Big Nate - Dragon Training Time

Wagon and Blood-Red Dragon

To find the Hidden Wagon, what are we supposed to do? I sighed at a Doodlers meeting. Francis looked at me in surprise, slowly registering the thought I'd read the piece of paper he wrote on. It was obvious, though, for I cared about Sing-Song as well. I was surprised too, that a genius like him didn't find out. The Doodlers were the official drawing club of P.S 38. We'd gathered to discuss how to find the Gem Dragon. The Hidden Wagon is in the greenery surrounding P.S 38, perhaps? Teddy said. Dee-Dee rolled her eyes. Of course it is! Didn't you read the second edition of the book that we got earlier this morning, Gems of Mystery, Second Edition? It said: The wagon that needs one push to go a mile in a second is hidden in the core of the jungle, kept close watch under the Blood Dragon. We all stared at her in shock and exasperation, and Chad muttered something questioning the Hidden Wagon under his breath. What? Dee-Dee inquired, frowning. If you want drama, then figuring out stuff shouldn't be too easy! Wait, I said. The Blood Dragon! I read about that in the Powering up Dragons book! As long as its heart still beats, all of the other dragons' heart still beats. It also controls how fast all of their hearts beat. But you can't kill it, right? Or else, Jack Frost, Suction, Flamethrower, Seedling and Sing-Song'll meet their doom! We can't do this! But we did anyway. We walked out of P.S 38, discussing how to get past the Blood Dragon without killing it. H-hey! Stammered Gina from a distance. I could tell it was her. I turned my head, and scowled. What is it, Gina? I want to help you, she said. My Tarasque is useless, and doesn't fly, but I don't care! It still means a lot to me. If you're going to say no, she continued as though she suddenly had the upper hand, I'm still coming with you anyway, and I've already packed. FINE! I snapped violently, to everybody's surprise, and stormed away. We were on an adventure that's not the best adventure because it's with your rival. Normally, it was time to go back home, but Principal Nichols had sent me on an errand to find the Gem Dragon, so I could, plus he offered me with more safety than you can fathom. I parted through the thick foliage, and the branches tugged at my hair, but I pulled away from them. Everybody followed in my tracks. In the core of the jungle... Murmured Gina. Surprisingly, she had a copy of Gems of Mystery, Second Edition, which didn't seem to be as magical as the first edition. Suddenly, the brush rustled, and we froze. It's just an infant Dark Vishap, dismissed Francis. They're immune to the Gem Dragon, so they're one of the most numerous dragons around P.S 38. But then, a fully grown adult stomped out of the brush. It was as tall as a boulder, and had needle-like teeth, small but dreadful and deadly. T-their teeth d-don't grow, stammered Francis in surprise. Not in their entire lifespan. They grow up in one month, and then the young adult and the old parent fight, but eventually the old dragon dies. But then the baby went supersized, as big as the adult, and the parent got slightly smaller, but it was thinner and its body structure was flimsy. Its eyes were red. I supposed that was a feature in Dark Vishaps... When they were aged. No! Dee-Dee cried. Are they gonna... They turned towards each other, took flight, and collided in midair, and met each other with scratches, gashes, toothmarks, and bone injuries. We all ran northwest, so we were headed away but still close to the core of the jungle surrounding P.S 38. Fun fact: This jungle grows just overnight on Dragon Day, then expires when the Gem Dragon places the next generation of dragons here. The cycle keeps happening again and again. I could hear trees falling and roars of agony, and I could hear a single dying screech. By the time it faded away, the jungle went silent. We raced through it, and passed all kinds of Vishaps; who, to our shock,  minded their own business. I'd figured that just the Dark breed of the Vishap wasn't the only thing immune to the Gem Dragon. One tried to snap off my arm by closing its jaws on it, but to no avail. And then we saw it. A pitch black wagon, decorated with sparkling crystals and pure gold. It was just big enough to fit all of us inside it. And then we saw the keeper of the Wagon. The Blood Dragon growled gutturally, and clicked his claws, and walked towards us. I realized he didn't make much loud noises as he stomped. He was a light dragon. Surprisingly, Gina read from the book, the Blood Dragon weighs 1 pound, and it could eat up to half-a-ton of meat in one gulp. We all shivered. RAWR! It snarled, stretching its jaws a dozen feet wide. Wait! I cried. All we need to do is to get past it to the wagon, and speed off into the distance! I'm afraid not, Gina gulped. The Blood Dragon can run at great speeds, so even if we got into the cart, we'd be neck to neck with it for a long time. Then let's trap it, a voice growled from the shadows. Then I was face-to-face with ME. I screamed, but New Nate smiled and pushed me aside. I'm a shadow copy, he grunted. But more on that later. He retrieved a glowing golden rope from his packings, which had just materialized on his back, which had apparently made my jaw drop, and had restrained the Blood Dragon with it. Shadow rope, he grinned. I'm Prodigy, a shadow copy, as mentioned. I'm the personification of all of the skills hidden deep within you. Then I was free to make jaw drop again.