A Dragon's Crimson Cry

By: Tippi

Ch 52 A Tail of Wings

LS called Jake's friends to tell them to stay away and he'd call the school Monday to let them know Jake be absence for awhile.

Jake was lying on his stomach atop the couch to avoid adding pressure to his pained back.

"I think now would be a good time to start working on controlling your chi" LS said standing next to his pained grandson on the couch.

"If it will take the pain away" Jake said pushing him self up and off the couch. "What do I do" Jake asked once he was on his feet.

"First take a deep breath to calm your self" LS said.

Jake did as his grandfather said.

"Now close your eyes and focus on the pain in your shoulders" LS instructed.

"That's easy enough" Jake informed.

"I want you to think of your chi flowing to the area of your pain" LS explained.

"How do I do that" Jake asked.

"You have to figure that out on your own" LS said.

Jake gave a moan at his grandfather's sudden lack of help.

Jake thought about what his grandfather said 'think of your chi flowing.'

Jake began to contemplate what was said in his head. 'Okay what flows? Liquids, like water… or blood.'

Jake knew how blood flowed he'd seen it many times. Jake closed his eyes and thought of his veins how his blood flowed through them. Then he pictured it flowing to his point of pain. Jake focus on nothing else but the picture of the flowing blood to his shoulder blades.

As Jake focused he felt a seen burning sensation on his shoulder blades, ending his focus, it lasted only a second or two before it ended. As soon as it ended the pain he'd been feeling in his shoulders was gone. His back felt like it had gained a few pounds. Jake turned his head to look over his shoulders to see red wings folded against his back.

Jake thought of unfolding them and they followed his order and unfolded showing off his entire wing span.

Jake heard a whistle and for the first time since he walked in noticed Fu was still in the room.

"Impressive," Fu said coming closer to get a better look. "Not many dragons have a wing span like this to start. Most dragons it takes months to a year. Learning to fly for you is going to be a breeze."

At Fu's whistle LS walked in to see his grandson sporting a new pair of wings.

"Nice, that didn't take you long at all" LS said looking at Jake.

"So now what" Jake asked.

"How about you work on the tail" LS suggested.

"Okay that can't be too hard if it's anything like the wings" Jake said before focusing.

Jake did as he did with the wings but focused on his lower back.

He felt the same sensation he did when his wings appeared. He looked back but his wings were still spread out. He folded them against his back again and looked back to see a red tail with a green ridge draped on the couch.

Jake may of now had a tail and wings but the pain was now gone putting in a much better mood.

"Good now time to work on stopping the flow to hide them" LS said.

"No problem, I mean look what I've already did" Jake said.

"Don't get cocky stopping a flow is a lot easier then starting one" LS warned Jake.

"Whatever" Jake said back.

Jake focused on the flow and tried to stop it but as his grandfather warned it wasn't as easy.

It was about 6 and by that time Jake was too exhausted or frustrated to continue at the moment and fell back on the couch. He forgot about his tail and leaped back off upon sitting on it with a yelp.

He heard Fu to his left laugh at the incident.

Trying out his tail, Jake snaked it over and behind Fu and pulled it back to him. Fu was knocked off his feet on his butt on the floor.

"Hey, don't be taking your anger out on me" Fu yelled.

"Well, don't be laughing at my predicament" Jake said. "This whole chi flow stopping thing is so hard" Jake added to him self out load.

"I told you," LS said. "Why don't you come and have dinner an empty stomach isn't going to help the process any."

Jake hadn't realized how hungry he was till food was put in front of him. Controlling chi flow is very hungry work and he devoured about three full bowls of stew. After dinner Jake went back to trying to control his chi.

"Got to give the kid an A for effort and determination" Fu said to LS as they watched Jake continued trying.

"He might get an A in school if he put this much effort into his school work" LS responded.

"What am I doing wrong" Jake said after trying and still making no progress.

"Maybe you should call it a night and get some sleep" LS suggested. "It's almost 10."

"What" Jake exclaimed turning to look at the clock. "I can't believe it's been almost four hours now."

Jake reluctantly trudged up the stairs to go to bed. Jake hadn't realized till he was in his bedroom, but how was he going to sleep like this. As he found out that night as he lay in bed, very hard.

He couldn't lie on his back due to having wings and every time he rolled over he had to be careful to not get his tail tangled around his legs. But finally Jake was able to get comfortable and fall asleep.

The next morning Jake awoke and his whole body felt horrible.

"Good morning" LS said to his grandson as he entered the kitchen.

Jake just moaned in response.

"What's wrong" LS asked.

"My whole body's stiff and sore plus it feels like someone's drilling in my head" Jake explained.

"That's to be expected" LS said going to the medicine cabinet. "Your body isn't use to the chi flow." LS came back with a bottle of aspirin.

"I thought my chi was flowing two weeks ago when my seal first creaked" Jake said opening the bottle and dropping two pills into his hand.

"The chi was leaking through the cracks flowing to parts of you body and was just sitting there" LS explained. "Growing your tail and wings has caused it circulate it through your body."

Jake took the two pills and waited for the pain to go away.

"Take today off and let the chi circulate and you'll feel fine tomorrow" LS said. "And the circulation might help with the control once you body knows how flowing feels."

Jake was spending the morning and afternoon lying on the couch doing nothing. The pills took away the headache and soreness but his still felt stiff.

"Come on go faster" Fu said watching some magic channel on the TV.

Jake had been listening to Fu all day and found how bad at betting Fu really was.

"Noooo" Fu howled as his pick lost what ever sport was on.

"Fu you suck at picking a winner" Jake said.

"And you can," Fu snapped back. "Here you pick someone from the next centaur race" Fu said throwing the papers of races and runners at Jake.

"You want a 12 year almost 13 year old picking for you" Jake asked.

"I'm pretty far in debt as is you can't make it worst" Fu answered.

"You have a gambling problem" Jake said looking at the names for the next race.

Fu ignored Jake as he was looking up the status of the racers for the next run.

"I'm betting it on Slim Legs" Fu said as he dialed the numbers on the phone.

"I was going to go with Hyper Hoofs" Jake said.

Fu paused for moment.

"Just to show you your no better then me at picking winners, I'll bet on him then" Fu said as he dialed the last number.

The next race started and both were watching to see who the better gambler was.

"And Hyper Hoofs wins by a nose" the racing announcer yelled.

Fu looked at Jake and said "beginners luck, bet you can't do it again."

"You're on" Jake said with enthusiasm now that he actually had something to do to kill his boredom.

Race after race Jake picked the winners.

"From now on I'll consult you before making any racing bets" Fu said.

"Gambling is bad enough but involving a minor in it isn't only wrong but illegal" Sun said walking into the back.

"Sun what are you doing here" Jake asked at seeing her.

"I want to see how you were doing with the dragon chi and to give you this" Sun said handing a book to Jake.

"A book" Jake asked looking at it.

"I heard Friday how you had a book report to do and you hadn't chosen a book yet I thought you should read this one" Sun said with a smile.

"The Dragon's Cry" Jake said reading the title.

"It a classic and provide a little in sight into a dragon's role" Sun answered.

"Well, I mine as well read it I don't have anything else to really do and I do need a book for the report" Jake admitted.

As soon as Sun left Jake opened the book to the first page to find $20 inside with a hand written note saying 'Happy 13th Birthday.'

By the time it was time to go to bed Jake was pretty engrossed in the book.

He noticed many characters didn't have names, it was like the author was trying to make you identify with them more by not giving them a name and putting you in the story.

It was hard for Jake to put the book down but eventually he gave in to how tired he was and marked the page he ended on. He set the book on his nightstand next to his bed, turned off the reading light and fell asleep.

At least tonight it was easier to get comfortable now that he had experience on how to lie due to last night's lessons.

A/N This may get confusing later on if it isn't already so any questions just ask. Review