Note from the author: Just a twisted bit of nostalgia here from me to you.
Life was kind and gentle for those who lived in Ferngully. All things living, be they predator or prey, plant or tree, were brothers. There was an understanding of the ebb and flow of life here, and death was an accepted truth. The keepers of these truths were funny little creatures, maybe even laughable, but mysterious, beautiful, and magical all the same.
"Crysta!" Called a male pixie. The one he called to was Crysta, a female pixie. At the moment, she was engulfed in a deep sleep. Under normal circumstances, the male pixie would have left her alone, but today was different for many reasons. Some reasons were secret, others a little more blatant, but he felt it urgent nonetheless. Showing no signs of stirring, he called to Crysta once more.
"Hey, you, yeah you! Wake up you lazy slug-pixie." He half-joked. Her eyes teased open, flapping her lashes to chase away the sleep.
"Pips?" She asked, finally becoming coherent. Her friend, Pips gave her a smile. Offering her a hand, Pips helped Crysta escape her bed of leaves.
"Why are you here?" Crysta asked Pips. Here was Crysta's home; formally Magi's who had died awhile back. It was odd for Pips not to be out with the Beetle Boys testing his strength or lounging outside atop mushroom caps. Very rarely did he come to visit her in her home.
"Oh, so you don't want me here?" He teased.
"No, no!" Insisted Crysta, waving her hands up in defense. "It's just unexpected of you."
Pips laughed, relenting. Allowing herself to ease up as well, Crysta returned with a grin.
"You're sleeping the day away." Explained Pips, his voice slightly softer than normal circumstance. Looking out from the knot that served as a door in the tree Crysta lived, Pips was far off in thought. Looking outside as well, Crysta could tell from the orange sunlight filtering through the canopy that it was barely morning at all. Indignity passed through her, and suddenly she felt very ill for Pips.
"It's not-." Crysta started to argue; Pips turned his head back to face her. Abruptly, Pips flew off, ending her tirade before it began.
"Hey!" She called, flying after him. Swishing to dodge tree limbs and vines spiraling down, they danced in the air sensing a glowing aura in their wake. Soon she had caught up with Pips. From where Crysta was flying she could tell he was smiling wildly. It was a game of cat and mouse, one she would never allow him to win.
"Ha!" Cried Pips. She laughed in return. With an extra push of energy, Crysta caught Pips by the waist and pulled him to the earth. Skidding amongst the dirt and detritus, they came to a stop with a thud. Crysta had her arms wrapped firming around Pips. She laid on top of him, feeling triumphant and playful.
"Why did you wake me so early anyway?" She asked. Indeed, the light was only just now fully illuminating their surroundings. Unprepared, or maybe just unwilling, to answer such a question, Pips shrugged.
"Let's go find some morning dew." He proposed, freeing himself from Crysta's grasp. Crysta did not pry further. Evasive tactics and deceit were the last things she would ever expect from Pips. She figured he probably had no reason, but simply wanted to be with her, it had been awhile since they'd last been together alone.
"Alright." She said.
"I bet we'll find some by the stream." Proposed Pips. Nodding, Crysta joined him in the flight to the flowing water nearby. Arriving there, Pips showed no interest in drinking up the dew, which was plentiful.
"Wow, one of my favorite things about the day!" Said Crysta in wonderment. Beams of light funneled through the water into beams dancing across her face. In later times of darkness and sorrow, Pips would always find himself returning to this moment. Perhaps he thought of her body being slightly more voluptuous, or her lips being a bit redder, but her smile he would always get right.
"Me too." He said to her in return. He watched Crysta collect a bead of water in her palms, sipping from it sweetly. He wanted to say so much then. They were stupid thoughts really, that her wild hair was just as crazy as he was for her, that her eyes were the things that kept pulling him in, or that her curves were perfect to him. These feelings were as foreign to him as humans. It pained him to think he was to leave her so soon.
"Aren't you thirsty?" Crysta asked, eyeing him suspiciously, expecting a prank.
"Oh! Yeah." Said Pips, going to a dewdrop. Finally Crysta dropped her guard after watching him drink from the water. Turning to the stream, she plunged in to the cool water to play, leaving Pips to his thoughts. Suddenly, it occurred to Pips how dumb be was in taking her out like this. Nothing he could say would satisfy all he felt just now. He just wished to see her, and now fulfilled, he want to go, her beauty his last memory of Ferngully.
"Pips! There's something I need to show you!" Called Crysta, who rose from the water. Noticing Pips was not where he was last, Crysta looked from side to side, fearing a childish joke. No prank came to her, but no Pips either. Panic set in.
"Pips!" Crysta shrieked. Her call was fruitless and for not as Pips was now flying off in the clouds, deaf to her pleas. Crysta crossed her arms. Angrily, she thought Pips had left her, maybe as a joke, maybe because he had other things to do, but Crysta was angry either way.
"Sorry Crysta." Muttered Pips. With all his heart he wished he could have taken her along, but he knew he would return one day and that she could not understand. Refusing to look back, Pips was far off in the sky.
"I'll be back soon." He said, and that was a promise.