Adventures with Thumbelina
Title: Waking Up
Characters: Cornelius/Jitterbugs
Universe: Canon
Summary: Waking up to the news of your dream girl marrying someone else was the worst thing ever.
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Waking up to the news of your dream girl marrying someone else was the worst thing ever.
The last thing Cornelius could recall was a bone-chilling wind pelting Buzzby and him as he searched the forests for his love. Although he had asked for his parents to delay the winter frost, he knew there wasn't much they could do. Mother nature simply did not allow for it. But even still, this year's winter seemed more ferocious than any others before it, almost like it didn't want him to find his future princess.
Being pelted by a never-ending blizzard was nothing to laugh about.
Especially when said blizzard caused his bumble to lose control of his flight, and eventually pushing him into the freezing lake below him. Normally fairies are resilient to the winter they help create, but so cold was the water that even he couldn't escape hits grip in time. It's a good thing fairies can't naturally freeze to death or else, he would be a goner.
And speaking of goner, if the Jitterbugs were to be believed - of who he had no reason to doubt - then everyone this side of the vale thought that he was dead. That thought filled him with dread, cause if everyone thought he was dead - and were talking about it - than Thumbelina would undoubtedly hear and think he was de-
"Thumbelina's getting married to Mr. Mole!" yelled out the youngest Jitterbug.
"Gnatty!" cried the other two.
"What did you say?" shouted Cornelius in shock.
The elder two of the Jitterbugs looked at him nervously, whilst the youngest continued on unabated, "After the beetle took her away, this big ugly toad stopped us and said that he wanted Thumbelina back, but he was scary so we ran away. But then the toad and the beetle became friends and the beetle found you frozen and brought you to the toad and said that he found Thumbelina and that she was buried alive with the mole and the toad said that he was going to save her and he took the beetle with him but he left you here and we wanted to help so we built a fire and now you're here!" Gnatty finished with a deep gulp of air as he said the whole story on one breath.
Cornelius couldn't wrap his head around it. The toad he knew about, and the beetle too, but what was this about a mole? How many people were after his Thumbelina? It's unbelievable how much trouble his girl has gotten into. At least now he has an idea of where she would be.
"Is this mole the one rich, educated one that never comes out of the ground?" Cornelius asked.
"That's the one!" replied Gnatty happily.
Cornelius sighed in relief, so he definitely knew where Thumbelina was. Now all he had to do was go rescue her from this loveless marriage - cause that's what it was - and take her home to meet his parents so they could live "happily ever after", as she said.
And much, much longer, he added in his head.
Looking determinedly down at the expectant Jitterbugs, Cornelius exclaimed, "Come on. Let's go save Thumbelina!" to which the Jitterbugs answered with yells of excitement.
Hold on just a little longer, Thumbelina. Wait for me.
