Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! How to Train Your Dragon belongs to DreamWorks, and Amphibia belongs to Disney.
Stormfly was beyond ravenous.
And that was tipping the iceberg of how she was feeling now. It has been a few days since she first warped into the heavily infested world, apparently teamed with new hostile humans armed to the teeth with weapons the Nadder had never seen before. The space she spawned from was rough and rugged, turning out to be a deserted building crawling with old clay bricks and spiderwebs. From then on, she had been scouring the corners of this landing, trying to find and locate her king and brethren while staying clear of these ruthless beings. Only to come up with no success so far. And what is worse, Stormfly had not eaten since then. Constantly on the move, the relatively precise deadly nadder hadn't stopped to find something to eat. Though in her defense, Stormfly wasn't sure if there was anything to eat to her liking. Everything about this land seemed different.
Hostile.
Alien, if not.
But regardless of that, she had to stay focused. Her mission assumed top priority, no matter how hungry she felt. However, there was a downside to it. Stormfly couldn't ignore the feeling forever, no matter how determined she was to find the others. And for a while, it started to gnaw at her. Like an unrelenting itch on her backside just waiting to be scratched. It was only a matter of time before she would succumb to its irresistible influence.
Then, finally, after going days without eating, she lost it. And now, she was desperate to eat something. She didn't care what it was or where it came from. She just had to eat, and soon. But yet again, there was another downside to this. Being in uncharted territory made it twice as hard for her to find some food. The deadly nadder wasn't even sure if this world had any fish. Or chicken, for that matter. One of which sounded just about good right now. She searched and searched and still found nothing. And now it had gotten to the point where Stormfly felt she would faint.
Finally, after a long search, Stormfly had gotten a whiff of something promising. Something she was all too familiar with. Using her tracker class sense of smell, she followed the scent under the detection of the humans. And while scouring the rooftops of this foreign human city, the deadly nadder had stumbled upon a rather strange contraption. One of which she knew was holding something. The persistent dragon couldn't determine what she was looking at. It was dark, and the light illuminating from the strange poles surrounding the city didn't help her line of sight.
But as she moved in to take a closer look, Stormfly's eyes widened with awe, as she had found not just what she was looking for but what she had hoped to see for so long.
Chickens!
Lots and lots of chickens!
There were about twenty of them in this single cage. All in different colors and sizes. To a single nadder, this single cage could provide more than anyone could ever eat. Stormfly hoped for a much more significant outcome, but at this point, she was so hungry she didn't even want to consider a better alternative. As she drew closer to the cage, the vain dragon started salivating, licking her chops in great anticipation. Stormfly hunched down, being as quiet as she could so the chickens didn't startle awake.
Then, she lunged into the pen in a flash, not caring about the wired fence that shielded the chickens from her vigorous appearance. The sudden strike sent them into a spiral. Some loud cries and clucks sprung from inside the cage. And the chickens jumped out of their nests and towards the exit. Only to be cornered by the hunger-filled spikey dragon. Crazed by the scent of fresh bird meat, Stormfly has her pick of prey, not even bothering to take her time. And by one, she snatched the rather helpless birds and mercilessly devoured them, basking in the satisfying taste of chicken blood while reminding herself of why it was her favorite meal.
Though unaware, Stormfly could barely spot some chickens slipping from her clutches and making a break for it outside the pen. Caught up in a feeding frenzy, the spikey dragon pursued them. In addition to filling her needed-to-be-filled belly, Stormfly thought it wise to leave no evidence she was here, even if it was unlikely. She chased them across the rooftops, snatching a couple in the process. However, two were getting farther than most.
After gobbling up three more chickens, Stormfly caught a glimpse of two approaching the roof's edge. To slow their escape, Stormfly unlodged a flurry of poisonous spikes, piercing through one chicken but missing another, and hit a wall just behind it. Only for one to bounce off and drop to below it.
On better terms, Stormfly would have thought to be careful about unleashing her spikes, but hunger triumphed over her wits. And instinct began to take form. She snatched the struck chicken, gorging on its feather hide as it screamed in her mouth. Once done, she turned to the other chicken, who'd already reached the roof's edge and jumped down. Blinded by hunger, Stormfly raced after it. She slowed before making it to the roof's edge.
Upon looking down, she saw the chicken on top of what seemed to be a waste container. Not wanting to let it escape, the spikey dragon jumped down and right off the top of the chicken. The last thing it saw was a pair of two enormous jaws closing in on it, with a crunching sound being heard afterward. The warm taste of blood goaded the elusive nadder as her hunger was now satisfied. However, in the vitality of her frenzy, Stormfly was so with filling her belly she could not hear a cracking sound coming from behind her. In the second it took for her to realize it, the deadly nadder cocked her head to the left, only to come into contact with a human girl who seemingly had two large bags in both hands.
The human didn't notice her at first since her eyes were pinned to the ground. But the moment she looked up, she froze in place. Instinctively, Stormfly whipped around and bared her teeth at the interloper, giving off a chilling growl in her wake. They stared at each other for half a second before the girl dropped both bags. And after another moment of silence, only one thing came out of the girl's mouth.
"Nope."
Half a second later, the girl returned inside and shut the door. Stormfly stood there, tilting her head slightly in confusion.
Five minutes earlier...
It was now closing hour at the restaurant, and Anne could already see many customers were departing. Despite the incident that happened earlier, Anne was able to recover from it and resume work with her family. Like most days, today was a smashing success for the Boonchuys. Having made as much business as they have been doing these last few months, Thai Go was about to enter a new golden age of astonishing acquisition. There was no doubt that the Boonchuy would now be doing great business in the years to come, thus leaving a legacy that could last for generations.
And nobody was happier than Anne Boonchuy, who was partially responsible for its success. Her recent contributions to the restaurant, along with her newly acquired status as Los Angeles's most esteemed savior, have boosted the ratings of this fine establishment. And she felt proud to do her was indeed a sign that she had come a long way from what she was before Amphibia. The person who would slack off in school and skip classes, the person who would get into all sorts of mischief with her friends Sasha and Marcy, some of which she would take the blame for—the type of person who took the most accessible routes in life instead of focusing on her self-worth. It was a genuinely endearing accomplishment.
She still has a long life ahead, with many trials and errors. However, it would be worth noting that the future Thai goddess would spend that time making the most of it. And if helping her family achieve greatness through their esteemed restaurant was the way to go, then that was what she would do. Because that was the type of person, she had turned into. But today's job was now done, which meant she would have to look forward to it simultaneously. And if it meant finishing up by helping her parents clean up, then so be it.
Anne was left to put the chairs up as her parents bid guests farewell. Ned was with her, helping out as well. Often, she heard him talk about his food truck but was too focused to pay attention to his story in perfect detail. Instead, Anne was more concentrated on how Marcy and Sasha were doing. She knows Sasha's probably having a blast, considering her track record for shopping sprees. Who knows how many pairs of Crocs Sasha would have by the end of the week? If she knew her well enough, she should have ten by the start of next week. And that would only be the tip of the iceberg, considering the thousands of other pictures she received all day. But simultaneously, the Thai hero couldn't help but think about Marcy. The poor girl didn't seem to be doing well the last time she saw her. However, considering what happened this past week, she couldn't blame her. It's not easy for anyone to go through public humiliation like Marcy did. And that's one of her best friends, which made her feel much worse.
And it didn't make her feel any less that she was partially responsible for it, too, mainly because it was her idea to bring her to that party. Thus leading up to what happened later on. But to be fair, she had no idea any of what happened was going to happen. Especially since she only partially considers Tracy's schemes, nor was half of the school with her on it. And Marcy was having a good time, too. It was one of those moments where the Thai hero thought everything would've gone smoothly had it gone differently. Still, it didn't seem like the guilt would go away soon. Instead, it began to eat at her, insisting that she should've done more for her friend. That she wasn't there when she needed her. Just like in Amphibia.
"Is everything alright, Anne?"
The very sound of her mother's voice brought Anne out of her supposed trace. The act alone caused her to whip around and take in the sight of her mom with a look of concern written all over her face. Ned was alongside her, just as concerned. She'd been thinking for a lot longer than she intended.
"Oh, sorry, Mom," she tried to brush off with a smile. "Just got a little distracted."
Despite the plausible excuse, her mother was not convinced. Not even in the slightest. Her mother looked over her shoulder toward Ned and gestured to the door outside, indicating for him to give them a minute alone. The food truck driver understandably gave them a nod before heading out, probably to help finish up closing.
"Is something bothering you, Anne?" her mother asked again, more sternly this time.
"Seriously, Mom, everything's fine," Anne tries to deny. "Just lost my train of thought."
Her mother was still unconvinced. Thus prompting her to place her hands on her hips and squint. As if she already knew that her daughter was hiding something. Anne was making it way too obvious at this point. Knowing that resistance is pointless, Anne bows to the inevitable.
"Alright, fine, everything's not alright!" she admitted. "Happy now?"
"I'll be happy once you tell me what's on your mind," her mother replied.
Up to this point, Anne lets out a sigh. It was apparent that she was going to have to give her mother an answer. One of the many things she learned over the past year was to trust her family with certain things, especially if one in particular was very sensitive and personal to her.
"I'm just worried about my friend, Marcy," she confessed, and her mom tilted her head in confusion.
"You mean that nice one we picked up a few days ago who's supposedly a nerd?" her mom asked, thus making Anne blush in embarrassment.'
"Yup, that's the one," she conceded. Overall, she took another deep breath, trying to compose herself. "Did I ever tell you what happened to her at that party?"
"I don't think so," her mother answered, furrowing an eyebrow in curiosity.
Anne hesitated for a second. She wondered if she should be telling her mother this kind of thing, considering how sensitive and emotional it was. But simultaneously, she knew it was best to get it off her chest anyway. It was just a tricky thing to admit, even to her mother.
"When we got there, it seemed to be going pretty well," she explained, rubbing her back as she talked. "We were dancing, playing video games, making new friends. And Marcy...she was having so much fun."
Anne paused. It was tough for her to recall the memories of that night. The very images were permanently scarred in her skull. From the party to the video, the look on Marcy's face, and the picture of when she found her in the middle of the road. The scarred, bloody image that she couldn't get out of her head.
"And then that prissy, snobby, two-face despot Tracy had to be such a buzzkill and ruin everything!" Anne exclaimed. "She crashes the party, humiliates my friend, and then has the gall to post a video of it online."
Her mom stood there in silence, taking all of this in. Yet Anne could see the mortified look in her eyes.
"Then, Marcy ran off," she continued. "I wouldn't blame her for doing that...but when we found her...I don't know what happened, but...let's say it was that bad. Like, we had to rush her to the hospital badly. And she hasn't been the same since."
Anne's mother looked beyond horrified as to what she had heard. She had her fair share of bullying in the past; discrimination kind of runs in the family. But it couldn't possibly top whatever trauma her daughter had just described to her. However this 'Tracy' character was, she seemed to be such a monster from what she could tell.
"I'm so sorry to hear that, Anne," she said sympathetically.
"But the worst part about it was that I couldn't do anything to help her," Anne confessed further, clenching her fist in anger. Tears started to develop in the corner of her eyes. And her mother began to take notice, thus causing her to be concerned. "She's my best friend. And I should've done something. I should've been there for her, maybe even stood up for her. I should've just-"
Her mother cuts her off by her shoulders and hugs her tightly. The sudden action surprises Anne for a second, but she gradually settles in and returns an embrace, knowing she is in safe hands.
"Anne, there is nothing you could've done to prevent that from happening," she tells her only child. "Stuff like this happens all the time. And it is not exactly in your control. Just like your accident today."
"I know that," Anne acknowledged, though her guilt still outweighed the sentiment. "So why do I still feel this way? I'm so sad, angry..and hurt...how can I make this go away? How can I make it better for Marcy and me."
"You can't, Anne," her mother says in a smooth, calming voice, tenderly rubbing her back to ease the tension in her daughter's shoulders. "Whatever your friend is going through now is up to her to get past. And you can't change that. But the least you can do is be there when she needs you. Just like how we were there for you when you needed us today."
Anne looked up in response, finding truth and solace in her mother's eyes. It was still hard for her to believe there was a bright side to all of this. But her mom did make a compelling case; she'll give her that.
"It'll work out in the end, Anne," her mother continued. "It just takes time."
Anne grinned at the thought. Every conversation with her mother in the past few years has always been the little pick-me-up thing she's always needed. It's what's been keeping her going thus far. Even in her darkest hours after returning briefly from Amphibia. Before charging back head-first into the war that saved both their worlds. She repaid her mom's terms of endearment by tightening her grip.
"Thanks, mom," she said.
"Glad to help," her mom replied. "Though I'm still surprised at how far you've grown."
There was a brief silence until her mother took the opportunity to speak up.
"Speaking of which, do you mind taking these out in the back?" she asked, referring to a pair of trashbags she had just pulled out from the back of her hand.
Anne rolled her eyes in response yet smirked playfully.
"Yes, Mom," she said with a long, sarcastic groan as if to communicate how exhausted she was on a somewhat optimistic scale. "But these are the last ones for the night, right?"
And with that, she took the bag in her hands and made it to the back. However, not before she heard her mom say, "Oh, and don't forget to lock the door behind you."
Shortly after, Anne strolled down to the back to dispose of the bags while her mother conversed with her father about business-related stuff. Along the way, she took her mother's words to heart. Though the guilt remained, her mom's words of wisdom were enough to remedy it. She would need to hold up her end to keep it that way. Perhaps think of something she could do with Marcy to make up for that day. But that's another topic for another day.
As the average teen approached the door, Anne felt a ringing buzz from her left pocket to where she kept her phone. When she picked it out, she was greeted with yet another sophisticated photo from Sasha, showing off five pairs of Crocs she was no doubt planning on buying. It only brought a slight smirk on Anne's face in response.
"Called it," she muttered.
Afterward, she sent a laughing emoji before closing her screen and putting her phone back in her pocket. Half a heartbeat later, she turned the doorknob that led out to the trash bin outside. However, as soon as the door was flung open, Anne was suddenly greeted with something she was NOT expecting. As she looked up from having her eyes locked onto her phone for too long, she was greeted by an enormous figure that stood in the narrow alleyway that was supposed to be where the trash bin was. Thus leaving her to freeze in place right on the spot.
At first, she mistook it for a giant crane or one of those big herons she was forced to battle with back in Amphibia. But as the figure panned further into the light, the features of the interloper had become much more apparent. As far as the Thai teenager could understand, the being before her possessed a bipedal physic, almost resembling a dinosaur. Its body was vivid and striking, with blue and yellow stripes and a light beige underbelly. At the back of what turned out to be the creature's head, Anne could spot a crown of spikes, almost curved inward like a paper mache crown.
Along the sides of the mysterious vagabond were two mottled wings folded like a makeshift paper airplane. And there appeared to be a long, slender tail sticking out from the end of the figure, with curved spikes coated at every corner. But that was merely the body of which she had seen. As soon as it turned its ghastly head slightly to face her, the Boonchuy girl was horrified to see a large, parrot-like skull adorned with a curved nasal horn and a small, yellow eye with a black, lizard-like pupil staring right into her own. Though worst of all, it was equipped with an uneven set of jaws, filled with razor-sharp teeth smeared with blood and feathers.
After connecting the dots and using her head, it became more apparent what Anne was looking at. And right about now, it was not looking good for her. But worse, the irony in her statement the other day would now bite back at her. For before her was one thing she had least expected to run into in the last few days. As far as she understood, one that was rumored to cause massive destruction within the last 48 hours and one that was entirely new to this world. Thus, one word came into mind for the messy-haired Thai hero.
Dragon!
A mother-flipping dragon!
With that thought in mind, Anne held her breath, hoping the creature wouldn't immediately notice her. But alas, the feeling remained short-lived, as the animal turned its body and bared its uneven set of fangs at the teen hero. Thus giving off an unsettling snarl that sent a cold shiver down Anne's spleen. For a brief moment, they toggled each other, locking eyes in what seemed to be a staring contest. In that particular sense, a thousand questions began to run through the back of Anne's mind. How did it get here? Why is it in the back of my parent's restaurant? Why is there blood covered in its mouth? Do I smell chicken?
All the while, the dragon itself waited. To what end, Anne was not entirely sure of. Maybe to give her a false sense of security or something. Yet, instinct began to run through Anne's nerves before either one could move. Thus increasing her heart rate and staggering her breathing. Eventually, as night's cold breeze began to pierce her skin like a white-hot knife, Anne formally came to a decision that could be summed up with a single word.
"Nope."
With that, she turned back around and closed the door, briefly locking it before leaning against it and breathing heavily. From there on, Anne didn't know what to do. She was so busy trying to grasp the situation while acting upon an instinct that she didn't know what to do next. Her blood ran cold, and her nerves were still on edge. Usually, she'd be more self-aware in handling these sorts of things, but this was a complete unknown to her. And considering the fact she hasn't faced a particular situation like this since Amphibia, one could say that she's a little rusty when it comes to this.
She looked ahead, seeing her mom and dad still discussing business-related stuff. But she had no idea how to relay this to them, especially given that a giant bird-like dragon parked at the back of their restaurant. Maybe if she waited a bit, the dragon would eventually lose interest and fly away. But apparently, that was driven out of proportion, as she felt what turned out to be the creature breathing from the other side of the door, which could only mean one thing.
It wasn't leaving.
And worse, it seemed that it was getting closer and closer to the door, indicating its interest in the place. Eventually, she turned back to the direction of her family, still not sure of what to make of all this. It was rather evident that Anne was in unchartered territory. Since she went two whole months without having to deal with robots or monsters or power-hungry tyrants. But eventually, Anne concluded that she had to do something instead of sitting and waiting.
It was clear that this creature had no intentions of leaving anytime soon. And should it find another way, perhaps even take the front entrance, then who knows what could happen next. More importantly, it could mean big trouble for her, her family, and any lingering customers who had overstayed their welcome. Though if that were the case, she'd have to be discrete about it. The last thing they needed was another panic. It reminded her of years ago when an army of rats entered the kitchen and nearly threatened to shut down the restaurant. It nearly drove her mother insane. She couldn't risk that happening again, even if this were a prehistoric pest she was dealing with.
So, she took a deep breath, composing herself as she had done in the past, and went straight into the restaurant without delay. It seemed almost empty to her luck, with a few stragglers already flying out the door—a good sign. The last thing they needed was a potentially dangerous monster harming innocent people in their restaurant. When she looked around to find her mother, Anne was relieved to see her at the cashier's desk, counting the money they'd managed to make thus far. Her father was with her as well. So, there was no need to be discrete.
"Hey, mom," she started. "I think we might have a problem. Like, a serious problem."
"Anne, what's going on?" her mother questioned, tilting her head in confusion.
"I don't know," Anne answered, on the verge of panicking. "I just saw something outside that didn't look right."
Her mother was confused.
"Well, what was it?" she asked.
"That's the thing, Mom, I don't exactly know how to describe it, but-"
She turned around to see if anyone was still lingering in the restaurant one last time, spotting now but them as a result. While that was a good sign, it did not quell her mom losing her patience.
"Okay, Anne, you're scaring me. What is it that's outside?"
Finally, the messy-haired girl gave her an answer. Though in the form of Pig Latin.
"Ooklay in the ackbay," she whispered, gesturing in the back.
On the other hand, her mom didn't get the memo.
"What?"
"Look in the back!"
Her mom looked over her shoulder, seeing nothing as a result.
"What back?" she asked again, thus prompting Anne to turn back around. "Anne, what is going on?"
"Mom, please try to understand," Anne reinforces, looking back toward the door. "There's a"
Suddenly, a loud thudding noise immediately got the Boonchuy's attention. Shortly after, there was another one, which came from directly above the restaurant. They all looked to see dust falling from the ceiling above. Half a heartbeat later, a tremendous thudding sound came just outside the front entrance to the restaurant. Thus prompting Anne to instinctively grab her parents' hands and yank them toward the cashier stand to hide under. When Anne's gaze fixated on the front door, she saw nothing at first. Eventually, a giant nostril appeared at the center, releasing a puff of smoke.
Thus signifying that the beast was still outside and hadn't left like she hoped it would. Half a second later, a sizeable familiar eye peered as the creature looked from outside. It was emitting an audible hissing sound as it held on its gaze. Half a heartbeat later, it turned its head so the tip of its nose was facing the door, thus releasing another puff of smoke while hissing simultaneously and giving the Boonchuys a frightful scare.
"Honey, please tell me you locked the door," her mom said to her loving husband.
"Um, last time I checked, it was your turn to lock up after closing hour," Mr. Boonchuy shot back, much to his wife's annoyance.
"Ugh, never mind," she exclaimed with a facepalm. She then turns to Anne, who just returned after peaking again. "Are you sure the back door's secure?"
"Yes," Anne replied, though she remained unsure. "Unless it figures out how to open doors. But I doubt it. If I learned anything back in Amphibia, you see that creatures of any kind are virtually stupid."
This is a bold statement made by the clever Thai girl. But to her horror, a shaking sound came from the restaurant's front entrance. As she slowly peaked up from their spot behind the cashier's desk, her eyes about to bulge out of their sockets, Anne soon realized that she had just eaten her own words, for it was here that the knob slowly began to turn. Though it was rather shifty, the knob twitched until; finally, there was a sudden popping noise, signaling to the Boonchuy residents that the door was now open. All the while, Anne stood there, watching tentatively as her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, coming to one ultimate conclusion.
It could open doors?
This varied notion threw Anne in a trance, knowing there'd be nothing to barricade the restaurant from this beast. At the same time, she could hear the door starting to creak as the dragon began pushing its head against it. Though it was relatively light, the dragon nudged it again, only to get the same result. It was only the third time that the dragon forcefully pushed the door open. Therefore, flooding the restaurant with the cold breeze of the outside world, the seemingly colorful creature stood at the doorway, drawing itself to its full height while looking around the emptiness of their beloved restaurant.
Until now, Anne sat there, hidden behind the cashier's desk, still grasping how wrong she was. However, as she looked to her left, her predicament didn't go away, as her mother gave her a side-eye glance.
"Virtually stupid, huh?" her mother commented sarcastically.
"Okay, I may have misjudged myself," Anne unwilliingfully admitted.
She peeked over again and started to notice that the dragon hadn't necessarily spotted them yet. Nor did it seem
Instead, it only seemed to sniff around, almost as if it was more interested in the place than anything else. That didn't mean it wasn't dangerous. If what she saw about these creatures on the news was correct, they found themselves in a pickle.
"What is that thing?" her mom asked, keeping her voice low so the creature couldn't hear them.
"I don't know," Anne replied. "But if I were to take a guess, I think that's one of those dragons that appeared out of nowhere."
"You mean from the news?" her father inquired. "I thought that was just propaganda."
Both ladies raised an eyebrow in question, causing Mr. Boonchuy to blush in embarrassment.
"Sorry, been rereading too many online blogs," he confessed before briefly changing the subject. "So, what do we do now?"
It was a tough call, considering all their weapons were back home. However, Anne did recall leaving her tennis racket in the back, right next to the kitchen. However, there was a fifty-fifty chance that it wasn't since she didn't exactly remember whether or not she brought her tennis racket to the restaurant. But simultaneously, she was willing to wager that it was there. Hopefully.
Yet the only problem was getting back there without being spotted. However, as the Thai hero peeped again from her spot, she saw that the dragon was busy sniffing around. Half a second later, it stepped into the restaurant, slowly making its way toward the nearest stacked tables and chairs to the right of the restaurant. Thus leaving the entrance wide open for the taking and giving them a chance at escape.
From that point, it seemed doable. And if all else fails, if she were right about her tennis racket being in the back, then at least she would have something to defend herself with. And even if it wasn't, there's still a likely chance they could use something back there as a weapon. But they couldn't go all at once. They would need to split off to cover more ground to pull this off, giving her an idea.
"Dad, see if you can find anything in the back that we can use as a weapon," Anne directed. "Mom and I will sneak out and call for help."
"Are you sure?" her father asked, unsure about this plan. " It seems pretty risky."
"Anne's right," her mother emphasized. "It's the only way we can get past whatever that thing is."
"But, what if-"
"It'll be fine, honey," her mom reassures. "We've fought much worse than this. Remember when we fought that robot a few months back?"
"Yeah, but that was-"
"No different from this," she continued to reassure. "You just have to keep a calm mind."
Despite her optimism, Mr. Boonchuy remained unsure about this but trusted his wife and daughter enough to go along with it nonetheless.
"Okay," he finally conceded. "But be careful. Both of you."
"Are you kidding? What would you do without me?" her mother joked before turning back to her daughter. She waited for her cue as Anne peered for the fourth time. It was here that she saw the dragon was busy sniffing the unstacked table from the center of the restaurant. And it was here that she formulated a straightforward approach.
'Get in, use the tables as cover, get out. It should be simple.' That said, the two ladies went first, snaking across the desk and over to the tables from the near side of the restaurant. The dragon slowly approached from the other side as they carefully crawled alongside the wall tables. Though it made Anne slightly concerned that the creature was getting closer and closer, the stacked tables could cover them from its prying eyes. That was a promising sign so far. Yet there was still a lot of ground to cover and probably not enough time if they didn't hurry.
The young Thai teen shuddered as her gaze caught the sight of the dragon's foot, equipped with four razor-sharp talons. They were probably capable of splitting a person's stomach open should it be given a chance. But it won't come to that, not to her or her family. Anne looked over her shoulder as she began to pass the creature to see that her father hadn't moved an inch since they split up. For a moment, she wondered why he hadn't taken his chance yet but then realized that the dragon could still spot him. He probably needs to find an opening. However, as the dragon turned its head toward the mini-fridge near the back, her father took it as a distraction and slowly snuck inside. Thus giving 25 points to Team Boonchuy.
Then suddenly, the bipedal reptile swung its long tail, knocking a couple of chairs and cutting Anne from her mother. As a result, both ladies scattered, Anne going toward a table on the other side of the restaurant while her mother hid behind the nearest one to the right. Once hidden, Anne looked back to see that the dragon didn't notice the commotion and was fixated on the mini-fridge instead. She watched as it eyed the frozen juice inside, tilting its head in curiosity. It almost reminded her of her cat Domino whenever she'd take him to the Aquarium of the Pacific, and he'd stare at all the fish. It was somewhat wholesome to watch.
However, her moment of amusement was suddenly interrupted when she heard a loud clanging sound coming from the other side of the restaurant, specifically where her mother was hiding. She looked to see that a metal spoon had dropped right where she was hiding. Therefore, it caused Anne to gasp lightly as the dragon turned its head from the mini-fridge towards that specific direction. As Anne would've suspected, the bipedal creature started making its way toward it to investigate and put her mother at risk of being seen.
Anne tried to wave to her mother from her spot, urging her to break for it. But she refused, probably believing that if she did, she'd give herself away to the creature before Anne could think of any other alternative. The dragon was already at the other side of the table, barely a hair's length away from her mother, who was on the other side. There, the beast eyed the metal spoon that lay on the floor—briefly licking the metal surface of it and sniffing it simultaneously.
As for her mother, Anne could do nothing but watch as her mother sat there. She held her breath to avoid alerting the bird-like beast. As it inched closer and closer to the other side, the smell of blood started to become more frequent, and thus, little drops of it began to drip on the floor from the creature's greasy maw. Anne's mom grabbed hold of the legs of a chair sticking out. Ready to fight for her life if it ever came to it. But to her luck, it never came.
Instead, before it could turn the corner, the dragon was drawn to a loud clicking sound from the back. When Anne looked to see the cause of it, she was relieved to know that it was her father. Who found something in the back and had something else in mind. Unexpectedly, the smell of fresh meat started filling the restaurant—a scent that drew the dragon's attention instantly. Anne watched the creature briefly lick its jaws before moving toward the back.
At the same time, she watched her father back further into the curtains, most likely hiding in the kitchen before the dragon could spot him. Before long, the dragon was already at the back, though it stopped momentarily when it came across the curtain. It briefly sniffed the beads that made up the string door before nudging it with the tip of its muzzle. The curious yet playful demeanor seemingly plagued its entire face. The Thai hero then watched as it stuck its head halfway through the curtains before shaking them off out of irritation.
Nonetheless, the smell of meat drew its attention back, causing it to stick back to the beaded curtains. This time, its entire body passed them until it appeared on the other side. Though it was hard to tell from this angle, Anne could see the dragon sniffing again, probably following the scent of delectable meat for its taste. She watched it turn the corner, facing the direction in which the fridge would be. Thus, she concluded that her father opened it up as a distraction. Clever move!
Suddenly, there was a loud screech from the other side of the curtains and a brief sound of banging metal, followed by ripping plastic and crunching flesh. This means that the dragon has taken the bait. Feeling safe, Anne and her mom drop their cover, regrouping at the front entrance while anxiously awaiting her father's reappearance. And within a short time, he emerged from underneath the curtains while the dragon continued its supposed feast. And surprisingly, he had Anne's tennis racket in his hand as a bonus.
"Come on," her mother urged quietly. "Let's go while it's distracted."
With that, Mr. Boonchuy started slowly making his way to the entrance. While all seemed well, Anne suddenly realized a possible fire-breathing dragon would still be in the restaurant.
"But what about the restaurant?" she questioned, just realizing
"We'll worry about that later. Right now, we have to call the police."
"You think they can take on that?"
"Maybe, but we must ensure it doesn't get out until then. So that means-"
A small victory was suddenly short-lived in a flash when a specific food truck driver came bursting into the restaurant without warning.
"Hey, Mrs. B!" he declared, unaware of how loud he was being. "Just got back with your latest orders. Should I have ready to go, or?"
"Ned, what are you doing?!" her mother immediately scolded in a muffled tone.
"What do you mean, 'what am I going?'" he asked in confusion. "I'm telling you that I did as you-"
Anne covered his mouth with her hand as quickly as she could before gesturing to the back, only for the entire room to go silent as a reptilian head peered from the other side of the curtains. Nearly halfway to the entrance, Mr. Boonchuy froze on the spot as he could hear heavy breathing coming from behind him while his family looked on in absolute horror. For a brief but subtle moment, there was silence before it was. Interrupted by a bloodcurdling screech, the dragon burst out of the curtains and charged straight for Anne's father, who had already made a break for the door as quickly as he could.
Luckily for him, the dragon managed to trip over a set of tables in its approach. Thus buying him a few more seconds. Still, the dragon remained persistent as it scrambled back to its feet and continued its pursuit.
"Come on, come on!" Anne yelled. "Hurry!"
Unknowing to the Boonchuy family, the quills amongst the dragon's tail began to uncoil. Before Mr. Boonchuy could reach the door, the dragon flings its tail above its head, thus sending a small spike that pierced his ankle. The sheer impact of the spike caused Anne's father to cry out in pain as he tripped across the ground, dropping Anne's tennis racket while grabbing onto his struck leg. Anne and her mother rushed over to help him, grabbing him by both his hands before he was unexpectedly dragged backward by the dragon, which locked its jaws onto his injured leg while yanking the downed man from his family's arms and pulling him back into the restaurant with him crying out for help.
"ANNE! OUM! HELP!"
"DAD!" Anne cried out.
"BEE!" her mother added.
Anne's mother rushed in first while Anne hung back for a bit to pick up her tennis racket. Her father continuously screamed in agony as he felt his leg being pierced by the dragon's teeth like a hot knife through butter. Finally, when far back enough, the dragon let go of its hold on him and planted one of its large feet onto his chest. The sheer weight of the dragon began to crush him as the creature looked him straight in the eye, with its bloody maw illuminating from the light above.
Yet, as quick as a flash, the dragon was met with a chair to the side of its head as Anne's mom came crashing down. Therefore causing the dragon to stumble for a bit. She swung the chair again, but the dragon regained its ground and jumped back. Being on the offensive, Mrs. Boonchuy tries another swing for a third time, only to miss and dodge the dragon's snapping jaws by only a hair. The dragon then flares its wings out, making itself look better in a show of dominance.
However, to its obliviousness, the dragon failed to see Mr. Boonchuy limpingly climb up to his feet and grab yet another chair. While Oum distracted the dragon, Bee snuck up from behind the beast and smacked the chair from its rear. While feasible, it didn't affect the dragon, who shrugged it off before striking him across the face with its tail, sending Bee flying across the restaurant. Enraged, Oum lifted the chair for another round, only to be stolen as her daughter rams the dragon's side. Thus, it tumbled toward the restaurant's offside and crashed into another tableset.
While the beast recovered, Oum looked at her daughter, who seemed already fired up and ready. She was prepared to continue the offensive with the chair in her hand when Anne's words suddenly stopped her.
"Go get Dad!" Anne commanded. "I'll handle this."
"But-"
"GO!"
Though hesitant, Mrs. Boonchuy was drawn to the waning cries of her husband, who was in great pain from what she could see. She looks one last time at her daughter before backing off, dropping the chair she had in her hand before rushing to her wounded spouse. Anne watched with a smile as her mother dragged her father outside toward safety before turning her gaze back to her opponent.
When she was finally alone with the beast, Anne waited for the creature to scramble back to its feet. She gripped her tennis racket with both hands as the dragon locked eyes with her and delivered a fierce roar. Yet despite its innate ferocity, Anne did not flinch for a second, for she was all too familiar with the field of battle. She's fought a whole lot for as long as she could remember. And she had managed to come out most, if not all, of them.
This will be no different. Yet as she looked into its eyes, she could sense the lustful sensation in its nerved that clearly stated what kind of mood the dragon was in. Most of it was hunger, but it was also anger. This is the type of anger common in most beasts that are provoked. The rage that a friend has when they find out that another friend they specifically trusted has been lying to their face for a while. The anger that control freaks express when they don't get their way. And, more importantly, the anger that power-hungry tyrants have when rebels threaten their authority.
Yet, with that anger, it lacked purpose. The purpose that gives people a reason to fight and die for. A purpose in which Anne has to protect her family. The purpose that this creature no doubt completely lacks. And that's what will make her the winning victor of this fight. She was sure of that.
"If you think I'm just gonna sit around while you hurt my family," she declared with absolute authority. "Then you've got another thing coming!"
The dragon glared at the teen hero, not being amused even the slightest. Instead, a bright orange glow illuminated from the dragon's maw, and in a flash, the dragon shot a bright stream of fire straight at the Boonchuy girl. However, in an instant, Anne steps to the right, dodging the bright flame lodged at her and piercing the table behind her instead. Instantly, the dragon was taken aback, almost immediately drawing a smirk across the Thai teen's lips.
The dragon responded with a glare before uncoiling its tail again. Anne moved before it could be given time to lodge any darts. She first pivots back toward the left side, dodging any darts. Then delivers a battle cry before charging straight at the bipedal creature. To respond, the dragon released yet another flame, which Anne gracefully dodged the attack before batting away another set of darts.
With both sets of attacks already exhausted, Anne goes for the kill as she leaps from a clear desk, descending upon the dragon with a battle cry as she raises her tennis racket above the air. Yet, to her surprise, instead of smacking the dragon's face with said tennis racket, the dragon responds by spinning around and striking the Thai hero's abdomen with the tip of its tail.
Earning a painful cry, she is sent flying across the back of the restaurant until her back hits the wall hard. Startled by the sudden action, Anne slowly picked herself up. She moaned in agony as she felt like a wrecking ball just hit her. All the while, the dragon stared her down before chirping in some sick form of amusement as it watched her buzzingly climb back to her feet. This vexed Anne to the nerve. It was one thing for someone to belittle her for her mistakes, but it was another for them to tease her in the middle of a fight. She already has Sasha for that.
"Alright, she said as she gripped the tilt of her tennis racket, trying to keep her composure. "No more messing around."
This time, she rushed straight for the dragon, getting straight to the point. Yet before she could move, the dragon almost seemingly leaped to the other side. Then she pushes for a strike, only to miss by a mere inch. Only to miss again for a second strike. And then misses yet another swing as the dragon looks unimpressed. It was almost as if the creature was screaming the words: Slow. Sloppy. Sad. While rubbing her misfires in her face.
Finally, Anne goes for another overhead strike, only to be countered as the dragon blocks the attack with the tip of its tail. Anne strained as her racket was locked against the dragon's tail. Before she was eventually pushed back, the dragon lifted its tail, uncoiling while flaring out its wings in another show of dominance. Finally, after being fed up with this whole charade, Anne changes tactics as she spins back around and rips a piece of clothing right underneath the dragon. Thus causing it to trip on itself before Anne formally ends things as she leaps into the air again and goes for the kill.
Ultimately, Anne is robbed of that outcome for a second time as she feels the tip of the dragon's tail wraps around her neck. Therefore stopping her from her attack run. As Anne struggles under its grasp, the dragon brings her to practically eye level. The beast stared at her while not being amused for a second time. Half a second later, the eye in which the creature was looking was looking at her squinted hatefully. And before long, Anne felt herself being thrown into the air. The dragon lets go of her neck and instead latches onto her right leg before briefly slamming her across one of the tables. Anne grunted as she felt herself dragged across the tables like a rag.
Only to be flung across the restaurant again while the dragon flapped its wings. After hitting another tabletop hard, Anne was barely given enough time to dodge as the dragon dove down at her like a hawk. The beast narrowly missed her by an inch as she leaped onto another table. Only for that table to tip over to the side and send her rolling. Half a heartbeat later, Anne saw the plateau glow a hot orange before splitting in two, as the dragon's eyes also began to glow. The dragon swung its tail there, and Anne could barely parry it with her tennis racket.
Yet after another strike, the dragon staggers back and nearly lodges a dart between her eyes. An act that almost shakes Anne to the bone, given how many times she has brushed off death in the past. However, this was too close to call. Yet, in her puzzling conundrum, Anne failed to see the dragon coiling its tail around her again, only to be swung around and slammed against the ground. Thrice it pounded her against the marble floors of the restaurant. Only to stop briefly to look at her before beating her a fourth time and sending her skidding face-first toward the back of the restaurant.
For a moment, Anne just lay there on the floor, whining in agony as her relentless torment never came to an end. There was a part of her that silently wished that the creature to end her life. However, she contracted that predicament after realizing this was merely Tuesday compared to how worse she had it back in Amphibia. That being said, it still didn't mean that the beating she was taking didn't hurt. Pretty soon, she started to hear footsteps from behind her. As she slowly began to pick up her already weakening body, she was mortified to see the dragon approaching her, most likely to finish her off.
Yet before it could step further, the dragon was stopped when an antique was thrown at its face. When Anne turned the corner to see who the perpetrator was, she was relieved to see her mother charging at full force with a sledgehammer held high above her head, intending to crush the dragon's skull with it.
"Hey!" her mother roared. "Leave my daughter alone!"
And like a freight train, Mrs. Boonchuy swung the sledgehammer yet missed the dragon's head by nearly an inch as it jumped backward. She took another wing, only for the dragon to turn its body and tailwhip the Thai mother across the restaurant, sending her crashing into the wall behind. Shortly after, the bipedal creature snickers before uncoiling its tail and shooting several spikes straight at her. Though, to her surprise, none of the darts directly pierced her. Instead, it pinned her arms and legs against the wall, virtually immobilizing her. Seeing that Mrs. Boonchuy was trapped, Ned rushed in from outside his restaurant, brandishing a spatula he obtained from his food truck.
"Don't you touch Mrs. B." Ned proclaimed with a war cry.
To his dismay, the food truck driver was deplorably pushed back outside by the dragon's left wing, which sent him crashing out and hitting his truck hard. With Anne still recovering from her beating and Ned currently incapacitated, the dragon fixated its gaze on Mrs. Boonchuy, who strained as she tried to get herself loose from the spines that were trapping her against the wall. Meanwhile, Anne slowly managed to pick herself up, only to watch in horror as the creature closed in on her parent figure. Thus stopping nearly inches before her, with its snout almost touching the tip of her face.
"Mom, NO!" she yelled.
Yet her cries came to no avail as the dragon opened its maw, seemingly unleashing a hell-ish roar that would make an ordinary person deaf. Anne quickly searched the room for something she could use as a weapon. But came up empty in the end. And it was here that she truly began to panic, fearing the idea that she was about to watch her mother die. It almost made her wish she had her calamity powers again. What would she give to have that kind of power right now? The things she would do to this creature with that power.
However, as she searched, Anne turned her head toward the direction of the beaded curtains, noticing that there was yet another opened door right next to the fridge. One that leads to the freezer in the back. As it turned out, that fridge wasn't the only thing she opened. After a clean second, she returned to the dragon, which expanded its maw wider, almost enough to fit her mother's entire head in.
And in this sense, she started to experience a little deja vu. And, like a flickering light bulb, an idea came into mind—an old yet practical vision, which may be her mother's saving grace and, inconspicuously, the last option she had left. With a deep breath, she stopped her foot forward, seemingly to get the dragon's attention.
"HEY! Turkey legs!"
Instantly, the dragon halted whatever it was doing and turned its head to face her. The beast growled at the sight of the Thai hero, yet it did little to phase her. Instead, it only prompted her to stagger her foot and give off a confident smirk.
"Check this out," Anne said.
And like clockwork, Anne initially clenches her fist and crouches low to the ground. Instinct begins to take its toll as she hears a familiar rhythm in the room around her. Thus starting up an ancient tradition that has lasted for generations. One that was said to both entice and disorient. And one of the first few things Anne had picked up in her first few months in Amphibia. And one that she honors at the highest level to this very day.
The Plantar Family Frog Dance!
Therefore, she starts it off by shaking her backside upward and around before flailing her arms around like a frog, followed by wattling in place with her hands at her hips like a chicken. Enthralled by the sudden random motions, the dragon turns away from Mrs. Boonchuy and walks toward Anne's position, watching her movements tentatively. With the beast currently distracted, Ned, after regaining consciousness, rushed over to free his boss. Once free, the two observe from the restaurant's corner as Anne works her magic.
While the dance continued, Anne could hear the familiar voice of Sprig, taking her back to her first dance. The memories of her best friend's words began to burn in her mind, giving her a familiar sensation. Thus increasing the Thai teen's confidence as she flails her arms about for a second time.
"I am the leaves," she chanted. "I am the morning dew."
She then drops down on all four in a peculiar fashion before shouting in a bold proclamation:
"I am...The Hunter!"
Then, in a daring streak, Anne drops the deck and starts flopping against the tile floor like a fish before jumping up backward, hopping forward, and then tapping her cheekbones like in the dance. She follows it up with a bit of shimmy before banging her head against the counter like a woodpecker. All the while, the dragon watched, having stopped at the center of the restaurant, and Anne continued to flail her arms around. For a brief moment, the dragon tilted its head in confusion, unsure what to make of the whole thing.
The bipedal creature seemed to be tracking her movements with its eyes as Anne continued to sway her arms and upper torso back and forth. In curiosity, the dragon failed to notice Anne slowly backing up toward the curtains, being too focused on the Thai hero's quite peculiar movements. Then suddenly, Anne drops again, only this time, she goes right back up, bringing up her right foot and kicking up a cluster of utensils that were dropped on the floor. She glimpsed briefly as the forks were smacked across the dragon's face, startling it.
In retaliation, the beast uncoils its tail and sends a stream of spikes headed toward Anne. An action she did not expect to happen, yet she was able to dodge them by ducking her head simultaneously. The dragon followed up by firing a stream of fire her way, only for Anne to dip again, dabbing flawlessly. Frustrated by the infuriating antic, the colorful beast charges forth, intending to crush Anne's skull for her impudence. Yet, to its dismay, the creature unsuccessfully misses, as Anne drops down yet again, slitting both her legs while the dragon sails dead ahead.
Half a second later, there was a series of crashes as the beast slipped on one of the plastic meat stacks that so happened to have dropped on the floor before the opened fridge. This caused the creature to lose its balance before slipping into the door that led into the freezer and tripping over a shelf from the inside. At the same time, Anne rushes to the back at the first crashing sound, making it to the door before the dragon can recover.
By the time she reached it, the dragon had barely regained its footing, slipping a couple of times before heading straight to the door. Anne used all her strength to shut the door, fighting the creature's raw power as it rammed the door with its head to get out. Luckily for the Thai hero, her training back in Amphibia pays off, as she pushes backward against the dragon's weight, eventually sealing it in the freezer from the inside out. With a loud bang, the door snaps shut, and Anne abruptly turns the lock that kept the door shut. Shortly after, Anne leans up against the door, panting. She briefly felt the doors banging loudly as the dragon tried to bust out to no avail.
For a moment, Anne began to gripe about what just happened. She had only seconds to process it before it finally kicked in. And she only had one thing to say about it.
"I did it," she whispered at first. But then it started to hit her. "I did it!"
With another whoop, she jumped up and down like a five-year-old who had just won a game of tick-tack-toe. All while the banging continued from within the freezer. Yet Anne could care less, considering her victory,
"Whoo-hoo! I did it!" she chanted, then pointed at the freezer, which kept a live dragon inside. "Danced in your face, you reptilian twirp!"
In the excitement, Anne's gloating was suddenly cut off when she heard the curtains being moved. Only to be relieved to see her mom outside, apparently unharmed.
"Anne!" her mother exclaimed before rushing to hug her daughter. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Mom," Anne brushed off. "A little rusty, but I'm fine. How about you?"
"Oh, I'm fine now," she commented. "Now that you're safe."
Anne smiled warmly before hugging her mom for a second time. By the time she let go, there was a brief silence, almost to the point where it was getting awkward.
"So that was that frog dance you told me so much, huh?" she inquired. "Pretty impressive."
"Yeah, I had to do a little improv at that last part, though, not gonna lie," Anne confessed. "That thing was a lot smarter than I thought."
"Well, either way, Anne, I'm proud of you," her mother commented.
However, before they could celebrate, there was a brief silence in the room as the smell of flames filled the air. Soon, it turned to a silent horror as Anne guessed where it was coming from. The Thai Hero reluctantly turned her head toward the already locked freezer. Only to see a bright orange light illuminate from the lock itself. Seconds rolled by, and the lock started to get brighter and brighter. Finally, the hinge that kept the door shut started to peel off. This causes Anne to utter a straightforward thing in her mind:
'Oh no!'
A moment later, the door busted open, and the dragon charged straight at the Thai woman, jaws wide open. Instinctively, Anne pushed her mother out of the way before finding her chest being rammed by the creature's head. However, in the process, the dragon trips over itself, sending Anne to the right and hitting her head against the back door. At the same time, the dragon tumbles into the kitchen with its tail grazing the stove in the process. A second later, the dragon was met with a stack of six bottles that dropped off the shelves above it, each hitting it directly atop its gigantic head before the entire stand came down on it afterward.
Dazed from the sudden attack, it took Anne a moment to regain consciousness. Anne squinted as she shook her to clear her vision, only to come across something devastating. Not only were the stove knobs turned on, but there also seemed to be a hole in one of the gas tanks. Thus causing steam and gas to spew outward and into the kitchen. And with the firebreathing dragon in mind, it could only mean one thing:
"IT'S GONNA BLOW!" Anne yelled.
Having that in mind, the Savior of Amphibia scrambles on her feet before making a direct B-line for the curtains. On the other side, she noticed her mom had gotten up after she shoved her, only to grab her arm as she went straight for the exit. While this was happening, the dragon finally regained its footing and growled, only to be drawn to the whistling sound from the stove. The bipedal creature closed up at the edge, briefly sniffing the gas before its eyes narrowed in alarm.
Half a heartbeat later, the dragon bolts towards the curtains and heads straight for the front of the restaurant where Anne and her mother had already arrived. Once they made it outside, both women found Ned and her father beside the food truck, supposedly waiting for them. Yet Anne wasn't given the chance to speak, for as quickly as she had gotten out, she yanked both of their hands before fleeing into the street. Behind them, the dragon had barely reached the front window when a tremendous explosion was triggered in its wake. Thus expanding from the kitchen up to the restaurant and beyond.
The creature leaped straight into the window, shattering the glass against its thick head and bumping into the side of the food truck, shifting it out into the street. At the same time, the explosion had an enormous effect on the Boonchuy family, as they were sent flying in the middle of the road from a shockwave produced by said explosion. Anne practically felt her stomach crawl up to her throat as the effects of the shockwave started to weigh in.
A moment later, she found enough strength to pick herself back up. She coughed for a bit, having breathed into the smoke that infected the air. Only to take in devastation, as her gaze was fixed upon what seemed to be the Thai Go restaurant, up in flames. At that moment, it finally dawned on her that her family's restaurant, which had been around since her parents first moved here from Thailand, was gone. At first, Anne wanted to deny it. Heck, that restaurant has been in her family's life for decades. There's no way it would go down like this. But sadly, the cold, hard truth started to take form. And there was nothing she could do to change that.
The food truck driver, on the other hand, sought otherwise.
"Oh, it doesn't look that bad," Ned said, trying to find a bright side. "At least some of it can be saved."
However, upon saying that, another explosion went off, practically collapsing the restaurant's roof.
"Or not."
To make things worse, another explosion was emitted, sending parts flying toward the Thai sign, evidently taking it down. Thus marking the permanent end of the most famous Thai restaurant in the city. Her mother collapsed as soon as her parents saw their burning business. Tears streamed from her arms, and she was thrown into a great sob. Anne's father, who limped his way to her mother's side, was also devastated by the destruction of their prized possession, sat right beside his distraught wife, holding her tight in his arms.
However, the family was given little time to mourn as the sound of metal moving came from their right, where the food truck had been parked. There, from the ashes of a crumbling empire, a phoenix rose in its place. At to amiss, the dragon picked itself up from the dirt. The creature shook the earth off its scaly hide as Anne's mother began seething in rage. Soon, anger began to take its toll on her as she picked up a metal pole and charged straight at the disoriented dragon. Only to be held back by her father despite his injured leg.
"Oum! NO!" her father yelled.
Mr. Boonchuy did his best to hold her back as she started flailing around, hellbent on avenging her family business. Yet it did little to remedy the situation as the dragon turned its attention toward them. Anne's instincts started coming full circle again as the bipedal monster moved slowly toward them. Hence, the Thai hero gripped her tennis racket, which miraculously survived the explosion, before standing before her family. Thus creating a wedge between them and the beast.
As the creature continued its approach, its eyes fixed solely upon the messy-haired teenager, who bravely stood her ground. Ned and her father were too busy holding her mother back, who was still flailing about, as the dragon reached eye level with their hero daughter. There, girl and beast stood among the roaring fires that incinerated whatever was left of the restaurant. And as the stare-down commenced, Anne looked at the creature in perfect detail.
Its eyes narrowed with a frightening haze that would even scare the most formidable toad soldier. Teeth, still bared, with a gnarly growl escaping from its lips. Anne looked into the slit pupils and saw the great terror that it possessed. It was as if a devil had just crawled out from the depths of whatever hell it came from. Yet, despite the fear it was giving off, Anne did not back down. Instead, she was determined to defend her family, regardless of the loss of their restaurant.
At the same time, she would be lying to herself if she denied how much fear she felt in her gut at this very moment. The fear of the creature's intentions, considering how intelligent and unpredictable it has turned out to be thus far. She fears what will happen to her family next, should it decide to stay even longer. The fear of what will happen to her in this moment if it chooses to kill her right here and now. Nonetheless, she did not cower or beg for any mercy.
Instead, she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, leaving the outcome in the hands of fate. If her time was now, then so be it. At least she will fight and die defending her family, as she always would. Because that was the type of person she was. And that was who she will always be. A moment later, she could hear the beast rearing its head as if preparing to finish her off. And it was here that Anne began to wait until the time was finally right. Hopefully, she'll find her friends in the next life.
It never came to that.
Instead, the dragon unleashes a ringing bellow upon the Thai hero's face. A roar that would eventually be heard from a mile away. She felt the creature's screech's full power, almost peeling the flesh from her skin. And if she didn't lose her hearing after this, she'd probably will later. She did not know how long it lasted, though it felt like it went on for hours. Maybe even longer, give or take. The dragon stopped a second or two later, taking its maw from her face. By then, Anne had opened her eyes, seeing the expression on the creature's face hadn't changed.
Nonetheless, she could see a glimpse of hesitation in the creature's eyes, as if it was unsure of what it had just done, what had just happened, or what it should do now. But whether or not the feeling was mutual was a whole other predicament. Yet it did little to sway her opinions about it, nor did it change her stance on the beast that destroyed her family's business, let alone their legacy.
However, before anything else can be done, the dragon turns away from Anne before stopping off, whipping its tail in the process. Here, the Thai hero watched as it started running up the street, flapping its swings lightly and propelling itself into the air. A second later, the dragon flares its talons out as it lands on the side of Ned's food truck, instantly using its weight and momentum to tip it over, much to Ned's dismay. Shortly after, the dragon thrusts itself into the air and ascends into the night sky, disappearing under the moonlight as police sirens can be heard from afar.
As the distance image of the dragon faded, Anne stood there with a determined yet hateful glare smeared across her face. And it was here that she began to realize who her new enemy was and what she now had to do since it had threatened her family and lived to tell about it. She did not know what this thing was, nor where it came from, but one thing that she did know was this: Not only did this thing shatter the peace, but it also started a war with a hero of Amphibia and a future god.
Hello everyone! It's your boy here! I know it's been a while, and I'm sorry for making you guys wait so long; I've had my hands full over the last few months and have struggled to piece this chapter today. Having said that, if you guys think the wait was worth it, please leave a review for the story and tell me what you think. It always helps to have a little support now and then. Anyway, I will try to update regularly before the end of the year, but I'm looking at this optimistically. So stay tuned for more (hopefully).
And that's about it. Stay tuned for the next one, folks. Gunslinger is signing off!
PS: Shoutout to Fanreader123456 for the last chapter's review. Always a pleasure reading them.
