Chapter 7: Goin' Solo

"…However I still had to prove so much more before I could even think about being the American Dragon. Probably the hardest part of it was when I was on my very first solo mission," Paula laughed, and she read the brail to herself.

Between a week and a week and a half has pasted, and Paula has been training much longer days with Jake. Since she didn't have that much school, she had a lot of free time that could be dedicated to dragon training. Little by little, Paula was progressing.

Currently both of them were sitting alone in the training warehouse. They sat down on a multicolored rug, and meditated. Jake however kept his eyes opened, and watched his young pupil.

Paula tried to keep her head clear from any thoughts, to focus more. "Remember Paula; keep in focus with all your senses. Hear the breeze that comes from the window. Touch the ground, and everything that lies upon you. Feel the movement of the Earth, and the vibrations outside…" Jake often reminded Paula to use her senses. Because without her eyesight, she's very vulnerable, and she'll have to rely on what she has.

"JAKE!" Fu Dog pushed open the warehouse back door and entered into the building. Paula at that moment lost her concentration, and fell onto the rug. Jake turned around, and stared at the Shar Pei. "Jake…" He repeated as he tried to catch his breath. "There's a gang of trolls out in the Magus Bazaar causin' some mayhem! You guys better get there quick." He finally spoke out.

"Dragon up!" The two got up from their positions, and dragoned up. Paula gave a vague smile at the mission, but as always, she was paranoid about any danger. But she needed all the practice she could get. Then, Jake went over and grabbed Fu, and three of them flew over to Magus Bazaar.

Once they arrived into the market, Jake scoped out from the air to find their targets. Eventually, he spotted them. Near 10 overturned stands was an alleyway, and in that alleyway, there were 4 trolls bunched up together. Squished Between the tight alley, they counted and stared at the loot they recently snatched from the nearby venders. The three put a bit of distance between them, and hid behind a vegetable stand.

A thought pondered in Jake's mind as they watched the trolls from a far. Maybe it was time, for Paula to step up and be the hero… "Now Paula, want do you see…?" He spoke to her, though when he said 'see', he meant it metaphorically.

Paula concentrated as much as she could, to get a sense of everything around her. "I see…6 tables (the stands) near us, one of which we are currently hiding next to." As she concentrated, Jake whispered 'yes, continue.' "And about a little ways up, I see, a small…alleyway. And in that alleyway…there are 5…I mean 4 creatures."

"Good, can you sense what they are doing, if they are moving…"

"I think so…"

With that, Jake decided to give her a shot. "Okay, me and Fu will stay right here, and I want you to go and take down those trolls."

Both Fu and Paula dropped down there jaws. "What? Me!?" She called out.

"Her…!?" Fu exclaimed. "…By herself? Jake, don't you think that's a little… dangerous!" He couldn't believe he wanted her to go solo, already.

"I know you can put the beat down on them Paula. Just concentrate, and go over and get what they steal. Me and Fu will watch from here, and if anything goes wrong, we'll be over to help."

Paula was extremely nervous. However, hearing that her grandfather and Fu would be watching, made her less tense. They would never let anything bad happen to her. Maybe she could pull this off…but she wouldn't know unless she tried. "Okay. I'll do it." She gave herself a bit of a confidence boost. She then slowly floated forward, just high enough to let just her tail drag on the floor.

"Remember Paula, stay focus." Jake reminded her as she crept forward. Come on Paula…stay focus. She said to herself, which it did work. She sensed out her enemies, and knew what to do. But that all changed, once she was 5 feet away from the trolls.

Suddenly, Paula panicked. Her abilities were acting up, since she lost focus. The trolls now turned away from their loot, and stared at the flowing dragon. Unsure if she'd be able to fight, Paula tried to talk to them. Fu covered his eyes; he couldn't watch. However, Jake kept his gaze, right on Paula. "Excuse me, trolls. I'm….going to have to get those things you stole." She started to say.

The trolls stared back at each other, and gave out a laugh. "You? What can you do," said one of the trolls. They stared right at Paula, noticing she didn't open her eyes (it was sunset, and the light was bothering Paula's eyes), was this some kind of joke.

"Don't make me have to show you what I can do." She said with a cocky attitude. She opened up her wings, and pushed out her arms. She was ready, to fight.

However, her she was still extremely nervous. This nervousness kept her from focusing all the way, which put her at a disadvantage. Just then, the trolls looked up each other, and the leader spoke out "Get her!" One of the trolls then jumped up and ran right toward Paula. And since Paula was unfocused, the troll snuck up right to her. He grabbed her arm, and pulled her closer to him. He then grabbed his club, and banged right onto her elbow; Paula squinted her face in agony. Once she was in pain, he took a hold of her arm, and slammed her right into the ground.

Once she was on the ground, the trolls started to kick and her repeatedly. She eventually found the strength to lift up her wings, to cover most of her body and block a little of the damage. She held her left arm over her head, to protect her face. "GRANDPA!" She screamed out, now scared and injured.

But by the time she had screamed, Jake was already there. He grabbed onto one of the trolls with his tail, and threw him at another. The two ran right into the back brick wall, and laid there in pain. He then blew fire out at the other two trolls, now frightened with fear. "Retreat!" Said the leader troll, and ran out of the alley. The non-injured troll quickly followed him as well.

Eventually, all four of the trolls left the scene. Once it was all clear, Fu Dog ran over, and started to collect the loot. Jake, on the other hand, went over to try to pick up Paula. She had a black eye and tons of bruises and cuts all over her dragon body. Along with that, her left wing was also torn.

Jake put out his arms, and lifted up the young dragon. She cringed a bit when he touched her right arm, and quickly shifted it away from him. He then curled up his tail, and grabbed Fu Dog. Once Paula stopped squirming, he went airborne, and headed back home. He knew she needed to go to the hospital.

Once at the nearest care center, the doctors took her right away. Fu tried giving her some health potions that he had, but the damage was too serious to cure; she had a fractured arm. The doctors twisted her arm forward, and tried as gently as possible to put on a cast. This cast, which she was to have on for another 3 weeks.

Once the cast was put on, Bonnie and Will entered into the hospital.

"My baby!" Bonnie yelled as she entered into her room. Jake and Fu were sitting in a chair, in the corner. "What did you do to her!"

"Mom?" Paula woke up, and started to clutch her other arm. She wasn't sure what to say, even if she could make out any words. Will also, was silent.

Bonnie reached out her arms, and hugged her. "Don't worry baby, I'm not going to let anything happen to you again!" She yelled, suddenly, her sorrow turned to rage. She turned over to Jake. "What did you do? How could you let this happen to her!!"

Jake, didn't have a straight answer to give her. He was afraid to tell her she let Paula go on a solo mission, which was the cause of her injuries. "It was an accident…she was on a mi-"

"You were supposed to protect her!" Bonnie stomped her way toward Jake; Will held her back. 'Honey, let's think this through.' He whispered, but apparently, she didn't hear and/or care.

"I went out to help her, it was an accident." Was the only think he could say.

"Well I'm not going to let you keep injuring our daughter with these accidents!" She turned over Paula, who had a confused gaze on her face as she glanced at her. "I'm sorry Paula, but you are not allowed to do any dragon training, dragon business, or anything involving magical creatures."

Once the doctors gave the okay, Bonnie and Will took their daughter home. When the set her into the car, tears streamed down her face. Jake and Fu on the other hand, stayed in the hospital room. They were frozen in their place; unable to speak, and move.

"Once the trolls went and broke my arm; my mom was just about done with me being a dragon. And I, thought the same thing. I figured my shot at being the American Dragon, was ruined, and I had no other chance to prove that I could."

Is this the end for Paula's dreams? Or is she kidding herself and Jake, by thinking she could actually do this...? Find out, next time!!