Of course it would be easy to believe that the outdated principles of that crazy dragon you call an employer had rubbed off on you, but the three of us know each other too well for all that. It's time the two of you took your heads out of your giant scaly backsides and looked at what is happening now, not what has gone on in the past. The council controls everything for better or worse and I'm here to tell you it's worse. They think they are micromanaging everything but it's the big picture they just can't see. I'm willing to concede that the king might be able to, but he just doesn't have the power any more to make any difference. I like him Peter, I really do. But this isn't a hundred, or even two hundred years ago. Things are different and by his own admission he just doesn't have the influence the role once did. Things are changing not just down here, but on the surface. That whole debacle with Manson should be a warning of what will happen if we don't adapt and integrate with the humans. They can be part of something bigger, something that can encompass the whole planet if only they were given the chance, but we as a race are too caught up in tradition, prophecies, mantras, you name it. Before we know it, it'll be too late. Too late for all of us, the humans, dragons, everything, and I for one will not lie down and roll over for dragons that can't see what's coming. I won't be dictated to, now or ever, and the two of you are either with me or not. It's time for everyone to choose," and with that she whirled round and stomped off in the direction of the monorail station.
Unable to move through absolute shock, it was Peter who spoke first.
"Where on earth did all that come from?" he spluttered.
Tank just shook his head in reply, unable to speak. Eventually he did, but it took more than a minute or so.
"I didn't tell anyone... honest Pete."
"I know," replied Peter. "And deep down, she knows too. She's just angry that she's been caught out. It'll be alright in the end, I'm sure."
"I hope you're right my friend. I've never seen her so worked up about anything," declared Tank, slapping his friend playfully on the back.
With that the two of them headed wearily in the direction of the monorail, noting that with the exception of the food vendors who were now busy cleaning away and picking up rubbish, they were the last ones to leave.
14
Flashback
During the course of the following day at work, Peter tried to find his friend, but to no avail. Checking her diary, speaking to her colleagues, he searched for her on all the security monitors, but there was simply no sign of her anywhere. She was in the company somewhere, that was for sure. For one thing, he could sense her dragon presence, a little cloudy and still in a rage, but present, blending in. For another thing, she'd clocked in and he'd gone back and checked the security feed from the main entrance to check it was her. It was. And still he couldn't find her. Not willing to blame her workmates, Richie had obviously told them that she didn't want to see him and so they were covering for her, if indeed they really knew where she was. For the last hour or so he'd tried thinking like her, all... sneaky, but that had got him nowhere. She was bloody clever and he was pretty sure wherever she was now, she was all smug at the thought of how she'd outwitted him. Determined not to give up though, he needed to speak to her about what had happened last night and resolved to try and patch things up between her and Tank.
That evening, he drove home in a huff, having got virtually no work done, and more importantly for him, found no sign of his friend. A few times he'd tried ringing Tank on his mobile, only getting a message saying that it wasn't possible to connect, for his troubles, not particularly surprising given that there was no signal in the area of London where the Mantra Emporium was located. Thoughts of travelling up to London to find his friend crossed his mind, but he figured it would probably be too late and that Tank would have disappeared off home, and Gee Tee might well have donned his stripy nightcap and sloped off to bed. As he perched on the edge of his sofa contemplating what to do next, the doorbell rang.
'Oh good,' he thought to himself sarcastically, 'a chance to change my energy supplier for only the third time this week... just what I need.' But as he neared the very secure front door, a tinge of fear ran down the back of his neck, because the presence that he could feel standing outside wasn't human. This of course was nothing new to him, but he couldn't tell exactly what it was, which in turn caused his legs to feel all weak and sweat to accrue on his hands and forehead. Reaching the door, he very carefully placed his palm directly in the middle of it and in his mind, shouted one word:
"Patefacere." Immediately the door blurred around the edges, before starting to shimmer. Moments later, the shimmering resolved, having turned the door, from his side anyway, totally transparent. And the face looking through at him was as much a relief as it was a joy. Peter whispered,
"Reverti," and the door instantly reverted back to its normal state. Opening the door with a huge grin, Peter cried,
"Flash."
"Hello Peter," replied the permanently changed former Crimson Guard. "How are you?"
"I'm fine thanks. Ummm, why don't you come in?"
"Well, if I'm not disturbing you. If you've got other things on I can come back another time."
"No, not at all. Come in," offered Peter, holding the door open.
Flash walked down the hallway as Peter closed the door.
"It's great to see you again," announced Peter excitedly. "How have you been?"
"Ahhh... you know Peter... not too bad. It's still all sinking in... you know, everything that's happened."
"I bet."
"The king's been really great about everything though. I've moved out of the Crimson Guard barracks and have been staying with him in his private residence."
"Fantastic," replied Peter.
"Yeah, it's pretty cool."
"Surely it must be a little cramped though?" joked Peter.
Flash smiled.
"I must admit I struggle with just one floor to myself, but I make do as best I can."
At the thought of Flash wandering all alone around a whole floor of the king's private residence, Peter let out a loud, raucous laugh. It took more than a few seconds for his mouth to stop laughing so that he could once again use it for talking.
"It's so cool seeing you again. I very rarely get any guests, well... apart from Tank and Richie, and it's great to see another dragon. What brings you this way?"
"Wellllll," said Flash. "It was the king's idea really, he thought I was becoming a little withdrawn and... miserable. In fact, I believe his exact words were 'take your head out of your... scales and go and enjoy yourself.' He suggested I look up some of my friends and well... other than Yoyo, you and Tank would seem to be the only friends I have in the entire world. And rather than spend many hours on the monorail travelling to Australia, I decided to pay you a visit. I hope you don't mind?"
"Do I look as though I mind? As I've said before... it's great to see you and you're welcome any time."
"Thanks," whispered Flash in reply.
"In fact," ventured Peter, "I was just thinking about going to find Tank. Fancy a quick trip up to Gee Tee's Mantra Emporium?"
Flash looked more than a little reticent, and then it suddenly dawned on Peter that he'd probably just travelled all the way from London just to see him.
"Sorry. How insensitive of me. You've just come down from there to see me. It's okay, I can catch up with Tank another time."