Jake was caught in a strangle of unsureness.He could probably find a way to take them on one-by-one but the absoluteness of the look in their eyes suggested they had other motives,other rules on how to fight.

"Rose,"he told her quietly,eyes still locked on their three opponets."It's important you get out of here while you can,I'm going to hold them off."

She stared at him,incredulous."You can't take them all on by yourself!"

"So let's even the odds."Spud suddenly declared,rising up between the two of them on a glider similar to hers."Now it'll be just three on three."

"You kept those,"Rose said wryly.

"Only two."

Trixie surfaced up as well on hers."We don't have as much experience as you do but at least we remember all we do have."she encouraged.

"Did have."Spud corrected.

"I'm serious,Rose."Jake turned to face them."You're in no condition to-"

Something that felt like a giant boulder slammed itself into him and pile drove Jake nearly into the building behind him.He manged to unattach himself from his attacker and shove whoever it was away to appraise.

"What's your problem?"he demanded angrily.

The grey dragon was a bit older-looking,more built and had eyes that were hollow and single-minded.He exposed his teeth at Jake and then went in for him again until the two were ramming at each other insanely.

"Arden has a bit of a one-track mind,"The female dragon explained to Rose as they watched the two exchange intense blows."Primal,almost."

She sighed and looked without choice at her adversary."Since it seems that you're the brains behind this why not let us in on what you want?"

"Hmph,"A look of disgust crossed his lilac face."That'll be the day.The day I explain anything to a worthless human and a dragon slayer at that."

"I'm a former one.And if fighting me because of what I am is your only motive then it's no better then a dragon slayer's motive in the first place."

Fury clouded momentarily but dispelled in the dragon's wicked grin as she disappeared.Rose searched her surroundings fruitlessly,she would not leave when Jake needed her but she still did not recall some skills.

"What's the matter..."her voice asked,making Rose's skin crawl."Aren't you impressed?A bit of advice,don't try fighting what it is you can't see."

Rose closed her eyes and listened diligently to the air current.A whistle of a shift in it happened over her left shoulder and she quickly shifted her guilder up above her as the dragon blasted her back a few yards away.

The wind screamed in her ears and made it impossible to hear.Though she managed to get herself rightside up and halted before she went into a building.Flying up from amidst the male dragon's dueling,she thought.

Lightening fast speed was Rose's fight indication but no dragon she had ever heard of moved that fast,so that left only the possiblity that it was allusions the dragon was using.Rose smiled,her memory was returning.

"Heads up,human!"

The lavender dragon nailed Rose with her tail and sent her hurtling down towards the bare pavement below.Her shoulder throbbed in pain as the plumment started and she could only hug her board to her with one arm.

Cut to Spud,Trixie and Greggy...

Both humans and the one dragon stared each other down.Greg sneered at the two of them as they stayed expressionless.He cracked his knuckles and attempted to intimidate them.They,however,did not lift a single finger.

"What is the matter with you two?"he asked,exasperated."Aren't you two both terrified at being harmed by a vicious,man-eating,fire-breathing,well you know...a vicious,man-eating,fire-breathing me?Come on,you guys!"

Trixie crossed her arms and lifted a brow."You've gotta be kiddin'?"

Greg bared his teeth,fuming."Of course I'm not kidding!I am Gregory the Great!Feared by all,especially-my-less-cooler-cuz,and ruler of everyone."

"Prove it."She said simply.

"Alright,then.Don't say I didn't warn ya!"

The olive dragon reared back and released out a bowling ball size orb of flame which rapidly neared Trixie and Spud.Before it made contact,Spud whipped out his modified extinguisher and gave just a quick,simple squirt.

Both connected and Greggy's "attack" was re-directed back at him as he attempted a manical laugh of triumph,shortly before it landed in his mouth.

Trixie and Spud exchanged knowing glances as the dragon clasped both his claws to his throat and a sick expression entered his eyes.Though at the last moment,Spud went over to perform the heimlich maneuver on Greggy.

Cut to Jake and Arden...

Fighting this new opponet was better said then done.Jake barely landed a punch and managed to recover quick enough to defend himself.Though it wasn't that the dragon was more powerful,he was just far more relentless.

As if he had been conditioned for most of his life without much rest.

"Why..."he blocked a claw."are..."he caught the dragon's wrist and made a fast duck to avoid his other claw."...you doing this?What's your reason?"

The grey dragon jerked his arm back and the two locked eyes temporarily.

"Were here for the talisman."his voice was guttural sounding."And to deny us our right to possess it will prove a very fatal mistake,American Dragon."

Jake gave a sideways glance at his cousin."Now,when you say us..."

Taking this oppurtunity of distraction,Arden went for Jake while his focus was directed elsewhere.The image of the red dragon misted and wavered which left Arden in a daze of befuddledment.Then,his shoulder was tapped.

Seizing hold of Jake's arm,he threw the dragon in a mid-air bodyslam only to find his face full of fire.Jake gave a satisfied grin as pulled back but there were voices that caught his attention;all the way to see someone free-falling.

"Rose!"

Cut to Rose and the lavender dragon.

She fell head over heel.Gravity meant nothing at all as it ripped around her body.But,despite the fact that she was in peril,she was remembering.All this time she had wanted normalcy and had thought she'd attained it,but had she?

"Not much further!"her adversary called down after her."Just keep falling!"

Peering down below,she caught sight of a long pole sticking out.It was right there and if Rose wanted it to,if she wanted to get back into the fray after an entire lifetime of living out her dreamlife,it was only a few feet from her reach.

And she reached.

Rose grasped on the pole with one hand and in the time it took to bend it she was able to switch the board into a staff.With one good sway of her body at just the right angle,she placed the pole under her feet and jettisoned head on.

The dragon reacted with zero shock and then seemingly disappeared.It wasn't as if she had just vanished,there was a rippling effect around the outline before she left from sight.Suddenly,Rose had it.It was camuflauging.

"You don't see me,"she kidded from behind Rose."And never again will y-"

There was a tight gasp as Rose switched to below her instead of above and fired,having already recalled that dragons with camo also used projection with their voices when blending in.The dragon began to fall now,as she did.

"Got'cha!"Someone said.

Rose gave a quick smile of graditude at Trixie and Spud as both had a hold on her arms from either side.A few fierce explosions occured and all three of them turned to look with surprise as Jake was flying wearily towards them all.

"They-"he was panting hard."They got away.I gave what's-his-mug a few..."

His head and wings drooped,exhaustion poured through out his body and he almost was the third to fall when two claws reached out to grasp on his arms.

Jake lifted his head slowly,still breathing heavily."What's going on?"

"Let's get back onto the ground,"A member of the dragon council replied."It is time for some things to be settled and some history be brought into light."

To be continued...