A few minutes later, after much commotion...
"Wait a minute. You're saying he can turn into a dragon - just like that?"
"No, well, sort of. Damn it, I suck at telling these sorts of things. How about you explain it to her instead, Tezzy?"
Tez sighs. "Very well, Rose." He turns to Fayde. "You haven't shown any tell-tale signs of annihilating us yet, so I'll do the same and reveal my 'curse' to you, Fayde."
She looks at Rose Red, and then back at Tez again. "Curse?"
"Yes, it was given to me through an unfortunate set of events. Let's just say... I technically didn't come to America's Fabletown in the normal sense of things. Whenever I get really angry, or if I lose control of the dragon 'within me' - I become a dragon in return."
"Ah, that explains the dragon eyes I noticed earlier." Fayde put her finger on her cheek. "I'll be smart not to make you furious either."
Tez huffed. "It would be wise."
Nancy joined in their little chat circle. "Sorry to interrupt, but is everything in order? Me and John really need to retreat to bed now. I wasn't joking about us having to get up bright and early tomorrow."
Tez smiles. "Yes, I think everything is in check. Let's vacate the premises for the good woman."
Rose rolls her eyes. "Geez, do you always have to be so formal, Tez?"
"Yes I do."
"In that case - a good evening to you, Madame Smith." Rose mocks a posh woman's curtsey. "I do declare that me and Mister Scales will soon relish having the opportunity to wine and dine in your finest establishment again in the near future."
The dragon thief cringes while Nancy and Harmony attempt to stifle their giggles.
"That's insulting." Tez replied.
"Oh, hush. You know you found it hilarious, Tez."
"Oh my gosh," Harmony stood near Rose. "Uncle Tez really did find it funny, I see him smirking!"
"Ah-ha!" Rose points at Tez as if he got a question right on a game show. "I knew you weren't grumpy! Alright, I got my laughs out of this. Let's go, Harm. You included, Fayde."
The four, as well as Nancy and John, walk over to the house entrance. John opens the door, while Nancy stands idly by. "Good night, and have a safe trip back."
"You too, Nance. John. It's been a long day. Tuck in the kids tight and say our goodbyes for us, you hear?"
"I will, Rose, and Fayde?"
She turns to face Nancy. "Yes?"
"I do hope you can visit us again soon, if possible."
"I hope so. All of you have shown me kindness despite what happened earlier. I'll never forget that."
The four say their goodbyes again, only to leave the Smith Settlement to walk into the darkness of night.
"Well, honey." John closes the doors, looking at his wife. "Let's check on our four troublemakers upstairs."
Crickets chirp on a starry night, and more events soon come into play...
"I'll go 'change' out back." Tez takes off his hoodie, carefully handing it to Rose.
"Yeah, this is the part where you guys look away." Rose grins at the two. "I know I can keep looking because, I've seen his hot bod before."
"Rose..."
"What? I'm just saying, Tez."
Fayde puts her hand on Harm's shoulder. "Yeah, let's take a little walk before things get hectic again."
Harmony shudders the moment her hand touches her shoulder. Fortunately, she keeps her cool and nods, soon following by Fayde's side. "I concur."
They begin walking on the dirt road leading away from the settlement. "So, I apologize if I scarred you back in the vehicle earlier - when I snuck up on your radio listening."
"I got to admit, you had me good. But no worries, your apology was all I wanted in return. Just never do that again to me. Or any of my family and friends if you were planning on it."
"I can't guarantee anything, but I'll do my best."
Harmony crossed her arms. "Figures. I'll take it as a 50/50 maybe."
They continue walking along the road, both of them halt to make sure they don't stray too far from the house. Fayde rests her back against a tree.
"A Banshee, huh? How does it feel like? Y'know, if you guys have any feelings."
Fayde's smile went to a blank expression the moment Harm asked such a thing. "Do you really want to know?"
"Might as well, it'll help ease my curiosity."
She rubs her eyes to try and stay awake. "It honestly feels like Death. Sometimes, when I hear voices in my head, I hear nearby souls calling to me, begging for a way out - or to give them a second chance somehow. You're a bright one, though. You realize we Banshees only serve as omens to those who have their demise coming to them."
"Yes, indeed I do but-" Harmony paused mid-sentence. "You've killed before, haven't you?"
Tears streamed down her face. "Yes..."
Harm's eyes widened when she sees Fayde fall to the ground in sadness. "Oh! I didn't mean to make you cry, I'm sorry! I'll stop talking if you want me to."
"No, no, it's fine. It's just that, you reminded me of something I don't want to remember. It isn't your fault, however, it's mine."
"Hmmm. Okay. Keep in mind that I'm here if you want to-" ROAR
Fayde and Harm turn their attention to the noise. She looks at Harm confused. "What was that?"
"I dunno, but it sounded like my Uncle Tez. Let's go see!" They get up and hurry through the dark forest, trying to figure out where the sound previously emitted from.
"Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary..."
"C'mon, my bundle of fire, not now! Fight it!" Rose slumps her torso on his dragon head for comfort. "Please..."
Tezoth blinks and speaks slowly. "Mother? Father? I miss you. Please let me come home."
"Aunty Rose!" The Banshee and Zephyr come into the scene. "Are the visions back for him?"
"Afraid so, Harm. Let's just hope they'll go away on him soon this time. For all our sakes."
"Oh my," Fayde observes the huge black dragon before her. "This is Tezoth?"
"In the scales. Unluckily for you, you caught him at a bad time. Well, second bad time." Rose glares at the Irish lady.
"Should I go get help from Nancy? Maybe there's something we can do?"
"No, no, there isn't anything they or we can do to help. Besides, they've had enough on their plate for one evening. All we gotta do is wait until his visions end in our part."
"Another curse of his?"
"In a way. You familiar with Bloody Mary at all, Fayde?" Rose slouched over to sit against Tez's side. Harmony did the same.
Fayde still stood up, and pondered about the question. "Only rumors. Haven't came across her in any shape or form in Ireland."
"Lucky you. What you're seeing here is the result of one of her victims."
"How so?"
"She gave my Tez the worst type of 'mental brain cleaning' anyone could possibly have."
"Are the visions permanent for him?"
"God, I hope not. All I know he keeps on mentioning Bloody Mary and his parents occasionally."
Cough, cough, cough, cough.
"Aunt Rose, I think he's snapping out of it!"
"Ugh," The dragon clears his throat. He looks at Rose, Harm, and then Fayde. "What happened?" He looked at Rose once more.
"You were rambling again, with your visions. Amazingly, you recovered quick this time."
"Huh, it must mean it must be going away for me - piece by piece."
"I suppose, but you mentioned your parents again. In your rambling."
"Never mind that, Rose. We've got to get to Fabletown pronto, as you would say. Get on my back, all of you."
"Yeah, yeah, alright." Rose climbs on top of his back. "We'll talk about this later."
Harm raises her hand. "I may decline the 'free ride' this time. I feel like flying tonight. If you don't mind me doing so, Uncle Tez."
"By all means, Harmony. But if you spot a Mundy plane coming, get on my back and I'll evade them."
"Got it." Harmony begins to float, waiting for his go-ahead.
"Well? You coming, Fayde? Not like you have a choice in the matter, anyway." Tez grunts.
"I'm - I'm kind of scared of heights." Fayde scratched her head nervously.
Rose sighs. "This time will be an exception."
Harmony adds in. "If you're scared, you can look at me flying! Or simply imagine that you're in a land made of cotton, barely skimming the surface."
Fayde sighs. "Alright, I-I'll do it. Let's get this over with." She climbs on, trying to brave out her fears.
Tez turns his head to look back.
"If you feel like you're going to fall off, grab on either of my wings. I assure you, though, you needn't worry about such a thing. I'm a good aviator."
Fayde still was nervous about all this. "Got it. Thanks for the tip. Just make it quick, please?"
Rose Red slaps her back gently in response. "Don't you worry about a thing, he actually is a good pilot. Besides, he wouldn't want his favorite clothes -that I have- falling through the air, now would he?" She grinned.
"No, Rose Bud, I would not." He retorted, but smiled afterward.
Harmony grew impatient. "Enough chatting, let's go and see the pretty stars! I bet my roommate's wondering where the heck I am, if I may add!"
"Alright, alright, it's about time we'd get going." Tez looked for an open clearing to spread his wings. Finally locating a spot, he flapped and flapped his dragon wings until he gained flight.
The trees began to get smaller and smaller the moment Tezoth gained altitude.
Fayde grabbed onto his left dragon wing really tight. "Ooohhhh..."
Rose Red breathes in the fresh night air. "Wooo! Moments like these make me fucking happy I'm a Fable."
Harmony chimes in, spreading her arms and soaring through the sky in response. "I agree! Except the F-word part. That I don't agree with."
"Sorry, wind child. My bad."
Tez interrupts. "How is our new 'passenger' doing?"
Rose looks. "I think she's scared, but breathing at least."
Fayde stood quiet in shock from the height.
"Hey, Fayde? Remember what I told you, imagine you're in a cotton field and we're barely skimming the surface."
She breathes. "Yeah, yeah, okay. It's just a cotton field, only a cotton field." She lets go, and carefully observes her surroundings. "Hey, this isn't so bad! Reminds me of my home country a little."
"See? I knew you would come around your fear, at least for now."
"Thank you for that, Harmony. Onward to Fabletown then. Again."