The Story of Nightflight, Never Land's Fairy of Moon Calling
By: Vikki Frederick
It was a rainy day in Pixie Hollow, and the only fairy in sight was Rani. Everyone else was indoors so their wings wouldn't get wet, but seeing as Rani didn't have wings (because she gave them up in the 'Quest for the Egg') she could play outside when it rained, and loved doing so. Inside all the nooks and crannies of the Home Tree, fairies and sparrow men flew this way and that, sat on stuffed petal cushions or gazed at themselves in mirrors. Fairies can be quite vain you know, but there were others that were less infatuated with themselves that had gone to read in the library or mix a new potion. Anyhow, every where there were fairies entertaining themselves indoors because of the rain, but this isn't a story about rainy day fairy activities. It's a story about Never Land's Fairy of Moon Calling, and how she came to be in Pixie Hollow……
On the mainland, at a small country hospital, a baby girl was born. Now, as you may know, fairies come from a child's first laugh, but when this little girl was born, and she shed her first tears, something strange happened instead. From one of these tears came a small blue glow, very similar to that of a first laugh's glow. It swirled around for a moment then felt the pull of the land it was supposed belong. So quick that neither the doctors nor the happy new family noticed it, the blue glow flew out the window and straight up into the sky. It circled momentarily, and then shot high into the air toward the second star on the right. Flying higher and higher, it came into view of Never Land, and since Never Land allowed it in, the blue glow was destined to be a Never Fairy. Instinctively, it headed toward the waterfall which concealed the tunnel leading to Pixie Hollow, and splashed through.
Back at the Home Tree, a scout talent sparrow man noticed the faint blue glow at the far edge of Pixie Hollow.
"New fairy, new fairy!" he shouted for all to hear. Instantly, fairies got up and flew to the windows to see if it was true, and it so it was to their excitement! Gathering flower umbrellas and other rain gear a few of the fairies went out to great the new arrival. Others, especially the more vain fairies, decided they wouldn't risk the rain and watch from the windows instead.
"We can always greet them when they come to the Home Tree" Vidia said from the warm comfort of inside. "I know all of you are thinking it so I just said it, dears" she spoke that last part to all the fairies and sparrow men who decided to stay inside. A few of them then guilty and left to catch up with the others.
Around the blue glow huddled the small group of welcomers, waiting for the 'laugh' to explode to reveal the new arrival. Everyone was wondering why the laugh was blue, but most shrugged it off as because of the rain. All fairies wanted the new arrival to share their talent, but were just as happy if they didn't. After all, a new Never Fairy was rare indeed!
All at once, the glow started to shake slightly and it made a sad sound. To describe this sound, think that your cat has just died in your arms and then listen to the sound of your first tear hitting the ground. That sad, splash sound was the sound the blue glow made when it melted away. All of the fairies gasped at such a strange event. Why didn't the laugh explode? What was the sad sound? And what kind of creature was inside this odd glow?
"Salutations, my name is Nightflight," said the new fairy, as her arrival day garment pieced together around her from the echoing of the sad splash sound. All the fairies were shocked to see a queer black garment as the new fairy's arrival day garment. It was floor length, and had dark blue ribbons coming down from the shoulders.
"I am a, I'm a, my talent is…" Nightflight tried as hard as she could but she just couldn't think of anything.
"Come with us Nightflight, you can tell us later. Oh no! Your wings are all wet!" called a water fairy from the front of the group. It was Silvermist, and she was using a bit of pixie dust to make the rain bounce off an invisible shield above her. She rushed over to catch the new fairy as she started to fall toward the ground.
"Thank you," was all she said before the little group flew off toward the home tree.
"Welcome!" "Fly with you!" "Hello!" "I look forward to flying with you," shouted fairies and sparrow men when Nightflight first entered the Home Tree. Then all became quiet as Queen Ree came down the stairs to greet her new subject.
"Why, hello there my dear," she said softly, and put her hand on Nightflight's shoulder.
"Salutations, I am Nightflight, but I'm afraid I don't know what talent I have," she replied glumly.
"That's quite alright, my dear," Queen Clarion answered comfortingly. "Can I have the decoration talent fairies and the sewing talent fairies get to work with Nightflight right away, please!" she ordered gently. Immediately the two talent groups lead Nightflight off to get her measured and to design her room.
During the next few hours, Nightflight got her room set up just as she told the decoration talent fairies to do so. When fairies stopped by to see how she had wanted her room however, they were surprised to see that it was very dark, with the curtains closed and purple and blue flowers used in everything. The only bit of light was on the small balcony which also had the only bit of other colour; a single calla lily in a blue vase.
"How, uh, quaint!" was a popular comment on the décor of the room. If the decorating talent fairies had a bit of a tough time with Nightflight, then the sewing talent fairies had it very difficult. All the designs they showed Nightflight were refused. So they asked if she knew what she wanted. What she came up with, was very plain and simple: A black camisole with a strapless, front lace up vest made from blue dyed rose petals, and a plain blue skirt that was very full and made waves when you flew. The sewing talent fairies asked if she wanted something else, but Nightflight told them to just make a few of the same outfit. This puzzled the fairies greatly, but they made the same garment 4 times anyhow. Lot's of fairies had come by to see Nightflight, but now that the rain had stopped the fairies were very busy again, so Nightflight decided to go outside and explore her new home.
"Hi Nightflight! Why don't you come try this? Its lots of fun!" cried an animal talent fairy as she was riding a chipmunk. Nightflight flew over to her, and asked how to get on.
"It's simple," the fairy replied, "just ask it if you can come on!"
"How am I supposed to talk to a chipmunk?" asked Nightflight, confused.
"Try your best to speak in chipmunk and you will!" stated the other fairy; secretly she was hoping that Nightflight would turn out to be an animal talent fairy because they needed someone to help with shearing the woolly caterpillars. Unfortunately, Nightflight just couldn't speak chipmunk. A little sad, but seeing that Nightflight was even more upset, the fairy told her "Don't worry about it. You'll find your talent soon!" and rode off on the chipmunk's back.
After the chipmunk speaking attempt, she went to the tearoom to get something to eat. Few fairies even spoke to her anymore since she seemed so different. At the back of the tearoom, in a dark corner and sipping her tea, she thought of who to try next. Since she was so close to the kitchen she decided to try to help out, but when she tried baking with another sparrow man, he couldn't read his cook book because it had suddenly gotten very dark and he missed the sugar. When they tasted one of the 140 little lemon tea cakes they had made in that batch and found they were horridly bitter, the baking talent sparrow man told her that he didn't think she was a baking talent fairy and set off to try and quickly make another batch of lemon teacakes for the afternoon snack.
When Nightflight tried to help some garden talent fairies with growing plants, they told her to leave because she was standing in the shade of the sun loving flowers and made them wilt slightly. The water fairies welcomed her, but then she fell in the water after tripping on a pebble. Her delicate crescent shaped wings soaked up the water quickly and she felt herself being pulled down towards the bottom of the pond. Nightflight started to panic as she tried to surface, waving her arms frantically. Just then, she felt a strong tug on her shoulder. It was Rani, the only fairy without wings, who had dove in to saved her. After that, Silvermist, who was playing with Rani and the other water fairies, decided to go on a short walk with Nightflight while her wings dried off.
"Well, thank goodness you're alive!" sighed Silvermist as they two of them walked through an orchard.
"I suppose…" said Nightflight sadly.
"I don't think you're a water fairy if you fell in the pond! Hee hee!" Silvermist replied, not noticing that Nightflight had started to cry. After a moment of waiting for a reply, Silvermist looked over to see Nightflight had stopped walking and was sitting on the ground crying, her glow changed from its usual silver colour to a very dull shade of blue.
"Oh, don't cry Nightflight, you'll find your talent soon!" Silvermist said as she flew to comfort her new friend. "I think your wings are dry enough to fly, so if you'll dry your eyes we can go see Queen Ree. She'll be able to help you!" so off they flew up to the highest point of the Home Tree where Queen Clarion lived.
"You must learn it by yourself my dear," was all the Queen would tell them. So they left and decided to try some other talents. Every time they went somewhere though, Nightflight would end up getting in someone's light so they couldn't see, or hurting herself, or just feeling wrong trying something.
It was almost time for the sun to go down on Nightflight's first day, and for fairies to go to bed, when a commotion came from a group of fairies and sparrow men outside the Queen's chamber.
"Please! Please, calm down, everyone! Please!" cried the Queen trying to be heard over the crowd.
"What's wrong with the Sun?" "How can we sleep like this?" "It's awful!" "Oh dear!" "Why is it still up?" "What shall we do?" were some of the many things being shouted from the crowd.
"Quiet everyone!" Queen Ree finally shouted. Immediately they became still and listened to their wise Queen. "I, I don't know why the sun has not set, or why night is not coming. I also do not know what could have caused this or what we can do about it. For now, though, I need you all to remain calm."
"I bet it's that stupid Nightflight's fault. All this happened on her arrival day after all," Vidia cried out from the edge of the crowd.
"Yeah! It's her fault!" "It must be" "What else could have caused it?" cried others from the crowd. Nightflight looked at everyone around her. They were all glowing red and staring at her, as if it really were her fault that the sun was not setting.
"I didn't do anything…" meekly answered Nightflight to all their accusations.
While all this was happening, Queen Clarion had an idea. She called one of her attendant talent fairies over and whispered something in her ear. The fairy speed off and came back a few moments later carrying a large book from the library. The Queen took the book and went inside her room.
"We should banish her!" "It's all her fault!" "I miss the moon!" "What shall we do now?" more and more fairies were shouting at Nightflight, who was crying and changing her glow so it became a very dark grey.
"Fairies and sparrow men, I am very disappointed in all of you! Please, go to your rooms and try to get some sleep." commanded the Queen. Everyone started to leave, except Nightflight, who just hovered where she was, feeling very depressed and rejected. One especially mean fairy flicked some pixie dust at her to make her cough, and some others just 'humphed' when they went by, pointing their noses in the air.
"Nightflight my dear, I need you to come here." Called Queen Clarion softly, "Can you please read these words out?" With that, Nightflight flew over and took the book from the Queen, then she read out loud from where Queen Ree pointed;
"Sun must set, go to rest
Set behind the mountains west,
Come tomorrow morning east,
Rise again like yellow beast"
There was a brilliant silver flash of light and the sun swept across the sky and set in the west, while the full moon came up from the east.
"You are a very special fairy my dear," Queen Clarion said as Nightflight looked amazingly at the sky and thought about what had just happened. "You are The Fairy of Night Calling, a special fairy brought from a tear instead of a laugh. When the Never land sun decides to be a little rebellious and stay up, we need to have the Fairy of Night Calling put it in line again. I thought it was only a Lost Boy legend, but I can see now that it's true!"
"I am special? It wasn't my fault?" was all that Nightflight could say.
"Yes my dear, you are very special and it was most definitely not your fault. If you want to learn more about your talent you can read about it in this book." answered the Queen, "but for now I think you should get some rest, you used up all your pixie dust! I'll make sure Terrance gets you some more in the morning. Fly again soon my dear!" She turned and went inside her room, leaving Nightflight alone.
Nightflight was so excited she couldn't think about sleeping. She was feeling exuberantly happy, so she flew high up into the sky and swirled and twirled in the moonlight. A scout far off in the distance shouted a warning call about owls, so Nightflight decided it would be better to be excited tomorrow.
Back in her new room, Nightflight smiled to herself, stretched her wings and realized that she finally felt at home.
The End