Gold Digger: The Dragon's Curse
(Page 1, panel 1. Julia's dojo. She is leading her students through some exercises. Everyone there is in fighting robes.)
Caption (N): A nice, quiet day at the home of Theodore and Julia diggers. Unfortunately, it won't be quiet for very long. Then again, we wouldn't have a story if it was quiet.
All: HAI! HAI! HAI!
(Panel 2. Outside the dojo, we see Fauntleroy, Six, and Thirty-Eight standing. They are in human forms and looking at the dojo.)
Thirty-Eight: Are you sure this is the place, sire?
Fauntleroy: Of course it is. They said an arch-mage's wife lives and trains here. Be careful - she's a master of the martial arts as well. Fortunately, most of what they use are chi-based attacks.
(Panel 3. Fauntleroy approaches the dojo as Six and Thirty-eight turn into their dragon forms.)
Fauntleroy: Remember: do what you want with the others - but their leader must not be harmed.
(Panel 4. Back inside the dojo, They continue to exercise. They are doing leg kicks now.)
Julia: Simon! Higher! Carla! Concentrate! Robert! Focus!
(Panel 5. Suddenly the wall breaks down, and then Fauntleroy and his wives enter.)
SFX: WHAM!!
Carla: What the!?
(Panel 6. Six unleashes a blast of fire on Julia's students as they dive for cover.)
Julia: You just made a big mistake, mister!
Fauntleroy: You must be the archmage's wife... you will make a great hostage.
(Page 2, panel 1. Julia and Fauntleroy get face-to-face.)
Julia: How dare you barge into this place! Who are you anyway?
Fauntleroy: My name is Fauntleroy... and you are my key to getting what I want.
(Panel 2. Carla and Mistress strike Six at the same time, hitting her. This doesn't hurt Six, however.)
SFX:�WHAM!
Six: You really are clueless, aren't you?
(Panel 3. Thirty-Eight casts a spell, causing a large blast of wind to knock down some of Julia's students.)
SFX: WHOOSH!
Thirty-Eight: Really Six, more finesse in your attacks, remember?
(Panel 4. Julia gives Fauntleroy a Leep palm in the chest. Fauntleroy doesn't flinch in the least.)
Fauntleroy: *SIGH*... you don't understand, do you?
(Panel 5. Fauntleroy strikes Julia in the jaw, sending her down.)
Fauntleroy: Dragons are immune to chi-based attacks.
(Panel 6. Luan manages to get Six in a headlock.)
Luan: I don't know what you're planning but I won't let you get away with it!
(Page 3, panel 1. Six throws Luan off of her and into Carla. The two collide.)
Six: Really. You're outclassed, you know. We're going easy on you because it's not worth the effort.
SFX: WHAM!
(Panel 2. Thirty-Eight strikes a male student of Julia's, knocking him down.)
Thirty-Eight: Humans. They never learn, do they?
(Panel 3.We see that Julia's students are down, out cold. Six, Thirty-Eight, and Fauntleroy have Julia surrounded. Julia has a look of terror on her face.)
Fauntleroy: Well, that was a nice workout. Now, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way.
(Panel 4. Julia grimaces at Fauntleroy.)
Julia: All right, what do you want, dragon?
Fauntleroy: That's better. A while back, I was cursed by an archmage to be kept in human form forever. I understand you are the wife of an archmage, and I want him to remove this curse.
(Panel 5. Julia narrows her eyes at Fauntleroy.)
Julia: Just what makes you think that he'll do it?
Fauntleroy: We have you as a bargaining chip.
(Panel 6.)
Julia: Well, it just so happens my husband is doing a lecture at the University of Naga in Jade. You'll have to wait until he gets back tomorrow.
Fauntleroy: I will wait... but not forever.
(Page 4, panel 1. The University of Naga, in Jade. We see Theodore Diggers standing at a lectern in front of about 35 apprentice mages. These are various humans and other creatures sitting at desks. Many of them have various scribing devices taking down everything Theodore says.)
Caption (N): Meanwhile, on Jade...
Theodore: The importance of balance cannot be emphasized enough. Aura magic may be spiritual in nature, but you're still on this plane of existence. Do not neglect the body or the mind. Feed all evenly, and the power will come.
(Panel 2. Theodore Diggers suddenly grabs his head, and grimaces in pain.)
Theodore: GAH!
(Panel 3. A middle-aged female human mage rushes towards Theodore. Theodore is recovering from the shock he got. He is leaning on the lectern for balance)
Lundra (female): Doctor Diggers! What's going on!?
(Panel 4. Theodore looks over at the mage.)
Theodore: A... crisis has arisen at my home. I must leave immediately.
(Panel 5. Theodore stands up straight.)
Theodore: Finish my speech, will you Lundra?
Lundra: All right. If you need help, just let us know.
(Panel 6. Theodore starts teleporting out.)
Theodore: This is a very dangerous situation, Lundra. If something has seriously hurt my wife, you can bet it's not something
novices should be around.
(Page 5, panel 1. Back with Six and Thirty-Eight, they have Julia chained to a wall and behind a sheet. Julia is hurt, with a few scratches on her.)
Caption (N): Shortly afterwards...
Thirty-Eight: Do you really think his plan will work?
Six: We're probably going to have to threaten this bimbo first before he'll do it.
Julia: I am no bimbo!
(Panel 2. Six slaps Julia in the face.)
Six: Nobody asked you!
SFX: SLAP!
(Panel 3. On the other side of the sheet, Fauntleroy is waiting. Theodore teleports in.)
Fauntleroy: Well, it took you long enough.
Theodore:�You!
(Panel 4. Theodore grimaces at Fauntleroy.)
Theodore: Gina told me of you, Fauntleroy. What do you want here?
Fauntleroy: What do I always want?
(Panel 5. Fauntleroy gets face-to-face with Theodore.)
Fauntleroy: A while back a powerful archmage sealed me in human form and sealed most of my power. I want you to remove this enchantment.
Theodore: What have you done to Julia?
(Panel 6. Fauntleroy smiles as Thirty-Eight pulls the sheet back. We see Six has Julia in a headlock, ready to snap Julia's neck. Theodore is shocked at what he sees.)
Fauntleroy: Ah, the chi bimbo... she was so easy to subdue, I really don't see what the hype is about her.
Theodore:�Julia!
Julia: Don't worry about me, Theo! Don't give him what he wants!
(Page 6, panel 1. Fauntleroy smiles at Theodore, who grimaces at Fauntleroy.)
Fauntleroy: Now, remove this spell on me... or the chi bimbo gets it.
Julia:�Don't do it, Theo!
(Panel 2. Pause. Focus on Theodore's grim face. Panel 3. Theodore then waves his hand.)
Theodore: All right...
Fauntleroy: That's better....
(Panel 3. Theodore continues to wave his hands, and Fauntleroy glows softly.)
Theodore: Hmm...
(Panel 4. Theodore stops waving his hands, and looks downward.)
Theodore: I... I cannot remove the spell.
(Panel 5. Theodore smiles slightly.)
Theodore: You can remove it yourself, however.
Fauntleroy: What?! HOW?!
(Panel 6. Theodore stares deeply into Fauntleroy's eyes.)
Theodore: Something you could never do - be nice.
Fauntleroy: What!?
(Page 7, panel 1. Fauntleroy gets very angry at hearing about this.)
Fauntleroy: NICE!? BE NICE!?
Theodore: Yes. It's the only way you can remove your curse.
(Panel 2. Fauntleroy looks tight-lipped at Theodore. Pause. Panel 3. Fauntleroy turns to Six and Thirty-Eight.)
Fauntleroy: Let her go.
Six: Sire...?
(Panel 3. Six and Thirty-Eight release Julia from her shackles. Theodore goes over to Julia to catch her.)
Theodore: Julia...
Fauntleroy: Good day to you.
(Panel 4. Fauntleroy, Six, and Thirty-Eight exit the place.)
Julia: I'll... I'll make it, darling...
(Panel 5. Julia puts her arms around Theodore. Theodore can't help but smile.)
Julia: Having you next to me, I already feel better...
Theodore: Aw....
(Panel 6. Theodore carries Julia down a hallway.)
Theodore: Well... we've got to get you to the infirmary. I'll have you fixed up in no time.
(Panel 7. Six and Thirty-Eight are in their dragon forms, and Six carries Fauntleroy on her back.)
Thirty-Eight: So what do we do now, sire?
Fauntleroy: I've got to think about this. He has given me a crucial piece of information to removing this curse... The question is can I do it?
(Panel 8. Fauntleroy, Six, and Thirty-Eight fly off into the sunset.)
Fauntleroy: Can I go against my dragon nature here...?
-End-