Future Dragon: Rose Long (Season Eight)
Chapter/Episode 9: Training For Agents
Rose smiled before she opened her mouth and blew out a torrent of fire, Dwight grunting as he jumped up and back-flipped in the air to avoid the fire, landing a few inches away from where he had just been standing.
"Not bad." Rose complimented him. "Not bad at all."
"You're not so bad yourself." Dwight responded as he held up his clawed hands, preparing to make actual combative contact.
"Well, I certainly hope I'm not so bad." Rose smiled. "After all, I am head of the Dragon Council Agents."
"Indeed."
"Well, Dwight..." Rose said. "...You've impressed me for the ten seconds that we've been fighting. Now, let's put it to the test." Then, she grunted as she ran toward him.
Quickly, as Rose reached him, Dwight grunted as he attempted to swipe at her with his claws, however, Rose managed to duck and she managed to slam her tail into Dwight's ankles. Grunting he fell over onto his side.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk..." Rose said as she took a step back with each "Tsk" she said. "...Alright, who's next. Ferne, how about you?"
Nodding nervously, Ferne started to walk away from Harley, stopping a few inches away from Rose. "Are you really that good?" Ferne asked.
"Were those two really that bad?" Rose replied. Then, she smiled. "Let's hope that you and Harley are the exceptions."
LINE BREAK
Meanwhile, Lista, Arkadi, Gilda and the Dragon Council Agents all continued to fly, completely unaware that Yang Jake and Yang Rose were flying after them.
"Here's the plan..." Yang Jake grinned. "...We're going to keep following them and we aren't going to do anything."
"What good is that going to do?" Yang Rose asked in an annoyed tone.
"They'll eventually turn around..." Yang Jake said with a smile on his face. "...Then they'll come face to face with us..."
LINE BREAK
Ferne gasped and jumped back just in time to avoid being slammed from the side by Rose's tail; Rose's tail now swinging harmlessly through the side in the thin air.
"Good." Rose complimented. Then, she grunted as she threw a punch, which Ferne managed to catch by slamming Rose's hand with both of her clawed ones.
"So far, you're the best." Rose smiled as she pulled back her clawed hand.
"Yeah, but I know you're better than me." Ferne replied. "You'll end of beating me."
"Don't sell yourself short." Rose replied before she grunted and punched at Ferne. This punch hit Ferne in the face and she grunted and took a step back. "Sorry." Rose apologized as she pulled her arm back.
"It's okay." Ferne replied, before she quickly lashed out with her tail, Rose jumping to the side to dodge it.
As Ferne pulled her tail back, Rose jumped back into place and opened her mouth, blowing out a fireball. Quickly, Ferne swatted the ball of fire away, but this gave Rose the perfect chance to make her grunt and knock her down with a hit from her tail.
"You're last, Harley." Rose said as she took a step back.
LINE BREAK
Meanwhile, Lista, Arkadi and Gilda landed at the start of a dark alley, the Dragon Council Agents landing behind them.
"What are we doing here?" Arkadi asked in his Russian accent as he turned his head to the side to look at Lista.
"We're going to check this alley and see if the doppelgangers are here." Lista answered.
"But why here?" Arkadi asked as he turned his head back to normal.
"This seems like a place where doppelgangers would hide." Lista said. "Especially evil ones."
Then, the all started to walk into the alley.
"Lista, I just had a thought." Gilda said softly as they walked.
"Yeah?"
"What if these doppelgangers have split up?"
Unbeknownst to the dragons, the two doppelgangers landed on the roof of one of the two buildings that looked down in on the alley.
As the two evil doppelgangers looked down, Yang Rose spoke: "We should just go in there now and kill my creator. We have them cornered."
"We're waiting." Was all Yang Jake said.
BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL
BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW
Back on the Island of Draco, Harley took a deep breath before she lunged for Rose, lifting up her scaly arm and attempting to bring it down onto Rose's head, only to have Rose quickly step to the side.
Then, Harley grunted as Rose's tail slammed into her chest, making her stumble backwards. However, she managed to catch herself.
"Let's hope that the best was saved for last." Rose said with a smile on her face as she stepped back into place.
"I'm only hoping that you don't send me to the emergency room."
Rose chuckled softly. "Hasn't happened ye-"
However, before Rose could finish, Rose she grunted and jerked her head to the side as Harley punched her in the side of the face.
"Sorry." Harley said softly as she pulled her hand back.
"Well." Rose gave Harley a twisted smile. She was happy that Harley had managed to make a hit, but at the same time, she was angry that Harley had managed to make a hit. "Good on you. However, as I was saying, I haven't managed to send any of the others to the hospital."
"That's a good thing..." Harley acknowledged as she took a small step back.
"Of course, there is a first time for everything." Rose told her, finishing her threat off with a forced evil grin.
"Oh crap." Harley muttered just as Rose jumped back into the air, flaring her wings so that she was able to stay in the air as she spun, lashing out with her tail.
Grunting, Harley was able to jump back, avoiding Rose's tail, but as Rose lowered to the ground, she opened her mouth and blew out a torrent of fire. When Rose heard the sound of screaming coming from Harley, she closed her mouth just in time for Harley to hit the grass with a grunt.
Sighing, Rose rolled her eyes.
LINE BREAK
From where they were standing on the roof of the same building, Yang Jake and Yang Rose both continued to look down as Lista, Gilda, Arkadi and the six Dragon Council Agents all met back up with each other.
"There's nothing here." Lista said as they all began to walk out of the alley.
"Let's get out of here." Arkadi said.
"What are we waiting for?"Yang Rose asked as both she and Jake's doppelganger looked up, Yang Rose turning her head to the side. "You said that you wanted the element of surprise. Well, now they're cornered."
"Just wait." Yang Jake said as he reached out and put a clawed hand on Yang Rose's scaly shoulder.
As Yang Rose growled and slowly turned her head back to normal, Yang Jake smiled and then turned his head to the side and looked at her.
"Don't worry." He said.
"I'm losing my patience!" Yang Rose hissed as she turned her head to the side. "Besides, why do you even want revenge?! She didn't essentially kill you and suck you back into her body for three years!"
"No." Yang Jake narrowed his eyes. "She did something worse."
"Worse?!" Yang Rose hissed. "What could be worse than three years imprisonment in your creator's body?!"
"Try this..." Yang Jake replied coolly. "...Several months imprisonment in my creator's body, then several months imprisonment in a prison cell. Then, after I earned my freedom again, I got sent back to prison after only a couple days of freedom. This time, it was your creator sent me back...and it was for fifteen years."
"Hmm..." Yang Rose acknowledged as she turned her head back to normal.
While Yang Rose did this, Yang Jake turned his head in the other direction, watching as the dragons flew off into the air.
"Well..." Yang Jake smiled. "...Looks like we just lost our opportunity..."
LINE BREAK
Back on the Island of Draco, Jake and Rose, both in their dragon forms, made their way to the Main Hall. "So, they were just as pathetic with you?" Rose asked as she turned her head to the side to look at her husband.
"I would say..." Jake said. "...That I took them all down in about fifteen to thirty seconds each. So, yes."
Sighing, Rose turned her head back to normal. "But really..." Jake finished. "...They're not that bad. They're actually fairly good for what we've seen."
"I agree." Rose replied. "They probably just never got much training. That's why I think that we should take today off."
"Say what?" Jake asked as he turned his head to the side. "You're serious?"
"I'm not talking about an actual day off." Rose said.
"I know that." Her husband told her as he turned his head back to normal. "You're just talking about not going after Kerberos today."
"Exactly." Rose replied.
"Then what are you going to do?"
"Wow, Jake..." Rose said sarcastically, smiling. "...You were smart enough to know that I wasn't going to actually take the day off, but you have no idea what I plan to do?"
"As Rotwood would say, dragons have a brain the size of a pea." Jake smiled. "At best, a walnut."
"Aw, don't say that." Rose said, playfully reaching over to Jake and patting his shoulder. "You have a very big brain. Just try to guess what I want to do."
Now they stopped in front of the doors to the Main Hall.
"I guess I'll find out now." Jake continued. "Seeing as you're going to talk to the Dragon Council about it."
"Jake..." Rose sighed.
"What?" Jake asked.
"Nothing." Rose answered.
Then, she opened the two doors to the Main Hall and stepped inside, Jake following her inside.
Councilors Rin and Callum were both sitting at the large table in the room and they both looked up when they heard the doors opening, seeing both Jake and Rose.
"You haven't left yet?" Councilor Rin asked.
"Actually..." Rose said as both she and Jake stopped in front of the table. "...This is the reason why I came to see you."
"Is something wrong?" Councilor Callum asked.
"It turns out..." Rose said as she crossed her scaly arms. "...That none of these dragons are very skilled."
"Um..." Rin started.
"Dwight, Kelsey, Ferne and Harley can fight." Jake assured the Council.
"It's just that they aren't very experienced." Rose continued.
"Look, Agent Long..." Callum said. "...We do not think that it matters if they can fight or not."
"We do not mind if you get dragons who are willing to help." Rin said. "However, I think the answer for what you should do has become apparent."
"Oh?" Rose asked. "And what's that?"
"Agent Long, you have Dragon Council Agents at your command." Rin said. "Why are you so concerned about getting help from four or so dragons?"
"So you're saying that I should just not use their help?" Rose put her clawed hands on her hips. "Is that what you're saying?"
"Yes, Agent Long." Rin said. "However, it is your decision."
"I've already made my decision." Rose said as she crossed her arms. "That's what I'm here to tell you."
"Go on." Rin said.
"I'm going to spend the day training them." Rose said.
"You are?" Rin asked, rather surprised.
"What about Kerberos?" Callum asked.
"He can wait until tomorrow." Rose said as she lowered her scaly arms to her sides.
This got a sigh from Councilor Rin, who lowered her head for a very brief amount of time before she looked back up at Rose and Jake. "Councilor Long, please try to persuade her not to do so."
"He can't make me change my mind." Rose smiled. "I'm going to do this."
BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL
BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW
Harley, Ferne, Kelsey and Dwight were all sitting, in their human forms, at a table in the cafeteria. Dwight and Kelsey were sitting on one side while Harley and Ferne were sitting on the other.
"Hey, guys." Rose said as she, in her human form, walked up to the end of the table. "Can I talk to you guys?"
In response, the four human-formed dragons all turned their heads to the side.
"I talked to the Dragon Council..." Rose started to explain. "...And I have come to the conclusion that you need training."
"We've been trained." Dwight told her.
"Yes, I think I can see that." Rose said. "For if none of you had any training, all of you would have gone down in the blink of an eye. The truth of the matter, was that you were able to put up a fight, for as short as it might have been."
"Who's going to train us?" Ferne asked.
"I am." Rose smiled.
LINE BREAK
Meanwhile, Yang Jake and Yang Rose continued to fly after the Dragon Council Agents that were in sight and were following Gilda, Lista and Arkadi.
"We haven't had the opportunity to strike in a good hour..." Yang Rose hissed.
"Remember what I said?" Yang Jake smiled. "Patience."
"Say that again and I will destroy you!" Yang Rose barked.
"You can't." Yang Jake's smile widened. "Just keep in mind that we will attack. No now, but later."
"I want to do it now..." Yang Rose hissed.
"If you must know..." Yang Jake said as he turned his head to the side. "...The more time we spent watching the dragons in that alley, the less I believed that the original Rose is with them."
"She is." Yang Rose growled, also turning her head to the side. "She has to be!"
"No she doesn't." Yang Jake said simply as he turned his head back to normal. "That's another good reason to wait. I want to know for sure if she is with them or not." Yang Jake narrowed his eyes as he said this.
LINE BREAK
In her human form, and now wearing her Dragon Council Agent uniform, Rose stood in front of the human forms of Kelsey, Harley, Ferne and Dwight.
"For today, and today only..." Rose said with a smile on her face as she put her arms behind her back. "...I will be training you. Hopefully, this will prepare you for when we next run into Apep Kerberos. If any of you don't want to go through my training exercises, you are free to leave now. It's not too late."
"We want to help you." Dwight said.
"Very well, then." Rose gave a small smile. "In that case, assume your dragon forms."
Without a single word, Kelsey, Harley, Ferne and Dwight all transformed into their dragon forms in a bright light. Smiling as she watched, Rose allowed herself to be engulfed by a bright light as she transformed into her dragon form.
"Alright, let's get started." Rose said, putting her clawed hands on her hips.
"What are we going to do first?" Dwight asked.
"Let's start with a little run..." Rose smiled.
LINE BREAK
Rose watched as all four of the dragons hunched over, their hands on their knees; Kelsey was even sitting on her knees. All were panting.
Rose smiled with satisfaction as she crossed her scaly arms. "Okay, up everyone." She said.
"Gi...Give us a minute." Kelsey managed.
"I don't think so." Rose said, her smile vanishing.
"What?" Dwight's eyes widened.
"This is training time, not relaxation time." Rose said simply as she lowered her scaly arms to her sides.
"What are you now?" Kelsey demanded to know. "A drill instructor?"
"We're not relaxing." Ferne told Rose as she and Harley straightened up. "We're just trying to calm ourselves down after that."
"I don't think I've ever had a run like that in my entire life." Harley admitted.
"Well, it looks like you all have managed to catch your breaths." Rose smiled, putting her clawed hands on her hips. "At least, from my perspective, it looks like you have."
"What do you want us to do?" Dwight asked as he straightened up, giving in.
"First, I want you to get up on your feet." Rose pointed at Kelsey, who groaned as she slowly got up on her feet. "Good." Rose smiled before she crossed her scaly arms. "Okay, Kelsey and Dwight, you two are going to be together. Ferne and Harley, you two are going to be together. Now face each other."
Wordlessly, Ferne and Harley turned so they were facing each other while Dwight and Kelsey turned to face each other.
"Here are your instructions." Rose said as she put her clawed hands on her hips. "I'm going to give each of you a letter. Harley, you're letter A and Kelsey, you are letter A. Ferne, you're letter B and Dwight, you're letter B."
"What's the point of this?" Kelsey asked as she turned her head to the side.
"You'll see." Rose smiled. "Now, letter A will be the offensive and letter B will be the defensive. In moron terms, Harley and Kelsey will be following my ordered attacks while Dwight and Ferne will be using whatever means necessary to avoid them. After an hour or so, you'll switch places."
"An hour of this?!" Kelsey asked as she turned her head to the side.
"I've given you plenty of opportunities to leave, Kelsey." Rose growled as she narrowed her eyes.
"Don't lecture me."
"I'm going to." Rose grinned evilly. "I'm going to because you made me a promise. You've broken that promise."
"Well maybe if you were actually as smart as you think you are..." Kelsey ranted as she spun to the side, Dwight backing away. "...I wouldn't have beef with you!"
"You really hurt my feelings." Rose said, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she brought a clawed hand up and placed it over her heart. "It breaks my heart."
"You're such a child."
"I'm a child?!" Rose was starting to lose her temper. "I'm not the one being an immature brat! Look, Kelsey, I gave you plenty of opportunities to just leave peacefully. You never took them."
"Because that'd be rude of me!"
"No, Kelsey." Rose put her clawed hands on her hips. "That would be polite of you. I would much rather have you just walk away then continue to argue with you. If you walked away, I would gain some respect for you."
"Fine!" Kelsey shouted, and then she narrowed her eyes. "Fine." She growled. "Whatever." Then, she turned and walked away, passing by Dwight, who turned his head to the side to watch her leave.
A short time later, Kelsey reached the edge of the island. Stopping in her tracks, Kelsey flared her wings and took off into the air.
LINE BREAK
Meanwhile, Arkadi, Gilda, Lista and the Dragon Council Agents all landed in another alley. Unbeknownst to them, Yang Jake and Yang Rose both landed on the roof of one of the two buildings that made way for the alley and looked down.
Getting a good look at all of the dragons down in the alley, Yang Jake narrowed his eyes. "It's just as I suspected."
"What?" Yang Rose asked as both she and Jake's doppelganger looked up.
"I was right." Yang Jake said as he turned his head to the side.
"About what?" Yang Rose hissed as she turned her head to the side as well.
"None of those are the original Rose." Yang Jake answered.
LINE BREAK
Back on the Island of Draco, Harley, Dwight and Ferne just stood in silence as Rose stood in front of them with her arms crossed, a frown on her face.
"Don't look at us like that." Ferne said. "We didn't do anything wrong."
"I'm not mad at you three." Rose said, lowering her scaly arms to her sides. "Of course, that doesn't mean anything." She smiled. "I'm still having you train. It'll help you if you are dead-set on helping me."
"Yeah, but with Kelsey gone..." Dwight said. "...Who can I train with?"
"Hmm..." Rose thought as she put a clawed hand to her chin. Just three seconds later, though, she smiled and pulled her hand away, snapping her fingers. "...I've got it! I know who will train with you."
"Who?" Dwight asked.
"You'll find out in a few minutes..." Rose said as she slowly turned around. "...Stay here, I'll be right back." She said as she started to walk away.
BLACKOUT; END EPISODE
A/N: Please review.
