Author: Selena Taiki
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimers: I own nothing, you all know this. Like I ever would have killed Tara.

"Good morning Tara," Xander said happily as she drifted into the kitchen, her hair still damp. "Sleep well?"

Tara reddened, hoping that the Brownie would chalk the pink hue of her skin to her recent bath. "Y-y-yes," She stuttered, sinking into her chair. "B-but I think one of our r-roosters got loose."

"I'll get it," Anya volunteered. "I have a great deal of experience at making cocks behave."

She trotted out of the room, practicedly ignoring the mortified expressions of everyone else in the room.

'Sexually promiscuous' Tara involuntarily recalled from her reading last night, blushing. Her traitorous mind leaped backward to her own dream and she blushed even brighter. At least now she had an excuse for her tomato complexion.

Giles coughed in embarrassment. "Yes, erm, well, ah, thank you Anya," he called after her.

Tara toyed with her fork as she waited for the dishes to serve her. "What are we doing today?" she asked.

Xander grinned as Giles smiled.

"Ready to get your feet wet?" the Brownie asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Xander," Giles reprimanded. He turned to Tara who was looking at him questioningly. "Tara, you know from your reading how one of the primary functions of Godparenting is to facilitate the Tradition so that it turns out the way we want. However, we can also prevent tales that the participants do not wish to have happen to them by siphoning off the tradition."

"Yes sir," Tara said. "That's one of the ways we replenish our own magic stores."

"Quite right Tara," Giles said warmly. "Recently I have become aware that the Tradition has been gathering in Foggybottom. It appears to be preparing for a Master Cat; are you familiar with the tale?"

Tara closed her eyes remembering. It was actually one of the less common Traditions as well as one of the happier ones. "Upon the death of a poor man his youngest son is left with only a cat as inheritance. The cat promises to make the youth wealthy and powerful in exchange for its life and a magic pair of boots. The cat fulfills this promise by killing an ogre, transferring its lands to the youth and then arranging a marriage into the nobility."

Giles nodded. "Exactly. However, I spoke with the young man in question. He has exchanged promises with a girl and has no desire to give up his current life, although he is quite sad about his father's imminent passing. So, apprentice, you and I are headed to Foggybottom to see if we can't interrupt this tale before the Tradition gets to much momentum behind it. After you finish eating, Anya will help you 'dress the part' so to speak, while I arrange for a mode of transportation."

Tara bolted down the rest of her breakfast in fairly short order, her excitement currently outweighing her nerves. Anya returned just as she was finishing and the two of them headed to her room.

Anya looked at the dresses in Tara's wardrobe, quickly skipping past the plainer ones that Tara was most comfortable with. Fortunately the Satyr paused before reaching the truly fancy ones.

"Here," Anya said, pulling out two dresses. They were both in Tara's signature amber and teal. The first had puffy sleeves that looked like they would slip off her shoulders, a large bell shaped skirt, and a neckline plunged dangerously low. The second was slimmer, tapering at the waist before falling to her ankles in translucent layers of fabric like a butterfly's wing, with long, flared sleeves. "Which do you think?"

"T-that one," Tara said without hesitation, taking the second dress and ducking behind the changing screen.

Anya smirked as she put the first, hideous, dress away and grabbed a pair of dressy boots and Tara's longer star tipped wand to go with the dress.

Tara had to fumble with the fasteners on the back of the dress, breathing a sigh of relief as she got it done up properly. Tugging the seams straight, Tara stepped out from behind the screen feeling distinctly uncomfortable, obviously unaware that she looked stunning.

Anya nodded her approval before dragging Tara over to a low seat and beginning to pin up her hair in an artful arrangement. Tara tried not to move as Anya pulled her hair back and stuck bobby pins in it. She couldn't see what Anya was doing but it felt slightly weird.

"There, done!" Anya said, handing Tara a mirror so she could examine her hair. Her blondish locks were pulled loosely into a french twist, with a golden tail falling to just above her shoulders. It looked good, even if Tara felt off balance from the weight of her piled hair. "You should show your beau in town, when he sees you looking like that he won't be able to keep his hands off you. You'll get lots of orgasms," the Satyr continued.

Tara blushed at the idea of Willow seeing her in this outfit, Willow not being able to resist touching her, Willow running her hands down Tara's sides, unpinning her hair... Never gonna happen Tara, she probably doesn't even like girls and even if she did there is no reason to think she would like you.

"Thank you, Anya," Tara said finally for the compliment within the Fae's words.

"You're welcome," Anya said, noting with satisfaction the way Tara had blushed and become lost in thought. She was so obviously in love. Anya cracked her knuckles subtlety; Xander would have to have a talk with this guy and make it clear that if he ever hurt Tara, they would eviscerate him.

Anya handed Tara her wand, showing her a loop at her waist where she could store it when she didn't need it. "But remember to carry it while you are there," Anya instructed sternly. "The wand is the biggest part of your costume; people will expect you to have it."

"O-okay," Tara said, not sure she was looking forward to people staring at her. "L-lets not keep M-mister Giles waiting."

"That's the spirit!" Anya said, proceeding Tara. Surprisingly she headed towards the back door that lead to the gardens rather than the front.

"Uh, Anya?" Tara began, but the woman didn't hear her as she flung open the door and trotted outside. "Oh," Tara said, as she laid eyes on Giles sitting on a huge carpet that was normally rolled up in the closet; it was hovering half a foot in the air. Suddenly she understood why they had it, despite the quirky orange print and blue tassels.

"Okay G-man, you are all prepped for flight," Xander said as he patted the weave. He turned and saw her. "Hi Tara! You look hot. Ow! Anya," he whined as the Satyr hit his arm.

"He means to say you look very pretty," Anya corrected.

"Um, thanks?" Tara said, folding her skirt carefully as she settled on to the rug.

"We'll be back in a day or so at the latest," Giles said sternly. "Up, up, and away," he commanded the rug.