A/N: Wow everyone, I'm sorry for taking so much time getting this 3rd chapter out, I've been so busy with "real life" its not even funny so I've made this chapter longer than planned. Well I've kept you waiting long enough, now on to chapter three.
"Do not worry young one," Loa Shi said reassuring Jake, "We will not allow any harm to come to your family."
"I don't know G." Jake panted, "It doesn't feel right, me sleeping while you and Fu are up all night watching us." Jake had just flown in at top speed through the trapdoor on the roof to his Grandfather's shop and now stood out-of-breath as his Dragon Master pondered the situation.
"We're gonna be fine kid," Fu added, "It's not like we haven't pulled all-nighters before. Like I remember this one time back about 300 years ago or so when--"
"Fu dog!" Loa Shi interrupted, "Now is not the time for stories! Jake, do not worry, Fu dog and I will protect you."
"I just feel like I should be there, ya know?" Jake answered.
"I understand, but you must not question your Dragon Master." Loa Shi reminded him. "Now, please, go home and get some rest." The American Dragon stood before them another second before reluctantly turning around and heading for home.
Ten minutes later Fu dog and Loa Shi stood watching as the light in Jake's room flickered out. Actually it was a flashlight as Jake's ceiling light had been broken by their unannounced visitor earlier that night. The two watchmen were perched on a high building across the street from the Long household. Loa Shi hovered slightly above the ground in his Dragon form, a truly magnificent blue creature with a body which resembled that of a snake and had no wings to speak of. Fu dog, on the other hand, sat comfortably in a beach chair, his paw poised to sneak the latest issue of Magic Times Weekly out of one of his many folds as soon as the old man wasn't looking.
An hour passed. Gramps still stood intently starring at the house across the street. Only, he wasn't starring at the house, his dragon eyes penetrated its walls and he constantly scanned from room to room for any sign of an intruder; his dragon ears, which of course could hear from several miles away, were listening for any sounds from within the house, but all he heard was the incessant snoring of Johnathan Long, Jake's father.
Suddenly Loa Shi's ears perked up, he'd heard something, and not the same ambient sounds of cars sliding along the roads and dogs barking that he was used too. This was more distinctive...
"Oh come on now Lad," said the first voice, obviously frightened. "What would ye be wantin' with what little gold I have to me name?"
"Just hand over all your gold, leprechaun and no body gets hurt!" The second voice replied menacingly.
"Now surely we can come to some sort of reasonable agreement, right?" Said the Leprechaun in a somewhat sly tone.
"Sure," answered the second voice whom Loa Shi guessed was a Goblin, "you give us all you shinny gold or we'll give you our iron and brass!"
Loa Shi had heard enough, he was a protector of all magical creatures and it was his duty to help this Leprechaun. He spun around toward Fu Dog who he found lie asleep in his chair, his copy of Magic Times Weekly resting face-down in his lap. He sighed at the animal guardian's sleeping schedule and then turned and flew toward Jake's open window.
Jake stood in his Pajamas, at the foot of his bed. "What's going on Gramps?" He asked.
"There is a Leprechaun near here Jake! He is being attack by a gang of Goblins! We must help him!" Loa Shi answered.
Jake's expression changed immediately from confusion to a look of certainty and determination. "Right!" Jake replied, "Dragon up!"
Blue Fire immediately engulfed the boy and soon after it vanished. For a few seconds the figure of a red and yellow dragon stood in his place, but not long because he quickly bolted for the window and flew toward the Leprechaun, Loa Shi close behind.
In under a minute the dragon duo were hovering over a band of four Goblins who were very much enjoying taunting one cowering Leprechaun holding a small pot of gold.
Jake spat a warning fireball at the lead Goblin's feet. "Yo!" He exclaimed, "AmDrag is in the Hiz-ouse; now you all had better go on home before we have to get ugly! Than taking another look at the Goblins he added "Oh wait, I guess it's too late for you than huh?"
Startled and caught off guard by the appearance of the Dragons, the Goblins hurriedly dropped there weapons and ran.
"Yeah!" Jake yelled triumphantly as he closed his wings and began gliding toward the ground, "I guess those Goblins know what happens when you mess with us!" Now on the ground he turned to the frightened Leprechaun and asked, "Are you okay?"
"Yes laddie, thank ye very much!" He replied bending down to pick up several coins which had fallen from his pot.
Jake bent down in an effort to help him and it was then that he noticed the slash one of the Goblins had made on the Leprechaun forehead. "Ouch, that looks painful." he said to the Leprechaun.
"Jake, my shop is only three blocks from here, take him there and get him one of Fu Dog's healing potions." Loa Shi suggested joining them. "I will return to watch over your family."
"Right, okay." Jake agreed holding out a claw to the Leprechaun who backed away slightly and then reluctantly allowed himself to be scooped up into the Dragon's arms. Jake took flight and within minutes they stood on the roof of his Grandfather's shop.
Jake popped open the trapdoor leading into the shop. "This way." He said as he climbed carefully down the ladder with the leprechaun close behind. Jake turned at the bottom of the ladder and his jaw fell wide open. The scene he saw was a recreation of his house earlier that night, only worse. Jake's Grandfather had many more easily movable items in his shop than they had, had at home and much of the store's merchandise had been broken, but Jake wasn't concerned with any of that at the moment, he was only concerned with the store's back room where Fu Dog keep all of his magical stuff: potions, books, trunks of artifacts, everything. This was also the area where Jake heard the noises...
Jake silently moved toward the annex at the back of the store, he slowly peeked his head through the curtains and then quickly pulled it back . What he saw shocked him. "A Huntsman!" he said almost too loud and quickly clapped a hand over his muzzle. It just didn't make sense! Rose's wish had destroyed all the Huntsclan, so what was he doing here? After a moment it dawned on him. "I must be dreaming." he thought, "Well, there's no reason I can't kick some butt in my dreams too, right?"
With that the Dragon leaped into the back room! "Hey Huntsy! I don't think that belongs to you!" he taunted. Before him stood a Huntsclan Master, wearing the same purple battle suit as all Huntsman and holding, in one hand a book from Loa Shi's shop, and in the other A Huntsclan energy stave.
Huntsmaster Flandin stopped rummaging through the chest he had been tearing apart and slowly turned around. "Dragon!" he scowled, "enjoy your last moments." He lunged forward as Jake spat a fireball at the spot where he had been a moment before. He swung out wildly at Jake with his stave but Jake easily sidestepped him and he sailed passed the Dragon.
Flandin landed on his feet and spun around. Green energy began forming at the point of his stave, it began to crackle and then shot off three green energy bolts in Jake's direction.
Jake, feeling like showing off, sidestepped one of the blasts, jumped over the second and did a cartwheel avoiding the third. They proceeded a ways and then hit home in a T.V., the computer screen, and a bottle of potions which would have undoubtedly helped the Leprechaun cowering in the corner. "Aw man!" Jake said slyly, "Now look what you've done."
"I have yet to begin." Answered Flandin. He began spinning his stave in his hand, as it spun it transformed before Jake's eyes into a whip flowing with green energy. He stopped spinning it and reared back for a blow. As he sent the whip forward Jake crouched down as low as he could go but was unable to dodge the blow completely, the whip soared inches above his head and met him with a glancing blow to his backside. The searing pain from the energy coursing through the whip was enough to prove to Jake that this was not a dream, but that didn't matter anymore, he had a score to settle!
Jake shot forward and plowed straight into Flandin's body. He stayed with him for a few moments, building up momentum, then he stopped cold...Flandin did not.
Flandin sailed into a row of boxes against the wall, the impact spilled one of the boxes content on the floor. Flandin looked at it for a moment and smiled as he held up a small oval-shaped device. Jake knew it instantly. "The Uchrono Hourglass!" he yelped. Flandin held up the device and, still smiling, closed his eyes; he began to turn the hourglass upside-down.
The hourglass began glowing white hot. Jake lunged for it! The white hot glow exploded outward in a brilliant flash of light. A moment later Huntsmaster Flandin and Jake Long were gone, a moment later a terrified leprechaun lay on the floor, unconscious.
A/N: Wow this is a long chapter for me but you all deserve it for waiting so long. Thanks to everyone for the reviews, keep 'em coming!
I promise the next chapter will not have you waiting as long as this one has and I predict that there will be something of interest in the Authors Notes next time as well...
Legally Disney: I did not come up with the Uchrono Hourglass. It first debuted in the 2nd season episode "Hero of the Hourglass"
