A Dragon's Crimson Cry
By: Tippi
Ch 55 Bet On It
Jake had told his grandfather he was going out with Al Sunday and like usual LS was okay with it so long as Jake was back before dark.
Come Sunday Jake was wondering since he woke up what they were doing. Jake was leaving the house for the first time in over a week and over the course of the week he felt different.
Jake rummaged around in his closet looking for something to wear to suit his new feeling. He pushed clothes aside, sliding their hangers across the railing till his eyes fell on red and yellow.
The red jacket complemented how he felt so well.
Al was waiting for Jake just outside the door.
He was dressed in black jeans and black button up shirt with a ban of blue waves across the chest. He also had a small pack hanging off his right shoulder.
Jake was dressed in sneakers, knee long jeans, white t-shirt, and red jacket with yellow patches on the elbows.
They left on their skate boards and since they left Jake was following Al blindly.
"Are you going to tell me exactly where we're going" Jake asked.
"It's a surprise" Al replied with as smile.
"We're here" Al announced stopping in front of an ally with a dead end.
"An ally real impressive" Jake said.
"Haven't you learned anything," Al said going up to the brick wall. "Things aren't always what they appear." Then Al walk through the wall like there was none.
Jake hesitantly walked forward and stuck is hand to the wall and it went right through. Jake walked forward and the rest of his body passed through, it was if the wall didn't exist.
"Don't you just love the tricks the magical world has" Al said turning to Jake.
"I guess" Jake said not quite sure what else to say. "So where do we go from here?"
"Just around the corner" Al answered. "But first" Al said opening his pack.
Al pulled out a leather jacket and slipped it on. He then ruffed his hair putting it into spikes, put on a pair of sunglasses and then removed his concealment spell bracelet.
"Here clip this on somewhere" Al said handing Jake a small clip that had what looked like a crystal dangling from it.
Jake put it on his right side belt loop of his shorts. Once it was clipped on the red of his jacket turned black, as did his shorts, then the shorts became pants.
"And put on theses" Al said handing Jake his own pair of sunglasses.
"Do I want to know why were going bad boy fashion" Jake asked.
"It's to blend in" Al said as they were walking around the corner.
Jake saw a goblin standing guard in front of a metal door.
Jake followed behind Al letting him make the move.
"Hey" Al said to the goblin and he opened the door for Al.
Jake was following Al in when the goblin grabbed him by the back of the jacket.
"Hold it" he said holding Jake.
"He's with me" Al informed the guard.
"Sorry my bad" the guard said letting go of Jake quickly.
Jake walked inside to see an assortment of many magical beings walking or standing around.
Against one wall was a bar with many creatures sitting in the stools. The rest of the inside had a section for pool tables, darts, cards, and in the center of everything was a fighting ring.
"What is this place" Jake asked Al.
"The only underground fighting ring that allows minors to place bets" Al answered. "As well as play a few games of their own for some extra scratch."
"How do you know about this place isn't your family a little too high class for this" Jake asked.
"Normally yes but I have an uncle whose kinda the black sheep of the family he took me a few years back when I went to him about my family issues. I kinda do this as a bad boy, get back at mommy and daddy thing" Al answered.
"How's that working out" Jake said.
"Not to well, they don't seem to wonder were I'm spending and sometime loses my large allowance every week" Al explained.
Al guides Jake through the whole process of the way it all worked.
"Get it" Al said finishing.
"I think" Jake said.
"The only way to fully understand is to do it" Al said taking Jake over to the betting booths. Over each one were two screens one had the name of the two fighters and there status while the second showed the two fighters posturing.
"Pick a fighter and place a bet" Al said.
"Okay" Jake said taking a good look at the screens trying to decide which one to choose. It was two ogres going against each other. When it's two ogres fighting it was all about brute strength.
In the end Jake bet five gold coins on ogre two.
"Going big the first time" Al said as they gathered around the ring to watch the fight.
At the beginning of the fight it seemed as if the ogres were evenly match but not far into the fight the under dog began to totally beat down his opponent.
"Beginners luck" Al said turning to Jake.
"Care to find out" Jake said.
The two were placing bet after bet on a total of six fights. Al had won three and lost three, while Jake had picked the winner of all six. Al found out, like Fu, Jake had a real knack for picking a winner. Now it was the 7th fight and they figured they call it a night after this and collect their money.
The last fight was two fire elemental elves. Jake watched the two they moved like martial artists but with every move fire was conjured and manipulated. Watching the fight had an event of yesterday surface in his mind.
After Jake and Al had collected their money, in the form of dollars, and left a thought was tugging at his mind, one he decide to ask Al.
"Al I've got a question about fire bending" Jake started.
"Like the fire, I wish I could control the element of fire but like my hair dad's genes took over" Al said before throwing in something more. "What be really cool is if I could bend water and fire."
"Wouldn't it conflict with each other, besides no one can control two elements, can they" Jake asked.
"There have been stories of elves that have mastered two or more elements but I've never seen it so I guess they're just stories" Al surmised.
"Well back to my original question" Jake said.
"Okay shot" Al asked.
"Is it possible for a dragon to be a fire bender" Jake asked.
"I'm not dragon master but I never heard of a dragon bending fire," Al answered "Now breathing fire definitely. Why you been bending fire."
Jake stopped Al before they went through the fake wall.
"You could say that' Jake said doing what he did yesterday and held up his hand showing it completely incased in flames.
"That's not normal and at the same time so cool" Al said staring wide eyes at it. "Did you tell your grandfather, what did he say?"
"I haven't told him," Jake said stopping the fire and getting the look of guilt on his face.
"Why not" Al asked.
"I don't know I just didn't maybe it's the starting of teen rebelling kicking in" Jake surmised.
"As your friend is my duty to keep you secrets from other people so if you don't want to tell your grandfather I won't tell him" Al told Jake.
"I'm worried one day I'll burn something I don't mean to" Jake admitted.
"Well if it's control you worried about I can help" Al offered. "Tomorrow after school I can take you to some one who may help."
"The sooner the better" Jake said before he and Al continued on their way home.
A/N This may get confusing later on if it isn't already so any questions just ask. Review
