Two months later...
Wendy worked ferverishly at sweeping the last few chunks of broken ice sculptures that had been left behind from the last student who had performed the three skills necessary to still retain their Dragon Master.She knew she would rather be tested in that fashion,then having to be tested in the fashion that had come with the price of her actions seven weeks prior to her big rescue mission.For after she had gone through with what she had at the time had considered the most trying moments of her life...she had had to face the penality of what she had done.Facing her father had been nearly unbearable.He hadn't gone off on her like she had anticpated,instead after she had rested and healed enough,both of them had merely avoided the subject altogether.In fact,both of them hardly spoke to one another at all.Though she had confessed to letting her brother go,the Dragon Council had been pretty fair considering.Jake had decided that in order for her to pay off the debt his daugther had caused,she would work go on weekends and help with odd jobs around the island,which she found were pretty experiencing.At home she had been grounded for six weeks and had resorted to sneaking out to practice with her band,etcetera.Today was the day of the Dragon Summit and she was anxious to get done so she could meet with some of the other dragons around the world,even though being close to the action was still cool,she wanted the full-fledge feel of meeting with those who lived out her dream.
You'd think that would give me a little time off for this already,She thought with some exacerbation,beads of sweat running down her temples as she brushed a large,clear piece of mountain troll ear in the huge cumulous pile some feet outside the dripping,cooler-like building.But...those are the breaks for trying to save you're evil twin brother.
"Looks like someone's been putting in overtime,"Came a familiar,goodnaturedly haughted voice."I thought for sure that they'd let you off the hook today of all days."
Wendy turned a slightly surprised look at a grinning Josh off to the side of her and was apt to see him without showing it."Well,remember the old saying,a girl's work is never finished."
"A girl?"he raised his brows and replied with challenging smile."I was almost certain only a woman could have pulled off such adaring feet as to try an reform a ruthless ninja teen supervillian."
Wendy giggled slightly and then reached up to feel the tightened brown bun that was still holding up her bed head from that morning."Eh,"she grimaced and turned to him with an apologetic look crossing her heart-shaped face."I've looked better.So...how did you get to come here?I thought you're parents were out of town to that yearly convention of theirs."
"I bribed my cousin Jonas fifty bucks and a free ticket to Coney Island,what else."He laughed and handed her afew papertowels to help her mop up some of her sudation."Here you are,my sweet."
She rolled her sapphire eyes."Call me a pet name again and see how sweet I really am."her words died on her lips as it was obvious the next subject that was to be discussed,so without a momentary word she turned back to her task at hand and morphing into her dragon form,told him with some grudginess to her words."I'm suppose to go straight home after this...Dad's gonna be by in about forty minutes to come get me as usual and so I've been working extra fast to-"
"Has he ever even plainingly told you the reason why he keeps such a close eye on you?"
His abrupt change of topic caught her terribly off-guard and made her pause from taking air to do what she had been planning on doing before going off to accomplish her ulitmate task for the day,but he came up to her and put a cease to her undertaking.Without much of a choice,she turned her ivory head just down enough to meet his eyes,eyes that usually held within them a carefree outlook on the world.But when it came to these very differing types of issues,she found him always more firmly down-to-earth and respected him for it,although right now she didn't want to speak about it.Prying her grasp out of his,she diffused her very enormous albescent wings and finally lifting off over her hour's worth of sweeping,inhaled deeply and unleased a rutilant blaze at the sharp and jagged pieces.
Feeling the nowadays acute acerbated emotion of not knowing whether or not her father and her could ever have the kind of trust they had before surfaced.Sometimes it infuriated her that her father hadn't tried to save his only son and that he had lied to her about what had happened to him but it also installed in her a sense of hurt that he had done.Nothing he had told her so far satisfied her,it was all excuses to her...this curse he referred to was like fiction to her now and it just made her flustered trying to deal with it all at one time.So there she hovered with the gentle breeze grazing againist her tough scales,her eyes transfixed to wide puddle she had created.
"You know what...you're completely right,"She told Josh semi-absentmindedly,now catching both of their reflections in the shallow but crisp water."I don't know if I can stand not talking about any of the things we should be discussing anymore but don't."her eyes narrowed,once again cocksure."I am going to find out once and for all why I can't go after things that I want to do...it's occured way before all this stuff ever happened.I've got to know."she veered her vision up and out at the gathering dragons from different countries,saying in a small voice to herself."If I ever want to become one of them,I need to settle this now...so I don't have to feel held back."
Meanwhile...
Jake took in the familiar surroundings of the bustling crowds of young,cool and eager teens that moved around the striped tents and magical-type viands on one side and on the other were adults of varying ages who of course instructed their individual charges or then they of course,themselves,were the ones assigned to a seperate country.He allowed the restfullness of the situtation to imbricate the partial guilt he felt at making his daugther totally steer clear the place he knew she wanted more then anything to be.It's for her own good,he had to remind himself thoroughly,as he caught sight of Haley and Fu Dog coming up on either side of him from the elevator.She's too reckless when she gets an idea and she needs to get it in her head life's not a big game where she can make up and play her own rules.
"Another Dragon Summit..."Haley sighed happily,crossing her arms and glancing around for some of the usual dragons she got together with."This place beats the pants off of taking on a cohort of ogres or the evil wizard of wall street anyday.Almost like a mini-vacation."
"Yeah,"Fu Dog inserted smoothly,eyeing a young auburn coated female cerberus chattering with a green fairy and a gargoyle."A mini-vacation is exactly what the Fu-inator needs and I think I know the perfect three ladies who can make that a reality."
Jake turned to the eye-balling,wrinkled grey canine and shook his head dismissively."If I've told you before,then I've told you a thousand times Fu...treating woman like their a piece of property isn't ever going to lead you to commitment."he chuckled and continued on coolly when he saw him glaring at him in response."Hey,if you don't want to take the dragon who ended up with twins word for it,then I can gurantee you couldn't take anyone else's."
They let the discussion drop and the three made their way into the swarm of activites,lots of different bits of conversation filled the air and made Jake even more at ease.He had been in a constant state of debating what was the right way to approach his daugther's more recent insubordination towards him.It got to him that although she was fine with everyone else,she had only in the last few months turned eristic and unpredictable with him,which made Jake even more on guard with what he allowed her to do.His idea to keep her in certain bounds was never to make her feel confined,had he not been fair that night he allowed her to go to Josh's house?The tension he felt with her was so great,the stress of catching up with all his missed work extremely exhausting and his son who the Dragon Council was currently still in pursuit of with leads that seemed to lead to dead ends weighed so heavy on him that he didn't have time to think of Rose hardly as often and when he did,her memory was always used in a more positive manner then he ever had before.Remembering everything fun they ever did when he could was and coming to meet up with fellow dragons to talk about the happenings worldwide in their magic realms was all he had been looking forward to.The rest of his life seemed forever turbulant.
"Jake-a-roo,"A hearty,Austrilian-accented voice reached his ears and he turned to see his long-time rival and friend walking towards him."Hey,mate."he grinned widely,which seemed to make his tanned features blend more with his now more darker copper,curly hair."How ya been these last several years?I haven't seen ya since the 529th Annual Gnome Olympics."
He nodded in compliance."Six years and a half years,to be exact.My daugther does some of the volunteer work on the weekends now and I've come just a little bit early,so-"
"Daddy."A small,brightly blond haired boy cut him off clamantly and circled around all the way in front of them,his light brown eyes locked on Fred's face."Daddy,I wanna go see the battling thats happening now."he told him in an also disticntive dialect,hopping up and down excitedly."There's going to be a challenge going on soon in that big arena and I wanna see it...please can we see it?"
Fred smiled fondly at the youngster and ruffling the boy's hair,turned to Jake expectantly as waves of people and creatures began heading towards the outside walls of the large stadium where Jake knew from experience was where all battles were held on the island."Quite the little contender,this one.Takes after me,of course."he then proceeded to ask with some curiousty as the three started into the aggregation of magical creatures."So tell me,how many little rugrats have you got on ya?"
Jake clenched his left fist and told him warily."I have a daugther,Nerk.Only one daugther."
Everything had gradually been getting more strained to Jake in just those couple of minutes after he had met up with the Australian dragon once more,everything from the crystal blue skys that were a little brumous up in certain places,to almost every grounded direction around him.It seemed only to come to him viscerally at first but he wasn't the least surprised to find that everything had suddenly shifted into a shocked,breath-catching silence.He had his eyes closed but heard weapons locking onto targets in different directions and he tensed up when he felt the pointed tip of what he knew was a staff on the side of his neck.Shallowing hard,he stood completely principled and very much so unflinching,even though his insides were being doused with fear for everyone around..He knew what they wanted,he had had thoughts about it rolling around in his head for some time now.
"I don't know where he is."Jake spoke perspicuously in the direction of his attacker."If you want to take me into you're custody,by all means do it.But don't hurt any of these other dragons,they're not the ones you should be targeting."he paused and with only a moment's hesitance,stole a quick glance sideways and seeing it was number 88,told him quickly."You.Well,what are you're plans?"
The man squared his cold eyes on Jake."You're smart,Dragon.But not smart enough...I have been nothing but loyal to the Huntsmaster for nearly nineteen years,me and number 89.You're going to pay for what you're son did to him but for now I'm needing someone else..."he smiled the best ill-disposed smile the once bumbling villian could bring about and said to him in a hushed tone."We need you're daugther,for only she can track him down.The curse on you're boy is a powerful one and in rare cases such as twins being born to a traitor of the Huntsclan,the unmarked twin has the ability to sense where their brother or sister are.She only needs to try to tap into that power and she can find him.If you and she refuses,then we kill all the dragons on this island.But we will allow them to live for now...until you're daugther returns with Regin and we can go from there."
"I..."A slightly timid voice sounded from a few feet away and most everyone who was around the area turned to see a girl who looked like she had just rinsed out her now dampened chest nut hair and was standing just feet away with her azure eyes concentrated unwaveringly at the pleased-looking Huntsmember."I will do it."she told him more boldly this time."I'll find my brother again but you've got to promise not to harm anyone.I may not know every single last detail about you guys but I do know that I won't allow you to hurt anyone because of any of my family's actions.I won't let you."
Jake stood completely in awe of his daugther trying to take responsibility for something that was way over her head and a surge of something he had for some reason never felt in the last thirteen years he had reared her fell through him and that was pride.The teenager who he witnessed before him was someone who had developed into a fighter,no matter what stakes were on the line and he then saw something piece together before him in his mind's eye,as everyone around him had turned to look at him and were holding their breaths.If none of the events all those years ago had come to pass,things might be very different.They could have gotten more back-up as they were returning from the place Jake had long ago forgotten they had been travelling from,they could have found a safer way to transport the twins,they could have helped Cole with his what fate had unfairly dealt him,they could have had a beautiful,wonderful life together and then everything had fallen on Jake to pick up the pieces of what his and his wife's actions had lead to.What they did had inadvertently lead to their childern's futures and now what they saw was a world dominated by those who had made mistakes long before,it wasn't right to place past errors on his childern and be judgmental of something that was no longer just his views but that of Wendy and Cole's.They were putting up with a battle that had been fought forever,they deserved their rights to feel freedom and the only way they could ever see a better world,much to Jake's ultimate wish to protect those he loved and had left in the word,was time to let go of the past and try to save what was left inthe present to save.Perhaps Rose hadn't done what she had done without fear of what consquences,maybe she had just done them out of resignation.Jake didn't know for sure but he did know that he could no longer stop trying to avoid what he knew would eventually happen.
"You may go,"He told Wendy slowly and carefully,his brow furrowed and eyes level with hers."I want you to find you're brother and convince him to come here...if-"his words caught and he had to pause to get a grip on himself,continuing on in a more heavy voice."If he's absolutely trying to do as you say he is,then he'll come.But I want you to come back as soon as you find him,alright?"
Wendy felt the hardness of her resolve to force what she wanted to hear from her father and even some towards the Huntsclan,dwindle from herself as she saw what appeared to be anguish in her father's coal eyes.She didn't know why she saw it,had it always been there?Growing up she hadn't cared about such things as work and hardship,all that had mattered to her was her own goals she set for herself and such..Her father would always give her exhausting smiles after work or would tell her strictly that she couldn't do simple things such as going down to Central Park without a few friends along but seeing the lengths he had gone to all her life to try and keep her safe,seemed odd to her now.Staring at him,knowing her father could be taken away from her if she didn't go along with it,made it all the more terrifying for her.It was even different from when she had tnearly been slain by her own uncle.The selfishness of the reason to know why he had bestowed onto her such a sheltered life up until this very moment,made all the color drain from her face as she also took in every other on edge creature watching her,if not looking extremely vexed at the ambush they had been landed to,were looking hopeful at her...wanting her to do whatever it took for them.
"Wendy."She heard Josh finally speak up softly from beside her and felt him place a hand on her shoulder."You're not going alone."he told her,his tone ambitious."I've got you're back all the way."
"I don't know..."
"Listen,"An older male voice interject abruptly."You have to tune into thoughts and feelings about Reign and you should be able to find him wherever he is...but remember,"he was still hastened to add,his eyes fastened on her."If you don't return in a day and a half with him,everyone will-"
"Quiet!"Jake snapped at him,repined.He then turned to look at Wendy,his eyes and tone marked by encouragement."You can do this,Wen.Don't let these guys get to you...you-"he stopped only to take her in and she wondered why he looked at her so mesmerically and watched him continue on with a small,definite smile."You,Cole and even Josh there would make an unstoppable team.I just want you to know I have faith in you...I know it doesn't seem like it but I always have."
"Dad..."She began haltingly,still unsettled by the thought he could be gone instantly."I...you..."
"Honey,no one can ever be sure about these things."Jake switched a more wrathful look this time at the Huntsmember who snickered quietly at him having to persuade her and then he turned back to face her,eyeing the still unsure girl knowingly."You've already proven yourself,Wendy.But right now it's not about proving anything...it's about doing whatever it takes to save the magical world."
Wendy nodded at that and could suddenly grasp the moral of what the full situtation was coming to."I understand,Dad."she replied obseisantly,feeling a wholeness forming to her mission as they stood there in a moment of crucial understanding."I won't come back until I've found him."
"Here,kid."Fu Dog's sombered voice drifted over some ways,as he sent a bottle filled with blue contents in her direction by way of rolling it on it's side."You guys'll need it,the Krylock venom in it is only enough to transport you to him when you have a lock on him and you'll have only about 10 seconds to travel back with him."his wrinkled brow creased into a firm line when she bent over to retrieve it at her feet."I know you've studied up on it and everything,Wendy.But you need to use that amount you have like you're life depended on it...Well,um,it does literally.So use it wisely."
"You have my word nothing will happen until you've returned with him,I would suggest leaving."
"Fine,"She told him stiffly and nodded off to Josh,inquiring him with just a hint of doubt."Ready?"
The gangly teen flickered a briefly equivocal glance at him and then turned to his girlfriend,telliing her compellingly as he took a few steps back to let her transform."Ready when you are."
Jake watched as she morphed in a dazzle of neon yellow light and then turned to see that this had been the last thing that the Dragon Council had been expecting,as he saw it clear as day on their faces some distance away.But they didn't have any power to cease it,as they had assumed with the Huntsman critically still unable to fight and therefore lead;the rest of the Huntsclan members would be inactive until his recovery.Now,there efforts to find Cole were being handed over to the very ones they hadn't been worried with.Heseethed inwardly but casted a confident look as his daugther and Josh who sat on one of her umber scales were about to take off so that Wendy could try to test her inborn ability to detect her brother's whereabouts,she in turn only nodded and seemed to be in a whole different state about her,as they ascended at once into the light blue sky.
I know she'll succed.He thought with assurance just in watching her.But we'll get through all of this somehow.She's scared now but a lot of us believe in her...his mind wandered as he kept his eyes on her fading figure.If she's anything like her mother,she's going to endure all of this.
From somewhere amoung the crowds,someone thought fearfully.I never intended for all of this to happen.Everything is falling into place so differently.But I've seen what they can do,I just hope they're careful...even so,I'm proud of her as well and then there's her brother...
A/N:Okay,peeps,a little swaying from what I had orginally intended but I'm coming onto things with a different approach now,Jake is becoming more accepting to the realites that things don't always turn out the way you want them to but you have to do better next time (unforunately,that doesn't seem very compromisable) and with Wendy it's now having a choice in the matter really of what she 'is' going into head first and so on.Well,more soon.
LP