A Dragon's Crimson Cry
By: Tippi
A/n This is long but it has some important pertaining to his past moments you'll be glad you read.
Ch 71 Shapeshifting
LS, Jake and Fu all arrived at the park close to the bridge that was supposes to be the meeting place. They could clearly see from their place behind the bushes the huntsclan members approach.
Watching them gave Jake the feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. Joking and acting confident when talking about the huntsclan was easy when there were none around but when they were in sight Jake became uneasy, yet he'd never admit it. Jake was always uneasy the moment he saw a huntsclan member but he'd became quit good at faking a brave and confident front. But already Jake's hands were sweating, something larger than butterflies were in his stomach, and his mind worked frantically to eclipse past memories.
"It is time Jake you mustn't keep the huntsclan waiting" LS said.
"Uh yeah" Jake said with his uneasiness of the situation then quickly changed to his mask of confidence. "I mean no worries G" Jake said transforming into Ralph the goblin. "Ralph the goblin is in the hiss house."
Jake walked onto the bridge to stand in front of the huntsclan.
"What's up hunts" Jake said in goblin form. "And hunts girl looking good" Jake could resist. Huntsgirl or Thorn, as her master sometimes called her, was hot if you got past the whole I'm going to slay you thing.
"Goblin, we meet again" the huntsman said.
"Uh, that's right. We met before at the place with the things and the people" Jake rambled "Ah, good times."
"You seem different goblin" the huntsman said looking Ralph over.
"Ralph is trying something new with Ralph's hair, highlights it really brings out Ralph's eyes" Jake tried to cover up as he removed his hat for a minute. "Now about the orb of Malorphis" Jake said getting but to subject hoping to end this meeting quickly.
"Yes about that, there's been a change of plans" the huntsman said aiming his staff at Ralph (Jake) and it developed the green glow.
Jake gulped thinking 'I'm so dead'. But then a hologram of a letter appeared and the huntsman explained.
"I received this telegram from the suppliers it seems the orb of Malorphis has been temporally held up" the huntsman said.
"Really" Jake said in soft voice "I mean this is unacceptable, Ralph spits on your supplier" Jake yelled then spit on the telegram but being just a hologram the spit went through it and hit the huntsman in the chest.
The huntsman just growled then said "met us at the troll bridge tomorrow at sundown we will have the orb then." Then the huntsclan teleported out.
"They bought it, this shapeshifting spell is awesome" Jake said changing back to his human self.
"Yeah well make sure they buy it tomorrow" Fu said as they began to walk off.
Jake stuffed his hands in his pockets and felt the request for the parent teacher conference in his pocket.
"Uh gramps I need to tell you something" Jake said.
"What is it" LS said turning to his grandson.
"Uh," Jake said then got an idea.
"You know what it's not important just forget it" Jake lied. And with that said the trio continued walking.
~Next day at school~
Rotwood was impatiently tapping his foot waiting for his meeting with Jake's grandfather. While outside the door Jake looked down both ways of the hall before smiling and taking on the form of his grandfather and walked into Rotwood's office.
"You're very late tick tock" Rotwood said as who he thought was LS walked in. "Like grandfather like grandson" Rotwood commented.
"Mr. Rotwood I…" Jake said crossing his arms.
"Uh, uh, uh, it's Professor Rotwood" Rotwood insisted.
"I don't care if it's Wacko Rotwood" Jake yelled. "You no good player hater. You're just jealous of my grandson because he's got supper fly Mac daddy moves and you don't. If you know what's good for him and you, you'll leave him alone and move into a far away county like Berbeckamania. Good day Mr. Rotwood!" Jake finished.
"Actually, it's Profe…" Rotwood said a bit scared but was cut off.
"I said good day!" Jake said slamming the door. "Man this power is so sweet" Jake said turning back into him self once the door was closed.
"I am so bummed you can't go to the concert tonight" a brown hair girl said to Rose who were both standing close enough for Jake to hear.
"I know and I've been so obsessing over Jaren MacArthur I can't even think about any other boys" Rose responded.
A thought came to Jake's mind.
Suddenly Jake disguised as pop star Jaren MacArthur walked down the hall as girls cheered and screamed.
"Hey beautiful, Yo" Jake said coming up behind Rose. The brown hair girl got an annoyed look on her face then when she saw who it was and her face went to stunned at break neck speed.
Rose turned and at seeing the teen star she screamed. "It's pop teen sensation Jaren MacArthur" Rose yelled shaking her friend.
At her loud announcement every girl within ear shout gathered around Jaren.
"That's right, how about we make some beautiful music together" Jaren responded.
"Sure, I mean I love your music" Rose said. "Sing us one of your songs" Rose begged.
The crowd of girls all agreed.
"I love you Jaren" some random girl yelled from the crowd.
"But I don't know any of his… I mean… hey yo, I don't have my guitar" Jake said trying to make a believable excuse.
But unfortunately some one handed him a guitar.
"Uhh.. but I don't uhh…" Jake was trying to think as the crowd stares at him. "This one goes out to Rose" Jake said as he started to play the guitar and sing. "Rose, Yo, You have such awesome toes. Rose and a really hot noose. Yo, and your forehead is so shiny that I glows. Rose Yeah" Jake finished.
The crowd just stares and him.
"Uhh... well uhh... that's what happens when you forget to rehearse... see ya peace" Jake said getting out of there as fast as he could
"I still love you Jaren" the random girl yelled again.
~At the skate park~
"Yo home slice how about sharing that with the rest of us" Trixie said to Brad and his two just as rich friends.
"Sorry kiddies but we paid management to close down the half pipe to everyone but us" Brad said. "So come back tomorrow kay."
"Tomorrow o no this is America" Trixie said.
"Yeah and not just America this is North America" Spud added.
"Yeah and in North America money talks" Brad said from the top of the pipe waving a wad of money.
"You know I could pay the management more to…" Al was starting to say getting out his wallet.
"Hold up we don't need to stoop to their level" Trixie said stopping Al from pulling out his wallet, that had a credit card and more money then Brad's wad it just looked thin because Al's wad was in hundred dollar bills.
Jake had come to the skate park after his transformation fun at school to his friends but decided to do something about them getting dissed. But Jake needed to figure out just how to do it then he saw the poster for skate legend Tommy King. Jake transformed into Tommy King and skates down the half pipe knocking Brad off his board.
"Dudes what seems to be the problemo" Tommy asked dismounting.
"Yo Tommy King snot for brains here thinks…O junk you know who you are" Trixie said realizing who she was talking to.
"Pro skating sensation and skater aid spokesman Tommy King" Tommy said making some more moves on the half pipe.
"But your website says you're on vacation in France" Spud said. "Dudes maybe this isn't North America" Spud pondered.
"Well, my good friend Jake Long totally told me some kid was giving his friends some trouble and I hopped a plan and…" Tommy responded but then cut off by Brad giving a fake laugh.
"Trouble, who said anything about trouble. Any friend of Tommy's are friends of ours" Brad said hugging Trixie, Spud and Al.
"Yeah we can shred" Trixie said as she and Tommy where riding to half pipe.
But as Tommy was shredding he suddenly turned back to Jake. This was only seen by Al and Spud who at seeing so did a face plant for his grinding on the rail.
"Dude did you see that" Spud asked Trixie.
"See what" Trixie asked as Jake skated by as Tommy again.
"Wow, that last hit to the head must of really mess me up good" Spud said.
"No more messed up then normal" Al muttered. "And Jake leaving me out of the loop."
"Yeah Jake didn't tell us either" Trixie said talking about that fact Jake never mentioned to her knowing Tommy King while Al was referring to Jake not telling him about the shapeshifting into other people thing.
~Later that day~
The huntsclan appeared from the fog as they walked onto the bridge.
Fu and LS were already waiting in their hiding spot.
"Sorry I'm late" Jake said coming up on his board.
"No time for excuses" LS said "turn into goblin, the huntsclan is waiting."
"No prob" Jake said in good mood transforming into the goblin but his left leg stayed Jake until he gave it a shake making it right.
"I have a bad feeling he misused his shapeshifting powers" LS said a Jake walked off.
"You think" Fu responded.
"So I'm here to see a clan about an orb" Jake said.
The huntsman snapped his fingers and another member of the clan stepped forward with a small chest in his/her hands. The member opened it to reveal the ord.
"The orb of Malorphis as you requested" the huntsman said.
"Yes lets see" Jake said coming forward to get a better look. "Round, dark, creepy glow looks good. Now if you don't mind Ralph as to be some…" Jake said reaching for the orb when he felt his shapeshifting ability suddenly activate.
Jake backed up and went into some interesting shapeshifting combinations before settling on Jaren.
"He's a fake" Thorn yelled.
The huntsman swung his staff and Jake did a few flips to avoid it.
Then Thorn came forward to try her luck despite Thorn having extensive training in the martial arts part of fire bending, that Jake had been secretly training in, is martial art moves making Jake about to meet her blow for blow until; she got behind him and struck him in the behind.
"Had enough" Thorn asked as Jake turned to look at her.
Before Jake could respond he was surrounded by all the present clan.
"Play time's over boy" the Hman said his staff glowing as he stood in front of the Jake.
LS had transformed into his dragon form and shot toward them with a yell. The Hman quick shouted dragon and put up a circular force field LS couldn't penetrate.
"And this must be the American dragon" Hman said turning back to Jake after watching LS's failed attempt.
Jake's face that was currently Jaren's, paled as fear and dread filled his young body.
Before any one could do anything else the huntsclan teleported leaving Fu and LS in worry for Jake's life.
Jake was chained up in a current huntsclan safe house knowing this was looking very bad.
"I have no doubt you are the American dragon" the huntsman said coming to stand imposingly in front of Jake.
"I've waited for this for a long time, to slay my first dragon and become a member one of the huntsclan" Thorn said.
"Patience Thorn, his shapeshifting spell should ware off soon I want him alive long enough to see his human face" the Hman said.
"We got exactly one hour before the spell wears off" Fu said as LS looked at a map trying to think of were the huntsclan could of gone. "Until then the kid completely defenseless" Fu continued.
"The huntsclan could of taken him anywhere" LS informed.
"There's got to be someway to sniff him out to bad I'm not a bloodhound" Fu said as the two began to think when there train of thought was interrupted by the goblin. A thought occurred to them.
"So you will free Ralph if he sniffs out the boy for you" Ralph said turning off the television set.
"Yes but Jake was not Jake when he was taken" LS said.
"He was Jaren MacArthur" Fu said holding up a magazine with Jaren on the cover "FYI his favorite food is fajitas and he buys all his clothes at Abercrombie Flinch."
LS gave Fu a look that asked 'and you know this how?'
"What a 600 year old canine can't be hip to the latest trends" Fu asked.
"Ralph will help you but first Ralph needs scent from pop sensation" Ralph said.
A news report went out about a tube of hair gel and extra baggy jeans being stolen from Jaren MacArthur's dressing room. The news reporter said and Jaren MacArthur had this to say. The screen switched to Jaren in his underwear saying 'why yo, WHY!"
"No word on yet if he can summon the courage to go on with his concert tonight" the reporter went on to say as a girl popped up in the background yelling "I love you Jaren."
The whole time Jake was being held Thorn was keeping the closest to him while the huntsclan lingered it the background.
Thorn was like death staring him in face sending a fear Jake hadn't felt in years coursing through his body. This was something he felt and only saw in his nightmares. Memories played through his head in a continues loop blocking out much of his reality. He hung his head and began to think 'was this how they felt that day, were they even given time to realize they were going to die, this is probable the same way my mother felt before she was cut down.'
Jake felt tears for his dead family welling up in his eyes, he tried blinking them away but a few managed to escape.
"I can't wait to slay you and take my place in the huntsclan" Thorn said then noticed a glimpse of a tear.
"Are you crying" Thorn asked.
"You heartless bitch" Jake said his anger now fueling him. Thorn was taken back by his insult. "Your clan is a bunch of cold blooded murders" Jake exclaimed.
"What would you know" Thorn shout back.
"You kill innocent people" Jake responded.
"There is nothing innocent about the magical kind" Thorn informed.
"Tell that to the all human man you killed, the 7 year old boy, the sick 5 year old killed asleep in her bed, and the two 3 year olds all killed in cold blood" Jake listed.
"What are you talking about" Thorn asked not believing what he said.
"O, so your clan didn't tell you, that's just a small list of people one of your clan members murdered in cold blood" Jake answered.
Thorn couldn't believe her ears could what this dragon say be true.
Then Jake's lower half change into it's true form.
"Come on, dragon up, dragon up" Jake remembering the situation he was in his fear returning and panic rising.
"At last the identity of the American dragon will be revealed" the Hman said coming up to Jake and Thorn, not aware of their earlier conversation.
"No" Jake said as magic slowly traveled up his body now any second he'd be all Jake again.
Then suddenly the lights went out and it was a total black out.
"What" the Hman yelled.
"Ok which one of you cheapos forgot to pay the electric bill" Fu's voice said from the dark.
Then the lights went back on. "Ooops, my bad. Must've brushed against the light switch, I hate when that happens. Ha, Ha" Fu said standing there with Ralph.
The huntsclan surround Fu and Ralph ready to fire but Fu shakes his head as LS in dragon form breaks through the window and knocks out the members surrounding them in a full body tackle.
"The old dragon is mine, you handle the boy" Hman said to Thorn.
Thorn turned to Jake who while the lights where out managed to turn full dragon.
"Miss me" Jake asked as he yanked his arms forward pulling the chains from the wall. He swung the chains with a chunk of the wall still on them forward at Thorn.
"I like you better tied up" Thorn said doing a flip to avoid them.
"I bet you say that to all the dragons" Jake said swing the chain around like a weapon the shooting it at Thorn who dodged. Jake tired that again but ended up getting the chains wrapped around him. Thorn laughed at his predicament.
Thinking quickly Jake summoned power from inside him and used his fire bending to envelope his arms in fire melting the metal chains from his body in seconds then extinguishing the fire once free.
"If weren't a C student I would of thought of doing that an hour ago" Jake said to him self.
LS and Hman continued their battle while Jake and Thorn where doing their own. Jake used some kangaroo like moves to send Thorn across the room then Jake took a moment to gloat.
Hman was shooting at LS who was flying around the ceiling.
"You will make a fine trophy" Hman taking another shot at LS caused a chunk of the ceiling to fall on the table making the orb roll toward the edge.
"The orb" LS yelled.
Fu took out Jaren's hair gel the threw it toward the orb making a slippery path. Fu yelled for Jake to do a belly slide. Jake abandoned his fight with Thorn to slide down the path of hair gel and grab the orb before it hit the ground. The shoots to the ceiling took down some support beams and the whole place was coming down. Both Jake and LS were pinned by some falling debris. While LS was trapped the Hman closed in. Thorn jumped to the stairs and called to her master.
"Hurry huntsmaster the whole place is coming down" Thorn shouted from her place on the stairs.
"I'm not leaving till this dragon is slain" the Hmaster said then turned back to LS.
"Think again hunts cump" Jake yelled emerging from the pile of rumble he was currently under. "Heads up gramps" Jake said fly forward and breathing fire on the ropes holding up a reflective shield on the wall beside LS.
The shield dropped and LS was able to free him self just as the Hman shot. His shot hit the shield having it bounce off it and hit the Hman sending him through the wall. Not wanting to stay in the crumbling where house Thorn followed.
"Good work kid now lets get out of here" Fu said as Jake and LS grabbed Ralph and Fu then flew out.
As the four made a landed the dust cleared to reveal Jake who got up to show he had a hold of the orb.
"We done young one" LS said.
"See it's that glamorous" Fu said as Jake just shot him a glare considering Jake was covered in dust and dirt.
~next day~
"So the orb's at the shop" Jake said walking to school with his grandfather.
"Locked up and safe now you will have time to focus on your school work" LS said.
"Yeah till next magical duty calls" Jake said.
"Jake I know you have many responsibilities all that I ask is you try your best and are honest in your actions" LS said.
"Thanks" Jake said "Well this is my exit."
"O by the way are you sure you did not misuse your shapeshifting power? Not even once" LS asked.
"Pff, no way G, come on like I would disobey you" Jake said.
Then Rotwood was waiting outside the school but then seeing LS got a scared face on and ran back inside. That was followed by a reporter announcing the 'pop sensation Jaren MacArthur was right here on campus.' Then Trixie and Spud ran up to Jake and said "Yo Jake. Why didn't you tell us you were down with skater Tommy King?"
"What can I say I'm 13" Jake tried putting on an innocent grin. "I'm pretty busted huh" Jake asked dropping his grin.
"You don't know the meaning of the word" LS yelled.
"Aw man" Jake whined.
~In the computer lab~
The seed of doubt is a amazing plant once planted in ones mind it grows quickly and strong on ones growing suppressions and fears and that what Rose's seed was doing.
Rose was looking through newspaper archives online. She was scrolling down the site when she came to a link that had a murder linked to a masked man. Rose clicked on it and brought up newspaper article with the sketch of a huntsmember next to it. Rose skimmed the first two paragraphs of the article and exited the link, it was all she needed.
Now she questioned her clan.
Had she read further she would of seen the name of the surviving family member and had she look at other articles she would of seen the survivors picture. But she didn't and Jake identity remand safe for now.
A/N I am so sick of writing the pop sensation's name I ready to kill him for having such a name.
Also I left out some of Jake's pick up lines for Rose while he's chained but you can see why I did also I used a line from Danny Phantom do you know which one.