As soon as everyone was gathered, Grimalkin jumped onto Jason, as if to wake him up. "I have been thinking, perhaps we should rethink our strategy," he said, looking at each of them. "It occurs to me that charging headlong into Machina's realm is a singularly bad idea."
"What do you mean?" Ash asked.
"Well." The cat sat down and licked his back toes. "Given that he keeps sending his officers after us, I would guess that he probably knows we're coming. Why did he kidnap Jason's brother in the first place? He must have known you would come after him."

Jason,having been shocked fully to wakefulness,was now on his stomach with wings to the side and tail tapping on the ground as he waited for Grim to get off. He nodded tho,agreeing. "I agree. It's not easy to go into the dragon realm and just kidnap a dragon,let alone if your a stranger and taking the eldest prince. I'm assuming he must want us,or at least you,to come bad because Flasher is not an easy one to nab unless he's hungry or asleep."

Well," Grim replies. "Something is missing. Or maybe we are just not seeing it. The Iron King would have no use for a dragon. Unless..." The cat looked up at them, narrowing his eyes. "I am leaving."

Jason raised an eyebrow,looking with worry and confusion to the cat. "Grim....is there something you want to say?"

"Well, I have a theory." Grim stood, waving his tail. "I think I might know another way into Machina's realm."
"A theory?" Ash crossed his arms. "We can't break plan on a hunch, Cait Sith."
"Even if the way you're going leads straight into a trap?"
Ash shook his head. "We have to risk it. We're so close. We can't turn back now. You should come with us, Sith. We need you. You've always pointed us in the right direction." Ash hated having to say that, but he did.
"I am not a fighter, prince," Grimalkin shook his head and blinked. "That's your job. I accompanied you to show the way to Flasher and for my own amusement. But I know my limitations. "

Jason understood what the cat said and thought for a moment. "Pushing limitations is part of life,so you can expand them. I agree with the prince,you should come."

"Well, that's not guaranteed. So, it is time we settled our debts and parted ways."
Ash sighed. "A deal's a deal. What do you want, cat?" Grimalkin's gaze bore into him. He sat up straight, flicking his tail. "My price is this," he stated. "I want to be able to call on you, once, at a time of my choosing, no questions asked. That is my debt."
"A summoning?" The prince sounded puzzled. "Odd for you, Cait Sith, but I can live with that." The cat stood, nodding once at Ash and then to Jason. "Until we meet again." Then he slipped into the grass, his bottlebrush tail held straight up, and disappeared

Jason sat back on his legs,dusting off his hoodie arms and shaking out his wings a bit. His tail twitched but was curled around him in a circle like position. He watched after the cat for a moment before absentmindedly touching the pocket of his hoodie,the thoughts and worries for the egg at the portal causing him to automatically reach to touch it to make sure it's safety. He paled for a moment as he only felt fabric but shook it off,reminding himself of the multi-egglets location. 'They'll be fine,it can't be a full moon in the dragon realm yet,I'll be there when she hatches....I have to be. I'm not letting her hatch alone like I did.' He thought for a brief moment.

A piskie spiraled down from the branches, hovering a few inches from Jason's face.

Ash moved closer to Jason and touched her arm, a brief, featherlight caress. He offered that tiny, endearing smile, one of apology and encouragement, and a silent promise that he wouldn't leave him.

The piskie had blue skin and dandelion hair and gossamer wings. She stuck her tongue out at Jason and zipped to Ash, alighting on his shoulder. Ash cocked his head as the piskie whispered something in his ear. One corner of his mouth turned up. The piskie giggled and spun into the air again. "This is Seedlit," Ash said as the piskie spiraled through the air like a drunken hummingbird. "She'll lead us to the wharfs, and then to the factory. Beyond that, we're on our own."

Jason felt a bit better at the faint touch from Ash,giving a small smile in return. He stood and laughed lightly. "Okay." He was tempted to call her cute but wasn't sure because he didn't know it that would be rude. He shook his wings out with a ripple of rich gold and soft teal,the colors shimmering a bit. They then folded close to his sides as his hands slipped into his hoodie pocket,clenching and un-clenching a bit. He longed to cradle the little egg in his arms,to stroke the speckled shell to calm the little one that always seemed panicked inside.