Meanwhile, in Japan, a fair-skinned elf with yellow eyes, long, pink and black hair with blunt bangs, and two pairs of pink wings with red and orange eyespots and she wears a hoodie jacket with fur inside and a zipper, a stylish shirt with a butterfly design, numerous accessories, ripped jeans and knee-high black boots. She is sitting at the waiting area, looking at her phone while waiting for the plane to arrive. When the plane finally landed, the other passengers shuffled from their seats while she turns to her back for a little while and glimpses at her former life before leaving the only home she ever known.
"Guess it's time to face the skies." She sighed as she joined the other passengers and boarded the plane.
When everybody is seated, the plane moves to the runway and takes off. As the plane flew across the moonlit skies as all of the passengers, both mythical beings and humans, were sleeping in their seats. The young elf is sitting between a troll and an orc, writing her diary and when it's time to sleep, she stashed it into her shoulder bag and slept while the plane flew.
When tomorrow comes
I'll be on my own
Feeling frightened of
The things that I don't know
When tomorrow comes
Tomorrow comes
Tomorrow comes
And though the road is long
I look up to the sky
And in the dark I found,
I lost hope that I won't fly
And I sing along, I sing along
And I sing along
I got all I need when I got you and I
I look around me, and see a sweet life
I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight
You're getting me, getting me through the night
Kick start my heart when you shine it in my eyes
Can't lie, it's a sweet life
I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight
You're getting me, getting me through the night
'Cause you're my flashlight (flashlight)
You're my flashlight (flashlight)
You're my flashlight
I see the shadows long beneath the mountain top
I'm not afraid when the rain won't stop
'Cause you light the way
You light the way, you light the way
I got all I need when I got you and I
I look around me, and see a sweet life
I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight
You're getting me, getting me through the night
Kick start my heart when you shine it in my eyes
I can't lie, it's a sweet life
I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight
You're getting me, getting me through the night
(Light light light you're my flashlight, light, light)
Light light you're my flashlight
Light light light light light, oh
(Light light light you're my flashlight, light, light)
You're my flash, oh
I got all I need when I got you and I
I look around me, and see a sweet life
I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight
You're getting me, getting me through the night
Can't stop my heart when you shinin' in my eyes
I can't lie, it's a sweet life
I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight
(You're my flashlight)
You're getting me, getting me through the night
'Cause you're my flashlight
'Cause you're my flashlight
You're my flashlight
You're my flashlight
Light light
You're my flashlight
Light light ye-yeah
The plane finally reached Castle City Airport and everybody got off the plane. The elf followed the crowd and took out her luggage from the pickups. As she carried her bags, she noticed a changeling stealing a fairy's purse. In a flash, the elf flew towards the changeling and punched him till it landed towards the hooves of a centauress. She is a Latina humanoid with freckles, a heavy but muscular built, orange-red hair, the lower half of her body is that of a horse, wears white pants on it and she is wearing a police cap and uniform, noticing that she is a police officer and her horsetail is green. Three centaurs galloped to the airport and arrested the changeling while the leading centaur came close to the young elf.
"Thanks for the help, young immigrant." The centaur thanked her. "That changeling outlaw has been stealing from immigrants for many days and he's so hard to catch."
"No problem, ma'am." The elf responded as she took out her envelope from the shoulder bag. "I recently moved here because of my new job at Feather Pen Studios."
"You mean that animation studios?" She asked her.
"Yes, and I was asked in this letter to rent an apartment in Pop Village Apartments, it also has a key that goes with the letter, it says, Flat 07." The elf read.
"Pop Village apartments? Good luck with those loud and obnoxious sprites living there." One of the centaur police officers added.
"Sprites?" She was confused.
"Stay safe going there, young elf, and good luck with your job." She said as she bid farewell. She and the centaurs got in the police car with the arrested changeling and drove off.
The young elf went to the currency exchange booth and changed the money she had for the local currency. Then, she took a taxi with all her luggage to her new home. She marveled at the sight of fantasy-based ultra-modern architecture, the diversity of its citizens, the wealth of the country, and its districts' unique designs. The taxi finally stopped at Pop Village Apartments, which looks like a high-rise, modern apartment, only taller, brighter, and has a penthouse. She got off the taxi and took her luggage after paying the driver. She stopped in front of the gate.
"That's weird, its name is Pop Village but looks exactly like any apartment." She giggled.
She walks into the door with her luggage. She walks around the lobby, looking at the swimming pool, the gym, and the restaurant at the first floor. She took the lift to the third floor and stopped in front of a door with the number seventeen attached to it. There are three other flats in the entire floor. Using the key that came with her letter, she opens the door and enters the flat. It has the living room, a working desk, the dining room and kitchen combined, the bedroom and the bathroom has a laundry section. The flat was a bit furnished but dusty. She removed her jacket, took out the broom from the closet, and started sweeping. Using her flight, she cleaned the walls, the ceilings, the furniture, the cupboard, every nook and cranny in the apartment she tried to reach in order for the whole place to be squeaky clean. After cleaning, she unpacked all her things, changed her travel clothes for fresh ones, took her key and her shoulder bag with her valuables, and flew to the grocery to buy food. Meanwhile, at one table, a group of sprites can be seen planning something. They are pretending not to notice her and wait for the elf to leave until it is safe to talk. They started to talk when the elf left from their sight
"And that is why Branch, we're planning a party to welcome our new neighbor today." Poppy said.
"Thanks for the lengthy recap, Poppy but can she rest before the party, remember?" Branch added.
"Oh I know, I just saw an opportunity to give her a proper welcome party and I wanna do it with you and everybody here." Poppy said as they read the list. "Let the party preparations begin!"
The sprites started buying decorations and food needed for the party. Satin, Chenille, Smidge, and Guy Diamond bought some party decorations from a party shop, DJ Suki is mixing music with her laptop and turntables, Biggie, with Mr. Dinkles, Cooper and Fuzzbert went to Pixie Marketplace to buy food and drinks for the party. Poppy and Branch, meanwhile, went to a candy shop to buy sweets.
Raise up your hands
I want you dancin'
Raise 'em up, raise 'em up now
There's no, no time to hesitate
Do it, do it now
Lift up
Your voices all together right now
'Cause your day is our day
Say good-bye to the clouds
Good-bye to the Rain
And look forward to a world
Where everything's changed
And freedom is ours
So let's gather around and celebrate
We are free together
And we're soaring so high
Yeah, high in the sky
And we're smuggling by
And shining on brightly
Free Forever
And we're livin' our lives
In lovin' and laughter
Freely and happily ever after
After they finished shopping, they gathered in the penthouse where Poppy lives.
"Tomorrow, we're having a welcome party!" Poppy announced to her friends and the other sprites who gathered around in her penthouse. "Oh, it gets better, the new neighbor will love this party when we surprise her in my apartment!"
"Poppy, c'mon, a welcome party for someone we don't know yet?" Branch piped up. "You're kidding?"
"She is? Okay, okay." Cooper laughed. "I'll get it now, it took me a fucking second."
"What?! Ugh, no." Poppy explained. "Guys, Rosetta needs a welcome party because it's gonna be her first day here in Castle City tomorrow, remember? We've been preparing it for half an hour, it's a new era."
"Wait, how did you know her name?" Branch frowned.
"Violet told me." She grinned.
Meanwhile, in Pixie Marketplace, the elf picked out a pushcart and pick out food and other items she needs every day. She noticed the other mythical creatures and humans around her are taller than her and ignored them with a sad look on her face but she didn't see Biggie, Cooper, or Fuzzbert earlier. While waiting in line to pay her groceries, she was snapped out of her misery when she was greeted by a voice behind her.
"Hey, are you new here?" A human girl asked her. She has black hair, tanned skin with a beauty mark on the left side of her lower lip and she is wearing a red hoodie, a white t-shirt, pants, and sneakers. She is carrying a basket with groceries.
"Yeah, recently moved to Pop Village Apartments, flat 07." The elf responded. "I'm Rosetta but everybody calls me Rose."
"I'm Berry Violet but everybody calls me Violet, and I live in flat 06" She said.
"You mean we're neighbors?" Rose asked.
"Yeah, I left my parents' home to live on my own when I got the job." Violet replied.
"Me, I rode Pegasus Air to get here." Rose continued.
"Wanna walk with me to our flats?" She asked her.
"Sure, I'll try to fly as steadily as I can."
The girls talked on their way back to the apartment. Rose is steadily hovering while carrying their groceries with her powers while Violet carries two bags of it. The girls laughed as they entered the third floor.
"You work at Feather Pen Studios?" Violet asked.
"Yeah, tomorrow's my first day at my job." Rose responded.
"I went here to study in Oak University." She added. "I got a part-time job as a waitress in Sweet Pop Cafe."
"Why did you want to study there and live far away from your parents?" The elf became curious.
"My adoptive family are supportive of us when we want to study in Oak University but nonetheless, they're very proud of me and my sisters." She grinned.
"My parents wanted me to try and be independent but I was too afraid until now." Rose told her.
"It's different when I go to Pixie Marketplace with my new friends but I usually buy groceries with Cooper." She said.
"Cooper?" The elf asked her.
"He's a faun and one of my new friends in Pop Village Apartments." Violet narrated. "Mr. Peppy and Poppy let me live in the apartments when I ran away to study in Castle University and I met her, Cooper, Branch, Smidge, Biggie, Guy Diamond, Fuzzbert, Satin and Chenille, DJ Suki and...ugh, Creek."
"Are they sprites or something?" The elf asked her. "One of the cops told me Pop Village Apartments have sprites living there."
"Yeah, they are sprites." She answered.
"I hope they don't annoy me more than anything." Rose rolled her eyes
The next day, Rose woke up and got up from her bed. She rushed to the bathroom to take a bath and prepared herself for her first day at work. She puts on a pink off-shoulder tiger print top with long sleeves, a black hoodie, a choker, bangles, jean shorts, and black boots. She grabbed her laptop bag, containing a drawing tablet and her laptop, wallet, keys, and other important needs, made herself tuna sandwiches for breakfast, and flew out to her first day of work in Feather Pen Studios. She came to her cubicle in the working area and started working on some scenes assigned to her to make. She worked and ate her sandwiches at the same time, ignoring the other coworkers who are chatting and talking with each other. When lunchtime came, Rose was approached by an African-American sprite with blue and green eyes, brown skin with vitiligo, and colorful streaks covering her curly ultramarine hair tied in a ponytail. Her bright turquoise owl butterfly wings have different color markings and eyespots like yellow, pink, and dark blue and she wears a cream shirt with a light brown collar, jeans, and brown flat shoes.
"Hey, you're Rose right?" She asked her. "I'm Harper."
"Yeah, my full name is Rosetta and it's nice to meet you." Rose smiled as she got up from her cubicle and shook her hand.
"It's lunchtime, wanna join me in Sweet Pop?" Harper asked her. "You're gonna love it there."
"Sure." The elf nodded and later, she put on her hoodie, took her cellphone and wallet, and placed them in a small handbag.
The two co-workers came to a colorful building in a park with many flowers, trees bushes, rooftop terraces with chairs and tables dotted with umbrellas, and a sign saying "Sweet Pop". They entered the cafe and saw a lot of humans and mythical creatures eating and drinking or chatting everywhere. Uniformed employees are working at the counters. The interior is beautiful with tree-like designs, colorful pod-like lights, chairs, and tables and it's designed as a hybrid soda bar/bakery/ice cream shoppe but all in all, it's very bright, very warm, cheerful, child-friendly and very welcoming. Rose and Harper ordered their food and chatted while eating their lunch. Violet came to them from the kitchen and she is wearing the cafe uniform.
"How was work?" Harper asked her.
"It's good, running around baking and cooking with the other employees is tiring but good," Violet replied while Rose had a sad look on her face as she eats her pasta. Branch, who is wearing the cafe uniform, minding the soda bar with another employee notices the clueless but sad elf.
"Is there something wrong?" The sprite asked her.
"I am fairy excited about this adult life but I didn't know it's too hard for me to take on." Rose said.
"Why?" Violet asked her.
"There's so much pressure." She answered.
"What do you worry about, girl?" Harper asked her.
"For my future." The elf nodded in despair. "My life, everything."
"Rose, sometimes, you have to learn how to live on your own." Violet told her. "But you'll have friends to help you overcome your difficulties."
"I dunno who I can trust here." Rose sighed. "This experience is new."
"But you can always count on Poppy and her friends." Harper replied.
"I'll try." She agreed but in a sad tone.
Right after lunch, Rose went back to work but she didn't have the time to talk to the other employees who pass her by. When the work is done, Rose flew with her head down back to the apartment. She stopped in front of her door groggily and placed her key into the doorknob. She placed her laptop bag on her desk and slumped on her bed. Little did she know that Poppy used a wand to levitate the elf from her bed, make her float right into the penthouse, and plop her on the fainting couch. When all is ready, they surprised her.
"SURPRISE!" A multitude of voices chorused at them.
But the impact of the glitter explosion knocked Rose out of the fainting couch and fell right into the floor if not for a blue aura surrounding them as if it was floating in midair. The voices revealed to belong to Poppy, Branch, Violet, Harper, and all the sprites with them.
"I can't believe the glitter explosion actually spooked the heck outta her." Branch said as he uses his magic to help her on her feet. Vine patterns with leaves that glow blue appeared on his right arm as he used magic but disappeared after using it.
"Sorry about that, they just want to give you a welcome party in your flat." Kristina apologizes as she helps her get up.
"That's shocking." Rose gasped as she recovered from her shock.
"I can't believe our new neighbor here is an elf!" Poppy squealed as she shook Rose's hand hard.
"You must be Poppy." Rose said with a wince.
"Yeah, I'm Penelope Monteiro." Poppy introduced herself. "and I threw this party just for you! Were you surprised?"
"Fairy surprised and the glitter bomb actually took the shock off me" The elf panted.
"And if you're new, that meant you haven't met anyone yet." She said, flapping around Rose with her swallowtail butterfly wings.
"Yeah, I am new." Rose said.
"And if you haven't met anyone yet, you must not have any friends, and if you don't have any friends then you must be lonely." Poppy continued. "When I heard that you're coming yesterday, I had an idea, and that's why I must throw a great big ginormous super-duper spectacular welcome party and invite everyone in the apartment! See? And now you have lots and lots of friends!"
"Rosetta!" Violet cried.
"Oh, hey." Rose waved back at her
"And I see you met Berry Violet here." Poppy smirked.
"Yeah." She answered.
"How was your first day here in Castle City?" One of the fairies asked her.
"It's so hard." Rose confessed. "I am struggling hard with my new adult life, the pressure, the work and I don't know who I can trust in this new world."
"The truth is, we all experienced the same thing as you did." Branch told her. "I noticed you back at Sweet Pop."
"You noticed me?" The elf gasped.
"Yeah, I work there as an assistant manager." He said.
"Now that you're here, we could get to know you." Poppy told her.
"Let me guess." Rose guessed as she pointed each of Poppy's friends. "Branch is the one with monarch butterfly wings."
"Si, but my real name is Bernardo Rivera." Branch added.
"And the one with blue and purple wings is Biggie." She guessed again.
"Well, my full name is Barley Williams." Biggie nodded.
"And there's Smidge, DJ Suki, Satin and Chenille." The elf pointed to the four fairies near her.
"That's just our nicknames." Smidge, a pixie with a ponytail braid smiled.
"Her name is actually Samantha Redfeather." DJ Suki, the sprite with hot pink luna moth wings added. "My name is Diana Jane Suki Reyes."
"You're Filipino?" Rose asked her.
"Yeah, half Filipino, and your full name is Rosetta Thornluck, I think." DJ smiled at her.
"Uh huh." Rose replied.
"Satin is my not my real name, it's Nakamura Setsuko." Satin, a swallowtail butterfly winged sprite with pink wings butted in.
"And I'm Nakamura Chihiro." Chenille, her twin sister with identical blue butterfly wings added.
"What about me? Can you guess my name?" A silver haired male sprite smirked at her. He has a beauty mark below his left eye and his glasswing butterfly wings are covered in glitter.
"You're Guy Diamond." Rose guessed correctly.
"That's my model name, it's actually Dananjay Maheswaran." He added.
"You're Indian?!" She gasped.
"Yes." Guy nodded before introducing her to a green moth winged male sprite with his eye covered by his lime green hair. "This is Touya a.k.a Fuzzbert and..."
"Me, Cooper!" The faun with blue dreadlocks and a green cap beside the green moth winged male fairy blurted out.
"Okay, I know you already." Rose giggled. "This is new."
"Of course it's new, Rose." Violet assured her. "You were so focused on yourself that you forgot to make friends."
"I didn't know making new friends is also a thing in becoming an adult." Rose said with a shy tone.
"That's alright, you're just new." Poppy smiled. "We'll help ya overcome your difficulties."
Rose became so overwhelmed with happiness that she felt like crying tears of joy but she smiled instead.
"Are you all right, señorita?" Branch asked her.
"I'm so...happy!" Rose cried with joy as she joined in the fun.
"Aww, she's so happy she's crying!" Poppy responded by hugging her.
The party started as Rose and her new friends started dancing and having fun.
We are free together
And we're soaring so high
Yeah, high in the sky
And we're smuggling by
And shining on brightly
Free Forever
And we're livin' our lives
In lovin' and laughter
Freely and happily ever after