It's a me! Lily! Writer's block is a beast! I'm super sorry about the hiatus but hopefully I can crank out a few chapters during winter break! I'll keep this short spare the refresher for those that need one. This time the special guest is Auria.
Auria: "Last time Peter and Trinity met up in New York, while Felix and I had a run in with Zelena. This time it's a look into the past again. It has been three months since we were sent back to the enchanted forest, and while Felix is training to be a knight, I'm trying to complete what the Blue fairy told me to do! Apparently fairies around here just can't get a break..."
Still sounds like an inuyasha opening. I just thought it sounded cool. Anywho, thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoy this one!
Auria's POV
"Oh she is sooooo going to get it!" Tink fumed, pacing around their room in a circle. "Three months and she still doesn't quit the 'I'm superior' act!" Auria held back a chuckle, knowing that Tink was close to loosing it after spending so much time with Po.
She wished she could pay more attention to Tink's ailments, but unfortunately she had her own problems to work through. Which just so happened to be working through somebody else's problems, as per usual. "'Handle that situation'" Auria murmured. Indignation rose in her stomach; she didn't even notice her fist clenching until Tink laid her hand on them. "That is all that blue said! What kind of phrasing is that?" Auria grumbled and her other hand flew up to her pendant.
"Pan's still blowing you off, huh?" Tink asked and sat down on the bed next to her. "He's not exactly the friendliest person out there. Everyone gets all jittery when he comes to the palace." She said uncomfortably. Peter mostly does his own thing these days, but even when he comes to the castle to visit Felix, he would walk off if Auria tried to get anywhere close.
Auria only nodded dejectedly and fell back to half lay on the bed. "At this rate he'll never speak to me, at least not enough for me to 'handle that situation.' What the hell does that even mean!?" She demanded and grabbed a pillow from the bed to chuck it across the room. Tinker Bell widened her eyes and inched backwards on the mattress.
"Is he a situation!? Is that all that matters! I have asked every single person in this castle about that boy and not one of them had anything good to say about him! What a wonder that he turned down Snow and David, he would only get harassed if he stayed here. Not even Blue acts like she wants to actually help him. Do you know what Po said the other day!? 'You should probably just hire someone to chase him out of the kingdom and be over with it!' Is that how to handle that situation?" Auria had grabbed another pillow and was hitting the bedframe with it throughout her rant, but now she stopped and dropped it. "Maybe it is none of my business what he does. Maybe it should be his situation to handle! Maybe he does not even want my help."
Tink was watching her cautiously, but now moved over to put her hand on her shoulder. "Well...I haven't seen you get this excited about something since Neverland." Tink commented and Auria sniffed, aware that for the past few months she had been a little secluded in her work.
From combing through the fairy libraries for information on how to find the child that created her, to trying desperately to find Rufio's family, helping the royals with the wicked witch issue, and finding a moment to breathe everyday, Auria didn't really talk much about how she felt. Getting that out of her system lifted her spirits a bit and she stretched far with her arms.
"I just...I want to help him...for Trinity." Auria sighed and Tink gave her a sympathetic look. News from Neal came every once and a while, still he hadn't had any luck in crossing back into the land without magic. Auria hadn't spent much time with her, but she still missed the few days they spent in that apartment. Trinity spent days with her, helping her look for Rufio's family. Auria wanted to somehow repay her, especially for keeping Rufio safe all those years. "I hope she's doing alright."
"She adapted to Neverland, she can adapt to anything." Tink commented, and the room seemed a little cozier. "Anyway, it's late. I'm about to drop dead. Po takes it all out of me." Tink jumped over to her own bed and dove into it. Auria laughed and considered her own pillow.
"I think I'll stay up for a bit, but I won't bother you." Auria said before traipsing to the window. A fire in the corner of the quaint, but generous, room the Charmings had given them lit shadows onto the walls. Auria went from studying the castle gardens, which she had a pleasing view of from her sill, and staring at the dancing shadows of the room.
Her knees pressed to her chest, and the nightgown given to her pressed against the frigid window. She glanced back down at the garden, and shoved her cheek against the as she inspected a few moving figures by the garden entrance. "Is that a guard..?" She tutted as she concluded that the person wasn't dressed in the typical armor. "How strange."
The person's sword was out for a moment, but then they sheathed it just before someone else walked up to them. "Is that..!?" Auria suddenly gathered the bulky skirt of her nightgown in her hand and rushed out of the room. Thoughts frantic, she realized there was little time to do anything other than run if she was going to confront them before they left.
Felix's POV
The sword spun from hand to hand, Felix keeping pace with it and snagging the hilt at just the right times to keep the momentum. He'd been waiting for Peter too long, and amused himself by pulling sword tricks. The last few months had left him with plenty of dull minutes to practice, even if the first few times left him regretting it. Finally he caught the hilt and smirked at his success, especially at dusk.
David would probably die laughing if he ever caught Felix doing that, but amongst all the rules that came with training to be a knight, he never said Felix couldn't have some fun. "Peter one of these days I'll leave you waiting for half an hour." Felix muttered and sniffed as he leaned back against the garden gate, sheathing his sword once again.
They were supposed to leave before dusk, to pull a reconnaissance on the road leading to the nearest town. Partialiter was the name of the road, and there'd supposedly been some thieves taking advantage of the royals being focused more on rebuilding and less on crime containment. No, that's where Felix came in. David always said it was good practice, Felix begrudgingly believed him.
One month in and the king had barely been able to convince Felix to take up training.
Two months in and the pair of them were always passively arguing, yet Felix showed up everyday. Felix refused to cut his hair. David kept a level head, but Felix's indifference caused them to clash about important matters.
By three months, Felix was showing promise in his skills, and admitted only to himself that a sword felt better in his hand now than a club. As he waited for Peter in the garden, he knew that whatever loose threads had kept him here were becoming more curiously stronger.
Felix knew the only reason Peter stuck around was because Felix stayed, even if Felix hadn't figured out why he himself stayed. At least he'd convinced himself hadn't. Footsteps piqued his attention, shuffling and slow, not brisk like Peter's normally were. When Peter stepped into the light, out from the rose bush tunnel thing, his face was contorted and brooding.
Peter didn't say anything, and Felix only raised an eyebrow. After several silent moments, Peter stirred himself and grinned. "Sorry I'm late." He said nonchalantly and waited for Felix to move to go. Felix didn't budge, instead he held his mildly curious expression. "What's with you?" Peter asked, and Felix returned a dubious look.
"Ya know, it wouldn't kill you to just ask instead of pretending you don't care." Peter spoke pointedly and leaned against the other side of the garden gate. "Nothing's wrong you doof."
"You forget I know you." Felix drawled, and Peter rolled his eyes.
"I'm not having a heart to heart-laddie bonding moment, I thought you said you needed help with something." Peter's spiteful tone told Felix there really was something bothering him. Peter only came to the castle when Felix asked him to, and there were always whispers about it afterwards. Nobody trusted him, after all that had happened it wasn't a surprise.
"Partialiter, there are thieves to take care of." Felix shrugged and started walking. "Did Auria finally catch you or something?" He guessed blatantly and when Peter didn't say anything, Felix turned around and widened his eyes at Peter's frown. "She actually did?" Felix almost laughed.
"Don't joke! Of course she didn't catch me...I just...overheard her..." Peter crossed his arms, and Felix took a step closer to see if he really spotted a hint of guilt in Peter's face.
Knowing that if he pushed too much, Peter would close up again, Felix snorted and teased, "You must've gotten extraordinarily lost to find yourself by Auria's room." Peter tilted his head, and pointed at the dark window on the side of the tower overlooking this section of the gardens.
"Isn't that her room?" Peter asked, and Felix shook his head, smirking softly.
"Hers is on the other side of the castle, doof." Felix said with a tidbit of mock. Peter punched his arm jokingly as they walked out of the garden.
Peter's POV
He hated the castle, wanting to fly far away from it the second Felix told him he was going to stay. If it wasn't for the giant oaf Peter would have been ages away from it before Auria had even gotten the nerve up to come find him. It wasn't a shock to him that Auria thought she could help him with her fairy methods, her persistence, however, impressed him.
And tonight? He heard everything she said about him, even though he wished he hadn't. Peter was more used to people considering him a waste of time. He understood why the people in the castle hated him. He was a 'bad guy' and to them that will never change. Peter couldn't care less.
The only people who he ever cared about were Felix and Trinity...he saw them and they saw him. Trinity always saw through him. He missed her, a lot more than he let on to Felix.
"Auria isn't like the other fairies." Felix said randomly, as they rounded the castle and headed for the stables. "Just so you know." Peter looked over Felix curiously, but the boy drawled on and gave no hints about what he was thinking.
"Well, anyone can see that." Peter responded and faced forward, glancing over at Felix with just his eyes. "Do you two talk much now?" Felix shrugged, and the crickets that had been chirping all night long seemed to fade out. It was only their footsteps now, and an eerie ringing that was almost inaudible.
"I don't think she's scared of you anymore. It won't be long until she'll corner you." Felix sounded amused, but Peter sighed dramatically and swung around to walk backwards. He grinned lightly, but inside he knew what he was doing. Eventually Peter would want to leave this place, even though he couldn't leave Felix, he had recently come to terms with the fact that Auria might be the person to trust Felix with. Even if she was a goody-two-shoes fairy godsister or something.
"That's great, but I was more asking how she felt about you, or the other way around." The idea of leaving Felix wrung his emotions out, but he was sure even a fairy would be a better friend than himself.
"No idea what you mean."
"C'mon." Peter complained, but in the next few moments his hair stood up on his neck and chills ran down his spine. Felix tensed and the air felt colder, the wind harsher
A scream rang through the area around the castle. In the already too silent night, it was a stark contrast. Felix and Peter didn't even share a look before they bolted across the loose stone pattern in the path they were on. "Felix!" As his name was called, Peter's best friend overtook him.
It took them a while to run the to the other side of the grounds, but when they got there Felix hardly had time to take a breath before shouting out, "Drop her!"
The moon made her skin look more grey than green, and the clothes she was wearing was nothing short of scandalous. Peter dug inside himself for the magic he wasn't sure he could find, and Felix had his sword in his hand before a moment was up. "Oh my, what have we here?" The saturated voice was sugar sweet, confident and dark.
Zelena had one hand on her hip and the other around Auria's neck. The fairy was held back by another man with curly brown hair and a triangle chin. Auria and Felix locked eyes, and then she struck out with her foot behind her. Zelena turned back to her and squeezed her neck but as the girl twisted herself around, Felix ran forward with the sword.
Peter pushed his hand forward and twisted his wrist; the magic refused budge. "Argh! Wretched mosquito!" Zelena exclaimed, releasing Auria, and the man, pulling out a sword, had to jump back to not be sliced in two by Felix. Auria dropped to the ground and heaved for breath. While the witch flicked her wrist to send magic at Felix, Peter's magic reservoir finally responded. Like a canon blast the spell shot from his hand and Zelena redirected her magic to block it.
Swirling around him now, Peter strung his fragments into spells and cast one after another at the witch. "Overgrown toad! I am a fairy!" Auria shouted hoarsely and threw a rock from the ground. Green smoke pooled amongst the chaos and Peter stopped his magic as the three of them were soon the only ones in the garden. Charred bushes crumpled and flowers sizzled from the spells that had missed.
The stone, which had gone straight through the piece of existence where Zelena's head had been two seconds before, collided with the head of person dashing into the garden. "Agh!" David winces and stumbles back against Robin hood. Auria's hand flies to her mouth and the tension leveled for a second.
"What's going on!?" David demanded and his eyes immediately landed on Peter accusingly. The magic that had been present before disappeared, and as David advanced on him his typically smarmy attitude fell short. "Pan." David's tone was a warning and a threat.
"Zelena was here!" Peter announced and squared his shoulders to compete with David looming over him threateningly. The man seemed surprised as he realized it wasn't Peter causing the havoc this time.
"I may have thrown the rock." Auria said, grimacing and rubbing her throat while Felix helped her up. "Sorry." She squeaked. David sighed and waved it off, sending Peter a complicated look before moving away. Peter visibly relaxed, yet his chest felt hollow.
David held up two fingers. "That's the second time you've hit me over the head with a rock." He joked and Auria smiled apologetically. Felix touched her neck and frowned, for a moment showing a worry on his face that he only used to show for Trinity.
Auria tried to convince Peter and David that she was fine while explaining what had happened. "No really, it doesn't even hurt anymore, besides I bit her arm hard enough to get even. I came out when I spotted that man and Zelena from the window. I thought I could eavesdrop or do something to stop them from whatever they were up to. Tonight, I think they were just...watching."
Peter tried to focus, but his thoughts seemed more dispersed than his magic. "Thank you for helping me." Auria said, and when Peter looked back at her she was smiling at him. Then she turned back to Felix and the boy coughed awkwardly. Felix pulled off the jacket he was wearing and handed it to her. She tilted her head, and then turned bright red as a general realization ran through everyone that she was still in her nightgown. Her embarrassed thanks was barely audible as she slipped the jacket on.
Robin and David turned from a discussion they'd been having, and David clapped Felix on the shoulder. "Alright, forget about the thieves for tonight, tackle that tomorrow." David said and guided Felix toward the castle with his hand still on his shoulder. Felix glanced back at Peter, who waved and started walking away from the scene.
"Meet you there!" Was all he said before shoving his hands in his pockets and not looking back. It used to be that annoyance would fill him in a scenario like this. Now, he just accepted the fact that he deserved to be treated like he wasn't there. He didn't even care anymore.
"Peter!" A commanding voice made him jolt and turn around in one swift motion. The wind rustled the grass and remaining shrubbery while Auria stood there with both hands holding the jacket together over her chest. "It is late and much too cold to walk or spend the night in the forest, so stay at the castle tonight!" She called out with a determined look in her eyes, which slowly turned to soft smile.
If Peter agreed, there's no way he'd escape the fairy before he and Felix left in the morning. His breath turned to a chilled mist in the air, and something caved. "Sure, why not."