A Dragon's Crimson Cry
By: Tippi
Ch 104 Dragon Skin
"Morning" Jake said with his back pack over his face as he walked pass the trio sitting on the school's front steps.
"Hey Jake what's…" Spud started reaching out and taking the bag from Jake's face. "Sweet Nancy mustered" Spud screamed grabbing Trixie.
"Dude what happened to your face" Trixie exclaimed seeing Jake's gray and lumpy skin.
"O this it's just molting, it's this kind of a 10 year dragon thing" Jake explained.
The trio scooted a few inches away.
"Is it really that noticeable" Jake asked bring his hand to his face causing the skin to move like clay away from his face.
Making the other three physically ill.
"Do you not own a mirror" Al said.
"O man what am I thinking I can't go to school like this, let alone go out with Rose tonight" Jake whined.
"You should've called in sick because seeing you like this is making us sick or wear some sorta scarf of chough mask" Al suggested.
"Hey I got it" Spud said reaching into his coat pocket bring out a bottle with 100 printed on it. "I and Trixie made prototype of our 100 use cream but we only came up with 99."
"Maybe tighten up dragon skin could be uses 100. I mean we did use a lot of Grandma Carter's eye firming gel" Trixie said.
"I'll try anything" Jake said letting Spud pour some onto his hands. "Is it helping" Jake asked after appalling it.
"If you mean making it worse yes" Trixie said seeing the skin hang from his face more prominent.
"Hey Jake" Rose called from the sidewalk.
Jake ran off putting his back pack back over his face.
"I knew that stuff won't work" Al informed once Jake was gone.
"How would you know" Trixie asked.
"Molt means come off. The top layer of skin is basically dead and if it did temporally tighten the skin it take longer to come off and we'd have to look at it longer and who wants that" Al explained.
"Hum maybe we need to make the 100 uses cream to remove dead skin as the 100 uses" Spud said looking at the bottle.
"Back to mixing" Trixie said.
"Jake didn't you hear me calling you" Rose asked coming up to Jake who had his locker door obscuring his face.
"O you were saying Jake I thought you were saying stake" Jake made a stupid lie.
"Why would I be saying…listen I need to talk to you about..." Rose said before Jake cut her off.
"Now's not a good time I gotta find homes for stray… birds" Jake choked out. "Stupid, stupid" Jake whispered hitting his head.
"Jake is everything okay" Rose asked as the bell rang.
"Yeah we'll talk later" Jake said running off.
"But Jake I need to tell you something" Rose called out.
Later that night Rose waited for Jake at the library.
"Rose" Jake called from the dark in dragon form.
"Jake why are you…" Rose asked coming forward.
"Stay back" Jake yelled taking a few steps back further into the shadows.
"Jake listen there's something I've been trying to tell you about tonight" Rose said coming to a stop.
"Me too" Jake said. "I've been thinking about what you said and you're right. You and I shouldn't hang out for a while even at school, it's too dangerous" Jake said before flying off.
"Wait Jake I need to tell you about the huntsman's plan" Rose said but Jake was already gone and didn't hear her.
Rose pulled back her sleeve looking at her dream charm and got an idea.
A few roofs away 88 and 89 had binoculars watching the two.
"Look 88 it's the dragon" 89 said.
"O and Thorn" 88 responded look in the opposite direction.
"That proves something is going on between those two" 89 said.
"And after tonight's mission I'm telling the huntsmaster" 88 said.
Fu was having a dream of himself in the 70's at the disco with some hot girl dogs.
"Fu dog" Rose said appearing in front of Fu.
"Hey Rose what are you doing in my dream" Fu asked.
"Okay I need to tell Jake something but he's acting all weird so I can't tell him what I need to tell him so I'm hoping to tell you so you can tell him" Rose said all real fast.
"Interesting do tell" Fu said getting the just of it.
"The huntsman has tracked the guardian serpent to a cave under Central Park. I'm supposed to go there tonight with 88 and 89 to retrieve the Aztec skull but it's imperative the Jake get there first" Rose explained.
"Okay I'll be sure to tell him as soon as I wake up but first I'm about to get my grove on" Fu said warping his arms around the two ladies at his side.
Not knowing how long that would take Rose grabbed the water bowl and splashing dream Fu waking the real Fu up.
"Woo" Fu said startling awake.
"What's the matter bad dream" Jake asked walking into the back room of the shop taking off his coat.
"You could say that" Fu said getting up. "Your sweetheart just interrupted my dream to pass on a massage. You got to get to Central Park pronto."
Jake had made his way to Central Park as quick as he could after Fu had relayed the message to Jake. Now Jake was flying around a large cave in the park looking for the serpent.
"Here snaky, come out where ever you are" Jake called only get a quick reply by the snake coming from the darkness taking a strike, that Jake was just able to avoid.
"Chill snake, just give the skull and I'll go" Jake tried only to get knocked into the wall by the snake's tail.
"Hey look who it is" 89 said as he, 88 and Thorn appeared in the cave. "Thorn's BFF forever."
"Dude the last F stands for forever you just said best friend forever forever" 88 said.
"Shut up" 89 yelled.
"No you shut up"88 retorted.
"I don't know what either of you are talking about. Now both of you shut up and get that skull" Thorn said pushing the two forward.
89 bumped in 88 making them both lose their footing and fall down sending out two green beams that completely missed the serpent as both tumbled to the ground.
The serpent then turned its attention to the two fools. Thorn rolled her eyes knowing she had to save them and do all the work.
Thorn shot off a series of beams avoiding the strikes from the snake's mouth and tail until she lost her weapon in the snake's mouth and was now trapped in his coils.
88 and 89 made a pitiful attempt to rescues her by batting the side of the snake with their staffs that did nothing but annoy the snake, only to have the snake snap at them to get them to stop.
Jake flew forward knocking the snake's head to the ground. The snake temporally downed released Thorn as Jake grabbed the skull form its head.
"A lesson huntschumps, never send an apprentice to do a dragon's job" Jake said holding the skull.
The snake got it bearings back and went after Jake. Jake managed to get the snake to tie its own body around a column in the cave but lost sight of where he was going and flew into a wall. When Jake hit the wall he dropped the skull and it fell into Thorn's hands.
"We got the skull" 88 and 89 yelled.
Jake and Thorn locked eyes for a moment.
"I've got it" Thorn yelled holding it up in one hand.
Jake swooped down and stole it from her hand.
"I'll take that" Jake said flying out of the cave.
"Hey" Thorn yelled running after him for a few feet.
"You just let that dragon take the skull" 88 said.
"I did not" Thorn demanded.
"Don't even" 88 said hold up his hand and walking off.
"O some one's going to get if from huntsmaster" 89 said following after 88.
In the huntsmaster's secret subway lair 88 and 89 were accusing Thorn as a traitor.
"So you two believe Thorn is working with the dragon" Hmaster said standing in front of the three.
"Hmaster, it is true I was at the library earlier but I made no contact with the dragon, he could be stalking me besides he flew right pass these two with the skull" Thorn said mentioning to 88 and 89. "They just stood there didn't even make an attempt to shoot him down."
"Enough, twice I've given you the assignment to retrieve the skull and twice you have failed" Hmaster said walking over to a control panel and pressed a button. A hologram of Thorn standing over a slain dragon appeared.
"You hardly seem like the hunter at the academy who slayed her first dragon" Hmaster said.
"Hey that looks like Thorn's BFF forrrevver" 89 stumbled over the last word.
"Dude that can't be Thorn already slayed that dragon" 88 said.
"Or did she" Hmaster said.
"This is unbelievable you were all there you saw me" Thorn explained.
"I want proof bring me the dragon's pelt" Hmaster said.
"And if I refuse" Thorn asked.
"I will take your refusal as treason and you of all people know the penalty for treason" Hmaster said. "And since I can't trust any of you to retrieve the skull I shall do it myself. The snake has the ability to sense the skull that is taken from it; I will use the snake to find the skull and the American dragon."
Jake was in the back of the shop just looking at the crystal skull when Trixie and Spud walked in.
"Yo what's cracking Jake? Me and Spud here to find a solution for your ailing skin" Trixie asked.
"Totally because as co-founder of 100 uses cream Inc. we feel your skin should resemble peaches and cream not peaches and cream corn" Spud said holding up a box of lotions as Trixie opened it.
"Thanks guys but I think my skin is getting better" Jake said still hiding his face.
Trixie and Spud grabbed Jake's shoulders and turned him around to face them to see.
"What do you think" Jake asked knowing the answer.
Trixie and Spud both covered their mouths resisting the urge to vomit.
The sound of the front door opening and close followed by Rose's voice saying 'hello' was heard.
"Jake I need to tell you something" Rose said coming into the back.
"Rose this isn't a good time" Jake said hiding his face. "Excuses me while I use the can" Jake said running into the bathroom.
"Don't mind him his grandpa made a prune casserole" Spud said.
"Jake you got to listen to me the Hmaster is using the guardian serpent to track the Aztec skull" Rose said coming up to the bathroom door.
"What "Jake exclaimed.
"There be here any minute you need the get that thing out of here" Rose explained.
"I'm on it" Jake said transforming at fire balling a way out. "Rose stay here" Jake said as he made his exit.
Rose opened the door to look at a big gaping hole in the wall.
"Jake wait there's something else" Rose said running out after Jake.
Before she could say anything the serpent came from the ally followed by the Hmaster.
"Hid we can't be seen together" Jake said as Rose ran for cover behind a dumpster. "I'll take care of this."
The serpent was making a strike for Jake only to be shot down by the Hmaster.
"I believe you work here is done" the Hmaster said to the serpent landing next to it.
"So huntspunk we meet again" Jake said.
"Only this time you and the skull will be mine" Hmaster said lunching an attack.
After a few fancy martial art moves Jake got the Hmaster with his tail knocking the staff out of Hmaster's hands. But the staff fired off a lucky shot that knocked down the fire escape bringing Jake to the ground. Jake reached for the skull only to have Hmaster bring his boot down on his hand preparing to fire.
"At last dragon it is over" Hmaster said rising his weapon.
Then the Hmaster suddenly slump to the ground. Behind him stood Rose with her own weapon.
"Jake are you okay" Rose asked coming up to him.
"Yeah" Jake said grabbing the skull and slinking into the shadows. "The Hmaster?"
"My staff was only set on stun he'll wake up soon" Rose said looking down at her master. "Jake I need to tell you something, can you come out here?" Rose asked.
Jake stayed in the shadows.
"88 and 89 saw us together at the library the Hmaster is suspicious he demands proof I slayed a dragon, I'm going to have to leave the city for good" Rose explained.
"This is all my fault" Jake said. "I set it up for the two of us to be science partners to prove that us spending time together was okay but then I put you in even more danger because I was to ashamed to show you the real me."
"The real you" Rose asked.
Jake jumped into the light and transformed back.
"The gross, disgusting dragon" Jake said giving Rose a good look at the skin.
"I don't care I like you for you. It's what's under the skin that I like" Rose informed him.
The Hmaster gave out a moan.
"I gotta go. I guess this is goodbye for good" Rose said sadly.
"Hey you all okay" Trixie asked walking into the sad scene followed by Spud.
"What happened" Spud asked.
"Rose you're not going anywhere, I got an idea" Jake said looking the Spud's 100 uses cream box.
In the huntslair the Hmaster awoke to see Thorn standing over him.
"Thorn what happened" Hmaster asked getting up.
"You were attack from the older dragon from behind lucky I was able to rescues you" Thorn informed.
"I don't remember the older dragon at all" Hmaster questioned.
"You still question my loyalty" Thorn asked. "If my word isn't enough here is your proof" Thorn said taking the dragon skin from the bag she was holding and unfurled it. "If you need me I'll be in my quarters" Thorn said walking off.
"Thorn" Hmaster said stopping Thorn on the stairs for a moment. "Well done."
Thorn turned to bow then left.
At school the foursome were gathered around Jake's locker.
"I know we could find 100 uses for our 100 uses cream" Spud said.
"One healthy lathering and your old skin slid off like a pair of silk pajamas" Trixie said.
"And you expand sales and profit margin by uses in the human and magical world" Al added. "What I have a business man for a dad you think I don't know these things."
"Okay anyway. I haven't heard from Rose I just hope the Hmaster bought it" Jake said as the bell rang and they rushed off to class.
"Jake Long" Rotwood yelled as soon as they walked into class. "Why don't you and your partner unveil you invention for the class."
"Now but we didn't get a chance to… I mean my partner…" Jake was trying to get out.
"Enough excuses, front and center" Rotwood demanded. "And I expect to be dazzled."
"Our invention is revolutionary and my partner Rose…" Jake was stuttering out as Rose walked into the class room. "She's here" Jake said as Rose handed Rotwood a late slip and stood next to Jake.
"Am I glad to see you I got nothing" Jake whispered to her.
"Me neither" Rose said shrugging. "My bracelet" Rose said holding out for everyone to see.
"Interesting" Rotwood said getting in for a closer look. "An uncanny similarity to the dream charms I have read about in folklore."
Rotwood then quickly lost interest and straighten himself out. "But the slip knot craftsmen's ship proves otherwise as a holographic paper weight I find it mildly amusing, C-"Rotwood said.
Rose and Jake let out a breath or relief.
"I guess I really messed things up" Jake said standing outside the school with Rose.
"I just glad everything worked out with the Hmaster" Rose said. "I can't believe you'd think I'd freak out about how you look, you're a dragon and I'm okay with that."
"So where do we go from here" Jake asked.
"Well the Hmaster is still watching me and he more determined than ever to get his hand on the rest of the crystal skulls" Rose informed.
"So I guess we can't hang out any more" Jake said.
"I'd love to but it's just too dangerous" Rose said.
"Wait did you just say you love to" Jake asked. "Somebody's got it bad for the Am drag."
"In your dreams honey" Rose said slipping a dream charm onto Jake's wrist.
"What's this you're giving me your dream charm" Jake asked.
"No I'm giving you your own dream charm" Rose said pulling up her sleeve to show Jake her own charm. "I figure you got a dream and I got a dream" Rose said with a smile. "See you tonight?"
"Defensibly" Jake said.