On the third day before the Dark Dragon's return...
The new day had dawned clumps of grey clouds extending out into the far reachs of New York's skyline up above and had remained that way as far as Wendy had noticed since she had awoken very well rested late the next day,having slept since the afternoon the previous day.In fact,she had been in a great mood until she had heard the Huntsman telling them at breakfast that he would be gathering the most elite Huntsmember's he had and would be making a skull raid at her great grandfather's shop.Wendy had tried to phone Cole without much luck and hadn't had the chance nor the drive to try to retrieve the ten skulls yet.
Please don't be there...She prayed softly as her,Huntsgirl,the apprentices and four very opposing men in Hunts attire she tried to ignore the whole time appeared on the shop's roof top.Hmph,her eyes flickered over to Rose who stood completely care free not far from where she stood.If only she knew who the American Dragon really was...
No one made a move until the Huntsman gave a little signal forward with his hand and she followed behind the rest as they went single file up to the inclosed stairwell's door,there one of the men kicked it down with a small grunt and they continued on in.Apprehension for her family constricted her throat.She should have warned them sooner,why had she not?
"Ransack the place and leave nothing in repair if necessary,"The Huntsman ordered them compendiously,keeping his eyes directed to the other men as he spoke though."That goes especially for those dragons."he added with irrtation."They don't expect us at all."
Wendy watched as all seven began at work and all she could do was pretend to sift among an old dusty collection of her great grandfather's old 1970 records as the heart wrenching sounds of tossing,bumping and crashing filled the slightly musty air of the shop in the front.
"NOTHING!"She heard the middle aged man bellow in a fit of rage."Those darned reptiles must have gotten word some how of us coming and left to hide the skulls elsewhere!"
It had been a few minutes since they left and with a shuddering sigh,she entered the front room with only the relief that no one other then they were there.Though,her eyes appraised the disarray of messy and lopsided shelves,busted up electronics with tiny blue sparks that were emitting some in the air and a light cloud of dust everywhere that tickled her allergies a bit but once her vision locked with her mother's,she saw her turn to the Huntsman.
"Master,"she began in her sedated yet catious voice."If I may,I'd like to have a word with Number 40 alone."a pause ensued as he turned to stare at questioningly but she only went on;unphased,as she explained."It's on a matter dealing with the dragon's whereabouts."
He heaved a great sigh and waved her away almost immediately."Be gone with the two of you then,I need time to think...but,"his words came out threatening."Do not leave the area."
Only because she wanted to be away from her catastrophic surroundings,Wendy followed her mother out to the front of the sidewalk where she was grateful to see no one was near them.After Rose closed the door behind her,she turned to her in a very concerned manner.
"This is your third day with us."She reminded Wendy as if she didn't already know,her eyes becoming narrow slits."You need to tell me who you are now,it isn't going to take long for the Huntsman to figure out who you really are eventually and the skulls are bad enough."
Wendy kept her eyes diverted purposefully to the ground."You'll have to get proof first."
"Listen,"Rose tried again and this time took a step up to where she was almost in her face until Wendy looked up,then saw her return to her normal place."I know we haven't known each other long but I already consider us friends."her voice and words softened to a more affable dipostion."As a friend,I'm telling you the siutation is getting too dire.Please,tell me."
She didn't want to,didn't want anyone else's help with solving this but finally she replied in a very slow and forced voice."I know the American Dragon's name is Jake Long."
Wordlessly,her mother reached out and clasping the girl's right hand,dug inside her other pocket and placed something with a cool,metallic feel inside Wendy's hand.Furrowing her brow in wonderment,she glanced down and saw a copper key resting in her cupped palm.
"Wha-What's this?"
"The key to the Huntsman's room,"Rose awnsered,obviously primed."I snatched it from him when he wasn't looking and so you need to get back to retrieve the skulls now."
Wendy felt the color drain from her cheeks and was thankful for her mask."Why don't y-"
"Why don't I?I can't run the risk of disobeying Huntsmaster's order,especially,and try to go get them myself."Worried lines crinkled around her eyes,her tone unfaltering though."Jake and I haven't spoken since the day you first showed up...I'm guessing it's not coincidence."
"Are you and the American Dragon friends?"Wendy hedged a question,partly anxious to get back to the Huntsman's lair and partly to find out where exactly her parents stood.
"That and a little more."Rose replied with a twinkle in her deep blue eyes."And you two?"
"Not really friends but I do know him to some extent."If only you knew how much.
"Get going."The former Huntress nodded to the sky,sobering once more."I already figured you were a dragon or at least some type of magical creature that was air borne."
Wendy laughed a little in disbelief but smiled a heartfelt smile toward the other girl."Thank you so much for helping me,Rose."she briefly grasped her hand and turned away."Bye."
"Before I forget."Rose interrupted her quickly as the slendor ivory dragoness began to take air."It's something I kind of wanted to know also but I never did get catch your name."
"Gwendolyn.Wendy or Wen for short."She replied back permissively,curving her wings so that she was turning to face her mother but also so she could leave in a fleeting manner.
"Hmm."Her head tilted thoughtfully and she stated casually."Gwendolyn is a very pretty name but I wouldn't have picked Wendy for a nickname.It sounds too witch-ish to me."
"Really?"Wendy replied back with curiousty."What would you have picked then?"
"Simple.I would have picked Gwen."With that,Rose raised her hand in a small wave.
She gave a little wave back and flew off,cringing at the suggestion.Gwen?Ugh-oh...eugh.
Back at the Huntsman's lair...
She hadn't bothered to change back to normal,as she glided up the stairs and landed right at the beginning of the hall,having talked to Cole on her way over,his words of urgency still echoed through her mind.He was currently just waiting for a time a dragon on partol would let their guard down or be distracted before he struck back on the island where he had told her they had hidden the three skulls.Wendy's number key objective was revitalised.
I've set the coordinates on the staff for Draco Isle after this and then we'll both be leaving as soon as he can get his.Her mind's train of thought played continuously,as she made her way down the hall and taking a calming breath,slid the key in the lock and then listened for the loud click.Once she heard it,she tentatively pushed open the heavy door.
The hall light flooded into the room in a long,expanding stream and immediately the shadow shrouded room gave way to collection of ten skulls.A relieved smile crossed Wendy's long muzzle,all she had to do was teleport them along with herself and she was home free but a cold chill surging up her spine made her pause.There was someone directly behind her.
"I was nearly slain by you."A familiar,deathly calm voice reached her ears."Tell me,why is it that you risked your neck for a human?But above all,why risk it for a Huntsclan member?"
Wendy took a long,shuddering sigh."I'm sorry,"she apologised,though deeply gladdend by the fact the older dragon was still alive."That really isn't who that Huntsmember is,it's really more of someone she has to be.Don't take it personally,I just didn't want to see her hurt."
"Puh!"The dragoness spat in digust at the mere mention of helping humans but then went on in a strangely more softer voice."No,I am the one who should be sorry.You see,I'm not just here for the skulls but I'm here to tell you that your whole life in the future is gone."
With hearing that,Wendy was quick with whirling around and locking eyes with the large silhouette in the doorframe."Gone?"she repeated steadily,suspicion rising."Meaning...?"
"Meaning,"Her countenance and voice became marked by sympathy."You're family and your friends have taken your three day absense quite well.In other words,prefer you gone."
"You're lying!"She declared snappily,flashs of hot anger pouring through her."You no g-"
But what caught her off,was an at first faint blur of images that seemed to be figures moving about.It took a few moments and yet gazing harder,Wendy found what appeared to be a room that was much like her own back in the future.Only...different.The light and dark green striped wall paper she had up was now sriped off,her bed was missing,the carpeting looked cleaner and that's when she saw a tall,well-proportioned man walking in to pick up her dresser;which was the only piece of furniture left and then only her drapes remained.
"Dad?"Her spoke with confusion edging her words and then as reality struck,she swiped a claw through the misty projection."You're the one who sent us that message in the future!"
"It wasn't I."
Wendy couldn't make out the other dragon,as her slash mark dissipated and a new picture of her aunt Haley in what appeared to be an auction booth bidding off most of her niece's belongings mocked her eyes.Seething,she was about ready to make move to attack and put an end to the enraging falsehood of the very realistic images before her,when one of Josh and one of the more popular girl's walking hand-in-hand out of the movies made her pause in mid-air.Everything she had seen so far and this was by far the most believable.
"No,"she spoke in a low,determined voice."No,none of it's true.It's all lies.My family would never do that.Josh,I know for sure he would never do that...there lies and that's the truth."
Her eyes were turned away but she sensed the other dragoness approaching."Again,I am sorry you had to bear witness to this."she sighed sadly,placing a claw on Wendy's arm."It didn't happen over night after Fu Dog told them but once they couldn't locate you in the time period you were in.They simply gave up trying and are trying to move on with their-"
Striking hard,striking fast,she had knocked the older dragoness to the other side of the room in very little time that even surprised Wendy but what caught her attention was what had fallen to the floor.Feeling the exert of what she had done,she reached down to where a sliverish glint was by her feet and picked it up to examine.Twirling it a bit between her umber claws,she found to her immense shock it was her dream charm,the one she given to Josh.Only now some of the little pink charms where gone and the latch was broken off.
"I found it that way in a pile of trash outside your home."A faraway voice explained."The truth is,I intercepted whatever source gave you and your brother that infomation.Following the two of you,I meant to assist you in getting the skulls back but things didn't go so right..."
Her words drifted off into a wasteland void in the back of Wendy's conscious,as a feeling of deep befuddlement swept over it be true?Could they have given up caring so easily and gotten on without her?She tried to surpress those type of thoughs,tried with all she had to make them seem like the last results that could occur.This dragon wouldn't have had time to set all this up...or could she?Wendy stared at the braclet for felt like a lifetime and a half.Measuring the situtation from every angle and ever direction she could think of.But it all seemed so real to her,painfully and penetratingly depthening within her crumpling soul.
One hour and forty-two minutes later...
Huntsgirl kept silent all the way home and now was climbing up the stairs off to the side behind him.Some amusement over what the Huntsman would find intermingled with graditude towards the white dragon Wendy she had let go was still heightening her feelings.
"WHAT?"Huntsmaster's voice boomed in horror and she watched as he dashed forward to the open door.Without a hint of knowing,Rose tagged along innocently."How did you manage to get into my room and what on earth made you think you could defy my orders?"
At the mention of someone stll in the room,Huntsgirl shouldered her way past her uncle and saw the most disturbing sight next to discovering Jake she had ever laid eyes upon.The corspe of a slain Chang was sprawled about before the de-dragonised Wendy who had her eyes strained to the floor and her staff clenched so tightly in her grasp that she noticed that the girl's hand was starting to tremor in small,abrupt jerks with the staff pointed down.
"Here,"Wendy muttered after a while,carelessly throwing it down at the Huntsman's feet but without ever looking up once."It's already programmed with where the other skulls are on an uncharted island for dragons...that's one of the reasons why I came back here."
As Rose witnessed this,an image of a woman similiar to her watched from a higher place.
To Be Continued...
A/N:Three words...major arc twist.More to be unveiled with the following chapters.
LP