(A/N: Holy crap, yes, that was a ton of reviews.  I didn't check my e-mail for a good chunk of the week, so imagine my shock when I saw so much e-mail!  I didn't actually think anyone would respond, so I realize that it is my serious duty to write some more now.  Enjoy the brilliance of Protagonist Cathy, she's my hero.)

(Oh yeah, Mildred is a girl's name, I just thought that was adding more humor in an evil sort of a way.  I'm naughty like that.)

Chad trudged by my side, his dark brown hair falling around his face.  His blue eyes were focused on the ground.  I pat him on the shoulder.

"You know, you're not really stuck with us.  You can go off somewhere else if you want.  We'll try to send you back if you want."

He laughed.  "No, I don't want to go back."

"Seriously?" 

"Yeah."  Chad grinned, dimples appearing in both cheeks.  (A/N: Yes, this entire paragraph was for those of you who wanted physical features on my lover.  By the way, he's mine.  Mine.  Carry on.)

"Don't you have anyone on Earth that you care about?"

"No."  Then he paused, "Well, my dog Bullet, but he was hit by a car."

"Aw, I'm sorry."

"Me too." 

"Sir Mildred," Michelle was speaking with the knights, "Do you know where I can find fairies?"

"No.  Actually, yes.  Lucinda's always around.  Call on her and you've got yourself a mess to contend."  Sir yellow fur-ball guffawed.

"How do I call her?"

"Dunno."  Sir Mildred shrugged.

Sir Stephan frowned.  "Why do you wonder, little miss?"

"I… I need a fairy.  That's actually what we're looking for."

"Oh, then don't go to the capitol.  Queen Ella had a bit of trouble with Lucinda and even though they've come to mends, most people would prefer not to see her likes." 

"Lucinda's children are causing a spot of trouble right now.  Go around 'blessing' everyone in sight."

"What do you mean?"  I piped up.

"Giving the gift of Obedience and Togetherness and so on."  Another knight said, yanking on an ogre's collar rather roughly. 

"What… what are their names?"

"I won't speak them here.  They might come for me."  Sir Mildred whispered.

"Are they Cyrillianna and…."

"Shh!"

"…Chelmak?"  I finished.  "Oh."  All the knights were paler than my sun-deprived bottom with fear.

"We're leaving you three here."  A knight cried.  "You're bad luck!  I see it already!"

"You gotta problem with bad luck?"  Chad smirked. "That makes two of us."

"Three."  I piped up.

"It's okay if you leave us, you helped us enough and it would be in poor taste to cause troubles for you."  I never knew that Michelle could be so… royal.  In a word.  "If we ever meet again, I hope it is in better circumstances.  Thank you for your assistance, brave souls."

"We can take them to the capitol still…."  Sir Stephan said slowly.

"What?  Are you mad?  Stephan!  These three have foul luck darkening their footsteps!"  A superstitious knight was trembling.  The ogre he was leading shook his head, annoyed by this knight's cowardice.

"Is it not our responsibility to save even the poorly lucked?"  Sir Stephen drew himself to full height.  "When we were sworn to duty we swore to save even the worst off, even at risk to our lives."

"Well said."  Michelle nodded.

I started clapping.

"Stop it."  Michelle commanded, looking back at me as though I were a moron.  I was of course, but she had also commanded me to stop, and, being as I was, I stopped.  "Oh, sorry."  She blushed.  "We have a mission to accomplish, and you have helped us to a point.  Thank you.  We'll take it from here."

"If you're sure…."  Sir Stephan nodded.  "Good luck to you."

"Ta!"  I waved as the knights retreated.  I heard them muttering amongst themselves. 

"Clearly they're up to no good.  Did you see their odd clothes?  How many people have you seen who look like that?"  Sir Mildred shook his head. 

"It's your leather jacket."  I said as the three of us began to walk another way through the forest.  "I mean, it frightens the locals."

"Hah."  He grinned skeptically.  "Isn't that ironic?"

"No."

"You don't understand."

"I know what irony is and I quite expected a bunch of knights to think a leather jacket and jeans to be odd.  That's not ironic."

Michelle frowned thoughtfully as she walked, mouthing things to herself and shaking her head.

"So, why were you in trouble with the law anyway?"  I asked.

"I killed a man."  He said expressionlessly.

"Ooh, that's kind of creepy."  I realized that I had been goofing off around a murderer. 

"No.  That's not what I meant.  I didn't do it, I was accused, and it looked like it too."

That made me feel better.

"See, this guy shot another man, throws the gun over by me and runs.  I picked the gun up and tried to shoot the murderer, but… yeah, there weren't any bullets.  The cops show up and figure I did it.  I didn't want to go to jail.  Justice is an illusion.  I would be there the rest of my life with a bunch of killers."

"I'm sorry."  I put a hand on his arm and then Michelle snapped her fingers.

"Got it!" 

"What?"  Chad and I chimed.

"Lucinda!  Lucinda!  I am in need of your help!"

There was a potent smell of lilacs and an old lady with smiling eyes appeared.  There were streaks of blonde in her graying hair.  Her dress flattered her surprisingly young figure, only to sag a bit as she shook her head at herself. 

"Who calls upon me?"  She turned and saw the three of us.  "Who are you?"

"I am Michelle, and you're my great-aunt."

"How delightful!"  Lucinda clapped her hands together and laughed her tinkling laugh. 

"You're a fairy?"  I gawped.  "Yes!  You can save me!"  I spun in circles happily.  "Woo!" 

"Ah, but dear, what do you need?"  Lucinda smiled at me.  "A different dress?  A dress?  That outfit is horribly masculine."

"I don't care about my stinking clothes."  I waved a hand.  "But I'm cursed with Obedience."

"Oh dear.  Was it one of my children that did this?"  She moaned.  She looked centuries older.

"I don't know."

"I haven't seen them in awhile."  Lucinda frowned.  "They went to Earth and Mandy went to search for them."

"Cyrillianna cursed her."  Michelle asserted.  "How can she break it?"

Lucinda sighed.  "I swore not to do big magic, but I've been trying to break curses left and right.  It's tougher than you might assume.  Chelmak is trying to make an army of slaves, I think.  He was always a bit… sadistic."

"A what?"  Chad spoke up.  "An army of slaves?"

"Yes.  He wants to take over Kyrria and the rest of the world.  Probably Earth too.  I've been left here to deal with what I can."

"How do I break the curse?"  I repeated, not giving a hoot about Chelmak and Cyrillianna.

"I've gotten quite good at breaking Obedience curses, especially when they're new."

"This one isn't new."  I groaned.

Lucinda's face fell.  "I can still try…."  She came over and placed a hand on my forehead.  Then she jumped back.  "It's far too old.  The only fairy who can break your curse is Cyrillianna and my daughter would never help you."

I staggered back.  "What am I going to do?"

"There may be another way, but it is rare to find it nowadays."  She looked saddened at her inability to help.  "Young Michelle, what have you come to seek?"

"My father.  And a way to become a proper fairy."

"What is your father's name?"  She asked while smiling, deliberately not looking at me.

"Cedric." 

"Ah!  Cedric!  Come hither now!  Your daughter wishes to see you!"

A puff of blue smoke brought a blonde man stumbling over.  "My daughter?  What's this Lucinda, she's back on… MICHELLE!  What are you doing here!?"  A tired, middle-aged man waltzed over, looking afraid and delighted and furious. 

"Daddy!"  Michelle ran over to hug him. 

"You weren't to come here until you were older!"

"I had to come here, Dad!  You don't understand how it was on Earth…."

"Who are your friends?"  He asked, looking up at us.

"Cathy, she's cursed.  And Chad is a falsely accused criminal."

"Hi."  I said vaguely, feeling as though I might sink into the ground, knowing that I was to be forever cursed. 

"I suppose they will have to come."

"Come where?"  Chad asked suspiciously.

"To the Fairy Academy, of course."