Chapter 4: Central Park

The Longs were spending their weekend at Central Park when they saw Rose's family doing the same. "Rose!" He exclaimed in obviously fake surprise. "What a coincidence!"

"Yeah, right." Rose's mother replied. "I heard Rose at the phone when you told her your family would be here today and suggested she talked us into being here as well."

"You knew?" Rose's father was surprised. "Why did you encourage that?"

"Jake and Rose are such a nice couple." Rose's mother said.

"Not fair!" Rose's sister protested. "If I knew it wouldn't be strict to family, I'd have invited my boyfriend to join us."

"I'll tell you next time, Sis." Rose reassured her. Her mother then approached Eric. "What a cute baby." She cooed. "Eric, isn't he?"

"Yes." Susan excitedly answered. "Isn't he the cutest baby you ever saw?"

"My daughters were cuter but I'm suspect to speak." Rose's Mom answered.

"And Rose still is." Jake replied, prompting an 'ahem' from Rose's Dad. 'What's wrong with girlfriends' Dads?' Jake asked himself. 'I'm more afraid of him than I've ever been of any enemies I ever faced and he's neither a magical creature nor a slayer.'

"Don't worry, Jakeroo." Jonathan said. "If I could win over your Grandpa, you can win over Rose's Dad."

"I didn't like this comment, daughter's husband." Lao Shi replied.

"But it drives the message to the kid." Fu argued and then remembered he was in the presence of humans who didn't know about the Magical World. "I mean, woof woof."

"Was Gramps this hard to please, Dad?" Jake asked.

"Yes, Jake." Jonathan answered with a smile.

"Who's a cute baby?" Rose's Mom asked Eric. "Yes, Eric. You are a cute baby."

'I hope I'll never be like that when Rose and I become parents.' Jake thought.

"Rose, I'll distract the parents while you and Jake get some time for yourselves." Her sister whispered and then talked to their father. "Dad, don't you think Eric is a cute baby?"

"All babies are cute." He grunted as he approached Eric. "But I'll look just so you'll stop annoying me."

Jake and Rose then took the chance to leave. "So, is there any place at Central Park you'd like to show me?" Rose asked.

"Sure thing, Rose." He replied with a smile. "I know several magical places I can show you."

"Are you sure it's a good idea, Jake?" Rose was worried. "I am a known dragon slayer."

"Known former dragon slayer, Rose." Jake reassured her. "Either way, the magical creatures will know they're safe with me around to protect them."

"You're so lucky I no longer hate magical creatures." Rose replied with a smirk that suggested Jake alone wouldn't be enough to protect magical creatures from her.

As Jake and Rose walked around, they noticed some magical creatures approaching them. "Look!" An elf exclaimed. "It's the American Dragon!" Several magical creatures approached Jake until they noticed Rose. "Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh! It's the Huntsgirl! Run for your lives!"

Jake and Rose were feeling awkward. "Okay, it seems that I overestimated their faith on me." Jake uneasily commented. "Sorry."

"It's okay, Jake." She replied with a look of shame. "I deserve it." She then felt a hostile presence. She turned around on time to see a mountain troll approaching from behind. The troll tried to launch a strike but she blocked it and grabbed the troll's spear.

"Dragon up!" Jake shouted and then tried to fly to help Rose but another troll grabbed his tail. "What do you guys want?"

"We want to bring an end to the slayers and fix the mistake the Dragon Council made by tolerating them." The troll answered. Meanwhile, Rose had pierced the first troll's stomach with the troll's own spear. "Being true to your roots, Slayers?"

Rose then resumed her Huntsgirl voice. "Troll, if I wanted you dead, you'd be dead by now." She said and then left to help Jake.

"We won't mind dying if we distract you long enough for our colleagues to kill the other slayers." The troll fighting Jake replied.

"Other slayers?" Jake was confused until he remembered his brother and his father. "Oh, no!" Jake then readied himself to go and looked at Rose. "Don't worry about me, Jake." Rose said. "I can handle them."

Jake then flew towards his family and found out they were fine. "Where are the trolls?" Jake asked.

"Which trolls?" Jonathan asked. "And why are you in your dragon form?"

Jake then noticed Rose's family and resumed his human form. "Sorry, there were some trolls and one of them said they were a distraction."

"Where's Rose?" Her dad asked after recovering from the shock.

"Uh-oh." Jake then returned to where he left her and found out she was right about being able to handle them. "Are they fine, Jake?" She asked.

"Yes but we have another problem now." Jake sadly answered.

End chapter.