Staying, Coming, Goings....

Faerie Dragon Fred comes out of his burrow.

"Hello!" the faerie dragon chirps happily, looking up at the newcomers. He then eases quickly away from Belinda, understandably skittish around her.

(Author's note: I'd like to thank JH for the emails that made part of this episode possible. Without it, it would be a the poorer for it).

It soon comes out that this little grinning dragon (faerie dragons have a permanent grin on their muzzles), that this was also a Fred.

"Statistical trend." Andrea mutters, tail drooping in chargin.

Jarlath and the other magic users know what she's referring to here (re:16390), and quickly explain the basics to the others not familiar with this saying.

As they talk further to this small dragon, other things come out to light.

Oh boy, Jarlath thinks to himself as he compares the feeling he gets from Faerie Dragon Fred and Pixie Fred. The only way to describe it would be to say that while Pixie Fred had fully transformed physically into a fairy creature.....there was a some to go yet to go with the guy's inner nature. That is, while there was an air of fey to Pixie Fred (more and more as time goes on)......it was nothing compared to Faerie Dragon Fred (who had fully converted over and was fey and nothing but.....though with a "Freddyness" to it).

Another thing was that the little dragon had no desire to return to humanity (good....since it was well nigh impossible even with the Crystallic for that, now).

Another would be that....while regretting the fact that it was now impossible to complete his quest back home since he knew somehow he was no longer on his home plane of existence.....he had no desire to go with the others back to Nantucket Earth or Terra Prime (unlike those baptized Christian, this Fred's religion was something prot-Celtic in nature and as such compatible with the Faire Folk). This was his home now, and the growing crowd of Seelie fairies peaking out from the forest were his people.....his family (see.....Belboz had teleported the faerie dragon deep within Seelie territory in the knowledge something like this would happen). As for the regret for the quest, it wasn't that he missed the opportunity to kill a dragon....it wsa the fact that he couldn't honor his given word (he was too much of a dragon now to enjoy being a Dragonslayer).

Being that the others, after a quick magical examination, determined that the Unseelie curse hadn't been able to touch the little dragon's Matrix....his absence wasn't critical for this rescue effort.

He'd be missed, but the others wouldn't insist on him coming along.

That last part explained why the air he had was a bit different from the others of similar nature in the family....

Finally, there were further incentive to get the h*ll out of there......

First, according to the little dragon (who now had strange, eldritch senses due to his full Fey nature)....there was something terribly wrong with the curse upon Belinda (this news caused a nervous groan from Jarlath's group). They had something like a day left before her transformation was complete (i.e. she'd soon be physically transformed in a few hours......but the pressure of the Unseelie curse on her would soon break her....and transform the shattered, insane mind fully into a monster). More worrisome was the fact that in half that time....things would somehow get so bad that.....desperate, extreme sacrifices may be needed to undo the damage done by the Unseelie curse. What exactly.....the little dragon wouldn't say....but he sounded rather grim (looked the part too, even with that constant grinning).

Second was that, while Unseelie Belinda's presence was being tolerated right now......that wouldn't be for much longer. See, there was what could only be termed a treaty between the Seelie and Unseelie of this world for territory....and Belinda was straining that treaty by just being here. The Fairy folk saw and knew what was going on here....but her presence was putting them on edge. Much longer and nerves would snap.....and trouble would be the only result.

"May the Mother of Trees bless you on your quest," the little dragon sighs before going off to his new people....to join into their community with a Renaming ceremony...

So, after Belinda is fed one of those Military issue food concentrate pills, Synizn changes form and they are off.

On their way back to the landing zone on dragonback (Synizn flies at a slower clip to spare his passengers wind shear and such....since things aren't quiet so desperate now) the group talks to pass the time and keep their mind on more pleasant things. Belinda takes up a discussion those who she still believes are from the Red Pyramid...and Astra and the others are able to pick up the conversation thread despite circumstances.

They speak about the strange coloration of Rowena's eyes and lips.....

"I like the full length picture a lot," Belinda says as she points to a holographic image of Rowena on one of the PDAs, being frank as usual about her assessment people as was the wont of Aqualarians of her world, "I'm not so sure about the head and shoulders. If I saw someone with eyes like that, I'd think they were possessed by the Devil! Also the lips look a bit 'artificial'."

Astra and the others chuckle a bit, glad to be able to talk and think of something less stressful than what they're facing with the Unseelie curse here.

Joan explains that Rowena had taken deathly ill at a young age and had been taken to the temple in the capital city to be treated by the head priest himself (her father wanted nothing less for his little girl than the best). While mages of her world were very much feared and despised, the same wasn't true with those who got their magical healing powers from Powers in the Beyond. After much prayer, sacrifice, and worry....the fever had broke. The gods had apparently smiled down upon her, and had gone one further to show their favor by bequesting their sign upon her....as those healed by that brand of faith. See, those who get cured of hurts and sicknesses sometimes get it. Sometimes it was just eye coloration. Sometimes (mostly with women), lip coloration was also effected. In this case, both happened (Belinda's eyes had been a brown....before). It was a sign of being blessed it was, on her world....

After magical disguising Belinda on their way through Terra Prime (remember Dr. Vincent), they see on their way to the place where the other touched by the Unseelie curse are being held.....Malachi 2 and the Synizn who'd brought the Crystallic to this world walking together and giggling.....very much in love.

"Eye meets eye," Dragon Synizn sighs, happy for his other self.

From what he knew of how the human form of dragons of Malachi 2's reacted and acted to certain environmental factors (much different than that of Terra Prime due to that blood curse), her rather "plain Jane" form had been.....improved (much to her embarrassment....she had chosen to be plain to better blend in with humanity). Dragon Synizn thought that the amber orbs she now had were a rather nice change from the muddy brown things she had before. Anyway, it foreshadowed the falling in love for her...and Dragon Synizn was happy for her....and for his brother.

Oh, there had been times he'd wondered if it would happen to him and his Malachi.....but it wasn't to be. Nice to see it happen with that one.....

And with that, they drop off Belinda, climb aboard the TARDIS parked nearby (unlikely it was anything else but the TARDIS....what with a lack of blue police boxes on Nantucket and all)....

1. "We need to talk about how to proceed here," Jarlath sighs, "What with the new things that have come to light."

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