Chapter 38: Sweet & Bitter reflections

— Foop's POV —

"Now why in the tarnation am I namin' butterflies!? This whole 'Linking' thing just keeps gettin' worse!" He peeked through his mother's bedroom door, watching as she paced back and forth, shouting at the ceiling in distress.

'…She's really going off the deep end…' He thought, but even as he did so he suspected that there was something much more significant than that going on behind the scenes. His mother was passing out, talking about seeing things, and over all behaving strange, even for her. Even now, the way she ranted and raged to herself, was completely uncharacteristic of her. Never once in his life had he known her to lose her temper. He hadn't even thought she even had a temper! And besides, what was this 'Linking', she had mentioned? He had never heard such a term before.

"Cosie…! Git a move on and find us a solution, will ya? Or at least come on back soon. I don't like bein' left here to fret and fuss all by my lonesome! I need answers, and the only one I got to talk to is myself, and that ain't gettin' me nowhere!"

He cleared his throat and opened the bedroom door, startling her so badly that she hit against his father's bookcase causing several large volumes to fall on top of her—ironically the closest thing she had probably gotten to a book in the past few decades.

"You know, mother; you could try talking to me…" He looked away as she picked herself out of the pile of books to avoid eye contact. "Not that I'm particularly concerned or anything—but I hate being kept out of the loop!"

He had been told to stay in his room and work on his Show & Tell project for school or on one of his many DIY torture devices, but he could have sworn he had heard his grandmother's voice and it was not often she came by at all. Not that his father had a poor relationship with her, but he had cut off his mother's apron strings eons ago and rarely sought her company unless there was a family reunion or some special event.

"Oh Foopie... it's... not somethin' I really wanna trouble your precious square head with." She sighed, sounding uncharacteristically dejected.

"I already told you, you daft woman, I'm not bothered! I'm…annoyed! Keeping secrets from me like I'm some child unable to handle things—what do you take me for, my counterpart!?"

"...Counterparts...never gave much thought to my other half, didn't think it mattered all that much; but they can sure cause serious trouble, can't they?" His mother began to pick up the fallen books and place them back on the shelf—he opened his eyes wide in disbelief as he noticed she was putting them back alphabetically. Normally, not only was she a complete slob, content with leaving messes anywhere, the last time she tried to sing him the ABC's, it had gone "ABC357G59KLM&M2P"

"I knew it! So the reason your under the weather now is that your counterpart is off at some kind of wellness spa with that buck tooth Turner boy!" He recalled what he learned when his mother had passed out and his father had been nowhere to be found. He had gone to Poof's home, concluding that if he was not in Anti-Fairy world, that he must've been there laying some diabolical trap or something—he was a bit overdue for one, frankly. "Wait, so does that mean if I maim or poison MY counterpart, I'll get super healthy? Haha, no need to eat my veggies then, I'll just—!"

"Foop, it don't work like that." His mother plopped down onto the bed, leaving a few of the books untidied.

"Since when do you know how anything works?"

"Since my counterpart's been gettin' her thoughts stuck inside my noggin'!" His mother messed with her hair in frustration.

"Is that what that 'Linking' thing is, then?" He recalled the phrase he had overhead his mother saying outside the door and shuddered. "Ugh, I hope none of my counterpart's goody-two-shoe thoughts ever start creeping into my mind! That sounds horrendous!"

"…My brain ain't used to all this thinkin'… I'm used to it bein' all nice and quiet up there!" She moaned, covering her face with her hands.

"I'm sure you are," He remarked dryly and watched as she rolled over onto her belly, burying her head under the pillow as if that could somehow muffle the sound of her brain working. "Well, is there no way to stop it? Like a lobotomy maybe—er—no wait, even removing a milligram of brain matter from you is probably a milligram more than what you have…"

His mother rolled over onto her side in order to give him a reassuring smile. "Your daddy done promised he gonna find a fix, so don't you fret none, darlin'. He ain't lettin' nothin' bad happen to me."

"I told you I'm not worried!" He protested. "I just want to know what's going on!"

Her smile widened a little, and she gestured for him to come closer; he did so thinking that she might whisper to him more about what was going on; after all, in Anti-fairy world you never knew who was listening, so it was best to use caution when it came to keeping things secret, but instead of whispering anything she snatched him in her arms and began to cuddle him instead.

"Let go, woman! I swear, you have the grip of a venus flytrap!" He struggled, but she just laughed, rubbing her head against him affectionately.

"...I'm gonna give it my all too, Foopie..." The seriousness in her voice, so unlike her, caused him to stop struggling. She was looking straight down at him, meeting his eyes as she offered a scared but resolute smile. "I ain't lettin' nobody or nothin' take me away from my family."

-Nova's POV-

"Welcome to the Enchanted Toadstool. Nova, Piper; I really don't be seein' the two of ye comin' in here durin' the afternoon very often." Gin Martin, the self proclaimed 'best bartender of Queen Mab's lands', greeted them with a voice as smooth and as sleek as the freshly polished countertop of his bar, and his Irish accent as heavy as the smell of liquor in the air.

Fey did not rely on money, so they had no reason to have 'jobs', but some Fey liked to turn their hobbies into 'work', perhaps for fun or maybe just out of boredom. He himself did not need to do 'vet' work, but he did so because he loved those children who had become Companions rather than Kinder, and wanted to ensure they got proper care.

In Gin's case, the man loved alcohol—not to drink himself, but to mix all kinds of new and inventive cocktails; that said…when you went into his bar, you did not order your own drink; Gin crafted what it was that he felt you needed, and he was often spot on. That was why, although Fey could conjure whatever cocktail they desired with a snap of their fingers, Gin's bar remained a popular place to visit when one needed a pick-me-up, rather than just a social drink.

"Well, what can I say? Some days one requires a Nightcap and others require a Sunrise to Sunset martini." Piper sat down on one of the wooden toadstools in front of the counter. Each toadstool was of a unique design; and the shape, along with the bright red paint and white dots, identified the one she sat on as an Amanita muscaria. He had never known much about mushrooms himself but had learned in order to weed out all the poisonous ones in the forest in order to keep the Companions safe; but mushrooms were tenacious things, and it required him to check the forest daily.

The stool next to her was the Psilocybe cubensis, a mushroom he often harvested as medicine. He sat down and looked around himself lazily; the bar was empty this time of day aside from Siofra and Finch, who sat at a table made from a gnarled tree trunk, its surface smoothed by centuries of use.

Those two were almost always drinking, but since Fey couldn't get drunk unless they wanted to, and could sober up with a snap of their fingers, it wasn't really a problem. Since Theo dedicated his afternoons to his friends, his Fey Parents dedicated their afternoons to their drinking and card games—but come morning and evenings, the three of them were inseparable.

"I see; no desire to be pickin' at wounds; but..."" Gin's dark amber eyes fluttered over to a small television growing out of the earthen wall in the darkest corner of the circular room. It was showing the habitat channel; no surprise, when a human child and a fairy came to Fey world it was a very special occasion. Some would even watch that channel nonstop as a live-marathon, but as Siofra and Finch appeared to have little interest, Gin, seeing his deposition, shut it off. "I can understand why ye'd be upset."

"Don't go poking the hornets' nest, just give our boy here something nice and stiff." Piper placed an arm around him in a buddy-buddy way, preventing Gin from offering any condolences; he wasn't in the mood to discuss the matter, so he was grateful. He feared that if he did so, he wouldn't be able to keep the anger he felt in check—it wasn't something he was proud of, but he was quite feared for his temper and whenever he lost it—he often did things he would later regret.

"Of course. Then let me be offerin' me empathy in the best way I know how." Gin smiled and with a relaxed demeanor pulled some bottles from under the counter.

He watched lazily as Gin moved with a graceful precision that spoke of the many centuries of experience he had behind the bar. With a fluid motion, he reached for a bottle of gin that had dried chamomile flowers sitting at the bottom in order to infuse it, and poured a generous amount of the amber hues into a sleek cocktail shaker filled with ice.

With deliberate, yet effortless movements, and a graceful flourish, he squeezed fresh cucumber juice into the shaker and then deftly added a splash of elderflower liqueur, the sweet fragrance wafting through the air and mingling with the subtle aroma of chamomile.

"The subtle sweetness of elderflower complements the crispness of cucumber," he explained, his Irish accent lending a lyrical cadence to his words. "Creatin' a harmonious blend of flavors that'll transport ye to a tranquil oasis of serenity,"

With a final flourish, Gin placed the lid on the shaker and began to shake, his movements fluid and controlled. The ice rattled against the metal, creating a soft percussion that was almost hypnotic. As he finished, he strained the mixture into a chilled cocktail glass, the drink shimmering like liquid emerald in the sunlight leaking in through the narrow windows.

With a final graceful gesture, he garnished the cocktail with a sprig of mint, its vibrant green leaves adding a final touch of visual appeal.
"I call this one, the Emerald Embrace. May this drink bring ye solace and sooth ye temper, Nova," Gin offered the cocktail with a bow of his head.

"Without a doubt, Gin, you possess the talent of a true artist." He offered an appreciative smile and inhaled the scent of the beverage. It had a fresh and herbal aroma, the notes of chamomile, cucumber and elderflower blended together harmoniously with a refreshing burst of mint bursting through at intervals. It was reminiscent of a fragrant and tranquil garden on a sunny day.

He took a sip; its flavor delicate and refreshing with a subtle sweetness and a crisp, herbal quality, almost as if he had been given a soothing cup of tea rather than an alcoholic drink.

He allowed his thoughts to wander as Gin went about crafting Piper's drink next. Little Jullian…his godson from so, so long ago. A boy he and his wife had been with from age nine until his eighteenth birthday. He had been as special to his wife and him as Timmy was to Wanda and Cosmo. They had adored that boy so much; sweet, kind, funny and full of love, despite growing up in a family that was bitter, apathetic, harsh, and callous. He was like a beautiful flower growing in a patch of weeds, a perineal that regrew no matter how many times it was stomped or plucked.

His Jullian had never let the word crush him or taint him; no matter how bad things got…he always had a sunny smile on his face—even on his eighteenth birthday when they had to leave him, he had given them that same sunny smile with the promise he'd be alright.

….That was the only promise Jullian had even broken to them.

If they had been able to stay with him and help him out of that toxic place…the way Wanda was being allowed to stay and help Timmy until he turned twenty-one, then perhaps Jullian would have been able to keep his word.

….Or perhaps not.

Just as the adorable baby gulabi goat transfigured into a bloated monstrosity as it grew, perhaps the same was true for humans.

He watched as Gin poured strong dark rum and sweet velvety chocolate liqueur into a crystal mixing glass. Even when an adult managed to hold on to bits and pieces of their childhood selves…well…between rum and chocolate, the formers taste and scent would always overpower the latter.

…Julia….his delicate goddaughter who had always behaved far too young for her age, what kind of adult would she have been….would she too of become overpowered by the poison of adulthood?

Gin drizzled rich caramel syrup to the mix with a single elegant motion; its sweet scent reminiscent of homemade treats and childhood memories. Julia had always been a girl who remained perpetually behaving like a five year old no matter how old she got.

Sometimes he felt like she would never grow up at all.

….She never actually did.

With a dash of coconut milk, Gin sealed the mixing glass and began to shake, the ice inside rattling like raindrops against a windowpane. With each shake, the flavors inside melded together; chocolate, caramel, coconut….and yet in the end, the rum would stand out strongest among them all.

….Jorgen's strict adherence to the rules had allowed both Jullian and Julia to become victims of the human poison that began to spread inside of all humans once they became adults.

Would it be too much to hope that the exceptions Jorgen had made for Timmy were not due to favoritism, but because he had learned from his mistakes? If that was the case, then perhaps he'd be able to forgive it…

Gin now poured the mixture into a tall, chilled glass, the liquid velvet cascading downwards into its waiting vessel. With a final flourish, he added a sprinkle of cocoa powder on top.

He couldn't help but smile a little—rum might be strong, but even its taste couldn't overpower the flavor of pure cocoa.

"I hope that this drink will cure what ails ye, Piper. I call it the Cocoa Comfort." Gin slid the drink towards Piper, who anxiously swallowed two large sips and put it down with a relieved sigh.

"Now that's what I'm talking about! You always nail it, Gin!"

"It's me passion in life,"." He flashed them a warm and sincere smile; the man truly was an expert in both drinks and emotions. Not only had he crafted a cocktail to soothe his frazzled emotions and temper, but he also ensured that the drink made to console Piper had also comforted him.

— Wanda's Pov —

"Here, don't forget to drink. Staying hydrated is crucial when you're running a fever," she said, putting a glass of chocolate milk to his lips. He sipped through the straw, eyes glued to the television screen, never pausing his game.

With Timmy weakened by fever and unable to partake in active pursuits, she had decided to switch from kiddie shows to video games to keep his mind engaged. However, the gaming console in their room provided access to an extensive library of games, far more than she had anticipated, captivating Timmy's attention completely.

"This is amazing! It doesn't matter if the game was released for PC, V-Cube, Fun-Station, or Y-box—it's all here! Even games from before I was born!"

"Yes, very nice…" She had little interest in video games, failing to understand their allure. Why play basketball in a game when you could enjoy the real thing outdoors? "But how did they manage this? They can't possibly know about every video game from the human world…"

They had Earth television and insights from the human children who visited, but that seemed insufficient to replicate so many video games.

"Let's ask Grandpa Nova when we see him next!" Timmy proposed, his face brightening despite the fever. The nectar from Queen Mab made his temperature swing from mild to intense peaks. She was hopeful that once his fever broke in three days, his strength would recover, allowing her to coax him into playing outdoors instead of watching TV. With all the wonderful things they had spotted earlier in the garden from the top of the Ferris wheel, it shouldn't be too difficult to lure him away from the gaming console.

"Mom, do you want to play too? We can switch from sports if you'd prefer racing, or we could play a fighting game." He suggested eagerly.

"Oh, sweetie….you know I'm not really keen on video games." She apologized; it wasn't just that she disliked them, she was terrible at them and it would ultimately end up an unsatisfying experience for the poor boy.

"Aw." Timmy looked a little disappointed but not surprised; Poof and Cosmo were the ones who always played those games with him. "Maybe Grandpa can play some of these games with me later…"

She clicked her tongue, searching for the right words, and removed the controller from his hands, pausing his game. He gave her a puzzled look but didn't protest, as his ten-year-old self might have.

Actually, as a ten year old, he'd go completely feral if you tried to separate him from his V-cube; come to think of it, Mrs Turner also went feral whenever she got hungry. Well, her family did originate from Ustinkistan, a place notorious for werewolves—there could be one far back in the family tree somewhere. Not enough tainted blood to cause transformation, but enough perhaps to cause aggressive behavior when one felt territorial or hungry.

Unfortunately, even if that theory of hers was true; it meant nothing. Were wolves were just cursed humans; they did not live any longer than the normal ones, so she had no way to take advantage of it, even if it turned out true, to prolong Timmy's far too short mortal life.

"Timmy, you do recall our conversation about Fey world when we first arrived, correct?" Her voice was even, conveying both kindness and seriousness.

Timmy nibbled on his lower lip, resembling a tiny chipmunk. "I... I didn't forget."

"There's no need for guilt," she comforted, as he averted his gaze, fidgeting with the blankets, his cheeks flushing a even deeper red. "They've shown you kindness, but remember, they might exploit your affection to trick you into doing something that could bind you to them."

"I understand, but... Grandpa Nova has been so kind; it doesn't seem fake..."

She wrapped an arm around him, drawing him near knowing just how important it was for him to feel welcomed and wanted by others. Cosmo's father accepting him as a 'god Grandson' had really meant a lot to the poor boy. "His affection isn't false. Nova truly cares for you as if you were his own grandson, and it's okay to reciprocate that feeling. Your real grandfathers haven't been very present in your life, and I understand why you value this bond—yet—it's because he's so fond of you that he might wish to keep you here."

"Hm." Timmy bowed his head in acknowledgment. She drew him closer still, planting a tender kiss on his head.

"The thought of losing you is unbearable; you becoming a Kinder would mean I'd never see my dear boy again," she sighed. "If this world claimed you, Cosmo, Poof, and I would be devastated."

"Would it really be... never? Um, well... I mean... is it true?" Timmy looked frazzled, his voice breaking off with uncertainty. She hadn't seen him this nervous about asking her something in a long time; usually, he felt free to discuss just about anything with her.

"Go ahead, you can ask me anything, you know that," she encouraged, smoothing back his hair and placing a cool damp cloth on his forehead to ease his fever. Although she knew its supernatural cause meant mundane methods might not help much, it felt better to do something rather than wait for it to subside on its own.

"Um... well... is it true that when a fairy reaches a million years old, they either choose to live here and become Fey, or..." Timmy lifted his head, looking at her with sad, worried eyes. "They stay in Fairy world and... turn to dust?"

She clenched her teeth; she had expected the Kinders to try to tempt Timmy into staying, but not to play such a cruel hand. Timmy awaited her answer with an anxious expression, and it took her a moment longer than she liked to compose herself. Unintentionally, he had broached the most sensitive topic for a fairy, one that not even the closest family members dared to ask outright.

Some even choose to keep it secret; never letting their family know if they had chosen to become Fey or Dust; such knowledge only ever being discovered if they happened to meet up as Fey within Fey World.

That was just how uncomfortable this subject made others. It was not unheard of to ask a family member about someone's decision, even though half of the time the family member themselves might not know, but to ask the fairy in question, right to their face? That was a huge no-no.

"That's not a topic fairies are comfortable discussing," she explained softly. "That is actually a deeply private matter. It's..." She searched for a human analogy. "It's somewhat akin to inquiring about the details of a will from someone young and healthy, or approaching an acquaintance who has recently lost a loved one and asking bluntly how they passed away."

Timmy gasped, his eyes widening as he placed his hands over his mouth in dismay. "I'm sorry! I had no idea! She mentioned it so casually, I thought..."

"Oh, that's okay!" She pinched his cheek and gave him a reassuring smile. "You had no way of knowing, but now you do. That's something I'd probably only discuss with Cosmo and right at the end... I... actually really don't know," she confessed.

"Ah... I always thought fairies were immortal... but I should have known better since all of your ages were different. I guess I just thought you looked whatever age you wanted... but I should have realized after seeing that some of you were really old—like, really old," Timmy emphasized, widening his eyes. "Like that old lady that Cosmo caused to get hit by a car, attacked by a cat, and... was she okay after not being given her medicine?"

"She survived. Don't worry," she said with a smile, though she was pretty sure that poor old lady might have given up and went the Fey route as she no longer saw her around. "But yes, we fairies can't change our ages; only Fey can."

"That makes sense; no one would want to be grey and wrinkly if they didn't have to be," Timmy nodded to himself. "When I was 60, it was horrible! Every joint hurt! I had no hair on my head but a beard I was nearly tripping over, and—man, did I shrink from my 30s!"

Timmy was being light hearted and trying to crack a joke to make her laugh, but she wasn't even able to muster up a smile. The fairy council's poor attempt at a punishment was precisely why the revival magic was flawed; had they not aged him, Cosmo wouldn't have made the blunder of only rejuvenating the exterior while leaving the interior aged. What were they even thinking? The so called 'wise' fairy council had nearly wiped out the human species, after all, if the youngest people on earth were fifty, there wouldn't be much reproduction going on…

"The rapid aging process made everyone age much less gracefully than they normally would have," she clarified.

"Ah! Now that I think about it, when I wished to be older, why did I end up looking like a gross, bald, fat old man, but when my future self traveled back in time, I was in superhero shape? I mean…do I hit rock bottom in my forties or was I only like super buff because I was part of the resistance against Vicky?" Timmy put a hand to his mouth, looking like he might gag. "Does the mean since I stopped Vicky I'm back on the creepy old man route!?"

"Oh Timmy, it seems it's time for a confession," she laughed, tousling his hair. She was aware of his diversion tactic, attempting to steer her away from the true purpose of his earlier inquiry. She wouldn't ignore the issue, but she also sought to handle it delicately, thus she permitted this brief diversion. "You're not the first child to wish they were all grown up. It's a wish every child makes, and we fairies respond in kind—by transforming them into the worst possible version of their adult selves."

Timmy gaped at her, astonished. "What...!?" His voice was higher than usual as it expressed shock along with a hint of betrayal. "But... why? That's so mean!"

"It's a lesson not to rush through childhood and to cherish it while it lasts; the fairy we kept giving 5's to was part of the act. We would never truly leave a child in an irreversible predicament like that, sweetie."

"Oh! I was so anxious and frightened back then!" He lightly slapped her arm, cheeks puffed in feigned anger.

She smiled. "But it was effective, wasn't it?"

"Too much...! After all, I stopped time for fifty years."

She laughed, finding it ironic that despite his strenuous efforts to avoid growing up, one of his earliest wishes was to be an adult.

"But... Timmy, I'm far from being a million years old," she said gently. His smile faded as he realized his distraction hadn't worked, but she continued with empathy, "...Even though Kinders live for thousands of years, it wouldn't be enough time to see me come here in my old age."

"I'm sorry...! I just...I just couldn't help but think...if you were going to come here someday anyway...that...I'm so, so sorry..."

"Don't be, I understand," she reassured him, cradling his face in her hands, urging him to look at her as he attempted to avert his gaze in shame. "Life is tough for you now, but don't lose hope for better days. I'll do everything in my power to ensure you grow up to be the best version of yourself. I promise not to let you grow up to be unhappy."

She thought about sharing Jorgen's revelation with him, how they could remain together until he turned 21. It was such good news however that she wanted the perfect moment and setting to share it, and she wanted for Poof and Cosmo to be there to hear it too.

"It's not just that life is hard right now, it's... because I... really don't ever want to forget you or be separated from you," he confessed, disheartened. "But don't worry, I've learned my lesson from last time... if I act rashly, Poof might be endangered, and I can't bear that thought, even though it saddens and frightens me."

"I know... it saddens me too," she acknowledged, embracing him tightly. "But thanks to that blessing you got, you'll be able to dream of me."

"Yes... but every time I wake up, I'll forget all about you," Timmy sighed, his expression one of despair. She was desperate to lift his spirits, and she felt awful about how Cosmo had inadvertently revealed such a painful truth—no child should have to bear the knowledge that the people they cherished like family would one day disappear from both their lives and their memory. The weight of such a burden must be overwhelming...

"...You know, sport..." She nudged him playfully, trying to coax a smile from him. "You might have learned your lesson, but I didn't."

Timmy looked at her quizzically, and she responded with a playful grin.

"You know Nova owes you a gift for the way you overpaid for your treatment, so... maybe I can devise something that will let us use your dreams to keep in touch."

"...But what if you get into trouble?" His voice carried a note of concern, yet the hope shining in his eyes made them gleam, cutting through the fog his condition had cast. She wrapped him in a warm embrace, finally drawing a wide smile from him.

"Level fourteen probation; summer school with my mother-in-law. That's trivial if it means I can be with you," she said, shrugging nonchalantly as she told the lie with an eerily straight face. Normally, she couldn't even tell a small fib without breaking out into a sweat and getting the urge to whistle.

The truth was, getting caught would mean the loss of her godparenting license and possibly jail time. It would hurt too much to carry on being a godmother after Timmy anyway, so loosing her license meant nothing to her and frankly she felt that a few centuries in prison was well worth it if she could keep her bond with Timmy unbroken.

"Don't you fret, sweetie, I'm going to give it my all." She promised both to him and to herself. "A mother will fight to the end for her children, and I am not giving up my son without one hell of a fight."

Timmy gave her a surprised look, and she put her hand to her lips, blushing.

"I-I mean one heck of a fight.." She laughed, awkwardly and Timmy began to laugh too, but it was the truth….she wouldn't let go of him, not peacefully. She'd do whatever it took to remain part of his life…even after he turned 21. She would not allow the bond they had to become broken, not for the sake of some petty rule book!

…Anyway….she had one special card up her sleeve that she'd play if push came to shove; a last, secret, desperate measure she would use if it seemed that the human world truly had no place for him; if he could not live a happy life…..

She'd play that secret and forbidden card in order to keep Timmy happy….and part of her family forever.