It wasn't even dinner time yet, but Brass Bar was spilling over with people. Kathy had immediately taken a shine to the sassy, high-spirited Selena and had called up everyone to come meet her. Everyone was asking Selena about Toucan and dancing and her plans. When she admitted to not having any plans at all, Kathy jumped at the chance to invite her to stay at the Bar. She even got Hayden to offer a job as waitress and dancer. Selena had been so thrilled she promised a free dance lesson to anyone.
Right there on the spot.
Music blasted from the speakers, almost drowned out by laughter and cheers, as Selena led Maya, Kathy, Owen, and Renee into the first belly-dancing lesson Brass Bar had ever hosted. Luke was almost in tears next to Evie, whooping and catcalling Owen just to watch the big, rhythm-less man stumble over his two left feet and curse loudly. Evie punched at Luke's arm, snorting behind her fist.
"Stop that, you'll give him a complex at this rate," Evie scolded.
"It's hilarious , look at his face ," Luke protested, wiping at his eyes. Evie couldn't help but snicker helplessly at Owen's very serious concentration face when he tried to roll his torso.
Anissa shook her head with a fondly exasperated smile on her face. "At least he's trying something new. Let's see you try, Luke."
Luke actually crowed with laughter, Evie letting out a sound similar to a hyena. They couldn't catch enough breath to use words, just propped each other up and guffawed until their stomach muscles burned. They hadn't stopped by the time Chase came to their table with new drinks.
"I take it even this blockhead knows his limitations in some things," Chase mocked, one eyebrow high and a tray in his hand.
"If that means I know how bad I am at dancing, then yeah, man," Luke wheezed.
He reached eagerly for the blueberry juice Chase handed over and gulped it down desperately. Anissa and Evie took their drinks a little more politely with thanks given to the chef. Evie gulped at her apple juice only slightly slower than Luke, but Anissa sipped daintily at her herb tea.
"I can't dance at all, unless it's just to have fun and be silly. I can't dance like that at all," Evie said with a toss of her head in the stage's direction. Something soft flitted across Chase's face as he glanced up at the would-be dancers.
"I don't think any of them can, either," he replied wryly. Anissa and Evie giggled behind their cups. Luke's empty glass clunked against the table as he gasped aloud in satisfaction. "Need another there, Carpenter?"
"Nah, I'm good for now," Luke said earnestly, completely missing Chase's droll tone.
Evie shook her head and gulped down the last of her apple juice. "I gotta go actually," she said, wiping her mouth with the back of her glove.
"Huh, what? Dude, it's like, three o'clock. Where you goin'?" Luke demanded in surprise. Evie rolled her eyes.
"Bro, I, like, need to spend the afternoon in Fugue. I'm trying to get my house fixed up before the typhoons hit, remember?" Evie said pointedly, teasing him just a little. Luke's eyes lit up.
"Awesome! Me, too!" The chair clattered behind him in his enthusiasm and he scrambled to snatch it.
Evie smirked at him. " Sure you don't wanna stay for the free lessons, Mr. Graceful? You didn't even get to meet Selena properly."
Luke shrugged indifferently. "Eh, I'll run into her eventually. And you know I ain't gonna try to dance. C'mon, after the Forest, let's do scary movies tonight!"
" What ? I don't watch those!" Evie said with emphatic disagreement. Luke grinned and wagged his eyebrows– well, tried to.
"I know. It'll be great."
Evie eyeballed his smug look and turned to Anissa. "So, how do you feel about horror movies?"
Anissa chuckled in amusement. "I'm not so bad with them. I would love to come."
"Hey, wait, do you not trust me or something?!" Luke exclaimed, laughter spilling out of him and giving him away.
Evie stood and looked down her nose at him. "Not when it comes to scary movies. I'll see if Renee wants to come, too. I'll go ask her. I'll see you around, Anissa, Chase," Evie farewelled with a smile to them. Anissa smiled kindly back, but Chase just shrugged and walked back to the kitchen.
"Let's go , Evie!" Luke urged. Evie sighed and hurried over to the stage to say good-bye.
Selena saw her coming and stopped the music as she called for a break. The 'students' drooped in relief, laughing and heading for the pitchers of tea and water Hayden was bringing over. Selena leapt over the stage to intercept Evie on her way to Renee. Evie blinked in surprise, staring wide-eyed at the younger girl as Selena snatched up both of Evie's hands in hers and gripped tightly.
"I just– You look like you're about to leave, are you?" Selena asked, a little breathless and her eyes starry. Evie nodded slowly, eyes flicking towards Renee.
"I'm glad I caught you, then! Because I have to say thank you, thank you! " Selena said fervently. Evie squeaked and then laughed when Selena threw both arms around her shoulders in a quick, awkward hug. At least this time, there weren't any tears. But there was a lot of sweat… Sweat was still better than tears.
"I… I really don't think I did much…" Evie said, patting the Islander's damp back with only a slight grimace.
"You did enough. You inspired me to be brave, just like you! Could you wait, just a moment? I need to get you something before you go!" Selena pleaded, leaning back far enough to meet Evie's eyes, her hands on Evie's shoulders.
"Uh… yeah? Sure, I have to talk to Renee, but my friends are waiting for me?" Evie allowed hesitantly. Selena nodded briskly, a business-like serious look on her face.
"It'll be just a minute."
Evie stared after the racing away dancer, but shrugged and went over to Renee. Plans for that evening were confirmed and Luke was calling for her impatiently from the bar. Just as Evie began to look around for Selena, the teen was rushing out of the backrooms with an envelope clutched in her hand. Evie waved off Luke– who groaned theatrically– and hurried over to Selena's beckonings. The girl thrust the envelope into Evie's hands, her eyes shifty and guilty, but her mouth resolute.
"Whenever you go back over to Toucan, could you give this to my dad? Or my mom. But my dad isn't as much a hard-ass as my mom," Selena advised with a wry little smirk. Evie sighed roughly at the curse word, eyes darting to Finn who was circling her head in his tiny ball of light form and as impatient as Luke to leave.
"What is it?" Evie asked bemusedly. She glanced down at the blank paper and frowned.
"It's just to explain what I did and to make sure they know I'm all right. They'll worry if I don't and I–" Selena broke off, eyes hardened, chin lifted, and she tossed her hair over her shoulder. "I won't go back there. Not until I've seen the world. You'll help me, right? You promised you would."
Evie gawked at Selena. That fleeting look of sly cunning was back and Evie realized she hadn't been seeing things. Selena had planned this the moment Evie opened her big, fat mouth. Trapped by her own stupidity, Evie slapped a hand over her face.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll help," she mumbled.
"I knew you would! Thank you, Evelyn!" Selena giggled, much too sweetly for the look of triumphant glee on her face.
"You would be a Slytherin, you know that, right?" Evie muttered, carefully stuffing the envelope away.
The giggles became snickers. "Oh, yes, I definitely do." Selena danced away, conscience lightened too easily.
"What's a slitharin?" Finn asked, popping into his corporeal body and falling onto her shoulder. Evie rolled her eyes heavenward.
"Devious motherfluffers, that's what."
Finn scowled at her in bewilderment.
…
The afternoon of swinging her axe had been relatively productive. There had still been some lumber left over from the barn order, so the day's work had upped her supply to a little over half of what she needed. Sore and achy, she slumped onto the bed and dragged her laptop closer. She had a long overdue Skype call to make before the others came. It bubbled through the quiet of her house while she rubbed at her wet hair.
" There you are! " Cristina exclaimed, relief evident in her voice.
"Sorry, it's been a while. I've been running around with Paolo and Phoebe the past few days. There was an apparatus and an aqueduct and, then the boat finally came back and I went over to Toucan just today, so…"
" Busy busy busy, I get it. Did you say Toucan? I thought the boat from Castanet wasn't running anymore. I looked it up and it looks like the passage to get to Toucan from anywhere else was just too complicated or expensive and people stopped going almost a year ago ," Cristina said in confusion.
"Yeah, that explains that. They said they hadn't seen a boat in Toucan in about a year," Evie agreed with a slight nod. "We got the lighthouse here working again just yesterday. And apparently the water outside of Castanet calmed down a lot! So now the boat to Toucan is up and running indefinitely again. It's really beautiful. You really should come later this summer to come see it with me! It really is like a little Hawaii paradise!" Evie said eagerly.
" Mhmmm, it's me you want to take to a sweet little paradise ," Cristina teased with a knowing smirk.
Evie felt her cheeks blush. "I don't know… me and Toby aren't like that, not like that that ."
" Who said anything about Toby? I meant Candy your new best friend ," Cristina said with a loud laugh at Evie's humiliated expense. She huffed in annoyance and tried not to fan her flaming red cheeks.
"You're just jealous of Candy. Don't be mean. You know you'll always be my best friend, too! I can have more than one," Evie muttered mutinously while Cristina kept on cackling. She finally quieted a bit to smile more genuinely and kindly.
" I know, I know. And I'll try my best to come this summer, but I think I'll be too busy. I've already got a few offers of jobs and I'll probably spending most of my summer taking all those tests and getting ready for my own move and then it's the fall and I'll be teaching ," Cristina said with a loud sigh.
"You already have job offers? That's so great! But that means you definitely have to come this winter. Promise me, okay?" Evie asked earnestly, smile wistful and mirroring Cristina's.
" I promise. If you don't give up and come back by then …?"
"No… No I don't think I will. I…" Evie broke off to glance over at Finn, who was nibbling at his dinner of freshly caught and grilled goby (yes, she gutted and scaled it herself, it was gross, too).
" You're happier, you know ." Evie startled and stared at Cristina, who shrugged awkwardly and continued. " I'm not saying you were un happy here. You obviously loved being in school and learning what you did. But… there were times when you just… you just weren't happy. And not only after phone calls with your parents ."
Evie and Cristina both rolled their eyes wryly. A knock came from the door then, and Renee's familiar, sweet voice hallooed from outside. "Ah, Renee is here. We're having a scary movie-a-thon tonight."
" You? Scary movies? No way ."
Evie laughed at Cristina's deadpanned response. "It's Luke's fault. I'll call you up again soon. Good luck on getting ready for the fall! I'm so sorry I missed you walking at graduation."
" I'll send you pics. You know my mom took too many," Cristina said with a grin. "Have fun and don't wet the bed tonight !"
"Hey! Rude!" Evie shouted, just as Cristina cut the call, laughing again.
Evie huffed and trudged over to the door, grumbling under her breath. When she opened the door to see Renee standing there with arms full of snacks, she saw it was already getting darker outside, the sunset well on its way. Renee smiled happily and held it all up.
"I think I'm ready!"
"If only it wasn't with scary movies," Evie sighed, making Renee laugh, as they both stepped inside.
A while later, everyone had finally shown up. Most of the snacks were ready in bowls or on plates, and Evie had moved her TV to sit right in the middle of the room across from the bed. She sunk onto her bed next to Renee, whom looked giddy with excitement and a bowl of popcorn clasped in her hands.
"I'm so glad we're finally doing a scary movie night!" Renee said gleefully.
"Me, too! Especially for the snacks!" Finn exclaimed from where he sat, unnoticed, on Renee's lap (easier to reach the popcorn from there).
Evie groaned and flopped onto her back. "Candy was the only smart one."
Luke pouted as he pulled up a chair, swung it around to straddle it, and lay his arms over the back. "You sure she won't come? She can bring her sis with her."
Anissa handed him a cup of soda and replied, "Spending time with her sister was her polite way of saying no, Luke."
Luke pouted harder.
"That's a lovely flower," Anissa said, carefully passing over cups to Renee and Evie. She nodded towards the bright scarlet bloom sitting on the kitchen counter out of the way.
Evie perked up. "Yeah, it's a hibiscus! The Toucans let me have it. Plus, next year, I'll be able to plant spicy peppers and cocoa ." The farmer's eyes shined as she listed off her plans for the new spring
"Cocoa?" Luke repeated gleefully.
Evie nodded rapidly. "Yup! My very own chocolate! How cool, right?"
"So cool!" Luke and Evie fistbumped-and-exploded.
"You should put it in water to keep it fresh," Anissa added, reining them in. Evie blinked.
"Oh, yeah, I guess. Do you think it'd be okay for one day?" she questioned.
Anissa frowned pensively. "If it's just one day, you could leave it in your fridge? That should preserve it just fine for a while."
Smiling in gratitude, Evie gave her a thumbs up. "I'll do that between movies. Thanks."
"One day? What happens then?" Renee asked in confusion.
Evie rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. "I'm giving it to the Wizard. That favor he asked me for? The hibiscus is part of it."
Three pairs of wide eyes gaped at her.
"The Wizard wants a… flower?" Luke asked, expression baffled.
"Yeah, and some cornmeal and butter," Evie answered blithely.
"That's a helluva loaf o' bread," Luke muttered. The women burst into snickers at his wry tone.
"He's not gonna turn it into bread, is he?" Renee asked between chuckles.
Evie shrugged with a perplexed frown. "I actually have no idea what he's doing with it. But I finally got it gathered up, so I'm gonna hand it over. And then, somehow, find the time to go back to Toucan to give Selena's parents her letter." She sighed roughly, annoyance and anxiety warring in her. "I feel bad for her parents, but how in the world do I keep getting dumped in the middle of everyone's business?!"
"To be fair," Anissa began, her voice sympathetic even as her perfect mouth twitched at the edges, "you invite yourself into everyone's business more than half the time."
Evie sputtered, face red, as Luke and Renee cackled.
"She's right, you know! But it's okay, because you're the hero. You're s'pposed to do that!" Finn chirped, thankfully unheard by everyone else.
"Please, just turn on whatever hel– craptacious monstrosity you guys chose and let me die of shame in peace," Evie mumbled as she slumped down low against the wall.
"Crap…tacious?" Luke repeated with a grin while Anissa hit play. Evie flipped him a bird over Renee's head– out of Finn's sight– and had him descending into more laughter at he r expense.
…
Evie stood over her table, hands on her hips as she gnawed on her lower lip. The hibiscus flower looked as good as new still, thanks to Anissa's advice of keeping it refrigerated. The butter she'd made that morning from Hera's latest milking fairly glittered with its perfection– Clotho's butter she had put in the tradebox for cash; having two milking animals, plus the wool, was really building up her savings. The corn from her first day of summer's planting had finally been big enough to harvest. She wanted to save some for roasting and boiling, but most of it was going into cornmeal. What she wasn't giving to the Wizard would sell for more money once she made it into cornmeal. The problem was, she had to turn the corn into cornmeal. Anissa had suggested using the waterwheel, but Evie knew for a fact the closest one– the one on her land! – was locked up until she paid for Hamilton to re-open it (from what she could tell between Hamilton's blustering, she'd basically be paying for basic repairs to the old dump).
"What are you just staring for!?" Finn cried, fluttering around her head.
With a groan, Evie picked up the butter and flower to put back in the fridge. She'd finally have to admit– "Today is going to be a running around day. I was trying to figure out the most efficient path."
Finn pouted at her and tilted his head like a cat. "What do you mean?"
"We're going to have to take this corn to the Waterwheel in Flute Fields, grind it into cornmeal, then run back here and get these ingredients so they won't spoil, then take everything to Harmonica. Then , once Wizard does whatever he needs to with this stuff, we're going to have to go all the way back to Flute Fields to the Forest to find the Witch with the Wizard's help." Evie slammed the fridge door closed a little too forcefully. "Having a car would be so nice right now. Even a bike would be helpful!"
"Or a horse!" Finn suggested. Evie froze and blinked.
"Or a horse." Mentally she calculated how much she had versus how much she'd need for a foal. But then the idea of a riding a horse came to her and she grimaced. Abruptly, she shook her head. "No, not yet! I have to get this house fixed up! We've been lucky so far that the thunderstorms during the spring never got bad enough to leak. But it's summer, season of typhoons . My money is going towards the house first. Then , we can get a horse."
Finn fluttered up to cuddle under her chin as she huffed irritably. "It's gonna be okay, Evie. We'll do it, you'll see. I'll help, too. And I'll fly the whole time instead of riding in your pocket!" he offered stoutly.
Evie smiled and cupped his little body in her hand against her throat. "Thanks, Tinks. Let's get started on today's marathon now. But, you can hitch a ride in my pocket any time. I'm the hero, right?" she said with an amused snort.
"But I can be a hero, too! Just like you," Finn argued fiercely, chest puffing up while he hovered next to her cheek. Evie grinned proudly over at him.
"Yeah, you can, little dude. Of course."
The morning went basically as Evie had foresaw– with a whole lot of jogging around. People waved her down and called her name, but she merely waved back and kept jogging with an apologetic grins in their direction. Since she had to use the old Waterwheel, she stopped long enough at Marimba to buy a few new seeds. Although the tomatoes and corn would regrow, the few rows of melons and onions she'd harvested had to be replanted. The honeydews made her so much money she splurged a little to make the profit worth it. She made it to the Waterwheel before too long, and it took a bit of lip-biting anxiety-ridden re-reads of the helpful instruction post in the water house before Evie eventually managed to get the corn ground and poured into the helpfully laid out canvas bags. Since Wizard hadn't specified the quality, Evie set aside a bag of the good-looking cornmeal, but the worst and the best of the choices she kept for sale. It wasn't as much as she'd hoped, since she'd kept a few ears at home for herself, but she'd make a little . With her low supply of lumber, she wouldn't be able to spend her money if she had it, anyway. With a small sigh, Evie hefted the bags into her rucksack and headed back home.
Cornmeal was thrown into the trade box, the ingredients the wizard needed re-acquired, and the rancher, with fairy in tow, headed towards town. Yet more people tried to call out to her, Candace and Luna included from where they stood in a cluster with Kathy chatting. Evie paused a moment, but Finn's chiming wings continuing onward had her shaking her head regretfully. She raced onward with a wild wave of farewell, puffing and red-faced from exertion. The steps up to Wizard's front door had her wheezing slightly, and she leaned against the low wall around his stoop to catch her breath. She knocked, at first a little timidly with a shaking hand, but more forcefully once she gritted through the nerves.
A long, leg-jittering moment later, the door swung open slowly. Inside, it was as dim and cool as she remembered. The wizard somehow looked rumpled and half-asleep despite the lack of wrinkles in his clothes or any yawns to give him away. His gaze was eerily heavy and focused, face blank and inscrutable, but he stepped back and motioned her inside.
"You have an air of triumph under your anxiety. There's no reason to be nervous on my account," Wizard told her from nowhere. She gaped at his back while he rummaged amongst his belongings on a shelf across the room. "Please, sit at the table."
The only table nearby was the one where the little cushion sat– now with the crystal ball in its place of honor. She eyed it warily as she sat, more primly and upright than her usual careless manner. "How can you tell that stuff? About how I'm feeling?"
Wizard shrugged a shoulder. "After a half a century or more, such things are easy enough to interpret."
Half a– "More than half a century?!" Evie squawked out loud in surprise as her eyes darted over his youthful, line-less face. The silver hair looked more his age than she'd originally surmised.
Wizard turned towards the table, a pestle and mortar in hand, and rose a sleepy eyebrow at her. His gold eye gleamed a little brighter than the green in the gloom of his home. "I age well. As will you… to a lesser extent."
Evie's jaw dropped, speechless, as Finn popped into being from his ball of light self. "Whaddya mean?" the fairy asked, genuinely confused.
Wizard set everything out on the table before taking a seat. He rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, baring toned dark arms and clever elegant hands, and snapped his fingers at Evie. She blinked, bemused, then hurriedly dug into her pack once she realized his unspoken request. One by one, each ingredient was handed over. Finn and Evie watched, mesmerized, as Wizard began to softly chant and grind the materials into the mortar.
"That man, the adventurer with the guitar, is wiser than he realizes," Wizard said, apropos of nothing. Finn and Evie stared at each other, utterly baffled.
"Do you mean Dr. Jones?" Evie asked hesitantly.
"Yes. The one who calls you fey."
The simple, thoughtless admission floored Evie. Her hands felt heavy and numb on her knees and Finn jumped into the air with a crow of understanding.
"That's what you meant! She's got fairy in her, so– Does that mean you do, too?" Finn asked excitedly.
"I have what in me?" Evie repeated through lips that buzzed as though they'd fallen asleep.
"I don't have much fey in my bloodlines. Perhaps far, far back," Wizard said to Finn. Before either Finn or Evie could get further clarification, the Wizard hummed quietly and passed his hand over the mortar. "There. I am finished."
He got up and headed towards a large grey shoulder-sack hanging from his desk chair. Evie and Finn left the table, Evie infinitely more rattled than before she'd entered. His words had done far more damage to her nerves than soothed them. He came back to the table and tipped the contents of the mortar into a jar he'd taken out of his sack. Despite being more like a paste than a liquid, it poured smoothly into the neck of the glass. He stopped it with a cork and wax that somehow molded and immediately dried under his hand. Wizard's bi-colored gaze met Evie's.
"Shall we go?"
"I– uh, yeah. Yeah, let's go," Evie agreed quickly. She was suddenly desperate to get into the fresh air. Even the long walk to Fugue Forest, and then through it to the swamp deep within, seemed like a boon. Anything to escape the strange words the Wizard had uttered about her lineage. She remembered just then Dr. Jones' equally strange words–
A powerful and wise man, but also a famous wizard.
Did I just have an actual Harry Potter moment? Evie thought in bewilderment, heartbeat ratcheting too high and palms sweaty. Wizard opened the door and gestured her to walk through.
She stepped out of the house, but instead of her boots striking solid stone, the ground sunk moist and soft under her heel. Evie stumbled forward with a yelp. Thick humid air smacked her face like a brick wall as cicadas and frogs chirped a cacophony of noise around them. The fetid, oppressive stench of decaying vegetation and stagnant water barely sweetened by a myriad of wild flowers assaulted her olfactory senses and had her reeling back. There wasn't a wall at her back where the doorway should been, just odorous air and more muddy, mossy ground that sucked and pulled at her boots. A hand at her lower back steadied her, but she shook it away with a loud growl of frustration.
"You could have warned me!" Evie snarled, rounding on the Wizard as she gestured around them– at the swampy island in the middle of the still pond and the tiny house built within the old, dead tree. Wizard merely stared coolly back.
"Did you really wish to waste time walking this whole way?"
Evie scowled darkly and stomped towards the witch's house. Mud splattered over her shins and her hands were balled in tight fists. When she made it to the wooden walkway, the boards shuddered and clattered under her rubber soles like a parade was shadowing each step.
She did not appreciate being knocked off balance and that's all this infuriating and enigmatic magician did to her. As much as she wanted to like him, and despite how inoffensive he acted, her hackles were raised within moments of being in his company. Every. Single. Time. She shook her shoulders and head, wiggling away the bristles as Finn hovered close by.
"Are you okay, Evie? I didn't know his door was magic like that, or I woulda warned you," the little sprite told her worriedly. She mustered up a smile for him.
"It's all right, Finn. I'm not angry at you. I'm not really angry , just annoyed and thrown a bit. I would've thought that was really cool if I wasn't already off kilter. C'mere," Evie explained, holding up her hand. Finn buzzed over, wings glittering, and she cuddled him close to her cheek. "Sorry, Bumblebee."
"Bumblebee? I get that one!" Finn cheered happily. Evie pictured the large, talking, yellow robot car and barely kept back a laugh.
"Yeah, sure did, Finn. Definitely talking about bees." She turned back to Wizard, who was waiting patiently at the door. She walked to him and nodded tautly. "After you, Mr. Wizard."
His look lingered, but, per his norm, he kept silent. Just walked into the house without hesitation. A loud bumping and thumping greeted them. Croaking, continuous and hoarse, came a second later, and Evie sighed in relief. The frog sounded pretty darn alive and okay, even after the long wait. They walked into the main room to see the frog flailing and slapping at the table it sat on, so vehemently and forcefully that the table shook and the little hat on the frog's head wobbled.
"Now, it doesn't do you any good to get this worked up, Vivi," Wizard admonished softly.
"Vivi? That's… um, her name? That's cute!" Evie noted with an encouraging smile at the now-pouting-theatrically amphibian. Vivi the frog's tongue darted in and out of her mouth before she ducked her head away, the picture of abashed. "So, what do we do?" she asked Wizard.
He looked over at her with a glass flask already in hand. "You do nothing. Stand back and don't interfere."
Evie jerked back, eyebrows high and expression affronted. But she stepped away, hands up, with a sputtering and indignant Finn on the crown of her head. Wizard easily ignored Finn's outrage and poured all the potion from the flask onto the frog. Under the red-tinted gloop the frog sighed wearily, sounding almost human. It further cemented Evie's theory the frog was actually a familiar rather than an average (not-so-average-looking) frog. The Wizard waved his hand in a circular motion, light building up between his palms. The light began to glow brighter and brighter, a shining white edged in sapphire blue. Sparks danced in Evie's vision and she quickly slammed her eyes shut and lifted an arm to cover her face. There wasn't a sound really, more like a popping in her ears and a rush of force knocking her back on her heels as her hair fluttered around her cheeks and chin. The force dissipated as swiftly as it appeared. Footsteps in booted heels sounded over the floorboards and the sound of a feminine, if raspy, voice filled the small room.
"That took you long enough, Gale! Just what were you thinking, letting me suffer like that for all these weeks!? Why didn't you come sooner, you nincompoop!"
Evie blinked her eyes open in surprise. In front of her was the woman Cain and Hanna had described weeks ago– amber-eyed, silver-haired, and beautiful. Her features were pointed and pale, eyelashes thick and long, and her slender curves accentuated in an outfit that was somehow cute and… rather racy at the same time.
"I honestly had no idea you attempted the spell. I did try to warn you of the consequences," Wizard– was his name really Gale?! – said, uncowed by the fury in those dark amber eyes, almost pumpkin orange in color. "You of all people should know the boundaries of the cu–"
"I don't want to hear your excuses," Vivi the Witch interrupted as a blush rushed to her cheeks and her brows drew together into a tight scowl. She stomped her foot and held her fists taut and shaking at her sides. "Just get out! Out!"
"You should at least thank Ms. Tallesin–"
"Oh, yes, the snoop ." She rounded on Evie and the rancher barely managed not to glare in Wizard's direction. On her head, Finn eeped in fear, his hands digging into her hair to clutch tightly. "You too, and your little winged nuisance, out of my house. How dare you come in here without an invitation! You're trespassing!"
"S-Sorry, I was trying to–"
"What did I say!? Just leave me alone, right now!" the Witch cried out, eyes squeezing shut. She turned her head away and crossed her arms over her chest, refusing to even look at them.
The Wizard sighed and motioned for Evie to follow. She hurried after him, almost stepping on his heels to escape. She had no idea what to do about the Green Bell, or what had happened that the Witch had become a frog and couldn't change back, or even what the Wizard had been trying to reprimand the furious woman about, all she knew was she had better G-T-F-O before the Witch turned Evie into a frog instead.
On impulse, Evie glanced back before she shut the door. Behind them, the Witch had fallen into one of the dusty dining chairs. Instead of throwing pots or pans or curses their way, the silver-haired woman was slumped over, her hands covering her beautiful face. Just barely… Evie could see her shoulders shaking as her pointed black hat slipped down her shining hair.
In the dim and dusty room, the Witch looked like a normal, lonely woman.
The door snicked shut softly and Evie stared at the wood, chewing her lip.
"She's not exactly a cheerful or gentle woman," the Wizard– no, Gale– started in a quiet voice. Evie looked over at him, expectant and concerned. "But she's a good woman under the prickles. Whatever you're searching for, she'll help you. Don't give up on her." He looked so sad and tired as he spoke, his glittering eyes on the closed door. "Whatever camaraderie we once had… it is my own fault she pushes me away. Make it clear you are not my friend and she'll give you a chance, Tallesin."
Evie drew her bottom lip into her mouth and bit a little too hard. She winced, but nodded. "I'll try again tomorrow. She… she was the frog, wasn't she?"
A glimmer of humor shone in his emerald and gold gaze. "Indeed. Your familiar theory wasn't too wild, just not quite right. Amendable instincts. Would you return with me to Harmonica…?" he offered, waving towards the opening in the trees across from the wooden walkway. Evie scrunched up her nose in thought.
"No, actually. Thanks for askin' this time. I need to get some more lumber cut for my house. I'll stay in the forest."
"Mm, I'll see you again. And… if you see a large purple toadstool that looks… out of place… I suggest bringing it with you as a peace offering the next time you visit here. Or anything with raspberries if you have any left from spring." Gale's mouth curved up the side, not quite a smirk or a smile, then he left her behind, striding over the walkway.
Silence descended on them the moment Gale walked through the shadows into the trees– and back to Harmonica most likely. Handy skill, magic. Finn fluttered down to Evie's eyeline, looking worried and upset.
"Are we really just going to leave?" he asked in increasing agitatation.
Evie hesitated, but the image of the Witch curled over in the gloom had her nodding. "I have a feeling right now the last thing she wants is company. First thing tomorrow, I promise."
"Tomorrow's the Festival!" Finn argued with a huff. Evie blinked in shock.
"Oh yeah. Uh… we'll probably have to wait till after Luke's birthday if we have to, but I think we'll make it tomorrow if we leave super early in the morning. C'mon, let's get to choppin'. I bet we'll run into Luke before long," Evie told him cheerfully, jogging towards the forest and out of the oppressive humidity. Even the Forest's eerie, but cool , hush was better than the heat.
Finn whined irritably, but trailed after her regardless.
…
The bell over Sonata's front door chimed. Candace looked up from where she sat next to Luna, sketchbooks and balance books spread over the counter. Luna's blue eyes narrowed over the top of her red-rimmed spectacles. When she made out it was Evie walking through the door, looking sweaty and covered in dirt and woodchips and leaves, Luna snorted inelegantly and turned back to the books. Candace slipped off her stool, already smiling in welcome as Evie burst in with the evening air.
"Heya, Candy! And Luna, lookin' on fleek."
"Please, never try to use colloquial nonsense around me ever again. You butcher it," Luna retorted dryly, tapping at the calculator with her pen.
Evie chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck. "Yeah… much better with popculture references. How ya doin', Candy?"
Candace shook her head at Luna and Evie's interaction, though she couldn't help but be relieved that Evie proved so affable to Luna's barbs. She'd seen how short and unimpressed Evie could be around Chase, whom had always reminded Candace strongly of Luna. Though, Luna rarely used her sharpest words on Candace, if ever.
"I'm fine, Evie. Were you in the Forest with Luke again? I thought you had an appointment with the Wizard?" Candace inquired curiously, leading Evie towards the kitchen. Evie followed her into the other room and sat at Candace's motion towards a chair.
"Oh, I did. Meet up with the Wizard, I mean. I ended up wanting to punch him once or twice, but we managed to get through it. I hung around in the Forest alone for a bit, just doing what I do. Luke didn't show up 'til after lunch," Evie answered easily, propping her elbows up on the table and leaning her chin on her upraised fists. She sighed wearily and cracked her neck slightly to both sides. Candace winced at the popping sounds and set the timer on the electric kettle. As the water heated, she rustled around the cabinets for a few mugs. "I thought I should come by and get to know your sis a bit better. And, well, the day after tomorrow is Luke's birthday."
Candace felt her cheeks heating– to her dismay– and was earnestly grateful her back was to Evie. Not that Evie would likely notice anything amiss. She was ridiculously oblivious to any such hints– Not that there were hints! Of any kind! Her hands slipped on smoothly glazed handles. Candace gasped quietly and yanked the mugs to her chest, the porcelain clinking loudly.
"O-Oh, yes, that's right. His birthday p-party," Candace managed to force out with very little of her aggravating stutter.
"I figured it being at my place would be okay this time. It's still a small trash heap, but peeps can crash if they wanna and we can be as loud as we want. Plus, once I put the animals in, we could set off a few fireworks. You know he'll want to," Evie said with an eager grin, ticking off ideas on her fingers as her eyes lit up. "Yolanda already promised that cake, I'll make sure to ask her about it again tonight, and Kathy promised to handle the invitations since I've been so busy and… I'm either always with Luke or just not very discreet," Evie admitted with a sheepish laugh. "Toby and Renee both promised lots of food, too!"
"It doesn't sound like you'll need much from me this time," Candace noted, ignoring the loud, overly-rapid beating of her heart. She set the tea strainer on the pot and filled it with her favorite blend of evening tea– very aromatic and low caffeine– and took the electric kettle off its stand when it clicked. The sweet, light scent of tea filled the air and both women sighed softly in satisfaction.
In the past, Candace really only had Anissa to share tea with, as most of the people she knew didn't really enjoy it much. It was nice to have Evie to enjoy it with as well. Especially since Anissa was always so busy, busier now that Dr. Jin had returned. Working in the Clinic would be taking a lot of Anissa's spare time. Candace brought the tray with the teapot and mugs to the table.
"What are you talkin' about, I'm not going to need you this time?" Evie asked incredulously while Candace set out the tea things. "You gotta help me decorate my decrepit shack of a house for an awesome birthday! I'm gonna need balloons and a big ole banner–" she gestured with her hands to emphasize the size and amount of balloons she envisioned, gaze distant as she pictured it– "and whole bunch of napkins and cups, plus where am I going to hide the fireworks? Either I stuff 'em under my bed for two days, or…"
"I think we have some room in the stockroom," Candace offered immediately. Evie heaved a sigh of relief. "It's made to keep dry and at a constant temperature to save the fabrics."
"You're a lifesaver. I actually couldn't think of a Plan B for where to put them. I was hoping for brainstorming time with you, but you already have a solution," Evie said with a wide grin at Candace.
Feeling buoyant with being helpful, Candace smiled brightly back. "I'm happy I could. Would you like some cookies with tea?"
"Ugh, just marry me. You complete me, Candy, complete me ," Evie pleaded earnestly. Candace giggled and got up.
"That sounds like a yes to cookies."
"You better not be giving this mess the first herb cookie from your batch, Candace. I claimed that one," Luna announced, coming into the room and tucking her glasses into a case. It was decorated in dancing poodles and flowers, and had Evie gasping over it.
"Oh wow! Do you have one with cats, too?"
"Cats are evil, selfish divas," Luna said with a haughty sniff, sitting in the chair next to Evie. Evie tsked in outrage.
"Cats are great . Other than evil, though, you're pretty spot-on," Evie joked, laughing. She reached for the teapot and poured into their mugs while Candace piled cookies from the cooling rack onto a plate. "I could've sworn you were a cat person."
Luna rolled her eyes and took her mug– a bright pink one with a glittery crown stamped onto the side. "I only have room for one diva in my home. And that's me."
Evie tilted back her head to laugh as Luna hid her smugly satisfied smirk behind the lip of her mug. Candace giggled just a little, having heard the joke before, and walked over to the table. She smiled gratefully when Evie set her mug in front of her– hers had once been her mother's, a small teacup that was terribly old-fashioned, the gold gilt on the brim mostly rubbed off, the delicate porcelain white and patterned with pretty yellow snowdrops almost completely faded away. Evie used an old #1 Grandma mug that always made her laugh when she got it.
"I heard your ridiculously over-the-top plans for Carpenter. Why are you two going through so much work for that hyperactive dork? Candy, when did you even become friends with that guy?" Luna demanded, her frown more of confusion than disapproval. Hearing her sister use her new nickname had Candace barely containing a smile and she took a sip of tea to collect herself.
She eventually set down her mug and traced the rim with a finger. "He's very good friends with Evie. So when she got hurt, and I helped out, I became good friends with him, too," Candace explained with downcast eyes and pink cheeks.
Evie cut in then, grinning widely, "You should've seen her dress me down . She really scolded me, and Luke, too, a few times. She's a very strict nursemaid."
"N-No, I d-didn't!" Candace gasped in horror. Evie merely laughed behind her fist, obviously teasing. Candace's shoulders slumped as she exhaled loudly. "You should really stop teasing me about that. People will believe you if you say it enough."
Luna hummed thoughtfully, eyes dancing between the two friends. "Would that really be so bad? People believing you've got yourself a backbone at last?" her sister asked bluntly, reaching over to snag the first herb cookie.
"That's kinda harsh," Evie said, frowning.
"N-No, she's… she's got a point," Candace interrupted before Luna could swallow down her mouthful and say something rude. She had that kind of look on her face. Evie glanced over at her, still frowning. "I was… Do you remember everything about… Julius?"
Evie scowled and nodded. "Yeah, I still feel bad about letting him invite himself to your shop."
Candace shook her head, her eyes falling to her hands wrapped around her mug, and shame filled her. "It wasn't your fault, Evie. Really. B-Besides… e-everyone… everyone kn-knows," she continued in a whisper. "Everyone knows that I… I d-don't have a… a b-backbone. It's n-not harsh if it's t-true."
"Candace, that's not what I meant. You know I would never mean it like that," Luna said. Candace gasped as Luna's hand lay over hers, and she looked up to see her sister leaning over the table to reach her. She was smiling in that pained, sad way she did whenever they brought up Candace's childhood. "I would never make you feel bad about what happened. I just meant… don't be ashamed that you can and do stick up for yourself now."
Candace's eyes stung and her nose felt stuffy. She sniffled a little, laughing wetly. "Yes, I know, I d-do. I'm s-sorry, I'm b-being s-silly."
"No way. Eat a cookie and don't you dare cry," Evie ordered brusquely, even as she wrapped a strong arm around Candace's shoulders. "If you start, I'll start. And I'm an ugly crier."
"Now that I believe," Luna intoned with a very judgmental look in Evie's direction. Evie's squawk of indignation had Candace laughing genuinely. A lightness lifted off her shoulders and heart and, when she opened her eyes, Luna and Evie were grinning at her in relief and amusement.
"I think we were planning a party?" Candace said pointedly, wiping at her eye with the hand Luna wasn't holding.
"Right, definitely! Party!" Evie agreed, giving Candace's shoulders once last squeeze. "Now, where in the world do I buy fireworks in Castanet?"
Luna groaned and rolled her eyes. Hand patting Candace's one last time, she retook her seat and polished off her cookie. "If Barbara doesn't have any in stock, Phoebe can probably invent some in a jiffy," Luna answered between bites with a negligent wave of her hand.
Evie's eyes lit up in delight. "Really? Pheebs can make fireworks ? Oooohh, shiny !"
"Please, don't try it yourself," Candace blurted. She clapped both hands over her mouth, eyes wide in shock, as Luna and Evie stared at her.
Until they burst into hearty guffaws, tears gathering in the corners of their eyes.
"I-I d-don't know w-which is f-f-funnier! Wh-What sh-she said or the l-look on her f-face ," Evie wheezed.
"B-both. Both ," Luna gasped, coughing around cookie crumbs caught in her throat.
Blood rushed to Candace's face. "I-I d-didn't mean to!"
It only set them off again, even louder and harder. She sipped at her tea, beet-red with shame as Luna and Evie slowly got themselves back together. Evie rubbed a little too hard at her eyes, blinking and grimacing while Luna helped herself to another cookie.
"Before you leave today, Evie, you should really look at our glasses. There are a few in your prescription," Candace offered, trying to ignore the heat still lingering in her cheeks.
Evie gaped at her before grinning wide and bright, so like another grin it was still a wonder to Candace the two of them weren't actual siblings. She hid the reoccurrence of her blush at her unbidden thought of him, again , behind her porcelain mug.
"Oh, right! I still haven't made time for that, have I? I'll snag a pair tonight for sure. Hopefully with a cute case covered in evil, selfish divas," Evie said, with a sly glance at Luna.
"So you've come around and admitted cats are hell spawn?" Luna asked, not used to Evie's looks enough to have caught it. Candace pressed her fingertip to her mouth and wisely chose not to take another sip of tea.
"Cats? I meant a case covered in little pictures of you ," Evie replied smugly.
Luna's jaw dropped and Candace quickly looked away, pressed her entire hand over her mouth to suppress her giggles. Evie just threw back her head to laugh without shame.
A/N: Soooo, this chapter was basically filler around the one important plot event, but someone said in a comment they wanted Cris to pop back up, and I had just the place for her! Plus, I just like giving everyone a little bit of screen time. Next up, Firefly Festival, and the festival isn't the only big thing that happens! Oh, and then Luke's bday and another dramatic reveal! I hope your ready for it~ pfftt I want to work on a couple "timestamp" chapters, at least one for Jin/Anissa, or following up on Renee (there's so much that was hinted at earlier on, it'd be fun to get into her head after the firefly festival/Luke's bday, you'll see why *winkwink*)
I have to go to some work training in Shanghai, from Monday night to Thursday night, so I'll try and post when I get back home then (so Thursday morning/afternoon for the Western hemisphere peeps). Thank you all for reading!
