Hey. My exams are over and school's almost out. Hah! So I'm bored and so tadah! An ADJL fic. I used to write a lot (although I never finish what I start), but I've never really uploaded anything here. So well, here you go. Uhh, try to make sense of the plot. And it takes place around... the Hong Kong Longs? Hehee.

Words in italic are what is going on in Jake's head.

Disclaimer: Do you think I'm Jeff Goode?

Explain this to me

Chapter 1: No such thing

It was a simple thing to understand. There were no such things as unicorns, elves, or pixies. There were no such things as dragons too. Moreover, there were no such things as magical creatures. And everyone believed that. Well, except for Mr Rotwood. I mean, Professor Rotwood.

"Now class, please turn to page 106 of your textbook." Rotwood told his class. No one moved. He was oblivious to his sleeping students, again. "Today, we will learn about dragons. Dragons are legendary creatures who are huge fire-breathing, scaly and horned dinosaur-like creatures. They have leathery wings and a long tail. They are Mr Jake Long!"

Jake woke up with a start and bolted upright in his chair so fast that he almost fell. If his classmates were awake, they would probably be laughing. "I'm awake! What did I miss?"

Rotwood leaned down on him with an annoyed look written all over his face. "You, Mr Long, have just missed the start of a very interesting chapter. Now stay awake!" Jake sighed and leaned back in his chair, praying that sleep would take him again.

Mythology 101 with whacked Rotwood equals boring.

"Now where was I?" Rotwood started pacing as he said, "Oh yes, dragons. Mr Long, can you tell me where dragons originate from?"

Jake visibly gulped and scratched his head. "Uh, let me see... Alaska?"

Rotwood's nostril went wide as he stared down at Jake. Before he could say a word, the bell rang and Jake let out a sigh of relief. Rotwood gave Jake a face before addressing his now awake class. "Enjoy your holiday students, but don't forget to read up about the chapter on dragons. Especially you, Mr Long."

"Yeah, like that's going to happen," Jake whispered silently to himself.

=.=

Jake had his back turned to the direction he was walking as he walked out of school. "I'll see you later guys," he yelled to Trixie and Spud. They waved to him and just as he was about to turn, he hit somebody. The sound of books falling accompanied his apologies. "Sorry, I-" Jake looked over to the person who was muttering apologies to him. She had long golden hair and big blue eyes that Jake was lost in. "Hey there.."

She looked up at him and smiled, "Hey yourself. Sorry." Jake handed her the books he picked up for her as they stood up. "It's okay," Jake said. Then he held out his hand, "I'm Jake."

The girl took his hand and shook it, "Rose." There was a brief pause as they stared at each other with smiles on their faces, their hands still grasping each other's. Suddenly, Rose blinked several times and looked down, still smiling. "Well, I've got to go. My family's leaving for Hong Kong first thing tomorrow, and I've got to start packing."

Jake's eyes widened. "You're spending your vacation at Hong Kong too?"

Rose nodded and smiled, "You too?"

"Yeah. So I guess, I'll see you around, here, at Hong Kong, the flight tomorrow morning, and yeah."

Jake swore he could hear the smile in Rose's voice when she said, "Great. So, I'll see ya."

"Yeah..." Jake smiled as he watched Rose go.

Totally smitten...

=.=

So here's the thing. When I reached home, everyone's already packed for Hong Kong! So we leave first thing tomorrow. Just when I was about to leave to spend some time with Trixie and Spud, Gramps told me they could come along! They were so thrilled to be going on my family vacation.

Jake walked into the bathroom after packing his bags. He stared into the mirror and grinned at his reflection. He took his eyes away from the mirror to grab his toothpaste and toothbrush. He looked into the mirror again, "Hey hotstuff. Did you just grow taller? Hah!"

After looking down to squirt toothpaste on his toothbrush, he looked at the mirror again. He was shorter than just now. Eyebrow raised, he said, "Uh, wasn't I just... Humph, must be my imagination."

Jake hummed as he brushed his teeth for bed. He looked up at the mirror again and saw that he was taller, again. "Say what?" Jake looked down at his feet and screamed.

"Ahh! I have lizard feet!" he stared up at the mirror. It was like a picture from the page on dragons from his mythology textbook was smacked upon his mirror, because he saw a dragon staring back at him. "Ahh! I'm a... mutant lizard!"

Jake fell back and hit the bathroom tile. He covered his face with his hands. Slowly, he opened his eyes. When he saw that he was staring at red claws, he yelled again and closed his eyes. A few moments later, with eyes still closed, he stood up and dared himself to open his eyes.

On the count of three. One. Two.

"Three," Jake said as his eyes fluttered open. He sighed as he saw himself in the mirror, and not a dragon. I mean, mutant lizard. "False alarm. I think I caught Rotwood's wacky virus."

When he was done, Jake walked back to his room and slumped onto his bed. He yawned and soon enough, sleep drowned him.

=.=

"Jake! Wake up! Time to leave!" The sound of Haley's voice rattled through Jake's room. Jake woke up with a start and fell off his bed with his bed sheet covering him. Haley stood before him with her hands on her hips, an amused look smacked on her face. "Is this a habit of yours, falling off of stuff?"

Jake looked up at his sister through the bed sheet. "No, usually the ground is there to catch me," he said sarcastically. As he pulled the bed sheet off of him, Haley screamed. "Yo, what is it Haley? Is it my hair?"

Reaching up to feel his hair, Haley yelled, "Monster!" She hurried down and slammed the door shut. Jake stared at the mirror on his door and saw it. He yelled and the door flew open, his dad standing there, carrying a frightened looking Haley. His mom stood behind Jonathan, and Gramps squeezed in between them. Jonathan's voice broke the silence, "It's a dragon!"

Jake stood up and rushed towards his frightened family, "Guys, it's me, Jake." Jake took a step towards them, "Please, I-"

"Get away from my family, dragon!" Jonathan yelled, spreading his arms in attempt to protect them. There was sadness in Jake's eyes as he heard Gramps say, "Hurry Susan, and daughter's husband. Let us leave."

As Jake saw his family leave, he ran towards them, but the door slammed shut. Jake saw his reflection in the mirror again. A red, long, scaly and serpentine creature with four legs stared back at him. Then, the dragon in the mirror gave a sinister look at Jake before he lunged out of the mirror and into Jake.

"Ahh!" Jake screamed and shut his eyes. When he opened them, he saw darkness. He was lying on his bed. The door suddenly flew open and Susan stood in the doorway, running towards Jake. She embraced him, like all mothers would do when they hear their child scream.

"Jake honey, are you okay?" Jonathan, who suddenly appeared, asked.

Jake looked up and saw concern in his dad's eyes. He closed his and leaned towards his mom and said, "It was nightmare. I'm fine now. Thanks guys."

Susan held Jake for a while before she and Jonathan went back to their room. Haley walked in and placed a warm hand on her brother's. Jake smiled. Curiousity and worry filled his mind as he asked, "Haley, if I were... I don't know, some kind of... monster, would you still love me?"

Haley looked taken aback by his question, "Of course I still would. Why would you ask that?"

Jake let out a breath of relief, "Nothing. It just... crossed my mind. Thanks Haley. Good night." Jake gave Haley a hug before she went back to her room that was just across his. "Good night, Jake."

Jake stood up and walked towards his school bag, then took out his mythology textbook. He stared at it for a while before bringing it back to bed. He turned to page 106, the chapter on dragons.

'While dragons in Western mythology are considered evil, Chinese dragons traditionally symbolise culture. The dragon is a symbol of power, strength, and good luck. The dragons were known to be excellent and outstanding, and also successful and powerful.'

Jake yawned. "Hey, dragons aren't so bad..." Soon enough, sleep came.

If my mind was playing tricks on me, then good. But if it's not and I'm really a dragon, I've got to get some answers. And Hong Kong would be the perfect place for it.

=.=

Well there you go. Let me know if it's worth continuing. I really want to finish a story that I start. So PUH-LEEZE review. Thanks people. :)