Announcer voice: Today, on Way of the Dragon: Jinlong gets mugged! Fortunately, though, she is a dragon. But what will the robbers think of this?
Jinlong voice: Chapter 16: Kiss of the Dragon
"I really hope no one else comes up here," Jinlong groaned, looking over the torn-up roof and broken shingles. "Because there is no way we'll be able to fix this."
Flwirosh dipped all 4 of their heads. "We apologize, but we are growing restless simply sitting here."
"Relatable," The dragon-girl nodded. "But, uh, maybe try to keep damage to a minimum from now on?"
"We shall see."
A gremlin-sounding laugh startled Jin so badly she nearly leapt out of her skin. Whipping around, she saw Lloyd and Nya standing at the edge of the roof, probably having just come up.
"Were you talking to him?" The teenage girl asked.
"Of course," Jin said. "They're my friends."
"Alright," Nya shook her head a little, but had seen and heard too many strange things to bother questioning it. "The ninja will be up in a second, apparently they're taking Lloyd to his old boarding school. Some sort of ceremony."
"Cole says there's gonna be cake!" Lloyd chimed in.
"Great," The gold-haired girl nodded again. "Flwirosh wanted to do something, anyway."
She started over towards them to slide back into the apartment, but Nya kept talking.
"I got a job, by the way, at an auto body shop. I won't be able to go shopping today, so do you think you could?"
"Sure," The dragon-girl agreed, before slipping back in through the window just as the ninja were leaving.
oOo
After grabbing the portion of their money reserved for groceries, Jinlong set off towards the outdoor market. It wasn't too far from their apartment, and she got there quickly.
The smells were overwhelming, but not quite bad. Some were fruity and bright, while others were browner and softer, while others still were meaty and hearty.
Casting a quick glance down at her handwritten list, Jin searched for a stall selling carrots, leeks, and potatoes. She soon found one, and it was selling a good many other things as well.
"Sir? Could I please get a pound each of carrots, leeks, and potatoes?"
"That'll be 16 dollars, miss."
The dragon-girl stepped back, eyes wide. "That much? I-I've changed my mind. I don't need anything here."
The shopkeeper rolled his eyes with a grunt. "Then get outta here, yer holding up the line."
Her shopping went much like that for the next half hour. Every stall was either way out of her price range, or selling far-too-overripe fruits and vegetables. Even those ones were a bit pricey.
Eventually, she sat down on a bench and looked at her list and money. She'd only bought a loaf of bread, but already she was down 5 of the 50 dollars she had.
"Jeez, that's a lotta money," Jin looked up to see a boy about her age with scruffy brown hair and threadbare clothes. "Could feed me for a month, I bet."
"I'm shopping for 8 people," She told him.
"That's a lotta people," Said a voice behind her. Shudders ran down her spine, and immediately Jin packed away her money and bread, then stood up.
"No need to be afraid," Said a 3rd voice.
Okay, yeah, I don't like where this is going.
She lunged forward, about the break into a sprint, but two people grabbed her by the hands and held her there.
"Let me go!" She screamed, but they kicked the back of her knees, sending her feet flying out from under her, letting her captors drag her into a nearby alleyway.
"Just give us your money and we won't hurt you," The first boy said. "And maybe a kiss."
A sudden confidence swept through her. "Actually, I think you had all better run along before I hurt you."
One of her captors laughed. "You're in no position to be making threats."
She grinned smugly. "Alright, I'll kiss you."
The dragon-girl leaned forward, still smirking. When her face was just inches away from the boy's, she shifted into a dragon, baring her fangs. His face went white as a sheet.
"It's the Dragon Spirit," The oldest, a man of about 20, gasped.
The boy in front of her stumbled back, eyes wide, and the other one, a younger girl, turned tail and ran off.
"I'm so sorry," The boy cried. "We-we'll make you a shrine here! We'll do anything you want! Please just let us go!"
She blew air through her nostrils, and the males took that as a 'yes' and ran off. Jin shifted back into a human, chuckling.
But then she slipped her hand into her pocket and remembered her task.
"They'd better make me a shrine," She grumbled. "There's no way I can feed everyone on my own."
Announcer voice: Next time, on Way of the Dragon: The ninja must race to save their dojo- literally! All the while, Lloyd eats a sandwich. What kind of sandwich is it? Find out tomorrow!