Chapter 15: The Fey's Entertainment

— Timmy POV —

As Jorgen and Wanda came back from their conversation, he lifted his gaze from the bed. He had attempted to eavesdrop through the balcony doors, but the sheer curtains were so delicate that his shadow would have been visible if he had gotten too close, giving away his presence. Although he knew his godmother despised eavesdropping, he couldn't help but feel concerned. After all, Jorgen had just interrogated him about his parents and then summoned Wanda for a private conversation. He didn't want to disappoint his godmother by getting caught in the act, but his anxiety over the situation made it difficult to resist the urge to listen in.

He was positioned in a way that prevented him from being caught, so he couldn't hear most of what was being said, only catching a word or two. However, he did hear a clear moment when Jorgen lost his temper and yelled at Wanda for being snide. At that point, he heard Wanda retort to Jorgen that he was not a gulabi goat. Unfortunately, whatever she said after that was too muffled for him to comprehend, leaving him utterly perplexed about the context of their conversation.

Upon spotting him lying in bed, Wanda's face lit up with relief. However, unbeknownst to her, he had only just slipped back into bed a few moments ago. The mere thought of letting her down if she discovered the truth left him feeling guilty.

"Well, Turner, I'm going to be returning to Fairy World for now, but I'll be back. In the meantime, be vigilant and do not fall for any of the Fey's tricks!" Jorgen warned, giving them both a meaningful look. "They will do everything they can to sweet talk you, deceive you, bait you, and confuse you. Just do your treatments and nothing else; understand?"

He nodded.

"Eat nothing outside of this room and don't accept invitations into the village or forest. After your treatments, return here and remain here until your next treatment or medical examination." Jorgen wagged his finger in his face as he continued lecturing him and Wanda on a long list of Do's and don't while in Fey world. The list of do's being incredibly short and the list of don'ts being impossibly long.

"We got it, Jorgen, don't worry. We'll be careful." He was a little eager to ask Wana what they had spoken about and had no patience to listen to this.

After reassuring Jorgen that Timmy was in good hands, Wanda and he watched as the large fairy stared at them for a long moment, almost as if he was giving her a warning look. Then he said goodnight and headed for the door.

"Before I forget; Turner, next time you see me, I'll ask you what Cosmo's least favorite wish of yours was; got it?"

"Got it!" It went without saying that it was Super Toilet. He had wished for it after tiring of his dad constantly leaving the toilet clogged and of his mom always nagging him to clean it. 'A super toilet that never clogs, breaks or gets dirty!' He still wondered how it had turned out so—-wrong and somehow sentient…it never wanted to let him get off it, and when he tried to, it tried to flush him down its drain…. funny how so many of his wishes ended up acting like that.

He waited until Jorgen had left and looked at his godmother anxiously. "Mom…did you get in trouble…?"

As she laid down beside him on the bed, she picked up a chocolate from one of the snack plates. "He was just giving me a reminder not to get too attached," she explained, shrugging her shoulders. To reassure him, she put an arm around him and held him close. He watched her savor the chocolate before reaching for another and offering it to him.

"Mmm, you got to try this; I never tasted chocolate this smooth."

He gingerly took the little piece of chocolate, admiring its glossy brown exterior. As he popped it into his mouth, he was immediately engulfed by the rich, velvety flavor. The chocolate was so smooth that it seemed to liquefy as it touched his tongue. He couldn't help but let out a contented sigh even as he realized Wanda was using it to distract him.

Wanda chuckled while grabbing another piece of chocolate and complimented the Fey's culinary skills. "They certainly know how to make good sweets," she said. However, she added with a hint of disappointment, "I guess it's too much to hope that their sweets are low in calories."

He nudged her playfully. "Your at least twenty pounds away from having to worry about calorie counting."

"Aww, you're sweeter than the chocolate." She cuddled him. "And don't you worry about Jorgen. He was just giving me a friendly reminder."

"Friendly reminder? From Jorgen?" He raised his brow. He appreciated she was sparing his feelings, but that just made him more paranoid.

"Oh, don't worry about it, sport. He was just being worried about how attached I am to you. He did not say so, but he's probably afraid that I might fall for all of Nova's persuasions. Jorgen really does not want to see you become a Kinder."

"Ah." He nodded. "So…everything is alright? He's not…going to take you away, is he…? Because we're too close…?"

"No, sweetie." She gave him a reassuring squeeze. "That won't happen. Everyone in fairy world knows just how important your fairy family is to you. You're not losing us."

He thought sadly, 'At least for now...' But he quickly scolded himself, 'No, don't think that way.' Timmy knew that if he dwelled on it too much, he might lose control and do something drastic. He had tried so hard not to lose them before, but his efforts always seemed to backfire and cause disaster. The thought of hurting Poof again was unbearable, so he couldn't take any risks.

He had to accept it, despite how painful it was. Someday he would grow up…and not even be left with the memory of the people most important to him.

"….You know, Sport….I think I understand why I won the Zappy instead of my sister that one time." Wanda suddenly flashed him a mischievous smile, leaning in close enough so that she could speak in a whisper. "To pretend to Jorgen that I was ok with just being your godmother…" She stroked his arm affectionately. "That I was alright with letting go of you…"

"Mom…."

"I don't want to just watch you from afar as you achieve milestones in your life, like getting your driver's license or graduating high school," she murmured, leaning her head against his. "I want to be there to support you as you prepare for your first job interview and celebrate with you when you land that dream job. And when you meet someone you love deeply, I want to be there to offer advice and encouragement as you plan your first date with them. I want to be the one you turn to for guidance when you're ready to propose, and I want to share your mother-son dance at your wedding." She closed her eyes, as if trying to picture it all in her mind. "And someday, when you have children of your own, I want to hold them in my arms, read them bedtime stories, and be their grandma. And when you're an old man, I want to hold your hand and be there for you at the very end." She opened her eyes, which were misty, and kissed him on the forehead. "I know we're supposed to think of our godchildren as temporary, like hamsters. But you're not just any godchild to me. You're my little boy with the most beautiful blue eyes, my eldest son, sick with the disease called mortality."

"Mom…." He really did not know what to say, but she put a finger to his lips and just held him close to her, stroking his hair.

"I never want to let you go…. not due to age, nor death." She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I want to stay your mom forever."

"…You'll always be my mom; my heart will always remember you, even after you're taken from my memories…" He squeezed her hand; he hated to see her sad, but her love made his heart feel so warm…. unlike his human mom, who couldn't wait for him to depart her life, Wanda wanted him to remain part of hers…

"….Nova promised you a gift, and to let me choose it…so don't worry sweetie…I'm going to think of something, something that'll let us stay together."

"…" There was a lot he wanted to say, and very many temptations to resist, but he was able to smile after a moment, patting her hand as he met her tearful gaze with a reassuring one.

"Thank you, mom, that means the world to me but…it's ok. I've tried on two separate occasions to stop the day that we'd have to part from coming—-the first time ended with the world being destroyed by Vicky….and the second time, we almost lost Poof." He felt a few tears trickle down his cheeks. "You know what they say about three strikes. I can't bear the idea of Poof, or you guys getting hurt again."

She gave him a surprised look, but then a warm, proud smile. "…If Jorgen could hear you, he'd feel like a great big fool."

He shot her a questioning look, but she just shook her head.

"It's not important." She dismissed and leaned her head against his, giving his hand a squeeze. "That day when Poof was taken away and my memory of him was erased…it was painful. It was a nagging, empty sensation in my chest, as though something very important was missing…and yet I couldn't place what it was. I'd wake up in the night with a faint image in my mind that evaporated too fast for me to cling to. A nagging, horrible feeling that something important was taken away….so much love inside that had no place to go. It was a nightmare that tore at my heart and drowned my spirit. The emptiness created by that hole in my memory seemed to consume me."

He put his head down, ashamed. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to inflict that pain on you...that's why I can't continue to struggle to hold on to you guys. That's why I have to make peace with the idea that we can't be together forever and just appreciate the time I do have."

"….Do you know why I never got mad at you, then?" She asked him gently. Truthfully, he had wondered. Wanda hadn't even raised her voice at him even once during or after the ordeal. She continued without his prompting. "It's because I realized that what I had just gone through…is the fate your secret wish tried to avoid for yourself. Having those you love, your family, ripped away from you and even the memory of them stolen….we've been doing it to godchildren for centuries…but…I've never realized how monstrously cruel it was."

"I….back then I…I just kept having nightmares of not only not being able to remember you….but of you guys forgetting me…. "For the first time, he began going into details why he made that awful wish. "In my nightmares, I would see you and Cosmo flipping through old photo albums. And when you stumbled upon my picture, Poof, who was older, would point at my picture and ask who I was. And then you would struggle to remember my name." He sniffled, trying to regain his composure. He knew he was being childish, but he couldn't help it. His emotions were all over the place after the painful treatment, talking about his parents' abuse to Jorgen, Wanda admitting that she wanted to keep him but couldn't, and finally discussing the reasons behind his terrible secret wish. He had no control over his tears or emotions.

She hushed him, holding him close. "That'll never happen…a hundred thousand zillion years wouldn't have me forget you."

He wiped at his eyes, but couldn't stop his tears. "I…I initially did not mean to make the wish….I was really upset after a nightmare one night. I tried to get my mind off of it by watching TV…but Cosmo kept pestering me to know why I was crying, but I was too shy to answer. Instead, I ended up blurting out that it would be great if the world could work like it did in those old cartoons, where everything and everyone always stayed exactly the same—the passage of time going unnoticed. I did not even realize I had said 'I wish' until Cosmo granted it. Afterwards I saw my chance to avoid my fear and keep you guys with me forever…. and I gave into temptation." He peeked at her, feeling ashamed as he tried to dry his eyes again. "There were times I felt tempted to confess…but I was scared I'd lose you guys if it was found out…and…the longer I waited, the harder and scarier confessing got…"

"Cosmo should never have told you about what happens when godchildren grow up…having such a sad, frightening thing looming over your head…that's just too much for a child to take…so I never faulted you for what you did…" She smiled a little sheepishly. "If anything, I'm glad we got those extra fifty years…and to be honest…I wish your secret wish hadn't been found out."

"Why….?' His voice cracked as his sniffles turned into an unwanted sob. His cheeks burned, but the more he tried to contain his tears, the more they flowed. "Why do you love me so much…when even my own parents would prefer never having had me…? There's nothing special about me…I'm just an average kid…I'm just a mistake who keeps making mistakes…I…I cause trouble…I….there's nothing…nothing about me to love, and yet you love me so much…!"

"Does a mother need a reason to love her child?" She continued to hold him, stroking his hair. "I love you, simply for being you. Besides, you're wrong….there is so much about you to love…your kind, your plucky, your brave and funny…even your flaws add substance to you…they make you who you are."

"Your the best mom in the universe…." He wiped at his eyes. "Even when I lose my memories…I just know that I'll be able to recall your hug whenever I close my eyes…"

If even a little of her warmth could remain with him after she had left him…. it would be enough to keep him from breaking in a world without her, Cosmo and Poof by his side.

— Piper's POV —

"Aww!"

"That's so cute!"

"I wanna give the baby a hug, nuu…!"

"Their soooo adorable!"

"He calls her Mom when they're alone. How sweet!"

The sounds of chatter and laughter filled the community center, as almost all the villagers had gathered. Used mainly for meetings or festivals, it also served as a place for people to congregate and enjoy the entertainment on offer. Depending on the event, the center's appearance would automatically adapt to fit the occasion.

This evening's amusement consisted of a movie. The room was outfitted with a sizable display screen, numerous cozy seats, and subdued lighting. The Kinder were scurrying around, distributing refreshments and beverages to all in attendance. They received head pats or treats in exchange for their efforts, which elicited happy giggles from them. Sometimes, they were excused from their duties when a Fey decided to play with them, holding them on their lap and doting on the child. Other Kinders were snuggled up with their adoptive families, enjoying the scenes on the screen while being pampered like the lovable little companions they were.

Playing with one of her braids while smacking her gum loudly, she found it amusing that the movie they had all gathered to watch would be considered dull and unexciting by both the human and fairy worlds. Typically, movies were meant to be full of excitement, thrill, or drama, but this one lacked all of those elements. Despite that, it was the type of movie that the Fey enjoyed the most.

As Fey, they had the power to conjure up any movie they desired with a snap of their fingers. There was no need for filming or actors. Everything would manifest out of thin air, precisely as they had envisioned it.

….But that got pretty boring; and the Fey bored easily. With the ability to manipulate anything and create everything they desired, things beyond their control piqued their interest. Regardless of how mundane or commonplace the events, they were captivating to observe.

A human child not yet converted into one of their own, and their godparent who had yet to succumb to the temptation of returning to their true, complete state, were amongst the most amusing things to watch.

"Hey, they have our game Wanda!" The little boy Timmy held up some board game he had pulled out of the magic toy box. Kids' toys were always interesting in how much they changed over the years and yet there were still some classics that passed the test of time. The image on the box seemed like the typical type of thing a boy his age would be interested in. She raised her brows, surprised and then amused at the title of the game, Eldritch Horror, and several of the Fey burst into laughter. Some were laughing so hysterically that they had to wipe tears from their eyes. Even Nova, who was still in a surly mood from earlier, had to crack a smile.

The term "Eldritch" was coined around 500 years ago and is derived from the Middle English word "elfriche," which referred to "fairyland." This word first gained popularity in mainstream media in Robert Louis Stevenson's novel "Kidnapped." Interestingly, both little Timmy and his godmother seemed oblivious to this amusing bit of irony.

"Well, seems like we'll be able to have our usual gaming night after all."

Upon arriving in Fey World, little Timmy and his godmother became a source of constant entertainment for the Fey community. They were like live television, providing a diversion for the residents, much like the forest pets and Kinders. The "relaxation rooms" were similar to fancy zoo habitats, showcasing the personalities and interests of the newcomers. The Fey were clearly hoping to welcome the pair as new members of their community and this was their way of getting to know them better, including their likes, dislikes, and weaknesses. The ultimate goal was to lure and tempt them into embracing new lives as Kinder and Fey.

Every movement and word they said were watched; even their attempts at whispering produced subtitles. The only semi-privacy was the bathroom. The screen would pixelate in order to protect modesty when bathing or changing, and it would go to black if the toilet was being used. They weren't perverts after all.

"Their playing together, how perfect! Too many times the child and fairy do their own thing apart from each other, as if seeing each other after that treatment is the last thing they want to do." A female fey sitting between Nova and her was talking incessantly, holding a small and oddly shaped bundle in her arms. While Piper did not particularly care for this woman, the poor creature's lack of ability to detect sarcasm had led her to believe that they were close friends. Correcting her seemed like more trouble than it was worth, so Piper had decided it best to remain silent and tolerated her occasional presence.

"Quite an unusual room, isn't it? Especially for a little boy, but then again, he's wearing a lot of pink. I suppose nowadays, it's becoming more normal for boys to wear pink. Back when I was a godmother, it would have been quite peculiar, but times change, don't they?" The annoying woman had a tendency to repeat herself in different ways whenever she spoke. Additionally, she kept her gaze fixed on the bundle in her arms, which sometimes made it difficult to determine whether she was even speaking to you or…it.

"I generated a room using a rapid assessment of their mental processes, as is my usual practice." Nova replied, his eyes studying the screen in interest. "It is fair to say that I am somewhat surprised, although I recognize that my preconceptions may have been influenced by my wife's letters. She had painted Wanda as a far more…well, there really is no polite way to say it, so I shall refrain. Stella, unfortunately quite abhors my dear daughter-in-law. Regarding the boy, she made reference in one of her letters to some humorous pictures that Cosmo had exhibited to her of the child in dresses as an infant. It appears that his parents may have desired a daughter and raised him in a manner that encouraged feminine preferences, or this could just genuinely be to his liking. In which case, it's perfectly fine."

"Yes, Yes. There's nothing at all wrong with a boy liking girly things; it's kinda cute, really, adds a different flavor to him it does. Though I do hope he does not only like those things because his parents made him. My Dahlia's parents, oh, they were a rot bunch, I tell you. Made her practice piano till her fingers hurt and ballet till her toes ached and she did not enjoy a lick of it, I tell you." The unwanted companion that sat between Nova and her prattled on, rocking the bundle in her arms. Even though they were currently huffy with each other, they exchanged looks over the woman's head that spoke of their discomfort over her presence.

"I think we're both a little too tired to play it in our usual way, but sometimes just playing it ordinarily can be fun too, right?" Wanda was helping the boy set up what seemed to be a complex game. She did not know what the 'usual way' referred to, but the child appeared to agree.

"I'm feeling too sore and exhausted to play our usual way. Right now, I'm perfectly content snuggled up in these warm, comfortable clothes on this soft bed."

Wanda laughed. "Let's bring over some of the sweets and put on some background music; we'll make it a real little mother-son gaming night."

"So cute!" "How endearing!" "I wanna try that game!" Various voices commented, while some of the Kinder got overly excited and asked their adoptive families if they too could have a gaming night like that.

Most of the Fey in the crowd were seeking amusement from something new and unpredictable. However, Piper observed the scene with a doctor's eye. The boy's condition was incredibly rare, and she knew that she might never encounter a case like this again. It was a one-time opportunity to alleviate the boredom that had accumulated over the years. Watching videos that lacked substance like this was not enough to satisfy her. Other Fey were content with less, but not Piper.

"Oooh Jar Head approaches!" A male Fey called out in a loud comical voice that made the gathered Kinder break out into giggles; most of them knew Jorgen. They had even been escorted here by him and then stolen right from under his nose.

"Bermuda Triangle." Jorgen responded to Timmy's question about his favorite shape; several of them, Piper included, rolled their eyes at his use of a safety word. They had known all along what it was when Jorgen had whispered it to the boy in the forest. Not a word or action taken in this world by an outsider escaped their notice. That Jorgen had still not noticed this after so many years easily explained why they often got the upper hand on him.

"Would you care to tell me what's been going on in the Turner house? I certainly did not miss the implications of that exchange you had with Nova earlier." Jorgen demanded answers after checking in on their well-being. She saw Nova lean forward out of the corner of her eye, his stare intent.

"I got diagnosed with a learning disability. ADHD, to be precise, but…my parents don't like me naming what it is, they find it…humiliating…."

"What's ADHD?" One of the Fey whispered to another.

"Oh, that's before your time; in your days, I think it was simply called 'Nervous child'."

"I knew it as the child having too much fire and not enough water.." Another Fey spoke up; making Piper throw a hand full of gumballs at them.

"Oye! Hippocrates? Seriously? At least try to get around to reading a modern medical text, would ya? We're immortal and have all the free time in the world!"

The gathered Fey, including the ones she threw gumballs at, turned to look at her and laughed as though she had made a joke. Really, the lot of them were just far too content in their own idleness and hedonistic pleasure seeking. It frustrated her to no end; all that power and yet no ambition at all.

"If not for Wanda being so supportive, I think might have just given up on my medication and on trying to get better."

"I'm glad she's done her job as your godmother well, but have your parents really done nothing?"

"….Besides, blame me for it? No."

A bunch of 'awww's' went up from the crowd watching.

"…They've been so terrible to Timmy lately. They not only say hurtful things all the time, but they'll replace his medication with placebo's just to prove their point that 'it's all in his head.' It's as if they think that it's just a game he's playing, an excuse he's making up not to work hard or to not take responsibility for his mistakes."

"….They say I'm doing it on purpose to embarrass them. That I'm making everyone think their bad parents. I try to focus without my medicine, I try to do without it, but I…."

"Oh, poor little dear, really, your parents did the same to you, isn't that right my little Dolly…." The female fey sitting between them cooed at the deformed bundle in her arms, smiling at it, before looking between her and Nova. "My Dahlia had autism, you know? Her parents were just as bad as this poor boys are."

"…. They'll literally go to buy my medicine in disguise. " They're ashamed of me," Timmy said, with his head hung low in sadness. Some of the Fey shouted words of encouragement that he could not hear, while others criticized parents that they would never know.

"So….that's what the lad's parents are like…." Nova murmured, deep in thought. After all, it was his self appointment and self righteous mission to save the poor kiddies from abusive homes. It was more an act of self indulgence than heroics if you asked her, but she'd leave Nova with his saviour delusion. He was far too helpful an assistant for her to want a rift to form between them. It was bad enough he was still being surly with her. She could get why he was upset, but really, what else could she do about it? He also knew that her way was the only available one, even if he did not want to admit to it.

Sometimes to do something good, you had to do something bad.

The gathered Fey exchanged relieved, grateful smiles when they learned that Wanda and Timmy would be prolonging their stay. The godmother did seem upset about leaving her baby Poof for a longer duration than originally planned, but otherwise seemed to be alright with the idea.

"Ok. BUT I record it so that I know for sure you're not including any information that you shouldn't."

"You can trust us, we wouldn't—"

"Last time I trusted someone with Fey matters, Turner, they became the head of a child trafficking ring, and I lost over 200 children to the Fey."

The fey all looked at Nova now, pointed and laughed, heckling him a little, while several of the Kinder that he had helped bring here applauded him with wide grins. He smiled, a little strained due to how upset he was, but still took a little bow for the benefit of the children.

"I get your point; and Cosmo, being Nova's son, probably doesn't help."

"Please.I can at least trust in Cosmo's stupidity if nothing else; he wouldn't be able to follow in his father's footsteps, even if he wanted to."

"Psst, Nova, it looks like your son doesn't have the best reputation." She playfully teased, hoping he'd at least exchange some words with her. He glanced at her, and then at the floor, hesitating, but then sighed.

"He has always been one to get himself into trouble; never a bright boy, but a kind one, or at least according to Stella's letters. I hate to say it, but he's practically a stranger to me…." Nova's gaze turned lonely. She reached around the nuisance who had lodged herself between them and patted Nova on the back.

"Well, you'll get a chance at meeting him in that boy's dreams."

"….That poor boy…" Nova released a mournful sigh, watching the screen. Jorgen had taken Wanda out to the balcony and the Fey laughed at the adorable antics as the child tried to creep close enough to listen without getting spotted.

"….I really am going to do my best for him, you know?" She squeezed his shoulder. "Whatever it was that happened, your son won't need to keep baring the guilt for it; I'm going to give this case my all; Timmy….is going to come out of this better than new."

Nova looked like he had some things he wanted to say to her but did not wish to be overheard, especially by their gossipy acquaintance.

The Fey listened, mostly in disapproval as Wanda claimed she had no qualms about letting the boy go, and that she was looking forward to seeing him grow up.

"Letting a kid that cute turn into an adult would be a pity." One Fey remarked, the other one beside them nodded.

"Only doing a Godmother's duty despite loving the boy like a son. That's kind of insincere, ain't it?"

Nova stayed quiet, eyeing the scene suspiciously, as if trying to spot if Wanda was being sincere.

"It should go without saying, especially after that secret wish fiasco, that Turner is not mentally or emotionally stable. He already had dependency issues to begin with, and now, when his neediness is at an all-time high, you've placed yourself at the center of that—"

"Stop. Timmy is a kind, sweet boy."

"Ooh! Argument is breaking out!"

"A dependent little boy, is he? Aww, that means he'll be easy to make a Kinder; a wittle love is all you guys need to be happy, right?"

"Yay!" Several cheers went up in response, while Nova made a shushing gesture with his hands, wanting to hear what was being said.

"Yes—a boy now—but in the future, a man, an adult human. You know adults are ruled by greed. As a boy, all he craves is your affection, but in the future what he will want, like all adults, is your magic. You form too strong a bond with him, and he'll turn out to be just like Crocker, obsessed with hunting you down."

"Timmy would not—!"

"Mary Alice."

Several Fey cringed while others sucked in their breath; a few even had enough guts to glance backwards at Nova and her; the former of which tugged at his shirt collar uncomfortably while she met their stares with a glare until they turned sheepish.

"How—-dare you—! You just don't know him like I do."

"Or maybe you're just seeing what you want to see in him; the way Dulcie only saw sweetness in Mary Alice—"

"Dulcie made a mistake."

"Yeah! And boy, was that a huge mistake! We all know it. No need to say anything else, right?" The look she gave was filled with sourness and she directed it towards anyone who dared to look at her or speak to her. Fortunately, everyone, including the chit-chatty woman beside her, realized it was best to hold their tongue.

"I know Turner, as he is now, would do anything to protect his fairies, but…he will not and cannot stay a child. Even as a child, his dependency and attachment to his relationships caused him to freeze the universe for fifty years!"

"Can he be blamed? You saw how his parents raised him!" She cut Jorgen off, losing her temper. "Eight years of constant surveillance without ever leaving the house; only the three of them with no other contact. Then one day all that attention vanishes and the parents who always stuck around begin to neglect him. How do you think this would affect a child's mind?"

"Wait, his parents did what?"Nova looked both shocked and appalled. "Did I hear that right?"

"Wooow." She whistled. "Yeah, that would definitely cause some dependancy issues…"

"The Turner's treated him like a circus animal, made do tricks for a video camera and then dumped once that became boring." Wanda's fury seemed to be contagious. Several Fey were booing the boy's parents. The woman sitting between them was particularly angry.

"Oh, they really are like my poor Dolly's parents! Dahlia, I told you she had autism, right, and yet they'd still force her to perform—just like she said, an animal doing tricks that gets kicked around once they become boring."

"Poor little boy," Nova said with a wounded expression. "I must make an effort to persuade my daughter-in-law to let him stay here, as it will ensure his safety from further harm."

They continued watching as Jorgen and Wanda finished their conversation, getting a little excited at the mention of the boy's soul coming to Fey World. They laughed as Timmy scampered back into bed to avoid being caught; he really did remind her of a cute little rodent.

"I think I understand why I won the Zappy instead of my sister that one time. To pretend to Jorgen that I was ok with just being your godmother…That I was alright with letting go of you…"

"Ooooh!"

"I knew it! She did not fool me with that "I'm fine with giving him up" act she was putting on!"

"She convinced me! I'm glad she did not mean it!"

"This is going to be soooo easy! I don't think she'll need much convincing at all to let us snatch him!"

They Fey laughed as Wanda lovingly spoke to the boy of her feelings. They awed and cooed as the boy cried, asking why she loved him when there was nothing about him to love. These words that meant so much to those two were nothing but entertaining lines in a movie to the majority of those watching.

"Poor boy…" Nova was one of the genuine reactions, looking like he was deeply sorrowful. "Emotional wounds like these can sometimes never heal…."

"Poor little boy, isn't he a sad thing, Dolly? Just like you, yes, yes, but look—he's so scared that his fairy family will be hurt, he doesn't want to try…that's so sad?" The female Fey rocked the bundle in her arm with teary eyes.

The rest of the night went by simply for the child and his fairy. The game was played; it lasted surprisingly long, and it was a curious game where the players played as a team against an invisible opponent. They ended up losing when something called the 'Doom Counter' reached zero and apparently some evil god awakened and destroyed the earth.

"I'm getting sleepy…" Timmy yawned, stretching his arms out.

"Let's get you to bed then." Wanda cleaned up the game with a wave of her wand and tucked the boy under the sheets. "Comfy?"

"Yep…oh, but I thought Nova said he'd take us to see butterflies?"

"He did, but I guess something must've come up."

"Oh well, can you tell me a story, Wanda?"

"Of course, what kind of bed-time story do you want? A funny story? A scary one?"

"Surprise me."

"Oh my, I had become so preoccupied with the disagreeable state of things that I completely forgot. It would be a greater breach of etiquette to wake the child from their bed. I shall postpone taking them until tomorrow." Nova blushed, looking embarrassed by his faux pa as Wanda laid beside the little boy who snuggled up to her to be told a story. He acted quite…young…for a twelve year old. It was a trait that would undoubtedly appeal to most Fey — they liked their Kinder to be a bit babyish in their mannerisms.

"Are you going to sneak him a Fey Fruit?" One of the Fey asked him mischievously.

"We must exercise patience and wait for his treatment to conclude before making any impulsive decisions, as he is predicted to become an angel. Moreover, my preference is to convert Wanda and have her and the boy join us willingly. I kindly request that you leave the matter in my hands." Nova requested in a friendly tone but with cold eyes that said he would not take kindly to anyone who defied this request.

"You're thinking if Wanda comes, her husband and grandson will come too, right?" She asked, dryly.

"Yes, and if Cosmo comes, my wife, Stella, will be sure to follow." Nova shot her a knowing look. "And besides….considering his unique condition…it'll be safer for all involved if he comes here to live amongst us."

"True, very, very true."

The boy eventually fell asleep listening to the story and some of the Fey got up to leave; knowing that the 'show' for the rest of the night would just involve watching them sleep.

"I suppose I'll go to bed and see what the sweet child is dreaming of tonight." Nova finally smiled at her. "I do hope it will be a fun dream."

"I hope for your sake it is." She gave him a thumbs up; the poor guy had been missing his family for so many years…

"….Ah…so they scared you into giving up….well, your a kind big brother, you'd never take the risk of Poof being hurt. They knew exactly what card to play against you…." When Wanda spoke, it stopped several Fey from leaving; like a surprise after credit scene, attention was drawn back to the screen. She was laying beside Timmy, stroking his hair; a loving, mournful, but determined, look etched into her face.

"…. It's ok, you just leave it all in your mother's hands. I'm going to find some way to keep us together. …I don't want to lose you and I can't bear the idea that you'll forget me. Those nightmares you had of us not knowing you when looking through a picture book…. I've been having them too…. where you look at a picture of us and only see goldfish…." Wanda gave the boy's hand a squeeze. "…Horrible nightmares of you growing old….and dying…never remembering me….of everything we shared disappearing….you…no longer being around. ….Jorgen's right, I really shouldn't have allowed myself to fall into this trap. Loving a human child like my own….it's so unbearable painful. With all my years I should have known better, but….I love you, and even all the pain in the world wouldn't have me stop. …" Wanda's allowed a smile to form on her face, a tearful, desperate one. "….If only you had been born a fairy…"

A moment of silence as the Fey realized that the fairy was just as emotionally attached to her godchild as the child was to her; and that they'd probably need little pushing to convince her to steal him.

Just as she had thought; Wanda had acted so righteous, looking at them in disdain for their tendency to steal children when she was completely desperate to make her godchild her own.

"Ah!" The woman between Nova and her let loose a happy squeal. "Ooh, she's just like me, that she is! I felt the same about Dahlia and I found a way to keep her I did. I'm sure Wanda and I will be great friends, and her little boy can play with my Dolly…"

Despite her best efforts, Piper couldn't stifle a shudder as she caught a glimpse of the twisted, crippled creature beneath the blanket. The creature's appearance was made all the more disturbing because of its slight resemblance to a little girl. She was like a caterpillar whose cocoon had been torn open, halfway through metamorphoses—the thing inside could not be called human or fairy.

"I understand your enthusiasm, Bubbles, but I kindly request you to wait for a more opportune moment when they are better suited to receive guests." Nova laughed nervously and shot her a look that said he'd absolutely not allow Wanda to follow in Bubbles's misguided footsteps.

….The Fey could be a little cruel sometimes; and children were the sweetest, most adorable playthings, but—in this village at least—they were beloved little things—and no one here ever wanted to see the tragedy of another Bubbles incident.

Well, she was sure it wouldn't come to that; a weepy woman like Wanda, so desperate to forget her godchild's mortality would be easily converted and persuaded into stealing the boy, then….then she'd have that fascinating medical case to keep herself entertained with for centuries to come.