Brilliant Sunday noon illumination poured smoothly over the bustle of the city and caught in between there,Jake accelerated towards Laoshi's shop through the air.Oblivious to the loud and even distracting noise as he rounded another corner,today was the day of him possibly graduating to become a mostly unaided dragon.It wasn't so much the responsibility he was looking forward to be able to do alone,as it was the sense of ever grand accomplishment and the chance to try things in his own methods that sated him.He kept these things in mind as he landed promptly in front of the glass doors and changing back to normal,was surprised to see as he put a hand out to open one of the doors,someone else's take hold of it under his.Wonderingly,he glanced over and saw his friends off to his side.
"Hey."Jake accosted them a little haltingly,not having seen them for a couple of days since he had been so caught up in training for today.
"Hi...listen,we had some time to think about Friday,"Trixie was the first to speak up,facade hinted in her words."And,it just wasn't right to assume it was you doin' all that stuff but the way you left...I mean,it was like..."
"It was Yang Jake."He told her immediately,not wanting to sound curt but wanting to go inside."But I fought and reabsorbed him after school."
Spud squared his ecru eyes on him,apparently still not satisfied with this anwser."Were only here to see if you pass,"he said to him bluntly,clicking off his helmet and tucking it under his arm with his skateboard."Then,we might consider talking through all this stuff that may or may not be real."
"If all ya'll are here to do is jump my guns about something that wasn't in the least bit my fault..."He started back,challenge rising in his voice.
"Okay,okay,break it up."Trixie interjected arbitrately,putting hands to the boy's chests in order to push them apart and then moved her deep brown eyes from one riled one to the other."Why don't we save this little reunion for after Jakey passes these tests of his.Okay?Now come on,lets go in."
The two glared at each other for a minute and only in that minute did Jake realise that if he didn't come to terms with what was in the past,that his future didn't look bright.He had been putting off trying to resort things between his friends because he hadn't wanted to deal with the only very additional stress as he had had to make it up to Sun Park and his Mother.
"Friends?"He offered his hand out towards Spud,a reluctant smile parting his visage."If you're gonna be here,it should be because you want to,not because you feel forced to.I know it seemed like it was me but it wasn't."
It seemed more like he was going to swat at it but after a few moments of consideration,he only shrugged and clasped his hand in return."Yeah,let's let it drop.Besides,I cast a spell to protect our house every Saturday."
Feeling relieved he was back in their good graces,the three entered and everyone but Jake seemed a little taken back by the large stacks of clean and crisp white stationery covering one half of the shop's counter.Behind it,sat Laoshi performing rapid penmanship in certain places on one piece in front of him.With an air of curiousity,Jake approached him asking.
"So,where's the Council G?And,uh...what's with all the papers?"
"Only Councilor Andam will be coming to make sure the proper paper work is filled out that gives my official consent and such at relinquishing my title as you're dragon master."he explained,though his eyes remained affixed to what he was writing."He will be arriving shortly and after seeing if the documents,files,etcetera are in order,we will be all going to the Isle of Draco to complete the transistional process with the final examination."
"Hey,Spud."Fu Dog inquired from the back casually."You're good with electronics.Do you think you can take a look at my laptop?"he suddenly appeared from behind the deep crimson shawl draping to one side of the doorway,holding up his yellow and white portable computer on one paw."I've been tryin' for days to get into my E-mail but to no avail."
Jake let them go about their businesses,as he walked about the shop as if to take it in for a final time,his blackened eyes roaming all over the dusty and cobweb plagued corners of the room.Though they never sold a thing in this place,part of him would miss the time he spent in it.For if he passed his tests,they would sell it off,his grandfather and Fu Dog would move to the Isle of Draco,Jake would be expected to keep up as usual and would be frequently checked up on (much to his discontent) and could count on being assisted by Sun Park and Haley whenever needed,so it was set.
"I take it from you're wandering eyes you're trying hard to remember this place as it is,instead of how it might be."A man's thoughtful voice startled him and he looked up to see the Kenya Dragon just walking in."Well,best we begin seeing if everything is complete."he turned to Laoshi as he then continued to approach,saying banausically."Alright,if you're ready."
As Jake watched them conversing for a minute,he suddenly felt just a little lightheaded;the room seemed to tilt as it had the night Spud accidentally had spelt that odd red goop and it had landed on his face.Moaning some under his breath,he moved away so that he could sit down on a TV near some old,torn boxes.But just as he felt back for the metal surface,a very berserk desire overcame him and thrist for commiting something he didn't even know he wanted to commit began coursing through his mind.No,he thought obdurately,gripping his fists together as means to restrain himself.
"Jake?"He heard his grandfather's voice ask him concernedly."Are you-?"
Suddenly,all sensation of his being drained from Jake's body and he was out as another being came surfacing.Yang wasted no time in taking in his new surroundings from when he was reabsorbed Friday and shifting into his dragon form,dove forward without warning and as the dragons only had seconds to transform,he caught Laoshi in the midst of going dragon and tackled him behind the counter.The girl he now knew as Trixie shrieked and several gasps where heard,as the two dragons supinated out into the front.Wrestling at first,the two seemed evenly matched but then just as the elder dragon seemed to be succeding at keeping him down,the clone stared up at him menacingly and looking into his ashamed eyes;only let his grin split further across his carnelian muzzle before he began to uptrend and once he was now completely over him jerked down hard on him and once he saw Laoshi wince in pain,lashed around and bashed his heavy tail into his side.Then,allowed him to collasp.
"Jacob Long!What on earth?"He heard a man's outraged voice roar.
"Kid,you're crazy!GET AWAY FROM HIM!"Fu Dog ordered him in words striking huskiness,as he cut in front of the teen and bared down his teeth into a snarl,growling lowly."I don't know what's gotten into you kid but you're not takin' another step without having you're claw bitten off."
Ignoring those and the heart-clutching crying emitted from Trixie,Yang fled Jake's body and without anyone knowing,he left out the front glass door and out into the air.Flapping around just over the shop,he gave it a last look to be sure that no one had seen him.Which,they had not.
"Those pathetic pawns played their part perfectly."He sneered with such devious satisfaction,preparing to turn and soar off."Now that they think Jake has gone evil,I'll be able to do what I was born to do."
"Do you always talk to yourself?"A darkly sophisticated,female voice spoke,as his flared eyes swerved over to the tall adjacent building off to his left,a girl around his age dressed in maroon ninja attire rouse slowly and surely until she paused exactly when their eyes met;a staff,he noted was grasped in one of her gloved hands."If it's a habit,I'll be sure to break you of it to where it will never come as a bother to anyone ever again."
To Be Continued...
A/N:Well,it seems not everyone is down and out for the count...hopefully this strange mystery girl can handle him.Yes,as if it wasn't obvious who it is. But anyways,next ch. will be completely one-on-one showdown again.
LP