Chapter 5
All Aboard
Rose hung in the air, trying to wrap her mind around what she had just heard. Kryos was gone, and she had four days to get to New York on her own. Not to mention, she still didn't have the ability to change back into a human. Rose groaned, her eyes drifting to the east. The sunrise was coloring the sky with hundreds of different warm hues, ranging from reds to yellows. A very beautiful scene, but it did little to calm Rose's anxious mind.
It was just around noon, after flying all morning, when Rose came across something familiar. The skyscrapers, the winding highways and maze like streets, and so much called out like a safe haven. Denver, Colorado, closest thing to New York that Rose had seen in a months. Rose flew lower, swooping down until she landed on top of the city's tallest skyscraper.
Rose looked out across the city, her stomach rumbling and a cry of hunger coming from her backpack. She needed some lunch, and from the sounds of it so did the mother Hydra. Rose sighed, trying to think of a way to get some food. Anyplace public was out of the question, the FBI would be all over her in a heartbeat. Rose then began to wonder if Denver was like New York in more then one aspect.
Rose raised her arm, looking down at the mirror strapped to her wrist. Voris was floating gently in the glassy surface, his eyes skimming a copy of the Denver Post. Voris looked away from his paper, turning the page as he asked, "What can I do for you Rose?"
"I assume", Rose replied, "that you are allowed to give me some help."
Voris nodded, "Yes, I can give you any sort of information you need."
Rose smiled, "Then, can you tell me if there are any magical creatures in Denver."
Voris sighed, the paper disappearing as a larger book appeared in the mirror, "Hmmm…in truth most magical creatures live in New York, or at least in the general area. Plenty of places to hide and lots of stuff to do. Still, according to my records, there is a small magical populace here in Denver. They live in a small section of the city's lower districts. Also, according to my records, there is an old magical train line between Denver and Chicago. If we catch a train, it would make it much easier to make your appointment in New York."
"Good, now let's go get something to eat." With that, Rose took flight and began to head down into the lower part of the city. With some direction from Voris, and a few wrong turns, Rose found the community. It was thanks to a special space displacement spell. From a single point in the city an area of ten square blocks was blocked off for the magical community. Any normal humans would drive into the barrier, and drive out the other side a moment later. Only those with magic in their blood could pass through the barrier and enter the magical community.
Rose flew towards the barrier, and once through it the world suddenly changed. The low buildings of Denver's southern quarter were replaced with ten blocks of high rises. The street level was lined with shops, restaurants, and other small businesses. Above those stores was level upon level of apartments.
As Rose landed, looking around the magical creatures walking around, Voris said, "Welcome to New Camelot, a suburb of Denver."
Rose looked up, in aw, "Its amazing so much of this can be concealed with a spell. Hasn't anybody ever wondered why the city is missing a twenty block by twenty block section?"
Voris shook his head, "No. This section was created in a naturally accruing special warp. We found out the distance from magic of Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon created a vortex at this point. A wizard just added the barrier spell so no humans can get in."
Rose nodded, and began to walk the streets. A few of the creatures walking by were a little surprised to see a dragon, but no one made any real commotion. Rose explored the shops for a few minutes when a tantalizing smell reached her nose. Rose sniffed the air, looking around until she saw the source of the smell. It was a small, grandma and grandpa run, restaurant with a sign outside that read "Blood's Medicine".
Rose walked into the restaurant, looking around at the very simple interior. There were roughly twelve dozen tables, each seated with four chairs. There were only a few people inside the restaurant, a centaur eating a sandwich and a group of five brownies eating of the same plate. Rose let the door shut, a small bell jingling to announce her arrival.
From behind a nearby counter an old man in a dark black cloak, and very formal clothes seemed to appear out of no where. He smiled, leaning on the counter as he asked, "Hello, is there something I can do for you."
Rose turned, noticing something strange about the man's teeth. He had fangs, and from the paleness of his skin Rose guessed he was a vampire. That also explained why there weren't any windows, and the door was solid. All the light in the room was coming from the electric lights in the ceiling, which weren't harmful to any vampire.
The man raised an eyebrow, and asked again, "Are you just planning to stand there all day, or do you want something to eat?"
Rose shook her head, focusing her mind on the task at hand, "Yes, I was hoping I could get something to eat for myself, and maybe a few pieces of meat for a creature I have in my bag."
The vampire nodded, grabbing up a menu as he led Rose over to a table. Rose took a seat, having a little trouble getting comfortable on account of her tale. The vampire left the menu on the table, sweeping back to the kitchen as Rose began to read. Most of the food on the menu sounded good, but unfortunately Rose didn't have any money. When Kryos had taken her from the Smithsonian, she didn't have a cent on her. That hadn't change over the few months she had spent on Horizon Island, but that fact had also slipped her mind.
The vampire came back a few minutes later, smiling as he asked, "So, are you ready to order."
Rose sighed, "I am, but I can't. I have no money."
Rose then began to get up, but before she could leave the vampire asked, "How would you like to do me a few favors? I'll trade a few hours of work I really need done for twenty dollars. Then, you can get yourself some meal and have a little to work with after that."
Rose smiled, "Sure, what did you need done?"
The vampire motioned towards the kitchen, and Rose followed. In the kitchen a vampiress, the vampire's wife, was gently chopping some carrots. The vampiress turned, wondering what her husband was doing as he and Rose moved to the restaurants back room.
The vampire pointed to a set off ten large crates and said, "These were delivered to me by mistake. There creates of garlic, and they have been making me and my wife sick to our stomachs for the past week. We tried to get the shipping company to come and get them, but they said they don't make enough trips out here. They did tell us, however, that the garlic was supposed to go to a general store on the other side of New Camelot. If you could take these crates to that store, it would be greatly appreciated."
Rose looked at the crates, drooping her ears a bit. The boxes were big, and they looked heavy. Still, Rose needed to eat and it sounded like the vampire really did need the garlic moved. Rose could just imagine having to live with ten crates of poison in her house. It was a disaster waiting to happen.
Rose smiled, setting her bag down as she said, "Sure, but can you watch my bag while I work."
The vampire nodded, "Of course, but why is it moving?"
Rose shrugged, trying to figure out how to carry the crates as she said, "It's a mother hydra and her three eggs. I found her attacking a nearby dwarven mine, but that was after the dwarves had eaten seven of her ten eggs. So, I shrank her down and still don't quiet know what I am doing to do with her, or her babies once they hatch."
The vampire blinked a few times, picking up the bag as he looked down inside, "Well, I'll be, you aren't lying. Well, don't worry, I'll get this mother a little to eat and keep her out of trouble why you work."
Rose thanked the vampire, letting him leave the room before she opened the nearby garage door. The noontime light poured inside the storage room, and Rose quickly began her work. She flew over to a nearby crate, digging all four of her claws around it as she began to fly out the door. It took Rose three hours to carry all the crates to the general store on the other side of the suburb, and her wings were sore to the touch when she was done.
Rose groaned, shutting the garage door as she walked towards the kitchen. The vampire was passing an order to his wife when he saw Rose walk in. The vampire smiled, coming into the kitchen as he said, "Thank you so much. Now, you must be starving. Let's get you a table, and we'll get you something to eat."
Rose nodded, following the vampire into the dinning room. She took a seat, resting her head on the table as her eyes became heavy. Before Rose knew it, she had drifted off to sleep. The vampire smiled, letting her sleep until about 5:30 before waking her. Rose groaned, sitting up in her chair as she asked, "Did I fall asleep?"
The vampire smiled, "Yes, for about two and a half hours. Still, I am not surprised after you carried each of those crates across town. Now here, why don't you get something in your stomach?"
Rose looked down at the table as the vampire set plate down. On the plate was a large, thick steak with mashed potatoes, some steamed vegetables, and a side order of chicken noodle soup. Rose smiled, thanking the vampire as she began to dig into the feast. Voris had to help her figure out what she could use her claws for, and what she had to use a spoon or fork for, but it wasn't long before Rose had finished the meal, enjoying the feeling of food on her stomach.
The vampire came in, smiling as he set a twenty down on the table, "Here, the dinner was on the house. You can have this twenty."
Rose shook her head, "Oh no, I couldn't. Not after you took care of that Hydra all day."
The vampire laughed, "You say that like it was a bad thing. The little darling behaved very well, and thanks to her size she doesn't have much of an appetite. Now, are you new in town or just making a quick stop?"
"Just passing through. I need to get to New York by the 4th. By the way, can you tell me where the train station is?"
The vampire blinked a few times, a confused look on his face, "You mean the M-Line to Chicago. My dear that train hasn't run in three months. From my understanding, the fire snail that used to power the train died of old age, and the railroad couldn't find a replacement."
Rose gasped, "What, then how am I supposed to reach New York in three days. It took me half a day to fly half way across Colorado."
The vampire sighed, "I am sorry, but you're not alone. There are several other magical creatures that were here on business from Chicago. They have all been waiting for the train to come back so they can go home."
Rose nodded, and thanked the vampire for the meal. A few minutes later, Rose left the restaurant as she tried to think of what to do. With Voris's help, they found there way to the old railroad station. The place had been closed down, but nothing Rose's dragon claws couldn't fix.
The station itself had only one platform, an end of the line stop. Most the chairs, ticket booths, and everything else were covered with a thin layer of dust. The engine itself also look like it hadn't moved in a while, but Rose still wondered. Rose walked over to the front of the train, stepping into the conductor's cabin as she looked at the many controls for the train. She then saw it, the place where the fire snail had once been kept.
Stared at the engine's controls for a few more minutes, and then down at Voris, "Do you think I can use my dragon fire to power this train."
Voris paused for a second, but answered, "I would suppose, but according to my records this train takes three hours to reach Chicago. Are you sure you could keep your dragon fire up for that long."
"No problem", Rose said as she bent down, preparing to release her dragon fire. Rose then paused, remembering what the vampire had said. A lot of magical creatures needed to get back to Chicago. It would make no sense to drive the train all the way and not take them home.
A few minutes later Rose flew out of the station, hovering above the city level as she shouted, "Attention everyone. The M-line to Chicago is back on line for one final trip, courtesy of a little dragon fire. Anyone who needs to get home to Chicago is urged to be on the train by seven this evening."
The streets of New Camelot had froze, most magical creatures shocked to hear such a proclamation. Soon, however, some of the creatures began to run in the direction the local hotel. The news began to spread, and by seven the train had a full load of Chicago bound passengers. Even the old train engineer had come, ready to help Rose by operating the engine's many complicated controls while she just concentrated on her fire.
At thirty minutes after six, Rose stood outside the old train station waiting. She still hadn't seen anyone coming to the train, and began to wonder if anyone would. Then, in one massive wave, magical creatures began to come from across New Camelot. Many smiled, shaking Rose's hand as they showed there gratitude. A few even tried to give Rose gifts, just so happy to be going back to Chicago, their home. Rose refused all of the gifts except one. A small pixie girl actually made a small locket appear around her neck. Rose had tried to give it back, but the pixie's family absolutely insisted she keep it.
At five minutes to one, the train was almost full. Rose had moved up to the engine, surprised to find a centaur waiting. He was the engineer for the train before it shut down, and also hailed from Chicago. He wanted to get home as much as everybody else, but was ready to help Rose by operating the engines complicated controls. That way, Rose could concentrate on her dragon fire for the entire trip.
Soon, the station was filled with the tolling of a bell. It was 7:00, and the very last leprechaun had jumped onto the train as the doors slid shut. In the engine, the centaur was beginning to work the controls, bringing water into the engine's boiler while Rose laid down on the engine cabin's floor. She took a deep breath, fire licking at her lips before letting a stream of flames fly into the engine. The heat began to boil the water in the boiler, and as steam pressure built up the engine's wheels began to turn. The train roared to life, tugging at the full passenger cars as it left the station.
In New York, Jake was walking to his grandfather's shop with Spud and Trixie. Spud was staring blankly into the sky, his mind wandering as Trixie asked, "Yo, I still don't get what your so worried about. You talked to Rose just a few days ago."
Jake nodded his head, "Yeah, I know Trixie, but still it's hard to trust this Kryos dude when I have only met him once. What if he is replicating Rose's voice, and she is in real danger?"
Trixie groaned, "Yo, Spud, can you help me talk some sense into mister dragon scales here."
"You know", Spud said, "clouds can take a whole bunch of shapes. That one looks like a potato, and that one looks like a diatomic hydrogen molecule with one to many electrons."
Jake and Trixie glanced at each other, shaking there heads as they walked into Lao Shi's shop. Fu dog was typing on a laptop, his eyes flying across the screen. Lao Shi came out of the back room, walking over to Jake as he said, "Jake, we have a situation."
"What is it G."
Fu dog turned the laptop around, showing everyone the screen, "Here is the situation. You know the thirteen Aztec skulls, the ones that can wipe out all magical creatures on the planet. Well, I just got word that all skulls are accounted for. The current score, Huntsclan 9, Dragons 4."
"That means, young dragon, that it is only a matter of time before the Huntsmaster comes here looking for the last four skulls. You are going to help me strengthen the magical repellent spells around the shop. Spud, Trixie, would you help Fu hide the skulls someplace other then out wall vault."
Everyone nodded, starting to get to work when a knock came at the shop door. Lao Shi walked up to the door, opening it as he said, "I am sorry, but we are closed." Lao Shi looked up at the tall, cloaked figure that stood in the door. The figure stretched out a black gloved hand, holding out a envelope as he said, "Please, if you can give this to Mr. Jake Long."
Lao Shi took the envelope, turning it over in his hands before looking back up. The cloaked figure, however, had disappeared. Lao Shi looked up and down the street, getting a bad feeling in his gut as he went back into the shop, shutting and locking the door. Jake turned from what he was doing and asked, "Who was it?"
Lao Shi shook his head, "I do not know, but he asked that this be given to you." Lao Shi then held out the envelope. Jake took it, turning his hand into his dragon claw before slicing the top open. From inside the envelope Jake pulled out a simple letter, and slowly began to read over it.
The figure stood on a roof top, looking down at the shop. The cloak slowly vanished, revealing the tall, white scaled body of Kryos. He smiled, taking flight as he made his way towards the empire state building. There he would wait for Rose, and under the fireworks play witness to his dragon student's final lesson.