By morning, they'd all rolled and shifted. Ivan had fallen out of the nest, Kenai on his face while Ro had somehow flopped across Al. Al laughs quietly. Ivan snored softly. He grins at that.
Might be an idea to take Kenai off him though before he woke up and panicked. Al reached over, gently prying him off. The cub soon resettled in his hands anyway, not even so much as a whine or a whimper. He stayed there a while just snuggling with company.
Ivan woke next, a moment of confusion when he realized he was on the floor, but he smiled when he was Al, leaning over for a kiss. Al pressed in lovingly. They both smiled, staying there for quite a while.
Al snuggled into him. "I missed you.."
"I missed you too," he snuggled back, kissing his hair. Al smiles softly. They snuggled in, simply cuddling for a while.
"Isn't she heavy," Ivan chuckled when he finally noticed Ro sprawled over him a little was amazing that she hadn't woken up yet.
"Not really. She's actually pretty light."
"A fairy thing, or...?"
"Who knows?" He shrugs.
"She looks healthy enough," Ivan hummed. "Perhaps she is just small, yes?"
"Yeah."
He chuckled and pulled Al into another round of sweet little kisses. Al smiles softly. Everything was finally starting to feel normal again.
Later on Al was in the kitchen making breakfast. Ivan sat with him, humming brightly, as he only did with Al, cubs safe in his arms. Al smiles mixing up muffin batter.
It was going to be a good day, he just knew it.
Al fills up a few pans before setting them in the oven. The house seemed to wake up at the smell.
*Al... Bro... Bring me a couple when they're cooked, please~* Matt crept into his thoughts, still sleepy.
*Can do.*
Matt beamed then dimmed as his thoughts diverted to feeding his cubs. Al leans up against Ivan.
Ivan leaned down to kiss him again, but a soft voice interrupted.
"Al...?" Ro stood in the door, shifting anxiously.
"Hey. Morning."
"I can't find teddy..." she knew it was childish, but she wanted the bear... It gave her something to hold onto while everyone else coupled off.
"Hmm that's a bit of a problem.."
"He was reading with me yesterday, but he's not in the library anymore..."
"Um I might have put him in your room, did you look there?"
She nodded softly. "He's gone..."
Al frowns softly, thinking. She just stood there like a child. Well, really, she was a child, she just looked older.
"Where all have you looked so far?"
"My room, the library, lounge, den, the halls, bathroom... I didn't check other bedrooms cuz I didn't wanna wake anyone up..."
"Lemme get these muffins done and I'll help ya look ok?"
"Okay..." she shrank back and loitered by the door, not wanting to get in the way.
Al continued on with breakfast. Piling up plates once they were done. By the time he turned back to Ro though, she'd left.
Al frowns softly. Ivan just shrugged. He'd been busy with the cubs. He grabs a few plates and goes off to look.
She had just vanished... She hadn't left the house, had she...? Al looks around the house, dropping off plates as he went. No one else had seen her either... Though Arthur was missing a handful of rabbits again...
Where did she go..? He'd searched nearly the entire house now! The muffins were getting cold..
Not much he could do about it if she was going to run off and sulk...
He tries the last few areas of the house.
...She must have left...
The only thing he did find were Arthur's missing rabbits. They'd hidden away in a spare room on their own little nest... Made from a shredded teddybear...
Al frowns at that. He rushed outside looking. There was no immediate sign of her and though the weather had been getting better, today looked like it promised rain...
He flaps up onto the roof looking further out. He never would have seen it, were it not for eagle's sight. Just the tiniest dot of red a little way out into the trees, about half way to the lake.
He took off after it. It was a good thing spring was in and not autumn or he wouldn't have stood a chance.
Ro had climbed as high up a tree as she could before curling into a ball on the branch. She just sat in silence, trembling.
Al landed lightly next to her.
Her head snapped up at the weight on the branch, tears streaming down her cheeks. She took one look at his wings and made a noise like heartbreak, burying back into her lap again.
Al frowns sadly. Trying to pull her into a hug. She pushed him away, pressing back into the tree, hugging herself instead. Al blinks softly. Eyes hurt.
She wouldn't even look at him, eyes trained downwards on the ground far below. He sighs getting a more stable position before folding his wings.
It was a while before she said anything, most of that time devoted to letting her her tears run their course. "...Why did you follow me..."
"I was worried.."
"Why...? I just take up space..."
"Ro.."
"I do!" she yelped, finally looking at him. "I-I'm not useful anymore and I just get in the way...!"
Al's frowns sadly, unsure what to say.
"I know you wanted to spend time with Ivan... But I took up his whole night... A-and this morning... And you don't need me anymore, cuz no one's sick and everyone has a partner, a-and I'm still just... Here... Just there... Just me..." she broke off, starting to cry again. She didn't know how to cope with all the emotions battling inside of her.
Al just pulls her in again.
She clung to him this time, hiccupping into his shoulder. Fairies could only feel one emotion at a time, sometimes two, bur she was caught in a whirlwind and half the things she felt, she didn't even know the name for. Guilt, envy, loneliness, greed... Hopelessness... She didn't know what she was meant to do.
Al held her close, trying to figure out a way to help.
All the while though, pulling in the back of his mind was the knowledge that Ivan and the cubs were waiting... His eggs could hatch at any moment and they might attach to the wrong person...
Ro was upset at what she had lost.. But did she really lose her powers..? He blinks at that thought. Her body changed shape with the potion.. Maybe her magic did as well? She just needed to learn a new way of reaching it.
If it was still in there, Arthur would be the one to help her find it. But should he get her hopes up? If it turned out she lost her magic with her wings...
But then again Iain had put Francis and Al's essences into it, perhaps she gained something it's place? Whether it be nation or spirit powers? It was worth a shot. If they could just give her something back from her old life...
Al scoops her up suddenly and flies back to the house. She yelped, clinging tightly. Al perched directly outside Arthur's window, clinging to the paneling and knocking on the glass. Ro hung on him like a limpet, terrified of falling.
Arthur pulled back the curtains and gasped, throwing the window open. "Are you insane?!"
Al just climbs inside firing off rapid sign language.
Arthur frowned, struggling to keep up. "Slow down!"
Al flinched sheepishly.
Arthur sigh, apologizing and signing. 'Again. Slowly.'
'Is it possible Ro still has magic? Could it have changed into something else like her body did?'
He stopped at that, a thoughtful frown developing. 'I hadn't thought... Perhaps. I'll have a look at her.'
Al smiles thankfully.
'I can't promise you anything though, bare that in mind,' Arthur smiled sadly.
Al nods.
He turned to Ro, smiling softly. "Come here honey. "
Al stood on the side nervously. Francis had to nudge her over before she would move. Arthur took her hands, rubbing her knuckles comfortingly.
Would it work?
Arthur held her there for a long time before frowning in confusion. 'I can feel something in there, but I haven't a clue what it is...'
Al hums softly.
Arthur came and pulled him aside, whispering. "From what I can sense, it's only small and heavily diluted with something that resonates with your magic... But it's not the same as you... I don't know..."
"Alright. I might be able to try something."
"Just be careful... I don't want either of you to get hurt..."
He smiles, taking Ro downstairs. *Hey Matt? Could ya come down here?*
*Yeah, what's up?* Matt started down as soon as he was called, still limping slightly, but healing. Ro just stood, utterly confused. Al settles on the couch as he quickly filled Matt in.
*So you plan to see if she has a spirit animal?*
*Yeah, I wanna tug it out and see what happens.* he grabs Ro's hand with his right and reached for Matt with his left.
*...Explain it to her first, or you think it'd be better not to?*
Al hums turning to her. "Ro, I'm gonna try something ok?"
"What is it...?" she shifted back from him uneasily.
"I had a thought, what if you really didn't lose your magic? It just changed with your body. Artie said there was something in there, but it was like my and Matt's powers. I wanna see if we can activate it and see what it is."
"Y-you mean..." her eyes lit up with painful hope. "Like how you do the bird thing...?"
"It might be."
Her little hands gripped his tightly. Al takes Matt's and Matt takes Ro's other. Matt gave his brother an uneasy look as Ro closed her eyes, biting her lip. Al sighs, trying to feel for the energy.
Just as Arthur had said, it was small and shut deep down, which probably explained why it hadn't shown up before. Al waited for Matt to join in before they pulled on it. The two of them effectively took a corner each and started coaxing it out.
Ro bit of a little whimper of discomfort as the pulling sensation hit her chest. As they tugged it grew a little.
The more they drew it out, the larger it expanded, but also the harder it got to pull and the more it seemed to hurt her.
Al frowns softly, pausing for a moment.
Matt gave him a worried look. *I think we should stop...* They nearly had it out, but if it hurt her...
Al was in agreement..
They let go of her magic and it snapped back to just a little larger than it's original size. She gasped, pulling out of their grip to clutch her chest.
Al sits rubbing her back.
She slowly caught her breath, disappointment filling her eyes when she looked up. "It's not meant to do that, is it...?"
"I'm sorry.."
She sighed and leaned into him, all hope dying. Al hugs her tight.
Matt rubbed her back, watching her sadly. *It's there... It's right there and it's big, but it won't come out...*
*She's so upset.. Should we even try?*
*It was coming... Maybe we did something wrong? You said it was a little different from ours...?*
*Artie said it was diluted by spirit energy, but he couldn't tell what it really was..*
*She was Arthur's originally, maybe the other half is like him?*
*Maybe..*
*It'd be worth asking him to try too, before we give up on her.*
*Alright, take her and I'll go get him.*
Matt nodded softly and coaxed her into his arms. Al takes off, soon returning with the weighed down Brit.
Arthur honestly looked ready to drop any second now. Running around after little girls really shouldn't be at the top of his list. Al planed to give him a break after.
Arthur settled into the couch with a soft groan, sighing once comfy.
"Ro? Poppet, don't look so glum," he smiled tenderly, bringing her out from Matt. "When you're ready, we'll try again."
She took a deep breath and gripped Arthur's hand, still holding Matt's. "M'ready..."
Al grips Matt's free hand and they try once more.
The twins began teasing the power out again, this time with Arthur soothing it, coaxing it into a shape. Ro shifted in discomfort, but it wasn't hurting her like last time.
They tugged and pulled, it was almost there!
It seemed to snag at the last moment though...
"Don't fight it," Arthur hummed softly. "If you don't let it out, you'll never know what you can do..."
Al glanced up to her. She was tense, trembling. The magic was making her feel odd inside and the unfamiliarity was making her close up anxiously.
He reached over gripping her shoulder gently. She looked up, eyes nervous. He smiles brightly.
His smile eased her just long enough for them to stretch out the last little bit, releasing the power trapped inside. She gasped softly, body glowing for just a moment.
They pull back watching anxiously.
She stared into space for a moment before blacking out.
Al reached worriedly. Matt had caught her, Arthur already fussing over her.
"She's ok right?"
"I think so..." he frowned. "She doesn't have a temperature, she's breathing alright... It must have just been a shock to her system..."
Al sighs sitting back. Matt held her protectively, Arthur petting her hair idly. "She should wake up rather soon. Her magic is stable. If there's an animal in there, you'll find it."
"Alright.. Well you ahead and take a nap or somethin, I'll rabbit sit for a while if you want." He'd heard them into the library though, he wanted to start keeping a closer eye on his eggs.
"I'm still missing two," he frowned softly. "I've not had chance tp look properly..."
"I know where they are.. I think that's why she ran off, they got ahold of teddy.."
"Oh dear..." Arthur stood up as quick as he could. "Where are they? I'll see if I can make a teddy rescue while I'm there."
"Second right from the bathroom."
He nodded and waddled off. Matt watched sadly. "She's not had the best of luck today, has she..."
"Nope.."
She groaned softly, starting to wake. The boys glanced over. She sat up, rubbing her head.
"Ro?"
"Yeah," she looked up at him, but her eyes were...
Al blinks. They had turned light brown?
She tilted her head at his look of confusion. "Al...?"
He glanced at Matt then back to her.
Matt shrugged, perplexed. *Should I go ask dad?*
*Well.. Maybe it's like when our eyes change colors?*
*But she's not morphed...*
Al frowns. "Hey Ro stand up for a minute?"
She did so, thoroughly confused. They look her over. She looked just like herself, slender, petite, graceful, like a little bird.
Al hums softly. Well they didn't necessarily need to morph in order for their eyes to change.. It was just odd that they would shift on their own like that...
"Ro I want you to try something alright? Close your eyes and pretend that your flying. Imagine what it felt like when you still had wings."
She stared at him for a moment, starting to wonder if he'd simply lost his mind. One look in his eyes showed he was serious though... She closed her eyes, letting her thoughts float back.
The boys watched waiting.
It almost looked like nothing was going to happen when a set of little brown wings opened up on her back.
Al grins brightly turning to Matt. Matt was already beaming.
Ro opened her eyes, frowning in confusion at the sudden weight on her back. One look over her shoulder and she gasped in joyous disbelief.
Al chuckles pulling her outside.
She hummed happily as the breeze ruffled her feathers, shifting her wings to get used to how they felt. "They're a lot heavier than my old ones."
"Yeah there's a lot more flesh to bird wings."
She flapped them testingly. Al stepped back giving her room.
She flapped harder, trying to jump into the air. She managed a few feet before landing again, pouting. They were just a little too heavy for her delicate frame... Not that that was going to stop her.
"It takes practice, you might have to build up your muscles first."
She nodded softly, still trying to get off the ground. You had to admire her determination, but she could end up hurting herself if she abused the muscle too much...
He let her go for half an hour, insisting she rest then. He still owes Arthur that break.
She had managed to get her feet off the floor for five seconds - it was enough to get her giddy, but her back ached now. "Do these ones hide like yours do...?"
"They should, but then again it took me a while to control mine fully. Matt used to have problems changing his ears."
She giggled softly at that. "They're just so heavy..."
Al shrugs, there wasn't much they could do about that. He heads up to gather the rabbits in the library. Matt had gone back to his own offspring, so Ro slipped off to her room to rest her back for a while.
For future refrence, this chapter was written after the completion of The Mad Doctor's Revenge, which explains the reason why Ro's new powers aren't mentioned in it.