Disclaimer: I don't own Bartimaeus, Natty, or Kitty. I so wish I did though...
((Note: I am going to write this with Bartimaeus's footnotes, which will be tricky. So, to eliminate unnecessary scrolling, the footnotes will be put into the story. A footnote will look like (6). Get it?))
1. Bartimaeus
Images of long-dead masters swarmed around me as I floated (1 Not all mine, of course. I wasn't the only essence here). My essence felt at complete ease; I was as refreshed as I could be, and was happy for it. With no definite sense of time in this place, I couldn't be sure of exactly how long I had been here. Judging by the images from the newly returned essences however, I could guess that it had been some years.
I was more than a little surprised at this revelation, I'll admit. I had thought that Kitty would have summoned me(2 She had taken a liking to me. Of course, who wouldn't? For I had spoken with Solomon, carved the walls of Uruk from the living ground, etc...) long ago. Not that I cared at all, of course. I much preferred the silence and relaxation of this world to the tumult and insanity of Earth, but still...perhaps she hadn't liked my hair the last time she had seen me? I certainly hadn't.(3 Nathaniel's army-inspired hair had made me want to gag, which coming from a being that enjoys twisting itself into terrifying and smelly monsters, is saying something).
Enough about all of that. I had no more thoughts to waste on Nathaniel and Kitty. Instead, I had to turn my attention to the tugging at my essence. What form would I take...there was always Ptolemy, of course, but with a new master I usually went for the scarier forms. With a final tug, I felt myself pulled towards the Earth.
The lights in this room were far too bright and cheery, not at all my style. My form contrasted sharply with them— a seven foot tall beast with a man's head but a dragon's body doesn't exactly go with the whole "cheery" thing.
I heard my new master gag, and grinned. (4 I may have smelled a little. Maybe.) My smile abruptly slipped off of my face when I saw my new master. Oh dear. His army jacket was telling me the whole story.
"Demon, I have summoned you here so you must obey me!"
I rolled my eyes. "Duh."
"Excuse me," the man said sharply, "but I believe the term you were looking for was 'Sir'."
"Ah yes, how could I have forgotten? Duh, sir."
The man gnashed his teeth in rage and I simply smiled my charming smile. "Right then Demon, I have a task for you." (5 I so badly wanted to insert another 'Duh' here, but thought it best not to press my luck. His skin had turned a most unpleasant shade of tomato.) I said nothing and waited for my orders, none too happy. I had checked the pentacle and had found no errors. I hated the smart ones.
"The government has been taken over by Commoners, and it is time for us Wizards to take back what is rightfully ours."
Well this was a new one. I had heard of Magicians fighting Magicians, Magicians fighting Commoners, and Magicians fighting Reptiles (6 A rather funny story. In 1235 I had been summoned into battle by a Magician who had a fascination with Reptiles. Hundreds of other djinni had been summoned with me, and all took the forms of various Reptiles. An imp on the opposing team lost his nerve when he saw me and tried to run, but I ate him. Turned out he wasn't an imp at all, but just the rather ugly general on the opposing side. I won us the battle I did.) but I had never heard of a Magician fighting a Commoner because of a disruption in government. Not like this, anyway. My interest was, to say the least, piqued.
"Where are we?" I asked, trying to sort out his accent. Hey, when you've been as many places as I have, it's hard to remember.
"London."
My eyes widened. "Wait now. Are you trying to tell me that the Commoners have taken over England?"
A nod in my direction was all that I needed. I was on the ground laughing, not an easy feat for a dragon-ish-thing. "After everything you all have done to keep the Commoners down, they've finally risen? Oh, this is too much. Tell me are any of your pets in government as well?" (7 Don't know if he got the joke in the last bit there. He certainly didn't laugh. His loss; it was damn funny.)
"Yes, they are in power, and I want you to stop them from getting the whole of the nation."
Typical Magician, only interested in his own good. With a heavy sigh, I stood back up to wait for my official orders.
"I order you, demon Bartimaeus, to destroy the leader of the Commoners, Kitty Jones."
A/N–– I don't know whether or not I am going to continue this, so I leave it up to all of you. Please comment and tell me. This story will help everyone who was so very depressed at the end of the last book get some closure, I promise.
