Dominic kept a close eye on Jade. She had a knack for getting into trouble but she was scrappy with the other kids. Dominic couldn't help but laugh when she saw Jade knock out a kid twice her size. Unfortunately, the teacher caught her in the act. She looked really bummed out that she had gotten in trouble even though the bigger kid had started it. Dominic decided to reveal herself.
Jade couldn't believe her horrible luck. As she walked out of school. Jackie was going to be so angry at her.
"Jade!" a girl called waving her over.
Curiosity got the better of her. "Do I know you?" Jade asked walking over to the girl. She was a few years older than her with long blonde hair and wore jeans and a purple t-shirt with a light jacket.
"I'm surprised you don't recognize me." Dominic said changing her green human eyes to her purple dragon ones.
"Dominic?" Jade asked. The girl smiled. "You can shape shift?" Jade exclaimed.
"Just to this." Dominic shrugged.
"That is so cool. What are you doing here?" Jade asked.
"Oh, I'm always close by and you looked really down." Dominic stated.
"Excuse can I help you young lady?" Jade's teacher interrupted.
"Oh, Miss Heartman this is Dominic." Jade introduced.
"I'm Jade's cousin." She lied.
"Her cousin?" Miss Heartman raised an eyebrow at the girl. "Pardon my saying so but you don't look Chinese."
"Oh, I'm not my dad married into the family after my mom died." Dominic lied again.
"Oh, I am so sorry." Miss Heartman apologized giving a guilty look. "but might I enquire as why you are here?"
"Well since my family just moved to the city uncle Jackie asked if I could walk Jade home since he's on a trip." Dominic stated.
"Ah well please ensure that your uncle gets the note I gave to Jade." The teacher requested.
"Will do." Dominic smiled politely.
"So, aren't you going to ask what I did?" Jade asked as they walked.
"Don't have to." Dominic stated.
"So, what are you doing here?" Jade asked.
"You looked down so I thought I would see if you were alright." Dominic said.
"I wouldn't say down just upset. I mean Mainer started it and I get in trouble for it." Jade complained.
"To be fair you knock the kid out." Dominic stated.
"You're supposed to be on my side." Jade said.
"This isn't about taking sides." Dominic said. "Look all I'm trying to say is just because you can beat someone up doesn't mean you should."
"What am I supposed to do when Mainer comes after me again? Jade asked.
"Well if he comes after you use defensive techniques." Dominic suggested.
"I did use defensive." Jade protested.
"Jade a roundhouse kick to the face is offense." Dominic corrected. "I'm talking about blocks."
"Blocks don't do very much when the guy your fighting is bigger than you." Jade grumbled.
"It does if you use the right block." Dominic countered. Jade gave her a look of disbelief. "If I show you would it help?"
Jade shrugged.
"I'll take that as a yes." Dominic sighed.
"Alright come at me." Dominic commanded.
"I don't want hurt you." Jade warned.
Dominic raised an eyebrow at the girl.
"Jade I'm a dragon. I don't think it's possible for you to hurt me." She commented.
"Ok" Jade shrugged. She leapt into the air and roundhouse kicked her across the face. Dominic staggered back from the shock. It actually did hurt.
"Gosh that's going to leave a mark." Dominic hissed rubbing her cheek.
"I warned you." Jade said.
"Yeah you did. I was sort of expecting you to go low or throw a punch like a normal person but you are like a spider monkey." Dominic commented.
"Sorry." Jade apologized. "
Its OK let's try that again slower this time." Dominic requested.
She showed Jade how to block.
"Good now you." Dominic ordered. She allowed Jade to block her slow movements. "Good, don't stay in one place. Keep your opponent off balance. It makes it harder for them to land a blow."
"So where have you been staying?" Jade asked changing the subject.
"I've been hanging out on top of the mountain. There's a bunch of nice warm caves up there." Dominic said.
"Sounds cozy." Jade commented. "It is and I think you got this." Dominic stated as Jade blocked her once again.
Dominic decided to walk Jade the rest of the way home.
"You should come in and hang out. I'm sure Uncle wouldn't mind." Jade invited.
"That's OK Jade. The way Jackie reacted to me I don't think your other uncle would take to kindly to me hanging around you." Dominic commented.
Out of nowhere a door opened knocking her to the ground.
"Are you alright?" Jade asked moving to help her.
"Well if it isn't the mini Chan." A familiar voice said.
Both girls turned to see Finn Ratso and Chow had been the ones to knock her down. Dominic quickly got to her feet.
"Jade you might want to run." Dominic said dusting herself off.
"But I…" Jade started
"Go!" Dominic growled flashing her dragon eyes at the girl.
Jade bolted. Ratso attempted to chase after but Dominic grabbed him by the jacket and threw him into the other two.
"Why you little." Chow growled pushing Ratso off him.
He threw a furious punch but Dominic easily dodged around it. The other two joined in but none could land a blow. They didn't realize that she was maneuvering them until she kicked them into an alley.
"Let me make myself clear." Dominic growled as her hair began to swirl around her from her magic. "You will leave that girl alone."
"Little girl, you really think you can stop us?" Finn challenged.
Dominic narrowed her eyes as white flames surrounded her and she transformed into her dragon form. All three of their eyes widened in horror.
"It followed us back." Finn squeaked.
"And IT will not hesitate to end you if you don't back off." Dominic warned bearing her sharp teeth.
"Got it." Ratso stammered. "
No problem." Chow squeaked.
"Good, now beat it." She growled letting the three, cornered men pass as she glared down at them. "Well that was surprisingly satisfying." Dominic thought to herself.
Dominic sat on the mountain side watching the sunset over the city. She had made sure Jade got home before returning home. The shadows began to move towards her unnaturally. Dominic growled as the Shadow Con approached. She was about to attack but something caught her eye. It was her father in astral form.
"Hello father." She bowed respectfully.
"You can see me?" Shendu asked.
"Of course." Dominic stated.
The Shadow Con moved closer. She ducked as a dart came flying at her and slammed her hand into the ground. The earth shook and cratered sending the ninja flying in different directions.
"What was that about?" Dominic demanded glaring at her father.
"Where is my talisman?" Shendu demanded.
"You don't have it?" Dominic asked.
"No, my Shadow Con failed to retrieve it in their conflict with Chan." Shendu stated.
"They don't have… wait, someone is using it." Dominic informed him.
"How can you be certain?" Shendu asked.
"I was bound to that thing for long enough." Dominic stated.
"Valmont!" Shendu growled. "Find him!"
The Shadow Con disappeared but Shendu remained.
"One of your men?" Dominic asked.
"An unfortunate necessity." Shendu growled.
"Speaking of humans I ran into a few of yours earlier." Dominic said.
"Oh?" Shendu asked.
"Yeah and I can't guarantee I won't rip them apart if they attack me again." She warned.
"You are most definitely my daughter." Shendu laughed. "Although I find your powers odd."
"That probably has something to do with the fact that I'm an elemental dragon." Dominic stated.
"Interesting." Shendu said studying her.
"What is?" Dominic asked.
"I found the collar pieces. It was obviously placed on you when you were extremely young. How is it that you are so skilled with the elements?" Shendu asked.
"This is not the only dimension I am present in." Dominic informed him.
"Doppelgangers, impressive." Shendu commented. "I must go but I will return."
Dominic bowed again as her father departed.
"Shendu I deeply apologize and ask for your forgiveness." Valmont begged.
"Forgiveness is earned. I have heard legend of a talisman at the North Pole. Dress warmly." Shendu growled.
Valmont stormed out of the room angrily. Shendu quickly released his astral form and returned to the mountain. He did not reveal himself. Instead he watched his daughter for hours. She seemed to enjoy the moon and stars. He was surprised to see her shake herself awake several times.
"You know I can still talk to you in your dreams." Shendu said as he moved forward.
"Oh hello father." Dominic greeted bowing her head. "I did know that. I'm just not tired."
"Do not lie to me." Shendu narrowed his eyes. "Why are you fighting sleep so hard"
"I don't want to talk about it." Dominic said turning away.
"I am your father and you will tell me." Shendu demanded moving so she was once again facing him. Dominic rose to her feet.
"No." She growled.
"You dare defy me?" he roared summoning his Shadow Con again.
"Let's not fight father." Dominic requested "We both know they can't get anywhere near me." "Is that a challenge?" Shendu asked.
"Enough of one to keep me awake." Dominic jested.
Everything was still. The only sound was the clinking of the chains the Shadow Con carried. Dominic let them make the first move. The ninja leapt at her but Dominic opened her massive wings generating a hurricane of wind knocking them back. The Shadow Con tried to take her down with another dart but her dragon fire turned it to ash.
"Your ninjas are getting predictable." Dominic called.
Despite his anger Shendu couldn't help but feel a little pride at his daughters combat skills. The Shadow Con changed tactics and tried to get closer to her through the shadows. Dominic managed to push the shadows themselves back. The shadows rose into formless lumps but not by the Shadow Con. Dominic was controlling them Shendu noticed with a considerable amount of difficulty. It became a battle of wills between her and the Shadow Con over control of the lumps. Dominic lost and the Shadow Con used them to pin her down with their chains. She could do nothing but growl as they forced her into sleep.
Shendu entered his daughter's dream and was met with the same dark landscape he had seen the first time. He found Dominic easily enough. She was battling Shadow Con but not just his there were other types and she was losing. Suddenly Shendu saw himself, not as the statue he was now but as the dragon he once was. He watched as the dream Shendu battled his way to her but before he could get to her he was struck down. Dominic tried to get to him but found herself chained just as she was in the waking world. She struggled against her binding. The fallen Shendu began to speak despite the Shadow Con hacking at his body.
"You were supposed to prevent this." He whispered. "You have failed."
The dream Shendu continued to repeat this as tears streamed down her face.
"No!" she begged.
A purple glow appeared from her chest and her eyes turned completely purple. Shendu quickly realized this wasn't just happening on the dream plain. It was happening in the real world too. He rushed forward as the energy began to expand at an alarming rate with her rising screams.
"Dominic calm down it's not real it's just a dream." Shendu called but it was too late.
The energy slammed into him forcing him out of the dream and disintegrating the Shadow Con in the real world. Shendu was thrown a fair distance away He couldn't believe the amount of raw Chi energy she had. He also wasn't entirely sure what he had seen. He hurried back to find her laying in a massive crater. Electricity sparked off her unmoving body. Shendu was releaved when she finally opened her eyes. Dominic struggled to get to her feet as she was in an immense amount of pain. She glanced back to see her father.
"Satisfied?" She growled before taking to the sky. Shendu did not pursue this time.
