Warnings: I have not read the books, but I have access to Wikipedia – so I have names such as Ginger but only a quick explanation of her character and talent. I saw the first movie – that's what has happened and it's AU after that. Adventure-talent is an actually an established talent-kin and will be used as such. I take liberties with the fairies pasts and incorporate my own version of Pixie Hollow within the rules of Never Land. A little bit of violence. Made-up fairy swears. Reused plot devices that work their way in there before I realized I had done it. Questionable morals. An abundance of Vidia, and me writing the wrong story. Expansions on talents that don't exist. Vidia has actually been a hero in the past. My ever present and 'famous' use of my own original characters. New: Queen Clarion and Queen Ree are the same person, another fact I stole off Wikipedia, sorry for any confusion it caused.
Summary: Vidia uses the shadow in the library to her advantage, but once Tinkerbell finds it she lets it believe that it has hopes, and starts the cogs going for an ending that might mean the end of everything she has known.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Belongs to Disney and – well, I'm actually not entirely sure who wrote the actual series it's based off.
Chapter Eleven
A Sister's Strife
"They were special, born together by the same laugh. Sometimes we get ones born of two laughs and they arrive almost at the same time, but these two were so obviously sisters it was almost ridiculous. I wasn't there, hadn't been born yet, but I'm told that if you looked at them you never would have guessed the actions that would transpire a few months later," said Fairy Mary with a sad sigh.
"Queen Clarion was brilliant, a star and beautiful in her red dress," said Rosetta her mind trying to remember all day. "Teardrop was hiding behind her skirts, and was instantly afraid of everything but her sister, and especially cautious of Queen Bright. When the talents were gathered Clarion tried first and received both dust and light, her glow almost as bright as the sun. Teardrop followed after, and made all the symbols of the talents follow her and then they circled around her just as bright as her sister, and then the tinker tool came and fell on her foot and she burst into tears.
"They weren't sure what to do with the two. They were obviously very attached to each other, so they didn't know if it was best to start separating them early so they'd be used to it. They also didn't know what to do with a fairy with two talents, nevertheless all of them. So they ended up sending them in the smallest group, the dust fairies took them in for the night and the next day it was decided that Clarion would spend her morning handing out dust with the dust fairies and in the late morning early afternoon head over to help the light fairies. They decided that Teardrop would become the fairy who welcomed in new fairies in and keep in contact for a while to see they settled in."
"Both Bobble and I were welcomed in by Teardrop," said Fairy Mary and then brushed a lock of her hair from her face. "Queen Bright had an unfortunate favor to light-talent fairies. Not that she didn't love all of us, she did, but she showed favor to the light ones, believed they were the most important probably because that was her own talent. Teardrop didn't approve, and Queen Bright grew frustrated that Teardrop spent most of her free time with the dust fairies instead of the light… and at some point the queen learned that Teardrop didn't particularly like the light. Thankfully, the queen didn't often confront Teardrop directly, as the two had a tense relationship ever since Teardrop was born. But Clarion was close with the queen, and I even think saw the woman as a mentor.
"A few months after their birth, when it had been established that they couldn't leave each other longer than a few hours without feeling pain and Clarion now moved from season to season since she couldn't go to the Main Land, Sunshine died. Sunshine had been Teardrop's mentor. A twisted old fairy that had one day had a vat- or something – of black magic dropped on her. Unfortunately it wasn't removed fast enough, and by the time she was cleaned up she was twisted, her wings completely destroyed, her back hunched and her legs weakened, the pain she experienced I heard had her screaming and sobbing for a week. When she died Teardrop mourned, and worse of all, another dust fairy was born soon after, and Queen Bright immediately thought that the new one should take over the dangerous job of taking the black magic out herself.
"Teardrop was less than amused, and to add insult to injury she was barred from working with the dust fairies and Queen Clarion was supposed to make sure she worked with the light fairies. Instead Teardrop went to Tinkers Nock and started spending her free time working there, making quick friends with a tinker fairy named Tinktock. Then the storms came. It covered the sky and ripped across Pixie Hollow. All the fairies were moved into the Home Tree. Queen Bright decided to send the tinker fairies to get light since it was too dark to get it in Pixie Hollow. She said they had the tools to keep it while the light fairies could only capture it.
"Teardrop was… indignant. In the end she snuck out with the tinker fairies to help them get the light. Clarion, of course, followed close behind. When they got back it was just enough light, and Tinktock's wings had been – destroyed. The queen didn't care, not even to our eyes, and most of us felt that Teardrop's was right in her anger. But the queen locked the sister away until Teardrop would agree to do her job and only help the light-talent fairies in her free time.
"We didn't see her for a while, and when Clarion started getting pale, and shaky, and distant we found out that she didn't get to see her either. The only time we ever saw Teardrop was when she welcomed in a new fairy, and then she'd be escorted back, not even allowed to do her own job properly. I remember seeing Clarion one day; somehow, since she was still very attached and connected to Teardrop, the separation had made her lose part of her soul. She was dull and hardly responsive and her friends were constantly worried about her health.
"I don't know exactly how long it took, but we were close to getting back on our feet after the storm, and even were able to start – I think it was fall or winter on time. When the sky turned a purple black and the wind started to pick up – it… it wasn't like we could run to the Home Tree, that's where Teardrop had essentially setup base. We huddled in Tinker's Nock, somehow the queen had made it out safely.
"They sent out Clarion, who returned looking… devastated. Her sister wouldn't see reason and was demanding Queen Bright's crown. A group of us decided to make one last stand. Clarion was able to convince everyone that she would help; I think some part of her felt guilty. We attacked that day. It was terrible, Teardrop held nothing back and at first I thought we'd all end up serving our last few years in a never ending sleep. But Clarion, she held through, always pushing forward. I don't think she put as much effort as she could, but the twins had never… they had always been so close.
"Finally, I found a way inside Teardrop's defensives to knock her out just enough so that they could capture her. She didn't notice until it was almost too late and she was so consumed by her own power and those eyes…" Fairy Mary grasped herself and shivered at the memory. "She made to destroy me, and Clarion got in the way. Our queen saw that I was in trouble and she took the hit for me, and I only caught the horrified realization of this fact cross Teardrop's face and her arms and power just collapse under it, though a second was all that was needed for the remaining fairies to be on her, holding her down and dragging her away.
"We didn't hear anything for a while. I was taken to the infirmary and released without any information. I remember being – lost, I only knew that Teardrop had been restrained and locked away in our library. Clarion, there were so many rumors, a lot of them less than savory. I remember being angry of those that said in the end she tried to join Teardrop, being scared when I heard she'd entered an unwaking sleep, that she'd woken up and run in shame.
"When she finally reappeared Queen Clarion was more beautiful than ever. They said that in order to save her they had actually bathed the girl in pixie dust, and looked like she does now. Not long after… the queen died, the way all fairies do, and to everyone's surprise she had named Clarion as her successor. The first thing Queen Clarion did was assert that Queen Bright's punishment for Teardrop would stand and that her sister would continue to be locked away in the library.
"No one questioned it. For one thing, we really needed a queen, and despite what her sister ended up being. Most of us could see good qualities in her, she had always been so kind and open, her sister had always been just a little to reserved. Others thought the setup to serve a kind of poetic justice. That Clarion should get the crown and become queen when that had been Teardrop's goal.
"And Teardrop was locked away, forgotten after a few years, fairies remembering enough to stay away from the library. The only ones who were told why the library was dangerous was teaching fairies, and Clarion made sure to tell them the guidelines so that would have no chance of being taken hostage by her sister."
"But, you said it hurt," said one of the fairies who blushed when everyone turned toward her. "T-to be separate from her."
"Yeah, is there a set distance they can be from each other without feeling it?" asked a painter fairy with a nasally voice.
"Not really," said Fairy Mary with a shake of her head and bit her lips. "They feel the separation as soon as they aren't together. A few inches away at most I think. Time makes it worse. Clarion described it in the beginning that being away from her sister was just a little reminder of something missing at the back of her mind that by the end of the day it was a small ache. To be gone for so long as they have is torture. Clarion isn't sure which is worst, the constant pain of being without Teardrop, or the fights and betrayal she feels when she's with her sister."
"What is like? I mean, why do they have to be together?" asked Iridessa.
"Because they are the compliments of each other. They are two halves of one hole," said Fairy Mary and shook her head.
"Are they opposites completely?" asked a young sparrow man in bright red.
"No, in some ways they are scarily alike. They just have enough traits that are different from each other that they can blindly ignore the fact," said Fairy Mary sadly.
"Wouldn't it be easier if Teardrop just died?" asked one of the fairies and cowered under the glares from fairies who still couldn't let go of their first impression of the librarian. Or more likely, their second, Teardrop had a bad habit of severely intimidating every new fairy that wandered into her library.
"If Teardrop died, then so would Clarion," said Fairy Mary, a few fairies gasped, Tinkerbell wasn't that surprised, but she did notice that Vidia had disappeared.
The questions continued for a while. Tinkerbell found herself lost in her thought. She only 'surfaced' to see her friends surrounding her. Rosetta moved and stood in front of them, her hands on her hips.
"Don't jump to conclusions, don't interfere, just let it play out," her eyes rested on Tinkerbell and then turned to Bobble, who actually looked like he wanted to protest. With a roll of her eyes Rosetta made to leave.
"Where are you going?" asked Clank, Rosetta looked back and raised an eyebrow.
"To go find Fawn," she said and flew out before the others had even confirmed that the animal talent was indeed gone – Rosetta had taken off.
"Come on Tinkerbell," said Fairy Mary, seeming to come from nowhere and start dragging Tinkerbell by the back of the shirt. "And you two boys, we still have a lot to do before nightfall, and I won't accept any excuses as to why your work hasn't been done."
----
When Vidia flung open the door and slammed it behind her she wasn't surprised to hear a squeak from the bottom of her bed. She stormed over to the chest that was there, flung it open, and glared at the dark fairy holding her hands over her hair, as if that gesture actually would save her.
"What in all of Pixie Hollow were you thinking trying to become queen? You don't have the social skills required to do that," snapped Vidia grabbing Teardrop's wrist and dragging her out of the chest and on to the floor. Teardrop made an uncomfortable noise, but easily let herself be thrown around like a really heavy doll.
"I know that now," said Teardrop now gripping her wrist and looking down at the floor off to the side of Vidia.
"Why didn't you know that then?" asked Vidia quickly losing steam because of how utterly depressing her friend was acting.
"I did, on some level I'm sure," said Teardrop and ran a finger on the floor in steady circles. "But it wasn't only logic that was driving me or the madness from not being allowed to use my talents, or the constant pain of not being near my sister. It was the consuming thrum of power. It was so clear, especially when I was in the Home Tree. I could feel it, that connection, that knowledge of all that I could do with the power at my fingertips."
Vidia watched with a small sneer as Teardrop looked toward the ceiling and lifted her arms. A small sob hunched had the dark fairy looking down at her hands in a slight horror. Watery eyes turned toward Vidia that made the fast flying fairy shiver. An unnatural light were in the dark pits of the dark fairies eyes. Vidia tried not to let the fear show as Teardrop looked at her imploringly.
"I thought I had killed her," said Teardrop, locking eyes firmly with Vidia. The proud fairy gulped but tried to keep her composure.
"Don't be ridiculous, if she died so would you," said Vidia and made to drag Teardrop off the floor. But Teardrop scooted back, as if Vidia was the one that was dangerous.
"Huh, I wonder what would happen if… no, if Clarion fell into an eternal sleep I'd follow in some fashion," Teardrop laughed, and Vidia didn't notice she was backing up until the small of her back hit against her kitchen counter. "But I didn't feel my talents until she was revived. Did I almost make her lose hers; did I hurt so badly that when she did wake we both would have been utterly useless?"
"That's impossible," snapped Vidia but quailed a little under Teardrop's blank stare her way.
"They had to dip her in dust. Before she had looked normal, a little tall be sure, but she wasn't born with a dress that literally clung to her body and dripped with magic. She was normal, and if they hadn't let dust soak her, she might have woken but she wouldn't have had her power," said Teardrop and hugged herself.
"Aren't you just worrying about yourself?" asked Vidia and rolled her eyes. She peeled her hands off the counter and walked next to the scrunched body in the middle of the floor. Watching as Teardrop rocked on the tips of her toes as her eyes continued to look into nothing and shook her head.
"I suppose," said Teardrop still shaking her head. "But Clarion isn't me, and I'm not Clarion, we're sisters, yes, but that doesn't mean we always see eye to eye. Doesn't mean that when it comes down to it that we both won't sacrifice each other. We live for and around each other. A weird game of acceptance, rejection, love, h-hatred." Teardrop sob, but she really did seem to have run out of tears. "Do you know how much it hurt to realize that I might have killed her? I forgot that moment that we were connected, that I would have felt her death. All I could see was her dying in front of me."
Teardrop twisted until she had her head against the floor and her body, but still twisted into the smallest ball. Vidia sighed and started to try and untangle the silly thing. Teardrop sprang suddenly to look wide eyed into Vidia's eyes.
"It's so easy, it's so easy to take their lives," her eyes tried to find moisture. "It wasn't meant for her, it was meant for one of my precious."
"Precious?" asked Vidia, not daring to pull away.
"One of the ones I welcomed into Pixie Hollow," said Teardrop and then watched as she forced herself to link fingers with Vidia and let the fast flying fairy drag them to sit on her bed. "Fairy Mary was one of the first along with Bobble."
Vidia watched in morbid fascination as Teardrop rested her head on Vidia's bony lap and looked off to the side with a small odd smile. Her face contorted into despair.
"At that moment I didn't care that I was going to kill her, place her in that never ending sleep. I just wanted to prove my strength, I wanted to use it to bring down anyone who opposed me, I wanted to destroy," Teardrop lost all sense of emotion. "All my sister can think of is everyone else in the most selfish way possible. All I can think of is myself in the most selfless way. The power was so revealing, because it didn't have those restrictions, it didn't think that way it was free to seek and just be."
Vidia ran a hand through the girl's short hair and Teardrop moved into the hand like a cat.
"Clarion was there, among the rest, though I can't remember what any of them looked like. She remembered her goals, she remembered her restrictions, why this was a bad idea and was fighting for it. She could make dust and light into the most brutal of attacks, which makes sense, because no matter how clumsy she was at the beginning. But that made sense, I suppose, after she had always been able to perfect her talents better than I could even dream of being."
Teardrop closed her eyes and her breathing started to even out. Vidia shifted her around rudely so the dark fairy was forced awake again.
"What was the power like?" asked Vidia. Teardrop looked at the other in confusion and finally let a small humorous smile free that made Vidia shiver in – pleasure?
"It was amazing, so raw, like each element every concept behind every talent was speaking to me. Like they had a rudimentary need to be free. They just exploded like a new fairies who hasn't quite figured out exactly where she fits in within her talent-kin," said Teardrop closing her hands close to her body.
"But, you're as powerful as your sister, and Clarion has a great amount of power and refinement within her powers," said Vidia in confusion. Hazel eyes stared into her and two squeaks later Teardrop was laughing childlike in Vidia's lap.
"Weren't you listening? Of course Clarion has the refinements down, that's what she's good at, but getting her started on a task? No, no, she can't really understand the broad scope like that, but once she's got it down she can really take off, do things that most fairies haven't even dreamed of," Teardrop giggled distractedly. "But I can't get past the basics. I'm good, solid with them. Well, the ones I actually tried. I can gather dust, remove ink, even grab light, tinker, but I didn't learn anything else, I just have this instinct that pulls and becomes almost impossible to ignore in the Home Tree."
"What do you mean?" asked Vidia looking around for something Teardrop could clutch on that wasn't her.
"It's worse, the need to use my power, to gather the winds into a storm, to call the plants to me, to gather water, storms, to create – to destroy," said Teardrop and spread herself wide so that Vidia had to grab onto her to stop her from falling off her lap and onto the ground and then scowled at the exploring girl. "I can feel the need, even here."
"No kidding," muttered Vidia and Teardrop looked up at her and then smiled silly. She was probably remembering the few times she had lost her temper in Vidia's presence.
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to cause you problems," said Teardrop and loosely clung to Vidia as the fast flying fairy leaned backward, reaching.
"If that was your real reason than you wouldn't be here," said Vidia and came back in with a stuffy of a squirrel. "But don't worry, I understand, sorta. Not the whole 'can't get your powers under control thing,' but I think that can be easily fixed, I mean, thankfully it didn't really make you do anything you weren't going to do anyway."
Vidia started to arrange Teardrop so she was on top of her covers instead on her lap. Teardrop glared at the fasting flying fairy as she accepted the squirrel.
"I hurt Clarion," said Teardrop with a frown. "I almost hurt Fairy Mary."
"See, it even let you keep better track of your goals," said Vidia standing up and heading to cook something. It would help her keep busy and also keep track of Teardrop, make sure she didn't ruin the freedom she had finally found for herself. After the dark fairy had fallen into a nice deep sleep she would take a few laps around Pixie Hollow to release the rest of the tension built up because of this whole ordeal.
"That's a stupid way to look at it," said Teardrop mournfully.
"Well, if we're lucky enough we can trust at least one fairy from every talent to know of your existence without telling the good queen," said Vidia, trying to not blink to rapidly as the need to tear up came with cutting the onions for their dinner.
"Why?" asked Teardrop, basically lying completely on the poor stuffed animal.
"So we can get you a teacher for all of them," said Vidia and went on to the carrots. It was a soup night.
"Why?" asked Teardrop and Vidia glared at the dark fairy until the girl buried her head in the stuffy secured in her arms, and no longer suffocating.
"Because you can't stay in here with me forever, someone we don't want to will find out eventually. From what I can tell, there are still a few people who can't really see you as strictly evil. Which you aren't, you're to bloody nice to be considered that," said Vidia and then sent a scowl at Teardrop like that was a bad thing. "We'll get them to help suppress that feeling and tell your sister that you wouldn't kill Queen Bright."
"I'd still be lying," said Teardrop. "I forgot my goals, not made new ones because of them."
"Yes, yes, but then tell her that the loss of control will never happen and you'll remember yourself next time you have a stupid idea and try to kill the 'queen' – which would be rather moronic by the way," said Vidia and brushed the vegetables and set the pot to simmer a little. "You can be reasoned with. I mean, when Clarion came to bargain with you, make you see sense, were either of you really thinking straight?"
"I – I'm not sure. I remember being betrayed, or feeling at least that way," said Teardrop and looked up at the ceiling. "I thought when she first came she realized that I was right about Queen Bright and was joining me – but then she agreed with that harlot, who was so set on one talent when all of them are needed, and none are expendable, none she be chosen over the other."
"But, you always talk about liking Queen Clarion best, no matter what she did to you, well, you said your sister, but I'm guessing that you were only trying to keep up… never mind. Point is that in most cases, even as angry at her as you are now, you would have never hurt her in a normal setting, even if the price was Pixie Hollow," said Vidia and Teardrop looked down actually considering this.
"No, if I had to choose now, knowing what I did, I would make sure that Clarion realized what I meant and she would eventually. We would have left or fought together, I never would have tried anything on my own," said Teardrop with a small nod on the subject.
Vidia nodded and smiled, she'd have Teardrop on her feet and in good graces with the queen again in no time, or she'd smuggle the fairy out. She hoped for the first, that way she'd fall back in favor too, at least the closest person to the queen would be her best friend and she'd have free reign again. Other fairies wouldn't be able to dismiss her as easily as they had before.
"Right, bet you'd even put me in a lifelong sleep if it meant that Clarion was kept safe and happy," said Vidia with a proud smirk and handed Teardrop a cup of water. Teardrop took it with a shy smile and took the glass from the fast flying fairy while throwing her legs over the side of the bed.
"It nothing against you," said Teardrop and looked down at her drink.
"I know," said Vidia flippantly and returned to start dessert. Something simple so that it could cook during dinner.
"I mean, it's just that…" Teardrop trailed off, not finishing her thought. Vidia rolled her eyes. She knew that the other fairy would never care of her as much as she did her sister. Vidia was probably lucky to be considered a friend, Teardrop didn't connect that quickly. Yes, the dark fairy liked company every once in a while, but she probably wouldn't feel much of anything if she never saw Ginger again, and could easily leave Tinkerbell behind with hardly a glance back. At least she knew the fairy would spare a few tears, especially if she had to be the one to 'take care of' Vidia.
Something shattered, a sound of water washing across the floor and a small gasp of horror.
"No," said Teardrop looking past the mess when Vidia turned around.
"What's wrong?" asked Vidia in aggravation, and then she grew worried, Teardrop looked, devastated. "Is it Queen Clarion? What's going on, are the pirates here? Teardrop, snap out of it."
A slap resounded in the room and Vidia whimpered a little when Teardrop still looked beyond gone in terror.
"No…" Teardrop's voice broke and she grasped her head in her hands and shook it violently. "No!"
"Teardrop," said Vidia and then shook the girl as hard she could. "Start making sense, I can't do anything if you just insist on freaking out!"
Vidia tried to look in those unseeing eyes. Teardrop's breath was forced, grating against her throat in choked tears and it seemed her eyes had found a drop of moisture left as one trailed down her cheeks. Vidia wasn't sure what to do. She was leaning on the wet and clay shards, trying to figure out through incoherent rambling and whimpering could mean and if she shouldn't already be miles away from Pixie Hollow.
"I don't know who," said Teary and then choked again, closing her eyes tightly.
"What?"
"I don't know any more who I would choose, I can't say for sure that it would be Ree I'd choose to save when given the option," said Teardrop and then shook her head like that would bring back her sanity. "I know I would choose You over Tinkerbell. I'd, of course, sooner let one my little ones die or hurt than Ree, but I can't choose between you and her."
"Don't be ridiculous," said Vidia with a small hitch in her voice. "Of course you'd pick yourself over me."
"No, I don't know that, I can't choose. It wasn't that she was me; it was that she was my everything. My sister, my best friend. I love her, she is what I can't be, what I am… and yet, you, even though you're a fast flying fairy you accepted me. You made sure that Pixie Hollow stayed safe, and even continue to care about me. Somewhere along the way I became too close to you," choked Teardrop and smiled oddly, grabbing the hair behind Vidia's ears so she couldn't get away.
Vidia looked up at the other fairy and tried not to show how it was affecting her, and failed miserably. Teardrop started giggling and holding on tighter.
"You're as scared about this as I am, aren't you?" asked Teardrop and then spluttered with laughter a little. "You don't let people to get close. You care, but you really don't want to. You just want to live your life and become the fastest fairy ever. Nothing else can be present, you can't let anything be important to you, or let anyone else rely on you in anyway."
"Don't jump to conclusions," snapped Vidia and glared at the now smiling fairy.
"O-of course," said Teardrop and Vidia tried to ignore the part of her that was relieved that Teardrop seemed to have recollected herself well after that… discovery.
"I don't care if you think… we're best friends, of course you would confuse that at some point, but we aren't like other fairies, we can't let their silly notions of friendship be confused with our own," said Vidia turning away Teardrop so she wouldn't see that look the other was using in her direction. Though she could feel it on her back.
"Yes," was the soft agreement, almost trying to calm the other. Vidia started to storm back to her stove, she couldn't even believe… Teardrop was just being silly and over emotional, she'd level out later.
A knock rang oddly in the room. Two heads snapped toward it and then looked at each other, as if not completely believing their own ears. It sounded again, this time more insistent. A rustle of cloth and a small tap of wood told Vidia that Teardrop had hidden herself, but she wondered if it was too late. If they were lucky the fairies had just arrived and not heard the yelling and listened in.
Vidia opened the door and blinked at the sight before sending the fairy a glare that should have the animal talent breathing her last breath. Instead the braided fairy only proceeded to push herself into Vidia's home her eyes scanning around for someone not immanently prominent.
"Do you need something?" snapped Vidia leaning heavily against her doorframe.
"I need to give Teardrop a message," said Fawn almost demandingly. Vidia pushed off her door and went to save her meal from burning any worse. Hopefully it was still edible.
"Who?" asked Vidia, she hadn't really come often enough to learn the librarians name. Fawn rolled her eyes and Vidia kept feeling like the other had heard a little too much. Though why Fawn would come here in the first place to find Teary was a mystery to her.
"The librarian of course," said Fawn strolling over and sitting herself on one of the stools at Vidia's counter. Vidia sneered at the annoying animal-talent.
"Dear, I don't know anything about her, why not go bug that sister of hers and in the process also get her to see reason about the pirate thing?" snapped Vidia and for some reason handed the annoying reason passed the irritating fairy some soup and started ladling some soup into two other bowls.
"You know, that's what tipped me off in the first place. That and those arguments you get into every time you came to visit Teardrop," said Fawn with a determined scowl.
"I didn't come that often, I walked through after getting the initial books a few time," said Vidia. It was true; she'd visited the library on the pretence of getting more every once in a while and would after track down where Teardrop was and complain at her for the most inane reasons, which she was sure Teardrop appreciated since it usually meant that she actually had to engage her brain to talk. Teardrop, of course, had complained about not getting to see Vidia for a few minutes, and thus had started sneaking to her house every once in a while.
"Seven," said Fawn, and Vidia wondered where she fairy had gotten that number. "And you always sought Teardrop out."
"To complain about the inefficiencies she had overlooked," said Vidia proudly grabbing the two soup bowls and heading to the table. She put one to the side and one in front of her. Fawn joined her there, putting her own bowl of soup in front of her.
"Which were always very superficial," remarked Fawn and Vidia gave her the best 'I am much better and smarter than you, don't question me' look before returning to her soup. Vidia didn't look up until a chair scraped against the floor and Teary deposited her stupid butt at the table. By then Vidia was glaring.
"Teary, what do you think you're doing?" asked Vidia with venom.
"Sitting at the place you set for me," said Teardrop innocently and dipped a spoon into the warm soup in front of her. Vidia frowned at the act.
"I could have explained that," said Vidia with a small frown.
"Really?" asked Teardrop with a sly smile.
"She would have had to buy the reason," said Teardrop as she dipped into her soup.
"No, she just had to leave in a huff," grumbled Vidia and Teardrop rolled her eyes and shook her head with a small chuckle.
"But she has something to tell me," said Teary and then smiled at the fast flying fairy, asking the other to humor at least for a little. Vidia huffed and looked away, this better not get her in trouble.
"I just wanted to know that even though we know the whole story there's still those who support you," said Fawn with gusto. Teary smiled in a way that it looked closer to only humoring the animal talent at that moment.
"Ah, and how many have condemned me to the fate that my sister has placed upon me?" asked Teary with a forgiving smile. Fawn started to irritably stir her soup.
"No one," she said with a pout. Vidia looked at the girl funny. Why did the goody-goody sound so depressed?
"Hm," nodded Teary as if she knew exactly what the annoying fairy meant. "So they want to be cautious for Ree, have they figured out a suitable change that will still technically take me out of commission but not hurt Ree anymore than she already has?"
Vidia sipped at the soup, and looked through her bangs at the dark fairy. There was some part of Teardrop that actually sounded interested in that option. Teary seemed to notice after a minute and glanced back at her.
"No, I left before, and I think they were going to go somewhere private. They don't expect you to be caught easily, though they are sure Queen Clarion would know if you left," said Fawn with a shrug. Teary smiled in amusement at the other fairy, as if the animal-talent had just done something to gain her respect. Vidia glared the other fairy and Fawn blanched a little.
"Yes, Ree would know if I even was contemplating trying to leave," said Teary with a kind smile. "Well, they always could try to put me into a gentle endless sleep. If they're lucky it will mean that Ree can never sleep again. That would be nice."
"Nice?" asked Vidia and Teary blinked at her from her content smile. "Teary, you would be dead, maybe not in body, but… that life isn't even worth it if you can't live it."
"Technically it wouldn't be complete death; Ree is part of me after all. It would be a pirate's cove better than the last century," said Teardrop and Vidia immediately went for the kill.
"Teary?" asked Fawn and the two fairies turned slowly toward her. "How long have you two been friends?"
"None of your—"
"Remember the first time Vidia came to the queen talking about something bad was going to happen to Pixie Hollow if the underground river wasn't fixed?" asked Teary with a maddening smile.
"Teary she doesn't need to…"
"Wow, really? Well, I guess it was a bit odd that Vidia was able to just keep stumbling upon these problems in the nick of time… but that means…" said Fawn and she looked scared. "The pirates?"
"Are a very real threat," said Teary suddenly very serious and then smiled and opened her hands palms up. "But don't worry. My sister is gathering together the fairies in one way that will into a force. Just keep an eye on the horizon so that when it does happen we will be ready."
"Shouldn't we hide?" asked Fawn. Then again, they would be fighting against human's being that were much bigger and stronger than them.
"Don't be silly, they would wreak our home and try to steal our magic when they figured out what it was, or at least some of the properties it has," said Teary in lecture mode. "As I said, don't worry about it too much, just keep an eye open and be prepared when they do come, make sure to spread the word."
"Of course," said Fawn with a determined frown.
"Now that that's decided," said Vidia and flipped out her nails, less than amused that these two plebeians had chosen to ignore her for so long. "I have an idea for redeeming miss annoying, hopefully before these pirates show up."
"Really?" asked Fawn. "What's the plan?"
"Stop bouncing and I'll tell you," snapped Vidia and the animal-talent tensed, as if remembering that this was Vidia of all people, and even if she did have a friend that wasn't going to make her softer.
"She wasn't bouncing," said Teary with a faux disappointed frown. "Just acting incredibly perky. Nothing wrong with that."
"Yes there is," said Vidia moodily and turned back to Fawn, she'd just get it all on the table and the animal-talent could do all the work for her, and hopefully never bother her again. "Listen, one of the reasons that Teary here went all kill-joy on the queen…"
"That's not a delicate way to put it," muttered Teary looking at Vidia in shook and slowly annoyance.
"She has the ability to be of use in any talent, but she's only been taught how express these needs to work for a few talents. When she's in the Home Tree the magic brings to life the need to work, but they don't have direction except for dust, light, and tinkering. Besides that she can guess. She just needs the basics so that the talents don't overwhelm her."
"But, learning…" said Fawn biting her lip.
"Don't worry," cut in Teardrop and then smiled under false brightness. "I'm not like Tinkerbell; I'm not trying to learn talents that aren't my own. Usually given instruction I can pick up the basics in a hurry, and really ,that's all I need to know."
Fawn looked over at Vidia for confirmation, as if to check this was true. Vidia gave a quick nod and sneer. Though she really wasn't all too sure, it was just a theory really. Hopefully it was one that Teardrop herself would buy because she had a feeling that was the only way Queen Clarion was even going to consider it.
"Great," said Fawn. "I'll be back tomorrow, and we'll start with animals, I know this nice little spot. No one should be around tomorrow, well, not in the morning. How does that sound?"
"Perfect, thank you Fawn," said Teardrop, and started to gather their now empty bowls. Fawn beamed at Teary and then at Vidia; the fast flying fairy attempted to destroy it with her glare.
They all jumped when another knock tapped irritably against the door. A sudden whoosh and light tap of wood brought Vidia back to her senses. The irritable fairy stood and brushed a tense hand over her pants and headed for the door.
Vidia wasn't impressed by the fairy on the other side. The two fairies glared at each other for a minute, but before the garden fairy could demand where her irriting friend was, Vidia turned away toward the source of annoyance.
"I think this is for you," said Vidia pointing to the garden fairy, whose entire body tensed at the insult. She might even have let a hiss loose. That would be nice, no way that Rosetta would gain the stupid idea that they were friends that way.
"Rosetta, what are you doing here?" asked Fawn flying quickly to her hand. Vidia had to jump back and sneered and rolled her eyes at their display. Why did seem that every fairy but her insisted on being to touchy feely.
"Looking for you," said Rosetta and then sent a suspicious look over the animal-talent's shoulder toward Vidia, who was getting rid of the dishes. "Why are you here of all places?"
"I was looking for Teardrop," said Fawn and jumped slightly. Vidia tried not to give herself away, though she did basically throw the dishes into the sink, causing Rosetta to glance at her briefly before her attention was recaptured by the bouncing menace.
"Here?" asked Rosetta and then glanced at Vidia, who was giving Fawn a look that said she thought the animal-talent was brain-dead. "The few times she came to the library she seemed to think that Teardrop was beneath her."
"She seems that way with everyone," pointed out Fawn and latched onto Rosetta's arm and gave a small tug. "Come on, there are few other places I want to check."
Vidia watched as Rosetta was pulled away, still looking at Vidia as if she didn't quite trust what she was being told and that somehow the fast flying fairy would correct it. The door slipped shut and Vidia let loose a sigh and finished cleaning the bowls. She looked up in confusion when Teardrop didn't come out hiding.
Vidia wiped her hands off with a thin cloth and headed to the chest at the end of her bed. She looked at it for a minute, placing a hand on her hip and then reached forward to open the lid. It stuck. She frowned and ran a hand at the slit; Teary must have somehow sealed it from the inside. Well, that actually was in some ways very convenient. The dark fairy must have decided to sleep the rest of her sorrow away which left Vidia some time before dark to fly off her frustration. She wasn't too worried about Teary. The dark fairy could be discrete when she wanted to be, and tended to take forever to wake up after she had already opened her eyes.
Vidia had once had the privilege of dealing with Teary in one those states. It was in the middle of fixing something, and the dark fairy had woken up and basically sleep walked to Vidia's place and then spent the rest of the day there just fixing up the place and being silent company.
Well, whatever, the point was that she wouldn't do anything to stupid and could probably be trusted not to give herself away to the queen, if for the simple fact that she would wake up a few times and fall asleep again under the thinking that it was still dark outside and thus beddy-bye time.