Chapter 7: Dragon Breath

Jake Long wasn't having a good day. Last night, he tried (and failed) to catch a soul-sucking Nix; Rose couldn't accept to go on a date with him that night's Fall Dance because she'd already agreed to go with Brad of all people; and he's suddenly gotten a bad breath that prevents him from asking other girls.

"Ewwwww." Spud was disgusted. "What's with that smell, Jake? Did you spend last night on the sewers or something else?"

"Something else, Spud." Jake sadly answered. It was a half-truth since Jake went to the sewers to hunt the aforementioned Nix but he couldn't tell Spud that. Jake's scent, however, had nothing to do with it. "It's my breath. I'm getting some mouthwash."

"Jake, you'll need the best mouthwash money can buy." Spud commented. "Or something from your Gramps."

"Why G, Spud?" Jake asked in confusion.

"He gives off that Chinese wise man vibe." Spud explained. "Perhaps he might know some ancient secret that helps with that."

Sun Park then walked in the conversation. "Spud's right, Jake." She commented. "I'm sorry for intruding, kids, but that smell reminded me of when it happened to me."

"To you?" Jake and Spud asked in surprise.

"Yes, kids." She gently answered. "Some people face it during puberty."

Jake understood what Sun Park meant: his particularly bad breath was a part of being a dragon.

"Whatever it is, you'd better get rid of it before the stench makes the school closes earlier." Spud suggested.

"Spud, it's not that bad." Jake replied.

Five minutes later

Students and staff alike were outside school grounds while a special team was investigating the stench. "Ok, I was wrong." Jake admitted. 'If at least Spud wasn't too disgusted by my breath to be near to hear it.' Dejected, Jake went back to Canal Street Electronics, where his Grandfather explained about how his breath was a sign his fire-breathing glands were maturing. To Jake's dismay, Lao Shi also said it usually lasted one or two weeks.

"Can't you do anything about it, G?" Jake pleaded. "There's a school dance tonight."

"Young dragon, there's more to life than a school dance." Lao Shi scolded his grandson. "The Nix is our priority."

"Speaking of the Nix, has Fu already made the potion?" Jake asked.

"Right here, kid." Fu said as he returned from his lab.

"So, any Nixes I pour the potion into will become temporarily powerless. Right, Fu?" Jake asked for confirmation.

"Not only them buy any magical creature, kid, so don't touch the potion unless you want to stop being a dragon." Fu warned. "And, before you have any ideas, you'll still have your bad breath."

"Aw, man." Jake moaned.

After Lao Shi left Jake and Fu alone to watch the counter, Fu approached Jake. "Don't mind your Grandpa, kid." Fu said. "He forgot what's like being young. If you want, I can whip up something to get rid of that stinky breath."

"Really?" Jake asked with a hopeful smile.

"Sure, kid." Fu reassured Jake. "Just give me a couple of minutes."

A 'couple of minutes' later, Fu presented Jake a necklace. "There." Fu said. "Just wear it and your bad breath will be a nightmare that's just over."

"Thank you, Fu." Jake happily said. "How can I ever repay you?"

"Some fifty dollars will do, kid." Fu jokingly replied.

Jake drew a fifty-dollar-bill and handed it to Fu without any sort of hesitation. "Worth every penny."

"So, how that your breath is stink-free, who're you asking to the dance?" Fu asked while trying to change the subject away from money.

"I didn't think about it, Fu." Jake sadly answered. "Rose's going with Brad; Trixie is going with Spud, she says it's to save other girls from having to go with him but I'm not falling for that; Courtney is Rose's best friend and I don't want to make things awkward; and I barely know any other girls at school."

"Who said it has to be someone from school, kid?" Fu maliciously asked. "How about a girl from Magus Bazaar?"

"Well, since I'm looking for a Nix, I can as well look for clues there." Jake commented.

"Clever kid!" Fu exclaimed. "Already with an excuse to appease the old man."

One train trip later, Jake and Fu arrived at the Magus Bazaar. "What now, Fu?" Jake asked. "Do we look for girls at the Scoop?"

"Nah, kid." Fu dismissively answered. "Ice cream parlors are too obvious." Fu then leads Jake through the bazaar, where he introduced Jake to a pair of twin redheads named Sara and Kara. Jake was initially pleased at the idea of taking either girl for a date but that was before they freaked him out with their occasional predictions. Fu explained that they're descendants of the Oracle of Delphi. Sara, the happy twin, predicted bad news while Kara, the grumpy twin, predicted good news.

"Fu, I want someone who can appear in front of humans without exposing the Magical World." Jake explained. He's upset Fu didn't seem to understand it on his own.

"That excludes Veronica." Fu sadly commented.

"The girl with a spider-like lower body?" Jake asked in surprise. "You really don't care about the Magical World's secrecy."

"What did you expect when I suggested coming here, kid?" Fu asked.

Jake then noticed some new face. "Fu, who's that girl?"

"Never seen her before, kid." Fu answered. "Watch out, kid. She might be trouble."

"A Nix, for example." Jake suggested.

"Kid, you can't be serious." Fu commented.

"I bet ten muffins she is." Jake dared.

"Deal!" Fu replied and they talked to the girl, who introduced herself as Jasmine. Jake invited Jasmine to the dance but she had a weird curfew.

"10:23 and 15 seconds Eastern Standard Time?" Jake asked in shock and recognition from the research he did earlier while waiting for Fu's anti-bad breath potion. "Whole lunar cycle thing? You're that Nix I've faced last night!"

"I'm so sorry!" She sadly replied. "I can't control myself on Nix form!"

"I'm calling my Grandfather." Jake said as he drew a cellphone.

"Give me twenty bucks and the muffins will be your favorite flavor, kid." Fu offered.

The next morning, Jake was walking towards his locker when he saw Trixie and Spud. "Hi, guys." He greeted them. "Did you have fun at the dance?"

"Nothing much, Jakey." Trixie answered with a boring expression.

"It was the best night of my life!" Spud excitedly answered and then whispered to Jake. "I think she likes me."

"I do NOT!" Trixie angrily replied.

"What about Rose?" Jake uneasily asked.

"Did you call me, Jake?" Rose asked as she and her best friend Courtney showed up.

"Hi, Rose." Jake said. "Did you have fun at the dance?"

"No." Rose sadly answered. "Brad was a jerk who just wanted to show off with the prettiest girl at school."

"Do you mean he doesn't care about your other qualities?" Jake asked while feigning surprise. He was actually aware of Brad's opinion of Rose.

"Unfortunately." A downtrodden Rose answered. "If at least I've waited until you asked me…"

"There'll be other dances, Rose." Jake reassured her.

"Aren't you asking me too early?" Rose playfully teased him.

"Better too soon than too late." Jake argued with a smile.

"Don't do it, Rose." Courtney advised her. "Rebound dating usually doesn't work."

"I can take that risk." Rose commented. 'I can take more than you'd ever dream on, Courtney.' She mentally added.

"Deal?" Jake asked.

"Deal." Rose replied.

"Long, stay away from my girl." Brad threatened. "Is he bothering you, Roselicious?"

"Brad, I'm not your girl and it's you who's bothering me." Rose replied.

"Don't get used to her, Long." Brad demanded. "She's just playing hard to get and using you to make me jealous."

"Keep your lies to yourself, Brad." Jake demanded in reply.

"Ok, I'm leaving but don't say I didn't warn you." Brad left.

All in all, Jake was satisfied with himself. Rose was becoming his girlfriend, he stopped the Nix, and Fu's necklace prevented his bad breath from remaining an issue.

End chapter.