Chapter 2
During the present day, Jake Long was in school. He was in an assembly sitting next to his two best friends, Spud and Trixie. His teacher, Mr. Rottwood, was lecturing them. "Your future is not carved in stone, people. Although it may be carved with a Number 2 Pencil." "Oh please." Spud and Trixie said in unison. "Quiet! This is important!" Jake interrupted. "As most of you have probably forgotten," Rottwood continued, "you will be taking the New York State Test on Friday. This test will follow you through high school, and up to college, it is a very crucial part in your life. Young Haley Long here has become smart enough to skip ahead in testing and take it early, setting a-" Jake said the same thing that Rottwood said. "New record for the highest score in the history of the NYST." Rottwood then continued talking. "Do well, and a successful career and future is ensured. Fail, like Earl 'No Effort' Jones, and you will be doomed to a career at the Saucy Sandwich." Earl stood up, annoyed by this. "Hey! Working at the Saucy Sandwich takes brains, you know! If those Super Saucy Spices get overheated, it could cause a highly combustible explosion, taking out a whole city block!" The Jr. High students looked at him without emotion. "Oh, who am I kidding? My life is over." He exited the stage.
Mr. Rottwood took out an envelope that read "NYST Answers." He placed it in a briefcase, closed the case, and handcuffed himself to it. "These aren't just the answers to the test. These are the answers to your future. So study- and remember one thing; it's your future. Do you want fries with it?" Rottwood left the stage. Meanwhile, Jake seemed to be staring off into space. "Yo Jake, you okay? Jake?" Spud asked.
Chrono's domain is shown again, with Jake on his monitor. "What are you waiting for?" An observant asked. "It's the perfect chance to take him out." Chrono flew in front of him, turning from an adult into a child. "That's the problem with you Observants. All you do is observe." "You know our oath. To watch-" Chrono finished the sentence, turning into an old man. "And never act. Which is why you bring me in to do your dirty work." Turning back into an adult, he changes the monitor to show Jake studying in his grandfather's shop. "He turns evil, because he is under pressure for some test. Fine." Chrono turned into a child. "Then perhaps it is time for a test of my own."
Jake was in a state of focus, thinking about the question he was on for the sample test. Haley walks behind him, looking at the test over his shoulder. Jake is about to fill in circle A, but Haley makes a sound. Jake moves down to B, but Haley interrupts again. Now ticked, he moves to C, which Haley comments on as well. Jake finally explodes. "Alright! I get it! You're smart, I'm stupid, which means I'll never be able to get as high of a score as you." He flicked his pencil away in anger. "So far I'm not even qualified to scrape the grease off the Saucy Grill."
"Jake, I just don't want you to fail. And there are 3 ways not to." Jake annoyingly joins her sister in listing the ways. "Study hard, do your best-" Haley then cut him off. "And duck!" A boomerang of sorts came flying into the room, hitting Jake behind the head. Fu Dog and Gramps walked in. "A boomerang!" Jake asked, throwing it to the side. "Not just any boomerang, Jake." His grandfather explained. "This is a special magical boomerang that homes in and seeks out a powerful magical being." "In other words, kid," Fu Dog said, "You get hit on the head whenever you're near it." He said in his comical matter. The boomerang came back and hit Jake on the head again. "Although it needs a few more kinks worked out so it stops hitting Jake." Gramps said. Fu Dog looked at Jake's sample test. "What's that, kid? One of those stupid standardized tests? I failed an obedience school standardized test, and I turned out fine!" Making his trademark laugh, he walked out of the room with Gramps.
Jake, now very mad, shoved the test and a book off his desk. "Oh, I give-" Chrono's voice interrupted him. "Time Off." He boomed, freezing time, as Jake threw his stuff off the table, and Haley was in the middle of a sneeze. Chrono appeared in the room through a blue mist, in adult form. He had a female goblin child suspended in mid-air, frozen in time. "Ah, good. Dog and grandfather gone." Chrono morphed into child form. "He's alone with his sister." Chrono takes out a necklace with a clock on it, and placed it on the goblin girl. She woke up in surprise. "Huh, what? Where am I?" Chrono turned into an old man. "New York, before you were born. That boy over there is half dragon. My employers believe he is a threat to the world." He turned back into an adult. "Could you be a dear, and dance a little dance for us?" The goblin girl nodded, smiling evilly. "Time on!" Chrono pushed a button on his staff, disappearing once again in a blue mist.
The books and paper Jake threw on the floor continued falling, saying the word "Up!" Haley continued to sneeze. Jake felt something was near. "Ear of the dragon." His ear turned into his dragon ear, and although the goblin girl was trying to hide, he could hear her breathe. "A goblin? Here?" Jake stood up. "Now get out of my room!" Haley was surprised. "We're in Gramps's store. But she gasped looking at the goblin behind her. "But okay, if you insist!" She said, running out. "Wow, that was easy." Jake said. He turned around to see the goblin. "Now that she's gone, Dragon UP!" Jake was covered by a blaze, and when it cleared, he was in dragon form. "Yo, sorry, I don't date younger chicks, especially when they're a goblin!" "I am Herbette. Daughter of Herbert the Goblin!" She boomed. "Um, gross!" Jake replied. Herbette grew angry. "And now, you shall face the wrath of the goblin race!" She leaped into the air, trying to tackle Jake, but Jake simply flew out of the way, and she landed in some boxes. Jake then grabbed Herbette by the leg, and dangled her near his face. "Beware!" She boomed. Jake easily threw her through an open window, and tackled her out of the store.
Meanwhile, at the Saucy Sandwich, Rottwood was eating some fries, a burger, and drinking coffee with the test answers. Spud and Trixie walked up to him. "Shouldn't you slackers be studying for the NYST?" Spud replied confidently, "I've already studied." Trixie then spoke. "I'm sure I'll pass with sparklin' colors." Mr. Rottwood smirked. "The test answers in this briefcase may indicate otherwise. Enjoy your saucy sandwich, while you're still on this side off the counter." Rottwood laughed as Spud and Trixie exchanged sarcastic looks. Soon enough, Jake landed on his table, tackling Herbette into it with him. People in the building ran out panicking. Herbette stood up. "NOW you shall face the wrath of the goblin race!" She drew long nails, and fired them like weapons. However, Jake blew a cloud of fire, burning them all easily. "Ah, c'mon. If you actually are Herbert's daughter- gross- then you know how this ends." Herbette angrily grabbed the drink dispenser and threw it at Jake, sending him crashing to the other side of the building.
2 teens at the service counter were freaking out. "Let's get out of here!" However, Earl Jones blocked their way. "No! You mustn't leave! As Saucy Sandwich employees, you took an oath to protect the Saucy Spice from overheating at all costs." The girl teen spoke. "At minimum wage! I don't think so!" The two teens ran out the back door. Earl yelled to them. "You can kiss employee of the month goodbye!"
This gave Jake an idea. "That's right! He said at the assembly, if this stuff gets to hot, kaboom." He grabbed a packet from the counter. Herbette had her claws drawn out, ready to fight. "Prepare for-" Jake threw the packet on her head. He mockingly imitated Herbette. "Herbetter- Beware!" He fired a straight fire blast from his mouth at the packet, causing it to swell up. Jake braced himself for the explosion.
People outside the Saucy Sandwich watched as the wall was torn down in an explosion, and a sauce covered dragon Jake flew through, and was covered in fire all over his body. Rottwood put the briefcase over himself for protection, unaware that Jake was burning through the briefcase, and didn't realize it because it happened very quickly. Jake landed next to Spud and Trixie. Everyone, including Rottwood, ran away for their lives. "Who was that?" Spud asked. Trixie helped Jake up. "That was Herbette. The daughter of Herbert." "Yikes." Trixie and Spud replied in unison. "Actually," Jake said, "It's more of a 'gross'. I don't know what's going on," he kneels down to pick up the clock necklace. "But this necklace might give us a clue." Jake felt something stuck to his back. Pulling it off the sauce, it was revealed to be the test answers. "Oh my gosh, the answers to the NYST!"
Chrono was in his lair in adult form, watching this on his monitor, talking to the Observants. "Now watch this. He'll make the right decision. Then you'll see, you've got absolutely nothing to-" Jake yells with joy- "Hello great future!" Trixie responded, "Yo, you ain't thinking about peeking, are ya? Cause that's seriously whack." Of course I am." Jake powered down into human form. "Aren't you?"
The Observants spoke after the other.
"He has the test answers."
"He's clearly going to cheat."
"He has your time necklace."
"He has your time necklace."
Chrono turned into child form. "You said that twice." "Destroy him now, Chrono." One observant demanded. Chrono turned into an adult. "I know what I'm doing." He flew over to another screen and put his hand on it. The screen showed Panderus, the dark wizard as a cyborg. " We put the test answers in his hands, and he made the wrong decision." Chrono pushed the button on his staff, showing multiple events that will happen to Jake in the future. It ends with his friends and family tied up to the Saucy Spice container as it explodes, with Jake watching in vain.
"His future is sealed."