"Would you relax already?"Josh suggested to Wendy,as he watched her relentless pacing across the lobby floor of the hotel his parents,Jake and Haley had rented seperate rooms in."You're going to give me headache from worrying so much,you should be happy you didn't get busted as bad as you know you could have been.I'd just be happy not to be in jail."
From her place a few feet away from a blue leather recliner,Wendy threw her best friend a patronizing look."Can you stop getting on my case long enough to help me figure out a new plan?"she asked him galledly."I need to find out a new way to get back there without getting sent away again."
"Is that what you're doing?"he inquired her with mock seriousness,as he scrolled through the movie guide on the flat screen TV in front of him as she once again crossed in front of it."Trying to find another way to get yourself killed?I know you want to fight,Wen.Why don't you just enroll in karate classes like normal kids and leave the fighting to you're folks?"
"It's never been about fighting,it's about doing what I can for the goodness of all magical creatures."She reminded him firmly but somehow she felt that at the moment and how dramatically her life had turned around in the last few days,that that mission wasn't as important as the one she was so set on."Anyways...I've got to get back to prove to Dad I'm not just some kid with my head in the clouds,I actually want to do something with my life that I feel is meaningful."
"Good..."Josh replied lackadaisically,yawning and unfurling himself out further on the couch he lounghed on."Tell me when you want to go out for something more pratical like our music and then you'll actually be doing something meaningful with you're life."he turned strangely mute then when she paused to give him more considerate attention but after less then two minutes had passed,said in a low,indifferent voice without looking at her once."And if you're wondering if I'm saying what you do or at least strive to do sometimes isn't meaningful,you're somewhat right."
Wendy placed her hands on her well-endowed hips and stalked up to him right in front of a movie he had finally selected."Joshua!Joshua Robert Wayne Spudiniski,are you telling me what I do isn't worth what I could be doing otherwise?"she questioned him,her voice slightly high-pitched as it always got when someone really insulted her motives."You know,you always said you supported my decisions...don't you know how important this is to me?I've found my brother,for gosh sakes.Isn't that something?"
"Yeah,"he shot back,springing to his feet and facing her with just as much willingness to face contravention."Well,I remember when you use to at least multi-task what was important to you...now you're just after some pipe dream of reforming a dude who wants to slay you're Dragon tail."
"The fact that I put my plan into action a little early doesn't make it some pipe dream,Josh.It just means I was to perserve what's left of my family."
He crinkled his brow in disbelief,appearing to find some humor in her apparent theory of quanity over quality."What on earth does that have to do with anything,Wendy?You have family...you just don't seem to always appreciate what is right there in front of you."
Something inside Wendy at that moment snapped,the frustration of putting up with all of the constantness of being told she had to lead a life of refuge was just too much for her."Know what?You're really starting to sound like my Father and his way of always putting his foot down when I want to do something."she erupted on him in her own accusive voice,watching his umber eyes reveal stunnedness to her claims that he would act in any other way then backing her up as he always had."Yes...believe it or not,you're being 'just' like him."
Without giving Josh a chance to react,she turned on her heel and dashed back up the stairs to her temporary room she had been given,while everyone else older then them participated in taking down the Huntsclan for good;she was stuck with the guy she secretly had feelings for but somehow found she couldn't admit them and worse,he seemed sided with the wrong side.Decorative crystal lights splayed pools of soft orange light on the padded walls and sparkling,cleany tan tiled floors but Wendy hardly payed mind to any of the hotel's charming nature,as she walked in briskly to her unlocked room and going to her mini fridge,snatched out a couple of sodas and chips,along with a several other important articles her Father had bothered to bring when they all had come up here after paying a visit to the World Dragon Council,stowing them all in a knapsack lying near her bed.Her determination was more enkindled then ever now that she knew the truth about her brother and because of the fact that she had had it with everyone telling her the limitations to her life.To Wendy,her and her brother were more alike in that reasoning then even the bloodline that linked them both.
As she prepared to take flight out of the window,a hand on her shoulder hidranced her and she was about to snap at who she knew it was,when she heard his voice speaking to her attritely."You know...I'm not trying to protect you from getting hurt for you're Father's sake and not even entirely for you're sake.No,"he turned her around to look at him fully in the face,his eyes and tone were marked by deep care for her."No...I also try to protect you for myself,Wendy.I've known you for all you're life and if anything happened to you...I-I couldn't live without you.Why can't you just accept what you already have going for you now?"
His confession filled her with a different outlook at that moment,an outlook she had never before knew exsisted and that was how valued she really was to people other then her over-protected father whom she had always loved but felt beared down upon from.No,this was very different...her childhood best friend was expressing to her that what he felt for her was more then just some crush as everyone in the last year or so had teased friviously every so often about,it was far more then she had known.As she stared up the few inches in height that seperated them,she began to realise what she was doing...she was putting people on edge with her obsessions,even if she meant well,she was still putting into jeopardy all of the things she already had going for her but before she could even begin to express her horror at what she had been inadvertantly doing all along,she felt him slip his index figure under her slightly pointed chin and pressing his thumb lightly on her lower cheek,brought their faces together and gently sank his lips into hers.Unexpectedly,a rush of passion escaped through out her and made her feel instantly light-headed,the velvetness of her first kiss was to her so indescribely soothing,she could feel the doubt in that one moment before he had proceeded to kiss her that had welled up,melt away and fade into nothingness.All that was left,was her more straightforward insight to those she held dear's lifes and her promise to Cole lingering.
"Go,"he whispered to her softly,granting a release on her and letting a warm smile cross his medium dark features."That kiss told me everything I need to know about how much you want to prove yourself and that's good enough for me,really,I just want you to be happy."
Wendy nodded in agreement,a tad giddy as she took the directions he held out for her and grinning sheepishly at the fact that they now had an even stronger mutal understanding."I'll come back,"she promised him and giving him a quick hug,made for the window and out in dragon form into the early evening sky."As soon as I keep my first promise,I'll come back and try to be up to more compromising.I'll...I'll see you when I get back."
Josh watched her leave and narrowed his eyes to take in her rich white scaley pelt as flew off."I know you will,"he whispered,opined."I know."
Back in the battle field...
All the different assortment of specially-assembled adult dragons by the Dragon Council over the course of thirteen years was paying off,as they were easily overtaking the Huntclan who had been caught in the very unpremeditated onslaught performed by a grand total of one-hundred and fifty adroit dragons.But even with noting all the preparation that had been taken into great care and consideration,it didn't put Jake at any more ease,as he was grappling very roughly with the Huntsman and could almost dismiss every blow delivered to him.His very state of mind was above getting hurt anymore,it was above getting revenge on him for what he did...the fact was,he just wanted to end him and end him for good but they were both so evenly matched,it was hard to perform anything else then exchanging rapid fire punches and kicks.Jake was so set on ending it all,he didn't want to fight anymore...he just wanted it all to be over with.
"You're fighting me..."Huntsmaster told him observantly,as he started to lessen himself in brutality to fighting the grown crimson dragon."But you don't have the same drive as you use to,I wonder why that is?"
Jake's eyes widened but he only muttered warningly."Don't bring it up."
"Why should I not?"he persisted frostily,finally managing to take Jake by the arm when he missed his minorly off course target."You cost me my second most promising apprentice,Dragon.Everything could have worked out for the better...if she hadn't turned into an unthankful little traitor who only shamed us more when she died for you're worthless Dragon hide-"
Jake clasped him around the throat when he paused momentarily to allow someone to hand him off a staff that he would have used but was quickly instead deleteriously thrusted down by his more younger and stronger opponet.Very briefly did Jake consider ending him as he stared down at the man who had killed the woman heloved years ago,irony flooded him when he realised he was nearly in the same state he had had one of his greatest rivals in thirteen years ago.But Jake,knowing that it would not change the past,left the nearly unconscious Huntsman there as he knew this time what he had done had actually caused him to be in this condition and with that much to satisfy him,he turned to look all around him and was flabbergasted to find that after a grueling three hours of fighting,at very weired dragons,the Huntsclan members were no where to be found and he was the only one really standing that was in the best shape.Frantically,Jake took to the air and soared out of the mutilated building and into the once medium blue sky that was interfusing into warm streaks of orange,mauve and scarlet westward in the horizon.
"Haley,"he breathed with some relief at the sight of her in a gathering of dragons in the front yard and arching his wings in her direction,began to drift down calmly to a small space where she was at."What's going on?"
The young woman dragon turned her purpurate head enough to make out Jake in the setting sun and smiled rather bittersweetly."We'll,bro,it's finally ended."her expression turned into resentment when she saw him looking harder at her for the results."You-know-who has been caught and when that happened,everyone else teleported away...we were just too much for them,I suppose.But the Dragon Council finally have who they want."
Jake's entire face dropped."No,"he whispered to her,his throat dry and his mind uncomprehending."Not yet...surely he's been more of a threat."
"He has."Haley assured him but very grimly."He's seriously hurt twenty of us and nearly slayed three...one almost being Counciler Andam."
"I need to have a last look at him before we go back to the others."He told her in his normal voice,yet his eyes were burning with urgency."I need to see him before the last part of the agreement is fulfilled and they take him back to Draco to...I-I just need to see him right now."
Feeling like he didn't have to as much as he wanted to,the adult dragon made his way up further through the crowds that were starting to get pushed away some by the Dragon Council,who seemed about ready to finish what had been their key objective when they had come in the first place to Chicago.But with resolution nagging at him,he finally reached the front enough despite all the protesting around him and witnessed his son,who was laying with his back propped up againist the steel cage he was at the moment being confined to,that was small but soild looking.
There his son was,in his ripped black uniform and keeping his arm to his chest,which was more then likely twisted from one of his nighhand slayings.But what got to Jake most,was how fixedly he presented himself,determined not to meet anyone's eyes in his oddly impassive state.Just as they were about to make arrangements to fly back to the Isle,even in the fading coloration of the sky,his son turned to look straight out at him with hollow coal eyes.Which in turn,sent what Jake had been trying to keep at bay,surging to the surface and that was great sorrow for what he was doing.He didn't want his son to die but it was the only way to ensure the safety of the Magic world...If there was just one other way...he thought wistfully,partially to Rose as well.If I knew of any way in the world to save you,I would.I would save you with my life,son.
But as darkness started to descend on the world;his silent prayer for his son's indemnification was being anwsered,as a figure bolted from the privacy iron gates and towards the cage,careful of not being detected as the person got close to it's side,taking cover in long,embedded grass.
To Be Continued...
A/N:Yes,the whole big fight scene was suppose to draw out Cole and it did...but without a shadow of a doubt someone's come to try and play savior again.lol.Hopefully though,in the end another reluctant savior emerges...and then yet another!We'll just have to wait and see.
LP