"Hmph. " He didn't change his eyes or the boiling lava at ready but he pulled his tail back and wings in. He stopped baring his fangs and lowered his claws,though keeping them read. "Fine.But I'm a barbaric scaled beast~. I don't wanna find you pulling my tail buddy." He said,bopping his head slightly for Ironhorse to speak. "Don't pull my tail,or you'll find lava on you and my stinger in you."

Puck snickered. Ironhorse shifted his weight, gears clanking and groaning. He might not be attacking but Puck trusted him about as far as he could throw him, which was not at all.

Ironhorse lowered his head in what was almost a bow. "THANK YOU, JASON. I CALLED YOU HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE A MUTUAL PROBLEM. YOU SEEK THE SCEPTER OF THE SEASONS, IS THAT NOT CORRECT?"

Jason glanced to Puck,knowing that the most likely older boy hadn't wanted to get involved. He looked back at the horse,confused at the lowered motion of the creature. "Just speak up." He said,not lifting his dragon tone at all,not about to give any info.

"I KNOW WHERE IT IS," Ironhorse continued, swishing his tail with a clanking sound. I CAN HELP YOU RETRIEVE IT."


Puck laughed. "Sure you can," he mocked, as Ironhorse snorted and pinned his ears. "And all we have to do is follow you like eager little puppy dogs, all the way into the trap. Sorry, tin can, were not that naive."


Ironhorse snorted. "DO NOT MOCK ME, ROBIN GOODFELLOW," he said with a blast of flame from his nostrils. "MY OFFER IS GENUINE. I DO NOT SEEK TO MISLEAD YOU."

"Yeah yeah,sure. Why would you want to lead us to the scepter? You think that sounds like an invitation to a party? Two things. One,you just say you'll help us and expect us to be all uppity up and all yeses. Two,do you not even realize this doesn't sound like a trap? Like you were sent?" He said,tsching a bit with his tongue to a fang. "Dig deeper than a foot or two to find what you're lookin' for."

Ironhorse blinked at Jason, astonished. "LISTEN--" Ironhorse stamped a hoof. "--THE NEW IRON KING IS A FRAUD.


"A fraud? What do you mean?"


The lieutenant tossed his head disdainfully. "EXACTLY WHAT I SAID. THE KING CURRENTLY SITTING THE THRONE IS AN INTRUDER AND A FAKE. I FEEL NO LOYALTY TOWARD HIM." He swished his tail and raised his head imperiously. "I AM NOT LIKE THE IRON BROTHERHOOD. THE KNIGHTS WERE CREATED TO OBEY WHOEVER SITS UPON THE THRONE. THEIR SENSE OF DUTY IS WARPED. I KNOW THE TRUTH. AND I WILL NOT SERVE HIM."

Jason raised an eyebrow,looking to Puck. "What you think?"

"Me?" Puck smirked and crossed his arms. "I think all Iron fey should be melted down into scrap metal. I wouldn't follow Rusty here if my life depended on it."

"How very predictable." Grimalkins voice drifted up from near Jason's feet. Nobody had heard him move. "Your prejudice blinds you to what is really happening."

Jason agreed with a faint bop of his head but glanced at Grim. "What's happening is that this new 'iron king' is desperate for power and is willing to do whatever it takes to take it. I've known someone closely related to me like that.Still do,but..." He looked at Ironhorse thoughtfully. "You do seem like you would be loyal,the thing is you just need to understand the terms of service and just who is the right one to serve. Listen,if your not one for a fraud then how come you where one for someone who didn't care about lives?" Jason said,putting a hand to his hip. "This fraud is no different.He doesn't care who dies for power,just as the past Iron King did. I saw it in him.Just like my semi-twin."

Grimalkin yawned. "Is it not obvious? When you killed Machina, the Iron fey lost their ruler. They needed someone to sit upon the throne, give them direction. A false monarch claiming to be the Iron King answered them, but not everyone accepted him. Now, the Iron fey are split into two camps, one siding with the false king, and one that wishes to bring him down. Ironhorse is part of the second. Is that not true?"

"THAT IS CORRECT."

"If the false king gets the scepter, he will become even more powerful," Grimalkin continued, gazing at Jason with unblinking golden eyes. "If he is to be stopped, it must happen before he receives it. Ironhorse claims to know its location. You would be foolish not to listen to him."