Disclaimer: I don't own the Fairly Oddparents or its characters. I only own Lexi and the other OCs.
Chapter 7
"This…is Fairy World?" It was Lexi who spoke the words that both she and Timmy had been thinking as they gazed around the dull, drooping version of the once colorful, cheerful planet. The five of them stood at the entrance to Fairy World, staring out at the now-dismal land ahead of them.
"Fairies live in colorful places in all the books I read," Lilia commented gravely, looking around in disappointment.
Riley nodded. "It used to be colorful," she told Lilia before turning back to the others. "But after Morgana Dixon banned fairy godparents from entering Earth, the Fairy Council got worried that she would try and come to Fairy World to get even more magic. So they had that tough fairy – oh, what did they tell me his name is…"
"Jorgen von Strangle?" Timmy offered.
Riley perked up. "Yes! They had Jorgen destroy the rainbow…bridge thing that connects Fairy World and Earth. So a lot of the magic that powers that – " She pointed into the distance, where the very top of the Big Wand was shown. "Was taken away, since fairy godparents weren't granting wishes and using magic anymore. There's still enough magic from Fairy World to give the planet some power, but not enough, obviously. We're supposed to bring you to the Fairy Council so they can explain more of the situation." She turned to her younger sister. "Did I miss anything?"
"What?" Kaylee glanced up from where she had been poking at the dim Fairy World entrance sign. "Oh, uh, no."
"Come on," Riley called, already walking in the direction of the Justice building. "The Fairy Council said to get you here as soon as possible."
Timmy, Lexi, and Lilia hurried after them, and they soon arrived at the large Fairy Justice building, which was still shining white but appeared to be beginning to crumble. Very familiar with the building, Timmy and Lexi led the way inside, where they were immediately startled by the five hooded fairies blocking their path.
"Timothy Turner and Alexis Sanders?" The figure in the middle declared, though both Timmy and Lexi had been to Fairy Court enough times that the Fairy Council couldn't not remember them.
They both nodded, and the hooded fairy glanced down at Lilia, who was staring at them with wide eyes. "And who is this? I was not aware that anyone else was trapped in the limbo-universe."
"She was trapped in there with us," Lexi explained. "I don't know why, though."
"My name is Lilia Jean Harley," Lilia stated promptly, and the members of the Fairy Council turned to each other, though their expressions were not visible.
"Little girl, you will remain here," the council member said sharply. He gestured to the bench on their left. "Do not leave that bench, and do not touch anything." Lilia looked momentarily like she wanted to argue, but seemed to think better of it, plopping down on the bench and crossing her arms.
"The rest of you, come with us," another hooded fairy announced, and the members of the Fairy Council turned in unison, leaving Timmy, Lexi, Riley, and Kaylee to follow.
They walked down a long hallway that Timmy and Lexi were all too familiar with, but instead of turning left into one of the courtrooms, they turned right, into a large office. The Fairy Council members sat down behind a long desk, and the four kids sat down in the seats across from them.
"Have you already explained the situation?" the fairy in the center of the group asked, his hood turned in the direction of Riley and Kaylee.
Riley nodded in confirmation. "I think I told them everything that you told me."
"Me too," Kaylee added, not wanting to be excluded.
"Very well," the hooded fairy said, nodding. He reached into a drawer of the desk and pulled out a crystal ball. "Fairies are no longer in contact with Earth. As Riley most likely explained to you, once Morgana Dixon took control of the world, fairy godparents immediately retreated. We feared that she would capture them and kill them in order to take their magic. So we will have to show you the conditions on Earth through this." He tapped his wand lightly on the edge of the crystal ball, which came to life.
Timmy and Lexi leaned forward to watch, though Riley and Kaylee didn't join them. The scene that unraveled in front of them was terrifying.
An adult Timmy and Lexi stood in front of a tiny shack of a house, which was framed by a dark, dull sky. The trees in the background were barely alive, with only several leaves on their branches, if any. Timmy and Lexi themselves were painfully thin, with dark circles under their eyes and bones showing through their skin.
"Be careful," Lexi said to Timmy, who pulled a dark pink baseball cap onto his head. They hugged, and Timmy exited their view. Lexi reentered the house, making sure to bow in front of a large portrait of a grotesque woman with thin, gray hair and squinty eyes on her way in.
She was greeted by two children – Riley and Kaylee – once she got inside. Through the crystal ball, the kids looked just as thin and sickly as their mother, and Timmy and Lexi automatically turned to glance at the same kids sitting behind them. It was then that they realized how ill looking Riley and Kaylee really were. In the bright light of the office, the circles under their eyes were almost vibrant.
Riley leaned forward to look at the scene in the ball. "That's from about a week ago," she muttered, sitting back down in her chair, clearly not wanting to watch.
Timmy and Lexi nodded, looking back at the horrible scene in front of them. "Why does Dad have to work in that bad place every day?" Kaylee asked. "Even on Sundays!"
"It's one of the only government-approved factories in Dimmsdale, honey," the adult Lexi explained patiently, though sadly. "He's lucky to have the job, especially since…" She trailed off quickly.
"Since what?" Riley asked sharply, sitting up.
"Nothing, nothing." Lexi waved her hand dismissively, turning away.
"I want to go outside," Kaylee sighed, standing and crossing over to a window, pulling back the black curtains to peek outside.
Moving as fast as she would have if she had still had her fairy magic, Lexi yanked the curtains closed again. "Kaylee, you know you have to stay indoors at all times! Morgana Dixon doesn't approve of children. We could all be in big trouble if the police even saw you peeking through the curtains." She glanced at something that Timmy and Lexi couldn't see in the crystal ball, but from her wary, almost nervous expression, Timmy managed to deduce that it was most likely some sort of planted camera.
The hooded council member tapped the crystal ball with his wand again, and the scene faded. "That is what life on Earth is like for nearly everyone," he boomed. "The men go to work in approved factories, where the most they earn is pennies every day. The married women stay home, too afraid to leave the house. Children are not allowed outside, and families will be punished severely if a child is ever seen by the public."
Timmy felt a shiver race up his spine as he remembered something from the scene. "That portrait that Lexi – the adult Lexi," he corrected himself, "bowed to, was that…"
"Morgana Dixon," the council member confirmed, nodding. "Every house is ordered to have at least one portrait of her, though many people have more, through either loyalty or fear. The police have video cameras set up in every house, and a person can be subject to death if they pass the portrait without bowing."
"Wait." Lexi raised an eyebrow, horrified by what she had seen but confused by this all the same. "I don't get it. How do fairies know all this if they're not allowed on Earth?"
"We have been spying through our own magical devices for years," another hooded figure said. "It is essential that power is returned to Fairy World, which is impossible in the current state of Earth. Fairy godparents need to return to Earth, but cannot safely until Morgana Dixon is removed from power. That is why we have called you here. Fairies Cosmo, Wanda, Poof, and Diamond were the first godparents taken by Morgana Dixon, back when she first arrived in Dimmsdale, shortly after you two were thrown into the portal. Therefore, you are the only ones who can prevent Morgana Dixon from taking over the world, and save our future."
"We were the ones taken by the Fairy Council to come and get you because we're your future kids," Riley continued. "Or at least that's what they told us. Everyone figured that we'd have a better chance of convincing you to come with us, since, you know, we're related and all."
"Yeah, I still don't know how I feel about having kids yet," Lexi muttered, causing Timmy's head to bob in agreement.
"I assume that both of you will jump at the chance to help both Fairy World and Earth," the Fairy Council member stated. "You will risk both of your lives to stop Morgana Dixon from taking over the world, but if you choose not to help us, you will return to your current period of time, back to the limbo-universe you were previously in. However, if you agree to be of assistance, I will create a portal that will take you back to Dimmsdale, in your current time. Ultimately, though, I cannot force you to make a decision. The choice is yours."
Timmy and Lexi glanced at each other, both knowing that the decision was obvious. "So it's either go back to the limbo-world and let all of this horrible stuff happen, or risk our lives to help save the world?" Timmy clarified.
When the Fairy Council nodded in unison, the two kids grinned and declared together, "We're in."
Author's Note: Hopefully this chapter cleared up what the whole future situation entails. Timmy and Lexi will be leaving the future in the next chapter (as will Lilia) to go back to the past and try to fix everything before it starts. Please read and review to let me know what you think of the story so far! Hopefully the next chapter will be up by next week.