Chapter 1

Buffy looked up at the dark sky.  A loud bang of thunder made the Slayer jump in surprise.  A thunderstorm wasn’t in the forecast, but clearly it was happening anyway.

Lightening streaked across the sky, illuminating the clouds.  There was a dark cloud in front of the lightening storm that looked just like a …

Dragon!

“That’s not something you see every day,” Buffy said.  “That’s pretty cool.”

There was another boom of thunder off to the west of town.

“I better finish this up before I get rained on.” 

If Buffy had looked towards the lightening cloud again, she would have noticed that it looked like the dragons had multiplied. 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

The monastery shook in its entirety.  Abbot Popeo wondered if an earthquake had hit the region.

No, my dear Abbot.  Not an earthquake.

A voice echoed through Popeo’s head.

“Who are you?”

I am Emperor Highsoar the Great-Winged.  We are one now, Aurel Stanislav Popeo

“How do you know that name?”  Abbot Popeo rolled out of bed in surprise.

I know you.

“What do you want?”  Abbot Popeo looked around the room trying to find the source of the voice.

I am not in your room.

Popeo wondered if the being was reading his mind.

Of course I am.  Now, to business.  We have much to decide if you are going to give the Key a living form.  A human girl, even if she’s the Slayer’s sister, just won’t do.  The Key would be vulnerable as a human.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

Buffy sat up, wide awake, after someone pounded on her dorm room door.  She glanced over at Willow who was also blinking groggily.

“Hurry up, you two,” someone yelled through the closed door.  “You gotta see the news!  There are dragons.  Real, live dragons.”

“Wow.” Buffy rubbed her eyes.  “It’s not April first again, is it?”

Willow shook her head.  “Not unless we’re caught in a time loop.  You want to go see what’s the what?”

“I suppose.”   The two young women put on their robes, and they went to join their fellow dorm mates in the lounge down the hall.

“This just in,” the reporter announced.  “Dragons are real.”

The din in the room rose until a young man put his fingers in his mouth to make a sharp, loud whistle.  The room quieted again.

“I’m here in Cleveland, Ohio, at the Cleveland Boys School with Principal Robin Wood.   Principal Wood, when were you first made aware of the phenomena,” the reporter asked.

The camera zoomed to where four huge dragons rested in the courtyard of the school.  There were two red ones, a green one, and a black one.  One of the red ones looked towards where the reporter spoke with the principal.

“At two o’clock this morning, the night guard called me to tell me there was a disturbance at the school.  When we arrived, we found them,” Wood replied.  “I’ve seen some odd things in my life, but I wasn’t prepared for dragons.”

“I must say, you don’t seem at all disturbed by the sight of mythological creatures not being so mythological,” the reporter commented.

Wood shrugged.  “It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve seen a so-called mythological creature in my life.”  His head whipped around to stare at the red dragon.  Before the reporter could ask another question Wood hurried off towards the dragons.

“Well, um, this has been Rick Bracken with the KBZZ news, reporting from the Cleveland Boy School.”

The reporter in the field disappeared, and a female reporter sitting at a desk appeared.   “That was from our sister station in Cleveland.”

Someone turned off the television.  Buffy and Willow sat in stunned silence.

“I wonder what other mythological creature that dude has seen before in his life,” a blond guy asked.  Buffy was sure his name was Robert.

Another guy who looked like he was an upperclassman rolled his eyes.  “You’re a freshman, aren’t you?  Haven’t been in Sunnydale long?”

Robert shook his head.  “No, I just moved up here from Rocky Point last fall.”

The upperclassman put his arm around Robert’s shoulders.  “Come on, let me tell you all about the Sunnydale rules.”

“Oh, shove off, Mike,” Robert grumbled.  He shrugged the arm off his shoulders.  “You’re pulling my leg.”

“He’s really not,” Buffy said.

Everyone in the room turned to stare at Buffy.  She grinned in a sheepish manner.   “Uh sorry.”  She grabbed Willow’s arm.  “We gotta go.  Talk to someone about the thing.”

Buffy and Willow dressed in record time.  They set off towards Giles’ apartment.  On the way, they stopped by Lowell House to see if Riley and his buddies had seen the news too.

“Hey, is Riley awake?” Buffy asked the guy who answered the door.  She wrinkled her nose when she took in the smell of marijuana on his clothes.

The guy shrugged.  “It’s really weird, man.  A whole bunch of the brothers just bugged out in the middle of the night.  Dude, have you seen the news?  Dragons, man.  They are so happening.”

“They didn’t give an explanation?” Buffy gave Willow a worrying glance.  “I mean, Riley left without even saying good-bye.”

“The whole bunch of them just freaked the f-in’ out, man.  Like they got a batch of bad weed.  Kept talking about voices in the head, man.”  The guy tapped the middle of his forehead.  “There was some bad mojo going on.”

Willow patted Buffy’s arm.  “I’m sure Riley will contact you when he gets to where ever they’re relocating at.”

“I suppose.”  Buffy turned back to the stoner.  “Thanks.”

“No problemo, man.” 

Buffy and Willow continued towards Giles’ apartment.

“I wonder what made them leave,” Willow commented.  “Has Riley said anything about leaving or being stationed elsewhere?”

“No, not a word.”  Buffy shook her head.  “And it seems kinda weird that they left in the middle of the night.”

Buffy and Willow chit-chatted for a few more blocks until they found themselves, instead of at Giles’ apartment, but at the burnt out husk of the high school.

“Oh my.”  Willow clapped her hands over her mouth.  Perched atop the old high school was a ….  Herd?  Flock?  Murder? … of dragons. 

“Well that’s not something you see every day, even in Sunnydale.” Buffy gulped when a white dragon glided over to her, landed, and stared into her eyes.    She swallowed her fear.  

She was the Slayer.

“Nice dragon,” Buffy stammered.

“I am Soulcharmer.  We are now one, Buffy Anne Summers,” the dragon’s voice boomed.

“Wow, loud.”  Buffy put a hand on her forehead.

“ Sorry, Slayer.”  The voice was much quieter and contrite.

A dark royal blue dragon with large wings glided over to Willow.   He brought his face in close to Willow’s and whispered, “I am Holyseeker the Screamer, a Shaman.  We are one now, Willow Danielle Rosenberg.”

“Uh, hi?” the redhead said with a sheepish wave.

“Buffy, Willow, what the frilly heck is going on?” Xander called out.

Buffy and Willow turned to look at their friend.  He ambled down the street with Anya trotting along behind him.   When they stopped two more dragons, a sapphire blue one and a violet one, glided over to them.

The sapphire dragon spoke to Anya.  “I am Coinsmasher the Appraiser.  We are one now, Aud known as Anyanka known as Anya Christina Emmanuella Jenkins.”

“I am the Empress Aidwreck the Poisoner.” The violet dragon boomed in a regal tone.   “We are one now, Alexander Lavelle Harris.”

Xander stared up at Aidwreck in frightened awe.

Joyce drove up in her Jeep with Giles riding shotgun.  When they got out of the car, Joyce replied, “I had the weirdest urge to come here.  I just don’t know why.”  Then, she stared at the dragons in astonishment.

Buffy gestured towards the school and the dragons.  “I’d say you guys have a couple of new friends.”

A giant black dragon looked Giles over carefully before she let out a huff of steam.  “I am Battlesoarer the Great-winged.  We are one now, Rupert Edward Giles.”

Joyce’s dragon companion had copper scales and a great many horns that jutted from his head.  “I am Sandvoice.  We are one now, Joyce Zeraphenia Summers.”

“Is this all of you?” Giles asked.

Empress Aidwreck grunted.  “No, there are three others that are meeting their companions; Poisondreamer, Howlfang, and Dawnwing.”

Buffy and Joyce looked at each other in astonishment.  For some reason, the name Dawnwing resonated with them, but they didn’t know why.

“Who are their companions?” Willow asked after she raised her hand.

“The other Slayer, the Wicca, and the vampire who loves without a soul.”

Chapter 2

Travers looked up when the doors to the Council’s inner most chambers banged open.  The wooden doors bounced off the walls with a great force, and the noise echoed through the now silent room.  Travers stood up to speak to whoever had interrupted the session.  “Now see here…”

“Sit down, human.”

A man and a woman entered the room.  They were both dressed like ancient warriors with swords hanging off their belts.  The female’s armor looked like bright red scales while the male’s was blue scales.

“I am Stormshifter,” the female boomed.

“And I am Vitriolchanger of the Depths,” the male boomed.

“You can’t come in here, this is a private meeting,” Travers shouted.  “You will leave immediately.”

Stormshifter swiveled her head to stare at Travers.  “I told you to sit down, human.”

Wyndam-Pryce jumped to his feet.  “Now see here!”

Vitriolchanger opened his mouth, and a mighty roar came out.  Then, there was a spurt of slime that covered Wyndam-Pryce from head to foot.  The man fell back into his chair while wiping the slime from his face.

“Be glad that it was him, and not I, that chastised you,” Stormshifter informed Wyndam-Pryce.  “You will not like what I can do.”

A dark haired man raised a hand. 

Stormshifter looked at the man.  “Who are you?” she asked.

“I’m Reginald Bey.  Reggie to my friends.” 

“Speak and be heard, Reginald Bey,” Stormshifter said.  “Reggie to your friends.”

“May I ask what it is that you want with the Council of Watchers?” Reggie asked as politely as he could.  He didn’t want to get slimed or find out what could possibly be worse than being slimed.

Stormshifter nodded before her attention shifted back to Travers.  “The handling of the Slayer by this Council is a travesty.”

“Now see here.”  Travers took a step towards the newcomers.  He was in charge, and he was going to assert his authority.

Vitriolchanger swiveled his head towards Travers.  “You still haven’t seated yourself?  Did you not hear what my mate told you to do?”

Several Council members scooted away from Vitriolchanger when his body started to elongate.  His armor sank into his skin and grew to cover all of his skin.  Large fangs, dripping with venom, grew from his mouth.

“You’re dragons,” Reggie said in an awe-filled tone of voice.  “Real, live dragons.  I read about you.”

“How did you read anything about them?” Travers hissed.  “Those books are only for the head of the Council.  Not lowly librarians like yourself.  Keep your mouth shut, or you’ll be without a job, Bey.”

As Vitriolchanger advanced on Travers in his half-shifted state, Stormshifter turned towards Reggie.  “Don’t worry, my dear,” she said.  “Tell me all about it.”

Reggie gave Travers a glance before he turned his attention towards Stormshifter.  “Right.  Travers was having me do a research project a couple of years ago in the Head Watcher’s private library when I came across the information about dragons.   The Council wants the Slayer to dependent on her Watcher, not some other outside influence.  They have hidden all legends of why dragons appear to the Slayers.”

“I told you to shut your mouth, Bey.  You’re out of here.”  Travers glared at Reggie.  He screeched to a stop when Vitriolchanger’s clawed fingers closed around his throat.

“You will be silent, human, when your masters and betters are speaking.”  Vitriolchanger shook Travers like a rat.

Several of the other men around the room, including Wyndam-Pryce spluttered at the dragon’s words.

 The dragon wrinkled his nose when he caught the scent of urine.  Vitriolchanger dropped Travers into his seat.   “In case it was too much for you little brain to understand, I am your master and … “ he pointed towards Reggie.  “He is your better.”

“I think we have found our new Head Watcher, my sweet,” Stormshifter said to her mate.    She moved over to Reggie, and she gazed deep into his eyes.  “I am Stormshifter.  We are one now, Reginald Magnus Bey.”

Reggie nodded in agreement.  “There have been signs.  I tried to tell them, to warn them, but they all shut me down.  They didn’t want to hear.”

“There were no signs.  It was all a bunch of balderdash and chicanery to make the Slayer think she is better than she really is,” Travers said with sneer.  It was obvious that despite his fear, he wasn’t going to heed Vitriolchanger’s warning.  “There is no truth in those unsubstantiated rumors.”

“And yet here we are, right in front of you, as proof,” Stormshifter replied.   “Pick your companion, my dear.  Not this one, Travers, he is only good for cannon fodder.”

Vitriolchanger stalked around the room until he stopped at the secretary sitting in the corner taking notes.  “I like this one.”  He bent over to stare into her face.  “Who are you?”

“J-Jane Dobson.”

Vitriolchanger grinned a very toothy smile.  “I am Vitriolchanger of the Depths.  We are one now, Jane Rebeccah Dobson.”

Reggie cleared his throat.  “So, what is the first order of business?”

“I believe we need test the potential and weed out any unsavory characters,” Stormshifter replied.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

There was a knock on Tara’s dorm room door.  “Hey, Tara, there’s … someone here to see you.”

This confused Tara, as she wasn’t expecting anyone.   “Can you tell them I’ll be right down?  Tell them to wait in the lounge.”

“I don’t think that’s possible.”

Weirder and weirder.

“Okay, I’ll be right down.”  Tara put her books aside.  She hoped it wasn’t her dad that had shown up.  Tara wasn’t ready to be dragged back home yet. 

Tara took a moment to calm herself before she opened the door.  She followed the student down to the front lobby. 

“You know what’s really kind of odd?  Half the dorm is empty.   People just vacated the place over night,” the student said.

In the lobby, a silver scaled dragon had stuck its head into the building.   It vibrated with happiness when it saw Tara.   “I am Howlfang,” she boomed, rattling the windows of the dorm.  “We are one now, Tara Louise Maclay.”

“It’s a dragon,” Tara whispered.  “A girl dragon.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

The hospital wall crumbled under the onslaught.   On the bed laid a dark haired woman hooked up to heart monitor.  The steady, monotonous beep was a counterpoint to the steady, monotonous breathing.  The woman was alive.

“I am Poisondreamer.  We are one now.”

The beep jumped and the woman’s breath deepened.

“It’s time to wake up.”

The woman still slumbered on.  Alarms sounded inside the hospital, and in the distance sirens stared to blare.

“Oh, bother.”  Poisondreamer scooped the woman up in her claws, and she launched herself into the sky. 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

Jinx and Murk snuck through the woods outside of Sunnydale, trying to find a way past the shield that now protected the Hellmouth.

“Her Glorificusness isn’t going to like this,” Murk muttered.  “We are supposed to ready the Hellmouth for her return home.”

Jinx snorted.  “It won’t do her any good if she can’t get to the monks.  I thought dragons were just a myth.”

Chapter 3

Spike stepped out of his crypt into the cool February night.  He’d been watching the telly all afternoon, and the news about dragons descending on several areas of the world.

Now, Spike wasn’t stupid.  Impulsive, maybe.  But not stupid.

Spike knew what all the locations had in common. 

Cleveland, Ohio.

Machu Picchu in the Andes Mountains of Peru. 

Melbourne, Australia.   

The island of Madagascar.

Spike knew that there was a Hellmouth at each of the locations.  One of those times when Drusilla had abandoned him, he’d spent his time visiting every Hellmouth on the planet.

“Spike, Spike, Spike!”

A large shadow blocked the moonlight.  Spike whirled around, and perched on his crypt was a …

Dragon.

Her golden scales gleamed under the full moon.  Spike stared at her, dumbfounded.    The only thing he could think of to say was, “If you don’t get off my crypt, you’ll crush the bloody thing, and I’ll have no place to stay.”

The dragon looked down at her roost.  “Oh, sorry.”   Her sheepishness reminded Spike of the Slayer when she made the Native American vengeance demon into a bear.

The dragon expanded her wings, and she glided off the crypt.  She put her head down next to Spike.  “I am Dawn.  Dawnwing if you want to get technical.  We are one now, William Andrew Henry Jamison known as Spike.”

“You’re here for the Hellmouth,” Spike stated in a matter-a-fact tone of voice.   He actively ignored the fact that the dragon knew his full name from his human days.

“No, dummy, I’m here for you,” Dawn protested.

Spike raised one disbelieving eyebrow.

“Okay, you got me.  I’m here for the Hellmouth.”  Dawn’s wings drooped for a few seconds before she visibly brightened.  “But, I’m here for you too.  Honest.”

“So what the bloody hell is coming that gets the Elgarath Serpendrake to come out of their hidey-holes?” Spike enquired.

Dawn let out a delighted squeal.  “You know what we are.  You are so smart, Spike.”

“You still haven’t told me what you’re doin’ here in grand old Sunnyhell.”

“Something very, very evil is coming.”  Dawn shuddered. 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

‘That Which Cannot Be Name’ also known as Glorificus, Glorifius, Her Splendiferousness, Her Sparkling Luminescence, the Beast, the Abomination, Hell-bitch, paced back and forth, steaming with fury.  A barrier of some kind blocked her way to her monks. 

Glory growled.

A deafening roar answered her.

No!

No, no, no, no, no!

Dragons were NOT in Glory’s plans to get her Key away from the monks.  She was tired of being stuck in this backward, horrible dimension.  She was tired of being stuck sharing a body with a willful, ignorant human male.  It was time to go home and crush her brothers down for their uppity attitudes.

Who did they think they were anyway?  Kicking her out just because she was more powerful than them.

Another roar sounded through the still night air.  A dark shadow blotted out the moon.  A dragon landed a few yards away from Glory.

“You are not welcome here, Abomination.”

“Give me my Key and I will leave.  Peacefully,” Glory said in a cajoling tone of voice.

The dragon gave a throaty chuckle.  “No, I don’t think I will do that.  Besides, I think you will find that you need a Hellmouth to accomplish opening a portal, and I guarantee that they are all protected now.  Tough luck, bitch.”  He launched himself into the air.

Glory let out a scream of frustration before she threw herself on the ground and had a toddler-like fit.  She lay there kicking and screaming while pounding her fists on the ground.

“Ahem.”  Someone cleared their throat.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

Cordelia stared at the television screen.  Something about the news of dragons was calling to her.  She just wasn’t sure what it was that had her attention.  When she’d called in sick to Angel Investigations, Angel had questioned her about having another vision, which Cordelia had denied.  She’d claimed just normal under the weather symptoms.

There was a knock on the door.  Then, Wesley called out.  “Angel sent me to check up on you.”

Cordelia rolled her eyes.  “Ugh, that stupid vampire.”  She got to her feet to go answer the door.    “Come on in, Wes.”

“You don’t look like you’re sick,” Wesley said, glancing around the apartment.

“I’m not.  I just didn’t feel like dealing with his broodiness this morning,” Cordelia replied with a shake of her head.  She settled back down on the couch.  “I was just watching the news.”

Wesley glanced at the television screen.  “About the dragons?”

“Yeah.”  Cordelia frowned.  “I’m having a sudden, strange urge to go to Sunnydale.  I don’t have sudden, strange urges to go back to that hell hole.”

Wesley watched the television screen.  After a few seconds, he whispered, “I’m having them too.”

“Maybe we better listen to them.”  Cordelia gave a firm nod of her head before she rose to her feet.  She clicked off the television before she grabbed her purse.  “I’ll be back as soon as I can, Dennis,” she called out to her ghostly roommate.

Wesley followed Cordelia out of her apartment in a daze.  Were they really going to Sunnydale to see about dragons?  Cordelia gave him an expectant glare before she got into her car.

Cordelia and Wesley were silent for the two hour drive to Sunnydale.  Each was lost in thought about going back to a town where they’d lost everything.   Cordelia was still at odds with her parents, unhappy about how her father had acted the past few years.   Wesley hadn’t spoken to his father since he’d been let go from the Council.

They drove into Sunnydale filled with a touch of trepidation.

“Is it just me or does Sunnydale feel different?”  Cordelia blurted out.  “I’ve lived in Sunnydale my whole life you know, and it just feels different.”

Wesley glanced towards Cordelia.  “Have you visited since your visions started?”

Cordelia shook her head.

“Maybe that is what is making it feel different.”

Cordelia gave Wesley a hopeful glance.  “Maybe.”

Wesley turned his attention back to the streets, and he frowned.  “Where are we going?”

“I think the high school,” Cordelia answered.  She clenched the steering wheel hard enough to turn her knuckles white.

“The Hellmouth,” Wesley muttered.  “Just bloody brilliant.”

“Don’t I know it?”

Cordelia and Wesley pulled up to the burnt-out high school.  Cordelia slammed on the brakes in surprise.  “Well,” she whispered.   “That’s not something you see every day.”  They got out of the car to stare in awestruck wonder at the dragons.

Pop!

Pop!

Two dark shadows appeared above Wesley and Cordelia.  They turned their faces upwards, and they found two dragons hovering in the air above them.  One was white while the other one was green.  The green one landed beside Wesley.

“I am Lord Stormtravel the Thunderer.”  It was clear why he was called Thunderer.  His voice carried like a thunder clap.  “We are one now, Wesley Anthony Wyndam-Pryce.”

The white dragon landed next to Cordelia.  “I am Venomlitch the Venomous.  We are one now, Cordelia Marie Chase.”  She leaned in to rub her head against the stunned human.  “You will be fine now.  The visions will no longer give you pain.”

Chapter 4

Soulcharmer gave the two new dragons the once over before he spoke.  “I thought the two of you were going to Los Angeles.”

“We were,” Venomlitch replied.  She flapped a wing towards Cordelia and Wesley.  “But those two decided to come here instead.”

“Well, since you’re here, we’ll explain everything.”  Soulcharmer looked around at the dragons.  “Where in bloomin’ daisies are Dawnwing and her companion?”

“Right here,” Dawn screeched.  She landed next to Soulcharmer, and her companion tumbled to the ground with an excited exclamation.

“I rode a bloody dragon.”  Spike whirled around to speak to Buffy.  “Did you see that, Slayer?  I rode a bloody dragon.”  He let out an excited giggle.

“I see that,” Buffy replied.  “I assume it was fun?”

“So much bloody fun.”  Spike grinned.  “Wait till I tell Angelus.  He’ll be so jealous.  The broody poofter has wanted to ride a dragon for centuries.”

Soulcharmer brought his head down to stare into Spike’s face.  “Really, Dawnwing?  Him?”

Everyone could tell that Dawnwing was waffling between being crushed and pouting.  “You got to pick the Slayer.  It’s only fair I got to choose her vampire,” the young dragon protest.  She stomped one large foot, and the surrounding buildings shook.  “Besides, you promised.”

Willow leaned over to whisper to Xander.  “I thought Buffy’s vamp was Angel?”

Xander shook his head in confusion.

“He got me kidnapped,” Dawnwing hissed.

Soulcharmer snorted.  “Wrong life, my love.”

“Quit questioning your mate’s choices, the both of you,” Sandvoice boomed.  “Besides we have things to discuss before Stormtravel and Venomlitch return to the City of Angels with their companions.”

Soulcharmer winced.  “Yes, sir.”

“First though, we need a more private meeting place.”  Empress Aidwreck looked around at the very public setting they were located.

A woman stepped out of the shadows.  “I might have a solution for that.”

Buffy and Spike whirled around to study the newcomer.  “Who are you?” they both growled at the same time.  Then, the Slayer and the vampire glared at each other.

“I’m RoseSeri Hassib of the Celestial Council located here in Sunnydale,” the woman said with her hands in the air.  “Our law firm would be happy to accommodate your meeting.”

“For a small fee, I presume,” Spike snarled.  “I know your kind.”

“We are not Wolfram and Hart, Lord Chesterfield.”

Dawnwing crouched down until she could rest her head on Spike.  “Relax, Spike,” the young dragon sighed.  “She’s not like other lawyers.”

“Hassib?” Xander asked in a perplexed voice.  “The same Hassib that has Hassib’s Donut Heaven?  The Hassib that makes the most perfect donuts known to man?”  He sighed with pleasure, and his eyes fluttered shut.

Anya rolled her eyes.  “Xander’s more in love with those Lemony Cheesecake Glazed Donuts that he is with orgasms.”

“Anya,” Xander coughed with embarrassment.  It was the truth, but he didn’t think it needed to be public knowledge.

“I will meet you all at the Celestial Council in twenty minutes.  We’re the complex of buildings on the end of Celesta Drive,” RoseSeri replied.

“That’s out past the Baptist church, right?” Joyce asked.

RoseSeri nodded.  “Yes, it is.  I’ll see you there.”  She turned and walked away.

Buffy looked around at the others.  “Should we trust her?”

“Yes,” the dragons all said at once.

“I guess we’re trusting her,” Xander replied.  He looked up at his dragon, his eyes sparkled with excitement.  “So, do I get a ride too?”

“I suppose.”  Empress Aidwreck sighed.  She was as excited as her companion, but as a member of royalty, she felt she had to keep a dignified front.

Giles took off his glasses to polish them.  “That’s fine for you young folks, but I’m afraid I’m a little too old for dragon riding.”  He shook his head before he shoved his glasses back on his nose.  “That’s something I never thought I’d be talking about.”

“Well, I don’t want to leave my Jeep here,” Joyce said to Giles while she gestured towards her car.  “You can continue to the meeting with me.”

“Thank you, my dear.” Giles followed Joyce to her Jeep.  “We’ll meet you there.”

Cordelia shrugged.  “I better drive too.”

Buffy leapt onto Soulcharmer’s back.  She let out an excited scream when the dragon launched into the sky.

“Can’t let the Slayer have all the fun,” Spike chortled.  He climbed on Dawnwing’s back, and they also launched into the air.

“It’s been way too long since I rode a dragon,” Anya exclaimed.  “Get a move on, Harris.” 

Anya and Xander quickly followed Buffy and Spike’s lead.  This left Willow on the ground standing next to Holyseeker.

“If you decide you want to ride with the others in the car, I will understand,” Holyseeker said in a soft voice.  “I won’t think badly of you.”

Willow looked up into the sky to where her friends were flying on their dragons.  She could hear their laughter echoing through the air.  “I only have a small fear of heights.”  She measured a very minute space between two fingers.

“Your fear of frogs is greater,” Holyseeker replied.

Willow nodded.

“You go ahead and fly,” Joyce said to Willow while she patted the young woman’s arm.  “We’ll meet you all there.”

“Okay.”  Willow climbed up onto Holyseeker’s back.  The dragon crouched down to the ground, and with a push of powerful muscles, pushed off into the sky.  Willow let out a small shriek.

The riderless dragons followed Holyseeker and Willow.

“Guess we better hurry up and get to the Celestial Council,” Cordelia said as she turned to Wesley. 

Giles stared at Wesley as if he’d just noticed the younger ex-Watcher’s presence.   The young man looked different from the last time Giles had seen him.  Giles couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but Wesley did seem strangely confident.  “Wesley, this is a surprise.”

“Yes, it is,” Wesley replied.  In his pocket, his cell phone rang.  “Let me get this.”

Cordelia grimaced while she watched Wesley dig out his phone.  “That’s probably Angel, wondering where we are.  I kinda forgot to call in sick.”

Wesley flipped the phone open, and answered.  “Wyndam-Pryce.”  He paused for a moment.  “Hello, Angel.  Yes, Cordelia and I are together.”

Cordelia shook her head frantically.  She didn’t want Angel to know they were in Sunnydale.  He’d probably be tempted to track them down if he did know.

“Well, you see, Angel, Cordelia has granted me a second chance to make a good impression,” Wesley drawled.  “We’re out on a date up the coast.”  He paused.   “No, I haven’t spilled my drink or dinner on her.  I’m not completely pathetic.  We’ll be back to work tomorrow.”

Cordelia stared at Wesley in astonishment.  Who knew the ex-Watcher, self-proclaimed rogue demon hunter, was such a good liar?    Maybe he wasn’t as hopeless as she’d previously thought.

Wesley rolled his eyes.  “Of course, I remember she is recovering from Doyle’s premature demise.  I’m not a bloody idiot, Angel.”  He pulled the phone away from his ear, and he punched the button to end the call.

“Do you think he knows about the dragons in Sunnydale yet?” Giles asked.  They didn’t need Angel nosing around at the moment.

“No,” Wesley said with a shake of his head.  “Angel doesn’t watch the telly.  Unless someone mentions them, he won’t know anything about the dragons until we’ve returned to Los Angeles.”

“Yeah, we better get the meeting over with and get back before he broods too much.”  Cordelia marched over to her car.  “Are we following you or vice versa?” she threw over her shoulder at Joyce.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

“Ahem.”  Someone cleared their throat.  A boy’s voice rang through the night air.  “Hey, Caly, look at Glory.  She’s having a tantrum like she’s a five year old.  She looks so funny.”

“I know, Amon.  She’s getting her dress dirty and grass in her hair.  Mummy is going to be so mad.”

“You,” Glory growled.  She rolled over to glare at the pair of young boys staring at her.  The dark haired boy was taller than the red haired boy, and he leaned on the shorter boy’s shoulder smirking at Glory.

“Well, hello, little sister.  Fancy meeting you here,” the dark haired boy mocked.

“I’m going to make you sorry you were ever wished into existence, Amon.”  Glory leapt at the dark haired boy with her fingers extended like claws.  She let out a muffled grunt when she passed right through both young men.

“Glory’s so stupid, she doesn’t even realize we’re figments of her imagination,” Caly chortled.  His red curls bounced as he laughed at his sister.

“She so is, isn’t she?” Amon threw back his head and laughed.  Caly joined in as they faded from sight.

“I’m not stupid.  I’m not, not, not!” Glory screamed to the heavens.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

Poisondreamer landed in a clearing in the middle of the woods a few hundred miles north of Sunnydale, close to the Oregon-California border.  She laid her precious cargo down on the ground before squatting near the young woman. 

Poisondreamer loved forests.  They made her calm, and she felt more at home among the trees than she did anywhere else.

“Wake up,” the violet dragon whispered to her human companion.  “I can’t wait to meet you.”

Faith took a deep breath and opened her eyes.