American Dragon Season Three
Chapter/Episode 15: Pandora Unleashed
A bright green light blinded all in a storage room on the Island of Draco. Councilor Andam stood in front of two young dragons in training. "Okay young dragons, this is your first test. Until we are able to get Pandora's Box to a safer place, we need you to watch over it. Can you do this?"
"Yes, sir!" both dragons said in unison.
Hours later, it was well past midnight and both of the dragons were exhausted; one was even leaning against the platform the box was on and was trying to keep his head up. "When do you think we can go home?" the first dragon asked.
"Who knows?"
They were suddenly brought out of their small conversation as they noticed an ominous presence standing in the doorway. "Who are you?" the dragon that was leaning jumped up and raised his claws. "Don't make me attack!"
They could only hear a small chuckle coming from the cloaked figure as a wand floated out of his cloak and into his hand. Before the dragon could react, a green blast of magic hit him and the dragon could feel his body morph and shrink as he yelped out in pain.
His friend stared in shock as he found himself looking down at a toad. The remaining dragon was brought out of this as a blast of green whizzed past him and hit the wall. Growling, the dragon lifted off his feet and rammed into the intruder. The intruder was thrown off his feet and flipped backwards before he landed on his feet.
The dragon growled once more as he soared at the attacker with his claws aimed right for his chest. However, the dragon was stopped as the same green magical blast hit him.
Chuckling evilly as the now toad warrior dropped to the ground, the intruder walked past the croaking toads and reached the platform and grabbed the box. Nigel Thrall pulled down his hood. "Thank-you, boys…" he smiled. "This will be all."
BLACKOUT; THEME SONG PLAYS
BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW
Back in New York, Arthur Spudinski opened his locker with a wide smile. Closing the door to his locker, Spud strung his backpack over his shoulders and jumped on his skateboard, riding down the halls like he was on a ramp. Spud closed his eyes and smiled, only to open them back up again when he heard a door open and close. Spud let out a gasp as he saw Principal Nosca step out with a large stack of papers. Spud tried to stop, but he couldn't. With a loud thud, Spud fell off of his board, which landed a couple feet away. Nosca sighed as his papers floated to the ground.
"Mr. Spudinski, you know what this means, don't you?" he asked.
"Umm, you're going to forgive me and let me go because it's after school?" Spud gave it a shot.
"Nice try, but no…" Nosca's frown got bigger. "It means that you are going to detention…right now."
LINE BREAK
The door to detention swung open and Nosca shoved Spud in before slamming the door closed. Looking around the room, Spud could see Brad and several other kids he didn't know sitting in desks.
"Aw, Mr. Spudinski…" Mr. Douglass stood up from his desk. "I can't say I'm surprised to see you here. Go on; take a seat next to Mr. Morton."
Groaning, Spud had no choice. Sitting down, Spud was greeted by a paper ball hitting him in the side of the head, followed by Brad laughing.
"Mr. Morton! That is enough!" Mr. Douglass bellowed.
"Sorry, Mr. Los…" Brad started, but was once again cut off by the teacher.
"Because of your shenanigans, Mr. Morton…" Douglass sat down at his desk again. "All of you will stay here an extra two hours." The kids groaned. "That's okay; I have no where else to be. It's not like no one cares about me…"
LINE BREAK
By the time Spud finally got out of detention, it was almost pitch black outside. Slowly walking to the skate park, he could see Trixie and Jake leaning against the fence.
"Sorry I'm late, guys…" Spud said glumly. "Nosca gave me detention."
"Well, that explains everything…" Jake walked over to his friend. "It's a good thing you made it out alive, dude. That Douglass is a freak!"
"Yeah well, I'm sorry that I couldn't make it to outdo those challengers…" Spud lowered his head.
"Hey, it's no big deal!" Trixie tried to assure her friend. "They didn't boo us…too much."
LINE BREAK
The Genius Institute had been almost completely emptied after Pandarus' scheme had been revealed. Nigel Thrall stepped into a room filled with many gadgets and a monitor screen and placed Pandora's Box on a table. A green bubble appearing out of thin air made Nigel turn around; Nigel smiled as the magic faded and Pandarus appeared.
"Well?" Pandarus asked.
"I got the box!" Nigel smiled proudly. "It wasn't hard to get, either. Only two dragons did I have to face and defeat! It was too easy!"
"Excellent, my apprentice…" Pandarus smiled and walked over to the box. "But where is he? Where is Arthur Spudinski? He is the only one who can open this box!"
"You need that buffoon?" Nigel asked. "I thought you could just open it with your magic!"
"You fool!" Pandarus whirled around. "It should have been obvious that I needed the boy! Why do you think I brought you to New York in the first place?! Why do you think I sent you to the same schools as those meddling enemies of mine?!"
"Very well, my master…" Nigel bowed, not wanting to show his fear. "I will bring him to you."
"No…" Pandarus said softly. "You can not force him to come here. Make him come willingly…"
"How do you suppose I do that?" Nigel found his courage again. "It's not like he trusts me! Do you honestly expect me to ask him to come down here?"
"You are not foolish, my apprentice…" Pandarus turned. "I recall a certain cheerleader you like…"
LINE BREAK
After saying good-bye to his friends, Spud once again got on his skateboard and rode home. He reached his door and threw it open, only to gasp as he saw a smiling Nigel standing right in the doorway.
"Hello Spud…" he smiled.
"Nigel!" Spud spat. "What do you want?'
"Actually, you little divvy…" Nigel's smile faded. "It's not what I want; it's what my master wants…"
"Aw yes…" Spud smiled, as if he knew what Nigel was talking about. "I know who your master is. Okay, I don't. You have a master?"
"ELI PANDARUS!" Nigel shouted, finally losing his temper. "He needs your services…"
"Well, he's a fool if he thinks I'm going to come to him willingly, so HA!" Spud smiled.
"You will go to him…" Nigel held out his hand, and for a second Spud thought that Nigel may hit him. However, Spud only heard a surge of magic coming from the wizard's hand. Spud looked up and could see a green mist forming into a little screen where he could see Stacey sitting in a cage with three giant lions circling it. "Those lions are famished, and Stacey is the perfect meat. If you come and open Pandora's Box for my master, your precious cheerleader will be set free."
Spud's eyes widened as he looked from his grinning foe to the girl of his dreams trapped by vicious carnivores.
BLACOUT; COMMERCIAL BREAK
BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW
"You will come with me and open my master's box…" Nigel repeated.
Spud just stood there, absolutely shocked. So, it had come to this. Pandarus had come back for the prize he desired, and now Stacey's life was in jeopardy. What choice did he have?
LINE BREAK
A small explosion and a puff of smoke surrounded Pandarus' lair. As the smoke cleared, both Nigel and Spud coughed. "Still didn't get a tune-up for your wand, did ya?" Spud asked.
"Just shut up." Nigel spat, pointing at the cage where the terrified cheerleader was in. Spud started to run up, but Nigel grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him so that he was facing a door just as it opened and Eli Pandarus walked in.
"Aw, Mr. Spudinski…" Pandarus smiled evilly. He stopped at a wooden table and placed Pandora's Box on it before turning around and gesturing for Spud to come closer. "All you have to do is open the box and the cheerleader will be allowed to live."
"And if I don't open your dumb box?" Spud asked defiantly.
Pandarus sighed. "Then your precious cheerleader becomes a chew-toy for those beasts!" Pandarus rolled his eyes at how dumb this genius acted.
Spud looked worriedly from his adversaries to the girl he thirsted for trapped inside a cage that was about to be kitty food. Finally, Spud made up his mind. "Fine, I'll open your box."
"I thought you might say that." Pandarus smiled as he pulled out his wand. "Mantus Admaveyo Motum!" With his chanted spell, familiar green glowing magical hands emerged from the evil wizard's wand and grabbed the box. "Well, Mr. Spudinski…I must warn you, those beasts are hungry…"
"Just flip the switch and turn the dial clockwise and your good to go!" Spud growled as Pandarus performed Spud's instructions. The box clicked as it snapped open and clattered against the wooden table.
"Oh, Mr. Thrall…" Pandarus chuckled as he slowly walked up to the box. "Make yourself useful and dispose of both Miss Wintergrin and Mr. Spudinski…" Just as Pandarus reached the box, it started to glow green. While Spud immediately knew that nothing good could come from this, Pandarus learned the hard way as a green blast of energy came from the box and blasted him into a wall across the room.
Spud turned and ran for Stacey, only to be blocked by Nigel. "Where do you think you're going, you pest?" Nigel demanded as he pulled out his wand. Spud's eyes widened, as he realized he would have to fight the young wizard. Fortunately, a green blast of magic came from the box and hit Nigel, slamming him into Stacey's cage, breaking it.
Spud rushed over to the cage and pulled her out by her wrist. "Bad guy promising the good guy that the captive will be safe and then ordering her demise…CLICHE!" Spud muttered.
"Oh, shut up…" Stacey grabbed Spud by the arm and yanked him out the exit and to safety.
Meanwhile, Nigel groaned as he slowly started to recover from the attack. Nigel started to get up, only to fall back down on the cage with a shriek as he saw that the lions were circling around him. Fishing frantically in his pocket, Nigel found that he could not find his wand. Looking up at the lions, Nigel gulped. The lions were about to pounce on the young wizard, only to be blasted into a black pile of dust. Nigel looked up to see Pandarus standing up from the attack. His hands and eyes were glowing green with the box's magic. He laughed.
"Master?" Nigel asked. "Are you okay?"
"Never better…never better…" Pandarus walked over to the box once more and grabbed it. "Finally, I have the power—I have the power to take over the Magical World!"
"But master…" Nigel stuttered. "Spudinski and HIS girlfriend are getting away!"
"Just you wait my apprentice…" Pandarus replied. "They will meet their end, along with the American Dragon and any other being that opposes me…"
LINE BREAK
Spud and Stacey didn't stop running until they both felt like their lungs were about to collapse. "Stacey, we have to stop!" Spud bent over and hugged his sides.
"Do you want those bozos to find us?" Stacey retorted. "Besides, we are only about a block from my house! You can rest then!"
LINE BREAK
The two were finally able to make it back to Stacey's house. Thankfully, there was a small fence/ladder that Stacey was able to climb up back to her room. As Stacey disappeared, Spud frowned. Stacey really wasn't the one for him, was she? She couldn't even appreciate him saving her?
Spud was about to turn and begin the long walk back to his house, when he heard Stacey's voice.
"Spud?"
Sure enough, when he turned his head, the ex-cheerleader was looking out and down at him.
"Yeah, Stacey?" he asked.
"Um, I don't know how to say this…" Stacey bit her lip. "But I'm going to try. Thanks for saving me…"
"Sure, Stace…"
"And um, now that I'm off the cheer squad, perhaps I don't have a reputation to ruin by hanging out with you…"
"What are you trying to say?"
"Well, maybe we should see if things will work…" Stacey replied slowly. "Perhaps a movie…?"
LINE NREAK
The last thing Spud knew was that he was sleeping peacefully in his bed, accompanied by sweet thoughts of what he and Stacey could possible do—they could go to an expensive dinner…they could go to a movie…what wonders the relationship could behold!
Unfortunately, Spud would not find out in his dream. Spud's eyes snapped open as he heard his cell phone's ring tone blast throughout the room. Groaning, Spud rolled over and put it to his ear. "Hello?"
"Spud, where are you?!" Trixie's voice shouted at him.
"I'm in bed…"
"Well, Jakie and I are outside your house!" Trixie continued. "We have a problem and the Dragon Council wants to see us all. You especially…"
LINE BREAK
Within the hour, Jake, Trixie and Spud were all standing nervously in front of the Council on the Island of Draco. None of the kids could tell if the councilors were angry at them, or not. Finally, Councilor Andam stood up.
"Dragon Long…" he spoke. "I assume you know why we called you here…"
"Not really…" Jake replied uneasily. "Does this have anything to do with me not erasing my friends' memories? Yo, I thought we were cool on this!"
"Dragon Long, we assure you that you are not in any trouble…" Andam said softly.
"But we were curious if you knew the issue at hand…" Kulde spoke up.
"What issue?" Jake asked.
"A few days ago, a masked stranger came to our safe room and took an important and dangerous artifact…" Andam paced around the room.
"What was it?" Trixie asked.
"Pandora's Box…" Kulde replied. "From your early reports, Dragon Long, this appears to have Eli Pandarus as the prime suspect. This is where your friend comes in…"
"Mr. Spudinski has had a run in with Pandarus in the past couple of months…" Councilor Omina said. "He seems to be aware of what this wizard can do more than either of you two. Mr. Spudinski, do you think you can predict what Pandarus is planning?"
"We already know what he wants to do with the box!" Jake cut in. "He wants to take over the Magical World! And now that he has the box, that punk can actually be an even bigger threat!"
"We are well aware of that, Dragon Long." Kulde stood up.
"Then just let me go Dragon on him!" Jake bragged. "I can stop him! That wizard won't even know what hit him! I'll just get that box away from him and bring him to you as a prisoner! It will be so easy!"
"It is not you that needs to do this…" Andam replied, his glance was at Spud. "I don't know if your friend realizes this, but he may be the only one who can get that box safely away from Pandarus."
"What are you talking about, dude?" Spud asked. "I don't know if you realized that I'm just a sidekick!"
"But you don't have to be just a sidekick…" Andam continued. "Let me ask you a question: Do you remember your last encounter with Pandarus? Weren't you able to defeat him with his own wands?"
"Yes…"
"Do you know why?" Andam asked. "It is because you, Mr. Spudinski, are a wizard…"
BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL BREAK
BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW
Maniacal laughter filled a deep and dark cave as Nigel Thrall entered it, followed by Eli Pandarus, who used his glowing green hands to keep Pandora's Box hovering in the air. "This is perfect, my apprentice…" Pandarus walked over to the back.
"Master, may I ask what you plan to use this cave for?" Nigel asked.
"Oh, it is quite simple…" Pandarus pulled out his wand and used it to lift a giant boulder from off the ground. Laughing evilly, Pandarus slammed the boulder to the ground, making it cave in. When the dust cleared, there was a giant pit where the ground once was.
"Master, what are you going to do?"
"Bring me Pandora's Box, and you will find out…" Pandarus replied.
LINE BREAK
"Spud is a wizard?!" Both Jake and Trixie stood, staring at their friend with wide eyes and mouths wide open in shock.
"I didn't know!" Spud defended himself. "Nobody ever told me!"
"Because nobody could even be aware until you used Pandarus' wands…" Kulde replied. "Unfortunately, we have no time to discuss this now. You all must go find and defeat Pandarus. Mr. Spudinski will have to get the wands away from Pandarus."
"You will have to hurry!" Andam urged. "Who knows what Pandarus can achieve with that box if you don't get there soon?"
"But that's the thing!" Jake explained. "We don't know where Pandarus is! How do you expect us to find him?"
LINE BREAK
Evil laughter continued to flood the cave that Eli Pandarus and Nigel Thrall were standing in. A green light shot from the tip of the evil wizard's want as he created a swirling vortex of magic was cast into the pit with a flick of his wrist.
"Now my apprentice, give me the box…" Pandarus ordered.
Nigel looked down as he found himself walking over to Pandarus. Nigel held the box out as it began to hover in the air. All of a sudden, the box hovered higher yet as it reached the tip of the wands. The box then tipped over as the lid came off. Yet more green magic appeared inside the box as it appeared to be sucked from inside. All of a sudden, the green magic shot down the vortex.
LINE BREAK
Above the tallest of buildings in New York City, the innocent people living in the city were oblivious to the evil magic that lay ahead of them. The clouds seemed to separate as the green magic seeped from inside. Seconds later, the magic shot down onto the streets.
LINE BREAK
Back in the cave, Nigel backed up. "Master, may I ask what you are doing?"
"What does it look like I am doing?" Pandarus replied. "I am using Pandora's Box to wreak havoc on an unknown city!"
"But why?" Nigel asked. "Don't you want to rule the Magical World? What does this have to do with that?"
"I will use this city or place as an example!" Pandarus replied matter-of-factly. "One city will turn to two, and soon, the Dragon Council will realize what a threat I truly am! They will relinquish all power and hand it over to me!"
"But master, do you know what city you are even attacking?" Nigel asked.
"It does not matter…" Pandarus started, but he stopped. "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Nigel turned. "No, I didn't hear anything."
"It doesn't matter, you fool!" Pandarus shouted suddenly. "Go check it out!"
LINE BREAK
As Nigel got closer to the exit of the cave, he could hear what his master had heard before quite clearly. "I can't believe you're a wizard, Spudinski!" It was that girl that was friends with Jake Long!
Reaching the ledge, Nigel could clearly see Jake, in dragon form, closely followed by the girl and his buffoon friend as they walked up the trail to the cave.
"Would you shut it, Trix!" Jake snapped back. "Did you possibly think that Pandarus might be able to hear us?"
"Finally, a chance to get back at that fool…" Nigel grinned as he reached into his coat and pulled out twin wands. Shouting a spell, a green light came from the tip of the wand and shot at the heroes. The spell went right past Jake and hit right in front of Jake, causing a loud explosion and creating a crater where the rocky path had once been. All three turned around as Nigel floated gently down to their level, thanks to his wands.
"Nigel Thrall, I figured that you were a slimy weasel after you teamed up with Brock's wife, but I had no idea that you would work with a lying, cheating evil wizard like Pandarus!" Jake growled as he prepared to fight, but Spud rushed up and cut off the paths.
"No, Jake" Spud shouted. "You guys have to go get and stop Pandarus! Besides, Nigel and I have unfinished business…"
Jake swooped over and grabbed Trixie before flying up to the entrance. "No you don't you git!" Nigel pointed his wand at the dragon, but Spud shoved him away. The wand clattered to the ground, but Nigel grinned as he grabbed Spud by the ankle, tripping him. Nigel then held out his hands, allowing the wands to magically come to him.
"Well Spud, this will be fun…"
LINE BREAK
Jake kept flying in the cave until he saw Pandarus standing over the pit. Pandarus apparently glanced at them, for the next thing Jake knew; there was a flick of the wand, and ogres appeared out of thin air.
"Aw man!"
LINE BREAK
Spud felt himself flying through the air before he slammed to the hard ground on his back. Nigel Thrall laughed evilly as he walked over to his enemy.
"Well Spud, I guess you could say that this is revenge for keeping Stacey from me…" Nigel grinned as he raised his wand, Spud rising as well. Spud turned his head and saw that he was heading for the ledge, leading to a very long way down the mountain.
"Nigel…stop!" Spud tried to call, but it was too late. Spud was now dangling over the ledge. If Nigel decided to let him fall, he would. "Nigel, bad villain form, what about the fair fight?!"
"It's too bad that I don't play fair, you loser…" Nigel flicked his wand, and Spud fell.
LINE BREAK
Trixie looked up as she watched her magical friend take on the ogres. Jake swiped at one of them with his tail, but the ogre only caught it as two more ogres grabbed Jake and pinned him down to the ground.
"Keep that pesky dragon down until I can finish him off!" Pandarus called from where he stood. "The city should almost be done for!"
"Oh no, you don't…" Trixie took a running start and found herself right at Pandarus. Pushing her leg up, Trixie's foot connected with Pandora's Box. The box lost contact with Pandarus' wands and plummeted into the vortex.
"No!" Pandarus panicked. He turned to face Trixie, just as Jake freed himself from the grips of the ogres. "You fool! My box!" Pandarus seethed.
"You want the box, Pandarus?" Jake demanded as he flew over to the wizard, pulling him up off of his feet with his tail. "Then why don't you go after it?"
The tail around the evil wizard loosened and Trixie and Jake could only hear the wizard scream as he plunged into the vortex. With Pandarus gone, his wands clattered to the ground and the ogres faded back into nothing before the vortex faded as well.
"Way to go, Jakie!" Trixie cheered her friend. "But where do you think Pandarus went?"
"It doesn't matter, Trixie!" Jake replied, as he grabbed her by the hand. Lifting off of the ground, both Jake and Trixie flew out of the cave.
LINE BREAK
Even with the magical vortex of evil gone, the clouds did not close. Well, not until a screaming wizard came out. Pandarus continued to fall, until his cape snagged on the spike on the very top of the Empire State Building.
Sighing with relief, Pandarus looked down to see that the box he craved was right below him, balancing between staying on the ledge of the building and falling 102 stories down to the street.
Grunting, Pandarus reached with his hand, but found that he could not reach it. Growling with frustration, Pandarus let out a shout as the box tipped over and fell to the streets below. The second the box hit the ground, it splintered into three different pieces.
LINE BREAK
Despite Nigel's best attempt to kill his enemy, Spud still refused to fall. Gripping onto the ledge, Spud forced his foot to a nearby stone. Pushing himself up, Spud could see that Nigel was bending over to pick up his other wand. Taking off at a running start, Spud thought that he could attack the young wizard, but with a grin, Nigel straightened himself up and knocked Spud flat onto his back with an arm.
"Oww…"
Grinning, Nigel bent down and clenched his fist over the collar of Spud's shirt. Lifting his enemy slightly off the ground, Nigel clenched his other fist. "You know what Spud, I find this sweet justice…" Nigel spoke. "See, this is what Stacey did to me…Now, I do it to you…"
However, Spud brought his fist up with a shout. The fist connected with Nigel's jaw, and the young wizard was thrown off of his victim.
Nigel landed hard on his back. However, Nigel recovered quickly and he rolled over to his wand, but he was grabbed tightly around the torso by a giant glowing green hand. As the magical hand slammed Nigel to the ground so that he was in a strict sitting position, Nigel gaped when he saw that Spud was using his wand.
"It's not possible…" was all Nigel could make out.
"Oh, it's possible, bro…" Spud grinned as he walked closer to his enemy.
"I don't have time for this…" Nigel glanced at the ground and saw his other wand only a few inches away. Grinning, Nigel tried to reach it, but he stopped with a pained grunt as the magical hand tightened its grip on him, pinning his arms painfully to his sides as Spud kicked the wand away from his reach.
Spud turned away from his catch just in time to see Jake and Trixie walking down the trail. Jake smiled. "Good work, Spud.
"You did it, Spudinski!" Trixie shouted.
LINE BREAK
Spud sighed as he reached his house later that night. Opening and closing it as quietly as he could, Spud still didn't avoid trouble. The lights switched on and Spud was faced by his angry mother.
"Arthur, where were you?" she demanded.
"Nowhere, mom…" Spud tried to make his way to the stairs, but his mother blocked his way.
"Don't lie to me, Arthur!" Mrs. Spudinski said firmly. "Tell me! Remember how I always told you that you could tell me anything?"
"Mominski…I…" Spud started, but he was cut off as he felt a buzzing in his pocket as someone called him on his phone. Pulling it out, he could see that the caller was Trixie. "Mom, I need to take this."
"No, Arthur!" his mother replied. "What you need to do is tell me where you went!"
"Mom, this could be important!" Spud said loudly, but then he sighed and lowered his head. "I was working at Jake's grandpa's shop, okay?"
His mother sighed. "Very well, Arthur. Just tell me the next time this happens."
LINE BREAK
About an hour late, Spud and his friends stood in front of the Dragon Council. Andam smiled and spoke: "Thanks to you kids, Pandora's Box can never be used to harm any city on this planet. All three of you kids should be proud."
"Whatever happened to that gag-nasty box anyway?" Trixie asked.
"Good question…" Andam's smile widened as he went over to the desk and held up a sliver of wood. "This was the biggest piece that our very best could recover."
"Mr. Spudinski…" Kulde spoke up. "You have shown exceptional wizarding skills…"
"Well, he did kick Nigel's butt." Trixie smiled.
"Not to mention Pandarus' the last time with the Institute!" Jake added.
"We are aware of that…" Kulde replied. "Mr. Spudinski…you are ready to begin your training."
BLACKOUT; END OF EPISODE
A/N: Yeah, it's a little shorter than normal, but to be perfectly honest, I don't care. I'm tired of constantly having to force myself to come up with more ideas and to struggle to make 15 pages, because honestly, that's 10 pages longer than my usual.
So yeah, I possibly "jumped the shark" by making Spud a wizard, but I think there are fans who think that Spud has some sort of magical connection.