The Butterfly Trainer – Chapter 7
"Wait until you two see Pixie Camp, it's so much fun," Fawn said turning a somersault on the way in. Bumping into a low flying fairy in a green dress carrying a pile of buttons, Fawn gasped as she muttered, "Oops, sorry Tabby."
Looking up for a moment distracted, Tabby chuckled while sitting upon her knees as she replied, "No, no, don't mind me, it was my fault. I wasn't watching where I was flying," she said with a pretty smile. Picking up the buttons one by one, she sighed saying, "Oh, this place is just so wonderful every time I see it …"
'If you can see it,' whispered River as she stood a little to the side as Nora bent down to help Tabby up.
Meeting Nora's eyes, Tabby let up another chuckle as she said, "You're Annora, everyone in the Hollow's heard about you and your quest in finding your talent. What an honor!"
"Well, it wasn't exactly a quest …" Nora started to say before Tabby sat her buttons down on a leaf table in front of a mouse cart, where Tink and Cheese waited nearby.
"Thanks Tabby," Tink said, looking up for a minute before going back to her work.
Flitting over to hover in front of River, she said, "And, you must be River, the blind water fairy that was …"
"How do you know?" River demanded, her right hand clenched at her side.
"I didn't at first, River," Tabby said softly. "You're quite good at hiding it, but you don't let it stop you from being you. Your story is worth telling, however you may hide it, but it shows others the importance of not giving up on what you can do."
Softening, River smiled as she said, "Thanks. But, who are …?"
"Tabby is a story-talent fairy," Fawn replied, flitting over and up the branches to where butterfly cocoons hung overhead.
"The same as every story talent, I am crazy about collecting stories from all across Never Land, but I like to come here to the Mainland when I can to see if I hear any more," she said, patting her brown hair that was gathered at the top of her head in a bun similar to Tinker Bell's. "Wow, I need to meet with the other talents to see what other help I can aid with. See you both later for Story Time tomorrow!"
Waving goodbye, Tabby took off deeper into the Camp as Nora and River looked up to see Fawn tipping the cocoons into each other as white butterfly wings fluttered down into the canopy where butterfly wings were being painted by animal fairies.
"Hey guys," Emma said, looking up from her work as a very patient monarch butterfly flapped a hello.
"Hi Emma," River said, perching down as she heard the gentle strokes of Emma's paintbrush brush across the delicate surface of the wings. "Already getting set to work?"
Chuckling, she replied, "I have started, painting butterfly wings is an important job. It also takes a while with plenty of precision and lots of patience. Also, getting the colors right is extremely important."
"Why is that?" River asked, curious.
"Because it distinguishes what kind of butterfly is from another, am I right?" Nora said, observing another fairy's work as delicate brushes dabbed white and yellow dots respectively on two different same sized butterflies.
"Exactly," Emma smiled. "Mari would give you a gold star if she heard you say that."
"Speaking of Mari, Emma, where is she?" Posibelle said, immediately flying over at the mention of her sister. "I thought she was with you."
"I thought I saw her fly back with me and the herd when we came circling back, then we heard the 'all clear' from Forrestor," Emma said, finally pausing in her work, worried. "You don't think she went back to the human house?"
"And, where's Papillion?" Posy observed. "Didn't he come back with you?"
"I thought so, but he isn't the only Blue Morpho present in our group anymore," Emma informed them. "Meeting up with us in the Fields, Mari and I soon discovered a couple of green chrysalies growing near the Shady Trees on the verge of the Forest just a little bit near here. And, alert to our presence, they quivered as we helped them out and lead them back here. Soon after that, Mari told me that she was going back for the other group we left near the Spring, which returned a few minutes after I came here on their own."
"So, where is she then?" Posy asked her again, wanting to find her sister.
"I wish I knew, Posy," Emma said, putting down her brush. "I really do."
"Hey," a voice called down from the branches above them as they looked up to see Winter sliding down a vine right to them. Landing right beside where River was sitting on a mushroom, he said, "I think I know where she went, but I don't think you're going to like what I saw out there." Turning to his right, he met Fawn's and Emma's eyes giving him his full attention.
"Is this related to what I think is going on?" Fawn asked as River got up to her feet.
"What is it, Winter?"
Sighing, he pushed back his white hair as he said, "I saw that same boy near the Western Creek … with a butterfly net."
Western …? Oh no, Emma thought to herself as she thrusted her brush into River's hand as she said, "Take over for me!" With a serious flit and receiving two pixie dust sacks over head by Terence, who saw her fly by, Emma left a stuttering River starring face to face with the anxious butterfly who was flapping with impatience.
"What am I supposed to do?" River called as they all disappeared, all except for Winter and Nora who stood nearby holding up the butterfly sketch left behind by Emma.
"I think you're supposed to match this design," she said, handing River the sketch as she sat down to watch.
"Great … Ok …" River said, taking a breath. "I think I can do this, but I may need a little help getting started …" she said, turning to her friends.
"No problem, Riv, we'll be happy to help ..." Winter said, joining them, "just tell us what to do."
Meanwhile, near the Western Creek Forest …
"Elizabeth, why don't you show little Nia that charming little tea set I got for you last Christmas?" Ms. Perkins said, taking out the teacups and settling them down between the two girls as they listened to the creek trickle past them. "Here you two are," she said, passing the sugar bowl around.
"Excuse me, Miss Lizzy," giggled Nia as she brought her cup forward. "May I have a cup of tea?"
"Why, you most certainly may, Lady Niabi," Lizzy said, pouring the tea into her cup with a chuckle, too. "Now, would you care for one lump or two?"
"Make mine three," Nia chimed as Ms. Perkins passed her a few.
Watching the two of them laugh, Ms. Perkins just grinned as she turned a concerned eye towards Tommy as he just watched them solemnly under the shade of a nearby tree.
"Thomas, what about you?" Ms. Perkins asked him, catching his eye. "Would you care to join us for tea? Might I pour you a cup, or would you care for a cookie?"
Shaking his head, Tommy put aside his thought as he said, "No, I'm fine. May I be excused?"
"Of course," Ms. Perkins replied, not wanting to push him. Seeing that she had caught Lizzy's eye, she whispered, "You'll have to excuse Tommy, dear. Poor dear hasn't been the same since …"
Not hearing his aunt, Thomas left without a word as he ducked off behind his tree with a hidden notebook and pen, as well as a sturdy net as he headed for the Forest.
As the dew fell from the leaves, a sudden blue flash zipped through the wood as a streak of pixie dust followed it.
Loving the sweet scent of dew in the air, Mari just followed Papillion as she just spread out her wings as instinct took over. Closing her eyes, her glow intensified as her fairy glow turned a glowing amber as her wings grew to match Papillion's speed.
"Oh Papillion, this is just wonderful. Never have I felt so free …" Mari said, pausing as he stopped next to a moist spot next to some fallen fruit. Extending his tongue, she watched as he drank some of the fruit and became satisfied.
"You know, you had me worried when you made me chase you all the way out here, but now …" she said, looking around.
Hearing a sudden shrill whistle, Mari suddenly tensed up as a rustle made her fly up into the air as Papillion took off into the brush.
"Papillion, come back!" Mari called as a swift but firm arm pulled her back into a knot in one of the trees.
"He can take care of himself, now keep quiet and stay here," a sharp voice whispered as they both heard a pair of feet rush past their hiding place.
Turning towards her, the voice said, "Don't move and I'll check it out."
And, watching closely, she watched as it was no doubt Vidia who whisked out of the tree as fast a whip as she zipped from tree to tree, following his movements.
"Mari! Mari, please answer me," she heard her sister call as she flittered over to knot, where she saw her sister's trail of pixie dust.
"Posy, over here," she called as Posy caught it and flew right in to where she was.
"Make room guys, we've got trouble!" Emma said, entering the knothole and pushing them towards the deeper part of the knothole.
CCCREEEEEEEE! A bird's call cried as a set of claws thrashed at the tree. Holding each other, they straddled themselves to the wall as a sharp set eye looked in and scanned the inner workings of the tree only to see a few blown brown leafs pushed aside, one of which hiding them as their glows quieted to the slightest dim.
With a final shriek, the bird unclasped the tree and flew off deeper into the Wood, away from sight and hearing.
Hearing Vidia knock on the tree thrice, one by one they flew out of the Tree, the sisters holding on to one another.
"You had us so worried, Mari," Posy told her sister as she hugged her.
"What were you doing all the way out here away from camp?" Emma wanted to know.
"I was following Papillion," Mari murmured, turning to see Vidia wearing a serious look on her face.
"Your butterfly?!" she exclaimed, exasperated. "Here you were almost a hawk's snack and you're more concerned about your silly butterfly?"
"Yes!" Mari replied, taking a breath. "I promised I wouldn't let anything happen to him."
"To whom did you promise?"
"You don't understand," Mari cried. "Vidia, please. Did you see him?"
With a sigh, Vidia just sat a hand to her head as she said, "I'm sorry, the boy captured him before I could get him out of there."
"Then, I have to find him," Mari said, breaking free from her sister's hands and taking off full force through the Forest.
"Mari," Posy called, flying after her.
Catching her by the arm, Emma stopped her as she said, "I'll follow her, see where she goes. Don't worry, wait for us back at Pixie Camp while Vidia and I try to see what's going on."
"Well, this certainly brings back 'happy' memories," Vidia said to herself, thinking back to the time Lizzy inadvertly captured Tinker Bell.
For any mention of reference to the Disney Fairies' film Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue, all credit goes to Disney - I own nothing but my story and my OCs. This story might seem similar, but it has a different situation going on between my characters and what's going to happen.
The beginning reference to Disney Fairy character Tabby, she was a story-telling fairy on the Online World of Pixie Hollow, one of the most memorable characters that many players enjoyed. And, since she's been seen in some of the movies, I sort of thought she might be fun to mention as a minor speaking character in this chapter.
I hope this chapter is worth the wait, because more is yet to come. So, keep on flitting and fly with you later. :D