After a Thousand Years
Post Confronted

"Mindy!"

Mindy took a deep breath just outside the door of her older brother's hospital room, realizing her aunt had followed her. "I'm going home."

"Let me at least say goodbye to your older brother," her aunt said. "And he's not wrong about what you said, even though he didn't have to be so blunt with you about it, but…."

Mindy turned, feeling the tears well in her eyes. "I can walk home on my own. I'm not a baby, you know."

"Yes, well," her aunt frowned. "I know how much of a penchant for the trouble you have and how going home likely means not doing so, so please wait."

Her aunt stepped back into the room, closing the door behind her, and Mindy—

The first thing she did was shake her head, her hands jammed into her pockets, but then a thought occurred to her that led to a smirk appearing on her face, her head turning so she could rudely stick out her tongue at the door even though she knew she was being disrespectful to her aunt's wishes.

Because the thought that crossed Mindy's mind was, " She forgot about my speed ability! "

And so she took off, only to crash onto the floor hard. She sat up, holding her nose, frowning as her eyes crossed. "Are you alright?"

Mindy looked up at the Healer Elf and said, "No."

"Ah. Speed magic?" the Healer Elf asked, then looked at the door, frowning. "Is Elder Elfbright in there?"

"Yes," Mindy sighed, rolling her eyes. "My aunt is in there with me," she stopped, frowning. "Do I have to admit I'm related to Bernie?"

"Not if you don't want to, although you just did," the Healer Elf said. "But just a heads up, the rooms and halls of this particular ward are highly warded against the use of any kind of magic, although that doesn't mean you can't feel an elf's magic?"

"Feel an elf's magic?" Mindy frowned.

"Your magic feels like Christmas magic. Like your—well, Bernie does. Although, it's barely there. You've not yet graduated, have you, but are training to become one?"

"Uh," Mindy said, standing up and smiling. "I'm going to be a toymaker elf. Like my mom and dad."

"So, you're not going to go into your cousin's department?"

"Cousin?" Mindy asked, feeling confused, her hands tucked behind her back.

"Isn't Bernard your cousin?"

"He's," Mindy said, taking a deep breath. "Bernie is my older brother."

"Well, aren't you lucky to have him for an older brother?"

"Am I?" Mindy asked.

"I guess having him as an older brother is a bit awkward?"

"Definitely," Mindy said, frowning. "Wait. You asked if I was going into his department. What is Bernie's department?"

She watched the Healer Elf's eyes widen, a laugh escaping. "You don't know?"

Mindy shook her head.

"Well, I think you should ask him. I'm sure he has some amazing stories about the North Pole," the elf smiled. "Your nose looks better now, so I'll get back to work. Take care not to speed through the halls with your magic anymore."

"Uh-huh," Mindy said, heading to the front door as her aunt hadn't yet returned, knowing she'd get an earful when she eventually returned to the house. Instead, she sought out her friends at the park, only to find herself waiting for classes to end for the day.

Nor were her friends the first elves to find her.

"Who's Bernard?"

Mindy sighed, wishing she could tell the Lusleaf twins apart, yet she had never been able to tell Pepper and Mint apart. She rolled her eyes. "None of your business."

"What has me curious," the other said, almost like a mirror to what they'd done in class that day. "Is who this non-toymaker Elfbright is?"

"I don't know," Mindy said, glaring at the two over the bench. "You tell me."

The twins looked at each other, and the first one said, "I'd say, Mint, that Bernard Elfbright is someone Mindy Elbright doesn't want us to know about."

"I'd say, Pepper, that she's embarrassed at the entire class finding out her dirty little secret of their being an Elfbright who isn't a toymaker elf at the North Pole."

Mindy hoped as she looked at the twins that she was keeping a straight face, only for her horror to become too apparent and draw the attention of the two looking at her.

Pepper looked at her, frowning. "And after she bragged so much to the entire class about the Elfbright elves, particularly her mommy and daddy being such amazing toymaker elves which is why she's so good at it."

"But why hide the fact there's a black sheep in her family, unless…."

"Hey!" The twins were startled, turning to look at their older sister Patty who was hurrying towards them. "I'm getting really tired of you bothering Mindy."

"But she's always bragging about being such an amazing toymaker elf," Mint sniffed as if pretending she was going to burst into tears.

"Yeah. That's mean of her, making the rest of the class feel bad because she and her family are so special," Pepper said before muttering and sending a glare their way. "Or not."

Mint wiped her nose. "Apparently, it's not a guarantee that being an Elfbright results in becoming a toymaker elf."

"At least we have Patty, Mint," Pepper said. "She wouldn't have become a teacher at the academy if she wasn't an amazing Christmas Elf, so we'll be ones two."

"Come on, you two," Patty sighed as Mindy tried wrapping her head around what the twins said, particularly remembering what her older brother had said about not treating the other jobs at the North Pole as inferior to the position of being a toymaker elf. "Be off with you. I need to talk to Mindy. Privately, so no snooping. Else I'll have a word with mom and dad." The two hurried off as she shook her head. "Really."

"They don't like me."

"Well, do you blame them?" Patty said, catching Mindy off guard. She turned to look Patty in the eye to see Patty smiling. "I mean, you heard them. They're jealous of this whole business of Elfbright elves always being good at making toys, particularly Mint, who really wants to become a toy maker elf."

"Except Bernard," Mindy said, letting out a sigh.

Patty frowned. "So, you've never seen any of the toys Bernard's made?"

Mindy frowned, then looked at Patty. "I thought he didn't make toys. But they can't be very good."

"Well, I still have mine," Patty said. "As does Egan."

"Wait? The Fire Elf, Egan?" Mindy shook his head. "Isn't he a popular pop idol with your sister and their friends? They said his older brother is slated to be introduced to the council of elders soon."

"The council of elders," Patty took a deep breath. "I forgot Kenneth was going to be introduced to the council of elders," she muttered before saying. "I wonder if he knows."

"Who?"

"You're older brother," Patty said, frowning. "I've not seen him in a while, so I hope he's matured since then."

"Who? Bernard?"

"No. Kenneth," Patty said. "He could be a right bully." She took a deep breath, turning her head. "Did you know your brother, Egan, and I attended the academy together?"

Mindy frowned. "You did? Wait. Bernard didn't graduate."

"He was still in our group," Patty said. "And we worked at the North Pole with him. Back when Egan was still a Christmas Elf."

"Egan was a Christmas Elf?" Mindy frowned. "He must have burned a lot of toys."

"That," Patty tilted her head. "He could be a lot of trouble." She let out a laugh. "And he'd drive your brother up the wall with his antics."

"So, you know what my brother does at the North Pole?" Mindy said. "He says he's not a janitor."

"He," Patty laughed. "So, you still don't know what he does?"

"I know he does stupid things that get him caught in magical boiler explosions," Mindy said.

Patty's mouth twitched, the smile falling away to a frown. "What? He—a boiler explosion? Is he alright?"

"He's as annoying as ever," Mindy said. "Telling me," she took a deep breath. "Exactly what you just told me, although my aunt said he didn't have to be so blunt."

"And that is?"

"That I shouldn't treat the other jobs as inferior to the job of making toys," Mindy sighed.

"Oh, that so sounds like Bernard," Patty laughed. "How is he? Can we visit him?"

"Don't know. Got pissed at him and left," Mindy said. "If you are able to visit, he won't be able to see you. Or hear you from his left year."

"Ah," Patty said, nodding her head. "I'll keep that in mind. I'm sure Egan might be able to pull some strings if there are restrictions, though."

Mindy tilted her head. "Hey? Can I ask something?"

"Depends."

Mindy took a deep breath.