Chapter 3: A New Friend

Poppy enjoyed the feel of the outside weather. Better to be out there than underground, anyway. She started to sing.

Look at the world, so close and I'm halfway to it.

Look at it all, so big. Do I even dare?

Look at me, there at last; I just have to do it.

"Should I?" she asked herself, "No."

Here I go!

She stepped on a twig and she gasped as she'd done so. She turned to see if there was someone or something behind her. Seeing there was none, she continued to sniff the evening air and continue her song.

Just smell the grass, the dirt, just like I dreamed they'd be.

Just feel the autumn breeze, the way it's calling me.

For like the first time ever, I'm completely free!

She heard some birds chirping as they flew and started to run gleefully, whilst singing.

I could go running, and racing, and dancing, and chasing!

And leaping, and bounding, hair flying, heart pounding,

And splashing, and reeling, and finally feeling

That's where my life begins!

The birds chirped as they flew and crickets hopped as they chirped, admiring her singing voice.

…

That night, the teenage mouse came to a farm beside a brick house. She sighed. "Maybe I'll stay here for the night," she said to herself as she climbed up the window sill, only to see that no lights were on. She sat down on the window sill and sighed sadly.

I know there's someone, somewhere.

Someone who's sure to find me soon.

Poppy's ears perked when she heard a woman sing. She removed her hood as she turned around and saw a tiny girl her size singing her heart out through the window.

The tiny girl in question had fair skin, long strawberry blonde hair in a ponytail, fern green headband, white flowers in her hair, rosy cheeks, blue eyes, pink lips, white top shirt with a thin black bowtie, fern green bodice, teal light blue skirt, and teal flats.

After a rain goes, there are rainbows.

I'll find my rainbow soon.

Poppy watched in admiration as the tiny girl danced in front of the colorful windows as if it were a rainbow as she sang.

Soon it won't be just pretend.

Soon a happy ending.

Poppy crawled in order to get a closer look at the girl in the window still touched by the beautiful singing voice.

Love, can you hear me,

If you're near me?

Sing your song,

Sure and strong and soon.

When the girl finished her song, she went up to the page in her fairytale book with fairies and kissed the fairy prince on the cheek.

"I wonder if there really are such things as fairies?" the girl asked herself.

…

While the girl was singing to herself, Poppy cracked open the window to let herself in. Once inside, she gently closed the window and without being detected, she hid herself behind the giant, green book.

As much as Poppy wanted to greet the girl and say hello, she didn't want to ruin her chances of the tiny girl meeting a special someone.

"Oh, you have to go now?" Poppy heard the tiny girl lament, until she heard the girl change her tone, "I see. You're a wonderful dancer. Will I ever see you again?"

As Poppy remained hidden, she caught sight of a young slender, yet muscular fairy boy with short red hair, green eyes, light orange fairy wings, red and orange suit, orange leggings, yellow sleeves, yellow belt buckle with emerald green, and an emerald green circle on his torso of his suit. She saw him cut into a page of the book with his sword.

"May I cut in?" he punned, only for the poor girl to frantically shriek and run away, much to his dismay.

Poppy covered her mouth, horrified by the sight.

As the tiny girl ran, he said, "No. Wait, wait. Come back. I apologize. I didn't mean to frighten you." He shook his head. "Tsk. Tsk. Tsk." He stopped himself short to realize what frightened the tiny girl. He put away his sword. "There. See? No more sword." He peered into the pot the girl was hiding in. "Now, will you come out?"

Poppy watched as the girl emerged from the spout and that was the moment, she knew that the prince was not there to harm the poor girl.

"Ah," the fairy prince said in relief, "Wait a minute. What are you staring at? Well, say something, will you?"

"You're…Oh!" the girl began, "You're one of them!"

Poppy smiled as she finally heard the tiny girl speak. She felt like squealing in delight, but she didn't want to ruin their conversation.

"I beg your pardon," said the fairy prince.

"I thought I was the only one my size in the whole world."

All of a sudden, a dog woke up, seeing the stranger inside the house next to the tiny girl, making Poppy flinch, so she went back into hiding. Luckily, for her, the dog didn't spot her. The next thing she heard was a sword being drawn out.

"Hero, no! No, no! He's a friend," the tiny girl said in a calm voice, pacifying the dog.

"Hero?" Poppy wondered, "That must be the dog's name."

"Look. Hello, my name is Thumbelina," the girl continued, focusing on the fairy prince, "How do you do, sir? Uh, thank you for coming to visit."

Thumbelina must be the girl's name, Poppy thought. How beautiful.

"Uh… oh. Oh. No trouble at all," the fairy prince replied, sheathing his sword, "The pleasure is mine."

Hero, the dog, finding that the prince was no threat, went back to sleep.

"Sorry about that," Thumbelina apologized before he came closer to her.

"Thumbelina," the fairy prince mused. "That's a lovely name." He spun around as if he were dancing.

"Thank you."

"I'm Cornelius."

"Cornelius?" Thumbelina repeated with a giggle as she, herself, spun around. "Well, that's a funny name." Then she looked away in shame. "I mean it's perfect." Cornelius came closer to her with a soft smile.

"Cornelius?" Poppy said softly to herself.

"Tell me about the fairy court," said Thumbelina, "Is there a prince?" She took a step closer to him.

"Yes," Cornelius replied.

"He must be terribly handsome."

"He is."

"Strong and brave."

"None like him."

Thumbelina blushed as her eyes met his. "I would like to meet the prince."

"I'll tell him."

"Thank you."

"Oh, you're welcome." Thumbelina and Cornelius were just about to kiss when…

BUZZZZ!

Poppy gasped at the sound, covering her mouth.

"What was that?" Thumbelina panicked.

"Oh, that's Buzzbee, my bumble," Cornelius answered, "I left him on the sill. He doesn't like staying in one place too long."

"Why didn't you say something? Let's go!" Thumbelina took him by the hand and led him outside on the window sill to come across a bumblebee, who buzzed in terror upon seeing the girl until his owner approached behind her.

Poppy, herself took a glimpse at the bumblebee in admiration. "He looks so cute!" Hearts surrounded her.

"Oh, my! He - He's amazing!" Thumbelina complimented Cornelius' bumblebee.

"Hey, would you like to go for a spin?" Cornelius asked.

"A spin?" Poppy asked herself in confusion.

"Come on, let's go!" Cornelius said as he and Thumbelina climbed aboard the bumblebee, who then started to take off.

"I wish I had wings," said Thumbelina.

"Maybe someday you will. Hold on tight." Thumbelina did as she was told by wrapping her arms around him. "Whoa!"

As Poppy watched the tiny people go, their voices became faint to her ears and their appearances faded from view.

…

The teenage mouse looked out of the window to see the same tiny people return to the window sill.

"Oh, Thumbelina," Cornelius sighed romantically as he helped her get off of Buzzbee, "Oh, wow. Something…I don't know…Something happened to me tonight. Something I never wanna forget."

"Me, too," Thumbelina agreed as she removed a flower necklace with a blush. "Do not forget me."

"Forget-me-nots," Cornelius said, looking at the flower necklace. "Oh, I'll never forget you. Never." He took off his gold ring with an emerald green circle and put it on Thumbelina's left-hand finger.

"Never. Never."

"How romantic," Poppy sighed happily.

The two were about to share a passionate kiss until-

"Cornelius!" a female regal voice cried out in the distance.

Poppy facepalmed at this in annoyance. "Just like my mother."

"Oh, Mother!" Cornelius frowned, annoyed that his romantic moment with Thumbelina was being ruined. "What? Mother!" He turned around frantically to Thumbelina and took her into the house, where they could hide together.

"Cornelius, come now!" the same female regal voice returned.

"Cornelius, who are those people?" Thumbelina asked.

Buzzbee was about to join the two tiny people through the open window when Cornelius pushed him out of the way.

"Poor baby bee." Poppy shook her head as she placed her hands on her cheeks in worry.

"Shh. Shh. Shh…It's no time to explain. That's the queen of the fairies, my mother."

"Your mother?" Thumbelina started to figure out what that meant.

"His mother?" Poppy gasped.

"Yeah. Look, I must go now, but… Can I see you tomorrow?"

"Your mother? Then you're the…You are the…Tomorrow?" This was a lot to take in for the young girl.

"Yes, tomorrow. Yes, I'm the prince."

"It's all starting to make sense now," Poppy said with crossed arms.

"The prince?"

"Yeah. Will you meet my parents?" Cornelius asked as he took Thumbelina's hands in his.

"Cornelius!" the female regal voice shouted.

"Say you will," Cornelius pleaded.

"I…I will," Thumbelina replied.

"You will?"

"I will. I will, Prince Cornelius!" Thumbelina hugged him eagerly as she giggled. "Yes!"

"Cornelius!" the female regal voice yelled once more.

"Cornelius!" her husband joined her.

"I've gotta go!" Prince Cornelius said hurriedly.

"Will they like me?" Thumbelina stood up and peered out the window to see the fairy king and queen.

"Shh…Get down!" Cornelius pushed her down gently, so his parents wouldn't see her. "Yes, they'll love you, but let me talk to them first, tonight and then I'll be back for you in the morning."

"Then you can meet my mother."

"Well, great, but well, wait here."

"And then we'll live happily ever after," Thumbelina added.

"Oh, much longer," Cornelius agreed as he was about to lean in to kiss her.

"Oh, yes!" Poppy sighed.

"Cornelius!" his father called.

Poppy groaned. "Every time."

"Ooh! Goodbye!" Cornelius stood up and headed out for the sill, where his bumblebee steed waited.

"You won't forget to come back, will you?" Thumbelina asked as Cornelius hopped on his bumble.

"I promise," Cornelius answered as he was about to lean in for one more kiss when Buzzbee impatiently decided to buzz off. "Woah!" The two waved at each other goodnight.

"Oh, Cornelius," Thumbelina said dreamily as he took off in the night sky and sighed romantically.

…

Just as Thumbelina stepped back into the house and closed the window behind her, all was quiet.

A teenage girl mouse peeked out from behind the book to see her. She casually stepped out from behind the book and said, "Hi."

Thumbelina gasped. "Who are you?"
"My name is Poppy and you are?" the female mouse replied.

"Thumbelina."

"Why, that's a beautiful name."

"So is yours."

Suddenly, Hero woke up again, but to see yet another stranger.

Poppy drew out one of her weapons, which was a frying pan, preparing to defend her new friend.

"Hero, no, no, no, no. She's a friend," Thumbelina said, doing her best to calm the dog.

Seeing the dog has calmed down, Thumbelina and Poppy slowly walked towards him.

"Hi, Hero," said Poppy, "You are a good dog and I'm Thumbelina's new friend."

Hero whimpered happily.

"Okay, may I pet you?" Poppy asked.

"Ruff! Ruff!" Hero replied as he lowered his head to let her pet him.

She pet his nose and he sighed with content.

"Aww, he likes you, Poppy," Thumbelina said with a smile.

After that, Hero went back to sleep.

"I read about calming animals in books, Thumbelina," Poppy told her new friend with a wink.

"So, where did you come from?"

"The forest."

"Is it big?"

"Of course, it is." Poppy smiled shyly as she waved a dismissive hand. "Oh, I'm new in this area, myself and I'm looking to spend the night."

"Well, you came to the right place, then."

"Oh, okay. How was your night?"

"Oh, Poppy, it was wonderful," Thumbelina answered as she twirled around with a giggle.

"I'll imagine it was unforgettable."

"And the fairy prince was so handsome."

"Cornelius?"

"Yes, Cornelius." Thumbelina stopped short to realize Poppy knew something she didn't. "Wait. How did you know?"

"As I was looking for a place to stay, I caught you singing and dancing and I was hoping you'd have the opportunity to feel less like an outsider."

"Oh, I see."
"I don't blame you for being in love with the prince. He's quite a catch, isn't he?" Poppy giggled.

"You have no idea." Then, Thumbelina started to tell her new friend a story, "It all started when Cornelius and I started to ride on his bumble, Buzzbee."

…

"I wish I had wings," said Thumbelina.

"Maybe someday you will. Hold on tight." Thumbelina did as she was told by wrapping her arms around him. "Whoa!"

As Cornelius and Thumbelina flew on Buzzbee, they giggled and the fairy prince started to sing.

Let me be your wings.

Three jitterbug children put a forget-me-not flower necklace over Thumbelina's neck as he sang this.

Let me be your only love.

Let me take you far beyond the stars.

Thumbelina put her finger in the water, making a slight magical ripple.

The couple danced in the water with Buzzbee floating behind them.

Let me be your wings.

Let me lift you high above.

Everything we're dreaming of will soon be ours.

They stopped to ride on a swan.

Anything that you desire,

Anything at all.

Every day I'll take you higher

And I'll never let you fall!

They made their way towards a vegetable patch and landed on a pumpkin.

Let me be your wings.

Leave behind the world you know

For another world of wondrous things.

The two soared around the pumpkin with fairy dust lifting it for a few seconds.

We'll see the universe

And dance on Saturn's rings.

Fly with me

And I will be your wings!

Then they flew towards a meadow.

"She's gonna marry the fairy prince, isn't she, Mama?" the little girl jitterbug asked with a dreamy look on her face.

"Well, perhaps," her mother asked with the same thought in her mind.

Anything that you desire,

Anything at all.

Thumbelina decided to sing along with Cornelius.

Anything at all!

Cornelius:

Every day I'll take you higher

And I'll never let you fall!

However, he let go of her the next second.

Thumbelina:

You will be my wings!

Then she found a pair of hands catching her before she reached the ground.

Cornelius:

Let me be your wings!

He held her bridal style.

Thumbelina:

You will be my only love.

Cornelius:

Get ready for another world of wondrous things!

Thumbelina:

Wondrous things are sure to happen!

Both:

We'll see the universe

And dance on Saturn's rings!

They landed on a lily pad next to a showboat that read Singer's de Espana. Cornelius set her on the rim of a boat, where a toad looks at the girl, awestruck.

Cornelius:

Heaven isn't too far.

Thumbelina:

Heaven is where you are.

She blew a kiss to the toad, who appeared stunned, but touched.

As they left the pond into the night sky, they concluded their song.

Both:

Stay with me

And let me be your wings/I'll let you be my wings!

They shot out into the sky with a burst of fairy dust.

…

"That sounds wonderful," Poppy said when Thumbelina finished telling her story.

"It was," Thumbelina replied. "You're welcome to stay here. There's always enough room for one more in this place. My mother wouldn't mind."

"She wouldn't?" Poppy asked.

"Since I found another one my size, please stay for the night. You've been traveling a lot." She gestured to a bag of Poppy's things.

"Oh, that's what I came here for. I also feel alone and out of place from where I live, anyway."

AN: Wow. This chapter was long, but it was worth it.