Buck takes this opportunity to land next to Kip.

"Come on Kip, lets go get some air."

"That thing. That thing you said wasn't real ate Trouble. It ate it!"

Kip's voice is low, but it's pretty obvious he's angry.

"Whoever did this, whether it is that fat human's sister, or his advisors, or an evil wizard . . . they're going to pay for this, and I'm going to get the rest of Trouble back!"

After his speech, he will follow the others out of the room.

"Methinks it be time for some..." Ding makes a face. "Research."

"I agree," Hex says. "Did anyone else see that bird toy open its beak before everything started going crazy? Maybe it would be worth taking a look inside that thing? Assuming we can get it open." Hex nudges Buck jokingly.

Kip and Buck head out, leaving the room empty. By the time Kip looks around at the handle in his hand, Trouble is once again in one piece and attached to the handle. It's as if the dragon had repaired the whip while his back was turned... and no-one else ever noticed the whip being damaged in the first place! As Emporer Dim Sun had said, truly these beasts are most tricky...

Speaking of the Emporer, he hurries back in, followed by his three advisors and his sister. "There were four of them!" the Emporer is saying. "They attacked right after the bed landed! And this one cut my nightshirt!" he adds, pointing at one of the bedposts.

"But, Emperor, this is only a bedpost." points out Tall.
"And the room seems in perfect order." concludes Medium.
"Almost perfect order." corrects Short, standing the mechanical nightingale back up again. Aside from the nightingale being knocked over, the hole in the closet that Kip had been hacking, and the bedclothes being untidy, there's nothing at all wrong with the room.

"But... but it was..." stammers.
"It is obvious that the Emperor's nightmare has upset him." Su Lin emphatically declares.

"But... but I was awake!" Dim Sun objects. Su Lin glares at him. "...wasn't I?" he asks.
"I will have the Royal Physician mix a potion that will allow you to rest." Su Lin insists.
"Yes, Sister. Perhaps that is best." sighs Dim Sun, strolling out, presumably to get the Royal Physician.
Su Lin waits until he's gone, then addresses the ministers. "Honored sirs, I am afraid the Emperor can no longer perform his duties."
The ministers are shocked at this. "But, but who would replace the Emporer?" asks Tall.
"Of course, as his sister, I will assume the throne until he is well." says Su Lin.

"I think we just found our culprit."

"That does seem to be a mighty big red flag," Hex agrees. "Still, let's not get ahead of ourselves. It is possible she's merely trying to protect her brother. I think we need to see what's in whatever workshop she used to make these toys."

"Not a bad idea. But somehow I don't think that... dragon thing was clockwork. Still though, it's better than nothing. Unless someone else has an idea?"

Buck pulls off his mask and shuts off the flow of air.

"I'm for checking out the workshop. We might find out what she's using for a hallucinogen, and I might be able to find some things that I can use to patch together some gas masks for you guys. Keep this from happening again."

It takes some searching, but the Rangers do manage to find Su Lin's workshop without meeting any more dragons. Or anything else apparently supernatural.