Disclaimer: This story is completely original. All characters, settings, and events are spawned from my own mixed up little mind and may not be used, copied, or adapted without my express written permission. Do not steal my story!!!

8.

Verum was gone the next morning when Toby woke up. She wasn't even sure if fairy godmothers, even those in training, needed to sleep or where she went when she wasn't around, but at least Toby seemed to be able to call her when she needed her. Theodore was stretched out on the floor amid a tangle of the blankets Toby had given him to sleep on, snoring loudly.

Who would have thought dragons snored.

It took her more time than she had patience to get Theodore awake and coherent enough to walk down to the bus stop. Then she had to coerce him to let the bus 'eat him,' promising him that it wouldn't hurt and they could get back out again. Once on it, he clamped his hands around one of the metal poles and held on with a single-minded determination. He wouldn't even talk to Toby as the bus lurched away from the curb, until the bus stopped and he bolted off … three stops too soon. He seemed happy enough to walk the rest of the way, but Toby envied Verum and her bubble-pop teleportation or whatever it was that she did to get around.

The mall was shaped like a wheel with the food court in a circle at the center and five 'spokes' of stores jutting out. The crowning glory of the food court was two raised circular platforms topped by an overly grandiose fountain of cherubs or something like that. Since it was Saturday, Julie and her mob were certain to be found on the top platform, ensuring optimal viewing for themselves – and for everyone else to see them.

Toby took hold of Theo's hand and dragged him through the entrance and down the hallway. He wanted to stop and look at everything; apparently the old stories about dragons being irresistibly drawn to treasure weren't too far off, because anything shiny seemed to rivet the young man to the spot. It didn't help that he was getting more than a few looks. Even dressed plainly, he made quite a sight with his spiky, deep blue hair that seemed to subtly shift through hues of blue and his matching deep blue eyes which seemed to shine faintly even in the daylight.

Toby just put her head down and tried to get to the center of the court as quickly as possible. Finally they got to the food court, and with Theo in tow, Toby marched right up the stairs to the upper platform. All she could think about was getting to Julie and ending this whole mess. She barely even registered how socially taboo this was, how students on both platforms were staring, how she wouldn't have even dreamed of this a day ago. She had no room for thoughts of retribution or social norms right now; her head was too full of thoughts of fairy tales, dragons, and princesses.

"Tobes?" Toby looked up to see Dominic standing in front of her, looking from her to the blue-haired young man she had in tow.

"Where's Julie?" Toby asked, bluntly.

Dominic stared at her. His stare was so intense it made one week in the knees. "What? Why?"

"Just tell me where she is," Toby said with a sigh. Theo shifted impatiently behind her.

"Over there, I think…" Dominic finally said, staring at Theo.

"Here, watch him. And for my sanity please don't let him get arrested." Toby pulled Theo forward and shoved him into a seat next to Dominic. The dragon sprawled and looked shocked at the act of sitting. She pointed a stern finger at him. "Stay," she ordered. "Or I'll get Verum to put that silence spell back on and not take it off."

He narrowed glowing blue eyes at her. "You wouldn't dare…"

"Try me," Toby said, then grabbed Dominic's fries and set them down in front of the dragon. "Eat Dom's fries. I'll be right back." She glanced at Dominic, noting the confused, blank expression on his face, but had no time for it. Instead she hurried down the stairs towards the store Dominic had pointed at.

"Tobes –" Dominic started, but Toby didn't pause. He looked down at the strange blue-haired punk to find him staring back at Dominic with those freaky eyes. Dominic wondered if they were contacts of some sort, but if they were, they were the weirdest contacts he'd ever seen. "What?" he demanded.

"That's my damsel," Theo said. "Get your own." Then he reached up and stuffed a fry into his mouth, still staring at Dominic.