A Dragon's Crimson Cry
By: Tippi
A/N First I'd like to say I know there are likely a lot of comma mistake, sorry. Second Jake is a little ooc in this chapter for most of the story and show but I feel this would work with the inner turmoil of his past in the story and makes it more dramatic.
Ch 102 Honor and Duty Bound
Thorn pulled off her mask.
"Rose I been looking for you" Jake said as Rose helped him up.
"What are you doing here" Rose asked as the two hugged.
"I got your massage, in my dream" Jake answered.
"I told you not to come after me" Rose said.
"Not that I'm not happy to see you but that's not why I'm here" Jake informed. "We're here for the plans. Do you know what the huntsclan is planning?"
"I don't know. The huntsmaster sent me back here for messing up in the field" Rose explained. "They don't tell me anything anymore."
"Then we need to access the computer in that room" Jake explained.
"The noise came from somewhere over here" one of two hunts guards said as they walked by.
"We need to get you back to your room " Rose said putting her mask back on and grabbing Jake's wrist.
"Hey Rose nice to see you again" Spud said before Thorn grabbed him as well.
Like the skilled acrobat Thorn was she flew through the window with Spud and Jake in tow, threw them into bed, flicked off the light switch and hid her self above the door frame.
"Bed check maggots" the huntsclan woman they first met when they got there said pushing the door open. "89, 88" she said shining a flashlight on each of their faces as she said their numbers.
Both looking like they were in their room and asleep she left.
Thorn jumped down from the door frame and went to the window.
"I can help you get to the computer" Thorn said putting her foot on the sill.
"What about you? I can't just leave you here" Jake said sitting up in bed pushing off the covers.
"I don't have anywhere else to go. I told you in the dream you can't save me" Thorn said leaving the room.
"And I said in the dream let me try" Jake said getting back under the covers.
~Back at the shop~
"You know you can't treat us like this, it's totally barbaric" 89 said in the cage that now had two sodas, a burger, fries, laptop with two game controllers and was currently running a space game.
"Hey get me another soda" 88 said taking a sip of soda then shaking the empty cup. "And this time a twist of lemon."
"We're the barbaric ones I so beg to differ" Al said sitting in the room with Fu reading a magazine.
"And we're not you butlers" Fu added both really annoyed with the two hunts students.
"I win" 89 yelled.
"What that's not fair I was getting a refill that was an automatic time out" 88 yelled back.
"No you got to call soda freeze" 89 informed.
"That's not a rule you just made that up" 88 retorted.
"Uh huh" 89 said.
"Nu huh" 88 went back.
It went on like that for a bit before both Fu and Al yelled 'enough."
"I'm going home. If I have to hear and see a pointless argument I can do that there and it's more entertaining" Al said getting up and leaving.
"And I've got cargo to unload and I don't want to hear a peep from either of you when I get back" Fu said taking a newspaper into the bathroom.
The two continued fighting over a game controller till it flew from their hands and hit the on/off switch to the cage.
Both made a run for it but not before 89 ran back to finish off his last bit of soda.
~Back at the academy~
Both Jake and Spud were in the cafeteria having lunch while some other students were changing the number on the fall dance banner from 2 to 1 day.
"You think these burgers are made out of unicorn, do you" Spud asked.
"Number one thanks for the bad image in my mind and two unicorns aren't hunted for their meat" Jake informed. "Hey look the cafeteria breaks down just like our school" Jake said looking around for a minute. "Huntsclan jocks, huntsclan nerds, huntsclan motor heads…"
"And huntsclan hotties" Spud said looking at a table of pretty girls before getting ready to howl.
"Hey 89 you seem to know a lot about dragons" a red head huntsclan girl said putting her finger under Spud's chin.
"Uh well sure" Spud said.
"Will you like totally tutor me later" a blond huntsclan girl said grabbing Spud's shoulder.
"Back off 89's tutoring me" the red head yelled jumping the blonde.
"We'll see about that" the blond said wrestling with the other girl. "Did you study for the lab test today" the blonde asked suddenly and randomly.
"Lab test" Spud asked.
~In class~
"You will have 30 minutes to mix a venom that is lethal to dragons, and begin" the huntsclan teacher said.
Spud and Jake looked at the chemicals unsure of what to do.
"Should of studied" Spud said.
"Let's see what this does" Jake said putting a drop of red chemical in a flask of purple.
Then there was an explosion.
"88, 89 in addition to destroying the class you fail the lab test" the teacher said grabbing their mixture. "This will not kill a dragon just give it the illusion of death, You will both be punished.
"Yeah I'm use to that bring it on" Jake responded.
Later Jake and Spud were being lowered into an arena escorted by a hunts guard.
"So what did he say we were being thrown to" Spud asked.
"A kraken" Jake answered.
"A crack in what" Spud said.
The makeshift elevator they were riding in made contact with the ground.
"I think it's something like…" Jake said before a barred door opened and a giant green monster with scales and fins came out roaring. "Like that" Jake finished.
The students in the stands cheered as Jake and Spud were tossed out in front of the monster and their only means of escape hoisted away.
The two run around the ring, their only hope for survival. If they weren't in a huntsclan school Jake could dragon up and they'd stand a chance but currently both could result in death.
"Really wishing we studied now" Spud said as he and Jake were backed up against bared opening when a hand came to Jake's shoulder.
"Jake keep moving" Thorn said from the other side of the bars.
"We don't stand a chance and I can't use my dragon powers, everyone will see" Jake replied.
"Not for long" Thorn said as he eyes widened with an idea. "Trust me" Thorn said running off.
Jake and Spud did as Thorn said and kept running to keep themselves alive a little longer. As they were doing that Thorn had climbed to the top of the arena and sliced through the cables powering the lights. The arena went totally dark and no one could see, except Jake who used his dragon eyes that had may advantages one being night vision.
Jake saw a large rock weight hanging on the celling bars and extra length of chain and an idea came to mind. Jake transformed and used his flight speed to get the extra chain and wrap it around the kraken then contacted that to the chain of the rock hanging from the barred dome. Jake burned away the chain holding the rock up and the whole set up worked like a pulley system rising the kraken up and away from its potential victim. Jake then flew down and changed back to human off to the side of the ring.
One of the huntsclan members found the emergency light switch and flipped it on.
Once the lights were on there was a momentary silence from the audience as they saw the kraken restrained and hung and Spud standing in the middle of the ring. Then a female student stood up and said 'he is the greatest warrior in the school' the crowd cheered for number 89.
"See Rose is still on our side she totally had our backs" Jake said as he and Spud were back in the cafeteria.
"Hey 89 I was wondering you got a date for the dance" the red head from before asked stand beside Spud.
"Well I.. uh" Spud stammered for the first time not knowing what to say
"No 89 will be my date for the dance" the blonde from earlier said coming forward.
"I smell weakness in you" the red head said getting right up in the blonde's face.
"You will bath in the stench of your own defeat" the blonde said back as they went into a karate battle.
"89 shall be mine" one girls yelled.
"Uh shouldn't we stop this" Jake asked.
"Probable, but then again when is this ever going to happen to me again" Spud answered. "You girls fight for the prize that is me" Spud yelled goat ting the girls on in their fight.
"Ro… I mean huntsgirl" Jake corrected as he saw Thorn coming towards him.
"Number 88 got a date for the dance tonight" Thorn asked.
"Yes… I mean no…you and me can get on the dance floor and…" Jake said overly excited.
"The dance floor is right above the computer room this could be the only chance to access it" Thorn informed.
"O right" Jake said getting serious. "But after we get the file I want… I think you should come with us" Jake said grabbing Thorn's arm as she tied to walk away.
"I can't they would find me, there's only one way I get out of here" Thorn said.
"Just name it whatever it is" Jake said.
"I have to slay a dragon" Thorn said.
"Yeah that may be a problem" Jake said.
~Back at the shop~
"Woo better leave the fan on" Fu said finishing his business and coming out. "O no" Fu said seeing the cage turned off the two hunts students gone. There was only on place he could think they'd be going.
At the academy Jake and Thorn were currently enjoying the dance when Thorn figured the time was right.
"It's time" Thorn said.
"You got a plan" Jake asked.
"It's just a school like any other" Thorn said before she slipped off and whispered something into the closes girl's ear.
That girl whispered into another girl and again until it reached the two girls Spud was dancing with. That girl red head stopped what she was doing and shouted 'you said what.' Then pounced on the blonde both fighting.
A huntsclan teacher came over to try and break it up only to be pulled into it. As all the students were watching the fight and the teachers trying to break it up Jake grabbed Spud to follow Thorn to the computer room.
"Come on Spud" Jake said dragging him off.
"But the pretty, evil girls fighting over me" Spud whined.
The three made it into the computer room no problem and Spud downloaded the files.
"You need to get that file back to New York" Thorn said. "Get back to the teleportation platform. Then Thorn took off in the opposite direction.
"Wait Spud I can't leave her here" Jake said going after Thorn.
"But Jake" Spud called.
"Huntsmaster there's the fool" 88 said as Jake rounded the corner.
In front of him was 88, 89, Thorn, and three huntsclan adults.
"That student is an imposter seize him" the huntsmaster yelled.
Jake tried to run but was surround.
"Where's the other one" one of the huntsclan adults asked.
Spud quickly went to a student, 42, coming down the hall and quickly switched number patches with him.
"There he is get him" Spud said pointing at the unlucky student who was then tackled to the ground.
"Let's see who you really are" huntsmaster said slamming Jake up against the wall and went to pull his mask off.
In fear and desperation Jake managed to kick him in the head, flip off the wall and go dragon.
"It's a dragon" huntsmaster cried before Jake knocked him down with his tail.
88 and 89 did pretty much a repeat of when they were in the park.
"Don't just stand there seize him" Huntsmaster yelled.
Jake took off flying down the hall only to be stopped by three more huntsclan members and was trapped in an unbreakable net. Jake dropped the laptop and huntsmaster stepped on it breaking it and any info it might have had.
"Huntsgirl" huntsmaster said.
"Yes huntsmaster" Thorn said coming forward and kneeling. "How would you like one last chance to rejoin me in the field?"
"Master I… of course master" Thorn got out.
"Good tomorrow at dawn, you will slay your first dragon" huntsmaster said walking off.
That night Jake as locked in a room his wrists chained. His ears perked up as he heard the sound of the door unlocking.
"Jake I'm getting you out of here" Thorn said walking in.
"No, if I'm gone in the morning they'll blame you" Jake said. "You have to slay me."
"But…" Thorn tried.
"Listen whatever the huntsclan is planning could end all magical creatures, if you're back with the huntsmaster you can find what his plan is help the others to stop him" Jake explained. "As a dragon it's my duty to do whatever it takes to protect the magical world."
"You'll die for dragon duty" Thorn demanded.
"No I'll die to protect a whole world " Jake whipped back. "And my life has been close to over since I was 8. I have had multiple attempts on my life. I always felt deep inside I die at the hands of the huntsclan."
It was hard for Thorn to hear this and it was hard for Jake to say but it was the truth. Since that fateful day Jake felt them lurking the shadows, waiting. He had many close calls and lucky escapes he feared they catch up with him. And even thou he hated his job it was still her responsibility and honor bound to do it no matter what came. He wasn't the first dragon to be slayed trying to protect the magical world, the huntsclan wore the proof.
"There has to be another way" Thorn pleaded. "I wish there were a way to fake dead."
"Fake it" Jake said as something he learned here came to mind.
The next morning Jake and Thorn were facing each other as they were being raised into the ring.
"Here goes everything" Jake said looking at Thorn.
"Any last requests" Thorn asked.
"Just one" Jake reached through the bars, lifted Thorn's mask was kissed Rose.
As they saw light at the top of the tunnel Rose re-masked and Jake changed.
The crowd was cheering as Spud pushed his way through to the front.
"Bare witness as huntsgirl faces a dragon in duel to the death" huntsmaster said over the speaker and the crowd cheered loader.
From what the crowd could see the two opponents were giving it their all when huntsgirl knocked the dragon to the gourd with green energy.
"Jake" Spud yelled then saw the students looking at him. "I mean cake, that's what I'm going to have to celebrate the slaying of this dragon."
Jake was staying down.
"Finish him" the huntsmaster shouted.
Thorn ran forward and struck behind the left ear. The huntsmaster came over to look at the dragon.
"This dragon is slayed" he said to the crowd.
The cheers were quiet in Spud's ears as shock, sadness, and betrayal over took him.
Later in what was like a morgue and trophy room for magical creatures, Spud stood next to Jake's lifeless body as it lay on the table.
Then Thorn walked in.
"You heartless, evil, she devil" Spud yelled at her in his anger.
"Spud remember that lab test you and Jake failed" Thorn asked.
"Yeah but the teacher said it would only give the dragon the illusion of death" Spud answered . "But I don't see how that could have anything to do with this… o wait."
"Right, it was Jake's idea. He had me whip up a vial and plant it in the dome" Thorn explained. "We just pretended to fight long enough for Jake to find it."
"O, I'm sorry I called you all those things it was just the first things that came into my head… actually the first thing was a monkey and then tacos…" Spud admitted.
"Apologue excepted" Thorn said.
Suddenly Jake changed back to human and sat up gasping for air.
"Did it work or did it not work" Jake asked.
"Jake" Spud yelled hugging his best friend.
"Who knew being bad as school could be a good thing" Jake said.
"Come on we need to get you out of here" Thorn said leading them to the teleportation room.
"We still don't know what the huntsclan planning" Spud said.
"No time" Thorn said starting the machine.
"Rose when will I…" Jake didn't get to finish as he teleported back.
Later all four were at the fall dance. The three boys sat at the table alone.
"Kyle Wilkins, he's all that" Trixie said as she danced by.
"I can't believe you're here alone" Jake said to Al.
"Well I figured I couldn't let you two come dateless, just you two, so I come with my guy friends alone too" Al explained. "Besides it doesn't matter as long as you got your friends and you have good time right."
Both boys sighed.
"You could at least try to have good time" Al insisted.
Spud then saw too cute girls walking by.
"Hey any chance you two girls want to kung-fu fight over me" Spud asked only to get slapped.
'Hey handsome wanna' dance' Jake heard looking up to see Rose.
"Rose your back at school, back with the huntsmaster" Jake asked.
"I'll do anything I can to help" Rose said.
"Great it can be you and me fighting side by side by day and by night…" Jake said leaning in to kiss her.
"The huntsclan will still be watching me we can't be seen together to much" Rose said stopping him.
She then held out her and shacked with Jake. Then Brad came over and dragged Rose away.
"Aw man" Jake said. "Stupid duty and honor and sneaky huntsclan" Jake muttered under his breath.
And another thing is he had another close call, lucky escape he had more time to think about how many more he might have left, if he had any left.