A Day in the Life
A light tapping at her door wakes Flora from a pleasant dream of wandering through the forests of her home world of Linphea.
"Uh? What is it?" she asks, sitting up from the warm and comfortable bed.
"It's time to go," replies a smooth female voice in a loud whisper.
"But it's not even daylight yet," complains the Flower Faerie, then remembers what she and Silvermist had planned for the day. "OH! Sorry, I forgot! I'll be ready in a moment!"
Flora had promised to follow Silvermist on a normal duty day to see what being a Water Faerie was like.
Dressed, she finds her girlfriend in the kitchen area with a cup of hot tea waiting. She hands it to Flora, who grunts and takes a sip.
"I thought you'd be wanting some tea before we go," says the amused Water Faerie, "But don't waste time and we'll make the appointment."
For Water Faeries the day began before daylight broke. Flora stands by and watches as the Water Faerie Guild members get together, discuss some specifics, then spread out, making mist rise from the streams to spread out over the land.
Then it is placing dewdrops carefully on the strands of spider webs, a delicate job that took a lot of practice. Others were making drops form on the leaves and blades of grass.
As daylight grew and the sun came up, the fruits of their labors slowly evaporated away. A pity, the Water Faeries said, but that was the way the world works.
Afterwards the pair travel up and down the stream near her home, and Silvermist introduces Flora to the various fish and insects and amphibians that came up to greet them. The Flower Faerie very much enjoys watching her girlfriend as she delights in the simple pleasures of splashing water and gurgling streams, and she studies the water plants that grow in an astonishing variety of types.
Silvermist tells her that the stream they are by travels south, widening and deepening as it goes until it becomes the Pirate River, meandering down to the Never Seas on the west side of the island. She knows because she followed it all the way there once, forgetting in her joy and fascination of new places and things that nobody knew where she was.
The round trip had taken her four days, but there were plenty of berries to be found on the banks, and the fish and insects and animals watched over her as she slept.
Once she got home she was welcomed back, then thoroughly scolded by her friends, and Fawn was so upset she didn't speak to her for three days.
As the story ends Chloë approaches them, asking Silvermist for help getting some much needed water to a patch of grass on the side of a low hill.
As usual, the Garden Faerie was full of energy and covered in dirt, her hair wild and messy, which she completely ignored.
She shows them the patch of parched grass, and Flora agrees it needs some tending. Silvermist calls a small column of water over and in a burst of droplets soaks the ground, and in a moment of mischievousness, Chloë.
Their friend stands there, her coating of dirt turned to mud. She wipes her eyes and looks up at them, scowling.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" calls Silvermist, laughing behind her hand, "Let me get that for you!"
She calls over a large blob of water, and lets it go over the brown-haired Faerie. In a moment she is soaked to the skin, but clean.
"Better?" asks Flora. She and Silvermist laugh as their friend shakes off the water.
Chloë huffs, folding her arms and looking up at them with an angry expression. But she couldn't hold it. She started laughing too.
A couple more soakings on the hill and Flora and Chloë agree the patch of grass would be okay now.
For lunch the three meet with the rest of the Tinx, except for Fawn who is nursing a sick squirrel, for a picnic. Terrence, Bobble and Clank brought some extra food and drink.
Chloë sits next to Rosetta, who looks her friend over. "Ah'm surprised, Shug, usually by this time 'o day, you're carryin' enough soil to make flyin' difficult, no matter how much Pixie Dust you use!"
Both Flora and Silvermist snort in laughter and quickly hide their smiles.
Chloë gives them a sidelong glance, then grins and says, "Let's just say I had some help with that."
The Water and Flower Faeries break up, falling backwards laughing as everyone stares at them. Then they all look at Chloë, who just shakes her head and smiles.
After lunch they all go their separate ways. Flora follows Silvermist to the Water Faerie Guild Building to see if an assignment is waiting. Inside, they find Rani in charge for the day.
"Oh, Duchess Flora! Welcome! How may I help you?" she asks, looking up from some paperwork written on leaves. She puts them down and stands up, ready to serve the Winx Faerie.
Flora raises her hands. "Oh, don't mind me. I'm just shadowing Silvermist on a regular day, to see what Water Talents do."
"I'm here to see if you have anything for me," says Silvermist, leaning on the counter.
"I see. Let me check..." Rani sits and looks through the leaves on the desk. "No, I don't seem to have any assignments for you. I guess you're free for the afternoon."
"Thank you!" smiles Sil, "If you do need me, let me know."
"I will certainly do so. You two go and enjoy the free time," smiles Rani.
The pair flies immediately toward Sil's hot spring, making sure they weren't observed.
"You haven't told anybody about the spring?" asks Flora, adjusting her course slightly.
"Not yet," answers Sil, imitating her. "I wanted it to be just ours for a while."
Suddenly Flora feels a powerful presence in her mind. She pauses in midair, and Sil draws up too, hovering beside her.
"What is it?" she asks.
"I need to land for a minute," says Flora, distracted.
They flutter to the ground and Flora stands still, her attention obviously elsewhere. The dark haired Faerie watches her, concerned.
Silvermist suddenly realizes she is in the presence of the Spirit of the Pixie Dust Tree, who is communing with her girlfriend. She quickly kneels, folds her hands together, and looks at the patch of ground at Flora's feet.
A few moments later, Flora rouses from her trance. "Silvermist?"
"What do you want me to do, Oracle?" the Water Talent asks softly, not daring to look up. Flora's hand comes into her view, and she reaches for it, then hesitates.