Disclaimer: The only thing I really own is the idea. I hope you enjoy the story, and sorry, but I needed a little break from Hey Arnold. Read, Review, and Spread the word.
FOP
I've always believed. In magic, that is. That elves and goblins and faeries and gnomes and brownies and all the creatures that dominate Irish folklore were real. I don't mean the elves you think of when you watch a cheesy Christmas special or The Lord of the Rings, and I don't mean goblins like in those RPGs or The Princess and the Goblin. I mean the pure creatures that live in nature and play entertaining pranks on mortals. I've always believed in them, even when I lost faith in everything else; in the government, in God, even in my own family. But I always knew deep within me that those imaginary creatures were real.
I've always believed.
***
"Oh my . . ." I uttered in disbelief as I watched the floating people talking with my long time crush Timmy Turner. They had no idea I was there, in the park, late at night no less. Why would they? The green landscape was deserted, and I had given no hint to my presence.
I had wanted to see if I could find another tree spirit – I saw one once, when I was much younger. Since then they had sorta become my obsession. Well, my other obsession. I wasn't as bad as Mr. Crocker, who only wanted them for two reasons: 1) the downfall of Timmy Turner, and 2) something to do with world domination. My reasons were far nobler.
I wanted to learn.
Well, in all honesty, I was really there because I was playing a game with a little Goblin I befriended who said his name as Dwalin. He was really a sweet, cute little parasite, and he grew on me rather quickly. Tonight, we were playing a game of hide, seek, and chase down – winner got my Calculus homework. Really, of all the nights I lose, tonight couldn't be one of them.
"Oh, cheer up sport, I'm sure that Trixie will notice you after this gift." Someone speaking brought me out of my competitive memory, and focus what I was spying on. The woman, no doubt a faerie, had pink hair and the other two faeries on a leash. One was a baby with purple hair who kept giggling 'poof', and the other was a green haired man. He wouldn't stop pulling on the leash like a dog might, but then was suddenly distracted by something on the ground.
"I hope you're right Wanda. Alright, I wish I had a solid crystal rose!" My love called out, and Wanda waved a wand with a smile.
How cliché, I thought with a smirk, but it quickly faded as I watched a rose bush made purely out of crystal grow out of the ground right in front of Timmy. He simply reached forward and plucked the rose most beautiful of them all off the top. Once he had done that, the rose bush withered and disappeared back beneath the ground.
I couldn't hold it in any longer. I gasped.
***
"Who's there?!" Timmy called out as his three faeries turned themselves into playground equipment. He watched in surprise as Tootie, his stalker, cautiously stepped out from behind a tree, her eyes wide with surprise, but she wasn't looking at Cosmo, Wanda, or Poof. She was looking at him.
"Hi Timmy."
She had caught them. The faeries, realizing that it was useless to stay hidden, transformed back into their original forms. Tootie watched with a smile, but did little else.
To say that the four beings she stood before were stunned would be an understatement. Flabbergasted would be a much more appropriate term. What in the hell was Tootie doing in the park in the middle of the night? Well, thinking it over, Timmy realized that was a stupid question. He was there, right? There's your answer then; she was always following him. But now she knew he had faeries, well, knew again. Last time she forgot after the wish wore off.
"Tootie." Timmy whispered, still too shocked to say much else.
"Yeah . . . sorry, I was just looking for a tree spirit. I didn't think anyone else would be out here this late. Oh, that reminds me, have you guys seen a little Goblin named Dwalin wandering around here?" she asked, completely unfazed by the sight of three magical faeries floating about her true love's head. Timmy had finally come to his senses, and the first one told him to be angry.
"Tootie! What the hell are you doing here?!" he shouted, and the four other beings looked at him slowly, somewhat confused.
"Didn't I just tell you? I'm looking for maybe a tree spirit, and a little Goblin named Dwalin who stole -" she was cut off by a high pitch giggle coming from one of the branches of the tree she stood beneath. Looking up, Timmy spotted a strange little creature no more than two feet tall. He had dark green and brown skin that matched the forest floor, with maybe a bit of moss here and there. And just a smidgen of orange, like some tree fungus. There were no warts, no moles; sure there may have been a spider or two, but he was relatively clean.
For a Goblin, that is.
He was laughing like mad, and Timmy was surprised to see Tootie's smile brighten.
"Tootie-Man-Brat! Dwalin wins the game! Dwalin keeps the prize!" he cackled before jumping out of the tree and taking off at a dead run across the lawn. Tootie laughed openly, and bolted after him.
"Dwalin! You get back here! I need that for tomorrow!" she shouted, not even bothering to say goodbye to Timmy, who was, needless to say, really surprised.
The four stood motionless, watching her figure disappear over a nearby hill, her light, airy laughter still dancing in their ears. Of all the dazed and confused expressions, Timmy's was by far the worst. Thinking it over, he looked at the rose in his hand, then from face to face of his floating companions. The only one who didn't give him a blank stare was poof, who smiled and giggled.
"Poof! Poof!" the baby called enthusiastically, and Timmy nodded.
"You're right Poof. Let's follow her, and find out just what is going on here." He announced, carefully placing the gift in his pocket before heading off in the direction Tootie and Dwalin went. Poof readily tagged along, while Cosmo and Wanda shared secretive smiles before joining them.
***
I caught Dwalin by one of the ponds, although really I should say he stopped. He was lying on his back, eating my homework casually while gazing at the stars. Just as casually, I walked up to his form and lay down, cradling my head in my hands. Dwalin looked at me with big eyes, one sheet dangling from his lips as he offered me the other.
"Nah, you eat. You've earned it, and I already had dinner." He just shrugged and went back to chewing up the soggy lined paper. Forlornly I watched as the lead from my pencil vanished with his saliva. I'll just have to do it all over again when I get home; maybe I can get an extension if I tell my teacher Vicky fed my homework to Doidle. Not like it's never happened before.
"Tootie-Man-Brat?" Dwalin broke the contemplative peace, but I love that little cretin enough that I wasn't bothered.
"Yes Dwalin-Goblin-Brat?" I responded, smiling as he cocked his head at me, a little piece of paper stuck to his lips.
"Did Timmy-Man-Brat make that flower for Tootie-Man-Brat?" I smiled at his naivety. He must not have heard Timmy say Trixie instead of Tootie; I wonder if Goblins experience jealousy and heartbreak.
"No Dwalin-Goblin-Brat. Timmy-Man-Brat made that flower for someone else." I explained, and Dwalin nodded while turning his gaze back towards the water. I was content to fall back into silence, but my little Goblin friend had more to say.
"Dwalin thinks Timmy-Man-Brat should have made it for Tootie-Man-Brat." He muttered and I smiled at him. Even though I know Goblins don't like much physical affection, I couldn't hold my appreciation in. Throwing my arms around him, I pulled Dwalin into a hug, ignoring his squirming and protests.
"Acgerh! Tootie-Man-Brat trying to kill Dwalin! Let Dwalin go! Let Dwalin go!" he scream, and after a quick tight squeeze, I released him. He stumbled back a bit, and glared at me as he straightened out his leaves and spiders.
"I'm sorry Dwalin, I couldn't contain It." he eyed me skeptically, before nodding and sitting back down next to me, albeit a little further away. We were quiet a moment longer, before Dwalin looked at me slowly again.
"Dwalin was serious. Dwalin likes Tootie-Man-Brat, and doesn't like seeing her sad." He was so sincere, but this time I held my hug in.
"I'm not sad, Dwalin."
"But Tootie-Man-Brat is." He reaffirmed, and I knew this conversation was getting too heavy for a light-hearted creature like my Goblin. I smiled brightly, and leaned over, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. I pulled away with a giggle, and he stared at me wide-eyed for a second before leaping up and taking off for the woods.
"AHHH!" he screamed, and I laughed myself into the silence, taking in everything he had said. I was just about to get up to head home and start on my homework again, when one more voice broke the peace.
"Why does he always talk in the third person?" I know that voice, and I wished all the powers that be I was back home. Turning around, I found my wish in vain.
"How much did you hear?" I asked evenly, my eyes darting from his face to the green watch, pink backpack, and purple keychain he was now wearing. Talk about inconspicuous.
"And why does he eat homework?" was Timmy's next question, and I couldn't help marvel at how well this conversation was going.
"I guess there's no getting out of this. Come sit down, Timmy, and please tell Wanda and the other faeries that it's ok to get out of the disguises. If I'm going to spill my secrets, might as well do it to faces." I bargained, and Timmy nodded as the faeries poofed back to their true forms and we all sat at the water's edge.
I know I've always believed, but now it looks like Timmy might as well. All it cost me was my inner most secrets.
FOP