Brand New Day

Pernas shrugged. "I dunno how. He called me last time, and I dunno how to use them."

"So you don't know how to contact him?" Vi fidgted on his head, "I guess we really are stuck waiting."

"That's a problem." Pernas said. "But he'll come along and set everything straight. He's very good at that kind of thing."

"That's good," She shifted her self, "I think I'm going to go be with my father for the rest of the day. He would probably enjoy that."

"Okay." Pernas said. "Man, he's so relieved that you're back and that you're okay. He was worried sick. I nearly had to turn into a dragon to keep him from finding liquor."

"Yeah he does that a lot," Vi said a little sadly, "He'll be alright. I'm glad you kept him away from it like I asked though."

"Yeah." Pernas said. Then he paused, thinking. "Why do I even have thats stuff?" he asked.

"Maybe your father likes it?" Vi asked, "Or perhaps you might gain a taste for it?"

"I dunno." Pernas asked. "Father never got drunk. I don't think he could get drunk. I dunno. Before I became a dragon, he forbade me from drinking it. Maybe it isn't so damaging to a dragon."

"That would make sense," Vi said softly, "I'll be off then." She flitted off of his head and in the direction of her father.

"Okay." Pernas said, resuming his vaguely-described garden work.

***

"You have to understand." one of the remaining cows in the Captain's herd explained to a group of skeptics. "If we're going to defeat the Dragon, we have to be willing to take extreme measures."

One of the others laughed. "And why should we trust that nutcase instead of the Dragon? Sure, the Dragon eats us, but at least he's honest about it. He doesn't have some kind of agenda."

"The music's nice, too." said another.

"Forget it." the cow said, slinking off back to the rest of the remainder of the herd.

Xon was sitting in the grass, stewing to himself, pretty much resigned to defeat. Ned walked up to him.

"Cheer up." he said. "Could be worse."

"How?" Xon asked. "Almost all of the herd is gone, and some of them are going back to Pernas."

"At least you lost easy. You could've been like me." Ned said. "I tried to fight, and I lost terribly. You're just part of a failed movement."

"Yeah, yeah..." Xon said, sighing and looking up. "Say... what's that?" he asked.

"Hmm?" Ned asked, looking in that direction. There seemed to be a box in the sky, of a much darker shade, like the night sky, rather than the clear blue sky of the day.

"That's odd..." Ned said.

Then, a gold dragon flew from it. Eonoe. Xon started, and got to his feet immediately. "Oh, no. More of them!"

Captain Carbonbuckle didn't even look up. Instead he was chewing his grass thoughtfully with his head down.

Reyna followed after him, a streak of burnished gold, as she raced past him a voice scorched across the land scape, "Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeernas!!!!!"

Reyna landed with a bone ratteling thud and even though her claws worked on the grass she waited patiently for Eonoe.

Eonoe casually glided down after Reyna, who was waiting below. "Quite excited, aren't you?" Eonoe asked, laughing. He landed next to her and nuzzled her. "So, I'll introduce you to him and let you talk to him while I go down to the core and see exactly what the trouble is. How does that sound?"

***

"Huh?" Pernas asked, looking up. Someone called his name. Very loudly. "That's funny..." he said, walking out of the garden.

Even as the other cows gawked at the dragons, Captain Carbonbuckle appeared unruffled except that he was eating his grace with a bit more force then nessisary.

Reyna was trembling with a bit of excitement but once he drew closer and nuzzled her calm swept through her. She nodded to him, "I can find him. His power trace. You go deal with the core."

Reyna looked at the cows but none of them were remarkable. Captain Carbonbuckle was clean of his strange coloring. She set off for Pernas. She found him quickly enough, close to the gardens.

Her claws scrapped the ground slightly but she was happy as she gave him a lick, "Hello, hello, my name is Reyna. Your dad's down at the core. He'll be up soon."

Then she wriggled with excitement and changed at the same time. Her body becoming human as she threw her arms around Pernas, "I'm your soon-to-be Mommy!"

"Okay." Eonoe said. "But I warn you, Pernas is liable to get very confused." he said as he headed off for a cave.

Pernas walked out and he saw a dragon. A gold dragon, like his father, yet it was a different texture of gold. Burnished.

"Hi..." he said, a bit confused. he blinked as she licked him.

Then she turned into a human and threw her arms around him. "Mommy?" he asked, surprised.

This was very surprising. If not for that phone call, he might've expected to never see Eonoe again, and now not only had he arrived, but he had a girlfriend.

He was very confused.

Reyna laughed at his confusion. He was quite adorable by her standards. She wrapped one arm around his shoulders and drew him closer to the place that echoed with Eonoe's power, "Don't worry, we'll explain things. We are going to have the wedding here after all."

Vi landed on Pernas' head, "You are his fathers... girlfriend?" It was such an awkward word.

Reyna smiled, "What a pretty bird. Yes or his fiance."

"I wanted to meet you so he called you up," Reyna smiled at him, "You are so adorable. I'm glad that I get to be a mommy for a little while. Though that's okay if you don't call me Mommy."

"Okay..." Pernas said, blinking at what she said. He blushed, but didn't say anything. He just walked with her. "So, he's here to fix all the problems?" he asked.

"Yeah, he can fix everything," Reyna said with a smiled, "I'll be helping. Though I don't think I can fix the core."

Vi hopped nervously, "Does that mean that you can fix me?"

"Fix you?" Reyna asked, "Wait were you one of the humans?"

Vi twittered a yes and Reyna stopped them from moving forward and held out her hand, "Sure, I think I can. I can try at least."

She looked at Pernas, "Wait a moment, love."

Turning around she consintrated on the bird. For a few moments nothing happened and then with a slight popping noise Vi stood in front of her. Though she bore no clothes. Reyna smiled and clothed her quickly.

"I think that is a one time thing but that dress fits you perfectly," Reyna said with a smile at the much younger girl. Her dress was purple and blue. The purple deep while the blue was lighter. Long ringlets of cloth casscaded down her, "Oh, sorry. I don't really know the style here."

Vi was looking down and hugged the woman, "Thank you!"

"So you are Pernas' girlfriend I take it?" Reyna said and Vi backed away from her. Her face was bright red and she looked at Pernas for a moment before dropping her gaze, "Ooo I see. That's fine."

She looped her arm through both Vi's and Pernas' and pulled them to the caves, "I'm starved. Why don't you cook us up something, Pernas?" Reyna was glad that it was for regular food, she had made sure to eat before they came here. Eonoe had said it was best for Pernas not know about that part of her.

Pernas looked away as Vi turned into a human. Awwwwkwaaard.

"There's another guy." Pernas said. "He's stuck as a cow right now. I think he'd like to be changed back, as well..." he said.

"Sure." he said, now the subject was changed back to food. "Follow me. I think I can find something in the pantry and cook something..." he laughed. "I'm not that experienced as a cook. Sometimes when I don't feel like beef I try to put something together. Took me forever to figure out how to bake a cake."

"Then I will make you something!" Reyna replied, "I'm quite the skilled chef. You'll have to help me a bit though. I think Eonoe will be very hungery when he gets back." He would be. He hadn't been able to eat after her last feeding.

"I can change the man as well, though I don't know how well that will go through with," Reyna smiled, "Can't make mens clothing as well."

"Ohhh..." Pernas said. "Father can still make clothes, right?" he asked. He looked at his white attire. "I'm still wearing the stuff he made for me."

"Only robes, sadly, but yes," Reyna replied, "I bet you are an adorable dragon. We'll have to go flying once the island is fixed."

They made it to the pantry room and Reyna set to work making a rather large breakfast for all of them.

Eonoe, do you need any help? Breakfast is almost done. She smiled at the thought as she flipped over the pancakes.

"Coooming!" Eonoe sang, apparently already on his way. He walked into the dining room, where Pernas and Violet were seated.

"Did you find the problem?" Pernas asked.

"The core seems to be working all right, but someone's been tampering with it." Eonoe said.

"Captain Carbonbuckle" Pernas muttered.

"Yes." Eonoe said. "Him any any number of accomplices. The solution is not so complicated. We just need a way to prevent their access to it, and the problem should fix itself."

Reyna set each of them a plate but Eonoe's was befar the most heaped. Despite her having said she was hungery she ate from part of his plate instead though she obviously left a great majorty to him.

"Well, I have a few ways I can get to him if need be," Reyna said with a smile that was slightly cruel even on her small face.