And hello again! YFWE here with another update, after a brief break from writing fanfics. My last update was actually my fanfic 'Everything Burns,' which was my first M-Rated on this site. And now, I think I shall update this, as I am quite close to finishing it. This chapter of "Ordinary" was originally supposed to be the last, but I decided that I could draw it out over two instead. Who knows... maybe I'll go into June and officially make this fic one year old without being finished! So... I really don't have much else to say, except that I would really appreciate your reviews and such. So... here we go!
Ordinary: Ch. 12
YFWE
It was the choice of a lifetime.
Unfortunately for Jake Long, this choice was not quite as easy as other choices had been up to that point. When we think of choices we make throughout the day, we never really think of the simpler choices, in comparison to the larger, more important ones. Choices like... should I do my homework today? Or.. I think I left the oven on; should I turn it off or just ignore it? Those are the easy choices.
But then there are those choices that matter so much more. Choices that could mean life... or death.
And in this case, it was death.
Jake and Rose stood there side by side, the former in his normal human form (because, of course, in this world he was not a dragon) and the latter in her Huntsclan uniform, minus the mask. In Rose's hand she held a small key. It was the key that, in effect, was a key to two humans' survival.
But what was this? The Huntsmaster opposed them, a few paces away. In HIS hand was a small device with two bright red buttons. One of the buttons had already opened up a half-globe on the floor in the center of the room, in which spun somewhere close to thirty long metal blades, of course signifying that anyone who happened to fall in would be cut to ribbons.
Dangling above this melee was a cage. In the cage was the new American Dragon, Dan.
Even though it would've mattered to Jake no matter who was in the cage, it was the second figure inside that was most important to him.
For this figure, although not visible at the time, was his Grandpa and Dragon Master, Lao Shei.
Of course, Grandpa was no longer Jake's Dragon Master. Jake was not even a dragon. This world that Chiang had created... it had changed so many things in Jake's life. Some things were for the best. But other instances...
...such as this now...
Jake figured that it was best he did not think of such things at this point, as it was imperative that Jake find a way to get Grandpa and Dan out of there.
But how? Rose had the key, luckily. But if she made the slightest move toward the cage, it'd be lights out for the two "tenants" of the cage. The Huntsmaster would see to that.
"Um... if you've got any bright ideas, right now would be a great time to hear 'em," Jake whispered to Rose.
"What can we do?" Rose shot back. "They'll die if I make one move toward the cage!"
She paused. "...I guess that the only thing we CAN do is return the key!"
"What! But what about..."
"Would you rather they die now, or die later?" Rose asked demandingly. "If we give him the key now, maybe we can think of another way..."
"I'm waiting," said the Huntsmaster impatiently.
Rose emitted a long sigh, before walking dejectedly toward her uncle. Saying not a word, she held out the key to the Huntsmaster.
"Rose...," Jake whispered.
There became a moment of silence before the Huntsclan leader snatched the key quickly.
"Hm... I suppose some thanks are in order, then...," he smiled slyly. "I shall let you leave."
He was referring to Jake, who did not seem all that thrilled by this.
"Thank you, uncle," Rose bowed to her master. Then she turned to Jake, "Jake... get outta here. Things could get ugly." Then she added under her breath, "I'll try and get them out."
Jake nodded. He turned on his heel and began back toward the tunnel through which he had entered. It was, in effect, something he had to do. And hey- Rose could handle it, couldn't she? She could at least try and free Grandpa...
As Jake disappeared into the arcade, the Huntsmaster retrieved the same communication device he had used to call Rose a few minutes prior. "All Huntsclan members," he said sternly into the device, "we have a trespasser on the grounds. He is heading toward the Research lab. Please intercept him and proceed to the prisoner ward, immediately!"
"Wait!" Rose exclaimed. "You said...!"
"I KNOW what I said," he sneered. "I said he could leave. I simply did not specify whether or not he was to leave the room or leave the building."
"No!" she cried, leaping towards the tunnel. "Jake, watch out!"
Meanwhile, Jake proceeded rather slowly towards the building's exit. He didn't want to leave... but he had faith in Rose.
It was the Huntsmaster he didn't trust.
Good thing, too.
"Jake!" he heard Rose's voice calling from behind him.
"R-rose?" Jake whirled around. "What's..."
"Look out!"
Jake was promptly slammed into by a black whirlwind from his left side, the force of the blow knocking him a few feet away and onto the ground.
The black figure stood over him, and soon after it was joined by half a dozen similar, if not identical, black figures. Lesser members of the Huntsclan.
"Don't you hurt him!"
Rose barreled into one of the ninjas, definitely catching it off guard as it went sprawling across the hall.
But as Rose felt a slight sense of triumph wash over her, one problem still presented itself.
She was still outnumbered six-to-one.
"Nice try," spoke the leader.
From his staff sprung a net, which enveloped Rose before she had a chance to evade it.
It knocked her off her feet- which surprised Rose, to say the least. That is, until she realized what the net really was.
The net was a new prototype of which the Huntsclan had recently developed. It... drained the energy of its target, to make a long story short.
And that's exactly what it began to do.
"Nnghh...," Rose grunted as she struggled to sit up. She stared over at Jake. He was in the same net.
"Jake... n-no...," she gasped weakly. She laid her head down, to see three Huntsclan members hover above her.
"No..."
Her vision began to blur, soon becoming completely darkened.
She managed to utter one last sigh.
And then all went silent.
END CHAPTER
So... it was short, everyone. But it worked, I think. A nice setup to a final chapter... or is this the end of the story altogether? I'll leave that up to you guys to ponder. So read and review, and I'll update somewhere else soon!
YFWE