AN: For any of you wandering about the 'pets' think about what each of them is in comparison to the other then their 'masters'. Just a little fun for thought.

Oh, right enjoy your second serving...


"Well that's descriptive." His tone is still friendly with just a hint of sarcasm.

"Well, there were only two piles, so we assumed there were only two…types." It takes Tori a second to find the proper word to differentiate the two very exceptional beasts.

"Each egg is unique to its owner… He created the illusion of types. The truth is that there are an enormous variety of different creatures. Dragons, pegasi, unicorns, terror hawks…"

"Unicorns? Are you serious? What poor shmuck gets stuck with a horned horse?" Jade laughs heartily.

"When you get the chance, go look up unicorns in my library. I think you might be surprised." His smile is devilish.

"Why?" Tori concerned about what she might find out about the traditionally innocent mythological creatures.

"Just look 'em up. Now as for your companions, what did they look like?" He shows a vastly deep interest in their companions.

"My tiger is black with these white spikes on her back and has pink eyes." Jade answers somewhat lazily.

"My dragon is white with orange whiskers, a long thin body, and he has blue eyes." Tori tries to copy Jade's descriptive style.

"A Female Midnight War-Tiger… and a Male Divine Sky-Dragon. Before you ask…research them, understand them. They are a very important part of each of you."

"What is it with you and research?" Jade showing obvious frustration.

"I can get long winded on many subjects, but this one especially. Trust me you want to do this at your own pace, without me talking your ears off. Okay?"

"So we have to drive all the way out to your house if we want to know more?" Tori thinking about the trouble she's going to be in because of the last time.

"If you want to you can, of course you can also use my penthouse."

"Penthouse?" Jade very intrigued cracks a sly smile.

"The Bulltermark building."

"Never heard of it."

"Good, that's the idea. I like my privacy…comes with the job. To get in simply show my medallion to the doorman, he'll understand. It's a lot more modern than the Roseborn, my manor. I think you two will like it…just no wild parties or selling any of my stuff on E-bay."

"So normal parties are okay them?" Jade feeling much more comfortable with everything starts slipping into a much more casual stance and tone.

"Jade!" Tori still feels nervous about the whole Mind Council thing, doesn't want to upset the man opening up not one but two separate homes to them.

"As long as you invite Kaluokiki, then yes." His tone is perfectly cool.

"Kaluokiki?" Tori asks timidly.

"Hawaiian lesser demon, he loves parties. And then virgin sacrifices, not necessarily in that order." His grin is casual soaked in diabolical.

"…I don't think we'll be throwing any parties, thanks anyway." Tori slightly uncomfortable with the concept of sacrificing any virgins…especially her.

"Come on Vega. We don't have to sacrifice you." Jade teases unintentionally seductively.

"Easy for you to say, we wouldn't be able to sacrifice you." Tori bites back sharply.

"Ouch…I'd hate to interrupt because this is truly delicious, but one of your friends might come back and find you two. I'm pretty sure they'd freak out seeing their friends standing unconscious with blank expressions. So…until you need me." He's about to snap his fingers, before he can Tori cuts in,

"But how do we…Mind Council?"

"Complete a circle between all three of us. Ta-ta." Before any more questions, his fingers snap breaking the council and returning the girls to their bodies in a blinding flash.

Tori rubs her eyes as flashes of the Blackbox return her vision. She braces herself against Jade as a sharp pain stabs at the back of her head. It fades but it leaves behind an image in her mind…a massive ancient looking version of Irot and an immense brutal looking version of Edaj are locked in a death grapple with each other surrounded by darkness.

"What the hell was that?" Tori stands and turns away from Jade trying to recover from the image.

"I have no idea." Jade is shaking her head as she braces against the statue.

"Your voice sounds funny, Jade." Tori notices the voice of her friend is smoother and more…clear.

"Same here, it sounds like your everywhere." Jade feels like the spellcaster's voice is engulfing the room, as if coming from every direction simultaneously.

"Yeah…" Tori turns around to face Jade. She understands perfectly as Jade's voice cuts back in as rough and hazy as it used to be…but it never sounded that way until the Mind Council broke.

"Tori, your lips aren't moving." Jade isn't sure, it might just be her mind resettling.

"What? What do you mean?" Tori worried like there is something wrong with her lips feels them as she speaks.

"I heard you say 'Yeah',…but your lips were still." Jade even less sure of what she saw.

"What is she talking about?"

"You're doing it again."

"I didn't say that out loud…" Tori is freaking a little.

"No, you didn't…You were thinking it, weren't you?" Jade comes to the realization of what's going on,

"I'm reading your mind,…that is freaking cool." Jade starts thinking of all the things she could do with this ability.

"No it's not. I don't want you in my head." Tori rubs her forehead, this whole thing is giving her a headache.

"You just read my mind too…Maybe it's a Dragon-kin ability."

"You think Charles could've mentioned that before we left." Tori getting annoyed at all the surprises.

"Probably a lot of things he didn't mention…Whatever I'm going to enjoy this." Jade cracks the most manically grin of her life.

"Honestly, I don't care. Just stay out of my head."

"Ooh…don't want me to know about all those dirty thought floating around up there?" Jade smirking.

"I've got nothing to hide, go ahead." Tori states flatly as she crosses her arms and stares right into Jade's eyes with a steely glaze.

"…I'm not going to waste my time with your feeble thoughts. Let's go, we've kept the others waiting long enough." Jade turns wearing a bored expression. Tori follows without a word.

"What were you guys doing in there, it's been twenty minutes?" Andre leaning on Beck's car asks while looking at his watch.

"Talking to the statue." Jade answers flatly,

"He talks too much but he does like my jokes."

"Well, I'm glad someone likes them. Now are you two done messin' for the day?" Andre still doesn't find their jokes funny.

"Personally speaking, yes. Yes I am." Tori not really up for any more pranks right now.

"Without Vega, it won't be as much fun, so I guess." Jade answers begrudgingly with eyes rolling.

"Good, now are we doing anything?" Beck asks as if they were the ones who were supposed to come up with an activity.

"I'm heading home…wait where's Trina?" Tori searches for her sister and their shared auto.

"She left nineteen 'n' a half minutes ago." Tori drops her head at Robbie's reply.

"Can I get a ride?"

"If we can come over?" Andre taking to opportunity to invite them all over as is custom.

"I kinda have to talk to my parents about the whole missing 90% of school thing. So…I don't think that's a good idea. Sorry."

"That's okay we can find somewhere else to hang. We could go to the Bluesberry, my brother got kicked out for trying to eat the tables." Cat joyfully being Cat.

"It's all her fault, if she'd got a better night's sleep the night before then she could've driven us home last night." Jade ignores Cat's ditsy, striking at Tori while everyone was putting together why Cat's brother tried to eat the tables. She knows that's not why it's Tori's fault but really isn't in the mood for the 'I'm a dragon-thingy' talk.

"You're right, it is my fault. But it was worth it, let's go I'm sure you want to see me get punished." Tori walks over to Jade's car,

"Bye, guys. See you all Monday. I hope you have fun." She opens the door and takes her seat.

"When did I say I was going the take her home?" Jade arms crossed looks at Tori sitting in her car.

"Right after you slept with her." Beck finally gets to enjoy this scenario with his own joke. Jade quickly counters,

"At least she knows what she's doing." Andre and Rex enjoy a good laugh as Beck glares at her.

"Later." She walks over to her car, hopes in, and pulls off.

As soon as they leave the parking lot Tori looks over at Jade with half of a smirk,

"Couldn't read their minds could you?"

"…No, I can't read yours either." Jade is bitter and disappointed in losing her new ability.

"Must've been because we were so close to Weston…or the Mind Council was still partially in effect." Tori figured as she looks back out the window.

"Damn it! And I was going to really enjoy myself." Jade's tone flashes with rage.

"…But Jade…did you see the image of…" Tori nervously remembering the vision.

"The dragon and tiger? Yeah. Creepy." Jade lets her anger flood away, replaced by insecurity.

"What do you think it meant? I mean…"

"I know the tiger and dragon looked like Irot and Edaj. I don't know. But I think we should ask Weston, the next chance we get." Jade was also afraid of what this could mean for them and their…pets…no companions was more accurate.

"Agreed."

Tori had to wait for her father before her punishment which took about another two hours. In the meantime she finished most of the homework/makeup work for missing most of school. When he did arrive he wasn't as upset as she thought he'd be,

"Tori." He wasn't angry.

"Dad."

"What happened?"

After retelling the same story that she told her teachers and mother, she awaited the response,

"Good girl." He kissed her on the forehead.

"What?" Tori was surprised to say the least.

"I can't tell you the number of people who've died because they decided to drive without enough sleep, especially long distances were the road seems to lull you right to sleep. I'm glad you and your friend decided not to risk it, that's very responsible of you." He gets up and heads over to the table,

"Plus you called as a soon as you could, and went to school anyway. Except for the fact you overslept I really can't think of anything you did wrong."

"We're proud of your choices and manners, Tori." Her mother was beaming with pride in her little girl.

"Thanks, Mom. Dad." Tori quite shocked at these words, but not as much as Trina,

"Are you serious? She stays out until like two hours ago and you are proud of her? Staying at some strange guy's house out in the middle of nowhere, you really believe that?"

"Trina, shut up. We trust your sister, so yes we believe her. Now eat your dinner." Her father was stern as he stared her down.

Tori received no punishment, much to her surprise and even more to her sister's. After dinner she returned to her room and locked the door. She snuck some of her food in for Irot, however he wasn't hungry which concerned her. But he didn't seem weak, in fact he looked as if he had just eaten a satisfying meal. She looked around her room to make sure he didn't make a snack out of any of her stuff. Upon her inspection she found nothing damaged or missing.

She walked over to her bed and flopped down leaning up on her elbows, he quickly scurried onto the bed and then onto the top of her head,

"Why do you all ways do that?" He popped his down from her brow just like when they first met. He simply stared at her before he returned to his favorite nest.

"I suppose that was an answer. Too bad I don't understand it." She sighed and grabbed her phone. There was a message,

'How'd the punishment go?'-Jade

Tori though to herself how funny it was that Jade was texting her, considering just three days ago that would have been a sign of the apocalypse.

Before Jade went home she decided to stop off at Dan's,

"Oh…Hello again." He answered with concern at seeing her again.

"You stupid or something?" Jade spoke with volume and anger.

"Excuse me?"

"Your directions said it would take us an hour, it took two and a half. So are you stupid?" Less volume more anger.

"No, just had to do a background check on you two and I figured you might just give up if you thought I lied to you."

"What the hell?"

"I'm Weston's first line of defense against those who wish to investigate him. He lets me live here and I detour anyone who shows up, unless they happen to be wearing a legion medal. I knew your friend was wearing it. The medal is made of a special material called dread steel, it has a unique smell. So I figured you needed to meet with him and because you were talking to me you weren't actually Legionaries. They call first."

"You smelled the medal?"

"Strong sense of smell, comes with being a Tarjuh." At this he flicks out his purple tongue, it was long and thin like a serpent's. Then he smiles,

"Well, technically it's a sense of taste, but close enough."

"You're not human." Jade was very nervous and wished she had her gun at her back.

"So? I figured you and your girlfriend would be more unders…"

"Girlfriend? Tori? She isn't my girlfriend, just my friend." Jade was taken aback by the assumption.

"My mistake, see just as faulty as a human, no superiority complex here." He spoke apologetically.

"You're weird." Her fear and nervousness were evaporating.

"I know it's one of my better traits." Casually he leaned against the door frame.

"Isn't Weston a monster hunter?" Slightly confused.

"Good thing I'm not a monster uh?" Her confusion increased,

"But…?"

"Monsters are either those too stupid not to attack someone or too evil. I'm neither, so I help out the guy who saved my life. Wouldn't you?" He took a serious tone.

"I guess I sort of already do." She thought about her contract.

"That happens a lot, he gets around and people just fall in line. It ain't bad though, he protects us…non-hues from the less open minded hunters." Dan was back to very casual.

"Good guy."

"No kidding, so was that all you wanted? To yell at me for semi-accurate directions?"

"Yeah…sorry about that. Bye."

"See ya' and tell your girlfriend 'hi' for me." At that the door was shut. Jade struck a terrifying glare at the door as if to burn it in half to get to the Tarjuh. She sighed and headed home.


AN: Ah Dan, what'a guy. And for those of you who like the texting banter, it gets better in the next chapter...just a little tease for those who care.