Chapter 2: New Home
As soon as King Wu had disappeared, the new fairy, now named Jay, scanned the crowd of gorgeous elegant fairies, waiting for one of them to step forward and claim him, but no one did. Instead, they moved aside to make room for a group of gawky, unkempt, tool-belt-wearing Lightning fairies. Among them were an elder male and female fairy who approached the new addition to their talent guild. They were very excited and had big smiles on their faces.
The female was a very kind woman with an aged face, greying brown hair that was tied back in a tight bun and bright green eyes.
She wore sharp, light red spectacles, a thick brown coat, and black pants. The male Lightning fairy was well known for his forgetfulness. He often had to ask his fellow Lightning fairies to take notes for him. He had snowy white hair with dark brown eyes. He was wearing a light blue long-sleeved shirt with dirty grey overalls and black boots. They both had the same dark blue colored wings as Jay, as did the rest of the Lightning fairies.
Neither they nor any of the present Lightning fairies looked like the crowd of other, gorgeous elegant fairies.
Jay's heart sank as he stared at the two older fairies in dismay as they approached. The female gave him a polite bow as her male companion stumbled forward.
"Hady-hi, hey-ho, Mr. Jay, I'm Ed." The male, Ed, smiled as the female grabbed Jay's hand and shook it enthusiastically.
"Hi deary, I'm Edna and we're pleased as a pile of perfectly polished pots you're here." She beamed brightly and Jay couldn't help smiling at their cheery greeting.
"Uh… Me, too."
"Come on, Mr. Jay, there's so much to show you," Edna said and they both took Jay's hand and they soared into the air. As soon as they had flown out of the tree, Edna and Ed gestured broadly to the enchanted land below them and Jay's eyes widened at the beautiful sight. It was like the area was split into four pieces and each looked gorgeous.
"You've arrived at a most wondrous and glorious time," Ed said as they flew through the land.
"Really? Why?"
"Why it's almost time for the changing of the seasons," Edna replied. "You see, here in the Pixie Vale, there are different realms for every time of year, in fact, there's one up ahead." She explained as they flew past a group of pine trees white with snow, but they didn't actually cross over in the winter world. A stray blast of cold air made Jay shiver.
"This is the Winter Woods, it's always cold here," Ed said as he and Edna also started shivering.
"Look there!" Edna suddenly exclaimed and she pointed toward a group of fairies dressed in silver and white descending from the sky, looking exhausted. "Those are snowflake and frost fairies who are returning home for some well-deserved rest."
"Yes, they've just finished bringing winter to the world," Ed added as they flew over a forest filled with bright red and orange leaves. A fairy hovered in the air, carefully painting the edges of a golden leaf. It was clear to Jay that this was the Autumn Realm.
"It's the off-season for the autumn fairies, too, they have time practicing that perfect shade of amber." Edna smiled as they approached a lush green meadow, bursting with sunshine, where giggling fairies were chasing a dragonfly. A fragrant mixture of honeysuckle and happiness floated upward, and the three Lightning fairies took a deep breath.
"The fairies of Summer Glade still have plenty of time to get ready." Ed chuckled and gestured at the frolicking fairies happily below them.
"Yes, but not as much as the autumn fairies, of course, because right now, fairies of every talent are preparing for my favorite season, springtime!" She cheered as they turned again. Jay gasped in awe as he looked to a grassy valley where some fairies were spinning rainbows out of thin air. One fairy was herding a little group of flower bulbs, which rotted along like small children. Others were carefully painting the spots onto patient ladybugs.
A few fairies saw them and waved, but Jay could only blink, amazed, and delighted with everything he saw as Ed and Edna beckoned to him to follow.
"Come on, Mr. Jay, you've got to see where we live." Ed smiled as they lead the young fairy to a small valley full of colorful flowers. They had arrived at the home of the Lightning faires.
"Welcome to Lightning's Nook!"
"Oh, wow!" Jay grinned in delight at the thought of this grand, beautiful place was going to be his new home. When Ed saw where Jay was looking, however, he gently tilted the ginger-haired fairy's head down. Jay had been mistaken. Lightning's Nook wasn't in the graceful hills up ahead. It was down in a little dirt-floored valley formed by a tangle of twisting tree roots. It wasn't bright and flowery like the rest of the Pixie Vale. Jay felt a little disappointed as Ed chuckled and Edna smiled proudly at their home.
"Come on, there's so much to show you." She smiled.
Both the older fairies flew down into the strange little nook, and Jay tentatively followed them. When they landed, however, he realized Lightning's Nook had a charm of its own. Unlike all the simple, colorful flower homes he had seen elsewhere in the Pixie Vale, the Lightning fairies' houses were different. They were cleverly constructed of twigs and leaves and each had its own unique shape and design. Lightning's Nook was a busy place, too.
Wagons pulled by adorable field mice carried buckets and bushels between the various buildings.
Everywhere Jay looked, he saw something new and fascinating. There were Lightning fairies running around in all directions. The air was filled with the sound of hammering and sawing, happy greetings, and shouts of encouragement. For the first time since meeting the Lightning fairies, Jay began to feel as if maybe things were going to be okay. He walked behind Ed and Edna, marveling at all the different kinds of work the Lightning fairies did.
One group was constructing a carriage using a flower for a canopy and a gourd for the wagon.
Another was loading baskets made of iris blooms onto a leaf conveyor belt. Ed and Edna wanted to make sure Jay saw everything there was to see. Overheard, Lightning fairies were filling woven-grass baskets with acorns.
"Over here is where most of us live." Edna suddenly said and pointed to a group of little houses. "There's your house." She added. They toward the circular house nestled on top of a root. Jay could hardly believe how cute his new house was. It looked like a little teapot made out of bark–short, squat, and round, with a curly root on the side that curved like a handle. A jaunty green leaf formed the roof, and Jay caught a glimpse of a chimney peeking out the top.
"It's mine?"
"Sure is, kiddo." Ed grinned and he and Edna went inside. Jay followed and once inside, he gasped with delight.
"We were hoping the new arrival would be one of us, so we got the place all ready," Edna explained as Jay looked around his new home. The inside of his little house was wonderful–round and cozy, with wood-grain walls, twig-wicker furniture, and leaf curtains. It was just perfect as if someone had prepared the house especially for him. Jay opened the closet door and saw a row of dark blue, leafy garments, each one larger than the last.
It was then he noticed a little problem.
The decor was wonderful, but the wardrobe selection left Jay lost for words. Ed and Edna seemed to notice his dismay.
"We rounded up some work clothes, but we didn't know your size," Ed said sheepishly and Edna nodded.
"Yes, our apologies, but they might be too big because you're so tiny." She cooed as Jay blushed slightly. The ginger-haired fairy gave them the biggest smile he could to show that he wasn't worried. He would figure something out. There were so many things to be pleased with, he could hardly contain his happiness. The older fairies smiled, clearly relieved that he wasn't upset.
"Please come on down to the workshop when you're ready, the others will want to meet you." Ed smiled as he and Edna said their goodbyes left Jay to enjoy his new home. Now Jay was alone, he could hardly contain his excitement. He couldn't wait to see more of the Pixie Vale. He glanced at the tall mirror and frowned at his appearance. Before he could go out and about, he was going to have to put on something besides a dandelion nightgown.
He took a humongous leaf muumuu out of the closet and pulled it over his head.
It was a perfect size, for a giant. After a moment of thought, Jay grabbed a pair of thorn-shears from a table and began to cut. With the help of a pine needle and some spider-silk thread, he solved his wardrobe problem in no time. As he worked on his clothes mop of ginger hair fell into his eyes and he pushed it away impatiently. Unfortunately, it kept getting in the way. Jay glared at his bangs, knowing he needed to do something about this hair...
Sometime later, was finally ready to start his work as a Lightning fairy, whatever that job was. He had cut his curly ginger hair so it was much shorter and allowed people a clear view of his light freckles with dark blue eyes. He wore a dark blue, long-sleeved shirt with matching pants made out of leaves with an orange wooly scarf. He didn't really need the scarf, he just thought it looked nice. After he was ready, he left his lovely home to look for Ed and Edna.
Jay soon found the main workshop by following the loud sound of hammering.
The wide, bustling room was scattered with dozens of worktables and carpenters' benches. All the work areas were piled high with woven-grass baskets, acorn buckets, and spider-silk sacks. On the far side of the workshop, Jay spotted Ed and Edna fixing a wagon. He hurried to join them. Using a stone hammer, Ed was trying to pound a wheel onto an axle when Edna suddenly pulled at his sleeve, making him stop, as she leaned in to examine the axle.
"A five-gauge twig for an axle?" She frowned. "Ed dear, I told you it took a seven."
"No, you said five." He argued and Edna was about to say something back, only for them both to go silent when they saw Jay, shocked by his new look. Jay couldn't help laughing at their expressions as he looked around. He knew he looked different, but he hadn't realized just how different.
"Wow, everyone seems so busy."
"Well, spring won't spring itself." Ed chuckled.
"Indeed, and we Lightning fairies are a big part of it," Edna explained. "We fiddle, fix, craft, and create; and our power over electricity allows us to provide power to our inventions."
"Yes, but there are other inventions that don't need electricity," Ed added. "We carve acorn buckets to hold flower paint, weave saddles and satchels for birds, make baskets and bushels to carry the seeds and that's all I can name off the top of my head."
"That sounds like a lot of work." Jay gulped.
"Yes but we help fairies of every talent with our creations." She smiled reassuringly.
"Unfortunately, all those fairies are out of luck this year, unless we can actually deliver these things to them.." A stern voice interrupted and all three turned to see another Lightning fairy flying over to them. She wore an outfit made from the same dark blue leaves Jay and the others were using. Although her's were more decorated. Down the front and back of her shirt had lightning designs with black sleeves and a shining copper belt buckle.
She had fair skin and long blonde hair flowing down to her waist.
Ed and Edna snapped to attention as the fairy flew toward them. She made a soft landing and did some quick calculations on a birdseed abacus.
"The wagon repairs are finished, I trust?" She said and Ed and Edna exchanged a worried look. The repairs were far from finished. They stepped in front of the broken wagon to hide the missing wheel from the lead Lightning fairy.
"Yes, Liberty." Ed quickly lied and Edna nodded in agreement. Liberty looked skeptical and she tried to peek around them, but they kept blocking her view.
"Then let's see it." She glared, feeling her patience growing thin.
"Ah, you see… Well… You have to meet Jay!" Edna suddenly exclaimed, pointing at the confused ginger-haired boy as Liberty's head swiveled around to look at him.
"Who is this?"
"He's new, Liberty."
"Nice to meet you." Jay smiled awkwardly and as soon as Liberty saw him her face lit up.
"At last! A new charge on whom we can lavish all our wisdom and expertise!" She cheered as she flew over to Jay. "Let me see those hands." He ordered and Jay held his hands out for inspection. "Oh dear, so dainty, don't worry we'll build up those muscles in no time." She smiled
"Okay." He chuckled nervously as he took his hands back and she turned back to the wagon, all business again.
"Now, Ed, Edna, the deliveries?"
"We're on it," Edna reassured. "As a matter of fact, we're heading out right this second."
"But we've only got one wheel," Ed whispered, not very quiet.
"What was that?" Liberty asked with a glare as Edna threw Ed a dirty look before stammering for an excuse.
"Nothing really, Ed was just asking... Uhm..."
"If I can go as well!" Jay suddenly said and both older fairies visibly relaxed at his quick thinking. Liberty regarded them all with suspicion, before sighing
"Very well, get on with it, then." She huffed in frustration. Then she bustled off to attend to the next item of business. As soon as she was gone, Ed and Edna jumped into action. Ed picked up the missing wheel and Edna gave a loud whistle and a mouse came galloping over to pull the cart. Jay turned to see if Liberty was watching their departure and if she had noticed the missing wheel. She was, she had and she was quietly laughing...