The dragon team made their way back to Grampa's shop with no problems. They were still stunned by what they had seen at the concert. It didn't make any sense to any of them. How could Jake possibly be the Huntsboy? More importantly how could he be in two places at once?
"This is very bad. Jake has forsaken his dragon heritage and joined one of the top twelve evils of the magical world. The Dragon Council must be informed at once." Grampa said.
"Whoa whoa hold up a minute Gramps. Before we go informing the Council about this, shouldn't we try to figure out what's going on?" Fu said
"Yeah Gramps we don't want to see Jake get hurt. We all knew something wasn't right with Jake but this was beyond our imagination. He needs our help." Trixie told him.
"That goes for me to. If our best bro is in trouble we want to help him." Spud alleged.
Grampa held up his hands to stop them from further protesting. "I know that you want to help Jake and I do to. But I can't delay from informing the Council about the situation. The longer we wait the worst it will get for Jake. I'll be only a few minutes. Please don't disturb me." He then disappeared into his bedroom to contact the Council leaving them alone.
"This isn't good. The Council already has it in for Jake. He's not what you call a typical dragon. His unusual style has gotten him into more jams then I care to count. I hate to think of what punishment they come up with for him for this stunt. What was he thinking and why didn't we notice it sooner?" Fu complained.
"Because both humans and magical beings see and hear what they want to see and hear. Anything that ruins their perfect vision of normalcy is completely ignored. Look guys I think I know what's going on with Jake and I know now I should have spoken up sooner." Eva told them as she turned to face them.
"What are you talking about home girl? Are you saying you know the answer to why Jake is working for the nutcase Huntsdude and at the same time being his usual fun loving dragon self?" Trixie demanded
Eva nodded her head. Spud looked at her in exasperation. "Well spit it out already women."
"You have to understand something. Jake is a complicated person. When I first met him he struck me as a very noble and brave person who liked to have fun. But I also saw much hurt in his eyes. He confided in me how much he wished he were normal so that he could enjoy life. He told me about a girl he loved very deeply and I didn't understand at the time what he meant about his job getting in the way. Now I do and I'm also partially responsible for the mess he's in." Eva explained
"Jake learned from me about a potion designed to help strip were creatures of their magical side then rein fuse them with another magical force that could help them lead normal lives."
"Hold up a second Eva. That potion wasn't designed to work for dragons. There powers allow them to take dragon form but be born human. If Jake took that stuff it could have unseen consequences. He could permently turn into whatever magical creature he turned into. Also he during the split he would still be linked with his old self. Hurt one half injure both. This is very bad." Fu said desperation in his voice.
"I'm afraid its about to get worse young ones." Grampa said returning to the room. He looked like he aged about a hundred years. "The Council has declared Jake a danger to the magical community. He has crossed a line that can't be uncrossed. He is to be executed on site. They have already sent out their best search teams. Once they find Jake either as the Huntsboy or the American Dragon they have orders to kill him."
"What! You have to be joking! Please tell me your joking. You can't be serious. How can the Dragon Council do something like this? You aren't going to just sit here and let them kill your own grandson. You got to go see them in person and ask them to reconsider." Eva pleaded.
"Yeah will thing of something. If you can delay those killer dragons I'm sure with Fu's help we can whip up a cure and solve this whole thing before sunrise." Trixie assured him.
"You got to give us a chance. Remember we've helped you before and kept your secret this long." Spud reminded him.
"Come on old man you got to have some tricks up your sleeve. Surely you can persuade the Council to give us a little time. It wouldn't hurt to try." Fu begged giving him the puppy dog eyes.
"Very well I will go to Dragon Isle. I have no wish to explain to my daughter why her son's body is in the morgue. At the very least the Council owes us some time to fix this mess. You must find the two halves of Jake both the human and dragon and bring them back here before one of them is killed. I'll be back as soon as possible." Grampa told them before taking to the air.
They watched him go their hearts heavy. This city was huge and they had no idea where to start looking for Jake. Also the hunter dragons were the elite of the Dragon Council. How were they going to get both halves of Jake Long back to the store safely?
"We need a plan. Fu there must be a spell a potion something in one of your books that can reverse the power stripping/power infusion potion. One that can help us turn Jake back to normal. After Jake is whole again will find a way to wipe the memory of this incident from everyone mind. I can track Jake down but I need someone to help me and at the same time someone has to keep those hunters off our tail." Eva ordered.
"Can you use another pair of eyes and legs to help you?" A voice said from the front of the store. They whirled around coming face to face with Rose. She was dressed in her school clothes but in one hand was carrying her Hunts Staff. In the other she was holding a small blue ball. She had a look of determination on her face. "Before you attack me and hand me over to the Council I implore you to hear me out. I have no more wish to see Jake dead then you do. I've come to offer my services in helping our friend."
Trixie spat her. "Girl we don't need your help. Haven't you done enough damage turning Jake into this killer Huntsboy and alienating him from his family and friends? He's on the executioners block!"
"Trixie that's enough. I can smell emotions and she's sincere in her offer to help. You love Jake don't you? That's why you helped him even though you suspected that things would get out of hand. You've protected him for a long time. What will you do for us if we allow you to help." Eva asked
"Look I can track down any member of the Huntsclan by their mark. It's like a built in tracking device. I can take out Huntsboy. I taught him everything he knows. Eva I know you can find his dragon half no problem. Trixie, Spud you're the best people for the job of distracting the Hunters and making sure they don't find Jake first. Fu over there can whip up a potion that will help us and I stole from my Uncles cabinet of magical artifacts a time sphere. If we activate this after Jake takes the antidote we can go back in time the moment before all this happen and stop it from occurring at all. I swear I will stop being Huntsgirl if it saves Jake's life. That's my offer take it or leave it." Rose told them.
Spud held out his hand. "Welcome to the team Huntsgirl. Good to know that you have a heart inside there." She shook it and put on her uniform. "Lets go were wasting time."
Eva let the change ripple through her body. Her fur appeared all over her body. Her tail sprang out and her teeth reformed. She let out a mighty roar and sniffed the air taking in the American Dragon's scent. The moment she had it she bounded out of the store and into the night. Huntsgirl jumped to the rooftop and took off running and Spud and Trixie skated down the streets with magic in their pockets. Fu started working on the potion praying that he wouldn't have to bet anything on the old man to change the Council mind about Jake.
Huntsboy was racing across the rooftops as fast as his legs could carry him. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that a trio of the meanest looking dragons he ever saw was still pursuing him. Swearing under his breath he jumped down into an alley and rolled under a dumpster. He held his breath trying not to gag as the trio searched the alley. One came dangerously close to finding him. But soon they left and he let out a sigh of relief. Crawling out from the dumpster he brushed off his uniform. "I got to make it back to the Huntslair and find out what's going on." He took off running keeping an eye out for trouble.
Meanwhile the American Dragon was busy trying to dodge an aerial attack in a dogfight. Three brown and gold Hunter dragons were forming a triangle around him. The center dragon let out a stream of fire while the other two lashed out their tales striking him. "Hey what are you doing? Stop I'm on your side!"
"We don't side with traitors. You have brought danger to the magical community. Your punishment for that shall be death!" One of the Hunters informed him biting him on the leg.
American Dragon let out a roar of pain and kicked him in the stomach. He raked his talons forward forcing the other two back then he soared high away. He hid in a cloudbank then took a steep dive into the narrow alleyways of Manhattan effectively losing his tails. Wiping the sweat from his forehead he took a deep breath. "Man what was their problem? Got to find out what my other half is up to. I'm sure that he's responsible for all this trouble."
Meanwhile on Dragon Isle Grampa was desperately trying to change the Councils mind. So far the Council looked at him with anger, hatred, and distrust. "We have already made up our minds about this issue Lao. Your dragon pupil has crossed the line for the last time. His actions in the past can't help him avoid the consequences of his choices now. From what you have told us he now bears the mark of the Huntsclan and carries the Dragon Blade. These are indicators that he has forsaken his dragon heritage for good. He must be stopped!" The old man dragon
"But executing a thirteen year old boy? That's a bit extreme! He is just a teenager. They make mistakes and a do stupid things but that doesn't mean we put them to death! We are not monsters!" Grampa insisted.
"I admit that killing the boy is bit extreme. I wish there was another way but I can't think of one. If we lock him up we still have to deal with the repercussions of what he did. The Huntsclan will never leave us alone and there is no other solution to the problem. Unless your grandson is willing to stand trial for what he did and surrender himself to us we have no choice but to allow the Hunters to do their job." The black man stated.
"However due to past dealings with the American Dragon and his irresponsible behavior I doubt that he will do that. I have been in communication with the Hunting teams and they have encountered both the Huntsboy and the American Dragon. Both have put a fight and have injured them. I say that's enough proof that he's to dangerous to leave alive." Chang said.
"You are wrong. My family and Jakes friends will not allow your judgment to pass. I also have to have faith that my grandson will find a way to become whole again without all this damage." Grampa said before turning to leave.
Huntsgirl was racing across the rooftop her right hand ungloved. Her birthmark was glowing bright red and getting brighter the closer she got to Huntsboy. She smiled glad that her families cursed mark had some positive side to it. Gripping her staff tightly she peered across the city and spied Huntsboy racing towards the Hunts Lair. She had to stop him before he met up with her Uncle.
Huntsboy was about to spring across the rooftop when an energy blast stopped him in his tracks. He twisted around to see Huntsgirl standing on the edge of the roof holding up her staff to the side. "What was that for Rose? I have to go explain the situation to the Huntsmaster."
"No you have to go to your Grampa's shop. You need to rejoin with your dragon half before those Hunter dragons come back and kill you. Don't you see Huntsboy? Jake this experiment has been a huge mistake. You've changed and your family is worried about you. Please come with me." Huntsgirl begged
"I don't believe what I'm hearing! There's no way I'm going back to being Jake Long American Dragon. Your going to have to fight me to get me back to that stupid shop!" Huntsboy threatened crouching into a fight position.
"I really wish I didn't have to do this but you leave me no choice. I promised to get you back to the shop in one piece and so help me that's what I'm going to do. Hiyah!" She shouted leaping at him and brining her staff down on top of him.
He deflected the shot with his saber and slashed her uniform before rolling out of the way. He waited for her to make her move before he made his. But Rose was to smart for that. She faked right then swept her staff under him tripping him up. When he thrusted upward with the Dragon Blade she took his wrist in her hands and twisted it right out of his hands and knocked him out with the handle of the blade. She pulled him over her shoulders and headed back to the store.
Eva was roaming the streets when she finally found the American Dragon. She let out a roar and pounced on him. She didn't give him a chance to escape. They fought hard but in the end she prevailed. She dragged his body back to the store.
Neither girl realized they had an easier time then they should have getting back. Several times that night Trixie and Spud had to use the magic lent to them to fool the Hunters and then put protective wards around the shop. Finally they arrived back safely. Quickly they locked the dragon half up and tied up his human. Then they went to see Fu.
"Good news kiddies. I called in some favors and managed to get my paws on mandrake root, thyme, and some toadstools. The potion is ready but there is a catch. It will only work if both halves want to get back together. That's the catalyst that holds the potion together. Only then can we use the time sphere." Fu told them.
"Then we have no choice. We have to convince Jake to go back to the way he was and fast. We've got dragons, Huntsclan, and other magical beings on our tale. We have to do this soon." Eva said.
"Hey guys come in here. There waking up!" Trixie yelled.
"Wow settle down Jake. You're going to hurt yourself." Spud said trying to calm him down.
"What are you doing? Let me go this instant. I'm not going to cooperate. I know what you're trying to do and its not going to work. I'm not going back to being the American Dragon!" Huntsboy screamed at the top of his lungs.
"Same goes for me man. There's no way I was ever part of that nutcases life. I say were better off this way." American Dragon said.
"Yo Jakey your tripping man. Listen to us were your friends. We want to help you." Trixie said.
"Come on Jake this isn't you. You're our best friend. We promised to stick together no matter what. We know your going through a tough time but were going to help you." Spud told him.
"Were all friends here Jake. I know how much you wanted this. I have to tell you sometimes I wish I could be a normal girl and not a were jaguar. But then I remember how much I love to run in my fur and use my other powers. I wouldn't be me if I wasn't a were jaguar. To each there own selves. Let thy self be true. You understand Jake?" Eva asked
"Yeah Jake go back to being the American Dragon. I liked you better that way. Besides I can find a way to quit the Huntsclan." Rose told him holding out the potion.
Jake took the potion in his hand and looked at it. He thought about everything that had ever happened to him. He realized they were right. He was happier when he was himself. Looking at his dragon half they nodded. He drank half the potion giving the other half to the dragon. A few minutes later they were one.
They used the time sphere and returned to the moment before he took the first potion. He chose not to and Rose understood. Life went on. Eva became a good friend and he hung out with Trixie and Spud a little more often. And best of all Rose became a double agent helping out the magical community while stopping the rest of the Huntsclan. Best of all he was who he was supposed to be. That metamorphic process had shown him that he was truly the American Dragon Jake Long!