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Chapter Three: Of Something That Needs Fixing

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Sayo was flying to Winter Woods, to her home far away from most, her home a frozen abode made of icicles and icy snow plates as her shingles. Her porch was the bark of the tree, with small stairs leading down and a sort of landing pad. She landed on it, and walked up the stairs, opening up her door and going in.

She looked around sadly. Sayo had always been alone whenever she came home, getting the occasional Water talent showing up at her door saying that either Zazie or Silvermist were looking for her. She took a book from her shelf, and flipped through it, smiling a little as she looked through the songs a Music talent fairy had given her.

A tear falling from her eyes, she hugged the book close.

----

"Ah!" cried out Rani as Silvermist splashed her. "Hey!"

Silvermist laughed as she was at the receiving end of a splash coming from River.

A water fight was going out, and it was a war. Other water talents joined in, making it an all out battle with no end in sight. Zazie flew by from above, and was startled at the sight of the battle below her. Beside her, the Minister of Spring arrived and watched with delight as the water fairies played.

"Epic," was all Zazie said, slightly deadpanned.

"Indeed," The Minister of Spring said, smiling. "Indeed, the Water guild for sure knows how to have a good time. Why do you not join them?"

Zazie looked at the Minister with a hint of a frown on her face. "I am going to go visit Sayo."

Spring frowned at the sound of the snowflake fairy's name. "I... see."

Zazie flew away, leaving the warring Water guild behind her.

----

The Minister of Summer listened to the beautiful music that the Music talents were playing as she properly prepared every guild for the coming for Summer. She especially loved the songs that Makar did with his current student, Lief. She sighed as she flew around the Summer woods, and watched the fruit fairies harvest fruit. Smiling, she turned to see Rune entertaining the fairies that were on break.

The serene silence was broken when an ecstatic Minister of Winter intruded and hastily flew to Summer. Winter was clearly worried about what going on.

"Summer!" she called out. "Minister of Summer!"

Summer turned around to see Winter, and gasped. "Winter, darling, what is wrong?!"

Winter almost looked insane. "She is coming to haunt me! I swear!"

Summer frowned. "What are you talking about...?"

"SAYO!!" Winter screamed out almost maniacally. "I swear it- she's haunting me!"

Summer grabbed hold of Winter's shoulders and shook her. "Calm down."

Winter took a deep breath and looked at Summer worriedly. "I swear..."

The Summer Minister chuckled heartedly as she flew with Winter around the Summerglade. "I'm sure it's all a huge misunderstanding. There's no way she's out to get you! You're a Minister, and she's a simple, little..."

"Worthless bat?" Winter scoffed. "She's out to get me, and that's final!"

The Minister of Autumn apparently saw the little conversation going on, and was interested, as he flew up to them, a smile upon his face.

"Greetings, Minister of Winter, Minister of Summer," he smiled and held his hands out for them.

Both shook them warmly.

"Autumn," Winter greeted.

"What appears to be the problem?" Autumn asked, as he joined them in their flight.

Summer smiled warmly and looked at Winter with an amused eye. "She is completely convinced that the snow fairy, Sayo, is out to haunt her."

Autumn looked startled at the mention of the weak fairy, and smiled at Winter. "She couldn't touch you."

Winter was only half convinced.

---

Sayo sneezed. Sniffling, she looked around the Winter Woods, wondering where the sneeze had come from.

"You know..." Zazie started. "It's a Japanese superstition that when you sneeze, someone is talking about you behind your back."

Sayo thought for a second, and then frowned. "Stupid Minister..."

Zazie only smiled at her.

---

The Minister of Winter was flying back to the Winter Woods, when she noticed the home of... dare she say it... Sayo. On the front porch she was sitting with her legs falling over the sides with that water fairy reject, Zazie.

Winter frowned at the sight of them. She couldn't stand Sayo. She was a failure – an incomplete fairy that was useless to aid the coming of seasons. Winter scoffed at the sight, and flew to her own home.

---

Terence had just finished handing out the morning dust. He was now flying to Tinker's Nook to see if Tink was home – he had another hole in his cup. Flying around the tables, he finally noticed Tink tinkering – attempting to build another invention, no doubt. Flying down to her, he landed and approached.

"Afternoon, Tink!"

Tink was startled, but the moment that she saw Terence, she was instantly excited. "Terence!"

Terence laughed. "Hello, Tink."

Tink left her current invention alone. "What is it?"

The Dust Keeper showed her the cup. "I have another hole in my cup..."

Kindly taking it from him, Tink examined the cup carefully before taking out wood to form the shape of the hole. "Wow... this cup probably should get replaced, Terence..."

"Nah," Terence chuckled. "I'll need a special kind of cup made, and I really don't want to bug the Queen about it..."

Tink looked up. "The Queen makes your measuring cup?"

"She does," Terence answered with a nod, and a smile. "She's also attached the Fairy Dust, but she can't measure it like I can."

"Huh," Tink breathed.

She continued to fix the cup.

"Why don't you want to bug her? I'm sure she won't mind," Tink asked, as she began to glue the wooden piece to the hole.

"She's kind of busy lately, trying to calm the Minister of Winter," Terence explained. "You see, she's being having really erotic dreams lately!"

"Really?" Tink looked up at the words.

"Yup," Terence confirmed. "Apparently, she's convinced now that one of her winter fairies are out to get her. It's pretty funny watching her freaking out, but then I feel bad..."

Tink giggled, causing Terence to blush.

Knocking off the glue now, she looked up at Terence. "Did she say who the fairy was?"

Terence nodded. "Yes, the fairy named Sayo."

Tink stopped.

"I know Sayo," Terence continued. "She's easily depressed nowadays, and I've been trying to cheer her up. Hey... Is everything alright?"

Terence flew up above Tink now, inspecting the job.

"Yeah," Tink assured. She showed him the cup now. "I fixed the hole!"

Terence gave her his best smile. "Thanks, Tinker Bell!"

She gave him the cup, and watched him fly away, waving good bye to her. She turned back to her latest invention, which was meant to help mining fairies get deeper into the caves. She looked away, and, determined, went to find Zazie.

---

Zazie had by now returned to Havendish Stream to help fish over water falls with Silvermist. About two minutes in, Tink knocked her to the ground, and away from an obviously confused Sil, who was still smiling and waving.

"See you later!"

Tink dragged Zazie back to the fields of Spring, and turned to Zazie. "What is this I hear about the Minister of Winter thinking Sayo is out to get her?!"

Zazie blinked. "What?"

Tink sighed, and looked at Zazie, annoyed. "Apparently, the Minister of Winter thinks Sayo is out to get her or something! Is this your doing?"

Zazie closed her eyes, and opened her left eye, showing Tinker Bell a beautiful shade of blue. "It's not me... or Sayo."

"Then who is it?!"

Zazie opened her other eye now, revealing her sea-green eye. "The Minister herself. She tend to worry about silly things, and apparently believes that Sayo is out to get her on her own. Neither I nor Sayo have had any part in this. Does that satisfy you?"

Tink calmed down. "Slightly."

Zazie nodded, and began to fly back to the Summerglade, when Tink stopped her again. "Yes?"

"About Sayo... you said she was different, and that, differently she could do her talent. What do you mean?" Tink looked at Zazie, a confused look upon her slender face.

Zazie looked a little perplexed at first, but then gave Tink a knowing look, her two eyes depicting different varieties on the happiness inside. "Maybe one day, Tinker Bell, I will show you."

She flew away.

Tink, now even more confused than before, wondered if the Minister of Winter knew, but then decided that maybe she didn't. If Zazie wouldn't tell her, why would she tell someone she didn't even like?

---

Terence was back at the Dust well, and doing his daily thing – weighing it. He needed to make sure the Dust was all fine and well, and weighing was the best option. He was just weighing about a handful when the Queen arrived at her home, and looked upon the well from her balcony. Seeing Terence, she smiled, before turning to all four of the Ministers with a frown.

"So, what is the issue that you are all trying to tell me?" she asked, knowingly.

Winter sighed, and took a deep breath. "My dream arrived again. Sayo is sitting at her porch, and I am with her, I say something to her, but I am not sure what. It apparently disturbs her, as she backs away with a frightened face before looking really mad, and then she summons something cold and long, and unmoving – so it's not water or snow. She stabs me with it."

Queen Clarion raised an eyebrow before approaching the Minister of Winter, content and intending to comfort. She placed a hand on Winter's shoulder. "I am sure that it is just a dream, Winter. There is no way that a fairy would willingly or even think of attacking a Minister. They are not like that."

Autumn nodded as he approached Winter as well. "There is no anger in Sayo at all, I am sure."

Terence was hearing this conference from his well. He usually didn't pay attention, but he remembered Tinker Bell's interest in what was going on. He flew up the window, and listened in.

Winter scoffed. "Oh, yes... I can just FEEL the love from her! She has never once said hello to me or even good morning, and she sees me every day. I'm pretty sure she badmouths me behind my back to that water fairy reject."

"Stop it!" The Queen hollered. "I will not have you calling fairies names in this conference room!"

They all looked at her. Terence flew back to the well, knowing what was going to happen next.

"The fairies do all of the work, while we watch on," Clarion continued. "Zazie may be different from other Water fairies, but that was apparent the moment she was laughed."

All the Ministers lowered their heads in shame.

"It is only natural she would be drawn to Sayo, who is also different," the Queen added. She turned to the well, to see Terence weighing the Dust. "Terence! Can you come here?"

Terence looked up, not expecting that at all, and looked at the Queen. "Yes?"

"Come here, please!" The Queen repeated.

Terence flew up, still holding his cup of Fairy Dust, and landed on the balcony of the Queen's gazebo. "Yes?"

The Queen smiled at him warmly. "If you may, may you please get Sayo and Zazie for me? We wish to have a word."

Terence nodded, and flew back to the well, leaving his cup on the table in the gazebo before leaving. The Queen looked at it, seeing the state that the cup was in, and, a sudden shook of emotional pain overwhelmed her face for a brief moment before she had to look away.

The Ministers looked at her sadly.

"It's almost his time, isn't it?" Summer sadly asked, as the Queen placed a hand on her head in sorrow.

"I wish it wasn't," Spring added.

"We can fix that," Clarion said, her voice low. "A Dust Keeper's life line is based on the state of the cup he uses to measure the dust. He's using the cup of Byron, the Dust Keeper that disappeared when he went blind."

The Ministers gasped.

"If we can make him a new cup, his life will immediately extend," she concluded. "He's the last Dust Keeper. We need to be careful of what happens to him."

Terence arrived with Sayo and Zazie in tow, and they all landed on the gazebo.

All the Ministers immediately put on their best smiles. The Queen gave them all a small one.

"Welcome, Sayo, Zazie," she greeted. "I trust your day has been well?"

Sayo sniffed. "I've been sneezing all day."

Zazie shrugged. Why should she mention that Tinker Bell hasn't been leaving her alone at all today? It was none of their business, and, if Tink had a plan, it could help Sayo.

The Minister of Summer approached Sayo. "Do you suppose you have a cold, dear? I could make you some marvellous tea that could help!"

Sayo backed away a bit before smiling. "Tea would be great..."

Summer immediately went to make tea. The Queen turned to her three fairies, preferably Terence. "Thank you, Terence."

Terence nodded. "Of course."

"Do you mind if you stay a while longer?" Clarion asked. She wanted to keep an eye on him.

Terence was startled that the Queen wanted him to stay, but he saw no need to leave, either. The Evening Rush for Dust wasn't expected to start until all the fairies' jobs for today had ended, and that wasn't until three hours later from now. Nodding, he went to the side.

Winter, Autumn and Spring turned to the other two fairies in the room, and the Queen gave all her guests the right to sit anywhere. After they were all seated, and Summer arrived with some tea for everyone, the Queen began the conference.

"Sayo... the Minister of Winter has been telling me of disturbing dreams she has been having lately," Queen Clarion confirmed, as she got ready to sip her tea.

Sayo looked at the Queen politely as she drank her own tea, looking a little interested.

"In her dream, she tells me that she sees you and her... at your home. She says something to you that she can't figure out, and it apparently causes you to be scared at first, and then, apparently so insulted, you stab her with something. The Minister of Winter then awakens."

Sayo looked a little disturbed at first, and Zazie made no reaction, but it was clear that it had scared her. Terence grimaced at the thought, and Winter winced.

The Queen eyed Sayo carefully. "Can you care to tell us if you understand what I have just told you?"

Sayo put her cup of tea down. "In her dream, I submit to the illegal feelings of murder and death, and kill the Minister?"

The Queen nodded, grimly. "Do you understand why I have called you here?"

Sayo shook her head.

The Queen also put her own tea down. "I want to make sure that you will never attempt to do this, as the Minister of Winter is so convinced that you will."

Sayo seemed a little upset. Why would she submit to such primitive feelings as that? The only fun she had ever gotten out of hurting the Minister of Winter was when Zazie created the water sculptures of her and then they spent all day crushing them. It certainly felt better than getting in trouble from throwing snowballs at Qana or Polar.

Zazie, too, was a little upset. She knew the real Sayo, the one that wasn't shy, wasn't too sensitive to what was going on. She knew the real Sayo, and they didn't.

All they knew was the lie Sayo had made up.

"I... I will never do that," Sayo stuttered, as her hands quivered, and she grabbed her tea. Lifting it to her mouth, she stopped, and put it back, a little embarrassed.

The Queen seemed a little interested in what had just occurred, as she had sensed the use of Dust. Looking at Terence, he nodded.

He had felt the use of Dust as well.

The Queen stood, and nodded at Zazie and Sayo. They could leave.

The snow fairy, and the water fairy ("reject") flew away, and the Ministers left as well, Winter a little bit calmer.

Once she was alone with Terence, the Queen approached Sayo's tea cup, and picked it up.

Eyes widening in shock, she found the tea inside completely frozen.

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