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Those exploring the upper floors, giggling and scaring each other as they look for hidden rooms and ghosts give pause as the upper floor shudders and the roof creaks alarmingly. One couple near a window that looked down on the courtyard jump back as ceramic roof tiles fall past the window and shatter on the cobblestones below.
Faintly, if they are lucky, they hear a high pitched child-like voice say "Althea sorry! This place old old old and pieces fall!"

There is a groan as an old metal door is pried open above, and a rattle as chains are yanked and worked upon. A siblant rattle indicates them slithering to the floor, chain links mysteriously ripped (bitten?) apart. The tromp of steps on the stairs, creaking as they descend, until a young man, dressed in a WWII era brown leather flight jacket, cross-zipped leather gloves, high boots, and sporting a leather helmet, flight goggles, and a bright blue scarf shoves open a door.

Any listening closely would hear a hiss, and the young man say "No, you cannot chase rats. We don't have time for that right now. If I get spellstruck and you are off devouring some mangy old rat, how guilty would you feel, huh?" Another hiss, and a shadow flickers through the cobwebbed air leaving the impression of glowing green eyes. "Dude, you are gonna get so much food tonight, I don't want to hear it. You are supposed to divebomb people at random times and steal their plates and stuff, You are not gonna be able to fly, fatso."

Donnie stalks through the darkness, and his eyes flicker a blue green as he walks without a flashlight.

As Donnie moves about the house meeting people and being friendly he smiles at the occassional scream or shriek as something dives down from the catherdal ceiling to make off with a cup or plate.  Uther is also having a hand at the fun by laying in the woods emmitting his distinctive roar from time to time.  Althea makes the occasional fly by to cast her shadow across windows or over the ground outside.  All the while he can feel Dylan's precense, here but not.  It's the connection between them that has grown stronger since they met.  Donnie has gone from being alone to never being without a friend, or his brother, close at hand.

Donnie floats through the crowd, quietly reveling in how light on his feet he was from the constsnt drilling by Jack whil ethey trained. He feels loose, ready for a fight, yet strangely relaxed. This must be what Kel feels like all the time. If so, I understand his cocky and cool-headed attitude. Dude's ready to fight; any time, any place. Donnie sends wordless assurance to his dragons, which he knew were close at hand, and wonders what his brother is doing this night.

About a quarter after ten Donnie gets a text message from Dave.

If they were ducks they'd be made of wood, and floating in the main entry way.

Donnie feels a flutter of panic in his chest, then it quieted as a feeling of predatory anticipation slithered through his veins. A slow smile spread across his face as he finished pouring the cup of punch and puts away his phone. A secret smile that he knows his dragons share.

Uther grumbles about being stuck in the woods as Althea does rollovers high in the sky, ready to attack and eat any who harm her master. Patience my friends. We will see how this plays out.

Speaking loud enough for people near him to look oddly at Donnie, he says  "John. Our pointy-hat wearing friends have come through the front door. Can you tell Megan? And Sammy and Kel if you see them?"

He then heads back to Sylvia with her punch. When he sees her, his heart does a touble hammer as the thought of doing this alongside her excites him. "Here is your punch." He leans close as he hand it to her and whispers "They are here. Dave just tex'd me."

She seems less jittery, less intense, when he finds her again, and she quaffs the punch almost in one gulp, wiping a dribble of red from the corner of her mouth with her thumb.  "Let's do it."

Donnie pulls back on his leather flight cap and pulls the goggles down over his eyes, once again hiding his identity. He makes a kissy motion to Sylvia and grins, taking her hand and quietly, carefully making his way towards the entrance. He pauses and pulls out his phone, texting to Dave:

If U C any US send thm 2 frnt

He then continues on, humming to himself, and wonderfully aware of Sylvia's hand in his.

Donnie finds Sylvia again where she is leaning against the wall. He has another cup of punch and a small plate of snacks. "Hey, you did wonderfully. None of them had any idea I was there. We got them all, Syl. Their power should be broken. Colin's, uh, attack has been answered. Here, I got you some food and punch. I'm sure you're tired. Want to sit down a bit?"

If she agrees, he leads her to a nearby table and shoves over the collection of drink cups, cans, and plates. He has gotten her the usual veggie fare, but some not-so-Mitzi approved snacks as well, including cookies. He sits near, but not as close as he usually does. He's giving her space.

"That was cool," she tells him, nibbling on a cookie.  "I have no idea what happened, but it was cool.  What's going to keep the lead witch from getting her powers back?"

Later, when Mitzi comes by, Sylvia holds his hands and searches his face, wanting to say more than what comes out of her mouth.  "Do you have a ride?"  She glances in Althea's direction.  Ginny stands within earshot, although she maintains the elaborate pretense that she's not listening.  Mitzi's in the car, a cardigan sleeve dangling from her knitting needles.

"Her power is broken, and much of that power was derived from hurting herself with the athame or by hurting others. They may eventually find a way around that, but for now they are kharmically barred from hurting themselves or others. We'll have to wait and see if things hold true. I worked for weeks on that one spell, so I think it likely to hold for a good long time."

They talk of trivialities and school. Donnie tells her of the Dragon's Potence, how they shape their emotions into extensions of their Will for a variety of magical effects. They share what knowledge they have of Dylan. Minutes slip past until the party winds down.

Outside, in the cold night air, he holds her hands. "Yes, I have a ride. In fact, only at night am I able to get a chance, you know? I don't want to make any mistakes tonight, so I think I will say goodnight now, rather than at my front door." He brings her hands to his lips and kisses the top of her hnd, deftly slipping in the crooked teeth afterward and sending a beaming smile towards Ginny. "Better get this one under wraps soon, dear Ginny, else someone might start tossing gold at her requesting a /dance!"  He winks at Sylvia and leads her to the car, giving Mitzi the full effect of his costume to get a laugh. He leans in near her window and thanks her for the direction on the coven problem. "It's over now, thankfully. Their power cut off, and all now are bound, though they do not realize it yet. Thank you."

"That's good Donnie, I'm glad that worked out."

Ginny and Sylvia pile in the car and Mitzi drives them home.  Donnie waits for an opportune moment to take flight and head homeward himself.