Chapter 1
Her eyes were focused on the black-haired girl. Who placed the pencil that she was using to draw and turned towards her. "Look," the ten-year-old girl said. Trying to keep her voice level, but she was angered. Her blue eyes focused on the fairy that was floating above her. "I know you're just trying to do your job, but go away. I don't need a godparent. As far as I'm concerned I don't even qualify to have one. See I'm not miserable. I'm rather happy with my life. So tell your boss he made a mistake and goodbye. Don't forget to take your wand with you."
She could only raise an eyebrow at this. Every godchild was different. It wasn't too uncommon for children to freak out. After having learned of their godparents' existence, this was strange. No child had outright rejected her. Told her, "Oh really Trixie Tang? Are you willing to wager that bet? Big talk for someone who's rather high on the misery index. Oh well, it won't take you too long for a childlike you to admit you're miserable." Trixie raised an eyebrow at her.
"Excuse me?" Trixie asked in anger, "Are you implying that I don't-"
"That's exactly what I'm saying," Splinter said. As she slammed her wand on top of the girl's head. Who started to rub the top of it, "Stupid. You're an idiot. All ten-year-old kids are your age. Please you're still a child you haven't even begun to live your life. That's why I'm here. See when a potential godchild, that requires help. Us godparents, that's me. Uses my magic to help guide and make the child happy. Which means your happy. Unless of course, you're willing to prove that you're not. But hun I'll warn you mama always right."
"What are you getting at?" Trixie asked, "If this is some kind of bet? I'll assure you I'm not miserable. I'm the richest girl in all of Dimmesdale. How could I be miserable?" She said, "Now how exactly do I prove to you I'm not miserable? So you'd leave me alone and let me do my work. I've been trying to draw this one panel for over a week now. And with you here distracting me I can't exactly finish it."
"Tomorrow," Splinter said smiling. "If you go the whole day without verbally admitting you are miserable. I'll return to Fairy World and your life will turn back to as it was. It will be like we never met, and I'll give you a single wish. On top of that, however, if you admit. Before the end of the day. Verbally that you are miserable," Splinter said. "Then you have no choice, but to be my godchild. And hun I'm warning you. Mama never loses." Trixie thought a moment.
"What's the catch?" She asked, "I've been in these types of bets before. So what's the catch?"
"If you refuse the bet," Splinter replied. "Then I guess you're stuck with me than kiddo." Trixie thought it over.
"Fine then," she held out her hand. With that Splinter shook it.
"See it's not that hard," Splinter replied. "I'll see you tomorrow hun. I'm warning you. You're not going to get rid of me. I'm a very difficult person." With that, she raised her wooden wand and disappeared with a poof. Leaving the ten-year-old to her own devices. This wasn't the first time she had to resort to such tricks, but she knew the type of person Trixie was. A child in a mask. One whose own blinders had restricted her ability to see and it was Splinter's job to remove it. She was going to learn why people called her Splinter.
The Next Day
Splinter reappeared in her full form. The ten-year-old was asleep peacefully to herself. With one pillow covering her face. It was amazing what human wealth and ingenuity were rather marvelous. Though one thing that always irked her about them was their obsession with collecting things. Why did any person let alone a ten-year-old need that many pairs of clothes and shoes? "Come on Trixie. Time to wake up. Mama impatient and you're not going to be late. The faster you get to school the faster you lose this bet." She grumbled and shifted in her sleep which the fairy just reverted to poking the girl with her star.
"Let me sleep," she said grumbling. Splinter kept poking her and after being ignored for five minutes. She picked up her wand and gave it away. Which sent a blast of yellow fairy magic towards her. Trixie's body floated into the air as her clothes were changed into the normal outfit she wore from school. The bed she slept on was neatly made and she landed on it. "What part of letting me sleep don't you understand? Also what the heck did you just do?"
Splinter held out her wand, "Magic hun. Magic enough said. Now let's go. Do you want me to poof you to school? Want me to wish you up some breakfast? We could freeze time and go and do things before you have to go to school and lose the bet." Trixie just shook her head.
"Sorry, but no." She replied, "I know what you're trying to do and it's not going to work. I already told you. That I'm not miserable. I don't need a Fairy Godparent. And the last thing I'm going to do is make a dumb 'wish'. I don't trust you. Knowing you would probably just twist it in some way to make me miserable." She grumbled, "Also what's a poof? Is that a person?" Raising her wand, Splinter just poofed a meter or so from her current spot. "Oh well, ya know. I'll just take the bus instead."
With that, Trixie walked out of the room to do her morning routine. Which left Splinter to follow her godchild around her manor home. "So you want me to whip you up something?"
"Why would I need you to whip me up something? When we have a family chef who cooks all my meals." Trixie said, rolling her eyes. "You're not going to win this stupid bet." With that, Trixie made a sharp turn down the hallway and entered another room. It was a large room with huge glass windows, very decorative walls, and a tile floor. And a wooden table in the center with some of the maids walking in and out doing their daily chores. Splinter transformed herself into a salt bottle and appeared right next to Trixie who only glared at her.
Before she could say anything a man appeared. He was taller than her by at least half a torso but was short for his age. With rather dull-colored eyes a wide hat, matching colored apron. And a standard attire that one would see at a five-star restaurant. His white overalls were tied up and he was a sleek man who was working to get in shape. "Ah, mistress Tang. How are you this morning? Is there anything special you'd like to have? Or should I whip up your usual?"
"I'm fine, Favio, and just the usual." She replied with a smile on her face. While Trixie was distracted Splinter raised her wand. No one said that magic couldn't or wouldn't be used in their little bet.
"Of course right away," he had a rather thick Italian or Greek accent. With that, he turned around and scurried away. And with that left Trixie and Splinter to their own devices.
"Go away," Trixie said glaring at her. "I don't want people thinking I'm crazy. Go due whatever you fairies do."
"Right away," Splinter said. And with that poofed away into the kitchen. Favio was a quick cook who was on Trixie's required immediacy. Only he was interrupted by some lady who Splinter couldn't identify with. When Favio was distracted she poofed up a vile of truth serum. Into the pancake batter. No one said magic couldn't be used in this little bet, and on top of that. It was only a temporary serum whose effect would wear off in a few days. Now that Trixie needed to know that. Sometimes one would have to bend the norms to show results.
Trixie was a girl who knew how to act. She was living a life of lies and it was Splinter's job to unveil her. To show her what her own eyes couldn't see.
A/N: I'm rewriting chapter 1 through 3 as I'm getting close to the end of 'The Phantom Visage' and then will be focusing on other stories. Book 4 in the Visage series will come out sometime in the future. And expect an update for IDBH in the future.
