But maybe one day you'll find humanity. Until then don't you dare say that we are the same. ~ "No More" by NateWantsToBattle
"Hold still. I'm just about done," Tink instructed as she tightened the last of the ropes and connected the two adjoining ends. Bobble winced at the sudden increase in pressure, but sat still obediently, staring down silently at his arm and the sling it had been reduced to. "There," the blond went on, slipping off of the table behind him and put a hand on the opposite shoulder. She then came around to stand before him. She flashed him a smile which he shyly returned. "I'm finished. You're all set. Not too bad, if I do say so myself."
Bobble flexed his fingers, already feeling confined with the use of only one brachium, though it went along nicely with the bandages and bruises, he had to confess. "Thank ya, Tink," he said softly. She'd created the makeshift cast since he'd refused to go to the medical-talents after the escapade on the beach. Admittedly, it wasn't as good as the healing-talents could have done, but he was sure it was just fine, and, knowing Tink, she'd probably found a way to load a fireworks launcher or something of the sort into the leaves.
"No problem," she responded. "Though you should probably start coming up with an excuse for Fairy Mary. You know she's going to be asking about those injuries when we get back."
He nodded. "Aye. I've been thinking about that, Miss Bell, and I was wondering...what if I didn't goback?" Seeing her confused look, he went on hastily. "I love being a tinker, really, I do. But Shade's still out there and ya saw what he did to Spurn. What if he does the same to me? They'll be no one to protect ya. If I left, maybe I could get far enough away that his mind-control couldn't reach me."
Tink shook her head, the logical one as always. "No, I don't think that would work. Shade's smart enough that, if he wants you, he'll find some way to get you one way or another. You're safer here where we can protect you."
Bobble frowned, but he nodded, seeing the wisdom in her words. He was about to say something more when Clank suddenly appeared with a cheery greeting.
"Hiya, Tink! Hiya, Bobble!"
The poor sparrowman jumped at least a foot into the air. His shock was only increased as Clank threw an arm around his shoulders. Shoots of pain exploded through his limb. "Splinters, Clanky!" he hissed, ducking back and out of his friend's hold. "Watch where ya hug, would ya?"
Clank quickly apologized and Bobble couldn't even find it in his heart to scowl at him. Instead, he settled for sitting down on a mushroom table and, to the best of his ability, cross his arms, while his friend began to speak. "Hey, you guys hear about Spurn?"
"What about him?" Tink questioned, sharing a confused look with Bobble. "I thought he was with the medical-fairies until they can prove Shade isn't still inside him. Apparently a few of the older fairies knew him before his...disappearance."
Clank nodded. "Yeah, he was just released. Queen Clarion asked to see Bobble as soon as possible."
"Whatever for?" Bobble questioned, wondering if it had something to do with his actions against Shade, or, perhaps more accurately, his lack of actions. He shivered, recalling it vividly. In the blur of the movement, three of his four talents had failed him. Storm and light were unpredictable, tending to cause more harm than good, and his wings had been out of commission. He remembered the icy grip of panic when he realized he was grounded. Since then, the burnt tips had begun to heal. He could fly, though not steadily and not for long distances.
Clank shrugged. "Don't know. Just said it was urgent."
Tink nodded. "Okay, in that case, Bobble, you go see the Queen. Clank, you and I will go talk to Spurn. Hey," she added, seeing his worried expression. "I'm sure it's nothing serious."
"She said it was urgent," Bobble reminded her as he stood up from the mushroom. "I doubt it has to do with mushroom caps." He glanced at his friends as they shared an uncertain gaze. Surely he wasn't in trouble for something, was he? He frantically searched his brain for anything he might have done to Fairy Mary to make her angry at him-other than flood her house, of course. He briefly wondered if she somehow knew it had been his doing, but fearfully shoved the thought away. He should have told her the truth instead of leaving her wondering who had sabotaged her home, but the Queen had admonished against it.
"Good luck," Tink said seriously.
He gave her what he hoped was an encouraging smile and then took off.
The flight from Tinker's Nook to the Pixie dust tree was not a long one, however, to Bobble, it seemed to stretch on for a lifetime. Maybe it had something to do with the gut-wrenching sensation that he had unknowingly done something wrong, maybe it was the conscious throb of his semi-healed wings, but he couldn't wait to get there, land, and get everything straightened out.
By the time the tree came into view, pain was shooting through his entire body and he was gasping for breath. He slowed and dropped onto one of the limbs, catching himself against the bark and doubling over to put his hands on his knees. Get it together, Bobble, he berated himself. You're fine. It wasn't that much of a flight. Instantly, a chill swept down his spine. If that short flight had worn him out...
He refused to finish that thought. It just takes time, he tried to encourage himself. After all, after Tink's wings had broken, she'd been a little unsteady for a while. It was no different for him. They would only temporarily be weak. He'd be all right. He had to be.
As he walked toward the Queen's house, he spotted Terence collecting a satchel of dust to take on his rounds. He waved and Terence waved back with a smile. Tink had explained everything to him. Not that she'd had much choice. The dust-talent could be quite persistent when he wished.
He reached the door, and hearing voices, decided to make his presence known. He took a deep breath, mentally prepared himself, and raised a fist to knock.
The whispering died away to murmurs and he took that to mean he was cleared to enter. "Queen Clarion?" he questioned, poking his head inside. "Ya asked to see me?"
"Phineas! Yes, please come in!" The queen sounded tired, but he didn't think much of it. He was sure he'd be just as tired if he had to rule all of Pixie Hollow. "And this is going to be a private conversation, so please close the door behind you."
He did as he was told. Until he gently latched the door, however, he didn't realize that someone other than the queen was also standing in the room.
The cough was short, to the point, and there was only one fairy in Pixie Hollow with a cough like that. Heart dropping, he slowly turned to face his fate in the form of the angry, green-clad, head-of-his-guild pixie.
"Hello, Fairy Mary."
He was aware of the tremble in his words, but he did nothing to prevent it. Meanwhile, Mary crossed her arms and frowned. "Queen Clarion has just been telling me the most incredible story," she began, speaking painfully slowly. "And it appears you haven't been completely honest with me, Bobble."
"Oh." He glanced frantically at Queen Clarion who nodded encouragingly. "Well...what do ya wanna know?"
"For starters, how did you manage to flood my house? I know it was you. What I can't understand is why."
"It...was an accident." Bobble instantly realized that, if she hadn't really known and had been faking him out, she did now. There was no taking back the truth. Queen Clarion gestured for him to explain. "I'm not...what ya think I am. What...anyone thinks I am. Truth is," he closed his eyes and let his sore wings droop. "I'm not really a tinker." He waited for the silence to be broken by Fairy Mary's shocked exclamations, to be bombarded with a thousand questions as to how he could invent so well without being a tinker. The latter, he could at least explain.
"Go on," the fairy said in a faint voice.
"Not that I don't have tinker-talent," he went on. "I do. But I also have water, light, fast-flying, and storm."
"So...what you're saying is...you could have picked...any of the talents as your cover?" She seemed to be taking the news exceptionally well.
"Aye." Bobble nodded, not sure where the conversation was headed. "But Queen Clarion thought it best if I selected a guild that didn't...flaunt...my talents. And I loved being a tinker!" he added hastily, noticing her crestfallen expression. "It was the best place for me at the time. I am so happy to be one of ya. And I'm sorry that I didn't tell ya the truth sooner."
"Oh, Bobble," Fairy Mary sighed, coming over and wrapping him in a tight hug. "You're just like a son to me. I don't ever want you to think that you can't tell me something. You're one of my best tinkers," she added as she pulled away. "You got that?"
"Aye, Fairy Mary," Bobble repeated, cracking a small smile. "Thank ya."
"Anytime," she told him, returning the smile. "Now go on," she added, patting him on the shoulder. "I think you have a bit of learning to do." She glanced briefly back at Queen Clarion who smiled, and then back to Bobble. "And don't forget, mister. You may be a Protector, but you're still one of my workers, and I expect you back in the workshop in time to help with the spring preparations." With a nod in Clarion's direction, she turned and flew out of the room, leaving the two Protectors alone.
He swallowed hard, glad the conversation had gone well, and turned to address the Queen. She, in turn, stepped forward. "In light of recent events, I'd like to begin your training," she explained. "But first, some of your friends are waiting at the Welcoming Ring. Come with me." Holding out her hand, she led him away from the hollow of the tree, up to the circle. He recognized the girls and Terence before he even landed.
"What's all this?" he questioned, gazing around at them all. "What are all ya doin' here?"
"We're welcoming you," Silvermist answered first, forming an orb of water and setting it on one of the stands.
"Like we should've on your arrival day," Rosetta added.
One by one, each fairy added their talent to the ring and Queen Clarion led him into the ring. "Born of happiness and cheer, love has brought you here," she spoke kindly. "Welcome to Pixie Hollow."
Bobble could barely keep the smile off his face as he played along."What are those?" he questioned, pointing to the various objects. As he spoke, Tink and Clank flew up to join the others.
"These are the talents," Clarion went on. "Step forward and find yours." She gestured for him to begin and stepped back as he went toward the nearest object, Rosetta's tulip. It wriggled as his hands encompassed it and bloomed. Rosetta gave him a smile as he moved on to the next object, a beam of light from Iridessa. He ran a hand through it, feeling his body warm as the glow encompassed him. One by one, he went around the ring, trying out each talent. Last but not least, he came to his hammer. Here, he paused and gently ran a hand across it lovingly. Protector or no, he was a tinker at heart.
"Fairies, come forward and welcome the newest member of the Protectors... Phineas."
His friends surrounded him, hugging and slapping him on the back. He beamed, soaking in their cheers. He had been to his share of arrivals. This was how it was supposed to be. Surrounded by fairies who loved and accepted him for him, fairies who weren't afraid of his difference.
"Here," Iridessa managed to get close enough to catch his hand and pull him away from the others. "Come with me."
Without a word, he followed her away from the Pixie dust tree, away from the heart of Pixie Hollow, toward Summer Meadow. The sun beat down relentlessly as they went. After a few minutes, Bobble felt his wings aching and he pulled away from Iridessa's grasp so he could land and catch his breath against a tree.
"Hey," Iridessa flew down next to him. "You all right?"
He looked up at her breathlessly. "Aye. Aye, I'll be okay."
Iridessa nodded and glanced up. "Well, I suppose this'll do. Let me see your hands."
He looked at her in confusion, but did as he was told. Iridessa took them in one hand and drew over a ray of light in the other. "Tink told me you could already form shapes," she went on. "But I thought it might be more prudent to start at the beginning and give you a feel for what it really means to have light-talent."
"You're teaching me?" Bobble interrupted.
Iridessa nodded, smiling slightly. "Of course. It's custom for a guild to show the newest member around Pixie Hollow and teach them, is it not?"
He nodded.
"We're going to take turns," she went on. "Since you'll have all of our talents. I'm up first. Tink suggested making it into some kind of training camp. Each day, one of us will teach you about our talents. Of course, we can't stay in Pixie Hollow. If anyone were to see us, there would be a lot of explaining to do. Queen Clarion suggested we go towards Mermaid Lagoon, out to the woods there, and set up camp. She thinks, if you aren't in Pixie Hollow, Shade may not be able to track you."
He nodded, not knowing what else to say.
"You sure you're okay?"
"Fine," he answered.
"Well, while we're waiting for the others, why don't I show you how to move the light?" Without waiting for a response, she bent over to grab a ray of light and pulled it toward him. "Okay, so what I want you to do is, imagine the light is solid and you can hold it."
Bobble took a deep breath and nodded determinedly. Iridessa slowly moved the light to shine over his hands. "Here. Try this. See if you can move it."
She let go and it disappeared the moment it reached his palms. He stared at it disappointedly, but Iridessa was having none of the pout. "It's okay," she said. "No one ever gets it on their first try." She brought over another beam. "Now, just concentrate. Think about the light materializing in your hands." She let go of the light with one hand and used the free manus to guide Bobble's hands to the light. He cupped them, glancing at her uncertainly as she lowered her hand but kept holding his up. The light seeped through his fingers. Slowly, Iridessa let go and stepped back. The light stayed put. Bobble grinned and looked back at her as if to say I'm doing it!
"Bobble!"
The shout startled him. He jumped and his concentration was broken. The light shattered into splinters and disappeared. He sighed, ran a hand through his already untidy hair, and scowled up at the approaching tide of Pixie dust he knew was his friends.
"It was a good start," Dessa mumbled in his ear before the others reached him. "We'll practice more later."
"You ready to go?" Tink questioned, the first to land among the grass. She was carrying two backpacks. She took one off and handed it to him. Glancing around at the others, he noticed they were lugging similar items, color coordinated for each talent. It seemed like a grand expedition party. He couldn't help but feel slightly excited at the prospect of seeing lands outside of Pixie Hollow, even if it was only to keep Shade from tracking him.
"Here," Silvermist offered, darting down as he struggled with his backpack, unable to swing it over his bad arm. "Let me help." She took the dangling strap and carefully worked it around his cast and up to his shoulders.
He balked slightly under the pressure. "Bolts!" he hissed. "What do ya have in here? Bricks?"
Tink and Silvermist chuckled and darted lightly back into the air. "Exercise one!" Vidia announced from somewhere in the distance. "Stamina! Last one to Mermaid's Lagoon is a rotten snail!"