The air inside the Troll Chief's quarters was thick with the scent of damp earth and ancient stone. On a makeshift cot of woven moss, the Nix—now returned to the form of a teenage girl—lay beneath the heavy, silk folds of Lao Shi's dragon-emblazoned robe. Her eyelashes fluttered, and a low groan escaped her lips as her senses slowly clawed their way back to the surface.
As her eyes flickered open, she looked around with a disoriented innocence. The realization of her state hit her first; she clutched the robe tighter, a flash of fear crossing her pale features. But the fear was quickly eclipsed by a flood of memories—jagged, violent images of the monster she had become and the chaos she had unleashed upon the troll community.
Large, crystalline tears began to well in her eyes. "I... I didn't..." she whispered, her voice cracking. The guilt was a physical weight, pulling a sob from deep within her chest.
Lao Shi moved with a grace that belied his age, kneeling beside her. His hand, weathered but steady, rested gently on her shoulder. "Peace, child," he said, his voice a soothing balm.
"I'm so sorry!" she wailed, the words tumbling out in a frantic rush. "I didn't want any of this! I lost control... it was like a dark tide took over. Please, I'm so sorry!"
"Breathe," Lao Shi commanded softly, guiding a cup of cool water to her lips. It took several minutes of patient comforting before the frantic heaving of her shoulders subsided, though the haunted look remained in her eyes.
"What is your name, young one?" Lao Shi asked in his signature grandfatherly tone.
"Jasmine," she replied, her voice barely audible. She explained through fresh sobs that she had traveled to New York to visit relatives. She hadn't accounted for the timing; the full moon had caught her unaware and unprotected, triggering the feral curse that plagued her kind.
Lao Shi nodded solemnly. He knew the lore of the Nix well. While adults could master the lunar pull, the young were often victims of the transformation if not properly bound within their homes. "You are fortunate, Jasmine," he said gravely. "The spirits were kind today. No lives were lost, though the damage to the trolls' pride—and their psychology—is significant. It could have been much worse."
As Lao Shi stood to begin the delicate task of negotiating a settlement with the grumbling Troll Chief, Fu Dog stepped in. He handed Jasmine a steaming mug of herbal tea, the scent of ginger and honey rising from the brew.
Jake stood in the corner of the cavernous room, trying to look anywhere but at the girl. Despite the robe, parts of her body were exposed. There was an undeniable beauty to her that made his heart hammer against his ribs.
When Jasmine's eyes eventually drifted toward him, full of shame, Jake didn't look away. Instead, he gave her a casual, two-finger salute and a small, reassuring smile. A soft blush crept up her neck, momentarily masking her paleness.
The negotiations were long and filled with the Chief's blustering demands for "reparations in silver and granite," but eventually, Lao Shi's wisdom prevailed. Jake was called forward to sign the final agreement as a witness of the Dragon lineage, officially ending the ordeal.
As they emerged from the subterranean troll city into the cool night air, Lao Shi turned to his grandson. "Jake, you should head home. Fu Dog and I will see Jasmine safely back to her kin. They will be worried sick."
Jake nodded, turning to leave, but a small, hesitant voice stopped him. "E-Excuse me?"
He turned to find Jasmine standing a few paces away, looking small in the oversized robe. She walked toward him, her head bowed. "I... I wanted to apologize again. For attacking you. For everything." She looked up, her eyes sincere. "And thank you. If you hadn't knocked some sense into me, I don't know what would have happened."
Jake rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a bit sheepish. "Hey, don't sweat it. It's kind of the job description, you know? Keeping the magical world from imploding and------ "
Before he could say more, Jasmine stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. Startled, Jake froze for a second before his arms found their way around her, returning the embrace. She was warm. He could feel her soft skin and her curves too.
Over her shoulder, he caught the eyes of Lao Shi and Fu Dog. He couldn't resist; he flashed them a triumphant thumbs-up and a cocky smirk. Both the old dragon and the magical dog rolled their eyes simultaneously.
When they finally broke apart, Jasmine leaned in and planted a soft peck on his cheek. "See you around, Dragon," she whispered before turning to follow Lao Shi and Fu into the shadows.
—-----
(Three Days Later)
The sun was shining through the windows of the Long household as Jake woke up feeling refreshed. He headed to the bathroom, performed his morning routine, and brushed his teeth with extra care, still thinking about the "hero's reward" he'd received from Jasmine. Whistling a tune, he bounded downstairs to the kitchen where the smell of breakfast usually awaited him.
However, as he pulled out a chair, a sudden, horrific stench hit him. It was thick, sulfurous, and smelled like a dumpster left out in a heatwave.
"Ugh! What is that?" Jake gagged, looking around for the source.
He noticed his mother, his father, and Haley all staring at him with expressions ranging from disgust to pure fury. His dad was literally holding his nose with a clothes pin.
"Jacob! What did you eat?" his mother cried, waving a hand in front of her face to clear the air.
"I haven't eaten anything yet!" Jake protested, but as he spoke, the family recoiled even further.
Confused and horrified, Jake cupped his hand over his mouth and blew. The resulting odor was so potent it made his own eyes water. It wasn't just bad breath; it was a biological weapon.
"What the fuck?!" he yelled, the sound muffled by his hand. His mother warned him to be careful about the words leaving his mouth.
He sprinted back upstairs to the bathroom and attacked his teeth with the toothbrush again, scrubbing until his gums were sore. He gargled an entire bottle of mouthwash. He even tried chewing on a piece of lemon.
Nothing worked. The moment he opened his mouth, the stench returned with renewed vigor.
"What the actual fuck is going on?!" he wailed into the mirror, his voice echoing in the small room. The "Dragon Breath" he was used to was supposed to be fire, not a toxic cloud of decay.