caught him red handed.
For all that power he now stole, he could do nothing to convince her. They were on opposite sides. She was with her allies, her real family, while he was all alone with his power. She started at him, with those damnable eyes of hers. Condemning him. Cursing him.
The naïve girl was not made of putty. Not anymore.
He took her innocence. He took her love.
And he understood now. Why her future self held that look in her eyes when she faced him. It wasn't of superiority, or smugness. It was hurt. Because Drago hurt her. Because the one she always fought wasn't the one that tricked her. She couldn't be properly angry at him. She could only watch as she sent her worst mistake back to her past. So the cycle could continue forever.
But he would always regret it. He would be sorry for doing that which he had done to her.
He knew that. And so did she.
They accepted it.
And Jade went on to be the biggest badass she could possibly be.
Drago had molded her into his worst enemy, after all.