Chapter 2

As he rummaged through his belongings, he contended with the same thoughts he has been bogged with since the adoption.

There was something Drax wanted to do for summertime, but didn't know if his father would go for it, let alone if it could be accomplished. He tried to think of a way to ask him on the way down the hall towards the exit doors, yet it was easier said than done. Originally, Amai Mask wanted to sign him up for rock camp. He was happy with the idea, but then realized that over half the other kids at school would be going. Including the bullies. That idea soon went out the window, but this summer. He wanted to spend it all with his dad… but, not like this.

He remembered trying to ask Amai Mask about it, the last time he was at his apartment just about a month ago; they were having dinner when Drax questioned him about being the blue serpent. It took Amai back a bit. "Where is this coming from?"

Drax shrugged his shoulders. "Just curious. How was it? What was it like?"

Mask was rather silent to the slight bombardment of questions, until he finished his meal. "Drax, there is far more to this than what you are implying. Why do you want to know so much about me being the blue serpent?"

Silence came to the eleven year old as he toyed with his meal. "I… I was just curious. I mean, dad never tells me about it, he doesn't really want to talk about the way he lives."

"Ah, I see…" Amai paused as he folded his hands and pondered. Drax was hopeful to gain insight to it all. "I will admit, that it takes a strong person to become such a thing, and to be the very entity people resent you for and make it into your strongest quality. Your father was an average hero, I even dare to say he was mediocre when he was human. Yet, ever since he became the serpent… his power and strength is something that should be respected and appreciated."

"I get that!" Drax protested. "But what was it like to be that? How did it feel?"

Amai smirked. "It's like being trapped in a body that isn't yours but is yours." He said. "Now, this is more than mere curiosity. Drax, why are you asking such things?"

He fell silent, toying with what remained of his dinner Drax opted to eat rather than answer. Amai didn't push the question any farther but insisted that being a serpent is a lot more difficult than one believes. Silence befell between the two, until Amai sighed. "I heard you are having trouble at school."

"Nothing I can't handle!"

Amai paused and looked to him oddly. "No need to act tough, but your grades cannot be taken lightly."

Drax rolled his eyes. "Don't roll your eyes at me! Education is important!"

"I know… I know…" he said and sighed. "Look, I know you put me in the best school possible, but I don't fit in. All these kids come from wealthy families, and all they do is talk about how powerful their relatives are, especially in the heroes association. I don't tell them a thing since I don't want it to bite me in the ass. If kids found out I am your adopted son…"

Amai nodded. "You wouldn't hear the end of it, they won't leave you alone. And I am aware of those who are bullying you; those actions will increase in order to get me to appear at your school. The same goes if they knew who your real father was too."

"Right now, the rumor is that I am living with Bang, and could be the next Garou if you can believe that."

He heard a snicker come from Sweet Mask. "Is that supposed to be insulting? Granted… I would have taken it as an insult myself…"

"I don't think so, either way, I don't care what kids think of me… I don't want to go to rock camp since they are all going to be there, especially the bullies… I want to hang out with my dad… but I want to be like him."

Silence befell the condo. Drax turned as he saw a stunned look on the face of Sweet Mask. "You what?" he questioned. "Is this the reason why you have been asking me about being the blue serpent?"

"Yeah… it's not that big of a deal, is it?"

Amai got serious. "You are ASKING to be turned into a half monster for the summer. You saw how I struggled with it! Why would you want to become something like that?"

"BECAUSE I WANT TO HANG OUT WITH MY DAD AND BE LIKE HIM TO DO IT!" he snapped back. "Why does he have to be the one to change himself, just so we can do things together?"

His tone rendered Mask silent. Drax quickly stopped himself. "I'm so sorry!"

Amai however merely nodded. "This isn't a conversation I should be having with you. I suggest you speak with your father on this."

#

Drax snapped out of the moment.

He buttoned his shirt and made certain the four bullies were around before he left. Walking out of the school, he saw his father across the street waiting in an alleyway. He smiled as his dad arched up to see him coming, and the smile that spread across his lips. Drax was quick to reach him and embrace him wholeheartedly. "Hey sport!"

"Hey dad… mind if we wait a moment…"

His father nodded. "I sensed those four assholes earlier. No problem." As his father curled up, Drax sat contently in the middle of the coil and waited. "How was school? Besides those four trying to make your life a living hell."

He shrugged. "It's okay, I guess."

The two fell silent, his father appeared to want to say something yet paused. "Uh… we are going to hold off on strength training for a while. Suiryu and Max and acting a little weird, I don't want you getting caught up in it. They seems to go all out when they are sparring, so until we know what the hell is with them. We aren't going to press Suiryu to train with you."

Drax nodded. He agreed since he has seen Suiryu and Max fight as of late, they go all out and need to be torn apart by Garou or his sons. "Hey dad… I was thinking of something, this summer…"

"Amai already told me about the rock camp," he said. "I think it's a great place for you to spend the summer. You excited to go?"

"Well about that. I was thinking…"

His father suddenly appeared distracted. He must have felt something. "Those punks are lingering still… they know you came across this way."

Drax sat up, the four then came out of the school and began pointing to the alley. "Let's go then, they are going to see me, they are going to see me." He slipped off, his father uncoiled as he nudged for Drax to hop on.

There was a little skill required for this. Drax could stand on his father's back while holding on to his shoulders. From there they would take off. It took time to prefect, but now, Drax feels like he is riding a living skateboard!

The bullies saw him, as they dashed out of the alley. They tried to run to keep up with the two, but his father was just too fast. Drax nearly couldn't believe how quickly his father could move. Everything was a blur as they rushed past people, cars and streets. It wasn't long until he was already up the stairs of the mountain and standing before Bang's dojo! "Whoa…"

"Whoa what?"

"Nothing… well… dad… I want to spend my summer with you." Drax confessed.

"I am not exactly Mr. Fun around here, you do know that,"

"But dad… I want to spend the summer with you… as you. I mean… what Garou did to Amai Mask, he could do to me, right?"

His father froze, he turned to him, almost too stunned for words. "Wait, what?" he demanded. "You want to spend the summer looking like this!" he demanded and pointed to himself.

"I think it's cool!"

"It's not cool! Kid, you know what I go through. I got to eat monsters, I shed all the time, I got to keep cool in the summer heat and that ain't easy to say the least. This isn't all heroics and fun, why would you want to spend the summer like this when you can go out and play, do things and experience life!"

Drax froze, almost offended. "You… don't want to spend time with me?"

His father sighed. "Of course I do kid. Why do you think Amai and I are going to switch in November? I'll be human for your birthday and we will do whatever you want for the whole month."

"That's great and all, but for the summer, I want to be like you and hang out with you dad. I don't find it's fair that you have to be human for us to have a father son relationship. This goes both ways doesn't it?" Drax demanded. "I could help! I could be a good hero for the summer time if you let me. Please!"

There was a disgruntled look on his face, Drax knew it wasn't one he wanted to see. "We'll talk about it, but not a word to Garou or he may step in. The last thing I want is him going behind my back on this."

It gave Drax an idea. But he knows it will anger his father…