Chapter Eleven: New Problems and Old Feelings
Katie sighed as she looked up at Heather. The girl's bright smile and blue eyes made Katie freeze. "Are you ok?" Heather asked Katie in worry for her friend. "I feel ok…but I'm more worried about this nutcase that thinks Mom is a Phoenix." That got Jake's attention. He walked toward Katie and looked into the young dragon's green eyes. "What did this man look like?" He asked gently as he offered her a hand so she could lean on him and walk to a table. Katie took out a pencil, and began to sketch the man. Jake facepalmed. "Professor Rotwood…" Kim looked at Jake. "Who is he?" Jake shook his head. "He used to be a teacher, but now he's the principal at the middle school." Jake said as he looked at the sketch. Katie shivered. "He has a picture of Mom and though she was a Phoenix." Jake looked at his grandfather. "This man has been known to act foolishly before." He said, "I hope he is wiser since the last time." Jake shivered. "I hope so, too, Gramps."
In fact, Professor Rotwood was pouring over the photo of Veronica. "Where are you, you beautiful creature?" He asked with a light touch to the picture. Strangely, the man felt entranced by the photo. Her beauty was unfathomable. Only a mystical creature could create such a feeling of beauty within this man. Then, he remembered the little girl with the deformity who said that the beautiful Phoenix was her mother. I wonder if the little one was delusional. He thought. If only I knew where to look… The man thought as he let out a depressed sigh. There was a sudden knock at the door. A man in a suit stared at Hans with unblinking eyes. "May I come in, professor?" A jolt of excitement ran through the German's body. "YES!" He yelled in excitement as he quickly flung the door open in a quite undignified manner. The man in a suit looked at Rotwood with confusion for a moment. Then, Rotwood calmed his answer to a more professional tone after the disgraced professor cleared his throat. "I mean…uh…yes, of course." He stepped aside and gestured kindly for the man to sit. "We believe you have been in contact with a dragon's nest." The professor gasped and pushed his glasses up from the bridge of his nose. "Mien good sir, I have studied dragons for decades, und I would know if I was around a dragon at any time."
The man in a suit frowned at Rotwood's claim and straitened his suit. "Sir, the Organization I represent has been studying Homo dracanus for generations, so forgive me for not trusting the skills of a novice." The man told Rotwood as he folded his arms. "I am interested …" The man got up, walked to Rotwood's desk, and picked up the picture of the "Phoenix". "…in this woman, however." Rotwood swallowed hard. "Her? She is nothing…only the subject of some recent study." The man smiled and seemed to understand. "Indeed…but would you not like to capture her for…closer examination?" Rotwood's heart stopped for a fraction of a second and his nerves began to bleed through. "Capture? I do n-not know h-how." He stuttered. The man in a suit inwardly rolled his eyes as he produced a strange net gun. "This Sphinx Hair net will neutralize her while she is in it." The man smiled and laughed lightly. "Serve us well, and you will see the fame and notoriety you crave, Professor." As the man turned to leave, Rotwood stopped him with a hand on the shoulder. "Uh, excuse me? How will I contact you when she is captured?" The man in the suit smiled a smile that made Rotwood nervous. "We will know, Herr Rotwood."
Back with Veronica and Kim, Fu Dog smiled as he came out of the potions room with a vial of glowing purple liquid. "Let's worry about that stuff later." He turned to Katie. "Kat Kid, I've got something I think you will like." He said as he eyed her unsteady form leaning on the table. "Here is a mix of Hydra blood, pixie dust, and a dash of Phoenix Fire." Katie looked at the odd concoction skeptically. "What is that, Fu?" The dog just smiled. "It will give you back your body in full. Isn't that awesome?!" Kim gulped as Veronica took a step toward the two to stop Katie, but the green woman only sighed heavily and stopped when she saw the deadly fire lit in Katie's eyes. "You shouldn't have done that, Fleabag." Veronica told him as Katie snatched the potion from the Shar Pei and threw it against the wall before scorching the liquid to evaporation with flame. "Don't ever do that again. Understood?!"
The dog shuttered at Katie's rage. "What did I do?" Katie glared and picked up the dog with ease due to years of strength building in her arms to make him look her in the eyes. "I have spent years fighting between my own fears and outside pressures. People saying, 'Oh, I know how it feels.', 'I wish I could do something to help.', and my personal favorite, 'If I could take your pain, I would.' I don't want to sound ungrateful, but I hate it when people think they know SHIT about my life! Did you ever think to ask if I wanted to be cured, Fu?" She asked him. "No, you didn't. At first, I would have taken the potion in a heartbeat, but I am stronger because of my weaknesses." Katie growled before she dropped the poor dog.
Veronica smiled at Katie. "Do you need a sparring partner, honey?" Katie nodded and went to stand, but the old Dragon Master help up a hand. "Before you go, young one, I have a gift for you." The room filled with light as the Dragon Master created a bright ball of Dragon's Fire above Katie's hands. A set of forearm crutches just like the ones she had before they burned up the first time she went full dragon landed in Katie's hands."Young dragon, these will vanish when assume your dragon form and reappear around your arms when you return to your human form." Katie giggled and began to cry with tears of joy at the old man's gift. "Thank you very much, sir!" The old man bowed with a wide smile. "It was my pleasure, Katie. Now, you are ready to train with your mother." Katie smirked evilly at that.
On the roof, Katie and Veronica took their stances. Veronica didn't have time to react as Katie charged her and knocked the woman on her ass by sweeping a leg with her crutch. "Dirty, I have taught you well, my young apprentice." Veronica growled in her best imitation of Emperor Palpatine's voice. Katie smirked as Veronica swung, but Katie was ready and dodged quickly. "When we left," Katie dodged Veronica's strikes as she talked. "I was but a learner." Katie began striking with speed Veronica hadn't seen the girl use in her practice drills at home. Something has shifted in you, my young Padawan. "Now, I am the Master." Katie finished the iconic quote and balanced into a spin kick on her crutches. Veronica grinned and caught Katie's leg. "Much to learn, you still have, mine old Padawan!" Katie quickly caught herself on her crutches before she hit the concrete after being thrown. The young girl looked up to see her mother in the air in a parabolic arc toward Katie. Katie quickly blocked Veronica's fiery hands by putting her crutches into an X and leaned in on Veronica. "You have lost." Katie stated giggling. "No, no; YOU have lost!" Katie pushed out at that moment. Veronica landed on her back and smiled at her daughter.
Before Katie could celebrate victory, the sound of air rushing past her assaulted Katie's ears, and a black net pounced on Veronica. Katie watched her mother struggle against the net to no avail in horror. "Mom!" The girl cried out in fear. Sphinx Hair…That means... Veronica's eyes widened. "Katie, stay back!" Veronica ordered. Kim! Veronica roared through their Bond. Kim rammed through the door in her armor. As Kim jumped to cut the bindings with her sword, she felt an annoying prick in a very small uncovered spot on her armor. Kim stumbled as the toxin began to take effect her. She collapsed only seconds later on top of Veronica, the redhead's arms splayed out protectively over her dragon. "Mom?! Momma?!" Katie cried in panic. From anther rooftop, a man chuckled. "The Dragon AND her Rider as a bonus? Huntsmaster will be most pleased."
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