Alex nervously palms two bottles of wish-water, aware of the dozen more bottles scattered around his invisible feet.
Leah
So explain to me again why this water is any different than tap water? Did it come from Atlantis or something?
Alex
I think these particular bottles actually came from Washington Square Park.
Alex
But to answer your question, any water that lies at the bottom of a wishing well eventually becomes — ah, what’s the word?
Alex
Sure…Infused with the hopes and dreams of everyone who tosses coins into it, until it eventually develops magical properties of its own.
Leah
So if you manage to toss one of those bottles into the dragon’s mouth…?
Alex
It will temporarily extinguish his fire, which should weaken him enough that Jeremy can move in and recapture it.
Leah
Sounds like…not the worst plan ever.
Alex
I think that depends on how the next few minutes ago.
Leah
Ugh…Do you guys smell that?
Jeremy
As a flying pig, you’ve got heightened senses…and an inborn fear of dragons.
Jeremy
My bet is that it’s King Midas you’re smelling.
Leah
In that case, I should warn you it’s getting a LOT stronger.
At first, it’s hard to see the dragon. Its underside is a much lighter grey than the rest of it, blending almost perfectly with the sky, until Alex and Leah notice that one of the “clouds” is moving far too quickly in comparison to the others.
Leah
Squee, squee, squee!
The dragon starts descending, plummeting like a comet.
Leah
Squee, squee, SQUEE!
The dragon’s head cocks. It almost seems like he’s trying to stop his plunge. Alex barely takes the time to aim, but throws his potions. The first smashes near the dragon’s shoulder; the second hits its steaming nostrils.
Alex continues tossing everything he has, but the dragon is definitely headed back toward the sky now, and eventually, Alex finds himself hopelessly targeting a tiny dark speck he can barely make out.
Jeremy
Thank you, Captain Obvious.
Suddenly, a buzzer sounds — soft at first, but growing louder rapidly. Jeremy spins around in a circle looking for the source of the noise, before realizing it’s coming from his watch.
Alex
Dude, if our mission wasn’t already blown, that racket would have definitely given us away. Why do you have an alarm set for…12:15 anyway?
Jeremy
That would be…the Power coming back on.
The dragon sniffs the air around him, tentatively, sensing the presence of gold. He circles the jewelry store closely, its neon sign gleaming like a fly trap…
Meanwhile, Leah, Jeremy and Alex are on the tenth floor of a nearby building, a quick spell performed on the window allowing them to zoom in on the dragon’s movements with a thought.
Leah
Why isn’t he just going for it?
Jeremy
Like I said, dragons are smart. He knows he already fell into trap, he might be weary to risk another.
Alex
Guys! I think we’re losing him. It looks like he’s flying away.
Jeremy
No, no, he’s circling back. He’s trying to hit the building with as much force as possible.
Alex
Well then, he’s in for a surprise.
Instead of colliding with the building, sending concrete and plaster raining down onto the street, the dragon flies right through the store’s south wall like it is a cloud.
Jeremy
Alex, he’s through! Reverse the spell!
At first, there is a moment of false calm.
The dragon does not quite understand how it has been tricked until it tries backing up through the wall it just sailed through only to find it has returned to solid brick. It can’t move forward either, or sideways. The tiny jewelry store has become an elaborate cage it cannot get out of.
Leah
What are we waiting for?
Suddenly, the creature roars loud enough that it shakes the jewelry store’s glass windows…
Jeremy
It’s good if it gets some of its anger out before we approach.
Jeremy
Pretty nice work, team.
Alex gives them both a high-five, which he can now do since Leah’s back to being human and he’s fully visible again.
Leah
So that was the same spell you used to get into the diner this morning?
Alex
It was a bit more successful this time.
Jeremy
Yes, thank Merlin.
Alex
And now that the dragon’s tranquilized, Jeremy…do you think you can you handle it from here?
Jeremy
It shouldn’t be a problem now that magic’s back on.
Leah
But what about the witnesses?
Leah
There’s been a dragon flying around. A few hours ago, you were worried about me blabbing—
Leah
Now you’re all nonchalant about THIS?
Jeremy
The difference is, you had proof. If you had shown anyone what that dragon scale could do, they’d have to believe you about King Midas here.
Jeremy
But, in this case, the dragon’s so camouflaged already, there shouldn’t be much trouble.
Jeremy
A few calls to the local weather stations about a strange storm, a few more to the police claiming that they saw a “UFO”…you know, the usual.
Alex
Besides…I’m sure there will be another celebrity scandal in another couple of days.
Leah
What does that have to do with anything?
Alex and Jeremy exchange a glance.
Leah
Oh, come on. You can’t NOT tell me.
Alex
A lot of reality stars and other “celebrities” that seem to be famous for no reason are actually wizards.
Jeremy
They just use magic to keep people interested in them, so that the public will be distracted from real news.
Jeremy
A lot of magical events — plane disappearances, miraculous survival stories — get covered up that way.
Leah
That…makes almost too much sense.
Leah
Guess I still have a lot to learn about magic. If you guys aren’t still planning to scoop my brains out like ice cream, that is.
Alex and Jeremy pretend to mull it over.
Jeremy
We quite like having you around. You know, as bait.
Leah
Aww, guys. This might just be the start of a beautiful friendship…
Jeremy
Hey! I said that four hours ago. But I guess you forget about that part of our beautiful friendship already?
Leah
More like I’m choosing to reset our beautiful friendship to start at a point AFTER we almost got eaten by a fairytale creature.
Jeremy
Now, go on. You crazy kids get out of here. I’ve got a lot of work to do.
Alex
I can walk you home, Leah, if you want…
Alex
Or you can walk me home, if the first question seemed sexist.
Leah
Sure, Alex. That would be nice.
Jeremy watches them leave, but then with a quiet shake of his head, turns his attention back to the dragon, whose drool is really starting to get out of control.
Alex
So, pretty exciting day, huh?
Leah
I’ll say. I’m going to have to jump out of five planes in a row just to get the same kind of adrenaline rush.
Alex
Well, let me know when you’re planning to do that. I’ll make the blow-up target move to wherever you are.
Leah
I’d appreciate that.
They walk in companionable silence for a minute.
Leah
Alex…one more thing?
Leah
That dragon isn’t the REAL King Midas, is he?
Alex
Hehe. That’s kind of a long story, actually.
Leah
Well, lucky for us, we still have a very long walk.
