Chapter 6: Old School Training

Jake Long and his Grandfather/Dragon Master Luong Lao Shi were readying themselves for a night patrol when Lao Shi showed him a magic mirror. "Young dragon, your parents want to speak to you."

"Thanks, G." Jake replied and stared at the mirror. "Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad."

"Hi, Jake." Susan said.

"Hi, Jakeroo." Jonathan added.

"How're things back home?" Jake asked.

"I've just bought controlling interest of Wholesome Heifer, Jake." Jonathan answered.

"Hostile takeover?" Jake asked with a smile.

"No, Jake." His Dad answered. "I try to avoid these. Now I have to pick a financial planning firm for it."

"Didn't they already have one?" Jake asked in confusion.

"They were in the middle of evaluating options by the time I bought that company, Jake." Jonathan explained. "They're partial to a firm run by a Mr. Lockjelly but it's too soon to be official."

"How're you doing at school, son?" Susan eagerly asked.

"I'm doing fine, Mom." Jake answered. "The only trouble is Professor Rotwood. He's obsessed with proving magical creatures are real but don't worry. He gets many things wrong and I'm certain he'd not recognized a dragon even if one breathed fire upon his…"

"Language, son." Jonathan reprimanded Jake.

"I'd say his face." Jake replied.

"Sure you would." Susan sarcastically stated. "You should be careful what you say, Jake. Your sister could have been listening."

"Speaking of Haley, why isn't she with you?" Jake asked.

"She's finishing her homework, son." Jonathan replied.

"Actually, I'm already done, Dad." Haley replied as she appeared. "How're you doing, Jake? Have you already fought any slayers? Interested on some girl? Why're we using magical means to communicate?"

"Haley, we mustn't use the regular ways lest someone intercepts and finds out Jake's my son and then the Dragon Council decides he no longer can be the American Dragon." Jonathan answered the last question.

"I'm doing fine and I haven't met any slayers yet, Haley." Jake answered, hoping his sister would forget the girl question. He should have known better. They're siblings after all.

"There's one question left unanswered." Haley sing-sang to Jake.

"There's a girl named Rose and your brother is all…" Fu started to explain.

"FU!" Jake shouted.

"What's she like?" Haley curiously asked. "Do you need to reveal you're rich to have a chance with her?"

"She's beautiful, gorgeous, kind and gentle." Jake answered with a dreamy expression.

"Yeah, you'll need." Haley commented.

"Don't listen to your sister, Jake." Susan told her son. "You can get a girl to like you by yourself. Just give this Rose enough time to know you."

"And if things go far enough, we'll have the talk." Jonathan stated.

"Not now, Jonathan." Lao Shi interrupted his son-in-law. "My grandson and I have patrolling to do. It's good to see you again, Susan. Haley. Goodbye." The mirror was then turned off.

"Thanks, G." Jake said.

"Don't thank me, young one." Lao Shi sternly replied. "We do have patrolling to do."

"Aw, man." Jake moaned.

Later on, the two dragons and Fu Dog were at Central Park. Thanks to Fu's sense of smell, he figured out the Huntsman was the emergency they had to deal with that night. "Hunting unicorns, I presume." Jake commented.

"Excellent, young one." Lao Shi was impressed. "How did you figure it out?"

"He's going from north to south during a full moon night, G." Jake explained.

"Correct, young one." Lao Shi congratulated his pupil. "You are a clever dragon."

"If this filth were clever, it'd stay out of my way." A new voice said and the heroes saw a man dressed in full Huntsclan regalia, dragon skull included.

"The Huntsman!" Lao Shi exclaimed in horror as he turned himself into his dragon form. The Huntsclan already knew his face so no harm there. Fortunately, Jake was already in dragon mode so his secret remained safe.

"I'm not alone, dragons." The Huntsman replied with a disgusted tone at the use of 'dragons'. "Meet my apprentice Huntsgirl."

The dragons and Fu then noticed a blond girl dressed in Huntsclan regalia assuming a battle stance and wielding a Huntstaff. Unlike her Huntsmaster, she didn't have any dragon skull, suggesting she hasn't slain any dragons yet. "I'm ready to slay my first dragon, Master."

"Ha." Jake scoffed. "If you want to slay any dragons, you'll have to go over my dead body, Huntsgirl." He then noticed what he said. "Wait. That didn't sound right."

"Sounded right enough for me, American Dragon." Huntsgirl maliciously replied. "Hiiiiiiya!"

While the American Dragon and the Huntsgirl had their one-on-one battle, Lao Shi struggled to keep the unicorns safe from the Huntsman. "Give up, old dragon." The Huntsman threatened. "The more I'd like to add your pelt to my collection, I don't mind delaying it to get more unicorns."

"Negative, Huntsman." Lao Shi defiantly replied.

"You asked for it." The Huntsmaster said and then shot a sphinx hair net on Lao Shi, who counter-attacked by spinning his tongue to make the net go back to the Huntsmaster, who ripped the net with his Huntstaff. "Nice move, dragon. However, you're not ready for this." He said and then shot a blast at Lao Shi, who quickly dodged. "I see age has yet to rust you, not that I'll let you live long enough to…" His rant was interrupted by Huntsgirl being thrown at him.

"It takes more than a Huntsgirl to stop the AmDrag, you Huntspunk." Jake bragged. "Give it up. The unicorns are out of your reach by now."

"You'll pay for this, American Dragon." The Huntsmaster threatened as he pushed a button that made him and Huntsgirl disappear.

Jake then approached Lao Shi. "Dragon Master, that lesson on tongue use paid off."

"You're a good learner, young dragon." Lao Shi commented. "Why're you so formal?"

"For safety, I'm not calling you anything I would when we're on our civilian forms." Jake explained.

"Kid, I never lost faith on you." Fu commented.

"Then I assume you didn't wage anything against me this time." Jake maliciously replied.

"No, not at all." Fu lied. "Now, on some unrelated matter, I've recently lost a bet and I need to borrow some money."

"Don't lend him anything, young one." Lao Shi quickly said. "Has he already paid the last loan?"

"I'll do your chores for you if you give me the money." Fu offered.

"No." Jake replied.

"Come on, kid." Fu pleaded. "How can a rich kid resist this offer?"

"Fu!" Lao Shi angrily demanded. "Don't insist."

"Aw man." Fu moaned.

End chapter.