A/N: A friend on Deviant Art asked me to upload this here. Hope you enjoy...
Disclaimer: I don't own Spyro, Raziel or the AmDrag cast.
Practical Training
Chapter 1
It was a sunny and slightly hot summer day in New York City. Spyro smiled slightly as the breeze ruffled the hair of his human form, he rather enjoyed the feel, his companion on the other hand was far from pleased from being in this modern land. Spyro looked at the human-looking Raziel walking next to him and saw him tighten his clan marker over his nose.
"Raz... Aren't you hot wearing that and your jacket...?" The dragon asked as they turned the corner and headed for a little electronics store.
"Spyro, I'm dead and have no body heat. It takes a lot for me to get overheated... Why am I here again? This is your student..."
"Because... He is in severe need of hand to hand and weapon training, so much that I'm surprised he's still alive and since you're even better at those areas than I am. I thought it would be good for him to take a few lessions." Raziel only grunted in reply to Spyro's explaination and the two stayed quiet as they walked the last few feet to the store's door. Suddenly, a horrifing thought entered Spyro's mind and he swung around, almost running into Raziel while putting up his hands.
"Raz!"
"...Hmn...?"
"Raz, this kid can be kind of a know-it-all smart mouth. I know your nerves are a little frazzled from being in this world so if he ticks you off please don't rip open his throat!" Spyro pleaded as he tugged on the wraith's short jacket. The young dragon held his breath as he waited for his friend's answer though quickly sighed and bowed his head in relief as his friend hummed slightly in reply.
"Ok... Good. Cool, let's go in!" Spyro span back around and opened the door, stepping in. He was rather amazed by all the different little machines but sighed slightly as he heard Raziel hiss in disgust behind him.
"Aaah, Spyro, you are here...! Good, welcome." The young dragon perked up at the sound of the elder dragon greeting him.
"Master Lao Shi, nice ta see ya again, sir!" Spyro chirped as he rushed forward to shake
the older man's hand, a smile spreading over both their faces.
"Spyro, who's your friend?" The elderly Chinese man asked politely making Spyro reach behind himself and grabbed Raziel by the jacket, pulling forward.
"This is Raziel, he's the one I brought to help Jake!"
"Greetings, young sir." The dragon master bowed to him and the wraith bowed slightly in return as Spyro leaned over and whispered in Lao Shi's ear.
"Hehe, Gramps, this guy's older than you are..." This bit of news actually surprised the older shifter.
"Oh my... I see. Well, I told Jake to come over, he'll be here soon."
"Cool! hey Gramps, any chance we can get something to drink? It was a long warp from Avalar." With a nod, the elder dragon master ushered his two guests to the back room where he kept all his magical items. He went into the kitchen to make some tea while Spyro sat on the couch with Raziel, the dragon could feel his friend's rippling and frazzled spiritual energy begin to calm and level out while being surrounded by old world items with magical properties; the feel beginning to remind him of his homeland.
"Ugh... It's too early..." Spyro yawned and leaned against the couch arm, Raziel snorted.
"Spyro, it's almost twelve in afternoon, you're just hungry..." Spyro was about to respond but was stopped by the sound of the shop's door slamming open and teenagers chattering.
"Gramps! I'm here, yo! Is there something you needed?" Spyro slammed the palm of his hand to his face as he felt Raziel's spirit energy spike in an agrivated manor. Lao Shi came into the backroom with a tray full of tea cups, "Jake, we're in the back room!"
~~~~~~
Jake headed towards the back room, his two bestfriends conversing with his girlfriend behind him. He chuckled as he listened to their conversation as he stepped into the backroom.
"Gramps, Fu Do-!"His words were cut off as he saw a familiar blond-haired boy sitting on his grandfather's couch, "Aww Maaaaan! It's that time already!"The blond stuck out his tongue in a mocking fashion as he took a cup of tea and the man with black-haired ponytail sitting next to him just glared with eerie golden eyes.
"Yo, Jakie, what up man? Long time no see. It's trainin' time again, mate!" Spyro snickered as he stood up and walked towards the Chinese-American boy, who's friends halted behind him.
"Aww man, Spyro, are you seriously here already? I thought it wasn't for another month!" Jake groaned and Spyro placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Nope! I'm here and I brought a friend!" He pointed a thumb toward Raziel, who was hiding a scowl under his scarf, "That's Raziel, don't freak by the way, he comes from a magical world." This didn't calm Jake one bit, he hated training with Spyro; the other young dragon made him work like a dog even more than Gramps.
Jake snorted and crossed his arms, "Dude, I don't think you could teach me any more dragon skills unless you've learned how to use those puny wings to get air born...! I mean why even have wings?" Everyone was shocked at Jake's uncharacteristic mocking of Spyro's lack of flight but Spyro's eyes didn't widen in shock but in fear; he could feel Raziel's energy spike to a dangerous level at the sound Jake making fun of Spyro's lack flight. The young dragon knew how much the inability to fly hurt the wraith because of his distroyed wings. Spyro swallowed the lump in his throat and tried desprately to get Jake to shut up,
"Whoa dude, harsh but how about let's change the subject!" Unfortuneately, it didn't work.
"Hah! So you haven't then ya'll got nothin' ta teach me! My skills on the ground are unbeatable, I only need air training but with lame wings ya'll ain't worth my summer!" With this last remark about his wings, Jake found himself two feet above the ground held up by his throat with just one of Raziel's hands.
"You pathetic wretch, how dare you mock a fellow creature's lack of flight due to faulty wings! Do you think he wished for this injustice to be done to his wings!" The wraith hissed in his face, his anger fogging up his better judgement as his claws tightened on the Am Drag's throat. Jake stared down in horror at Raziel as Spyro quickly grabbed for the enraged wraith's wrist.
"Raz, let him go! He didn't mean it, he was just kidding!" Spyro was panicing and trying to sooth his friend's anger. His words seemed to get through to Raziel since he threw a gasping Jake on the floor and stormed out of the room. Spyro sighed in relief but quickly started to worry as Raziel left the shop.
"What was his problem, yo?" Jake gasped as Rose helped him to his feet while his grandfather shook his head in disappointment.
"Jake, that was very rude..." Lao Shi placed a worried hand on Spyro's shoulder, "Will he be ok, Spyro." The still shocked Spyro turned to Jake.
"Are you insane, man! You just ticked off a cold-blooded murder of a vampire that loathes humans and now he's loose in New York City!" Spyro yelled at him as he headed for the door after Raziel. Jake looked at his grandfather who was shaking his head again.
"Gramps, who was that?"
"That, Jake, was Spyro's friend who was going to teach you advanced hand-to-hand and weapon training. Spyro told me that his friend used to be a winged vampire but his wings were torn from him and now such things are a sore subject for the man. You have made a great wrong to both of them, you should help Spyro look for his friend and appolgize to both of them."
"Aww maaan..."