I thought I should post this while I could for I have no clue when I'll manage to get my hands on another computer. Parents are going on their honeymoon for seven days today. So, here you go! I think they're secret masochists or this fandom is so bare that they have no flipping clue what slash means. Enough of that - enjoy! Next few chapter will have more fluff and stuff. grins
Lao Shi felt true fear for the first time in seventeen years. The first time had been when his daughter went into labor with Jake. There had been a scare and everyone had feared Susan and Jake wouldn't make it. This time however, it wouldn't affect just his family; it would affect the entire world.
The Dark Dragon had attacked the Dragon Council and killed nearly fifty master dragons and twelve apprentice dragons. The magical community couldn't afford to lose so many protectors! And even more troubling news was the fact that the orb that the shape-shifter had stolen was the Yin-Yang Orb. An artifact that reversed a person's polarity! Evil was going to win if the orb was used on any of the most influential people in the world.
If Lao Shi remembered the legends correctly, the orb took a lot of power, but nearly nothing else. In order to use the dangerous artifact all one had to do was think immensely on a person and will their polarity to be reversed, and it would be so. The orb had actually been used in the first Dragon War. Wasn't that history lesson fun? Great, we're going to try and avoid any more of those -they're annoying and wordy.
"Jake, wake up," Jonathan Long called sternly.
Blearily, Jake opened his eyes and watched his father's image swim in and out of focus. Why did his dad look like his grandpa was visiting? Oh, there was the robe wearing elder over there.
"Thank goodness, you woke up! You came home, went to bed and when I tried to wake you up for school, you wouldn't!" Jonathan continued moving his hands.
"Where's mom?" Jake rasped, his throat sore. One thing Jake had learned was that his dad was not meant for these types of situations.
"Your mom went up to go visit your Aunt Cathy. Apparently, little Greggy is giving your aunt a hard time," Jonathan answered brightly, now cheered by the fact his son wasn't in a coma.
"In other news Jake, I need to speak to you alone. It's about your mother's birthday," Lao Shi said, pointedly looking at Jake's dad at his place on the edge of Jake's bed.
Jonathan, having understood that the two wanted to discuss his wife's birthday present (it was well known in the Long home that he could not keep a secret), winked and laughed as he left. The thing about sweet and nice people was that they were quickly fooled. However, this thought wouldn't slap Jake in the face until he was watching his own child (a sweet baby girl) take care of a sick visiting dragon. A male dragon.
But moving on, Lao Shi took on the expression of a very grave man.
"Jake, I have reason to believe you've entered the second stage of the Call," Lao Shi told the weakened dragon softly.
Seeing Jake's confused look, he elaborated. "The Call normally has three stages; at times a fourth stage. The first stage is called Awareness. You become aware of the fact you have mate. There is a constant scent in the air that suddenly strikes you with anxiety. At times you have had panic attacks Jake. Also, there are physical changes such as your dragon form and your heightened abilities.
"The second stage is called Emotion. You develop a link with your mate no matter how far away they are. This link is very similar to empathy and some dragons used to even develop this ability during Awareness. The reason you feel ill now is because you are hyper sensitive to the magic building up in your system," Lao Shi told his grandson softly, almost as if the words hurt him.
"Magic buildup?" Jake asked, his eyes fluttering open and shut.
"Eventually you will be supplying your mate with the power they need to live alongside with you—make them healthy and such. But to continue to the third stage, it's called Trauma. Trauma is where you are constantly plagued by terrors such as nightmares; you feel weak and are in need of sleep. The worst of it is the constant ringing in your ears as your mate gets further and further away from you; however, if you get closer to your mate the ringing fades to a buzz. You need have a ceremony to appease the Call," Lao Shi finished, his hand resting in his lap as he looked past his grandson and into the past.
"What about the fourth stage? You said something about it," Jake sleepily asked his grandpa as he sat up on his bed.
"The fourth stage is known as Sanity. Jake...you lose your sanity if you don't bond with your mate. The constant magic in your system and desire makes you go mad. It can come forth as anything. For example the Dark Dragon's madness has come forth in his desire for power, he's obsessed with it." Lao Shi looked away for a moment, then admitted unwilling, "It's irreversible."
For a moment silence filled the room that was furnished with posters, dirty clothes (he'd been busy...) and other odd (and sometimes normal) things such as a criminally insane goldfish.
"Great, as if my dragon powers weren't enough," Jake grumbled. "Anything I need to know about this Emotion stage?"
"You feel the same thing as your mate," Lao Shi sighed. "Your purpose as a mate, Jake, is to make them feel safe, protected and keep them at peace. This means at any cost. If they get sick, you will find yourself ill as you take the disease into yourself. If they have a nightmare--you'll awaken just to try and soothe them. Jake...if they acquire a life threatening injury, your body will take that injury upon itself in the hopes that they'll live."
"Yo, G. I think me and you need to start saving these discussions until after school."
"Spud are you absolutely sure?" Trixie asked, all jokes and barriers aside.
"Yes! That book was very clear!" Spud shouted while pacing.
He glumly sat down on Trixie's sofa. Sure, he knew something was wrong, but not this wrong! It's not that he didn't care about Jake, he did. But...this whole deal could mean life or insanity, and it was forever. He slumped against the cushions. Give him a computer and he could solve any of your problems, but something like this...
"You know what Trix?" Spud exclaimed. "I know what not to do, so I'm part way there!"
"What not to do?" Trixie almost didn't ask.
"Yes, I will not run away to join a circus! Nor will I accept Tracey's offer for a date! On that matter, I will also not have any salt with dinner tonight for it is bad for the heart…" He started off proudly, and then trailed off.
"I guess I'm cool with that," Trixie said, staring at her best friend with a strange look on her face.
"Good!"
What the hell was he really going to do?
The young mermaid scowled at the elf, gnome and leprechaun. The stubborn gnome and bad luck leprechaun were fighting again and it was really pissing her off!
"Come on you guys! This is supposed to be a present to the American Dragon and you're ruining it!" She whined from her spot in the bathtub.
The gnome and leprechaun looked at each other guilty. "Sorry, Miss Misty," the two muttered together, hanging their heads in shame.
"Now, let's get back to work!" Misty shouted.
There was moment of silence before, "How many do you think he wants?"
"...Maybe we should probably ask Kara and Sara."
Noises of agreement were made.