I hoped you liked the story so far. It started out as a little ditty to lighten my last darker then dark fic. It has taken on a life of its own and then some. If you enjoy it please let me know. R&R's are always appreciated.
Chapter 2 Pixie Mischief
Dean was tired, exhausted was another word he might have used but he wasn't about to admit it to his little brother. The one thing Pixie dust couldn't replace was the blood both hunters had lost. He could see the same tiredness in Sam and figured the young hunter needed some rest before they continued the hunt. At least if asked that was the excuse he was going to give.
Dean knew he was changing tact's and Sam was likely to give him a hard time about it but he didn't care, they did both need some rest. Although the wounds were healed, the blood loss had been more than either of them could afford. Sam's shirt and his jeans were soaked. "You look like shit, Sammy boy, I think we need to find a place to hold up, do some research and maybe get some lunch."
Sam's eyes went wide. His head snapped around to stare at his brother, 'now where had that come from,' he wondered silently. What happened to the hunt? Not giving an inch he shot back, "What about the hunt for grizzly mutt's source?"
"I'm thinking of the hunt geek boy," Dean replied smugly. "I don't need you passing out on me next time we go chasing muttly down the road. I'd have to do some pushing and pulling to get you off your dead ass and onto your dying feet the way you are right now."
Sam snorted in disgust. Why couldn't the schmuck just admit he was tired? Why did he always have to come up with an excuse? Well if that's what it took to get the stubborn ass to get some rest, then he would take the abuse.
"I am a little hungry," Sam replied grudgingly.
He saw his brother shoulders slump in what Sam would have called relief. So Dean had been pushing it too hard. Tucking away the information on how to manipulate his brother in the future if needed Sam whistled a merry tune beneath his breath as the two hunters limped, stumbled and shuffled their way back to the waiting Impala.
Periwinkle and Buttercup sat in the middle of a little honeysuckle flower watching their respective humans walk away. They giggled in girlish delight as they sparred with each other. The humans' antics only gave the two pixies' more ideas for having some fun. And fun is what they were all about.
Day and night, night and day they played, laughed and slept. It's what they had been born to do. Buttercup knew she had her work cut out for her. Getting her human to smile once in a while had become her major goal.
Both pixies were lost in thought as the hunters walked away. With a screech of alarm Periwinkle darted out of the flower. "Their getting away Buttercup," she cried. "Let's go."
Buttercup didn't have to be told twice. Letting her human out of her sight was not an option. She wanted to make sure no one else stole him away from her. Of a sudden Dean had become an obsession.
Streaking through the forest they hovered over their respective humans. Periwinkle was the first to make her move.
A tired Dean wasn't paying attention as he walked a step or two behind his brother.
Sam's hand swept aside some small branches but was doing his best to make sure they didn't hit Dean when the little blue pixie struck. Streaking down she dipped into Sam's hand and tickled his palm.
Sam's reaction was instantaneous and the branch snapped back into place striking Dean in the chest. Not paying attention Dean staggered back and rubbed at his chest. It wasn't a hard blow but it had stung.
"What the hell was that for Sammy," Dean muttered.
"Sorry," the young hunter apologized, "Had an itch." Even now he was scratching at his palm where Periwinkle had tickled it.
"Had an itch," Dean snarled throwing his brother a nasty - 'Had an itch my ass.'
Sam shrugged, he hadn't done it on purpose but Dean would never believe that, at least not in this mood. Raising his hand he stared at his palm. A smear of faint blue dust on his palm was slowly fading away. It was still tingling and he could feel the ticklish sensation all the way up his arm. Lifting his hand he blew the blue dust away and the tickling stopped. He furrowed his brow in confusion and looked over his shoulder wondering what he had touched that was blue, but nothing caught his attention. He couldn't see the blue dust on the back of his jacket. If he had he might have been more curious. Shrugging he continued on.
Buttercup seethed at Periwinkles' trick. Flitting ahead of her quarry Buttercup dove down into the underbrush and lifted a hidden root just as Sam stepped close. Pulling the now exposed root toward his foot Buttercup held on until he tripped. Sam fell face forward into the nearest bush and flopped down to the forest floor. Arms and legs akimbo he stared at the world in confusion.
"Nice one klutz," Dean chuckled. He didn't even stop to help Sam up. 'Tit for tat,' he mumbled. He walked away having a hard time holding back the laughter that rumbled in his chest.
Sam couldn't figure out how Dean had done it, he had been behind him after all. So he chalked it up to his own tired state – at least for the moment.
"Hey," Periwinkle cried indignantly, "That wasn't fair."
A few feet away her little wings beating furiously Buttercup folded her arms across her chest and laughed. Tinkling bells again whispered on the cool breeze. Neither of the brothers were paying attention – but they should have been.
Sisters had now become rivals in a 'Who could out do who game.' The only ones that would suffer in this were the brothers. The hunters didn't know it but they were in for a long night.
"I'm gonna drive," Sam snapped.
"In your dreams," Dean muttered.
Sam didn't say a word just mumbled something beneath his breath and slid into the passenger side and buckled up.
Dean laid a caressing hand on the Black Impala's roof before sliding behind the wheel.
Periwinkle looked at Dean with narrowed eyes, filing the information away for later use. Smiling she flitted through the window and sat on the headrest beside her human and sang a merry tune.
In the background both hunters heard the sound of the tinkling bells and frowned.
oooOOOooo
The hunters drove in silence. They had found the grizzly mutt about halfway between Eddy and Waco, Texas. Eddy being so off the beaten trail was their best bet to find the creatures origins, although hiding out in plain sight in Waco would also have worked. Something warned him Eddy was the place. Eddy was a podunk little town that had little to recommend it
Dean was more than a little grumpy. For some reason, he had an itch he couldn't seem to scratch and Sam for no accountable reason was getting under his skin. Taking a deep breath he relaxed back against the seat. His finely tuned senses were telling him something, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out what that something was.
Pixies were not high on his radar, but they should have been!
He was hungry, maybe that's what his problem was, he needed food, a cheeseburger or a thick juicy steak would make him feel a whole lot better.
Pulling off the side of the road – the hunters quickly changed their ragged clothing for something a little more presentable. Walking into a restaurant covered in blood would gain them more attention then they were willing to get. Fifteen minutes later the boys were camped out in what seemed to be the town's one saving grace. A small café tucked into a side street boasted the best food in town.
Dean snarled sarcastically, 'it was the only food in town unless they hit the little gas station slash food mart and he wasn't in the mood for chips and Twinkies.' He just wasn't up for that, he wanted steak and he wanted it bad.
He was pleasantly surprised. The interior of the little restaurant was bright and cozy. Flowers adorned the brightly colored wall and a mural of Longhorns and bluebonnets was painted on the back of the doors. It was cute. 'Cute,' he grumbled silently. Swearing softly he growled at himself, when had the word cute slipped into his vocabulary? He was going soft and didn't like it.
The special of the day, printed in neat pastel colors across a chalkboard near the entrance was T-bone steak, garlic mashed potatoes and soup or salad.
The waitress gave them a few minutes to look at the menu, but the hunters had already decided.
The waitress, slightly older than the brothers was dress in faded blue jeans, brown leather lace-up boots and a pink pastel short-sleeved western cut crop top. Her hair was French braided down the back of her head the blonde strands reaching to the middle of her back.
She was cute, in a cowgirlish sort of way,' Dean mussed silently. There was that word again, he groused.
"What can I get for you boys," the waitress asked smiling?
"Beer and a Steak, medium well," Dean answered first.
"Baked or mashed," she asked next?
"Mashed is good," Dean smiled, adding, "Salad with ranch." Ranch he mussed silently was that a manly man's salad dressing? Shrugging he threw the thought away, hell what did it matter.
"Got it," the waitress smiled back.
"And for you," the waitress asked turning to Sam.
"I'll have the same, I'll take vinaigrette for the salad if you have it," he queried?
"Sure do sugar," she answered. "Two bones coming up, and I'll have your salads right out gentlemen.
Dean snickered beneath his breath, now vinaigrette was not a manly man's salad dressing.
His appreciative eyes followed the woman across the floor as she headed back to the kitchen. Buttercup saw the look and fumed, she wasn't about to share her human with anyone and that included another human.
The poor waitress was doomed.
A few minutes later she came out of the kitchen carrying a tray laden with their salads and two beers. Movement at her feet caught Sam's attention. The laces on her boots slid from their knot to tangle on the floor beneath her. Had the laces untied themselves, he wondered thoughtfully?
Unaware of the straggling strings the waitress stepped forward. Her right foot came down on the laces of her left boot. When she lifted her left foot the now tight lace tripped her up. Off balance a tiny cry escaped her lips as she pitched forward. The tray flew high into the air spilling its contents
Sam shot to his feet but was too late to catch her as she fell.
The tray landed first hitting her in the back, two salads landed a few seconds later one, Sam's turned upside down like a baseball cap on the back of her head. Vinaigrette slid in oily streams through her hair and down her neck. The ranch landed a few feet away on an empty table right side up, not a single leaf of lettuce was out of place. Both glasses of beer had tipped their golden contents over the waitress's trim butt.
Dean jumped when he heard the tray clatter to the floor. He turned to see the bizarre sight of the waitress laying on the floor a bowl of salad in her hair. "Damn shame about the beer," he grumbled.
Sam shot his brother a disgusted look as he reached down to help the waitress to her feet. She spluttered an apology and looked at the mess around her sheepishly.
Sitting on the table beside the saved salad Buttercup smiled smugly. Her smile wavered when she heard Dean's comment about the golden liquid. She would remember that in the future – save the beer.
"I'm sorry," the poor waitress mumbled. "That was so clumsy of me."
Periwinkle flitted in the air above them and didn't like the way Sam was hovering and offering sympathy. Periwinkle was jealous.
At that moment a second waitress came around the corner. "You ok Missy," she asked sympathetically.
"Yeah, just feel a little foolish," the younger waitress replied. Her hands reached up to her hair and grabbed the salad stuck in the blonde strands.
The other waitress bearing a tray filled with sugar, salt and pepper shakers shook her head and continued on. Aware of the mess, she was taking care not to step in the amber liquid, but Periwinkle had other ideas. A stream of the liquid rushed across the floor. The waitress's foot slipped but she caught herself before falling. The tray in her hand did not fare as well. Off balance the tray wobbled front to back side to side about to be rescued before Periwinkle intervened.
Salt, pepper and sugar flew threw the air. Missy gasped and tried without success to cover her face. Pepper was the biggest culprit and flew into the air around her. Sam was caught in the effect and stumbled backward as a fit of sneezing seized him.
Dean sat at the little table staring at the chaos. Where was his camera when he needed it? America's funniest video's paid ten thousand bucks for this kind of stuff. He chuckled, a smile tilting his lips as he watched. So far the little restaurant had been pretty entertaining.
Periwinkle rushed across the room her little wings beat furiously trying to clear the pepper from Sam vicinity. It helped and soon enough the young hunter quit sneezing.
Buttercup sat on the table in the shadow of the saved salad and laughed uproariously. Glancing at her human she was pleased to see the smile tilting his lips.
Periwinkle's eyes narrowed.
Missy slipped and slid her way out of the dining room practically in tears. The other waitress took over getting the boys their beers and salads before cleaning up the mess.
Sam held his hand up to catch Dean's attention and thumbed toward the restroom. Dean nodded in acknowledgement but the smile never left his face. His amusement was at his brothers' expense.
The little blue pixie followed Sam toward the bathroom and slipped through the door before it closed. Sam was a mess.
He stood in front of the sink and unbuttoned his shirt. Taking the condiment covered shirt off he shook out the sugar and salt sending a few flakes of pepper into the air triggering another sneeze attack.
Periwinkle had drawn close to examine her human's body, liking what she saw. When the pepper flew she was caught in the black mist, it tickle her nose and throat before erupting in a mighty sneeze. The little pixie tumbled backward across the room and smacked into the wall.
Sam's head snapped up when he heard the jangle of bells. He scratched his head in confusion but couldn't find a single bell or wind chime close by. He needed to get his hearing checked.
Her eyes went wide with shock, WOW, that was amazing she thought, but she couldn't decide if she liked it or not. Zipping back across the room she inhaled more pepper which caused her nose and throat to explode again. This time she flew across the room and landed in a vase in the corner of the little restroom. Sneeze after sneeze assaulted her and she decided she didn't like sneezing at all. When she could catch her breath Periwinkle huffed and puffed her way out of the vase. Her human was gone.
Dampening a paper towel Sam wiped his face and neck removing as much of the grainy substance as he could find. Washing his hands last, the young hunter slipped back into his shirt before heading out the door.
He felt halfway human again and slid behind the table watching his brother closely. Dean was amused and Sam smiled to himself. It took a lot to make his brother smile these days. A run in with a demon and death could take the heart out of anyone and strong as Dean was he was no exception.
Their salads and fresh beers were soon brought and Missy showed up a few minutes later dressed in a bulky T-shirt and baggy shorts. Her hair was freshly washed and had been dragged into a pony tail. She looked a bedraggled sight to the Pixies jealous eyes.
Periwinkle slipped beneath the door and flew across the room in the mood for a little mischief. Across the table from Sam, Buttercup sat on her human's shoulder studying Sam. He couldn't see her of course or feel her tiny body, but it made Periwinkle jealous just the same.
Flying low across the room Periwinkle slipped under the table and worked her mischief on Dean's boots. A smirking smile laced the blue fairies lips as she finished and flew up to sit on her own human's shoulder, a picture of innocence.
Buttercup waved merrily to her sister and blew her a kiss. Periwinkle became suspicious.
A few minutes later Missy brought the boys their steaks. Dean breathed in the delicious aroma and closed his eyes. This was heaven.
Hungrier than he'd first thought Sam grabbed his fork and reached for the pepper shaker at the same time. It was an automatic gesture and he turned the pepper shaker over only to have the top fall off and a stream of pepper fall into his plate. Thankfully it missed the steak.
"Dammit Dean," he growled staring at his brother.
Dean's eyes widened, "Hey man, I didn't do it."
"Yeah right," the young hunter groused. "It's just the stupid kinda trick you'd play."
"Get off it meat head, if I wanted to play a joke on you it wouldn't be with a stupid pepper shaker."
Dean ignored his brother's grumbling and dug in. The steak was delicious.
The food was good and it hit the spot. The brothers ate in silence, neither of them wanting to hold up even one side of a conversation. They could talk about the hunt later back in the room.
Pushing back their plates the brothers sighed in contentment.
Missy stopped by a few minutes later, "Do you guys want dessert, we've got peach or apple cobbler with home made vanilla ice cream?"
Dean shook his head, too stuffed to even think about dessert. Sam had to think about it, the apple sounded delicious, but like his brother Sam was full and didn't need the sweet stuff. 'Maybe tomorrow,' he mussed silently.
"Ok guys but you don't know what you're missing." Pulling their check from a pocket on the front of her apron Missy smiled saying. "When you're ready, I'll take care of this." With a wink she walked away.
Pulling a couple of bills from his pocket Sam slapped them on the table. "You ready to get out of here Dean," Sam asked.
Picking up his beer Dean downed the last gulp and slid from the booth. "Damn straight, I'm in dire need of a shower."
The little pixies leaped into the air preparing to follow.
Dean swiveled in his seat and took a step only to fall flat on his face as he stumbled forward. The hunter grumbled at his clumsiness until he tried to get up and couldn't. "Dammit Sam," he muttered staring at the laces of his boots – tied together. "You little weasel."
Hearing the clatter and a grunt from behind him Sam turned to face his brother. "What is wrong now," the young hunter grumbled.
"You tied my damn shoelaces, you asshole," Dean snarled.
"If and I say if, I'd had the forethought to tie your shoelaces you jerk it wouldn't have been in a pretty bow. I'd of tangled them so bad you'd have had to cut them off." Spinning on his heels Sam walked away leaving his brother sitting on the floor staring at his prettily tied laces.
Dean's brows furrowed into a frown and he cocked his head to the side. A bow, his laces were tied in a stinking bow. Pulling the string he watched the bow slip away. Something was definitely going on he just didn't know what… yet!
Buttercup glared at her sister. She would pay for making the smile go away.
The brothers found a small bed and breakfast a mile down the road. It was a nice place in a rustic sort of way. The building was a two story sprawling farm house made of cedar logs and sported a green metal roof. In the big field behind the house stood an old red barn, the wood siding warn and chipped, but it made Dean stop and look. A little donkey stood in the half open door his big ears flicking off the flies as they tried to land. It was a cute, homey picture and it made the hunter sigh.
The proprietor was tiny gray haired lady wearing blue jeans. Her weathered face held a bright smile for the tired hunters as they drove up.
They were barely out of the car when a second vehicle pulled in – this one a big 4 X 4 dark brown dodge truck sported the mark of the local sheriff.
Dean groaned they'd only been in town an hour and already the fuzz was on their tail.
He watched the door open and saw the long, blue clad legs step out. His appreciative eyes followed those legs up until he saw her face.
Sandy brown hair was pulled back from an oval face into a French braid down her back. Waving at the woman standing on the porch she shot the brothers a side glance and a smile, but her attention was not on them.
Sam and Dean sighed with relief.
Melisandra McKay was the local sheriff and more than she seemed. She'd live in Eddy most of her life with only a short stint in the Army. Her chosen skill had been Military Police.
Life in the army had been interesting but home in Eddy was where she wanted to be. It had taken time, but her skills and recommendations from her old military command had landed her a job with the sheriff's department. Now at 34 she had worked her way up from Deputy to Sheriff and she loved every minute of it.
Yet today she was perplexed; the last couple of weeks had brought strange and unusual things crashing into her world. Reports of mutant creatures terrorizing the countryside had turned her department upside down. So far only the livestock had suffered, but from the pictures and sighting it wouldn't be long before someone was hurt or killed. She wasn't going to let that happen.
A few curious thrill seekers had come looking but so far they hadn't managed to come across anything more dangerous than a flying armadillo. Melisandra knew that could change. She'd seen some of the creatures, killed most of them, but there were more.
Melisandra had hunted the creatures but had yet to find the source. The presence of the two young men in her town triggered the warning bells. The town was abuzz with the happening in the café, and it had centered on these two.
Visiting her Aunt Bettina was a daily ritual, but today she was a little early wanting to get a first hand look at the visitors. She played it cool, but she sensed they were more than weary travelers.
"Hey Aunt B," she chimed.
A huge smile widened her weathered face when Bettina McKay saw her favorite niece drive up. "Melisandra, just in time for tea, and I won't take no for an answer."
Melisandra smiled, "Sure Aunt B, I wouldn't miss a chance to enjoy your tea and your company. Not necessarily in that order," she chuckled.
"Gentleman," she nodded at the hunters as she climbed the stairs before hugging her aunt.
"Let me take care of these young men Melisandra then we can sit and have a quiet chat. Maybe these nice young men will join us for tea."
Dean opened his mouth, but Sam hit him in the shoulder not really sure what his brother was about to say, and not sure he wanted to know.
Scowling Dean threw him a disgusted look narrowing his eyes.
Sam smiled as he answered the older woman, "Thank you ma'am, but maybe another time."
"You're missing a real treat guys, my aunt's chamomile tea and lemon cookies are the best in four counties" the sheriff chimed in when she saw their look. They seemed uncomfortable with the though of taking tea with her aunt, or maybe it was the sheriff that brought on the look.
For Dean it was the former, the whole family gathered around the table, small talk – polite conversation thing made his crazy.
Sam didn't want the sheriff's eyes on them. He knew she was curious about them, it was her job and he didn't want to give her more ammo then she might already have.
"Pish tosh, Melisandra," Bettina laughed. "Not everyone likes tea."
"I like tea ma'am," Sam interjected quickly, "but we've been on the road a long time and just need some rest, peace and quiet."
"We'll I'll bring some tea up to your room young man and make darn sure you're not disturbed."
Dean actually smiled when she turned away saying something about growing boys needing tea and cookies to keep them strong and healthy.
A few minutes later they walked through the door of the cozy bedroom. Like the outside of the house the inside was rustic with walls of cedar and brass fixtures everywhere he looked. It was a nice room, bigger than they were used too. One side of the room had a couple of comfortable chairs in front of decent sized TV. Even the bathroom was warm and welcoming. The little bed and breakfast was miles above the dumpy motels they usually ended up in.
Dean plopped down on the corner of his bed and stared at the ragged, blood stained jeans hanging out of his duffel bag. "Hey Sammy, you notice anything funny today?"
Sticking his head out the door of the bathroom a loaded toothbrush in his hand Sam asked, "Funny as in ha ha, or funny as in weird?"
"Weird," Dean replied slowly.
Sam came around the corner his eyes taking on a far away look as he ran the days events through his head. "Yeah, now that you mention it, I didn't say anything, thought I was loosing it, but I saw the waitress's shoelaces untying themselves."
Frowning Dean snapped, "Untying themselves?"
That's what it looked like from where I was sitting," the young hunter answered.
"Anything else," Dean asked? He was trying to put all the pieces together but something was definitely missing.
"Nada that I can remember at this very moment" Sam answered. "Except that damned itch," he grumbled.
Subconsciously rubbing at his chest Dean grumbled "What."
It was Sam's turn to frown his face mirroring the confusion on his brothers. "Back in the forest, it felt like something was tickling my hand," he replied
A few feet away the two pixies sat side by side on the end of the curtain rod watching the interchange. "They are so cute," Periwinkle sighed softly.
"Mine's cuter than yours and he has such a great smile," Buttercup gushed.
"He doesn't smile very much, how can you tell," Periwinkle snapped.
"Well if you'd quit playing stupid tricks on him maybe he'd smile more."
"You started this," Periwinkle argued.
"Oh no – you did with that stupid tickle.
The fight raged on, neither of the little pixies giving an inch, neither willing to accept anything the other said.
Sam and Dean stopped cocking their head to the sides and listening. The faint jangle of bells filled their ears. This wasn't the pleasant sound they had heard before. Each little tinkle was off key and grating.
His voice low Sam whispered, "I've been hearing those damn bells all day."
Using hand signals Dean sent his brother to the bathroom, while he checked under the beds and in the closets. He even stepped outside but the sound of jangling bells diminished. Whatever was happening was in the room with them.
Coming out of the bathroom Sam shrugged, Dean did the same. But they were on guard now.