"Akuba…Please reconsider…"
"Sadly, I cannot. I cannot leave this curse in this state."
"But…Elder, what will come of this? Surely the curse will still uphold the future even with the seal."
"True. However, this seal will just be the first step on the long road to be rid of this curse."
"Are you…Absolutely certain about this?"
Yahto stirred and slowly opened his eyes, his head throbbing and his eyes heavy. He felt like he didn't sleep at all last night, his body was sore all over and his joints were aching.
"Aw man…" Yahto groaned with a whisper. "What happened last night…?"
Mysteriously enough Yahto couldn't remember anything about what happened last night. He does remember he was at the park with Jake and his dog, but anything past that is a big blank. He can't quite understand it; something must've happened for him to be this sore and tired. It couldn't be the effects of a nightmare, he didn't dream last night, at least not that he can remember at the moment.
As he tried to remember his thoughts went back to Jake. He couldn't help but smile to himself.
"I know how the pressure can be. It's no cake walk with newbies in new cities. Just be yourself."
Jake Long…Does that kid actually accepts Yahto for who he is? Did he make friends with him yesterday at the museum and at the park?
Yahto gave a gentle sigh and patted his chest. He was suddenly alarmed and quickly sat up on his bed, forgetting about his sore limbs as he patted his chest again and followed it down to his stomach and pants, patting desperately to find something.
"M-My necklace…!" Yahto searched his empty pockets before looking around his room. Unfortunately he couldn't see it, not even find it. He couldn't believe he lost it; it was so precious to him. A present from his father…
Yahto lowered his eyes as he slowly bowed his head, feeling like he lost a part of him along with his necklace…
DAY 3
"C'mon, Fu!" Jake insisted as he leaned against the door opening of the backroom of his grandfather's shop, his eyes on his dog companion. "Aren't you going to tell me what happened last night? You've been zoned out like a zombie since I got here. What's the big deal?"
Jake arched an eyebrow as he heard Fu give off a sigh, so he's finally giving in. "All right, kid. I guess I have no other choice anyway."
Jake got off of the door's frame and walks up to Fu as the Shar Pei took out his trusty magical book of magical creatures and opened it to a certain page. As always magic emanated from within the book, illuminating a hologram of the creature in question into view in 3D. "This is what I saw last night at the park, kid."
The moment Jake saw the creature he was taken back at what he saw. It was a dragon, just like him, but man can this dragon look tough and mean! The dragon's entire body seems to be made of gold with a darker tone from its knees down and from the elbows down, and its underbelly is red to match is flowing red hair. Its majestic gigantic wings are as gold as its body and along its back and tail protrude dangerous looking red spikes. And if that was enough, take a look at its bull-like horns and the fangs protruding downward from its mouth. No doubt about it, just from the looks of it this dragon is bad news. Really bad news.
"Kid, let me introduce you to the Millenium Dragon; the toughest and nastiest dragon you'll ever meet next to the Dark Dragon." Fu gave a glance to Jake to see if he's listening before continuing. "This dragon has given the Dragon Council a whole bunch of trouble thorough the years, and it even single-handedly defeated the entire council from what I've heard. Apparently a very long time ago this dragon used to be one of the good guys until a horrible curse was set on it, turning it into this mean customer."
"Whoa…" Jake comments in awe. "Wicked looking dragon but uhhh…Are you sure you saw this dragon yesterday?"
"As sure as a leprechaun is after counting his pieces of gold, kid. I saw it with my own two eyes." Fu paused to take a deep breath before continuing. "But to tell you the truth, I really wish what I saw wasn't the real thing. I mean, this dragon is one tough cookie, it's going to be incredibly tough to take him down, even for you, kid."
Jake couldn't help but roll his eyes with a confident laugh. "Hah! C'mon, Fu. I've taken down the Dark Dragon, the #1 threat to the Magical World! With I might add I've beaten him twice."
"This is serious, young one…"
Jake and Fu turned around to the door to greet none other than Jake's mentor and grandfather, Luong Lao Shi, a powerful Chinese Dragon who was the first one to ever fight, survive and defeat the Dark Dragon. Lao Shi has been hearing what Fu Dog has been telling Jake about the Millenium Dragon and he too is unnerved by the news of the dragon being sighted. "This is horrible news indeed, Jake." He starts as he walks up to the two of them. "The Millenium Dragon is an extremely powerful dragon and cannot be taken lightly."
Jake scratches the back of his neck as his arrogant attitude begin to take a dive. "Well, what do you know about the Millenium Dragon, G?"
Lao Shi shakes his head. "Not much, unfortunately. However, I've heard the stories and tales about the Millenium Dragon, tales as old as the Dragon Council itself. As Fu Dog told you, the Millenium Dragon used to be part of the Dragon Council."
Fu continues with the story as he reads back into his magical book. "According to the records the Dragon Council were tangled in a huge battle against a powerful sorcerer which rumors state was the one who gave the Dark Dragon his dark powers. But anyway, this sorcerer put a curse on the Millenium Dragon thus turning him into the evil bad guy we know today."
"So are you telling me this dragon is hardcore enough to take down the Dragon Council all by himself?" Jake looks around to see both Fu and his grandfather nod at his question. "Aw man and I thought the Dark Dragon was bad enough…"
Lao Shi turns to Jake and gives him a serious look, not kidding around about this one. "Jake, this dragon will be one of your most dangerous challenge yet as the American Dragon. For generations this dragon has been destroyed by the Dragon Council and this time it will be no different. As the American Dragon your duty is to find this dragon and destroy it."
Jake gave a nod but then shrugged. "No sweat G, but there's one problem. This dragon can take down the Dragon Council all by himself, how am I supposed to fight against him and win?"
"There are a number of spells and potions one can use to destroy this dragon," Lao Shi explained as he walked over and took a spell book out of the bookshelf and opening it. "It might take time, but I'm sure Fu Dog and I can prepare one before you confront this dragon."
Upon hearing this Fu Dog couldn't help but whimper a bit, he would be all over the idea if it wasn't for the fact that the dragon is one of Jake's friends; that kid with the weird red eyes from yesterday, Yahto. "Uhhh…Well, is that really necessary, gramps?"
Lao Shi turns his head to Fu, arching an eyebrow. "What do you mean, Fu Dog?"
Fu gave a sigh before continuing, his eyes reading the book. "Well, reading more about it the dragon's curse weakens in power over time."
Jake takes a step toward Fu and lowers down to him a bit. "Whoa there a minute, Fu. Just what exactly are you trying to tell us?"
"Just take a closer look at his name and have a lesson, kid. The Millenium Dragon. A millennium is a thousand years, right? If your answer is yes, congratulations, kid. You see, according to ancient records from the Dragon Council this Akuba dragon casted a seal to compress the curse. The records and prophecy said that this seal should have the curse weak enough to shatter it in about a millennium. And badabim badabum, you got his name! The Millenium Dragon."
"And how long has it been since this Akuba dude casted the seal?" Jake inquired.
"Well according to my calculations, kid." Fu Dog looks over his shoulder to Jake. "Exactly about a millennium since last year."
Jake was about to say that instead of destroying the dragon that maybe they could help him, but before he could even say it Lao Shi interrupts him. "Despite what the records say, we simply cannot allow the time for the Millenium Dragon to grow stronger. It would be an unnecessary risk."
Jake tries to have his say. "B-But gramps…!"
But Lao Shi shakes his head in denial. "I'm sorry, Jake, but I cannot allow such a huge risk. The Dragon Council has even ruled out that possibility. The records and scrolls about such a seal no longer exist and it's only known through prophecy. After a thousand years of dealing onslaughts with the dragon, it's no longer acceptable to even allow the dragon time to fight the curse. We simply cannot allow it."
Jake lowered his eyes in disappointment. Even if it's been unsuccessful for a millennium, there's always a chance to break free of the curse, right? And it's been a millennium, if the prophecy is true then it's time to get rid of the curse once and for all. He sighs as Lao Shi walks out from the backroom with the spell book, likely to find a good potion and/or spell for the dragon.
"I'm sorry, kid." Fu Dog added as he closed his book. "If it were up to me I would've really given him a chance to break the curse."
"Hm, yeah…" Jake's eyes widen a bit as he suddenly realized something and looked down at Fu. "Hey! What about Yahto? Did he see the dragon too?"
Fu froze for a second. That was a question he wished never to answer. How can he tell Jake that one of his friends is the dragon that they were just talking about? If Jake knew then everything would be even worse than it already is. "Uhhh…Why you ask, kid?"
"Well, when I found the two of you Yahto was unconscious. I thought maybe he got attacked by that dragon or something."
"Well…Uhhh…" Fu Dog stammered as he tried to come up with an excuse, he just felt that maybe he shouldn't tell Jake about that dragon being Yahto himself. But as Fu kept stammering, he knew he couldn't keep it a secret. In the end Fu gave up and took a deep breath. "Kid…I gotta be hon-"
"Whoa!" Jake exclaimed after he gave a glance at the clock. "I'm late! I was supposed to meet Rose at by the school for something important!"
"But, Jake, I…"
Jake was already scrambling to his stuff, scooping up his backpack and belonging in his hands before turning for the door. "I'm sorry Fu but I gotta run! Give me the lowdown later when I get back!"
Fu was about to go after him but the boy had already left. He stands there looking at the closing door, wondering how Jake would've taken the news that Yahto was the Millenium Dragon. It would be hard to swallow, to learn that a friend of yours is a maniacal dragon similar to the Dark Dragon. He looks back at his magic book as it's still lying on the table he set it on.
"I wonder if the kid knows…" He talks to himself, referring to Yahto and his dragon powers.
Yahto felt like he would collapse at any second. His body was so numb and felt heavy, he thought his legs were going to snap and buckle from the weakness in them. It was like he ran the hundred yard dash along with a one mile swim and a five story mountain climb. He didn't want to get up and go to school. But now that he's there standing in front of the building, his option of staying home would've been a so much better choice.
In his usual clothes and holding his backpack over his shoulder with his pair of skates dangling as they are attached an outer strap of the backpack, Yahto stands there in front of the school, his hair swaying in the breeze as he stares at the locked doors. He must've missed the memo that school was out today, there's a piece of paper with a message on the two front doors. Apparently the NYPD is investigating on what happened the day before yesterday.
Yahto sighs before turning around, his legs quivering a bit from how sore they are. Instead of leaving he takes a seat on the stairs that leads up the school to rest his legs. He still ponders about what happened last night for him to be so sore, but all he can come up with is that he got caught in a fight or something, but he was never one to get into fights.
Yahto sighs as he takes off his cap and pats his chest. He can't believe his necklace is gone. What could've happened to it? He always took good care of it and never left it out of his sight. Where could it have gone?
Yahto gives a yawn before leaning back against the stair step behind him, his eyes still heavy and groggy. Not able to keep his eyes open any longer Yahto slowly closed his eyes, and just like that he falls asleep…
But his dream was not a pleasant one.
Yahto finds himself in the city, now flooded by flames and the buildings in ruins. Not this dream again, the dream of the city in ruins and dangerous flames of fire everywhere.
Yahto turns his head left and right, seeing nothing but fire and ruined buildings. He turns around and runs down the street to try to find an escape from this hell, but wherever he goes there are fires everywhere, no safe place.
Yahto stops and looks around. Where to go, where to find safety from these flames…
He covers his face from the heat of the flames, protecting himself from the deadly fires. He slowly uncovers his eyes and sees something slowly approaching him. Yahto gasps in horror, it's the dragon he always sees in his dream. He recognizes that height, wings and flowing long hair anywhere.
Yahto began to step back before turning around and high-tailing it out of there. He ran as fast as he could to get away from the incoming menace, but he wasn't counting on the dragon to catch up on him this fast as the creature effortlessly used its wings to fly over Yahto and land in front of him, cutting him off from his escape.
Yahto tried to stop but collides against the dragon in front of him and falls back to the ground, his heart pounding against his chest from the fear and terror that's surrounding him. He slowly sits up and rubs his face before looking up at the dragon, its red eyes looking down at him in a glare. Almost instantly Yahto turns around while getting up and starts to run again, but after taking a couple of steps he trips back to the ground as if bad luck had a hold on him. This is one horrible nightmare.
As Yahto rubbed his chin as he got up to his hands and knees a large shadow has loomed over him. No doubt, it's the dragon. Upon realizing this Yahto turns over to be face to face with the dragon, that cold red glare looking down at him. The evilness in its eyes as it growls at him, exposing its razor sharp teeth and fangs.
Yahto yelped in fear as the dragon lunged down and grabbed him by his shirt and lifted him up right off his feet, holding him up. Yahto struggles as he grabs the dragon's hand, trying to pry them off. But the dragon's grip was strong and it had no intention of letting go.
He prays in his mind that he'll wake up soon and out of this nightmare. He's sick of having the same nightmare again and again. He wants this over and have different dreams, not this same one. Why is he suffering the same nightmare over and over?
Yahto looks pleadingly at the dragon, but all he was greeted with was the same cold glare. And right there he knew he was going to be this dragon's prey as it brought up its other hand and flexed its claws. But then, something happened.
The dragon stopped moving and looked over its shoulders, looking at something. A bit confused Yahto looked over the dragon to the light ahead emanating from the flames, and he too saw what this dragon saw. Another figure, standing there with glowing green eyes…Another dragon…?
"Well well…It's game time, dragon…"
Yahto sat up with a gasp. He clutches his chest as he breathes heavily recovering from that nightmare. He still felt the grip of that dragon on his shirt, the sheer terror on his face. Another dragon in his nightmares? There's just no way…
Jake was on a rush to his school to meet up with Rose. Both she and Jake are working together to stay one step ahead of the Huntsclan and to figure out their next move for the remaining Aztec Skulls and take them before they do, otherwise the Magical World is doomed. Although lately with the increased activity of the Huntsclan Jake seriously needs to talk to Rose and figure out what they're up to, and what they're looking for other than the Aztec Skulls.
Riding his skateboard he darts down the sidewalk and taking sharp turns in curves, his speed refusing to drop as he's in a hurry to meet up with Rose. He's still a bit sore at how he's been getting his butt kicked lately with all the Huntsclan hunters out and ganging up on him, he wishes how he could get back at them, somehow. But for now, he has to keep his head set on what he has to do. Find the remaining Aztec Skulls, keep them safe, and do something about this Millenium Dragon running loose.
Jake skids to a stop and kicks up his skateboard to his hand as he stands at the back of the school facing the lot behind it. He walks into the lot and looks around as he sees it empty. Where is she?
"Rose?" Jake calls out. He takes a few more steps before a felt a hand on his shoulder, startling him as he screams and abruptly turns around, his heart nearly giving out from the surprise.
Rose couldn't help but giggle to herself. "Calm down, Jake. It's just me."
Jake gave a sigh of relief to see it was her. "Rose…You nearly gave me a heart attack."
Rose nodded apologetically. "I'm sorry, but you do know that we have to be careful, the Huntsclan could be out there watching me."
Jake scratched the back of his head with a slight chuckle upon remembering that. Ever since Rose came back from the Academy she has been a bit on close surveillance, so it's always a risk to talk to her about these things. "Right…Anyway, have you figured out what the Huntsclan are up to?"
Rose's eyes suddenly went serious and she scanned the area, making sure no one was listening. "Well…Not fully but I have an idea at what they're looking for." Rose set her backpack down on the ground and opened it. She then took out what looked like a small piece of gold, small enough for her to conceal it in her fist.
"Say, that's…" Jake's suspicion since yesterday was true upon seeing that piece.
"You probably figured it out already, but yeah, it's a gold scale." Rose explained as she held out the scale to Jake for him to see. "This scale acts like a radar of sort, it reacts whenever it's near to whatever this belongs to. That's why the Huntsmaster has collected quite a few of them."
"No wonder I found one of them at school when the Huntsclan attacked." Jake adds as he scratches his chin. "But that sucker was bigger than this puny one; I had to carry it with both hands from how heavy it was. Not to mention how much weight it put on my back when I hid it in my backpack."
Rose nods in acknowledgement. "These things are incredibly strong, even this little one actually weights a lot. These scales can make an impenetrable armor."
As Jake stares at the scale it suddenly came to him. Gold…scale…armor. Scales are like armor for dragons. Scales of color gold means…
Jake's eyes widen a bit. "Rose…You're not going to tell me that the Hunstman is after a…"
"A dragon?" Rose finished his sentence. She nods in response. "And not just any dragon, but one of the most powerful dragons that ever existed…"
"The Millenium Dragon…" Jake whispered, at least loud enough for Rose to hear. He shakes his head in disbelief that the Huntsman is after such a dragon. Knowing the Huntsman he's not looking to slay this dragon, but for something else. "B-But what does he want with the Millenium Dragon? That jerk can't possibly believe he can slay it or something!"
"My thoughts exactly, but that's not stopping him from searching for it." Rose adds as she puts the scale away in the backpack. "The Huntsman hasn't told me anything about what he's planning but my guess is that he has something planned for the dragon, maybe possibly take away its power somehow and harness it for the good of the Huntsclan." She kept talking as she set her backpack on her back. "I've used the Huntsclan's library to look up some information on the Millenium Dragon and from what I've read it will spell disaster if the Huntsclan were to succeed in gaining this power."
"I know, I've also heard a lot of bad rep about the Millenium Dragon from gramps and Fu." Jake narrowed his eyes and slammed his fist in the palm of his other hand. "We can't let the Huntsclan get their hands on it if they do have a way to get the dragon's powers!"
Rose nods in agreement as she placed her hands in her pockets. She then froze upon feeling something in her pocket. The necklace she took from that boy from last night, she still had it. She almost forgot all about it. The Huntsmaster wasn't too interested in it despite it reacting to the other scales and therefore dismissed it. Instead of getting rid of it Rose kept it with her, just in case she ever saw that boy again.
"Until then I have to keep on fighting them," Jake continued. "Gramps told me he and Fu were going to work on creating something that could destroy the dragon, as much as I hate to do it after hearing about the curse."
Rose felt her heart sink when she heard about Jake's grandfather working on something to destroy the dragon, but then the next thing she heard caught her interest. "A curse?"
"Yeah, according to what Fu told me this dragon is suffering from a curse that it's controlling it in wreaking havoc and destruction and supposedly it grows weaker as the years pass. There's some sort of prophecy that the curse will be broken in a thousand years, which according to Fu this curse has been ready to bite the dust since last year."
That's why it's called the Millenium Dragon, Rose concluded to herself. It's common knowledge that a millennium is a thousand years. And after hearing that fact and connecting it to the dragon's name, you can pretty much connect one to one. Rose felt a bit of relief swelling her upon hearing that. There's a chance this dragon can break the chains and regain its senses. And at a good time too, because…
"That sort of reminds me…" Rose began as she took her hand out of her pocket, dragging out the necklace. "I believe you know who this belongs to."
Jake looks at the necklace as Rose holds it out to him. At first he didn't recognize whose necklace this is, he gave it some good thought and then it came to him. "Hey! That's Yahto's necklace!"
Rose nods but gives a serious look. "Jake…This necklace is actually another piece of scale just like the ones we have…"
Jake was shocked upon hearing this as he jumps a bit and takes a step back. "Say what?"
"I found him unconscious at the park on my way out. This necklace of his got my interest when it reacted to the scale I had back then. It's a different color, but if I'm right this is just like the ones we have."
Jake was just in shock. Yahto had one of the scales all along? An idea just came into mind. Yahto told him he just moved here five days ago, which he recalls exactly five days ago was when the Huntsclan began to be more active, searching for this dragon. Maybe…Just maybe…
"You think the Huntsclan were after this necklace?" Jake inquired, still not grasping an important straw here. "That could explain their attack on the school and popping out in the park when I was there with Yahto."
Rose shook her head. "The Huntsclan didn't care for this necklace…" She handed over the necklace over to Jake. "But Jake…There's something you should know…"
Jake looked at Rose as he took the necklace and put it away in his pocket, not liking the tone in her voice. "What is it?"
"It's about Yahto…"
"What about him?" Jake was lost at where Rose was driving at; the necklace, the scales, not to mention the sudden mention of Yahto. Where is she going with this? And then, it dawned on him like a ton of bricks.
Those strange red eyes of his…
The necklace he's always with…
Yesterday him being unconscious in the middle of a ring flames with Fu…
"No…" Jake muttered.
Seeing Jake's reaction Rose knows he figured it out. "I saw the Millenium Dragon last night, and…Well, it was Yahto…"
"No way…" Jake felt his legs quiver. Yahto, the kid he went to the museum with and the park yesterday, the quiet kid from school, is actually this powerful dragon? There's just no way, it sounded impossible! Shake began to slowly shake his head. "No…No no no…It can't be him…I barely know him but I can already tell that Yahto would never be this…This monster!"
"Well, from what I saw last night it looked like he didn't know what he was doing, like he doesn't have any control over it. When he when back to normal he was unconscious." What Rose said once again gives more credit to the curse Fu mentioned. "If the prophecy is right then he might have a chance to actually break the curse, right?"
"And save himself from being destroyed." Jake cooed as he took out Yahto's necklace and stares at it, to think that Yahto is this ultimate dragon capable of fighting against the Dragon Council single-handedly and that he's suppose to destroy him.
"Jake…" Rose began as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's look more into this dragon, the both of us. That way we can find a way to help Yahto fight this. If we help him break the curse, this problem will fix itself right? The Huntsclan won't be able to capture him and you won't have to destroy him."
Jake looks at Rose and nods. But if they fail, what then? If they fail in breaking the curse Jake would have no other choice but to eliminate him to keep the Magical World safe.
A silence befell between the two as Jake continued staring at the necklace. Nobody said being the American Dragon would be easy, but when it comes to situations like this, it really tears your heart in two. Either save a friend and risk the entire Magical World along the way, or destroy a friend to keep the entire world safe.
An impossible decision either way…
Yahto tried to unwind his troubled mind by walking around the streets of New York, trying to relax from that nightmare. It was just too terrifying, the dragon standing over him and then being grabbed like that and being face to face with it. Why does he keep having these dreams? Why him? And what was up with that second dragon with the glowing green eyes? Why is there a second one?
He rubbed his head as he keeps on walking, paying little attention to where he was going. He stumbles on a pebble and nearly trips, bobbing forward as he tries to regain his footing. He succeeds and sighs in relief with one hand over his chest, managing to avoid a face plant on the concrete floor. He looks around; finding himself in one of New York's many neighborhoods. It's strangely quiet for ten am.
A gust of wind coming from down the street causes Yahto to slightly cover his face from the wind. It felt nice the cool morning wind blowing against his face, it soothes his mind from that nightmare and his tired body.
Suddenly he feels his cap being blown off from his head. Yahto yelps in surprise as he feels his head to find the cap missing before turning around, seeing it rolling on the ground and been blown off with the gust of wind. Just what he needed…
"Oh no…!" Yahto begins to give chase to his cap. "Get back here…!"
He follows his cap as it keeps being blown in the wind, well out of reach from him. But Yahto doesn't give up and keeps on running after it, he lost his necklace but he's not intending on losing his cap. He takes a turn to the left and finds his cap slowly falling to the ground as the gust of wind dies down in a small pathway between two buildings. All right, no problem, Yahto thought to himself as he sees his cap landing on a little puddle, of all things.
He walks over to his cap, kneels down to it and grabs it. As he does so a tall figure walks into the pathway and stands behind Yahto, its eyes looking down at the boy as he is obliviously kneeling down in front of it and patting the water out of his cap.
As Yahto finished in wiping his cap clean he began to notice the odd shadow looming over him. This brings some serious déjà-vu to the boy…
With a gulp Yahto slowly turned around as he got up to his feet, and what he saw could've stopped his heart right then and there. The figure is pretty tall, towering over the boy like the dragon in his dream, and though the lack of light kept most of the figure in a shadow Yahto could clearly make out the wings behind it. Yahto froze there in fear, his eyes set on this creature's glowing green eyes. The creature narrowed his eyes a bit which then Yahto got the feeling on his legs back and took a step back, his movement and shift of his location making the light behind the creature dim a bit more in his eyesight and the shadow over the creature almost disappeared, allowing him to really see the creature.
This creature is completely black with a tan underbelly and a pair of emerald green eyes with a hint of a green glow in them, its hair red and its wings blue with the outer edges black. Along with that this creature has some very intimidating tattoos on both its arms from around the wrist up its arms and ending on its shoulders and chest, the tattoos glow a faint and intimidating glow. Yahto couldn't believe it, that dragon with the glowing green eyes is this one, and it's real!
"Yo, Yahto…" The dragon casually says with a rather sadistic look on its face and a menacing smirk.
Yahto screams and fumbles back away from the dragon, not only terrified by the dragon actually being there in front of him but it also knows his name!
"Now, that's no way to greet a former guest, now is it?" The dragon once again spoke with its terrifying look.
Yahto kept backing away from the dragon in horror, wanting to get away from there but not doing so immediately as to not get the dragon to chase him. He heard something behind him and he looked over his shoulder, gasping to see what seemed like a purple vortex set there right behind him and cutting off his escape route.
"It's game time, my friend." The dragon commented as it lifted a hand with its pointing finger outstretched as it glows with magic. "The time has come once again."
Yahto gasped as he saw the vortex behind him beginning to expand, threatening to suck him into it. But even before he could move the vortex expanded and engulfed the two of them, bringing them into a pitch black dimension of sorts. Yahto is shaking in terror as he looks around the pitch black area, no light within sight to guide him out. Other than the dragon's glowing tattoos, there is no source of light anywhere.
Suddenly the darkness began to go away, slowly revealing the location they are at. Yahto was surprised and shocked when all the darkness went away to discover that he wasn't back in that pathway in New York but back to someplace very familiar, a place with a lot of painful memories to him.
"This…" Yahto looks around. The light blue walls, the quiet halls, the clean floor, the well illuminated grounds, the worn down lockers, there's no doubt about it. "This is my old school!"
He walked over to the lockers and held out his hand, touching the cold metal of the storage devices. Yahto was in awe, he's actually there! No joke, no trick, nothing. "This…This is real…" He then looked over to his left to see the locker's number: 134, Yahto's old locker.
"Nice to be back home, isn't it?" The dragon commented, his face still with the same sadistic look and smirk. "Now Yahto, time to play a little game."
Yahto turned to the dragon, looking rather confused. "Game?"
The dragon gave a slight grin and snapped his fingers, spawning three tables in front of him with an item set on each one; a book, a movie case and a box. "The rules are simple," The dragon begins to instruct the boy. "Of these three items, one is the correct one for you. You are to choose the item you wish for the most."
Yahto cocks his head a bit at the dragon. That's it? All he has to do is choose with item he really likes out of those three? For a game as what this dragon calls it, it's a pretty lame game.
The dragon lowers his head a bit more, keeping his look and smirk. "If you choose the right item, you win the game and as a reward I'll answer every question that's in your mind." The dragon then smiled a rather creepy smile as if he knows Yahto will like what he'll hear the next. "That includes your dreams."
Yahto was caught off-guard upon hearing that. Is he for real? Does this dragon know what he wants to know? It sounds too good to be true. What's keeping this from being another dream? What if he wakes up and all of this is really a dream?
"However," The dragon begins to add. "Choose the wrong item and a terrible fate awaits you." The dragon then crossed his arms as the glow of his tattoos die down.
Yahto hesitated to even get near the dragon, let alone the items it placed in front of it. What if this is all a trick? What if the moment he gets near the dragon will just strike out and attack him? He didn't dare to even move from his spot, he couldn't.
"What's wrong?" The dragon inquired upon noticing Yahto's hesitation. "You don't trust me?" The moment of silence was clue enough and the dragon merely chuckled. "Very well."
The dragon then took a few steps back, putting distance between it, the kid and the items until its back was against the door at the end of the hall. "Is this better?"
Yahto replied with a gulp, wondering if he should do this or not. On one hand he can just keep away from the dragon and this 'game' of his and he'll be all right. But on the other hand if this dragon is what's keeping him in this place then he might never get out of here. It seems like he doesn't have a choice in the matter.
Cautiously Yahto walks up to the items the dragon summoned up. If the dragon is telling the truth then just picking the one he likes will just end this little 'game'. Yahto looked at each of the three items and he gasped. "These are…"
He recognized every single one of them. The book is a black one about witchcraft and other dark magic instructions and reading. These books are very rare due to the high controversy of the items. These mysteriously showed up in a couple of book stores and those who got them were reported to actually perform and cast spells and magic. Strangely the moment these books were reported they were quickly taken away by anonymous people. These books actually became quite legendary to teenagers interested in such things and these books were heavily sought after in book stores despite the owners of said shops claiming they have never even heard of such a book.
The box he almost immediately recognized it as well. The box is a complete set of a semi-automatic paintball gun completely with the shooting tank, stock for better shooting and about 500 paintball bullets. A really expensive paintball gun and a really popular one with the teenagers who are into paintball wars and other related activities.
The movie case made Yahto beam a bit. It's a movie about his favorite animated movie, the two-disc limited edition version with three hours of bonus content. Yahto fell in love with this movie when he saw it in theatres and planned to buy it on DVD the day it came out in stores.
Yahto lifts his head to the dragon, throwing at him a question. "So…All I have to do is pick the one I really want?" He saw the dragon nod in agreement, to which Yahto frowned. "Gee…Isn't this easy…"
The dragon smirked upon hearing that. "Do you really think so?"
Yahto flinched upon hearing that and then he heard the school bell rang as if on cue. Suddenly all of the classroom doors slammed open and students began to pour out from the classrooms, some heading for their lockers and others for their next class. For a moment there Yahto almost forgot all about the dragon and the 'game' as he was surrounded by people he used to know, the same classmates, books, everything. It was like he went back to his old home once again.
"Well, look who it is!"
Yahto stiffened upon hearing that voice. He recognized that voice from just about anywhere. He turns around almost instantly to come face to face with the old bully gang from this school. He has so many horrible memories because of this gang; how they used to pick on him, make his school life living hell. In fact, these guys were the main reason Yahto tried to change just to fit in. Not only were these guys always picking on him, but they were one of the most popular students in his class.
"It's the kiddy little boy, Yahto!" The leader of the gang spoke out. "Watcha doing out here, little man? Lost your eraser in the shape of a pony?"
As the gang laughed at the mocking Yahto blushed and felt his shoulders sag. Yahto had his own taste of items and belongings, most of which these guys and other cruel students thought they were kiddy. Granted Yahto didn't own any eraser in the shape of a pony, he did used to own backpacks of his favorite cartoons and videogames. Which most of them the 'mature' students deemed kiddy and for babies.
"No wonder you're always alone," One of them laughs. "You're still a little baby with your little babyish things!"
"Hahah, yeah! Grow up, kid!"
Yahto felt like he went back a year through time to those horrible days, when the students picking on him and isolating him for being 'too lame' or a 'baby'. He felt like just running away from there, run out of school and never come back, his scarred mind from all this teasing begging to get away from it all.
"Hey you! Kid!"
Yahto swirled around to whoever was calling him to face a mini-game table stand where those three items used to be. A middle-aged man stands there behind the table with a lottery cage next to him full with white balls with numbers written on them and prizes set behind him. Yahto then felt something on his hand, a piece of paper. Suddenly it all came back to him.
A year ago when he was still in this school there was a carnival set up, carnival day basically. One stand in particular was a lottery game where you draw a piece of paper with a number on it. On the hour of the lottery call the owner of the man spun the lottery cage and then picked out a random ball and read the number. Out of sheer luck Yahto's number was called out and he was to pick a prize from behind the man, any prize of his choice. And here's the twist, three items from the prizes the man had were the exact three items from the dragon's 'game': the book of magic, the paintball gun box and the DVD movie.
"I don't have all day here." The middle-aged man comments as he waits for Yahto to pick a prize. "Pick a prize, any prize."
It was all like a flashback. Here's Yahto standing in front of a lottery table about to collect his prize, and like last year he had the bullies and every kid that had always picked on him standing there behind him telling him what to choose. He recalls at how the bullies threatened for him to get the paintball gun so he can hand it over to them later. He recalls how the peer pressure practically tried to force him to get the other prizes instead of the one he really liked.
In fact, it's starting to happen again. He hears the chants behind him and the threats to get the paintball gun, others chanting for the book. Yahto was actually hesitating in picking his prize. He really wants to fit in and be accepted, but then again he really wants that movie. He wants the name calling and bullying to stop, but his heart and desire wants to pick what he wants. He was torn in two. It was really as if he went back a year through time to that day. Everything's so precise, the feeling, the pressure. It was because of this that on that day a year ago the pressure was too much that Yahto actually ran from the lottery table, giving up his prize just because he was set over the edge of his desire to be accepted and to stop the bullying.
In fact, he's really considering in doing just that right now…
"Heheh…" Behind the lottery table in a corner the dragon is resting his back against the wall with his arms crossed while looking past the corner, enjoying the show of his 'game'. "The child is frightened and hesitating…It is exactly like how he experienced it a year ago…Only now, he's capable of standing up for himself…" The dragon narrowed his eyes a bit with a pleasurable smirk. "The question is: is he still stable enough to do it?"
While the dragon was enjoying the show Yahto was pressing his hands tight against his ears trying to drown out his bullies' chants and threats. He wants to get out of there; he wants to shut them all up! He felt a sudden hostility growing inside him, the urge to rip them all apart and shut them up. A lust for blood…Just like last night back at the park before he…
The dragon narrowed his eyes as he frowned, not liking what he's seeing. "Perhaps he's not after all…"
Yahto slowly opened his eyes, feeling that urge getting worse and worse. His eyes move to the book, then at the paintball gun box. His eyes bobbled back and forth through those two items, deciding which to choose before he actually snaps at them and does something horrible. He was about to decide on the paintball gun box when he saw the movie lying there on the shelf, his desire for the movie coming back to him. In that short state of composure certain words of a certain friend of his back in New York repeated in his mind.
"I know how the pressure can be. It's no cake walk with newbies in new cities. Just be yourself."
Just be yourself…
"Hm?" The dragon took his back off of the wall and focused his eyes on Yahto. "…A pleasant memory seems to be compressing the curse by itself…" The dragon arched an eyebrow, intrigued. "Interesting…It's from that child from yesterday…The American Dragon…"
Yahto gritted his teeth, those words echoing in his mind. Jake's right, all he has to do is be himself, not follow some people's words just to fit in and be somebody. They have to accept him for who he is! Not someone he's not!
"Shut up!" Yahto shouts. He then turns around to face the people behind him who have been pushing him to his limit. "I had suffered name calling and being given the cold shoulder from you guys because I was 'uncool' and 'childish.' I even tried to change to fit in and make friends, changes I never even liked just because I wanted the name calling and bullying to end. But no anymore…I'm sick and tired to trying to get others to like me by being someone I'm not…" Yahto's eyes narrowed dangerous to the quiet and shocked crowd, still giving them a piece of his mind. "I'm not that kid from a year ago anymore; I met some friends before I moved to New York who accepted me for who I am! And now I also found people who will accept me for who I am! I am Yahto and I am who I am, not a goth or a punk or a rocker or anything you people want me to be to gain respect!"
This sudden stand up from Yahto has everyone in total shock and disbelief. None of them utters a word, they just stand there staring at Yahto like if he just changed and stepped up, no longer that shy and silent boy who would take their insults and bullying and stay quiet about it.
The boy kept glaring at the group as they slowly faded out of his view like a holographic image dying down, the horrid memory of that day starting to fade away from Yahto's memories and returning back to the deepest reaches of his mind, destined to be forgotten. As he stared at the disappearing group the lottery stand behind him slowly faded out as well, going back to the three tables from before with each item on each table.
"Impressive…" The dragon comments after seeing the whole thing happening. "The boy unleashed his courage and spoke his mind to his horrid past. The memories were overwhelmed by the boy's sudden courage." The dragon then smiled as the boy freely went and chose his item, the movie box. "No question, the thousand year wait has come to an end."
Yahto was smiling as he looked at the movie box. No doubt this is the item he truly wants, the item his heart desired and not someone else making him get it. But did he win this 'game'?
"Bravo…Bravo…" Yahto raised his eyes to see the dragon standing in front of him a few feet away, his arms crossed as he stands there with his eyes slightly narrowed and the creepy smirk. "Congratulations, Yahto. You have won the game."
Yahto gritted his teeth a bit. Making him suffer what he went through a year ago, a game? He had the anger boiling up inside him and wanted to tell this dragon off, he doesn't care if this dragon could shred him into pieces.
"Now now, don't lose your temper." The dragon comments upon noticing the boy's rather angry look on his face. "We can't have that yet." He then brought up his hand and with a smirk he snapped his fingers. Upon doing so the entire area went white, nothing to see but Yahto and the dragon himself. "At least not before your prize…"
Yahto kept his distance from the dragon, keeping himself from any possible danger. "Just who are you…?"
The dragon smiled upon hearing the name, his smile seeming a bit sadistic. "Fine question…I am a dragon from days old; master of magic and king of games."
"W-What do you want with me?"
"What do I want?" The dragon couldn't help but chuckle. "I want nothing in particular, quite the contrary. I'm here to help you, Yahto."
Yahto blinks. "Help me? With what? Start making sense here! Why are you here? What's with the dreams I'm having? And why am I losing my mind here talking to a dragon?"
The dragon smirked. "My my, aren't we the curious one."
"Just tell me what's going on!"
The dragon nods. "All right, all right. First let's talk about your dreams. As you noticed, you've dreamt such dreams on a daily basis and every night they become worse. Your dreams are like a sign, Yahto."
Yahto blinks. "A sign? Sign of what?"
"Of instant possession." The dragon responds with the usual sadistic look on his face. "Yahto, you have been gifted with a rare power; unfortunately it has been corrupted a thousand years ago by a horrid curse. And it is from this curse where your dreams are emitting from."
Yahto frowned. This is all sounding like a very weird story. He almost can't believe it himself. The dragon merely chuckled, as if he's reading Yahto's mind and taking note of his hard time believing this story. "If you believe this is too much of a bizarre story," He started as he pointed at Yahto with a slight grin, "then explain to me about that dragon you saw at your school."
Yahto was caught completely off guard. How could this dragon know what he was thinking? More importantly, how does it know about that red dragon he saw at school the day before yesterday?
The dragon just grinned completely. "Thought so…" He lowered his pointing finger and continued. "Yahto, you are the inheritor of a power born every one hundred years, if it's not carried over to another generation of course." The dragon lowered his head as he narrowed his eyes even more, showing the seriousness of this matter. "The Millenium Dragon."
Yahto's eyes widened as he just stands there. Whoa there just a minute. Him? Yahto's the Millenium Dragon? A dragon? Is he hearing right?
"I take this is being hard to swallow." The dragon calmly continues as he watches the boy stand there without movement. "Your eyes, the birthmark, the dreams, not to mention your sudden knowledge of the martial arts that day at school, are all signs of your inheritance. However, this dreaded curse is what's keeping you without access to your real power and therefore giving you feelings of hatred and destruction."
The boy slowly looked down at his hand before grabbing his chest. Despite it all sounding like coming from some fan made story, this dragon is making the sense. Yahto does recall times when he's taken over by an overwhelming feeling of hatred, the same feeling he felt just a while ago when he was being bullied and suffering from peer pressure when he was to choose the item he really wanted. He also recalled that feeling to destroy, to kill. How he wanted to turn around and jump at them all, to hurt them and make them scream in pain.
The dragon continued his explanation as he raised his hand, holding out three fingers. "The curse overtakes you in three stages," He then lowered two fingers so he's only holding out one. "The first one is the gain of knowledge and power of the past Millenium Dragons. As you recall you already accomplished this one."
The dragon then held out his second finger to have out two. "Second; your dreams. You will continue having them as long as this curse dwells within you. It's all over when you are caught in the dream."
Yahto is already trembling in fear, this is actually making sense. But can he believe this? He has every reason to; after all he has already seen enough to make him believe there is more out there than just humans. Those ninja men, that red dragon he saw at school, this dragon just now and now all of this curse business.
"However," The dragon suddenly continues, "As long as you're stuck in the second phase, you will be plagued by other nuisances." He then pointed to Yahto's arm, where the birthmark is. "Your mark will glow and react whenever the curse tries to get to you. Pain will surge through your body when the curse is at its highest. Your lust for blood will increase to a dangerous level. You'll grow hostile and uncontrollable like a savage beast. And then, the worst of all…Spontaneous transformation."
That last one gave chills to the boy. "S-Spontaneous transformation?"
The dragon nods. "Tell me something, Yahto. Have you ever suffered any lapses in your memory?"
The boy gave it some thought before answering. "Um…Well…Yeah, once yesterday at the pa-" Yahto stopped right there, figuring out what the dragon is meaning.
"Correct." The dragon merely nodded. "A dangerous event. When your lust and hostility is at its highest the curse will take control over you momentarily and you'll transform into one of the most dangerous dragon ever to exist. You'll never even see it coming…"
Yahto slowly drops to his knees, all of this terrifying the boy to death. He's this dangerous dragon this dragon is telling him, and he can't do anything about it? Does he actually possess all of this power and no way to control it? Is he just a puppet for a thousand year old curse?
"You can stop thinking negatively now."
Yahto was surprised to hear the dragon say that. How did he…?
"The golden dragon in your dreams is basically the curse trying to get to you." The dragon continues, not caring for Yahto's state of mind. "If this dragon catches you, you are basically dead and the curse takes you over. At that point, it will be impossible to save you, you'll basically be dead. Luckily I was able to save you from the last dream before the dragon would've destroyed you." The dragon gave Yahto a stern look before continuing. "Yahto, you are not to let that dragon take you over in your dreams, otherwise it'll all be over for the both of us."
"B-Both of us…?"
The dragon nods. "A thousand years ago when the curse was inflicted I casted a magic seal upon it. This way the curse couldn't instantly take over the next dragon. However, my soul and essence was to be kept along with the seal, basically I'm the one responsible to keep the curse sealed down and lend a hand to the one against the curse. In this case, I am to protect you from the curse and aid you."
Yahto slowly got up to his feet, seeing a flaw in that statement. "If you really are here to help me…Then why that trip back in time to that horrible day?" Yahto is trying his best to keep himself from letting out a few tears, still feeling hurt from that painful reminder. "Why did you make me suffer that horrible day and listen to those hurtful words and taunts from those horrible people?"
"The object of game was to test your courage and will to stand tall above things such as influence and corruption. Judging by your past I figured you were pretty good at it. And as expected, you won the game."
"And if I lost…?"
The dragon shrugged his shoulders. "I'd have to kill you, of course. If you couldn't stand above the manipulation of mere humans then you'd have no chance against the curse's ways. I have the job to check if you're still capable of controlling your every thought and consciousness. But with you winning the game you've proved to me you have the capability of standing up to yourself and choose your own choosing without others manipulating you. It's a real trait needed to diminish the curse."
Yahto gulps, afraid to ask this next question. "S-So…What happens next…?"
The dragon then stood straight, once again stating the seriousness of the situation. "I cannot tell how this curse will continue in trying to get a hold of you and I cannot tell how to destroy it. It is something you will figure out on your own from here on out. The friendship that you held strongly onto to stand above those people in the game is what you need, keep your friends close and develop a strong heart. Only then will you be able to extinguish the curse and wield your power as a dragon all on your own."
Develop a strong heart and keep his friends close…If only Yahto could go back to his old neighborhood to meet his actual friends. So far in New York he doesn't have any friends…No, that's wrong, he has Jake…But again; can he see Jake as an actual friend? Does he accept him for who he is? Can he trust him? If this dragon is right, then he has to if he is to grow strong and see if he can count on him.
"So…that's it?" Yahto inquires as the dragon hasn't spoken again for almost a minute.
The dragon then smirked. "No…This is only the beginning."
Jake is riding on his skateboard down the streets of New York. He just finished his meeting with Rose and now he plans on going to the skate park to meet up with Trixie and Spud for some skateboarding action. He needs the practice too, after all the skating competition is only three days away.
As he skateboards down the streets he couldn't help but think about Yahto; to think that a shy and quiet boy like him is this powerful and wicked looking dragon. He wonders though if Yahto is clearly conscious about this whole dragon thing, if he knows about the supposed curse and the fighting he has to do to dispel the curse. And if he doesn't know, does Jake need to tell him? Even if he has to will Yahto believe him? Probably, then again probably not.
Jake slips his hand into his pocket and takes out the necklace Rose gave him. It really belongs to Yahto, but to think that the crystal is another piece of the puzzle, an object that, like the scales, can act as radar that glows whenever it's near its owner like Rose said. But if that's true, then how come Jake hasn't seen this necklace glow when Yahto wears it. That is if Yahto really is the Millenium Dragon.
"Whoa…" Jake skids his skateboard to a stop upon seeing the necklace starting to glow. "…I wonder…"
Jake picks up his skateboard and goes it on foot as he tries to find what's causing the necklace to glow. In his mind he wishes Rose isn't right and Yahto's the dragon, but then again Rose has never steered him wrong before with these things. If Yahto is really the dragon, then he would have to…
Jake shook the thought away and continued following the reaction of the necklace's glow, if Yahto is the dragon then he'll help him, right? If the curse really is at its weakest this year after a thousand years then it'll be easy to dispel the curse and everything will be just fine, right?
"Huh?" Jake stopped walking as the glow on the necklace diminishes. Did he go the wrong way? Jake takes a few steps back to see if the necklace glows again, but nothing, the necklace just stopped glowing. "Aw man…" Jake sighed, either the necklace ran out of juice or whatever it was tracking has just left the area.
After Jake put the necklace away he kept on walking, passing by an alley between two buildings. Just then Jake caught something in the corner of his eye and stopped his walking. "Wait a minute…" He retraced his steps to the alley and turned his head. "Yahto!"
He runs into the alley and to the figure sitting up on the ground. He drops his skateboard to the ground and kneels next to the boy. "Yahto! You okay?"
Yahto rubs his head, seeming like he has a headache. "W-Wha…?" He blinks a few times as he looks to his left, his eyes adjusting and seeing the guy next to him. "Jake? What are you doing here…?"
"I could ask you the same thing." Jake stood up as he helped Yahto up to his feet, helping in keeping him standing up as Yahto wobbled a bit. "What happened? You look like you took some spill."
"I…Uhhh…" Yahto rubbed his head as he gave some thought about what to tell him. It's not like he can just go out and say a dragon sucked him into some magical realm where it could manipulate the surroundings and made him play some sick 'game' to make sure he was capable of dealing with some curse. Yahto looked down at the ground, still seeing the puddle under his feet. "I uhhh…I was walking through this alley and I guess I slipped on these puddles and hit my head…" He then rubbed the back of his head, pretending to have a bump. "A really nasty hit…"
"Yeouch, a really nasty spill." Jake commented with a wince. "oughta be more careful around these alleys, yo."
Yahto gave an embarrassing smirk. "Y-Yeah…I learned at the hard way…"
As Yahto kept rubbing his head Jake kept staring at him, his eyes scanning him up and down. It seemed a bit hard to swallow this kid really is a dragon, and the Millenium Dragon at that. Although Jake shouldn't talk about him not being the dragon type, since he himself is a dragon and doesn't really look like he has such a secret. He ponders whether or not to confront him about this dragon business, he doesn't want to risk if Yahto doesn't know about it and make himself look stupid. But even if he doesn't know about him being the Millenium Dragon, he'll have to figure that out sometime. Otherwise they'll never get anywhere and the curse could swallow him by then.
Yahto himself kept his eyes away from Jake, not wanting to give him any suspicion that he's in fact hiding something. What would Jake think if he told him that a dragon came to him, challenged him to a 'game' and then told him that he's a dragon with a curse? It would be his dark past all over again only instead he could be ridiculed about having some kind of dragon fetish and the thought that he is one. Yahto looked down and saw Jake's skateboard, coming up with something to talk about. "Is that your skateboard?"
"Huh?" Jake was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Yahto's question. "My skateboard?" He looks down and sees his skateboard. "Oh! Yeah, this bad boy belongs to me!" He kicks his skateboard up and catches it in his hand, showing it to Yahto. "I've done some wicked moves with this baby! In fact, I'm supposed to enter the skating competition this Saturday with it! I was heading to the skate park to catch up on some practice until I saw you in here."
"Neat." A lame and simple response, but discussions about sports was never one of his interests. Sure he uses skates and can do well on them, but he rides them for fun and not for competition. "You must be pretty good to enter a skating competition."
Jake chuckled as he scratches the back of his neck. "Well I don't mean to brag but I'm as good as they come!" He notices the pair of skates dangling from Yahto's backpack and he couldn't help but be psyched. "Whoa! Are those pairs of skates yours?"
Yahto was slightly taken back by Jake's reaction of his skates. He looks behind him to the skates dangling from his backpack. "These? Yeah. My father got them for me for my birthday three years ago."
"Haha, wow! Those are some slick blades! I remember seeing a professional skater using that kind of brand in one of the X-Games competitions last year!"
Yahto smiled a bit. "Really?"
"Heck yeah! Quality skates you got there! Say, why don't we both hit the skate park? You can chill out with me and we can shred in the park all day!"
"W-What? Me? I don't know…"
"C'mon, Yahto! It'll be fun! I'll introduce you to my two best buds. We can hang out together." Jake encouraged. "It'll be a blast!"
Yahto scratched his head. He's never used to going to parks like the skate park where he'll be seen skating around, he always feels uncomfortable when all eyes are on him. Still, the idea sounds fun, and he'll meet other people and make friends.
Keep your friends close and develop a strong heart.
Yahto remembered the dragon's words, to develop a strong heart and make new friends. This could help him after all. Yahto finally nods. "All right, let's go."
"Awesome!" Jake grins. Yahto's coming along and he'll also see how good he is on roller blades. "Let's goooo-whooaaa!" Little did he realized that when he turned around he was stepping on a puddle and, ironically like Yahto's excuse, he slips and falls hard to the ground.
"Ah!" Yahto lightly gasped at seeing Jake slip to the ground. "Are you all right?"
Jake rubs the back of his head as he slowly sits up, groaning a bit. He then looks at Yahto and chuckles, embarrassed about his little spill. "I meant to do that." He gets up while rubbing the back of his head. "Hahah…Well, let's go!"
Yahto blinked as Jake takes off, sort of admiring the boy's speed of recovering after a slip like that. Yahto spots a school science book on the floor, presuming it dropped from Jake's backpack when he slipped. "Jake!" Yahto cried as he picked up the book and ran after Jake. "You dropped your science book!"
As the two boys run off to the skate park, a tall figure stands on top of one of the neighborhood buildings watching them run off. The figure keeps its wings shut tight against its back, its eyes glowing green and the tattoos on its arms, shoulders and chest giving off a light glow. The skin color and the tattoos, no doubt this is the same dragon that tested Yahto's courage and will with one of his 'games'.
"You never really told me, who exactly are you?"
"Like I said, I'm a dragon from days old. The name's Akuba, master of magic and king of games. Now, Yahto, awake."
The dragon, Akuba, stands there while juggling a rock in his hand, a rather sadistic look on his face as he watches both Yahto and Jake run off to the skate park, unaware of the dragon watching them from above one of the buildings.
"Jake Long…" Akuba talks to himself as he juggles the rock. "The American Dragon…Impressive you made friends with him so early, Yahto…" Akuba stopped juggling the rock as he holds it in his fist, crushing it into dust and releasing it into the wind. "It's game time, Jake… We can't just let anyone interact with the Millenium Dragon" The dragon states with his familiar sadistic smirk. "Will you keep your word to help him when the time comes?"