Disclaimer: WELL... YOU KNOW BY NOW.
Okay, another chappy! I know the last one or two were kinda bad, and this one doesn't feel much better to me, BUT. It shows that Tumble and Amber-Maize aren't complete jerks. ;_; Aaaand now I'm starting to hit that point in the story where I'm having a hard time trying to think of what smaller event is going to happen next. Ah well, hopefully I won't give up. XD Enjoy the chapter!
Zipping around the temporary campsite where the other fairies had built their hidden temporary shelters, Tumble tugged at her braids. Amber-Maize was somewhat close behind her, looking almost just as concerned.
"Oh my God," she whined- Nettle's word-usage apparently had effect on her- and she grabbed Amber-Maize's hands. She was shaking. "We didn't drop her, did we? I thought she was here!" Amber shook her head, her eyes wide. Then, silently, she pointed at the camp. "W-what about them?" Tumble asked.
Amber pushed her index fingers together until they bent upward at the tip, putting the gesture to her forehead. She then twisted her face into a miserable expression, trying to make herself look as old and worn as her youthful body could. Tumble knew who she meant instantly, and she glared down at the camp.
"I should have known," she grumbled through her teeth, and was gone in the blink of an eye, leaving Amber feeling a bit bewildered. Then, the mute fairy followed after where she assumed Tumble had gone.
Barging into one of the huts, Tumble looked around through narrowed eyes. There were a few medical supplies laying around, and then Majori, looking up from a little leaf notebook. She seemed calm, nonchalant, though slightly annoyed by the sudden disturbance.
"What is it?" Majori asked, getting up out of her corner. Tumble put her fists to her hips as she stood up straight, making sure that she would appear more powerful than the older nurse-talent fairy.
"Don't play with me. Where's Gemma?" Tumble demanded. Amber-Maize landed by the entrance to the hut, but thought better of stepping inside. Majori set the notebook down and approached the fast flyer.
"You mean that Clumsy?" she asked airily, waving her hand. "She's at the cave, waiting for one of us to get her. Didn't anyone tell you that?"
"I told you guys to make sure she was okay!" Tumble yelled, tightening her fists. The other fairies were starting to gather around the hut as the two argued.
"You brought her back, I thought she was your responsibility," Majori countered, her wings fluttering in annoyance. "Besides, it's not like any of us can carry her. Isn't it her fault we have to move?" Tumble shuddered with rage.
"I put her under the care of Bobble," she corrected, poking Majori in the chest. As she spoke, her eyes widened and she paused, realizing what she was saying. "And... then... Bobble disappeared. Someone from the Hollow found him." Majori silently removed Tumble's hand, holding it like one might hold a spider booger. Tumble backed away from the nurse-talent, mumbling a strange word no one else recognized, except maybe Amber-Maize, who winced. Nettle's Clumsy vocabulary was really wearing off on her.
"So then it's that defunct tinker's fault we're moving," Majori grunted. She was about to turn back to her corner when she felt Tumble's palm collide with her cheek, knocking her off her dainty feet. The nurse-talent found herself in the opposite corner of the hut, Tumble hovering furiously above her.
"Don't you dare say that about him," Tumble growled, holding Majori by the collar. "Just because he wants to be with someone doesn't make them defunct. Remember why you're here." With that, she shoved Majori back to the ground and stormed out of the hut, through the crowd, where she was stopped by Tracker, the animal-talent sparrow man.
"Tumble," he said, trying to be gentle with her. When she glared at him, he shrank back, but held on to her wrist.
"Not now, Tracker," she hissed, "I have to go back to the cave and find Gemma."
"But," he gave her wrist a squeeze, "it's Topaz. I think... I think she's sick again."
Tumble stared at him, her anger melting away. She looked to the general direction of the waterfall, then felt herself shiver. Sometimes, it was really hard being a leader. How does the Queen manage this...? She let out a small sigh of defeat, letting Tracker lead her to the often ill Dust-talent.
"I sure hope Bobble came back for her," Tumble mumbled sadly, "because it'll be a while before I can get back."
Bobble tried to glide unnoticed through Pixie Hollow, into the Home Tree, and into Queen Clarion's meeting room. He was too preoccupied trying to keep Gemma from falling off of him to tell if anyone else saw them. As soon as he landed, however, Queen Clarion appeared before him, shimmering... and yawning.
"Phineas, do you realize how late it... is...?" she blinked as he gently woke the girl, having her stand up on her own. After a moment, the Queen tilted her head. "So you're the disturbance I felt," she whispered softly, looking her over. Then, she looked at Bobble. "She is a Clusmy," the Queen said simply. Bobble nodded to her, silent. Gemma rubbed her eyes, too tired and nervous to talk. "I recognize this magic," Clarion said, tapping her chin. "You must have angered a Mainland fairy... or perhaps a white rabbit," she added, moving back to Gemma and holding up the girl's arm, examining the fabric of her hooded sweatshirt. "But then, how did you get here?" She turned her gaze back to Bobble, who jumped upon meeting eyes with his Queen.
"Ah, uh, well, y'see," Bobble sputtered, "I found some... other fairies..."
"They wouldn't happen to be lead by a fast-flyer in orange, would they?" the Queen asked, still appearing serene as always. Bobble blinked up at her, and nodded. "Tumble and her band of renegades may not be known by many, but I remember each and every one of them." There was a sad tone to her voice now, and she closed her eyes and bowed her head, as if reflecting on a terrible past that even Bobble was too young to recall. After a moment, she pulled herself together, and looked back to Gemma. "We can fix you," she said, "but it will take time. Phineas, seeing as you've brought her to me, I'm placing her under your care."
"What about Clank?" he asked, trying to dig his foot into the floor. Clarion thought for a moment.
"Clank will have to be without a roommate for a while," she said finally, circling around the two. Bobble felt the Queen's warm fingertips graze the edge of one of his wings, and he shivered. Her hand then met with Gemma's back as she leaned around the girl. Their eyes met, and Clarion smiled to her warmly. "There is a home in the Tree ready for you. Now you both get some rest, and we will continue this in the morning." She handed Bobble a folded leaf, which he peeked at. They were directions, explaining which home was vacant for them. With that, she vanished in an array of golden sparkles. Alone in the room, Bobble looked to Gemma. The girl simply shrugged.
"We'd better get going, Miss Gemma," Bobble said, holding out his hand. Gemma, much more awake now than before, took his hand, and they flew out into the Home Tree.
"How did Queen Clarion arrange this so quickly?" Bobble breathed, seeing the room. It was made for two fairies easily, a floral bunk bed that looked much more comfortable than the hammock-based setup he had been used to. Had this home already been here? He shook his head, there was no way to know for sure, though he figured that all the homes in the Home Tree were occupied. Perhaps they made room simply just in case another Laugh made it to the Hollow.
Bobble closed the door behind them and let Gemma look around while he stretched. He even found a bucket he could empty his goggles into. Perfect, he thought, and did just that before scrambling onto the top bunk. Gemma, meanwhile, was in awe of the construction of the house.
"What are these walls made of?" she asked. "How is all this possible..."
"Mostly magic, I suppose," Bobble replied simply, too exhausted to think of anything else. "Come to bed, Miss Gemma. We have a busy day ahead of us."
Unzipping her hooded sweatshirt and removing her sneakers, Gemma looked up at Bobble on the bunk above her bed. His goggles hung on the post above his head, a thick flower stem that supported the beds. Bobble shifted on the top bunk, then opened his eyes, finding the blurred figure of Gemma's head staring into his face. He jumped under the covers, then brought his hand up to his eyes and rubbed his forehead.
"What is it?" he asked softly, pushing himself upright to face her properly. She tilted his head at him, a sloppy, sleepy smile on her face. She seemed to be hesitating, holding herself back from something. What could it be? Bobble couldn't imagine.
"Nothing," Gemma finally said, still smiling, and hopped off the bunk. Bobble blinked in confusion, hearing rustling down below.
"What are ye dein'?" he asked, leaning over the edge to see her. She had removed most of her clothing, and she yelped, staring wide-eyed as she covered herself with her jacket. Bobble gasped, blushing, and pulled his head back up out of view. "Oh! I'd fly backward!" After a moment, he cleared his throat. "Jus' so ye know, Miss Gemma, without my goggles, I can't see so well."
"That's a relief, I guess," he heard her reply as she slipped under the covers. "Sorry, I just have a hard time sleeping in my clothes. It's habit."
"O-oh," Bobble said, brushing it off as he curled up on the top bunk, facing the wall. "Don't ye worry about it."
After way too long of finding himself trying to make out the details of what he had seen, he finally settled into sleep.