Hunts Man angrily slammed his fist into his desk.
"I will find her," he snarled.
For the past six years, Rose had eluded him. She would always be just beyond his grasp. Everywhere she went, he'd arrive a day too late and find her gone. It aggravated him to no limits. He'd just come back from Australia and had a run in with the resident dragon guardian. He was a decent fighter, but not as challenging as the American Dragon.
Sources said that Rose had gone back to the US, but no further specifics were given. Hunts Man looked on his computer's database to search for a state Rose hadn't been tracked to. The computer flashed a "please wait" notice, and then the name of one state appeared: New York.
Hunts Man stared at the name a moment and then he chuckled amusedly. He knew his niece well enough to guess what she was doing there.
"Seeking the protection of the American Dragon," he mused. "How very clever."
He knew the American Dragon was the reason Rose had run. He'd fooled her somehow, using his trickery and evil dragon ways. No matter. She made her decision and no one betrays the Hunts Clan…and lives to tell about it. When he caught her, he'd take great pleasure in slaying the American Dragon in front of her. It would be a slow and painful death. Then his little runaway would share the same fate.
But for now, he had to formulate a plan to capture the two. The former Hunts Girl was smart and she'd be able to see him coming if he didn't change his tactics. The American Dragon had gotten more powerful as well and he'd be protecting her. He'd have every magical being in New York and the surrounding states watching for the Hunts Clan. The Dragon Council would be all too happy to aid him, in hopes of ridding themselves of the Hunts Clan.
The day after dinner at Jake's, Trixie noticed a dramatic change in her friend. Rose's return gave Jake a complete attitude adjustment. Three gorgeous girls sauntered into the electronics shop, and tried their best to tempt him, but he barely noticed them. At lunch, Trixie and Spud invited Jake to come with them to a hip new café, but he declined. He said he wanted to eat at home, which was translated to "I'm going to see Rose so expect me back an hour after I'm supposed to be."
When he did finally come in, there was a red pair of lip marks on his cheek. Trixie was sickened by his overboard infatuation with Rose. She knew she had to do something. Jake was crazy about the girl that was destined to slay him and he seemed okay with it. Something had to be done, and Trixie was just the girl for the job.
'He needs someone better than Rose to focus on,' she thought. 'And there's plenty of places to find that girl.'
Rose was caught up in one big mess. Her uncle was hunting her down, Trixie wanted her out of Jake's life, and it seemed like Jake was planning something too. She didn't know what, but she was certain that she needed to sharpen up the old Hunts Clan skills. She'd need them in the days ahead.
Also, she and Fu worked to bring the Hunts staff back to life. With his knowledge of potions and magic, they gave it a massive upgrade and a new look. It was still shaped the same, but it had been painted black with a red dragon snaking up the handle and the head of it was at the end so when something shot out, it would appear that it would be coming from the mouth of a dragon. Rose just had to learn how to use her new weapon, which meant training. An old warehouse served as a good training room, and soon she gained mastery over the new and improved Hunts staff. She wanted to better her experience with her new weapon by taking it into an actual fight.
"I do not think it would be a wise decision," Lao Shi said.
"Lao Shi," Rose said with a groan, "You've got to let me fight sometime!"
The old man shook his head.
"Not today, young one," he said. "I want you to train more before I can be certain you are ready."
Rose growled in frustration and ran her fingers through her hair. She was ready and he knew it. The truth was, he didn't trust her. No one but Jake thought she was capable of fighting without reverting to her old ways. Whether Lao Shi liked it or not, Rose would fight tonight and she would show him that she could do it. So she just snorted and walked off, leading everyone to believe that she'd accepted what the old man had said.
Rose went back to the apartment, and straight to the extra room that had become hers. She opened the closet and got a box down from the shelf. She opened it and smiled. She reached into the box and pulled out a black creation. She put it on, zipped up matching boots, and pulled on gloves.
She stepped in front of the mirror in her room and whistled at what she saw. The black suit definitely looked good on her. It gave her the good girl gone bad look. She smirked and pulled on her mask, which covered her eyes and most of that area of her face. She reached for her Hunts staff. With it she looked downright deadly, yet strangely alluring. Out the door she headed, going straight to the fight she was told she couldn't attend.
Jake, Lao Shi, Fu Dog, Spud and Trixie had gone to the city's outskirts to see about a strange disturbance. The magic folk complain about a creature terrorizing them at night and destroying the forest. Jake and Lao Shi went in already in dragon form ready to face the creature.
"Okay guys," Jake said. "We're looking for uh…Gramps, what are we looking for?"
"We haven't been given a good description because it only comes at night," Lao Shi answered. "I have a feeling we'll know it when we see it."
Suddenly they heard a roar of anger and then a shriek. They didn't have to find the battle…it came to them. A slim black figure (obviously female) leapt into view and looked around. She looked up to see the dragons, but became occupied with something else. Following her was a monstrous animal. Its horned head resembled an eagle, with the body of a wolf and giant bat like wings. It opened its fang filled mouth and roared.
The woman in black wielded a long lethal looking weapon that gleamed in the moonlight. She assumed a fighting stance and faced the monster.
"Give me your best shot, fur ball," she challenged.
The monster snarled as it leapt at her. She didn't make an effort to move out of its path; instead, she slammed the butt of her weapon into the ground and became surrounded by a glowing red light. The monster hit the light, but instead of going through it like you'd expect, it was stopped as if the light was solid steel. It stood and swayed unsteadily and the light faded away. The dragons took it from there.
Jake and Lou Shi seized the moment to attack. They bombarded the beast with fireballs, but it didn't back down so easily. It retaliated by taking to the air and swiping both dragons out of the air with a large clawed paw. It landed and snarled angrily, advancing on the temporarily knocked-out dragons. Suddenly the woman leapt between it and the dragons, and zapped it with a red jet of energy. Its shoulder began to bleed from the cut. The monster looked at it and then roared in anger at her. She grinned and ran. Just like she wanted, the monster followed her.
Trixie, Spud and Fu rushed to Jake and Lou Shi's side. The dragons groaned and staggered to their feet.
"Man, that thing packs a punch!" Jake muttered as he rubbed his sore shoulder.
"Dudes!" Spud cried frantically. "That thing is after that girl! She ran off that way!"
Jake fearfully looked at his grandpa. They took to the air again, with the others right behind them. Not two seconds into their flight, the dragons saw something that surprised both of them. The girl stood by the body of the monster that was tied securely with an energy rope. The dragons landed and the others ran up a moment later.
"Dang!" Trixie said in awe. "You're good!"
She turned around to face them, and everyone's jaw dropped. The girl who had taken on this monster twice the size of Jake's dragon form had blonde hair and blue eyes that could only belong to one person.
"Rose?" Jake sputtered.
She winked at him. Jake looked her up and down obviously he thought her black outfit suited her well. He whistled appreciatively.
"Babe," he said, shaking his head in disbelief, "black is your color."
Trixie caught Spud gaping at Rose and punched him hard on the arm.
"OW!" he cried in surprise. "What was that for?"
Trixie snorted in disgust and turned her back to him. Fu chuckled behind his paw. Rose looked at Lao Shi with a raised eyebrow.
"Still think I'm not ready?" she asked.
Lao Shi thought for a minute and looked at Fu Dog. The shar-pei looked at Rose, and then at the old man. He nodded approvingly. Lao Shi smiled.
"I believe you are," he said.
"Welcome to Team Dragon, Rose," Fu Dog said with a smile.
Spud cheered and hugged her enthusiastically. He let her go and hugged Trixie. Jake and Rose noticed the funny expression on Trixie's face, but they didn't say anything. Rose turned to Jake. With a bright smile, she jumped at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Jake enveloped her in his strong arms and held her tight. He nuzzled her neck gently. Rose giggled quietly and tucked her head in the space between Jake's neck and his shoulder.
"You did good, " he said. "I'm proud of you."
(AN):
Hope you liked this chapter. My action writing is pathetic, but I made up for it by adding a little Trixie/Spud for you supporters.